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Candy is Magic: Real Ingredients, Modern Recipes
Jami Curl | 2017 | Food & Drink
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Candy Is Magic by Jami Curl is a very thorough book about making candy! It's quite amazing and goes through equipment, ingredients, and recipes. From lollipops to caramels, ice cream, marshmallows, gum drops, and even chews. The pictures are mouthwatering and I highly recommend you don't read this while hungry! The recipes are made using real ingredients, including fruit.

The book reviews methods, ingredients, tools and flavors required for candy making. I appreciated the author including such an educational foundational chapter in advance of the recipes. The author breaks down the ingredients for candy making into four main components: sugar, crystal blockers, fat, and salt.

The recipes in the book are divided into six chapters: core ingredients, lollipops, caramels, chewy candies, marshmallows, and gumdrops. Immediately after the Table of Contents is a convenient Recipe List that is categorized by type of recipe so the reader very quickly gets to see the variety of different recipes and flavors that are offered.

The lollipop chapter began with a terrific primer on working with hard candy that broke the process down into simple steps and that described all the required tools. Having this section before the lollipop recipes allowed the recipes to be streamlined with references back to the master instructions for setting up a lollipop station and for pouring the lollipops. The caramel chapter began with a similar primer on caramel technique. The recipes in the Dreams Come Chew chapter referenced the set up, cutting, and wrapping instructions in the caramel chapter. The marshmallow chapter also begins with a review of the ingredients, equipment, and basic steps of marshmallow making. Finally, the gumdrops chapter begins with a discussion of the three basic steps of making gummy candies.

The photography at the beginning of the book is very artistic and doesn’t necessarily depict a particular recipe. It is mostly gorgeous transparent hard candies. In the core recipes chapter, the photographs are still artistic, but have more of a relationship to the recipe. However, there is a particular instance where there is a full-page photograph of luscious peach slices next to a recipe for a roasted peach puree, and the recipe specifically says not to prepare the peaches as in the photograph. All of the fun projects in the book were accompanied by illustrations rather than by photographs.

I received an advanced reader's copy from Ten Speed Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
The Survival Game
The Survival Game
Nicky Singer | 2018 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Global warming from a child's perspective.
I know it's necessary to have differentiation between the age groups for the protection of those who are youngest, but in this case, knowing that this is a child's/ young person's book, may put adults off reading this - and that would be a shame. All of the themes in this novel are very current. Set against the backdrop of a global climate disaster, we see how the displaced are treated: in a word, badly. We see the devastation that global warming wreaks, and the terrifying journey that a 14 year old girl, Mhairi Anne Bain (Mab, for short, which is interesting, as she is a symbol of freedom in Shakespeare and Mab Darogan in Welsh folklore was someone who was prophesied to come and save the Welsh from the English by forcing them out, as the Scots have forced the English out in this story, I suppose. Don't ask me how I remember this kind of information) makes on her own from the Sudan to the Isle of Arran. On her journey, she meets a young boy who doesn't speak, and she finds herself feeling responsible for him. I think he gives her some hope and a reason to keep going, to be honest. She decides to take him home with her, but of course, it isn't that easy.
Everything in this novel is plausible - the way in which Scotland and other countries decide how to control population, global warming and its consequences, and the resultant mass movement of people affected by drought and flooding.
I really enjoyed this: Mhairi has a very mature voice, as would any child who had seen and experienced what she had, and she is believable. We don't see all of the horrors she experiences, but they are alluded to, which is probably a very good idea when children are going to be the target audience. To be honest, there are a lot of adults that really don't want or need the gory details.
This is a timely novel, and one that is important to read. I could see that there would be a lot of discussion arising from this book in a classroom.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and to give an honest review.
  
Bombshell (2019)
Bombshell (2019)
2019 | Drama
It was an event that sent shockwaves throughout the News industry as allegations of harassment brought down Roger Ailes and fueled the growing “Me Too” movement.

In the new film “Bombshell” we learn how Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), had so much power and influence that he helped elect several politicians and rose to the head of Fox News. He ran Media Empire to great success and made those around him celebrities.

The film follows Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) who opts to fight her ouster from the company claiming that her career was marked by frequent harassment often by Aisles himself.

At the same time; Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), is dealing with backlash from Candidate Donald Trump and is being forced to endure what she sees as verbal attacks for the good of their audience and ratings.

As this story unfolds, the audience is introduced to Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), a young journalist eager to make her way up the corporate ladder. She is introduced to Aisles who asks her to “model” for him claiming that since they work in a visual medium; he cannot just let anyone on the air and needs to ensure “loyalty” amongst his staff.
Carlson eventually files a lawsuit but due to the power that Aisles and the Network holds; nobody is willing to come forward to back her and she is faced with taking on the media giant alone. The movie then centers on the key players and their day to day lives which enables them to find the strength to come forward and do what they believe is right.

The film is powerful and all of the leads do amazing work. Lithgow is especially good in his role as he is as captivating as his is loathsome in the part.

The film is sure to spark some discussion as despite the events portrayed in the film it appears that many of those who acted improperly managed to financially win from their downfall but it at least set a precedent for those looking to come forward knowing they are not alone.

My only issue was that knowing how the story came out and that fact that it was very recent undermined any real drama but the performances and engaging and topical subject matter held my attention throughout.
4 stars out of 5
  
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<b><i>Have you ever wanted a steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling? You might not get the Disney fantasy, but you will get the true love part. Or will you?</i></b>

Charlotte is a nanny and she goes in a rich family to take care of a little boy. His mother is demanding and his father stays in his room at all times.

Mr. King survived a fire accident and half of his face is covered with a golden mask, to hide the sad memories. He almost never goes out and his son is scared of him. Also,he only visits him at night.
He always talks to his son’s nannies through the intercom, to ask about his day. But with this nanny, it feels different. He can’t wait to hear her voice.

Compared to ‘’Nanny and the Beast’’, The Man in the Mirror is not as steamy, and the love relationship feels a bit more realistic. However, the story is still under developed for my tastes.
The nannies in Georgia’s books are represented in a bit of an unrealistic way. As a nanny, I think you will always influence the child you spend time with. Bear in mind, you spend all day, every day with them. But there are rules and boundaries set by the parents, and you do not cross those. The author somehow forgot about this part, it seems.

The Man in the Mirror opens up plenty of topics for discussion and in the end, it is a quick and enjoyable read. Georgia’s books are the ones that you pick up, wanting to have a quick read moment and relax.

If this book sounds intriguing, go and grab your copy, and let me know in the comments whether you enjoyed it.

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