This book offers a chance to get to know many Greek women rather than the men. Just some of those kids will meet are Aphrodite, Hera, Pandora, Artemis, Echo, Medea, Medusa and Sappho.
Each woman gets her due with beautiful illustrations, the story of who they are and sections called “Did You Know?” and Symbols. This book is quite easy to dip in and out of with the interesting entries.
Highly recommended for home and school bookshelves. Note that there is a resource section at the end.
Many thanks to Callisto Publishing-Callisto Kids and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 03 February 2026
Post first published on 9 January 2026
Description:
from the publisher
Discover extraordinary women from Greek mythology—51 stories for kids ages 8 to 12
Dive into this dazzling, mythological story collection that celebrates 51 of the bold, brave, talented, and fearless female heroes of Greek mythology! Inside, you’ll meet goddesses, warriors, princesses, and beyond who used their power and skills to win battles, protect their homes, and rule the realm.
Written especially for kids, these stories are exciting, inspiring, and fun, getting them interested in folklore, excited to read, and giving them amazing women to root for!
Incredible myths and stories—Enter the world of Greek myth icons like Persephone, the goddess of the spring, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Medusa, the gorgon with snakes for hair, and so many more!
Fun facts with each figure—Each story includes the symbols associated with each figure, like foods or animals, and an extra fun fact about Greek mythology!
Gorgeous illustrations and portraits—Bring these heroes to life with beautiful, full-color, illustrated artwork of each woman.
Female Heroes of Greek Mythology goes beyond the popular Greek myths to highlight a wide variety of amazing and powerful women!
Here are some titles that were released this week along with descriptions from the publishers. They are all in my TBR pile. Have you read any of these? If yes, what did you think?
Description
The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.
1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.
1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.
A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.
Description
HURRICANE SEASON CAN BE MURDER • A January 2026 Indie Next Pick • “Sexy and full of surprises, The Storm is an ideal curl-up-by-the-fire read.” —Real Simple
St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.
When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.
As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…
Description
From the award-winning author of the “riveting debut” (People) Northwoods, a mother-son law enforcement team confront buried secrets in their small town as they work to expose a conspiracy that goes far beyond the tight-knit community.
Deputy Sheriff Eli North has spent the last year getting his life back together. He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol, he’s working through his PTSD from his military deployment, and he’s repairing his most important relationships. When an undercover informant disappears and all signs point to murder, Eli must expose the dark underbelly of his idyllic Wisconsin small town while safeguarding his newfound stability.
Then, with the unexpected arrival of FBI Agent Alyssa Mason, Eli and his mother, the sheriff, are pulled deeper into a violent criminal network built on the backs of the lost and forgotten.
As the case deepens, loyalties fracture and the line between justice and survival begins to blur. In a town where everyone has something to hide, exposing the truth may cost them everything.
Description
From award-winning author Lori Rader-Day, Wreck Your Heart is an engaging, “wisecracking and wonderful” crime novel with a big heart, about a country and midwestern singer out to catch her big break before family—or murder—wrecks everything.
Dahlia “Doll” Devine had the kind of hardscrabble beginning that could launch a thousand broken-hearted country songs, but now she’s the star of her own stage at McPhee’s Tavern. As part of Chicago’s—yes, Chicago’s—country music scene, Dahlia is an up-and-coming singer in spangles and boots of classic country tunes. Up and coming, that is, until her boyfriend Joey up and went, taking the rent money with him.
So Dahlia is back to square one, relying on Alex McPhee—again. Alex helped her out of a bad situation when she was a kid living rough with her mother. Now he’s part landlord, part band booster, all-around rescuer. It’s just that Dahlia wishes she didn’t keep giving him reasons to have to do it.
Just as Dahlia suspects she’s scraped rock bottom, the mother she hasn’t spoken to in twenty years shows up with something to say. The next morning, a distraught young woman arrives at the bar, asking after her missing mother—Dahlia’s mother, too, even if the missing suburban PTA mom the girl describes sounds pretty different from the one who let Dahlia down all those years ago.
Though no one is using the word sister any time soon, Dahlia lets herself be drawn into reuniting the family that might have been hers. But when a body is discovered outside McPhee’s Tavern, the crime threatens not just the place Dahlia has made into a home, but everything she’s believed about her past, her dreams for the future, and the people she was just, maybe, beginning to let into her heart.
I love this wordless picture book and think that kids and their adults will too. This is a title that encourages sitting down together, observing and having a conversation, all while having fun. A child will also enjoy paging through this one on their own.
The illustrations are just so very charming, making this a book that will be picked up more than once. Watch how the girl concentrates on her art while her dog tries to get her attention. Look out for what happens when the two collide!
I highly recommend this adorable title that is inspired by one of Monet’s paintings (the Claude of the title).
Many thanks to NetGalley and Familius for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 19 May 2026
Post first published on 8 January 2026
Description:
from the publisher
Take young artists on a journey of creative self-expression with this WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK about art, Claude Monet, and Claude the dog.
Inspired by a beautiful Claude Monet painting, a little artist decides to create her own masterpiece, but her puppy has other ideas. From grabbing his favorite ball to rolling on the floor, he tries everything to get her attention, and chaos ensues, creating a big, colorful mess. Or is it a mess after all? Perhaps Claude the dog and Claude Monet have a lot more in common than we think.
Told entirely in stunning illustration, Claude is a wordless picture book that introduces young artists to the works of Monet while inspiring creativity and promoting passion over perfection. And at the end, kids can read about the life of Monet and his role in art history. With bold splashes of color across white pages, this inspirational story shows the creative process in full transparency, proving that there are no bad creations, just happy mistakes that are worth more than a thousand words.
