Book Review: In a Holidaze

Childhood friends Mae and Theo were made for each other - or, so say their parents, all college friends themselves who have been rooting for the union since the kids were in diapers. There are just two problems: 1. Mae sees Theo as more of a brother than a potential lover and 2. Mae’s been in love with Andrew, Theo’s brother, for almost two decades. Ever since the kids were born, the families have been meeting up for Christmas in Park City, Utah where Theo’s parents own a cabin. One night, after far too much eggnog and a journey to rock bottom, Mae gives in to Theo’s flirty overtures, and the two share a sloppy kiss that Mae immediately regrets. The next morning, Theo, usually warm and open, gives her the cold shoulder reserved only for his many conquests, and Andrew, the love of her life, congratulates her on finally making things official with his brother. To top it all off (as if things couldn’t be any more dire), an announcement is made that the decades-old cabin, a safe-haven for Mae and the rest of the gang, is in need of a laundry list of repairs - the only option is to sell. Mae is devastated. Though she knows the relationships formed there over the years are rock solid on their own, the yearly tradition of going to the cabin is the only thing that ensures they all have a reason to come together.

On her last day in Park City, quite possibly for good, Mae is left with her thoughts, forced to confront the ramifications of a romantic mistake, the prospect of life changing forever, and no escape from the dead-end job waiting for her when she gets home. In a moment of desperation, Mae implores the universe to show her what will make her happy. A moment later, she finds herself thrown back in time - before Christmas, before the kiss, and before her life officially went up in flames. Mae realizes she’s been given the gift of a do-over - a second chance to keep a friendship alive, save the cabin, and maybe, just maybe, get the relationship she was meant for all along. But is what she wants to make her happy the same as what she needs?

In a Holidaze by the writing duo Christina Lauren is the hilarious, sometimes bittersweet story of a young woman’s fervent pursuit of happiness over the holidays, and the family - both biological and chosen - who help her get there…with a few twists, turns, and false-starts along the way!

The Good: I loved the way the authors were able to inject all the warmth and coziness of a holiday rom-com into this novel without the shallow cheesiness you sometimes get with books in this genre. As the reader, you really get a sense that the characters all really know and love each other, and that this chosen family is very close. I also appreciated that everyone included in the story has a purpose in some way, they aren’t just throwaway background characters you see mentioned a couple of times and then never again. The romantic scenes between the two main characters felt really realistic, and Christina Lauren did a great job of swiftly pulling you into the most intimate moments to make you feel like you’re actually there.

The Bad: While I appreciated the “groundhog day” aspect of this novel, I felt like it didn’t have the effect that the authors intended. In my opinion, either Mae should’ve been taken back in time more often, or only once. She felt a lot of anxiety about making the wrong choice and getting “reset” in a way, but I felt like there was so much build-up around it that ultimately wasn’t necessary. I also wish there were more scenes with Theo, perhaps a scene leading up to their kiss or maybe a few scenes from Christmases past to demonstrate more of Theo’s flirty personality. The story begins right after their kiss, but it would’ve been nice to see what sparked the moment; maybe then the reader would understand why that time, of all times, Mae would choose to cross that line with a person she’s never looked at romantically.

Bottom Line: This was a perfect and fast read to get me into the holiday mood (and also get me out of the reading funk I’ve been in lately). Sure, it’s got an ending that you can predict, and it’s not the deepest novel on the shelves at the moment, but it made me laugh, it made me smile, and I truly couldn’t put it down until I reached the very last page. If you’re looking for a super fun, festive read this holiday season that comes with a twist, I highly recommend this one!

Find In a Holidaze HERE!

Book Review: Oona Out of Order

If you could visit parts of your life, past or present, would you change anything, or just let things happen? In Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore, 19-year-old Oona discovers that every year on her birthday (which also happens to be New Year’s Eve), her mind leaps to a different year of her adult life, sometimes in the past, sometimes in the future. Her physical age fluctuates, but her mental age only progresses by one year each leap. What follows is a continuous cycle of learning, heartbreaks, charming meet-cutes, a lot of growth, back-sliding, and anything and everything in between.

The Good: I have always been a fan of romantic comedies with a hint of science fiction and time travel, so this book had me hooked before I even started reading. Montimore managed to sprinkle nostalgia throughout the early and mid-life leaps without being cheesy or heavy-handed, and even made me homesick for a future that Oona lives in her lifetime, but we haven’t seen yet. The dialogue was strong, witty, and compelling, and flowed beautifully. Oona’s relationships developed at a great pace throughout the book, and felt fully-formed in a way that also didn’t feel rushed.

The Bad: While I loved the dynamics of all of Oona’s relationships, the one I wish the book had paid a little bit more attention to was the one she had with her mother. There were a few scenes in which I just couldn’t understand why there was so much tension between them. Did it have more to do with events that occurred before the time-traveling? Was there some subconscious resentment from her mother that Oona could re-live moments of her life while her mother could not? Maybe those are questions that the reader has to answer for themselves.

Bottom Line: Oona Out of Order is hands down one of my favorite books of 2020. It made me think, it made me feel, and it had the power to transport me to another time when I was looking any and everywhere for a tiny escape.

Throughout reading it, I tried to put myself in Oona’s shoes, especially as she tried her hardest to change certain outcomes. Is fate real? Should we still attempt to make a plan for our lives, or should we just enjoy the ups and downs for what they are? This line of thinking has been especially important for me while we’ve all been hunkering down. Life is short, and I think we need to stop trying to control or speed up what we just can’t. Stay safe, allow yourself the time to process mistakes, ramp up the happy moments, and just...be.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone looking to smile, laugh, or reflect on the complexities of life and love.

