A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

LITTLE DARLINGS Book Review

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding is So. Freakin’. GOOD. I’m not usually a fan of stories that blur the line between supernatural and psychotic – is there really something otherworldly going on, or is the main character just crazy? – but Little Darlings may be one of the best exceptions I’ve ever come cross. Fair warning: don’t read this book if you have an intense fear of child abduction. This book made me sleepless, and I don’t...

AUNT DIMITY AND THE KING’S RANSOM Book Review

Aunt Dimity and The King's Ransom is cozy AF. I know, probably not how you expected me to begin this book review. Especially with the name "Aunt Dimity" in the title. But, "cozy AF" is the best way to describe this light, cute, and almost wholesome mystery. It begins with a cozy family living in a cozy Cotswold village. *swoon*  Main character Lori is overstressed, so her too-perfect-to-be-true husband books them a romantic weekend away at a...

THE HOCUS POCUS MAGIC SHOP Book Review

Looking for a fun and spooky-but-not-too-scary book to put you in the Halloween mood? Well, The Hocus Pocus Magic Shop has you covered. I simply adored this wonderful novel by Abigail Drake. It's a delightfully saucy romp filled with enchanting magic and a deliciously satisfying romance. There's also a lovable cast of charismatic characters and a steady stream of mounting mystery. That's right, folks. This one's got it all.  ...

FROM THE KITCHEN OF HALF TRUTH Book Review

I love the original title of this book: Nutmeg. Nutmeg was originally published in the UK in 2013, and it was re-christened From the Kitchen of Half Truth when it made its way to the U.S. I personally feel that the U.S. title better captures the essence of the novel, but I’ll be honest – I might not have picked up this book if that had been the title I saw first. Nutmeg really drew me in. It’s one of my favorite spices, as you know from my...

Quick Look Books: Food in Fiction (November 2018)

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you, dear reader, that I'm a woman who loves food. I mean, half of my blog is devoted to sweet and savory recipes, whether I've concocted them myself or borrowed them from my culinary idols. So, it should also come as no surprise that I love books that revolve around food. I have lots of fun coming up with book-inspired recipes, and some books definitely make dreaming up recipes easier than others. With my...

THE IMMORTALISTS Book Review

I almost stopped reading this book. I have a 50-page rule when I read something new -- every book has 50 pages to get me interested in the story, or I put it aside. Most novels grab me right from the get-go; others take a bit of time to get into the story. I used to dismiss books after only a few paragraphs or pages, but I decided to make the cut-off point 50 pages after reading We Need To Talk About Kevin, which is perhaps one of my favorite...