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kncalhoun's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mollywetta's review against another edition
3.0
This was cute. The main character was flawed and had a great voice and there was enough morbidity to cut the saccharine story.
holmstead's review against another edition
5.0
I am SO glad to have picked this one back up again. At the beginning of this story, I did not take to Queenie right away, the story didn't click for me and I told myself I'd come back to it. After a month or so, I tried again. And somehow, once my mind was ready to experience this life of hers, she slowly evolved into this wonderful person, from family that love and adore her, despite her past and her mother. This is a story of a woman that is running from her past, but it's her past that makes her who she is, and she is a damn fine woman. It's about love, heartache, secrets, and the petty bullshit people who are unhappy try to make themselves feel better by putting those good people down. It's about small towns, gossip, and did I mention secrets? But that doesn't make it any less meaningful. Perhaps it makes it more. Queenie leaves her last known address in the Big Apple, comes back to some comforts of home, she also takes quite an interesting part-time job, serving "last meals" to people on death row. This was just so touching, deep, and REAL. OMG and I forgot to mention something else...THE FOOD!! Wow, it made me want to eat Texas, southern comfort food year round. Exceptional!
I LOVED this book. Now that I'm finished, I'm just a little sad, and a bit jealous of those who have yet to read this lovely, lovely story.
I LOVED this book. Now that I'm finished, I'm just a little sad, and a bit jealous of those who have yet to read this lovely, lovely story.
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. The December selection for my Food for Thought Book Club.
I made it to Chapter 14, about halfway through, before deciding to quit. I did skim the rest, just to find out what happens at the end. I won't post any spoilers, but nothing that occurred surprised me.
Initially, I did enjoy the characters, and getting to know them, and understand the family background and the judgmental attitudes of some of the small town's residents. I liked the sisters. Yet after Queenie took the job at the prison, the pacing slowed down too much for me. Momentum felt lost, and it became a repetitive lament over a love lost. Take out 100 pages, tighten up the story to its inevitable conclusion, and I would've liked it better.
Still, Liza Palmer is a decent writer. I think I'll just blame the editor.
I made it to Chapter 14, about halfway through, before deciding to quit. I did skim the rest, just to find out what happens at the end. I won't post any spoilers, but nothing that occurred surprised me.
Initially, I did enjoy the characters, and getting to know them, and understand the family background and the judgmental attitudes of some of the small town's residents. I liked the sisters. Yet after Queenie took the job at the prison, the pacing slowed down too much for me. Momentum felt lost, and it became a repetitive lament over a love lost. Take out 100 pages, tighten up the story to its inevitable conclusion, and I would've liked it better.
Still, Liza Palmer is a decent writer. I think I'll just blame the editor.
cathiedalziel's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars. This very well may be the "sleeper" book of this year. A wonderfully written story about what life throws at you and the bravery from deep down within to chase past ghosts out of one's life.
You just know the main character has had a rough life when her mother has named her Queen Elizabeth (I kid you not!). Add to that fact that Queenie's mother was known as the town slut and you know that the main character has some anger and pain that she lives with and spews into life sometimes. But hell, Queenie is so witty and funny and raw and real and fights to keep pushing on in a world where she doesn't know where she belongs or if she ever will, that I couldn't help but root for her right from the beginning. (Think of Renee Zellweger with her Cold Mountain mouth and spunk.)
Yes this book's cheesy but with a tartness to it that makes your eyes open wide and frankly, I am a cheese connoisseur. I could have done without the All American football ending but hey, it is set in the heart of Texas.
Queenie's sister Merry Carole reminded me of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias , steadfast, true to her roots and town and true to poofed up hair, love, family and truth, a truth that knows you can't change what's happened in the past and that life is apparently not always fair.
Then there are the men...oh the men. Cowboys and wanna be football players,(I love me cowboys and jocks; their swoon-worthy), a football coach who believes in the team and the integrity of doing whats right, and the prison guards, deep in the heart of Texas, who are tough on the outside but trying to hold onto good in their insides.
All of these elements, along with cooking for death-row inmates their very last meal, makes for a story that I couldn't put down and didn't want to end. Don't let this book get by you. Perfect summer reading.
You just know the main character has had a rough life when her mother has named her Queen Elizabeth (I kid you not!). Add to that fact that Queenie's mother was known as the town slut and you know that the main character has some anger and pain that she lives with and spews into life sometimes. But hell, Queenie is so witty and funny and raw and real and fights to keep pushing on in a world where she doesn't know where she belongs or if she ever will, that I couldn't help but root for her right from the beginning. (Think of Renee Zellweger with her Cold Mountain mouth and spunk.)
Yes this book's cheesy but with a tartness to it that makes your eyes open wide and frankly, I am a cheese connoisseur. I could have done without the All American football ending but hey, it is set in the heart of Texas.
Queenie's sister Merry Carole reminded me of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias , steadfast, true to her roots and town and true to poofed up hair, love, family and truth, a truth that knows you can't change what's happened in the past and that life is apparently not always fair.
