I find samplers like The Algonquin Reader Fall 2017 to be exceedingly helpful in selecting choice books to add to my TBR stack. Loved reading the exce I find samplers like The Algonquin Reader Fall 2017 to be exceedingly helpful in selecting choice books to add to my TBR stack. Loved reading the excerpts and essays by authors included in this fine volume. 5/5
Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine.
#TheAlgonquinReader #NetGalley
Merged review:
I find samplers like The Algonquin Reader Fall 2017 to be exceedingly helpful in selecting choice books to add to my TBR stack. Loved reading the excerpts and essays by authors included in this fine volume. 5/5
Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine.
Hip hip hurrah! The July/August 2018 Buzz Books Monthly is here, with excerpts of seven titles due for publication in July and August. I ❤️ these sampHip hip hurrah! The July/August 2018 Buzz Books Monthly is here, with excerpts of seven titles due for publication in July and August. I ❤️ these samplers and this one was no exception. 5/5
Thanks to Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine.
Merged review:
Hip hip hurrah! The July/August 2018 Buzz Books Monthly is here, with excerpts of seven titles due for publication in July and August. I ❤️ these samplers and this one was no exception. 5/5
Thanks to Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine....more
The Algonquin Reader Spring 2017 is a terrific look at some great novels, ones I now look forward to reading. Also loved the essays by each featured aThe Algonquin Reader Spring 2017 is a terrific look at some great novels, ones I now look forward to reading. Also loved the essays by each featured author. 5/5
Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine.
#TheAlgonquinReader #NetGalley
Merged review:
The Algonquin Reader Spring 2017 is a terrific look at some great novels, ones I now look forward to reading. Also loved the essays by each featured author. 5/5
Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for this fun read. Opinions are mine.
I gasped with joy when I received this ARC from Berkley Publishing. How could any book lover not?
So beautifully written, so deftly described, the storI gasped with joy when I received this ARC from Berkley Publishing. How could any book lover not?
So beautifully written, so deftly described, the story introduces readers to American Sylvia Beach who opened Shakespeare and Company in Paris in 1919.
Soon home to such literary lights as Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Elliot, and Ezra Pound, the now iconic bookstore became a beacon of freedom when Sylvia decided to publish James Joyce's banned ULYSSES.
What a compelling read as we learn the emotional and financial fallout, and also feel the impact of the global Depression when many of Sylvia's author friends returned home. Equally poignant is her personal story as a lesbian who found community and love in the City of Light.
Highly recommended for anyone who adores books, histfic novels you just can't put down, and Paris, which as Audrey said, "Is always a good idea." Out January 11.
Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.
Oh how I loved the series’ first book, DEAR MRS. BIRD, and was thrilled to get the ARC for this sequel. Set in London during 1941, we find spirited EmOh how I loved the series’ first book, DEAR MRS. BIRD, and was thrilled to get the ARC for this sequel. Set in London during 1941, we find spirited Emmy Lake promoted to the position of advice columnist for WOMEN’S FRIEND magazine after her legendary boss leaves.
AJ Pearce has created such a charming cast of characters with Emmy, her beau Charles, and her best friend Bunty, still impacted by a grievous loss during the Blitz. From the first book through this compelling continuation, I felt so close to this warm and loving group that I turned the pages eagerly to follow their stories.
At this critical time in WWII, Britain begins to ask for help from women’s magazines to recruit females to war work. Emmy is torn between wanting to help, and feeling real concern after she learns the truth about what this work entails.
The author brings us England during the early war years so faithfully that I found myself laughing at the dry British wit, crying at the real losses, and holding on to hope that all would be well. As long as Pearce writes, I will Keep Calm and Read On. She and her books are that good!
5 of 5 Stars Pub Date 10 Aug 2021 #YoursCheerfully #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Scribner, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine....more
What would you have done as an average citizen in Nazi Germany? Would you have confronted evil or collaborated to protect your life?
That’s the questioWhat would you have done as an average citizen in Nazi Germany? Would you have confronted evil or collaborated to protect your life?
That’s the question asked by THE GIRL IN BERLIN, which makes it such a gripping and heartbreaking hf read.
We first see the country through the eyes of young Leisel Scholz, who lives a sheltered life in 1936, with her chemist father, who has ties to high Nazi officials. She’s not aware at first of the distressing changes in the city until she meets Rosa, daughter of the Scholz’s Jewish housekeeper, who opens her eyes to the growing hatred and violence against Jews. Soon she feels she MUST help Rosa and her family, no matter the cost.
