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A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet
There's nothing quite like family--for good or bad. But in a world where we sometimes know more about the Kardashians than we do the people sleeping right down the hall, it's easy to forget that walking through life with our family offers all sorts of joy wrapped up in the seemingly mundane. There's even a little bit of sacred sitting smack-dab in the middle of the ordinary. And since time's-a-wastin', we need to be careful that we don't take our people--and their stories--for granted. Whether it's a marathon bacon-frying session, a road trip gone hysterically wrong, or a mother-in-law who makes every trip to the grocery store an adventure, author Sophie Hudson reminds us how important it is to slow down and treasure the day-to-day encounters with the people we love the most.Written in the same witty style as Sophie's BooMama blog, "A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet" is a cheerful, funny, and tender account of Sophie's very Southern family. It's a look into the real lives of real people--and a real, loving God right in the middle of it all.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
About the author
Sophie Hudson
13 books406 followersSophie Hudson loves to laugh more than just about anything. She began writing her blog, BooMama.net, in November 2005, and much to her surprise, she's stuck with it. Sophie hopes that through her stories, women find encouragement and hope in the everyday, joy-filled moments of life. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Sophie loves cheering like crazy at college football games and watching entire seasons of TV shows in record time. Sophie lives with her husband and son in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
June 13, 2013
The first book I've read in a long time that I couldn't put down. I read the whole thing in 24 hours (I read really fast) and loved it. Heartwarming and laugh out loud funny. If you like good ole Southern storytelling you will love this book. If you grew up in the South, you'll feel like she's writing about your family!
November 17, 2017
This book is a celebration of relationships and the joy of being a southerner. It felt like a Sunday Afternoon Family Reunion with laughter, tears, and did I say laughter? I feel as though I have just finished a special family dinner, satisfied, content, and grateful.
July 4, 2013
I loved this book and not only because I know the author and it's about my hometown! I also loved it because my husband also read it and loved it. This is the 2nd book he's read in the 4 years we've been married. It took him a year to finish the first and three days to finish this one.
September 18, 2016
Loved this book. It's a perfect mix of family stories, spiritual tidbits and a TON of humor. This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. I laughed till I all but cried at more that one spot and I giggled throughout.
January 1, 2018
If you want to laugh and cry in the same book and fulfill any “homesickness” you may have... this is the book for you. ❤️
August 25, 2017
I've followed and read Sophie's work but just now reading her first book. Sophie is one of the best storytellers around but along with her stories of family and life, she weaves in truths from the Lord. All her charming and southern stories made me laugh, cry, and hail back to my youth when life was simpler yet God was using that to form me into who I am today. This is a great read! Plus you get some amazing recipes at the end!
March 6, 2015
Sweet and funny with some thoughtful biblical applications woven into her stories. I don't often laugh out loud, even at books I think are quite hilarious. But her chapter about helping her mother in law learn to use a kindle had me giggling all throughout.
January 22, 2021
This is my new favorite author! I love just how authentic she is and she comes off like a friend telling you the hilarious stories of her life. Just so funny and lighthearted and upbeat. She will be my go-to whenever I need a bit of happiness and laughter.
April 30, 2015
As I read this book, I kept picturing all the family gatherings and dinners around my granparents kitchen table. It was an easy read that was fun and tugged at my memory strings.
June 28, 2013
There’s nothing quite like family—for good or bad. But in a world where we sometimes know more about the Kardashians than we do the people sleeping right down the hall, it’s easy to forget that walking through life with our family offers all sorts of joy wrapped up in the seemingly mundane. There’s even a little bit of sacred sitting smack-dab in the middle of the ordinary. And since time’s-a-wastin’, we need to be careful that we don’t take our people—and their stories—for granted. Whether it’s a marathon bacon-frying session, a road trip gone hysterically wrong, or a mother-in-law who makes every trip to the grocery store an adventure, author Sophie Hudson reminds us how important it is to slow down and treasure the day-to-day encounters with the people we love the most.
Written in the same witty style as Sophie’s BooMama blog, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet is a cheerful, funny, and tender account of Sophie’s very Southern family. It’s a look into the real lives of real people—and a real, loving God right in the middle of it all.
