Instant Pot® Vegetarian Cookbook: Fast and Healthy Recipes for Your Favorite Electric Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot® Vegetarian Cookbook is a plant based cookbook and resource guide by Srividhya Gopalakrishnan. It's approved by the Instant Pot manufacturer. Due out 18th June from Rockridge Press, it's 148 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available now).

I purchased an instant pot late last year (the ultra 6qt), and it's become one of the most versatile tools in my kitchen. My family is also currently trying to eat more plant based dishes, so this book came at a very opportune time. This cookbook is full of appealing and hearty well seasoned foods which aren't 'skimpy, wimpy, or limpy' as my kids are wont to say. The portions are reasonable and will feed hungry humans until they're full (also a stipulation in my family).

The introduction (17% of the page content) covers a brief introduction of how to use the instant pot, why to (or not to) prepare certain foods under pressure, tips and advice for ingredients, scaling recipes, cooking times, and more.

The recipes which are the bulk of the book are arranged sensibly and are listed in an easy to navigate table of contents. The chapters are: Vegetables and side dishes, Beans and Legumes,  Soups and Stews, Rice and Pasta, Other Grains, and Dessert. The book also includes some useful conversion charts along with cooking tables for various food items.

All of the recipes include ingredients lists, preparation instructions, cooking instructions, and yields.

The ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

We tried vegetable biryani which was very flavorful and colorful. I was a little surprised that the actual recipe called for mixed pre-frozen vegetables, but honestly, it's a huge time saver and I loved the author's honesty - we ALL use convenience ingredients (at least I do).

We also enjoyed the cilantro and lime rice with some salmon (clearly not a vegetarian ingredient and off-recipe fiddling on my part). Not all of my family are crazy about cilantro (love/hate relationship), and this dish really does have both lime and cilantro as feature flavors, so for readers whose families dislike cilantro, go easy on it.

My only quibble with the book is that there are very few dishes pictured or serving suggestions. That detracted somewhat for me. The recipes are, however, well written, with clear and concise instructions and made with easily sourced ingredients. Some of the spices might have to be sourced from a larger Asian or international foods store (or online), but they're not so exotic as to be difficult.

Four stars, a worthwhile addition to the instant pot cooking library.

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

The Golden Tresses of the Dead

The Golden Tresses of the Dead is the tenth (!!) book in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. Released 22nd Jan 2019 by Penguin on their Delacorte imprint, it's 352 delightful pages and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

Flavia is a force of nature. For readers who are unfamiliar with the series, she's a precocious, sometimes ghoulish, chemistry obsessed 12 year old (at this point in the series), who uses her prodigious intellect (and her brawny family retainer Dogger) to solve crimes.

The premise could so easily tip over into maudlin or saccharine cutesy. It balances on the knife edge throughout and Flavia (and Dogger) are -so- readable and engaging that any new addition to the series is a cause for jubilation. By the 10th book, a lot of series' quality control seems to go out the window, sadly. This series has maintained a high standard throughout and in my opinion, The Golden Tresses of the Dead turned out to be one of my favorites.

Since it's the latest book in a fairly large series, I would recommend some familiarity before reading this book. There's a lot of background info and character development which have gone before which won't be understood without picking up at least some of the previous installments. It's not an absolute requirement of course, the author's skillful enough to make each of these books a self contained read,  but the experience will undoubtedly be enhanced.

Five stars. This is probably my current favorite mystery series, bar none.

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

The Black Cat Steps on a Crack

The Black Cat Steps on a Crack is the fourth mystery in the Bad Luck Cat series by Kay Finch. Due out 11th June 2019 from Beyond The Page publishing, it's 346 pages and will be available in ebook and paperback formats.

This is an appealing and well written cozy mystery (and series). For some reason, my reading list has been too heavily slanted toward very serious 'deep' and angry books lately. This was the perfect antidote to too much current events, philosophy, and politics.

The story finds Sabrina and Hitchcock again involved in some amateur sleuthing, this time concerning the demise of the difficult new librarian who disappears the day she meets Sabrina.

