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

Italian/Sicilian mystery, a well received Pat Barker and you can see my review of the Book Charmer below.

The Book Charmer is certain to tick all of the boxes for those who enjoy women’s fiction with a bit of heft. The story takes place in Dove Pond, a small town in North Carolina that has some charming shops and charming people. The Book Charmer herself is Sarah Dove. Books speak to her and have ever since she was little. Books let her know who should read them; although it may not initially make sense to the recipient, over time it will.

To this community come Grace, Mama G and Daisy. They all have back stories that are explored. Grace was a foster child, Mama G cared for her and Daisy is the child of Grace’s deceased sister. Mama G suffers from Alzheimer’s; the book shows some of her struggles and the sadness and difficulties for those who are affected by it.

Also living in Dove Pond is Travis who has his own ghosts and troubles. He is a war veteran who is trying to move on with his life. There are other characters for the reader to meet as well. Their stories intersect over the course of the story.

I enjoyed this title with its mix of a little magical realism, realism, love stories, friendships and time spent with characters whom I enjoyed knowing. If there were a real Dove Pond, I would surely love to visit there.

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

 

Lots of great choices here!

While you are sitting at home with your kids, this might be a fun book.  It is filled with personality quizzes.  Maybe understanding ourselves will help us to cope.  Maybe it is just fun to do personality tests.  Either way, or for any other reason, this title is worth a look.  While this book is geared toward  kids I think it can be explored by those of different ages. Adults can still probably remember how they would have answered these questions as children.

The book has a number of chapters including, for example, A Brief History of Personality, Personality Types, Personality Traits, Aspects of Personality, Creativity, Understanding the Unconscious and more.  And, of course, there are the quizzes and answers.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. This  colorfully illustrated title will intrigue amateur psychologists.

#WhoDoYouThinkYouAre #NetGalley

A girl that you know can be anything that she dreams of… a Cake Maker or a Food Scientist or a House Inspector or a Kite Designer or a Novelist or a Rancher…or a Zip Line Master There is something for every letter of the alphabet here in this vibrantly illustrated book. Definitely a nice title to add to the ABC book shelf.

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

I have eagerly been awaiting this book’s arrival in my mail and today it came! I enjoy doing crosswords and love the fact that this is large print; it just makes it so easy to comfortably sit down with a puzzle and relax.

This title contains 100 themed crossword puzzles. The level of challenge is no where near impossible but enough to need to think. For me, this book offers a perfect diversion, especially for right now.

So, take a break from some of your other activities, do a puzzle, think a little (on something that is not disaster) and enjoy what you accomplish.

Many, many thanks to Callisto for this book in exchange for an honest review. I give it five *****.

From the publisher:

Amazingly, I have read and can recommend all of these titles.  I think that is a first in these posts.  Some of these have been reviewed on the blog.

My earlier review:

Kudos to the talented Ann Cleeves for this first entry in her new series. I have read the author’s Vera and Jimmy Perez novels, both of which I recommend. As a reader who looked forward especially to every Perez novel, I was sad to learn that the series had finished. I wondered if there would be no more books by this author. I am delighted that that is not the case.

In The Long Call, Ann Cleeves creates a world within a small community in North Devon where rivers converge; the setting effectively becomes a part of the story. In this world, there are three police officers who are central characters. First is Matthew; he was raised within the Brethren, a conservative religious group. While Brethren characters are very much a part of the novel, Matthew himself has left the group. This cast him away from the familiar into a new life in the police and with his husband, Jonathan. Next is a female character, Jen. She is divorced and never has sufficient time for that elusive work-life balance. Ross is a police officer who seems a bit full of himself but he too has reasons for being as he is. I enjoyed spending time with each of these characters.

The story is populated with many characters. There are businessmen, a curate and his girlfriend, an artist and many others. There is the murder victim whose backstory is essential to the plot. Also, there are three young women with Down Syndrome who are integral to the novel. Ms. Cleeves portrays each as a fully rounded person. She is clear eyed and empathetic in the portrayals of the three and their families.

This book was an excellent read and one that I highly recommend. I was sorry to get to the end of the book and only hope that the next in the series comes out soon. If you are a person who enjoys well written British mysteries, put this one on your TBR pile

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

  This is a humorously and adorably illustrated story book.  It starts with a cat in need of a hug and…watch what comes next!  Young children and their adults will find this book to be delightful.

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

Pub Date 01 Sep 2020