We’re re-introduced to Berlin in post-war 1946, a broken city when American Captain Sam Houghton arrives to try prominent Nazis and assist in the rebuilding. His assistant, Anna, has secrets unknown to him related to the Nazi Party — and to two young girls who became friends when the world shattered. I promise, this one will break and reshape your heart!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 25 Feb 2021 #TheGirlfromBerlin #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine....more
I was reminded of William Faulkner when I read Maria Hummel’s latest art world mystery, LESSON IN RED. Both use innovative but abstruse storytelling sI was reminded of William Faulkner when I read Maria Hummel’s latest art world mystery, LESSON IN RED. Both use innovative but abstruse storytelling structures. Faulkner, with his unpunctuated stream-of-consciousness; Hummel, with a chaotic narrative that lacks timelines or clearly defined characters.
Both show the world through a cloudy lens, reflecting the blurred edges of real life. Now Faulkner grew on me after time and study. I suspect Hummel will too. Recommended for literary readers who appreciate fresh writing styles.
3 of 3 Stars
Pub Date 01 Jun 2021 #LessonInRed #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Counterpoint Press, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
“And I say, how lucky I was. I was only buried alive a few hours, you know.” — Eithne O’Connor, Belfast Blitz survivor
I was so moved by THE ELEPHANT OF“And I say, how lucky I was. I was only buried alive a few hours, you know.” — Eithne O’Connor, Belfast Blitz survivor
I was so moved by THE ELEPHANT OF BELFAST! What a thrilling narrative and a totally different twist on WWII novels of late. Young zookeeper Hettie takes charge of Violet’s care when the elephant arrives from Ceylon to the Belfast docks. Each needs the other, with Hettie already suffering family loss and Violet needing comfort far from home. As the war nears, precautions are taken by the city, but none are enough when the Nazis blitz Belfast and its zoo on Easter Tuesday 1941.
Nearly 675 bombs were unleashed, killing 1,000 residents and leaving half the city homeless. Oh my heart! As bombs fell, Hettie ran to the zoo to check on Violet. What she heard was an unnerving din of terrified creatures:
“The calls of the animals soared into a vortex of cries and screams while the Germans continued to bomb Belfast. All of it was breaking upon Hettie—the horror, the sadness, the loss—at once.”
A tale both heartbreaking and inspiring, THE ELEPHANT OF BELFAST is based on the true story of the “Elephant Angel,” Belfast’s zookeeper Denise Austin, who hid Sheila the pachyderm at her home during the bombing raids. What courage, what friendship, and what a stellar read!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 06 Apr 2021 #TheElephantofBelfast #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Counterpoint Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
Jane Austen lovers will adore this gorgeous edition of EMMA, same text but embellished throughout with delicate artwork by renown artist Marjolein BasJane Austen lovers will adore this gorgeous edition of EMMA, same text but embellished throughout with delicate artwork by renown artist Marjolein Bastin. Part of The Marjolein Bastin Classics Series, and a grand gift for any Janeite!
5 of 5 Stars Pub Date 02 Mar 2021 #Emma #NetGalley
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine....more
Charlotte Brontë fans will thrill to this lush version of the beloved classic JANE EYRE. Original text is enhanced by colorful illustrations throughouCharlotte Brontë fans will thrill to this lush version of the beloved classic JANE EYRE. Original text is enhanced by colorful illustrations throughout by famed artist Marjolein Bastin. A collector’s dream and a stunning gift for Brontë devotees!
5 of 5 Stars Pub Date 02 Mar 2021 #JaneEyre #NetGalley
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine....more
I swooned when I found this enchanting version of one of my fave books ever, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, rendering me as stunned as when Darcy arose from thaI swooned when I found this enchanting version of one of my fave books ever, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, rendering me as stunned as when Darcy arose from that pond in his puffy shirt! The lovely artwork by popular illustrator Marjolein Bastin sets off the original text to perfection. I know now what I want for my birthday. In fact, I’ll ask for the whole Marjolein Bastin series, collectible copies that reintroduce classic literature to the world. Oh happy days!
5 of 5 Stars Pub Date 02 Mar 2021 #PrideandPrejudice #NetGalley
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine....more
John Hough Jr. comes from generations of journalists, his spare style echoing that fine métier. He draws us quietly, assuredly, into the troubled intiJohn Hough Jr. comes from generations of journalists, his spare style echoing that fine métier. He draws us quietly, assuredly, into the troubled intimacy of a long wed couple, Pete and Jackie. Thrown by her cancer diagnosis, they’re also shaken when a past high school mate shows up at Pete’s debut book signing.
