This was such a fun, lighthearted adventure in a world I wanted to spend more time in. I loved the clever use of history throughout the book and really appreciated the additional historical information in the back.

I love the concept of this book! As with every anthology, some stories weren’t for me and others I loved. *Most* of the stories are standalones, but a few seemed like they were continuations of previous works (which is fine if you’ve read the originals). I did find several new authors to check out and am looking forward to reading more of their work.

Weirdly wonderful. My only disappointments were I thought some plot points were going to be more important than they ended up being and I felt a bit more explanation was necessary in a few areas.

I don’t think it’s possible for me not to like a Murderbot book. I really enjoy the novellas, but I think this full-length novel also worked really well: I enjoyed every minute of the story and still can’t wait to jump back into Murderbot’s world. In fact, it might be time to reread the entire series.

This was too much in the horror genre for me, but Colleen Doran's artwork is absolutely stunning. I really enjoyed reading about her illustration process in the back of the book.

 Overall, this book is an excellent resource for young adults (geared for teens and those just starting college) learning how to cook or looking to expand their limited kitchen skills. Clueless in the Kitchen covers many staple recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, meat dishes, fish, pasta, pizza, breakfast items, side dishes, bakery items, and desserts. This book is intended to give readers a basic foundation in a wide range of dishes, but it certainly doesn’t cover everything. If your meals have previously centered on box mac & cheese or frozen TV dinners, this would be a good cookbook for you. If you already know how to boil eggs, make pasta, or have created a stew from scratch, you might think about searching for a more advanced cookbook. 

 

Each recipe generally includes some tips and some information on adding variations to suit personal tastes. Clueless in the Kitchen also includes: lots of definitions, information on proper portion sizes, how to read recipes, and kitchen essentials (both item-wise and pantry-wise), with a commitment to using fresh, whole foods and encouraging new cooks to try new things. 

 

However, there are some liberties taken with traditional recipes (for instance, a cold potato soup is not vichyssoise unless it also has leeks in it), and most of the recipes could probably do with quite a bit more seasoning, but I understand the desire to keep things as simple as possible so as not to overwhelm inexperienced cooks. 

 

I do wish a bulleted list of supplies needed for each recipe was included with the ingredients (this is intended for inexperienced cooks, after all, and that would be helpful for those navigating completely new territory). I also would have appreciated sections on how to calculate nutritional info (since it’s not provided in the base recipes), how to adapt recipes for smaller quantities (some of the recipes serve 8 when cooking for 1 or 2 might be more useful), and a “next steps” page for suggestions on how to advance your new cooking skills after finishing this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Project Hail Mary is a sweeping and creative science fiction adventure, brimming with twists and Weir’s signature laugh-out-loud humor and easy to understand science. I had no idea where the plot was going most of the time, but I definitely enjoyed the ride and guessing where the story would turn next. 

 

One of my favorite aspects of Project Hail Mary (without giving anything away) is how each character’s salvation rests with helping others, and how no character could actually solve the problem at hand without teamwork and shared resources. Each of the primary characters all answer the same question in their own way: how far would you go to save your species from extinction? I really enjoyed watching this story play out in ways I did not see coming. 

 

However, some sections of Project Hail Mary were too medically descriptive for my taste. I’m sure they were fascinating and creative, I just didn’t want to read them. There’s also a scene with detailed discussion on assisted suicide (this is a suicide mission, after all), which still feels on the edge of insensitive. Yes, it is part of the story, but do we really need to go into the step-by-step of different methods? I think Project Hail Mary could have included these scenes without describing every detail. 

 

I also think this book could have benefited from another perspective: I found many of the questions I had were left unanswered by the end and I wish there had been a POV from someone still on Earth. By the time Grace wakes up on the Hail Mary, 13 years have already passed on Earth, which would have put the rest of humanity in the middle of some of the scientific predictions we learn about as Grace regains parts of his memory. Although, I understand why Weir would not want to tackle that storyline in an already almost 500-page book. With that said, I’m glad there was some focus - however small - on the “real” world consequences for the characters’ actions as they try to save humanity’s future by adapting their present realities. 

 

Thank you again to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the privilege of reviewing an ARC. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. 

 

The Preserving Answer Book is a Q&A style reference guide on food preservation that covers canning (both the boiling water and pressure methods), drying, infusing, fermenting, freezing, and refrigeration. 

 

This book, as the author explains, is not intended to be an exhaustive, step-by-step overview for all food preservation processes for all types of food. Instead, the author aims to answer the most frequently asked questions she’s received or come across during her experience. [As a side note, if anyone does know of an excellent, comprehensive, step-by-step resource for specific food preservation methods, please let me know. I would love to expand my reading selections.] In the ARC copy I received, the author also encourages readers to contact her if they have a question not answered in the book - a feature I’m grateful for, even if I don’t currently have any food preservation questions. 

 

This book is definitely geared for the beginner food preserver, especially those who are first-time or inexperienced canners. There is a wealth of useful information in this book and I will definitely be adding a reference copy to my kitchen library. From my quite limited experience with home food preservation (which has focused only on drying, freezing, and refrigeration), I found almost all of the questions and respective answers in each section helpful. 

 

The Q&A format is handy, even if some of the questions were similar and many of the answers repeated information (although, since almost all of the repeat information was about safety, I’m glad it was easily accessible throughout the book for those that won’t read it cover to cover like I did). I also loved the focus on buying, eating, and preserving local food culture and how the author recommends visiting local farmers’ markets and/or U-picks for those who want to preserve their own food but don’t have the availability to garden and grow their own. 

 

However, most of the information is focused on the two different canning methods and I do wish there had been more detailed instructions on the other food preservation methods. There’s still enough information to cover the basics, but I will need to search out more detailed guides when I’m ready to advance. 

 

Even if you are not interested in canning, I think you would still find this book useful for getting the most out of your groceries and preventing food waste. The Preserving Answer Book includes both the “how” and “why” of food preservation, not just the steps of each process, and gives definitions for specific terms (such as the difference between “dicing” and “mincing” and what constitutes a “jelly” versus a “jam”). There’s also information on essential kitchen equipment and kitchen tips you might not think of, like how to properly thaw frozen foods. 

 

Thank you again to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the privilege of reviewing an ARC.