Books: My Summer Reading List

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

In the summer issue of A Sweet Spot: Home Magazine, I included a couple of articles about what books are on my summer reading list.  This included both novels (and one non-fiction) as well as cookbooks.  Just in case you missed the magazine, (and if you did, please read it here!) here are the books that are currently taking up a little space in my Kindle:

1. THE WEDNESDAY DAUGHTERS | Meg Waite Clayton: I’ve not yet started this book, but this book had my attention when I read that it was a story about mothers, daughters, and secrets…and the fact that it’s set in England didn’t hurt, either. 2.  THE SILVER STAR | Jeannette Walls: With the massive success of The Glass Castle, I knew that The Silver Star would be a book I’d definitely be interested in reading.  This story about “an intrepid girl who challenges the social injustices of the adult world” promises to be a good read. 3. THE TURK WHO LOVED APPLES | Matt Gross: This is the book that I’m currently tearing through and I’m enjoying it so much.  As someone who would love to spend all of her time traveling and visiting new places, this book is really speaking to me.  4. WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD | Susan Crandall: I’m about one third of the way through this book and have found it to be a captivating read.  So much happens in so few pages, it has definitely kept me intrigued.  The book is told from the perspective of a child, which can make the story seem so much more heartbreaking in places, and more adorable in others.  A great read so far.

But as if those weren’t enough books to keep me busy, I’m also reading some other books to help me improve my skills in different areas.  Let’s call this my professional reading, shall we?

1. PLATE TO PIXEL | Helen Dujardin: I’ve been eying this book for months and months and clicked the “add to cart” button and ordered it.  It’s a gorgeous book filled with extremely helpful tips on taking beautiful food photography.  2. WILL WRITE FOR FOOD | Dianne Jacob: This book has actually been on my Kindle for months and months…it’s just that I forgot I’d ordered it.  While searching for a different book, I came across this one and started reading it.  It’s filled with great ideas for improving your food blog, your reviews, and even ideas for cookbook writing.  (Not that I have ANY interest in that at all…..*liar*….) 3. START. | Jon Acuff: This book was all the rage at Blissdom this year.  My Instagram feed blew up with images of the cover and at first, I thought, they’re just promoting it because they’re at Blissdom, and that’s just what you do.  Then I started hearing about people reading it who hadn’t been to Blissdom, and they were impressed.  So, I downloaded a copy and started reading.  It’s an easy read filled with inspiring ideas to help you escape being average and start being awesome, in all areas of your life! 4.  FOOD STYLING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS | Linda Bellingham & Jean Ann Bybee: While I’ve only skimmed this book so far, I can tell it’s going to be a great resource book for me to keep on hand.  Filled with tricks and tips that will help the food you’re photographing come across better in the images, this book is a real asset to all food photographers.

I’ve also got some great cookbook suggestions that will be releasing this summer, but you’ll have to check out the magazine to hear about those!

Happy reading!
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Decor: Fabric Covered Books

May 7, 2013 By 1 Comment

It’s something I’ve chatted about in the past, I love decorating with books in my home.  Surrounding myself with my books makes me feel comforted and cozy, so it’s something that I do often.  Books are a perfect way to provide a little lift to items that may naturally sit a little lower than we’d like.  I have lamps in my home that aren’t as tall as I’d like them to be, so by throwing a few books under the lamp base, I get the height that I want.

The only down side to decorating with books? Sometimes the colors and designs of the covers can be a distraction and not coordinate with your decor.  A simple fix is to cover your books with fabric.  It’s quick (once you figure out what you’re doing!) and the look is nice and cohesive.

First things first, gather up your supplies…

Next, measure your fabric to be about 2 inches larger than the size of your book.  Make sure you allow enough fabric for the binding to be covered as well.  It’s better to have your fabric be too big than too small, it’s always easy to trim!

Using your hot glue gun, glue down the side of either the front or back cover.  Then, spread your fabric to smooth it out so that you can then glue the side of the opposite cover.  (I should have taken a picture of this…sorry!)

Now that your front and back cover sides have been glued, you’ll want to cut out the excess fabric above and below the actual book.  (I hope the picture above explains what I mean!) The reason for this is so that you don’t double up your fabric when you glue the top and bottom of the fabric onto the book.  Before you glue the top and bottom pieces, make sure you clip out the fabric that’s above and below the binding.  (You can tuck the excess binding fabric in and add a dab of glue at the end.)

After you’ve secured all sides, you can add any lace or trim if you’d like.  It’s totally up to you!

(Because everything looks better on a cake plate, right??)
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{BOOKS} Bristol House by Beverly Swerling

April 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Once again it’s time for another A Sweet Spot: Home Book Review.  (In case you’ve missed them, you can find my most current book reviews here, here, and here.  To read my entire “Books” section of the website, click here.) While I have several book reviews coming up soon for cookbooks, today I’m sharing a novel…and Bristol House by Beverly Swerling is absolutely right up my alley when it comes to novels.

