Delicious Spring Reads

Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons for reading. The longer days and warmer weather have me catching the reading bug. I am a browser when it comes to book selection, and find the best titles just by walking the aisles. I like bright colors and fun titles and if it's a trade paperback, then even better. One thing I like even better than trade paperback, however, is food. And books about food-especially baking.

Here are a few food-related titles that have my book palette watering:

"Let Them Eat Cake" by Sandra Byrd. Lexi Stuart is done with college, but still living at home with her parents in Seattle. What is a girl to do? She doesn't have a job, a boyfriend, or a place to call her own. But what she does have is a talent for baking and a love for french culture. Whip in one part french bakery, two parts handsome men and wait for the magic to begin. This is the first in a three part Christian series and is as addictive as a warm buttery croissant.

"The Sweet Life of Stella Madison" by Lara Zeises. This is a teen fiction title and follows Stella Madison, teenager to two amazing chefs whose favorite food is boxed mac n' cheese and hamburgers. Add one summer internship at a newspaper writing a food column she knows nothing about, slowly mix in one amazing cute older intern at her mom's kitchen, sift in a boyfriend that Stella's not sure is right for her, and you have a recipe for good reading. Quick, fun, and oh-so-sweet.

"Recipe for Disaster" by Maureen Fergus. Another teen title, this time we're introduced to Francie-baker extraordinaire. Helping her parents out at their cafe, and running a side bakery business, Francie is no stranger to the woes of teenaged life. Her best friend Holly is acting strange and siding with the annoying new girl, her old childhood friend Ricky has a knack for always being around when she makes a fool of herself, and she still hasn't won a baking contest from her beloved Lorenzo LaRue's show. Let's hope this baker can create a recipe for happiness, without a bad aftertaste.

"Confections of a Closet Master Baker" by Gesine Bullock-Prado. This is the memoir of Sandra Bullock's sister, Gesine, and her hidden passion for baking. From running her celebrity sister's production company, to moving to a small rural town to start a baking business, this is one scrumptious story I can't wait to dig into.

So whether you're a baker, a lover of food, or just in the mood for a good book, these titles are sure to satisfy.

-Mamie