Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes from Our Family to Yours

Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook is a wonderful new cookbook and style guide by Mary Heffernan. Due out 8th Sept 2020 from Sasquatch Books, it's 288 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is such a lovely book, written with warmth and generousity, full of well developed recipes with a quintessentially American farmland flavor and hospitality that it's impossible not to like it. The book is lavishly illustrated, showing the Heffernan family, pets, lifestyle, stock, and surroundings in gorgeous detail.

The book is laid out logically and accessibly. An introduction/bio for the Heffernan's journey from being yuppies (he ran his own law firm, she was an entrepreneur) to ranchers was interesting and provided some salient philosophical takeaways. The recipes are arranged roughly thematically: breakfasts, appetizers/small bites, beef, pork, lamb, sides, beverages, and desserts.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. There is an included conversion chart for metric measures in the back of the book. Descriptions are contained in the header for each recipe. The nutritional information is not included. Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in headers with the recipe descriptions. The recipes themselves are beautifully finished with lots of nice unexpected juxtapositions of flavor and texture (citrus and crisp fried Brussels sprouts, lamb loin served with a green olive and orange relish - amazing and delicious). The recipes are (obviously) meat heavy, it's a ranch cookbook. There are a fair number of meat-free recipes however, and the overall quality of the writing and neat and hearty fusion style of the foods will allow vegetarians a surprising amount of use for the recipes in the book - notably all of the sauces, condiments, dressings, marinades, and other flavor enhancers (and there are a pile of them) can be adapted to meat-free uses. 

The production values are top notch, and yes, the book shows a jealousy inducing "instagram perfect" family (as I look around at my messy kitchen countertops and wash my 3rd load of laundry for the day), however, it's honestly written with such warmth and candor that I found myself admiring them reaching for (and apparently working together to achieve) their dreams and raise their lovely family in a gorgeous rural setting. The photography is abundant and gorgeous and adds a lot to the recipes. Serving suggestions are beautifully presented and appropriate.

Five stars. I'll be buying my own copy.

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

Your Starter Kitchen: The Definitive Beginner's Guide to Stocking, Organizing, and Cooking in Your Kitchen

Your Starter Kitchen is an accessible, clear, and fairly comprehensive guide to getting comfortable with cooking and setting up a kitchen. Due out 2nd Sept 2020 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 208 pages (paperback) and will be 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.
I didn't grow up in a family with any sort of culinary tradition. The facility with cooking and the recipes I've acquired over time have come unevenly and unexpectedly. I definitely would've benefited from a book like this one. It's a basic guide to equipping and using a kitchen. The layout is logical and understandable.

The three main sections have different focus. They are: 1) For a small or first time kitchen, 2) For a more grown up kitchen, and 3) For a large and/or forever home kitchen. The sections are self explanatory and suit the focus quite well. They build on one another, with the first covering the most essential and basic equipment and pantry staples, moving to more comprehensive items and finally to the most comprehensive list of gear with additional info about involving kids in the kitchen process, arranging the kitchen efficiently and other tips.  All three of the sections include techniques and primers, recipes, and checklists.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. There's no included conversion chart for metric measures. Descriptions are contained in the header for each recipe. The nutritional information is not included. Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex. The book contains almost no graphics, illustrations, or photography. For a book on basic kitchen setup and cooking, this could be an important consideration for some readers.

Four stars. Worthwhile (general) information to be gleaned here.

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

Grow Your Own Tea: The Complete Guide to Cultivating, Harvesting, and Preparing

Grow Your Own Tea is a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting, and processing tea from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Due out 1st Sept from Workman Publishing on their Timber Press imprint, it's 208 pages (print version) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is as advertised, an encyclopedic guide to cultivating, harvesting, and preparing tea. It's laid out logically, and the language is accessible, the instructions achievable (given some determination and favorable climate considerations). The authors are experienced tea farmers and have provided a good groundwork for the curious home gardener to succeed with tea growing.

The introductory chapters cover the history of tea, contemporary tea culture in the USA, and the agriculturally relevant info on the tea plant. Worth noting, this book is concerned with the culture and processing of Camellia sinensis, and not the other plants we often use for infusing drinks and tisanes such as mint, chamomile, nettle, lavender, lemon verbena, etc.