There was a lot to like here. The book is well written technically, the plotting and characterizations are fine and the dialogue is well done and not clunky or awkward. The story arc moves along at a good clip and the clues follow all the rules of engagement. Like many other 'cozy mysteries with food and cats (and sometimes libraries), this one does actually include some recipes at the end of the book. I cannot vouch for any of the recipes, but they look good, and I actually intend to try the peanut butter crunch cake, which uses a cake mix as its base and seems manageable. I also really like that the author included a mention of library therapy animals for reading practice for patrons who are struggling with literacy. The animals provide a non-judgemental listening ear and the reader gets practice and literacy confidence building! Well done!!

The language is clean (a couple of 'damn's, nothing worse) and there's no racy content, nothing to make anyone blush. This was my daily bus commute read and it was a good one.

Four stars. I'll be sticking with Hitchcock and Sabrina for the next books in the series.

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

The Grand Dark

The Grand Dark is a new standalone novel from Richard Kadrey. Due out 11th June 2019 from Harper Voyager, it's 432 pages and will be available in hardback, ebook, and audio formats.

I requested this eARC because of my familiarity with the author from his other work (especially the Sandman Slim series). This book quite impressively different. It's always interesting to see authors whose work one admires releasing different styles of work. It's a credit to Kadrey that this book is -so- different from his established characters and series. The entire style is different, it's a serious, philosophical, brooding book, with lightning flashes of real horror. The pacing is much slower and the dramatic tension simply builds and builds instead of building and releasing. In a lot of ways, technically, this is a much different exercise (and more challenging). There's no easy banter, very little snark. Other reviewers have said it has a Kafkaesque feel, and I would say that's apposite. I saw flashes of Lang's Metropolis in there as well, certainly intentional.

In a lot of ways, this was an uncomfortable read for me. The pacing was very slow, almost ponderous, and the story arc felt as though it were grinding inevitably along (dragging me with it to a destination I wasn't at all sure I wanted to visit). There was no sarcastic banter. There was a lot of brooding atmosphere and sporadic violence. The world building and atmosphere were masterfully done; I really liked the inclusion of background information and setting through news items, diary entries, and notes/letters.

Four stars. Beautifully written, divisive, uncomfortable, difficult, important.

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

A Life Made by Hand

A Life Made by Hand is an illustrated biography of Ruth Asawa aimed at younger readers (K-3). Written and illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino, it's due out 3rd Sept 2019 from Princeton Architectural Press, it's 40 pages and will be available in hardback format.

This is an interesting book about the childhood and early adult life of Ruth Asawa. The art is as shown on the cover, and I think that it does a good job of representing -without- being simply photographic or derivative. The artist was more than her sculptural production and I believe the author managed to convey much of her (Asawa's) life experiences without being depressing or providing too much info for younger readers. The book doesn't deal with the family's forcible detention in camps during WW2, first in California, then in Arkansas. The omission was apparently at the request of her daughters, and it is discussed in the afterword.

The book includes a good selection of links to sources for further reading and exploration.  This would make a superlative summer enrichment read for youngsters (perhaps with a coordinated visit to an exhibit of her work), or a classroom read, library book, or gift for an art interested youngster.

There's a cute tutorial for a kirigami insect at the end of the book which would make a nice classroom enrichment tie-in for a unit on Asawa.

Four stars.

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

The Tea Dragon Festival

The Tea Dragon Festival is the second Tea Dragon graphic novel from Katie O'Neill. Due out 17th Sept. 2019 from Oni, it's 136 pages and will be available in hardback format.

I reviewed the first book in 2017 and am happy to report that this book is just as sweetly charming and beautifully crafted as the first book. The artist author is so adept with art that supports and enhances the narrative. The illustrations are very colorful and vibrant.

