Book Review: The Last Carolina Summer by Karen White

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The Last Carolina Summer by Karen White is the story about Phoebe Manigault returning home to Mt. Pleasant, a suburb of Charleston, South Carolina, to help her sister with their ailing mother. When past memories resurface, Phoebe is thrown back into some childhood turmoil. I requested an Advanced Readers Copy ARC of The Last Carolina Summer from NetGalley, and I was ecstatic when the provided me with a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. So, a big thank you goes out to them! When I began reading this story, I just happened to be vacationing in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. I loved hearing about the different places, including streets and a bridge called the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which I had to cross to get into Mt. Pleasant as well as Isle of Palms. It's always nice to be able to visualize the places and author writes about. With that being said, I'm not a fan of traveling over bridges, and one of the scenes of The Last Carolina Summer mentions a car going off ...
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Book Review: Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection by Gordon Ramsay

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Non-Fiction Autobiography of Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection by Gordon Ramsay
Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection by Gordon Ramsay takes a mind-blowing look into the life of Gordon Ramsay. From his tough childhood to his father's alcoholism and brother's heroin addition to a failed soccer career, you'll learn what made Gordon Ramsay the chef he is today.

Several years ago, I stumbled on to a reality show on the Fox Network called Hell's Kitchen, which was in the middle of its third season. There was nothing else on television so I wanted to see what this "new" show was all about, and I immediately fell in love with it. Much to my surprise, it had two previous seasons. (I still don't know how I hadn't heard about this show before then.) 

From there, I fell in love with the show Kitchen Nightmares, 24 Hours to Hell and Back, and all things Gordon Ramsay. When he came out with his autobiography, Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection, I knew I had to buy the book and read it.

One of the things I was most surprised about was that Ramsay was born in Scotland, not England and grew up in poverty. The other being that he was on track to having a soccer career until he tore some cartilage in his knee that kept him from going further with it. It was also interesting to learn that he worked in a French restaurant without knowing a word of French! I was shocked to learn how his father struggled with alcoholism and violence, and the way he treated everyone was horrifying. 

I have to say I have a new found respect of Gordon Ramsay with all he had to go through in his childhood. I don't want to give too much away, but Roasting in Hell's Kitchen:  Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection is well worth the read and getting to know Ramsay behind the television persona that has been created . . . everything isn't always what it seems. I gave it four out of five stars.

If you liked Roasting in Hell's Kitchen:  Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection, then you'll like Here's the Story:  Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick.


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