ANTOINE LAURAIN'S PAGE: An Astronomer in Love; Red Is My Heart; The Readers' Room

THE READERS' ROOM
ANTOINE LAURAIN (tr. Jane Aitken & Emily Boyce, Polly Mackintosh)
Pushkin Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$13.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: When the manuscript of a debut crime novel arrives at a Parisian publishing house, everyone in the readers' room is convinced it's something special. And, when it’s eventually published, the committee for France's highest literary honour, the Prix Goncourt, agrees.

But when the shortlist is announced, there's a problem for glamorous editor Violaine Lepage: she has no idea of the author's identity. As the police begin to investigate a series of murders strangely reminiscent of those recounted in the book, Violaine is not the only one looking for answers. And, suffering memory blanks following an aeroplane accident, she's beginning to wonder what role she might play in the story – as well as how to find the mystery author before the prize is announced.

In the end it will take the combined investigative powers of a detective, a junior editor, and Violaine’s therapist to uncover the truth. They will learn not just about the author of the book, but about the story’s origins, and the novel’s strange power to exact justice for violence done to a young girl decades ago. But when everything comes to light, one question will remain: can Violaine and the other readers of the mystery manuscript put the past to rest, and find happiness in the present?

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A fun, middlebrow light mystery about bookish people doing not-bookish things to discover the unexpected connection of writer to subject.

What worked best was the mystery of who the PoV character was before the accident that alters her. I found the brevity of the book (under 200pp) militated against it becoming fully integrated between the editor and the subject of police interest.

It's another entertaining story, albeit with less of Author Laurain's customary whimsical humor (feels odd saying that, given the main character awakes to having a chat with Proust), from France's Fredrik Backman. Laurain's comparative anonymity in the US is bewildering to me. I find his stories are pitched directly at my pleasure-read center, unlike Backman's. This cultural exploration, of a bit more serious tone, is also of a bit more serious topic: the murders, and other crimes, in the editor's manuscript received from a source unknown, coming true after the publication of the book suggests something very sinister took place. Her memory is compromised by the very public plane crash; did she ever know (despite consistently denying it) before her accident the truth of this manuscript?

It's a lot to put in a short space but this keeps the pace snappy. I was, as always, struck by Author Laurain's very unamerican way of keeping the violence and ugliness of the crimes either off the page entirely or minimally dealt with and then only in aftermath not in the commission of the crimes. I found it refreshing in a story that is not a conventional US-style cozy.

It's also not much of a mystery, in its resolution it felt rushed and obvious. So why am I giving it four stars? Because it feels like a dreamland, twilight between reality and not-reality throughout. From awakening into that chat with Proust to discovering she's got big memory-holes, the main character is off balance and so we are too. It's a way not to have our realism addiction denied by flying into the fantasy realm but not having it drag our awareness into the cleaning closet of realism there to be doused with the chlorine bleach of literalism.

I enjoy that liminality; I know others don't but always hope they'll be tempted to try something more...French, ambiguous, unbounded by rules of genre.

Can't hang me for hoping. (Yet.)

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AN ASTRONOMER IN LOVE
ANTOINE LAURAIN (tr. Louise Rogers Lalaurie & Megan Jones)
Pushkin Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$13.99 ebook, pre-order now for delivery on 3 February 2026

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: From the best-selling author of The Red Notebook comes the enchanting story of two men, 250 years apart, who find themselves on separate missions to see the transit of Venus across the Sun.

In 1760, astronomer Guillaume le Gentil sets out on a quest through the oceans of India to document the transit of Venus. The weather is turbulent, the seas are rough, but his determination will conquer all.

In 2012, divorced estate agent Xavier Lemercier discovers Guillaume’s telescope in one of his properties. While looking out across the city, the telescope falls upon the window of an intriguing woman with what appears to be a zebra in her apartment.

Then the woman walks through the doors of Xavier’s office a few days later, and his life changes for evermore . . .

Part swashbuckling adventure on the high seas and part modern-day love story set in the heart of Paris, An Astronomer in Love is a time-travelling tale of adventure, destiny and the power of love.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Guillaume le Gentil had to feel there was a bullseye on his back and gawd was always aimimg some kind of malign force at it. Nevertheless he persisted; he accomplished more than most will in a lifetime but failed spectacularly to accomplish the fame-bringing prize of observing the Transit of Venus. He was always trying to get where he needed to be, always thwarted by stuff he could not influence or change or avoid. How to get his Transit of Venus on one of the only two chances that come in any human lifetime?