Although this book is ostensibly aimed at middle readers (age 8-12), I found it a charming and very enjoyable read. This would make a superlative read-to-me book for young children or a read-along. The book's message of kindness, gentleness, inclusivity, and working cooperatively for mutual benefit are -so- necessary and timely.  The author manages to convey the messages without ever being strident or preachy. I also liked that one of the characters uses sign language and at least to some degree, the other characters have picked up different signs (which are drawn in the book).

The characters look and act differently from one another and appear to be different ethnicities and it's no big deal.

I loved this book. The author is gifted and generous to share her stories with us. Looking forward to more. (Please).

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

Gingermelon's Embroidered Animals: Heirloom Dolls to Sew, Embellish and Treasure

Gingermelon's Embroidered Animals is a tutorial crafting book by Shelly Down. Due out 2nd July 2019 from Sewandso, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This book is full of whimsical, attractive, high quality heirloom soft sculpture dolls and accessories which can be used and loved (not just looked at in a cabinet). The introduction (17% of the page content) covers materials and techniques, along with basic construction techniques and diagrams.  The following tutorial chapters refine the basic doll with different animal features and accessories. Each of the dolls has face embroidery features as well as coordinating clothing. The dolls are made to the same measurements, so the coordinating outfits are mix-and-match, allowing for a huge number of alternatives.

The instructions are clear and concise with good construction diagrams and supplies lists, making the content accessible even for beginning crafters. I was impressed to see that the designer is generous enough to allow her designs to be created and gifted or sold as finished dolls (with creator credit of course) which makes me want to create several of these dolls and clothes to donate to a local crisis shelter. The dolls' faces are all integral, no loose pieces to give choking hazards.  They're just beautifully designed and well made.

The book also includes tutorials for accessories for the dolls (see baby lion doll on the center cover). It will give hours of crafting fun and a lovely finished doll for enjoying or gifting.  All of the tutorials include full size patterns. I did not finish any of the dolls, but did several pieces of clothing and found no errors in the patterns; everything went together well.

Five stars. Beautiful book.

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

Welcome to Weaving 2: Techniques and Projects to Take You Further

Welcome to Weaving 2 is a tutorial guide by Lindsey Campbell for frame/table loom weaving aimed at the beginning to intermediate weaver. Due out 28th July 2019 from Schiffer Publishing, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardcover format. This is the companion book to Welcome to Weaving (same pub., released 28th Jan 2019).

Although this is a companion book with slightly more advanced techniques, it is perfectly accessible for a keen beginner, and the author covers everything from creating a tapestry loom, through warping, materials selections, different weaving techniques, finishing, etc.  The introductory and technique chapters are roughly 50% of the page content. The tutorial chapters which follow include tapestries (textural, freeform, off-loom) and other projects (pouch, vest, decorative items, rug, etc). The projects are appealing and classic without being too trendy (and thus out of date). Many of the smaller projects and tapestries also use very small amounts of specialty fibres and would be great for using up scraps from the weaver's stash.

The entire book is very well photographed with clear and concise instructions which are easy to understand. There is nothing intimidating about this book and it felt to me like the best parts of a teacher led class without any of the performance anxiety.

This would make a superlative library book, gift for a fibre-arts enthusiast, or addition to the weaver's home library.

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

John Joseph Adams Books 2019 Sampler

This is a preview chapter sampler with selections from 5 books to be published in 2019. Released 10th Jan 2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on their John Joseph Adams imprint, it's 48 pages.

The chapter 1 samples are from the following books:

Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones by Micah Dean Hicks
The Chaos Function by Jack Skillingstead
Upon a Burning Throne by Ashok K. Banker
Gather the Fortunes by Bryan Camp
Reentry by Peter Cawdron


I was surprised to find that all 5 were very strong, well written, engaging, and interesting. Although they varied from one another in tone and style (of course), all 5 made it onto my TBR list. I am especially interested in  Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones which is both haunting and intriguing.

Well done, 5 stars for the tantalizing glimpses. My vacation reading list is sorted.

