Book Review: Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang

At age 24, you might think you’re grown, but the truth is, life’s only getting started.

At the beginning of Days of Distraction, we meet our protagonist, a young tech writer working in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley who is overworked, underappreciated, and on the brink of a full-on quarter-life crisis. Her workplace is toxic and filled with back-biters watching each other’s every move, ready to strike. She works hard, maybe harder sometimes than her peers, yet her requests for advancement and a well-earned pay raise are punted from manager to manager, each one promising, as the last, to discuss it with someone higher-up.

Her family life is sad and disjointed; her father and mother have gone through hot-and-cold phases their entire marriage, and now, her parents are on their coldest streak yet. So cold in fact, that her father fled the country in search of a new life in the family’s native China.

Despite the other two-thirds of her life being somewhat of a mess, her love life is great, or, as great as can be expected. Her longtime boyfriend, who we soon learn is named J, deeply loves her and thinks he knows her inside and out. And in many ways, they need each other to survive. When she is anxious, he is calm. When she craves control, he basks in spontaneity. He flies by the seat of his pants, and she grounds him. For many years, there has never been one without the other.

When J decides to accept a graduate assistant position in upstate New York, he asks our protagonist to join him, and she, failing to find any clear direction in her life, welcomes the change of pace and readily agrees.

But once there, living in a temporary dwelling filled with other peoples’ possessions, things start to unravel. With few job prospects, no friends, and far too much time home alone, she starts to question her place in the world. A world that, now that she is older and removed from the culturally-diverse cocoon of San Francisco, has made abundantly clear her existence as a woman of color first, and a woman second. It makes her, for the first time, wonder about her very humanity, and the structural integrity of her interracial relationship, which is getting more precarious by the minute. No longer does she feel she can share every part of herself with J, who has lived free from complications of any kind. Caught in the middle between Chinese and American, sharp tech writer and floundering freelancer, and independent woman and dependent partner, our protagonist is left to question, and ultimately solidify, her own identity. But what she gains, and, more importantly, loses, in the process might be what actually defines her.

Written in brilliant. sporadic prose, Days of Distraction is an important, slow-burning novel about the growing pains of adulthood, the significance of acceptance, and the powerful decision to choose love, in all of its many forms, in the face of adversity.

The Good: There is so, so much to love about this book. Alexandra Chang’s decision to forgo traditional chapters in favor of strategic breaks was hard to adjust to at first, but each block of text feels like a standalone snapshot of the protagonist’s life, like little one-off pieces of a puzzle that come together to form a bigger picture. I also found it refreshing that the reader isn’t subjected to a massive information dump in the first couple of chapters. Instead, we have to earn everything. even character names, by continuing the story. Chang’s voice is so strong in this, and her prose very interesting to read.

The Bad: I can’t think of anything I wish there was more of in this book. Every character we’re introduced to feels fully-fleshed out and multi-dimensional, and all questions that were posed throughout the book are answered in due course. The ending also feels complete.

Bottom Line: I loved this book, and felt myself really relating to the main character. Some of the questions she asks herself throughout the book are the same ones I asked myself at her age. I could relate to the complications of her relationship with J, especially when situations made her feel uncomfortable, and he didn’t know how to react in a helpful way. I understood her inability to stop excessively worrying about everyone around her. And, most importantly, I understood her feelings of trying to find her place as a woman of color in a world that doesn’t always readily make space for everyone who wants it. Chang is a phenomenal writer, and by the end of the book, I started to wonder if Days of Distraction isn’t at least in some ways autobiographical. If you’re wondering if you should read this book, the answer from me is a resounding yes!

Buy Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang HERE!

Book Review: Outlawed

The year was 1894 when Ada, a young wife on the lamb, become an outlaw.

It wasn’t always her destiny, to outpace Johnny Law and take up a life of thievery. She’d had dreams of becoming a master midwife like her mama, who could not only help bring new lives into the world but also ail the sick with her vast knowledge of tonics and tinctures. But a year into her marriage at 17, Ada discovered, with great fear and disappointment, that she was barren. And in a small town like hers where barren women are routinely accused of witchcraft - a hangable offense - being barren is the last thing a young woman wants to be. So, Ada decided to run - away from the close-minded town where she had lived all her life, and through the doors of a convent. Once there, she made plans to take her vows and live out the rest of her days with the Sisters of the Holy Child, many of which, shared the same childless predicament as Ada. But as time passed, Ada found herself feeling restless in the safe but suffocating walls of the convent. Was it really her fate to escape one situation where too much was expected of her, only to be pushed into another? Or, was there more that life could offer?