The bulk of the content is devoted to a detailed tutorial for choosing, siting, sourcing, planting, and caring for tea plants. The troubleshooting and diagnostic guides in these chapters are very well done and worthwhile for related plants in the Camellia genus as well. The pictures are very clear and useful. Whilst the bulk of the book seems aimed to a somewhat larger scale gardener blessed with good climate, soil, and other favorable conditions, the authors do include a very interesting subchapter on container growing. I'm definitely going to get a couple of plants and try cool greenhouse cultivation. If I managed to grow peaches and nectarines in Norway, I am hopeful for a positive outcome for tea also.

This is an interesting and comprehensive well written guide to growing and processing tea. This would be a nice selection for tea lovers, serious gardeners, or those who like a horticultural challenge. There aren't many layman-accessible specific guides for cultivating and processing tea (the vast majority are focused on herbal teas or foraged plants), so this is a standout selection in a very small pool of choices. Five stars.

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

Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook: 100 Plant-Based Recipes with Fewer Calories and Less Fat

Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook is a recipe collection and tutorial book by Dana Angelo White. Due out 1st Sep 2020 from Penguin Random House on their DK imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

The introduction covers the basics of cooking with the air-fryer and essential accessories as well as an intro to the vegan lifestyle/diet, including a basic primer on vegan friendly substitutions for common non-vegetarian ingredients, tips, tools, supplies, how-to. The following chapters include the recipes arranged roughly by category: breakfast, mains, sides, snacks & salads, and desserts.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American standard measurements with metric measures in parentheses (yay!). The nutritional information:  fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbs, fiber content, etc are listed for the recipes as well as serving sizes.  Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made for the most part with easily sourced ingredients (not all though, some of the recipe ingredients are vegan substitutions for other products (butter, cheese, chorizo, etc)). Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex.

The photography is not abundant; many of the recipes are not illustrated, but the photographs which are included are clear and beautifully well done.  I wish there had been more photographs and serving suggestions, but I do understand that extra photography increases the price of book projects very quickly and the lack is not crippling because this is a fairly simple collection.

This is an interesting collection of recipes. It struck me however, that many of the recipes were really things which could more easily be made (and in larger volume) *without* the air-fryer. The recipes also rely very much on store-bought ingredients. Cooks who prefer to cook completely from scratch will have to do some pre-cooking to make the necessary ingredients.

Four stars.

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

Passing Fancies (Julia Kydd #2)

Passing Fancies is the second Julia Kydd mystery by Marlowe Benn. Released 2nd June 2020, it's 331 pages and 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. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the first in the series) is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a competently written period murder mystery set in NYC in 1925. The protagonist is a (recently) independently wealthy young woman who is a publisher of small run special edition art books. In her search for new authors to publish and promote, she moves in social circles with artists, writers, and musicians. The avant garde attend the same parties without regard to race or to the segregation laws of the time and she meets and befriends an author whom she is surprised to find out is of mixed race background.  How their friendship develops is central to the plot. Much of it turns on themes of sexism, racism, rape, segregation, and rigid patriarchy in addition to the murder and subsequent investigation.

Although this is the second book in the series, it works well enough as a standalone. The necessary backstory is given in the narrative and I never felt lost or had trouble keeping the characters straight in my head as I was reading.

Although it seems to mostly be a light period mystery, there's a fair amount of graphic violence, racism, discussion of rape, etc etc. I found myself uncomfortable with some of the discussions as well as the relentless racism (especially in the context of "that's the way it is"). The author is unquestionably a competent writer and I love books with a bibliophile theme. I'm motivated to at least read the next book in the series.  I also found the denouement rather tough going and the resolution left me somewhat dissatisfied.

Three and a half stars.

