The Woman in the Water

Part of the reason I really like series is that I get to see the development of the recurring characters.  Especially with mysteries (which are my favorite genre), the continuity and the characters' development over time are very satisfying to me.

The Woman in the Water is a prequel to the Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch.  The entire series are classic mysteries.  This one is no exception.  I enjoyed reading about his family, his complex and bittersweet relationship with Lady Jane, as well as his early collaboration with Graham.  There was precisely the right amount of humor (Mrs. Huggins, his housekeeper for example) to balance the murders and investigation.

Period mysteries (especially those set in Victorian England) seem to have become something of a flavor-of-the-moment, so it's unusual for one to stand out amongst the flood of offerings.  This series is genuinely well written and entertaining.  Relatively clean mysteries, without a lot of overt blood or violence.    There is occasional light cursing (never gratuitous) with a few scattered 'hell, damn, blast and/or bloody'.  There's nothing which could conceivably shock or offend most readers.

Incidentally, though age is certainly not indicative of writing skill, I admit I was shocked to learn that the author, Charles Finch, is quite young (b. 1980).  He's a masterful writer, and I'm inordinately pleased at the likelihood of having new mysteries from him for decades to come.

The Woman in the Water was published by St. Martin's Press - Minotaur and was released 20th February, 2018.  Available in hardcover, softcover and ebook formats.

Five stars, top shelf mystery.  This one made me want to go and revisit the series.

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

Sewing Knits from Fit to Finish

Sewing Knits from Fit to Finish is a comprehensive guide to handling and sewing knit and interlock fabrics. Author Linda Lee has teamed up with how-to publishers Quarto - Creative Publishing International to produce this well photographed and comprehensive tutorial guide.

The book is 144 pages and comes in softbound and ebook versions. It includes chapters on identifying and exploiting the characteristics of different types of knitted fabrics, choosing and purchasing knits for the correct project and progresses through finishing techniques etc.

The second chapter is the best single tutorial I've seen (in 45+ years of sewing) on taking accurate measurements, tissue fitting and adjusting patterns for custom fit.  Really exemplary and accessibly written.  The author is clearly a gifted teacher.

She has an informal and reassuring writing style.  Though the tutorials aren't really aimed at the complete beginner, this book will serve as a valuable resource and reference to use and come back to as one progresses. The step-by-step photos are a plus and are accompanied by descriptive text to make the process as clear as possible.

I couldn't find any errors with the progression or the content.

Five stars.  Really well written. Don't be afraid of knits!

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

The Judith Hayle Samplers

The Judith Hayle Samplers is an exhaustively researched but eminently readable treatise on the needlework school run by Judith Hayle in Ipswich in the late 17th century. There are 11 extant samplers from Judith Hayle's school.  7 which were made directly under Judith's tutelage and 4 more directed by her daughter, Rebecca Thomson. This book describes and illustrates each of them along with as much historical info about the makers as is possible along with a wonderful provenance for each of them.   I found the biographical background info almost as fascinating as the illustrations themselves.

I'm a huge needlework/embroidery nerd and spend a lot of my time recreating samplers from the past with materials as close to the original period ones as possible. I enjoy samplers especially since they played a vital central role to the education and position of young women in times past.

Edwina Ehrman is a textile historian and curator at the London Museum and was previously associated with the Victoria and Albert museum.  This makes her pretty much a rock star in the historical embroidery nerd universe.



The book itself, published by Needleprint (now sadly out of business), is 108 pages, high quality softbound with color photos.  It was published in 2007 and can still be found occasionally on ebay, betterworldbooks, or the amazon secondary market.  The price can vary hugely, but bargains can still occasionally be found.

It's worth noting that this book does NOT include the patterns for the samplers, they're available elsewhere.

Definitely an important book for an admittedly niche audience.  It's worth tracking down a copy.
Five stars.

Blunt Force Magic

I'm a huge urban fantasy fan.  Despite having become something of the 'flavor of the month', there are a lot of really high quality books and series from which to choose. 

This series reminds me in a lot of ways of a lot of other scruffy, slightly disreputable, out of their depths, mages and wizards like Dresden, Atticus (iron druid), and the Sandman Slim books in all their sarcastic glory.

I love the original take on the main character.  He's an artificer which I find cool as hell.  He's well and truly out of his depth and more or less just has a bag of tricks to keep ancient evil creatures from snacking on him.

