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Elizabeth Gordon, owner of Betsy & Claude Baking Company, has created a wonderful cookbook for those that have food allergies. There are recipes for cookies, chew bars, cakes, pies, breads and a few "extraordinary extras". The recipes are easy to follow and while you may not be familiar with all of the ingredients, one trip to a specialty food store is all that you will need. Now just because you have a food allergy doesn’t mean you can’t have your own sweet treat. Can’t you just taste the red velvet cake, or the fudgy brownies, or maybe a pretend peanut butter cookie? Yum!

Reviewed by Angela A., Cornelius Branch

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TLC’s What Not to Wear is my guiltiest of guilty pleasures. So I was delighted to see host Clinton Kelly’s style/etiquette book Freakin’ Fabulous on the shelf! Alas you may never get selected for a style makeover and a $5000 shopping spree in New York, but with this book as your guide you can still learn how to dress, speak and entertain “…better than everyone else.” There are style and entertaining tips galore. The book has recipes, manner guidelines, and even grammar lessons. But this isn’t your grandmother’s stuffy etiquette book. Clinton Kelly pulls it off in an entertaining fashion with humor, and of course, style.

Reviewed by Laura M., Sugar Creek Branch

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Lace knitting is both challenging and satisfying. With easy-to-understand instructions, diagrams, charts, and photos, authors Pam Allen and Ann Budd, editors of Interweave Knits, a popular monthly knitting magazine, explain that knitted lace results simply from the combination of open holes and a solid background. Yarn-over increases, in conjunction with decreases, form the holes against a sockinette or garter stitch base. These stitch combinations produce lace. All patterns in this collection are at once classic and modern. Either of the two shrug patterns would make good first lace projects. The cardigan and sleeveless patterns ensure beautiful garments that fit a wide spectrum of sizes. Smaller projects include socks, hats, leg cozies, a bracelet, and even a wimple.

Reviewed by Lydia T., Main Library

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We have all seen Dr. Ian Smith on shows such as Celebrity Fit Club, a show were household names come together to shed pounds and gain self-esteem. Now, Dr. Ian has opened up his dieting secrets to the world with his self-help book appropriately titled The Fat Smash Diet. This four phase work, is a quick read that outlines the process it takes to lose anywhere from 10 to 200 pounds in a matter of weeks. The program is meant to be a challenge but with the tasty recipes included, the fat can be “smashed” with ease. If you want a diet that strengthens the mind as well as the body, in a few steps, pick up The Fat Smash Diet.

Reviewed by Michelle M., Beatties Ford Road Branch

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The Offbeat Bride is a great read for anyone planning an unconventional wedding. It details the author’s struggle to create the offbeat wedding of her dreams (think vegan chow, hula hoops & hippie dance circles) while avoiding societal pressure to conform to tradition. It includes great planning and etiquette tips as well as ways to hold onto your sanity and identity during the wedding planning process. There are also websites and other indie resources listed to help you plan your own unique wedding. So don’t get wrapped up in the "wedding industrial complex," read this book and learn how to do it all your own, independent self.

Reviewed by Laura M., Sugar Creek Branch

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