Michael Symon's 5 in 5 - or 1 in 5?

I want to preface this review by stating that I really, really like Michael Symon.  I like his recipes on The Chew, I love his silly personality.  In fact, I just like him.  And, I gladly would have gone out and bought his cookbook on my own, if I hadn't received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.  That said I'm glad I saved those pennies.

When my package arrived with my shiny new cookbook, I sat right down to devour it.  I had my little notebook open next to me, to jot down ingredients for the grocery run I would make after.  The book had lots of pretty photography, which is sort of a must for me, but I didn't care for the general layout.  The recipes were divided by season, not by food or meal type.  Who's to say I can't make a soup in the spring, or a salad in the winter?  I prefer something that's easier to navigate - put the meat recipes with the meat recipes, and the desserts with the desserts.  But, maybe that's just personal preference.

Anyway, I went through the pages, and found one – ONE - recipe that I wanted to make.  Then I thought, maybe I'm just being too picky.  Admittedly, my palate would place me somewhere alongside a Kindergarten class.  So, I went back through the pages again, and came up with four or five possibilities.  Let me be clear here - possibilities were all they were.  Most of the flagged recipes were ones that I was *willing* to try, with a few changes thrown in.  There wasn’t a single recipe I was eagerly rubbing my grubby little hands together over.

My first official taste of this book came from his recipe for spicy beef tacos.  I figured that was a safe bet...a given.  We like spicy.  We like beef.  We like tacos.  What I found out through the creative process, however, is that it's much easier to buy the little packet sold in the stores for around a buck, mix it with ground beef and add a dash of cayenne.  Or, better yet, buy the packet that says 'spicy.'  The results of this were just...eh.  And, that's being kind.  We found this to be dry and, shockingly, somewhat bland.  I’ll take that little packet any day.  

After that debacle, I found it hard to justify making anything else from this book, and put it in that dusty corner on my bookshelves, where cookbooks go to die.  Remembering my promise for an honest review, I salvaged its lonely pages, and found even fewer recipes that were interesting.  My husband and I aren't adventurous eaters.  We like simple - meat, potatoes, pasta.  I don't like fruit mixed in with my salads.  Nor do I like to add ham - to everything.  That was a problem with this book.  Yuck.  So, finally, I relented and chose one more recipe to try.  This time, I'm happy to say, we had a winner.

One lazy weeknight, I made ‘Spaghetti with Quick Sausage Ragu.’  Not only was this good, but it’s a definite keeper.  It was quick, easy, and YUMMY.  (And, I love the fact that I can trick my hubby into enjoying TURKEY sausage, and he has no clue.)  If there’s a problem with the recipe, though, it’s that it’s not original in the least.  It’s a basic ragu recipe that anyone with half a cooking brain could probably come up with off the cuff.  (I’m not one of those lucky people, by the way.  But, I still think it’s an important point to make.)

I must admit that it was here that I accepted defeat.  Life is too short to make recipes that don’t even sound or look appealing.  This sucker will be mailed off to a friend with a more adventurous palate than mine, in the hopes that she may find more dishes to salvage.  I guess I’ll be sticking with Betty Crocker a little longer.

The Look of Love, by Sarah Jio

Sarah Jio seemingly came out of nowhere a few years ago, with best sellers such as Morning Glory and Goodnight June, both of which I've read.  I found The former to be somewhat predictable and sappy, while thoroughly enjoying the quirky follow-the-clues aspect of the latter.  I decided that maybe this title would be my tie-breaker.  I had a 20% off Barnes & Noble coupon burning a hole in my pocket, and since this title topped the 'must read' list of many of my bookish friends, I took a sharp, bright, new copy home with me.

The Look of Love centers around Jane, a woman possessing the special gift of being able to physically *see* love.  It's all around her.  See that beautiful, young couple prancing down the street, holding hands and swooning at one another?  They may look like a magazine ad for perfect happiness, but according to our heroine, they're not in love.  That crotchety old couple who are bickering over the wrinkles in his chinos?  Ding, ding, ding - love has entered the building.  The concept is silly, yes.  But, to be fair, isn't that what fiction is?  Unique, unrealistic lines of story intertwined for our enjoyment?  Certainly.  The only element missing for me here was the enjoyment.

My first issue with the story is the number of characters.  There were so many subplots going on that I found it difficult to keep them straight.  Let's see...how many characters can I name off the top of my head?  Flynn, Mel, Katie, Josh, Lo, Vivian, Celeste, Mary, Eli, Elaine, Matthew, Collette, Luca, Grant, Cam, Charles...shall I go on?  No, really.  I could.  And I'm not even Rain Man.