Xavier Lemercier has a void at the center of his life after his divorce. He needs a woman to fill it. His real-estate career is nothing but a way to earn a living. What he wants is what we all want, someone who really *gets* him and whom he *gets* in the same way; someone with that fit between them that is as firm and solid as a lock receiving its key. How to find this, when he's already experienced failure, when he's always doing the business of life...?

The dual timelines aren't separated by chapters, or sections, or other structural tricks. They're separated by your attention. The maguffin here is Le Gentil's telescope that comes into Lemercier's possession via a real-estate transaction. Each man hopes to see his life change through its eyepiece. And both do. Just not ever quite as expected....

Will you resonate to these men's struggles to get to their hearts' desires? I'm guessing so; you'll need to be ready to invest a lot of energy into the under-300pp of fully intertwined life stories. There's a lot going on, yet a curious lack of direct action. This is a character-driven story of accepting limitations and finding a path through them, one that enriches your Self, despite (or because of) never being direct or going the easy route.

It was a satisfying read though lighter on Laurain's whimsical humor than I myownself prefer. It felt as though I was speaking to someone I had not heard from in a while, listening as he caught me up on the unusually packed time he'd been having. It's not perfect...I mentioned it's a bit po-faced for my preference, and a wee bit more action would not come amiss...but it was a rich, mellow mug of chocolate to warm my needing innards exactly when I needed it.

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RED IS MY HEART
ANTOINE LAURAIN (tr. Jane Aitken), illus. Le Sonneur
Pushkin Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$13.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: A moving, evocative exploration of heartbreak and healing in Paris, told through words and images in this stunning collaboration with French street artist Le Sonneur

How can you mend a broken heart? Do you write a letter to the woman who left you—and post it to an imaginary address? Buy a new watch, to reset your life? Or get rid of the jacket you wore every time you argued, because it was in some way responsible?

Combining the wry musings of a rejected lover with playful drawings in just three colours—red, black and white—one of France’s best-selling authors has collaborated with renowned street artist Le Sonneur to create a striking addition to the literature of unrequited love, and a moving, evocative exploration of heartbreak in one of the world’s great cities.

In this playful, poignant series of musings, a nameless narrator remembers a love affair just gone, watches the flight they were due to take to New York depart, sends flowers to a woman who died a century ago, smokes ostentatiously in front of No Smoking signs, and takes solace from the endless distractions and beauty of the city he calls home, Paris. If he walks these streets long enough—the streets of the City of Light, City of Love—he may find himself ready to love again.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: This is as close as I (voluntarily) come to poetry. Reminiscent of the concrete poetry that was popular in the 1960s, this illustrated trip into the psyche of a man processing his grief at loving and losing is evocative, emotionally resonant:

I hasten to say the text isn't arranged in flowers or birds flying, more just that the illustrations are copious in number and the text flows in response to them, reminiscent to me of old-timey concrete poetry. The prose is, of necessity, spare; it is making the points the many illustrations are expanding on and evoking responses from.

I'm not the obvious reader for a melancholic, perhaps under-reflective man's internal monologue. I wanted him to have a name so I could shout it at him to get him to see what was in front of him not merely look at it. Acts of adolescent defiance like the highlighted smoking in front of a "No Smoking" sign don't seem cute to me, just...adolescent.

I'm not making a great case for you to pick it up, am I? It's down to my absence of sympathy with things poetical. If you're not so inclined either, not a read to pursue. If, on the other hand, you're amenable to blank verse with integrated illustrations that are, in my opinion, very attractive indeed, you are exactly who the book is made for.

And consider this: I really dislike poetry, and still read this book, still liked this book...Author Laurain is clearly A Talent.It's very unusual for me to do more than look at poetry and slam the book shut, chuck it into the donation pile, and forget it exists.

On that grading curve, my 3.75* looks almost like a full five.

USING GIFT CARDS: Cookbooks...Health, Wellness, Frugality

Now that The Big Day's come and gone, lots of us have some giftcards, or some actual filthy lucre, to spend. There being no better way to spend that haul than on books, here are some reasonably priced options you might not've thought of to get your New Year's resolution-following needs met.
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COMFORT IN ONE: Simple, joyful one pot meals—The Sunday Times Bestseller
HARI BEAVIS
Carnival (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$32.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Explore 90 irresistible recipes that call for just one piece of cookware and minimal prep, delivering everyday delight to your kitchen. Whether it’s a one-pan wonder, a hearty traybake, a vibrant salad bowl, or a decadent one-tin cake, each dish promises effortless satisfaction with maximum flavour. Dive into a world of easy comfort food with the latest cookbook from Sunday Times bestselling author Hari Beavis.