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

 

Simply Stitched with Embroidery: Embroidery Motifs for Purses and More

Simply Stitched with Embroidery is a tutorial and pattern guide for surface embroidery motifs which is part of a series by Yumiko Higuchi. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Zakka Workshop, it's 104 pages and will be available in paperback format.
I enjoyed this book. The pictures are all very clear and colorful, the projects are well designed and appealing, and the text is easy to follow. The introduction includes a discussion of tools, supplies, and basic techniques. The bulk of the book is taken up by the 9 purse projects. The projects themselves are varied and attractive, from small to large. Most all of the projects could certainly be easily adapted to other finishes.  All of the templates and stitching diagrams are included. Each tutorial contains an introduction, materials list (nothing too exotic or difficult to source), and step by step line drawn process pictures from start to finish. Tips and alternative finishes are included in the tutorials. The book also includes a supplies and links list (but no index). There are many lovely color photographs included. It should be noted that these projects utilize surface embroidery for decoration (not cross stitch). Many of the designs in the book could also serve as a good jumping off point for dimensional embroider/stumpwork.

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

Five stars. Worthwhile for the fabric crafter's library. It's also very nice to see embroidery techniques outside of cross stitch getting some representation.

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

Doodle It All

Doodle It All is a tutorial guide to doodling a multitude of fun small drawings. Originally published in Japanese in 2016, this English language translation, due out 1st Sept 2020 from Zakka Workshop is 128 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The book starts with a general tips & tricks introduction showing tools and supplies and how to use them followed by chapters building up different items (animals, people, food, flowers & plants, household items, hobbies, etc etc), adding decorations and background patterns, and composition.  The bulk of the book is pages and pages and pages of very simple line drawings which -anyone- can do. 

One of the most brilliant aspects of this book is in showing the would be doodler how to combine and build on simple elements to produce a deceptively simple cohesive piece of art which looks very complex.  I've been using doodling as an awareness/mindfulness exercise and it really does work.  These are cute and good fun.

This would make a really fun rainy day activity for younger kids to, well, adult age.  They're appealing and whimsical and sweet. This would also be a great resource book for anyone wanting to up their drawing-with-young-kids game.

Four stars

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

Garfield's Guide to Drawing the World's Best-Looking Cat (and His Friends)

Garfield's Guide to Drawing the World's Best-Looking Cat is a fun tutorial guide for drawing Garfield and friends. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Lerner, it's 32 pages and will be available in paperback, library bound edition, and ebook formats.

This is a concise step by step tutorial featuring Garfield and associated characters. Aimed at younger artists, the text is easy to read and the drawing instructions are clear and accessible. The instruction starts with a tutorial of how to draw Garfield's face and head, and progresses through different poses up to composites with multiple characters in one drawing. Many of the drawing pages have finished drawings of Garfield with his snarky running commentary ("Nermal is so cute. I hate cute").

This would make a great selection for school or classroom libraries, as inspiration for a maker group, or a superlative gift for a young artist or reader, possibly bundled with some drawing materials to do their own stories.

Four stars.

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

Preserving the Season: 90 Delicious Recipes for Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Chutneys, Pickles, Curds, Condiments, Canning & Dishes Using Them

Preserving the Season is a recipe and tutorial collection to creating and using jams, jellies, chutneys, preserves, foraged foods, and more. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Fox Chapel, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a really comprehensive collection to both preserving foods as well as using them. The layout is easy to understand, not overcomplicated, and accessible. The introductory chapters cover tools, supplies, seasonal preserves, equipment, ingredients selection, and general tips on preserving.

The recipes are arranged roughly thematically. The chapter for berry preserves, also includes a number of allied recipes which use or feature the berry preserves. There's a lovely recipe for Devonshire cream tea featuring berry preserves (strawberry for preference) clotted cream, fresh scones, and proper tea. Thematically, the book has a very English feel. There are curds and chutneys, tarts and puddings, and preserves (greengage) which aren't very well known in most of the USA. That being said, these quintessentially British staples are arranged cheek-by-jowl with schnitzel and kaiserschmarren.

The recipes each contain an introduction, ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar, and step by step instructions. Measurements are given in American standard, with metric in parentheses (yay!). The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced, but some might require mail order or access to canning supplies and tools. 

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but the included photography is clear and easy to follow and sufficient. If the book has a flaw, it's that (to me) it felt like it tried to be too much. It's not just a collection of preserving tips and recipes, but also tries to include recipes to use those items, as well as a little bit on foraging/wildcrafting, and some bread recipes tossed in for good measure. 

