#TheAirRaidBookClub #NetGalley

I truly enjoyed Annie Lyons’s novel about Eudora Honeysett and gave it five stars. I, was then, of course, quite eager to read The Air Raid Book Club. It did not disappoint.

This is an historical novel that will appeal to those who have read Dear Mrs. Bird, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Last Bookshop in London, and other similar titles. It is warm in the same way with characters about whom writers will care. Plus, there are books, lots of books. At the end of the novel titles are listed should readers wish to explore further.

Gertie was married to Harry. Together the two opened and loved a bookshop. Sadly, Harry died from the very thing that kept him from serving in the military. Gertie has subsequently lost her zest for life. When she is asked by one of Harry’s friends to take in a Jewish child as WWII looms, she hesitates before making her decision. What happens as a result of this choice, the importance of books, and more make this title a most satisfying read, even with some sadness in the events of the story. As an extra bonus, get to know Mr. Hemingway…no, not that one! He is Gertie’s lovely dog.

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

Pub date: 11 July 2023

From the Publisher

My review of Eudora…

So many of the reviews that I saw for this novel were quite praiseworthy so I read it with very high hopes and expectations. It did not disappoint. This is a novel that engages the reader through its characters and its story lines. I think that readers who enjoyed novels like The Little Paris Bookshop or The Lido will want to read this one…as will many others. Miss Honeysett is a prim woman who is 85 years old. She believes that the time has come to take control of the end of her life. This leads her to contact a Dignitas like clinic and submit an application. Will her request be granted? Will Eudora want it to be? Readers learn that Eudora faced a number of tragedies and disappointments over the course of her her life. Most chapters in the novel include a flashback to a key moment for Eudora. No spoilers so I do not want to write more. In the present, Eudora meets the irrepressible Rose. The two have a relationship that evolves over the course of the book as Rose awaits becoming a big sister. Another important character is Stanley. His friendship with Eudora and Rose is impacted by some memory issues. What will happen to each of them? At times acerbic, at times touching this is a novel that I most definitely recommend. Give it a try. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

An e book bargain today

#TheDoortoDoorBookstore #NetGalley

Recently I have read a number of books about books, bookstores and readers. This may become one of my favorite sub genres. This novel, The Door-to-Door Bookstore, is a a love song to those who care about books, reading and friendship.

Carl, who is in his early seventies, has worked in a bookshop for many years. In addition to his daily job, Carl delivers beautifully wrapped books to a number of customers. He knows what kind of book each of these customers craves. Carl also thinks of each as a fictional character and book lovers will very much enjoy this aspect of the novel. For example, one is Mr. Darcy.

Carl has led a somewhat solitary life. Watch what happens when a precocious nine year old, inserts herself in his life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own. This book really felt special to me and I highly recommend it.

Pub date: 04 July 2023

#TheBookClubHotel #NetGalley

This is the perfect book to sit down with on a fall night. It is nicely written and plotted; the characters are people with whom readers will wish to know. (Too bad, they can’t come for a real visit).

The Maple Sugar Inn just seems like the perfect place to go to relax. The setting is gorgeous, the rooms are beautiful and the inn keeper cares about her guests…even as she has her own struggles.

Inn owner, Hattie is carrying on the dream of her husband which was to run this inn. Readers learn early in the book that he died in a freak accident, leaving Hattie a widow and a very young one at that. Will she want to keep the inn going?

Three friends are going to visit. Their lives are quite different from one another’s but the relationships go back years and are deep. One is a single, su

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

Also:

If interested, I did a blog tour for this one. It is on my site.

From the Publisher

A Novel

by Sheila Roberts

#TheBestLifeBookClub #NetGalley

I very much enjoy stories that offer a window into the lives of characters who are facing the sorts of issues that any of us made have to deal with. In this story, for example, there is divorce, death of a spouse, raising kids, looking for and starting new jobs and even a cute dog who needs a bit of training.

Readers get to know Karissa and her daughter who are learning to live with their new circumstances. When they move to their new home, they meet Alice. She was widowed a few years ago. The third primary character is Margot; she, too, has a divorce and (lack of a)job issues with which to deal. In addition, there is also Alice’s sister in the story.

