Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning through Making

Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning through Making is an interesting monograph in the Sigma series, on materials and how they're utilized by Dr. Anna Ploszajski. Released 27th June 2023 by Bloomsbury on their Sigma imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook format. (Other editions available in additional formats).  It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is emphatically *not* a tutorial or crafting guide. What it is, is a materials scientist's exploration of materials and how their characteristics relate to their use and suitability to craft different purposes. The author is meticulous and clearly knowledgeable and goes into depth about the physical properties of each material she covers. The writing is not academic,

The book is arranged into chapters by subject: Glass, Plastic, Steel, Brass, Clay, Sugar, Wool, Wood, Paper, and Stone. The work is not too technical for laypeople to understand and the chapters are not annotated. There is a cross referenced index with live hyperlinks in the back of the book. 

The style is chatty and accessible. I found the information and history interesting.This would make a good choice for public library acquisition, maker's groups, materials science and popular science readers.

Four and a half stars - with the codicil that readers pick it up forewarned. 

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

Making Polymer Clay Earrings: Essential Techniques and 20 Step-by-Step Beginner Jewelry Projects

 Making Polymer Clay Earrings is a useful, beginner friendly tutorial guide for polymer clay written and curated by Liat Weiss. Released 21st June 2023 by Fox Chapel, it's 144 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

Virtually everyone has used polymer clay at some point. It's available at crafts and big-box retailers, by mail order, and I've even seen it at some larger grocery stores. The disconnect comes when you get your little packages of plastic home and try to make something. Even with the best intentions, none of my creations bore the slightest resemblance to the pictures I had up in my head. I needed a step-by-step tutorial, and this is a good one. The book is full of cute exuberant and colorful projects and well written tutorials to guide readers through projects to finished items (which actually look like the things they're meant to be).

I'm definitely a process based learner, so this book was perfect. The photographs are crisp and clear, the steps are very well delineated, and the projects are appealing, stylish, and artistic (see cover). There are a wide variety of subject tutorials, and all the basic-intermediate techniques are included such as marbling, blending, millefiori (in simple canes), 3D shapes, etc.

This would make an amazing activity guide for scouts, church or library maker's groups, or classroom art instruction. I'm a middle aged adult and I am absolutely going to use the tutorials here to make myself some charms for my embroidery scissors and needle minders. This is a wonderfully inspiring book which had my fingers itching to get started!

The full size templates are included as well as an abbreviated resource/links list with worldwide suppliers.

Four and a half stars.

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

Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year is a thoughtful volume on the cyclical nature of life and our connections to it by Rebecca Beattie. Released 15th June 2023 by Elliott & Thompson Books, it's 224 pages and is available in paperback format. 

This is a beautifully calming and charmingly presented guide to re-learning awareness of our natural rhythms and re-learning to live more in sync with our natural environment. Built around the Celtic calendar, there are 8 chapters based on each of the sacred days (midwinter, Imbolc, spring equinox, Beltane, summer solstice, Lammas, autumnal equinox, and Samhain). 

The writing is nature based and contemplative. Suggested activities and tutorials will allow readers to connect to the deeper rhythms in their own lives as well as (no matter what our personal belief system) to slow down and *be* and *breathe*. It's written from the author's own viewpoint as a Wiccan, but for readers who subscribe to other belief systems, or none at all, there are still lots of valuable insights and activities which will be of interest.

It's not specifically written serially with seasonal activities; readers can start at any point on the circle. Whether the reader follows the prompts in order or not, there are real, proven benefits to slowing down and spending more time interacting with nature. I have no doubt that following the prompts regularly over the course of a year would give measurably positive results.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, self study, homesteaders, and gift giving to a like minded recipient. 

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

The Talk

 

The Talk is a moving and frank look at the reality of growing up black in the USA by Pulitzer Prize winner Darrin Bell. Released 6th June 2023 by Macmillan on their Henry Holt imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

Dialogue is important, vital, to change and awareness. There is so much aggressively unresolved trauma surrounding race in the USA which people haven't been able to process. This is an expressive and often heartbreaking autobiographical graphic novel about the author's lived experience growing up in the 80s in Los Angeles. 

It's a plain-spoken monograph on generational trauma; from his mother's refusal to buy him a realistic gun-looking water pistol to his own adult need to have "The Talk" with his own son. It's profound and heartbreaking. 

Five stars. This is a superlatively illustrated and well written important book. It would make a great selection for public and school library acquisition, although it will likely be the subject of banning, challenge, and censure in some areas of the USA.

