Book Love

Book Love is a new graphic collection by Debbie Tung.  Well known for her gentle comics about daily life and philosophy, this collection is all about books and the bookish life.  With an expected publication date in early Jan 2019 from Andrews McMeel, it's 144 pages and available in hardcover format.

The art (see cover) is simple and appealing.  The author manages to convey a wealth of emotion and drama with a few lines.  I found myself smiling and nodding a lot whilst reading this book. 

I could recognize myself in almost every panel.  I do take slight exception to her treatment of e-readers however.  I -adore- analog books and indeed my house is full to bursting with new and old favorites. On the other hand, I couldn't bear to be without my e-readers. They're indispensable for all the books I don't need to revisit and they take up so little room.  If they come up with an 'old book' room perfume, I'll be all set!

Adorable book.  This one would make a great gift for a bookish friend.

Four stars, appealing and relevant for anyone who loves books and reading.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

A Mage's Power

A Mage's Power is the first book of the Inquisition trilogy by Casey Wolfe.  It's a NA/older YA paranormal romance with a m/m lead.  Released 19th July 2018 by NineStar press, it's 270 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.

This book struck me as more of a romance with fantasy/magic (worked in where convenient) than a fantasy with romance.  Definitely heavy on the romance.  There's nothing wrong with that, but readers looking for straight fantasy and magic with a side order of romance are possibly going to be disappointed.

There's also remarkably little dramatic tension in the book.  This was a very low stress sweet novel with a plot that never really placed any of the lead characters in what felt like direct danger.  Whatever the bad guys do, the good guys just manage to crush them.

It felt odd to me that techy items like cell phones exist side by side with shapeshifters, incantations, and grimoires. It probably won't bother a lot of readers.  It honestly didn't bother me, but it was a noticeable nudge to my suspension of disbelief every time it happened.

The lead characters also do an awful lot of murdering and mayhem causing without much (any?) repercussions.  This book also includes a fair bit of insta-love and insta-bonding.  Again, that is likely a bonus for a lot of readers. 

The writing is even and well done.  There is an awful lot of good natured sarcastic banter, so if that's your thing, you'll be over the moon.

This is a clean romance and the naughty bits are implied rather than explicit. There is a fair bit of rough language (multiple uses of 'the F-bomb', as well as more minor bad language).  None of it really seems overly gratuitous.

A nice m/m romance, sweet and low drama.  It was a little bit on the sarcastic end of the spectrum for my tastes, but I'm not the target audience.  This is an undemanding fun read.

Three and a half stars. I liked it well enough to seek out other work by the author and I'm looking forward to see what's in store for Rowan and Shaw.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Final Resting Place (A Lincoln and Speed Mystery #3)

 Final Resting Place is the third Lincoln & Speed historical mystery by Jonathan F. Putnam. Released 10th July 2018 by Crooked Lane books, it's 288 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

The author is quite accomplished and I enjoyed the attention to historical detail. There were a number of small details (such as 'pigging') which were written into the narrative without unusual comment or fanfare.  I appreciated these small atmospheric additions.  Obviously it's a historical murder mystery and not an academic treatise.  People looking for actual history and not a well written historical mystery will likely be disappointed.  On the other hand, the mystery is well crafted and enjoyable.

The language is very clean and there isn't a lot of direct or graphic violence.  There was a graphic description of strychnine poisoning which was unappealing to me but was used effectively to drive the narrative ahead.

I had some trouble keeping some of the secondary characters straight, but that was due mostly to the fact that this book was my morning commute read and thus read in several short sessions. I did not ever find my interest in the plot or the mystery waning whilst I was reading.

All in all a good historical murder mystery, heavy on the history.  There was a nice afterword included also with some nice explanatory historical reference notes by the author.

Enjoyable.  Three and a half stars, rounded up for the great writing.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Loading Penguin Hugs

Loading Penguin Hugs is a collection of one-page uplifting and positive comics by Jacqueline Chen, aka Chibird.  Published by Andrews McMeel, with an expected release date 13th Nov 2018, it's 88 pages and available in hardcover format.

