Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

This book looks like a great reference for those who would like to begin a yoga practice.  The author suggests starting with just five minutes a day as one learns thirty basic yoga poses.  Just a few of those included are the Downward Facing Dog, the Locust Pose, the Pigeon Pose and the Pendant Rose.

The author presents yoga as something that everyone can do, not just the most svelte and fit among us.  She provides a history of yoga at the beginning of the book. Next come suggestions of ways to best practice yoga and then, of course, the poses.

With many photos, following the directions is pretty easy.  That is not the same as saying that the poses are easy but, of course, practice is at the heart of yoga.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

There was no book like this when I was growing up.  This is a modern, social justice based ABC.  While its board book format makes this a book for toddlers to look at, the concepts are more sophisticated and for (slightly) older children…or the book can grow with your child.  A few examples:  D is for Difference, G is for Gender, P is for Privilege, etc.  Each concept is explained in a positive way.  The illustrations are bright, appealing and inclusive. This book is a good resource for opening discussion about how people treat one another.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

pub date: September 1, 2020

#AnABCofEquality #NetGalley

I have read and definitely recommend The Ruin, How to Find Love in a Bookshop and Paragon Walk.  I also liked, read and reviewed The Chelsea Girls.  Magic for Liars is in my TBR pile.  Enjoy.

Put this title on a Christmas list for a young child in your life.  The messages for each letter are inspiring and the illustrations are gorgeously detailed, vibrant and expressive.  With its rhyming text and thoughtful choices for each letter, this book is a winner.  It also includes a helpful  section on terms and figures at the end of the book. This book should have a place in school libraries and homes.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest  review.

Pub date:  December 22, 2020

This is the tenth edition of this sampler.  It includes long excerpts from cozy style mysteries that will be coming out soon.  The authors included are Ashley Weaver, Jane Cleland, Ellen Hart, Carolyn Haines, Donna Andrews, Cate Conte, Ellie Alexander, Diane Kelly, Elizabeth Penny, Vivien Chen and Susan Cox.  See the covers of these authors’ new titles, read the summary about the novel and then immerse yourself in the beginning of the book to see if it appeals to you.  There are several chapters of each, surely enough to whet your appetite.  Then, learn more about the authors, see their photos and find  a full list of their books  and see what they looks like.  All in all, a very good resource if cozies are your cup of tea.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

 

This is a sweet, charmingly illustrated book that young children will enjoy having read to them.  With its rhymes and repetition, it is sure to delight toddlers.  They will watch as Merve encounters danger, reunites with his mum and figures out how to prevent getting lost in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title that is sure to please its intended audience.

#MervetheForgetfulMouse #NetGalley

Just a couple, both of which offer fine escape.

Jane Austen wrote her novel, Persuasion, in 1817, four years after the well-known Pride and Prejudice.  It was the last full work that the author wrote.

This audio version of Persuasion was a pleasure to listen to.  The male narrator’s measured tone, along with his ability to create dialogue in the voices of multiple characters, enhanced the joys of the novel.

Persuasion is the story of Anne Elliott, a more mature Austen heroine, as she is in her late 20s and still single.  Anne did not marry the man she loved as a young woman because she was convinced that Frederick Wentworth had a status too far below hers. As the novel opens, Anne is soon to be reacquainted with the now successful naval captain.

Along with their story, Austen provides much commentary and humor relating to shallowness, snobbery and more.  For example, readers learn early on that Anne’s father’s favorite reading matter is the entry on his family in a peerage book.

I most definitely recommend this audio book.  Whether you are coming back to the novel and have already read it in the past, or if you are new to it, this narration is sure to engage you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this listen in exchange for an honest review.

#PersuasionSeasonsEdition #NetGalley

Jenny Colgan has found fertile ground for her novels in Scotland where she has set a number of  women’s fiction/romance titles.  500 Miles From You is the latest of these.  I found it to be a relaxing read and recommend it for some pleasant distraction.  If that sounds like faint praise, it isn’t.  I find that as this unusual life we have continues, being transported to a fictional world can be most welcome.

In this story, Lissa is a community nurse in London, while Cormac holds down a similar job in a small Scottish village.  The two swap places for a number of months.  Traumatized Lissa falls in love with her new life which is idyllically presented.  Cormac is initially overwhelmed in London but slowly feels a bit better there.

Cormac and Lissa have one very important case that they share, that of a young girl who has received a heart transplant.  The donor ties the two story lines together.

Lissa and Cormac get to know one another through texting.  Readers know that they will eventually meet but this takes awhile and some plotting on the author’s part.  By the time the meeting takes place, many readers will be rooting for this couple.

There are many secondary characters in the novel.  Some of them are new, while others have made appearances in other novels by Ms. Colgan.  However, readers do not have to have read any of the prior books in order to enjoy this one.

If I had one small quibble with this novel, it would be that it tilted so favorably toward Scotland, somewhat slighting the glories of London.  That aside, I recommend this one for a fun read.

Have you read books by Jenny Colgan?  Did you enjoy them?  Let me know, please.

just a couple for today.  Enjoy.