Children's Book Review: Penelope Crumb Follows her nose & Penelope Crumb Never Forgets by Shawn K Stout

Another two fabulous reviews from The Novel Cafe's Erin.....Thanks again Erin :-)

Some interesting facts about Penelope Crumb... She has: A brother so awful he MUST be an alien. A mum who draws body parts (ewww!). Her grandpa's nose... but no grandpa. Her family haven't seen him since her dad died. So Penelope and her friend Lizzie Maple set off across town to find Grandpa Felix, skipping school, taking trains and calling every F. Crumb in the phone book. But what if Grandpa Felix doesn't want to be found? One last fact about Penelope: she doesn't take no for an answer.




 Books received from Quercus - Thank you!

Erin's review.......Penelope goes on a search for her Grandpa and takes her friend Lizzie Maple with her to find him.The story takes you on a train journey trying to find her Grandpa.She says funny things like "True Blue".They talk to lots of people with the same name as her Grandpa in her desperate search to find him.Her character is cheeky and a little bit naughty.Made me want to keep reading to find out if she is successful in finding Grandpa.The ending is just perfect.Easy reading with great illustrations.I love the "Dear NASA" piece at the back of the book, and the interview with the author.I would recommend this book to all age 8+.

Patsy Cline is becoming best friends with another girl! It looks like Penelope is going to lose Patsy to Vera Bogg... forever.

So Penelope starts a secret museum full of things that remind her of the people she loves, in case she loses them too. Lizzie Maple, who loves adventures, is on board to help.

But other people seem to think 'taking their things for a museum' is the same as 'stealing'... and Penelope is suddenly in a whole lot of trouble!

Can Penelope win back Patsy Cline? And can she figure out a way to create her memory museum without stealing things?

Erin's review....In this story Penelope has to find a plan to win back her best friend, Patsy, from Vera.Patsy and her "new" friend Vera swap outfits and share secrets which really irritates Penelope.Penelope takes Patsy's best friend necklace that Vera had given her and hides in her made up museum on her bedroom cupboard.Penelope tries lots of ways to win back Patsy.I love the outcome of this story and would recommend it to age 8+ and I would happily read another story in this series.The illustrations are great and the "Why museums are important to me" section.

Both books available now on Amazon

Children's Book Review : Murder Most Unladylike By Robin Stevens

The Novel Cafe welcomes a new member to the team, guest reviewer 8.5 year old Erin. Erin volunteered to read and review children's books for The Novel Cafe so when Random House sent Murder Most Unladylike she was delighted to read it and write down her views - so thanks to Random House and a very special thanks to Erin for the great review...I personally hope there are many more to come :-)

Book Blurb....
When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia's missing tie. Which they don't, really.) But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident - but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place . . . and there's more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.
Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?

Erin's Review....

This book had a strong first chapter which kept me glued to the book, wanting to read on...

Good description of the main characters to build a picture of them in your mind, with a great spread of words, not at all repetitive.

I like the buildup of tension and lots of strong describing words which help get the feeling of the story.

I loved the plan of the school, teacher list and character list in the front of the book.

The rumours in the book of “who did it” make you really intrigued as to who it was that was involved.

The 2 main characters, Daisy and Hazel have very different personalities yet are the best of friends. They have a headstart on the Police in trying to solve the murder mystery.

I tried to guess who the murderer was... but didn't get it right!, until the book revealed a twist in the tale.

It’s the best book I have read in a long time and I can't wait for another adventure. I would definitely recommend you to read this book!

Preorder Murder Most Unladylike now on Amazon...out 5th June 2014.

THE DESSERT DELI BY LAURA AMOS

The Dessert Deli is a gorgeous, mouth-watering collection of amazing recipes, bringing luxurious desserts to the comfort of your own home.