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

The Vienna Writers Circle

The Vienna Writers Circle is a fictionalized account of Freud's circle of intellectual acquaintances during the early war years, starting in 1938 in Vienna. Released 14th Feb 2023 by HarperCollins on their MIRA imprint, it's 416 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out 1st quarter 2024 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a beautifully written, often lyrical book which nevertheless is frank and unflinching. That made it difficult to read in some places. Given the subject matter, it would be difficult for it -not- to be shocking and sad, and it is. The author, J.C. Maetis, has a deft touch with characterization and a real eye for detail in setting descriptions. 

The book is written pseudonymously, presumably because the author's well known oeuvre as a writer of thrillers, and this is in a very different vein. It's fiction, and the story is written around a framework of actual historical events and characters so skillfully that it's not at all clear where real history shades over into fiction.

Four stars. This would make a good library book for acquisition. Sensitive readers should be aware that it's quite dark in places (well, obviously). For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale, and Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, although not at all derivative, this one will have a lot of appeal. 

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

How to Hatch a Reader

How to Hatch a Reader is an adorable early reader book for the youngest readers by Kari Ann Gonzalez. Due out 15th Aug 2023 from Gnome Road, it's 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format. 

This is a free verse, fully illustrated, and simply written book about learning to read. It's full of humorous wordplay and lots of "fowl" humor. The art, by Rachel Suzanne is bright and colorful and filled with small details that will invite readers to take a closer look. The entire book is exuberant and colorful.

The author/publisher have also included a short list of resources and tips for learning to read aimed at educators and parents in the back of the book.

Five stars. This would be a great choice for classroom, home, or public library acquisition. 

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

Heir of Uncertain Magic - Whimbrel House #2

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second Whimbrel House historical paranormal mystery by Charlie N. Holmberg. Released 11th April 2023 by Amazon on their 47North imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The first book in the series, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, is also currently available on KU. 

This is a very well written ensemble cast character driven mystery/fantasy with an engaging bunch of protagonists and a seamless world-building magic system. The characters are well rendered and believable within the framework of a paranormal fantasy. It's a historical mystery, set in the early Victorian period and although it's not at all derivative (and a different time period altogether) it fits in the same general shelf as Stross' Laundry Files, and Stroud's Bartimaeus. 

The agency is filled with the sort of bureaucrats that readers love to hate: bumbling, incompetent, completely malign or a combination. Protagonist Hulda is efficient and admirably restrained, but not about to take being sidelined without a fight. Her foil, Merritt is the homeowner of a formerly magical house for whom Hulda was previously employed (book 1) as housekeeper and factotum. The author has an admirable eye for detail and even the secondary and tertiary characters are well fleshed out and add important detail to the story. 

Four stars. It's not a fluffy cozy, there are some hard edged descriptions here, including the magical abuse of a child, admittedly currently inhabiting a dog's body. There are also some really really over the top silly departmental acronyms which yanked me out of the story, BIKER and LIKER to name a couple.

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

Just Murdered - Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries #1

Just Murdered is a wonderfully humorous and engagingly cozy series starter by Katherine Kovacic. Released 31st Jan 2023 by Sourcebooks on their Poisoned Pen Press imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Whenever a media franchise/series does well, spinoffs are inevitable. Booksellers and publishers survive by selling "units" and so most times, the faceless folks making the marketing decisions aren't always equally engaged in the artistry or storytelling. Certainly true of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek, even Pokemon. Happily, in this case, spinoff doesn't mean lesser. This is a genuinely well written, warmly funny book featuring everyone's favorite flapper's niece in the title role. 

Young Ms. Peregrine Fisher (niece of the inimitable Phryne) is summoned to the Antipodes in connection with an inheritance. She's inherited her aunt's house, money, and apparently her penchant for solving mysteries.

This novelization set in the 60s and based on the characters of the spin-off TV series. 

Four and half stars. I adore the original series by Kerry Greenwood, but this one holds its own quite well and is cheeky and humorous in the same general vein. 

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

The Twyford Code

The Twyford Code is an odd standalone literary mystery full of wordplay and misdirection written by Janice Hallett. Released 24th Jan 2023 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in mid-third quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The pacing here is very very odd. The first third of the book is a mish-mash of transcribed audio files, interviews, and snippets. It seems to get under its own feet and it's not before about a third of the way through that the narrative sorts itself out and seems to become more linear and readable. The author is both experienced and prolific, so it's clearly a completely intentional choice, but seems to be of limited effectiveness in this case.

The mystery is very well constructed; a very cold case disappearance, a literary mystery and a treasure hunt wrapped in one. The setup of the puzzle, the painstaking clue-gathering, the climax and denouement, are all satisfying but off-kilter throughout. 