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson is a fun, honest book that is overflowing with the love, tears, joy, and other issues and emotions that arise when you put a close, Southern, extended family together. As a member of a large Southern family myself, I was able to immediately relate with the experiences and family members that Sophie described in her book. The book is written in a delightful style and was a simple yet personally convicting read. I liked Sophie's easy style and her inclusion of her personal experiences, feelings, and struggles throughout her lifetime. The book also comes with recipes of classic Southern recipes that Sophie has talked about at different points in the chapters. Overall, I would highly recommend A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet to any reader, Southern or otherwise, who is looking for a sweet yet humorous read that blends hot summers and delightful Southern food in a satisfying way.
I received this eBook for free from Netgalley and Tyndale House Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Written in the same witty style as Sophie’s BooMama blog, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet is a cheerful, funny, and tender account of Sophie’s very Southern family. It’s a look into the real lives of real people—and a real, loving God right in the middle of it all.
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson is a fun, honest book that is overflowing with the love, tears, joy, and other issues and emotions that arise when you put a close, Southern, extended family together. As a member of a large Southern family myself, I was able to immediately relate with the experiences and family members that Sophie described in her book. The book is written in a delightful style and was a simple yet personally convicting read. I liked Sophie's easy style and her inclusion of her personal experiences, feelings, and struggles throughout her lifetime. The book also comes with recipes of classic Southern recipes that Sophie has talked about at different points in the chapters. Overall, I would highly recommend A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet to any reader, Southern or otherwise, who is looking for a sweet yet humorous read that blends hot summers and delightful Southern food in a satisfying way.
I received this eBook for free from Netgalley and Tyndale House Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2018
Let me start by saying that Sophie and I are completely different. This might be exactly why I enjoyed her storytelling so much. I got to sit at her southern table, meet her family members with names and nick names that I have never heard before (Choxie! How cute is that?!) and although I don’t share her love of Jesus (I’m a nice, Jewish girl) I did somehow find her faith to be endearing and not preachy or suffocating. Overall, this was a very random book for me to pick up at the library but I’m glad I did. Sophie seems like a heck of a lady and I would love to share some of her memaw’s fried chicken and sweet tea!
April 13, 2019
I enjoyed this thoroughly, but I do feel that a little goes a long way. It was the right book at the right time, at some other time I might have given it three stars. I enjoyed the southern humor, but at times it might have been judged as being "over the top". I have read one other book by this author and will seek out more by her, but I will definitely let some time elapse.
November 11, 2019
This book was great fun! I especially enjoyed hearing this memoir in audio format, read by the author. Sophie Hudson’s southern accent is a delight to listen to, and various aspects of her stories (prayer meeting, the Outbacks, and the technical help) just cracked me up!
November 26, 2017
Like visiting the YaYa Sisterhood with some spiritual encouragement along the way. This was my "read in the middle of the night when I can't sleep book".
December 21, 2021
3.5 rounded up. Warning: this book is clearly written by a blogger, so if you don’t like those kinds of books, stay away. This book had me lol-ing in real life, but to be fair, my level of “basic” is the i gave The Happiness Project 5 stars level of basic. So take my rating with a grain of salt. I love these blogger books.
March 12, 2022
Typical book of little stores from a blogger. Some of these make you laugh, some make you cry, and some do both. The Southern anecdotes are spot on. Cute little read.
July 19, 2019
This is a collection of eighteen short stories. Most of them are funny, but a few are sad, and even the sad ones have a bit of humor in them. The stories cover a lot of topics, which makes this an interesting read. Faith and family are a big part of the stories. Also, food plays a big part in some of the stories.
June 24, 2013
With all of the reality shows on TV, I wonder if people forget that the family God gave them are the "real" people we need to be with!??!
I love the title of this book because that's exactly how a family unit can be classified . . . a little Salty with the Sweet by Sophie Hudson is a timely reminder that we need not take for granted the family that God has given us. Family, that group of people that we have so much in common with, those peoples who are there for us through thick and thin. The ones we fight with (salty) and have fun with (sweet) and make memories with. Our family is the one we make "our story" with . . . they are the ones who know us best.
Remember that one (or maybe more than one) vacation that went terribly wrong. You know the one, where the rear axle on your family car kept coming off as you made your way home from Grandma's house and your dad kept stopping every couple of miles to fix it. But in the end we had to get a hotel room and didn't go to church that Sunday because dad was fixing the axel? We ate doughnuts for breakfast and read Good Housekeeping! See, if you have a memory like that you probably have a family that has many memories. Keep those memories and write them down.
Great book! And a great gift, too! I'm thinking that this will make a
great grandparents day gift...or a great gift for that baby shower in July!