Five stars. This book would make a superlative selection for smallholders, orchardists, gardeners, local food fans, adventuresome cooks, and other lifestyle readers. This is a well written, eminently reasonable, usable guide to making and enjoying the excess produce of our gardens.

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

Basic Bitchen

Basic Bitchen is a fun new recipe style collection by Joey Skladani. Due out 4th Aug 2020 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 224 pages (hardcover) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The general style of the text and collection is young, stylish, humorous, slightly snarky (ok,fairly snarky) and fun. The recipes have clever names and the author's voice is over the top in an irreverent exuberant way.

The layout is easy to follow and the recipes themselves are varied and tasty. An introduction covers the basics: stocking a pantry, necessary kitchen tools, and helpful tips. The following chapters include the recipes grouped thematically: Basic Bevs, Snappy Apps, Grand Entrance Entrees, Sinful Sweets, and Brunch (The most important meal of the day).

The recipes include a title, description with yields and prep/cooking time, ingredients in a bullet list, and step by step instructions. Ingredient measurements are given in American standard only (no metric). Alternative ingredients and additions as well as tips and hints are provided in highlighted text boxes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex.

This would make a good choice for young culinary style-forward cooks, maybe newly moved into a new apartment, or living on their own for the first time. This is a fun niche cookbook. It won't be a staple in years to come, but for here-and-now, it's a fun choice.

Four stars.

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

The Big Book of Cidermaking: Expert Techniques for Fermenting and Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider, from Sweet, Bubbly, Botanical, or Hopped to Barrel-Aged Apple Brandy and Pommeau

The Big Book of Cidermaking is a technique and tutorial guide for making hard (alcoholic) ciders by Christopher and Kirsten Shockey. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Storey, it's 272 pages (in the print verstion) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an exhaustive and encyclopedic manual for the keen amateur homebrewer. Ciders have long lacked the same cachet as homebrew and artisanal beers, but are deservedly enjoying a renaissance amongst savvy brewers.

The layout is accessible and the text is understandable and well written. The authors explain each of the steps logically and well. The introduction includes some history, definitions of types of cider and terms, an overview of equipment, and the general process of moving from apples, to cider step by step.

The second section contains numerous recipes, both basic and advanced, including tutorials for different methods of fermentation (including a good solid introduction to wild fermentation) infusing, spiking with wine and other spirits, and finally enjoying the fruits of one's labors.

The recipes each contain an introduction, ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar, and step by step instructions. Measurements are given in American standard, with metric in parentheses (yay!). The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced, but some will obviously require access to mail order or a specialty brewing supplier (especially the equipment).

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but the included photography is clear and easy to follow and sufficient.

Five stars. This book would make a superlative selection for homebrewers, sustainable agriculture folks, smallholders, orchardists, gardeners, local food fans, adventuresome cooks, and other lifestyle readers. This is a passionately written, eminently reasonable, usable guide to making and enjoying good cider.

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

Ten-Step Drawing: People: Draw a range of figures & faces in 10 easy steps

Ten-Step Drawing: People is a tutorial and instruction book to drawing people in a variety of poses by Justine Lecouffe. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The titles in this series are all formatted in a similar manner and this one is no exception.

A very short general introduction includes a capsule instruction page on how to use the book, and how the tutorials are set up (basic guidelines, geometric step by step shapes, refinement, finishing).  The following tutorial chapters are specific for different elements of facial anatomy in various poses and include specific anatomy: eyes, noses, etc, leading to some full studies (relaxed standing, at ease, profile standing, perchinig and leaning).

I like these tutorial booklets, they're inexpensive and full of useful info for artists looking for improvement in their own work. It's nice to see them being released for beginning artists and learners.

Four stars - for what it covers and for a short tutorial guide, it does the job admirably well.

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

Christmas Delights: A Faith-Filled, Family Favorite Holiday Cookbook

Christmas Delights is a collection of recipes and ideas for the Christmas season. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Barbour Publishing, it's 224 pages and will be available in flexibound format.

The layout is simple and the recipes are arranged thematically: beverages, breakfast & brunch, Christmas dinner (main dishes and sides), Christmas Eve parties, cookies and candy, festive breads, and party dishes to feed crowds.