Four stars. A pleasantly confusing and intellectual puzzle. It's quite cleverly constructed and worth the effort to get to the solution.

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

A Date to Die For - The Hopgood Hall Murder Mysteries #1

A Date to Die For is the first Hopgood Hall cozy by E.V. Hunter. Released 3rd Feb 2023 by small press indie Boldwood Books, it's 268 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.The second book is also available on KU and a third in the series is due out late 3rd quarter 2023 from the same publisher. 

This is a well written, engaging, and finely constructed amateur sleuth mystery pairing an investigative journalist on hiatus, with a handsome PI looking for a missing person related to a family member's dating agency. There's a strong side element of romance, so readers who prefer romance in their cozies will likely enjoy that aspect of the story. The characters are well rendered and mostly believable and the pacing and plot are well done and satisfyingly resolved. 

There are potentially distressing elements for sensitive readers including sexual abuse, and prostitution. There is no explicit content or language and the abuse is included from the distant past. As is typical for cozies, there is no graphic on page violence (except in the prologue, briefly), and the language is clean.

Spelling and vernacular are British standard English, but won't likely pose a problem for readers in context. 

Four stars. A promising start. With two books extant in the series, and a third due out in Sept '23, it would make a good choice for a short binge or buddy read. 

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

Unnatural History - Alex Delaware #38

 

Unnatural History is the 38th Alex Delaware procedural mystery by Jonathan Kellerman. Released 7th Feb 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, large print paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This has been such a solid and dependable very long-running series. The returning characters are so well defined at this point, with so much background written in, that they really seem to live and breathe. Dr. Delaware himself is always insightful and the "odd couple" aspects of his relationship with Detective Milo Sturgis are fun and engaging to read. I don't think I'm familiar with a series which is this long running which doesn't have moments which feel less vital and less well written. This series has delivered solidly since 1985 which is stupendous, and that the author continues to deliver without feeling too formulaic or "phoned in" is unbelievably wonderful.

This is a modern procedural and, as in the other books, the descriptions and themes can be graphic. There are aspects of aberrant psychology or behavior and themes which may be upsetting for some readers. The mystery itself is straightforward in this case, the shooting death of a young artist scion of a very odd, very wealthy family with an extremely reclusive patriarch. Alex Delaware is called in by Milo to try and untangle the odd family dynamics, and as always, his observations are vital to the solving of the case.

The mystery itself and all necessary back-story are written in, so it works quite well as a standalone. I recommend the whole series, but readers who are new to the characters won't have any trouble keeping up. This series would make a superlative buddy/binge/summer vacation read, or a year long project for a mystery book club. Highly successful, it's already on public library acquisition lists, but if not, it's a must have.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 11 hours 11 minutes and is capably narrated by long time series narrator John Rubinstein. Mr. Rubinstein does a superb job juggling the different characters and his baritone voice manages to go from adenoidal whiny to gravelly and hard-boiled (Milo) without a single hiccup. Sound and production quality are very high throughout the read.

Four and a half stars. A solid mystery in a very solid, very long-running series.

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

Threadneedle - The Language of Magic #1

Threadneedle is the first in a series of YA dark academia fantasy novels by Cari Thomas. Released 27 May 2021 by HarperCollins on their HarperVoyager imprint, it's 576 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback (31st Jan '23), audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a well written character driven YA tale. MC Anna has been taught to fear and loathe her magical talent by her repressive and cruelly disapproving aunt. She's approaching the day when a ceremony will bind her magic forever, when she meets exuberant and irrepressible young students Effie and Attis. They're soon off having adventures and exploring their magic and testing boundaries. 

At its essence, it's a YA coming-of-age novel. The background, world building, and magic systems are expertly rendered. I found the first parts of the book quite a relentless slog (until she meets up with Effie). There are potentially triggering on-page descriptions of emotional manipulation and physical abuse and gaslighting. Then *poof* (more or less) the book changes to a YA school C-o-A story, with all the drama and most of the silliness that entails.

Three and a half stars (mostly for the dichotomy of the first third of the book compared to the latter parts). The writing is very good throughout. For fans of Phillip Pullman, Leigh Bardugo, and Kerri Maniscalco, this one will likely be made to order. It's a substantial book, but there's also a novella in the same general world/pantheon, but set in Wales, contra London.

