Legendborn

Legendborn 
By Tracy Deonn
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2020. 501 pages. Young Adult Fiction

After her mother dies in an accident, 16-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her previous life, family memories, or her childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at a local university seems like the perfect escape, until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. 

This is a unique extension of the King Arthur legend. I felt like the pacing was excellent, keeping me enthralled for all 501 pages. Bree is a strong character, and many of the secondary characters also felt three dimensional with their own backstories and desires. Not only is this book culturally and LGBTQIA diverse, all the characters naturally fit in the story. Nearly all the interactions, situations, and character arcs felt realistic. The world-building in this story is excellent, but doesn’t bog the reader down with explanations. Overall, this was really well done and I would recommend it to any fans of magical realism, especially for young adults. 

If you liked Legendborn, you might also like: 

Seven Deadly Shadows
By Courtney Alameda
HarperTeen, 2020. 376 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Seventeen-year-old Kira Fujikawa has never had it easy. She's bullied by the popular girls in school. Her parents ignore her. And she's also plagued with a secret: She can see yokai, the ghosts and demons that haunt the streets of Kyoto. But things accelerate from bad to worse when she learns that Shuten-doji, the demon king, will rise at the next blood moon to hunt down an ancient relic and bring the world to a catastrophic end. 

The Kingdom of Back

By Marie Lu 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2020. 313 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Desperate to be forever remembered for her music, Nannerl Mozart makes a dangerous pact with a mysterious stranger from a magical land, which may cost her everything. 

 ACS

Huda F Are You?

Huda F Are You? 

By Huda Fahmy 

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021. 184 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel 

Huda and her family just moved to Dearborn, Michigan, a small town with a big Muslim population. In her old town, Huda knew exactly who she was: She was the hijabi girl. But in Dearborn, everyone is the hijabi girl. Huda is lost in a sea of hijabis, and she can't rely on her hijab to define her anymore. She has to define herself. So she tries on a bunch of cliques, but she isn't a hijabi fashionista or a hijabi athlete or a hijabi gamer. She's not the one who knows everything about her religion or the one all the guys like. She's miscellaneous, which makes her feel like no one at all. Until she realizes that it'll take finding out who she isn't to figure out who she is. 

This is a sweet, funny, and emotional story about self-discovery and making friends. Huda is relatable and funny and makes you root for her throughout the book. I would suggest this to anyone, especially teens, who feel out of place or lost in the crowd. 

If you like Huda F Are You?, you might also like: 

Bloom 

By Kevin Panetta 

First Second, 2019. 351 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel 

Baked with love! Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band--if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom ... that is, if Ari doesn't ruin everything. 

Fangirl: the Manga Vol. 1 

By Sam Maggs 

Viz Media, 2020. 208 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? Open her heart to someone? Or will she just go on living inside somebody else's fiction?! 

Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin’s Hijab 

By Priya Huq 

Amulet Books, 2021. 224 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel 

Nisrin is a 13-year-old Bangladeshi-American girl living in Milwaukie, Oregon, in 2002. As she nears the end of eighth grade, she gives a presentation for World Culture Day about Bangladesh while wearing a traditional cultural dress. On her way home, she is the victim of a hate crime when a man violently attacks her for wearing a headscarf. Deeply traumatized by the experience, Nisrin spends the summer depressed and isolated. Other than weekly therapy, Nisrin doesn't leave the house until fall arrives and it's time for her to start freshman year at a new school. The night before class starts, Nisrin makes a decision. She tells her family she's going to start wearing hijab, much to their dismay. Her mother and grandparent's shocked and angry reactions confuse her--but they only strengthen her resolve. This choice puts Nisrin on a path to not only discover more about Islam, but also her family's complicated relationship with the religion, and the reasons they left Bangladesh in the first place. On top of everything else, she's struggling to fit in at school--her hijab makes her a target for students and faculty alike. But with the help from old friends and new, Nisrin is starting to figure out what really makes her happy.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating 

By Adiba Jaigirdar 

Page Street Publishing, 2021. 345 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Everyone likes Humaira 'Hani' Khan--she's easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they invalidate her identity, saying she can't be bi if she's only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she's in a relationship...with a girl her friends absolutely hate--Ishita 'Ishu' Dey. Ishu is the complete opposite of Hani. She's an academic overachiever who hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for college. But Ishita agrees to help Hani, if Hani will help her become more popular so that she stands a chance of being elected head girl. Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But relationships are complicated, and some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.