My quick rundown: Dr. Annie Kendall is an architectural historian who has fallen onto some hard times in her life.  As a recovering alcoholic and mother who lost custody of her son, at 33 years of age, she’s seen her fair share of struggles.  When an opportunity to work in London researching The Jew of Holborn from the 1500s presents itself, she jumps at the opportunity and temporarily moves to London.  Now, here’s where things get odd….. While exploring the flat she’s renting, she walks into the back bedroom and sees…….a monk.  But not just any monk, a monk from the 1500s, and he disappears as quickly as he arrives, thus introducing a supernatural element into the book.  Shortly after arriving in London, Annie is introduced to a handsome journalist named Geoff.  He’s smart, successful, and also looks exactly like the monk that Annie saw in her back bedroom.  The two become an item and together, set out on a mission to uncover the mystery surrounding The Jew of Holburn, and what, if any connection this has to the monk who continues to make his presence known in Annie’s flat.

What I liked: I love stories that have a historical element in them, and if you can tie in a bit of the supernatural as well, all the better.  I felt a real connection to the characters in the book, everyone it seemed, had experienced some sort of extreme trauma in their lives, which added to the connection the reader felt to them.

What wasn’t quite for me: While I feel that this book was a fairly fast read, the middle part did seem to go on a bit for my taste.  The storyline gets a bit complex and occasionally I would find myself struggling a bit to catch up.  It was nothing so severe that I felt I needed to put down the book, but occasionally, a little re-reading was required to catch my mind up on exactly where we were in the story.

Who will like this book: Fans of The DaVinci Code or similar books will most likely find this book interesting.  The book is part novel, part history book, detailing the history of England, Judaism, and Catholicism.  The characters are likeable and the relationships between them adds a nice dimension to the story.  I very much enjoyed reading this book and wouldn’t think twice to recommend it to others.

Disclaimer: Books reviewed on A Sweet Spot: Home are read as Advanced Review Copies sent directly from the publisher via NetGalley.  I do not receive payment for my reviews, and the opinions expressed in my reviews are entirely my own.
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{Book Review} While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax

March 11, 2013 By 2 Comments

If you’ve spent any amount of time hanging around my Facebook page, you know that I’m a huge Downton Abbey fan.  While admittedly, the third season was a lot to take, (and let’s not even begin to discuss my depression that followed the Christmas episode!) I find myself entranced with each and every episode.  The gorgeous scenery, homes, costumes, even the social dynamic of that era all work together to make a show that’s sure to demand my full attention every time.

Because of that, I was instantly interested in reviewing While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax, and when it arrived, I was quick to dive in and see what it was all about.

Going in, I assumed that Downton Abbey itself would be a sort of sub-character in this book, and my assumption was correct.  This book actually follows the story lines of four different characters, who all live/work in an upscale apartment building in downtown Atlanta.  Samantha, Claire, Brooke, and Edward all know one another, but are living very separate and different lives under the same roof of The Alexander.  It’s only when Edward organizes a weekly screening of Downton Abbey that the characters come together and begin to forge friendships that will see them all through some difficult times.

I’ve read quite a few books that follow a similar format; people becoming friends because of a cooking class, or a recipe club, or even a book club that gets together to discuss the books of one of my favorite authors of all time.  This book is a quick, easy read that is perfect if you’re not looking for something too deep.  It’s not going to change your life or leave you pondering the  meaning of life, but if you’re looking to fill a few hours with something fun to read, I recommend you check out While We Were Watching Downton Abbey.
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{BOOKS} Mad Hungry Cravings

March 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I’ve been really fortunate to be given the chance to review some great cookbooks recently, but what I saw pop up in my inbox recently had me doing a little dance of joy in my chair! Mad Hungry Cravings from Lucinda Scala Quinn is a book that I’ve been anxiously anticipating hitting store shelves, so you can imagine my joy when I found out that I’d be reviewing a copy before it was actually released. (Side Note: On my trip to Martha Stewart’s headquarters in 2011, while walking back from lunch…I may have actually seen Lucinda Scala Quinn sitting in on a meeting that was going on at the time.  And before I start sounding like a creeper, let me add that the wall to the room was entirely made of glass…I just happened to turn my head at just the right moment!)

As someone who gets serious cravings, whether pregnant or not, I knew that this book would be loaded with my kind of food.  The type of food that is delicious, unpretentious, and the recipes don’t take all day to prepare, because for me, when a craving hits, it hits in a big way…I’ve got no time for slow roasting or marinating! (Not that there isn’t a time and a place for slow roasting and marinating!)

This book has a very cool and casual feel with lots of black and white photography interspersed amongst the recipes and you can practically hear Lucinda Scala Quinn saying the words she has written.  It’s as if you’re having a casual conversation, and learning as you go…always a plus for me.  The epilogue written by her son adds to the casual, family feel of this book.

This book is packed with recipes that you could prepare on a weeknight quickly as well as dishes that you’d be pleased to serve when entertaining.  No matter the occasion you’re preparing for, this book will have a recipe that you can use.

Recipes that are on the top of my list to prepare from Mad Hungry Cravings include Croque Madame, Herb Flatbreads, Street Corner Pretzels, and New York Style Cheesecake. (Is is possible that I have a slight carb addiction?? Actually, to say slight is being kind…) I’m also anxious to try her version of a Grilled Caesar Salad.  I make my own version each summer, so I’m looking forward to trying hers out as well.

Mad Hungry Cravings is a great book to have on your bookshelf for delicious and simple food…some a bit more calorie laden than others, but full of recipes can be prepared by cooks of all levels.  And while I agree with most of what she has to say in this book, I believe I’ll agree to disagree with her when she says the idea of delivery pizza and hot wings doesn’t sound appetizing…

This is a great book, I highly recommend you picking up a copy when it’s released on March 19th.

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