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

How to Speak Whale: The Power and Wonder of Listening to Animals

How to Speak Whale is a beautifully written, layman accessible monograph on cross-species communication by Tom Mustill. Released 6th Sept 2022 by Hachette on their Grand Central imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in late 3rd quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

The book is layman accessible, and I found it a fascinating read. It's well annotated (and the chapter notes and index links make for fascinating further reading) but doesn't get bogged down in overly academic language. This is popular science writing - not an academic study guide or textbook. The author does present a broad range of species and behaviors. It's clear he's knowledgeable and deeply, profoundly respectful. There are a handful of popular science and zoology writers who have the gift of writing layman accessibly and engagingly on their topics of expertise, and he has a deft and engaging touch.

Five stars. Heartily recommended for readers of science, ecology, and similar subjects.

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

Brought to Book - Rona Parish #1

Brought to Book is the first Rona Parish cozy mystery by Anthea Fraser. Originally published in 2003, this reformat and re-release is from Severn House, has 224 pages and is available in ebook format. Other editions available in other formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully well written, eminently readable, and entertaining cozy mystery; the first in the series of 10 books. The protagonist is a well regarded and intelligent biographer who is approached to write a biography of a recently deceased famous author and finds that his life and death might be much more complex that anyone was previously aware. 

The plot is intricate and the mystery so well constructed. The author has a gift with descriptive prose and there is no "telling" and all "showing". Ms. Fraser manages to convey mood and setting effectively and seamlessly.

As befits the genre, the language is relatively clean (a few "bloodies", "damn" and a single "buggered" (used as a mild idiomatic curse, not literally)), and the violence is off-page. There is a poisoning, of the MC's golden retriever, Gus. No spoilers, but I didn't throw the book out the window. Spelling and vernacular are standard British English, but won't pose problems in context for readers elsewhere.

Wonderfully written and worthwhile. With 10 books in the series, it would be a perfect candidate for a long binge or buddy read, as well as a nice side project for a mystery book club to tackle. There are worthwhile discussion themes and interestingly varied characters. 

Four and a half stars. Sincere hopes that Severn House's plans include new editions for the rest of the series. 

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

Against the Currant - Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries #1

 

 

Against the Currant is the first book in a new shopfront cozy mystery series, by Olivia Matthews. Released 24th Jan 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 304 pages and available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

The author is prolific, talented, experienced in her craft, and most importantly genuinely readable. This is a breezy fun shopfront cozy with a confrontation avoiding introverted young baker who nevertheless has to put on her big girl pants and deal with a competing baker who's a bully and owns a bakery just across the street. When the bully winds up dead a day after a public confrontation, Lyndsay is the prime suspect. 

As with most cozies, the emphasis is on the characters and the puzzle mystery. This is a well constructed and easy to read cozy, with clean language and no over the top violence. The addition of a likable protagonist and her family with roots in the West Indies gives the whole a Caribbean flair. It's nice to find a new series with well written PoC in central roles with positive representations. Lyndsay's family are adorable and fun to read.

The author/publisher have even included some recipes for yummy baked goods in the back of the book.

Four stars; a promising start to a new series. Book 2 released from the same publisher 23rd May, 2023. It would be a good choice for a mini-binge or buddy read.

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

Murder at the Royal Albert: A Daniel Jacobus Mystery

Murder at the Royal Albert is the 8th Daniel Jacobus mystery by Gerald Elias. Released 1st Jan 2023 by Level Best Books, it's 234 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a well written series with a relatable curmudgeonly protagonist and very well constructed mysteries. The consensus is for authors to write what they know and the formula certainly works to great effect here; the author is an experienced professional musician who clearly knows his way around classical music and the life of an orchestral musician. 

Although Jacobus shines as main protagonist, the author has built up a wonderful ensemble cast and seeing them interact with one another is a delight. The addition of classical music knowledge and history elevates the book delightfully.

Although it's the 8th book in the series, the mystery is self contained in this volume and it works perfectly well as a standalone. With so many books extant, it's also a good candidate for a long binge or buddy read. 

Four stars.

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

City of Last Chances

City of Last Chances is a political fantasy adventure by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Released in electronic format in Dec 2022 by Head of Zeus, it's 545 pages and is now also available in hardcover and audio formats in addition to ebook. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

The author is an often astoundingly adept wordsmith and this is a complex and immersive fantasy against a brobdingnagian tapestry of intrigue and a city-under-brutal-occupation. The prose seethes, and despite its impressive doorstopper brick of a page count, it's eminently readable and readers will find themselves surprised at the passing of time immersed in the story. 

Although it's not derivative (at all!), readers who love Neal Stephenson, China Miéville, and Ann Leckie will likely find a lot to enjoy here. It's decidedly dark in places and the characters aren't so much black and white as varying shades of smudgy grey. The background and settings are also quite dark and disquieting and it's clearly by intent.

Four and a half stars. It's a big complex book, and very well written. For fans of political/campaign fantasy. 

