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

A Novel

by Mona Shroff

The Second Last Chance is a novel that does not just skate on the surface of its characters’ lives. There is a backstory that includes a tragedy and the subsequent ways in which characters try to cope with what has impacted them.

Read the book to find out why Riya wants to become a firefighter. It is not easy for her, especially in a male dominated field. I think that those reading this novel will want the best for Riya as she copes with her past and her vision for the future.

Close to Riya is vet Dhillon. Their shared past may influence their future. They dealt with their pasts in different ways; will they find common ground?

This is a moving story about the past and its influence on choices, family, romance, race, being a woman and more. Definitely worth a look!

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

Pub date: 02 August 2022

60 Games and Activities to Build Pre-Reading and Reading Skills

by Emily Yerty

This book is jam packed with reading activities for preschoolers. These are divided into sections including letter knowledge, sound awareness, print awareness, narrative skills, and vocabulary. The activities are designed to engage little ones with an adult’s help. As always when teaching a young child, please takes cues from them and don’t overload them-you can always come back another day. The true goal is to make reading exciting for a child.

The author of this book is a good guide for the adults in a child’s life. Her approach which uses activity and not sitting with a workbook seems so smart. The guidance is encouraging, informative and helpful.

For those who want to give a child a head start or reinforce skills, this title is worth a look.

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

Pub date: 26 July 2022

by Corinne Delporte, illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Who better than the Little Prince as a guide to emotions for young children? This book helpfully describes a number of feelings and assigns each one a color. For example, anger is red. It is described as an unpleasant emotion that might make a child want to yell. On the accompanying page is a Saint Expury illustration of the Little Prince when he is angry. Children are then asked to think about what makes them angry. This is the format in a book that covers seven emotions. At the end, some mindfulness activity suggestions are included.

This is an excellent book to read with a child. Kids can be encouraged to bring the book out to show an adult how they are feeling. Children can also learn the color codes and use these. I think that this book could be an effective tool for social workers, teachers and mental health professionals who engage with young ones.

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

Pub date: 16 Aug 2022

Note to adults: Brene Brown’s book tries to do something similar for adults in identifying feelings.

Every time that I am given a chance to spend time with Katherine Center, I find myself eager to immerse myself in her fictional world. I know that she will tell a good (if slightly predictable) story and that I will forget about the real world for a bit, something that I welcome these days.

This time readers learn something about what it is like to be a bodyguard. For example, it is in the training and a person does not have to be BIG to be able to do the job. That is why Hannah has been good at her job.

As the novel opens, bodyguard Hannah is having a hard time. Her boyfriend Robbie has broken up with her and is dating Hannah’s close friend. To make things worse and sadder, Hannah’s mother has died. She was not an easy woman but this is still life changing. Usually Hannah uses work to escape, the farther away the better. However, this time her boss is not letting that happen.

Instead, and under protest, Hannah is hired to look after a heart throb movie star, Jack Stapleton who is in Texas which is where Hannah is based. Hannah will pose as Jack’s girlfriend feeling dubious about this as she is no glamour queen. Despite not wanting the position, Hannah will do her best.

From here, readers spend time with Jack as he faces a family issue. How will being the bodyguard for Jack go? Will there be mutuality in Jack and Hannah’s relationship, despite Hannah’s always wanting to be professional? Turn the pages to find out.

Readers may feel that they know what will happen and that’s okay. The fun is in watching the plot unfold and just enjoying it.

I got to do my favorite thing with this title, toggling between the book and the audio. This works so well for me. The narration was clear and easy to follow.

Whichever way, you like your Katherine Center novels or, if you are just discovering this author, give this title a look. It is a good book for those looking for a break.

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

More:

From the Publisher

Katherine Center on Twitter/Instagram: @katherinecenter

Katherine Center on Facebook: @katherinecenterfance

St. Martin’s Press Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/TikTok: @stmartinspress

SMP Romance Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @smpromance

#TheBodyguard #KatherineCenter #SMPInfluencers

At this point, after reading every one of Ruth Ware’s books as soon as I could get my greedy little hands on them, I would call myself a Ruth Ware fan. Nay, a Ruth Ware stan! Ware has been writing some of the most intelligent, incisive, well-paced psychological thrillers around since 2014, and her latest…

Ruth Ware On It Girls, Dark Academia, and the Pervasive British Class System — CrimeReads

by Alcove Press

For readers who like to know what books to look forward to. Here are descriptions of titles from Alcove Press along with generous excerpts. Find something to add to your TBR pile here.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this sampler. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 01 August 2022