The Dessert Deli brings beautiful desserts to their rightful place: the forefront of any meal. Not just offering cupcakes, this cookbook covers the full spectrum of tasty treats: indulgent Belgian Chocolate Mousse with Honeycomb, zingy Orange and Passion Fruit Trifle, silky smooth Honey Crème Brûlée, to decadent Amaretto Chocolate Truffles. Learn how to adapt recipes to your liking and the importance of always using the best quality ingredients. 

Set up in 2008, The Dessert Deli quickly became one of the highlights of the popular Northcote Road Market, as well as being stocked in some of London's most prestigious Food Halls, providing luxurious handmade desserts for food lovers.

Another beautiful cookbook landed on my doorstep thanks to Legend Press - Thank you.

Laura Amos is an award winning pastry chef who at 26 years old started up her own business, the unique luxury dessert brand, The Dessert Deli. Selling her desserts in high end food halls such as Selfridges & Fortnum & Mason, due to their popularity Laura has written this book to share her recipes with us all - and aren't we mighty glad she has!

The book begins with a short introduction to Laura and her journey and continues on to a section for ingredients followed by equipment. Laura breaks down all the main items and gives short descriptions of each.  I found this really helpful and quite interesting. For the more experienced baker this may seem 'too much' but I personally felt it was a great touch to the book.

The recipes themselves are just mouth watering. Every page I turned another piece of paper went in the book, marking them on my 'to do' list. I loved how Laura clearly broke down each recipe. Firstly there was a short description of the dessert followed by the ingredients( split into sections if there was more than one part to the dessert) along with a method. Laura also included many tips and cautions to help along the way. It was very easy to follow and was supported by yummy pictures. Laura also included tips and methods for the typical components of most desserts, such as meringue, different creams, sauces etc. This was great - if you are an adventurous cook you could use all these aspects and make your own concoction.

What a lovely cookbook - great for anybody who loves to indulge in a scrummy dessert but without the expensive equipment and complicated recipe as a hinderance. The perfect cookbook for anybody with a sweet tooth.

My pick - Cherry Black Forest - Black Forest Gateau is my absolute favourite dessert so if it comes anywhere close it will be a hit with me!

My Husbands pick - Orange & Almond Treacle Tart.

'Prettiest' looking bake - Strawberry Sable - look at all those strawberries :-)

Buy The Dessert Deli now.

BRIGHTON BAKES BY JESSICA HAGGERTY

Colourful and cosmopolitan, with a cheeky edge and a hint of seediness, Brighton is a haven of indulgence for all the senses. From the crunch of pebbles underfoot to the thump of dubstep from nightclubs, the sting of salty wind on your face, to the sweet stickiness of neon pink rock, it's a city that wants to share all its delights with you. So fabulous local caterer Jessica Haggerty needed to look no further than her home town to find the inspiration for this luscious collection of delicious bakes. Evocative photographs by Stuart Ovenden, Deputy Art Editor of Good Food magazine, reflect the quirky spirit of the town and highlight the sensational food. 

Jessica takes you through the seasons with contemporary recipes for cakes, muffins, pies and tarts, all using fresh local produce and showcasing a unique blend of urban chic and old-fashioned flavours. Bake a batch of fragrant lemon geranium muffins for a summer picnic, or warm up a winter's evening with dark chocolate chilli gingerbread. Capture Brighton's vibrant, seductive spirit with Margarita cupcakes (why drink when you can have a cocktail in a cake?), sumptuous garlicky pots with rosemary olive crackers, and the ethereal White Night Cake. 

Irresistible and individual treats for every occasion from a passionate baker, beautifully photographed throughout.

This stunning cookbook landed on my doorstep from Book Guild Publishing - So big thank you to them.

What a beautifully illustrated, easy to follow recipe book to add to your collection! The fuschia pink writing and roses on the front cover along with the vintage jug and sponge cake enticed me to dive into the pages straight away and I wasn't disappointed.

