I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers today, with some more blue teeth and a couple more gray stripes on the current Hitchhiker.
I have several progress indicators; it takes up a whole block on the patio, I'm working on the 43rd tooth, and the ball of blue yarn is getting smaller. I do have another full skein of the blue yarn already wound, but I hope to be finishing this up shortly. By "shortly", I mean within a couple of weeks. I've ordered some gradient skeins from Wollmeise for another Hitchhiker idea I had, but that will take at least a couple of weeks to get here. I don't think there are tariffs on yarn from Germany, but I guess I'll soon find out.
I finished one book this week. It was an ARC with a unique premise, but I thought the execution was lacking a bit. Daria Lavelle's Aftertaste presents a unique premise: Konstantin
"Kostya" Duhovny, who can taste the favorite foods of the deceased,
discovers he can reunite the living with their lost loved ones through
his culinary creations. Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York's
culinary scene, the novel explores themes of grief, love, and the
lengths one might go to find closure.
Lavelle's writing vividly
captures the sensory experiences of food, making the descriptions of
spices and food truly mouthwatering. The food writing is five stars, but
some of the ghostly elements are not as well-written and felt
underwhelming to me. The fusion of supernatural elements with the
high-stakes world of professional kitchens offers an intriguing
narrative. However, while the concept is compelling, the execution
occasionally feels uneven. Some character developments and plot
transitions seem rushed, leaving certain emotional arcs underexplored.
Despite these pacing issues, Aftertaste
remains an imaginative journey through the intersections of food,
memory, and the supernatural. Readers interested in a blend of culinary
fiction and ghostly tales may find this novel a flavorful read. Three
and a half stars rounded down.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon
& Schuster for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be
published on May 20, 2025.
What are you making and reading this week?
I think that is one gorgeous Hitchhiker! That blue is just so vivid! But I am eager to see your new Wollmeise! And go you buying from Germany. I was looking at fabric at my favorite Canadian fabric shop and they have a big disclaimer on their website about what will be happening when and if tariffs go into effect. In effect, it will wipe out all the benefits of the exchange rate... sigh.
ReplyDeleteI love this Hitchhiker (unsurprisingly) and how the blue has just a bit of variation in it. Can't wait to see the yarn you've ordered -- I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't have to deal with tariffs!
ReplyDeleteYou have one gorgeous Hitchhiker there Bonny! Some of the rows of blue are SO vibrant, while others are a bit on the mild side. Very, very pretty. Like Kat and Sarah, I will look forward to seeing your new yarn. Aftertaste sounds interesting. I'm betting I would like the food parts but not the rest, so I will probably skip it!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love that classy HH! I think you are going to be wearing that a lot. I finished Grief is for People, and I am sure it is my current state of mind, but I thought she captured the nonlinear and surprising elements of grief perfectly, at least for me. It is not a feel good read, but not a depressing read either. House projects continue...
ReplyDeleteThat blue is just stunning, Bonny! And I'm eager to see your new new yarn, too . . . XO
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