Water, Water by Billy Collins

#WaterWater #NetGalley

Several years ago, I listened to a Master Class featuring Collins. I enjoyed learning about his writing process in a series of insightful episodes.

Following this, I read the poet’s collection Whale Day. Now, I have spent time with Water Water, reading a poem a day so as to savor this collection of sixty poems.

Some people veer away from poetry fearing that it is too highbrow or that they won’t understand a verse. Collins is not like that. His poems are written in, what I find, to be a direct and clear style. Readers can choose those that they prefer but they will not feel bewildered overall. The poems often reference every day life and end with something to ponder. So many are worth the reader’s time.

It is easy to recommend this collection.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 19 November 2024

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

Louise Penny is an author whose books I eagerly read. Wanting some escape, I recently picked up this one from my backlist. A newer book, The Gray Wolf, was just released.

Once I starting reading, I could not stop. Every spare minute had me wanting to read this tense and intense story. I found myself fearing for some of my favorite characters and hoping that Penny would let them live.

Three Pines, Penny’s fictional village, has been a place of refuge to its residents. However, series stalwarts, Gamache and Beauvoir among others are stressed by the appearance of siblings Fiona and Sam. The two have a disturbing history. While the Gamaches have tried to help Fiona, Sam has been left to flounder. How will their presence affect others, especially perhaps the niece of another series regular, Myrna. Readers also meet a minister who is new to Three Pines; it will take an astute reader to figure out more about him.

The events of the book reference an earlier one entitled The Nature of the Beast. It is not necessary to have read this prior to A World of Curiosities but those who have will feel the full shock of this book’s events.

Note that the title of the book references a painting that exists. It is an integral part of the plot.

Readers learn more about Gamache’s back story including his relationship with the complicated, surly Amelia Choquet. Devoted readers, I think, always enjoy these insights which include flashbacks to when Gamache and Beauvoir first met.

I will note that the ending was frenetic and a bit over the top. That said, Penny’s fans will not want to miss this excellent entry in the series.

Outstanding Praise for A World of Curiosities

ONE OF WASHINGTON POST’S BEST MYSTERIES AND THRILLERS OF 2022
ONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S BEST FALL BOOKS
ONE OF AARP’S BEST FALL BOOKS
ONE OF CRIMEREADS’ MOST ANTICIPATED FALL BOOKS
ONE OF BARNES & NOBLE’S BEST BOOKS OF 2022
ONE OF BUSTLE’S MOST ANTICIPATED NOVEMBER 2022 BOOKS

“Simply outstanding… Penny’s gift for intelligent and transcendent storytelling delivers light, bringing themes of forgiveness and redemption to society’s darker moments.” —Christian Science Monitor

“Penny delves into the nature of evil, sensitively exploring the impact of the dreadful events she describes while bringing a warmth and humanity to her disparate cast of characters that, unusually for a crime novel, leaves you feeling better about the world once you’ve finished.”–The Guardian

“Another superb achievement… Penny weaves together all these narratives–the
series of modern-day killings, the decade-old bludgeoning murder and the haunting artwork that has remained shrouded in mystery across the centuries–with a master’s deft hand.” —BookPage (starred review)

“For Penny, the novel is a narrative tour de force, drawing brilliantly on some dark moments in Québec history and leading Gamache and the residents of Three Pines to a hard-won, thoroughly unsentimental recognition that forgiveness is our most powerful magic.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Virtuoso… blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense…This tale of forgiveness and redemption will resonate with many.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Penny’s 18th Gamache novel is intense as the detective digs deep into his own fears. The darkness in this intricately plotted story forces readers to search for contrasting moments of hope.” —Library Journal (starred review, and Pick of the Month)

An e book bargain-With Love from London

A Novel

by Sarah Jio

#WithLovefromLondon #NetGalley Pub Date 08 Feb 2022

This is the first book that I have completed in 2022. I hope that I will enjoy many others as much as I enjoyed this one.

To begin, I did not (at first) love the cover. However, by the time a reader finishes the novel, it is clear that everything there has meaning. This is true for the title of the book as well.

This is a dual timeline story. One focus is on Eloise. She is a British woman who makes relationship choices that reverberate across both time and the plot. Readers watch as she chooses between Edward, a wealthy Brit, and Frank, an American. What will happen to her and how will she cope?

Eloise’s daughter is Valentina. She lost her mother’s presence in her life when she was twelve. This has left her wounded. What happened? Why?

Plot lines cross when Val travels to London to take over a bookshop. What will she learn about herself over the course of this endeavor? One spoiler…she will find love.

I don’t want to give anything away so no more on plot. I will just say that this is a novel with heart.

The bookshop is really a character in the book. I would want to spend so much time there were it a real place. Because of this, the novel is an anthem to books and their role in reader’s lives.

I very much enjoyed this novel. It is a lovely read.

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

Try for some: Mindfulness in Reading

Meditations on Words & Wisdom

by Ella Berthoud

#MindfulnessinReading #NetGalley

This title is part of a series on mindfulness. Previous titles have included Mindfulness in Gardening, Mindfulness in Knitting and, Mindfulness in Wild Swimming, among others. The wide range of subject matters shows that mindfulness can be approached/practiced in many ways.

The world feels so shaky at times that mindfulness may become more popular than ever. Those who already enjoy reading will, I think, find that if mindfulness is needed, here is one way to embrace it. This book has chapters on topics like losing yourself in a book, ways to read, reading like a child, sharing the joy of reading, finding one’s self in a book, and putting down books. There are also helpful resources at the end of the title.

Note that the reader’s guide through this book is a true bibliophile. I enjoyed what she had to say from the very beginning when she writes about how she taught herself to read at age five. She has not stopped since and is a bibliotherapist who takes her work seriously.

I liked that this book encouraged me to think about how I read. Mindfulness in the process will add to my approach and enjoyment.

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

Pub date: 05 November 2024

Others in the series

Now out: Mindfulness in Knitting

Now out: Mindfulness in Gardening

Now out: Mindfulness in Swimming

Now out: Mindfulness in Baking

Now out: Mindfulness in Drawing