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Greenlights

Greenlights

By Matthew McConaughey 

Crown, 2020. 289 pgs. Biography/Memoir

From the Academy Award winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

I decided to read this book because I've seen some powerful talks from Matthew McConaughey on the Internet and wanted to see if this book contained some of that wisdom. This book is a mix of wisdom, mistakes, swear words and motivation. He isn't afraid to question his life and do what he needs to find the most satisfaction and fulfillment. I listened to this on Libby and really enjoyed that it was read by Matthew McConaughey. I also really liked his idea of "Greenlights" where sometimes things happen in our lives that we don't expect and they can be red lights that stop us, or they can turn into green lights and move us to where we need to go. 

If you like Greenlights, you might also like: 

Will 

By Will Smith

Penguin Press, 2021. 418 pgs. Biography/Memoir

A product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, and a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind, in this memoir, one of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life.

Inside Out

By Demi Moore

Harper. 2019. 262 pgs. Biography/Memoir

As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness.

Drama

By John Lithgow

Harper, 2011. 336 pgs. Biography/Memoir

Sharing a backstage history of his early life and career--and paying tribute to his father, Arthur Lithgow--the author reveals why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it.

AL

Tartine Bread

Tartine Bread

By Chad Robertson

Chronicle Books, 2010. 304 pages. Nonfiction

The bread at San Francisco's legendary Tartine Bakery was developed by renowned baker Chad Robertson over a decade of working with the finest artisan bakers in the United States and France, followed by another decade baking solo in a small wood-fired oven on the coast of Northern California. The following for this singular bread far exceeds the bakery's daily production. Now, clear instructions and hundreds of step-by-step photos show you how to make this elemental bread. Also included are more than 30 sweet and savory recipes using the day-old bread to make sandwiches, soups, puddings, French toast and kale Caesar.

I've read this book a few times, each with a different intention. I love that it's not only a well-documented sourdough method, but also a memoir of the author's bread journey and also a history of the bakery. While Robertson does go fairly deep into the chemistry behind sourdough (well beyond my understanding), his descriptions and steps make at-home sourdough not only possible, but edible. I'd recommend this simple but detailed book to people looking to start their own sourdough, those who want to improve their technique, or even readers who just want to learn about someone who loves bread. 

If you like Tartine Bread, you may also like:

Bread Book

By Chad Robertson, Jennifer Latham, and Liz Barclay

Random House, 2021. 368 pages. Nonfiction

Visionary baker Chad Robertson unveils what's next in bread, drawing on a decade of innovation in grain farming, flour milling, and fermentation with all-new ground-breaking formulas and techniques for making his most nutrient-rich and sublime loaves, rolls, and more-plus recipes for nourishing meals that showcase them.

Flour Water Salt Yeast

By Ken Forkish

Ten Speed Press, 2012. 265 pages. Nonfiction

From Portland's most acclaimed and beloved baker comes this must-have baking guide, featuring scores of recipes for world-class breads and pizzas and a variety of schedules suited for the home baker. In Flour Water Salt Yeast, author Ken Forkish demonstrates that high-quality artisan bread and pizza is within the reach of any home baker. Whether it's a basic straight dough, dough made with a pre-ferment, or a complex levain, each of Forkish's impeccable recipes yields exceptional results. Tips on creating and adapting bread baking schedules that fit in reader's day-to-day lives--enabling them to bake the breads they love in the time they have available--make Flour Water Salt Yeast an indispensable resource for bakers, be they novices or serious enthusiasts

My Bread

By Jim Lahey

W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. 222 pages. Nonfiction

Here, thanks to Jim Lahey, New York's premier baker, is a way to make bread at home that doesn't rely on a fancy bread machine or complicated kneading techniques. The secret to Jim Lahey's bread is slow-rise fermentation. As Jim shows in My Bread, with step-by-step instructions followed by step-by-step pictures, the amount of labor you put in amounts to 5 minutes: mix water, flour, yeast, and salt, and then let time work its magic--no kneading necessary. The process couldn't be more simple, or the results more inspiring. Here Jim Lahey gives us a cookbook that enables us to fit quality bread into our lives at home.

sr

The Good Daughter

The Good Daughter
By Karin Slaughter 
William Morrow, 2017. 515 pages. Mystery.

