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writerrhiannon's Reviews (1.1k)
What a great foodie fiction read! Chocolate and Paris? Oui and Oui, please. Anna is injured on the job at her chocolate factory. While in the hospital, Anna rooms with her high school French teacher, Claire, and the two strike up a new friendship. Claire recommends an old French acquaintance to Anna, who may be able to assist Anna in working with chocolate again. But, English mass produced chocolate is worlds apart from Parisian artisinal chocolate production. The master chocolatier, Thierry, is appalled at Anna's concept of what is considered acceptable chocolate but he holds a soft spot for her because of Claire.
The book alternates between Claire's teenage visit to Paris and Anna's current one. This is my idea of a perfect "chick-lit" meets "foodie fiction" read!
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
Read my full review here: http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/loveliest-chocolate-shop-in-paris-by.html
The book alternates between Claire's teenage visit to Paris and Anna's current one. This is my idea of a perfect "chick-lit" meets "foodie fiction" read!
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
Read my full review here: http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/loveliest-chocolate-shop-in-paris-by.html
I've pitched this novel as Practical Magic meets Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with a dash of White Oleander: A house on the outskirts of town, a baby left on a doorstep, a secret from the past, and a reunion of friends. Each chapter begins with a short excerpt on a flower or herb and the powers it holds. Several are noted as abortifacients and there is an underlying theme of abortions (herbal and medical) throughout the novel.
"There were so many for a while there, and then, when the law changed, there were less and less until she was no longer needed. There were stragglers, of course; those who didn't want a doctor."
The run down house and garden setting is very comforting and there is a lot of food to make this novel a really delicious read. I really, really loved this book and thought it was absolutely perfect for October. If I had to pick something I didn't like, I would say it was a bit frustrating having conversations interrupted constantly. Someone would be trying to say something important and the person they were trying to tell just wouldn't let them spit it out.
Read my full review here: http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-memory-garden-by-mary-rickert.html
"There were so many for a while there, and then, when the law changed, there were less and less until she was no longer needed. There were stragglers, of course; those who didn't want a doctor."
The run down house and garden setting is very comforting and there is a lot of food to make this novel a really delicious read. I really, really loved this book and thought it was absolutely perfect for October. If I had to pick something I didn't like, I would say it was a bit frustrating having conversations interrupted constantly. Someone would be trying to say something important and the person they were trying to tell just wouldn't let them spit it out.
Read my full review here: http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-memory-garden-by-mary-rickert.html
With no family to lean on, Nikki is newly 18 and mixed up with Dee. Blinded by love she makes an irreversible mistake and lands in the middle of a homicide investigation. When police start putting pressure on her only friend, Bird, Nikki knows it's time to start talking. Speaking to the police, she doesn't confess the events of August 24th, not exactly. But the police have information that she doesn't know.
It is uncomfortable hearing Nikki beg Dee for attention or to call her because one can remember desperate pleas made in youth. But right there is where McVoy hooks you. Everyone remembers mistakes they made and bad influences they hung around. We all learned a few lessons "the hard way." Luckily, most of us are able to shake these people off and move on. Maybe have a few crazy stories to tell later. But Nikki is in some Real.Deep.Trouble. She realizes "I'd helped him with the entire plot, even if I hadn't known it."
McVoy integrates Atlanta landmarks into the storyline such as Lenox Mall or the "purple" movie theater on Shallowford as well as the numerous QTs. She also applies the southern urban vernacular perfectly. There is no strain or overkill when it is employed. It's as smooth as Duke's mayo. (See what I did there.)
This story will take you out of your comfort zone and into the raw, gritty reality of a girl struggling to become an adult in an environment that considers her disposable. It tells the hard lessons learned in the truth of actions, lies of lovers, and the consequences of both.
** I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review **