There's a nice mystery subplot which keeps the narrative moving along.  The book is capably written and eminently readable

It provided everything I look for in an urban fantasy: escapism, engaging characters, a great 'hook', a compelling story, humor, and a plot that kept me interested.  Well played! I enjoyed it very very much and look forward to the rest of the series.

Four stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.  

The Knowledge

There are a handful of authors whose mysteries are almost guaranteed to be wonderfully crafted, entertaining and beautifully written.  Martha Grimes is one author on my list of 'auto-buys'.  The Knowledge is the 24th Richard Jury novel and he returns with a cast of familiar characters and an ensemble group of new ones.

Like the previous books in the series, the title comes from the name of a pub.  In this case it's a mythical pub known only to the cab drivers of London. Along with a ragtag bunch of incredibly savvy street kids, there are cab drivers, gem smugglers, and a healthy helping of murder, jealousy and corruption.

I have been with this series since the first book and look forward to each and every one.  The Knowledge might suffer a bit by comparison with the others, though it's still absolutely top notch.  I also wouldn't recommend this book as an entry point into the series.  There are an awful lot of casual in-jokes and assumed background knowledge of the characters.  I continue to adore Jury and Plant and co.  Wonderful, even if it's a bit more whimsical than the usual Richard Jury mystery.

368 pages, available from Grove Atlantic in  hardcover, paperback and ebook formats.

Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.  

How Not to Kill Your Houseplant

How Not To Kill Your Houseplant is a beautifully photographed and illustrated practical guide for the horticulturally challenged. Author Veronica Peerless has a friendly, upbeat, non-threatening manner which is like a 150 page pep talk (with pictures).

The intro pages include a pictorial index list with 8 full pages of color photos of common houseplants.  The first bit is 'find your plant' with a page listing of culture info for each one explaining in clear language the do's and don'ts of houseplant culture.

I appreciated that each of the listings provides both the common and Latin names for the plants to avoid confusion and regional differences.

There's a chapter on selecting plants and what to look for to find a healthy trouble free specimen.  There's also a handy reference for transporting your new plant safely and where to site it after you get it home.

The next chapters deal with potting (and repotting), general culture tips, and how to deal with pests and diseases, along with troubleshooting advice.

This is a colorful well made book, and definitely up to the usual quality for the publisher, DK press.

Four stars, lovely useful book.

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

Switched

Aimed at a middle-grade audience, Switched is the 4th book in the Fairy Tale Reform School series by Jen Calonita.  The series provides a wry twist to classic fairy tale characters with some modern attitude and updated freshness.

I occasionally like to grab a middle grade fantasy to sort of reset my palate after a bunch of serious literary reviews, and this one satisfies. It's light and fun and undemanding. The recurring characters from the earlier books are back along with some new faces. 

Although the book is somewhat 'genre'/flavor of the month, and the plot is fairly predictable, it's rollicking and fun and will undoubtedly be a favorite for middle graders.  I did enjoy it and found myself smiling and chuckling fairly often.  I do have to admit that calling Rumplestiltskin 'Rump' every other sentence began to wear on me after the first few pages.  The main character Gilly, is stubborn and somewhat hotheaded but is (mostly) true to her friends and will be relatable for most middle graders.

The book is well written and plotted and I didn't find it lagging for me or failing to keep my interest.  It's fairly long for a middle reader book at 304 pages and is available in hardback, paperback, ebook and audio formats. Published 6th March, 2018 from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky imprint.

At the end of the book is a 2 chapter teaser for the author's newest book, Misfits book 1 in the Royal Acadamy Rebels series (due out in October 2018).

Three and a half stars, enjoyable.

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

First Lessons in Beekeeping

First Lessons in Beekeeping by Camille Dadant (link is to the Dadant family wiki) is a classic book which keeps resurfacing in new editions every decade or so.  The information and illustrations in this edition are cleaned up somewhat, but largely unedited as far as I can tell.  The introduction and preface for example are reprinted from the 1916/17 version of the book.

The book is meticulously written and while not up-to-the-minute (some things have changed), contains a world of good info for the beekeeper for historical and depth purposes.

There isn't anything which can really replace the help of a mentor or bee club for the aspiring apiarist, but this book provides a window into a valuable portion of the last couple hundred years of apiary history.  It isn't intended to serve as a primary instruction manual for the uninitiated potential beekeeper. 

