Customer Reviews

A la Carte

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lainey, at age seventeen, is an innovative cook. When she whips up tasty treats in the kitchen at home or the restaurant where her mother works, she is content. She scribbles her recipes in a notebook and dreams of having her own cooking program on television. She shares her creations with her classmates and her mom's co-workers. Judging from their reactions, she definitely has a future in culinary arts.

Sadly, her best friend Sim does not share her determination nor her direction. Laine and Simeon were once extremely close, but in recent months, he has been skipping classes and hanging out with different people. Now, whenever he does talk to Laine, it's usually to ask for her science notes. He acts as though everything is okay, but she can tell something's up. Sim sinks deeper and deeper into trouble until he leaves his home, his school, and his town completely. Only knowing part of his plans, Lainey is unsure how much she should tell her mother and Sim's parents.

Lainey is a great leading character. Full of questions and opinions, she is simultaneously looking forward to her future and appreciative of her past. She is proud of her abilities and her chosen career. Handwritten recipes appear through the book, complete with cross-outs, rings of condensation, and smudges, looking as though they were torn out of Lainey's notebooks. I love that she's a vegetarian, and that she tries to make her recipes both as healthy and as tasty as possible. The cooking sequences will make readers hungry (I know I was!), and the overlying mystery/worry about Sim will compel readers to keep on reading.

A La Carte by Tanita Davis follows Lainey who dreams of being the first Vegetarian African American TV Chef. Lainey's mother owns a restaurant and Lainey loves being in the kitchen and creates recipes (included in the story) whenever she has a problem. Lainey however, is far from perfect. She has no real friends except a childhood friend Sim who takes advantage of her friendship and then runs away.

I had real problems with this book because the main character was so unlikeable. Lainey had no friends except for Sim who was obviously a seedy character who was using her and then runs away. Lainey steals from her mother and then lies to her about Sim's disappearance which he apparently had to do because his father was so terrible (although his terribleness seemed not to be that he was abusive but that he had high expectations). Lainey finally opens up to a friend and finally is able to see how Sim was using her and is able to make another friend. I did finish the book and it was a quick read (and I've been in a mood lately where I've been quitting books half way through). I would not however recommend it because of how pathetic and unlikeable the main character was.

Appropriateness: This is a good book to show how some people will take advantage and pretend to care to get things from you. There is a bit of romance but no sex. There is talk of drugs and alcohol at a party that Laney does not attend that gets out of control and has severe consequences for one of the characters. I would recommend this book to readers 12+

This is an awesome book. I couldn't get my head out of it. This book really made me think. Laine is very hardworking and can get in a little trouble. : ). Overall great book

I pre ordered the paperback of A la Carte March 24th. It arrived last week. I started reading it last night and couldn't put till down till I finished.

I loved it. I loved Lainey and her mom and her friends and the jazz choir and the Salle Rouge and I adored the recipes. The first one I am going to try is the gingerbread.

I got to the end about three AM and I was so sad it was over. I can't wait to share this book.

This started off as a pretty good novel and finished very very strong, turning my like into love. 17 yr old Elaine (Lainey) lives in the Bay Area with her mother who is co owner of La Salle Rouge restaurant. Lainey is pretty good in the kitchen as well and dreams of having her own vegetarian cooking show. A la Carte is about much more then a girl who wants to be a chef. Its also about a teenage girl who falls for the wrong guy. Lainey has known Sim since grade school. The two used to be very close friends when high school started Sim no longer had time for Lainey. As soon as the author introduced Sim I didn't like him because Lainey seemed like a nice girl who deserved a good guy. Not a guy who strings her along or only comes by when he needs something, making empty promises. But the author tricked me into thinking maybe Sim wasn't so bad after all, when hewent crying to Lainey about needing to runaway because his parents didn't understand him.

I just wanted to say goodbye. I'm not coming back. I finally figured it out, my parents are crazy and its them that's making my life such crap. I can't live like this so I'm not going to. It's not like they don't want me to go

As I read this chapter of Sim leaving I was thinking ohh he isn't that bad just misunderstood. Even when he asked to borrow 500 dollars from Lainey I was still blind. Though I hate to be tricked it makes it easier to see how Lainey could fall for a guy like Sim. Cooking comforts Lainey, throughout the novel she cooks various recipes. Lainey's cooking doesn't stop the flow of the novel, only slows the pace so Lainey can catch her breath again. Lainey's vegetarian recipes are included in the book. Lainey's mom was great, not allowing Lainey to stop living her life for a guy. It was a long slow process for Lainey to rethink her relationship with Sim and how much she is willing to take or do for a guy making this story very believeable.

Sim comes back

I've thought about you alot, Laine. Not enough to call though huh? I smile back, almost sad that I know it's so true. Sim laughs shortly. Man, Laine you're brutal. Okay so I screwed up. His finger traces my lower lip. I'll make it up to you. Come see me this summer? Now he asks when all I have ever wanted was for him to want me with him, to need be to be around , to take notice of what I do . Now it's not what I want anymore. I'm not a girl who's meant to be a side dish. I won't stand around and wait for some boy while he chooses me. I can choose me too.

I am pretty sure my like turned into love right around here. I highly recommend A la Carte. If you know a girl who is stuck on the wrong guy, or maybe you want them to avoid the wrong guy give them this book. If you know a girl who likes to cook, is a vegetarian or enjoys cooking shows give them this book. A la Carte is appropriate for preteens.

Lainey spends most of her time in the kitchen of her mom's restaurant and it is here that she develops a knowledge of culinary arts that is quite atypical for someone her age. Food is an important part of her life not only because it is how her mom earns a living, but because it is central to the strong relationship that Lainey and her mom have. As a result, Lainey is not a thin child. Because of all the time she spends with food and adults in the kitchen, she has few friends. Well, except for Simeon. Simeon has been Lainey's friend forever. She has been so smitten by him that she has been oblivious to many things that have been going on with him. This relationship, which develops into a little triangle with a young man named Topher, is the driving force of the story. We wonder which of the young men will actually gain Lainey's affection and I have to say I was quite pleased with the outcome. Lainey's determination to become a chef with her own television show will give most teens of color a career they may not have previously considered.

Seventeen year old Elaine (Lainey) Seifert lost her dad when she was three. She lives with her mother,Vivianne. LaSalle Rouge is a French-Asian-Californian restaurant that receives rave reviews from critics and Vivianne owns it. Lainey dreams of becoming a celebrity chef. There's no place she'd rather be than in the kitchen of her Mom's popular establishment and there's nothing she'd rather be doing than cooking. Food seems to be this young lady's life. Yes, it is definitely her passion. She loves to shop for it, loves to cook it and loves to share her edible creations with her peers; particularly her friends in the jazz choir at school.

When Lainey's friend, Simeon, leaves town her passion fades. She's still cooking but now it hides her hurt, helps her to cope in a difficult situation and comforts her when she's stressed. But when she realizes Simeon isn't the guy she imagined him to be she regains her focus and is able to make choices to better herself and her life.

There are many teen novels these days focusing on such serious topics that they could also be considered adult reads. A La Carte does not fit into that category. I see this as a book very suitable for a middle school reader. I'm thinking high school girls want to read something a little more deep and dramatic, but it would be a cozy read for the ones who can do without alot of drama; especially if they love to cook.

I liked reading this book. I learned about foods I never heard of before and what I really liked was seeing a recipe in handwriting at the end of each chapter; some of them even have food stains - unique!

A la Carte is an inviting first course from newcomer Tanita S. Davis. Her blend of mouthwatering recipes and heartfelt characters makes for a delightful read. Recommend for kids 12 and up, especially anyone with an interest in cooking, or at a crossroads figuring out who they want to be.