The book starts with Jessica introducing Brighton - a perfect fun description of the town and its inspiration. The book is then divided into four sections, one for each season of the year with guidance for which ingredients should be at their best and events relating to that time. I really liked how this was done it helped give a good structure to the book. My favourite section had to be Spring, not only does this obviously relate to our current season but 20-30 minute meal suggestions for me are  always gratefully received.

Page by page my mouth was watering just seeing the recipes and the amazing photographs. Jessica has put a great amount of effort into thinking about every single one. A few recipes are not my cup of tea - like anybody there will always be one that doesn't tickle your fancy but on the whole I was very impressed. 

My Favourite quote - 'I always distrust a clean cookbook, a cookbook free of even a smear or drop of oil. No crumbs squashed between the pages? The book hasn't been used for what it's intended for, that much is plain.' - SO TRUE!

My pick - Ham hock and pea pies - In my opinion you cant beat a good pie!

My Husbands pick - Sussex toffee and apple crumble - The sweet tooth in the family.

'Prettiest' looking bake - Brighton Rock Cake - Love the pink :-)

Dont miss out - buy your copy today on Amazon!

Book Challenge....Books 9 & 10!!!

Rivers of London 1 by Ben Aaronovitch

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden . . . and there's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying.

Guest review by Stephanie - thank you!

Being British, I have a genetic code that allows one to see every achievement, by myself or another, with an air of melancholy and a nonchalant vacancy. We Brits don’t do excitable jubilation unless it involves the royals.

But I throw caution to the wind now as I not only applaud Mr Aaronovitch but actually revel in his success. ‘Rivers of London’ is the witty, imaginative wonder that Brit fantasy literature has been craving since Joe Abercrombie lost it after the first law series. Through Peter Grant, Ben takes you on a journey around our ‘ends’ of London Town, weaving everyday people into fantastical yet oddly realistic plot lines. Using the benign trudge of police life and mixing in the colourful splash that is - well we don’t want to use the word magic, but we can settle for ‘supernatural occurrences’ - to grab you and thrust you into modern day Britain.

Now I am slightly bias, as I live in London and actually found myself jumping with joy when he mentions places I know well or have been to (in particularly Paperchase in Covent Garden, I love notepads). Relating is great fun, and this is what this book gives you that fantasy novels aren’t supposed to - relation. Much as a certain well known child wizard does to anyone who has had a childhood and gone to school, Peter Grant draws you into the mundane work life, and wonderfully grey London.

On a writing stance one has to keep the cogs turning to grasp the high speed level at which the dialogue and detective work race along, and more than once I found myself skipping back a page to make sure I hadn’t missed anything before I move on. Ben places ‘magic’ within the rational confines of modern day science, and the explanations are well thought out, albeit at times a little too clever for Peter Grants own good, however this is not a mark down, simply an observation.

As much as everyone wants to market this series as ‘What if Mr Potter grew up’, it is so much better than that. Witty, innovative and best of all full of swear words, Rivers of London is the type of book that helps sets a new genre.

In summary, go read this book now, and bask in the growing glory of British fantasy literature!

FAIRYTALE FOOD by LUCIE CASH

... Once upon a time, a young(-ish) maiden decided she was fed up with cooking the same old beans on toast and pasta bakes every night; she longed for some magic in her cooking. So she left her cosy cottage (flat in West London), pen and paper in hand and set off to find inspiration in the land of fairytales. For months and months she toiled visiting our best-loved characters; some were wonderfully sweet and generous, others were a bit grumpy and a little scary, but they all gave her ideas, tips and the confidence to create her very own delicious recipes.

When I decided to 'widen' The Novel Cafe to include non fiction reviews too I was so excited when this was the first book to arrive through my door. Fairytales and cooking - what more could a girl want! Lucie has written a magical book full of over 60 enchanting recipes based on all the fairy tale classics. At first glance you may assume this is a children's cookbook - but it's definitely for the 'older kid' in us all.