I have a very early copy of this book in my beekeeping library and it's so well used and marked up that I fully intend to buy another copy in this release in order to have one which isn't in danger of falling apart in my hands.

194 pages, hardback, paperback, trade and ebook formats. Published by Dover, champions and archivists of the obscure, the esoteric and the delightful.

Highly recommend this as supplementary reading, but not to replace a mentor or bee-buddy.

Four stars.

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

The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables

I remember reading the Anne books when I was about 10 years old and immediately connecting with the red-haired protagonist, being a precocious, red-haired kid myself.  The beautifully descriptive luminous prose of the books have resonated with generations of readers.  More than any other books I can think of, the setting of PEI and Avonlea, Green Gables and all the familiar places from the books are so vital to the narrative, they become characters themselves.  L.M Montgomery's life shared many characteristics with her fictional protagonist, including practical orphan status, difficulty and hardship, but managed to maintain a positive attitude despite her challenges.

Even though I was always enchanted by the stories, I was not very familiar with the biography of Maud Montgomery and had never made a pilgrimage to visit the real settings themselves.  Montgomery had such a gift of description that I felt as though I was there, walking in the same places and seeing the same settings as Anne (and Montgomery herself) did.

This book was a wonderful surprise for me.  I was expecting photographs of PEI and the areas described in the Anne books, but there was so much more.  The book is filled with beautiful photography and beautiful descriptions.  In addition, there is a well written biography of Maud Montgomery herself, often in her own words in excerpts from her journals, interwoven into the text and photos.  There are many period photos, many colorized by Montgomery herself, showing the landscapes and family which were part of her everyday life and provide context for her writing.

There is such a richness to this book. The style of writing suits Montgomery's prose and the parts written by the author, Catherine Reid, blend so seamlessly into the quoted and historical parts of the book that they are not at all distracting or jarring.  She writes distinctly, but masterfully, and in a manner which complements but doesn't detract.

The photography is rich and varied.  The scenery is beautiful.  I can certainly see this book becoming a display/coffee table book for the photography, but the narrative is just as beautiful.

Lovely.
Four stars (and it makes me want to go revisit the original books, which I haven't read in many years).

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

The Hawkman

The Hawkman by Jane Rosenberg LaForge is an original and powerfully written reworking of the Grimm's fairy tale Bearskin. The novel departs from the fairy tale in a lot of ways, and not having any prior knowledge of the earlier fable doesn't detract in any way from this novel. 

The author is a poet and it shines through in the exquisite use of language.  Most of the prose in the book is transcendent and very 'painterly'.  It's a fantasy, but grounded in reality.  I wouldn't call it magical realism, exactly (with the exception of one passage, which seemed written to indicate that it was metaphorical, not literal).

The book is beautifully written and poignant.  I haven't often been touched as deeply or felt as attached as I did to the characters in The Hawkman.  It's a book about the casualties (both literal and figurative) of the first world war, so much of the book was brutal and sad.  I found the redemptive themes of love and kindness and humanity had even more impact when presented in contrast.  It's been several weeks since I finished reading the book and I still find myself thinking about it often.

It's a really beautiful, lush, gorgeously written novel. 

Due out 5th June, 2018 from Amberjack publishing.  280 pages in paperback and ebook formats.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an  electronic-ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Howl Like a Wolf

Howl Like a Wolf is aimed at young readers and is packed with information and play-alongs for more than 15 different animals.  Each chapter introduces an animal, explains some of their behaviors and characteristics and then invites the reader along on activities to learn about why the animals do what they do.

I loved the art, it's colorful and vibrant.  The text is intelligent and not condescending.  The chapters include the proper Latin names for the animals they're describing.  Increasing awareness and empathy for the wild animals around us, many of whom are critically threatened is so vital to our future and the future of life on our planet.  The interactive activities included in the book are a fun way to get youngsters moving and understanding a little more about the animals who share our planet.

Very well written, beautifully illustrated.  Super bonus points for including tardigrades as one of the animals in the book.  I'm in love! 

Four stars!

Anticipated release date: 17 Apr 2018
Written by Kathleen Yale and illustrated by Kaley McKean
Published by Storey Books.

