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Book Review: The Kitchen Daughter & a Giveaway

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Hello, friends. Today I am reviewing The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry for TLC Book Tours. As always, I am provided with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

About The Kitchen Daughter:

After the unexpected death of her parents, painfully shy and sheltered 26-year-old Ginny Selvaggio seeks comfort in cooking from family recipes. But the rich, peppery scent of her Nonna’s soup draws an unexpected visitor into the kitchen: the ghost of Nonna herself, dead for twenty years, who appears with a cryptic warning (“do no let her…”) before vanishing like steam from a cooling dish.

A haunted kitchen isn’t Ginny’s only challenge. Her domineering sister, Amanda, (aka “Demanda”) insists on selling their parents’ house, the only home Ginny has ever known. As she packs up her parents’ belongings, Ginny finds evidence of family secrets she isn’t sure how to unravel. She knows how to turn milk into cheese and cream into butter, but she doesn’t know why her mother hid a letter in the bedroom chimney, or the identity of the woman in her father’s photographs. The more she learns, the more she realizes the keys to these riddles lie with the dead, and there’s only one way to get answers: cook from dead people’s recipes, raise their ghosts, and ask them.

About the author:

Jael McHenry is a talented and enthusiastic amateur cook who blogs about food and cooking at the SIMMER blog, http://simmerblog.com. She is a monthly pop culture columnist and Editor-in-Chief of Intrepid Media, online at intrepidmedia.com. Her work has appeared in publications such as the North American Review, Indiana Review, and the Graduate Review at American University, where she earned her MFA in Creative Writing. She lives in New York City.

My review:

I dream of writing a novel some day. And I imagine the words I would want to read in a review are: “I couldn’t put it down!” Well – I couldn’t put this wonderfully written novel down. Jael McHenry has written a beautiful story – of love, loss, finding oneself, magic, mystery, cooking and family. Ginny, our protagonist, has been protected by her parents because of her inability to relate in a ‘normal’ manner to other people, to certain sounds, to physical touch. When her parents die unexpectedly, she is forced to come to terms with who she really is. That is a simple two sentence recap of the story. But there is so much more. Ginny loves to cook. She finds refuge and creativity in the process of cooking. It is her anchor. As she attempts to deal with the loss of her parents, cooking provides a necessary solace. When she is feeling scared or threatened, she visualizes the texture of foods, the way the food tastes, the steps in a recipe. That remembrance calms her. McHenry writes beautifully about food – the smells, tastes, textures. Anyone who loves cooking will love the beautifully written descriptions of creating a dish as well as the recipes that are included.

There is a magical element throughout the book. Ghosts appear with tantalizing words of advice; a few words here, an unfinished sentence there. As Ginny struggles to put it all together, to find the answer, you will find yourself cheering her on. As I grew to know Ginny, I was struck by the realization that we are all damaged in some way. Finding our truth, discovering who we really are and emerging triumphant in a world that wants to ‘name’ our problems, to narrowly confine us to a ‘category,’ is a challenge we all face. When we can do that, as Ginny ultimately does, we can fly.

This story takes place in Philadelphia. As some of you know, I went to graduate school in Philadelphia. As I was reading the description of Ginny’s house, which is on a block called “Portico Row,” something made me Google it because I thought it sounded awfully familiar. It turns out to be on Spruce Street between 9th and 10th.  I lived on Spruce and 10th during my first year in Philly.  I walked by those homes every day! I knew that neighborhood intimately so it was a double pleasure to read about it in this novel.

Jael McHenry has created a most wonderful character in Ginny. She has perfectly captured the way her mind works, how she protects herself in moments of stress, how she struggles to cope in a world that doesn’t understand her. I fell a little in love with Ginny. And isn’t that what one wants to do when reading a great story? My hat is off to the author. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Good news: the publisher has graciously offered a free copy of The Kitchen Daughter to one lucky reader of this post. If you are interested, please leave a comment. The comment has to be on this post. I will pick a winner on Saturday evening, April 16th.

Comments

  1. this story sounds wonderful.. you always seem to want to be comforted by memories and long for your loved ones to be close.. by doing things remembered.. i would love to be entered to win this book.. thanks so much for a great blog, and such interesting subjects and topics from crafting to books, to gardening.
    have a great day :)
    lynn

  3. well you definitely captured my interest… I only have a few books remaining on my nightstand this week and then it is back to the library for more. I must see about this one.
    :D

    xx
    z

  4. Okay, I really want to read this now. Your review has me intrigued!

    Thanks for sharing your review of this book. I’ve been in the mood for a “good read”, and this sounds like a winner. I’m sure hoping to win! (I’ll still read it, even if I don’t win!)

