Marian Keyes on turning 60: ‘It’s a privilege’
Nearing Ninety
And Other Comedies of Late Life
by Judith Viorst
Viorst has written poetry and essays about many decades of her life. In this title, she looks at both the serious and funny sides of “Nearing 90.” By the way, a reader does not have to be in this life decade to enjoy this collection.
Many of these poems and reflections will spark a laugh while others are a bit rueful or even sad. This is a marvelous collection. Read it in any order. Then remember that, whatever your decade, Viorst has you covered in one of her titles.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 02 April 2019
Perfectly pairs with:
An e book bargain
I had a real reaction to the end of this novel, though no spoilers here. If you read it, or have read it, I’d love your opinion.
“In Jenna, [Jodi] Picoult has created an unforgettable character who will easily endear herself to each and every reader. . . . Leaving Time may be her finest work yet.”—Bookreporter
“[A] captivating and emotional story.”—BookPage
“With plenty of twists and a surprising ending, [Leaving Time] explores the grieving process and what happens when we cannot move on.”—Woman’s Day
“A moving and emotional story.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“A truly engaging read . . . Full of the deep characters and multilayered story lines that have earned [Picoult] a spot in many readers’ hearts.”—Library Journal
“Delivers a powerhouse ending.”—Booklist
“Memorable and poignant.”—Publishers Weekly
An e book bargain: Close to Death (Anthony Horowitz)
#ClosetoDeath #NetGalley
Close to Death is a take on an AgathaChristie style mystery with the additional spin of this author”s cleverness. It is the latest in the series that features Detective Hawthorne and, yes, the character Anthony Horowitz.
This time the structure of the book is a bit different. Hawthorne, who gives Horowitz case material for his novels, is revealing a past puzzler. Some of the novel is a take on those events and other parts involve the perspectives of the two protagonists.
A close is a kind of dead end street. In this upscale one, a number of neighbors detest the newest family. The annoying, inconsiderate and very wealthy Kenworthy is murdered. The suspects include a GP, a retired barrister, two elderly former nuns, a chess grandmaster, a dentist and those around them. Whodunnit? Why? The pages turn as readers wait to fond out.
Last year I heard the author speak. He was very entertaining, just as he is in his writing. i think that he was enjoying himself here. The book offers a good read.
Note that, although this is part of a series, it can be read on its own.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 16 April 2024
They say that they sink ships: Loose Lips
by Kemper Donovan
#LooseLips #NetGalley
Here is a fun and entertaining mystery that is just perfect for a winter night’s read. The ghostwriter narrator of the first book in the series is back. This time she is going on a cruise (despite not really liking the sea) for a group of would be writers. This is a clue to the double entendre of the Get Lit moniker that is the name of the event.
The cruise is organized by a writer, phenomenon and self-promoter known to our ghostwriter from their MFA days. On this mostly all women cruise, Payton has brought along her wife but also her ex husband and her male assistant. The staffers on the cruise, the guests and the writers are all brought to fun (and somewhat snarky) life.
Not so many of the attendees have signed up for our ghostwriter’s mystery writing class. But no matter, there will be plenty of real life mystery and murder on board.
Come along for a fun trip and feel like an insider in this quite entertaining read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 21 January 2025
From the Publisher
Knives Out meets high seas intrigue on a literary cruise to nowhere in this intelligent, wildly funny locked room mystery for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, Nita Prose, and Agatha Christie!
The USA Today bestselling host of the “All About Agatha” podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age murder mystery into the present-day, as the ghostwriter’s skills are put to the test aboard a bestselling author’s decidedly insalubrious cruise.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 