Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

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!

Shakira

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

#Shakira #NetGalley

Here is a new entry in the popular series that features people from all walks of life and tells their stories from when they were young until they achieved their dreams as adults. As is generally true with this fine series, text and illustration join together as readers learn about this entertainer. Some interesting things that kids will discover include the meaning of Shakira’s name, why her father wore dark glasses, how many kinds of music she performed and what Shakira promised to do one day.

This book will be a welcome addition to the Little Folks, Big Dreams collection.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 07 February 2023

The Last Chairlift by John Irving

#TheLastChairlift #NetGalley

John Irving is a towering figure in modern fiction with books that are intelligent and popular. I first read a book by him called Setting Free the Bears when I was in college and my professor knew the author. He has gone from strength to strength since then.

The Last Chairlift is reportedly the last novel that Irving plans to write. He has given readers a rather long book at over 900 pages that some may enjoy more than others.

Here is the story of skier Rachel Brewer whose career takes a new turn after she becomes pregnant. Years later her son, Adam, returns to Colorado seeking to better understand his mother and himself. Adam also wants to find out more about his father. Oh, and there are some ghosts in this title that creates its own universe with a unique family at its center.

Readers who have followed Irving will want to give this title a look

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 18 October 2022

From the Publisher

“Powerfully cinematic…Irving’s portrayal of a shooting in a crowded venue, for instance, is rendered with such visual acuity and kinetic energy that I’d swear I saw it rather than read it….Whenever “The Last Chairlift” is actively expanding the boundaries of what a family can be — the story feels vital and exciting.”—WASHINGTON POST



“Here the consistent pleasure is an extended family whose distinctive voices deliver thoughtful messages of tolerance, understanding, and affection for those who are different.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Irving’s majestic latest, his first since Avenue of Mysteries (2015), is a multigenerational portrait as colorful and varied as it is complex and quirky as it echoes and pays homage to the author’s own rich literary history. … Irving infuses the narrative with countless comedic set pieces, some farcical, others wistfully tender. The emotionally resonant result is sweepingly cinematic, reminding the reader that Irving has a screenwriting Oscar. Autobiographical snippets and splashes of brilliance buttress the themes of death and aging, memory and identity, in an elegiac testimony to the many facets of familial love…a big, immersive novel.”—Booklist

Now out:

A Pinch of Love

by Barry Timms

This book tells a sweet, rhyming story about the immense power of love. The accompanying illustrations are just delightful; at times they are bright and vibrant, while at others they are a bit more gentle.

This book would make for a nice read to a child and the adult might just love it too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher

A heartwarming story banner

Celebrating the love that comes through baking, cooking and sharing food!

A Pinch of LoveA Pinch of LoveA Pinch of Love
A beautiful story told in rhyming verseThey discover warm bonds that exist within their communityLush illustrations give real depth to this vibrant and diverse neighborhood

What happens: When in Rome by Liam Callanan

#WheninRome #NetGalley

Readers probably know that there is something to be said for finding the right read for the right time or mood. When in Rome was that kind of book for me. It offered a slower, somewhat more contemplative stroll through the life of its protagonist, Claire and was just the kind of book that I was seeking.

As the story opens, Claire is fifty-two years old. Her daughter, Dorothy, is in her late twenties and was raised by Claire as an only child. Claire’s own mother died when she was young leaving her to be raised by her father as a single parent. She also became well known to her Milwaukee community of nuns.

Claire goes to Yale where she makes a very good female friend and also falls for Marcus. Her nascent desire to become a nun remains even as Claire takes a post graduation real estate job where her specialty is the sale of ecclesiastical buildings.

This career sends Claire to Rome, a city that is lovely to visit in Claire’s company. There she meets a group of idiosyncratic sisters who engage with her. Will they lose their unique convent to a real estate developer?

The crux of the story is about what decisions Claire will make and what she wants in her life. Is it to be a nun or is it to remain in the world, possibly with Marcus? Read this gentle novel to find out.

Publishers Weekly calls this one “a delight.” I heartily agree.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: March 202314

What is it like to be the mother-in- law and The Daughter-in-Law by Fanny Blake

When I see the name Fanny Blake on a book’s cover, I know that the book is one that I will want to read. Ms. Blake tells involving stories about people with whom I enjoy spending time. That is definitely the case here.

This is a novel about family and about relationships. It is also about the choices that people make and the consequences that arise as a result.

The cast of characters includes Hope who is divorced, a mother, grandmother, cold water swimmer and owner of a cooking company that is cleverly called Booking the Cooks. She has a son Paul, a woodworker, and generally low key kind of guy. He is married to the rather high strung, career oriented Edie. They have two young children.

Both Edie and Hope have things from their pasts arise. No spoilers so readers will have to find out on their own.

Hope and Edie have a relationship that can be tenuous at times. Will they find a way to better understand one another?

Those who enjoy women’s fiction and good stories will want to give this title a look. It is excellent on family relationships and dynamics.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster UK for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 16 February