Sloane faced an unthinkable loss when her sister died (not a spoiler as readers learn this early in the story). She is engaged to a somewhat pompous fiance who has an over involved family and often make Sloane feel inferior. On top of all this, Sloane’s parents are not the easiest people.
Sloane escapes into her work as a librarian although that also has it challenges. One of these is an older gentleman who enjoys mentally fencing with Sloane. Will these two change each other? Will others also be drawn in? Readers may know the answer but will still, I think, enjoy this book. It gives voice to some of what is important in life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this title. All opinions are my own
Expect the unexpected in this fun debut to, what I hope, is a new series by Tamara Berry. It offers some eccentricity, a good story line and some unexpected events, all within the traditional(ish) mystery genre.
Amber must be feeling pretty desperate. She leaves home in the middle of the night and, although well below age, escapes to a community for older adults. Probably desperate to go here and to meet up with a relative she doesn’t even know. And, what about that tortoise? Add murder to the mix and the story is on its way. Lucky Amber has had some PI training.
This title is definitely worth a look and seems perfect for these lazy summer days.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Kirkus Reviews says: A knockout series debut from a veteran author with street cred in both mystery and romance…Despite Berry’s breezy tone and drop-dead-funny japes at Seven Ponds and its eccentric residents and staff, she tells a heartrending tale of how complicated families can be.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
I have read so much historical fiction that takes place during WWII and its aftermath. This makes it easy to think that I could skip reading a new book set in that time period and you may think that as well but DON’T. Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary novel.
From its visceral opening scene in which collaborators are shamed and attacked on a Paris street, and right on through the novel, this is an immersive, engaging and intriguing book. Within its pages readers will spend time with Charlotte and Vivi, a mother-daughter who survived the war and came to New York. The book is told in seamlessly interwoven timelines; there is one in which Charlotte works in a New York publishing house and Vivi is a fourteen year old school girl and a second that takes place during the war in Europe.
The characters in the novel are each brought to life from Horace, in a wheelchair, to Julian to so many more. The settings are also evocative. Readers will feel what it was like to scrounge for food and to reconsider moral stands in the Paris of the war. Book lovers will also enjoy the inside view of the world of publishing in the U.S. that Ms. Feldman provides.
Early in the book, Charlotte is at a makeup counter where she is told that a certain product “will erase your past.” But, of course, the past cannot be erased. Should it be? Another provocative quote is when Charlotte says that she was not Jewish until Hitler made her so. What does this mean to her? How do we form identities? These are just some of the issues to ponder.
I give this book a solid five stars and highly recommend it. Readers will be drawn in and the novel will resonate with them even after they have read the last lines.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Short novels by Japanese (and other) authors are quite popular now. I think that they speak to our collective uncertainty about the time we are living in and our need to feel nourished and calm. Books like Hot Chocolate on Thursday are genuine comfort reads and I enjoyed this title very much.
In a series of interconnected stories, readers will find characters whom they will like, relationships, and some life lessons, all of which are delivered in a non-preachy way that resonated for me. For example, there is a story of a kindergarten teacher who does not follow the custom and comes to school with a pale pink nail polish. Something is discovered at the end of this vignette about the impacts that people have upon one another. A different story is about a woman who excels at work but feels that she is not a good mother. What does she learn about herself that she is able to carry forward?
I note again the connections among the entries in the novel. For instance, the kindergarten teacher shows up in a story about a young woman who is getting married. It was fun to read and wonder who would reappear.
I highly recommend this title. It brightened the days on which I read it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 17 February 2026
Post first published on 26 February 2026
Description
Across a bridge in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favorite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lives of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees…
Without even realizing it, we may touch and change someone else’s life.
Taking a walk along the river, cooking the best tamagoyaki, ordering hot chocolate, forgetting to remove our nail polish… The small, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters, reverberate far beyond our own circle, and ultimately make a difference in the world around us.
Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that each open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe. What happens in between will touch and swell your heart, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.
From the opening map to the very last page, here is a delightful rendition of Winnie the Pooh in graphic form. The essence of the stories is here and the illustrations truly bring the characters to life.
I think that both children and their adults will enjoy this version of the Pooh stories. I highly recommend this title.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter-Ten Speed Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 13 October 2026
Description:
from the publisher
Experience the idyllic magic of the Hundred Acre Wood like never before through this charming graphic novelization of A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s beloved classic, Winnie-the-Pooh.