    Hugs,
    Jill

  5. Just sat down with a piece of banana bread and cup of coffee to read your blog. This story seems right up my alley. I’d love to win!. Mona

  6. Ahh this sounds like my kind of book ….but then I haven’t met to many books that wern’t my kind. It truly would be lovely to win this one.

    cyn

  7. You have hooked me on this one. I won’t enter the giveaway because postage to Aus would be a bit pricey. But I will be searching it out at our local library.
    Loved the cheery looking daffodils in your last post. Autumn chill has set in here.

  11. Claudia, I won one of your giveaways earlier, so I won’t try to win this time, but the book sounds interesting. I will be looking for it soon. Thanks for the heads up!

  13. Claudia, I love it when you do a book review! The books always prove to so interesting and I love to read stories of loved ones that have influenced our licves and this sounds like just my kind of read!!! Thank you for your honest opinion, sounds like a blog and a book I shall enjoy!
    I am just getting caught up on your recent posts and I look forward to reading the last few that I missed, how exciting to be here and have a chance at a giveaway too!! When you do publish a book I know I shall want to be there for a copy to read….and your autograph too!!!!
    Hugs,
    Margaret B

  15. Claudia, you should be a professional book reviewer. You have such a way with words. And yes, you do need to write a book yourself!

    The Kitchen Daughter sounds like my cup of tea. I would love to be entered into the drawing, and if not chosen I will most definitely be purchasing this book! Jael McHenry will be thrilled when she reads your review. What a coincidence that you lived in the same neighborhood where the story takes place!

    Thanks for this opportunity, Claudia… Donna

  16. Claudia, I love your review. I adore books and movies that have food as their background. For instance, I adore Babette’s Feast. I own that DVD and I look at it once in a while. I never get tired of it. Because I do not have a blog, I never try for giveaways. I leave that for all those hard working bloggers. That is my rule. However, I will most certainly be buying the book because of the food element in it. No, I don’t overeat. I can’t. I don’t have that much of an appetite. I’m rather on the thin side. It’s just that the subject of food is such a passionate one. The colour, the texture, the flavour. I could go on and on. I own so many cookbooks that it’s ridiculous. I just like to look at them.

  18. Your blog is gorgeous!!

    I’d love to read this book – I’ve heard so many good things about it, and your review was lovely!

  19. That sounds like a wonderful book! I will definitely look for it if I’m not the lucky person to win. I love books that mix in cooking with a mystery. Diane Mott Davidson is one of my favorite “cookbook mystery” writers.

  20. Claudia, you have hooked me. This book sounds wonderful.

    Thank you for sharing, and thank you for giving us an opportunity to win.

  22. this story sounds wonderful! I always love a book with a ghost or two since I firmly believe that the spirits of those we love that have passed are somehow still here with us and guiding us along somehow. Lovely review Claudia!!

  23. Claudia, sounds very interesting and I agree we are all damaged in some way. If only some could see it and admit it. Thanks for a great review. ♥O

  24. This sounds like a perfect book for my Book Club. I’m definitely intrigued by this story and want to know what happens! Great review, Claudia.

  27. I would really love to win your contest. I love reading, especially about cooking, another of my hobbies. Thank you for the opportunity!
    Cori

  28. Oh, this sounds like a good one! Some of my favorite stories have included cooking as a theme, so I’m looking forward to reading this one. I sort of identify a bit with the Ginny, already. Your review has left me wanting to know more about her, Claudia.

    xo

  29. Your review has me wanting to read this book. You make it sound very interesting. May you realize your dream of writing a book. How nice to have the opportunity to win a copy of “The Kitchen Daughter”. Thank you. We had snow, rain, sleet, slush, hail and finally a moment of sunshine all today.

  32. I’m loving those jumping jacks up above! Please count me in on the giveaway for the book. Thank you!

    nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

  36. I’m just thrilled that you enjoyed The Kitchen Daughter, and how cool that you were familiar with that very road in Philly! It was a meant-to-be match of a book for you! Thank you so much for being on the tour and sharing your thoughts on this book with your readers. We really appreciate it!

  39. This sounds like a fascinating book – I’d love a chance to win it if the giveaway is open to Canadians.

    ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

  40. I love a book having to do with the joy of food, smells,textures and taste. And I think this one would be real emotional because of the sheltered daughter being plunged into the real world. I am glad that the character has Asperger’s. Maybe more people would understand it if they read this book.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  41. Hello Claudia,

    I JUST found you through Mrs. Staggs at A Happy Miscellany. I would love to be entered in your giveaway, this books sounds great! Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more on your blog :)

    ~Sharon

  42. Just found your blog and I really loved your post about authentic blogs; totally agree with you about voice! I would love to win a copy of the book, thanks for the chance!

  44. This is the 3rd time this week I’ve seen someone mention this book on their blog. That must mean it’s time for me to read it! You are so generous to offer us a chance to win a copy. Please enter my name! Thanks.

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