Observations by Gaslight

Stories from the World of Sherlock Holmes

by Lyndsay Faye

Lyndsay Faye is well-known in the mystery fiction world. She dedicates this collection to another mystery great, Otto Penzer of The Mysterious Bookshop. So, her credentials are superb.

This title is a collection of six stories. Each features the viewpoint of someone known to Holmes and his world. For example, the first story has Irene Adler in “The Adventure of the Stopped Clocks.” Other stories are told by Mrs. Hudson and Inspector Lestrade while a couple are by characters less known to me including Stanley Hopkins and A. Davenport Lomax.

The conceit for the book is that these materials were discovered in a deposit box. The reader is to believe that they have now been made available.

Those who enjoy extending their Sherlock Holmes experiences will enjoy this collection. I recommend it.

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

Learn to draw animals! Start with basic shapes, then make them cute!

by Ai Akikusa

Beginning artists of all ages will enjoy this title. The book begins with some general observations and directions before going on to feature lots and lots of animals to draw. Just some of the critters found in these pages include the Shiba Inu (a new pup has moved across the way from me), the polar bear, a horse, a cat, a giraffe, a kangaroo a koala and many more.

I never consider myself to be a person with artistic prowess. However, I feel that I can follow these instructions and will enjoy practicing.

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

From the Publisher

Drawing Lessons for Beginners: Cute Animals

When you look at the shapes of animals, there are bumps and curves in unexpected areas.

Animals are built differently from one another—some can run faster, some can eat more easily, and some can swim better. It can be interesting to draw animals when you look closely at these kinds of characteristics.

I’d like you to enjoy observing the characteristics of these animals rather than copying the examples. Then, you’ll eventually notice the unique aspects of each animal.

As you get used to drawing animals, you can try drawing different motions or positions such as running or sleeping, or you can even try drawing the animal upright.

by Happy Yak

This is a lovely board book edition of the classic fairy tale. The design is lovely with the way that the pages unfold. The illustrations are engaging and the text tells the story in a simple way.

Those looking to share a traditional tale with a young baby can’t go wrong with this board book.

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

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I have read several books by Katherine Reay and will rank this one among my favorites. It is the story of three women who run a bookshop following the death of one of the protagonist’s relatives. The main characters are Madeline, who inherits the shop; Clare who feels unseen by her family and struggles with her teenage daughter; and Janet who made one mistake that led to the end of her marriage and another that led to a major crisis for the store. The stories of these characters overlap and form the basis for the novel.

The novel takes place in a small town outside of Chicago. The location feels idyllic as does the bookshop.

If you have ever had a dream about owning a bookstore that enhances a community, you will enjoy this novel. There are definitely struggles for the store but the author makes owning a bookshop feel so worthwhile.

I enjoyed this novel very much. There are friendship, romance and books, books, books within these pages. An added bonus was the number of books that are named in the novel and the complete list of those titles at the end. This list is a great resource for future reads.

So…if you like a light story with a great setting, think about this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book about books.