Just couldn't give this one all four stars ...

Couple of things kept me from loving this book. I was really disappointed with the parents up until about the last chapter. They're just awful people that want nothing to do with their daughter unless it's convenient. Some parts of the plot were also incredibly implausible, like hiring someone without ever meeting them. Most jobs (if not all? I don't know, I've never worked HR), require some form of picture identification. I know I've always had to bring in a driver's license and my SS card to every new job. So ... there goes that whole plot point!

It's a cute story regardless and I liked the main character, Gladys. I'm kind of over the whole "mean, popular, pretty girl everyone wants to be friends with, except the MC, of course," but there was a nice twist thrown in to combat that. And I'm glad Gladys told her friend what was going on instead of needlessly drawing out the lie.

The book ends with a cliffhanger but the second book, [b:The Stars of Summer|22914236|The Stars of Summer (All Four Stars, #2)|Tara Dairman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413297925s/22914236.jpg|42479912], comes out in May so I'm glad I don't have to wait too long to find out what happens to Gladys.

All Four Stars is definitely a charming little book. The synopsis said that there will be food, and there were! To be honest, I had dreams about food while reading this book. It was a fantastically scrumptious read!

...like tender duck breast swimming in a lake of tea-infused gravy, with a side of slender asparagus stalks dipping their tips in at the shore.

Gladys Gatsby is fascinated about food. She loves to experiment with different ingredients, but she's only in sixth grade. She abhors eating her parents' cooking, and fast food is the last on her list. Her love for food was heightened when her Aunt Lydia from Paris showed her what a real restaurant is! Her culinary activities were frowned upon by her parents when a creme brûlée mishap occurred in the kitchen. She was banned from cooking, or doing activities that has anything to do with it. This devastated Gladys. Her parents required her to make friends, and do activities outside of cooking. To me, that's one of the best things that happened to her. Gladys befriended her neighbor, Sandy. Although the first time that Gladys came over to his house was quite interesting, they became really good friends. Since Gladys was banned from cooking, she found herself enjoying other activities with her new-found friend. They played video games, or played with Sandy's pet rabbits. Gladys lucked out that his mother is interested in food, too! Sandy's mother owns the Larousse Gastronomique - it's the original French cookbook , with over thousands of classic recipes. Gladys was so ecstatic when she saw that! Mrs. Anderson actually knows how to prepare food, unlike Gladys' parents, whose idea of cooking is...

We'll just nuke it until it looks done!

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But this book isn't all about cooking. It also tackled about family issues, where the parents were not interested in their kid's passion. For a sixth grader, it must have been really hard to suppress your love for something just to please your parents. This was the one thing about the book that I didn't really like. Her parents were portrayed as people who didn't nurture their kid's talents. There are probably real parents like that. I'm lucky to have parents that encouraged us to pursue our dreams. But what I loved about Gladys was the fact that this didn't stop her passion for cooking. Even though she couldn't eat at different restaurants, she did review all the meals she had on her journal. Her journal are full of entertaining reviews on the meals she had. Some meals were really good, and some were quite a disaster.

Another Christmas at the big brown buffet. The food this year seemed even browner than usual. Maybe the new heat lamps they got are stronger, like those tanning beds people lie in when they want to pretend they just went on a tropical vacation? The turkey definitely looked like it had spent some time on a desert island – and tasted like it, too.

What made the book quite exciting was the assignment that her teacher, Ms. Quincy, assigned to them. It was to write an essay about their passion. This lead to an amazing food-related adventure for Gladys. With the help of her friends, Sandy and Parm, she was able to make plans to eat at Classy Cakes. Just the name makes me hungry!

 

Overall, the book was fun, entertaining, and a delicious read! It made me curious about the dishes that were mentioned in the book, like the Indian dish, Gajar ka Halwa. It's made of carrots! So if you want something light, and if you love food, then read this book!

All Four Stars isn't your average MG novel. instead of featuring children saving the world or fighting the undead, the protagonist Gladys Gatsby saves the day by writing a restaurant revie for the New York Standard .

Having just read the first paragraph you might be thinking Boring or what the heck? but rest assured, this book is not boring. Gladys faces many challenges ober the course of the novel (I would tell you what challenges but that would spoil the book).

The obstacles kept me on the edge of my seat. But almost as much as the challenge of getting to the restaurant she needs to review, I enjoyed reading about Gladys's everyday life. Her friendships with Sandy and Parm are exactly what every childhood friendship should be.

And as for Gladys's school life, I loved Ms. Quincy! I've had my share of weird teachers, but Ms. Quincy was something else. I love how she didn't care bout the town wide Standard boycott and didn't take any nonsense from Charrissa.

Charissa. Now she's a whole different story. from the moment I met her, I hated her. She is like every other popular girl. EXACTLY. LIKE. THEM. So congratulations to Mrs. Dairman for creating such a realistic character.

So basically, I love this book. I'm really glad I got an arc. If you don't have one, start saving your money! Once you start this book, you'll gobble it down faster than you can say "Yum!"