Reviews

Broadway superstar Sutton Foster opens up her heart and soul in this engaging memoir. Starting on the stage at an early age was exciting and thrilling, but it certainly had it's share of stresses and disappointments. To help her calm her nerves and still her nervous energy, Sutton turned to crafting as a way to cope. As a young girl she watched her Mother cross stitch. An aunt she was close with taught her additional craft skills, but Sutton took it to a whole new level. Knitting, crocheting, cross stitching and eventually collaging and painting became her passion that she continues back stage on big Broadway shows to this day. 

In the book, she opens up about her relationship with her agoraphobic mother and the enormous effect that had on her life. We learn about her brother who is also a Broadway star, her relationships, her marriages, and her personal  struggle and journey with fertility. Between singing and dancing in musicals, Sutton has starred in several TV shows, such as Younger  (which I loved) and Bun Heads to name a few. Peppered with anecdotes about celebrities she has worked with both on stage and on screen such as Patti Lupone, Hilary Duff and Peter Hermann, Hooked: How Crafting Saved Life will get you hooked, and perhaps have you pick up a needle and thread! Her journey is sometimes complicated, but often wonderful, and the her story is a testament to the healing power of art. 

Every now and then, a book unexpectantly falls into your hands and ends up being the most pleasant surprise! Matt Cain manages to do that with his charming novel; The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. Albert is a 64 yeat old postal worker who, since his Mum died, lives a solitary life with his cat Gracie. With no friends, family or hobbies, the news of his forced retirement sends him spinning. He realizes he has no choice but to start truly living and emabarks on a painful yet exhilirating journey to do just that. He courageously starts to reveal himself to neighbors, co-workers and customers on his route, who unexpectantly teach him what love, acceptance and frienship are. Eventually he realizes he needs to go back and find a lost love from 40 years ago as he seeks the happiness that was once so cruelly denied him. The overarching message that it's never too late to find love, will touch you and remind you that joy is often just a journey away. Filled with humor and plenty of interesting, quirky characters, I loved this heartwarming feel-good book!

If you love big messy family sagas like I do, you will really enjoy this new book by Jennifer Close. The story revolves around the Sullivan family who run a beloved restaurant in Oak Park, and find themselves at a crossroads when the family patriarch passes away.

With failed relationships, and careers on the rocks, sisters Gretchen, Jane and cousin Teddy all turn to the familiarity of the restaurant for comfort. Gretchen leaves the rock band she has been a lead singer with for decades. Jane finds the north shore life stuffy and small minded. Teddy leaves a successful restaurant in Chicago to get away form his love troubles.

JP Sullivan's has always been their foundation. Their place to land, their place to gather. As children the kitchen staff cooked them breakfast as their parents prepped for the lunch and dinner crowds. As teens and grown-ups the restaurant is the place they find comfort in for all the important events in their lives. Reminiscent of The Most Fun We Ever Had, Marrying the Ketchups is a delight.

Renaissance Italy is a world resplendent with art and beauty, but it also can be a harsh world for women. Lucrezia de Medici, the daughter of a grand duke is forced into an unwanted marriage at a very young age. The groom, Alfonso, head of a nearby kingdom, seems to have several sides to his sometimes charming, but eventual ruthless personality. On her wedding day, Lucrezia has been warned by his sister about what her husband is capable of, and as time goes on her suspicions are confirmed. As Lucrezia is forced to sit for a formal portrait, the tension is felt by all those around her. Trouble brews in the kingdom as everyone waits for an heir to be born to solidify the Ferranese dynasty. Lucrezia reaches out to her family for help, but they dismiss her fears. 

The award winning Hamnet showed us the brilliant writing style of Maggie O'Farrell. She astounds with her depth of character and her remarkable sense of setting and place. I for one, felt completely transformed to 1550 Florence, and was kept on the edge of my seat as the plot unfolded. It is an unforgettable story of the strength and resilience of the powerless in the face of the powerful. The Marriage Portrait will stay with you long after you put it down.

With estrangement, death, an audio recording full of family secrets as well as orders to share a small black cake in the freezer, you have the beginnings of an intriguing story. Before Eleanor Bennett died, her children thought they knew everything there was to know about their rich Caribbean family history. That is until they start listening to the truths unravel, and secrets unfold on the recording she created.

