Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

“The Marriage Portrait” is the fictionalized story of the 16th-century Italian noblewoman Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/books/review/maggie-ofarrell-marriage-portrait.html

www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/arts/recipes-for-love-and-murder-series-tv.html

The Classic Novel

by Hermann Hesse

This title is part of what St. Martin’s Press is calling its Essentials collection. I would agree that this is an essential book and one that it is worth reading. I first encountered this novel many years ago and found it so full of life and meaning. It is wonderful to see it reissued in this edition.

The story of Siddhartha is one of discovering what is important. It will leave readers with much to ponder.

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

Pub date: 11 October 2022

This colorful title introduces little ones to a wide variety of shapes, everything from ovals to stars. Each shape word appears in both English and Japanese. There is also a section at the end of the book with an explanation for each shape’s illustration. For example, the circle is a sumo wrestling ring.

The Sumo series provides nice, easy learning for young ones. Take a look at the other titles as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sasquatch Books Little Bigfoot for this title.

Pub date: 27 September 2022

A novel

by Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement was a literary success and a book that was made into a movie. A new novel by this author will make his readers eager to see what he has accomplished now.

This title is not an easy read in my opinion. But, it does take on so much of the world out there along with the events that shape people’s own smaller worlds. Here we have Chernobyl with its nuclear fallout and a main character whose own life is deeply impacted by a fallout of a different kind.

Ian McEwan is an author who takes on epic issues of many years of history as well as the life of a man who lived through these events. I think that it takes someone of his talents to attempt this. Readers will follow Roland’s life and acknowledge the fullness of existence.

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

Pub date: 13 September 2022

by Barbara DiLorenzo

#OneThursdayAfternoon #NetGalley

I’ll begin by saying that I wish that we did not need this book but, since we do, all credit to the author/illustrator for this sensitive title. As can be seen in the cover art, Ava is not smiling. At first, she does not want to tell her Grandad what is wrong. Wisely, he gives her time, and time in nature, to let Ava share at her own pace.

What is bothering Ava is school lock down drills. They must be very scary for schoolkids.

Grandad empathizes and listens. He reminds Ava that there is beauty in the world too and that he is always there for her.

As the school year begins, teachers may want this book in their classrooms. Families may also want to share this one with their children. Counselors know that it can be easy to want to avoid the tough topics but think about getting this book for your child. It is not less scary to ignore reality. In fact, perceptive kids know what is going on and wonder why adults don’t acknowledge it.

Thank you to this author for taking on a hard topic in a soft way.

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

Pub date: 06 September 2022

A Novel of Rogue Crusaders, a Jewish Female Physician, and a Murder

by Esther Erman

When I was in the ninth grade my class read Ivanhoe. There were times when I did not find this to be an absorbing story. However, I was very struck by the book having a Jewish character in Rebecca who was a foil to the Anglo Saxon Rowena. Jewish young women surely were not well represented in the literature of the time.

I’ve often thought of rereading Ivanhoe but have never actually done it. However when I saw this title on NetGalley, I began thinking of Rebecca and how she was portrayed in Ivanhoe. I was very excited to read this book which extends her story.

This novel has so much to recommend it. There is the depiction of the historical period including the state of medicine. There is Rebecca and those around her. Then to ice the cake, there is a mystery. All of these make for a good read for historical fiction fans.

Many thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 02 August 2022

Poses and Practices for Improving Full-Body Mobility Over Time

by Adriana Lee

This author fills her book with information on yoga. She is a good guide. Included in these page are forty poses and sixteen sequences with detailed directions. Reasons why flexibility is important are made clear.

The pose categories include warm ups, cooldowns, backbends, forward bends, twists and inversions. The sequences are designed for help with specific issues as, for example, lower back pain.

I am a person who found it difficult to fully understand how to do the poses. This may be no fault of the author. I do better with a person in real time demonstrating for me. However, if that is not true for you, this book may be very helpful indeed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Callisto Media-Rockridge Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 06 Sep 2022