City Book Review

Simply Satisfying: Over 200 Vegetarian Recipes You’ll Want to Make Again and Again

Posted in Cooking, Food & Wine by editor - May 23, 2013

Release Date: 11/6/2012

By Jeanne Lemlin
The Experiment, $21.95, 368 pages

I’m not a vegetarian by any means, but I sure do love trying new ways of cooking, new recipes, and introducing new foods to my palate. As with any cookbook I get my hands on to review, I always try out several recipes before finalizing my view of the book.

“This book is a celebration of good food.”

Simply Satisfying is a vegetarian cookbook with over 200 mouthwatering recipes that you will surely be able to enjoy to appease even the pickiest of eaters.

The first recipe I cooked up was the deep-fried cheese-filled polenta balls on …

Learning to Fly: An Uncommon Memoir of Human Flight, Unexpected Love, and One Amazing Dog

Posted in Biographies & Memoirs by editor - May 23, 2013

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Learning to Fly: An Uncommon Memoir of Human Flight, Unexpected Love, and One Amazing Dog

Release Date: 4/2/2013

By Steph Davis
Touchstone, $2.99, 304 pages

Rock climbers spend much of their time and effort to avoid falling off a mountainside. It’s probably a no brainer “rule to live by.” When her marriage imploded and she lost valuable sponsors due to some sketchy choices her then husband made in illegally free solo climbing a famous formation in a national park, professional climber Steph Davis figuratively must have felt like her life was free falling into an abyss of uncertainty and chaos. Steph headed off to figure out how to move on from it all. Colorado was the first place that called …

The Elephant of Surprise (Volume 4)

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Release Date: 1/10/2013

By Brent Hartinger
Buddha Kitty Books, $12.99, 226 pages

Being a teenager is struggle enough, but add to it being a gay male and you’ve just unleashed Pandora’s box in a world where it’s hard enough being the norm, much less to add the extras of religion, politics, sexual preference, and trying to find oneself and fit in. The author does a perfect job making this a standalone book and gives readers an informal backdrop on each of the characters so the book moves fluidly along without any questioning.

“Why all the sudden interest in Kevin? Are you saying you wanna get back together with …

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog who Croaked

Posted in Kids' Book Review, Tweens by editor - May 23, 2013

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Platypus Police Squad: The Frog who Croaked

Release Date: 5/7/2013

By Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Walden Pond Press, $12.99, 240 pages

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka is about two platypus detectives in Kalamazoo City. One is named O’Malley and he’s been a policeman for a long time and he’s fat. The other one is named Zengo and he’s brand new and skinny. Sergeant Plazinski puts them together and they try to solve the mystery of a missing frog who was a teacher who could have been involved with the illegal fish trade in the city. O’Malley has certain ways of doing things that Zengo doesn’t like because it’s different and he thinks …

Starring Jules #1: Starring Jules (As Herself)

Posted in Early Reader, Kids' Book Review by editor - May 23, 2013

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Starring Jules #1: Starring Jules (As Herself)

Release Date: 3/1/2013

By Beth Ain
Scholastic Press, $14.99, 145 pages

Jules Bloom is seven years old. While eating at a restaurant with her family, Jules meets Colby Kingston, a casting director who wants Jules to be in a children’s mouthwash commercial. Jules is very excited about doing a commercial at first, but then she gets the script and it says the mouthwash tastes like orange. Jules really doesn’t like orange – it makes her sick! Jules needs her friends to help her get over her fear of oranges so she won’t throw up during her audition. She gets lots of help from her friends and family. If you …

Override (Glitch)

Posted in Kids' Book Review, Science Fiction & Fantasy by editor - May 23, 2013

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Release Date: 2/12/2013

By Heather Anastasiu
St. Martin’s Griffin, $9.99, 320 pages

Zoel has finally made it out of the Community, and escaped to live with the Resistance. Things do not go as planned. The leader of the Resistance, General Taylor, seems to hate her, her boyfriend is acting strangely, the Chancellor seems to know every move before the Resistance makes it, and Zoel is still struggling with her allergy. Zoel takes part in one series of dangerous missions after another, each leading her to believe there is someone on the inside of the Resistance plotting to reveal all.

“The Community link is peace. We are humanity sublime …

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Illustrations by Michael Sieben

Posted in Classics, Kids' Book Review by editor - May 23, 2013

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Illustrations by Michael Sieben

Release Date: 2/19/2013

By L. Frank Baum, Michael Sieben, Illustrator
Harper Design, $18.99, 224 pages

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a classic book that everyone should read. It tells the story of a little Kansas girl, Dorothy, and her adventures through the magical world of Oz. As she travels down the yellow brick road to find the Wizard of Oz, she makes many new friends (and a few enemies, too). It is one of my favorite stories.

“All you have to do is knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish”

While I love the story, the illustrations I love not …

The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince

Posted in Science Fiction & Fantasy by editor - May 23, 2013

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The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince

Release Date: 3/28/2013

By Robin Hobb and Jodi Foster
Subterranean, $35.00, 184 pages

The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince by Robin Hobb is a delightfully hard-edged fairy story which speaks words of truth to future generations of a princess and her son. When the princess is born, she’s paired with a plain girl of modest intelligence as a companion. Because this girl is submissive and wholly accommodating, she’s soon the only one who can influence the Princess. This is the story as told by her, both in her own words and recording the oral history passed on to her by her son. It tells …

Last Ape Standing

Posted in Science & Nature by editor - May 23, 2013

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Release Date: 1/29/2013

By Chip Walter
Walker & Company, $26.00, 240 pages

Last Ape Standing by William J. Chip Walter is a fascinating tale about where we came from, what we are, and where we may be going. Walter, a science writer and professor, explores a variety of subjects related to our evolution on the planet. This is a grounded scientific tale and does not offer much theological exploration. Science has provided plenty of fascinating, wondrous discoveries for us to chew over. The book has chapters about evolution of childhood, human migration, our cousins the Neanderthals, mental illness, and our future prospects.

“…over the long haul …

Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel, Volume Three

Posted in Sequential Art by editor - May 23, 2013

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Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel, Volume Three

Release Date: 1/29/2013

By Robert Jordan, Chuck Dixon, Marcio Fiorito, and Francis Nuguit
Tor Books, $24.99, 176 pages

Fans of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series never get tired of it and enjoy reading the story in every incarnation. Chuck Dixon, Marcio Fiorito, and Francis Nuguit have been breathing new life into the series by retelling the story with comic books; The Eye of the World: the Graphic Novel collects these comic books into graphic novels, and Volume Three is the latest installment. The artwork helps readers imagine in their minds the pictures Jordan previously painted so eloquently with words. The styles of the …