Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

I love to read, recommend books and open the world of reading to others. I tutor to ensure that the next generation of readers will know the joys of a good book because their reading skills have improved. I am an avid reader, especially of mysteries and fiction. I believe that two of the world's greatest inventions were the public library and eyeglasses!

E book bargains for August 12, 2019

Some comments…

The Anne Perry is part of a series that takes place during WWI.

In the Presence…is one of my favorite Lynley mysteries.

Before the Poison is a stand alone by the author of the Inspector Banks series.

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

Shoulder the Sky by Anne Perry

In the Presence of the Enemy by Elizabeth George

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson

Death in Springtime by Magdalen Nabb

Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel

E book bargains for August 11, 2019

The Cold Dish by Ctaig Johnson

Song of the Lion by Anne Hillerman

Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

The Mystery of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr

No Time to Spare by Ursula Le Guin

Many Lord Peter Wimseys by Dorothy Sayers

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

Mysteries, historical novels, Women’s fiction and Ursula LeGuin. Good options yet again!

Trucks, trucks, trucks: Dylan the Dump Truck #WhizzyWheelsAcademyDylanTheDumpTruck #NetGalley

This book is aimed at toddlers and preschoolers.  Young listeners will learn about Dylan’s adventures on the work site.  Dylan is eager and enthusiastic but…he does not always pay attention and sometimes hears something other than what is said.  Will he be able to find his place on the work crew?  Young listeners will find out in this story!  The illustrations bring the vehicles to life and will undoubtedly appeal to children who like Thomas the Tank Engine.

A note…I had wondered when reading this book if there would be something explicit about Dylan having a learning disability but there really was not.  Nonetheless adults could use the book as a jumping off point for discussion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the book in exchange for an honest review.

 

From the Publisher

Seek and find: Catch Cat (Grace) #CatchCat #NetGalley

This book combines learning about theT continents with a search and find, I Spy concept. Each continent has an intricate picture with things to locate. The illustration for each continent is in the shape of the countries therein. The sought objects are described before each two page illustration. In addition, the challenge is to find the cat on each continent. There are many fun facts in this book; happily at the end there is an answer page so the searcher can find any thing that they ay have missed.

The resolution in the illustrations was not always clear. This is most likely not an issue in the hard copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

From the publisher:

AFRICA

NELSON MANDELA STATUE

Nelson Mandela was a civil rights leader who fought against the apartheid system – which meant that people were kept separate because of the colour of their skin. His protests meant that he spent a lot of his life in prison, but he would eventually become the president of South Africa. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and over 250 other awards for his bravery and courage. Many statues have been put up around the world to honour him.

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA

Pyramids are huge stone structures that were built as burial tombs for ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The largest pyramid was built by Pharaoh Khufu around 2550 BC. It measures 147 metres tall and it’s thought that 2.3 million blocks were used to build it!

VICTORIA FALLS

Victoria Falls is the world’s largest waterfall and measures roughly 1,700 metres wide and 108 metres tall. It has been named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and tourists travel from all around to see it. At night it’s possible to see a ‘moonbow’, which is formed by the reflection of the moonlight on the water.

AFRICAN GOLDEN CAT

These wild cats are reddish-brown in colour and some have spots on their fur. They are agile climbers but spend most of their life on the ground, tracking their prey and pouncing on them at just the right moment.

 

Now out: Little Peope, Big Dreams-Bruce Lee (Sanchez Vegara)

I always enjoy reading books in this series. This one is about Bruce Lee. I had known that he was a kung fu hero and that was it. I learned much more about him after reading this title. Young readers will learn that Bruce was not perfect but he found his way. He lived in both Hong Kong and the U.S. He had talents, including being a child actor, a great dancer and a master of the martial arts but…he was also involved in a gang. Sent back to the U.S. by his parents, Bruce went to school and college and began teaching his style of martial arts. He went on to become famous for his movie, Enter the Dragon. The book concludes:

And by having faith in himself and never giving up, little Bruce became a hero for everyone, and the person he always dreamed he would be.

What a perfect message that is.

Of note are the illustrations in this book. They have a cartoon like quality and fit the text perfectly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for this book in exchange for an honest review

What makes a dragon happy? We are Happy, Dear Dragon (Conn) #WeAreHappyDearDragon #NetGalley

This is another in the Dear Dragon series for the most beginning readers.  Young learners will be delighted to be able to read this book with its repetition and simple vocabulary.  There are activities suggested at the end of the book for reinforcement of the learning and for fun.

Early readers will read about what makes Dear Dragon and his friends happy.  The pictures will also help them in decoding the text.

This series is recommended for the emerging reader.  Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

House hunting: Americana (Marshall) #Americana #NetGalley

Are you a person who likes to visit historic homes?  Do you go inside and imagine what it might have been like to live there?  Do you ever see a house and daydream about it being yours?  If, like me, you answer yes to these questions, you may well enjoy Americana.  This book showcases the farmhouses and manors of Long Island, New York.  Homes have been on Long Island since the 1600s when early emigrants settled there.  This book shows the evolution of a number of these homes both their outsides and interiors; in addition, one sees the landscapes that these homes enjoyed.  There are essays to accompany the photos.

Some reviewers have noted faults and inconsistencies in this book.  That is true but, nonetheless, it is a wonderful volume to look at and imagine where a person might live.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.