The author deftly reveals the poignant impact, as they struggle with secrets, raw feelings, disease, and an empty nest — a once happy marriage challenged now to its core. It feels as if the two are our best couple friends, and we agonize as they decide, “Will we stay together?” Elegant and heartrending, THE SWEETEST DAYS will keep you rapt ‘til the end.
5 of 5 Stars Pub Date 22 Jun 2021 #TheSweetestDays #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine....more
Stephanie Dray writes thrilling historical fiction, and The Women of Chateau Lafayette is no exception. Readers get a look at life in what Dray calls Stephanie Dray writes thrilling historical fiction, and The Women of Chateau Lafayette is no exception. Readers get a look at life in what Dray calls Lafayette’s “fortress of freedom” during three gripping eras: the French Revolution, WWI and WWII, focusing on courageous women from each period and their stirring legacies. HF lovers, don’t miss this!
Pub Date 30 Mar 2021
Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
The Algonquin Readers offer a tasty way to preview upcoming fiction, and the latest issue is a treat. Excerpts from select authors plus an essay by eaThe Algonquin Readers offer a tasty way to preview upcoming fiction, and the latest issue is a treat. Excerpts from select authors plus an essay by each makes this a must-have literary read. Topped off by that cover illustration by Curtis Parker ... gorgeous!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 26 May 2020
Thanks to the authors, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
The author’s debut starts with assurance and an intriguing narrative set in an elite girls’ boarding school. (Think Curtis Sittenfeld’s cult classic PThe author’s debut starts with assurance and an intriguing narrative set in an elite girls’ boarding school. (Think Curtis Sittenfeld’s cult classic PREP.) But I DNF, for the same reason I DNF PREP. The boarding school world interests me not at all. I could not relate to sniveling teens and their artificial lives. Just me. I’m sure PREP lovers will adore ALL GIRLS. To each her own!
Pub Date 16 Feb 2021
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
NOT WW II — WHEW! I first saw this book, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, on NetGalley and knew I had to read it. What a joy to find glorious historNOT WW II — WHEW! I first saw this book, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, on NetGalley and knew I had to read it. What a joy to find glorious historical fiction not set during WW II.
COLD WAR THRILLER Prescott’s debut novel occurs during the Cold War, with chapters that flip between the CIA in the States and Russia — where Boris Pasternak (author of DR. ZHIVAGO) and lover Olga (inspiration for the character Lara), struggle to get his masterpiece published.
MAGNIFICENT NYT critic Janet Maslin calls THE SECRETS WE KEPT “above average.” I found it magnificent, and I am not alone as it sold to Knopf for $2 million at auction. I tore through the pages, lost in the world of spies and counterspies and the CIA’s efforts to smuggle Pasternak’s opus, finally published in the West, back into Russia as a propaganda tool.
CIA ALIVE Prescott does a splendid job of creating the life of the all female CIA typing pool, from which a young Russian America woman is plucked for espionage work, first trained by a young man she becomes engaged to, then by a gorgeous experienced female spy she falls in love with. We see the rampant anti-LGBTQ prejudice that ruined careers and lives, and the toxic sexism of the mid-century, which sent former female OSS stars to die professionally as typists.
PATH TO SUCCESS The author’s own path to literary success is as thrilling as the plot. She was turned down initially by grad schools, then after accepted into Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas was told by a literary agent that Russia was no longer of interest to readers.
SUPERSTAR Initially deflated she kept on writing, leading to the $2 million auction, novel rights sold in 30 countries, and a major movie sale option.
IMPATIENT WAIT As Churchill said, “Never give in — never, never, never, never.” Thank God Lara Prescott did not. I can’t praise her debut enough and am counting the hours ‘til her next offering....more
Lit as Catalyst This witty novella about Queen Elizabeth II’s newfound love of books captivates the reader.
Beloved Writer Penned by an adored British plLit as Catalyst This witty novella about Queen Elizabeth II’s newfound love of books captivates the reader.
Beloved Writer Penned by an adored British playwright and actor, it enthralls from start ‘til the surprise ending.
Growing TBR Pile One could compile a worthy to-read list just from the mentioned books. Plus the Queen’s transformation through literature warms the heart.
Shocking Yet I do love her firing of handlers who try to control her. And the last scene entrances as she reveals a stunning plan to morph from reader to writer.
Brit Love Finished easily in one sitting, this quirky novella is highly recommended for Anglophiles who dig royalty and high satire. Cheers!...more
Always adore Algonquin’s excellent preview collection of literary fiction, with original essays from each featured author. The Spring 2019 edition folAlways adore Algonquin’s excellent preview collection of literary fiction, with original essays from each featured author. The Spring 2019 edition follows this fine tradition in elegant style. 5/5
Pub Date 02 Jan 2019.
Thanks to the authors, Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
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