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

The Pesto Cookbook

The Pesto Cookbook from Olwen Woodier and Storey Publishing
due out  17 April, 2018 is a modern look at an ancient and traditional ingredient. 

Pesto (or paste, or pureé) is a traditional method of preserving summer's bounty of herbs with oil, cheese, nuts and other traditional ingredients.  It's super versatile in cooking and can function as a flavor enhancer, meat rub, side dish, topping and so much more.

The book begins with an introduction covering the history and traditional uses for pesto along with ingredients to mix and match.  It's worth noting that along with the introductory chapters (about 10% of the content) the author includes a lot of useful tips about growing and harvesting the herbs and greens to be used. The rest of the introductory chapters (about 30% of the total content) expand the definition of pesto and introduce an international flair with pastes from Morocco, Asia, France, Argentina and other world cuisines.

Each of the chapters include recipes along with alternative versions and suggestions for experimentation.

The largest portion of the book (about 70%) is given over to specific recipes for main dishes and appetizers including a large and varied selection of vegetarian dishes.

I'm emphatically NOT a talented cook (more of a keen amateur).  I can and did follow the recipes in this book and the results were oh, so tasty and impressive.  A very enjoyable well made culinary book that is more than 'just' a cookbook.  I tested several of the recipes: Focaccia With Spicy Summer Tomato Pesto, Gnocchi, Spaetzle, and Red Pepper and Spinach Risotto With Genovese Pesto. All were well written with no discernible mistakes. 

The Pesto Cookbook is gorgeously colorful and well photographed.

Four stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Amazing Origami Boxes

Amazing Origami Boxes is another new tutorial book of 20 designs from Origami master Tomoko Fuse.  Her specialty is modular origami (sculptures made from multiple pieces of paper, fitted together), and this book is no exception.  There are some very traditional forms which will be familiar to most people (square box with flaps, offering box, crane box, etc).  There are also some really beautiful modern shaped containers which will certainly appeal.  There are tutorials for 8 flower based shapes which would make spectacular nut/candy cups for a special table settting (or wedding).

As is usual for this author (kudos to her translation and editing team!) the tutorials are all accessible and the drawings are very clear and well illustrated and concise.

At the very beginning of the book are the symbol explanations and the short tutorials for the traditional folds.  This will help complete newbies to be able to follow the later tutorials.  There are (in my opinion) none of the pieces in this book which would be beyond a keen beginner's abilities.  This is mostly down to the perfect illustrations and sparely written instructions.  There are some really impressive folds in this book, including an almost tesseract/space defying box she calls Double Cube Box.

Dover publications has long been a standard bearer for beautifully illustrated well made crafts books.  This one is no exception.  Everything is top notch. The translations are perfect (if slightly whimsically poetic).   The photography is lush, crisp, and colorful.  It's an all around joy.  This would make a perfect gift for both enthusiasts and origami-curious beginners.

In fact, though I received a free e-book copy of this book for review purposes; I've already purchased a copy for my origami mad daughter.

Five stars

Pub: 21st March, 2018
Dover Publications
128 pages, color illustrations and photography
RRP: $18.95

Death By Dumpling

Death By Dumpling is the first book in the Noodle Shop mysteries by Vivien Chien. Due out 27th March, 2018 from St. Martin's Press, it's 352 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats. 
I'm a huge fan of cozies and this one is lovely.   

I was surprised that this is apparently a first book release for this author; she has a confident and comfortable voice.  I enjoyed the plotting and characterizations very much.  It doesn't often happen that an a series finds its way right out of the starting gate.  This one delivers.

The length is a little longer than most cozies at over 350 pages but the plotting is tight and it doesn't drag.  The clues are well interspersed in the narrative and the book follows the 'rules' for amateur detective fiction.  Lately I've gotten my fill of southern catering homestyle bookmobile cat loving bakery shop ladies; this young woman with a great best friend and good relationship with her parents is such a breath of fresh air.  There's a lot of warmth and humor here.  The book is relatively clean, with only a sprinkling of 'hell' and 'damn' and nothing more objectionable in the book.  Definitely safe-for-lunch reading at work.

It was a delight to read and I'll definitely be back for a second helping (the second book, Dim Sum of All Fears is due out in August 2018). Only downside, I've been craving noodles. I've gotten takeaway sesame pho three times from my favorite Vietnamese restaurant after work in the last week!

