Blind Taste Test - Anne Lange,Nancy Cass...

Blind Taste Test is another short read by Anne Lange.  This is a M/F/M menage story, so it may not be for everyone.  Ms. Lange has delivered a well-written book.  I love the characters in this story.  Lynda needs inspiration for her writing, especially after her ex-husband tossed her self-confidence in the trash.  She rents a room from younger than her, Dale and Liam.  Their story is short and sweet...and sizzlin' hot.  I enjoyed reading Blind Taste Test and look forward to reading more from Anne Lange in the future.  Blind Taste Test is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book that I received from Bookfunnel.

Taste Test -- Kelly Fiore

I happen to love foodie novels a lot. In fact, I love anything to do with food, period. I don't go out and seek Food Network online streaming or anything, but I have a love for food that that is probably only rivaled by my love for books and wine.

So I was fairly excited about reading Taste Test.

It's a cute story and premise, like a reality TV Survivor in the kitchen type of deal with a bunch of young adolescent kids competing to be the best of the best. Contestants are eliminated regularly, there's drama, there are tears, there's tension... and all the while, the fictional world of the producer and judges are doing what they can to both make the show more ratings worthy as well as forcing these kids to think on their feet... or make their life miserable, I suppose.

Included in Taste Test's story line is also schooling for our student-age contestants and a lot of backstage drama--just like real life. XD


And really, this book was cute and fun in it's own way. Nora's narrative voice is certainly snarky enough for me to enjoy. The humor was done really well and the story had direction and a good amount of thought-provoking substance to be both entertaining AND inspiring. Overall, Taste Test is an entertaining read that I can honestly say I liked.

I do have a few complaints that I couldn't quite overlook, even if I just let them slide because the book was a fairly easy read.

First of all, Nora had been a readily likable and relatable character when the book started. I'm not saying she ended up annoying or anything, but she has a glaringly obvious judgmental mentality that I didn't quite care for. The way in which she was so quick to formulate negative ideas of almost everyone she meets does not make her an easy person to continuously root for. In some instances, she came off pretty immature, though I suppose we ARE dealing with teenagers here.

I'm not saying that ALL teenagers are immature, but Nora certainly tended towards a more disappointing angle for character development. She too quickly had something negative to say about almost every female who even associated with Christian just because she didn't like him. And she may of used the word "ho-bag" a few times when referencing her less than friendly roommate, Joy.

The second thing that bugged me just a little bit was how little we focused on the actual cooking. Sure, we get a scene here and there about the cooking process, and maybe a pointer or two. But a lot of the book then turned into a flash forward of "Nora prepared this dish" or "Christian presented that dish". Which, I guess if you're more looking forward to reading about the backstage drama and the romance and more backstage drama, then this book did just fine.

Then there was the mystery portion of the story that was just barely there. It wasn't really all that significant, but it DID remind me of a cheesy Rom-Com that needed more than one genre to appeal to audiences, I guess. And in this case, it also showcased just how readily Nora liked to jump to conclusions without proof of any such--just that, she didn't like so-and-so, ergo, obviously said person is the one behind anything going wrong that even remotely resembled sabotage.

But aside from those few things, the rest wasn't really all that bad. I DID enjoy some of the back-and-forth between Nora and Christian. But then there were instances when they just got exhausting crossed lines threw punches that were uncalled for... and that's when the situation becomes a little more frustratingly childish than witty, friendly rivalry and banter.

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This book is a pre-chosen participant in the following Reading Challenge(s):

• 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge hosted by Because Reading and Fantasy is More Fun

Ethan Scott accepts a mysterious job from a horror writer, moves into his home and meets the lovely scarred Ella. The chemistry between the two is instant, they may not know it but it’s definitely there. In my opinion, Ethan was exactly what Ella needed to crack the walls she’d built round herself.

Ethan was a great character, his bond with his mother warmed my heart, and the way he treated Ella, as if she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen won me over in no time at all.

Ella has had a rough life, not how one might think but I won’t ruin it for those who haven’t read it. She’s feisty and sharp, but only because she’s hiding from herself. Watching Zella come out of her shell was magical. To see her transform into the beauty she always was but couldn’t see for herself was my favourite part to the story.

There was so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming, I was always on the edge of my seat. Dying to see what happens next. I love modern fairy tales, and Taste Test is one of the best. I got so sucked into the story I lost track of time and before I knew it, I’d finished it.

The writing was impeccable, the storyline brilliant and overall a really emotional book. One of the best books I’ve read this year by far. L.B. Dunbar is a great author and one of my favourite, must-reads. She never disappoints. The only problem I had with Taste Test is the end, it happened way too soon, I wanted to go to the beginning and start all over again.