Book Blog – Page 7 – …on the B.L.

The Elephant in the Room by Tommy Tomlinson

April 11, 2019April 3, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth a Read Yes
Length 256
Quick Review Tommy Tomlinson has “always been fat.” After living a full life, he decided to make a change and lose weight.

Tommy Tomlinson is a well known journalist. He had a brilliant career and the love of his life, but he was a fat man. His weight kept him from enjoying his life to the fullest. Over the course of a year, Tomlinson documented his weightloss journey in The Elephant in the Room.

The memoir delves into his year of weight loss but also his past. The past can rear its ugly head forever if it goes unconfronted. To deal with his issues with food he had to look into his past and why he loved food as much as he did. Each chapter documented one month of his weight loss journey. At the end of each chapter he document how much weight he had lost or gained. His honesty about the struggle is refreshing. It is a journey with ups and downs; all of which he experienced.

Tomlinson’s honesty is inspiring. His style of writing is funny and sad and deeply insightful. I really enjoyed reading The Elephant in the Room.

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Title: The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America
Author: Tommy Tomlinson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9781982106690

Books, Fiction

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill

April 5, 2019 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 176
Quick Review Nikita Gill transforms traditional fairy tales into beautiful pieces of poetry in Fierce Fairytales extending beyond the stories we are familiar with. Reading this was supremely satisfying.

Petal_Crusade-62 — Reading *Fierce Fairytales* by Nikita Gill

This is one of those tiny books that pack a powerful punch. Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill is an intense 176 pages of poetry. She uses traditional stories to talk about issues affecting today’s world. It is a seriously feminist undertaking, but she advocates for men and women within the pages.

The stories are retellings. Although, I wouldn’t call it a traditional retelling. Some provide background, others new perspective, and some are epilogues. The women in the stories are strong without need of being saved. They are powerful yet underestimated. The women manipulate men the only way they can – the way women did for centuries – by allowing them to believe the women are in need of saving all the while gaining more power and confidence in themselves.

Gill uses fairytales to discuss abuse of many kinds because abuse is extremely present within them to begin with, but since we grew up with them as normal, we view them as acceptable behavior. Some of the abuse Gill touches on in Fierce Fairytales is gaslighting, rape, domestic violence, abandonment, and more. There is also a lot of focus on racism; how people of color feel they and their struggle has been forgotten by the world and society.

Petal_Crusade-56 — *Fierce Fairytales* by Nikita Gill

The book is a book of poems, but some of the poems are written in prose form. Even her prose has a beautiful cadence to it. Her syntax, language, and rhythm pulls you in deeper as you read. The poems are often paired with illustrations, which pull the reader into the story even more. The combination is stunning. It is reminiscent of Rupi Kaur’s poetry in the sun and her flowers (read my review: here).

One of my favorite things about Fierce Fairytales is the complexity of it. Gill forces the point that nothing is simple, black-and-white, cut-and-dry. Life and abuse are complicated issues. People have reasons and motivating factors behind their actions. Abuse leads to abuse is a running theme through the book. In one story, Gill explains Cinderella. In the following story, Gill takes on the perspective of the evil stepmother. This juxtaposition reveals the complexities of life; showing people are not born evil.

Fierce Fairytales is a piece of literature, which will stick with me for quite a long time.

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Memorable Quotes
“Princes fail all the time.”
“First and foremost, girls are survivors.”
“A clever woman is more lethal | than a freshly crafted wand,”
“anxiety makes more heroes than history would care to repeat.”

Title: Fierce Fairytales; Poems & Stories to Stir Your Soul
Author: Nikita Gill
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780316420747

Books, NonFiction

The Bold World by Jodie Patterson

March 25, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Most Definitely
Length 352
Quick Review A deep dive into gender, race, relationships, and what it means to grow and be human. Jodie Patterson confronts it all when she realizes her daughter is her son, Penelope.

The Bold World by Jodie Patterson is wonderful. Honestly, I loved it. I had never been heard of her before reading the book, which is nice because I don’t have any preconceived notions. All I really knew was it was about being a mother to a trans son. Yay! Supporting women and the LGBTQIA people! It’s what I’m all about, plus I love reading and educating myself about these things.

