The Food of Love Cookery School

The Food of Love Cookery School by Nicky Pellegrino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I took my time reading this ebook breezily. It definitely looked like a perfect summer read (which it is, by the way) and introduced me to Sicilian food; a little different from overtly hyped Italian dishes. Now mind you, this book may seem like a cookbook but it is so much more. In fact, author Nicky Pellegrino wanted her readers to feel like the fifth person on this culinary vacation guided by food enthusiast, Luca Amore.

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Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India

Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India by Madhur Jaffrey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the pioneers in Indian cookbook writing—Madhur Jaffrey in her autobiography Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India, set in the 1940s is a heartwarming and delightful book to read. I first picked up this book when I was interested in researching food memoirs; how recollecting the experiences of eating impacts our memories. I was supposed to finish this book and write an abstract including two more food memoirs for a PhD interview. Alas! The research never came to fruition but the book remains with me. Like a memorable gastronomic experience.

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two of the greatest philosophers — Aristotle and Dante have nothing to do with the story. This story revolves around a Mexican-American teen Aristotle Mendoza and his friend Dante Quintana. Aristotle (Ari) is a boy who struggles to accept many things in his life. As a teenager, he faces monotonous days where nothing much happens and he contemplates how he feels undeserving of all the good things that life has provided him with. One can say, Ari, suffers heavily from low self-esteem and prefers to stay in shadows rather than face the spotlight under any circumstances.

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Graduates in Wonderland

Graduates in Wonderland: The International Misadventures of Two (Almost) Adults by Jessica Pan and Rachel Kapelke-Dale 
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Do you have a soul sister to whom you confide all your experiences including asking silly questions and getting back even sillier answers? Graduates in Wonderland by Jessica Pan and Rachel Kapelke-Dale is written in a contemporary epistolary form; exchange of emails in between these two authors give you an insight about their lives in new places and adventures that they come across.

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