It is so true: Every Word Tells a Story

An extraordinary A to Z of etymological exploration

by Tom Read Wilson

#EveryWordTellsaStory #NetGalley

This book will make a delightful find for both adults and kids. It can be dipped into in any order and will often bring a smile to the reader’s face. The book makes learning about (random) vocabulary, word origins and more entertaining and fun. There is a section of four words for each letter in the alphabet. The first letter gets a poem, information about etymology and a section called ‘did you know.’Then come other words that begin with the same letter. Throughout there are amusing illustrations.

One example: for q the poem is about the Qignog. Learn what this is in the book or see below so no spoiler here. The other three words are quafftide, quarantine, Queensland. Have fun with this letter and the other 25!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 04 October 2022

SPOILER: A QUIGNOG IS…a pipe dream

What will happen when:Carrie Soto Is Back

A Novel

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

#CarrieSotoIsBack #NetGalley

I started reading this novel soon after Serena Williams retired and when I had tennis on my brain. Carrie is not Serena but there is no doubt that tennis has defined her life. As the story opens, Carrie is at the U.S. Open waiting to see if her long held record for most wins will be shattered. From here the book moves back in time to when she first began playing and goes forward to the time of the book’s title.

I understand the basics of tennis but don’t have the knowledge base to know how accurate the descriptions in the matches played were. I know that they were deeply involving and that I always wondered how Carrie would do.

This novel, however, is not just about Carrie’s tennis but is also about Carrie. She has a rather hard and brittle shell and most although most everything about her has been about tennis, she has things to figure out. Readers get to know the people around her; there are those that she lets in to some degree. The most important one is her father who has shared Carrie’s dream. Another is a player on the male circuit named Bowe and, of course, many of the women players.

Along with a page turning story, this novel offers some food for thought. Are we our accomplishments? Does winning mean everything? How is it to have to deal with being in a constant limelight? What happens when a game that one started to play out of love becomes so dominant? No spoilers for the end of the book. Find out for yourself what happens to Carrie.

I recommend this title to tennis lovers, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fan base and those who enjoy an involving story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 30 August 2022

From the Publisher

“She never played by their rules, she only played to win.”
“Sharp, smart, potent,” says Emily Henry“A compulsively readable look at female ambition,” says Kirkus Reviews“Seriously inspiring,” says Cosmopolitan

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The books in Reid’s famous women quartet stand alone. . . . But each of the books centers a vibrant protagonist managing the tensions between her glamorous life in the public eye and the pressures she feels in private . . . with Reid meticulously collecting minute yet meaningful details to help build immersive worlds”—TIME

“Carrie Soto [Is Back] . . . is like other sports novels in which underdogs punch, volley, bat and birdie their way to victory or additional defeat, but it goes beyond this to explore sexism and racism in the tennis world in the 1990s. . . . This novel will grab you. You’ll tear through blow-by-blow descriptions of championship matches on some of the most famous tennis courts in the world. . . .”—The Washington Post

“An epic story about bravery, endurance, but also the power of vulnerability.”—BuzzFeed
 
“Reid . . . draws on the lives of actual tennis pros (think Serena, Sharapova) to build a world of believable rivalries and intrigue infused with the whiplash suspense of a nail-biting tennis match.”—People (Book of the Week)

“Nearly every Taylor Jenkins Reid novel reads like a survey course in some flagrantly glamorous specialty and era. . . . Come for the King Richard–level attention to the art of the game; stay for the more personal soap operas unfolding off the court, and the final score.”—Entertainment Weekly

Happy Stories for Nature Lovers by Dawn Casey

#HappyStoriesforNatureLovers #NetGalley

The author of this collection is a committed environmentalist who wants children to feel hopeful, inspired and active in caring for our world. She shows what can be accomplished by sharing the optimistic stories in this title. Each story is short and accompanied by lovely and engaging illustrations. It will be a good book for children to read on their own or for reading aloud with an adult.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date 04 Oct 2022

10 New Books Coming Out This Week — CrimeReads

A look at the week’s best new releases. * Kate Atkinson, The Shrines of Gaiety (Doubleday) “[Atkinson] takes on London in the 1920s, masterfully capturing both its shimmer and its seediness…It’s a deliciously fun, absorbing read.” –Time Sarah Bonner, Her Perfect Twin (Grand Central) “Airtight, cat-and-mouse plotting with twists that will draw Gone Girl comparisons,…

10 New Books Coming Out This Week — CrimeReads

Learn: How To Write a Novel in 20 Pies

Sweet and Savory Tips for the Writing Life

by Amy Wallen; Emil Wilson

#HowToWriteaNovelin20Pies #NetGalley

The author and illustrator of this book work very well together. Both the tone and graphics feel light and breezy, and the author writes with humor about writing and publishing…oh, and about pies. Early on she notes that both activities require just three ingredients, these are idea, ink and paper or flour, liquid and fat. Sounds easy? Well, not exactly and not always. Still, both are activities worth pursuing for those who are interested. It is simply that practice is required.

Around the humor, there is a lot of useful information in these pages. Much is said about the writing process. There are also some good looking recipes.

Also a word on the graphics. I loved an early one called Famous Artists and Their Pies. Featured were those by Hemingway, Austen and others. It was funny and clever. I smiled at another one set up like a board game that was entitled So You Think You’re Finished with Your Novel game.

This book would make a great gift for any aspiring writer, even if you are that person.

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

Pub date: 18 October 2022

Look up: National Geographic Stargazer’s Atlas (Chapter Sampler)

The Ultimate Guide to the Night Sky

by National Geographic

#NationalGeographicStargazersAtlasChapterSampler #NetGalley

The National Geographic Society produces beautiful books; I am always sorry that through NetGalley one can only get a sample. I know that I will want to see this title in its entirety when it is published. That said, even this sample is packed with interesting information. The illustrations and photos are plentiful and add to the enjoyment of reading the book.

This title will be liked by stargazers and those interested in astronomy. It is very well done.

Many thanks to NetGalley and National Geographic for this sample. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date 25 Oct 2022