Deep in the throes of a full-on existential crisis, Ada once again fled, armed with the name of another group that might take her in: the Hole in the Wall Gang, a collective of notorious robbers and highwaymen led by an infamous figure known only as The Kid. And though the Hole in the Wall Gang was every bit as tough and intimidating as the rumors suggested, one crucial thing set them apart from all the rest: this ragtag team of criminals was all-female, and had plans to upend the male-driven society that cast them out in the first place.

Ada’s acceptance into the group was slow-going at first, and, thanks to some major life-threatening mishaps, nearly nonexistent. But when The Kid, charismatic and fearless, hatched an outrageous plan to put the Gang on top for good, Ada and the other women resolved to band together to make it happen. That is, if it didn’t first get them all killed.

Outlawed by Anna North, widely described as a Western for people who don’t read Westerns, is the female-forward, often bittersweet tale of the power of chosen family, self-empowerment, and how bold choices - both good and bad - have lasting effects that shape the people we become, long after the dust has settled.

The Good: Right off the bat, I loved the concept for this novel. I fall firmly in the category as someone who’s never been a fan of Westerns, but the plot was so original and so outside of the box, I knew I had to read it. I also quite enjoyed North’s writing style. For as heavy as the book could’ve been, North managed to create prose that flowed quickly and felt all at once like a light read and something much meatier - and that’s no easy feat!

The Bad: While I adored this book from start to finish, what I would have loved to see much more of were scenes with the gang members both all together, and separately. When big decisions were being made, why were some of the women easy to predict, while others were wildcards? What really brought this gang together, and how had they managed to make it work for so long? By the end of the book, I felt like I really only understood a few of the many characters. Also, while I understand that romance isn’t supposed to be a major part of Ada’s overall journey to self-discovery and actualization, I would have loved to see more of it. But that’s just the natural rom-com lover in me talking.

Bottom Line: This was a fast read that pulled me into the story immediately, and had me wishing, as many books do, that it was at least 100 pages longer. There was just so much potential there to see other adventures play out before the grand finale. Outlawed is one of those books that may not stay with you forever, but it does force you to be in the moment when you’re reading it. It’s also perfect for people like me who tend to avoid content that’s too cringe-y or anxiety-inducing. The built-up suspense is too great - you’ll find yourself speeding ahead just to see what happens next. This was my first finished book of 2021, and I couldn’t have asked for a better book to start off the new year!

Buy Outlawed by Anna North HERE!

Review: Book of the Month

There are strictly two types of readers in this world: those who always know what they want to read, and those who want to read everything but don’t know where to start. I fall into the latter category without question. I’ve got lists all over the place of books that I’ve read about and find interesting, but when it comes down to picking what to buy and read next, I suddenly feel terribly overwhelmed. And though the feeling of indecision when choosing a new book will always be a part of who I am, a newly-discovered, 94-year-old service has helped make the process much simpler for me this past year: Book of the Month.

How Book of the Month works:

Each month, a curated list of 5 new releases ranging in romance to non-fiction is announced, and members are invited to choose one from the list to make their Book of the Month for $15. If more than one title catches their eye, they can add up to two more books (either from that month or previous ones) to their box at a deeply discounted price. if they don’t like any of that month’s books, they can always choose to skip. When a month is skipped, the member won’t be charged, and their credit rolls into the next month.

Why I like it:

Along with the expected synopses of each book, Book of the Month also enlists the help of guest judges who not only tell you why they love the book but why you will, too. Past and current BOTM judges have been singer Alicia Keys, actor Abbi Jacobson, and author Jasmine Guillory, just to name a few.

Another cool thing to mention is that Book of the Month makes deals with publishers to offer early releases of highly-anticipated titles, many of which, go on to become monster bestsellers. It’s like being in an exclusive club of readers who know how special a book is before everyone else. And while all books that are curated for the month are new, Book of the Month also features some older or not-as-well-known titles that are available for purchase as well.

Is Book of the Month worth it?

This is a fantastic service for people like me who love to have a sample of the latest titles presented in such a way that limits the feeling of being overwhelmed. It takes a ton of the guesswork out of what to read next and gets you excited for what new releases are on the horizon, especially if you’ve been in a bit of a reading rut. But, having said that, this is not a service for readers whose “to be read” piles grow faster than books can be replaced. Book of the Month allows members to skip any month, but if you find yourself skipping two or more months in a row because you’re running out of room for the books you’ve got, this service ultimately might not be worth it for you.

