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

This  book is the first in a new series.  The story of Amelia Earhart is told in a combination of straight text and more cartoon like illustrations.  Children who want to learn about living one’s dream or who are interested in aviation or women’s history, will enjoy this chapter book.

The story starts with young Amelia aka Millie’s early years.  She was not like the other girls that she knew; Amelia wanted to dress as she wished and to have adventures.  At times, she did not fit in.  Amelia was also plagued by issues in her family.  While her father loved her, he had his own struggles with unemployment and alcohol.  Nonetheless, he tried to help Amelia to do the things that she wanted.

Before taking to flying, Amelia witnessed the plight of WWI veterans and did nursing.  She enrolled at Columbia University where she hoped to study medicine.  However, when her family needed her, she returned to California.  It was there that she took her first flight and, as we know, over time became a part of history.  Amelia’s accomplishments were great.  The mystery of her last flight has still not been solved.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this interesting read in return for an honest opinion  I now know more about this famous aviatrix than I did.

Many authors have rewritten Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  In this entertaining version by Sonia Kamal, the story takes place in Pakistan.  The Binat family has five daughters, a father who would rather garden than confront issues and a mother who knows that marriage is a, maybe the, most important status for women.

The family has fallen on hard times so the oldest daughters are teaching English at a school in their town.  Alys wants her students to have a wider view of their lives and to think of university, for example, but this is an uphill battle.  Alys does not feel that she needs to marry but, of course, she meets the Darcy character, just as Jena meets the Bingley one.

The settings and descriptions are fun.  As someone who has not traveled to Pakistan, I enjoyed reading about the clothing, foods and weddings.

This book will be enjoyed by fans of Pride and Prejudice and can also be a gateway for readers who will then go on to read the original.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in return for an honest review.

As is often the case, many good choices.  My favorites among these include Airs Above the Ground. The Art of Fielding and Bitter River.  Mary Stewart’s Airs Above the Ground is a novel of romantic suspense.  Though Mary Stewart’s books are not new, I have found that I have continued to enjoy rereading them.  The Art of Fielding is a good novel that has a baseball theme while Bitter River is in the Bell Elkins’s series.  I have read all of these; they are not always easy but they are always good.  They take place in West Va.  where life is difficult for many.

I also enjoyed the Susan Wiggs series, of which two are featured here.  They are good, relaxing reads. And of course, I think every book on this post is worth a look.

HAPPY READING!

Before and Again…how does what happens, mistakes that we have made, impact our view of the past, our present and our belief in the future? These big issues are fictionally brought to life in Barbara Delinsky’s newest novel.
Early on in the book, the reader learns that a moment of inattention led to the death of the protagonist’s daughter, Lily. Any parent can, but does not want to, imagine what this could mean. The reader watches as Maggie tries to move on and start fresh but…can/should the past be denied? A concurrent theme involves Grace who has secrets and stories of her own. In addition, Grace’s son is accused of computer hacking and the consequences of his act may impact his future, just as Maggie and Grace are impacted by their pasts.
I found the characters to be sympathetically drawn and would recommend this book to readers of women’s fiction.

Dear Mrs. Bird is an engaging and warm first novel. Readers who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society are almost certain to rate this book highly. Mrs. Bird is an out of touch editor at a woman’s magazine during WW II who is responsible for the agony column. Sadly, she deems most letters “unsuitable” for answering. Enter Emmy; young, naive, and trying to cope with bombs and disasters in London. She begins to answer letters as Mrs. Bird and you need to read the book to learn what happens. This novel at first seemed like it would be light but it has substance. Themes of love, friendship and how to relate to others all have their place. I highly recommend Dear Mrs. Bird! I would like to write her a fan letter. Thanks for this read NetGalley.

This is the third novel that I have read by Kate Morton and it is by far my favorite. I loved this novel! I am going to give it one of my rare five star reviews and say that it is one of my best reads of the year.

Aptly named with an allusion about time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter takes place in different periods including the 1860’s, 1899, 1928, WWII, 1962 and the present. Like the exquisite, interlocking, sensitive and perfectly balanced workings of a clock. the characters are connected over time and in their relationships. The revelations of the interconnections add depth and emotional resonance to the novel.

The plot is complex as would be expected in a novel that keeps the reader’s interest for over 500 pages. Characters include an artist, his model and their circle; the backstory of the model; the artist’s family; a young British girl sent to boarding school in England from India; an archivist; a biographer; a hunter of lost treasure and more. The most consistent and overarching presence is that of Birdie, the clockmaker’s daughter and artist’s model who is a spiritual (ghostly) presence throughout. For me Birdie worked perfectly even though I do not gravitate toward books with spirits. The other main character is the house where much of the story takes place. Within the pages there are mysteries, murder, love, grief, family and friendship.

I was sorry to finish this book as I enjoyed it so much. I hope that you will too.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful and engrossing read.

The Banker’s Wife is a super bargain at $.99.  See my archives for the review.  It was a good read.  The Val McDermid is from an early series featuring a gay detective.  The Pam Jenoff is on my TBR pile. 

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.