A good collection for children and their adults: Recipe Road Trip (Nanette Lavin)

 #RecipeRoadTrip #NetGalley

This book offers kids and adults a chance to make some food together and build some memories. The recipes that make up this title are organized by regions of the country. For example, in the Northeast section, kids will find apple cider doughnuts from New Hampshire or Philly Cheesesteak from Pennsylvania. I saw a recipe for Johnny Cakes a food from my childhood in Rhode Island. Every section of the country has something good to offer in these pages

In addition to the recipes, the book also includes some menus. For example, the Southeast one suggests coleslaw, corn and Southern fried chicken. As an extra bonus, some interesting facts about the states are included.

Browse, cook, enjoy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kitchen Ink Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in August 2023

Life can challenge: A Shadow in Moscow (Katherine Reay)

#AShadowinMoscow #NetGalley

Katherine Reay is a versatile writer. Some of the first books that I read by her were homages to literature. Just a few of the titles that I enjoyed were Dear Mr. Knightley (a take on Daddy Longlegs), The Austen (yes, Jane) Escape, The Printed Letter Bookshop and, Of Literature and Latte. She then expanded into historical fiction with The London House.

In this novel, a dual time line historical one, Reay takes readers to WWII Vienna in telling one story, while in the other a Russian young woman is an exchange student in DC in the 80s.

Ingrid, of the earlier time period , has lost many in the war. Her parents were helping the Allies when fate caught them. Ingrid has decisions to make about where she will live her life. What does she decide? Who is her husband? What will she do as she learns more about him?

Anya, in the later time period, comes to love America more than she thought she would. Will she go back to Russia? If yes, what will she do there? And, importantly, how will the story lines converge?

Those who love history, spy stories, love stories, family stories and all around good reads, pick this one up. I really enjoyed it.

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

Pub date: 13 June 2023

From the Publisher

A Shadow in Moscow
A Shadow in Moscow
A Shadow in Moscow

Watch for Reay’s next novel:

Now out: Crossword Puzzles for Brain Fitness

It is often said that solving crosswords is good for the brain. That may indeed be so but I also find that solving them is fun. Here is a good collection of puzzles that range in difficulty for easy to tough. I really liked the section at the start of the book that gave some advice on solving.

This title looks like a fun and (sometimes) challenging one. I think that I will buy the hard copy so that I can solve them.

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

Four stars ****