The British win here with books on Downton Abbey, Victoria, Princess Margaret and the Mitfords. There are a few other titles here as well. I especially enjoy books by Donna Leon and Katherine Hall Page’s books are also great reads for mystery readers.
Month: October 2019
Now out: Clementine Churchill A Life in Pictures by Sonia Purnell
I admired both Sonia Purnell and Clementine Churchill even before I was (fortunately) approved by NetGalley for this book on Clementine Churchill . I learned so much from the biography written by Ms. Purnell. This book reiterates many important elements of this fascinating woman’s biography, from her troubled childhood throughout two World Wars and her life beyond. What makes this book different and special, at least to me, are the photographs. They are fascinating both in terms of Clementine and Winston’s lives and as illustrations of the lives of people who lived throughout the 1900s. The text and photos are perfect complements to one another and add to the depth of experience for the reader.
I am savoring this book as I read it. I highly recommend it and give it five stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this magnificent book.
From the Publisher
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Living with Coco Chanel The homes and landscapes that shaped the designer by Caroline Young
People have mixed feelings about Coco Chanel. She is both known for her amazing fashion sense and for her apparent collaboration with the Germans during WW II. However readers may feel about Coco, this book will provide an extensive look at who she was, what influenced her, the places she lived and, of course, her fashions. It is an insightful and interesting look at a woman who lived a dramatic and creative life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.
#LivingWithCocoChanel #NetGalley
From the Publisher
The Country Girl
Gabrielle Chanel kept many facts about her childhood secret. She only offered hints about the poverty and the abandonment she had suffered, of the cloisters and chestnut trees of the Auvergne landscape that formed a backdrop to her early life. She was born on 19 August 1883, under the Leo star sign. Being superstitious, she chose the lion symbol for many aspects of her life – in her apartment in rue Cambon, Paris, on her creations and as a marker on her headstone in the cemetery of Lausanne. ‘I love everything that’s up high,’ she said. ‘The sky, the moon, and I believe in the stars. I was born under the sign of the Lion, like Nostradamus. I’d rather have a touch of the invisible than roast mutton every day.
Twenty-three-year-old Gabrielle Chanel in 1906.
Living with Coco Chanel: The homes and landscapes that shaped the designer
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Bohemian ParisIf there was one time and place that defined Coco Chanel, it was Paris in the 1920s, that exciting, frivolous era, known in France as les années folles. After the First World War, the city became a mecca for the beautiful and the talented looking to forget the horrors they had experienced. Coco was the fashion vanguard of the era, capturing the mood of the time and shaping the way women dressed. ‘I was working towards a new society,’ Coco said. ‘Up until then they had been clothes designed for women who were useless and idle, women whose lady’s maids had to pass them their stockings; I now had customers who were busy women; a busy woman needs to feel comfortable in her clothes. You need to be able to roll up your sleeves.’ |
Rue CambonTowards the end of 1918, Coco Chanel signed a lease for 31 rue Cambon, where she registered for the first time in Paris as a couturière rather than a milliner. The building was set over five floors and it featured a boutique, a workroom, a salon for high-profile clients and Chanel’s own private apartment with three rooms – a hall, living room and dining room. Later on she would add a mirrored bathroom. Scented with Chanel N°.5 and traces of cigarette smoke, it would be a gathering place for the most influential people in Paris, all keen to experience Chanel and her style. |
Riviera ChicFrom its position looking out over the green, rocky coastline of the northernmost Côte D’Azur, with the glittering, moneyed Monte Carlo in the distance to the west, the Italian border to the east, and the foothills of the Alps as a backdrop, La Pausa was Coco Chanel’s magnificent French Riviera sanctuary, located in Roquebrune Cap-Martin. With its painted shutters and terracotta roof tiles baking in the sun, it was an idyllic retreat that looked out towards the endless horizon. Chanel created the villa from the ground up, holding within its design the secrets of her childhood in Aubazine. |
Beautifully illustrated, the book features designs, drawings, archive imagery and contemporary photography to provide an insight into Chanel’s life
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Chanel’s jersey suits with loose belted jackets were much sought after during the First World War, as illustrated in magazine Les Elegances Parisiennes in March 1917. |
A 1929 Vogue illustration depicting Chanel’s sports ensembles, which defined her British look of that period. |
The autumn 1938 collection featured colourful, gypsy-inspired designs, as featured in Marie Claire, 23 September 1938. |
A cute bilingual read: Pierre & Paul: Avalanche! by Caroline Adderson
Pierre & Paul tells the story of two friends with imagination. Read the book and look at the illustrations to get a sense of the avalanches at hand. This is a simple, amusing story of two young boys that switches between English and French. There are contextual clues to help with the language that a child may not speak. The book provides a way to expose children to bilingual text. I especially liked the illustrations.
Thanks to NetGalley and the ublisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
#PierrePaulAvalanche #NetGalley |
A Bitter Feast revisited
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
What a smart change of pace for Deborah Crombie in A BITTER FEAST (Morrow, $25.99), a classic village whodunit that challenges her sophisticated city sleuths, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid of Scotland Yard and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James. This power couple is supposed to be enjoying a restful weekend in the bucolic Cotswolds, but a fatal road accident and a series of suspicious deaths swiftly shatter the peace at their host’s country house.
Crombie has a deft hand with plot, and this one is enriched by characters like Viv Holland, the gifted chef at the local pub, and Fergus O’Reilly, who becomes a person of interest because he looks good in a fedora. But the book’s beauty is in its descriptions of pastoral life: the handsome dogs, the luscious meals and, best of all, the glorious gardens. Murder has some damn nerve, disrupting the tranquillity of such a heavenly place.
MY REVIEW
I was thrilled to receive this novel from NetGalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. I have read every book in this series of very British mysteries that, surprisingly, are written by an American author who lives in Texas. A Bitter Feast is book 18 in this fine series that has deepened over time. If you can, read the books in order for the people, the history and the relationships but, if you can’t, this could be read as a standalone.
Detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma Jones, who married many books ago, are invited to the country with their three children (Backstories on the children appear in earlier books as only one is the shared child of both Gemma and Duncan). They are invited by another police officer, Melody Talbot (again backstory in earlier novels), to her parents beautiful Cotswold home for the weekend. The descriptions of the countryside and the house will make you wish that you could hop a plane, unless you already live in Britain.
Of course, there are murders. There is also lots of food as chefs are important characters in the story. Why was a famous chef murdered? Why was his demise followed by others? And of course, whodunnit? I thought that I knew but I was wrong.
My only regret upon finishing A Bitter Feast was knowing that I now have to again begin the wait for the next book by this author. If you like traditional British mysteries/police procedurals, I highly recommend.
Now out: Ani Trime’s Little Book of Affirmations 52 Illustrated Practices for a Peaceful and Open Mind
A few examples:
-I move forward with confidence;
All is well in my life.
-I release the desire for control;
I accept things as they are.
-I am gentle and loving
toward myself and others.
In this book, I learned that Ani Trime was a motorcycle riding woman who became a Buddhist nun. Ani Trime died in her 80s when she was working on this book of affirmations. It was completed and illustrated by her students.
The book is a collection of 52 affirmations. The author’s intention was to have a reader, in a given week, say the same mantra each day. I will try that but, of course, could not wait 52 weeks to review this title.
If you are a person that follows a mindfulness practice or app, this book could/will enhance your experience. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.
For goo lovers: Ultimate Slime Extreme Edition 100 New Recipes and Projects for Oddly Satisfying, Borax-Free Slime — DIY Cloud Slime, Kawaii Slime, Hybrid Slimes, and More! by Alyssa Jagan
So, a bit of background. The slime phenomenon was nowhere in sight for me until I started to volunteer with families who had a child with cancer. The playroom is open to the patient and their siblings. I discovered that many of them like to make slime. The first time I tried to make it on my own with a child, I brought out the wrong kind of glue. The second time the consistency was not right. Now I can make a passable, if not great, slime. So…clearly there is more to know.
This book is written by a slime expert. It has clear instructions, options and suggestions for projects. There are also lists of ingredients and things for adults and children to be aware of that have to do with safety and storage. I now know that there are fluffy hybrid slime, crunch hybrid slime, snow slime and more. There is a world of slime wonder here.
Slime serves many purposes. There is the fun of making it and its stress relieving properties to name two. With this book, slime folk will have all their options. Highly recommended for fans.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
#UltimateSlimeExtremeEdition #NetGalley
An inspiring horse tale: The True Story of Zippy Chippy The Little Horse that Couldn’t by Artie Bennett
I found this amusing and pleasingly illustrated book to be delightful. Zippy Chippy, whose owner had this as the third choice for his name, was a real racing horse who….just could not race. Zippy was a bit like Ferdinand the Bull; there were so many things that he wanted to enjoy that he often forgot to take off at the start of a race or just could not finish. Zippy NEVER came in first although he had a few places and shows. This left him with a unique record. Nonetheless o,r because of this, Zippy was very loved. At his horse retirement home, he was the main attraction.
The author tells the story of Zippy with a positive message for children about trying and how being yourself is enough. There are additional resources at the back of the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.
For kids who like puzzles: The Big Brain Teasers Book for Kids by Woo! Jr. Kids Activities
I really liked this book! It is full of challenging, but not frustrating, puzzles for kids to solve. The book is divided into sections including hidden pictures, slitherins, logic grids, picross, numberlinks and more. Each puzzle type has clear instructions on how the puzzle is to be solved. This is a great book for when you are traveling, when you want to keep your child away from screens or for anytime when a child you know would like to challenge themselves. By the way, adults may enjoy solving these puzzles too.
Many thanks to the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
#TheBigBrainTeasersBookForKids #NetGalley
For those who are project minded: In the Home Create over 15 Amazing Cardboard Makes by Fiona Hayes; Christiane Engel
If you are creative, have access to simple materials like cardboard boxes and would like to make amazing play spaces and objects for a child, this is the book for you. The cardboard creations ae listed by topics including in the kitchen, where ypu can make a washing machine for example; going shopping where one project is for a grocery cart and others including things to make in the nursery and garden. There are detailed instructions on materials needed and how to make drawers, wheels and more. The book itself is charming and the illustrations for the projects are detailed and appealing. This is a great one for the creative adults out there. It is lovely that it does not involve shop bought toys or plastic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 