Buy Oona Out of Order HERE.

My Saturday Adventure

I really do love Boston.

Have you ever noticed that when you've lived in a place for a while, you start to forget about all the charms that it has to offer? Maybe you don't necessarily forget, but maybe you start to take for granted things that visitors travel thousands of miles everyday to see. I think that was happening to me. Four years I've been living in this wonderful city, and maybe for the first time in a while, I took the time to really get to know it. And while I know how to get anywhere from anywhere and back, knowing your way around doesn't always equate to knowing  the city that you belong to. (Or that kind of belongs to you. I guess it depends on who you're asking.)

Recently, a friend from many moves ago, one I never thought I would ever see again, moved to Boston. Because I've moved around so much, and left places that I can't really see myself visiting again unless it's for a very specific occasion, I always jump at the opportunity to meet up with people that I once knew, on new turf. Big cities are always common ground, aren't they? They see so many people come and go all the time, that they just remain neutral. It's not really like being in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and can detect visitors.  In Boston everyone belongs. But anyway, back to the story. While he's been here for a few months, he's been pretty busy getting settled into a new living space, and a new job. As you can imagine, that hasn't really left much time for exploration apart from immediate surroundings. And as soon as I heard that he hadn't had a proper introduction to the city, I immediately volunteered. (It should be noted that as soon as he agreed, I started making a list in my head of all my favorite parts of the city, all the quirky things I've never seen myself, and, of course, what snacks to make and bring along the way! Really, who would I be if I didn't mention food at least once?)

I settled on these:

Dark chocolate and oatmeal cookies with sea salt sprinkled on top. They were a hit Saturday, and they're a hit in my house still, today. (I've had three already. I must be stopped.)

ALSO, hi, we're going to take a short detour from the story to talk about my new best friend, Silpat. I have read enough food blogs, and cookbooks, to know all there is to know about these MAGICAL (only word that fits, guys. I'm not even being dramatic. Well, yeah, I am. But it's totally warranted.) baking mats. Gone are the days that I spray baking Pam on my cookie sheets, gone are the days of struggling to tear just enough parchment paper and completely failing, thus having to tear off some of it to make it fit, but then tearing off too much because I can't win, and gone are the days of awkward cookie sheet cleanup where in the process of rinsing the sheet off with the faucet hose, I end up drenching the entire counter behind it. Silpats are flexible, easy to use, and I have never seen more evenly cooked cookies in all my year(s) (I only got good a year ago, but HAVE been attempting to become a baker for years) of baking. Seriously, they were beautiful, and all I had to do was rinse off the mat when I was finished. They're expensive, but TRUST ME, Silpats are 100% well-worth the money.

P.S. Recipe coming soon for these bad boys. If you love extra oats, and LOTS of dark chocolate, you will love these cookies as much as I do.

ANYWAY, BACK TO BOSTON EXPLORATION.

If you are going to travel to Boston, there are at least two books that you need on hand to give yourself the proper, self-guided tour. Number one, of course, is a Michelin:

These books are traditional, and they're important. Michelin is a name you can trust for just about any tour book you purchase. You get recommendations for  anything from restaurant recommendations, to the best hotels, to shopping centers, etc. etc. You always get a very through and detailed explanation of major monuments and landmarks in the city. Very important to have on have.

But then, if you're like me, you want a book that isn't like all the other boring tour books. You want something different and unique. You want:

This book is seriously perfect. It's hilarious, it's informative, and most importantly, the authors aren't afraid to reveal some of the not-so-proper parts of Boston. I love it. When I saw it on the shelf, I knew I had to get it.

So I spent my Saturday with excellent company, going down side streets, visiting monuments I've been to dozens of times, but have only stopped to notice maybe once or twice, dodging the on again/off again rain, and reading from my guidebooks that have been throughly bookmarked and dog-eared. I also spent it eating one of the best sandwiches ever, and a cannoli from The North End. You never really realize what a great place you live in, until you see it with someone wearing a fresh pair of eyes.

I managed to snap a few pictures along the way:

So this weekend, I encourage you to pack your favorite snacks, pack your camera, pack your maps and guide books, grab a friend or significant other, wear comfortable shoes, and really take the time to see what makes your city so great. You won't regret it, I promise. Go ahead, be a tourist for the day.

Happy Monday,

What I'm Reading

My cookbook collection is growing! It's growing at a pace that is probably too rapid, and my wallet sometimes doesn't appreciate it, but one can never have enough cookbooks right? Right? And anyway, sometimes I just can't help myself. The colors, the concepts, the detailed descriptions and backstories! I just can't get enough. Recently, I picked up a book that was at the perfect level of quirkiness, and I thought I would share it with you!  

I'm currently reading:

BUY THIS BOOK. Not only will you impress your friends with your newfound ability to turn their favorite foods into cute, little bite-sized pieces, but you'll have a blast leafing through the pages, taking in all the possibilities! The other day I made the most delicious muffin-sized cheese and green pepper pizzas,with red wine sauce. And for dessert, I tried (and failed, but hey, at least I know how to fry dough) to make mini eclairs! My only criticism would be that I wish they gave more troubleshooting  advice. I ended up burning a third of the dough in my saucepan! Next time, I'm making my eclairs full-sized!

Bottom Line: Buy the book. Impress your friends.

Happy baking!!