About more than just her son, The Bold World is absolutely Jodie Patterson’s story. She begins with her early life and family. There is a commitment to family in every page of this book. Patterson allows herself and the people in her life to be as complex as people are prone to being. Never sidestepping the contradictions, feelings, pain, confusion of humanity. Anecdotes are relaid with a matter-of-factness, which leaves no room for question. It happened. She manages to communicate her self-love and mistakes without ever being apologetic for either.

Courageous is how I would describe The Bold World. It takes a brave heart to lay out the complexities of being woman, of being black in America today. To openly struggle with being a strong black woman and a mother of trans son is another level. Opening up about the ups, downs and absolute mystery of mothering well in a world that too often vilifies different is courageous. It is heartbreaking and overwhelming hopeful all at the same time.

The topic of transgender is still such a new concept for so many people. Jodie Patterson is helping to tear down the walls separating normal and other in The Bold World. It is inspirational and necessary. Not only does she tackle trans-issues, she talks about skin color, gender, sexism, family, motherhood, marriage, and being human. It is a remarkable story told with grace and hope.

Memorable Quotes
“The South, I knew had the power to fix anything. There was spirit in the soil.”
“…sometimes the king is a woman.”
“this correlation between money and control, where control is in the hands of men, and women are often excluded, or minimized, from the conversation.”

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Title: The Bold World; A Memoir of Family and Transformation
Author: Jodie Patterson
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780399179013

Books, NonFiction

Work Optional by Tanja Hester

February 21, 2019 RaeAnna

It’s hard not to feel like a pretty at Oak Alley. | Missguided Dress | Target Shoes | Jean Jacket | Sunglasses | Book

Worth A Read Yes
Length 288
Quick Review Whether you’re trying to retire in your early 40s or just trying to get a handle on responsible spending, Work Optional by Tanja Hester is a great motivational book.

Tanja Hester retired at 38 with her husband. She began her Work Optional life before her 40th birthday. In her book, she lays out the steps she and her husband took to save money without cutting back on the little joys.

Hester emphasizes the importance of balance. There is a balance between saving and living because living for retirement should not be the time people start living. We have only one life, so it should be a priority to enjoy all the moments of it.

Work Optional seems to be about money and finance. It is. It definitely is. More importantly, it is about prioritising or reprioritising based on the things that bring joy into one’s life. Hester spends the first part of the book discussing how to frame life and make a game plan in order to enjoy that life to the fullest. The next part is how to go about making that happen by making feasible financial plans. The last part is how to put those plans into action. Hester peppers the book with personal anecdotes and anecdotes from others who have also successful started making plans. The inclusion of others’ experiences helps cater to the vast variation of lives being lived.

Hester takes a topic and spins it into something entertaining and inspiring which could otherwise be incredibly dry and boring. Financial matters can be terribly unbearable to read if they are done poorly. Hester weaves the personal with the numbers to make the numbers into something relatable and worth working for.

I enjoyed reading Work Optional because it is motivating to spend on what is important and not on the unnecessary. I am lucky to work doing what I love, but someday, I would love to cut back those hours to enjoy living. This is a great resource to start planning for those days.

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Memorable Quotes
“I was barely out of college even I realized that I could be super successful on paper and even earn loads of money, but shirk probably ever fulfill me the way I hoped.”
“When it comes to sticking to financial goals, simple is virtually always better.”

[I love being able to travel with my work. I took these pictures at Oak Alley in Louisiana just outside of New Orleans. It was chilly, but I love this dress from Missguided. It’s a knockoff of a very expensive dress, which I bought for under $20. Yay sale shopping! A jean jacket goes with everything. Even on overcast days, I like to have a pair of sunglasses handy; these pastel purple shades are super cute and inexpensive. I’m also in love with my Target shoes.]

Title: Work Optional
Author: Tanja Hester
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780316450898

Books, Fiction

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown

February 16, 2019 RaeAnna

Should I Read Meh
Length 336
Quick Review Traditions refuse to change in Homeward Hound even when a snow storm threatens the Christmas hunt. Everyone makes it home safe except one.

