What if there was a book that not only recommended GREAT book club reads with synopsis, but also recipes to go with the books from well-known authors and book clubs?   For a book club gal, and a book lover – this is a GREAT FIND!  Books such as Cutting For Stone, The Book Thief,The Help, ROOM, Reading Lolita, Bel Canto, Water For Elephants, Snow Flower And The Secret Fan, Jane Eyre, Freedom, Devil In The White City, etc…

Many years ago I discovered the first edition of this book.  I loved the concept and used it religiously when planning out books to read for our group as well as food to go with the book.  In fact, as I write this now, I think the first edition of this book was the beginning of our book club, The Bookies, introduction to food made to go with our reviews. 

To this day, this very book sits in my front sitting room, in an honor spot on a stand next to the rocking chair. 

Now knowing all this, you can imagine my delight when last summer author Judy Gelman emailed me saying she had noticed my book club book and food combination reviews and wanted to know if our book club would consider reviewing a couple of books on her list and cook food themed to them.  I admit to saying “YES!” before even asking my book club.  😛 

Of course The bookies were honored and wanted to participate so we chose three books off the list Judy provided, Olive Kitteridge, Cutting For Stone, and Little Bee.  We already had our monthly book club books chosen so these reviews became bonus reads and we would gather at my home with food and discuss the book. 

We had a lot of fun and when I reviewed the books and food, I emailed Judith our reviews as well. 

When the advanced release version of this book made its way into my hands recently I was sooooo excited!  Not only for the fact that The Bookies are mentioned in the book, but also that I had in my hot little hands a second version of a book that I have loved through the years… a new Book Club cook book… new books… new authors… new recipes and ideas!  (It’s probably no big surprise that I did not wait long to dive it!)

Now you might think this review is a little bias, but remember – I read and loved the first one years before I was reviewing books…. this one would have been on my list to own anyway! 

Book Club members, book lovers, and food lovers will all appreciate this book!  Not only does it list a wonderful group of books that make for wonderful discussion, but the food and the ideas to go along with the books will put that little extra into your discussion and have people waiting to get into your book group!

And of course I loved it!  Each book gives a full page synopsis as well as publishing information, followed by food that would go well with the book, sometimes by the author, and always ideas from a book club as well.  If anything, this book is dangerous as I  drank in all the books I have yet to read and delicious food to go with them.  The ideas were already forming in my mind….

I want to do a Bel Canto party… dress up the whole works…. maybe I can talk the Bookies into doing this one for our October classic read….. and I would love to do a Chocolat by Joanne Harris review as well with melt in your mouth chocolates….  maybe we could follow-up with the movie….. AND….

See what did I tell you?  The book is dangerous!

This is a book I will keep close and refer to time and again, not only do I get a good taste of wonderful book club reads… but ideas to go along with the reviews!

This review is part of Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking.  Pop over and see what wonderful food related books are being read and what is cooking this weekend!

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Goodreads Review

I received this book from the authors