Tori's Reviews

Bring on the noodles! I am hungry and excited to get my hands on these accessible, authentic western Chinese dishes, straight from the recipes of the successful New York establishment, Xi'an Famous Foods. There’s a big hole in my heart (and stomach) because shelter-in-place has kept me from my favorite Bay Area noodle shops, but now I am ready to get cooking to fill that space. Hot-oil handmade noodles, fluffy spicy buns, and decadently crispy wings, yes please! — Tori

Alvin Cailan and his food are bursting with personality, which comes through in his new book. With recipes inspired by individual members of his Filipino-American family, Amboy is full of candid talk, food truck–style comfort cuisine, and a range of Filipino necessities, from the perfect coddled egg to a multiday, build-a-brick- pit-in-your-backyard whole roast pig. As he tells the story of his rise through the culinary industry, both the highs and lows, Cailan doesn’t hold back, sharing anecdotes both self-deprecating and hilarious. — Tori

A man discovers he identifies as a cactus, a model is controlled by an ugly addiction, and an apprentice photographer can’t get one sensual eyelid out of their mind. Overwhelming compulsions and warped relationships with the human body bring bursts of color and tense stretches of loneliness to the desperate souls in these six strange stories translated from the original Spanish. I put Bezoar down and immediately ordered another of Nettel’s books, excited to read more. —Tori

This book is part of our Fall Reading Challenge. Read more here.

Prepare to be transported from your favorite armchair to the high seas; reading this book is like bingeing a great history documentary. Enemy of All Mankind uses the story of a mysterious and infamous pirate named Henry Every to take the reader on a journey through the origins of piracy, the history of India’s economic system, the emergence of global trading corporations, the spread of Islam, the frustrating beginnings of celebrity journalism, and more. Steven Johnson knows how to write captivating history.

Four friends are fed up with their school not providing necessary menstrual supplies and decide to make a change. This brilliant graphic novel shows readers how to raise up the people they care about, be honest about their feelings, and talk openly about their own bodies. For anyone who has (or will have) a period or those who just love a great friendship story! This is everything I want a book to be—empathetic, educational, and entertaining!

This sweet, adorable tale follows Little Cheetah learning to be kind and fair to those around him through his relationship with his shadow. Simple and effective, the story guides Little Cheetah to a moment of clear understanding of another’s perspective that he had previously never considered. Warm illustrations and a comforting narrative make this a great book for a read-aloud. Dubuc brings her wealth of experience to making another great book for emotional development!