Top Ten Tuesday: Foodie Edition

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme 


This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 
Top Ten Yummy Foods Mentioned in Books



The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 
As a child, I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and was utterly enchanted by this strange and exotic concoction Edmund requested called Turkish Delight. I imagined it to be some warm, savory dish and thought it sounded like the most fantastical thing ever. Years later, as an adult, I discovered that Turkish Delight is actually a sickly sweet confection with a jelly-like consistency. Even though I no longer have the desire to eat Turkish Delight, I still love the sound of the name.

“The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds on the best Turkish Delight. And Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious.”

ACOMAF/ACOWAR 
When Feyre had her first meals in Velaris, she immediately noticed a difference between them and the overwrought dishes she was used to in the Spring Court. Simple fare but warm, rich and savory.

“The food appeared across the table in platters and spreads and bowls. Roast meats, various sauces and gravies, rice and bread, steamed vegetables from the surrounding farms… I nearly sighed at the smells curling around me.” – A Court of Wings and Ruin



Harry Potter series
I’ve wanted to down some butterbeer ever since its first appearance in the Harry Potter books. I’ve seen it compared to cream soda which I loved as a child so there’s also a nostalgic element there. There are recipes online to make your own, or I could hop down to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, but really I’d rather go to Hogsmeade and have mine there.

“Why don’t we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it’s a bit cold isn’t it?” – Hermione Granger, (Goblet of Fire)



Kissing Max Holden
Main character Jill is quite the baker. In fact, she has plans to attend a prestigious culinary school after graduation. And she spent a lot of time in the kitchen de-stressing by baking and cooking. The one that had me drooling? Pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.

“I’ve found my happy place. Flour, eggshells, and butter wrappers are strewn over every inch of counter space, and the smells of chocolate and almond and spice dance in the air.” - Jill


Outlander series
There were some dishes served up in the Outlander series that I could do without (who can forget the eels in Dragonfly in Amber *shudder*) but there were also plenty that sounded so tasty and had my mouth watering. Most sounded so simple and warm and filling. Bannocks and porridge and meat pies… I’d try ‘em!

“He could do with a cup of hot tea, he thought, preferably with a great deal of whisky in it. Hot tea, hot buttered toast, jam sandwiches, and cake… “ – An Echo in the Bone



Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Did anyone read Simon and not have an immediate craving for Oreos??

“Blue,
Okay, first of all, Oreos absolutely qualify as a food group. Second of all, They’re the ONLY food group that matters.” - Simon


The Hunger Games
There wasn’t much to drool over in District 12 (maybe some of Peeta’s bread?) but the Capital was a whole other story. Lavish meals and everything in excess. 

“The supper comes in courses. A thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake.” - Katniss



Divergent
Food didn’t play a huge part in the Divergent series (being Abnegation, it was probably considered rude and indulgent for Tris to discuss food) but there was one stand-out: the Dauntless cake. I’m not big on chocolate cake, but if my slice came with a side of Four… count me in.♥

“Have a piece of cake for me, all right? The chocolate. It’s delicious.” 



The Fault in Our Stars
Let’s ignore the heart wrenching sadness of the story and instead focus on the divine meal Hazel and Augustus shared while in Amsterdam. From the champagne (“We have bottled all the stars this evening, my young friend”) to the incredible dinner, that wasn’t just a meal but a dining experience.

“I want this dragon carrot risotto to become a person so I can take it to Las Vegas and marry it.” – Augustus Waters



Wait For You
It’s not enough that Cam Hamilton is possibly the book boyfriend to put all other book boyfriends to shame. Tall, dark and handsome, beautiful blue eyes, cocky without being obnoxious, sweet and thoughtful and romantic. Does it get any better? Yes, yes it does. Because Cam also bakes. Cookies, banana bread… all kinds of deliciousness. But it’s his cookies that are the star of this show.

“It’s the combination of walnut and chocolate. You mix that together and it’s like an explosion of sex in your mouth, but not as messy. The only thing better would be those teeny tiny Reese’s Cups. When the dough is warm, you plop those suckers in… anyway, you just need to try it.” - Cam



What book have you read that made you hungry?
  