I love the title of this book because that's exactly how a family unit can be classified . . . a little Salty with the Sweet by Sophie Hudson is a timely reminder that we need not take for granted the family that God has given us. Family, that group of people that we have so much in common with, those peoples who are there for us through thick and thin. The ones we fight with (salty) and have fun with (sweet) and make memories with. Our family is the one we make "our story" with . . . they are the ones who know us best.
Remember that one (or maybe more than one) vacation that went terribly wrong. You know the one, where the rear axle on your family car kept coming off as you made your way home from Grandma's house and your dad kept stopping every couple of miles to fix it. But in the end we had to get a hotel room and didn't go to church that Sunday because dad was fixing the axel? We ate doughnuts for breakfast and read Good Housekeeping! See, if you have a memory like that you probably have a family that has many memories. Keep those memories and write them down.
Great book! And a great gift, too! I'm thinking that this will make a
great grandparents day gift...or a great gift for that baby shower in July!
July 28, 2015
Oh my goodness! Sophie Hudson needs to put warning sticker on her books stating "Warning - you just might have an accident from laughing too much!" I just absolutely adored every single word of this fun-filled and family-filled book.
Sophie tells tales on her beloved family and friends in such a manner that you "bless their hearts" and shake your head at the same time! Being blessed with a Southern family of my own, I could relate to most of the hilarious stories collected here. But what I most appreciated about this book was Sophie's very real love of her God and the faith she shares so readily. I want to be this gal's best friend - or at least in her circle - for the food alone! (Sophie and her mother graciously share several of their family recipes at the end of the book - as sweet Southern women would!)
I highly recommend this book as well as Sophie's second book, "Home Is Where My People Are,"
Sophie tells tales on her beloved family and friends in such a manner that you "bless their hearts" and shake your head at the same time! Being blessed with a Southern family of my own, I could relate to most of the hilarious stories collected here. But what I most appreciated about this book was Sophie's very real love of her God and the faith she shares so readily. I want to be this gal's best friend - or at least in her circle - for the food alone! (Sophie and her mother graciously share several of their family recipes at the end of the book - as sweet Southern women would!)
I highly recommend this book as well as Sophie's second book, "Home Is Where My People Are,"
December 20, 2013
What a wonderful book, filled to the brim with amazing family stories! I laughed, I cried, and then I laughed and cried some more. Sophie Hudson's writing style is real and down to earth, and as you read you get the feeling that you're right there with her at the kitchen table; just chatting away and sipping lemonade. Did I mention that she's funny!? I wish I could be Sophie's real-life friend. She. Is. A. Hoot. And the best part is, she loves Jesus and shares her faith in such a beautiful way.
As a bonus, there are Southern, family recipes at the back of the book that I can't wait to try. They all sound so good!
So, if you're a Southerner, or a Southerner at heart, like me, you'll want to read this one as soon as possible. Well go on, whaddya y'all waitin' for?
As a bonus, there are Southern, family recipes at the back of the book that I can't wait to try. They all sound so good!
So, if you're a Southerner, or a Southerner at heart, like me, you'll want to read this one as soon as possible. Well go on, whaddya y'all waitin' for?
December 9, 2020
Loved this book full of Southern family stories. I listened on audiobook and hearing the author read the book was so funny. She did an excellent job storytelling + writing this book! I laughed out loud several times because yes, the stories were that funny. I also felt like I could relate to many of the things the author talked about. Technology challenged Grandmas and Grandmas who like to shop for two-piece sets (no, not swimsuits people, but two-piece sets!) at “The Goody’s” and “The Belk’s”? Because of course you add an apostrophe and an “s” at the end of every store name in small Southern towns! It was a great read...or should I say, listen.
August 6, 2013
This book is absolutely delightful! It had me crying, laughing and everything in between. Sophie’s writing makes the reader feel like they’re in the story right along with the characters. The book keeps the stories engaging, but real and always in an environment of complete respect which was one of the very best parts. She manages to tell great stories that can make the reader laugh or cry but never at the expense of the main characters. A whimsical read!
July 27, 2015
(2.5 stars.) I feel bad giving only 2 stars because the author is so darn likable. But, likable or not, I thought the book was only so-so. Some of the "lessons" gleaned from the anecdotes seemed forced. The stories involving mother-in-law Martha were quite funny. If the author had been a bit more selective in which stories were included, I think the quality would have improved greatly. There were just a few too many fillers for me.
