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!
Mark your calendar for this free volume’s release date. These Minotaur samplers are always great for making decisions about books to read.
This time, titles by Rachel Louise Adams, T. Jefferson Parker, and Lev AC Rosen are featured. There are descriptions of each book, generous samples and information on the authors in these pages.
Start reading and enjoy!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.
This novel is certain to be one of the “big” novels of the fall. Its author Ann Patchett is well known for her thoughtful, literary style and moving story lines. The Dutch House will be welcomed by Patchett’s loyal readers and may well attract some new fans.
The book tells the story of siblings, Maeve and Danny, those around them and the home that resonates with them. The story moves back and forth in time as characters and their stories take center stage or temporarily recede.
This is a complex and sophisticated novel that makes readers think about relationships (parent/child, stepparent/child, husband/wife, siblings, step-siblings, those who work for families), finding a way in life, sacrifices and choices. Readers will not forget The Dutch House and those who lived there.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.
Other Reviews
“Patchett’s splendid novel is a thoughtful, compassionate exploration of obsession and forgiveness, what people acquire, keep, lose or give away, and what they leave behind.”— (Publishers Weekly (starred review))
“Like the many-windowed mansion at its center, this richly furnished novel gives brilliantly clear views into the lives it contains.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))
“Expect miracles when you read Ann Patchett’s fiction.” (New York Times Book Review)
“Patchett is a master storyteller.” (O, the Oprah Magazine)
This novel has received a good deal of attention, including being selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. It is the story of Laurie and Jack, their friends and families. It is a story of a romance that may or may not go to a happy ending. It is definitely one in which the course of true love “never did run smooth.” If you enjoy light, romantic fiction you might want to join the many who have read this title.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley. The opinions are my own.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick“Get ready to be swept up in a whirlwind romance. It absolutely charmed me.” —Reese Witherspoon“Josie Silver writes with a warmth so palpable her characters sneak their way into your heart and stay for a long time.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times-bestselling author of The Light We Lost #OneDayInDecember #NetGalley
I previously reviewed another novel with the same name. That review is reprinted below. I think that I preferred the less well known one, which is this one.
Four main characters and a number of their connections feature in this engaging women’s fiction read. The action takes place over the course of one day with sufficient back story to give the novel some depth. The book begins with a character dying in hospital; it will only be at the end of the novel that the reader learns who this is.
As for the characters…Bernadette is married to surgeon, Ken, their union is not a happy one. She, Ken and their two children are one story line. Media obsessed Lila is another; she is involved with Ken and is half sister to the more likeable Caro. Both Caro and Lila’s mothers were married to the same man but they have never met. Cammy wants to marry Lila but gets to know Caro as well. There are others in the novel including Caro’s cousin, Caro and Lila’s parents and an entire French football team! Each chapter follows one of the main characters.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read; one of those novels that is good for a time when you want to relax. There will be another book by this author coming out soon.
The Madness of Crowds follows on All the Devils are Here. That was a book that I absolutely adored. The Madness of Crowds is a book that I respect and one that has made me think.
Layered on the mystery of why the victim was killed and, if she was even meant to be the victim, are topics about community, the responsibility that we owe to one another as individuals and members of society, the high cost of tragedy and trying to save others, other ethical issues about practices in psychology and much more.
Among the characters is Abby who has a theory that some agree with and others find abhorrent. I don’t want to have spoilers so will not say more. Abby is close to Debbie who is a long time friend and her assistant. Their relationship turns out to be complex as is her relationship with a university chancellor. Then there is Haniya, a stranger to Three Pines and a controversial figure, even if she may be proposed for the Nobel prize.
The residents of Three Pines in all their eccentricity are here. So are Jean-Guy, Isabelle and the ever good man with a strong conscience Armand Gamache and his thoughtful wife Reine Marie. All are tested over the course of the novel.
This story is long, complex and thought provoking. Those of you who have read it, what did you think?
Louise Penny is an author whose books I eagerly read. Wanting some escape, I recently picked up this one from my backlist. A newer book, The Gray Wolf, has been released.