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

Easy Wire Art: How to Make 21 Stylish & Decorative Projects

Easy Wire Art: How to Make 21 Stylish & Decorative Projects is a tutorial guide for dimensional wire sculpting. Due out 13th Aug 2019 from Fox Chapel, it's 80 pages and will be available in paperback format.

There aren't a lot of beginner accessible non-jewelry oriented metal sculpting tutorial books out there. This book addresses a basic need in 'niche' crafting and arts. The included projects in this book are appealing and structurally stable. The included projects are appealing and easily adapted to include beads or other found objects for even more versatility.

The book's introductory techniques, tools and materials sections comprise ~12% of the page content followed by the 21 tutorial chapters. Each of the tutorials include a materials sidebar, basic instructions and information, and templates for wire bending. The book also includes an index as well as a table of contents which includes a gallery listing of the tutorials.

The included designs are very simple and whimsically appealing. The materials are inexpensive and easily sourced. The author has included a number of coordinated finishing/display techniques such as hanging stands and wall art.

Four stars.

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

Night Watch

Night Watch is the third book in the Michael Cassidy thriller series by David C. Taylor. Released 1st May 2019 by Severn, it's 304 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

This is a noir thriller set in 1956 New York City. The book resonates with period detail and atmosphere. The author is a masterful storyteller, and this book was a seriously enjoyable read. Though it's the third in the series, it works quite well as a standalone. I enjoyed it and had no trouble keeping up with the plotting or characters. I definitely intend to go back and read the previous books, however, especially prior to the next book(s) in the series.

The author compares quite favorably to Chandler, Ellroy, Cain, Spillane and the rest of them and readers looking for an authentic 1950s gritty noir experience will enjoy this series. Happily Mr. Taylor is still relatively young and prolific, we're lucky to enjoy his stories, hopefully for a very long time to come.

Five stars. Especially recommended for fans of thriller noir/gritty police procedurals.

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

Darkwood (The Darkwood Series)

Darkwood is the first book in a presumptive series by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch. Due out 13th June 2019 from Prelude on their Farrago! imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a very funny book and well written into the bargain. Ostensibly aimed at middle grade readers, it nevertheless has an awful lot to offer adults also. Written as a sort of 'fractured fairy tales' mash-up of Snow White and the huntsmen, there are cameos from an amazing array of well known fairy tale archetypes alongside some new faces original to this work.

The author has a very deft touch with humor (it's her day job), and her facility with the 'nuts and bolts' of plotting, pacing, narrative tension, dialogue etc are all superlative. This is an enjoyable read and I devoured it in one sitting. Despite being really truly funny, the themes of intolerance, dehumanising people who are different from ourselves, and personal responsibility and morality are presented unflinchingly and very honestly.

It should be noted for readers outside the British Isles that (most of?) the spelling and idiom are British, so Americans should be prepared to compensate.

Five stars, and I want to be a charter member of the Trevor fan club!

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

Serafina and the Seven Stars (The Serafina Series Book 4)

Serafina and the Seven Stars is the 4th book in the series by Robert Beatty. Due out 9th July 2019 from Disney-Hyperion, it's 352 pages and will be available in ebook and hardcover formats.

This series is aimed at middle grade readers and includes some actual historical places and characters around which the narrative is woven. Though the target audience is younger, it can certainly be enjoyed by adults as well. The plotting is well done and the author has a deft touch with dramatic tension. Main character Serafina is the shapeshifting guardian of Biltmore and this time she's by herself without her friend and mentor Braeden.

I received a sample excerpt for review purposes and found it engaging and well written.  This is a tightly woven series and presupposes some backstory familiarity of the reader. I would recommend reading the series in order.

Looking forward to reading the complete book as well as future installments.

Four stars.

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

The Ultimate Kogin Collection

The Ultimate Kogin Collection is a new tutorial guide by Susan Briscoe. Due out 2nd July 2019 from Sewandso, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. The ebook format is available now.

Kogin embroidery is a Japanese geometric surface woven embroidery, similar to huck weaving and decorative darning. This is a collection of tutorials with patterns for 12 finished projects and numerous stitching diagrams.

