A Novel

by Jill Shalvis

Jill Shalvis has written many women’s fiction titles; however, this is the first of her novels that I have read. It is listed as the fifth in a series but I had absolutely no difficulty reading it as a standalone. I found it to be a good read.

The novel tells the story of several characters, among them are Brynn and Kinsey. At best, the two were “frenemies” after having attended the same summer camp for years. Each chapter starts with a letter that relates to this time. Readers will learn that Brynn and Kinsey share another connection. What will that mean to them?

Brynn has two moms who love her very much. This is, of course, good but has not meant that Brynn’s life has been carefree. She has floundered on her way to adulthood. After her latest disappointments and difficulties, she has returned to her childhood home and has become a substitute kindergarten teacher.

Brynn runs into Eli, an important friend from earlier in her life. He invites her to become the fourth roommate in his house. She agrees, only to find that Kinsey lives there too. They are still like “chalk and cheese” and find it difficult to get along.

Kinsey has her own issues. She has kidney failure and a transplant rejection. Will she find a suitable donor? Will she live?

Will the characters work out their relationships? Will there be a happy ending? Readers will turn the pages at they wait to find out.

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

The RHS Book of Flower Poetry and Prose

by Charles Elliott

This is a lovely book to give to one’s self or as a gift to a garden lover. Collected in here are poems or prose about more than fifty flowers, everything from the humble daisy to the violet to the marigold, the harebell poppy and many more. The illustrations are superb-colorful, detailed and engaging. The verse and prose is from everyone from William Carlos Williams to Wordsworth to Longfellow and many writers both very well known and new to me.

I highly recommend this one. Read it to enjoy some nature while you are spending more time at home.

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

The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World

A Novel

by Laura Imai Messina

Favorite books of mine include The Book of Dreams and The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George, Becoming Mrs Lewis by Patti Callahan, and Everything Love Is by Claire King. One quality that these novels have in common is a deeper emotional resonance than is found in much fiction. To this list of my own treasured favorites, I am adding The Phone Booth at the End of the World. It is a unique and uniquely moving read.

The tsunami that swept Japan over a decade ago left much destruction in its wake. There was loss of property, community and the lives of those that many loved. Yui, the protagonist of this novel, lost her mother and daughter. She continues her work at a radio station but is broken inside.

Yui hears of a phone booth at a remote location in Japan. It is not connected but has become a kind of shrine. People go there to speak into the phone with the loved ones that they have lost. On her first trip to this pilgrimage site, Yui meets Takeshi. His wife died in the tsunami, leaving him with a beloved daughter who has been mute ever since. Yui and Takeshi become companions who visit the phone booth each month. They come to know each other well and to share in life, loss and healing. There are other characters who also have faced this incomprehensible loss, as for example, a high school student. They also take their places in the book.

This novel has a gorgeous design. Each chapter has a line drawing at its start. The reader might see birds in flight, an old fashioned telephone or a book for example. Short chapters alternate with even shorter chapters. The very short chapters are lists. A reader might learn what Yui’s favorite Bossa Nova music is or what her daughter was wearing on the day of the storm or what gifts Yui had bought for her but had not, as yet, given to her. These chapters add to the poignancy of the story.

I highly recommend this novel. It will engage you, make you think and, perhaps, inspire you.

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

Transient Desires

A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

by Donna Leon

Transient Desires is Donna Leon’s thirtieth (!) book about Guido Brunetti. What an accomplishment to have kept a series fresh over so many novels..

In thinking about this title, I concluded that it is a story of place and character, as compared to a classic mystery. There are people good and bad, those with and without morals, those who get caught up in situations with difficult consequences, vicims, various types of love and more. Venice is also critical part of this story. Areas of the city that were new to me were in this book as were the canals, cafes and tourist sites along, of course, with Brunetti’s home.

My favorite of all of the people in this novel is Brunetti. His desire to do right, his willingness to apologize when wrong, his trying to help others and his love of lunch and Paola (his wife) all play their part.

The plot is not dense. Two young girls are injured and left at a hospital. The story goes from there as it impacts a number of others.

If you are going to be a new reader of Brunetti, start at the beginning with Death at La Fenice. All other Leon fans welcome our Commissario back! Now I just have to wait for #31.

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

The Sherlock Holmes title is free.

I’m reading The Must-read Books Of March on Scribd. Check it out: https://www.scribd.com/article/497501158

Andrews McMeel Publishing is re-issuing a number of well-known classics in gorgeous collectors’ editions. So far, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma are part of this series. Now there is also Jane Eyre. The novel is so well known but, nonetheless, each rereading offers new insights. From the Red Room, through a horrendous boarding school and on to being the governess hired by Mr. Rochester, Jane learns, feels, evolves and grows as readers observe her progress.

This new edition will add to the reader’s enjoyment of the classic. Even when the novel is at its most grim, the beautiful floral illustrations help readers to remember that there will be better days ahead for Jane. It is a lovely edition and should be a welcome addition to readers’ libraries.

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

A Florence Nightingale Mystery (Trent)

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsApril 17, 2018

I enjoyed this mystery novel which seems to be the start of a new  series with Florence Nightingale as the sleuth.

Florence has just been placed in charge of the Establishment, a prototype hospital for gentle women (those who would not be at a workhouse hospital but could not afford to be cared for at home). A nurse is murdered  and the story builds from there.

The author does an excellent job of setting the scene and of bringing 1850s London to vivid life. Many historical personages appear in the book and seem to fit right in. The mystery is solved in a very Agatha Christie like manner with all of the main characters in a room together. Like Hercule Poirot, Florence deduces all. A thoroughly enjoyable read for fans of Anne Perry. Of additional note, I learned a lot about Florence herself.

Thanks NetGalley!

This will make bedtime inviting: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJuly 29, 2020

My earlier review

This book is an excellent compendium of stories for “rebel girls” but also for anyone interested in learning more about a variety of accomplished women immigrants.  The book can be read in order or at random.  For each woman her area of interest is listed.  To name just some of the women included, there are Lupita Nyong’o, an actress; Madeleine Albright, politician; Frieda Belinfante, cellist and conductor;Burke Harris, pediatrician and so many more, all the way to the end of the alphabet.  Each short, engaging entry includes an illustration, a quote and a short biography.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this inspiring collection that will remind girls that they can be anyone they choose.  All opinions are my own.