Among this massive cast of characters are some of the most shallow, self-loathing pieces of trash I've ever had the misfortune to read about.  There are SO many extra-marital affairs going on, at some point I have to question how this equates to a book supposedly about love. 

On another note, I remember taking a writing course in college, where my professor was adamant that you could ruin a great story by finishing it with that perfect big red bow.  His words didn't make sense to me.  Alas, I was just a young'un.  Now my old ass gets it.  Predictability is not entertaining.  While Ms. Jio certainly has a gift for storytelling, she falls into that 'happily ever after' trap.  Each and every storyline wraps up precisely how you'd expect it to...not a single surprise in the bunch.  I must say, though, that my personal favorite is Katie and Josh - you'll have to read that one yourself to believe it.  Think Days of Our Lives...on steroids. 

Right or wrong, predictable or not, I'll probably continue to read Sarah Jio books as they come out.  After all, it's what the cool kids are reading these days.  And I'm nothing if not cool. 

Catching Air, by Sarah Pekkanen

This was the second Pekkanen book I've read to date, and I'm sure it won't be my last.  That said, however, I'm glad this wasn't the first one I cracked open, or I might not have moved any further.  There were so many different elements to this story, but I don't think they successfully meshed together for a cohesive novel.

In the very first chapter, we're introduced to Dawn, an orphaned adult with low self-esteem who gets herself mixed up with a Romeo who turns out to be a crook.  Our next introduction is to Kira and Peter - what some might call a typical married couple - getting by, but not yet grasping that brass ring. Finally, there's Peter's brother, Rand, and his wife, Alyssa.  They're the hippie bunch in the group - the free-spirited type who pick up and move whenever the mood strikes them.

Rand, who isn't exactly on the greatest terms with his brother, calls Peter with the bright idea of becoming partners in a run-down Bed & Breakfast in Vermont.  Yeah, because a young professional couple in Florida with no hotel/inn experience would *jump* at that opportunity.  Whatever...

Now, remember the girl we met at the beginning...Dawn?  Well, she shows up again and somehow finds her way to this newly opened and operating B & B (surprise, surprise!).  Can you see my point?  There's no logic here - none of these pieces really fit together.

Of course, drama abounds - should Peter and Kira have kids?  Can Rand and Alyssa HAVE kids?  And Dawn is running from her bad boy Casanova.  Sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it?  A silly, 1970's afternoon soap opera.  Granted, those things have their place.  However, my reading time is too precious to be wasted on it.

In very general terms, Catching Air is about starting over, second chances, life renewal, yada, yada, yada (anyone watch Seinfeld?).  That premise may sound promising.  Sadly, though, it fails to deliver.  What I found instead was a bunch of unsympathetic, downright unlikable characters who I tired of very quickly.  I'll say one thing for this book,  though....it certainly has an appropriate title.  One thing it's full of...is air.

The Girl You Left Behind, by Jojo Moyes

Well, I'm a bit rusty at this, to say the least.  Hopefully, I'll still be able to string together a sentence or two.  Time will tell...

I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find my way back here, writing about what I love - books.  I found a few that were inspiring, almost getting me back to the keyboard (Delicious, by Ruth Reichl comes to mind).  But it was a book by the uber-talented Jojo Moyes that finally succeeded, and sucked me back in.  I first discovered Ms. Moyes when I picked up Me Before You, a book that somehow fell into the romance category (a genre I don't particularly care for). I suppose some would categorize The Girl You Left Behind as the same.  A small disclaimer, however.  It is my firm belief that 'romance' novels need to be segregated into two categories:

- cheesy Fabio-laced sex romps;
- beautifully written tales with a love story deeply embedded within.

Guess which one this book falls into?

The Girl You Left Behind tells the story of Sophie Lefevre, struggling to get through her day-to-day life in France while World War I rages.  Her artist husband, Edouard, is off fighting the good fight, when German officers infiltrate the family hotel, leaving Sophie no other choice than to serve them dinner each night.  Soon enough, the Kommandant decides he'd like a little more than the grub being served in bowls, and Sophie faces some difficult decisions.  Just when all seems utterly hopeless, you turn the page (literally), and, nearly a century later, we meet Liv Halston, a young woman left a widow much too soon, by her dearly departed, David. 

Liv is just learning how to live without David, meeting men and friends (not necessarily in that order).  One friend in particular, Mo, is a memorable character that you'll likely either love or hate.  If you're an oddball like me, however, you'll probably feel a little of both.  Regardless, I wanted more.  In fact, if I were forced to find fault with Liv's story, it would be that it didn't include enough Mo, a woman who refers to a bad date as that 'Worst variety of species...the Divorced Toxic Bachelor.'  During one pseudo therapy session, she instructs Liv on the healing powers of sticking toothpicks into the bellies of clay voodoo dolls.  I love this girl.  But, I digress...

