I've been following @eatchofood for years and have made her gorgeous rose dumplings, so it's awesome to have the cookbook with step by step instructioI've been following @eatchofood for years and have made her gorgeous rose dumplings, so it's awesome to have the cookbook with step by step instructions and illustrations. If you'd like a taste of the book, you can find the recipe for the tasty rose siu mai here:
Singularly the best pie book I've read--step by step instructions and clear photographs, with so many great tips and techniques for getting distinct, Singularly the best pie book I've read--step by step instructions and clear photographs, with so many great tips and techniques for getting distinct, beautiful designs. Takes a lot of time and care (and freezer space!) but worth it when you're feeling like putting some extra love into your bake....more
It’s so weird, but I couldn’t get a grasp on how old these characters were at all. At times they felt much much older (some of the mechanics of co-manIt’s so weird, but I couldn’t get a grasp on how old these characters were at all. At times they felt much much older (some of the mechanics of co-managing what seems to be a really small bookstore? The reserved attitudes and some formal language and some of the literature they kept referencing?), other times much younger (mostly in the earnest attitudes, ways of thinking, and seeming inexperience?), and then towards the end a bunch of brief but surprisingly fairly explicit sex scenes get thrown in, so it all felt even weirder. It was all also pretty predictable, with several physical and character traits included that didn’t really figure into the plot in any meaningful way, so they ended feeling a bit shoe-horned in. Especially with the Explanatory Note written by the author that was positioned before the story.
I’m also a huge fan of Christmas and love a great Christmas book/romance, but the amount of peppermint cocoa and cookies here felt like a lot of sugary frosting, in part because the holiday descriptions didn’t make me feel any of the emotions of the season. Better versions of this type of plot include Window Shopping and one of Jessica Clare’s Wyoming Cowboy books. As a romance, this one was predictable, and as a Christmas romance, this didn’t conjure up much holiday spirit for me at all....more
I am a non-Jewish person who loved all the All-of-a Kind Family books as a kid and still reread them every few years. I LOVED reading about all the trI am a non-Jewish person who loved all the All-of-a Kind Family books as a kid and still reread them every few years. I LOVED reading about all the traditions and food so different from what I knew, and one of the best things about The Matzah Ball is seeing it put out in the world as a mainstream romance. I’m still excited to read about Shabbat dinner and to truly feel how being raised with a different history and culture can make you feel both proud and lonely. So I mostly enjoyed that part of this book very much.
I stopped reading, however, when we come to this part: the machinations of this rom-com plot dictate that Rachel needs to volunteer with putting on this big, fancy event created by Jacob, the supposedly worldly, wealthy guy who broke her heart when they were in summer camp together as twelve-year-olds. Okay, fine. But on her first day, not only does he present her with a last minute matzah ball costume he crafted himself out of foam, glitter, and real matzah crackers at his grandmother’s house that she’s supposed to wear, this is what someone says to her:
…Rachel shook her head, confused. “He’s mean to me for no reason.”
…
“Maybe he secretly likes you?”
My hackles rose when I read that. Please have a look at this terrific blog post that explains how problematic this phrase is. https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=21631
In and of itself, I probably would have given it the benefit of the doubt, but the chemistry between Rachel and Jacob already felt a bit hot and cold to me, and I think there’s a lot jammed into a story that’s already asking you to accept a far-fetched premise and some far-fetched scenarios. I just also don’t really enjoy pranking like this—there are romantic or friendly pranks that can be cute if they are done well, but if someone feels humiliated by it? Where’s the fun in that?
In posting this, I also glanced at a few other ratings and was dismayed to see that some readers have also been offended by 1. the MC comparing her secret (she’s the daughter of a prominent rabbi who loves Christmas and writes Christmas romances) to her gay friend’s coming out and 2. a throwaway joke that makes light of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I didn’t pick up on these things when I read those parts, but I think they are important to note and to be sensitive to.
Anyway, I enjoyed the first third or so but ended up feeling deflated and disappointed by where the story was going. But publishers: yes to more varied characters and experiences, please....more
3.5 stars There’s a lot of raw talent in this author’s writing, and she usually manages to combine visceral thriller aspects with romantic suspense in3.5 stars There’s a lot of raw talent in this author’s writing, and she usually manages to combine visceral thriller aspects with romantic suspense in a way that really appeals to me. While this one started off strong, with yet another terrifically evocative frozen Canadian setting, it started getting pretty convoluted and messy in terms of the mystery, the folklore, and the various past and present relationships. A few POVs and subplots could have been dropped without much impact, and a little more streamlining with the plot and development with the romance would’ve made this much stronger. Still, I really like her settings and general story set-ups, so I’ll be plowing through her other books before long. ...more
The introductory parts and segue into present/past lives felt awkward, and to me, this never quite found its footing. The music stuff and her dad partThe introductory parts and segue into present/past lives felt awkward, and to me, this never quite found its footing. The music stuff and her dad parts were great, and I liked that the story explores that part of your adulthood where you don’t really know where you want your life to go yet. And some of the travel stuff was fun.
But romantically, emotionally, this didn’t spark much feeling—not enough joy or sadness or excitement. Really more of a 2.5 for me....more
3.5 stars I have a tendency to buy books as I’m interested in them, often picking one up to read without looking at the synopsis again in too much det3.5 stars I have a tendency to buy books as I’m interested in them, often picking one up to read without looking at the synopsis again in too much detail. And I never read a bunch of GR reviews before I read a book myself. So this was in my queue of Christmassy romances, and somehow it got saved for peak seasonal reading on Christmas Eve. Bring on the festive holiday romance!
