Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION by Diana Gabaldon

January 28, 2016

Several Outlandish Reviews

The Outlandish Companion: Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn. In Which Much is Revealed Regarding Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn (and Their Author), Including Detailed Synopses, Commentary, Controversy, Glossaries, Bibliographies, and Genealogies, TV Shows, and Other Useful Information.

AND

The Outlandish Companion Volume Two: The Companion to The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood. In Which Much More is Revealed Regarding The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, Including Detailed Synopses, Maps, Medical Procedures, Chronologies and Highly Opinionated Essays by the Author.

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I had the first one, so I was thrilled to learn that the original Outlandish Companion has been revised and updated. If you are a fan of the books, or the Starz TV series, and like me, both (!) then you need to buy these books. There is a ton of information and I have to say, I enjoy every page. But then again, I’m slightly obsessed.

I’ve read all the books more than once. I’ve also listened to the audio books, which I highly recommend. The reader, Davina Porter, is fantastic. Listening to a good audio book narrator truly enhances the book, and I got that with Jim Dale and the Harry Potter books. I am happy to say that Porter also does that, and I enjoyed listening almost more than reading them myself. To hear all the names pronounced correctly, and hear the Gaelic the way it actually sounds instead of how it sounds in my head, is a gift.

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Finally, I wanted to mention that there is now a beautiful Outlander Coloring Book! For all you adult coloring fiends, break out your colored pencils and get busy.

Book 1:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon has captivated millions of readers with her critically acclaimed Outlander novels, the inspiration for the Starz original series. From the moment Claire Randall stepped through a standing stone circle and was thrown back in time to the year 1743—and into a world that threatens life, limb, loyalty, heart, soul, and everything else Claire has—readers have been hungry to know everything about this world and its inhabitants, particularly a Scottish soldier named Jamie Fraser.

In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including:

• full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
• a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes
• a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage
• The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained
• frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers
• an annotated bibliography
• essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more
• professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire
• the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”)
• behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set

For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within.

Book 2:

More than a decade ago, #1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon delighted her legions of fans with The Outlandish Companion, an indispensable guide to all the Outlander books at the time. But that edition was just a taste of things to come. Since that publication, there have been four more Outlander novels, a side series, assorted novellas, and one smash-hit Starz original television series. Now Gabaldon serves up The Outlandish Companion, Volume Two, an all-new guide to the latest books in the series.

Written with Gabaldon’s signature wit and intelligence, this compendium is bursting with generous commentary and juicy insider details, including

• a complete chronology of the series thus far
• full synopses of A Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, andWritten in My Own Heart’s Blood
• recaps of the Lord John Grey novels: Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Hand of Devils, and The Scottish Prisoner
• a who’s who of the cast of Outlander characters, cross-referenced by book
• detailed maps and floor plans
• a bibliographic guide to research sources
• essays on subjects as wide ranging as Outlandish controversies regarding sex and violence, the unique responsibilities of a writer of historical fiction, and Gabaldon’s writing process
• a guided tour of the clothes, food, and music of the eighteenth century
• a Scottish glossary and pronunciation guide
• personal photos from the author taken on the set of the Starz Outlander series

As entertaining, sweeping, and addictive as the series itself, this second volume of The Outlandish Companion is a one (or two)-of-a-kind gift from an incomparable author.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Nonfiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

Can you judge a book by its cover?

January 27, 2016

From today’s guest blogger, Notting Hill Press!

It’s interesting to see how the same book is marketed differently depending on where its fans are based. Michele Gorman’s Match Me If You Can is published by Avon (Harper Collins) in the UK and by Notting Hill Press in the US. Avon took the lead in designing the marketing package for Michele’s UK chick lit fans, with a pretty teal cover, fun font and firm focus on the online dating/romance storylines in the book.

Meet best friends Catherine, Rachel and Sarah. Yet to find Mr Right, they’ve been settling for Mr Right Now. But when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets the girls to join her dating site where they can rate and recommend their ex-boyfriends, they soon realise that anything could happen… There’s someone for everyone, right? These best friends are about to find out!

To complement the UK cover, we at Notting Hill Press designed the US cover using the same fonts and heart motif. But something started to bother us. Match Me If You Can is also about strong women. It’s funny, cheeky, poignant and realistic. The women join the dating website and recycle their exes but their lives – their friendship, families and careers – are at the heart of the book. And while both British and American fans are definitely romantics, American readers are also really partial to a feisty story about friends.

We had to admit it: our hot pink cover didn’t seem quite right for Michele’s US fans. So we had a rethink about it, and here’s the result!

