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

American and British cover views

Fast Friends was first published in Britain in 2006. It is now being published in America by Sourcebooks, a company that is releasing many novels by this excellent writer of women’s fiction.

The Fast Friends are Camilla, Loulou and Roz who first met when they were in school. Now older, but not necessarily wiser, their lives intersect in this almost 500 page novel. This is a story of three women who want to find lasting relationships but experience missteps, tragedy and heartache along the way.

At the beginning of the novel, Camilla lacks confidence and is too eager to please her husband. When she discovers that he has been involved in an affair with one of her friends, her world falls apart. Camilla’s struggles and joys are one narrative thread.

Another story line is that of Loulou and Mac. Loulou is the owner of a wildly successful bar/restaurant. She makes a critical decision about her business and her beliefs as the story unfolds. Loulou’s relationship with Mac has been complicated for many years. She wants to be with him but becomes involved with others and not so happily. Will their relationship work out?

Third is Roz who is a successful TV host. She, too, has many romantic calamities and has let the one she most cared for get away. That would be Nico, a rock star. Their story together may not end happily.

Overall, while I enjoyed this novel, it was not my favorite by this author. At times, I felt that the book was a bit too long. Also, it seemed to me that there were too many unplanned pregnancies. However, if you like Jill Mansell, you will certainly want to give this one a look.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

 

Praise for Jill Mansell:
“[A] true page-turner.”—Harlequin Junkie for Sheer Mischief
“Mansell’s books are must reads.”—Night Owl Reviews Top Pick 5 Stars for Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay
“[Mansell’s] skillful balance of heartbreak and joy will stay with readers long after they finish the book.” —Publishers Weekly for Three Amazing Things About You
“[A] beautiful mix of heartbreak, humor, and redemption that is sure to delight…”—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars for You and Me, Always

I was just awarded this badge from NetGalley!  It means that I have now written 200 reviews, something that I would never have imagined when I read my very first NetGalley title.  (It was a book by Margaret Maron).  I have loved reading and writing about what I read.  I look forward to sharing many more reviews with you.

Kathleen Ernst goes from strength to strength. I so enjoyed last year’s book, Mining for Justice, and was hoping that this new novel would be as absorbing. It is! The Lace Maker’s Secret, set in Belgium and Wisconsin, has a dual narrative structure. The modern part of the novel takes place in the 1980s while the historical narrative begins in the 1800s and moves through WW I. While the murder mystery was there, the remarkable parts of the novel are the sections where the author describes life for Belgian immigrants. The characters of Seraphine and her family members truly come to life and the hardships that they experience are heartbreaking. I did not know about this time in Wisconsin’s history and am amazed by what I learned. As always, it was good to spend time with protagonist, Chloe, and her boyfriend, Roelke. The relationship between the two continues to grow in this novel. I recommend all of the novels in this series with a special shout out for The Lace Makers Secret and Mining for Justice. Thanks for this book NetGalley!

If you like to doodle and would like to learn how to make adorable pictures of food, animals, landmarks, etc., this is most definitely the book for you! The creator of this volume, quit a job to become a full-time doodle artist. Kawaii is  explained as a particular kind of doodle which focuses on cheerfulness and sweet faces in the illustrations. Steps are provided for how to create many irresistible doodles on your own.  I woke up grumpy today and found that this book cheered me up and gave me lots of good ideas.  Highly recommended if you like to draw!

#KawaiiDoodleCuties #NetGalley

 

This is another entry in an early literacy series by xist publishing. With rhyming text, and illustrations on every page, this book should appeal to beginning readers. Young learners will see that there are so many things to be thankful for! There are meals, friends and family, just to name a few. While practicing their skills, students will be able to think about the many things to be grateful for in their world.

