Synopsis:
Turning thirteen isn’t looking lucky for Liza—and even the kitchen isn’t a refuge—in this second book of the Saturday Cooking Club series.
Liza’s big plans for a small birthday celebration with besties Frankie and Lillian don’t stand a chance against a guilt-giving force of nature: her Nana Silver. As the girls attempt to regain control from a grandmother with way-too-grand ideas, they also try to find the right recipes for their own happiness. Frankie decides to remake herself in the image of Lillian’s high-achieving, “perfect” sister Katy, while Lillian tackles the puzzle of how to understand boys. And Liza whips up plans to use Nana’s extravagant birthday bash to try get her parents back together—despite the obvious simmering between her mom and Chef.
Can the girls rise to the occasion and salvage Liza’s party without scorched feelings? Or will turning thirteen be far from a piece of cake?
I really enjoyed this book. What made me want to read this book was the fact that I read the first book in this series (The Saturday Cooking Club: Kitchen Chaos) last year and I loved it!
Here’s a list of reasons why I truly loved this book:
1. The book was told in alternating points of view and I really enjoyed that especially because there were so many characters. I found this to be helpful; I got learn more about the characters and their point of view.
2. I liked the fact that the main characters that were in the first book were in this book as well. This book also introduced new characters. I felt like, I already knew the characters that were re-introduced in this book and I liked that. The characters are the main reason why I like this book. (The Authors was smart to keep them!) It was also nice to mix in new characters because it gave the book more subtle surprises.
3. I love books about cooking. This is what first attracted me to this series.
4. The chapters were pretty short. I feel accomplished when I get through reading a chapter and it also makes it easy to pick up where you left off when you have to take a reading break.
5. I enjoyed the storyline. (The DRAMA felt real!)
The main reason why I gave this book 4 stars over 5 is because I read the first book in the series and I liked it better. I was expecting more drama in this book like the first one had. To me, the thing about having books in a series, if the first book is really, really good you hold the next book in the series to a higher standard because your expectations are higher.
Overall, I absolutely, recommend this book but I also must recommend that you read the first one too. It’s the main reason why I couldn’t wait to read this book! (Kitchen Chaos was packed with a lot of drama and chaos!) You might even decide that you like this one better, either way they are both great reads!
~Happy Reading!