Meet best friends, Catherine, Rachel and Sarah. They’re fun, smart and successful, and haven’t had a date worth booking a wax appointment for in ages.

Catherine runs London’s most successful matchmaking business with her silent partner and ex-husband, Richard, who’s just announced that he’s marrying his twenty-three year-old girlfriend. Catherine has bras that are older than Magda, and now she’s barging in on their business with her meddlesome demands and wedding plans.

Architect Rachel’s got problems of her own. At work she’s competing against her ex-boyfriend, James, to win their biggest project and the promotion that comes with it. So when she joins Catherine’s website, RecycLove.com, where everyone brings an ex to recycle for the chance of an upgrade, she knows just who she’s going to trade in.

Homebody baker, Sarah, is in a rut thanks to family demands over the last few years. Reluctantly she joins RecycLove.com, where she’s convinced that some minor adjustments will improve her chances. But as minor adjustments turn into a complete overhaul and dates start falling at her newly-pedicured feet, will her popularity be worth the sacrifices she’s making?

A warm, funny story of friendship, strong women and self-discovery. Match us if you can, guys, but if not then please step aside and we’ll get on with being fabulous.

We hope you love the new cover and blurb as much as we do!

Sincerely,

Notting Hill Press

1 Comment | Guest Bloggers, Ramblings | Permalink
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THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: DINNERTIME by Ree Drummond

January 26, 2016

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Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper!

I love Ree Drummond. I love her story (read The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels–a Love Story) and her Food Network series. Her cookbooks are hugely popular; in 2015, she pulled ahead of mega bestselling cookbook author Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, with three of the top ten best selling cookbooks. According to Publisher’s Weekly, Drummond sold about 750,000 cookbooks in 2015! Life must be good on the ranch.

Dinnertime is her latest. Filled with more than 125 of her signature easy, step by step recipes and lots of pictures, this is sure to be another winner. The table of contents:

Breakfast for Dinner
Salad for Dinner
Soup for Dinner
Freezer Food
16-Minute Meals (take that. Rachael Ray!)
Pasta Pronto
Comfort Classics
New Favorites
Veggie Sides
Starchy Sides
Quick Desserts

Drummond also includes prep tips, conversion guides, shopping tips, and other helpful ideas. I noticed there were actual pictures of brand name pantry items, so I’m guessing product placement is now a lucrative sideline.

What’s wonderful about her recipes are the step-by-step pictures that she includes. So when you make Greek Yogurt Pancakes, you don’t have to guess at the consistency of the batter, you can see it. Not sure how big to make Ready-to-Go Freezer Meatballs? Just check out the size in the palm of her hand. Afraid of Chipotle and want to make your own Burrito Bowls? There are 19 pictures to help you out – plus one more of her dog swimming. Lots of ranch photos are interspersed, just in case you forget whose cookbook you are reading.

Most of the recipes include variations you can try, and it seems like most make a lot of food, about 8 servings or more. I tend to cut her recipes in half for my family of 3, and that is still plenty. My friend Judy swears by her Cajun Chicken Pasta, but I wasn’t thrilled. I am not a fan of opening jars and bottles, so that leaves out a lot of her recipes. She also favors adding sugar to a lot of recipes, and with a diabetic husband, I avoid that, too.

While I am not enamored of this cookbook, I can certainly understand why so many people are. The Los Angeles Times selected it as one of 27 best cookbooks of 2015, and it was the Goodreads 2015 Choice Award Winner in cookbooks.

1/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: DINNERTIME by Ree Drummond. William Morrow Cookbooks; First Edition edition (October 20, 2015). ISBN 978-0062225245. 400p.

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COLD-HEARTED RAKE by Lisa Kleypas

January 24, 2016

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Lisa Kleypas writes romance, both contemporary and historical. This one is historical, and terrific!

Devon Ravenel has inherited an earldom from his cousin, which he is none too happy about. The earldom includes a large estate that has fallen into serious disrepair after years of neglect, along with substantial debt. The former Earl’s wife and sisters are living in the manse and Devon decides to visit, kick them all out and sell off all the property. But when he gets there, he finds it’s not as easy as he thought it would be.

For one thing, his cousin’s widow Kathleen is stunning, and gets under his skin immediately. They butt heads constantly, but eventually Devon decides to keep the property. He send his drunken brother out to find out exactly what needs to be done, and with Kathleen’s sharp tongue keeping him in check, and sober, the work begins.

Eventually the romance heats up, but Devon has a love ’em and leave ’em reputation, and Kathleen isn’t interested – or so she thinks. This is a fast paced romance filled with snarky humor, my favorite kind. I can’t wait for the next book in this series – Marrying Winterborne (May 2016.)

