Book Tasting Results

Ever wondered what it would be like to put food and books together? As an assignment, I was asked to write summaries for three books that tied to an appetizer, entree, and dessert. It was quite a spectacular failure. Below are the three summaries I pulled together in one night. Bit of a hassle, really.

Appetizer: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

An appetizer can sometimes be like testing the water; you’re unsure about how you feel at first but are ultimately pleased by the outcome. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard is the perfect appetizer. It takes place in Victorian Era Philadelphia when the dead start attacking. Eleanor Fitt, ever the misfit of society, takes matters into her own hands after her brother goes missing by turning to the late 19th Century version of Ghostbusters. Unlike most YA novels, there isn’t a dreaded love triangle. Eleanor is inventive, a bit of a social outcast, and very refreshing as a female protagonist. The plot is mysterious yet fun, and it is definitely an all-around book. There’s historical, fantasy, and science fiction elements blended in. The story isn’t too deep that it makes you stuffed, but the characters are savory enough that you need to read the next two books to feel satiated.

Entrée: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

The Shadowhunter Chronicles are the Buffalo Wild Wings rack of ribs of books. Depending on the reader, it can be quite a challenge. It’s a real commitment, the completion, of which, is quite satisfying. Crammed with action, romance, and the paranormal, the Shadowhunter Chronicles takes place in a world where demons are real. Shadowhunters, part human part angel, were chosen by the angel Raziel to protect humans against these monsters that attack earth. Clary is thrust into this reality when her mother is captured and she kills a ravener demon. The characters are fiery. They have all the passion, pain, challenges, and sarcasm under the sun. Like a spicy sauce, their flair touches off on a story that you can’t help but devour. If this is your first Cassandra Clare book, it takes a little bit to get your head around, but after the first two books, the story is fast and furious. Because there are so many books, you might need to take the story “to-go”. I promise, however, you won’t be disappointed if you can conquer the series. You’ll just have to keep coming back for more.

Dessert: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

And although it wouldn’t be healthy for my reading diet, I dream about only reading dessert books. It’s chocolate cake. Filling. Satisfying. Luscious. But just like chocolate cake, you can’t read only that one genre. For me, that’s superheroes. Unfortunately, those stories can be hard to find. The Darkest Minds, however, is just that kind of book. Action-packed, full of laughs, and brimming with thrill, this story is tantalizingly sublime. In the story, all kids aged 8 to 14 are affected by a mysterious illness called IAAN, the survivors of which have crazy powers from controlling electricity to manipulating fire. Ruby is an orange, meaning she can control minds, and her life takes a dangerous turn as she escapes the authorities by driving across the east coast of the United States with four other teenagers. Despite heart-breaking backgrounds, Ruby, Liam, Chubs, and Zu still manages to entice the reader with addictive humor and sweet moments as they try to find a way back to their families. So while I encourage reading in all genres, I like to treat myself to superhuman sci-fi every once in a while.

#random #katie