December 13, 2016
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, and wondered a few times if it would have been easier to follow and/or more enjoyable if I'd read it myself. There were a couple of stories that I found mildly humorous, but most were just okay to me. And I get a little annoyed when people try to assign a "spiritual" lesson to everything, because most of the time it is either a stretch or just flat-out bad theology.
July 3, 2013
So many stories reminded me of my own family. I can't tell you how many times I heard my Papaw get up from the table with a toothpick in his mouth after eating a big meal and dessert and say "Now I need something salty to cut the sweet". And like Sophie's dad, he always found his way to Mayberry. I sure do miss him!
April 12, 2015
(3-1/2) a sweet book - nice change of pace from the "growing up Southern, and boy am I messed up because of it" that I seem to have read a fair amount of recently. A fair amount of biblical quotes, but I didn't mind them and she fit them in well. Becky and Ann Marie, I thought of y'all a lot while reading this!
January 29, 2015
This book made me so homesick - I could vividly hear some of the voices as I was reading.... And I did genuinely laugh out loud at least once or twice, too.
December 13, 2021
I hadn't heard of the blog before I read this book, so I am not familiar with the author besides this book. I'm also not a southerner, so it's just interesting to me to see the cultural differences. I didn't laugh out loud reading it, but I appreciated her heartbeat as a mama and loyalty to her family.
p. 128: I want so much more for him than basing the sum total of his identity on an institution, a sports team, a career, or a player.
Because what I want for him more than anything else is for him to follow Jesus with every bit of the fervor, passion, and excitement we saw that day in Starkville. If he is going to completely abandon himself to any purpose, any cause, any greater good, please, Lord, let it be Jesus. Please.
From the time Alex was a baby, I've prayed Ephesians 3:16-19 for him: "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
p. 178+: "Yes. Remember. Actively remember the Lord's goodness. Say it out loud. Thank Him for what He's done for you in the past. Make a list of what you've seen Him do in your life. Speak it. Remember."
Angela was right on target, of course, and somehow our attention turned to Psalm 77:11-15-a passage that couldn't have been timelier: I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
.....the more I talked, the more I remembered. And the more I remembered, the more I rested in the assurance that there has not been one instance in my life where God has left me or forsaken me. He has worked so intricately in the midst of my circumstances that it's almost impossible for me to comprehend. ...
I am saying when we take time to see God's intention as He acts, His deliberate nature as He unfolds His plan, and His faithfulness as He watches after every detail of our lives, we're reminded of His character. We're reminded of His love for us. We're reminded of the truth of Psalm 143:5-6: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
p. 185: And I thought about how, through every stage of my life, my parents, siblings, in-laws, aunts, uncles, and cousins have taught me that family life isn't always easy, and complications are inevitable, and whether you like it or not, sometimes you're going to get your feelings hurt. Sometimes you may even be the one who does the hurting. But you stay with it, and you get after it, and you love each other, and you forgive each other, and you keep coming back to the table.
...For the first half of my life, probably, I thought that the whole point of the table was the food. ...it's comforting, somehow, to recognize that while the food may be what brings us to the table, it's not the main course by a long shot. More than anything, I think, the food is an invitation to see what the Lord is doing, to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps 34:8). Because when people gather around the table to break bread, the Lord gets to work. He knits together our hearts, strengthens our bonds, and connects our narratives. The table is where He links the generations, where He prompts us to join hands and bow heads and remember and laugh and pass our stories back and forth to each other.
p. 128: I want so much more for him than basing the sum total of his identity on an institution, a sports team, a career, or a player.
Because what I want for him more than anything else is for him to follow Jesus with every bit of the fervor, passion, and excitement we saw that day in Starkville. If he is going to completely abandon himself to any purpose, any cause, any greater good, please, Lord, let it be Jesus. Please.
From the time Alex was a baby, I've prayed Ephesians 3:16-19 for him: "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
p. 178+: "Yes. Remember. Actively remember the Lord's goodness. Say it out loud. Thank Him for what He's done for you in the past. Make a list of what you've seen Him do in your life. Speak it. Remember."
Angela was right on target, of course, and somehow our attention turned to Psalm 77:11-15-a passage that couldn't have been timelier: I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
.....the more I talked, the more I remembered. And the more I remembered, the more I rested in the assurance that there has not been one instance in my life where God has left me or forsaken me. He has worked so intricately in the midst of my circumstances that it's almost impossible for me to comprehend. ...