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

Sisters of Midnight - Sisters of Shadow #3

Sisters of Midnight is the third and final book in the Sisters of Shadow trilogy by Katherine Livesey. Released 1st Nov 2022 HarperCollins on their One More Chapter imprint, it's 275 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a well written and engaging YA character driven fantasy novel. Central themes of friendship and cooperation and "sisterhood" challenging the darkness are combined with positive relatable strong female characters throughout. 

The series has been described as "Anne of Green Gables if written by Diana Wynne Jones" and that is a fair description. Despite being marketed as YA, there are elements here which are much darker and more difficult than the first two books. There's drama aplenty, as well as themes of found family and acceptance. There are positive portrayals of LGBTQIA+ characters and strength of friendship and acceptance. 

It ties up earlier series spanning threads, and wouldn't work well at all as a standalone. For readers who prefer to binge finished story arcs, this would make a good weekend series binge or buddy read. 

Four stars. 

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

A Winter Grave

A Winter Grave is a thriller mystery set in the (relatively) near future in Scotland written by Peter May. Released 24th Jan 2023 by Hachette on their Riverrun imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

Peter May is a nearly peerless writer. He has impressive skill with a range of settings and stories. He does brooding and imperfect protagonists -very- well. This standalone sees him adding near-future climate dystopia to the mix. Set in the Scottish Highlands, climate change has rendered much of the earth flooded, uninhabitable, barren, or just frozen (when the Gulf Stream changed course a few decades before the book's setting in 2051). A meteorologist checking a weather station discovers the body of a journalist, frozen in the ice. 

This is a gloomy book. Decades of inaction over climate change have wrecked the planet and fundamentally changed climate and weather; much of the earth's inhabitants are displaced and seeking asylum. Unfortunately, crime doesn't stop just because everything's out of control. In addition, protagonist Brodie is haunted by his own life choices and being forced to face his own mortality sooner rather than later. 

Throughout everything, May's creative control and writing chops come through clearly. He is a wonderful writer and his prose here is commanding. Some readers will likely complain that there's too much "politics" involved, but the author's take on the timeline we're hurtling along is on the optimistic side.

Well written, engaging, and solidly researched, albeit gloomy. Recommended for fans of the author's oeuvre, as well as fans of tartan noir in general. It's not Laidlaw, but it's not far off, either. 

Four and a half stars. 

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

The Lost Witch

The Lost Witch is a character driven fantasy tale by Paige Crutcher. Released 27th Dec 2022 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is an Irish mythos based fable with original twists, built up quite skillfully. The writing is contemplative and the pacing, at times, ponderous. It never fails to be readable, but it is deliberate and might prove challenging for fans of very fast action driven stories. 

The main themes of evil vs good, light and darkness, play out across a dual time-line story in 1922 and the current day. There are curses and time-slips, and a protagonist who can't remember how she traveled from 1922 to 2022 and unleashed a curse which she needs her descendant's help to unravel. 

The first 40%+ of the book is chaotic and quite choppy. The author is certainly adept enough that it's clearly intentional. Once the readers finds their way into the story, the vistas open out and it's more or less smooth sailing. The denouement and resolution surprised me quite a lot and were much better and more satisfying than anticipated.  Although it's not derivative at all (and in a completely different setting), there were some flashes of Outlander and readers who are very fond of Gabaldon's series will probably find a lot to like here.

Three and a half stars. 

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

Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars: Fun Projects, Skills, and Adventures for Outdoor Kids

Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars is a fun collection of projects, skill building, and outdoor adventures for kids (and their grownups) written and curated by Steven Rinella. Released 13th June 2023 by Random House, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a practical and accessible guide filled with projects for enjoying and learning in the outdoor spaces. Although aimed at middle grade readers (and their adults), it's full of all-ages activities and everyone will find something to grab their interest. 

There are safety guidelines and instructions throughout. Depending on the maturity and abilities of individual kids, adult supervision may be required for some of the activities. The tutorial projects are arranged thematically: navigation & exploration, collecting & foraging, fishing hunting & wildlife, and garden & home projects. There is such a large variety, there will be something to appeal to almost every taste and ability. 

Tutorials include an introduction, materials and supplies in a bullet list, and are followed by step-by-step instructions. Measurements are provided in imperial (American) units only, no metric conversion included in the book. Special instructions and safety considerations are highlighted in colored text boxes throughout.

It's illustrated simply with line drawings throughout; there are no photos. The projects are varied and simple to more complex. There are bird-watching projects, insect and biodiversity projects, hunting and foraging projects (LOTS!), and survival/woodcrafting projects aplenty. 