1/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

COLD-HEARTED RAKE by Lisa Kleypas. Avon (October 27, 2015). ISBN 978-0062371812. 416p.

Kindle

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Tagged: Historical | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND by Katarina Bivald

January 23, 2016

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This is the first book of the year that is sure to make my best books of 2016 list! Loved, loved, loved. Seriously.

Sara works in a bookshop in Sweden. She has been pen pals – letters written on actual paper – with Amy, an older woman in Broken Wheel, Iowa, a tiny, depressed town. They met online and started swapping books and a friendship was formed.

Sadly, the bookshop closes, and Amy invites Sara to come for a nice, long visit, and she does. But when she arrives in Broken Wheel, she is just in time to attend Amy’s funeral. The small town begs her to stay, and makes her feel welcome.

Eventually Amy falls in love with the town, and with Tom, Amy’s nephew. But theirs is a relationship fraught with doubts, misunderstandings and a sort of apathetic malaise. The town is full of interesting characters which truly bring this novel to life; George, a recovering alcoholic whose wife and daughter have left him; Grace, who runs the town’s only diner; Andy, who owns the town’s bar; John, the grocer and only black man in town and several others.

Everyone is so kind to Sara that she wants to do something nice for the town, so in one of the boarded up old stores, she opens a bookstore, stocking it with all of Amy’s books. This is not a town of readers, but Sara is convinced that there is a book for every person and she sets out to prove it.

Filled with tiny excerpts of classics and contemporary books, and many literary references, this book will appeal to anyone who loves books. It is a charming read, reminiscent of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin and I loved it. Don’t miss it!

1/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND by Katarina Bivald. Sourcebooks Landmark (January 19, 2016). ISBN 978-1492623441. 400p.

Kindle

4 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Women's Fiction | Permalink
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SUMMER ON BLOSSOM STREET by Debbie Macomber

January 22, 2016

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Blossom Street #6

This is the 6th entry into this very gentle series, which of course I started with book 10. When I need something I know will be light, sweet and ultimately satisfying, I turn to Debbie Macomber. It encompasses everything Macomber readers expect; women’s friendship, sweet romance and knitting. The series is set in Seattle and centers around A Good Yarn, a knitting shop. I don’t knit but I envy those who do.

Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn, decides to offer an evening knitting class called “Knit to Quit.” She gets an interesting mix of people. Phoebe Rylander signs up in hopes of getting over her broken engagement. Her fiance was arrested for soliciting a hooker – for the second time. She took him back once before and despite her mother’s pushing, not to mention his need to always be in control and working hard to get her back, she won’t budge. She hopes the knitting will take her mind off of things.

Hutch took over his family’s chocolate business after his father died very suddenly, and very young, from a heart attack. His doctor warns him that he is heading down the same path and recommends he takes up knitting as a stress reducer, so Hutch joins the class. And Alix Turner joins to try and help her kick the smoking habit since she wants to have a baby.

The young widow, Anne Marie Roche, is finally happy to be settled with her adopted daughter Ellen. They are a small family, and when Tim comes by the bookshop asking about Ellen, Anne Marie gets her guard up. Lydia and Brad decide they want to try and adopt a baby. Anne Marie loves being stepmother to Brad’s young son Cody, but two rounds of brain cancer left her unable to have her own so they hook up with a social worker to try and adopt. While they are waiting, a 12 year old girl needs immediate placement in a foster home so they take her in, which causes a bit of strain on the family.

All these women are friends, and their relationships and the budding romance between Phoebe and Hutch make for an interesting and enjoyable read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and it was completely captivating and entertaining, despite the reader. Narrated by the single-named Delilah, who I did not love, to say the least. Delilah is quite the actress, or at least thinks she is, but was completely over the top here. Not to mention reading the same line twice on more than one occasion, and even worse, mispronunciations – I was especially annoyed when a thriller reader in the story was reading Brad “Metzler” books, who I happen to know as Brad MELTZER! Twice she called him Metzler. Arggh! I am very glad a different narrator does some of the later books, I won’t be listening to any more Delilah if I can help it.

1/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BLOSSOM STREET BRIDES by Debbie Macomber. Ballantine Books (March 31, 2015). ISBN 978-0345528865. 432p.

Kindle

Paperback

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LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S. A. Corey

January 21, 2016

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The invention of the Epstein Drive made it possible for humanity to spread beyond Earth. Now there are stations and colonies stretching from our planet to Mars. Joe Miller is a cop on Ceres, one of the stations that houses the Belters, workers born off world and recognized by their lanky forms and unique dialects. Miller has been hired to find a girl whose last known address was Ceres itself until she seemingly vanished, ignoring all attempts at contact from her lunar-based parents. The job is an easy one, an off-books one too. But when the investigation changes from a simple wayward young adult to one Miller suspects has deeper ramifications, he’s told to back off.