The Sunday Post #77


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • I've been in a tiny bit of a reading slump the past week. Other than listening to an audio book during my commute, I've barely picked up my current read. It's not the book at all - it's off to a good start - I just haven't felt like reading. *shudder* Hopefully this passes quickly.

  • It was a quiet week at the office with one boss on a cruise in Greece and one boss on business travel. So it was just me and Boss #3. Amazing what you can get done with fewer interruptions. :)

  • Last night my sister and I went to see Harry Potter in Concert. It was a showing of the first movie accompanied by the symphony orchestra. Such a great event! The audience was encouraged to be interactive so there was a lot of cheering at certain scenes, booing at Draco, etc. Lots of fun.




Monday, October 9
Review:
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway


Wednesday, October 11
Top 5 Wednesday: 
Creepy Settings

Saturday, October 14
Review:
After the Game by Abbi Glines

    
  
WHAT I READ IN THE LAST WEEK:
Asa (Audio Re-read) - Jay Crownover



WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
Who Do You Love - Jennifer Weiner

FROM MY SEPTEMBER 
BOOKWORM BOX:
The Opposite of You - Rachel Higginson



How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
You know I want to hear about it! :)

Review: After the Game by Abbi Glines

After the Game by Abbi Glines

Series: The Field Party #3

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: August 22, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Edelweiss/Simon Pulse

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.

Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.

When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.

But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?

This final installment in The Field Party trilogy was by far my favorite. With less soap opera drama and less obnoxious behavior from the local football gods, After the Game was able to reel me in with Riley and Brady’s story.

Riley was a character I truly liked and respected. When she accused the son of the town’s most powerful family of rape, she was branded a liar. Now back after a two year absence, she is solely focused on raising her daughter. Riley had to grow up quickly and her maturity showed in how she respected her parents, helped care for her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandmother, and finished high school from home with online classes. Because of this, Riley was largely unconcerned about gossip and petty small town drama. Yes she was sometimes lonely, but for the most part she was busy raising her fifteen month old daughter Bryony and focused on their future.

Brady has always been painted as the “good guy” even though I’ve often felt his actions spoke otherwise. (He spent the first two books using a girl for sex when he admittedly had no real feelings for her.) However, in this book I felt like Brady truly grew up and, when faced with difficult situations, he really came into his own and made choices that defined who he was. A family situation surfaced that I never saw coming and I was equal parts crushed for Brady and proud of how he handled himself.

Riley and Brady came together as friends and even though their relationship developed fairly quickly (they did know each other previously so it wasn’t totally insta-love) I still appreciated the support they provided one another. Despite a rocky start, Brady stood by Riley against the gossip and those in town who would still shun her. And Riley was there for Brady and encouraged him to follow his own path instead of the one that had been chosen for him.

After the Game was a satisfying ending to The Field Party trilogy with a strong focus on family and moving forward in spite of life’s challenges. Riley in particular proved to be so strong and resilient and I admired her for her determination to work for a solid future for her and her daughter. Fans of Abbi Glines will surely love this one.

Note: I received an advance copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my opinion of the book or the content of this review.



3.5/5 STARS

Top 5 Wednesday: Creepy Settings


Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at GingerReadsLainey.
Click HERE for a complete list of participants and future topics.


This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic:  Creepy Settings
Not necessarily horror books, but any setting from any book that gave you the heebie jeebies... in a good way. :)


The Prison | A Court of Mist and Fury

Situated in a cavernous mountain on an island, the Prison hold the foulest, most dangerous creatures and criminals in Prythian - including the Bone Carver. Each time Feyre had to go into the Prison I felt claustrophobic and just got the creeps. *shudder*


The Compound | Written in Red

The Compound Meg escaped from was a seriously messed up place. As a cassandra sangue, a blood prophet, Meg was held at the Compound along with others like her and forcibly cut for profit. The man running the Compound was ruthless and the whole place had a bad vibe. 


The Cave by the Sea | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry and Dumbledore's secret mission to the cave by the sea was filled with danger. It was a creepy, desolate location... made 1,000 times worse by the Inferi-infested lake. Gah!


Godspeed | Across the Universe

I find space a pretty scary setting anyway, but the vast spaceship Godspeed, where sinister things were happening, upped the creep factor.