Then there are the men...oh the men. Cowboys and wanna be football players,(I love me cowboys and jocks; their swoon-worthy), a football coach who believes in the team and the integrity of doing whats right, and the prison guards, deep in the heart of Texas, who are tough on the outside but trying to hold onto good in their insides.
All of these elements, along with cooking for death-row inmates their very last meal, makes for a story that I couldn't put down and didn't want to end. Don't let this book get by you. Perfect summer reading.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Queenie Wake is a chef. She has just been fired for yelling at a customer. Queenie has no where else to go but back home. Queenie has no intentions of staying long. That is why when she is offered a job working for the prison as their chef, she accepts. The job is short term. Queenie starts spending time with an old flame. Sparks are sure to ignite again.
Nowhere but Home is a charming read. I love Queenie. She was caring, strong, and had spunk. I would have liked to have seen this spunk more as it was these moments that I had a smile and laugh on my face. Not that I was not smiling at other points in this book. For example when Queenie was fired from her job for telling a customer that her “bangers” were bigger than his dick or when Queenie yelled at a man for wanting to put ketchup on his eggs! Which for some reason the thought of putting ketchup on my eggs does not sound very appealing to me.
This book is like a chick lit but with more depth and heart. I was generally surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. The ending was a good one. I was happy with the ending.
Nowhere but Home is a charming read. I love Queenie. She was caring, strong, and had spunk. I would have liked to have seen this spunk more as it was these moments that I had a smile and laugh on my face. Not that I was not smiling at other points in this book. For example when Queenie was fired from her job for telling a customer that her “bangers” were bigger than his dick or when Queenie yelled at a man for wanting to put ketchup on his eggs! Which for some reason the thought of putting ketchup on my eggs does not sound very appealing to me.
This book is like a chick lit but with more depth and heart. I was generally surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. The ending was a good one. I was happy with the ending.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
A small town in Texas packs quite a big punch in this sweet and endearing look at how a small town works and the ways that it can destroy some of its own. Queenie Wake has been an outcast her entire life - she just never quite fit in and maybe it is because of the drama from her mom, but I don't think she helped the matter either. Her and her sister reacted in different ways to the abuse from the small town - she ran from it. She returns to North Star, TX, but isn't sure she is there to stay.
A small town in Texas packs quite a big punch in this sweet and endearing look at how a small town works and the ways that it can destroy some of its own. Queenie Wake has been an outcast her entire life - she just never quite fit in and maybe it is because of the drama from her mom, but I don't think she helped the matter either. Her and her sister reacted in different ways to the abuse from the small town - she ran from it. She returns to North Star, TX, but isn't sure she is there to stay.
nagam's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely, definitely enjoyed. Really love how it forced me to explore some scenarios that I've never read about before. Very happy to have read this.
girlinthepages's review
5.0
Nowhere But Home has been on my radar since I saw Lauren rave about it on her blog. Since we’re basically twinning 99% of the time, I was sure that if she loved it, I would love it too. I was looking for some guaranteed good reads to kick off 2017 while I was in Hawaii, so I happily downloaded this on my brand new Kindle and dove in while lounging on the beach.
I finished this book in less than 24 hours because it does NOT disappoint. I was so, so engaged in all of the elements of the story. Queenie, the main character (unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your POV, named Queen Elizabeth Wake) is a failing, vagabond chef who can’t keep down a job. After losing yet another gig, she’s finds her way back home to her extremely small hometown in Texas, which she generally avoids as all costs. She takes a rather unusual and morbid job while there as the chef cooking last meals for death row inmates at the local prison, which gives her perspective and takes her mind off of the small town drama and stigmas that plague her and her family.
While the premise of the book sounds rather morbid, it’s actually a really eye opening read in multiple ways. Queenie comes from the ultimate dysfunctional family (her mother had a really horrendous reputation that’s stuck with Queenie and her sister long past her mother’s death) that has led to a seemingly unshakeable stigma in her small Texas town. Yet her sister, Merry Carole, has managed to open her own small business and raise a respectful and talented son as a single mother. While both sisters are still susceptible to the hurt of small-town gossip, it’s really empowering to read how they take strides to break the emotionally abusive and neglectful family patterns that they grew up with, and to watch them challenge themselves and each other emotionally as they seek to rise above the town’s view of them. (Also, a quick note, when I read the synopsis I though the story would focus heavily on romance. While it was there, it largely took a backseat to all of the personal development and family growth that Queenie experienced, and for that as a reader I was grateful).