Want to learn more about BOTM? Click HERE!

Cookbook Review: In Bibi's Kitchen

In Bibi’s Kitchen, out today, is a cookbook unlike any other. You won’t find in it the hottest food trends or recipes with mile-long ingredient lists. You won’t be introduced to a team of classically-trained chefs working out of a commercial kitchen in a major city. Instead, you’ll be invited into the kitchens of bibis (grandmothers), born and raised in countries along Africa’s eastern coast. Some have managed to stay in their native lands, some have relocated, but all have one thing in common: they each carry with them the recipes of home.

Written by Hawa Hassan with Julia Turshen, In Bibi’s Kitchen focuses on the cuisines of eight African countries that all touch the Indian Ocean: Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Comoros - specifically chosen for their rich histories and the vital role that each plays in the spice trade. But this isn’t your average recipe book, in fact, though the recipes are numerous, what this book is really about is sharing stories: stories of struggle, stories of food, stories of family. Some women featured witnessed war, had to flee their countries, and made steep sacrifices, but what they always kept with them were the recipes passed down to them. And by writing down these recipes in a shareable way, they are ensuring that these time-honored food traditions continue for generations to come.

What makes this cookbook so special is that it amplifies the voices of African women who would not have otherwise been heard. Recipes, it can be argued, are not just pieces of paper with lists and directions, they serve as historical documents. What they call for, how they are written, and the medium in which they are recorded can sometimes tell you more about a time period, a place, a movement, even the author themselves, than any other book on a shelf. The recipes in this book weren’t created to be sold, they’re family traditions in the form of food, carefully tinkered with for decades with the intent to feed, nourish, and comfort. Some family recipes unfortunately die with older populations because they were never written down. What Hassan and Turshen have been able to do, and not just for us, the readers, is to gift the interviewees and their families with a way to keep those cherished recipes alive and existent in a place other than in someone’s mind. It’s what makes this book so unique, and at the same time, universally relatable.

The Good: What I love the most about this book (besides the absolutely GORGEOUS photography) is just how much thought was put into every aspect of it, from the layout (the chapters are organized by country location from north to south), to the thorough yet concise profiles of each country. There are also so many recipes to choose from, from traditional beverages, to homemade bread, and everything in between.

The Bad: My experience so far with this book has been overwhelmingly positive. The recipes I’ve tried so far have been successful, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about the lives of so many powerful women. The only complaint that I have, and it’s a small one, is that at the end of many of the recipes, when outlining how long food will stay fresh or how long to keep it in the oven to reheat it, time is measured in “a few minutes” or “a few days.“ It’s hard to know how long “a few” is, so it’s best to use your own instincts when it comes to leftovers.

Bottom Line: I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: this book is truly special. When I first got it, I found myself quickly bookmarking recipes that I wanted to try, which is always a good sign. For some, this book will serve as a tie to a homeland they left too soon, for others, it will be a delicious and attainable introduction to new cultures through cuisine. Either way, In Bibi’s Kitchen is a book that belongs in well, everyone’s kitchen, for generations to come.

Get In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen HERE.

*I’ve received a free copy from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

Book Review: Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come

Jessica Pan is a self-described “shintrovert” - a shy introvert who finds comfort not in the spotlight, but in the background. All of her life, the prospect of making contact with strangers has seemed terrifying, and extensive interactions with large groups of people have drained her. Pan has never been a “people person,” and she’s accepted that. But in a particularly low period in her life, when she found herself unemployed, and lonely without local friends, she began leaning into her introversion to an unhealthy degree. No longer was her extreme shyness just a part of who she was, it was becoming a crutch.

So, Jessica Pan decided to make a change. Instead of closing herself off to the world, she would let it in. Instead of hiding, she would make herself the center of attention. Instead of saying “no,” she was going to say “yes.” For a whole year, she vowed, she would live as an extrovert…or die (of embarrassment) trying.

Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come is the hilarious, at times cringe-y, true story of one introverted writer’s journey to push herself to new social heights, seeking the guidance of mentors, friends, and yes, even strangers, along the way.

The Good: The best material comes from never holding back, and Jessica Pan makes it clear that holding back was never an option. I loved that she really put herself out there - doing stand-up routines with barely-tested material, going on solo vacations to countries where she didn’t speak the language, even striking up conversations with people unknown to her, pushing through her self-consciousness to make true connections. Throughout the book, the reader is introduced to a variety of different characters, and Pan does an excellent job of giving them all their time in the sun without making it feel like a book of names with a few events sprinkled in. I chuckled frequently, shook my head periodically, and felt totally related-to. Pan’s writing is humorous, witty, and very fun to read.