The introductory sections comprises roughly 25% of the content. The author discusses the history of the form and different regional styles. The projects cover 25% and include attractive and pretty table linens, cards, soft furnishings, tote bags and a coin purse. There were several of them which grabbed my attention but the ones which grabbed me most were the covered buttons. (See cover). They're incredibly appealing and would make a gorgeous addition to hand knitted or sewn apparel or home decor whilst using up the smallest of scraps of evenweave fabric and fibres.

The ebook version includes a very handy interactive table of contents and hyperlinked suppliers lists. There's also an index and bibliography for further reading.

Really appealing book with attractive projects for an underrepresented technique. Lovely!

Five stars. Worthwhile for the fabric crafter's library.

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

Santiago: True Tales of a Little Bug in a Big World

Santiago: True Tales of a Little Bug in a Big World is an anthropomorphized tale of a praying mantis called Santiago who hitched a ride into his humans' house on a hydrangea bush and it's told from the point of view of the little mantis.

Released 5th June 2019 by author Jennifer Vitanzo, it's 187 pages and available in paperback format.

This is an engaging tale about the trials and everyday dangers insects face in and around human dwellings. The book is sprinkled with lots of photographs of Santiago the mantis (and other animals, stuffed and real) which lived with the author. It's a well written and humorous narrative. It should be noted that it does follow the life cycle of mantids and includes the death of the main character.

This would make a nice summer vacation read for youngsters or a read-to-me selection for younger children. It would also be a nice library selection or gift for a young person interested in entomology.

Four stars. I wasn't completely ok with the anthropomorphism, but since it's aimed (mostly) at kids, i'll keep my grumbles to myself. I do appreciate that the author specifically advises against keeping exotic/wild animals as pets.

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

Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast

Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast is an encyclopedic treatise of wild plants and flowers of the southeastern coastal states of the USA (they include WV also). Due out 25th June 2019 from Timber Press, it's 512 (!!) pages, and will be available in ebook and flexibound formats.

The book has a good introduction chapter segueing into a basic discussion of local terrain and climate. These introductions (roughly 10% of the content) lead into instructions for using the book efficiently for field ID. The individual plant entries are arranged primarily by bloom color, with the entry notes further specifying growth habits, foliage, and other distinguishing features. These are indexed in the table of contents for ease of ID in the wild.

Each entry includes both Latin and common names, a full color picture in bloom along with a range-map, as well as a full description of habits, estimated blooming times, and growth patterns. There are hundreds and hundreds of included species. There is a cross referenced index, an extensive glossary, as well as a solid reference list including online resources for further learning (obviously weighted toward readers in the southeastern USA).

My only quibble with the book is that the early eARC which was provided for review purposes had some formatting errors which caused severe pixelation of the entry photos. I am certain that this will surely be corrected in the publication version of the ebook.

This would be a wonderful library selection, support (or main) text for a botany class, or as a really complete and comprehensive field guide for personal use.

Five stars.

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

The Winter of the Witch

The Winter of the Witch is the conclusion to Katherine Arden's stunningly good Winternight trilogy. Released 8th Jan 2019 by Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 384 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

The richness and intricacy of this trilogy, and especially this installment can't possibly be overstated. This is a brilliantly written book full of lush imagery and interwoven within a framework of almost a thousand years of Russian folklore.  It has gravitas. In quite a lot of ways it reminds me of truly iconic fantasies, Lord of the Rings, Earthsea, Amber, Melnibone, Dune, etc.

This is an epic coming-of-age fantasy but so much more. I love that the heroine Vasya is the captain of her own story. And through all the sacrifice and pain in this book, she's admirable and determined.

The author's facility with the written word is amazing. I spent a great percentage of my time reading this book in gob-smacked admiration with her writing. It also includes an extensive glossary as well as author's notes which provide a fascinating glimpse into her creative process and some of the real historical background frameworks upon which she wove the story.

Just a beautiful reading experience. I will be revisiting these again.

Five stars for both the book and the trilogy. Wonderful.

