Spooning
by Darri Stephens; Megan Desales
Buy book: $9.32

Charlie decides to use her newfound cooking skills to ensnare the man of her dreams: a certain roguish investment banker. As she becomes ever savvier in the kitchen, she grows savvier about love as well and comes to discover that even the most delicious-looking package can lack substance and real flavor underneath.

 

This is going to be a fun read! These are my favorite types of books. I can't wait until it comes out in April. I will definitely be buying this one.

The book jacket made it seem interesting. However, the first segment was completely unreadable. I don't know if this is because it has two authors, thus it will never flow smoothly. Or, if they are trying to hard to emulate "Sex and the City" or "Bridget Jones" to sound genuine. Frankly, I have read better writing from my worst community college students.

This conversational style of writing (if you can call it that)is not worth the trouble as far as I am concerned.

I do like Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot. They do a good job with this type of conversational writing.

But this particular week's read..."No, not for me."

I just forwarded the first email to my 20 yr old daughter, a college student in NYC, with designs on an apartment in the city as soon as she graduates. The dialogue was perfect, and familiar- "Whatever mom! I need to go deal with my unburdened
life." And I'd hung up on her.- I think she is going to like this as much as me!

The subject is not a new one. I am old enough to remember the allure of being 'young & single and starting out' in New York 40 yrs. ago. From the 50's on it was the subject of movies, TV shows & even comic strips.
Although I did not personally experience the phenomenon I lived close enough to the city to be familiar with its mystique. I had friends who took the plunge - to make their fortune, to find fame, to open up their world. Some were ultimately very successful; all have said that their lives were enriched by their time in 'The Big Apple'. New York was the place to go and 'make it'- a career, a relationship, a life. Remember the Sinatra line in "New York, New York": "If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere."
The first reading has me looking at this novel as another example of the 'coming of age in the big city' genre. I want to see how our two young authors view the experience through the prism of modern attitudes.

This book is starting out badly. After just one installment, I don't like the narrator at all, nor do I care for the author's style. Her writing would be right at home on one of those slick, pseudo-sophisticated TV shows I hear so much buzz about, but it doesn't ring true for me. I'll give it another day, but I think it will be a DOA--delete on arrival.

Bad writing and sacharine dialog in a trite setting. If her Mom lives close enough to NYC to come via train for a girls night did they overnight in Hartford with a U-haul? This story feelds like "That Girl", totally outdated and unncessary.

Today's excerpt sounds so much like me it is scary, except I'm not in my 20's. A rebirth so to speak. What fun I've already reserved my copy of this book. Delightful reading.

Spooning was a fabulous read! Love the witty sense of humor and all the life connections to cooking. A great book for all women living with roommates and all those remembering how much fun it was living with a fabulous group of friends. I highly recommend this book!