The style is extremely sweet and naive (see cover).  Reading the book in one sitting admittedly felt a little saccharine by the end, however these would be perfect for one-a-day positive notes to read before bed or even have a bedtime feel good minute with your kids.  I could also imagine these in single doses in a classroom setting or frankly whenever one needs a little boost.

In a world where every.single.second of news coverage feels like a fresh knell of doom, these little glimpses of positivity and kindness are truly a breath of fresh air.  I loved all of them and I have to say the hedgehogs and manatee comics made me *squee* a little bit :)

Four stars, lovely and sweet!

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

One Man's Meat (Flaxborough Chronicles #9)

One Man's Meat is the 9th Flaxborough mystery by Colin Watson. Originally released in 1977 as It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog, this reformat/re-release is 194 pages from Farrago Press and is available in ebook and paperback formats.

It's been a lot of fun to revisit these silver age English procedurals and this one in particular is a joy.  The general naughtiness level is less than most of the others in the series (with the exception of implied nudity/sex) but the wit and double entendres abound.  This outing for Inspector Purbright and co. sees them up against murder and double crosses galore along with industrial espionage.  Miss Teatime features prominently in this volume and she's delightful as always. 

I enjoyed the plotting and spareness of the prose.  It's only 194 pages, so a quick read.  Watson is incredibly adept at providing clues in the narrative without beating one over the head with them.  Nothing goes to waste in his writing and I could only shake my head in wondering admiration of the way he ties everything together at the end.  Brilliant.

This is definitely my favorite book in the series.  Wonderful writing.  I think Watson compares quite favorably with Maugham, if a bit more cheeky and given to sly *nudge* *wink* in-jokes occasionally.

Five stars, well worth chasing down for a smile and a pleasurable reading interlude.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

The Nightmare Before Dinner: Recipes and Drinks from The Beetle House, the Tim Burton and Salvador Dali-Inspired Restaurant

The Nightmare Before Dinner is a new theme restaurant inspired cookbook from Zach Neil and the Beetle House. Due out 16th Oct 2018 by Quarto group's Race Point imprint, it's 192 pages and available in hardback and ebook formats.

Whilst I've never generally been a fan of 'theme' restaurants, I do adore Tim Burton and whimsy along with the Gothic aesthetic.  This cookbook is full of all of the above along with genuinely delicious recipes for appealingly presented food with a lot of humor.

I tried one of the very first recipes in the book, Edward Sauce, and it's wonderful.  It's a sour cream and mayo based dipping sauce with a fair bit of kick from the sriracha and other ingredients.  Really delicious.

A lot of restaurant based cookbooks, and indeed quite a percentage of restaurants are unbelievably pretentious and recreating the recipes takes a lot of specialist ingredients which are difficult to source alongside a lot of eye-wateringly expensive equipment.  This cookbook is afflicted with neither problem.  The ingredients are easy to find and the equipment is likely to be had in any home kitchen.

The chapters are roughly arranged in meal order: sauces & dips, appetizers, soups & salads,  main courses, desserts, drinks, with a chapter of fun theme menus at the end.

The author has included tips for making the dishes vegan friendly (mostly consisting of using vegan friendly ingredients). All these dishes could easily be 'tamed down' somewhat and incorporated into a regular meny that wouldn't scandalize your elderly auntie.  There are a number of dishes with a decidedly spicy twist, chipotle, cayenne, and sriracha sauce figure large in many of the recipes, so proceed with caution if you have a guest who doesn't tolerate a bit of heat in their foods.

Appealing, irreverent, funny, and tasty.  As an example... here are the how-to instructions for the abovementioned Edward Sauce:

To Make It
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk the shit
out of them. Your finished sauce should have the
consistency of mayonnaise.

