Annabelle Hirsch has compiled an idiosyncratic and interesting collection of objects here. They place a firm spotlight on women and their place(s) in history. Dip in or read in order. Either way this is a fascinating book with entries that offered pause for thought.
The time period that is covered is immense. The first entry is from 30,000 years ago. What makes this healed femur significant? The answer is perhaps surprising.
For each entry readers find an illustration and a short essay/reflection. I had many favorites.
This is a book to savor rather than devour. It is worth a reader’s time.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
This book offers a wonderful resource for kids and their adults. Anyone who knows a sick child can use this title to demystify what happens in a hospital. There is a lot of information (simply explained) in this book about a nurse who cares for his patients with compassion. The book follows a few patients and shows what a nurse does over the course of a work day.
The illustrations in this title are very appealing and complement the text. They are a good jumping off point for discussion.
This book is a good one for home, preschool book corners and medical offices. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Mayo Clinic Press Kids for this title. All opinions are my own.
Last April I was lucky enough to hear Clare Mackintosh speak about her foray into a mystery series. It was a change from writing her suspenseful standalones.
After writing the first book, The Last Party, Mackintosh felt that she was not ready to say good-bye to Ffion and those in her world. I am so glad that she did not. I enjoyed The Last Party and highly recommend it. I also very much enjoyed A Game of Lies.
Would you want to be on reality TV? Game of LIes is predicated on a group with secrets who sign up for what they think is one show only to find out (when it is too late) that the show’s premise is based on something else entirely. This leads to disappearance, murder, and a need to find those responsible.
Mackintosh does a good job of evoking the book’s setting on the border of Wales and England. I welcomed back all of the ongoing characters and their (sometimes tricky) relationships. Prickly Ffion is a great character. That she has heart is clear from her relationship with Dave. (Read the book to learn who this is.) I also was happy to again meet up with Leo.
It is not necessary to have read The Last Party to enjoy Game of Lies. That said, this is where the characters are introduced and their complex relationships explored. I recommend reading both. They offer what mystery/suspense readers are looking for.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
Readers who enjoy a Gallic mystery with a British protagonist may well enjoy this second food titled mystery following on the author’s Death and Croissants. It is written by a British comedian who brings a certain sensibility to the genre.
Richard has gone out for dinner. The menu is a tasting one and he has not tasted enough (he is still hungry). The beginnings of a mess emerge with the goat cheese parfait that is the dessert course.
Soon, there is, of course, a murder. It takes place in a cheese related locale. Will Richard, a local B and B owner figure out what has happened? How will his amie, Valerie, contribute? Read this one to find out. It will especially be enjoyed by Francophiles.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Reviews
“Darkly comic doings in rustic France.” ― Kirkus
“The pacing is brisk, the jokes are plentiful, and the mystery is complex enough to satisfy diehard whodunit fans. It’s a generous helping of good fun, with authentic Gallic flavor.” ― Publishers Weekly
Those who enjoy historical mysteries that are atmospheric with a well evoked time period will want to give this 1870s, Philadelphia set book a look. It opens up the interesting world of female physicians at that time while also offering an intriguing murder mystery.
Lydia Weston studied to become a physician and now is practicing. She has a commitment to her female patients, many of whom are from the working classes. Dr. Weston becomes interested in one of her patients named Anna Ward. She knows something about Anna’s life and responsibilities and is concerned when Anna misses an appointment. Tragically, Anna was killed (not a spoiler as this happens early in the book).
Lydia wants to know what happened to her. She works with a police officer to find justice for her patient. Readers will want to be by her side as she figures everything out.
This is the author’s first mystery and it is a highly accomplished one. It is my hope that this is the beginning of a series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.
I am so impressed with the wide-ranging locations of the foodie places that are included in this book. Visit 25 spots; go everywhere from Europe to the Middle East to North America to Asia. I want to pack my suitcase and go to some of these locations.
Everyone will find favorites here. I was drawn to places like Osaka, Oostduinkerke (West Flanders, Belgium), Montreal and Melbourne.
This title has inviting text; readers will get a genuine sense of each location. In addition, the book has beautiful illustrations.
Know a world traveler? Need to get them a gift? You will not need to look any further for a good one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title
Imagine that it is the weekend. You (Monica) are a mom with a three year old little girl (Luisa). Your husband (Haris) is a journalist and needs to work even though it is not a weekday. You live in the eastern part of Berlin. You are meeting your parents for lunch. They have moved a few blocks away and are just a few blocks into the western part of Berlin. Imagine that you go out with the stroller to meet them and find barbed wire! You cannot go for lunch but you do something big and impulsive that will have reverberations (no spoiler so no exact details here). This is the beginning of the story, the division of Berlin and the subsequent erection of the wall.
