Customer Comments

The focus of the book is an event that happened nearly 15 years ago, which caused Marguerite to abruptly close her successful Nantucket restaurant and become a recluse. The book alternates between telling the story in the present while giving details about the past. The way it is written is captivating, waiting to find out what had happened so many years ago. And also to piece together what became of her best friend, her best friend's husband, and her lover, none of whom are a part of Marguerite's present life.

If you know a cookie baker, definitely buy this for their collection. I've found so many cookie books are just the same old recipes put together with new photos. Tish Boyle has carefully put together a whole new collection here. There are 250 recipes for you to try - ranging from simple to sophisticated. I like that this is a heavy, quality book, though it could use a few more photos.

Just read the summary above and you won't have to bother reading the book. No surprises here, an ending we all see coming. And the characters are written in such an obvious way, so the readers are all supposed to be pulling for Jane, the main character. Oh, Jane, she might be dull and not as pretty as her sister, but she's dependable. Wait, what's this! Jane is losing weight and getting her hair cut. Buying new clothes. She's a stunner! And she might get the guy after all. Geez. Very predictable in an insulting way.

Very sharply written. This tells the story from the viewpoint of several women - and what is wrong with their lives. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is I liked so much about this book, but I really liked it. Maybe not a book for men though, as it's really written from a woman's thoughts.

This is a good, sensible bread book. The descriptions are pretty involved (so novices can turn out good loaves) and there are tons of photos. I like to see photos of finished bread products, so I can really determine if it looks like something I want to make. Varied types of recipes here - from yeast breads to quick breads to croissants and pita breads. And really, shouldn't everyone take the time in the morning to make their own english muffins?

Excellent! Just as good as her cookie book. I think the best part about this author's books is the little paragraph she puts in before every recipe. She explains a little bit about where it came from, or why she chose it. You really get the impression that she worked really hard on getting the perfect recipes to make up a really great book. She also has pretty detailed explanations in the recipe, like exactly how to shape it, or what NOT to do and the reason for it. It's like she does everything she can to help you make the best dessert you can. And there is a good range of desserts in this book - many that I want to try. This is one of the cookbooks that I pull off my shelf frequently just to browse.

I was really looking forward to this book based on the summary. It could have been an excellent book, but it was too drawn out and characters were too unlikeable. I really lost interest mid-way through and had to force myself to continue. I think I would have liked it had been more fast paced, and less of what the characters were thinking about. Pretty boring.

I liked the style of this book. It starts off with Alice when her schizophrenia develops and is completely written from her state of mind. She tells what's going on in her mind, what the disease is telling her. It's definitely not a heavy read though. Good enough that I would read something by Melody Carlson again.

I checked this out of the library and realized I need to buy it for my own collection! All the cupcakes start with cake mixes (pretty darn convenient) with add in's and decorating instructions. I see myself making a lot of cupcakes for school birthday's in the coming years and think this book will be invaluable. The only downside is the lack of photos. Boo, hiss! But the clear instructions and multitude of cupcake variations make up for this.

This is it! Finally, a really good ice cream book. I received the recommendation for this book online, so it's only appropriate that I recommend it online also. So drag out the ice cream maker that you swore you'd use every week - and really start using it!

Most adorable children's book ever. It's a huge board book that has a pull tab on every other page. The wolves eyes dart side to side, the bears eyelids shut, the bats poke their heads out. Great big sturdy board book that toddlers can manipulate themselves. Love this one!

Imogene wakes up with antlers and how the family deal with it. Good illustrations, clever concept.

This a funny book that any messy kid can relate too. As usual, Mark Teague's illustrations are the best. We're always looking for amusing children's books and this fits the bill!

I really wanted to like this book. The premise of all the kids having kids at the same time sounded like it would be a really interesting storyline. But the way she set up the characters makes them so unlikeable. All of them - the mom is overbearing, the dad is pitiful, one of the brothers is just awful, the sister is selfish. Really, you don't want anything good to happen to anyone, and there is so much bickering. Just blah.

