Recipe developer Alioto emphasizes classic Spanish ingredients and the “convivial social experience” of the tapas tradition in her striking debut collection of mix-and-matchable small bites. Easy-nibbling fare includes small bowls of warm olives, crispy pimento garbanzos, pan con tomate, and tortilla Española. Coca, a flatbread, is “Catalonia’s answer to pizza,” while crab-stuffed piquillo peppers originate from Northern Spain. Meatballs with chopped almond paste reflect an Arabic origin, and pork skewers with green mojo sauce draw from Moorish influence. A section on bocadillos, or little sandwiches, includes a baguette with seared ahi tuna and green olive tapenade. The author takes an expansive approach to tapas, including unexpected options like soup, salad, and paella (both classic Valenciana and a springtime variation). Salsas, desserts, and sangrias round things out. Alioto notes that while tapas are “designed to be served in small portions, should you prefer to serve something as a main dish... it’s simply a matter of presentation.” Some further guidance on this would prove useful, especially as recipe yields vary wildly: the recipe for beef picadillo empanadas makes 24, while the recipe for Galician empanadas—a variant stuffed with tuna, olives, and hard-boiled egg—makes only four. Similarly lacking is advice on which recipes might pair best together. Still, the gorgeous photography and vibrant flavor profiles make this giftable guide appealing, especially for party hosts seeking inspiration. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Ukpe-Wallace, an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist, debuts with a compassionate overview of reproductive health. She begins by encouraging readers to get to know their bodies and outlines the parts of the female reproductive anatomy, explaining that being in tune with one’s body can help establish a baseline for what’s normal and what isn’t. Emphasizing that “the womb is not separate from the body,” she details its connections to other body parts, like the brain and heart (high blood pressure, for example, impacts the uterus greatly, potentially leading to preterm labor). Elsewhere, she discusses factors that promote fertility, like getting adequate sleep, minimizing stress, and eating well, and explains common pregnancy complications, including miscarriage and placental abnormalities. Discussing the grief that comes with pregnancy loss, she shares her own experience with stillbirth and miscarriage and encourages readers to rely on daily routines to stay grounded. A successful birth is still possible after pregnancy loss, she notes; after fibroid surgery, she got pregnant and gave birth to her daughter. She concludes by offering advice for caring for the body during postpartum and menopause. Throughout, Ukpe-Wallace maintains an encouraging yet realistic tone, acknowledging a successful pregnancy isn’t in the cards for everyone. Readers will find this a helpful resource. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

A celebration of snacks and apps, this stylish collection of party fare from Hezel (Tin to Table) opens with hosting tips, thoughts on ambience and decor, and a breakdown of pantry staples for entertaining (including assorted pickles, nuts, and chocolate). From pickled celery to serve as a palate cleanser (or as a garnish on a Gibson) to gooseneck barnacles with smoked paprika aioli, simple but sophisticated bites abound. More intricate affairs include a flaky, gooey French onion pie with Gruyère and fresh thyme, canned clam croquettes, and puff pastry ricotta tart topped with mushrooms, peaches, or asparagus. Recipes recur: sour cherry syrup does double duty in a cola and on an ice cream float, while shrimp butter can adorn either elegant cucumber sandwiches or simple saltines. (The latter recipe is a riff on the author’s grandmother’s shrimp mousse, one of many odes to nostalgic and sometimes kitschy eats.) Sweets include decadent plum granita with whipped cream and salted caramel and salted pistachio “magic shell” ice cream dip. Hezel shares practical wisdom throughout, including instructions on reviving limp veggies with an ice bath, rapidly chilling wine bottles in a salty slurry, and forming butter into elegant curls. Whimsical illustrations, bubbly prose, and festive photographs of tablescapes exude savoir vivre. Accessibly extravagant, this eclectic handbook is sure to elevate any host’s next soiree. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