This start of Reay’s novel really captured me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what it must have been like for ordinary people when their lives were transformed by a wall and an ideology. It is to Reay’s credit that she sets the scene of the novel so well.
The book goes on to be largely told by two characters. One of these is a grown up Luisa and the other is Haris. There is a lot to find out about both of them (and others) but I do not want to give anything away. A few things to think about: an infinity symbol, truth and lies about family, codes. This should be enough to intrigue prospective readers.
Reay’s last book, A Shadow in Moscow, was a compelling read. Here Reay has again created a book that I both simultaneously could not walk away from and did not want to end. I recommend it very highly.
A note on the audio: There are multiple narrators which gives a true sense of the characters and story. Those who prefer their books as listens can’t go wrong with this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for the e book and audio versions of this title. All opinions are my own.
Mary Lennox; does any reader ever forget her? This story of her transformation and growth has stood the test of time. The enchantment of the garden has remained irresistible for generations.
There is no greater treat than introducing a child to the magic of a book. This gorgeous edition of The Secret Garden is perfect for doing exactly that. The illustrations are many, vibrant and enticing.
Remember that there is magic here for adults as well. I definitely want the hard copy of this edition for myself!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
I am delighted to be on the blog tour for this enjoyable read. Many thanks to the team at HTP for this opportunity.
KILT TRIP
Alexandra Kiley
On Sale Date: March 5, 2024
9781335009296
Trade Paperback
$18.99 USD
336 pages
About the book:
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For fans of Emily Henry and Sarah Morgenthaler comes a brand-new Scotland-set romantic comedy. In this enemies-to-lovers romance, one woman discovers more than the just the magic of the heartland’s lochs and landscapes—but not before clashing with the proud Scotsman she’s forced to work with.
Addie Macrae has always followed her wanderlust. As a travel consultant, she turns struggling businesses into world-class tour groups. Her job comes with the perk of jetsetting around the globe, which means never being in one place for too long—just the way she likes it. Since her mom passed away ten years ago and her father never stopped grieving, no place has felt like home anyway. But when she’s sent on assignment to help a family-run tour group in Scotland—the one place she swore she’d never go—Addie has to shed her emotional baggage and turn on the professional charm.
Logan Sutherland’s family business is operating just fine, thank you very much. The Heart of the Highlands was never meant to make the family rich, rather to teach sightseers to appreciate the beauty of Scotland’s hidden gems, which are more captivating than any tourist trap. The last thing Logan wants is some American “expert” pushing Outlander-themed tours and perpetuating myths about the Loch Ness Monster. And for a travel consultant, Addie oddly doesn’t seem interested in learning about the land Logan loves. Equally put off by each other, the new colleagues clash on every company decision.
Then Logan discovers Addie does have a personal connection to Scotland—it was her late mother’s favorite place, one that now lives on in a handful of faded Polaroids Addie kept from her parents’ Honeymoon. She wants to seek out the places in the pictures, but is worried that she’s too late to capture the wonder of following in her mother’s footsteps. Logan is convinced he can help Addie get some closure, and the two realize, when they agree, they actually work pretty well together.
But Addie’s contract with The Heart is almost up, and the business is still losing money. They can’t afford distractions, but there’s no denying the intense chemistry between Addie and Logan. Besides, how can Addie do her job properly if she hasn’t explored all Scotland has to offer?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alexandra Kiley writes big-hearted romances full of banter, found-family, and deep love. When she’s not writing, you can find her drinking tea, hiking, or gazing adoringly at the mountains of Colorado where she lives with her husband and two kids. Her novels are inspired by her semester in Scotland where she fell in love with not only the lush and magical land, but also the people who invited her into their homes and made her feel like family.
Start reading:
One
Addie Macrae’s internal compass was irreparably damaged. For all the traveling she did, and the relative ease of navigating a city with English street signs, Edinburgh’s jigsaw puzzle of gray-toned buildings and twisting streets left her head spinning.
Under different circumstances she might’ve been swept away by the city’s lantern-topped street lights and cobblestone roads, but not while the architecture and charm conspired against her. She’d missed a full thirty minutes of her newest client’s city tour, the last one before their meeting tomorrow.