Four and a half stars. This would be an excellent choice for public and school library acquisition, home use, scouting & activity groups, and similar uses. 

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

Black and Decker The Complete Guide to DIY Greenhouses 3rd Edition

 

 

The Complete Guide to DIY Greenhouses 3rd Edition is a reformat and a re-release update of the classic reference by the editors of Black & Decker. Due out 13th June 2023 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 240 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook format available now). Originally published in 2011, this is the third edition and is updated with some new photography and new code/construction/materials.

One thing that characterizes these Black & Decker reference guides is the uniform logical layout. The books are streamlined and information is grouped thematically in chapters - so relevant info is easy to find and easy to use. The introduction includes a solid overview over safety, project design and materials choices, siting, and more. The following chapters build on one another: project tutorials, upcycling materials and building cold frames, and companion project tutorials. The editors have also included resource lists, metric equivalence charts, and a useful cross referenced index.

The emphasis throughout is on clearly written information which is correct, up-to-date, and safety conscious. Tutorials are accompanied by step by step instructions and photos. Materials and tools are clearly labeled and listed in bullet lists throughout the text. Measurements throughout (as well as standards for code-work) are given in imperial (American standard) units.

Five stars. This is a great resource for DIYers, homeowners, and would be a good choice for school and public library acquisition. All the books in this series are well written, accessible, and safety conscious.

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

The Mystery of Rufford Abbey

 

The Mystery of Rufford Abbey is a light paranormal dual timeline mystery by Stephen Taylor. Released 23rd Dec 2022 by Sapere Books, it's 279 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. 

This is a riveting and very well written dual timeline mystery set in the modern day with a resonating side-story from the middle ages. The main protagonist, an appealing, slightly hapless medieval historian and academic is drawn into translating a manuscript diary which has come into his orbit and tells a fascinating story with ramifications resonating into the current day. 

With each installment of the diary translation, a new layer of the mystery is revealed. It's an entertaining and absorbingly written tale and readers will have no trouble being swept away by the story. The middle of the book is taken up with a credible modern police procedural murder mystery and it's paired with a surprisingly well written time travel story set in the middle ages full of witchcraft and superstition.

Although the mystery is not terribly convoluted, it is well constructed with a solid plot and a satisfying denouement and resolution. 

Four stars. Recommended for fans of historical mystery, and surprisingly, readers of modern procedurals will also find a satisfying read here. It's a standalone, so the characters and story arc are self-contained in this volume.

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

Pressure Canning for Beginners

Pressure Canning for Beginners is a basic, accessible tutorial guide for beginners with some recipes, curated and written by Amber Benson. Released 4th April 2023 by Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 144 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. 

As the cover suggests, this is a very basic and easy to understand entry-level tutorial guide with 50 recipes to get readers into safely pressure canning garden produce safely and with a bare minimum of cost and equipment. The first chapter covers necessary gear and supplies, ingredients, and safety info such as pH (explained easily and painlessly), different packing and processing methods, and storage concerns. The writing is very simple and easy to understand and new beginners will find it supportive and encouraging. 

The following chapters contain the recipes arranged thematically: vegetables, beans & staples, stocks soups & stews, poultry meat & game, and meals in a jar. Recipes are given with an introduction, processing method, ingredients in a bullet list, and followed by step-by-step instructions. Yields are provided and ingredient measures are given in imperial (American) units only. Nutritional info is not provided. 

The recipes are simple, with easily obtained ingredients. Nearly all are fairly versatile and will be usable by most families. There is very little photography or non-text illustration provided in the cookbook. There are a few general photos scattered throughout which are mostly stock photos. 

Four stars. This is never going to replace the Ball Blue Book, but there are good recipes here with some good usable variations on the standards. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, community/allotment garden libraries, self-sufficiency folks, and home use.

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

Sulwe

Sulwe is a sweet picture book for young children about self esteem, colorism, and acceptance by Lupita Nyong'o. Released 15th Oct 2019 by Simon & Schuster, it's 48 pages and is available in hardcover (boardbook), paperback, audio, and ebook formats. 

This is a beautifully and sensitively written book for the youngest kids (Lexile AD580L, ~preschool-3rd grade). Little Sulwe is sad because her skin is much darker than the rest of her family and she is teased and wishes she could be lighter skinned like her sister. Her family, especially her mother, support and understand and help her love her for who she is, inside -and- outside. There's a short interlude with a fable about the day and the night being sisters which is engagingly told in terms that even the youngest readers can understand and assimilate.

The digital art by Vashti Harrison is *luminous* and so well rendered. Each of the pictures (all the pages are illustrated) contains small details which encourage readers to take a longer, deeper look.