Lucie starts with 6 ' Rules of Fairytale cooking' one of which is to 'Ensure that your cauldron is sparkling clean'. She then continues with individual chapters of recipes, each based on a loveable classic. Seven Dwarf Salad, Princess and the Pea Soup and the Mad Hatter's Teacakes...can you guess which fairytale they relate to? The way Lucie has written out each recipe is beautifully charming and it is clear that each story and its characters were a true inspiration. 

One of the chapters 'Not a Teddy Bear's Picnic' based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears included the recipe below. It makes my mouth water just reading it. It will certainly be the first recipe I attempt and definitely not the last.

This sparkly, magical, enchanting cookbook gets a 10/10 at The Novel Cafe. A Novel Cafe twinkling cupcake!

Lucie was kind enough to speak to me about her book and answer a few questions....

Thank you so much for sending me a copy of your book and answering some questions for my blog it really is much appreciated :-) I'm a huge girly girl and love fairy tales & baking so amazing book if you ask me!

1. Tell us a little about yourself....

I live in West London with my husband, but I grew up in Cheshire surrounded by dairy farms, so I am very much a country mouse at heart! I love food and cooking obviously, but reading, shopping, dogs, nice walks and sitting cosy on the sofa watching Strictly or a Marvel film are my other favourite things to do. A dream would be to have a garden so that I can grow my own veg and keep a hen or two.

2. Have you always been a keen cook?

I have always loved cooking and I enjoy trying out new recipes. My great grandmother taught my mum to cook and then my mum taught me. I remember helping her make Fairy Cakes, Flapjacks and Shepherds Pie - all the necessary food groups! 

3. What's been your worst kitchen disaster?

I had a full on Kedgeree disaster. It was horrible. I made the school-girl error of using old spices and the dish tasted so bland that no amount of salt or parsley could save it.

4. What inspired you to write a cookery book based on fairy tales?

I have always loved reading and I collect some of the Folio Society hardback editions of various fairy tales. I had been reading Grimm's Fairy Tales and I suddenly had the random idea that fairy tales might be a great theme for a cookery book. It was fortunate that a publisher agreed!

5. How did you come up with the recipes and link them to each fairy tale?

Coming up with the recipes and the names was quite a challenge and easier for some fairy tales than others. For instance, I knew an oats recipe had to feature in the Three Bears chapter and a recipe involving beans for the Jack and the Beanstalk chapter. Most of the recipe names in the book are a play on words or they pick out certain ingredients to make a link between the food and the stories. It's all just a bit silly really.

6. Beauty and the Beast is my favourite story, I saw it at the theatre the day my husband proposed and walked down to the isle to 'Tale as old as time.' What's your favourite fairy tale and why?

Ooh, I like a scary story, so I think my favourite fairy tale has to be Little Red Riding Hood. It is one of those tales that everyone knows and there is something so gloriously spooky about the Big Bad Wolf in Grandma's clothing! I also adore Yelena Bryksenkova's illustration of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf in my book, it's just beautiful.

7. What's your favourite recipe in the book?

It's hard to pick a favourite recipe but my Pebble Beach Bars are super easy and always go down well when I take a tin of them into work. Daddy Bear's Big Breakfast Banana Bread is my go to recipe to use up ripe bananas, I make Dragon Fire Chilli most weeks and Alice's Amaretto Cakes are just the ticket when I need a sweet, sophisticated treat!

8. Do you have plans to make book number 2?

No book 2 just yet, although I am toying with a few ideas ...  

I for one cannot wait to hear more from Lucie. xx 

Book Challenge...Books 7 & 8

The Fault in our Stars by John Green 

and 

Cross my Heart by Carmen Reid

Apologies for the delay on the reviews for books 7 & 8 of the challenge - coursework had taken over! Anyhow here we go....

