From my backlist: The Lavender House (Hilary Boyd)

I was drawn to this title by the cover. It made me want to be in the place where the story is set.

The Lavender House is a women’s fiction title about Nancy. She is middle aged, divorced, has family responsibilities and gave up on some of her dreams when she married. Her daughter counts on Nancy for childcare help and more, while her mother needs her as well. As many know being in the middle of this “sandwich generation” is not always fun.

When Nancy meets Jim she starts to hope for something. Jim may not be the ideal candidate for a relationship; he drinks, is somewhat of a failed singer but…should it be up to Nancy or her family to decide her future?

Those who want to see how a woman navigates a life that is not always easy will want to take a look at this title. Those who enjoy novels by writers like Erica James may well find a good read in this long novel.

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

This title was published in 2017.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles (Amy Tan)

#TheBackyardBirdChronicles #NetGalley

Many know Amy Tan because of her novels including the wonderful The Joy Luck Club. Here readers get to spend time with a Tan who wants to feel closer to the natural world. It is an incredible treat!

This title is in the form of a journal. I found it to have many insights and observations. To add to the gorgeousness of this title, the illustrations are by the author herself.

Those who already know Tan’s novels, as well as those who love birds and/or nature and spending time with a wise woman, need to pick up this title when it is released.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor as well as NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 23 April 2024

Is that so: Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man (Violet Marsh)

The category of “Regency novel” has expanded to include many new authors and storylines. As is true in this title, there now seems to be more room for original storytelling, humor and a bit of mystery along with the romances that readers crave.

This is a fun read featuring the titular Lady Charlotte. When she does NOT want to be married to a man who may have killed his two previous wives, she wants to take action. Of course, this is not a recipe for a great marriage if true. Charlotte knows that she needs to find out more.

Charlotte is then led to the brother of this possible villain. He is very different. What will happen when Matthew, a doctor, and Charlotte meet? What will be discovered about the viscount? And, what does Matthew want to hide? With whom will Charlotte find romance? This is all enough to keep the pages turning.

Readers who enjoy this genre should definitely put this book on their spring reading list.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 05 March 2024

It might be possible: Aging Gratefully (Heather Creekmore)

#AgingGratefully #NetGalley

This book is a collection of thirty daily devotionals on the topic of living life fully while getting older. Each entry provides a reflection, generally with some biblical or religious context, that touches on the author’s topic. For example, the first entry uses the metaphor of a tree to talk about growth, roots, the ways in which time may make things stronger and so on. It ends with a prayer and a suggestion of something to do-in this case to find ways to praise God. The next entry is about keeping track of the years but also the days and cherishing the present. Again, it ends with a prayer and a suggestion.

For a person who is not religious, the reflections may well still have meaning in terms of thinking of one’s life and how to live mindfully. This title can be read in any order. Each entry will take a few minutes of a person’s day.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 02 April 2024

For budding ornithologists: Birds for Kids (Melissa Mayntz)

This title is part of a “junior scientist” series. It offers a nice resource for children who want to learn more about birds.

The first section of this book is titled Remarkable Birds. Here kids will learn about a bird’s life. For instance, they can discover how birds travel, build their nests, eat, and more. The second section of the book lets kids look at “Birds Up Close.” Here they will find photos and info on many species. Just a few of these include the bald eagle, the great horned owl, common ostrich, house sparrow, great blue heron, and painted bunting among others.

All in all, this book will be enjoyed by kids who are interested in nature.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Callisto Kids for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 12 March 2024

Kids will enjoy: Storytime with Franklin

I am so delighted to see that this collection of Franklin stories will be coming out in the spring. I have fond memories of reading Franklin stories to my children.

Franklin in the Dark, the first story, was always a favorite in our house. Here, there is that story plus others about every day life. Franklin goes to school, he makes friends, rides a bike, goes to the hospital and say I Love You in these pages.

The stories themselves are engaging and address the kinds of fears that kids may have. The illustrations add to the pleasure for the child who is hearing the stories.

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 07 May 2024

Can I sign up: The Bordeaux Book Club (Gillian Harvey)

#TheBordeauxBookClub #NetGalley

Put the word book club in a novel’s title and I always want to take a look. That, plus the cover of this one, made me want to read The Bordeaux Book Club.

This is an easy and enjoyable read about a group of ex-pats. One of them, Grace, likes to keep busy and perhaps to feel important. She posts a notice for a book club for ex-pat English speakers and waits for people to sign up.

Among those who attend the first meeting is Leah. She is already a friend to Grace. Leah and her husband moved to France looking to have a better quality of life. It is not clear that they are finding this. Their daughter is cranky and it seems that Leah’s husband may have some secrets.

Several others come to the first meeting including Monica, George and Alfie. Alfie stands out for being the youngest in the group.

The first book selection is Great Expectations as this was Grace’s choice and she can be forceful. What will this book and others mean to the book club members as they read and get to know one another…oh, and drink some wine too. (Bordeaux is in the title for location but possibly also for the wine.)

Those looking for a quick, escapist read will, I think enjoy this title.

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

Pub date: 15 March 2024

Maybe it is time to try: Timeboxing (Marc Zao-Sanders)

#Timeboxing #NetGalley

The subtitle is a key to everything this title is about. So many of us find it almost impossible to do one thing at a time. We race, we multitask, we hope to get things done but somehow are not always successful. Here is another way to look at how we go about spending our time and accomplishing things. The system may resonate and is definitely worth a look.

Learn what timeboxing is and why it can be beneficial. Take a look at the four sections. These include Believe, Plan, Do, Own. There are a number of topics within each of these. For example, in Believe are reasons why to do this, while in Plan there are things like Box Making, and in Do there is a section on Pacing and Racing. The final section has subheadings including Better Sleep and It’s Working. Hopefully it will work for the book’s audience.

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

Pub date; 19 March 2024