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!
A Parisian summer romance from the BESTSELLING author of Summer at the Santorini Bookshop
by Rebecca Raisin
#ALoveLettertoParis #NetGalley
Rebecca Raisin is a go to author when I need a bit of escape. This time I was excited to see that she set her story in Paris. What could be better? Oh yes, some romance.
All of the elements come together in this fun read. There are old love letters, new matchmakers and finding one’s soul mate. Again, what could be better?
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Disturbing the Dead is the third entry in Armstrong’s fun time slip mysteries. For those have not dipped into this series…Murder detective Mallory Atkinson has been transported from the current day to Glasgow in the Victorian Era. She has (suspend disbelief) transformed and is a housemaid named Catriona Mitchell. She continues to investigate crimes.
Many know that the Victorians often attended seances. What will happen when Catriona attends one? It is a safe guess that there will be murder and mayhem. The fun is in watching the events unfold.
Recommended to those who enjoy mysteries and historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
by Marie O’Regan; Paul Kane; C.L. Taylor; J. T. Ellison; David Bell; Sarah Hilary; Claire McGowan; Fiona Cummins; Angela Clarke; Alexandra Benedict; Susi Holliday; Tina Baker; Sam Carrington; Liz Mistry; Tom Mead
Thinking about buying a Christmas themed mystery book for someone you know…or yourself? Look no further. This is a fun anthology with a holiday flair.
Inside are 18 stories by many authors whose books I have enjoyed. Just a few of these writers are Belinda Bauer, David Bell, J T Ellison, Clare McGowan, and Tom Mead.
Some times a short story is just the right thing. For anyone who enjoys a quick read, dip in anywhere in this title. There are some gems.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Julia Child has been having a fictional moment. She has been a detective in Paris in the new series by Colleen Cambridge and has been in a TV series as well. In The Secret War of Julia Child, Diana R. Chambers nimbly lets readers into Julia’s world.
In these pages, readers get a sense of how Julia felt about herself (too tall, for one), her parents, her hopes to do something with her life, her wishes for a relationship and more. Readers also find out about Julia’s experiences in WW II. She worked for “Wild” Bill Donovan and was stationed in India and Ceylon, among other places. Some of her work was clandestine. Some of it led to her meeting Paul Child-of course, Julia McWilliams became Julia Child in time.
This story is about much that happened before Child became known for her cooking. It offers an immersive look at her life and WWII. I recommend it highly to fans of Child and historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.
I was fascinated by this book which invites one to think about reading more (some) non fiction. Janzer notes that when she was an English major, the scholastic focus was mainly of varied forms of fiction. She notes, however, that non fiction offers much to readers and encourages exploring.
This book is organized as a field guide, taking cues from other types of field guides with which readers may be familiar. This leads to chapters that are interactive. For example, the first section invites assessing one’s reading patterns. Following through on the prompts will help readers to discover the books with which they would most like to spend time.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Cuesta Park Consulting for this title. All opinions are my own.
Garden lovers will enjoy dipping into this collection which features 40 gardens that have, for varied reasons, been lost. For each of these, there is beautifully evocative artwork to help readers imagine the garden in it glory. The text further details what made each of these places special.
These gardens were once found all around the world. Readers travel to The Garden of Dreams, Little Acorns, Warley Place, Bachs of Khajuaro, Gardens of the Nations, Madinat al-Zahra, Wah Bagh and these are just a few of the places.
This would make a lovely addition to the library of a garden lover! The author makes a wonderful guide. She has loved gardens ever since she became a reader of Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Anyone who has read one book by Elizabeth Strout will surely read all of her others. I found this one to be a special treat because it brings together characters from earlier titles including (my favorite) Bob Burgess, Olive Kitteridge, Lucy Barton and others.
The prose is beautiful, the story is engaging and the visit to Crosby, Maine is most welcome. I was delighted to follow the challenges and relationships in this small community.
I find Strout to be such a wise author. This is definitely a book to add to a fiction lover’s TBR list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Here is a beautifully illustrated title that looks at the history of botanical texts. There is so much included here.
Readers begin with the Egyptians and the Ebers papyrus. Other sections include The Coming Of Print, Botanists Strive to Know More and Classify More Plants, The Global and the Local, Botany Becomes a Science and, The Modern Botanists’ Library Takes Shape. In this way this wide ranging book goes from ancient times up until the present. Throughout there are beautiful photographs and illustrations.
It is getting close to the holiday season. This book would make a great gift for someone who is interested in botanical history.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Some have compared Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder to Harry Potter and I can see why. There is a magical setting (Miss Brickett’s instead of Hogwarts), a special training (to be an investigator as compared to a wizard), orphans (Harry and Marion), ghastly relatives (Dudley and his parents and Marion’s grandmother) gadgetry, friendships, secrets, maps, mysteries, villains and more.
If all of this sounds good to you, think of giving this 1950s set mystery a read. I think that you will enjoy it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Just this morning, a friend asked what I had read recently. When I mentioned The Grand Design, she asked what made me want to read this book. So, there was the author whom I knew from another book that I liked. I also was, and am always, enticed and intrigued by historical fiction’s ability to send me to a time in the past where I can become absorbed. It is also always fascinating to learn more about people and how they grow.
This story of Dorothy Draper drew me right in. I had heard of the Greenbrier Resort which was important to DD so I was curious to learn more about her connection with it The author gives this hotel so much life and history.
DD went there as a young girl of marriageable age as is described in one of the novel’s time frames. She was taller than her female peers and felt different. Dorothy also dreamed of a less conventional life. What happened when she met an Italian race car driver at the Greenbrier? How does she get from this strong attraction to the other marriages in her life? Readers will want to know.
Before moving on, a note about Dorothy’s peers in the early section of the book. They included people like Helen Taft, the President’s daughter. I had fun looking up old newspaper clippings about many of those who were mentioned. There is so much social history in the wedding announcements.
The second time frame of the book centers on an older, wiser (?) Dorothy, who returns to the Greenbrier after WWII. The hotel had been a hospital and was quite neglected. How will it be brought back to life? Here, readers learn about DD’s immense design talents and the process of getting this huge undertaking completed.
I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptions and insights into Dorothy’s love of color. It was fascinating to learn about this working woman who had her own company at a time when that was unusual. I was left curious and wanting to learn even more about Dorothy and her circle.
I highly recommend this title to those who enjoy historical fiction. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this title. All opinions are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 