Book on Goodreads: Life from Scratch | Authoress: Melissa Ford Genre: Adult Fiction | Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 208 | Publisher: Bell Bridge Books | Premise: On the heels of her divorce, Rachel decides to take a year off work and start over.
2¢ Worth: Pull out your Haagen-Dazs and cheap strawberry wine, because reading Life from Scratch feels like a post-breakup bonding night with your BFF. Rachel will suck you right in with her honest voice. Before you know it, you will be staying up well into the night as she gives you the scoop and you both consider where the heck she might go from here.
Word to the wise:
- Melissa Ford's writing is so smooth and authentic that I honestly thought it was semi-autobiographical. I even searched the net (several times) just to make sure Rachel's cooking blog/online diary wasn't real.
- Describing this book has been like trying to describe a friend.
- I have NEVER highlighted so many passages in a book before.
- As soon as I finished this one, I wanted to reread it. That hasn't happened to me since New Moon.
- Rumor has it the authoress is working on book two.
Whippersnappers: Divorce, sex, infertility, and the occasional curse word
Wholly: Life from Scratch is a funny, witty, 5 star, memoirish journey of how one gal (through cooking and blogging) finds her voice, passion, and insight on her failed marriage.
Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com
Thank you to Bell Bridge Books for making this review possible.
Thank you to Write Meg! for the recommendation.
Sounds cute...Ill have to add it to my TBR and then when the "food mood" hits I can read it.
ReplyDeleteJuju...your reviews seriously rock. They do! You put so much into such a small space and they are always fun to boot. Seriously enjoy reading each one. As for this one...it's not auto-biographical? Huh...sorta pegged it as being so...oh well, a good read is a good read either way. Definitely adding to the list of "read some day soon". Thanks for sharing! ^_^
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting to me!
ReplyDeleteI love highlights in books! ;) And this book sounds very good. I love the title and the cover. Another great book to look out for. Thanx for the wonderful review.
ReplyDeleteI love your whimsical way of reviewing books. I'm going to read this after I read the Hunger Games Series.
ReplyDeleteI adore your reviews!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds incredible. Great review! I love books that speak to you so much that you highlight passages. I will have to get my hands on a copy.
ReplyDeleteHuh! I wasn't feeling drawn to this book but you do make it sound enticing!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome review :)
ReplyDeleteI read a book by her long long ago, and I didn't get the title before my mum pointed it out. Oh the old days, lol
Juju, you certainly have a way of wowing me. "Describing this book has been like trying to describe a friend."
ReplyDeleteLove that. I'm so glad I got this book when it was offered as a free download on Amazon. Can't wait to read it now.
Juju, have I ever told you how much I love how you review?! Seriously. I like the sound of this one...it's a definite change from what I normally read :)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a really good book!
ReplyDeleteI've got it on my e-reader but haven't read it yet! Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of highlighting!! I highlight with post its and I always know a keeper when a book is full of post its!
ReplyDeleteOh and to answer your question of which of the YA paranormals did i like the best-the twilight series definitely. i didn't like fallen at all, and crescendo was good action and plot wise but the lead character was sooooo stupid (sorry there's not a nice way to say it)
ReplyDeletesounds like a really fun book! i've seen it around the boards but haven't picked it up yet...sounds like i need to =]
ReplyDeletethanks for the fantastic review!
This sounds really good - I'm putting a hold on it at the library right after I finish commenting. I love how you describe some books as friends.
ReplyDeleteGMR and Gina Hott: Oh thank you :) *hugs*
ReplyDeleteBlueice and Tina: Yah!
Nina & Carrie Hammock: I try not to, but some books are too good. I read this one as an eBook so it was e-higlighting technically :) But I have seriously never highlighted so many items before :) Carrie, I love your post-its idea :)
Kaye & Christina: Thank you! :) I am SO glad to hear that :)
Jenny: Very sweet of you to say :)
Blod: Reallly? "Navigating the Land of If" maybe? :)
Missie: Thank you :) I really struggled with this one because I loved it so much. It became like a friend that I couldn't possibly surmise well enough :)
Melissa: Thank you :) *hug*
Cari: Definitely :)
Dara: Thank you for stopping by
Stacy: You totally do! :)
Mary: Thanks :) And thanks for coming by! I've missed you.
great! i love stories like these.
