Let's Read: Volume 1, Issue 1

Tuesday I picked up two books: I Am Maru and Cake Pops. Apparently, this is the week I buy books from entities made famous by the Internet.

 The many faces of Maru.

I Am Maru by mugumogu is the first Maru book (there is a second, Japanese-only, book). Maru is an adorable prick-eared Scottish Fold cat from Japan with a strong fondness for boxes who has his own You Tube channel. The book is just a few of the blog posts and You Tube videos discussed with some additional photographs, but it's still extremely cute and worth picking up if you like adorable things. For me the best part of the book is the floor plan of Maru's apartment because I've often been curious as to how that space is laid out.

Wipe your chin.

Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats by Bakerella is the Bakerella cake pop book. Bakerella is the pseudonym/nom de plume for blogger, Angie Dudley, who writes the baking blog Bakerella. I've mentioned Bakerella in the past when I made cheesecake balls.

The Bakerella book is similar to the Maru book in that is basically the blog/online presence condensed into book. While this is somewhat redundant with the Maru book, it really works with the Bakerella book as you don't have to be online to reference the site if you're making cake balls. The book is nicely laid out with the first half being about the basics of creating different types of cake balls, and the second half being instructions for creating different themed cake balls. The book is spiral bound so it lays flat making it easier to use in the kitchen.

Either of these books would make an excellent gift (Christmas is practically tomorrow). I sort of justified buying them because my birthday is coming up, but honestly, you never need to justify buying books.