Inland Empire Foodies

The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream
https://ahream.com/

I was thinking that everyone deserves a "feel-good" book right about now!

One review of many similar reviews:
"This was such a lovely, magical, hopeful story! When you first start reading it, you may find this to be an unusual and seemingly off description, but as you continue to read and watch the universe develop, you will see what I mean. This one is chock full of heartbreak, but things come together in ways that will surprise you - and bring a smile to your face.

The writing style is very engaging. The characters are delightful - they are complicated and bent-not-broken, having persevered despite obstacle after obstacle. There is magic here - not obvious, in-your-face magic, but the sweet and slowly unfolding magic of perception and optimism despite the odds often being stacked against so many of the characters.

Ebey's End is a fabulous setting for the book; its insular nature suits the secretive nature of the story perfectly. This was a lovely read and I'm looking forward to more from Ashley Ream - but not in a stressful, pressure-inducing way, since I learned my lesson from Carol! (that will make sense after you read the book)"

The Library Book by Susan Orlean
https://www.susanorlean.com/author/books/the-library-book/

We have read about Southern California locations in works of fiction: Larchmont District, Mulholland Drive, the Sunset Strip and more. This book takes place in downtown LA and is NOT a work of fiction.

Susan Orlean re-opens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in American history, and delivers a dazzling homage to a beloved institution – our libraries. On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. Raging through the stacks, the fire reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. It was the largest library fire in the history of the United States: it destroyed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more, and shut the library down for seven years. The mystery remains: did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

A light dinner will be served. Bring a dish to share - appetizers, salad, snacks, dessert - up to you and no obligation - see you soon.

Frank and Red, by Matt Coyne
4.48 Goodreads

Estranged from his friends, son, and the ever-changing world beyond his front gate, Frank is a reclusive curmudgeon whose only company is the 'ghost' of his dead wife, Marcie. Then six-year-old Red moves in next door. A boy struggling to adjust to the separation of his mum and dad, a new school, and the demonic school bully, Red is curious, smart, and talkative. And he has a trampoline. From the moment Red's blonde mop appears over the top of the fence that divides their two gardens, the unlikeliest of friendships is born.

"Oh Red, Red! I fall in love with you as soon as I meet you on these pages. He’s a glorious child, creative, inquisitive, he asks baffling questions, his liveliness, his rhinoceros hide when it comes to Frank are all just a sheer delight. What a creation Matt Coyne!! His wonderful malapropisms from his childhood innocence are a joy to behold! He makes me hoot with laughter on more than one occasion."

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