Worth noting is that this book is being broadly challenged/removed in many areas of Florida (USA) at the current time (which is why I picked it up and read it). It will surprise exactly no-one that I am emphatically against book bans and firmly believe that if you don't want to read a book, find a different book to read. Most of the challenged and banned books, I can at least understand some sort of reasoning for the challenge. This book's removal truly baffles. There is *nothing* here to upset or dismay even the most conservative parent. 

I highly recommend this book for public and school library acquisition, home use, and gift giving. Sensitivity, representation, positive family roles, self-esteem, and gentleness are vitally important and this book has all of the above in addition to being wonderfully illustrated.

Five stars. 

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

The Cloisters

The Cloisters is the dark academic fantasy debut from author Katy Hays. Released 1st Nov 2022 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in July 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. It's especially handy in this case for finding character and historical artist/artwork names quickly in the text.

This was definitely one of the "it" books for 2022, and it is a compelling and interestingly complex story. Real places and actual historical events provide the scaffolding for a story of fantasy, conspiracy, and paranormal inescapable dark fate. The whole narrative has a distinctly edgy Gothic vibe and readers will find themselves tensing up for jump scares which mostly don't materialize.

The character driven narrative is meticulously and lushly imagined, and more impatient readers (who aren't art history nerds already) will want to bring copious amounts of patience, or resign themselves to slogging through the minutiae including botany, art history, tarot, and the intrigues inherent to medieval and renaissance court life.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 10 hours and 16 minutes and is well narrated by Emily Tremaine. She has a neutral East Coast US accent and is easy to listen to. There are some slight difficulties with the broad range of non-US accents of some of the academic characters, but overall, she does a good job with both male and female characters of a variety of ages. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

Four stars, for readers who enjoy labyrinthine stories. 

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

Death Rings A Bell

Death Rings A Bell is the fourth book in a cozy mystery set in academia written by Linda Hope Lee. Released 19th Oct 2022, it's 254 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is a well written and engaging cozy with light thriller elements featuring a librarian as amateur sleuth. It's the fourth book in a presumably ongoing series, but works very well as a standalone mystery. As with most cozies, liberties are taken with procedure and the investigative resources available to librarian sleuths. The action driven plot flows fairly well and the denouement and resolution are satisfying, if slightly contrived.

The protagonist is upright and intelligent and manages to hold down a full time job as a librarian in addition to juggling her extracurricular activities investigating crime and lecturing at her Alma mater's annual literary festival. In this case, it's the death of her mentor and former professor with whom she'd recently reconnected.

With four books extant in the series, this would be a good choice for a series binge or buddy read. They're all well written and enjoyable. 

For fans of Kate Fansler (not a librarian, but an English professor) written by Amanda Cross, these are less cerebral, but in somewhat the same vein. 

Four stars.

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

The New Knitting Stitch Dictionary: 500 Patterns for Textures, Lace, Aran Cables, Colorwork, Motifs, Edgings and More

The New Knitting Stitch Dictionary is a compendium and technique pattern guide for knitting stitches compiled and curated by Lydia Klös. Released 2nd June 2023 by Globe Pequot on their Stackpole imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

This is a no-nonsense collection of precisely what it says: stitches to use in creating, enhancing, or adapting knitting projects. The patterns are grouped thematically in chapters: knit-purl, cable, Aran, lace & cable, lace, slipped-stitch, nupps (bobbles/popcorn), brioche, edgings, stranded colorwork & intarsia, special techniques, a how-to knitting tutorial on the basics, pattern adaptation to finished object, some DIY charts, and a very useful index.

There are a lot of patterns here (not for actual projects, but for stitches and surface patterns), and it would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, gift giving, and the knitter's home reference library. The photography is clear, detailed, and in color throughout the book. 

Four and a half stars. Very useful. The chapter on beginning basics of knitting is quite simple, but well written and accessible. For readers who are true beginners, I would recommend having a teacher/guide in addition, or videos on the internet *in addition*... but it does provide enough info to get started. The following chapter contains a lot of good info on finishing, blocking, and surface techniques such as duplicate stitch, though again, additional instruction might be needed.

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

Murder in Haxford - Pignon Scorbion #2

 

Murder in Haxford is the second book in a light historical cozy mystery series by Rick Bleiweiss. Released 21st Feb 2023 by Blackstone, it's 350 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a quirky Edwardian shopfront cozy with an ensemble cast of oddly charming characters, and none moreso than the titular newly arrived chief inspector Pignon Scorbion. He's a sartorial force-majeur (channeling his hero Monsieur Poirot) with a formidable intellect and backed up by a Greek chorus of barbershop employees, he sets his brain to solving highly outlandish crimes. In this case, he's untangling a ballooning accident with deadly consequences.