At the same time, an ice hauler about to return from its latest job answers a distress beacon that turns out to be something much more menacing. Jim Holden, XO of the Canterbury, leads the rescue attempt and barely manages to escape with his ship and team intact when the Cant is destroyed. Holden and his team’s discovery on the abandoned Scopuli and witness to the Canterbury’s destruction make them prime targets for those responsible but revealing what they know could lead to all out war between Earth and Mars.

This first in The Expanse series is a whopper of a read, one that crosses genre borders and boundaries with ease. A science fiction epic and first in what George R. R. Martin calls a “…kickass space opera…” Leviathan Wakes is also part noir mystery and part horror.

Miller, a cop with a definite chip on his shoulder, bucks authority and bends the rules at will. He becomes obsessed with finding this girl, imagining that through his investigation he’s gotten to know her and has built a connection with her that’s more intimate than any he shares with his colleagues or acquaintances. Of course when told to back off he’s going to ignore it, he’s stubborn and bullheaded just like all of his noir detective predecessors.

In Holden, the authors have built a character who is in many ways the polar opposite of Miller. The rules are there for a reason, justice and right will prevail, and Holden will do anything he can to ensure this remains the case. As narrators go, they provide the reader with two very different views of the world of The Expanse. Miller is a Belter through and through. Holden is military and was born on Earth. The only piece missing so far is Mars.

I have to say, I am absolutely loving the series and the current Syfy TV adaptation as well.

1/16 Becky LeJeune

LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S. A. Corey. Orbit; First Edition edition (June 15, 2011). ISBN 978-0316129084 592p.

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SAVING JASON by Michael Sears Giveaway!

January 20, 2016

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A Jason Stafford Novel (Book 4)

I am delighted to offer three advance reader copies of SAVING JASON by Michael Sears!

The latest Jason Stafford novel from Michael Sears, author of the highly acclaimed Long Way Down and Black Fridays.

Jason Stafford used to be a hot Wall Street trader, went too far, and paid for it in prison. Now a financial investigator, he’s been asked to look into rumors of a hostile takeover of his firm, but he has no idea it will turn his whole life upside down. Suddenly embroiled in a grand jury investigation of Mob-related activities on Wall Street, and threatened by some very serious men, he is thrust into witness protection with his young autistic son. And then his son disappears. Has he been kidnapped, or worse? With no choice but to act, Stafford has no choice but to come out of hiding and risk everything to save his son, his firm, his pregnant girlfriend—and himself.

AUTHOR BIO:

Michael Sears’ first novel, the best-seller BLACK FRIDAYS, a thriller with a financial twist, took the Shamus award and was short-listed for the Edgar and three other major awards. MORTAL BONDS, the critically-acclaimed second novel in the Jason Stafford series, won the Silver Falchion at Killer Nashville. Continuing the series, LONG WAY DOWN, was described as “one of the best thrillers of 2015.” SAVING JASON is the fourth in the series (Putnam, February 2, 2016).

Until 2005, Mr. Sears was a Managing Director for two different Wall Street firms, where he worked in the bond market for twenty years and, earlier, in foreign exchange and derivatives. Prior to returning to Columbia University for his MBA, he was, for eight years, a professional actor appearing at the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington (Folger Theatre), Playwright’s Theater of Washington, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, The Comedy Stage Co., and, in the course of a single year, every soap opera shot in New York City.

He is married to the artist, Barbara Segal and is the father of two handsome sons. Born in New York City, he lived for more than twenty years on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and still misses it every day.

To win an advance reader copy of SAVING JASON by Michael Sears, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “SAVING JASON” as the subject. You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by January 31, 2016. Three (3) names will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your prize will be sent by the author’s publicist.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

SAVING JASON by Michael Sears. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (February 2, 2016). ISBN 978-0399166723. 368p. $27.00

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THE WINTER GIRL by Matt Marinovich

January 19, 2016

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Scott and Elise have left their apartment in New York to stay at Elise’s childhood home for her father’s final days. The old man’s been sick for some time and Elise’s relationship with him isn’t great but he’s not expected to last long in hospice and so she spends her days there with him seeing to his needs. Meanwhile, Scott isn’t working and spends his own time watching the house next door. It’s empty, abandoned for the season, but the lights go on nonetheless. Every night at the same time on the dot. Boredom and obsession take over and Scott eventually breaks into the house, making a discovery that sets the couple on a crash course of bad mistakes and worse decisions.