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father -- Pikeville's notorious defense attorney -- devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night. Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself -- the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again -- and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized -- Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago won't stay buried forever.

Those familiar with Ms. Slaughter's works will know they are not for the faint of heart. The Good Daughter is no different. Featuring dynamic family drama, vehement violence, and stomach-churning suspense, The Good Daughter is a total page turner (though you might be looking at some of pages through the fingers you are using to shield yourself from fear) with strong characters and stronger storylines. This is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys a gritty crime drama, and who isn't scared of a little gore. 

 If you like The Good Daughter, you might also like: 

The Woman in the Window
By A.J Finn
William Morrow, 2018. 427 pages. Fiction. 

It isn't paranoia if it's really happening... Anna Fox lives alone -- a recluse in her New York City home, drinking too much wine, watching old movies, and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russell family moves next door: a father, a mother, their teenaged son. The perfect family. But when Anna sees something she shouldn't, her world begins to crumble -- and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this gripping Hitchcockian thriller, no one and nothing are what they seem.

The Lying Game
By Ruth Ware
Scout Press, 2017. 370 pages. Fiction. 

Four girls are best friends and inseparable at Salten, a second-rate boarding school near the cliffs of the England Channel. They are notorious for playing the Lying Game, telling lies to both fellow boarders and faculty. Their little game has consequences when they soon learn their shared past was not as safely buried as they had once hoped.

In the Woods
By Tana French
Viking, 2007. 429 pages. Mystery. 

Detective Rob Ryan and his partner, Cassie Maddox, investigate the murder of a 12-year-old girl near a Dublin suburb. The case resonates with similarities to a murder committed twenty years before that involved two children and the young Ryan.

 MES

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe 

Harper, 2021. 317 pages. Nonfiction/Biography

When eleven-year-old Cornelius Vanderbilt began to work on his father's small boat ferrying supplies in New York Harbor at the beginning of the nineteenth century, no one could have imagined that one day he would, through ruthlessness, cunning, and a pathological desire for money, build two empires—one in shipping and another in railroads—that would make him the richest man in America. By 2018, when the last Vanderbilt was forced out of The Breakers—the seventy-room summer estate in Newport, Rhode Island—the family would have been unrecognizable to the tycoon who started it all. Now, the Commodore's great-great-great-grandson Anderson Cooper joins with historian Katherine Howe to explore the story of his legendary family and their outsized influence.

I don't usually read books covering the lifestyles of the rich and famous, but this book quickly grabbed my attention. Along with learning about a family living a lifestyle I can't personally imagine, this book covers a really interesting swath of New York City's history. The Vanderbilts were key players during the the Gilded Age, the Suffrage Movement, and so much more. Each chapter covers an interesting moment in the life of a different family member, which means there's something that will appeal to many different types of readers and history lovers. Listening to this book gives an extra bonus, since it's read by Anderson Cooper, who is reading about his own distant relations.

If you like Vanderbilt you might also like: 

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home

by Denise Kiernan

Touchstone, 2017. 388 pages. Nonfiction/Biography

Documents the story of the Gilded Age mansion Biltmore, tracing George Vanderbilt's construction of his European-style estate and the efforts of his bride, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser, to become its protector in the face of changing fortunes and times.

The Wars of the Roosevelts: The Ruthless Rise of America's Greatest Political Family

by William J. Mann

Harper, 2016. 609 pages. Nonfiction/Biography

A provocative biography of the Roosevelt family draws on family secrets and complex rivalries to argue that the Roosevelts' rise to power was driven by a series of inside competitions that were witnessed firsthand by an increasingly begrudging Eleanor Roosevelt.

A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts

by Therese Fowler

St. Martin's Press, 2018. 392 pages. Historical Fiction

Alva Smith, her southern family destitute after the Civil War, married into one of America's great Gilded Age dynasties: the newly wealthy but socially shunned Vanderbilts. Ignored by New York's old-money circles and determined to win respect, she designed and built 9 mansions, hosted grand balls, and arranged for her daughter to marry a duke. But Alva also defied convention for women of her time, asserting power within her marriage and becoming a leader in the women's suffrage movement.

