Cook the Books

When you finish a novel that includes a strong food theme, you may want to make a dish that continues those yummy good book feelings. Or maybe you’re part of (or want to start) a combo book club/potluck. Some of the books below already include recipes, but here are some suggestions to go even further, pairing novels and cookbooks.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis J. Hall
+ The Great British Baking Show: Kitchen Classics

A passionate baker, Rosaline Palmer jumps at the chance to compete on the reality TV baking competition Bake Expectations, hoping to realize her dreams and also attain a more secure future for herself and her 8-year-old daughter. In addition to the regular pressures of the baking tent, Rosaline finds herself attracted to two very different fellow contestants: charming architect Alain, and gentle electrician Harry.

The fake food show in Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is, of course, a callback to the very popular Great British Baking Show. So go ahead and dig into these 80 recipes from Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, and the bakers of the 2023 GBBO season.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood
+ Gohan: Memories and Stories from My Family’s Kitchen by Emiko Davies

In Kyoto, father-daughter duo Nagare and Koishi Kamogawa run a very special diner, where they dig into diners’ memories to recreate meaningful meals – food that might unlock long ago pasts and future happiness.

If The Kamogawa Food Detectives has you craving Japanese food made with love, try Gohan, which blends recipes for home-cooked Japanese food alongside the memories and family stories the food evokes for the author.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
+ Homestead Recipes: Midwestern Inspirations, Family Favorites, and Pearls of Wisdom From a Sassy Home Cook by Amanda Rettke

In the Northwoods of Wisconsin, Esther Larson has long been part of the “funeral ladies,” a group of women who cook for families grieving a loss. But now Ester herself has fallen on hard times. Her granddaughter, Iris, is determined to help Esther while also finding her own future path. Iris isn’t the only only one looking for a path forward; Cooper has sought refuge in the small town as he grapples with his own tragedy. Will a community cookbook bring them together?

Midwestern home cooking is legendary – casseroles, pastas, pies – often rich food that has a comforting element. Whether you’re cooking for others or yourself, enjoy the regional classics in Homestead Recipes.

Happy Reading, and bon appetit!

~ posted by Andrea G.

Three on a Theme: Cozy Horror

‘Tis the season for terrifying tales! But do they all have to be terrifying? Could they also be cozy? Yes, they absolutely can be cozy! What constitutes a “cozy” horror story is highly subjective, but some common examples that folks reference are The Addams Family, Over the Garden Wall, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Goosebumps. Following the example of writer Sadie Hartmann, aka “Mother Horror,” words like warm, eerie, magical, and delicious come to mind. To get you started on your cozy horror journey, here are three titles to check out:

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary by Junji Ito
Junji Ito is a big name in horror graphic novels, but is his semi-autobiographical novel about becoming a cat owner horror? I say yes! At least, I consider it a cozy horror. The horrors in this slice-of-life manga come from fears folks have about cats when they don’t like them, and then how those fears change after they start to love them. There is also some sleep deprivation that gets a little scary. Combined with Junji Ito’s notable artistic style, this is a fun place to start. Reader beware: his other works are much more explicitly horror and less cozy (and still excellent!).

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
How can a book about children going missing, vampires, and desperate housewives be cozy? It’s all in the tone! Grady Hendrix is known for his laugh-out-loud writing. So yes, there are scenes that will fill you with disgust (I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to take the garbage out again without a flashlight and constant vigilance), but Hendrix will coax you back to a state of comfort with his humorous dialogue, characters, and situations. When I think of what makes something “cozy,” it is about being put at ease, and humor is a great way to do just that.

1990s Vampires

The days are getting shorter and colder, the fog is rolling in every morning. Fall has arrived, and with it, spooky season! Many may be familiar with local sparkly vampires, but for horror fans looking for a more menacing take on the creature, check out these three titles.

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due
This ’90s classic was written by must-read horror author Tananarive Due and is book one in the African Immortals tetralogy. This novel explores the question of which is stronger – love for family, the desire for immortality, or the need to protect one’s soul? With its compelling plotting and complex characters, it is easy to understand why this book was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. As you read on in the series, the books become more menacing, and full of political intrigue and social commentary.

Tananarive Due will be in conversation with Nisi Shawl at the Central Library on Wednesday, November 1st at 7:00 p.m. to talk about her newest novel, The Reformatory, out October 31st. Register for this in-person event here.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Horror expert Becky Spratford put it perfectly, this book is “an ode to the demeaned housewife, an action-packed tale of vampire menace, and a celebration of book clubs all wrapped up in one thought-provoking, darkly humorous, and terrifying package.” This book will have you howling with laughter and squealing with tension and fright; it’s truly a wild ride! Many people expect horror in a city and specifically seek out the suburbs for perceived safety. Set in 1990s Charleston, South Carolina, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires joins the great tradition of stories such as The Stepford Wives, Carrie, and Halloween that show just how frightening the suburbs can be.

Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu & Soo Lee
This is a graphic novel retelling of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 Carmilla, now set in 1990s New York. It stars Athena, a Chinese American lesbian social worker taking on the role of an amateur sleuth dedicated to finding the murderer of several women. Along the way Athena meets Violet, a charismatic free-spirit who seems obsessively attached to Athena. I won’t share more of the plot so as to not spoil anything, but please read this. The story is suspenseful and haunting, and the full-color artwork is stunning. The languid lines and gorgeous color palette draws you into every frame. This is one seductive vampire story you won’t want to miss!

~ posted by Genesee R.

While You Wait: Fourth Wing Readalikes

“Romantasy” (fantasy romance) is really taking off this summer with the social media sensation Fourth Wing topping holds charts everywhere. While you wait to read this book or its sequel, here are three more books to try:

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Anequs, a young Indigenous woman from the Maqsuisit nation, is chosen by a baby dragon to be its Nampeshiweisit – one who is uniquely bound to a dragon. The colonizing nation that threatens Anequs’ people, the Anglish, however, have rigid rules for dragons and their riders, and Anequs is forced to attend a dragon-rider training academy. Anequs faces many challenges and through it all holds on to her true self and community’s values. Anequs and Violent from Fourth Wing have much in common – they are both underestimated young women who are thrust into an unexpected life (with dragons!), they both collect a small, staunch group of friends, and their unique backgrounds allow them to see through the oppressive norms of their dragon institutions. Fourth Wing has a more romantic tone, but Anequs is not without her suitors. If you want more time with dragons and challenges to existing power structures and less romance, check out this historical fantasy.

Mixing History with Mystery

Fellow readers, there are few things I love more than crossover titles – books with footing in multiple genres. I am a huge mystery reader, and I will follow mystery plots into many other genres. Today, let’s talk about some new mysteries that are also quite good historical fiction titles.

The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne by Elsa Hart
In 1703 London, Barnaby Mayne is a preeminent collector, amassing two townhouses worth of cabinets containing birds, beetles, preserved snakes, jewels, and many other wonders of the world. Lady Cecily Kay has arrived to spend a week using Mayne’s dried plant collection to identify plants she has collected on her travels. But on her first day, during a tour of his collections, Mayne is murdered, with his assistant standing above him holding the knife. But something seems off about the situation, so Cecily dives into the competitive world of obsessive collectors to find the true killer. Library Journal called it a “glimpse into the intimate circles that will eventually spawn the great museums.”