Month: May 2020

This is a nice book for young children about what is involved in cleaning the yard and making a garden. There are pictures of the tools that are involved and pictures of them being used. The book ends in a cute way with the yard workers needing a rest. The only thing that I did not like about this well illustrated book was the use of the circle heads with no features at all. I think that young children might be happier seeing a simple face.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#LetsFixUptheYard #NetGalley

This title is exactly as described; it provides an excellent and practical guide to exploring family history. Just a few of the many things that a reader can find out from this book include learning how to research land records, learning what can be found out from a “binding order” and ways to listen to the music of one’s cultural heritage. Each section of this book is short and practical. I think that this book will be useful to many and , most especially, to those who are just beginning their exploration.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#PracticalGenealogy #NetGalley

Research Naturalization Records With the exception of Native Americans, the United States is a country of immigrants—many of whom eventually became citizens. Unless you’re researching Native American ancestors, at some point you’ll need to access immigration and naturalization records. These documents will give you interesting insights into details such as whether your ancestors traveled alone or with family members and how old they were when they made the journey.

Find and Review Passenger Ship Logs Passenger ship logs are a rich source of information about your ancestors. While not always easy to locate, these logs are worth the effort. What job did your immigrant fourth great-grandparents have back in their native Palermo, Italy? How old were they when they arrived? Did your third great-grandmother Janie arrive in Baltimore on her own or with her parents and siblings? Passenger ship logs just might have the answers.

Explore Marriage Records Local laws usually required that marriages be recorded in civil records, regardless of whether a civil or church authority performed the ceremony. Typically, the clerk of the town or county where the bride resided stored the marriage record. However, marriage records—particularly early ones—can also be housed in state archives. You can find more recent marriage documents in a state’s Vital Records Division.

The Baker Kline is about the woman who posed for Wyeth.  Otherwise a women’s fiction title and some mysteries.  Enjoy.

I have read every book in Peter Lovesey’s wonderful Peter Diamond series so I was absolutely overjoyed to receive this e galley to review.  As always, the story takes place in Bath, England; the setting is vividly brought to life with its unique architecture and planned design.  Imagine my surprise and delight when I found that a significant location in this title was the very street that I had lived on in Bath.  It just added extra joy for me as I read this.

Peter Lovesey has a sardonic, playful sense of humor which was very present in this book.  The title has several meanings as becomes clear as one reads.  There are police officers, most already known to the devoted readers of the series, along with other characters who are vividly brought to life including a criminal from an old case of Diamond’s, a murder victim, the Russian Olga, teacher Maeve, illegal immigrants and many more.  Some of these characters are in a half marathon that is central to the action of the story.

Lovesey spins plates in the air as the plot evolves and he manages to get to the end of the novel without dropping any of them.  I loved this book and hope that Lovesey, who is in his 80s, will just keep on writing.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest view.  I adored my virtual trip to Bath and the time spent with this book and its characters.

This is a short, beautifully illustrated book in which the illustrations playfully evoke nighttime. This title is designed to help the littlest ones to fall asleep. As I had a proof copy, unfortunately I could not hear the sounds but this is a sweet book even without them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Many people grow up learning about Greek and Roman mythology but, of course, many cultures have their stories of heroes/heroines and gods/goddesses.  This book compiles many of these stories that are Celtic in origin.

Children who read or have the stories read to them will spend time with giants, fairies, witches, selkies and more.  The stories are well told and each ends with a short section of things to think about.  The stories are divided into four topics including mischief makers and monstrous fakers, for love alone, landscapes in Celtic folklore and into the wide and wild world. Enjoy these exciting tales from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and  Brittany.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#CelticMythologyforKids #NetGalley

From the publisher:

I just blogged about The Gilded Hour and here it is as a bargain!  I have also reviewed The Other Windsor Girl.  Of course, Rebecca is a classic; how lucky a person would be to read this for the first time.

My children have been out of college for a while now but I still find the whole college admissions process to be fascinating.  As a sociology major, I feel that there are great research projects to be done on the subject.

About twenty years ago, an author named Steinberg published a book called The Gatekeepers.  Who Gets In and Why strikes me very much as an updated look at the issues addressed in that earlier title.

What readers will learn is that college admissions is a complex entity.  Those who are naive may think admissions is all about rewarding the best or most hardworking students but that is not really the case.  There are so many facets of the school’s own agendas that influence who does or does not get the coveted “yes” letter.  Readers need only think of Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman to know just how true that is.

In this book, Mr. Selingo looks at the process from the perspectives of three different types of institutions, a private and a public university and also a liberal arts college.  The result makes for a fascinating read.

College admissions will no doubt be affected by the Corona virus with questions about what will happen to campus life and more.  Nonetheless this book provides a keen insight into what has been happening in higher education.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date:  September 15, 2020

I was drawn to this book’s appealing cover and its promise of interesting tales inside. Indeed, readers will enjoy eight stories about modern, bold young princesses along with beautiful illustrations. Plus, there is a magic mirror; all in all a fun read and a Guardian book of 2019.

The author draws readers in in the first short chapter of the book that is written in a familiar fairy tale style. In it, an enchantress is asked to be a godmother and realizes that she needs to figure out the best attributes for a princess. The answers she receives do not seem adequate so, with the help of a magic mirror, she goes on a quest to learn more and the stories begin…
In the first, a princess’s sister is ill. Though the palace is filled with knights, none are willing or brave enough to seek the witch who might provide a cure. So instead, a princess who needs to tie her glasses on with string, is the one to go on a quest. What will happen? Feminist adults will enjoy what does and the encouragement that is given to a girl to be strong and to believe.

So it goes from there for the rest of the tales until the final one in which a building project is successfully scuppered in order to save a garden. Throughout all of the stories the mirror is a constant as the reader learns about the qualities that a princess requires.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this fun and empowering take on the fairly tale in exchange for an honest review.