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review by Laura

Book purchased from Amazon

The Fault In Our Stars is the beautiful and tragic love story of Hazel and Augustus. Hazel and Augustus meet at a counselling group for teenagers who have or have had cancer. They fall in love and spend their days questioning life, death, and love. Along the way they are surrounded by their parents and their mutual friend Isaac.

I really enjoyed this book, though I was a blubbering mess by the end of it! I thought Green did an excellent job at making sure the focus of the story was the individual characters involved rather than their cancers. Before starting this book I thought that this would turn out to be another heroic cancer story, while these are excellent in their own right, this book feels a lot more honest and realistic when telling the story of a teenager living with a terminal disease.

The characters of Hazel, Augustus and their friend Isaac seem strangely authentic to me and while they are seemingly too intelligent and emotionally grown up for teenagers, it isn’t far from what you would imagine a teenager, who has spent most of their life living with cancer, would be like. They react emotionally in ways that remind me of my teenage years – falling desperately in love in such a short time and becoming obsessed with anything that they identify with. Yet in other ways they are so adult, they handle their illnesses with a strength that you would not imagine in a teenager, but then anybody who has spent time with a teenager with a serious illness could probably see a similar spirit in these characters as they would in real life.

The love story between Hazel and Augustus is excellently written, a whirlwind romance that provides them with a world away from teenage angst, overbearing parents and cancer.

The Fault In Our Stars is a touching story of love, loss and, more importantly, living.

I give this book 10/10, A Novel Cafe Cupcake – I would highly recommend to anybody but make sure you have the tissues ready!

Brussels, 1940. Fifteen-year-old Nicole watches as the Nazis invade Belgium. Determined not to stand by as her country is brought to its knees, Nicole vows to fight back and joins the Belgian Resistance. Under her new alias - Coco - Nicole embarks on a dangerous new life as a spy, where the only question is not if you'll be caught, but when...

Review by Nicole (or lack of!)

Book received from publisher - Thank You

Unfortunately I don't have a review for this book. I started reading it but it really isn't my cup of tea so im ashamed to admit I gave up so it would not be fair for me to write a review. The story follows a young girl called Nicole (ironic!) and her life during the war. Im sure anybody who likes historical stories would very much enjoy it - I know all of Carmen Reid's other books I have - this one was just not for me.

Book Challenge...Books 5 & 6!!!

The Love Detective by Alexandra Potter 

and

 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Well we are half way through The Novel Cafe book challenge, I hope you are enjoying it as much as we are! Here goes with books number 5 and 6.....

'In a way, I'm a bit of a love detective. Because what's a greater mystery than love?' Meet Ruby Miller. A writer who makes happy-ever-afters happen. Until she discovers her fiance is a lying cheat and loses her faith in love. So when her sister invites her on a beach holiday to Goa to forget about him, Ruby jumps on a plane . . . and into an extraordinary adventure. Stolen bags, a runaway sister and a handsome American stranger sweep Ruby into a magical mystery tour across India. Amid fortresses and fortune tellers, and a whirlwind of weddings, she uncovers fascinating stories of love, lost and found. But as the mysteries deepen, secrets are revealed that turn Ruby's life upside down. And what started as a journey to find her sister, becomes a journey to find herself - and love - again.

Review by Nicole

Proof copy received from publisher - Thank you 

When this book came through my letterbox the first thing I thought was how nice the front cover was! It's so colourful and girly. I know we should never judge a book by its cover but I can't help but do it - its my weakness! I wasn't disappointed once I started reading either.

Ruby Miller is a romantic novelist but being left broken hearted by her former fiance has lost her belief in love. Struggling with writer's block her agent suggests a short holiday to Goa to catch up with her little sister Amy who has been travelling. Ruby takes her advice and heads out to India but the relaxing holiday she was hoping for turns into the nonstop adventure of her life. Chasing her sister across the country, meeting annoying yet charming American men and battling disaster after disaster whilst still getting a real taste of life in India, Ruby's story is one you won't want to miss. 

