Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

I have read several books by Katherine Reay and will rank this one among my favorites. It is the story of three women who run a bookshop following the death of one of the protagonist’s relatives. The main characters are Madeline, who inherits the shop; Clare who feels unseen by her family and struggles with her teenage daughter; and Janet who made one mistake that led to the end of her marriage and another that led to a major crisis for the store. The stories of these characters overlap and form the basis for the novel.

The novel takes place in a small town outside of Chicago. The location feels idyllic as does the bookshop.

If you have ever had a dream about owning a bookstore that enhances a community, you will enjoy this novel. There are definitely struggles for the store but the author makes owning a bookshop feel so worthwhile.

I enjoyed this novel very much. There are friendship, romance and books, books, books within these pages. An added bonus was the number of books that are named in the novel and the complete list of those titles at the end. This list is a great resource for future reads.

So…if you like a light story with a great setting, think about this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book about books.

I ordered this book from England and am so glad that I did! This is the first mystery by M.B. Shaw (aka Tilly Bagshaw) who is a modern Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh. All of the elements for a successful series are in place and I hope that Ms. Shaw keeps writing. The characters are well developed and nuanced; each is unique and has a backstory. The mystery is solved through the protagonist’s acute observational skills. Iris Grey, amateur sleuth, is an artist who brings a certain sensibility to the small English village where she has rented a cottage. Getting to know her and the victim, successful author, Dom, and his family kept the pages turning. Highly recommended for mystery lovers with a British bent.

In today’s world we often are typing away when we want to communicate. Depending on your age, you may or may not have studied penmanship in school. Want to learn? Need a refresher?

In this book, the author offers the opportunity to begin to master hand lettering. There are examples of font styles, suggestions about art materials to use when lettering and a recognition of the importance of practice. There are many workbook pages to utilize while progressing.

If you would like to be able to do artistic hand lettering, whether for an art project, an invitation or for your own pleasure, this book could be a valuable tool. Take a look.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher…I am off to practice.

This is both a very charming and a very instructive book. If you want to learn to draw and paint adorable animals, you can learn how here. There are detailed instructions on supplies and steps in creating the animals shown. There is also support for the need to learn and acceptance at not being perfect. However…If you don’t want to draw, you might enjoy just looking. The illustrations are adorable!

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto!

T

This picture book has the most lovely and appealing illustrations, as can be seen from the cover. I adored them!

The story begins with Hedgehog who loves her garden. Children will see how carefully she cares for it and will learn about the flowers that she grows. So far, so good, but…one day, the flowers are destroyed.

Hedgehog is very upset. She begins to accuse other animals, all of whom are adorably illustrated, of ruining her garden. From this, children may gently learn that it does not do to accuse others without evidence.

Next, Hedgehog does some investigating, finds out who the culprit is and they become friends. At the end of the story, you will see how the thief is literally transformed!

This book is further enhanced by a section that offers suggestions for adults to help children get the most from the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for this enticing book.

#StorytimeThePrettiestFlower #NetGalley

Some good escape reading for the season as other stresses rise.

This book offers a fascinating look at either places you may not have heard of or interesting aspects of places where you may have been.  A few examples…you may have been in Rock Creek Park but did you know that discarded stones from the Capitol building are there?  Have you heard of the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument or the home of Carter G Woodson that is located in the Shaw neighborhood?  For those who don’t know Dr. Woodson was “the man known as the father of African American History.”  Have you visited the home with a front yard filled with dinosaurs?  How about the President’s Suite at Regan Washington National Airport where Roosevelt held meetings?  There are many places listed, described and photographed in this book.  It is worth having for both first time and frequent visitors to DC, along with DC residents.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.  I learned a lot.

#NoAccessWashingtonDc #NetGalley

This is the third novel that I have read by Kate Morton and it is by far my favorite. I loved this novel! I am going to give it one of my rare five star reviews and say that it is one of my best reads of the year.

Aptly named with an allusion about time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter takes place in different periods including the 1860’s, 1899, 1928, WWII, 1962 and the present. Like the exquisite, interlocking, sensitive and perfectly balanced workings of a clock. the characters are connected over time and in their relationships. The revelations of the interconnections add depth and emotional resonance to the novel.

The plot is complex as would be expected in a novel that keeps the reader’s interest for over 500 pages. Characters include an artist, his model and their circle; the backstory of the model; the artist’s family; a young British girl sent to boarding school in England from India; an archivist; a biographer; a hunter of lost treasure and more. The most consistent and overarching presence is that of Birdie, the clockmaker’s daughter and artist’s model who is a spiritual (ghostly) presence throughout. For me Birdie worked perfectly even though I do not gravitate toward books with spirits. The other main character is the house where much of the story takes place. Within the pages there are mysteries, murder, love, grief, family and friendship.

I was sorry to finish this book as I enjoyed it so much. I hope that you will too.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful and engrossing read.

This sampler shows that there will some fun books coming our way this spring. Undercover Ostrich appears to be a very silly story that is told just for fun. Dibs shows that one cannot really shout “dibs” every time one wants something. For example, what if a toddler wants to be a pilot? The point is made in a humorous way. Be A Maker encourages doing things. All three of these picture books look promising. I look forward to their publication.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

#LernerS19pictureBookSampler #NetGalley

The young child in this book is outside playing hide and seek when, unfortunately, he gets stung by bees.  Of course he is very upset.  Max copes by deciding to only play inside.  This seemingly keeps him safe but, naturally, does not leave him happy.  Eventually Chris, Max’s brother, teaches him ABC worry free. A is for accept, B is for Breathe and C is for change.  Each concept is demonstrated and explained.

This book comes from the National Center for Youth Issues.  It is a good book to read with a child who has a fear or to read so that children know that fear is something that we all face if we take risks.  There are helpful suggestions for adults at the end of the book.

I recommend this book which does a nice job of dealing with its chosen topic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

#AbcWorryFree #NetGalley