Mockingjay - FINALLY!

By this time tomorrow I will have a copy of Mockingjay (the 3rd book in the Hunger Games trilogy, releasing tomorrow).  I have to work at a Gift Show all day in Montreal, but as soon as the show is done I plan to run (not walk) to Chapters on St Catherine to get myself a copy of that book.  If you haven't started to read these books yet, I highly recommend them.  They will consume you!!! :)

Review: The Comfort Table by Katie Lee

    I spent the Canada Day long weekend this summer at the cottage looking through cook books… Why am I telling you this? Well, I always love trying new recipes and flipping through my cookbooks up there because I have the energy (and the time!) to try new recipes and to perfect old favourites. I also realized that I always seem to be reviewing novels here on my blog and never any non-fiction that I read including cookbooks. I know it’s not the same kind of reading but cookbook reviews can be just as (it not more) useful than novel reviews. No one cares about my opinion of books, but I can sure help save you 30 or so bucks on warning you about bad cookbooks (and also encourage you to spend your money on the good ones!).  So I have made a decision to start sharing my favourite cookbooks with you as well. So if you don’t like cooking, just ignore those bits. But if you are like me and have a bookshelf in your kitchen dedicated only to cookbooks (No joke… See photo!) then you have come to the right place. I am going to start with one of my favourite cookbooks called “The Comfort Table” by Katie Lee.

     There are many reasons this cookbook is on my list of favourites. Not only are the recipes delicious, but she hits all seasons and events (major and mundane), and she also focuses on whole food ingredients. If you are anything like me, you would be disgusted to open a cookbook that calls for a can of Campbell’s soup or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as ingredients to a recipe. Bleh. Yuck!

     The other super cool thing about this cookbook is that for every occasion she puts together a meal rather than just one recipe. She also suggests a drink recipe and a play list of songs that fit the occasion. A lot of recipes have beautiful photos to entice you (and to make sure what you made looks somewhat correct). The occasions/events range from “Breakfast with Friends” to “Romantic Dinner for Two” to “Chinese New Year”. You can also just pick individual recipes to make one at a time. I recommend the “Rustic Apple Pie” or “Dijon Brussel Sprouts”!

     This cookbook is a must have for entertainers, potluckers, and lonely chefs alike. While some of the recipes do require some cooking experience, nothing is overly complicated that after a few tries anyone couldn’t figure it out. But lookout… It is definitely not a weight loss cookbook! The Comfort table is suitable only for those who love decadent and delicious meals!


Book Information
Title: The Comfort Table
Author: Katie Lee
Year of publication: 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Purchased at: Indigo Bay & Bloor
Rating: 5/5

Review: In Plain Sight by Mike Knowles

    In Plain Sight is a mob story set in Hamilton, Ontario and is part of a series of books with the same main character. He is a vigilante who gets played by the mob and the police to serve their purposes, but always seems to be one step ahead. There is a bit of history to the story that you are missing if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, but these bits do not seem crucial to understanding the story in this book.
    
     This was my first time reading a book that takes place in a city that I am very familiar with. It was sort of strange to read about the lethal underground mob life in Hamilton (where I currently live). Because I don’t see Hamilton as a city plagued by anything other than poverty, this story of a city taken over by the mob was hard to take seriously. I found myself laughing at a lot of parts in the book, though I’m sure the story wasn’t meant to be funny. I don’t think this review will be un-biased in the same way I might review something that takes place in NYC or Vegas. I know it’s not fair, but I simply can’t imagine any of these things taking place where I live the way they would in a glossy Hollywood movie. It’s like watching a Canadian Movie and seeing a briefcase filled with colourful Canadian bills; it doesn’t have the same harsh effect as those crispy green USDs. It’s hard to imagine the places you grocery shop, where the first apartment you lived in is, or even your gym, being the same places where undercover hit men have shoot outs, store cash, and plots come to dramatic and violent endings. I know it’s fiction and that if I only read “realistic” novels, then I wouldn’t be reading much at all but it’s more difficult to rate a story taking place in your everyday environment. I’m not trying to seem naïve (I have heard many things about the mob in Hamilton), but I just don’t think I can take a book too seriously when it tells me about gun fights and high speed chases on Barton Street. Or, that the main character went to Shoppers Drug Mart (one of those super centre ones, the book clarifies) for supplies including a gas can (to set a house on fire), rope (to tie someone up), and a plain black baseball cap (for camouflage).

     What I will credit Knowles for doing is writing a book in a series where you have no real need to read the other books first to understand what’s going on. For some this might actually be a negative trait, but others might appreciate not having to commit to several books to enjoy a story. From the beginning of the book you know exactly what is going on with very little use for any history from the previous books in the series. This book is short, to the point, and has absolutely no filler. I have to be painfully honest that I don’t think based on this book I would read any other books in the series. The plot was extremely simple and the ending wasn’t overly shocking. The story relies mostly on the consistent and extreme violence. I felt more like I was reading a newspaper article than a made up mob story. I think the story was clear and for those looking for a quick read can offer some light entertainment, but it won’t be on my recommended list.


Book Info
Title: In Plain Sight
Author: Mike Knowles
Year of publication: 2010
Publisher: ECW Press
Purchased at: ARC
Rating: 2/5