Renowned for her down-to-earth approach and irresistible flavours, Hari brings you a collection of heart-warming meals that require just one pan, pot, tray or tin.

Each dish comes with handy alternative ingredient suggestions, allowing you to adapt to what’s already in your store cupboard and tailor your meals to any craving or dietary preference. From speedy suppers to slow-cooked comfort classics, you’ll find inspiration for every mood and occasion.

Recipes include:

Green Goddess Winter Pie—a nourishing, flaky-crusted delight

Rosé Wine Prawn Pasta—effortless elegance in one pan

Chorizo and Manchego Red Pepper Traybake—bold flavours with zero fuss

Slow Cooker Birria Tacos—tender, melt-in-the-mouth goodness

Garlic Butter, Lemon Chicken Orzo—creamy and comforting in a single pot

Pumpkin Risotto with Bacon and Walnut Crunch—seasonal indulgence at its best

Creamy Salmon Salad with Dill and Chive Dressing—a light yet satisfying bowl

Mozzarella, Peach and Prosciutto Salad—sweet, salty perfection

Lemon, Olive Oil and Thyme Cake—tangy and aromatic, all in one tin

With 90 soul-soothing recipes that champion simplicity and flavour, this cookbook invites you to relax, dig in, and discover how easy it is to whip up truly comforting meals. Let Hari Beavis guide you to your new favourite dish—one pot at a time.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: This is the kind of cookbook you single/two-person householders should buy immediately with your giftcards. Its focus is on how to eat well with minimum fuss on the cooking side and the cleanup side.

I think this is an idea most of us can really get behind. More people live in small households every year across the developed world. It's a great idea to get information and learn tecgniques that will help you navigate this unusual-to-many change of lifestyle. If you or your grands/niblings are just beginning this journey, now is the time to learn the practical realty management needed.

Our journey's organized by the utensil we're using one of. The delights that can be made this way, well, just look:

And, of course, she didn't forget the cake!

A lovely and useful collection of good, practical ideas to make soliary easy to clean up eating fun and pleasant.

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THE PROTEIN ADVANTAGE COOKBOOK: High-Protein, Low-Carb Recipes That Burn Fat, Build Muscle, and Restore Metabolism
CAROLYN KETCHUM
Fair Winds Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$27.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: In The Protein Advantage Cookbook, best-selling author Carolyn Ketchum sets you up for success with the new, higher-protein approach to low-carb eating with science-back advice and 100 delicious recipes.

The Protein Advantage Cookbook is the new template for low-carb eating, filled with the latest science and 100 recipes to help you meet your weight loss, body composition, and health goals.

Authored by best-selling cookbook author, Carolyn Ketchum, The Protein Advantage Cookbook includes step-by-step recipes with full-color photos, the latest research on high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating, and tips and tricks for building your high-protein, low-carbohydrate pantry.

For years, we’ve followed the traditional ketogenic diet formula: high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbs. And it worked—individuals saw the benefits of shifting from being sugar burners to fat burners. However, new science is showing that a low carbohydrate diet with higher protein ratios burns more stored fat and preserves and builds more lean muscle tissue. Recent research also suggests that a large percentage of adults are not consuming enough protein to maintain healthy bodies into middle age and beyond. And numerous experts agree that the RDA or protein for adults over age 50 is too low. High protein, low-carb diets are no longer the purview of body builders and athletes. It is a vital requirement for our health and longevity.

The Protein Advantage Cookbook provides a delicious path to health with recipes like:

Sheet Pan Omelet

Loaded Breakfast Casserole

Protein Bagels

Chocolate Donuts

Turkey Chili Verde

Korean Beef and Broccoli

Spinach Feta Chicken Burgers

Lasagna Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce

Easy Protein Chocolate Mousse

Peanut Butter Bars

Protein Cheesecake

Start your high-protein, low-carb journey to optimum health with this game-changing guide.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: High-protein eating is what turned on my latent gout decades ago. There are squads and fleets of people who need to lose weight for a variety of reasons, whose health will be improved by eating a lot more protein than carbohydrates.

The recipes in this book are simple, easy to follow, and I'll assume very well designed to improve protein deficient dieters' health.