MB

Witchlight

Witchlight

by Jessi Zabarsky

RH Graphic, 2020. 200 pages. Graphic Novel.

Meeting in the marketplace amid community fears about witchcraft, Sanja and Lelek begin uncovering difficult magical secrets about Lelek’s past while making unexpected discoveries about friendship, family and falling in love.

This story is all about Sanja, a repressed merchant’s daughter and Lelek, a witch with half a soul, their meeting, their scheming, and their learning to trust each other and other people.  The illustrations are round and full of light. The world building of Lelek’s spells and her witchlight, all through illustration, is powerful.  The portrayal of the girls’ growing relationship is tenderly and carefully handled. This graphic novel also portrays the power of "found families". Every place the girls go they meet someone, usually a woman, who opens their arms and home to them. This is a moving, romantic, and whimsical story that will gently lead you to an understanding of two compelling characters.

If you like Witchlight, you might also like:

Mooncakes

by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

Lion Forge, 2019. 256. Graphic Novel.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmother's bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home. Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help.  

 

The Girl from the Sea

by Molly Ostertag

Graphix, 2021. 245 pages. Graphic Novel.

Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends . . . who don't understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan's biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn't seem so stifling anymore. But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they're each trying to hide will find its way to the surface . . . whether Morgan is ready or not.

AG

Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide

Gastro Obscura : A Food Adventurer’s Guide

by Cecily Wong

Workman Publishing, 2021. 438 pages.

Nonfiction

The ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura are back, and this time they are showcasing breathtaking food from around the world. Ready for a beer made from fog in Chile? Sardinia's "Threads of God" pasta? Egypt's 2000-year-old egg ovens? Our very own state of Utah makes the cut with (you guessed it) funeral potatoes, and a surprising entry of potato donuts. Full of color photos and interesting facts, this volume is sure to take you on a global food adventure like none other.

If you like Gastro Obscura, you may also like:

World Travel: An Irreverent Guide

by Anthony Bourdain

Ecco, 2021. 471 pages.

A guide to some of the world's most fascinating places, as seen and experienced by writer, television host, and relentlessly curious traveler Anthony Bourdain.

Ultimate Food Journeys: The World’s Best Dishes & Where to Eat Them

by Louise Abbott

DK Eyewitness Travel, 2011. 336 pages.

This book takes travelers on a gastronomic tour of the globe to find truly world-class culinary experiences. Whether it is the most delicious street food in Southeast Asia, or the best clam chowder in New England, this beautifully illustrated book includes every must-try treat in some of the world's best destinations, and places them in their cultural and geographical context.

ALL

Against Silence

Against Silence

by Frank Bidart

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021. 63 pages.

Poetry

Words—there is a gap, nonetheless always

and forever, between words and the world—

In Against Silence, the Pulitzer Prize winner's eleventh collection of poetry, Bidart writes of the cycles we cannot escape and the feelings we cannot forget. These bitesize poems make for a quick read, but they take a while to digest. Bidart writes about aging and death, memories, and the cycles we cannot escape, the feelings we cannot forget.

If you like Against Silence, you may also like:

Poems

by Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop is one of America's greatest writers, and her art is loved and admired by readers and fellow poets alike. The poems that make up Bishop's small and select body of work display honesty and humor, grief and acceptance, observing nature and human nature with painstaking accuracy. Her poems often start outwardly, with geography and landscape--from New England and Nova Scotia, where she grew up, to Florida and Brazil, where she later lived-- and move inexorably toward "the interior," exploring as they do fundamental questions of knowledge and perception, love and solitude, and the ability or inability of form to control chaos.

Whale Day, and other poems

by Billy Collins

Billy Collins's thirteenth collection, and first in four years, contains more than fifty new poems that showcase the playfulness, wit, and wisdom that have made him one of our most celebrated and widely read poets. This collection covers many themes, including Collins's profound insights on aging and mortality.

