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

Karen Odden writes wonderful historical mysteries. You might want to take a look at these.

And the good news is that this author has a new book out soon!

Word Searches and Writing Prompts to Uplift

by Driven

#SearchingforInspiration #NetGalley

I like this book’s clever and descriptive title. Inside are100 word search puzzles that have themes relating to mindfulness and inspiration. There are also many writing prompts to encourage reflection. I have never before seen these two activities combined in one book. Seems like a good idea to me.

A few of the word search topics are mindfulness, reflecting on play, compassion, and patience. A sample writing prompt is Seeing the Positive where one questions asks what one is grateful for today. There is ample space to write an answer.

If you are looking for a new way to slow down for just a few minutes each day, give this one a look. It is a good resource.

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

Pub Date 06 Sep 2022

I have enjoyed seeing Celia Imrie in the TV series Kingdom and in the Downton Abbey movies. Now I know that she is not only an excellent actress but also an entertaining storyteller.

Here is a book where the pages turn easily and the story is fun. Two women down on their luck choose to work on a cruise ship. One is an actress who has suddenly lost a job while the other is temporarily homeless and sees the ship as a temporary solution to her problem. Neither knew that so much would happen on board.

This is a light read and one that I recommend to those who need a bit of escape.

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

Pub Date 19 Jun 2018

Karen Cleveland, a former CIA analyst turned thriller author, has written some of the most propulsive, tight-knit suspense and espionage fiction of the past decade, and her new one is just as much of a nailbiter as her previous novels. In The New Neighbor, a suburban cul-de-sac in which most of the families have ties to the…

Karen Cleveland on Suburban Secrets and CIA Analysts — CrimeReads

The titles above are from this week’s The ShortList

Her latest book, “The Marriage Portrait,” imagines the life of the girl who is thought to have inspired Robert Browning’s famous poem “My Last Duchess.”
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/books/maggie-ofarrell-marriage-portrait-hamnet.html

A Guide to Styling Your Space, Setting Your Intention, & Illuminating Your Life

by Devon Fredericksen

This book would make a lovely gift for a candle lover, even if that person is you. It begins with lots of information on how to choose just the right types of candles. Following are sections on how candles can be used to set a mood or create a particular space in a room. There are also some mindfulness-like sections. For example, candles may be used in rituals (from birthdays to mourner’s candles and more) or self-care. Who would have thought that just a small candle could do so much?

The introduction notes that candles are used for relaxation and romance. They are also believed to symbolize the impermanence of life by some religions. In addition to information on the role of candles this title includes practical projects; for example, readers can learn how to make their own candles.

I sometimes light candles, especially in the autumn when the nights start to get longer. Now, I may use them even more!

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

Pub date: 06 September 2022

To be entirely honest and upfront, I’m not sure there’s a single crime show premiering in September that’s really worth getting too excited about. The slate is just too crowded with the new fantasy juggernauts (House of Dragons and Lord of the Rings) and the perennial onslaught of network procedurals back on the air after…

The Best Crime Shows Coming Out in September — CrimeReads