The Bad: While I appreciate that this book is about an introverted person exploring life as an extroverted person, I feel like the term “introvert” was used to describe almost a completely different type of human. Yes, there are people who identify as introverts, and people who identify as extroverts, and even some who consider themselves “ambiverts” (someone in-between), but I worry that using those words as main identifiers may lead to boiling an entire human’s existence down to how much or how little they enjoy being social. But perhaps this is why she conducted and documented this experiment in the first place - to prove that you can adopt elements of both worlds, while still leaning towards one side or the other, personality-wise.

Bottom Line: Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come is a super-fast, very entertaining read. It’s an especially fun book to read in 2020, when many of us aren’t taking risks to go out into the world. It will remind you of a time when you could just walk up to anyone and leave the conversation knowing a little more than you did before, and possibly with a new friend, or at least acquaintance. It’s also a wonderful reminder of how short life is, how diverse experiences help shape who we are, and how important it is for humans to find common ground, even when it doesn’t seem like there could be any to stand on.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think you will, too!

You can find Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan 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.

On My Bookshelf: The Very Short Story Starter by John Gillard

If you're an aspiring author like me, then you're constantly grappling with what to write and how to write it. It's a daily struggle for me, a person who knows she wants to write, but doesn't know where to start. Enter: The Very Short Story Starter.

I stumbled across this workbook of sorts one day while perusing the university bookstore for as many pieces of varying writing styles and subjects as I could.  I had magazines, literary journals, and a memoir or two all in my possession at one point or another when I wandered over to the "Writing and Publishing" section. There I found this book, unlike any I'd seen before, just filled to the brim with creative writing prompts with unique starters, and limits. If the prompt says keep it to 500 words, you need to figure out a way to make that happen. If there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I often struggle with brevity, with getting to the point as quickly and effectively as possible. As I thumbed through to land on prompts such as "Imagine you are on a train or at a train station when a murder takes place" and "Go to a local coffee shop, order your favorite drink, and write a story inspired by an incident in a coffee shop before you finish your drink" I knew it was coming home with me.

NOW, let's talk about the book's effectiveness. This is not necessarily a quick activity book. While you are prompted to write short works of prose, the assignments you choose are meant to make you sit down and write. And that's a good thing. Many of the prompts provided are entertaining and thought provoking, and really help to get the creative juices flowing. And if you're worried about whether or not this book may lean heavily on the side of fiction or non-fiction, rest assured that there are plenty of prompts that can benefit anyone. My advice? Write in pencil. You never know how very small a number 500 is until you're writing in pen and getting dangerously close to 430 with no story ending in sight.

The good: This book offers an enriching opportunity to hone your writing skills and think creatively. If you're struggling to get started in the world of writing, or just want to jump-start a stagnant writing project or two, this book does wonders to get your brain back in the proper mindset.

The bad: While the book's introduction section does go into detail about why flash fiction has started to gain in popularity (we live in a busy world, and people like short reads they can easily digest on their daily commute, or on a park bench while sipping a latte), the book sort of throws you right into the deep end without easing you in with some simpler prompts to get you ready.

Bottom Line I've thoroughly enjoyed this book so far. It's forced me to put down my phone, turn off the television, and just write. Some prompts have been more compelling to follow-through on than others, but overall, it's done exactly what it has promised: get me problem-solving my writing projects in a way that makes me feel creative and productive. All my aspiring writers should TOTALLY take advantage of Gillard's fantastic resource.

You can buy The Very Short Story Starter: 101 Flash Fiction Prompts by John Gillard HERE.

BOOK REVIEW: Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking

I feel like I've said this before, but it bears repeating: I am a cookbook lover. You know this about me. But one thing that I am not is a cookbook hoarder. I don't have the space for it. But more than that, I've realized that my life has to be about more than just collecting. The books the adorn these shelves must be able to earn their keep. So last Spring, I took a long, hard look at my bookshelf and made some tough decisions. I went through each cookbook that I have accumulated in the past four years. If I loved it for the pictures, but hadn't marked any recipes, it had to go. If I bought it, read it once, then literally forgot that I had it, it had to go. If I hated it because the recipes were completely inconsistent, out it went. And so on. The process took a bit longer than I thought that it would, but in the end, it felt like a well-needed cleanse. I had donated books that were perfect, but not necessarily perfect for me, and freed up beloved real estate on my shelves. This left room for my absolute favorite time of the year: Fall Cookbook Season!  And number one on the list of new titles for Sydney's Library? Breaking Breads!