ALL

Otherwise Engaged

Otherwise Engaged

By Joanna Barker

Covenant Communications, 2020. 254 pgs. Romance

Rebecca Rowley feels stifled by society and finds ways to quietly and not so quietly rebel. Riding bareback is one of her secret joys but she soon has a much bigger secret as she tries to hide her engagement to the one man her family would never approve of. After saving the life of a young girl on a neighboring estate, she draws the attention of the older brother, Lieutenant Avery. Since he is a naval man and not interested in marriage, Rebecca and Lieutenant Avery form a friendship that turns both their worlds upside down. 

Joanna Barker recently visited the Provo City Library and I decided I wanted to read one of her books. I thoroughly enjoyed Otherwise Engaged. The characters were fun and the storyline kept me interested. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author. 

If you like Otherwise Engaged, you might also like:

Lakeshire Park

By Megan Walker

Shadow Mountain, 2020. 312 pgs. Romance

Amelia Moore needs to secure her sister's engagement to Sir Ronald or else the two sisters will be left destitute. The only problem is that Peter Wood has the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry - one that Amelia has no choice but to win - but competing against Peter makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim--her heart.

A Proper Charade

By Esther Hatch

Covenant Communications, 2020. 215 pgs. Romance

Lady Patience Kendrick was born to a life of privilege but as the London Season nears, there is mounting pressure to live the rules of society. Her brother accuses her of frivolity so to prove him wrong she decides to disguise herself as a maid and work as hard as anyone. She is way out of her league and the charming son of the house complicates the charade even further. 

AL

Avatar the last Airbender, the official cookbook

Avatar the last Airbender, the official cookbook: recipes from the Four Nations

by Jenny Dorsey

Insight Editions, 2021. 127 pages. Nonfiction 

From the shores of Kyoshi Island to the crowded streets of Ba Sing Se, this official cookbook collects signature dishes from all four nations, like vegetarian plates of the Air Nomads, fiery entrees from the Fire Nation, seafood from the North and South Poles, and delectable cuisine from the Earth Kingdom. 

Any fan of the TV show will love this cookbook. It is so colorful and calls back to moments of the show such as Sokka and the cactus juice. Each recipe has a little narrative about or from the character and why they like the food. Zuko talks about one of his favorite foods, sizzle crisps, in the Fire Nation section of the book and it is a recipe I will be trying in the future. 

If you liked Avatar the Last Airbender, the Official Cookbook, you may also like: 

Marvel Eat the Universe: the Official Cookbook

by Justin Warner 

Insight Editions, 2020. 143 pages. Nonfiction 

Prepare to eat like a Marvel Super Hero with Marvel Eat the Universe: The Official Cookbook. Chef Justin Warner invites you to pull up a chair and explore the Marvel Universe through these creative dishes inspired by Marvel's heroes. 

Disney Villains: Devilishly Delicious Cookbook 

by Julie Tremaine 

Insight Editions, 2021. 126 pages. Nonfiction 

Featuring more than 50 recipes inspired by dastardly Disney villains, including such tasty morsels as deviled dragon eggs, spinning wheel potatoes, Jolly Rodger brisket, and bowl of worms pudding. 

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: the Official Cookbook and Entertaining Guide 

by Kim Laidlaw

Insight Editions, 2021. 189 pages. Nonfiction 

When Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, travels from his world of Halloween Town to Christmas Town, he learns that celebrations and holidays don't just appear out of thin air. Every party takes time and work to make it unique, and this book will help you achieve a party of which both Jack Skellington and Santa Close would be proud. There are ideas in each chapter for decor, crafts, and favors, but the book is designed to inspire readers to make an everyday dinner or a movie night that is memorable. 

ME

That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life

That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life

by Marissa Mullen

New York: The Dial Press (2020). 285 pages. Nonfiction

Creator of the Instagram sensation @ThatCheesePlate Marissa Mullen takes cheese to a whole new level with her gorgeous, show-stopping cheese plates. With her simple step-by-step Cheese by Numbers method, she breaks down the cheese plate into its basic components--cheese, meat (aka the Salami River), produce, crunch, dips, garnish--and shows you how to recreate these beautiful spreads for any occasion, whether it's a dinner party, a book club gathering, wine nights with friends, or your classy Netflix binge. 

I first found out about Marissa Mullen's cheese expertise when I stumbled upon her Instagram account. I LOVE cheese and I'm always dreaming of making fun charcuterie boards, so this book really helps jog my mind. If you're a cheese love, charcuterie lover, or just a plain ol' food lover you will most definitely love this book! 

