Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

Alice Cohen was happy for the first time in years. After a difficult divorce, she had a new love in her life, she was rais­ing a beloved adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Then she started experiencing mysterious symptoms. After months of tests, x-rays, and inconclusive diagnoses, Alice underwent a CAT scan that revealed the truth: she was six months pregnant. At age forty-four, with no prenatal care and no insurance coverage for a high-risk pregnancy, Alice was besieged by opinions from doctors and friends about what was ethical, what was loving, what was right. With the intimacy of a diary and the suspense of a thriller, What I Thought I Knew is a ruefully funny, wickedly candid tale; a story of hope and renewal that turns all of the "knowns" upside down. To be honest before I started reading this book, I was prepared not to like it. I had read previous reviews where the readers had felt uncomfortable due to moral decisions made by the author throughout t...

*Although the books I review on my blog are almost always Christian fiction, there will be a few spotlighted regular titles I will review from time to time.* Shortly before turning 50, TV cooking show personality Augusta “Gus” Simpson discovers that the network wants to boost her ratings by teaming her with a beautiful, young new co-host. But Gus isn ’t going without a fight—whether it’s off-set with her two demanding daughters, on-camera with the ambitious new diva herself, or after-hours with Oliver, the new culinary producer who’s raising Gus’s temperature beyond the comfort zone. Now, in pursuit of higher ratings and culinary delights, Gus might be able to rejuvenate more than just her career. I am a HUGE fan of the Food Network. It is one of the few channels on TV that I watch regularly. I'm not a gourmet chef or a foodie, but it's just so fun watching the shows on there and even better to learn about new foods and restaurants. I haven't read any of Kate Jacob's...