This is Dervla McTiernan’s second novel; it follows The Ruin and features many of the same characters. The Scholar takes place in Ireland at a university and science lab. A young former chemistry student is murdered. As you read the novel, you may, like me, think that you know exactly how it will end. I was partially wrong as it was more complex than I had anticipated.
In addition to Della, the (first) victim, the novel tells the story of Carline. She is heir to a great pharmaceutical company but does not feel fully accepted by the grandfather who owns it. What will she do to try to ensure her place? What will happen to her?
The first book’s primary detective was Cormac. He is in a relationship with Emma who works for Darcy Pharmaceuticals, the lab at the heart of this story. What will happen when Emma is both…
Everly is having a very hard time; the fact that it will be her 30th birthday makes everything feel even worse.
Everly is shy and anxious by nature. In order to come out of her shell, she will develop her ten rules. Will they help? Will Everly get her podcast up? Will she find Mr. Right? Just relax while awaiting the answers in this delightful romance with its engaging characters and storyline.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this read. All opinions are my own.
The Case of the Missing Marquess, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets
by Serena Blasco
#EnolaHolmesTheGraphicNovels #NetGalley
The Enola Holmes series was originally written by Nancy Springer. In this title, readers will find three graphic novel versions of these stories including The Case of the Missing Marquess, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets.
I have not read the original stories so cannot compare them with these renditions. I can say that I enjoyed the re-tellings. In the first, Enola’s mother is missing. This leads Enola to a search for a missing Marquess. Enola’s second case involves a missing artist, while the third case involves Watson. The illustrations in this graphic novel are engaging and the stories are well told. Enola, younger sister to Sherlock and Mycroft, is a force with whom to be reckoned. Her brothers should beware.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel books for this title. All opinions are my own.
by Collected by Amy Schumer and Christy Turlington Burns
#ArrivalStories #NetGalle
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.
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Intimate . . . The stories are consequential, the voices delightfully direct, and the collection’s greatest strength is in its embrace of all the mothers, whether they are single, coupled, straight, queer, or chose adoption. This anthology triumphs by making motherhood feel anything but lonely.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
This publisher gives cooks so many affordable recipe collections. They always include generous photos and information to set a cook up for success. This time the topic is Vegetarian, Mediterranean cuisine. Delicious healthy food is found in these pages.
When 125 recipes are included it is difficult to know which ones to highlight. Some that intrigued me are below:
Eggplant Caviar, Skordalia (because I love it), Filo Wrapped Brie with Orange Marmalade, Gazpacho Blanca, Spanakopita, Fried Rice Balls with Tomato Sauce, Flatbread with Harissa and Sesame, and Milk and Orange Pudding.
Take a look at this book and have some wonderful meals. You won’t go wrong.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Callisto for this book. All opinions are my own.
From the Publisher
Sample recipe: Tomato and Basil Brushetta
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and garlic. Brush the bread slices with this mixture and place them on a baking sheet. Set aside.
3. In another small bowl, stir together the tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasoning, if needed.
4. Place the bread under the broiler for 1 minute until crisp and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven, spoon 1 tablespoon of the tomato mixture on top of each piece. Slice, and serve.
Bruschetta is extremely versatile—and extremely delicious! This version is a simple way to use all the extra tomatoes from your garden during summer. You can make caprese bruschetta by adding fresh mozzarella to this recipe or, for different Mediterranean flavors, combine labneh and mint or diced strawberries and feta.
Here I’ve taken the standard approach of topping the bread before serving, but my favorite way to serve bruschetta is to spoon the tomato mixture into a bowl and place the garlic bread around it.
Are you part of a book club or thinking of starting one? Are you someone who just would enjoy further information on a title? Either way, book club guides can be a great resource.
I confess that this is the first time that I have downloaded a book club kit. It won’t be the last. There is a lot included here. There are discussion questions, an author interview, an interview about the cover design (interesting to me and something I haven’t read before), activities, recipes, suggestions for further reading and more. Truly an excellent and fun guide.
Many thanks for this guide. All opinions are mine.
From the publisher:
About the Book:
A tale as old as time—for a new generation…
Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.
All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a quick pep talk or three. How hard could it be?
But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and—it turns out—just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn’t there before.
Best-selling author Jasmine Guillory’s reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is a romantic triumph of love and acceptance and learning that sometimes to truly know a person you have to read between the lines.
This is Dervla McTiernan’s second novel; it follows The Ruin and features many of the same characters. The Scholar takes place in Ireland at a university and science lab. A young former chemistry student is murdered. As you read the novel, you may, like me, think that you know exactly how it will end. I was partially wrong as it was more complex than I had anticipated.
