The Glass Key by Amanda Geard

#TheGlassKey #NetGalley

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

Now out-The Parisian Chapter by Janet Skeslien Charles

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.

On: The Paris Library

Now in paperback: The Paris Library

On Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade

What they did! Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade (Janet Skeslien Charles)

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn is an e book bargain

#TheAstralLibraryDeluxeLimitedEdition #NetGalley

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?

The Last Garden in England is an e book bargain

The Last Garden in England

by Julia Kelly

Pub Date 12 Jan 2021

This is the third historical novel that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed all three books. Each has had war as a backdrop and all have had characters with whom I enjoyed spending time.

A garden is a character in this title. Like a person it is born, grows, and faces struggle and renewal. Indeed, the main characters in this novel also have their struggles and joys as they spend time in this very special garden that was designed with rooms, including a children’s garden, a tea garden and a winter garden.

There are many characters to follow. The original designer of the garden is Venetia, a woman who was independent for her era which was WWI. During WWII readers follow land girl Beth, cook Stella and owner of the house with the garden, Diana. In the present, readers get to know Emma who is restoring Venetia and Diana’s garden. Each of these women has a back story and people who matter to them. Their lives are vividly presented by the author who writes characters with whom readers get to know well.

During Covid, I have spent a lot of time visiting my local botanical garden. I think that enhanced my enjoyment of the sections of the book that described the gardens but you don’t have to be a horticulturalist to read this title.

Come to visit this garden and these characters with their love stories and tales of life both in the present and in the shadow of war. It will be time well spent. Everything invites the reader in including the book’s lovely cover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Kid’s Corner: Ten Happy Dogs by Lili Chin

#TenHappyDogs #NetGalley

Here is such a happy counting book. The illustrations are lively and adorable. The text tells little ones what the dogs are up to. The print book will be a board one so it will be sturdy enough for babies to handle.

Highly recommended for fun counting to ten.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 22 September 2026

Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description:

from the publisher

Let’s count to 10 with our doggie friends! The beloved creator of Dogs of the World and Doggie Language takes kids through a perfect dog’s day—meeting nine playful pups along the way—in this paw-sitively delightful counting board book.

Join one happy dog on a day of adventures in this charming counting board book. From morning to night, each new pup adds up to a tail-wagging pack of ten—whether racing across the beach, rolling in the mud, or snuggling in for bedtime.

With lively illustrations and playful details, this book helps children build early numeracy skills while sharpening visual memory as they spot familiar dogs from earlier pages and discover the newest addition to the group. Perfect for kids and dog-lovers alike, it’s a dog-gone fun way to learn to count!

If you love learning your numbers with these furry friends, don’t miss the companion alphabet board book, ABC Dogs!

Now out- Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

#AFoundingMother #NetGalley

The U.S. will note 250 years as a country soon. I imagine this means that there will be many new books published that look back at the country’s early years. I was intrigued to read this one, in particular, because I very much enjoyed an earlier book by Dray (Becoming Madam Secretary).

Here Dray and her co-author look at the U.S., beginning before the Revolution, through the eyes of Abigail Adams. She is portrayed as forthright, intelligent, an able manager of her family, a woman willing to move out of her small community for the sake of the country (of course, she enjoyed some of these travels), a wife, a daughter, a sister, a mother (one who faced losses), both the wife and mother of a president. Her roles were many and varied. All come to life in these pages.

One thing that readers might look out for as they read is the ways in which Abigail’s past and our present resonate with each other. To give one example, Abigail lived during the time of smallpox and decided to inoculate her family and herself. More recently many faced Covid and decisions about that vaccine, and others are again arousing some controversy. Another to ponder is how Boston was treated in terms of issues that seem similar to some with ICE in the present. For example, soldiers entering homes without permission. These connections made reading this book feel immediate even though the time was many years past.

The authors of this title tell their story well. Even those who have read other books about Abigail Adams will, I think, enjoy this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 05 May 2026

Post first published on 23 February 2026

Description:

from the publisher

In time for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the United States comes a sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams—wife of one president and mother to another—whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. A stunning historical novel with modern-day implications from the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.

In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally.

When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans.

From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

Now out-Get ready for a: Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey

I have enjoyed other novels by this author so was very happy to settle down with her latest. It offers a long read with multiple characters and their interrelationships. The setting in a small town was evocative and left me wishing that I could go for a visit.

Readers meet two main characters. They are Daisy and Mason. Daisy is a nurse whose work has been in fast paced, trauma settings. For reasons that are not immediately clear, Daisy flees/moves away from her position to one in this small town. For his part, Mason has returned home where he coaches the high school baseball team. His own potential career was cut short when he suffered an injury at the end of high school. He is described as having a bit of a reputation.

Daisy and Mason meet when Mason discovers a newborn in a dumpster. The first nurse he sees at the hospital is Daisy. Their relationship progresses from there with the two very interested in this baby’s future. Who is she? What happened?

Another intriguing character is Tilley. She is a great aunt to some cute children with whose family she lives. Tilley has a backstory that seems quite intriguing though it will take readers many pages before they fully understand her.

There are so many more characters in this book. Many of them are members of Mason’s clan while others are moms at the school, Daisy’s family and others. In fact, I had a bit of trouble remembering exactly who was who. It doesn’t matter though, it is possible to just keep going.

There are discoveries to be made in these pages as Daisy comes to understand her past and her mother. No spoilers here though. Others will also grow.

This novel would make an ideal beach/vacation read. It is another hit for this author.

Library Journal observes that

With small-town charm, memorable characters, and thoughtful explorations of motherhood, grief, and redemption, this heartwarming novel is a moving story of second chances and unexpected love.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 05 May 2026

Post first published on 30 April 2026

Description:

from the publisher

“Queen of the beach read,” (Cosmopolitan) New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey returns with a heartfelt escape to coastal Carolina.

After the worst day in her professional life, burnt-out NICU nurse Daisy Stevens runs to Cape Carolina, North Carolina, looking for a new life—and possibly new romance. On her first day at her “simpler” job, high school baseball coach Mason Thaysden discovers an abandoned baby, sending ripples through the entire tight-knit town of Cape Carolina.

Mason is still struggling to reconcile the scars of the injury that kept him out of the big leagues, stuck in his hometown, and searching for a way out. This newcomer and the child they’ve saved together might be just the motivation he needs to stay put. Sparks fly as Mason acquaints Daisy with Cape Carolina, introducing her to his friends and family, including his batty Aunt Tilley, who is looking for relief from long-buried family secrets and her own fresh start.

But as Daisy becomes increasingly attached to this abandoned child, and begins facing her own demons in the process, a startling discovery is made that threatens to rip the entire town of Cape Carolina apart, placing Daisy, Mason, and Tilley in the center of the storm. In a novel that proves that “Kristy Woodson Harvey is (the) go-to for elevated beach reads” (People), they will each learn that with love, understanding—and a community theater production of Hello, Dolly!—sometimes life conspires to bring us just exactly where we belong.