Book Review: The Brothers and Sisters Eatery by Gabe Reaume

The Brothers and Sisters Eatery by Gabe Reaume
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Captivating tale of culinary collaboration and kinship in 1920s Chicago.

The Brothers and Sisters Eatery by Gabe Reaume is a warm and captivating tale of two disparate families in 1920s Chicago, drawn together by the fathers' love of cooking and sharing their special family dishes with others. Samson, the head of the Sanders family, is a former slave from Sugar Land, Texas, with a gift for creating mouthwatering barbeque. His wife, Sandra, is an equally gifted baker of hard-to-resist fruit hand pies. Massimo "Mass" Messina is an immigrant from Sicily, brought to the U.S. after years of coaxing by his wife's older brother, Carmine Basile, a Chicago businessman with ties to the Sicilian mafia. Mass's life revolves around the dishes he's grown up with and perfected, and he plans to bring them to his new home by opening a restaurant on his own, without his brother-in-law's help. Both men require capital to keep their families afloat while pursuing their dreams, and the unlikely pair meets when their lunch pails are swapped on the first day of their new jobs at the Chicago Armour plant.

Two passionate, determined men and two loving, supportive families form the foundation of this inspirational, satisfying historical fiction story about immigrant experiences in 1920s Chicago. The two fathers' love of cooking is the common thread that draws them together, but it is their kindness, humanity, shared experiences, and like-mindedness that cement their enduring friendship. I liked that the families shared these qualities and meshed so well as they worked toward their common goal.

The author presents a vivid picture of life in Chicago and the social climate at that time. The attitudes towards Blacks and immigrants are a reminder of the past and, for some, a mirror of current relations. The two men drew the former slaughterhouse workers' particular ire because they were hired as replacements for the strikers. The descriptions of the work, practices, and conditions at the plant were eye-opening.

However, the plot is not just about the two families' paths to collaboration as chefs and, eventually, restaurateurs. The descriptions of their meals, mains, sides, and breads all had me watering at the mouth and wishing the author had included recipes at the end of the book! Also, suspenseful twists involving individuals from both men's pasts threaten not only their dreams but also their lives and those of their families!

The fathers' shared love of cooking and their willingness and determination to persevere, doing whatever it took to keep their families afloat while they worked toward a better life and future, is a tribute to fathers everywhere who are quietly and persistently doing the same: the perfect story as Father's Day approaches.

I recommend THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS EATERY to readers of historical fiction, especially those with an affinity for immigrant stories, men overcoming great odds, or early Chicago settings.

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Book Review: Migrant Crisis by John Steel

Migrant Crisis: A Political Thriller on power, migration, and decisions made behind closed doors. by John Steel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Riveting behind-the-scenes political thriller about illegal migration and the deadly actions taken to halt it.

Migrant Crisis is the riveting new political thriller by John Steel that shines a spotlight on illegal migration into the UK and France and imagines the desperate actions some are willing to take to halt it. The author takes readers behind the scenes at Whitehall as the fictional leadership puts all their cards in play to stem the flow of illegals attempting the treacherous Channel crossing, not realizing they are about to disappear into even worse living conditions than those they were trying to escape in their country of origin. Government officials take unprecedented, morally unfathomable steps in their plan to regain control of their shoreline, actions that, if uncovered, would bring down those at the highest levels.

What an awesome and complex tale this turned out to be! The story unfolds from multiple points of view, including those in leadership roles of government, the criminals taking advantage of the desperate migrants, and the migrants themselves: some legitimately seeking safety but others aiming to game the social systems or preparing to infiltrate and destroy the UK from within. As the story progressed, I found my sympathies for individual characters changing. Although I did not care for her at first, my favorite character turned out to be Maya Linford, the morally off-kilter mastermind behind the British government's response to the flood of migrants. On the other hand, Charlotte Dale, the PM's wife, was my favorite for most of the story, and I really wanted to know more about her and her life in the intelligence service before voluntarily stepping back after marrying Kamran. However, there is a whole plethora of interesting characters throughout. I initially questioned the sudden focus on several individuals in one boatload of immigrants, but I was nonetheless glued to their stories. However, while we learn the disposition of the group of young men deemed "problems" in the UK, we don't find out if the others find their hearts' desires after release from the Border Force lockup or if they get snapped up by the criminal organizations waiting for them outside the gates.

As an American unfamiliar with the UK government or political parties, I thoroughly enjoyed the fictional inner workings of the Prime Minister's Office, its staff, senior Cabinet members, and assets who operate from the shadows. The recreation of a volatile Prime Minister's Questions session in the House of Commons was frightening and chaotic. However, it is clear that the problems, impacts, and best responses to illegal immigration are universal.

With its riveting plot and complex characters, I recommend MIGRANT CRISIS to readers of political thrillers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Book Review - On The Block: Stories of Home, edited by Ellen Oh

On the Block: Stories of Home by Ellen Oh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to The Entrada! You’ve come home.

On The Block: Stories of Home is an anthology of twelve connected vignettes, edited by author Ellen Oh, that portray the diverse families in residence at the New York apartment building known as The Entrada. Each chapter, appropriately titled by the apartment number of each new middle-grade-aged narrator, is a lovely gem and tells of the young resident’s life in the days leading up to the building’s first community potluck.

The stories explore the cultures and concerns of the new young immigrant, and while their origins are global, their hopes and fears are universal and relatable to all readers. I loved that the connections among the families while beginning with a common address, became personal through the friendships of the building’s child population. I enjoyed the concurrent points of view of events or encounters among the children, two or more people observing the same event but “seeing” or interpreting something from it that was entirely different. And I’m not talking about the paranormal activity threaded through some of the tales, though there is that!

Food is a common thread running through the collected tales. There are numerous scenes of family meals, and some of their favorite dishes may be unfamiliar to many readers. However, they are tempting just the same because of the authors’ tantalizing descriptions. The story culminates in the building’s big community potluck on a wonderful summer Saturday evening.

At the end of the book are the contributing authors’ biographies, including the titles of their previous works. That information alone is gold and could provide additional stories for the targeted age group to enjoy.

I recommend ONE THE BLOCK to readers of middle-grade fiction, especially those interested in getting a peek into a different culture.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.


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