The debut baking book from Sepsy, creator of the online bakery Hungry Gnome, brims with comfort and nostalgia. The opening chapter includes a recipe for the chocolate chip scones that launched her baking career at 13, as well as 11 fun scone variations, including lavender lemon and butter pecan with a maple butter glaze, and helpful tips for success (when gathering the dough, she warns not to knead it, otherwise the cold butter will melt prematurely and make the scone dense and dry). Other baked goods range from sentimental American classics like chocolate chip crumb loaf, homemade galactic brownies (a riff on Little Debbie cosmic brownies), and cinnamon-sugar “mall pretzels,” to recipes that pay tribute to Sepsy’s Italian background, including fig cookies, anisette toast, and pignoli (pine nut) cookies. Sepsy’s clever original creations are not to be missed: Italian Rainbow buns, for instance, are a mash-up of rainbow cookies and sweet buns, while baci buns contain a crunchy, chocolate-hazelnut filling reminiscent of Perugina Baci candies. Equally enjoyable are Sepsy’s endearing family anecdotes (“To Grandma Rosemarie, any holiday warranted these crispy and spicy biscuits,” she says about gingerbread cookies). It’s a worthy addition to any home baker’s shelf. Agent: Rica Allannic, David Black Agency. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Agriculturalist Blessing debuts with a charming handbook for growing, selling, and crafting with flowers. Alongside photos of her Pennsylvania homestead, Blessing instructs readers on how to plan their own flower garden—whether in pots, backyards, or fields—encouraging them to select flowers adapted to their climate, organize plantings by height so tall plants don’t overshadow small ones, and, if planning to sell them, plant more than needed to account for crop failures. She explains how to gauge the health of soil, including instructions for a DIY soil composition test, and offers tips for creating an eco-friendly, regenerative garden, like incorporating native plants and using compost as a natural fertilizer. Elsewhere, she demonstrates how to sell cut flowers by setting up a roadside stand or welcoming customers to walk through fields and pick their own, and outlines the medicinal and culinary benefits of certain flowers. For instance, marigolds have healing properties beneficial for bruises, while rosemary can boost immunity and improve hair growth. Handmade floral crafts are also demonstrated, including pressed flower candles, eucalyptus shower steamers, and dried flower garlands. Blessing’s passion for growing flowers is contagious (“Every seed holds the promise of hope and every bud unlocks the secrets of nature’s grace”). This wide-ranging how-to will appeal to novices and seasoned gardeners alike. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Berke (illustrator of Were I Not a Girl) demonstrates how to construct books and zines from scratch in this comprehensive but dizzying guide. Required tools include everyday items like scissors and glue sticks, as well as less common objects, such as awls and bone folders. Berke breaks down the anatomy of a book, pointing out that a signature is “sheets of paper folded and nested together in sets of two-to-eight sheets” and that a headband is “a decorative tape that hides the inner workings of the spine.” The terminology comes in handy for the bookbinding projects, which include stab-stitch binding, where the sewing is done on the exterior of the spine, and coptic binding, where signatures are sewn to each other and to the covers. For creating zines, Berke showcases several formats, like accordion (zigzag folded structures) and octavo (a single sheet of paper folded and cut to make a booklet). Though it’s clear that Berke has a wealth of knowledge, the at times long-winded instructions accompanied by vague illustrations will be daunting for beginners. This is best for readers who already have a working knowledge of book arts and are looking to refine their skills. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Embroidery artist Mitchell debuts with a delightful introduction to hand-stitching designs onto shoes with a needle and thread. She begins by detailing how to pick the right shoes to embroider. Her favorite are Converse All Stars because the fabric isn’t too thick, and she recommends steering clear of leather and pleather shoes, which embroidery can distort and crack. She walks crafters through basic stitches, like the straight stitch and backstitch, and explains how to prepare shoes for embroidery (take out the laces and tuck in the tongue) and sketch the desired design onto the shoe using an erasable marker or pencil. Instructions are included for simple hearts, bumblebees, flowers, and leaves. Readers also learn how to stitch letters and numbers, enabling them to add names or dates to their shoes. Aside from canvas sneakers, embroidery can also be added to Chelsea boots, which have an elastic section near the ankle that’s perfect for stitching, according to Mitchell, who offers instructions for stitching daisies, autumn florals, and wheat sprigs on them. Elsewhere, she explains how to create one’s own embroidery designs, how to hand-stitch lace and other embellishments to decorate bridal shoes, and how to create pet-inspired patterns. Comprehensive and easy-to-follow, this is sure to inspire anyone looking to rock unique kicks. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Psychologist Zoffness (The Pain Management Workbook) delivers an eye-opening study that reframes how patients and practitioners should understand chronic pain. Rather than seeing it as the result of damage to a single body part, Zoffness views pain holistically as an experience influenced by emotions, expectations, and one’s environment. She illustrates how the mind plays a vital role in pain: depression can keep a patient from recovering, for example, while joyful distraction can aid healing. Neuroplasticity—the mind’s ability to reroute patterns—can create chronic pain as an overreaction to a perceived threat, but also offers hope (“if the brain can change, pain can change”). In one example, a woman began feeling leg pain after a running injury. Over time, her legs developed lesions, and she could no longer work or care for her child. After discovering the flare-up was influenced by stress, depression, and other emotional factors, she began to recover through a combination of physical therapy, outings with friends, and the resumption of her hobbies. Zoffness ends by providing a protocol for healing: identify what hurts and what exacerbates symptoms, then explore physical, emotional, cognitive, and social interventions (everything from daily walking and deep breathing to the companionship of a pet). Offering inspiring case studies and comprehensive solutions, this is a game changer for those seeking pain relief. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

This beautiful how-to from Norway-based agriculturalist Røyneberg (Green Home) demonstrates the versatility of container gardening, the practice of growing plants in pots, baskets, or other vessels rather than directly in the ground. Since they don’t require much space, container gardens can line urban balconies and courtyards as well as gardens and terraces, he explains, enabling anyone to grow ornamental flowers or edible herbs and vegetables. He details the different categories of potted plants—such as perennials, tuberous plants, and bulbs—and advises readers to consider what plants will thrive in the weather conditions in which they live. The type of pot one uses can have consequences for the plant’s well-being; glazed and plastic pots, for example, retain moisture better than terra-cotta ones and are more suitable for those who prefer to water plants less often. In addition to offering helpful tips for caring for container plants, like keeping them hydrated by covering soil with a thin layer of leaves or freshly cut grass, Røyneberg shares 18 creative project ideas, including potted sunflowers, a bowl of microgreens that can sit near the kitchen window year-round, and a full-blown garden of hanging baskets and steel planters. The result is a panoramic manual for creating a thriving oasis. Photos. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

“The name ‘Donut Daddy’ is a title I wear seriously and with pride. It reflects not just my mastery over donuts but my role as a guide, leading you into a world where pleasure and artistry converge,” writes TikTokker and bakery owner Randello-Jahn in his sensuous debut. The thorough introduction covers key ingredients and necessary equipment (most recipes demand a stand mixer). A chapter on “Donuts Dipped in Desire” offers classics—including crullers and boston creams—alongside more inventive flavors, such as strawberry tiramisu and whiskey crème brûlée. “Mix and Chill” ventures into non-doughnut desserts, again ranging from the familiar (chocolate soufflé) to the unexpected (matcha honey panna cotta). Things ramp up in “Dangerously Decadent Desserts” with more elaborate fare, including a time-consuming “passion fruit tart of temptation.” “Breakfast in Bed” features “scandalous” double chocolate waffles, while “The Next Level” offers foundational recipes for home bakers to experiment with (or, as Randello-Jahn puts it, “be your own daddy”). Throughout, thirst-trap-style photos of Randello-Jahn will appeal to his fans, but the innuendo-laden prose, while humorous, occasionally distracts. It’s hard to know, for example, if the instruction to “caress the dough with your hands” is just part of the bit or if the dough needs to be kneaded. Still, ambitious home bakers will find plenty of inspiration in these “sinful” treats. (Feb.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink