September 30, 2019
Fresh and inventive, but fundamentally flat, this cinematic fantasy cowritten with Rosenfield (Inland) contains all the ingenuity fans will expect of the late Stan Lee (1922–2018) but not much depth. Nia, a lonely girl born with a gift for hacking, whose controlling father allows her to interact with the outside world exclusively via social media, meets Cameron Ackerson online. Cameron obtained cyberkinetic powers, the ability to control computers with his mind, after being struck by lightning. The teens decide to use their technical gifts to fight for justice via cyber stunts such as manipulating the livestream of a hateful newscaster to make him appear to sing showtunes
. But when Nia discovers a virtual world that may hold the truth behind her sheltered life and a skin-stealing alien begins pursuing Cameron, the pair realizes that they’ve put themselves and the planet in grave danger. The plot moves quickly, and the young characters are sympathetic and modern, if lacking in interiority. Though Lee’s many fans will find plenty here to keep their attention, this narrative would be better served as a movie. Agent: Yfat Reiss Gendell, Foundry Media
June 7, 2021
Queer Eye food guy Porowski views the culinary world through a wide-angle lens in his breezy debut. Dinner is loosely defined, with several breakfast-like dishes, such as a plate of fluffy soft-scrambled eggs with shrimp and scallions, auditioning for the role. As he does in the show, Porowski creates meals with an ad-hoc approach (“great discoveries come from being flexible”), while sprinkling in snappy tips, like using applesauce in a vinaigrette to bring a “sweet brightness” to the dish. Chicken or fish add protein to many of the large salads on offer, including a colorful Sicilian tuna salad with beets and oranges. A section of veggie soups and entrées boasts a red lentil soup with ginger and coconut, while a meaty chapter of sandwiches features umami-drenched and coma-inducing pork burgers with gochujang special sauce. Cream and carbs are balanced against the likes of kale, broccoli, and zucchini in a fun and satisfying array of pastas. Meanwhile, chapters devoted to seafood, meats, and sides go big on flavor, be it a sweet and salty shrimp saganaki; an earthy, smoky bean and sausage ragout; or ginger-curry glazed carrots. And to sate fans, full-page spreads of a smiling Porowski appear throughout. This will be easy to devour.
September 1, 2021
The second cookbook from Queer Eye's food expert is all about flexible dinners, with Porowski encouraging readers to consider many ingredients (including meat) optional and swap in what they have on hand as needed for these salads, hearty veggie dinners, easy yet elegant egg-based dishes, sandwiches, ""carb comas"" (aka pastas), fish, poultry, and meat dishes along with such comforting foods as nachos, pancakes, and a cheeseburger soup. A final section on snacks and side dishes will help readers take this entertaining-friendly cookbook to the next level. A few standouts that underline Porowski's elevated, fuss-free style include ""lazy pierogis,"" a gnocchi-like dumpling made with ricotta and mushrooms; croque signore, which adds mortadella and pepperoncini to the classic French sandwich; paella made with shrimp, chorizo, and Israeli couscous; mussels, Polish-style, with kielbasa and cabbage; and a take on coq au vin that uses fruity white wine instead of the traditional red. Gathering influences from the U.S. and Canada, Japan, Vietnam, and many European countries, this appealing collection pairs recipes (each fitting on a single page) with lots of adjacent photos.
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August 1, 2021
The Doocys, who penned the New York Times best-selling The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook, share fun and funny stories as they offer quick'n'tasty recipes in The Happy in a Hurry Cookbook (200,000-copy first printing). Winner of France's L�gion d'honneur and 16--count 'em, 16-James Beard awards, P�pin here revises The Short-Cut Cook (and adds photographs) to give us Quick & Simple: help for frantic cooks needing things to go tr�s vite (75,000-copy first printing). Porowski, the Emmy Award-winning food and wine expert on Netflix's ever-popular Queer Eye, invites you to dinner (e.g., steak with harissa butter and parsley salad) in his Untitled new cookbook (175,000-copy first printing) and makes it snappy.
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