What I really liked about this book was how clear it was that Alexandra had travelled to India to carry out research before writing it. I'm not a fan of travelling myself, a true homegirl but the graphic detail and description of the country and its wonders in this book are truly amazing and really do make you want to experience it for yourself. It could not be written by someone who hadn't been there and got the t-shirt - as they say!

I really liked Ruby's character, she was very genuine and down to earth. I loved how much she cared for her sister and how she openly welcomed many people into her life whilst on her journey across India. Especially her new american fellow traveller Jack! Jack's character too was very likeable, there was just something about him.Potter did however very much keep his story a mystery throughout the book which I liked and it kept me intrigued.

I rate this book 8/10, a chocolate brownie. A good laugh out loud, fun read which was also inspirational and heartwarming. This is the first of a new series for Alexandra Potter so i am excited to read where Ruby heads next!

The tales of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad. When Mole goes boating with the Water Rat instead of spring-cleaning, he discovers a new world. As well as the river and the Wild Wood, there is Toad's craze for fast travel which leads him and his friends on a whirl of trains, barges, gipsy caravans and motor cars and even into battle.

Review by Laura 

Wind In The Willows is a classic story that many of us have at least heard parts of as children.  I was so excited to get stuck into it as an adult and to read the whole story from start to finish and be reminded of the tales of Mole, Water Rat, Toad and Badger. 

I was so impressed at how the story had still not lost any of its magic and charm that it held for me as a child and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.  However, it was not an easy read and I found it quite slow going.  As with many classics, I find that there is a lot of emphasis on describing the surroundings rather than the actual story which is something that I find frustrating and quite boring at times.  That being said, once you get used to the style it is great fun.  I particularly enjoyed the adventures of naughty Toad and his love of motor cars!

I wouldn't recommend it to everyone but I personally can't wait to read it to my little boy once he arrives, it’s such a lovely tale of little animals and their many adventures.  I give this book 7/10...a Novel Cafe chocolate brownie.

Author special....Julie Shackman

Literary Leading Men

By Julie Shackman

I am thrilled to welcome to The Novel Cafe and introduce to you all author Julie Shackman - Julie has very kindly taken the time to write an author special so big thank you to her. Julie's debut book 'Rock my World' is out now.

What, in my view, makes the perfect Literary Leading Man?

In order to answer this question, I sat and poured over the likes of Mr Darcy, Heathcliff and Rhett Butler (yes, a terrible job, but somebody has to do it!) I came to a personal conclusion that it is their intensity. Of course, they are all undeniably attractive, but their seething passion as well, that for me, makes these literary gents so appealing.

Switch to modern day novels and one of the most hypnotic heroes for me, is Hazel Osmond’s Jack Wolfe. If you haven't read “Who’s Afraid of Mr Wolfe?” I would highly recommend it. This novel left me breathless at times, as well as laughing and feeling empathy at other moments.

Jack Wolfe is dark, dangerous and so Alpha male, he makes Guy the Gorilla look like a cuddly toy. He is also trying to suppress his own demons and self-doubts, despite felling women at twenty paces, with his uninhibited sexiness. In some ways, he did remind me of a modern day Heathcliff.

In my debut contemporary romance novel, “Rock My World”, I wanted to create two male characters who readers would feel attracted to, as well as identify with them.

Stevie Vee, my long-haired, ghostly rock singer, is charismatic and passionate about his music. He is left reeling after some major personal discoveries.

Matt Jardine, my wolf-eyed, sexy journalist, is knocked sideways after meeting my protagonist, Ruby Cameron. He can't seem to comprehend that she isn’t remotely like the sort of girls he’s used to – and not as easily impressed either…..

For me, reading is all the more enjoyable when you lose yourself inside the characters and feel
attraction, sympathy and understanding for them and their situation. I have strived to achieve this with “Rock My World.” If my readers feel connections with rocker Stevie and dashing Matt, then I’ll be absolutely delighted. It hasn't been easy you know, writing about these two cuties every day – well, ok it wasn’t exactly a hardship!