The Silent City | City of Bones

Home of the Silent Brothers, The Silent City (aka the City of Bones) was one seriously creepy place. I mean, first you've got the Silent Brothers whose appearance is downright frightening - Marks that stitch their eyes and mouths closed. Eww! Then there's the fact that the Silent City is the necropolis of the Shadowhunters and the remains of the dead are often used to fortify the marble arches. Double eww! I'd say that counts as creepy.


What's your favorite fictional creepy setting?

Review: Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Series: No

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: October 3, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Edelweiss/Harper Teen

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

A moving contemporary novel about three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment, by acclaimed YA vet Robin Benway.

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—

Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she’s quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.

And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he’s learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him.

Robin Benway’s beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms—how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it.


Do you ever finish a book and think: Wow, nothing I can say will possibly do this justice? Yeah, that’s how I feel about Far from the Tree. This turned out to be an incredibly moving read for me, not because I have first-hand experience with most of the themes covered here (adoption, teen pregnancy, foster care, alcoholism, racism), but because Robin Benway is a genius at telling a story that elicits an emotional response.


A pregnancy and subsequent adoption prompts sixteen year old Grace to search for her birth mother. What she doesn’t expect is the revelation that she has two siblings. The coming together of Grace, Maya and Joaquin changes their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined. Grace keeps the birth of her daughter a secret from her new siblings while dealing with loneliness, sadness and guilt. Maya often feels like a stranger in her own home which is made even more difficult when home is no longer a safe haven. And Joaquin has grown up in the foster care system, bouncing from one home to another, feeling unloved and unworthy. 


I loved these characters. They felt completely realistic – their every mood and emotion – and that sucked me right into their lives. There was so much detail Benway added (like Grace referring to her baby as Peach, because that’s the size she was when Grace discovered she was pregnant) that added such realism to the story. Grace was such a likable girl. A girl who went from having a boyfriend and friends to losing all of it after her pregnancy. She was lonely and depressed and mourned not only the loss of her daughter but also the loss of the life she used to have (her return to school after giving birth was so painful that I just ached for her).

“Is it okay that I said that?” Joaquin asked, glancing over at Grace.

She frowned. “Said what?”

“You know. I called you my sister.”

The edges of Grace’s mouth trembled even as she started to smile. “That’s fine,” she said. “That’s what I am, right?”

On his other side, Maya rested her head on his shoulder. “Me, too,” she said quietly.

Looking so different from her parents and her sister was just another reminder that Maya was adopted. (Not to mention the books her parents had on raising an adopted child, even though they had no similar books for their biological child.) Her parents are fighting all the time and she’s finding empty wine bottles that her mother hides. She escapes her house every chance she can get to spend time with her girlfriend, but even with Shay she doesn’t share what’s going on at home and how she’s truly feeling. Maya could have such a prickly exterior that it was sometimes hard for me to connect with her and empathize with her as fully as I did with the Grace and Joaquin. She was falling apart inside, but was determined to put up a tough exterior.

“You think they want to meet me?”

Linda paused. “I’m pretty sure that when someone emails you asking to meet them, that’s a good sign.”

Joaquin just shook his head. “No, I mean, like… meet me.”

Linda paused again, but there was a gentleness between her words. “I think lots of people want to meet you, kiddo,” she said, then put a warm hand on his shoulder. “You just don’t know it yet.”


And then there’s Joaquin – who was never adopted and lived his life in the foster care system. Despite being with foster parents Mark and Linda for the past two years, people he truly cares for, his past doesn’t allow him to accept their love or believe that he truly has a home. Experience has taught him that he could be sent away at any time and he refuses any attachments. It was Joaquin that captured my heart and had me wanting to wrap him up, take away all the hurt and convince him he had so much to offer and was worth of love. My heart broke again and again for this sweet boy that had gone far too long without feeling stability and love and hope.



Far from the Tree grabbed me by the heart and didn’t let go. Benway created complex, multi-layered characters dealing with real-life situations and I was riveted by their journey, individually and together. I feel like I cried my way through half the book (usually at Joaquin’s chapters), sometimes with sadness and heartache but also with joy and hope. Grace and Maya and Joaquin came alive for me and I finished their story feeling so happy that I’d met them. 


Note: I received an advance copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my opinion of the book or the content of this review.


4.5/5 STARS