Four stars, I'll be making a lot more of these recipes regularly.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Extraordinary Origami: 20 Projects from Contemporary North American Masters

Extraordinary Origami is a new anthology of advanced origami designs edited by Marc Kirschenbaum. Released 9th Oct 2018 by Fox Chapel publishing, it's 160 pages and available in paperback format.

There are a phenomenal number of origami books out there.  Sometimes it's difficult to winnow out the truly useful from the bewildering array available.  This book distinguishes itself by providing 20 moderately challenging sculptures as well as providing code links to video step by step tutorials. All of the pieces are well made and appealing.  There's something in the collection which will appeal to even the most jaded origamist.

The tutorials themselves also run the gamut from more traditional animals (see cover), a bee, and a frog, to really whimsical tongue in cheek sculptures including a dog in his doghouse and a mounted dragon head (my favorite in the book).

The book does begin with an introduction to folds and diagrams.  The intro is followed by the 20 designs from current and past origami masters from North America. There's a nice short bio section at the end of the book covering all the contributors.

Definitely a good addition to the origamist's library. The photography is crisp and clear and supports the tutorials well.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

The Golden Ratio: The Divine Beauty of Mathematics

The Golden Ratio is a book on mathematics, written by Gary B. Meisner, an applied math guy who kept finding instances of phi (φ) in everything from sunflowers to renaissance paintings.

From his website:

The inspiration for the site was a deepening awareness and appreciation of the beauty and design in life. The more I explored, the more I discovered that the number called Phi, or 1.6180339…, appears as a pervasive constant of design in many aspects of our existence.

This book is ostensibly aimed at the layman.  That being said, it's not going to be a free ride. Much of the content covers concepts which require a deal of effort and thought. It is enjoyable on a surface read.  The illustrations and accompanying notes are appealing and historically interesting, however, the meat of the book requires some effort and probably some fiddling with pen and paper, following the proofs in the book.  The description of Pythagoras and the Kepler triangle made me smile.  (It's both gorgeous and elegant).

The book is arranged in chapters which introduce and develop the idea of phi, explain the golden ratio and progress to a discussion of occurrences of the golden ratio in art, mathematics, biology, engineering, and astronomy amongst others.  The text is accompanied by illustrations and stock photography which support and illustrate the examples. The book ends with appendices, a bibliography and further reading list along with notes from the author, image credits and acknowledgements and finishes with a cross referenced index.

This edition was released 18th Sept 2018 by Quarto's Race Point imprint, it's 224 pages and available in hardcover (and possibly ebook) formats.

Four stars for the engaging text and enthusiastic prose along with the lovely illustrations. The author's passion for the subject shines throughout the book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Knockout Knit Hats and Hoods: 30 Engaging Designs for Beanies, Tams, Slouches, and More

Knockout Knit Hats and Hoods is a new knitting inspiration and pattern book of headwear by Diane Serviss. Released 1st October 2018 by Rowman & Littlefield, it's 144 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

The designs range from truly whimsical (see cover) to more standard fare (toques, caps, slouchy hats, etc). Each of the 30 included designs follows the same format.  The introduction includes a general materials description of the required yarns along with specific model instructions and measurements. The directions are clear and understandable.  I really liked that each of the projects is pictured several times from different angles!  This is such a cool feature and one that other pattern books would do well to follow. Also (hallelujah!) the yarns for these projects runs the gamut from super chunky to worsted weight.  The projects range in difficulty from beginner to moderately experienced; something for everyone. All of the hats seem to be sized for adults though there is one matching project sized for children. 

There are many lovely projects included and at my quick search they didn't appear to be available elsewhere (ravelry, etsy, etc).

The photography is lovely and full color.  The book is well edited and appealing.  Just a good job all around.

Four solid stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

ABC What Can She Be?: Girls can be anything they want to be, from A to Z

ABC What Can She Be? is a new book from the ABC for me series.  It's a boardbook aimed at very young children and their caregivers.  Published 02 Oct 2018 by Quarto publishing imprint Walter Foster Jr., it's 36 colorful pages.  Illustrated by Jessie Ford of Sugar Snap Studio, it's an alphabet book full of dreams for girls.