ReplyDeleteOh, yay! So glad you loved this one, too. Like you, it was really hard for me to believe Rachel wasn't real... her blog is totally one I would visit all the time. Adored Ford's book and have been recommending it all over the place, especially to bloggers!
ReplyDeletevv: :)
ReplyDeleteMeg: OMG me too! I wanted to be real so bad. I loved it and loved the ending. Thank you so much for bringing it to my attention. I hope she does write a second book :)
I usually don't read these types of books but you made it sound so good.
ReplyDeleteWow, I've got to read this!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Sounds like a winner.
ReplyDeletelol I didn't think I'd like your new style of book review, but I do! I'm so glad you liked it!! I'm only a few pages in, but I can't help but love books about food. Nom nom nom
ReplyDeleteI absolutely positively have to read this one! It looks so darn cute.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I got this one when it was available for free on Amazon! I love cooking. Sounds like a super fun book! I'm glad you liked it. I'm definitely reading it this month for the Show Me the Free Reading Challenge!
ReplyDeleteI picked this one up for free on my kindle. I'm looking forward to reading it since you enjoyed it so much. Do you have any special quotes to share, since you highlighted so much of the book?
ReplyDeleteJenny N: Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteMidnight: I bet you'd dig it :)
Andrea: Thank you :)
Tipsy: I'm glad I won you over :) Was it the "w's" ? :)
Meredith: Yay! I hope you do :)
Julie: Oh yay! *happy dance*
Gina Precious: Good question! She is just so spot on about everything. Here is 3:
"I think that’s why people love to check email or go to their mailbox—just because the chance of human connection exists."
"Sitestalker gives me a PhD in paranoia."
"It isn’t like college, where people are pouring out of the woodwork. When you’re an adult, you make your friends at work or in your neighborhood or through your children."
I love a work of fiction that reads like a true story!
ReplyDeletePlus it has an intriguing cover (without the drama). Great review!
ReplyDeleteYes! The post its have saved many of my books from dog eared corners!!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds so good! I love Julie and Julia-type stories, and this one sounds similar and unique at the same time! I will want to check this!
ReplyDeleteAnother must read for Belle! You are going to single-handedly keep me in books for the entire 2011, Juju.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of this book. And I really love the way you review! Life from Scratch is now added to my gigantic wishlist :D
ReplyDeleteOoh, sounds good! I think that this has what Eat, Pray, Love was missing for me, a reason to start over. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteWow, she really is spot on! Thanks for sharing, I think I can really relate to the last one for sure.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I'm marking it "to read".
ReplyDeletegreat review! glad you liked :)
ReplyDeleteReally? Well if you say so then I'll give it a try. Trying to describe your friend pretty much cinched it for me anyway :)
ReplyDeleteBermuda: Yes :) me too! It seems to get under your skin more :)
ReplyDeleteReflections: True that :)
Carrie: :D
Aths: O than you would love this one :)
BookBelle & Misha: Yay! :) LOL I feel so honored.
Lizzy: Yes yes yes yes yes :) What a brilliant way to put it.
Gina Precious: Amen. Me too! :)
Aris: Whoot :) Thanks for visiting and commenting :)
Chelley: Thanks :)
Jenny Girl: Ahhhh right on :) I hope you love it as much as I did/do.
How much do I love the books I feel like re-reading the minute I finish them? That is a rare occurrence for me, so I'll definitely have to check out one that makes you want to do that!
