Bookish Thoughts on a Thriller & Contemporary Foodie Novel
Hey bookworms and welcome to another Bookish Thoughts! Today's Bookish Thoughts are on Pretty Things by Janelle Brown, which is a thriller, and School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Let's get into it!
First, we'll talk about The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. We are now on Claire's point of view (each chapter is another student's POV in the cooking class). Claire joined the cooking class for some time away from her children and to do something for herself, which I love! Claire is struggling with her identity being changed after having children. She no longer knows who she is as a woman, other than being a wife and mother. The cooking class is giving her confidence in herself and allowing her to learn more about herself, as an individual. Her breakthrough growth point is when she kills a crab all on her own and cleans and prepares it for a meal in the cooking class.
The next chapter was about Carl (and Helen). They are an old married couple who decided to take the cooking class together. Carl reminisces about how he met Helen in college and how they fell in love during that time. He's always been madly in love with her, even after finding out at 44 years old that Helen had an affair. Carl forgave her. I just can't imagine doing that, but Carl felt secure enough in his love for Helen that they could move forward. And they did because the couple is now elderly and still very sweet to each other and very much in love. They baked a cake together in class, which I read symbolically as a wedding cake. I thought their chapter was very sweet.
The next book is Pretty Things by Janelle Brown. This is a thriller about a con artist colliding worlds with an heiress. Nina is the main character. She was an Art History major (which I love bc I was too) and she's an expert in antiques and luxury items. She and her boyfriend Lachlan, run cons and steal from rich people in L.A. I find it fascinating how they actually carry out their cons, it's very interesting. Nina's mom has cancer and needs lots of money for an experimental treatment. Nina and Lachlan go to Lake Tahoe where Nina has history there and plan to con an heiress named Vanessa.
Vanessa is the older sister of Benny, who Nina first dated back in high school when she briefly lived in Lake Tahoe. Benny and Nina started out as good friends, even though their backgrounds were very different, him being an heir and Nina being poor. But Benny's controlling father put an end to their romance and Nina moved away; it all ended very sad. Now, Nina is back to con the older sister Vanessa, who is renting out her Lake Tahoe mansion as a bed and breakfast of sorts. Nina just so happens to know that a safe is hidden on the property containing a million dollars in cash. That's what her and Lachlan are after.
I'm SUPER enjoying Pretty Things. I love a good thriller and this isn't disappointing yet! The School of Essential Ingredients is a fun read too, I love foodie books. Here are links to the Bookish Thoughts on my other book blogs! Be sure to check them out!
The Cruel Prince Bookish Thoughts bookishmunchkinfantasy.blogspot.com
Hungry Hearts Short Stories Bookish Thoughts bookishmunchkinromance.blogspot.com
Tidelands Bookish Thoughts bookishmunchkinhistory.blogspot.com
Tiny Pretty Things Bookish Thoughts bookishmunchkinya.blogspot.com
I hope you'll check those out if interested! Hope you're all having a great weekend! Alette
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