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

Pulitzer Prize Finalist: “A stunning work of biography” about three little-known New England women who made intellectual history (The New York Times).

“Marshall’s book is a grand story . . . where male and female minds and sensibilities were in free, fruitful communion, even if men could exploit this cultural richness far more easily than women.” —The Washington Post

I read this book when it first came out and found it to be fascinating.  The Peabody Sisters interacted with all of the elite of western Massachusetts, including  Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau and Horace Mann.  One sister was married to Hawthorne and another to Mann.

This is a recommended read for those who are intrigued by the period.  The book is well written and very interesting.

Kudos to the author and publisher for this informative and important book. It deserves a place in all school libraries and would be an excellent read for Black History Month (or any month). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This non-fiction work tells the story of African American women’s entry into the Women’s Army Corps of WWII and their experiences while in the service, as they trained and were assigned to their duties. Issues of prejudice were quite present and the women’s responses, protests and efforts are noted.

Two things made this book exceptional: One was the photos that illustrated the text; the other was that women were named and quoted. These makes the book feel intimate and real.

I had an aunt who served in WWII. I wish that I had spoken to her more about her war experiences. I hope that she knew about and respected all of the African American Corps members.

This book is highly recommended…and not just for children!

This should link to an article about Shetland. As a fan ofAnn Cleeves’s Jimmy Perez series, I enjoyed this armchair travel.

On the Playground is a non-fiction title that introduces children to the ways in which prejudice can be hurtful and damaging.  In an afterword, the author states:  “When I was growing up, it was common to see other kids being bullied…Much to my shame, I remember doing nothing…I encourage all readers of this book to make better choices than I did.”  The author wrote this book to help children understand and do better.

This is an informational text.  It does not have a fictional story line. There are illustrations that are multi-cultural and multi-contextual.  There is a hybrid of what seems like a read aloud with other sections that are related and instructional.

To this reader, the book did not seem like one that a child would pick up and read but more one that would be part of a discussion in a school setting.  While I admired what the author hoped to, and does in many ways accomplish, I found the book to be a bit dry.  Using this book as a jumping off point for discussion makes sense to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this interesting read.

#OnThePlayground #NetGalley

Just last night I was thinking about how much I enjoyed Mary Stewart’s novels when I was younger.  Imagine my surprise when seven (!) of the novels came up as e-book bargains today.

I would describe the author’s books, which were originally published over fifty years ago, as romantic suspense at its best, with a literary flair.  The flair is seen in the quotes that head up each chapter.  Each novel is a standalone and each takes place in a location that you will enjoy visiting, for example, Provence or Corfu or Crete or the Pyrenees.

I am looking forward to re-reading some of these novels.  They seem like the perfect antidote as holiday stress comes into play…and by the way, the covers are so gorgeous!

This is a chapter book for beginning readers. It tells the story of Katie who is asked to be a flower girl in her relative’s wedding. Katie’s friends offer her help and support as she gets ready…one even becomes a co-flower girl so that Katie won’t be too nervous. This is a simple book that may be of interest to children who want to know more about weddings. The illustrations are engaging and multi-cultural and they add to the appeal of the story.

#FlowerGirlKatie #NetGalley

This book offers a fascinating look at either places you may not have heard of or interesting aspects of places where you may have been.  A few examples…you may have been in Rock Creek Park but did you know that discarded stones from the Capitol building are there?  Have you heard of the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument or the home of Carter G Woodson that is located in the Shaw neighborhood?  For those who don’t know Dr. Woodson was “the man known as the father of African American History.”  Have you visited the home with a front yard filled with dinosaurs?  How about the President’s Suite at Regan Washington National Airport where Roosevelt held meetings?  There are many places listed, described and photographed in this book.  It is worth having for both first time and frequent visitors to DC, along with DC residents.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.  I learned a lot.

#NoAccessWashingtonDc #NetGalley

I have not as yet read this but it has gotten very good reviews as you can see below.  Kirkus comapres the author to two of my favorites, Steiner and French which has to be a good sign.

“[A] taut, psychologically twisted debut . . .  Readers will root for the spiky Kinsella, with her emphatic center, and hope to see more of her in future books.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))

“Cat’s evolution from one-dimensional sad sack to complex, honest adult is both believable and welcome, putting her on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives. A truly satisfying—and gritty—mystery.”
(Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

“Frear has fashioned a remarkably rich and sympathetic character in Cat, and her portrayal of dysfunctional families, especially their mix of world-weary dialogue interspersed with cutting comments, is cringingly realistic. . . . Impressive. . . will also work as a way of keeping Tana French fans happy while waiting for French’s next book.” (Booklist)

“An assured debut . . . All the characters–minor or lead, living or dead–are well crafted. Frear also makes an impression with her vivid dialogue and prose . . . It’s no secret that Lies is an engrossing read.”
(Shelf Awareness)

This may be a good one for long winter nights as it is over 900 pages long.  I have not yet read it but am putting it on my TBR pile.

From Library Journal

I have not read this but purchased it immediately when I saw that it was an e-book bargain.  Becoming Mrs. Lewis has gotten excellent reviews.  The novel tells the story of C S Lewis and Joy Davidson.  I am excited to read it and hope that you will be too.

You can see some of the praise below.

‘Patti Callahan weaves a hypnotic historical fiction narrative of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis, or ‘Jack,’ as he’s known to his closest friends . . . Spanning more than a decade, this slow-burning love story will be especially satisfying to writers and C.S. Lewis fans, as there are many references to his literary canon and his famous stories of Narnia. Callahan’s prose is heartfelt and full of grace.’ (BookPage)

‘Callahan crafts a masterpiece that details the friendship and ultimate romance between the real Davidman and Lewis . . . Fans of Karen White and Mary Alice Monroe will enjoy this book. Callahan’s writing is riveting and her characters spring to life to create a magical and literary experience that won’t be soon forgotten.’ (Library Journal, STARRED review)

‘Readers familiar with the life and work of C.S. Lewis will relish learning about the woman who inspired some of his most famous books. Others will find the slow burn of the romance between the two mesmerizing. All fans of women’s fiction, particularly works with religious themes, will appreciate reading about this vibrant and intelligent woman.’ (Booklist)