Once I starting reading, I could not stop. Every spare minute had me wanting to read this tense and intense story. I found myself fearing for some of my favorite characters and hoping that Penny would let them live.
Three Pines, Penny’s fictional village, has been a place of refuge to its residents. However, series stalwarts, Gamache and Beauvoir among others are stressed by the appearance of siblings Fiona and Sam. The two have a disturbing history. While the Gamaches have tried to help Fiona, Sam has been left to flounder. How will their presence affect others, especially perhaps the niece of another series regular, Myrna? Readers also meet a minister who is new to Three Pines; it will take an astute reader to figure out more about him.
The events of the book reference an earlier one entitled The Nature of the Beast. It is not necessary to have read this prior to A World of Curiosities but those who have will feel the full shock of this book’s events.
Note that the title of the book references a painting that exists. It is an integral part of the plot.
Readers learn more about Gamache’s back story including his relationship with the complicated, surly Amelia Choquet. Devoted readers, I think, always enjoy these insights which include flashbacks to when Gamache and Beauvoir first met.
I will note that the ending was frenetic and a bit over the top. That said, Penny’s fans will not want to miss this excellent entry in the series.
Outstanding Praise for A World of Curiosities
ONE OF WASHINGTON POST’S BEST MYSTERIES AND THRILLERS OF 2022 ONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S BEST FALL BOOKS ONE OF AARP’S BEST FALL BOOKS ONE OF CRIMEREADS’ MOST ANTICIPATED FALL BOOKS ONE OF BARNES & NOBLE’S BEST BOOKS OF 2022 ONE OF BUSTLE’S MOST ANTICIPATED NOVEMBER 2022 BOOKS
“Simply outstanding… Penny’s gift for intelligent and transcendent storytelling delivers light, bringing themes of forgiveness and redemption to society’s darker moments.” —Christian Science Monitor
“Penny delves into the nature of evil, sensitively exploring the impact of the dreadful events she describes while bringing a warmth and humanity to her disparate cast of characters that, unusually for a crime novel, leaves you feeling better about the world once you’ve finished.”–The Guardian
“Another superb achievement… Penny weaves together all these narratives–the series of modern-day killings, the decade-old bludgeoning murder and the haunting artwork that has remained shrouded in mystery across the centuries–with a master’s deft hand.” —BookPage (starred review)
“For Penny, the novel is a narrative tour de force, drawing brilliantly on some dark moments in Québec history and leading Gamache and the residents of Three Pines to a hard-won, thoroughly unsentimental recognition that forgiveness is our most powerful magic.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Virtuoso… blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense…This tale of forgiveness and redemption will resonate with many.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Penny’s 18th Gamache novel is intense as the detective digs deep into his own fears. The darkness in this intricately plotted story forces readers to search for contrasting moments of hope.” —Library Journal (starred review, and Pick of the Month)
Madeline Martin is a talented author of historical fiction as she ably demonstrates in this title. She evokes the time period when WW2 was beginning with characters and settings that come to life.
Emma is the protagonist. She lost her mother too soon and faced further loss with the death of her father. The war also threatens loss as Emma has to make decisions about whether to keep her daughter Olivia home or send her to the country for safety.
Emma is in financial straits. She manages to get a job at the Boot’s subscriber’s library. This makes sense as, in the past, Emma and her father ran a bookshop. I very much enjoyed all of the scenes that took place in the library as well as the many mentions of books by title. Readers will learn about how the library was run, the categories of patrons and more. They will also wonder, along with Emma, why someone is shelving books in the wrong places.
There are many characters alongside Emma in these pages whom readers will get to know. They will root for those for whom Emma cares. They will also experience a vivid evocation of British life in the time period.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Well, we all have heard that cats have nine lives but do we really consider that? The author of this book did! Here is the story of a ghost cat who lives out all of its lives over the course of more than 100 years. This leads to much observation on the cat’s part and a good deal of entertainment for the reader.
This book will appear to those who enjoy cats and their points of view, history, Edinburgh and a quirky read.