Jill Davis also wrote "Girls' Poker Night" which I thought was hilarious. This book just didn't have the same edge. It was a decent storyline, but just didn't have the same sarcastic wit.

Loved this book. The way she writes from Ellen's point of view is so endearing. You feel sorry for her growing up in such circumstances, hoping she will find a safe place to live. At the same time, the book is funny written from her point of view, from the way she explains situations as a child.

Excellent book. It's about Little Pea who has to finish his dinner of candy before he can get his spinach dessert. The illustrations are uber simple, with the focus on the green peas against the backdrop of white pages. A friend recommended this to me, and I underestimated how much our son would love it. He has asked to read it every night for a week. Lucky for parents, it's the sort of children's book that is clever, but not wordy. The perfect read.

I love cookbooks, but I have a hard time finding a cookbook I want to BUY. This fits the bill. The recipes run the gamut from appetizers to full dinners to desserts. Lots of illustrations, which is part of what I need in a cookbook. One section focuses on gifts - easy recipes you can wrap up for the holidays. And at the front are a dozen recipes the editors thought were the very best.

Love the whole series of "How do Dinosaurs" books. The illustrations are very detailed, but clever and interesting. The text is simple - the perfect read for a young child. Particularly one taken with dinosaurs. The hardcovers are oversized books, well worth the price. We're collecting the entire series.

I didn't expect much out of this book and was surprised by how well written it was. Lots of sarcasm and just plain funny comments by the main character.

This is such a neat, interactive book. Filled with textures that kids love to touch, along with some moveable parts, and a large flip out page with all the animals. Nice to read aloud - really grabs their attention.

We're always on the lookout for clever children's books and this fits the bill. Wonderful illustrations and a great deal of fun to read.

One of the best children's book we own. Farmer Brown's cows learn how to type and leave him demand notes. Uses more than the typical children's book vocabulary such as "duck was a neutral party." Funny, funny!

Everyone should have a few books by Sandra Boynton. Kids love them and they are a funny read for the parents. We bought one when the baby was new, and have steadily added to our Boynton collection since. She is one of our favorite child authors. We read them over and over, and they nver get dull! Definitely get the child in your life a set of Boyntons.

I can't rate Sandra Boynton high enough. Our toddler LOVES every single book we have by her, as do we. Adorable illustrations, with sly humor meant for the parents. We probably have 15 books by Boynton and love every single one. If you are looking for a baby shower gift, definitely choose this.

This is a really nice cookie cookbook. It's short and fat, but has lots of shiny color photos, so you know what the final product is supposed to look like. I don't care for the cookbooks with no photos. The cookies recipes also are excellent.

David Sedaris is so fricking funny. He makes his entire childhood one big skit, but written in a way that seems so plausible. Hi-larious.

Very funny. Melissa Banks has a casual way of writing, and a great sense of humor. I think I'd read anything she wrote, based on this book.

I was surprised by how much I like the book. It focuses on one woman and her daughter settling in a new town, opening their chocolate shop and learning the town's secrets. New characters of the town are continually introduced, while you learn more of the woman's background. Good read.

A book that is impossible to put down! As the tale progresses, you find out the life story of both the old woman, and her biographer. As more details are revealed, the more twists the tale takes on. You think you have it figured out, read on, find you are wrong, and begin again. Both main characters are full of secrets, but very likeable. An excellent read, truly.

Excellent! Best cookie book I own. She gives a detailed description of where each cookie recipe came from, which is really interesting. There are a lot of photos, although not one for each cookie. Also, she's really picky about the preparation of each cookie, so the descriptions can be sort of long, but thorough. It really feels like she's done her research.

I liked this book very much. A lot of anticipation as you find out bits of their history, but have to wait until the end to hear the reasons why things happened as they did.

Excellent book! One of the few books that was so good and interesting that I would go back and read it again. Told from the perspective (I'm not ruining anything here) from a old man looking back on his life.

Excellent slow cooker cookbook. Lots of good photos, recipes sound appetizing. I borrowed my friend's copy first, and had to buy my own.