Although it's not derivative, stylistically I would place it in the same subgenre with Richard Osman and maybe Edmund Crispin. It's a bit farcical and pompous, but there are some smiles to be found here. I suspect it will engender delight or antipathy in readers and not much in between those two extremes. I found it charmingly silly in places and an engaging diverting light read. I'm looking forward to finding out what comes next. It's definitely a series I will continue to pick up and read as it's released. Readers will not have any trouble following the story if the book is read as a standalone. If it pleases, then the first book will also fit the bill as it's very much in the same vein.

Four stars.

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

A Death in Tokyo - Kyoichiro Kaga #9

A Death in Tokyo is the 9th outing for detective Kyoichiro Kaga (the third translated into English) written by Keigo Higashino. Released 13th Dec 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in fourth quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats; it makes searching in the text much easier (for character names, for example). 

This is a brilliantly written and unusually well translated modern procedural with a contemplative and intelligent protagonist, an ensemble cast, and an exceptionally clever and well plotted puzzle. The story is mostly character driven and the characters are three dimensional and interestingly well rounded. It's a touch more cerebral than many modern procedurals and is a dignified successor to Christie or Horowitz.

The translation work by Giles Murray is seamless, and never intrusive, and there's no wonky or difficult scansion. It doesn't read like literature in translation, which is a huge bonus. 

With several volumes translated into English at this point (this is the penultimate book in the series), it would make an excellent choice for a binge or buddy read. The author is talented enough to provide the necessary backstory, so it works well as a standalone. All the books are wonderfully written with compelling and complex storylines, so reading them in order is recommended, but not absolutely necessary. I found the most difficult part of the book to be the character names, which are kept true to the original. The author/publisher have included a dramatis personae list at the beginning of the book which I found quite useful.

Five stars. Very very well written.

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

The Unsolved Case of The Secret Christmas Baby

 

 

The Unsolved Case of The Secret Christmas Baby is the first book in a Victorian cozy mystery series by Hannah Byron. Released 6th Dec 2022, it's 236 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.  For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is such an oddly written book that quite often, the choice of third person present tense overshadows the actual story. It does have many of the well-loved cozy tropes: deathbed confession, secret adoption, Victorian scandal, secret pregnancy, and holiday resolutions, but the pacing never really recedes sufficiently to make it an easy reading experience.

Although it's set in the Victorian era, there are lots of anachronistic phrases sprinkled throughout, for example "right on", the first registered usage of which wasn't for another 30 years. There are also some distractingly odd turns of phrase, for example calling her late husband her "benedict" no fewer than 23 times in the course of the book (his name was Thaddeus). 

All the oddities aside, this is a well written and engagingly constructed story with an interesting mystery and a worthwhile read. The second book in the series, The Peculiar Vanishing Act of Mr Ralph Herriot, is due for release in Aug 2023, and will also be included in the Kindle unlimited library according to the release info.

Three and a half stars. 

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

The Devon Bookshop

 

The Devon Bookshop is a dark fantasy by debut author V. E. Hall. Released 14th Nov 2022, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a quirky paranormal fantasy set in and around a bookshop. There are ghosts (oh, so many ghosts), witches, benign and malign influences and a semi-hapless couple running the bookshop who believe (Acacia) or not (Matt) in the supernatural influences in their environs. 

It's charming by turns, the author has created a simple but entertaining story. The writing is choppy and unfinished in places; there's -so- much telling and not a lot of showing in her writing style. The basic story is solid, though, and nothing that wouldn't be fixed with a firm editing process. 

Three and a half stars. It's unclear from the denouement (and the author's website) if this will be a continuing series, but at the present time, there are no announcements of upcoming books. It does work well as a standalone, however. 

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

Paper and Tape Crafts

 

Paper and Tape Crafts is a friendly, accessible tutorial and craft guide aimed at middle grade readers (and their facilitators/teachers/adults). Released 7th March 2023 by Callisto, it's 130 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

Resource people, childminders, parents, and educators are always on the lookout for activity books which are fun and engaging for the small people in their lives. This is a well written and fun book of 28 crafts activities aimed at middle school(ish) kids. Many of them would be usable in a classroom or library setting. I especially loved the washi tape map pins - simple but very useful.

Each tutorial includes a picture of the finished project, a bullet list of supplies needed, instructions for crafting, and many (many!) process photos. Photography is clear and in color. Instructions are written in understandable easy to follow language. 

Four stars. This would be great for public or school library acquisition, home use, activity/scouting groups, maker's spaces and studios, and similar.

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