If you like That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life you might also like... 

The Great Grilled Cheese Book

by Eric Greenspan

California: Ten Speed Press. 2018. 143 pages. Nonfiction

Greenspan helps readers take the grilled cheese sandwich to another level, while keeping true to what it is at its core: delicious. He dedicates each chapter to a cheese; each recipe makes four sandwiches. But his intent is that readers play with the recipes, using them as inspiration for their own creations-- and have fun doing so.

The Book of Cheese

by Liz Thorpe

New York; Flat Iron Books 2017. 406 pages. Nonfiction. .

From basics like Swiss, blue, and cheddar, Liz leads the way to more adventurous types. Love Brie? Liz Thorpe shows you how to find other Brie-like cheeses, from the mild Moses Sleeper to the pungent Fromage de Meaux. Her revolutionary approach allows food lovers to focus on what they really care about: finding more cheeses to enjoy. Complete with flavor and aroma wheels, charts guiding you through different intensities and availabilities, and gorgeous photography, this is the only book on cheese you will ever need.

The Mac + Cheese Cookbook

by Allison Arevalo

Berkeley; Ten Speed Press. 20013. 117 pages. Nonfiction. Coobook.

A fun and playful cookbook featuring retro, decadent, and kid-friendly mac-and-cheese recipes from the popular Oakland restaurant Homeroom. The 50 recipes range from Vegan Mac to Triple Cream Mac, with plenty of permutations in between--like macs with stinky cheeses, veggie-lover macs, classic homestyle recipes like Tuna Mac, and international varieties like Sriracha Mac and Mexican Mac.

NS

En un rincón del alma

En un Rincón del Alma
Por Antonia J. Corrales 
Ediciones B, 2014. 205 páginas. Ficción

Cuando goza de lo que para muchas personas sería una situación privilegiada (buen estatus económico y social, hijos mayores e independientes), Jimena, se siente más sola que nunca. Su vida ha pasado como un destello de luz ante sus ojos, sin darle tiempo a vivir, a sentir o ser la persona que en realidad es. Es entonces cuando toma consciencia de que es una desconocida para los suyos, que ha pasado lo mejor de su vida viviendo la vida de los que amaba, sin vivir la suya propia. La infidelidad de su marido, la perdida de una de sus amigas y la marcha de su amante, la llevaran a replantearse muchos valores e ideales y retomar las riendas de su presente.

Si le gusta «En un Rincón del Alma» le recomendamos:

Mujer, Valórate : Decídete a Ser una Gran Mujer
Por Omayra Font

Whitaker House Español, 2019. 144 páginas. Autoayuda

Muchas mujeres tienen un problema serio de baja autoestima. Eso no les permite mirarse a sí mismas como personas competentes y capaces. Una baja autoestima paraliza a la mujer a tal punto, que no solamente se afecta su desarrollo personal, sino también sus relaciones familiares. Conocemos a las mujeres como madres y pilares de sus hogares, sin embargo, muy profundo en sus corazones tienen anhelos de crecer en otras áreas de su vida, pero se sienten menos. Omayra Font, exitosa emprendedora internacional, te abre la puerta hacia tu grandeza personal en su libro Mujer, valórate, escrito con la autoridad y la inspiración de una mujer que ha superado grandes adversidades, y ha sabido luchar hasta lograr lo que se ha propuesto. Aprende a valorarte como la mujer que eres en verdad, y prepárate a ser quien siempre has deseado ser.

Una Reina Como Tú
Por Francisca Lachapel

Atria Español, 2018. 186 páginas. Biografía

En «Una reina como tú», su primera autobiografía, Francisca relata su intensa e inspiradora historia de adversidades, alegrías, dudas y esperanzas con una honestidad conmovedora. Desde sus primeros años en el pequeño pueblo de Azua en la República Dominicana, sus inicios en el teatro y los demonios de su infancia, hasta su conversión en entrañable figure pública en los Estados Unidos, Francisca Lachapel nos lleva de la mano por los laberintos de una vida que es, sobre todas las cosas, la prueba extraordinaria de que aún los sueños más hermosos están al alcance de quien se atreve a luchar por ellos.

MEB

Etiquetas: Español, No Ficción, Autoayuda, Biografía