Five stars, delightfully fun light cozy mystery.

Disclosure: I received an  electronic-ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

The Little Library

The Little Library, due out 26th March, 2018 by Kim Fielding is a very well written, sweetly cozy M/M romance.  The main story balances love and career choices for two outwardly different guys, former cop Simon, injured in the line of duty, and historian and professor Elliott, a book hoarder nerd.

They meet in their neighborhood and catch one another's eye, but it isn't until Elliott builds a Little Library that they find a common ground.  The library becomes a center point for the entire neighborhood and introverted Elliott begins to come out of his shell and interact with the people around him as his neighbors enjoy borrowing and sharing books.

There is an awful lot to love here.  The theme of books is ever close to my heart.  I find it very difficult to weed through my own library, even those books which I've bought in e-format.  I love it that Elliott built a little library and shows incredible strength and growth as a character which is believable.  I found myself rooting for Simon and his issues with his family and his burgeoning relationship with Elliott.

I love that the author is clearly a huge book fan herself.  This book is chock full of real book references to chase down for further reading and reference.  I really like books that turn me on to other books! 

There was some drama, but relatively low-angst and sweetly reassuring.  I just really really enjoyed this book.  Their first date was hysterically funny.  Real laugh-out-loud funny is very difficult to write, but Ms. Fielding does a great job. 

The author manages to sneak some really good messages into the narrative without being preachy or smug.  Themes such as tolerance, community, strength in adversity, love over money, personal growth, family, and the importance of education and preserving our cultural history, the author handles all of them deftly and with sensitivity.  

Four and a half stars.  Well written, well edited, and entertaining.  Bonus points for rescue dog Ishtar.

300 pages, due out 26th March, 2018 from Riptide Publishing available in print & ebook formats.

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

A Guide For Murdered Children

A Guide for Murdered Children is a genre defying book.  I had no real expectations when I began reading it and was completely unfamiliar with the author.  I also try to avoid looking at reviews before I am finished with a book and have my own review mostly completed, so I had quite a lot of difficulty in getting into sync with the narrative and, frankly, understanding what was going on before about 50%.  The premise is quite creative, it's just that the prose was so very difficult for me to read and understand.  I didn't find the host (landlord) characters particularly sympathetic, and Willow Wylde (bizarre name) was off putting to say the least. 

The book -is- full of unpleasantness and rape, abuse, murder (of children and others).  It's ostensibly a revenge book, which would normally work for me, but in this case it's muddled and confused and I couldn't follow a lot of what was going on, and the bits I understood clearly didn't move me much.  There was a huge *squick* factor for me because the kids were 'rooming' with adults who were acting like adults...  if I had a child sharing my mind/body, I would be hyper aware of doing adult things with them present... 

As others have stated, this is a polarizing book.  Readers seem to love it or hate it.  I really believe the author has prodigious creativity and talent.  There is huge potential here.  With a gifted/committed editor this novel could be mind-blowing.

I could definitely see this book becoming a phenomenon and I feel like I probably wasn't cool enough to 'get it'.  (I admit, I've had problems with other books that my bookish friends *gasp* and swoon over).  Definitely difficult themes and a difficult narrative.

Stats:
Title: A Guide for Murdered Children
Author: Sarah Sparrow
Publisher: Penguin - Blue Rider Press
Publication: 20 March, 2018
500pages, Hardcover and ebook format

Three stars

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

The Flaw in the Stone

The Flaw in the Stone is the second book in the Alchemists' Council series by Cynthea Masson. It had been over a year since I read the first book in the series, but I decided to go ahead and read the second one and go back and refresh if I got lost and couldn't follow along.  There was enough backstory in this installment that I never felt the lack of background info, especially since several centuries separate the two narratives.

The thing that drew me to this book and kept me reading was the careful and lush language.  It's a really enjoyable read.  For me the prose was more engaging than the world building or characterizations, though the magical system and explanations were well done. 

I would have originally categorized this as a new adult novel, and it really is, but there is a fair amount of sex (not at all gratuitous; it's intrinsic to the plot).  If that's a problem for the reader, it might be best to be forewarned. 

I think the book would be somewhat confusing and/or frustrating without having some familiarity to book one (The Alchemists' Council).

All in all, a somewhat complex read, occasionally confusing for me but beautifully written.  The prose is the standout star of this novel.

Four stars, I'll be back for book #3.