I liked that the book included careers with long and demanding educational paths (neurosurgeon and quantum physicist) side by side with vocational careers (mechanic and chef). The girls pictured are ethnically diverse and differently-abled.

I am an optimist and believe that someday (soon) we won't need books telling our daughters that they can choose whatever career paths they wish to pursue, but we're not there yet. This is a sweet and non-judgemental book.

The text is written in non-rhyming free verse with a one sentence explanation of what each job entails.

Thoroughly charming.  I really liked it and think it would make a nice reading group selection in a classroom setting for younger kids.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Murder in Friday Street (Peter and Georgia Marsh #2)

Murder in Friday Street is the second book in the Marsh & Daughter mystery series by Amy Myers. Released 18th July, 2018 by Endeavour Media, it's 246 pages and available in ebook and hardback formats.

The series features a wheelchair bound former policeman and his daughter who write 'real crime' accounts of cold cases they research.  This particular book has them researching a very cold case which may have a tie in with a modern murder in the same village (Friday Street is the name of the village). 

The writing is very solid.  The author is competent and prolific and I enjoyed the actual writing and dialogue.  My problems came from the other aspects of the book. I found the plotting slow and convoluted.  Keeping track of the secondary characters was very difficult and the plot twists were more confusing than enlightening.  There were no 'aha' moments.  I didn't really feel much invested in the story, and that's a shame because it really is very well written.  The denouement wasn't at all unexpected but I had hopes that the action wouldn't be as straightforward as it had been foreshadowed (it was).

I believe that fans of modern amateur sleuth mysteries, especially ones dealing with the seething repressed undercurrents apparently rife in rural villages in England, might find something here.  Possibly worth noting, this book (and the series) are included in the Kindle Unlimited library and thus available to KU subscribers to borrow for free.

Three stars (mostly for the actual writing).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Plaster Sinners (Flaxborough Chronicles #11)

Plaster Sinners is the 11th Flaxborough mystery by Colin Watson. Released 12th July, 2018 by Farrago, it's 160 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.  This edition is a reformatting and re-release of Watson's original from 1980. For a book which is almost 40 years old, the wordplay is still droll and quite amusing.

As in all of the (highly recommended) books in this series, Colin Watson manages to skewer English village life.  His characters are well drawn and humorous. And yes, this book is ridiculous, none of it would fly in real life, but it really works as a funny mystery/procedural.  As with the other books in the series, puns and wordplay get a starring role.  It's well worth reading and savoring this series slowly to enjoy the masterful writing. Colin Watson had a rare talent, and it's a joy to be able to revisit Flaxborough.

Five stars.  I'm a bit sad that there's just one more book in the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Lucy Maud Montgomery

L.M. Montgomery is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams.  Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Anuska Allepuz, it was released 2nd Oct, 2018 by Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint.  Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read.  It's available in ebook and hardcover formats.

This entire series really impresses me with its biographies of women who lived quite difficult lives and experienced opposition, racism, threats of violence and other things which might not be entirely suitable for young kids. The way the books are written doesn't completely avoid or sugarcoat what they lived through; it also doesn't present it in a way I would be uncomfortable reading it to my own or others' kids.

In this particular book in the series, young Maud suffers the early loss of her mother and her father leaves her in the care of her grandparents, who provided for her physically but were remote and generally unaffectionate.  She turned to her prodigious imagination and the incredible nature around her to keep her company in her isolation.

The art supports and enhances the simple, stark history beautifully.

Five stars for the book and the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

     

Can't Catch Me: And Other Twice-Told Tales

Can't Catch Me: And Other Twice-Told Tales is a collection of short fiction by poet and author Michael Cadnum. Originally released in 2006 by Tachyon, it's 181 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.  The book's 18 stories (5 of which are original to this collection, by my count) are retellings/twists on mythology or fairy tales. 

