A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery

by Nell Hampton

#LordOfThePies #NetGalley

Crooked Lane publishes lots of cozy mysteries. They have found a niche here as their books generally do appeal to the target audience, myself included, as a cozy can offer me a welcome bit of escape.

One thing that I very much enjoyed was this book’s setting. It brought back memories of being at Kensington Palace’s Orangery. Those who have not been, can enjoy a virtual visit.

Uh-oh, the lovely setting, of course becomes the location for a murder. What happened and how does a lemon meringue pie fit in? Read this one to find out.

Note that this is the second in the series. Readers may want to look for the first book, Kale to the Queen.

This book will be especially enjoyed by bakers and Anglophiles.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Lord of the Pies:
“A well-crafted plot with plenty of surprises…This contemporary cozy is as light and delectable as one of Carrie Ann’s meringue toppings.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Most likely to appeal to mystery-romance fans entranced by PBS’s The Great British Baking Show.”
—Kirkus Reviews

#MyGarden #NetGalley

#MyGarden #NetGalley

Happy is the perfect first name for the author/illustrator of this book. Happy Yak’s other books have brought a smile to my face and this one did as well. Geared toward the youngest kids, here is a lovely introduction to gardens and seasons. The illustrations are so joyful. In addition, this title will help to build children’s vocabularies. Different categories of words are included; some name objects, while others are words for actions, feelings or states of being. There are 100 words in all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on 12 April 2022.

Listed by me earlier this week. I reviewed and enjoyed this domestic thriller.

365 Ways to Have a Good Day

A Day-by-day Guide to Living Your Best Life

by Ian Sanders

As I write this, January is almost over. Remember how on the first of the month you might have made some resolutions? How did that go if you did? Whether it went well or you don’t make resolutions or it didn’t go so well, you might benefit from this title. It encourages the reader to live their best life each day. Just a few of the chapter headings include Make it a a habit, Count the things that count, Turn left, and Just have a day. There are 365 thoughts given over the course of the thirteen chapters.

Included in this title are what the author describes as stories to inspire, prompts to put ideas into action and things to try. He hopes that readers will use this book to inspire a journey of discovery. If this sounds appealing to you, give this title a look.

This book is a personal one, filled with what has worked for the author. He hopes that some of his reflections will be helpful to the reader. I am going to give it a whirl.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A Novel

by Lori Wilde

I previously read, reviewed and enjoyed The Moonglow Sisters by Lori Wilde so was delighted to receive this ARC. This time the story is about Harper and Flannery. They are sisters who became estranged. Flannery was the one who did what was expected while Harper sent money but was not, herself, present. So, all was not well between them.

The two were startled, to put it mildly, to discover that they had inherited a lighthouse with conditions. Will the magic of Moonglow Bay help these two much as it helped the three women in The Moonglow Sisters? Readers know the answer to that question. The enjoyment is in getting there in this 400 plus page book,and one to sink into. Emotions will be roused and pages will be turned. As an added bonus, baking is one of the themes in the story.

Readers note that, while the setting of the story is the same as in The Moonglow Sisters, the books can be read in any order. They are telling different stories.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Woman

The American History of an Idea

by Lillian Faderman

The title of this excellent book tells a reader just what to expect. This is an academic title that will talk about the concept and history of women over the course of 400 years of American history.

This title explores women’s experiences and the ways in which expectations for them could often be defined by others. Readers will also discover when and how women began to define their lives and experiences for themselves.

The author is a professor and she knows her subject well. She is also able to engage the reader and does so, right from the introduction, when she talks about her JHS, her sexual identity, and her having been raised by an unmarried mother. Professor Faderman notes the disconnect between her experience and the 1950s woman as portrayed on TV in the personage of a June Cleaver or a Donna Reed.

When Professor Faderman made her way into a PhD program, she chose to study women in America. One result of that decision is this book. Professor Faderman examines the ways in which women have been defined by both men and women and notes that, while some women wanted more (the vote, for example), others did not.

This is an engaging, interesting and absorbing study that moves from the seventeenth century to the present day. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book will be published on 15 Mar 2022.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A comprehensive and lucid overview of the ongoing campaign to free women from ‘the tyranny of old notions.’”—Publishers Weekly

“An intelligently provocative, vital reading experience. . . . This highly readable, inclusive, and deeply researched book will appeal to scholars of women and gender studies as well as anyone seeking to understand the historical patterns that misogyny has etched across every era of American culture.”—Kirkus Reviews

A Penguin Adventure

by Caryn Rivadeneira

#EdwardandAnnie #NetGalley

A student whom I tutor loves ks about the natural world and its creatures. She would be so delighted by this title that also delighted me.

Here is the Shedd Aquarium, a place that must be amazing in real life but that is also fun to visit in this book. As it is set during Covid, there are no people but the hope is that they will be back soon. Meanwhile, an employee travels all over the aquarium with our two penguin friends.

With vivid illustrations and helpful text, readers get to see and know many sea critters. Such a nice and informative (virtual) field trip.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The above two are from The Short List and under ten dollars