You may know Uri Scheft as the owner of Breads Bakery, or you may be more familiar with what he has made so popular both in New York, and with literally every online food publication: chocolate babka. People lose their minds over it, and you'll see tons of recipes all over the place trying to replicate it, but there's nothing better than the real deal, so now you can make it in your jammies in the comfort of your own home forever.

Uri was born in Israel, but moved all the way across the world to Denmark during his formative years. This blending of two cultures (mixed in with the handful of cultures from countries that he's lived in as an adult) gives his writing and recipes a sense of well-roundedness that is sometimes very hard to come by. For many, it will be an introduction to spice blends and flavor combinations that will both surprise and entice them.  For me, that's the sign of a real winner. And you know I love me some fresh bread, so it's like a win-win.

Let's get this out of the way first: this book is not for beginners. Nor is it, I'm afraid, for bakers with very little patience. For starters, bread is never quick and it makes you wait. For hours. And hours. And Uri, who is truly an artist, not only wants your bread creations to taste good, but he also pushes and encourages you to become your own resident bread artist at home. It is challenging, it is sometimes confusing, and it's also very delicious. And while the instructions can seem a little daunting (and at times you may feel like you have completely lost your will and ability to finish the project), Uri gives very detailed step-by-step instructional photos to help keep you on track. I needed those. Desperately.

I also enjoy that this book has tons of variety. Of course the core of this book is bread (flatbreads, challahs, babkas, etc), but you've also got cookies, hummus, and  great recipes for things like preserved lemons and babaghanouj. After completing a five-hour recipe for bread, you will want to take advantage of something quick and relatively easy to ease yourself back into the kitchen.

So, if you've made it this far, let me break it down for you:

The Good: This book is going to teach you how to make bread, or else. You will learn about yourself, and learn about your strengths and varying levels of patience. I also love how absolutely thorough and thoughtful Uri was when writing this book. It's got everything from proper bread storage tips, to words of encouragement, to alternative designs and creations for when you want to deviate a little from the recipe. Every question is covered.

The Bad: There's nothing bad about this book, really. One thing that I wish had been included was bolded estimates at the top indicating  how long each recipe would take altogether. Of course, I understand that each kitchen is different so therefore proofing times will be different, but a ballpark number  would've been so wonderful. I also wish that some instructions had been explained a little bit clearer, but I have always been able to soldier on and put something tasty on the table.

Overall: This was a book that I was so excited about, and my expectations were totally exceeded. Almost every recipe in this book has been bookmarked for further endeavors in the DD kitchen. This is my favorite book of Fall 2016, and I urge you to buy it for every patient baker you know. Once they've got it in their hands, encourage them to make the Sticky Pull-Apart Cinnamon Challah Braid (pg. 56), because it is my favorite and I need more people to talk about it with for hours and hours.

You can buy it here!

P.S. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, GUYS!!! I have 100000 pies to make.

Book Review: Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook

I buy a lot of cookbooks. You know this about me already. You know that it's somewhat of an addiction, but I'm proud to say that I've got it somewhat under control. (The bookshelf that I bought to house them all is already looking a bit cramped...)

So, instead of buying more, I decided to take a little breather and dive into the ones I already own. My wallet, which up until now I didn't think could speak, just loudly whispered "Thank You" from my purse. Don't get too comfy, wallet, for there will come a time when I will need to fuel my CA (cookbook addiction. It's a thing) again.

This weekend, my best friend Anna held a cocktail party that was inspired by her recent trip to Peru, and it reminded me of this beyond AWESOME book I found once called Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook. I am obsessed with it, and after this post, you better be too so that we can talk about it together.

It's one part retro, one part boozy, and one part extra colorful, and it's the exact read you need when you want to become your own bartender. Ever wondered exactly what goes into that whiskey sour you always order? This little book's got you covered. (P.S. I'm just curious: when you hear that a cocktail has egg whites in it, what's your reaction? To me, it's fine, it adds a little foam and body. For others, it's all they can talk about.)

There's a drink for every occasion, every taste, and I'd say every budget. And if you really want to cut a corner or two, there's always the option of making your own simple syrup!

I know Christmas is over, but this makes the perfect stocking stuffer. Buy it now, save it, don't forget about it, and you're set for next Christmas. You're welcome.

Happy cocktail mixing!