Where does the title come from? Find out below. Think too of the different meanings it might have.
Picoult is an author who does not write the same book twice. That said, she has a knack for writing interesting novels that are often quite topical (school shootings, abortion and more).
In this latest work, Picoult examines ways in which women’s work is often taken to be less valuable. How might this play out in two time periods? Turn the pages to find out.
In the earlier time period, Picoult postulates that Emilia Bassano was never credited but wrote many of Shakespeare’s plays. Could this be true?
The world of her and Shakespeare’s time is very authentically portrayed here. Picoult did her research. Details of clothing, education, women’s roles, the power of men and more come alive.
Emilia faced many obstacles after her father died and her mother left her. She was educated but faced many constraints. How did she survive?
In the present day, Mel, who is a budding playwright, faces many challenges. She has learned that Emilia was a relative and has written a play about her. How are their lives the same and different? How do they each face their creative obstacles? Read this long novel to find out.
Be sure to look at the notes at the back of the book. There are lots of details on Shakespeare related references.
Those who are already fans of the author will likely buy this book. I hope that those new to her will also pick this up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
The cover really says it all. Here is a novel that is for a relaxing summer day as can be seen in this woman who is relaxing with a beach read. It is the story of three friends and those around them. Readers follow Bree, Mikki and Ashley in their intersecting lives.
The women come together when they rent a common space for their businesses. Bree has a bookstore, Mikki owns a gift shop, and Ashley bakes splendid sounding goods. Each of these women has relationships both past and present that impact them. Bree’s relationship with the older Lewis was complicated and she now does not seem to want to be close to a man. What will happen when she meets Ashley’s brother? Mikki is getting divorced and starting to date again. Ashley seems to have the perfect relationship but is it as good as it seems?
Those who enjoy classic women’s fiction and/or those who have read other novels by Ms. Mallery will want to give this one a look. For myself, I wanted just a bit more from this novel. I am often drawn to books about books but there was not quite as much about the store as I might have hoped for. Also, while I enjoyed spending time with these characters, I never found it hard to put the book down for a while.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this title. All opinions are my own.
This translation of the Iliad offers a read with clarity. The language seems simple and straightforward. I think that readers who are afraid of taking on this classic will feel comfortable starting this version.
This is a good translation. However, I personally prefer the one by Emily Wilson.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bruce Heiden-Palmetto for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 15 March 2026
Description:
from the publisher
This unique new translation of the Iliad from a leading Homeric scholar is a work of poetic art that renders the voices of Homer’s narrator and characters with vividness, variety, and drama. It is the perfect choice for oral recitation. Read the Iliad aloud with friends or classmates and discover the power of Homer’s masterpiece as it flows from your own lips.
Bruce Heiden is Professor Emeritus of Classics at The Ohio State University, where he taught for almost 40 years. His many research publications on Greek and Latin poetry include Homer’s Cosmic Fabrication: Choice and Design in the Iliad (Oxford University Press 2008). Vignettes from this translation have previously appeared in Literary Imagination, Southwest Review, and the Norton anthology The Greek Poets: Homer to the Present.
To Catch A Thief has to be one of my favorite movies of all times. Every time I watch it I escape into a good plot, good characters and an amazing setting in France. I had never read the novel upon which this popular film is based, so was thrilled when it was available on NetGalley.
I very much enjoyed this version of the story. It is suspenseful and stands the test of time. I highly recommend it. Jewel thieves, beware!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
This is the fifteenth entry in this long running series that began with A Beautiful Blue Death. That first book was published in 2008 and Finch went on to create an excellent historical mystery series.
This title has everything that readers look for in Finch’s books. Lenox has a complex case to solve, and of course will do so. Perhaps even more enjoyable though, is spending time with the characters, including Lenox’s wife Lady Jane, and other family members and friends.
This book will be welcomed by those who favor historical mysteries. Those who already know the series will be delighted. Those new to it will be happy to discover the backlist after reading this one.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 04 November 2025
Post first published on 5 January 2026
Description:
from the publisher
NAMED ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST‘S TEN BEST MYSTERY NOVELS OF 2025 and THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ BEST FALL MYSTERIES!
Against the vividly drawn backdrop of Victorian London, amateur sleuth Charles Lenox must unlock a mystery concealed in the architecture of the city itself, in this new novel from acclaimed author Charles Finch.
It’s 1879, and Lenox is convalescing from the violent events of his last investigation. But a desperate letter from an old servant forces him to pick up the trail of a cold case: the murder of an apothecary seven years before, whose only clue is an odd emblem carved into the doorway of the building where the man was killed. When Lenox finds a similar mark at the site of another murder, he begins to piece together a hidden pattern which leads him into the corridors of Parliament, the slums of East London, and ultimately the very heart of the British upper class.
At the same time, Lenox must contend with the complexities of his personal life: a surprising tension with his steadfast wife, Lady Jane, over her public support of the early movement for women’s suffrage; the arrival of Angela Lenox, a mysterious young cousin from India, with an unexpected companion; the dizzying ascent of his brother, Sir Edmund Lenox, to one of the highest political posts in the land; the growing family of his young partners in detection, Polly and Dallington; and the return of the problems that have long bedeviled one of his closest friends, the dashing Scottish physician Thomas McConnell.
Featuring a beloved cast of characters, a top-notch puzzle, and Finch’s trademark humor and richness of historical detail, The Hidden City is a novel by a master at the top of his form.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 