Good luck with your writing and enjoy reading.

I’m just off to reminisce about Matt’s eyes again…..hypnotic, wolf-like grey, don't you know….!

Julie Shackman

February 2014.

Book Challenge...Books 3 & 4!!!

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

& The Flavours of Love by Dorothy Koomson

The second stage of The Novel Cafe's book challenge....Which book did you prefer?!

Don Tillman is a socially challenged genetics professor who’s decided the time has come to find a wife. His questionnaire is intended to weed out anyone who’s unsuitable. The trouble is, Don has rather high standards and doesn't really do flexible so, despite lots of takers, he’s not having much success in identifying The One. When Rosie Jarman comes to his office, Don assumes it’s to apply for the Wife Project – and duly discounts her on the grounds she smokes, drinks, doesn't eat meat, and is incapable of punctuality. However, Rosie has no interest in becoming Mrs Tillman and is actually there to enlist Don’s assistance in a professional capacity: to help her find her biological father. Sometimes, though, you don't find love: love finds you…

Review by Laura

An excellent read! I don't think I could recommend this book highly enough, it really does deserve the rave reviews that it has received since being published. I was so enthralled, I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in half the time it usually takes me!

The Rosie Project is the story of Don Tillman, a professor in genetics, and his search for the perfect wife. While embarking on a scientific project to find the ideal woman for him, he accidentally stumbles across the imperfect but ideal match in Rosie. Along the way, Don’s relationships with the few friends that he has is interesting, it makes Don and the reader question what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘perfect’. But above all, this story is of the battle between mind and soul – what our minds tell us we need in a partner is not often what our hearts desire, a lesson for us all perhaps?! The question is, does Don follow his heart or his mind?

Don is such an endearing character, making me smile and laugh throughout that I was left wanting more. I would love to see what happens to him after The Rosie Project and hope that the author, Graeme Simsion, does consider a sequel.

I give this book 10/10, A Novel Café Cupcake! Grab a cuppa and get stuck in, it won't take you long to finish it!

'I'm looking for that perfect blend of flavours; the taste that used to be you. If I find it, I know you'll come back to me.'

It's been 18 months since my husband was murdered and I've decided to finish writing The Flavours of Love, the cookbook he started before he died. Everyone thinks I'm coping so well without him - they have no idea what I've been hiding or what I do away from prying eyes. But now that my 14-year-old daughter has confessed something so devastating it could destroy our family all over again, and my husband's killer has started to write to me claiming to be innocent, I know it's only a matter of time before the truth about me and what I've done is revealed to the world. My name is Saffron Mackleroy and this is my story.

Review by Nicole, book received from publisher, thank you!

This story focuses on Saffron and her battle with life after the murder of her husband Joel just 18 months ago. Struggling along through life with her son and daughter in tow, juggling the burden of truth she knows about the murder of her husband, her own personal self and the life changing news her 14 year old daughter is carrying, how can things get any worse? Maybe by your husband's murderer sending you threatening letters in the post? How much more can Saffron take before things just get too much?

I am still confused as to how I actually feel about this book. In places I could not put it down, thoroughly intrigued and enjoying the suspense but then within another few chapters I would find myself skipping over paragraphs feeling quite bored. I liked the suspense Koomson carries through the book and the different secrets which appear as the story develops. I did miss the laugh-out-loud moments im used to in most books I enjoy reading but then I realise this would be inappropriate for this storyline and was quite open to reading something i'm not quite used to. Many readers may find it a hard book to read as the author jumps backwards and forwards from present day to the past, however I quite liked this and thought it really helped with relating more to Saffron and her story.

I rate this book 7/10, a chocolate brownie. It was worth a read and enjoyable, the storyline was very good, maybe just too deep for me and did loose my attention at times.