How these women and those around them fare makes for an involving read. Plus, I do love any book that is about books and book clubs.

Anyone who reads book by authors such as Brenda Novak, Susan Mallery will, I think very much enjoy this title. I will now look to read more novels by Roberts.

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

Pub date: 07 May 2024

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Don’t we all want to become the heroine of our own story? Well, welcome to The Best Life Book Club. In a charming setting on an island off the Northwest coast, a set of characters so vivid we want to be their best friends, and a story that keeps us turning the pages, The Best Life Book Club is your book club book of the year. When Karissa, Alice, Margot and Josie discover the power of books and story to change their lives, they must decide whether to take the chance for something new: cue laughter, tears and love. With her trademark wit and warmth, Sheila Roberts delivers a story nestled inside a story, a novel of pure delight! —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea


“Sheila Roberts makes me laugh…and come away inspired, hopeful and happy.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

From the Publisher

Michiko Aoyama

#WhatYouAreLookingForIsintheLibrary #NetGalley

I am a great fan of books about books. A favorite of mine is The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George, and I recently read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. Aoyama’s lovely title shares with the others a love of books and reading, an acknowledgment of how books open worlds to readers, and an understanding of how self-knowledge and growth are fostered through reading. A bit like, Wait Until the Coffee Gets Cold, What You are Looking for consists of a series of vignettes about people who are at a crossroads. When they meet a very particular librarian, they may not understand why she gives them certain recommendations (a small felted frying pan, the suggestion of a children’s book when the reader was asking for books on Excel) but readers can trust that all will become clear and that the books’ borrowers will benefit. This book is one that reads in a deceptively simple manner. There is much to think about as well in these pages, however, especially about the meaning of work. This book would make a delightful gift for a book lover. It looks very nice in its hardcover version. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher

#SecretBritain #NetGalley

his beautifully illustrated title will be enjoyed by those who are interested in the British Isles, history, archaeology and more. It is a beautifully photographed and wide-ranging tile.

The author begins with an introduction, a timeline and a map. She follows this with the many places where she is interested in “unearthing our mysterious past,” as the title of the book notes.

There are so many places included. To name some there are the Tomnaverie Recumbent Stone Circle, Seahenge, Must Farm, Snettisham Treasures, the Dagenham Idol and Stonehenge. The geography includes Kent, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Moray and many more locations. The first object featured is the Westray Wifey which is over 5,000 years old and was found on Orkney. There are so many more to follow.

This book can be dipped into or read in its entirety. I very much enjoyed the time that I spent with this fascinating title.

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

Pub date: 12 March 2024

New crime fiction for October — Paula Hawkins, Ian Rankin, John Banville and more

https://www.thetimes.com/article/296174a3-e4d3-4f1d-bc22-4449b196a891?shareToken=7a0ef9ce9ed291458c8b57d7745e6e3f

New Orleans is a thriving hub for festivals, music and Creole cuisine. Here, the novelist Maurice Carlos Ruffin shares books that capture its many cultural influences.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2024/06/05/books/books-new-orleans.html

My First Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker

Press the buttons to hear 6 sounds

by Jessica Courtney-Tickle

This title is part of a series that introduces the very youngest readers/listeners to some of the great ballets. This time, the ballet is that childhood favorite, The Nutcracker. The story is short and simply told, the illustrations are engaging and, in the hard copy, there are excerpts from the music. All of these aspects make this book one to add to a little one’s library.

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

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Mystery

by Kat Ailes

This book is the second in Ailes’s series following on last year’s The Expectant Detectives. It is an equally enjoyable read.

Now the group of new moms are tired…very tired. Any one who was ever a new mom can probably remember how crushing this kind of exhaustion was and how it might cloud one’s brain a bit. Surely that is the case when the group decides that being part of an eco protest will be more restful than being at home. Of course, much ensues from this decision including involvment in a murder.

Will these amateur moms again solve a case? You can be sure that they will.

This is a fun story, maybe a bit of a fantasy for stay at home parents. Enjoy watching what happens as the story unfolds. There will be pets, babies, friendship, detection and some laughs. It will leave readers eager for book three.

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

Pub date: 04 June 2024

From the Publisher

The first in the series:

https://joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews.blog/?p=56948