Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

In my opinion, this is a very cool book! It is perfect for travelers to Britain who would like to have unique experiences. The author of this book has visited 50 underground sites across the British Isles. He has organized the book by regions including The North, The Midlands, The Southeast, The Southwest, Wales and Scotland. You can vicariously visit sites related to WWII, a mining museum, caverns, Churchill’s War Rooms, The Roman Baths, King Arthur’s Labyrinth and so much more.

The author has a knack for bringing each of these locations to life. Each entry includes helpful information such as location, hours, website information, etc. Each place described has additional sections including Spotlight and Going Deeper. Furthermore, the photographs throughout truly enhance the text.

When I finished browsing this book, I so wanted to be starting a vacation. You will want to as well.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a unique travel guidebook. I enjoyed it.

 

This book is a new entry in the wonderful Little People,Big Dreams series. It tells the story of Dolly Parton, a young girl who wanted to sing. Dolly grew up in a large family with ten sisters and brothers. An uncle helped her to get her start in music.

Young readers will learn about Dolly’s passion for country music, her evolution to pop, her entrepreneurial spirit and her desire to give back. All in all, an inspiring story. The delightful illustrations add a spirit of happiness to the narrative.

As always, there is a timeline with photographs at the end of the book. There are additional facts about Ms. Parton there.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for this e galley in exchange for an honest review. I always look forward to new entries in this series. They make for inspirational reads and should be on school and library shelves.

There are lots of good choices here.  The Lost Man is by the well received author of first mystery, The Dry.  The Best of Us is vintage Robyn Carr.  The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna is very recently published.  Getting the first three novels in Andrea Camilleri’s series is a big bargain for those who would like to get to know Inspector Montalbano.  The Map of the Heart will be enjoyed by readers of Susan Wiggs’s novels. And, those not already mentioned are in my TBR pile.

I have been following Chloe since the first book in this series,, Old World Murder, was published back in 2010. Chloe is an historical interpreter who works on various museum sites such as Old World Wisconsin. In each book, in addition to a good mystery, the reader learns about Wisconsin’s settlers and immigrants. Often the history has to do with Norway, as is the case in Fiddling with Fate.

In this entry in the excellent series, the history is personal. No spoilers from early books so I will just say that Chloe learns more about her own family in this one. Long time readers undoubtedly will enjoy this aspect of the book. Of course, there is also murder.

Chloe and her fiancee, Roelke, leave Wisconsin for Norway where Chloe will travel on a trip that her mother had hoped to take. While in Norway, Chloe and the reader will learn a great deal about the role of music and fiddling. Music and dancing (in the novel’s historical sections) were viewed by some as an essential aspect of life, while for others the Hardanger’s fiddle was the devil’s instrument. These attitudes very much relate to the fate of the book’s central characters in both the present and the past.

Readers will spend time in the fjords, climbing paths, museums and charming hotel where Chloe and Roelke stay. Readers will also meet the many characters from museum employees, to fiddlers, to dancers.

There are links and suggestions provided for those who want to see and learn more about the places and things that are central to the story. I always find that these suggestions have helped me to enjoy the novels even more.

I think that this book will be enjoyed most by long time readers of this series. New readers might want to start right from the beginning and move through each of the ten books. Two of my favorites are The Lace Maker’s Secret and Mining for Justice.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for this e galley in exchange for my honest review.

My next mystery will be….

More to follow on this one that is set in New Zealand.

 

This is a dictionary, but not a typical one.  It is designed for children who are intrigued by words or who could use something to help them to become more interested in words and reading.  Appealingly illustrated and wisely selected, the entries are entertaining and informative.

The author playfully suggests ways to read the book.  A few examples include back to front, front to back, by opening to a random page, etc.  The idea is that exploring words should be intriguing.  Before getting started, there are a couple of helpful sections; one describes the parts of speech and another offers hints for decoding some words (for example phile referring to loving something).

The words themselves are appealing.  Some, even if arcane, I knew while others I came across for the first time.  Often difficult to pronounce or spell, the child who learns them will feel mighty clever!

This book deserves its place in homes and schools.  It is a perfect book to browse through and enjoy.

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

When I was a child, one of the first chapter books that I loved was called Ellen Tebbits. Years later, I introduced my children to Ramona and Beezus. Then, more recently I read about Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday. Clearly, she [s known to me as a beloved children’s author.

This book, that is illustrated with humor and a sense of nostalgia, tells the story of Beverly. She was a child with a vivid imagination who, at first, did not like school. Having a teacher who took a special interest in her helped to change this as did having a seventh grade teacher who encouraged her to use her imagination.

Beverly Cleary went on to become a children’s author who wrote stories based on her experiences and her sense of the kinds of books that children want to read. She started with Sparerib (Ribsy) and Henry and progressed from there.

This book includes the illustrated biography along with more detailed information at the end of the book. Young readers and author hopefuls will enjoy this story as will those who have read books by the talented Ms. Cleary.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e galley in exchange for an honest review.

I am most definitely both an Anglophile and a reader of many mysteries with clerical themes. For example, I think of the wonderful series by Kate Charles or Susan Hill that I have enjoyed. So, when I saw this title that was about the churches of England and Wales, I knew that I wanted to read it.

First…the photographs are absolutely gorgeous. Crystal clear in their reproductions, they complement the text perfectly and allowed for happy, contemplative armchair travel.

The author starts the book by describing churches as places that have absorbed the histories of their times, places and communities. He notes their artwork, design and origins. Next, there is a thorough history on building churches and the sponsorship of different churches; some were part of a wealthy person’s estate while others were build for contemplation. After this, there are sections on the churchyard, the interior and exteriors of churches and the furnishings. As a bonus, there are sections on further reading and places to visit.

I very much enjoyed this title. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this beautiful and informative book. I am now very eager for my next trip, whenever that may be!

$2.99

My review:

When I saw the cover for this book, I thought that it would be a typical, light, women’s fiction read. That is not the case at all! This book is much more than that. Protagonist Loveday, who does work in a bookshop, is a unique, idiosyncratic, hurt young woman who does not trust easily. There are reasons for this as the reader learns. She is tattooed with quotes from her favorite novels, has a painful backstory, is bright and someone the reader hopes for. All of the characters from Nathan, to Rob, to Annabel, to Archie, to Loveday’s family are vividly portrayed and each has an important role in her life. This book is definitely worth reading in my opinion. I was inspired to look for the author’s other novels upon completing this. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin’s for this excellent read.

In The sentence is Death, second in the series which began with The Word is Murder, the author inserts himself as a character in his fiction. Tony, aka Anthony Horowitz, is Watson to Daniel Hawthorne’s Sherlock. Like Watson, he theorizes but is not as clever as his mentor. In the novel, the conceit is that Mr. Horowitz is writing a series of books about Inspector Hawthorne’s cases.

In this entry, a divorce attorney is murdered. There are numerous suspects including clients involved in an acrimonious divorce. But…the murder may also be related to a past friendship and a tragedy that occurred while caving. Characters stories are developed sufficiently to give the reader a good sense of them. Suffice it to say that several plot lines are followed, there are a number of viable suspects and eventually the case is solved.

As a fan of some of the author’s TV work, I enjoyed the references to Foyle’s War. There is also information about publishing which lends authenticity. I enjoyed this book and will most likely go back to read the first in the series.

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