I love anthologies and collections because you get a broader sense of an author's style and capabilities, and if a story doesn't appeal for whatever reason, there's another one coming along in a few pages. For this reason, I often skip around when reading anthologies/collections and try to take notes during my reading. Unusually for me, I read this collection straight through, cover to cover.

The basic stories are so well known that to most readers, they'll be almost cultural background noise.  Jack and the beanstalk/Jack the giant killer, Humpty Dumpty, Goldilocks, the gingerbread man and the others are instantly recognizable, but many of them are so deftly twisted, they become quite original.  I especially liked the ones told from another viewpoint. Mrs. Big (Jack and the Beanstalk) was outstanding and so was Naked Little Men (The Elves and the Shoemaker).  I would say all the stories rate 3-5 stars and for me the overall rating is a solid 4 stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Astronomy Lab for Kids, abridged paperback edition: 26 Fun, Family-friendly Activities

Astronomy Lab for Kids is a new reformatting and abridged re-release of Astronomy Lab for Kids (pub 2016) by Michelle Nichols. This abridged version is 80 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.

I'm a huge fan of STEM education for everyone.  In fact, the earlier we can introduce everyone to the  limitless opportunities for growth, discovery, problem solving and coolness, the better off we'll all be. I'm therefore quite excited whenever I see science/tech books aimed specifically at young readers (and their caregivers).  The author of this book is an experienced educator with a science background.

Although this book is generally aimed at kids, there are a lot of really neat labs which answer questions which would stump many adults (for example, why are there so many craters on the moon, mom?!). The book's format presents learning units set up as safe lab exercises which can be done in a limited amount of time, with a limited number of household items and in a manner which is fun, engaging, and accessible.

The photography and text supplement and support the experiments very well.  I like that the author gently introduces good lab protocol regarding safety and recordkeeping (lab journals for the win!).

This is a good appealing and solid book, very well done.

Five stars

I do have one truly minuscule quibble with the book, and I feel nit-picky even writing this down.  At the end, the experimenters pictured in the book (the children), get credit photos, and it struck me that the caucasian kids were over-represented. (Short explanatory apology.  I went through university in an engineering program in the early 1980s and across all the disciplines, there were only a handful of girls/women. I spent my university years very isolated and alone (as well as being 3-4 years younger than my peers.) This book gets the gender ratio democratically correct at 50/50 boys/girls, but they seem to be mostly or all(?) white kids).  It shouldn't matter, and it doesn't really matter, and I am sure that the editors and author considered this.  It's also entirely possible that whatever selection criteria were used to find the participants was limited by the applicants or something.

Anyhow.  STEM book for kids, and it's a good one.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Simone de Beauvoir

Simone de Beauvoir is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams.  Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Christine Roussey, it was released 2nd Oct, 2018 by Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint.  Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read.  It's available in ebook and hardcover formats.

This series is really amazing for its accessibility and charm.  These are profoundly important people who have lived through and experienced deeply difficult lives while affecting billions of people past and present.  How do you take hugely important peoples' biographies and condense them down into a digestible and appealing format for very young children (and their caregivers)?  I wouldn't have the first glimmer of a clue where to even start.  The author of the books starts at the subjects' childhoods and moves on to their later lives and experiences. 

 This particular book and the artist's finesse with settings and postures/expressions is pure charm.  Her drawings of Sartre were instantly recognizable and adorable (I giggled out loud) but still managed to convey respect for the subject.  Major kudos.  

I really love all of these books I've read and reviewed and recommend this one unreservedly.  In addition to the biography, there is a short additional bibliography/suggested reading list included at the end of the book.

Lovely book! Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams.  Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Beatrice Cerocchi, it's due out 4th Oct, 2018 from Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint.  Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read.  It's available in hardcover format.

I really love that this book shows young Lucy working for her dreams and give background about her early life.  Bonus points for a cameo from Louis Leakey <3

Included at the end of the book is a very short bibliography for further suggested reading.

The book (and the series) is very high quality and the art by Beatrice Cerocchi is lovely and expressive (without being fussy).

Five stars, really well done.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes