Tag: Slice of Life

Review: Deep Fried by Mark Doyon

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Synopsis:

Americanized millennial Arjun Chatterjee is a food-truck chef working in a parking lot outside the nation’s capital. He dreams up multiethnic recipes and pursues a young woman toiling in a Kafkaesque office nearby. Building a clientele, he faces life with a sly optimism.

One day he idly asks the sky: “Why am I here?”

Deep Fried is a tragicomic love story wrapped in creative freedom. Its characters – chefs, musicians, and entrepreneurs – face a world of oversized dreams and shaky prospects.

They try, fail, and fail better. Will it be enough?

Favorite Lines:

“If you weren’t making moves…you were a pawn in somebody else’s game.”

“Kids today. Fat and not even happy. Worst of both worlds.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book primarily follows Arjun Chatterjee who serves food from a food-truck in a parking lot in Washington D.C. Arjun meets a cast of characters throughout this book and we follow along as he does both some teaching and learning from the various people he meets. 

I found this to be a slice-of-life-esque story that was entertaining and relatable while still managing to be comfortable. Doyon tells a story that is entirely realistic and that captures the nature of human relationships and how complex they can be.  As we follow Arjun and Candy, along with the others we meet in this book, we get an inside look into the every day lives of people just trying to reach the goals they have set for themselves and the bonds they nurture with those they care about along the way.

Without any spoilers, I wasn’t prepared for the few pages before the ending! I was so shocked but was happy with how things turned out in the end and almost wish that there was more to the story to get to see how things play out but that is coming purely for my own selfishness. 

If I had to be knit-picky, the change of points of view in the middle of the chapters were a bit disruptive to the flow. Despite this, I still appreciated the different points of view, I thought it added a lot of additional depth to this book. 

Summary:

Overall, I  enjoyed this book. Doyon uses a unique tone to tell a creative and engaging story. It is so full of life in a variety of ways and bonus points that it includes food! You can find the book trailer here! If you like fictional, slice of life books especially ones that include found love and/or food, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Deep Fried here!

 

Review: Starting Over by L.F. Roth

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Synopsis:

Embark on a transformative journey through the hallowed halls of an English boarding school in the enchanting year of 1966. In Starting Over, a captivating tale unfolds as we are introduced to a diverse cast of characters who, against the backdrop of their extraordinary work with children who possess unique abilities, navigate their own intricacies and conflicts.

Amidst the corridors that echo with the dreams and challenges of the young minds they nurture, these remarkable individuals find solace and strength in their shared vulnerability. Their distinctive needs intertwine, creating a tapestry of complex relationships, unexpected alliances, and profound personal growth.

As the story unfurls, the characters are confronted with the inevitable winds of change, sweeping away the familiar to make room for new beginnings. Through trials and triumphs, they discover the resilience of the human spirit and the extraordinary power of embracing the unknown.

Favorite Lines:

“Please write something that’ll help me stay awake.
Like what?
Oh, anything. Use your imagination.
I can’t. I’m so tired I could hallucinate.
So am I. Addicts should do night duty instead of drugs.“

“And time, as he himself was well aware, will drag when you least want it to.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

It has been quite some time since I have read a book like this. The easiest way I can describe it is it made me thinking of assigned books in school like Catcher in the Rye, The Outsiders,  or The Grapes of Wrath. Not because they share any particular themes or similarities, but the vibe of cozy, slice of life type of narrative was there. I know I am going to catch flack for calling any of those books listed above cozy or slice of life but it is the closest I can get to putting my finger on the emotions I felt reading this book.

This story is a pretty calm, tame book featuring a decently sized cast of characters that at first I had a hard time wrapping my head around but as the story goes on, it gets easier. I actually ended up appreciating the level of care Roth put into describing each character and scene throughout the book.

I don’t really  have any complaints for this book as long as you know what you’re getting into. If you’re looking for a page turning, at the edge of your seat type of book then this is not it. This is for lazy weekends in the sun when you’re looking to relax and not think too hard.

Summary:

Overall, if you like calm fictional books that feel like sitcoms with a variety of characters, then this book could be for you!

Check out Starting Over here!

Review: Goyhood by Reuven Fenton

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Funny, poignant, and revelatory while plumbing the emotional depths of the relationship between estranged brothers, Goyhood examines what happens when one becomes unmoored from a comfortable, spiritual existence and must decide whether coincidence is in fact destiny.

When Mayer (née Marty) Belkin fled small town Georgia for Brooklyn nearly thirty years ago, he thought he’d left his wasted youth behind. Now he’s a Talmud scholar married into one of the greatest rabbinical families in the world – a dirt poor country boy reinvented in the image of God.

But his mother’s untimely death brings a shocking revelation: Mayer and his ne’er-do-well twin brother David aren’t, in fact, Jewish. Traumatized and spiritually bereft, Mayer’s only recourse is to convert to Judaism. But the earliest date he can get is a week from now. What are two estranged brothers to do in the interim?

So begins the Belkins’ Rumspringa through America’s Deep South with Mom’s ashes in tow, plus two tagalongs: an insightful Instagram influencer named Charlayne Valentine and Popeye, a one-eyed dog. As the crew gets tangled up in a series of increasingly surreal adventures, Mayer grapples with a God who betrayed him and an emotionally withdrawn wife in Brooklyn who has yet to learn her husband is a counterfeit Jew.

Favorite Lines:

“He burst into another mercury-popping day, the sun a white disk in the immutable blue, and took his first breath of air since discovering that hell had no bottom.”

“You know how sometimes you don’t appreciate the constants in your life until they’re not there?”

“Goyhood…the state of rebounding from one travesty to the next.”

“I’m giving you the shittiest Yelp review you’ve ever seen.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I received the request for a review on this book, I thought it sounded like a cute, slice-of-life story and I was partially incorrect. It does fall into what I would consider the slice-of-life category but it is so much more than that.

This story follows Mayer,  a Almud scholar who is married into a great rabbinical family. When his mother dies, he and his brother, David, find out that they are not even technically Jewish. This somehow turns into David insisting on a road trip where they bond and discover/rediscover who they are as people.

This was an enjoyably funny novel that touched on surprisingly deep topics in a light-hearted way. I am not Jewish myself but Fenton did a great job at writing a story that can resonate with anyone regardless of religious views. I was really impressed and a bit skeptical that this is Fenton’s debut novel! I found this to be amazingly well written, witty, and overall fantastic at capturing what it means to belong. Fenton did an incredible job with this one and I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next!

Summary:

Overall, if you like slice-of-life stories full of humor, heart, family, faith, and so much more, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Goyhood

 

Review: Broken Petals by Tasha Hutchison

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Brooklyn Monti is dying. Or at least she thinks she is. Ever since Brooklyn was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease at 19, she’s used it to give up on herself. Huntington’s has affected her career, her friendships, and her love life. But will she let it control her future? When Brooklyn meets the man of her dreams she must decide whether Huntington’s is going to take away the one thing she’s always wanted: a family. Broken Petals is the story of a young woman dying to live as she is forced to face her reality and embark on a journey of self-discovery that will change her life forever.

Favorite Lines:

“I don’t know how often you fly, but you’re supposed to put your phone on airplane mode or you could have us lost in space – not that I’d mind being lost with you”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would like to start this review off with a trigger warning. This books involves scenes and recollections of domestic violence and may not be suitable for everyone. This story follows Brooklyn as she tries to navigate her life after receiving a diagnosis for Huntington’s Disease.

From page one, the author’s tone for the main character reminded me of myself – I felt like I was reading my own internal thoughts on a day where I am feeling particularly sassy which I found quite humorous. The best way to describe this book without giving too much away is that it is a life story of a couple dealing with life beyond a Huntington’s diagnosis. I could see it being a romantic drama movie on the big screen full of strong characters, heartbreaking moments, and perseverance. I also really enjoyed what the broken petals represented throughout the story.

One thing I wasn’t a big fan of was the whirlwind of time. The book flashes forward in time sometimes not spending enough time elaborating on events that I feel were important. I wish there had been a slower, more detailed pace at points. I also actively recognized that the main male character is definitely a man written by a woman for woman. I really liked him but he was almost too perfect.

Summary:

Overall, if you like drama and romance in a slice of life type of story then this book could be for you.

Broken Petals