An inspiration: Martin Luther King Jr.

My First Martin Luther King Jr.

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

#MartinLutherKingJr #NetGalley

Pub Date 20 Jul 2021

This title is part of a series of Little People, Big Dreams stories for the very youngest children. It is never too early for them to learn about the people who are part of their world.

This time the story of MLK is told in simple language and with appealing illustrations. Issues of segregation are noted in a matter of fact tone while clearly making the point that discrimination was/is not okay. Children learn how MLK grew up and tried to help people to look at the world differently. The Civil Rights movement is mentioned as was MLK wanting to protest using peaceful means.

King was an inspiration to many. Let him inspire a child that you know as well.

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

The Whispered Word by ElleryAdams

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

#TheWhisperedWord #NetGalley

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.

Unto Us a Son Is Given by Leon

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

THIS TITLE IS AN E BOOK BARGAIN FOR 6.26.21

A new novel from this author is always most welcome! What I love about this series is not so much the mysteries, although those are well constructed, but the relationships among the characters and the ways in which the city of Venice is brought to life. Guido and Paola seem so real and affectionate with one another; they have a marriage that many would envy. Watching Guido and Paola with their children is a treat as is reading about their latest family dinner. Guido’s relationships with his extended family and work colleagues are also brought vividly to life.

In this book, a friend of the family who is elderly wants to adopt an adult male to be his heir. Will you as the reader feel empathy for this lonely man? All around wonder if this adoption is a good plan but he is determined and undeterred. Is this what leads to his and one other’s death? What are the reasons for what is happening? How are families constructed? They are not all like Guido’s.

For fans of Donna Leon, the chance to spend time with her will be a delight. New readers will also enjoy the book and will probably then look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this good read. The opinions are mine alone.

#UntoUsASonIsGiven #NetGalley

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek(Richardson)

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 will happen with patron Jackson who is one of the few to call Cussy by name, rather than the derogatory Bluet?

Cussy’s love of books flows through the novel.  There are references to books that were popular at the time, including those by Steinbeck and Rex Stout.  Cussy’s inventiveness in making books and delivering what her patrons need is impressive.

The landscape of rural Kentucky, the small towns, the mines, the mountains are all well described.  Each patron that Cussy visits has a back story and readers will even come to learn more about the mule who transports her.

If you are a reader who enjoys historical fiction set in the U.S., consider this one.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks, for this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Queen and Prince Philip: The Early Years

by Helen Cathcart

#TheQueenandPrincePhilipTheEarlyYears #NetGalley

Given the popularity of The Crown and the recent death of Prince Philip, many readers may be interested in taking a look back at how Elizabeth and Philip, met, courted and became one of the world’s best known couples and love stories. This book offers an uncontroversial retelling of their story. Those who are fans of royal biographies may well want to look at this one. It is part of a series of four books that the author penned about the royal family.

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

Remain Silent A Manon Bradshaw Novel by Susie Steiner

This title is an e book bargain for 6.24.21

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

Remain Silent is the third book in Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw mystery series.  I very much enjoyed this author’s first two novles in the series and was eager to read this one as well.

Remain Silent is, in some ways, a very tough read.  It is the second book that I have finished recently that has a theme centering on the plight of illegal immigrants.  Ms. Steiner portrays what happens to these characters including Matis, Lukas and  others, with such brutal reality that it was painful to read.  The message is an important one however and something that needs to be considered.

Manon herself can be acerbic, funny and a woman who makes many pithy parenthetical statements.  In this book, Manon is overwhelmed with challenges.  She has a young son, a teenaged son and a partner, Mark, who is in the hospital.   Manon’s lament on how she wishes that she had been treating Mark better will strike a chord with anyone who has faced challenges in a relationship.

Around all of this, of course, there is a mystery.  The murder is that of one of the immigrants and Manon is tasked with solving the case.  Readers who have read the series will welcome back characters on her team including Davy.

SPOILER:

The afterword by the author reveals some of what she, herself, has been experiencing and this, too, has been quite sad and difficult.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in an excellent series in exchange for an honest review.  I hope that Ms. Steiner will continue writing.  She is a talented and clear eyed author.

The Paris Spy

This title is an e book bargain for 6.24.21

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

The Paris Spy: A Maggie Hope Mystery by [MacNeal, Susan Elia]

The Paris Spy is part of a series set during WW II; the cover illustration for this latest entry is appealing but does not not reflect the gravity of Maggie and her fellow SOE operatives’ risky lives. This book is NOT a cozy mystery; the scenes with interrogation and torture were difficult to read.


The Paris of the occupation was well drawn and there was an interesting mix of fictional and historical personages, including Coco Chanel. I connected with the characters and worried about their safety.
Occasionally, the plot relied on coincidence and was not completely believable. Nonetheless, I rooted for Maggie and hoped for her mission and England’s success as D-day comes closer. I would definitely read other books in this series; the books do not have to be read in order to be enjoyed as some backstory is provided.

Book provided by Net Galley in return for an honest review.  Thanks Net Galley!