I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists. Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.
1. The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl - I've read several of Reichl's food memoirs but this was the first fiction book of hers that I read. I enjoyed it though it wasn't a full win for me. I find this kind of book works best for me if I really connect with the main character. Stella was okay and I definitely felt sympathy for her regarding her relationship with her mother but she wasn't someone I really found myself rooting for. Reichl's focus in the story is definitely the food which isn't surprising and her descriptions are gorgeous as expected. However, what really caught my eye in the blurb was the dress and that felt very secondary in this story. I found it very readable and I go through it fairly quickly but it just wasn't a book I fell in love with. My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
2. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen - This is the first book in a slice of life series involving a village named Ivy Hill in 19th century England. Things are changing for the coaching inn, The Bell, and the new owner and recent widow Jane Bell is trying to figure out how to keep things afloat. This isn't something she's at all prepared for, but she is doing her best. There's a whole host of side characters from inn guests and staff to village residents. I really enjoyed the character progression of Jane's mother-in-law, Thora. As well, Jane herself is a character I really rooted for. There was a side character that I felt deserved some harsher consequences but for the most part this is good people trying their best. This is billed as Christian fiction and it is, but the actual story isn't particularly religious, and I didn't find the writing preachy. It's more a story of deeply religious people if that makes sense. The next book isn't top of my list, but it is a series I'll be continuing. My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
3. The Unholy by Heather Graham - This series is always such fun and I really enjoyed this one. This one was full of old movie mentions and old Hollywood lore. Madison is a special effects artist who can also see ghosts as is Cameron - except now Cameron is also an FBI agent. They work together well as does the rest of the special FBI unit. The mystery itself was enjoyable though there were a couple of threads that were heavily mentioned but were never really explored. This is kind of a candy bar book - yummy and quick to indulge in but won't stay with you too long. It was an enjoyable read and I'll be picking up the next Krewe book by this author soon. My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
4. Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi - I picked this up on an Audible sale at least 6 or 7 years ago when we were really loving Top Chef. I really enjoyed Padma's input on the show and was curious to know more about her. This book was interesting. I really enjoyed the look into growing up in an Indian household and then kind of split between two cultures after she and her mother moved to the US. Her view of food was also really fascinating as was her move from modeling into the food world. I would like for a bit more perspective on her relationship and how things developed with raising her daughter. There are some really truly vicious reviews on this book that I think come from fans of her ex-husband and don't really seem to touch on subjects she actually touched on in the story. She's not always the most likable but I did find it interesting and the audio which is read by the author is really well done. My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
5. The Palace Guard by Charlotte MacLeod - This is my second book by this author and the third book in the Kelling & Bitterson series. I very much enjoyed seeing Sarah and Max again now that they know each other a bit better. The setting for this one is an art museum loosely based on The Gardner Museum also in Boston and this also involves crimes committed in the museum though in a very different way from the infamous Gardner Heist. MacLeod has a gift for kind of lulling you in. I'm listening while I'm doing stuff and enjoying the story but not too wow-d by it and then all of a sudden I realize I'm completely pulled in by the mystery and the characters. I'm really looking forward to reading more of this series and exploring MacLeod's other books. My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
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