Before Covid I had never read a book by Ms. Novak. I started with One Perfect Summer and just kept going, also reading Summer on the Island, The Bookstore on the Beach, and When I Found You. All of these were enjoyable women’s fiction titles; each had a good setting storyline and characters. So, of course, I was eager to read this new book by the author.
The story takes place in a seaside community. Three friends grew up there. Ivy stayed and runs the library. Cam stayed; he became a talented architect. Ariana worked in New York in the publishing industry; she comes back to spend time with her grandmother.
The three all know of a tragic event that occurred when they were in high school. A girl went missing. What will be stirred up as events from the past spill into the present?
This book is a bit more of a mystery but retains many elements of the author’s talent for writing women’s fiction. I enjoyed this novel but did think that it had a bit of a slow start.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
The romance novel about book lovers and for book lovers – uplifting, moving, and full of love
by Tessa Bickers
#TheBookSwap #NetGalley
The Book Swap was a delight to read. I very much enjoyed this story of two characters who got to know one another (even) better through sharing their thoughts about books and life. The device that the author uses is to have them each taking books from a little free community library and writing to one another in the margins. I found that I was always looking forward to see which book these two would be reading next; maybe this reflects the eagerness that they had as well.
Readers meet Erin. She has faced a great loss and has a unique way of coping (find out in the book). In a scene that many readers may envy, she quits her toxic work place despite not knowing what she will do next. Readers follow as she figures this out with a therapist sister often voicing her opinions.
James has his own difficulties. His mother suffers from mental illness and he periodically spends stretches of time with his parents to help out. James has a job that he does not love. What will he do about this?
Bonnie…well, read the book to find out who she is and what her role in the story is.
No spoilers so don’t want to go into how these characters intersect.
This book is not entirely light in nature but it is a consistently good read. I was always happy to settle down and spend time in the world of these characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Robyn Carr wrote her first Virgin River novel back in 2007. Many books followed before Ms. Carr moved to other series including Thunder Point and Sullivan’s Crossings. Perhaps the author was inspired to return to Virgin Riven because of the TV series that is now on Netflix. Whatever the motivation, long term readers of the Virgin River novels will undoubtedly be happy to return. They know that they can count on good people, a nice community and a love story.
This novel is about Kaylee and Landry. Kaylee is an author of suspense novels who is experiencing writer’s block following the death of her mother. Through family friends, she chooses to travel to Virgin River in the hope that she will finish her novel. No spoiler to say that she does and even that she moves into a new genre, that she falls in love and that some unexpected things happen to her. That is the Virgin River formula.
Kaylee’s romantic foil is Landry, an artist and dog trainer. He helps Kaylee to overcome her fear of dogs and to move forward even as she recognizes that she will always miss her mom.
The relationship that Kaylee had with her mom is lovingly described and maybe even idealized a bit. I suspect that many readers will wish for the same closeness, acceptance and encouragement that Kaylee’s mom gave her.
There are other characters in Kaylee’s orbit but readers will perhaps most enjoy that the names of all the characters from the earlier novels are called out here. While many make an appearance, it is Jack and Mel who are most featured.
As an extra treat, the story is seasonal. Readers will enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas in this most perfect of towns. I especially enjoyed the description of the tree lighting.
This is a sweet novel. I don’t know if Robyn Carr will write about Virgin River again. Regardless, this novel is a gift to her fans.
An additional bonus in the novel is a section describing the making of the TV series and Ms. Carr’s visit to the set. There is also a long excerpt from one of her other novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
This novel has received a good deal of attention, including being selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. It is the story of Laurie and Jack, their friends and families. It is a story of a romance that may or may not go to a happy ending. It is definitely one in which the course of true love “never did run smooth.” If you enjoy light, romantic fiction you might want to join the many who have read this title.
I previously reviewed another novel with the same name. That review is reprinted below. I think that I preferred the less well known one, which is this one.![The Madness of Crowds: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Book 17) by [Louise Penny]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Z1TpSzCwS._SY346_.jpg)
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 