The Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts by Bobbie Lloyd REVIEW

The Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts by Bobbie Lloyd

 

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review  

 

A Note: I am not a professional chef or baker. I am just the average Plain Jane everyday sort of gal in the kitchen.

Readability

Right out of the gate, I'm going to say that I love how they put into the recipes in both grams and ounces (and cups) for measurements. It makes conversions a non-issue, meaning that anyone anywhere can pick up this book and be able to easily use the recipes according to what they are used to.

 

Unfortunately, there is one thing about this book that I did not like at all. For these recipes (in most, if not all), you have a "base recipe" that is referred to as part of the recipe which is located at the back of the book. Meaning you have to flip to the back of the book to then return to the recipe you actually want. Now, this isn't something that's a disaster in the making. The base recipes are made as the first step of the process, so for the most part you are just reading one recipe from the back, and then the one recipe you're actually hoping to end up with. But if you're doing something like making a base cake, it could be annoying to have to flip the pages back and forth if you need to remember how long you need to leave that in the oven while you prep the rest of the dish. 

 

That being said, I don't have a better solution as to how to make this readable, because if you had every base recipe on every page, it would (1) be an annoyingly busy page, and (2) get tiresome after awhile. But... I don't know... maybe at least place the base recipes at the beginning of each section so it's less likely the baker is scrambling through pages of other sections' base recipes?

 

Favorite Recipe

I'm a sucker for anything chocolatey and peanut-buttery, so I'm totally biased and am going to say that my favorite recipe is the Deep-Dish Peanut Butter Cup Icebox Pie.

 

However, if you're not a chocolate or peanut butter lover, there are also so many fruit-centered recipes, you have plenty to choose from!

 

Aesthetic 

10/10 gorgeous. The colors are fresh, the type is easy to read, the recipe layouts are divided with cute light blue/teal lines. I really like the interior layout of the book. And oh my God, the images. Sometimes, I feel like cookbook images are a bit dark or dreary, but these are stunning!! And they're also all consistent in tone and vibe. I would buy this book just to eat the desserts with my eyes.

 

As for the outside of the book, I stopped by my local Barnes and Noble to check it out because I wanted to give some feedback on that, but only had an ARC. Love love love the book in physical form.

 

Thanks for reading, and happy eating!

Xo

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan SPOILER FREE Review

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

3.93 out of 5 Stars

 

Spoiler-Free Review

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review   

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan is a beautifully written and emotionally resonating take on the life of Joy Davidman, the woman who eventually married C.S. Lewis. The book does a great job capturing Joy’s voice and perspective, giving readers a window into her struggles with identity, faith, and love. Her transformation from a disillusioned wife and writer in America to a woman pursuing intellectual and emotional freedom in England was surprising to me in how easy it was to connect with her. The writing is lyrical without being overdone, and there’s a strong sense of time and place that adds a special richness to the story. This is definitely a sleeper -- it's not one I would have expected to enjoy, but it was great!!

 

Joy Davidman

One of my favorite parts is when Joy finally arrives in England and steps into the world of Lewis for the first time. It was just such a moment, you know? You can feel the atmosphere shift as she walks into this place she’s only known through letters and imagination, and suddenly everything becomes real. There’s a mix of anticipation, nervousness, and awe as these two brilliant minds begin to connect in person, and it’s written with so much emotional nuance that you can’t help but get swept up in the magic of it all. Across the whole book really, what really stands out is the emotional and intellectual connection between Joy and Lewis. 

 

While some sections slow down a bit and lean a bit too heavily into introspection, the payoff is worth it if you're in the mood for a thoughtful, character-driven read. Callahan clearly did her homework, and it shows in the little historical and literary details woven throughout. It’s not a light read, but it’s a rewarding one. Especially if you're a fan of biographical fiction, this is one to add to your TBR.

 

Thanks for reading!

Xo

Twisted Love by Ana Huang REVIEW

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

4.24 out of 5 Stars

*May contain spoilers*

I by no means am the first to review this book, but here's another take on it in case anyone is curious. :) 

I thoroughly enjoyed Twisted Love, to the point where I did a reread on it recently. It is entertaining, a bit dramatic, and there is a good hint of angst in it as well. Overall, it's a delightful little combo of those things that make it captivating and, for me, easily re-readable.

Plot

Set in D.C., Twisted Love is a steamy contemporary romance featuring a kind and young photographer and her brother's uber-rich best friend who is an ice-cold, ruthless, and grumpy real estate businessman. Alex has been asked to watch over Ava while her brother is off on an international medical trip. However, they quickly enter into a relationship that is intense and layered. For Ava, she is simultaneously dealing with childhood trauma of being shoved into a lake and almost drowning, now as an adult dealing with a crippling fear of water. For Alex, he is navigating a revenge plot against Ava's father, who is partially responsible for his family's deaths. A combination of Alex helping Ava heal with Alex's deceit against his initial involvement in the Chen's lives leads to an explosive development in their relationship. 

The pacing of the plot details is great. It's a little on the quick side, but it is easily grasped so the somewhat quicker development is okay. The relationship between Ava and Alex jumps into place. Definitely a rougher development there in regard to how their characters grow as the relationship begins. However, once the intimacy begins, the rest of their individual and relationship developments is wonderful. It is smooth and the evolution from no emotional attachment to intense romance to heartbreak to redemption is fantastic and I was here for it. What's really good is that there was no instalove, in case anyone is worried about that. There's lust, for sure, but that's very normal and a regular everyday thing in real life, so it works.

Characters

Ava Chen -- I haven't read a character like this in awhile... Ava is artistic and a delicate balance of strong and vulnerable. She doesn't really lean one way or the other in that regard, and I really really really appreciated that. It makes her a complex character that seems much more real than other single-dimension characters found in other books. I also just really liked her! I loved how she stood up to Alex and I love her humor and her goals in life.

Alex Volkov -- Too hot for words. Does he fit a fictional stereotype? Yes. Do I care? No. Am I still obsessed with that stereotype? Hell yes, I am. I probably will be for the rest of my life. Alex is the absolute best kind of tortured broody grumpy-pants that falls in love with a girl that is one of the nicest people on the planet.

Jules, Stella, Bridget -- I love these girls. This friend group is GOALS. I don't even mean professionally or status or whatever (because they are all kick-ass in their respective fields). I mean they are there for each other. They show up and check in and share their lives with each other even though they are full adults. As any adult can tell you, adult friendships take a surprising amount of effort to be effortless. Those people are with you forever, but life gets busier as you get older and it sadly means you don't have as much automatic time with your friends. You have to seek it out, and these girls do. I love to see it and I love that they all blend together so well despite being so different from each other. 

Writing

Ana Huang has got the it factor when it comes to writing. There's no doubt about it. I can't say there's any profound literary quality to it, so if you're a snob, please be quiet. But she is a damn good storyteller. Like, really damn good to the point where it's suddenly 2 a.m. and you're cursing yourself because you have to be awake in four hours. 

I have DEVOURED these books, both from this series and the Kings of Sin series. I love Ana Huang's writing. Plain and simple. They are perfect escapes and made for enjoyment. 

Thanks for reading!

Xo