#SecretBritain #NetGalley

his beautifully illustrated title will be enjoyed by those who are interested in the British Isles, history, archaeology and more. It is a beautifully photographed and wide-ranging tile.

The author begins with an introduction, a timeline and a map. She follows this with the many places where she is interested in “unearthing our mysterious past,” as the title of the book notes.

There are so many places included. To name some there are the Tomnaverie Recumbent Stone Circle, Seahenge, Must Farm, Snettisham Treasures, the Dagenham Idol and Stonehenge. The geography includes Kent, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Moray and many more locations. The first object featured is the Westray Wifey which is over 5,000 years old and was found on Orkney. There are so many more to follow.

This book can be dipped into or read in its entirety. I very much enjoyed the time that I spent with this fascinating title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 12 March 2024

New crime fiction for October — Paula Hawkins, Ian Rankin, John Banville and more

https://www.thetimes.com/article/296174a3-e4d3-4f1d-bc22-4449b196a891?shareToken=7a0ef9ce9ed291458c8b57d7745e6e3f

New Orleans is a thriving hub for festivals, music and Creole cuisine. Here, the novelist Maurice Carlos Ruffin shares books that capture its many cultural influences.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2024/06/05/books/books-new-orleans.html

My First Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker

Press the buttons to hear 6 sounds

by Jessica Courtney-Tickle

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.

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Mystery

by Kat Ailes

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.

Pub date: 04 June 2024

From the Publisher

The first in the series:

https://joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews.blog/?p=56948

Now out

#ThePerilsofLadyCatherinedeBourgh #NetGalley

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.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: June 18, 2024

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

by Laura Baker

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.

This title was published in 2018

The Party by Tessa Hadley review — sex, class and Sunday roasts

https://www.thetimes.com/article/b98f359a-cf81-4170-baa9-e980c04df07c?shareToken=de76ece97a42ab2d0dfa8f7f0c33e692