ReplyDeleteJenny: Yay :)
ReplyDeleteSide note: I was totally thinking of you today when I saw this cover: http://www.amazon.com/Karma-Melodies-ebook/dp/B004MPRVBA
Oh man, my BF of two years and i just broke up...this sounds like the perfect read and thanks to your earlier post, I have it on my Kindle =)
ReplyDeleteVamp: I am SO sorry to hear that *hugs* I think you will dig this one. It's nice to read a 30something who is starting fresh. Good luck sweetie. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteWHY have I not read this book yet?! Sounds divine and I'm stoked you loved this book - which means it's *awesome* :)
ReplyDeleteI was drawn to this book when you first posted about it for the humor and cooking (not to mention blogging!), but I ended up giving it up. I don't think I'm cut out for contemporary fiction, or I'm not at a place in my life to appreciate it properly. Divorce as a main topic isn't for me. Glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThree Cheers to your style of reviews... I adore them.
ReplyDeleteCC: Thanks! I really hope you decide to read it. I think you will definitely like it :)
ReplyDeleteCecelia: I feel ya :) Contemporary fiction takes the right mind frame. Sometimes I want nothing to do with it. Lately, I can't get enough of it. What drew me (even though I'm happily married) was that I found it nice to read about someone who (like me) is in her 30s, doesn't have kids, and is starting something new in her her life. I also really connected to her falling in love with blogging. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts :)
Kavyen: Thanks doll :)
Whippersnappers, hehe love it. Great review. This auctually sounds really good. I thing I will be adding this to my list. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSounds great - too bad that blog wasn't real!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked this one; now I'm anxious to get to it on my Kindle. :)
ReplyDeleteElie: Thanks ;-) I hope you do :)
ReplyDeleteAlyssa: Right? My thoughts exactly :)
JessicaBookLover: Yay! Please do :)
This might just be the greatest review ever. Thank you so much for this. And it's funny that you mention Haagen-Dazs because there were many nights that I ate ice cream for dinner while writing it :-)
ReplyDeleteAaaah, I pretend to be so technologically suave, but that just posted before I was ready...
ReplyDeleteTruly, thank you so much for this. I owe book bloggers and other-topic bloggers so much for this good press. And I am forever grateful to you for taking the time to read it and write so humourously and warmly about it.
Wonderful review, Juju! Lately I've been wanting to read more Adult Fiction. And I think I will definitely be adding this one to my reading list. Sounds like an awesome and fun read. Thanks so much, Juju. Have a wonderful weekend =D.
ReplyDeleteI think I am for sure going to read this one! I loved your description: "Describing this book has been like trying to describe a friend."
ReplyDeleteI'm almost at the point where I need to switch from YA to Adult fiction, so I may be reading it sooner rather than later.
Probably a box of tissues as well?
ReplyDeleteTo want to reread this has sold me. That's rare
ReplyDeleteLollipop: Hi! I am so honored that you came by :) I seriously loved everything about your book. I miss Rachel. I really did connect with her and hope you do continue with her story! *hug* You are great writer!
ReplyDeleteBere: Thanks pumpkin :D
Penny: I feel ya :) I've sooo been there lately :)
Cherry: No actually :) She's a tough cookie. Great question though :)
Cleverly: Yay :)
This sounds like something I would like. Thanks! I'm adding it to the pre-TBR list :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delicious & I’m pretty sure I snagged it when it was free. Hopefully I can find time to read it soon. I finally have the Kindle charged & ready to go :) I’m the worst when it comes to keeping these pesky electronics juiced.
ReplyDeleteOkay, seriously, your review has reminded me I need to crack this one open again. Sometimes reading on an eReader is not a great thing! I forget with too many books to choose from and this one keeps calling my name. Even with it being a memoir! Food just makes books amazing if it's done well and this one obviously is! Fantastic review my dear! Off to open this one up again! :o)
ReplyDeleteGG: Yah! :)
ReplyDeleteChristie: Wahoo! And LOL I feel ya ;) I'm like that with my cell.
1stdaughter: OMG So true! I hope you do and end up loving it :)