Dreaming of Arcadia

by Tim Richardson

#TheEnglishLandscapeGarden #NetGalley

While I don’t have a garden, I so enjoy looking at books about them. I just sit down, relax and enjoy some virtual touring. It is a lovely way to spend some time.

In this well put together book, readers can visit twenty gardens including Castle Howard, Chiswick House, Blenheim Palace (all known to me) along with, to name a few (that I did not know), Stowe, Painshill, and Petworth Park among others.

The introduction lets readers know that the focus here is the eighteenth century landscape garden. In this section, learn what exactly and English landscape garden is-for one thing, it is naturalistic. Read a bit more and then get to the gardens. For each of these there photos and text. Dip in anywhere and enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 22 October 2024

The Sentence is Death (Horowitz)

#TheSentenceIsDeath #NetGalley

In The sentence is Death, second in the series which began with The Word is Murder, the author inserts himself as a character in his fiction. Tony, aka Anthony Horowitz, is Watson to Daniel Hawthorne’s Sherlock. Like Watson, he theorizes but is not as clever as his mentor. In the novel, the conceit is that Mr. Horowitz is writing a series of books about Inspector Hawthorne’s cases.

In this entry, a divorce attorney is murdered. There are numerous suspects including clients involved in an acrimonious divorce. But…the murder may also be related to a past friendship and a tragedy that occurred while caving. Characters stories are developed sufficiently to give the reader a good sense of them. Suffice it to say that several plot lines are followed, there are a number of viable suspects and eventually the case is solved.

As a fan of some of the author’s TV work, I enjoyed the references to Foyle’s War. There is also information about publishing which lends authenticity. I enjoyed this book and will most likely go back to read the first in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e=galley. All opinions are my own.

Mary Kirk, Bessiewallis Warfield, Diana Spencer…their stories entwine in this historical novel that is largely based on truth. It is a page turning and fascinating look at life in America and Europe from 1912 until 1997.

Mary and Wallis became friends in their teens; Wallis married an American pilot; Mary married a French pilot. Wallis divorced and subsequently married Ernest Simpson. You probably all know who her third husband was… but do you know who Mary married next? I won’t spoil the book by telling you.

Mary and Wallis’s stories come alive in a glittering London. The story of Alex and Rachel, who are impacted by Diana’s death, takes place in 1997. Choices are made by all with implications and consequences. I truly enjoyed this book and suggest it highly to fans of historical fiction.

50 Folktales and Legends from Around the World

by Angela McAllister

This title will make a welcome addition to any young child’s bookshelf. It is filled with beautifully illustrated short tales from all the continents and many countries of the world. Some of these stories as, for example, The Sword in the Stone were already known to me. There were also so many new reads within these pages. Each story will take just a few minutes to read; they are perfect bite size stories that can be read anytime and with regard for a young one’s attention span.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The very first photo in this cookbook shows a scrumptious looking plate of pasta-I was in from there! I also love the idea of cooking with someone else- of course that can be any two people, not necessarily a couple. And, of course, one could cook alone if that is the plan.

This book is over 300 pages long so will stay fresh with its audience over the course of many kitchen enterprises. Chapters include Everyday Dinners; Just for Two; Gatherings; Mornings; Sides; Bakes; Appetizers & Snacks; Sweets; and Drinks. One recipe from each: Chicken Cutlets with Honey Mustard Pan Sauce; Truffle Pasta with Mixed Mushrooms & Goat Cheese; Curry Salmon Burgers with Cilantro Chutney; Mini Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls; Roasted Butternut Squash & Onions with Garlic Butter; Spiced Latte Loaf; Warm Goat Cheese with Jam; Brown Butter-Miso Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars; and Lillet Spritzer.

There are additional section ins this book including an author’s note and their story, advice on how to use the book, where to begin and more.

I would like to purchase the hard copy of this book. The recipes are easy to follow and the food looks appealing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the Publisher

Hearty Black Bean Chili	Salmon Piccata	Glazed Applesauce Spice Cake

Everyday Arugala Salad	Banana Baked Oatmeal	Tortellini Vegetable Soup

TopAbout this itemReviews

Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom

Really good food without the fuss – foolproof recipes, shortcuts and hacks

by Prue Leith

Anyone who watches baking shows knows who the inimitable Prue Leith is. However, she has done more in life than spend time with Paul Hollywood as this book shows.

This is a brilliant cookbook. There are the expected sections such as breakfast, etc and many recipes that I would like to try. There are also many tips and “hacks” to help. Even better, there are q codes that link to cooking demonstrations!

I highly recommend this title to home cooks.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto publishing group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐’

Fans of Mercy and her canine buddies will rejoice at meeting up with them again. As this entry opens, Mercy is pregnant and a bit restless. One thing that she looks forward to is her Scrabble games with Homer at his cabin. But, Mercy being Mercy, something bigger has to happen and indeed it does. There are murders and Homer is under suspicion-is he guilty of anything? What, if anything, will wild boar have to do with events? What will Elvis and Susie Bear (favorite dogs) do ?

Those who enjoy traditional mysteries, whether they already now Mercy or not, will enjoy this one. I always like spending time with this author’s novels.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 08 October 2024

by Roz Noonan

 #PuzzleMeaMurder #NetGalley

Those who enjoy reading traditional mysteries will, I think, enjoy this first title in what I hope will be a series. It has a good setting, good characters, an interesting mystery and jigsaw puzzles.

When the husband of Alice’s best friend Ruby is murdered, the stage is set. George was cheating on Ruby but would this be enough for her to murder him? Who was the mysterious wigged woman with George right before he died? Still, all of the motives may not be personal; is it possible that his role in the government with budget power led someone to go too far? Could there be other reasons based on George’s behavior? Find out and enjoy spending time with Alice, her granddaughters and the many others in these pages.

Puzzle Me a Murder offers a good puzzle and a fun read. Recommended for its audience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 23 July 2024

An e book bargain

This book has received a tremendous amount of publicity, and there have been many excellent reviews. Now that I have read this one, I can see why. In these pages readers will find humor, excitement, some heartbreak, good characters, many settings, and some surprises.

Overall, this is a story of two sisters, named Penny and Josephine. As the novel begins, they are in their 90s and about to receive a special honor in France. Readers discover that each of them had an exciting war, meaning World War II.

In addition to learning about their wartime experiences, readers learn about those close to Penny and Josephine. This includes everyone from housekeepers to a special nephew to those that they have loved over the years.

I think readers will be taken by the story and its characters. it is one with a unique flavor

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in January 2024.

The Mistakes That Made Us

Confessions from Twenty Poets

by Irene Latham; Charles Waters

It is so important for kids to know that it is okay to be less than perfect. Some of them are under so much pressure and need the reminder that everyone makes mistakes and can survive them.

This book is witty, colorful, has heart, and addresses an important topic. Following the introduction, the poems are divided into categories that include Oopsie-Daisy, Stuff Happens, Blessings in Disguise, and What Have I Done. The book ends with info on each of the poets.

One feature of this book that makes it special is that each poet shares “what happened next” after having had something happen. Perhaps this title will help kids to feel less afraid of talking about the very real things that happen to them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