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!

Be brave and have fun: Adventure Girls! Crafts and Activities for Curious, Creative, Courageous Girls by Nicole Duggan

This book is a wonderful resource for girls.  It includes what the author describes as “crafts and activities for curious, creative, courageous girls;”  just what we hope for those young women in our lives.

The authors do an excellent job of meeting their goal.  There are chapters on everything from tying knots to stargazing; from bird watching to neighborhood games like capture the flag; to having a photographer’s eye and a backyard hideaway.  For example, the first section on Finding Your Way includes information on how to read maps and has projects like making a compass and making one’s own map. It demonstrates the skills that girls can build while enjoying their leisure time.  As an extra bonus there are short biographies of some famous women.  All in all, a wonderful compilation to inspire kids to have fun and take some risks.  I would have loved this book when I was a kid.  It is a great resource for families, scout troops, clubs and schools.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher:

SAMPLE: Use secret codes to exchange notes with friends or to keep your journal entries and adventure plans hidden!

crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls

crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls

crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls, crafts for girls

EVERY OTHER LETTER

This code requires that you only read every other letter to form a message. Use the first letter, skip a letter, use a letter, skip a letter, etc. For example, “AHDRVUEPNKTHULRAEOGPIMRCLWS” says “Adventure Girls”!

HALF REVERSED

With the Half Reversed Alphabet, each letter stands for the letter opposite of it on the chart (above). For example, A stands for N and N stands for A. J stands for W and W stands for J. To write the word “CAT”, you would write “PNG”.

PIGPEN

The Pigpen code has been around for hundreds of years. With the Pigpen code, you replace each letter with the symbol from the chart.

For example, the letter D looks like this: ⊐ and the letter F would look like this: ⊏

#AdventureGirls #NetGalley

Now out: Baby A Soppy Story by Philippa Rice

I love this book! If you are pregnant or know someone who is, this would make a great gift, for yourself of them. This is a comic/graphic novel that shows a heterosexual couple falling in love, establishing a life together, experiencing a pregnancy and becoming parents with all of the ups and downs that this entails. The illustrations are sooo adorable and emotive. This is a sweet yet honest look at an important stage in life. Highly recommended! I give it five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and AndrewsMcMeel publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Now out in paperback: The Secret Guests A Novel by Benjamin Black

Many readers will know that literary fiction author, John Banville, uses the pen name Benjamin Black. As Mr Black he has written a well regarded series of mysteries that take place in 1950s Ireland.

This historical/suspense novel also takes place in Ireland. It is a dark time for Britain as bombs regularly fall in London. Based on what the author thinks happened, this novel posits that fourteen year old Elizabeth and ten year old Margaret were sent to Ireland to keep them safe.

This slow burn of a novel imagines how this was done, what it was like for the princesses and who the people were who ensured their safety. They are challenged.

Margaret, renamed Mary, to keep her identity hidden, is a particularly vividly drawn character. She is inquisitive and a bit of an imp. Elizabeth/Ellen as the older, more staid sister is also brought to life.

There is a plot against the princesses. Who knew they were there? Who is responsible? We all know that Margaret and Elizabeth survived so the reader knows the ending. Nonetheless, the unraveling is suspenseful.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.

Plan ahead! The Good Retirement Guide 2020 Everything You Need to Know About Health, Property, Investment, Leisure, Work, Pensions and Tax by Jonquil Lowe

This book will be so helpful for those who are retired, are thinking of retiring or know someone who has retired and may need some advice.  This title will be most relevant to U.K. readers but offers wise guidance for all who are planning ahead.  The list of topics covered is truly exhaustive with information on finances, health, leisure activities and more.  By demystifying this life stage the editor helps readers to prepare for a secure future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Now out: The Hollows A Novel by Jess Montgomery

Last year I read and reviewed this author’s first book, The Widows. I thought it was a fantastic book, one that seemed very much the work of a seasoned author. I was very, very excited to receive this second novel in the series from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press; thank you!! I adored this book although I do acknowledge that it covers some very difficult topics.
The plot has much to do with events that happened in this small, mountain, Ohio community during the Civil War. Those occurrences have haunted lives and are re-awakened in the present. The past and present intertwine as, during both time periods, there were many strains, struggles and injustices centered on race and discrimination. Kudos to the author for making the time period vivid and memorable, if not easy. Readers will learn something about the WKKK, an organization that I wish had never existed and about women who could be placed in asylums by the men in their lives. Mysteries will be solved but not in a merry, we can all be happy sort of way.
The characters are so well portrayed. They are complex, struggling, some honorable, some not. The main protagonist, Lily, a female sheriff, is beautifully brought to life as are her close friends Marvena and a struggling Hildy. I was so happy to meet up with them again.
This new novel can be read as a standalone. However, you may be so caught up in the lives of these people and their time, that you will read both novels in some order.
I give this book five stars, something that I do not do lightly or often. If you enjoy this one, I would also highly recommend that you read the books by Julia Keller.

A (pretty) cozy mystery: The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams

The Book of Candlelight is the third entry in this mystery series by Ellery Adams. I have enjoyed all three books. In this one, readers again spend time with the four main female characters, each of whom has a significant secret in their past. They have bonded together to provide support to each other and to their community. Chief among the protagonists is Nora who owns a bookstore. She is a bibliotherapist and readers enjoy the added bonus of learning some of her book picks.

Series do not stay stagnant, so new characters are introduced. I hope that some will reappear in the next entry. The arrival of Sheldon adds a bit of magic to life at Nora’s bookstore and in the community. There are also the new owners of an inn.

There are two murders in the novel, one of a local Cherokee potter and the other of a young man who was seeking adventure and experience in the North Carolina region where the books are set. The mystery itself has connections with the past and is well developed. However, the main delight of this series is the characters and their world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.