As the cover seems to indicate, Begin Again is a title for young adults.
Andie has LOTS of plans in mind. She wants to transfer from her community college, get an education and be somebody. All good goals but perhaps a bit difficult to achieve. Readers will hope, though, that Andie succeeds.
In this book, there are friendships, romances and college life to navigate with all of their many challenges. While Andie tries to solve the problems of others, will she solve her own?
What is one place that becomes important to Andie on her way? What is its connection with a family member? Will things work out for her…even if events don’t unfold exactly as planned?
I think that this title will appeal to its target audience. There are good characters and story lines, along with some welcome humor.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
This kids’ book is part of an excellent series on all fifty states. This time, readers learn a lot about New York. So much is packed into this short book. There are many locations to visit, as for example, New York City, Long Island, the Catskills and more. There are also museums, foods, animals, festivals and even a section entitled Weird, Weirder and Weirdest.
This book will make many want to come for a visit. Adults and kids can use this title to plan their visit to the Empire State. It is well illustrated and packed with facts and ideas.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.
A favorite book of mine although the first section is my least favorite part. This is the story of Guinevere, Arthur and Lancelot. There is a connection to TH White in H is for Hawk, another bargain today.
I read the title story for a class last semester. I really liked it.
Friendsgiving has become a thing. It is when you leave the family squabbles behind and celebrate a holiday with friends. This book will help with that! There are 50 recipes for entertaining.
The book is divided into sections on appetizers, potluck mains, vegetarain sides and desserts. The author notes that you can make it all the way from drinks to desserts with recipes that are do-able.
This title is charmingly illustrated. There are also many photos. The very first entry for crostini, so easy that ANYONE could do it. There are also little sections called A Little Extra…But in a Good Way; these are helpful.
Just a few of the recipes are those for Angelic Deviled Eggs, Chicken and Waffles, Roasty Toasty Brussels, Pumpkin Cake Poppin, and Thank You So Match Sponge Cake.
This is a nice cookbook. It is well worth a look.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
I have a tendency, at times, to buzz around and need to stop to breathe. That is what I hoped would happen when reading this title and, yes, it did.
The author shares some of the insights that can be gained from the gardening profession and how this work connects with mindfulness. Redwood acknowledges the influence of the well known Thich Nhat Hanh who has had a deep influence on those practicing mindfulness. There are quotes from Hanh in the text.
The book is organized by seasons, beginning with spring. Readers first spend time with the snowdrop and then learn about a mindfulness activity that can be done while pruning. The book goes on to offer gardening tips and ways to practice mindfulness in this setting.
I am not lucky enough to have a garden but I visit a botanical garden regularly. I will try to take some of these practices and insights with me when I next walk there. After reading this book, I also know that I would like to visit Chalice Well Gardens near Glastonbury Tor, a peace garden, where the author is employed.
This book offers a chance to step back, breathe and contemplate. It is part of what i think will be an excellent series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
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.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 