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cookreadrepeat's reviews
280 reviews
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
What Happens in Cornwall... by T.A. Williams
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Mental illness, Violence, Car accident, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief
The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
I’m not going to lie, reading this book made me hungry. The way Abbs describes each dish is, as intended like poetry. Told from two points of view, we as the reader are transported to early Victorian England. The book starts and ends with Ann, yet Eliza Acton is the main focus. It is she after being rejected by her publisher that is the creator of modern cookery books. We are all aware of Mrs Beeton and the popularity of her own cookery book, yet I was amazed to discover that her recipes were not originally written by her.
Despite this, The Language of Food is a sad tale where we discover the realities of mental health, how women are viewed and that the expectations of daughters are crippling. And, yet, Eliza doesn’t care about any of it. Not even when the option for marriage is handed to her on a silver platter. For her, her independence and the ability to make her own choices far outweighs her mother’s desire to see her married. I had a love/hate relationship with Eliza. I found her passion for creative writing and food inspiring, and yet she was oblivious to the realities of those less fortunate to her. This is a product of her comfortable childhood and expensive education.
Poor, destitute and poorly educated, Ann, is all that Eliza is not. After struggling to manage a mother suffering from advanced dementia and other mental illnesses, she is forced to work for the Acton women under the belief that her mother is to be cared for at the new asylum in Kent. What we know now, of asylums is that her mother was not living in luxury with good food, dedicated nurses and regular doctor’s visits and that her death though tragic could have been prevented.
Each recipe was so beautifully crafted and described that it felt like you could taste each ingredient, in the same way, a line of poetry can paint a picture. It also shows just how much work goes into creating a cookery book. They are items that we take for granted for they are all so easily accessible. We, as cooks and readers can go into any shop and pick up a cookbook with ease. Yet, in Victorian England, cookbooks were scarce, and any that were available contained measurements and foods that boggled the mind.
Every page, every line and chapter is infused with the perfumed scent of vanilla, the rich tang of a perfectly crafted gravy and dusted with the finest of powdered sugar. It is a feast for the eyes as well as for the stomach.
If you like historical fictional novels and have a passion for food whether that’s dabbling in the kitchen, or eating out at restaurants, then this is the book for you. I highly guarantee that you will not regret picking up and indulging in this book, just as I have.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Language of Food is an incredible read that combines the delicate, lyrical verse of poetry with the comforts and creativity of recipe creation and food. Annabel Abbs’ research into how cookery books evolved looks into the life of unmarried Eliza Acton, her housemaid and companion Ann Kirby and their journey to create a cookbook that not only contains delicious recipes but is easy to follow for all users of the kitchen.
I’m not going to lie, reading this book made me hungry. The way Abbs describes each dish is, as intended like poetry. Told from two points of view, we as the reader are transported to early Victorian England. The book starts and ends with Ann, yet Eliza Acton is the main focus. It is she after being rejected by her publisher that is the creator of modern cookery books. We are all aware of Mrs Beeton and the popularity of her own cookery book, yet I was amazed to discover that her recipes were not originally written by her.
Despite this, The Language of Food is a sad tale where we discover the realities of mental health, how women are viewed and that the expectations of daughters are crippling. And, yet, Eliza doesn’t care about any of it. Not even when the option for marriage is handed to her on a silver platter. For her, her independence and the ability to make her own choices far outweighs her mother’s desire to see her married. I had a love/hate relationship with Eliza. I found her passion for creative writing and food inspiring, and yet she was oblivious to the realities of those less fortunate to her. This is a product of her comfortable childhood and expensive education.
Poor, destitute and poorly educated, Ann, is all that Eliza is not. After struggling to manage a mother suffering from advanced dementia and other mental illnesses, she is forced to work for the Acton women under the belief that her mother is to be cared for at the new asylum in Kent. What we know now, of asylums is that her mother was not living in luxury with good food, dedicated nurses and regular doctor’s visits and that her death though tragic could have been prevented.
Each recipe was so beautifully crafted and described that it felt like you could taste each ingredient, in the same way, a line of poetry can paint a picture. It also shows just how much work goes into creating a cookery book. They are items that we take for granted for they are all so easily accessible. We, as cooks and readers can go into any shop and pick up a cookbook with ease. Yet, in Victorian England, cookbooks were scarce, and any that were available contained measurements and foods that boggled the mind.
Every page, every line and chapter is infused with the perfumed scent of vanilla, the rich tang of a perfectly crafted gravy and dusted with the finest of powdered sugar. It is a feast for the eyes as well as for the stomach.
If you like historical fictional novels and have a passion for food whether that’s dabbling in the kitchen, or eating out at restaurants, then this is the book for you. I highly guarantee that you will not regret picking up and indulging in this book, just as I have.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Dementia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, and War
These themes aren't the main focus and reflect the views and opinions of people during early Victorian times.
The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Great book. Highly enjoyable. To see my full review, visit:
https://cookreadrepeat.wordpress.com/2021/08/25/the-elephant-in-the-room-by-holly-goldberg-sloan/
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness
Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan, Jennifer Niven
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Abandonment
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent
I have mixed feelings about this book. Even though it was an easy to read tale with dark themes on child abuse, familial expectations and self-doubt. I found the format uncomfortable. The entire interaction of characters especially Bea and Ez took place in a series of emails. Told via two points of view: Bea and Ezra, we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as we discover an empty room where a sister once lived and the apathetic reaction of her mum and stepfather.
It is quickly established through the panicked and frantic emails to his sister that Ezra is hurt, angry and feeling abandoned by the one person who has always been his constant. As their conversations unfurl you can't help but fall in love with these broken individuals. Bea is spunky and brave even when she feels her world crumbling around her, and Ezra is emotional, relatable and wise beyond his years. Together, they were strong but apart they learn how to stand on their own two feet and that despite their heartbreaking situation discover who they are as individuals and how they can go forth and flourish.
I was heartbroken when I read about the abuse Bea and Ezra experienced at the hands of their stepfather, but what made it worse was knowing that their mother ignored their pain and suffering. You may think that Anne Ahern's personality and apathy are dramatised for effect but, it's all too more common than some people realise. There are hundreds of young children and teenagers who live every day with parents and caregivers who treat them as an inconvenience "who should be grateful" that the adult/s in their lives allows them to live in "their house".
As, a survivor of a Narcissistic parent, I understand and can very much relate to Bea and Ezra. Even now, after over eleven years of being free from, said parent, I am still struggling with the effects of their behaviour. I know, the issue lies with them, but sometimes it's hard to escape the memories.
This was the reason why I requested this book. I wanted to see how the topic of child abuse was handled by David Levithan and Jennifer Nevin. I was pleased that they handled it carefully, honestly and didn't sugarcoat anything. I just wish they'd gone with a different format. The e-mail interactions just weren't for me. The story was great. The characters had substance and the message was uplifting and bittersweet.
I would very much like to read more from these authors and hope they continue to collaborate in the future.