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

Draw Baby Beasties

Draw Baby Beasties is a new tutorial chibi art guide from Lindsay Cibos-Hodges & Jared Hodges. Due out 18th June 2019 from F+W Media on the Impact imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The book's introduction (~10%) covers materials and some very basic treatment of shading, building up drawings with simple shapes, and the drawing process. The tutorial instructions are concise and easy to understand.

The following tutorials include 27 (by my count) baby/juvenile fantasy creatures. The tutorials include step by step instructions showing how the drawings are built up. They are 4 pages each and include alternate poses. All of the tutorials include a short introduction and history of the creature along with a cute sidebar with suggested 'stats' for each of them (speed, strength, magic, cunning, and special abilities). Sort of DIY Pokemon style. The tutorials show line drawn/graphite base drawings and progress to a final colored version.

I have to say the Jackalope (p. 26) and the Baby Yeti (p. 30) are about the cutest things I've ever seen. They're all pretty cute, though.  There are hours and hours of drawing fun for all readers here. This would make a great art/drawing unit for school or homeschooling, a super summer activity at home or the library, or a summer camp activity.  Several of the tutorials are for Asian inspired fantasy creatures (kitsune, raiju, naga, shishi), as well as other cultures (quetzalcoatl and zaratan) so it's not just baby dragons, gryphons, and gargoyles.

Five stars, super appealing and something here for all ages.

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

The Dreaming Vol. 1: Pathways and Emanations

The Dreaming Vol. 1: Pathways and Emanations is a graphic novel collection of  The Sandman Universe 1 and the first 6 issues of The Dreaming. Due out 11th June 2019 from Vertigo, it's 195 pages and available in paperback and ebook (comiXology) formats.

The pencils by Bilquis Evely and coloring by Mat Lopes are sublime and fit the narrative perfectly.  It's always a little bit nerve-wracking when other people are writing storylines in worlds which are dear to me, but in this case, Simon Spurrier shows once again that he is a masterful storyteller. These issues felt very seamless and I loved the tie-in cameos. I don't know how much direct input Neil Gaiman had on the story arc, but they fit so well in the Sandman universe.  I continue to be very impressed.

As most (all?) of the Vertigo titles are for more mature readers, there is a large amount of violence, supernatural themes, demonic possession, etc etc.

The graphic novel includes extra content such as alternate cover art and tantalizing sketchbook glimpses.

I literally grew up in a comic/fandom family and Sandman was the comic 'soundtrack' of my early adulthood. I've loved it deeply for decades and this series is a worthy bearer of the franchise name.

Four and a half stars.

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

The Vavasour Macbeth

The Vavasour Macbeth is a fictionalized historical mystery by Bart Casey. Released 7th May 2019 by Post Hill, it's 368 pages and available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

I've always enjoyed historical mysteries especially written around a framework of factual history. This one is told in third person, alternating the modern timeline (1992), with Elizabethan & Jacobian historical vignettes built into the story. There is a major subplot involving the situation in Bosnia at the time which struck me oddly, but the research for all of the facets of the book (modern and medieval) were impressively well done.

There were a few stereotypes with which I was somewhat uncomfortable and the female main character, Margaret, though not unintelligent, struck me as recklessly hasty and naive.

The book is undeniably beautifully written. The author has a deft touch with dialogue and pacing. The historical parts are very well researched and believably rendered and I didn't find any anachronisms or mistakes. (I'm not a historian, just a keen amateur).  If the denouement was a trifle too perfect, it was at least a happy and satisfying one. It should also be mentioned that either the author is gifted with his capacity for nuts-and-bolts writing, or the editing was superlative. I was given an early eARC for review purposes and found not one single typo or mistake. I think that might be unique in my reviewing experience thus far.

The author includes a nice list of historical notes and references which leave me itching to read further. I always love author afterwords for the glimpse they give into the author's creative process. That was a big plus for me with this book.

I enjoyed this one very much and will definitely seek out the author's further work. 

Four stars.

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