The description of the small town of North Star was perhaps one of the best I’ve read. Liza Palmer’s writing was so intricately detailed to show the nuances of the tiny community, from the too-close-for-comfort relationships to the blinding power of ignorance and denial that can last for decades. Yet the constant pettiness didn’t overwhelm every aspect of the novel, and there are moments where the simplicity of living a small town life are made to seem to fulfilling and rewarding, such as the neighbors who run restaurants with amazing home cooking out of their backyards to the warm summer nights of family barbecues. Palmer did an excellent job juxtaposing the repulsion and pull that Queenie feels toward North Star, and the novel ends in a sort of peaceful place that places no shame in returning to where you started from and still being the best, and most changed, possible version of yourself. I’ve never been to Texas, but after reading about North Star I feel as though I’ve lived and breathed it, if for only a short amount of time.
Of course, the most intriguing lot element of the book is Queenie’s job cooking last meals for death row inmates. An emotionally charged plot line, it was so interesting to see what these fictional prisoners requested, and how each menu request impacted Queenie, and what she was able to glean from their personality and humanity (or lack thereof) by what they ordered. Food as a vehicle for healing and soothing is a huge theme in this story, and watching Queenie cook, whether in the charged atmosphere of the prison kitchen or in her sister’s comfortable and cozy home, was cathartic as it clearly helped Queenie to find herself through food again. It also didn’t hurt that the food descriptions were mouth watering-delicious, and this is coming from someone who is not usually the biggest fan of Southern food.
Overall: I loved this book for the food, for the family, and for the idea that it’s never too late to find yourself. Patterns can be changed and relationships can heal, and it’s the quiet, small type of hope that runs throughout the course of this novel that makes it so sweet and satisfying. I walked away from this novel with a sense of peace for the characters and a pride in their accomplishments, and my only complaint is that I wanted MORE. Hooray for my first 5 star read of 2017!
I finished this book in less than 24 hours because it does NOT disappoint. I was so, so engaged in all of the elements of the story. Queenie, the main character (unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your POV, named Queen Elizabeth Wake) is a failing, vagabond chef who can’t keep down a job. After losing yet another gig, she’s finds her way back home to her extremely small hometown in Texas, which she generally avoids as all costs. She takes a rather unusual and morbid job while there as the chef cooking last meals for death row inmates at the local prison, which gives her perspective and takes her mind off of the small town drama and stigmas that plague her and her family.
While the premise of the book sounds rather morbid, it’s actually a really eye opening read in multiple ways. Queenie comes from the ultimate dysfunctional family (her mother had a really horrendous reputation that’s stuck with Queenie and her sister long past her mother’s death) that has led to a seemingly unshakeable stigma in her small Texas town. Yet her sister, Merry Carole, has managed to open her own small business and raise a respectful and talented son as a single mother. While both sisters are still susceptible to the hurt of small-town gossip, it’s really empowering to read how they take strides to break the emotionally abusive and neglectful family patterns that they grew up with, and to watch them challenge themselves and each other emotionally as they seek to rise above the town’s view of them. (Also, a quick note, when I read the synopsis I though the story would focus heavily on romance. While it was there, it largely took a backseat to all of the personal development and family growth that Queenie experienced, and for that as a reader I was grateful).
The description of the small town of North Star was perhaps one of the best I’ve read. Liza Palmer’s writing was so intricately detailed to show the nuances of the tiny community, from the too-close-for-comfort relationships to the blinding power of ignorance and denial that can last for decades. Yet the constant pettiness didn’t overwhelm every aspect of the novel, and there are moments where the simplicity of living a small town life are made to seem to fulfilling and rewarding, such as the neighbors who run restaurants with amazing home cooking out of their backyards to the warm summer nights of family barbecues. Palmer did an excellent job juxtaposing the repulsion and pull that Queenie feels toward North Star, and the novel ends in a sort of peaceful place that places no shame in returning to where you started from and still being the best, and most changed, possible version of yourself. I’ve never been to Texas, but after reading about North Star I feel as though I’ve lived and breathed it, if for only a short amount of time.
Of course, the most intriguing lot element of the book is Queenie’s job cooking last meals for death row inmates. An emotionally charged plot line, it was so interesting to see what these fictional prisoners requested, and how each menu request impacted Queenie, and what she was able to glean from their personality and humanity (or lack thereof) by what they ordered. Food as a vehicle for healing and soothing is a huge theme in this story, and watching Queenie cook, whether in the charged atmosphere of the prison kitchen or in her sister’s comfortable and cozy home, was cathartic as it clearly helped Queenie to find herself through food again. It also didn’t hurt that the food descriptions were mouth watering-delicious, and this is coming from someone who is not usually the biggest fan of Southern food.
Overall: I loved this book for the food, for the family, and for the idea that it’s never too late to find yourself. Patterns can be changed and relationships can heal, and it’s the quiet, small type of hope that runs throughout the course of this novel that makes it so sweet and satisfying. I walked away from this novel with a sense of peace for the characters and a pride in their accomplishments, and my only complaint is that I wanted MORE. Hooray for my first 5 star read of 2017!
machadofam8's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first book of Liza Palmer and now I want to go back and read her other ones! I really enjoyed this - loved all the cooking, especially. Great characters and everything was just right.