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

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley of Bee Calm, The Buzz on Yoga. I feel better already!

The text of this picture book is rhyming and the illustrations are appealing. The reader observes Bee as he buzzes about and spends a little time with many of his friends. They are all doing yoga poses. At first, Bee is not sure that he is interested but then he decides to give it a try. He learns more about yoga and starts to make it a part of his life.

This is another in the series published by the American Psychological Association. There is a reminder about the hectic pace of life and the need for kids to learn ways to let go of that. A helpful section at the back of the book suggests ways in which adults can practice yoga with children.

I highly recommend this title. It makes yoga feel appealing, fun and helpful.

#BeeCalm #NetGalley

Gawaine is urged by his honorary aunt, Christabel, to look into the murder of Father Tom.  Father Tom is a young Anglican priest who was temporarily assigned to the parish.  The villagers hold differing opinions of him, with some disagreeing with his more conservative views such as not allowing divorced people to receive communion, to others who respected him.

There are many parishioners to fill in the roles of suspects.  In addition to Gawaine, detecting is assisted by his friend David.  Reporter Seffy also is close to these two.

In many ways this was a very traditional mystery.  The suspects are all gathered together at the end in an Agatha Christie like way as the murderer is revealed.

I enjoyed this book with one caveat.  The clues to the killer were not really set up fairly as there is a reveal that the reader could not possibly have guessed.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this read.  The opinions are my own.

#DangerousDeceits #NetGalley

This is another entry in the excellent series of books published by the American Psychological Association.  Goodbye, School is about Franny who is leaving her school.  The reader does not know why but assumes that she is most likely moving.  In any event, the reason matters less than the process.

This story is about the importance of saying goodbye, not being whisked away.  Even with sadness, the ritual is important.  The reader watches as Franny revisits her classroom, sees her teacher and spends time outside.  She says her final goodbye when she is ready.

As always, there is a helpful section for caregivers at the end of the book.

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

#GoodbyeSchool #NetGalley

Many of these are historical novels.  There are also a few women’s fiction titles and two French translations (The Red Notebook and Paris for Beginners).  Enjoy!

An entry in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series of historical mysteries…

Understanding culture and a Reese Witherspoon book club pick and…

Women’s fiction/romance by the author of many books in this field.

Hope you enjoy!

Another in the STEAM series, this one focuses on “M,” math.  Simple concepts are taught in this book which has charming and appealing illustrations throughout.

What a way to start the day:

“Three, two, one,

it’s time for fun,

a maths picnic awaits…

your first clue is waiting on the gates.

From

Miss Add-It-Up”

Just like that an adventure begins…

Concepts explored in this story include addition and subtraction, shapes and names and multiplication and division. Children can solve the problems along the way and will quickly gain confidence as budding mathematicians.  They will also see that Math has many practical applications in daily life, as for example, figuring out how many sandwiches a person gets to eat!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for another good entry in a good series.

If Miss Add-It-Up divides her pie into 10 slices, how many slices will each person receive? If Miss Add-It-Up shares 15 sandwiches equally, how many will everyone have?

Can you name these four shapes?

Your turn: Can you find examples of these shapes in your home? What other shapes can you find and name?

In this picture book, Charlie the caterpillar, imagines all of the jobs that he could do.  Does he want to be a doctor?  a rock star? a rent collector? the one who mixes the cement?  The possibilities are endless and cross a wide variety of skill and education levels.

What I liked in this book:  The sense of possibility.  The brightly colored illustrations and print pages that are colorful as well.

What could have used improvement:  The story is told in rhyme but the verses feel a bit awkward and “clunky” to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book which encourages young children to dream big.  The opinions are my own.

This STEAM series entry is for the “A” in STEAM, art. The book will appeal to four to seven year olds.

Max and Suzy have baked cookies and would like to sell them but, alas, they have no customers. With the help of their art teacher, the two learn that they have to make their stall more visible and appealing. They discover that art will help them to do this.
Max and Suzy decorate with fine results. Along the way, they learn about primary colors and how to make secondary colors. They also find out that art doesn’t have to be neat to be something to enjoy and take pride in.
There is an added learning section in the back of the book. It also includes some suggested websites.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for another book in an excellent series. The opinions are mine.

#SteamStoriesTheCookieStallArt #NetGalley

From Publishers Weekly an “absolutely terrific thriller, so pulse-pounding, so ingenious in its plotting, and so frighteningly realistic that you simply cannot stop reading.” Eye of the Needle won the 1979 Edgar Award and was adapted into a 1981 movie of the same name starring Donald Sutherland.

I read this novel when it first came out many years ago and literally could NOT put it down.  If you have not read it, I highly recommend this one for those of you who like WWII spy stories.  It was riveting.

I wanted to read this novel from the moment that I heard about it.  It turns out that it was a very good, but not absolutely amazing, read.

The Gown in question is the one that Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth wore for her wedding.  However, the Royals are not the ones that this story is about; rather, the novel is a fictional account of two women who embroidered this most important dress and the granddaughter of one of them.  The book moves back and forth between the 1940s and the present day.

An important setting in the book is the studio of Norman Hartnell whose atelier designed and made Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress.  Mr. Hartnell comes across as a nice man who hired nice people.  He and Miss Duley, who manages the embroiderers, were real people.  The author did her research and was fortunate enough to meet one of the seamstresses from the time. This gives the studio scenes a welcome authenticity.

The three protagonists are Ann, Miriam and Heather.  Ann has been impacted by the war and its post-war austerity.  No spoilers so I won’t say what happens to her.  She is a good friend to Miriam, a Jewish woman, who emigrated to London after suffering many losses during the war.  Heather is Ann’s granddaughter.  The book is told in alternating narratives of the three.

At the end of the book there is a section on sources, a reader’s guide and an interview with Betty, the seamstress whom the author interviewed.

If you enjoy historical novels, I recommend this.  I cared about the characters and found the setting to be quite interesting.  If you have watched The Crown, this novel gives background from the time of the first series.

I would give this one three plus stars, just shy of four.  Let me know what you think if you read it.