#ISayThanks #NetGalley

 

My last (for now, because I have no more) review in an excellent series for toddlers and their caregivers.  This time, the toddlers don’t want their mom or dad to leave.  In a sweet and repetitive way, this picture book reinforces that parents “always come back,” The adults in this simple read aloud acknowledge their child’s feelings and respond supportively.  As is true for the other books in this series, the section for adults at theend of the book is excellent.  Highly recommended for all who say byes to their young children.

#ByeBye #NetGalley

Photo by J carter on Pexels.com

This is the second book that I have read in this series, which has the backing of the American Psychological Association.  It is a simple read aloud/picture book.  A little girl falls and her father helps her by acknowledging her fear and, at her pace, patching her up with a band-aid.  This story will be reassuring to toddlers as it reminds them that boo-boos can be fixed.  There is a very helpful section for parents at the back.  An excellent choice for a home or day care library.

The Recovering is, simply. an excellent non-fiction title.  The author, Leslie Jamison, also wrote The Empathy Diaries which was well received.

The Recovering is a hybrid book.  In parts, the author shares her own history of alcohol abuse and her candid thoughts about drinking, her efforts to stop and her life during these years.  At times, these sections read like a novel; the reader hopes for Ms. Jamison and keeps turning the pages to learn how she fares.

In addition, the author, who has a PhD, explores her thesis subject; she looks at the life stories of many authors who faced or did not face their issues with alcoholism; for example, there are sections on Raymond Carver and Jean Rhys.  There is also information about many treatment centers (some historical), types of treatment and attitudes towards addiction over the years.

If you would like to understand more about alcoholism, read this graceful and moving book.  Highly recommended.

Some other opinions:

“A sprawling, compelling, fiercely ambitious book…Its publication represents the most significant new addition to the canon in more than a decade…Jamison’s writing throughout is spectacularly evocative and sensuous…She thinks with elegant precision, cutting through the whiskey-soaked myths…Jamison is interested in something else: the possibility that sobriety can form its own kind of legend, no less electric, and more generative in the end.”―Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic

“Masterful…beautifully honest…Essential reading…The most comprehensive study of the relationship between writing and alcohol that I have read, or know about…The prose is clean and clear and a pleasure to read, utterly without pretension. Although the subject is dark, Jamison has managed to write an often very funny page turner…In short, The Recovering is terrific, and if you’re interested in the relationship between artists and addiction, you must read it.”―Clancy Martin, Bookforum

“Magnificent and genuinely moving. This is that rare addiction memoir that gets better after sobriety takes hold.”―Dwight Garner, New York Times

“A remarkable feat…Jamison is a bracingly smart writer; her sentences wind and snake, at turns breathless and tense…Instead of solving the mystery of why she drank, she does something worthier, digging underneath the big emptiness that lives inside every addict to find something profound.”―Sam Lansky, Time

This is a truly inspiring story in a continually inspiring series.

Jane Goodall knew what she wanted from a young age and figured out a way to realize her dream. Starting from the moment that her father gave her a stuffed animal named Jubilee, Jane was in love with chimpanzees. Unable to afford university, she made her way to Africa, met Leakey and began to patiently observe chimps in the wild. Touchingly, she named the animals and did not only see them as research subjects. Through patient study, Jane learned a great deal and made an amazing discovery (read the book to find out what this was). In later years, she has fought tirelessly for our environment.

Jane is a determined woman and her story will encourage young readers to be determined in setting and keeping to their own biggest hopes and dreams.

Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto and the author for this excellent entry in an excellent series.

This read-aloud/picture book is published under the auspices of the American Psychological Association. It is cheerfully illustrated with a diverse group of toddlers who do not want to share. A calm and lovely teacher repeatedly intervenes to help by respecting the child who does not feel ready to part with something and by offering the other child an alternative. The repetition will be helpful for young readers and will remind parents of the need for patience when coping with young children. At the end of the book, there is a VERY helpful guide for parents. Believe it or not, there is even a little spoiler there that you will discover for yourself. Highly recommended for toddlers and their caregivers.