Adapted by Kevan Chandler and Eisner Award-winning artist Joe Sutphin, this enchanting adaptation brings all ten original Winnie-the-Pooh stories to life with soft, captivating colors and sprawling scenes that are faithful to the heartwarming spirit of Pooh and friends. Follow along for an adventurous romp through the Wood as Pooh helps Eeyore find his tail, gets stuck in a tight space after eating far too much honey, tries to catch a Heffalump with Piglet, joins Christopher Robin on an Expotition, and more.
Perfect for both new readers and lifelong fans of all ages, this beautiful graphic edition is a treasure to be cherished for generations to come.
Anyone who has read a book by Elly Griffiths and who then sees a new title by her will immediately snatch it up (as I did). Those who have never read books by her are missing out. Griffiths’ series featuring Ruth Galloway is one of my favorite ever. I have also enjoyed her stories featuring Harbinder and the ones set in Brighton.
So…I was very excited to see that Griffiths had a first book out in what will be a new series. I loved it.
This title does require some suspension of disbelief as it includes time travel (a much more common trope these days). However, I enjoyed spending time in each of the time periods while waiting to see how the stories would come together.
Much like Ruth, Ali is an idiosyncratic and highly likeable protagonist who solves murders. Griffiths has many characters surrounding her in both the Victorian and modern eras.
I think that the author researched the historical period well. Many details bring that time to life.
This atmospheric read is highly recommended to mystery lovers. I will be reading the next book soon.
By the way, the top cover is for the U.S. edition. I prefer the second which is the British one and that is the one that I purchased.
Post first published on 8 May 2026
Description:
from the publisher
“A pleasure from finish to start.” —Anthony Horowitz
“Fresh and exciting, with both humor and thrills, Griffiths’ first book in her new series knocks it out of the park!” —Shari Lapena
Some murders can’t be solved in just one lifetime.
Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Nobody knows that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.
The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, an eccentric patron of the arts. Rumor has it that Cain is part of a sinister group called The Collectors. Ali arrives in the Victorian era to another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.
As the clock counts down, Ali becomes more entangled in the mystery, yet danger lurks around every corner. She soon finds herself trapped, unable to make her way back to her beloved son, Finn, who is battling his own accusations in the present day.
Could the two cases be connected? In a race through and against time, Ali must find out before it’s too late.
Next in the series:
This book has been published in the U.K. and releases later this year in the U.S.
When I was young, there was one museum near my home. I periodically visited there with either my family or school. The highlight of these visits for me was the small collection of Egyptian artifacts. Eventually, I grew up and moved to a very large city with an incredible array of art and artifacts from several of the Egyptian dynasties. I have visited often and I have stood in the Temple of Dendur many times. I’ve read some on the gods and goddesses but I have never read a book like this one.
Charlotte Booth puts the reader right into ancient Egypt, as a person who was living there at the time. This readable book is packed with information. There is a section on history followed by many sections on every day life. For example, these include food and diet, getting a job, beliefs and rituals,staying healthy, stepping out in style, passing time in the capital an obeying the laws. The book also includes maps, illustrations, timelines and more.
I loved this book with its deeply engaging take on history. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
I had never read a title by this author but was quite interested in The Glass Key, based on both the book description and the cover. It was a terrific read and I have already purchased Geard’s two earlier novels.
This is a bit of a tough review to write because I don’t want to give too much away. There is just so much for the reader to discover.
Here is an over 400 page book with a plot that is complex, twisty and involving. There are also many characters and relationships to track in two timelines, one during WWII (Norway) and the other in the 2000s (Ireland). Readers will want to know how these come together. In addition, pay attention to the title of the book and learn about the significance of The Glass Key.
This is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy The Seven Sisters series and the recent Sea Stone Sisters. As is true of the books just cited, The Glass Key offers a most immersive read. I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Headline for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 18 June 2026
Description:
from the publisher
The breathtaking new novel from the bestselling author of the Richard and Judy Book Club pick The Midnight House. ‘I just loved this sweeping and deeply moving book of dark secrets’ SANTA MONTEFIORE ‘A page-turning mystery, richly layered and irresistible’CARMEL HARRINGTON ‘A gorgeous novel. Beautifully written and twisty. I loved it’ EVE CHASE
In Ireland, Maggie has grown up hearing her mother tell her the bedtime story of The Glass Key. It’s a Nordic fairytale passed down by Maggie’s grandmother Anna Swan, who mysteriously left her home one stormy night years ago, never to return. Now Maggie’s grandfather has died and going through his things, Maggie is shocked to discover a faded wartime letter, asking him to take in a baby. In that moment she realises that Anna Swan was a woman of many secrets.