And that’s what you get at first, a perfectly lovely story of charming dates in London, from spilling out of warm, friendly pubs into wintry streets to gingerbread-making to wandering among Christmas market stalls. I was excited I’d picked such a perfect romance to enjoy late at night after my own Christmassy day was over.
But then. The POV suddenly shifts almost halfway through. And then the relationships get more complicated than I expected. And then.
Here is what I wish I’d known going into it (without big spoilers): this is not a light-hearted Christmas romance. It starts out that way and is written that way, but even with topics like grief and loss addressed (Josie lost her parents at the age of nine and writes a letter to them every Christmas) I wasn’t prepared for where this story went. (view spoiler)[I haven’t read any JoJo Moyes, but I’m assuming this is closer to that type of fiction. (hide spoiler)]
If I think about it too hard, there are aspects of this setup that could be viewed as being a bit problematic, but I can’t deny that the way this unfolds is gradually and skillfully done. And I don’t even feel particularly emotionally manipulated, because I think the author earns our investment in her characters with her writing. So while I was thrown by the plot and I wouldn’t have chosen to read this on Christmas Eve (or maybe at all, tbh), I liked these characters and I liked the romance and I liked how families and friendships and careers and exes were handled. And I loved the different city settings and seasonal mood and the flashes of humor and the characters’ quirky outlook on life. I may not love this type of direction for a romance, but props to the author for doing it well....more
Unexpectedly cute! It takes awhile to warm up to the guy (view spoiler)[he is inexcusably rude to his waitress, a shitty tipper, AND he does one of thUnexpectedly cute! It takes awhile to warm up to the guy (view spoiler)[he is inexcusably rude to his waitress, a shitty tipper, AND he does one of the worst things I’ve ever heard of that isn’t abuse/violence or infidelity (hide spoiler)], but he and they really got there in the end. Nice build-up, great apology, and perfect Christmas gift(s).
I also enjoyed the ranch setting and alllllll the food. :D I got so munchy reading this, I’m happy there are leftover mashed potatoes and cookie dough in my fridge....more
Super cute. It gets muddled and veers off course too often, and there are a fair number of cringey scenarios that lean too far into zany sitcom territSuper cute. It gets muddled and veers off course too often, and there are a fair number of cringey scenarios that lean too far into zany sitcom territory for my taste. But the academic setting is great, Olive is haphazardly charming, and the chemistry between her and Adam is undeniable. I wish this had had another pass or two before publication, to smooth some of the kinks out and to build stronger back story and emotions, but if you can look past the chaotic parts, it’s a fun read. ...more
I would like Mallory a lot more if the author didn’t keep telling me how beautiful she is.
Also: the writing had moments of being incredibly compellingI would like Mallory a lot more if the author didn’t keep telling me how beautiful she is.
Also: the writing had moments of being incredibly compelling, but it’s obscured by a somewhat jumbled plot and a not-great whodunit. And I would’ve had more respect if one of the few threads that felt genuinely a bit emotional (view spoiler)[Charles dead/surprise! not dead (hide spoiler)] had stuck its landing. ...more
3.5 stars Engrossing and well-written, though ultimately I wanted a little more detail to the story and characterizations. While I appreciated how thi3.5 stars Engrossing and well-written, though ultimately I wanted a little more detail to the story and characterizations. While I appreciated how this touched on how trauma manifests itself in various forms, I would like to have seen this explored in more depth.
Skirting around what exactly happened in “the house of horrors” does disservice to abuse this brutal and inhumane—I don’t need gratuitous detail, but the facts and the physical and emotional effects of this childhood should be deeply understood and felt. A late reveal isn’t entirely unexpected, either.
Still, the writing has moments of making you connect with it in a visceral way.
Anything could be Mystery Soup: cheese, coated in emerald fur, languishing away on the counter; a few scraps of fried chicken, in paper from the takeaway on the high street, which Father abandoned on the kitchen table; a year-old box of cereal, never unpacked from the move. I have an encyclopedic recollection of the meals at Moor Woods Road; they were so precious that I stored them in my memory, to eat again.
More of this, please, in whatever book the author writes next....more
3.5 stars There are gaps in this narrative that I can’t fill logically (I truly wish this book had gone through a couple more passes or had more early3.5 stars There are gaps in this narrative that I can’t fill logically (I truly wish this book had gone through a couple more passes or had more early readers to help with that, or to help the reader accept the lapses in memory/memoir better), but this story is undeniably compelling. The survivalist stuff and fundamentalist Mormon background were interesting (though nothing that shocking of you’ve read or watched anything on these subjects), but the relationships with her family were even more fascinating. There is a distance in the way they are described, however; this may be helpful to the author in some sense, but it serves the reader less so.
I think I appreciate the interviews I’ve read with the author even more than I do the book. The message of strength within a complicated family dynamic is more clear cut, as she has famously said, “You could miss someone every day and still be glad they’re not in your life.” Making the decision to live without someone is a wrenching, powerful, human thing and it is important to have conversations that destigmatize it, especially within certain cultures.
Audiobook note: Julia Whelan’s narration is terrific, as usual. I always check who the narrator is before starting an audiobook, and she is on my shortlist of people I don’t need to sample.
Side note: I spent several summers at Cambridge so it was lovely to feel a little bit of that academic setting here, even though I’m still not entirely sure how it happened. Miracles happen, I guess?
A review copy was provided by the publisher....more
Wendy Darling
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