Highly praised from the nyt
Some e book bargains for 4.24.22
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For those who enjoy British historical fiction: A dress and its makers: The Gown by Robson
An e book bargain for 4.24.22
I wanted to read this novel from the moment that I heard about it. It turns out that it was a very good, but not absolutely amazing, read.
The Gown in question is the one that Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth wore for her wedding. However, the Royals are not the ones that this story is about; rather, the novel is a fictional account of two women who embroidered this most important dress and the granddaughter of one of them. The book moves back and forth between the 1940s and the present day.
An important setting in the book is the studio of Norman Hartnell whose atelier designed and made Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress. Mr. Hartnell comes across as a nice man who hired nice people. He and Miss Duley, who manages the embroiderers, were real people. The author did her research and was fortunate enough to meet one of the…
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So many: Rooms of Their Own
Where Great Writers Write
by Alex Johnson
#RoomsofTheirOwn #NetGalley
Clearly the title of this book plays homage to Virginia Woolf in the nicest possible way. Alex Johnson in this delightfully illustrated book shares stories about where writers like to go when they want to write. There are fifty writers included in this volume which can be dipped into according to one’s fancy. I looked first to some of my favorite authors and then moved on to others who were equally interesting.
Just a few of those included are Jane Austen, James Baldwin, Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Hardy Astrid Lindgren, Haruki Murakami, Sylvia Plath, Beatrix Potter and J.K. Rowling. Each author’s entry includes interesting facts and a most evocative illustration or two.
I adored spending time in these writers’ spaces and learning about how they made their choices. For example, Emily Dickinson embraced the “solitude” of her bedroom. She “pretended to lock the door” and noted that freedom was within. Conan Doyle had a very special writing set up made by a well known luggage manufacturer while Maya Angelou wrote in a hotel room.
This is a book that is perfect for bibliophiles. It would make a lovely gift.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 19 Apr 2022
From the publisher:
Do you have the time? 3-Minute Prayers for Difficult Times
by Rae Simons
Times have been so hard for the past few years. We have had Covid and many heartbreaking local and world events surrounding us. If you are a person who thinks about praying in difficult times, this book of short prayers reflections may be just the thing for you.
Each entry in this title includes a biblical quote followed by an anecdote that relates to the passage. Finally, there is a section called Think About It which offers a question for the day.
Give this book a look and see if it is just what you need. It might help you to feel less alone and/or less overwhelmed.
Many thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 01 June 2022
Some e book bargains for 4.23.22
Dive into this series
This title is an e book bargains for 4.23.22
The trend for Scandinavian mysteries continues. My daughter pointed out an additional trend in these northern novels, when she observed that they include so many enticing food details and scenes of ordinary, daily life. I wanted to eat with Nora and to visit the island of Sandham where she lives for the summer.
Viveca Sten is an author I did not know. I just finished Still Waters and have immediately plunged into Closed Circles, the next in the series. In her own country, Ms. Sten has sold millions of books. I think that U.S. readers could also enjoy hunkering down with her novels. The main characters come fully to life in a way that makes me want to follow them through the next books. The final solution to the mystery is not the strongest part of the book but I did not mind as I so enjoyed everything else in…
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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek(Richardson)
This title is an e book bargain for 4.23.22
by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews
THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21
This is a wonderful historical novel based upon the Book Women who delivered library materials to those in the out of the way sections of Kentucky. The book women were part of a program started by President Roosevelt under the WPA.
There are many book women in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky but the protagonist of the novel is the unforgettable Cussy. Cussy speaks in dialect which helps the reader to fully enter into her world. Cussy faces special challenges because she is the last of the ‘blues.’ There really were blue-skinned people in America as a supplement at the back of the novel attests. They were objects of curiosity and also of prejudice, just as was the case for the African American population.
Cussy wants to be independent both before and after her disastrous short term marriage. And yet, what…
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Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer
This book is an e book bargain for 4.23.22
They say that you can’t judge a book by its cover but I have to say that, as soon as I saw this one, the visual appeal made me want to read Murder at the Mena House. This is an historical mystery set in Egypt in 1926. The author does a wonderful job with the setting, both in terms of the indolent, luxury hotel and the sites, including the pyramids, museums, camel races and more. There are a variety of colorful characters and some interesting backstory for the majority of them.
I think that this is the author’s first published book. I enjoyed this read although the mystery itself was the least engaging part for me. I will read further adventures of Jane as they are published. She was a good guide to Egypt and those around her.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange…
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Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 