It's obvious the book was designed with tablet-users in mind. It's a very easy to scan and understand design. It's a very well thought out guide to making your transition into a protein-heavy diet.

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SMART YOGURT: New Ways to Make Yogurt that Minimize Prep, Optimize Output, Improve Taste and Texture, Add Natural Flavors, Reduce Intolerance, and Boost Probiotics
MARK SHEPARD
Shepard Publications (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$20.00 paperback, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Continuing from his ground-breaking Smart Sourdough, Mark Shepard presents innovative approaches to what may be the world's most popular fermented food.

Yogurt is the quickest and simplest of all the fermented foods you can make at home—or it SHOULD be. More recent methods tend to complicate the process or make it less efficient. Smart Yogurt strips away unnecessary steps and identifies the most practical equipment, so your prep takes no more than a few minutes.

But maybe you have special needs or goals for your yogurt. For those who want to go beyond basics, "Smart Yogurt" presents a wealth of possibilities:

Improving taste and texture without adding to prep time.

Adding natural flavors and colors before incubation, without interfering with firming.

Making your own lactose-free yogurt to increase tolerance.

Boosting your yogurt's probiotic value by starting it from scratch—without any yogurt starter, dried "heirloom" culture, or probiotic tablets.

Making your own non-dairy yogurt without thickeners or stabilizers.

Whether you want to simplify your yogurt making, explore new options, or just understand all the ways milk can be turned into one of the world's most popular foods, Smart Yogurt is your guide.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I love this kind of book...simplifying the making of a food that can be quite costly, enabling you to take control of a process traditionally performed at home. It's such a great idea.

All of these are tech discussed in relation to the making of yogurt in the book. The Instant Pot was the most familiar to me, and I'd guess to you as well.

The end products are very familiar, aren't they? Making them yourself is something we can all do pretty easily with this kind of guidance from this author's simple instructions.

USING GIFT CARDS: Cookbooks...weird and witchy

Now that The Big Day's come and gone, lots of us have some giftcards, or some actual filthy lucre, to spend. There being no better way to spend that haul than on books, here are some reasonably priced options you might not've thought of to get your spooky-cake-eating needs met.
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THE LITTLE GOTHIC BAKESHOP: Over 50 Recipes with Sweetness and Shadows in Every Bite
HELENA GARCÍA
Castle Books (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$19.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Little Gothic Bakeshop features over 50 deliciously spooky and inventive recipes that bring a gothic twist to everyday baking. Give your baking a wicked, whimsigoth twist with The Little Gothic Bakeshop, featuring sweet and savory treats with a gothic flair.

The Little Gothic Bakeshop showcases over 50 spooky and inventive recipes from The Great British Baking Show star, Helena Garcia, who impressed the judges and audiences alike with her creepy creations. Brewing with mystique, this cookbook is your go-to guide to easily transform ordinary recipes into macabre masterpieces, including devilishly delicious cakes, cookies, pastries, breads, desserts, and drinks.

Covering Bewitching Beverages, Spooky Cookies and Candies, Ghoulish Breads and Pastries, To-Die-For Desserts, and Macabre Cakes and Bakes, unleash your inner goth with recipes like:

Black Cat Mini Swiss Rolls

Spiderweb Sand-witch Cookies

Vampire's Bloody Valentine Lollipops

Flying Broomstick Focaccia Muffins

Skull Boba Bubble Tea

Scary Berry Lemon Tarts

Gothic Arch Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Bat Fougasse

Cemetery Traybake slices

And more!

A combination of tactile illustration and darkened photography throughout the book is a homage to the old Victorian aesthetic of gothic elegance. Step into the dark side of baking and discover recipes that are easy to make, fun and spooky to design, and delicious when devoured. Whether you’re an everyday goth or Halloween-obsessed, The Little Gothic Bakeshop is filled with tricks and treats designed to bring some ghoulish fun to your baking repertoire!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The draw here is less unique recipes, these are fairly usual baking-cookbook fare, but GBBO season 10 Helena's design aesthetic.

I thought both Helena and Michelle were robbed that season. I loved Helena's complete willingness to stick to a theme...the vampire's kiss cocktail cake!...went underappreciated by the judges. Her latest baking cookbook is more about how to take ordinary bakes to the next level in theme and decoration. That was Helena's gift, and she's sticking with it.

Small bakes for small crowds, like those above, or big ones for parties like below:

There's all the stuff between, too, like main courses and dinner-do desserts and weird, witch drinks:

Much against my personal taste I'll include some of her chocolate stuff here at the end so I don't have to look at it often:

There. Happy now, chocoholics?

A lovely little lifestyle-enhancer for all y'all Halloweeners who wouldn't buy this unless it was a self-gift.

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BEYOND DELICIOUS COOKBOOK: Recipes & Stories from the Original Ghost Whisperer (2nd Edition, Revised)
MARY ANN WINKOWSKI & David Powers
Clerisy Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$22.00 all editions, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Savor this collection of more than 100 recipes, shared with the Ghost Whisperer by the spirits of several great cooks.

We cook because our connection to food is ever-present. We cook for sustenance and joy. For a culinary experience that’s completely unique, the Beyond Delicious Cookbook tickles your tastebuds while making your paranormal senses tingle. It is half cookbook and half ghost story—two ingredients needed to create meals that are tasty and chillingly unforgettable.

Mary Ann Winkowski (aka “The Ghost Whisperer”) has been communicating with earthbound spirits for most of her life, and she learned that our connection with food is not broken after death. In fact, she has received countless recipes from spirits of great cooks who have passed on. Co-written by David Powers, the Beyond Delicious Cookbook features more than 100 of these recipes, each paired with the ghostly tale of how Mary Ann learned about the dish. The book is divided into sections about soups, sides, main dishes, desserts, and more.

As Mary Ann notes, these recipes are the best home-cooked meals you can find because they came from the kitchens of families who prepared and perfected them over a lifetime. The meals are so beloved that the living asked Mary Ann to get them or so meaningful that a spirit asked her to record them for those left behind. The stories that go along with the recipes are often sweet, sometimes spooky, and always transfixing.

Book Features:

More than 100 recipes passed to Mary Ann from beyond the grave

Ghost stories that explain where each recipe came from

Sections that feature main dishes, sides, desserts, and more

Family favorites that have been handed down from previous generations

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Believe in ghosts? This cookbook of their remembered favorite recipes is likely to be a hit with you.

Don't believe in ghosts? Bet you like good, basic cooking books to glean new ideas from. And it looks right pretty doing it.

That's as fancy as we get; the Introduction is much more typical of the way information's presented. It's good, basic cooking, and the recipes are not hard to follow.

It's a fun concept for a decent cookbook, presented well. A nice, whimsical self-gift.

USING GIFT CARDS: Cookbooks...cuisines to try

Now that The Big Day's come and gone, lots of us have some giftcards, or some actual filthy lucre, to spend. There being no better way to spend that haul than on books, here are some reasonably priced options you might not've thought of to get your dining needs met.
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GERMAN HOME KITCHEN: Traditional Recipes That Capture the Flavors of Germany
SOPHIE SADLER
Rock Point (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$28.00 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: German Home Kitchen offers authentic yet easy-to-make recipes that bring the rich culinary traditions of Germany to your table. Relish the luscious aromas, hearty flavors, and festive traditions of German cooking with this authentic yet approachable cookbook.

In German Home Kitchen, Sophie Sadler shares over 65 savory and sweet recipes inspired by the foods of her childhood in Germany, featuring all courses, including Frühstück (breakfast), Für Zwischendurch (snacks), Main Dishes, Beilagen (sides), Sweet Meals, Kaffee und Kuchen (afternoon coffee and cake), and Abendbrot (traditional cold dinner), along with street food, recipes for the joyful Christmas season, and specialties from her Oma’s kitchen. The recipes are designed with simplicity and accessibility in mind and include easy-to-recreate German classics such as:

Franzbrötchen (Croissant-Style Cinnamon Rolls)

Leberwurst (Liver Paté)

Gebackener Camembert (Baked Camembert)

Jägerschnitzel (Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Mushroom Sauce)

Bratkartoffeln (Pan-Fried Potatoes)

Roggenmischbrot (Rye and Wheat Bread)

Currywurst (Bratwurst with Curry Ketchup)

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake)

Käsefondue (Cheese Fondue)

German Home Kitchen has dishes for every occasion, whether you’re looking to impress your guests with a celebratory holiday feast, enjoy a cozy dinner with family, or simply satisfy your craving for authentic German flavors. With this charming cookbook, learn how easy it is to incorporate German delicacies into your cooking repertoire beyond pretzels and bratwursts.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Exploring the wonders of German cookery is a long-term project of mine. A lot of the kosher foods I eat daily have their roots in German cooking, so I'm curious to explore deeper if and when I get access to some sort of cooking space.