I am saying when we take time to see God's intention as He acts, His deliberate nature as He unfolds His plan, and His faithfulness as He watches after every detail of our lives, we're reminded of His character. We're reminded of His love for us. We're reminded of the truth of Psalm 143:5-6: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
p. 185: And I thought about how, through every stage of my life, my parents, siblings, in-laws, aunts, uncles, and cousins have taught me that family life isn't always easy, and complications are inevitable, and whether you like it or not, sometimes you're going to get your feelings hurt. Sometimes you may even be the one who does the hurting. But you stay with it, and you get after it, and you love each other, and you forgive each other, and you keep coming back to the table.
...For the first half of my life, probably, I thought that the whole point of the table was the food. ...it's comforting, somehow, to recognize that while the food may be what brings us to the table, it's not the main course by a long shot. More than anything, I think, the food is an invitation to see what the Lord is doing, to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps 34:8). Because when people gather around the table to break bread, the Lord gets to work. He knits together our hearts, strengthens our bonds, and connects our narratives. The table is where He links the generations, where He prompts us to join hands and bow heads and remember and laugh and pass our stories back and forth to each other.
February 13, 2019
I love a good epic novel full of adventure, intrigue, and drama... but just as implied by the title of this book, sometimes you need a little something different. Sometimes you want something light and fluffy, not dramatic or heartwrenching, and not every memoir or collection of reminiscences of the past needs to be about a traumatic childhood or the scars left by one's family. Sophie Hudson uses this book to look back on her life and remember the antics of her family, the lessons she took away from her childhood, and just how her parents, friends, and faith shaped her into who she is today... and she does it with humor and heart.
These stories aren't anything earth-shattering, and don't go into this expecting a real-life Southern gothic full of abuse, trauma, and dark family secrets. Sophie instead tells fond stories of her family -- parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, mother-in-law, family friends, etc. -- and tells them with fondness and warmth. Sure, there are struggles -- family deaths, a beloved uncle being slowly taken away by Alzheimer's, her own crisis of faith in her twenties, etc. But balancing it out are tales of her mother-in-law's struggle to master just what a Kindle is and can do, her mother's horror at her father's complete lack of fashion sense, her and her cousin learning sign language so they can talk in church without getting into trouble, and plenty of descriptions of old-fashioned Southern cooking that are bound to make one's mouth water.
This book wasn't anything groundbreaking, and some of the stories, while cute, aren't memorable enough to stick in my memory. But all the same, this was a heartwarming read, and something soothing and sweet to cut through some of the darker, more dramatic reads I've picked up lately. A cute quick read for cleansing the pallet and reassuring oneself that there's still a lot of good to be had in the world, and that not every memoir or collection of memories needs to be dark and traumatic.
These stories aren't anything earth-shattering, and don't go into this expecting a real-life Southern gothic full of abuse, trauma, and dark family secrets. Sophie instead tells fond stories of her family -- parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, mother-in-law, family friends, etc. -- and tells them with fondness and warmth. Sure, there are struggles -- family deaths, a beloved uncle being slowly taken away by Alzheimer's, her own crisis of faith in her twenties, etc. But balancing it out are tales of her mother-in-law's struggle to master just what a Kindle is and can do, her mother's horror at her father's complete lack of fashion sense, her and her cousin learning sign language so they can talk in church without getting into trouble, and plenty of descriptions of old-fashioned Southern cooking that are bound to make one's mouth water.
This book wasn't anything groundbreaking, and some of the stories, while cute, aren't memorable enough to stick in my memory. But all the same, this was a heartwarming read, and something soothing and sweet to cut through some of the darker, more dramatic reads I've picked up lately. A cute quick read for cleansing the pallet and reassuring oneself that there's still a lot of good to be had in the world, and that not every memoir or collection of memories needs to be dark and traumatic.
January 6, 2018
I have to say that although I don't hail from the South, my mother-in-law's family is as southern as they get and Sophie's portrayal of southern family life was spot on! Reading her book made me feel as though I had been adopted into her family. I loved sitting around the table with them and enjoyed the tales of Martha and Sissie, Mamma and Choxie and the rest of the family. She sums it up perfectly on the last pages..."For the first half of my life, probably, I thought that the whole point of the table was the food. But now that I'm older, I know better. And it's comforting, somehow, to recognize that while the food may be what brings us to the table, it's not the main course by a long shot. He (the Lord) knits together our hearts, strengthens our bonds, and connects our narratives. The table is where He links the generations, where He prompts us to join hands and bow hearts and remember and laugh and pass our stories back and forth to each other." It was good to sit at your table, Sophie. Thanks for sharing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews