Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

This book has gotten so much advance…advance money, advance ticket sales for the tour, advance praise from many, including that magical bookseller, Oprah Winfrey.  I wondered if it could possibly be that good.  My own answer is, Yes.  It is that good and more.

This book is compelling not only because of the fame that Ms. Obama has achieved and the incredible accomplishments of her husband and herself. It is also compelling because it is a universal story of a girl growing up.  She is a girl with a secure family and also knowledge of the struggles her family faced and the inability of some of them to achieve their dreams because of their race. It is the story of parents who wanted the best for their children and raised them to be independent. It is the story of a girl who wants the best education she can have, even when a high school counselor tells her she is dreaming too high.  It is the story of a young woman who goes to the college SHE chooses and is aware of her minority status just about always.

The young Ms. Obama is driven and direct; she so very much wants to achieve and does. But…and this is important, she is able to look at her life and think about whether being a lawyer, for example, is what she really wants.  At such moments, Ms. Obama is open and candid.

Michelle Obama, as we all know, meets a young intern at her law firm.  The story of their courtship and marriage resonates.  Her descriptions of Barack Obama make me wish that I could know him for his remarkable mind, optimism and caring.  Yet, marriage is work is what comes across; life is not all fairy tale and the reader wants the best for this couple throughout the book.

I have not yet finished Becoming so may write more later but truly I urge you to read or listen to this one.  It is so very much worth your time whatever your political persuasion.

I am listening to the audio version of this book as it is Michelle Obama who narrates it.  I adore hearing her voice and her emphases as she reads.  I both want to finish this one and not finish it so that I can still have it to look forward to!

Five stars and more! Most highly recommended.

A new novel from this author is always most welcome! What I love about this series is not so much the mysteries, although those are well constructed, but the relationships among the characters and the ways in which the city of Venice is brought to life. Guido and Paola seem so real and affectionate with one another; they have a marriage that many would envy. Watching Guido and Paola with their children is a treat as is reading about their latest family dinner. Guido’s relationships with his extended family and work colleagues are also brought vividly to life.

In this book, a friend of the family who is elderly wants to adopt an adult male to be his heir. Will you as the reader feel empathy for this lonely man? All around wonder if this adoption is a good plan but he is determined and undeterred. Is this what leads to his and one other’s death? What are the reasons for what is happening? How are families constructed? They are not all like Guido’s.

For fans of Donna Leon, the chance to spend time with her will be a delight. New readers will also enjoy the book and will probably then look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this good read. The opinions are mine alone.

#UntoUsASonIsGiven #NetGalley

This is the second book that I have read in this Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) series. In this one, two children build a playground in their backyard. They construct a swing, seesaw and slide. Elementary engineering information is introduced along the way and there are additional resources at the back of the book. This entry is clever. It may encourage children to build and to see that engineering plays a role in every day life. All in all, this is a good entry in a good series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto. The opinions are mine.

I read this one when it came out and enjoyed it. The novel takes place in the U.S. during WWII.

From Publishers Weekly

There is quite a variety here; some I have read while some I have just purchased.  Do any of these appeal to you?  Do you enjoy the postings on e-book bargains?  Do you read e-books, paper books or both? Let me know.

This book is an excellent resource for tweens who are experiencing the normal roller coaster of growing up. With chapter headings including School, Mental Health, Friends, Appearance, Emotional Well-being and more, tweens will be easily able to focus on an area of concern. Especially helpful are the q and a sections and those in which a young person directly speaks to the reader about an issue that was faced.

The author conveys that all worries can and should be talked about, not held inside. She normalizes many concerns and offers ways to cope. Most importantly, she offers hope that things can get better.

Give this book to a young person that you care about. Encourage your school or community library to add this volume to the shelves. A tween may not thank you directly but I do think that they will appreciate having this resource.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for this egalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

#TheBookOfWorries #NetGalley

Robert Munsch has a uniquely entertaining style.  It is shown to good effect in this counting book.  While your child counts to twelve, s/he can search the illustration for the object that is being represented.  A fun addition to the genre.

This is a fun compendium of jokes and riddles that will be enjoyed by both kids and adults.  Some examples:

Why are hairdressers never late for work?  They know all the short cuts.

How much room is needed for fungi to grow?  As mushroom as possible.

What treat is never on time?  Choco-late

What kind of lights did Noah use on the ark?  Flood lights.

If any of these made you smile, this is a book for you or a child that you know.  There are cartoon like illustrations with each joke.  These add to the fun.

Highly recommended for those with a funny bone!

TheWorldsBestJokesForKidsVolume1 #NetGalley

I loved Donna Leon’s first Brunetti mystery, Death at LaFenice, which, like all of her novels, takes place in Venice.  The setting is critical to Ms. Leon’s series and she truly brings it to life in each of her novels.  I am currently reading the forthcoming Unto Us a Son is Born (thank you NetGalley) and can already tell that I will be giving it many stars.

My Venice is about this expatriate author’s life in her chosen city.  It is an e-book bargain for today.

From Booklist

Katherine Hall Page has written a series of cozies featuring Faith Fairchild.  Faith is a New York City caterer who falls in love with a minister in small town Aleford, Mass.  The books follow Faith’s relationship with her husband, her children, her friends and her community.  They are reliably good cozy mysteries.

Today, Small Plates, is an e-book bargain.  If you want, you can taste this author through her short stories and then decide if you would like to read the novels.

PRAISE:

From the Back Cover