Moyes masterfully links the lives of Sophie and Liv when we discover that the portrait of a young girl, which hangs on the wall in the Halston's uber-modern home, is none other than the young Frenchwoman herself.  When a court battle over the painting's rightful ownership breaks out, the facts surrounding Sophie, and her difficult choices, are slowly revealed.

This was a beautifully written tale of love, life, and survival.  My only complaint is one that seems to hold true for any story that falls into the 'R' category, and that is predictability.  You'll be able to see some of this stuff coming a hundred pages in advance.  But, in this case, force yourself not to skip ahead.  As the saying goes, it's not the destination that counts.  It's the journey.  And Ms. Moyes takes us on a lovely, memorable one.

The Bookstore, by Deborah Meyler

As an avid reader, whenever I see a book title encompassing one of those magical literary terms, such as novel, manuscript, journal, or bookstore, it automatically scores an initial star in my rating.  It wouldn't matter if the pages within those covers were about thermoplastic polyurethane or indigenous Pygmy groups in the Congo - my inner geek is still doing a little dance of joy.  Couple that with a cover photo of a stack of fat, juicy books, and SQUEEE...this little piggy is going to market.  Such is the story with The Bookstore, by Deborah Meyler.

True to my previous statement, I knew I wanted to read this book before I even had an inkling what it was about.  If it has a bookstore in it, it's for me!  Well, it turns out that the bookstore in question here is The Owl, a fictional imitation of those cramped, yet invaluable, little pieces of real estate that make New York City what it is.  It's here that we meet owner George, employees Luke and Bruce, and a colorful cast of extras, including the homeless, the famous, and the just plain nuts.  (a la the real NYC!). The central character, however, is prim and proper Esme, a British import visiting the United States to study art history at Columbia University.    
Somehow or other, Esme finds herself romantically involved with (externally) handsome Mitchell van Leuven.  With a name like Van Looooooooo-ven, I'm sure you can already guess that he hails from a hoity-toity moneyed family, complete with a home in the Hamptons and judgmental airs.  (To put it in highfalutin literary terminology...yucky snooty-snoots.)  While still scratching my head over how the author could present such a mismatched couple, I read on to discover that Esme is pregnant.  And, just as she's about to share the news with Mr. Wonderful, he dumps her.  So begins her journey toward independence and self-sufficiency, resulting in her job at the aforementioned Owl bookstore.  Or that's the way it SHOULD have gone.

Ms. Meyler had a golden opportunity to present her readers with a wicked strong heroine you could root for.  Instead, however, she went down that all-too-common road of wimpy females who will put up with anything to keep a man (the aforementioned moronic Mitchell).  I lost any sympathy I may have previously held for poor little Esme, as she traded in her morals, beliefs, and self respect for that loser over and over, and over again.  It was immensely frustrating.  For God's sake, my 9 year old niece would know enough to cut her losses and walk away already.

I enjoyed some of the quirky peripheral characters, and the moments spent in The Owl were charming.  But, ultimately, I got more frustration than enjoyment from this one.  This was a middle of the road effort, at best.  After all, a book title can only compensate for so much.  I may have to temper my expectations before tackling A Novel Bookstore, by Laurence Cosse.

In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran

Being a female teeny bopper in the glorious years that comprised the 1980’s, it was a rite of passage to swoon over the boys in Duran Duran.  While I’m guilty of such activities myself, I’m proud to state that my participation was somewhat limited.  Their sound was always a bit too modern, their look too glam.  (Nick Rhodes STILL wears more make-up than any woman I know!)  But, the gossip hound in me is still intrigued by any book that promises to give the reader an inside glimpse of life in the spotlight.  

     

So, I’ve already told you that I’m not the biggest D2 fan.  In addition to this, I always got the distinct impression that JT, in particular, was a moronic digme.  I suppose the vast majority of ‘rock stars’ have elements of that, but he seems to have more than his share.  In interviews – including those given during Duran’s heyday - I always thought he came across as an immature, smarmy schmuck.  Judging by some of the things he writes in this book, it doesn’t seem that he’s changed much. 

There’s nothing even remotely likable about this guy – there’s nothing to him.  He’s all air.  And, when I say ‘air,’ I don’t mean to insinuate stupidity.  Instead, I just think there’s no depth to his character (certainly none on display here).  And, every time I thought he was starting to scratch the surface of something, I’d turn the page and he’d be on to something completely different.  When he spoke about becoming a dad, I thought – here we go.  I’m sure I’ll see a more human side to him.  And, I did…for about 3 paragraphs.  I think the book would’ve done better to cover fewer topics, but delve deeper into the ones that remained.  Instead, I didn’t feel like I was given a true idea of who he is, beyond the arrogant mess I already envisioned. 