Only by travelling to Norway and discovering the story of four brave young women whose lives were forever changed by the occupation of their tiny islands, can Maggie uncover the shocking truth about her family – and finally unlock the mystery of the glass key…
‘You can taste the salt air and bathe in the glow of the Northern Lights’ KATE QUINN ‘A captivating story that unlocks an emotional doorway to the past’ EVIE WOODS ‘Epic, emotional and immersive. One of those books I wanted to savour’LOUISE DOUGLAS ‘Brimming with mystery, family secrets and heart’ MADELINE MARTIN ‘An old school epic that will have readers turning the pages long into the night’ SINÉAD CROWLEY
Anyone who has read books by this author will want to read this new title (and if readers have not read her earlier novels, I highly recommend them). Some characters and places from the earlier works are in The Parisian Chapter, especially Lily, Odile and the wonderful American Library in Paris.
This novel tells an involving story through many characters. They include , in addition to Odile and Lily, Lily’s close friend Mary Louise, a young man in whom Lily becomes interested, authors, and the many who work at the library, are on the board, or attend events there.
I recommend this audio book to anyone who enjoys stories set in Paris with believable characters who have dreams.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 05 May 2026
Description:
from the publisher
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, a charming and “richly populated” (New York Journal of Books) novel about two small-town girls with big dreams who move to Paris to become artists. But dreams don’t just come true. They require nurturing, as do friendships.
Paris, 1995: It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town of Froid, Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists, they shared a tiny walkup and survived on brie and baguettes. But when Mary Louise abruptly moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light for the first time and needs a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris, following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French neighbor in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War II librarians when Lily was growing up.
At work, Lily meets an extraordinary cast of characters—including her favorite writer, struggling students, haughty trustees, and devoted volunteers—each with their own stories…and agendas. In the library’s attic, Lily discovers a box of archives that may be a link to Odile’s own Parisian chapter.
This “stirring and rich with detail” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) story is a love letter to the power of literature, the life of the artist, the importance of friendship, and leaving home only to find it again.
I loved Quinn’s novel, The Rose Code, and, after that one, I have always read her books. I enjoyed The Briar Club but it did not displace The Rose Code as my favorite. Now Quinn has written The Astral Library; this one is different from her earlier books that offered suspenseful historical fiction.
This time, Quinn has written a novel with some elements of fantasy. Main character Alix travels to the Astral Library which is like no library I know of-I only wish that it were real. How does Alix get there?
Well, Alix’s mother left her to the vagaries of the foster care system. Note that Quinn clearly sees the flaws in this system for those who are in need. Alix (names Alexandria for the famous library) has had one consolation only in her young life and that has been reading, reading, reading.
When the story opens, Alix is struggling financially and emotionally. One day, when at the Boston Public Library, she accesses the Astral Library meeting with it idiosyncratic head. Alix is told that she can choose to enter the world of any one book. (Read the story to find out what she chooses). While in the library Alix faces danger and adventure. She visits books and times that are real for her in these moments. For example, Alix visits Sherlock Holmes and the world of Huck Finn. In another plot in this novel, Alix enters paintings as, for example, one by Thomas Cole.
What will happen to both Alix and the Library? What will her life be like by the end of this novel? Readers will hope that her life improves. I know that there is one character that I hope she will be involved with long term (again no spoiler so won’t say who).
This book is part of what seems like a recent genre to me in which people enter the world of books or a character from a novel appears in the life of a book’s protagonist. This is a trend that I have enjoyed.
Those who can roll with this story without questioning how the events could happen will enjoy a book with lots of mentioned literature and art. These are elements that I enjoyed.
Note too that a theme of this novel is body positivity. Alix is a size 22 and there is someone she knows who makes a gorgeous blue dress for her. There is also commentary on the importance of libraries and the importance of all kinds of books being available to all.
I recommend this book to those who like their books to have that books within books vibe.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 26 February 2026
Description:
from the publisher
This stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION is only available on the first printing while supplies last! The collector’s hardcover features stenciled edges, illustrated endpapers, and jacket effects.
From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.
Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives…inside their favorite books.
The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?
When I was young, there was one museum near my home. I periodically visited there with either my family or school. The highlight of these visits for me was the small collection of Egyptian artifacts. Eventually, I grew up and moved to a very large city with an incredible array of art and artifacts from several of the Egyptian dynasties. I have visited often and I have stood in the Temple of Dendur many times. I’ve read some on the gods and goddesses but I have never read a book like this one.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 