fiction

The Afterlife of Walter Augustus + Chocolate-Date Pudding Cake

July 17, 2018 by Megan 1 Comment

Hannah Lynn’s second novel The Afterlife of Walter Augustus was actually brought to my attention when the author herself reached out to me with a thoughtful email that mentioned our shared love of books (of course!) and cooking. Her description of the novel, which she self-published, sounded intriguing and I happily agreed to participate in her blog tour to celebrate and promote its release!

Walter Augustus, our main character, is stuck in what’s known as The Interim, a sort of waiting room in the afterlife where you’re unable to move on until every last person on earth has forgotten about you. While to some that might be flattering -- and I can imagine he’s surrounded by quite a few celebrities, inventors and change-makers -- to Walter, it’s frustrating. He really just wants to move on so he can see his wife and family again.

Interview with Hannah Lynn, Author of The Afterlife of Walter Augustus

July 17, 2018 by Megan 2 Comments

For those of you stopping by as part of the blog tour for The Afterlife of Walter Augustus, welcome! I was so pleased to be given the opportunity to read and review Hannah Lynn’s latest novel (review + book-inspired recipe here), which I found charming and original. I was also excited to be able to interview Hannah and learn a little bit more about her process and the book in my first ever author interview.

Have you always been a big reader?

Yes, in away. I remember getting my school’s suggested reading lists for the holidays and trying to get through as many as the titles as possible. I then moved on to binge reading different authors, which I still do occasionally. During university, I fell out of the habit of reading for pleasure, and it took a while to find my way back. Fortunately I met my husband, who is an English teacher, shortly after, and we instantly bonded over books.

How to Walk Away + S'mores Brownies

July 14, 2018 by Megan 2 Comments

Sometimes I hear so many good things about a book that I request it from the library without even really seeing what it’s about, and that’s exactly what happened in the case of Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away. I’m glad I took the leap of faith because it turned out to be absolutely wonderful.

This novel is about a young woman who’s at the top of her game - Margaret has just finished her MBA, she has a lucrative and exciting job lined up, and she thinks her long-time boyfriend Chip is going to propose. However, on what is supposed to be a happy, celebratory day in her life, everything comes crashing down.

The Oracle Year + Stir-Fried Lotus Root

June 30, 2018 by Megan 1 Comment

In Charles Soule’s first novel The Oracle Year, the comic book writer explores a clever concept about the power of prediction. The main character, Will Dando, is a twenty-something musician who wakes up one morning with 108 predictions about the future. The predictions range from seemingly innocuous to world-changing and extremely specific to frustratingly vague.

While man behind The Oracle is a mystery, his predictions are practically front page news around the globe. As more and more of them come true, he is forced to go to great lengths to remain anonymous for his own safety. It’s a delicate balance between sitting on what he knows and sharing it with the world as he learns whether he has control over their source, or it has control over him.

The Keeper of Lost Things + Iced Buns

June 26, 2018 by Megan 5 Comments

Many have commented on the beauty of this book cover. Indeed, Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things does feature some gorgeous floral artwork on the cover, and actually that’s part of what brought me to it in the first place. The title, too, is intriguing. What exactly is a keeper of lost things? What sort of lost things are being kept?

In the novel, Anthony is an elderly man who has become a self-appointed keeper of lost things. Since losing something very important decades earlier, he has made it his mission in life to rescue discarded, dropped or forgotten things. He brings them home, where they live safely and quietly in his study, until they can be reunited with their owners someday, somehow.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane + Scallion Pancakes

June 16, 2018 by Megan 3 Comments

Lisa See’s historical fiction novel The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is a family saga that begins in a remote mountain village in China in the late 1980s. Life there revolves around tradition and tea farming, until a stranger arrives, bringing a glimpse into the modern world -- and a proposal that will transform all of their lives.

Interspersed with Li-Yan’s story, as she struggles against the traditions of her village and family but fully embraces the rituals and importance of tea in their culture, is the story of a young girl growing up in Los Angeles, searching for a key to her past. The story is full of heart, and the plot full of coincidence. Some of the village’s traditions were a bit hard to stomach, but I think Li-Yan’s personal rebellion against them made her more relatable, at least to me.