The Winter Girl is truly twisted psychological suspense sure to please fans of the darkest of dark thrillers.

Scott and Elise have only been married for a few years but already the shine has worn off of the relationship. There’s a sense of unease between the two of them, sitting just beneath the surface. Part of it is the fact that Scott isn’t working. Part of it is the obvious resentment between Scott and Elise’s father. It takes some time for Marinovich to reveal exactly what’s gone on in the couple’s past. They’re otherwise a very normal couple.

When Scott opens up to Elise about what he’s been doing, at first she’s reproachful about his actions. But then she joins in. And then her father comes home.

The book is full of “and then” moments, each of which leads to more revelations about Scott and Elise and the house next door. There was a point when I honestly wondered if it was all some fever dream born out of Scott’s time alone. A tale he’d woven to keep himself amused as time passes by while they wait for Elise’s dad to pass. That’s definitely not the case, though.

This is a book that will draw some very obvious and appropriate comparisons. I’m hesitant to mention them, however, because I think they border on spoilery. It is a very twisted story, one that begins almost innocently and spirals into very dark territory. Readers who would normally shy away from that type of read should probably go into this one prepared. It went places even I didn’t expect.

1/16 Becky LeJeune

THE WINTER GIRL by Matt Marinovich. Doubleday (January 19, 2016). ISBN 978-0385539975. 224p.

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THE FOOD LAB by J. Kenji López-Alt

January 18, 2016

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Better Home Cooking Through Science

The trend of food blogs begetting cookbooks is firmly established, and this is one of the better ones. I’m not sure why the blog name, Serious Eats, isn’t more apparent, but nonetheless that is where López-Alt (among others) posts his recipes and revelations, and where this cookbook was born.

There are those who believe cooking is an art, and others, a science. I would think most people think it is both; there is definitely science involved in cooking, but also there is an art to it. This book looks more at the science, and in doing so, creates art.

Every recipe and technique is explained thoroughly, with lots of pictures, thus creating a rather large, heavy book – it clocks in at 960 pages, so you definitely get your money’s worth.

One of the first cookbooks I ever cooked from was my mom’s Good Housekeeping Cookbook, circa 1960-something, and it had all kinds of charts on measurements and conversions. That practice has fallen by the wayside but is revived here, right inside the front cover. There is something to be said for Googling how many tablespoons in 2/3 of a cup, but it is often easier to just look at a book, so this simple thing gets a gold star from me. As does the meat chart, with pictures of different cuts of steaks and all the information you could want about them; where they are cut from, other names for the same steaks, what it tastes like (really!) and of course, the best way to cook it. (My suggestion – go to Bern’s Steak House in Tampa to learn about steaks and what they should taste like.)

The pictures are worthy of special mention, not for the art necessarily, although there are beautiful foodie pics galore. But other pictures, like the eggs boiled at 30-second intervals from 0 to 12 minutes is worth the proverbial thousand words. Pictures showing what happens when you add your onions too soon – burnt onions -are a powerful learning tool. Actual photographs of chicken roughly chopped, finely chopped and pulverized make it easy to see what your results should be – same for the picture of a gelled stock.

The book is divided a bit differently than most cookbooks. The table of contents:

Eggs, Dairy, and the Science of Breakfast
Soups, Stews, and the Science of Stock
Steaks, Chops, Chicken, Fish and the Science of Fast-Cooking Foods
Blanching, Searing, Braising, Glazing, Roasting, and the Science of Vegetables
Balls, Loaves, Links, Burgers, and the Science of Ground Meat
Chickens, Turkeys, Prime Rib, and the Science of Roasts
Tomato Sauce, Macaroni, and the Science of Pasta
Greens, Emulsions, and the Science of Salads
Batter, Breadings, and the Science of Frying

In addition, there explanations of what cooking really is, what kitchen gear you need and what belongs in the basic pantry – all ultimately useful information.

The 20 step-by-step pictures that accompany The World’s Most Awesome Sticky Buns is simply inspiring. The Easy Skillet-Braised Chicken with mushrooms and bacon is a delicious dinner that I don’t mind making after working all day. The Creamy Italian Salad Dressing will have you swearing off bottled dressing forever. The reverse sear method of roasting meat is just genius. But I think my favorite part of this cookbook is Kenji’s voice – he is funny. How can you not love a cookbook that includes, “My wife hates the fact that our apartment always smells like food,” and on cooking fish, “Perfect Fish Tip 7: Just a Kiss on the Backside,” and “I’m a cook by trade but a grinder by nature.”

I love this cookbook.