If she was going to turn The Heart of the Highlands around, revamp their tours, and pull them from the brink of financial ruin, she needed to know what she was walking into. The thrumming in her chest slipped into the realm of heart palpitations, one tier below racing for a connecting flight.
Which she’d already done today.
Striding along another street lined with red and teal storefronts, she tugged at her collar, letting the chilled air slice through the humidity inside her plasticky yellow raincoat. Nothing in sight resembled a staircase at the bottom of Calton Hill—the starting point mentioned on the website.
Gigi, the irritatingly sunny voice of Google Maps, shouted, “Turn left.” She was hopelessly laggy, sending Addie in one direction, then two minutes later changing her mind.
Addie followed another skinny tunnel between buildings constructed long before the invention of motor vehicles. It deposited her into an unmarked courtyard, paths fanning out in all directions.
“Rerouting.”
Grinding her teeth, Addie restarted Gigi, tripped over a cobblestone, and cursed.
Side-eyeing the red battery icon on her phone, she checked the time again. Dammit. At this rate, she’d miss the entire itinerary.
Cars rumbled by on the wrong side of the road as she wound through the bustling downtown and crossed the construction zone that was the North Bridge. A light drizzle began to fall, dripping from her hood and curling the end of her blond braid. Great.
A low brick wall to her left did nothing to contain the oldgrowth trees threatening to hop the street. She walked right past a staircase tucked between the disheveled, leafless forest before backing up.
Begging to be missed, a miniature blue sign attached to a lamppost pointed up the stairs to Calton Hill. Addie shook her head. How were tourists expected to find this?
Her annoyance drowned out any relief at finding the tour.
As she headed toward the steps, her phone rang. Boss Babe lit up the screen. Devika filled all the roles in Addie’s life: best friend, coworker, mother hen.
They were kindred spirits—always stayed late, snuck champagne and slippers into the office to work through the holidays, and sent each other postcards from airports around the world. Every time one of them got to a new destination, they checked in. Like the lone-women-travelers’ buddy system. In the haze of lost luggage and misdirection, Addie had forgotten. She answered, “Sorry. I’m here safely, although sans suitcase.” Her green hardside—scuffed, covered in stickers, and affectionately referred to as Frank—had taken an impromptu side trip without her permission.
“That blows. Do they know when it’ll be back?”
Addie started up the stairs, dragging her fingers over the sculpted lion’s head at the base of the shiny black handrail. A tower in the shape of an old-fashioned spyglass rose out of the knotted trees above her. “Hopefully tonight, or I’ll be wearing my airport-acquired rain gear to my meeting.”
Devika laughed. “What’s on the books for today?”
The answer to their running joke was, of course, always, work. Six months ago, her mentor, Marc, started a new agency—Dawsey Travel Consulting—and took Devika and Addie with him. It could hardly be called poaching when she would follow them to the ends of the earth. Addie wanted to be them when she grew up.
Devika was a powerhouse karaoke song. She brought people to their feet with her magnetic presence and got shit done like a boss.
Marc was quieter, more serious, but in an industry full of power-hungry men, he always listened, remembered vegetarian and gluten-free options, and cut off interrupters with a stern
“Addie wasn’t done talking.” He was the one person who’d taken a chance on her when she’d been at her lowest, who’d taught her how to keep moving when she wanted to give up.
They were in a million different time zones right now, hustling to build a name for themselves in the competitive world of travel consulting. With ironclad non-competes from their old firm, their client roster currently consisted of Marc’s friends and whatever referrals their favorite clients could muster.
Every project had to go perfectly to make their new business turn a profit. The future of their venture depended on it. And as the junior partner—the first one to be cut if things went sideways—Addie’s job did, too.
She scanned the spider web of paths at the top of the hill.
A random cannon sat in the median. This had to be the right spot. “Research,” Addie said. “I’m already docking them three points for starting the tour in an obscure location.”
There. A group of ten or so people carrying colorful umbrellas huddled around a man in a kilt. Bingo.
“Are you spying?”
Her stomach clenched at the censure in Devika’s voice. “I’ve got this.” Maybe it was the jet lag making her a bit desperate, or the fear of what would happen if she failed, but she’d take whatever edge she could get. “Besides, gathering intel isn’t illegal,” Addie defended, even though Devika was right to worry.
