Book Review: "The Paris Novel" by Ruth Reichl

It should come as no surprise that a book written by Ruth Reichl, former editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine (which I miss so much), has some of the most vivid and sumptuous descriptions of food I’ve ever seen. And while my stomach was growling quite a bit, it was balanced by some mentions of food I’d definitely never eat, so no calories were consumed!

In 1983, Stella’s mother Celia passed away. They rarely saw each other, because Celia lived life elaborately and reinvented anything (or anyone) she didn’t like, while Stella felt lost without specific plans or routines. So imagine Stella’s surprise when she learned that Celia left her some money with the stipulation it be used for a trip to Paris.

She doesn’t quite understand why Celia would send her to Paris, but she quickly fell in love with the city. One day she comes upon a vintage dress shop and tries on an exquisite Dior dress. The shop owner urges Stella to buy it, saying it was made for her, so Stella does something impulsive for the first time in her life.

The shop owner tells her to go to a brasserie and order oysters, and Stella is dazzled by their taste. It is there she meets Jules, a wealthy art consultant in his 80s, who takes a liking to her. It’s not long before he’s introducing her to some of the finest French restaurants, indulging her love of art, and involving her in some of his schemes.

While in Paris, she becomes part of a community at the famed Shakespeare and Company bookstore and becomes obsessed with solving a mystery about a female artist from a time where women were not treated equally in France. She also discovers an absolute passion for food, which may be something she came by naturally.

Paris is such a wonderful setting for a book, and I thought this was lots of fun. I did think the subplot about the female artist dragged the rest of the story down a bit, but I still couldn’t get enough of the characters and their larger-than-life personalities. Il est bien fait! (Bravo!)

Book Review: "The Excitements" by CJ Wray

This book was such a fun romp, with some incredibly memorable and endearing characters!

Josephine and Penny Williamson are two sisters in their late 90s. They’re two of Britain’s most revered female veterans of World War II, having served their country as members of the Women’s Royal Navy and the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. But while they’d have every right to rest on their laurels at this point in their lives, both sisters are still hungry for adventure, for the “excitements” that make everything more interesting.

Archie, their beloved great-nephew, is truly devoted to Josephine and Penny. He’s always been fascinated by the stories they’ve told him over the years of their involvement in the war, and he’s so proud of every accolade they receive. And when they’re chosen to receive the Légion d’honneur for their part in the liberation of France, he’s the one to arrange and accompany their trip to Paris.

But while Archie’s great-aunts appear to be slowing down a bit, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Their return to Paris reawakens memories of the actual things they were up to during and after the war, things that might be hard to believe. And while there are secrets and regrets to deal with, Penny definitely has some plans up her sleeve for one last heist.

All too often older characters are portrayed as curmudgeonly or only capable of doling out advice, so these ass-kicking, Morse code-using nonagenarians were absolutely a hoot. The narrative shifts between past and present, and is funny, moving, and just so entertaining.

Book Review: "Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop" by Roselle Lim

Roselle Lim's second novel, Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop, has a little romance, a little drama, a little clairvoyance—and lots of yummy-sounding food!!

Ever since Vanessa was young she has been able to see people’s fortunes at the bottom of her teacups. But blurting out prophecies hasn’t always worked for her—so much so, she switched to coffee and has tried to sublimate her skills, much to the anger of her Aunt Evelyn, a talented clairvoyant.

Now Vanessa is facing pressure from her mother to find a husband, but even the matchmaker can’t figure her out, because clairvoyants aren't supposed to be able to find matches. And when Vanessa predicts death for the first time, she is so overwhelmed that she realizes she has to try and control her abilities, so she turns to her aunt.

Evelyn is ready to train Vanessa but there is a lot of work to be done since she’s tried to fight her abilities for so long. Vanessa goes to Paris to help Evelyn open her new tea shop. While falling in love with all that the City of Light has to offer (not to mention a handsome man), she learns a lot about what destiny truly means—how to follow it but how not to let it consume her life. At the same time she realizes where her talents lie, and how she may find happiness, something she has always dreamed of but never believed it could happen.

I loved this book. I loved the family drama, the romance, the clairvoyance stuff, the setting, even the predictability of it all. Don’t read this book if you’re the slightest bit hungry because it is FULL of descriptions of phenomenal food and French pastries.

Lim is a terrifically engaging writer whose books leave you feeling happy. I enjoyed her first book (Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune) and I look forward to seeing what comes next in her career!