Her daughter Benny and son Bryce struggle to make sense of her complicated past. The cake itself plays an important role in helping them rediscover their family, their history and their culture. Eleanor has always found solace with the knowledge that she can remember the recipe for black cake, the only thing she has left of a tumultuous childhood. Charmaine Wilkerson uses the cake as a way to dig deeper in to the essence of Caribbean heritage and the multi-cultural histories that abound.

Black Cake is a stellar debut novel with rich characters, fast paced scenes and a beloved family recipe that all come together to remind us of the layers that fall in place to create a family history

When I heard the premise of this book; "A novel tracing a widows unlikely connection with a giant pacific octopus", I admit I was skeptical. Thankfully due to the magic of a well written book, I was pleasantly surprised.

After Tova Sullivan's husband dies she starts to work the nightshift at the Puget Sound Aquarium. Keeping busy is what she does to help her through grief, which is what she has done since her beloved son disappeared 30 years ago. While there, she becomes acquainted with Marcellus, a masterful all knowing octopus. Sensing the loneliness and needs in each other, they come to depend on Tova's nightly cleaning shifts as they navigate life's next steps.

Many friends, local townspeople and characters weave their way into Tova's life, at the same time she starts to see the effects of growing old and being alone. Remarkably, Marcellus sees things that others cannot see, and decides to do everything in his power to help Tova find solace. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a terrific debut story by author Shelby Van Pelt. Let's hope she has a few more meaningful stories to share.

Arthur Moses is a widow. He finds comfort in visiting his late wife Nola's grave everyday. It is there that he meets a young teenager who also uses the cemetery for solace. As their friendship evolves, she names him Truluv for his undying devotion to his beloved Nola. Maddy is an outcast both at school and in her lonely home where her father is unable to show love after her mother passes away. Lucille, the busy, but lonely next door neighbor takes a liking to Maddie and Arthur, and bakes her way into their lives. 

This heartwarming story is rich with likable characters. It touches on themes of loss, love, family, resilience and and the idea that it's never to late to have a fresh start. Elizabeth Berg, a local Chicago area author is a prolific writer. For the last three decades she has written over 30 books that will inspire you and stay with you for a long time. The story of Arthur Truluv is definitely one of those.

Joan is a young doctor in a busy New York hospital. She loves her routine, and her job with all the details and regimented schedule it presents. Her parents moved back to China after she and her brother were established, which helps her maintain a pleasant solitary life. Her world and her comfort zone, are upended upon the death of her father. Her mother moves to the states to re-establish a relationship with her children, and Joan's life is suddenly turned upside down. Weike Wang delves into this complex character and what it means to live as an first generation American, as a woman in a fast paced medical career, and as someone who defies society's vision of success.

The book is tender and witty and will leave you thinking about Joan, and wondering if Joan is Okay.

Growing up in an Italian American family in the 60's in Westchester New York meant dinner at the table every night. It meant endless discussions about food. And it meant creating lifelong habits and memories.. with food. This charming book is filled with anecdotes from Stanly Tucci's life growing up, as well as his life as an actor. I loved hearing about his school lunches with delicious leftovers, Sunday meals at his grandparents home, lobster boils with his in-laws on the coast of Maine as well as numerous meals at favorite restaurants around the world. 

Peppered into his heartfelt reflections about his wife and children, are humorous stories revolved around making movies such as Big Night and Julie & Julia to name a few. Of course, being an actor, and being married to an actresses sister, there are many entertaining celebrity stories as well. 

I highly recommend the audio version of this, but be warned With humor, irony, grace and some mouth watering recipes, Stanley Tucci writes a lovely and thoroughly enjoyable memoir. 

Elizabeth Strout revisits her unforgettable character Lucy Barton in this simple tale about love and loss. Grieving her second husband, Lucy Barton also looks back on her relationship with her first husband William as she wades through her emotions and her 64 years. She deeply loved her second husband, but as she looks back on her life and the dysfunctional abusive family she had growing up, she comes to the conclusion the only time she felt safe in her life was with William. 

Oh, William! is another masterpiece by Strout. I can't get enough of her depth of characters and rich sense of place. Elizabeth Strout tells what appear to be simple stories, yet have multiple layers of experiences and emotions. As the Washington Post noted "So much intimate, fragile, desperate humanness infuses these pages, it's breathtaking"