There were the obligatory chapters:  his stint in rehab; the numerous women he loved, left, and forgot about; the name dropping.  But, there’s no originality – nothing that sets him apart from any other rock star featured in a 60-second VH1 clip. 

I also have to take issue with the pictures included in the book.  It was really nice that a photo was included at the beginning of each chapter (in addition to the obligatory insert) – a really nice touch.  HOWEVER, it would’ve been nicer if I had known who I was looking at.  In one of the more bizarre traits of this autobiography, NONE of the people in the pictures are identified.  It was *so* annoying to read about someone, and then have to guess if that was the one pictured or not.  Yep – ball, dropped.

      

Alas, now we come to the reason why I have never been a real John Taylor fan.  He’s a brat.  I formed that opinion approximately 30 years ago, and it stands true today.  Duran Duran was a phenomenon, without a doubt.   There were screaming girls, sold out concerts, the whole nine yards.  But, JT writes as if they were as big as the Beatles.  I think someone needs to remind him of just how quickly their balloon deflated.  Sure, they’re still together (for the most part), and put out the occasional new song.  But, when was the last time they were able to fill a stadium?  Or even an average size basketball arena?  If you want to talk like the big boys, you have to produce like the big boys.  They certainly can’t be lumped into the same category as artists such as U2, the Stones, or Springsteen (who seems to be a frequent victim of Taylor’s tantrums.)  

Much as he’d probably hate to admit it, his personal fame has far more to do with his pretty face than any talent he believes himself to have.

John Taylor is a legend in his own mind, but certainly not in mine.

Goodnight June, by Sarah Jio

Sarah Jio is an author who seemingly appeared out of nowhere...the current 'it' girl of contemporary women's fiction.  I remember playing a book swap game on Paperback Swap (yes, I'm a geek; I already confessed to this), and I was given a choice of several different Jio books.  Who was this Jio person, and how could she have all these titles available without me being aware of her?

Well, I now own about 4 Jio novels, which are sitting on my bookshelves, waiting for their turn at bat.  The first one I cracked open was Morning Glory, my opinion of which could be evidenced by the absence of a review.  I wasn't bowled over.  In short, I thought it was sappy and predictable.  But, I detected something in there - some unrealized potential for a great story.  So, I decided to give Ms. Jio another shot.   Enter Goodnight June.  And yes, the title is a play on that famous children's book, Goodnight Moon.  Which brings me to a small confession...

I didn't grow up with Goodnight Moon.  I never read Goodnight Moon.  Actually, I never even HEARD of Goodnight Moon until I was in my 30's.  (Okay, go ahead now and pick your jaw up off the floor.  I'll wait.  All better now?  Good.)  My point in mentioning this is that the title of this book didn't hold any special appeal to me, as it seems to for so many others.  I think there's a whole list of folks dying to get their hands on this sucker, if only for reasons of nostalgia.   I picked it up mostly because it's a bestseller.

Goodnight June tells the story of a hard-edged NYC banker named June Andersen, who inherits her great Aunt Ruby's cozy Seattle bookstore, Bluebird Books.  Although she has many fond childhood memories of the store (and her aunt), the plan is to get in and get out.  That is, pack it up and liquidate it, in as little time as possible.  But, as you may have expected, those plans are derailed when she starts to sift through the boxes of her childhood.

While taking that journey down memory lane, June stumbles across a series of letters between Aunt Ruby and Margaret Wise Brown, author of the aforementioned Goodnight Moon.  The letters depict a deeply-forged friendship between the ladies, as well as some insight into how the famous children's classic came to be.

One of the main themes in the book is the importance of familial relationships - specifically, the incomparable bond shared by sisters.  Sadly, the common sisterly thread shared by the three central female characters in this story is one of estrangement.  Although the issue between June and her sister is probably easily figured out by any casual fiction reader, it still plays prominently in the book.

Of course, there's also the obligatory love interest thrown in, something I'm generally not a fan of.  I'm not sure why authors think that women's fiction simply *must* have that tall, dark, and handsome element.  In my opinion, I think it only serves to cheapen the tale the author was trying to tell.  There was so much meat of a different nature here that it simply wasn't necessary to throw in a bit of Mr. Right.  It reeks too much of that sappiness I previously attributed to a different Jio book.  Thankfully though, it wasn't a case of overkill, capable of ruining the book's appeal, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.  In fact, I may even need to pick up one of those other Jio books soon.  We'll see.