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown is comprised of elements, which should make me like it. Unfortunately, they are just that. Elements failing to come together to create a memorable book. What I thought would be a huge cast of dynamic characters was a bland smoothie.

The basic gist: A whole bunch of characters are gathering in the Virginia countryside for the traditional run days before Christmas. The run is steeped in 400 years of tradition and hierarchy. The hierarchy is further bolstered by the social structure of the area they all live. Toss in a pipeline and a wealthy gentleman, who goes missing.

Brown begins Homeward Hound with a list of characters including the humans and the animals. Each character was accompanied by their traits and role within the group. I like the concept when there are so many characters involved because the story doesn’t have to explain it in the story. Unfortunately, the story still felt the need to, so it was basically a waste of time reading those pages. Brown has one family and their “African American”ness was emphasized. Instead of feeling inclusive, it felt racist for needing to point out this otherness in rural Virginia. I got it, they’re black in a sea of white folk in a literal blizzard.

Having a pipeline and a missing person were the main driving forces behind the plot in Homeward Hound, but neither did a great job of making me want to read more.

My favorite part of the entire novel was the way Brown decided to deal with dialogue. The animals had conversations among themselves in the midst of human interactions. The human dialogue was noted in the traditional way with quotes. When the animals spoke, their conversations were italicized, so the reader would know an animal was speaking instead of a two legged character.

I do really like the cover art and the concept of Homeward Hound. The elements just did not come together in a cohesive and compelling enough way to make me enjoy reading the book. I like the cover more than the content.

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Memorable Quotes
“nonagenarian”
“Because those people on the hunt field measured up to sartorial tradition close to four hundred years in practice.”

Title: Homeward Hound
Author: Rita Mae Brown
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780399178375

Baked Goods, In The Kitchen

French Silk Pie

February 9, 2019February 9, 2019 RaeAnna

Beau wanted to help with the pie… | Sweatshirt Dress | Sherpa Socks

French Silk Pie is one of those treats I have only ever bought because it’s French Silk Pie. It’s a hard pie to make, right? Actually, no. This pie was requested in place of a Birthday cake. Birthday people get what they want on their birthday, so I obliged. I did a bunch of researching online to find a good recipe. Which is when I realized, French Silk Pies have raw eggs in them… I had no idea. None at all.

I do what I always do. I found recipes and took the bits I like from several ones and added my own flair. I’m terrible at following recipes. I rarely find a perfect recipe, so I make the perfect recipe… Well, I think it’s perfect, but you should try it and let me know!!!

I like to make my own pie crust, but store bought are lovely too. Use your favorite pie crust recipes or a store bought. Either taste wonderful.

Ingredients

1 pie crust

Chocolate Filling

½ cup white sugar
½ cup butter
3 oz unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate (whatever you like best)*
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 eggs room temperature or 3 eggs refrigerated
½ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 TBS powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

*The eggs are more elastic when they’re room temperature. To get the silky texture it’s important to have have that quality. So if they’re chilled add another egg to get the same property.

Instructions

Make and bake the pie crust according to the instructions. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
Whip ½ cup of the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream in a bowl with powdered sugar and vanilla (you can substitute almond if you prefer) until stiff peaks form. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium speed for three minutes until a light yellow color and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate for a minute until well combined.
Add in the eggs one at a time beating for two minutes between each egg. The mixture will be silky and fluffy.
Carefully fold in the ½ cup of whipped cream.
Fill the pie with the chocolate filling.
You can either spread the 1 cup of whipped cream or pipe it (for a decorative effect) on top of the pie.
Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.
If you want you can shave or get fancy and twirl chocolate and sprinkle it over the top as decoration.

Cut and enjoy! It’s incredibly easy. It only takes about 20 minutes to assemble if you use a store bought crust. This is one of those classic pies I grew up eating on special occasions. I absolutely love how surprised I was at the ease of making this pie. I highly suggest it for your next event! Even Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day, which is coming up quickly!!!

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I love this sweatshirt dress. It is so cozy. Perfect for the Houston winters. I wear it a lot. Like a lot a lot. At home I live in these red sherpa socks. My new apartment has wood floors, and these keep my feet warm and padded from the hard flooring.