The recipes in this volume are very interesting to me, and the design makes the book quite appealing as an object:

Hearty ways to start your day indeed. Remembering how very far nortth Germany is, it's very sensible to fill up on good-tasting stodge early in the day.

I'm most interested to try some of the griddled bready things Germany's gifted to the world:

Of course there's always lunch and dinner to refresh you anew:

I'll assume I've either piqued your interest or killed it entirely by now. I'll say I enjoyed looking at the book on my tablet, so can vouch for its utility on such a device. I myownself would always like a tree-book of something this lovely. I was most taken by the section that represennted a look into one's grandmother's recipe box:

A very usable, useful cookbook, and great for exploring new cuisines in the New Year.

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THE 30-DAY MEDITERRANEN MEAL PLAN AND COOKBOOK: A Beginner’s Guide to the World’s Best Diet for Long-Term Health and Longevity
ALEXANDIA ZOZOS
Fair Winds Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$24.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Featuring four weekly meal plans and over 75 delicious recipes, The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan & Cookbook is the ultimate onboarding guide to the healthy-boosting, longevity-promoting Mediterranean diet. Unlock the secrets of the Mediterranean diet and discover a lifetime of health benefits with this beginner’s guide and cookbook, written by a registered dietitian nutritionist.

The Mediterranean diet has long been regarded as one of the healthiest eating patterns on the planet. Crowned the best diet in the world by U.S. News & World Report seven years in a row—and now being recommended by healthcare professionals as an ideal complement to GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Ozempic—no other diet beats it when it comes to supporting heart health, brain health, weight management, and the prevention of diabetes and other chronic diseases. Emphasizing a balanced approach to nutrition, the importance of whole, unprocessed foods, moderation, social connections, and the enjoyment of fresh, plant-based meals, the Mediterranean diet is not only good for you but for your community and the planet. But knowing it’s the best diet around and knowing how to start following it are two different things. That’s where this book comes in.

Written by Alexandria Zozos, a registered dietitian nutritionist who comes from a Greek family and specializes in the Mediterranean diet, The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan & Cookbook unveils the compelling research behind the reign of this sustainable, plant-forward diet and provides a simple, flexible blueprint so you can start following it—and reaping the incredible health and longevity benefits!—immediately.

In the first part, Alexandria offers a 4-week plan to gradually introduce you to the diet. Each week features a complete 7-day meal plan and shopping guide for you to follow while introducing a different aspect of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, including the fundamentals of the diet, nutritional guidance, lifestyle and holistic health practices, and sustainability. The flexible meal plans include suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts, so you can be assured you’ll find satisfaction (super important on the Mediterranean Diet!) while you explore the life-changing benefits of this way of eating. In the second part, Alexandria includes over 75 simple recipes, from comforting family classics to nutritionally-optimized entrees, including:

Mediterranean Granola with Hemp Seeds

Herbed Olive Oil Focaccia

Yiayia’s famous stuffed peppers

Avgolemono Soup

Vegetable Pasta e Fagioli

Crunchy Chickpea and Kale Salad with Tahini Garlic Dressing

Ratatouille Provençal

Sicilian-Inspired Eggplant Parmesan

Chicken Souvlaki & Veggie Skewers

Tuscan “Butter” Shrimp

Sesame Tahini Cookies

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

And more!

Brimming with practical advice, gorgeous photography, and enough clean, whole-food recipes to make anyone happy, The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan & Cookbook includes everything you need to set yourself up for a lifetime of success with the world’s healthiest diet.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Practical advice abounds in this easy-to-use introduction to the widely touted "Mediterranean" diet. Apparently the touting elides a lot of national cuisines' variations in service of the region's broad use of extremely healthy and very delicious ingredients, like olive oil...you'll see it a lot in this comprehensive guide to getting yourself onto a good thing.

It's all like this...graphically easy to parse, full of good information and methods to enact the ideas in your kitchen.

I was looking at it on my tablet, so can vouch for the design's legibility on that device. I think the photos would probably look better in tree-book form, but they ain't half bad:

Main courses aren't the only things one can Mediterraneanize of course, though we tend to hear less about those desserty things that make dining so much fun:

This eminently practical and very helpful guide to starting your journey into Mediterranean cooking and eating is very, ver easy to use as well. The inclusion of shopping lists, the ease of following the simply-explained recipes, all make this a terrific choice to launch yourself into a new cuisine with the minimum of fuss, and the most reasonable and unwasteful cost.