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!
This title is part of a series that introduces the very youngest readers/listeners to some of the great ballets. This time, the ballet is that childhood favorite, The Nutcracker. The story is short and simply told, the illustrations are engaging and, in the hard copy, there are excerpts from the music. All of these aspects make this book one to add to a little one’s library.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
This book is the second in Ailes’s series following on last year’s The Expectant Detectives. It is an equally enjoyable read.
Now the group of new moms are tired…very tired. Any one who was ever a new mom can probably remember how crushing this kind of exhaustion was and how it might cloud one’s brain a bit. Surely that is the case when the group decides that being part of an eco protest will be more restful than being at home. Of course, much ensues from this decision including involvment in a murder.
Will these amateur moms again solve a case? You can be sure that they will.
This is a fun story, maybe a bit of a fantasy for stay at home parents. Enjoy watching what happens as the story unfolds. There will be pets, babies, friendship, detection and some laughs. It will leave readers eager for book three.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Some Jane Austen fans are absolute purists and read only her original works. Others enjoy various iterations of Austen’s stories. For those in the latter category, this series by Claudia Gray is a lot of fun. The newest title featuring Lady Catherine de Bourgh is the third book and it is delightful.
The premise of the series is that a son of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, and a young woman, Juliet Tilney, with connections to Northanger Abbey, solve cases together. They make for a charming (if not yet romantic) couple as they go about their work.
Credit to this author for her wittiness and her clever use of existing Austen characters along with the ones that she, herself, has added to the mix. In addition, she has created a good plot.
Will Lady Catherine be alive at the end of this title? Pick it up to find out.
After years of this-and-that jobs, Janice Hallett began to write a novel: “What do I have to lose?” Now a widely celebrated voice in crime fiction, she just launched her fifth book, “The Examiner.”
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2024/09/25/books/janice-hallett-the-appeal.html
This title would make a fun addition to bedtime. Young children will enjoy seeing the colorful monsters and their antics. The rhyming text will delight little ones…and their adults should enjoy this one too. It is adorable.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the Publisher
Sleepy monsters, weepy monsters, teeth-brushing monsters, toilet-flushing monsters, crashing monsters, all settling in for bedtime!
Get ready for bed with the wild and familiar escapades of the monsters at bedtime!
The simple narrative with fun wordplay and a gentle rhyme is perfect for reading aloud
Kids can chuckle at all the different types of monsters while watching out for cheeky little monster who does everything to avoid bedtime!
Escape to France with this heartwarming feel-good romance
by Lucy Coleman
A look at this book’s cover will let a reader have a good sense of this is their kind of book. It is mine. Here is the story of a young woman who is trying to figure out what she wants next in life. This need follows on some disappointing events.
Anna seeks a change so travels to France to work on the units of her parents’ gite. Of course, while there, she will meet a handsome stranger. Will she get a happy ending?
Those who enjoy light reads will, I think, enjoy this one. Yes, it might be a bit predictable, but sometimes that is exactly what I need.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria for this title. All opinions are my own.
Anyone who enjoys Gorey’s unique, quirky, macabre way of looking at the world will, I think, adore this book. There is so much within these pages. Look at cats, Broadway poster designs, programs. photos, drawings and so, so much more. This is really a treasure chest of a book with terrific accompanying text by the author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
I first learned about this book from a review in the Times of London. My interest was piqued so I was completely delighted when NetGalley offered me access to this title. Having recently seen the exhibit Paris 1874 at DC’s National Gallery has left me thinking even more about Monet and the ways in which his work (that we now take for granted) was revolutionary and extraordinary.
This book offers a deep dive. It is long at over 900 pages so may not be for the casual art lover. However, for those who are interested, this is a rich and detailed work. Readers will learn about Monet both as the artist and the man. There is much primary source material that brings readers up close to Monet’s life.
Highly recommended to those interested in this period of French art. They, like me will enjoy learning about the art, the women who influenced Monet and the many artistic talents with whom he was in contact.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor as well as NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 24 September 2024
Review
WINNER OF THE ELIZABETH LONGFORD PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY AND THE FRANCO BRITISH SOCIETY AWARD
“Lively… Provocative… To the wider world, Monet was a placid voluptuary, not a tormented rebel. By excavating the artist’s unexpectedly messy inner life, Wullschläger… sets out to upend this view… Artful.” ―Hugh Eakin, The New York Times
“Jackie Wullschläger’s Monet: The Restless Vision… could be called an Impressionist biography of the central Impressionist… Every few chapters, a sudden nub of detail robs you of your breath… Monet may be the first artist biography I’ve encountered in which this kind of thing isn’t just readable but sexy.” ―Jackson Arn, The New Yorker
“Sumptuous… a portrait of anartist mercurial and materialist, ambitious and conceited, yet unstintingly loyal to all in his orbit… Wullschläger avoids attempting an exhaustive account; why weigh down her book with gratuitous details? She prefers to delight.” ―Hamilton Cain, LA Times
“A writer of radiant energy and exhilarating insights, Wullschläger matches each phase in Monet’s long, ardent, precarious, and momentously creative and productive life with the evolution of his radically in-the-moment paintings. Her biography, like his work, profoundly alters our perceptions, revealing how, from portraits to seascapes to water lilies, Monet painted out of love and endless fascination with what it feels like to be alive.” ―Booklist, starred
“Wullschläger… bring[s] to life a man whose creative genius was inseparable from his flawed humanity. Even readers well-versed in Monet’s life story will learn something new from this thorough and original reappraisal.” ―Publishers Weekly
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 