The Secret Language of Trees

by Susan Tyler Hitchcock

#IntotheForest #NetGalley

I am fortunate enough to live near a truly wonderful botanical garden. My favorite place to explore when there is the forest. This area has the largest uncut expanse of my state’s original wooded landscape.

As the site notes state

For thousands of years, this old-growth Forest has changed, adapted and survived. When you visit the Forest, you will walk along Native American hunting trails, see marks left by glaciers, and pass under trees dating back to the American Revolution.

You can perhaps imagine why I love it. It is a place of beauty and peace, a true antidote to the bustle of my city.

Given my love of the trees, I was so excited to receive this sample from NetGalley and the publisher, National Geographic. NG surely knows how to make books; this looks wonderful. I only wish that I had the full book to read and review. I will have to buy it!

The photos look very inviting and will offer a chance to virtually escape anytime one pages through this title. Chapters are organized according to Tree, Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Forest. It appears that there will be much to read along with looking.

Nature lovers, note the pub date and put this on your lists.

This title will be published on 05 Apr 2022.

Morning Meditations

A Guided Journal to Start Each Day Feeling Calm and Energized

This book invites readers to make the most of those first moments after they wake up. The author asks them to briefly engage with setting a self-reflective tone for the day. Each pastel colored two page spread includes a thought from the author while on the opposite page there is a journal question. For example, in one entry it is suggested that cities are most peaceful early in the day while the next page invites the reader to think about how they will receive peace that day. Another talks about how plants grow up and down and then the reader is asked to consider how they are growing inward and outward.

Do these kinds of thoughts and exercises appeal to you? If yes, this book will become a welcome c0mpanion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

by Sarah Fox

#WineAndPunishment #NetGalley

This title has many of the elements that readers enjoy in a cozy. There is a protagonist, Sadie, who is trying to start over. Readers will learn why. She is a book lover, yay. There is a nice setting in Vermont. There are a pub, antiques, and, oh yes, a murder. It is someone to whom Sadie was close. Will she solve the case? Of course, she will. The fun is watching her do it and spending time with the other characters and suspects.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Others in the series:

by Katharine Tonti

Would you enjoy a zany alphabet book to read with a child you know? If so, this title is just the ticket. The rhymes are silly and the illustrations add to the fun. The critters that are featured are enjoying themselves and you will too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams is an e book bargain for 2.28.22

#TheWhisperedWord #NetGalley

THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21

The Whispered Word is the second entry in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series.  The main characters’ secrets were fully described in the first book but a reader can still enjoy this one as a standalone novel.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the characters and the setting.  Yes, belief has to be suspended, but I would love to visit and spend time with Nora and her three closest friends.  Nora’s town, Miracle Springs. attracts people in need of saving and second chances.  Nora owns the local bookstore and is a very astute and well-versed bookseller.  There are many references to both fiction and non-fiction titles throughout the novel.  Nora herself is named for the character in Ibsen’s play.  Just a few of the titles mentioned in the novel include The Witch of Blackbird Pond, A Doll’s House, Harry Potter, One Snowy Day and a number of books on adoption and tidying up.

But of course, there is more than just books in this book.  Abilene comes to town and is a young girl who has had a difficult life and clearly has secrets of her own.  Has she committed crimes including murder?  There is also a shop, Virtual Genie that is offering to consign goods for people in the town.  It looks like a fantastic service but is there more to it?  You can probably answer these questions but finding out the answers is still fun.

The Whispered Word is about friendship, relationships, taking risks…and solving mysteries.  It is an excellent cozy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.  I enjoyed my second visit with these characters and am eager for book three.

I very much enjoyed this historical novel set during WWI. It combines engaging characters and gardens. What could be better!
What made this book a bit different from other books set in the period was the attention given to a character who was a conscientious objector. Also the author pays attention to issues related to equal pay for women.
Highly recommended for historical fiction fans.

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Soaring in Style

How Amelia Earhart Became a Fashion Icon

by Jennifer Lane Wilson

This children’s book told me something about Amelia Earhart that I had not known. She designed women’s fashions. These were based on Amelia’s sense that clothes should not be too fussy and that they should allow for women’s movement. Amelia even modeled her designs.

The story of Amelia and fashion is interwoven with this story about Amelia’s love for the sky. This began when she was just a girl growing up in Kansas. Adults know that, from this beginning, Amelia Earhart became a barrier breaking pilot. This book offers children an opportunity to share in that excitement.

This title has bright, cartoon-like illustrations. They nicely complement the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher

Soaring in Style

• A historical story about a little-known aspect of a feminist American icon
• Inspires kids—especially girls—to be fearless and go after what they want, including in male-dominated fields
• Perfect for integration into STEAM curriculum