Great reads for adults and children!
Would you enjoy a zany alphabet book to read with a child you know? If so, this title is just the ticket. The rhymes are silly and the illustrations add to the fun. The critters that are featured are enjoying themselves and you will too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21
The Whispered Word is the second entry in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series. The main characters’ secrets were fully described in the first book but a reader can still enjoy this one as a standalone novel.
What I enjoyed most about this book were the characters and the setting. Yes, belief has to be suspended, but I would love to visit and spend time with Nora and her three closest friends. Nora’s town, Miracle Springs. attracts people in need of saving and second chances. Nora owns the local bookstore and is a very astute and well-versed bookseller. There are many references to both fiction and non-fiction titles throughout the novel. Nora herself is named for the character in Ibsen’s play. Just a few of the titles mentioned in the novel include The Witch of Blackbird Pond, A Doll’s House, Harry Potter, One Snowy Day and a number of books on adoption and tidying up.
But of course, there is more than just books in this book. Abilene comes to town and is a young girl who has had a difficult life and clearly has secrets of her own. Has she committed crimes including murder? There is also a shop, Virtual Genie that is offering to consign goods for people in the town. It looks like a fantastic service but is there more to it? You can probably answer these questions but finding out the answers is still fun.
The Whispered Word is about friendship, relationships, taking risks…and solving mysteries. It is an excellent cozy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I enjoyed my second visit with these characters and am eager for book three.
I very much enjoyed this historical novel set during WWI. It combines engaging characters and gardens. What could be better!
What made this book a bit different from other books set in the period was the attention given to a character who was a conscientious objector. Also the author pays attention to issues related to equal pay for women.
Highly recommended for historical fiction fans.
This children’s book told me something about Amelia Earhart that I had not known. She designed women’s fashions. These were based on Amelia’s sense that clothes should not be too fussy and that they should allow for women’s movement. Amelia even modeled her designs.
The story of Amelia and fashion is interwoven with this story about Amelia’s love for the sky. This began when she was just a girl growing up in Kansas. Adults know that, from this beginning, Amelia Earhart became a barrier breaking pilot. This book offers children an opportunity to share in that excitement.
This title has bright, cartoon-like illustrations. They nicely complement the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
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I would have loved a book like this before and/or after my first child was born. One thing that struck me at the time (call me one with too much ego)was how all of the attention focused on my daughter. She was lovely/amazing but I was also thinking about myself and the complications of my delivery. At the time I thought, if it had been my appendix, people might have asked about what I’d been through. So, as I began in this paragraph, I would have liked to share my story and know those of others. Therefore I truly thank the authors of this book for the collection.
Here readers will find essays by some they have heard of (Serena Williams, Amber Tamblyn, Christy Turlington Burns and others) and those they don’t already know but will come to know in these pages. There are many experiences and points of view.
Each story is unique and an engaging read. I especially enjoyed the entry by Jill Scott. I remembered watching her in the adaptation of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. Who knew that she was pregnant then? Also, loved the one by Serena Williams. She shares what was a difficult experience and that for someone who was an athlete in peak shape.
This book is the perfect gift for the right recipient. I very much enjoyed and recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This title will be published on 05 Apr 2022.
The title of this novel cleverly has several meanings. The most obvious refers to combinations on safes as the novel’s protagonist, Ellie, is a talented (sometimes on the wrong side of the law) safe cracker. It could also refer to some of her relationships which might seem a bit unconventional, as for example, Ellie’s with the government agent who first entraps but later takes Ellie on as more of a partner.
The setting is wartime England. There are concerns about spies, traitors and secret documents…and, of course, there is murder. Will documents get into the wrong hands? Will the traitors and/or spies be caught? How will Ellie fare in her relationships? Read the novel to find out.
What is done well in this book: The characters-I cared about Ellie, her uncle, her cousins (one of whom is MIA), her friend Felix and others. Less well done in my opinion was getting an authentic sense of the time perios in the novel; I knew it was the 1940s but would have welcomed more details; I feel that this would have made a good book, even better.
Kudos to the author for introducing readers to a new character. I hope that readers will see more of Ellie.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 