Rebuilding trust with the client took time she didn’t have, but this was a calculated risk. As a rule, executives didn’t take kindly to corporate espionage in any form. However, executives were also rarely objective about their own tours. They chalked lagging sales up to uninspired marketing or internet algorithms, never to generic itineraries, up-charging for headphones on an audio tour, or rambling guides.
Metrics on destination costs and ticket prices were important, but the way people responded to their guides told an indisputable story. One day trip could show her more about a company’s weak spots than five board meetings combined.
“You better hope you blend in.”
Addie bit her lip as she looked down at her attire. Between the yellow raincoat and poppy-splashed wellies, she looked about as unobtrusive as a knockoff Paddington Bear waving a sign that read I’m crashing your tour. But it was fine, she could totally pass as a tourist. “You’re not helping at all. I have to go be sneaky.”
Devika laughed and made the word bye last for three syllables.
Addie moved to the back of the group where two people speaking Japanese, having clearly forgotten their raincoats, wore see-through Heart of the Highlands–branded ponchos.
Practical and effective swag, 1 point.
Gigi shouted, “Keep right at the fork!”
All eyes swung to Addie and heat flooded her cheeks as she struggled to turn off the speaker. “Is this the Hidden Gems tour?” she asked the approaching guide. “I got lost…” Addie looked up into crinkling gray eyes.
Whoa.
Curls fell over his forehead, a wavy sea of honey and bronze. On anyone else, she’d have said he was in dire need of a haircut, but it worked for him—matched the close-trimmed beard and the power of his shoulders.
He would be intimidatingly rugged if he wasn’t draped in clear plastic.
“Aye. Welcome. Are you Heather Munro?”
Her gaze slipped down to his navy blue and forest green kilt… Damn.
She’d never considered herself one to swoon over a kilt, but his work boots and rounded calves were doing something to her stomach she couldn’t feasibly attribute to her bumpy flight. The navy cable-knit sweater, too—much better than the frilly pirate shirt that usually accompanied this getup.
Although, it did little to set their guides apart.
Gimmicky uniform, minus 2 points…on anyone else.
The last words he said filtered back to her, and heat crept up her neck. Shit.
“Oh, yes. Hi. That’s me.” Addie was more accustomed to sleeping on planes than in her own bed, but she was clearly more jet-lagged than she’d realized if she couldn’t remember her own fake name.
The guide’s lips curved into an amused smile. “I’m Logan.”
She could tell a lot from a handshake.
Crushing: domineering and a pain in the ass to work with.
Limp: kind but required vast emotional resources to make decisions.
Wet-fish: well…that was never a good sign.
But Logan’s firm handshake was warm. It said: I know what I want. I’m not afraid to ask for help or entertain new ideas.
Not that it mattered. She’d be working with the owner and his son, not the guides.
His grin sent tingles whispering over her skin as he dropped her hand and turned back to the group. “This way to the National Monument of Scotland, built to commemorate those who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.” Logan gestured to the Parthenon-style structure missing two and a half sides of pillars. “Or, as it’s affectionately called, Scotland’s Shame. As you can see, funding ran out rather quickly.” A few snickers and an abundance of smiles followed his remarks.
“Edinburgh is nicknamed the Athens of the North, and these buildings celebrate our architectural feats and enlightenment. But long before the monuments were constructed, Calton Hill was a site for many pagan rituals. My favorite is Beltane, the Celtic festival hailing the reappearance of summer and the fertility of the land. Fire represents the return of the light, and revelers celebrate in its glow.”
Logan could have described the architecture, the historical figures, or the politics at the time of construction. Addie had been on that kind of tour in the real Athens and knew firsthand how hard it was to keep guests’ interest with dry facts. Instead, Logan’s tales of rejoicing and fire, spirits and drums, enthralled the tourists. The group huddled around him, his voice low and soothing like it’d wrapped around everyone and pulled them in.
If all the guides were this good, Addie wouldn’t need to bring in a story-crafting coach; Logan would make a dishwasher manual sound interesting.
I enjoyed this story about Addie and Logan. Addie is a person who is always on the move. She has strong feelings about her latest job in Scotland and readers will find out why. Logan’s family owns the company for which Addie is consulting. It was not his idea to seek this help. What will happen when the two meet? Find out in this fun and funny read.
The author’s love for Scotland shines through in this title that has good characters, a lovely setting and a plot that held my interest. Readers will care about both Addie and Logan and will hope for their happy ending.
Many thanks to HTP and NetGalley for this title. It is published on 3.5.24
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 