Month: March 2024

#TheMinotaurSamplerVolume11 #NetGalley

I always enjoy the FREE Minotaur samplers. They are a great way to make a decision about forthcoming books to read or to add to a wish list. This time there are titles by Anna Downes; Alex Finlay; Kimi Cunningham Grant; Catherine Mack; Delia Pitts; Sarah Stewart Taylor. See the covers, find out what a book is about, read a generous sample and learn about the author. What could be better?

I am especially excited about Sarah Stewart Taylor’s new novel. I enjoyed her recent books set in Ireland and hope that this new series will be just as good. That said, many of these new titles look intriguing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 26 March 2024

#50Adventuresinthe50States #NetGalley

The author of this children’s book beguilingly invites her readers to come and have some adventures. Starting with letter “A,” readers are invited to climb a giant boulder in Alabama, to walk on a glacier in Alaska, to horseback ride in Arizona and to kayak in Arkansas. From there it goes on to all of the states.

I found this to be an interesting and appealing title. Readers, whether or adults or children, will learn a lot as they enjoy both the text and illustrations in this book.

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

Pub date: 07 May 2024

Five stars *****

At its heart, this book is a paean to a world of diversity and acceptance. It is told through penguins (though, of course, the message is for people). It is gorgeously and engagingly illustrated.

The book explains that, while all penguins may look the same from a distance, they are actually not all alike. Through the characters, kids will gently see that there are unique penguins who wish they could fly, those with synesthesia, a girl penguin who likes girls and many others. They are able to live in harmony; clearly the author wishes the same for humans.

This book will undoubtedly get some folks thinking that it should be banned. I am not among them. It is in no way aggressive in making its point.

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

#Oxford #NetGalley

When I think of Oxford, i imagine the “dreaming spires”…Dorothy Sayers (Gaudy Night)…C.S. Lewis…Morse (and his Lewis)and more. Oxford is a place that conjures images in people’s minds.

Whether a person has been to Oxford and wants to go back virtually, wants to know more of its history, or just wants to explore the city virtually for fun, this book is a good resource.

Rice covers the history of Oxford beginning with monastic Oxford (up to 1536) and makes his way to the era of Modern Oxford (1945 to now). He also looks at hotels, streets, houses and more.

The illustrations and maps in this book make it a completely enjoyable experience for book lovers. There are so many and they are just lovely. It can be tempting to look at the art and skip the text but that would be a mistake.

I highly recommend this title to anyone who has an affinity with Oxford. They are sure to enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 16 April 2024

Five stars *****

Annabelle Hirsch has compiled an idiosyncratic and interesting collection of objects here. They place a firm spotlight on women and their place(s) in history. Dip in or read in order. Either way this is a fascinating book with entries that offered pause for thought.

The time period that is covered is immense. The first entry is from 30,000 years ago. What makes this healed femur significant? The answer is perhaps surprising.

For each entry readers find an illustration and a short essay/reflection. I had many favorites.

This is a book to savor rather than devour. It is worth a reader’s time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

#ImaNurse #NetGalley

This book offers a wonderful resource for kids and their adults. Anyone who knows a sick child can use this title to demystify what happens in a hospital. There is a lot of information (simply explained) in this book about a nurse who cares for his patients with compassion. The book follows a few patients and shows what a nurse does over the course of a work day.

The illustrations in this title are very appealing and complement the text. They are a good jumping off point for discussion.

This book is a good one for home, preschool book corners and medical offices. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mayo Clinic Press Kids for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 09 January 2024

#AGameOfLies #NetGalley

Last April I was lucky enough to hear Clare Mackintosh speak about her foray into a mystery series. It was a change from writing her suspenseful standalones.

After writing the first book, The Last Party, Mackintosh felt that she was not ready to say good-bye to Ffion and those in her world. I am so glad that she did not. I enjoyed The Last Party and highly recommend it. I also very much enjoyed A Game of Lies.

Would you want to be on reality TV? Game of LIes is predicated on a group with secrets who sign up for what they think is one show only to find out (when it is too late) that the show’s premise is based on something else entirely. This leads to disappearance, murder, and a need to find those responsible.

Mackintosh does a good job of evoking the book’s setting on the border of Wales and England. I welcomed back all of the ongoing characters and their (sometimes tricky) relationships. Prickly Ffion is a great character. That she has heart is clear from her relationship with Dave. (Read the book to learn who this is.) I also was happy to again meet up with Leo.

It is not necessary to have read The Last Party to enjoy Game of Lies. That said, this is where the characters are introduced and their complex relationships explored. I recommend reading both. They offer what mystery/suspense readers are looking for.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 23 April 2024

Three stars ***

Readers who enjoy a Gallic mystery with a British protagonist may well enjoy this second food titled mystery following on the author’s Death and Croissants. It is written by a British comedian who brings a certain sensibility to the genre.

Richard has gone out for dinner. The menu is a tasting one and he has not tasted enough (he is still hungry). The beginnings of a mess emerge with the goat cheese parfait that is the dessert course.

Soon, there is, of course, a murder. It takes place in a cheese related locale. Will Richard, a local B and B owner figure out what has happened? How will his amie, Valerie, contribute? Read this one to find out. It will especially be enjoyed by Francophiles.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Reviews

“Darkly comic doings in rustic France.” ― Kirkus

“The pacing is brisk, the jokes are plentiful, and the mystery is complex enough to satisfy diehard whodunit fans. It’s a generous helping of good fun, with authentic Gallic flavor.” ― Publishers Weekly

Those who enjoy historical mysteries that are atmospheric with a well evoked time period will want to give this 1870s, Philadelphia set book a look. It opens up the interesting world of female physicians at that time while also offering an intriguing murder mystery.

Lydia Weston studied to become a physician and now is practicing. She has a commitment to her female patients, many of whom are from the working classes. Dr. Weston becomes interested in one of her patients named Anna Ward. She knows something about Anna’s life and responsibilities and is concerned when Anna misses an appointment. Tragically, Anna was killed (not a spoiler as this happens early in the book).

Lydia wants to know what happened to her. She works with a police officer to find justice for her patient. Readers will want to be by her side as she figures everything out.

This is the author’s first mystery and it is a highly accomplished one. It is my hope that this is the beginning of a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in October 2023.

From the Publisher

Five stars *****

I am so impressed with the wide-ranging locations of the foodie places that are included in this book. Visit 25 spots; go everywhere from Europe to the Middle East to North America to Asia. I want to pack my suitcase and go to some of these locations. 

Everyone will find favorites here. I was drawn to places like Osaka, Oostduinkerke (West Flanders, Belgium), Montreal and Melbourne. 

This title has inviting text; readers will get a genuine sense of each location. In addition, the book has beautiful illustrations.

Know a world traveler? Need to get them a gift? You will not need to look any further for a good one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title