Book Review: "Hungry Heart" by Jem Milton

Laurie is a young food writer in London. His best friend has gotten him an exceptional opportunity: the chance to interview Oryan Adjei, a handsome young chef who made a name for himself by winning a television cooking competition when he was 19.

As a young Black chef, Oryan has become a public fixture, appearing on television shows and in ad campaigns. He never seems to get the chance to cook anymore, however, and he’s beginning to wonder whether this is still the path he wants to follow.

When Laurie and Oryan meet for their first interview, Laurie is starstruck and a bit awkward. But the two strike up a genuine conversation, and Oryan feels, for the first time in a long time, like someone is seeing him for who he is rather than who they expect him to be.

As Oryan’s life becomes more complicated and he finds himself being tugged in multiple directions, what he really wants to do is talk with Laurie again. And Laurie not only wants to interview Oryan again because he’s getting paid to do so, but he definitely feels something for him beyond simple admiration. But why would a famous chef be interested in an awkward mess like him?

Jem Milton’s graphic novel is beautifully drawn and tells a sweet, poignant, and thought-provoking story. It examines how easy it is to let others dictate the path you should take, and how when you get caught up in obligations it can be easy to lose yourself. It also looks at how easy it can be to undermine your self-confidence and convince yourself you’re not worthy of what you want.

Many of you know how much I love anything about cooking, chefs, the food industry, etc., and also how much I love romance. Hungry Heart serves up a fantastic helping of both, full of characters I rooted for and a story I raced through.

Book Review: "The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky" by Josh Galarza

How could I resist reading a book with a title like this, even though I’m a Doritos purist? As lighthearted as the title is, however, this book packs a real emotional punch.

Life can be challenging when you’re a teenager, but for Brett, things are even harder. His adoptive mother has cancer, so he’s living with his best friend, Reed. The only things that make him feel better are drawing comics and eating. He eats a lot, so of course, he finds himself upset with how he looks, which leads to bulimia.

Brett doesn’t really think there’s a problem with binging and purging all the time. And when some of his journal entries are leaked online by someone he trusted, he hits rock bottom. But then he starts to realize that he has a problem and needs help, and he discovers that he’s not as alone as he thinks.

This is a tough book to read. You really feel Brett’s sadness and trauma, and it’s fairly graphic in describing his eating disorder. However, this book is so important, because there are so few books out there that address eating disorders in teenage boys.

As someone who struggled with my weight all through high school (and beyond), this definitely hit close to home for me. But while the book is a bit heavy, it’s also hopeful. It’s a story about asking for help and realizing you’re not alone. It’s also a story about love, of friends and chosen family, but also loving yourself.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt Books for Young Readers for the advance copy. The book will publish 7/23.

Book Review: "Heartstopper #5" by Alice Oseman

The sweetest graphic novel series is back! It seems like forever since we've had a dose of Nick and Charlie's young love (in print, at least), so I've been waiting for this installment for a while. And it's just as heartwarming as its predecessors.

Nick and Charlie have finally conquered their fears about saying "I love you" to one another, and now they're both starting to think about taking their relationship to the next level. Are their friends telling the truth when they say they've had sex, or are they embellishing the truth in order to seem cool? And are both Nick and Charlie ready, or is one more ready than the other? As they start to prepare for that special moment, they also need to convince their parents they're mature enough to spend the night at one of their houses.

At the same time, Nick is growing anxious about his future, as he needs to think about applying to university. He isn't even sure what he wants to do with his life, but he's thinking he should attend a nearby school so he won't be too far from his mom or Charlie. But taking a university tour with some friends, he realizes that maybe he should choose the school he likes the best, regardless of the distance. Will that be an issue for his relationship with Charlie?

Not a lot happens in this book, but I think its main purpose is to serve as a bridge to Book #6, which Alice Oseman has said will be the conclusion of the series. Even though it's not as fast-moving or exciting as some of the previous books, I still love all of these characters and find that the depiction of young love is truly heartwarming.

Book Review: "Family Meal" by Bryan Washington

Family Meal is an emotional, hopeful, and hunger-inducing story about friendship, family, love, loss, and finding your place.

After Cam's boyfriend Kai dies, he desperately needs to leave Los Angeles, to escape the memories and the guilt he feels. He returns to Houston, where he grew up, and tries to build a new life for himself. But the same feelings and habits follow him there, and it's not long before Cam is on a path of self-destruction, dealing with drug addiction, uncontrolled promiscuity, and an eating disorder. And to top it off, Kai's ghost won't leave him alone—sometimes taunting him, sometimes nurturing him.

In the midst of his emotional and physical chaos, Cam runs into TJ, his childhood best friend and surrogate brother, and he visits TJ's family's bakery, where he used to work as a teenager. The two have been estranged since Cam left for Los Angeles, and there's a tremendous amount of tension and unspoken resentment between them. But even with TJ's anger and hurt toward Cam, he can't stand by and let him destroy himself. Yet how do you help a person who doesn't believe they need help?

The story follows both Cam and TJ, flashing back to their teenage years and their estrangement, as well as the history of Cam's relationship with Kai. There's also a section focused on Kai and his tenuous relationship with his own family, as well as his perspectives on his relationship with Cam. The prose is luminous, the emotions are palpable, and like life, so much tension exists because of things that go unsaid. The book is also pretty sexual, although the scenes aren't long.

"With every single person we touch, we're leaving parts of ourselves. We live through them."

I've read both of Bryan Washington's previous books, Lot and Memorial, and I've been impressed with his storytelling ability, even though neither book completely worked for me. But this book really packed a powerful punch for me.

Book Review: "Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family" by Hannah Howard

In Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family, a food writer pays tribute to the women in the food industry who served as role models or mentors, juxtaposed with key events in her life.

As I’ve said before, I’m totally obsessed with food and cooking (and eating, of course), so when I see a memoir by a chef or food writer (or eater, lol), I, well, devour it. I enjoyed Hannah Howard’s last book, Feast, so I was really excited for this one.

The food industry has always been male-dominated, so Howard thought it was important to highlight the women she has met through her career—chefs, cooking teachers, restaurant/cafe owners, cheese makers, food purveyors, buyers, etc. But while each anecdote is important, Howard also shares her own struggles amidst these profiles.

She discusses what it’s like to be a woman in the food industry who has struggled with an eating disorder, and spends a significant amount of the book addressing the challenges she and her husband faced with having a child. It’s a powerful look at how even when you work in a fascinating field that people may envy, you still can face real problems.

Howard imbues her work with a great deal of emotion, and those who have struggled with fertility and/or eating disorders may find some of the book triggering. I would have liked more food-related content (I have a one-track mind), but this was an interesting read!!