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

Beginner's Garden

Beginner's Garden is an introductory guide for new gardeners.  Author Alex Mitchell has teamed up with Fox Chapel Publishing to produce an upbeat and encouraging guide for the less experienced gardener.

Especially slanted toward urban and suburban gardening, there's a lot of emphasis on easily grown crops which are suited to containers.  The most common crops get their own listings with cultural info and are ranked with regard to difficulty with 1-4 trowels (1 is 'You couldn't kill it if you tried' :)  The entire book is filled with full color photographs of everything including growing spaces, plants, bugs and food. 

The book is split up into logical sections which start with an easily digested introduction and getting started sidebar.  The introduction includes a short discussion of tools and supplies (which are few and easily acquired). The next chapters detail seasonal jobs and crops starting with spring and moving through the year to winter. There's an interlude chapter in the middle of the year which talks about entertaining and includes recipes which showcase the production from the gardener's efforts.  I loved the inclusion of recipe themed containers: 'Salsa in a box', 'Patio Friendly Greek salad', 'Ratatouille riot', etc. 

The end of the book has a short chapter on parasites and 'garden villains' and some info about how to identify and deal with unwanted critters in the garden.  There are also reference and glossary sections which cover the basics. The index and resources sections finish up the book and include useful links for further reading.

Four stars, encouraging and supportive help for new gardeners with some interesting takes on common problems and recipes for the more advanced gardener.  Very chatty and informal.

160 pages softbound, expected publication date: 12th March, 2018

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

Bizarre Romance

Audrey Niffenegger and Eddie Campbell team up in a really eclectic collection of graphic stories. Some of these were published before in other non-graphic formats, but all are oddly engaging.
There were several really standout stories included here.

The leading story, Thursdays, Six to Eight p.m. is sublime.  It combines shades of Bluebeard with modern neuroses and is humorous in a wonky way.  Most of these stories are somewhat off-kilter and unexpected.

The Composite Boyfriend is a sharply funny commentary on gender bias and objectification and expectations.  The first couple of pages are set up like old-fashioned paper dolls.  There are several outfits, genitalia, accessories, shoes etc from which to choose.  The prose which follows is written in a sort of 'choose your own adventure' format with several alternatives to each sentence.  The ending (though expected) delivers a nice payoff.

There are 13 vignettes included and all of them are strong; a few are sublime.

I came to the party familiar with both of the creators, but had no idea they were a real life partnership.  It works very very well and the book really resonates with both personalities and two completely different creativities.   There's a cool synergy at work here and I enjoyed it very much.

Four and a half stars.
168 pages, due out 20th March, 2018 from Abrams publishing. 

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

Wild Winemaking

Wild Winemaking, due out 06 Mar, 2018 from author Richard W. Bender and Storey Publishing is an interesting addition to the recent surge of niche winecrafting books.  Beautifully photographed, it shows the fruits, vegetables, herbs, vegetables (?!) and other ingredients used to make these very unusual wines as well as appealing pics of the finished products.

The book doesn't presuppose any knowledge on the part of the would-be winemaker and begins at the very beginning, with an introduction of supplies, equipment, sterilization and basic techniques.  

Chapter two goes through the author's own techniques and tips for getting from ingredients to finished wines.  The introductory chapters cover the basics and take up about 20% of the total content.  The author has a chatty and informal writing style which lends a calm and friendly vibe.

By far the lion's share of the content is given over to the recipes, and boy, howdy, are they wild and interesting. The recipes start out with relatively tame and simple recipes, apple, apricot, banana, plum, and so forth.  It's not long until the recipes start pulling in flowers (the staid elderberry cordial is joined by jasmine, jonquil, lavender, lilac and others) and herbs. There are nearly 150 recipes with scope for almost infinite blending and combinations.  Additionally, and uniquely in my experience, the author also includes wines which include citrus in combination with hot peppers (pink grapefruit - kung pao and others) and cannabis wines (the legalities and information regarding cannabis are covered in the book, basically make sure that you can legally acquire the ingredients, and please don't travel with the resultant wine).  

I've not yet tried any of the recipes, though I fully intend to, since I have dried and fresh pesticide free herbs and fruit.  I'm looking forward to trying the chocolate mint wine and basil wine.  After those, cherry, plum and apple wines seem quite tame.

Four stars

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