Ingredient measurements are supplied in American measurements only. There's no included conversion chart for metric measures.Descriptions are contained in the header for each recipe. The nutritional information is not included.  Extra tips or recipe alternatives are listed in sidebars with the recipes. The recipes themselves are fairly straightforward and are made with easily sourced ingredients. Many are very simple, none of them are overly complex. I was surprised that most of the recipes are not cookies or sweets. The bulk of my holiday baking is cookies and fudge and similar things for sharing and gift-giving and there weren't many here to choose from however, it's worth noting that the review eARC of the book provided represented about 50% of the final page content, so there's likely to be more of all the recipe categories in the press edition of the book.

These are tasty, easy to prepare, homestyle cooking for sharing with family and friends.

Each of the chapter headers includes a simple devotional paragraph or short prayerful saying. The writing is not strident or preachy. They're comforting and joyful and wouldn't be taken amiss by non-Christian readers.

The photography is not abundant; most of the recipes are not illustrated, but the photographs which are included are clear and well done.  I wish there had been more photographs and serving suggestions, but I do understand that extra photography increases the price of book projects very quickly.

As a bonus, many of the recipes include gift giving packaging ideas for sharing.

Four stars.

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

An ABC of Equality

An ABC of Equality is a colorfully illustrated and appealing ABC picture book for kids - babies to older children. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it'll be 56 pages and will be available in boardbook format.

I really like the concepts and the aim of this little book. The idea of equality, dignity, self expression, worthiness, and beauty for all people no matter who they are is wonderful and worthy and needs to be taught to everyone, the younger the better. The problem is that tying these advanced and sometimes difficult concepts to an ABC book seemed like an odd combination to me.

At any rate, the pictures will appeal to babies and toddlers and the pictures and text will allow adults to at least begin to have simple conversations with their children and youngsters about identity, ethnicity, xenophobia, physical abilities and how to celebrate our differences and not allow them to divide us.

This is an exuberant book and I really think it's important to start to teach our children respect and kindness for everyone. There are -some- parts of the book which struck me as oddly formulated: LGBTQIA for example says "It's okay to be whoever you want to be". Apart from the obvious grammatical ding (whomever), I was somewhat uncomfortable with the idea that identity and lifestyle are choices. Generally though, the detractions are similarly minor and fleeting.

I liked the book and I think it will be a useful tool for introducing important concepts to youngsters.

Four stars.

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

Pele

Pele is a new biography for young readers in the Little People, Big Dreams series. I've reviewed a number of these titles and all of them are delightful and exuberant little books which cover the lives of famous cultural, science, arts, and innovative icons while maintaining an age-appropriate level of detail.

Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it'll be 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Written by Isabel Sánchez Vegara it's well written in clear accessible language.  The gentle and vibrant illustrations were well done. The art by Camila Rosa is appealing and colorful and supports the story. The illustrations are bold and simple.

Well written and appealing, I am really enjoying all of these little books. This one is a worthy addition. I also appreciate that there are suggestions for further reading in the back of the book with the timeline of Pele's life.

Four stars. This would make a superlative reading circle book, classroom library book, or gift.  Pele is obviously a supremely gifted athlete, but the book also highlights his accomplishments as an ambassador for equality and his charitable works. This book is a tribute to an icon who still represents the ideals of sportsmanship and brotherhood for so many thousands of people worldwide. It's nice to see him being introduced to a new generation of kids.

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

Colourful Fun Embroidery: Featuring 24 Modern Projects to Bring Joy and Happiness to Your Life!

Colourful Fun Embroidery is a new tutorial and project guide to surface embroidery by Clare Albans. Due out 30th Aug 2020 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

I enjoyed this book. The pictures are all very clear and colorful, the projects are well designed and appealing, and the text is upbeat and encouraging. The introduction includes a discussion of tools, supplies, and basic techniques. The bulk of the book is taken up by the 24 (by my count) projects. The projects themselves are varied and attractive, from embroidered hoop-framed sayings, banners, an embroidered patchwork bag, and more. Most all of the projects could certainly be easily adapted to other finishes.  All of the templates are included. Each tutorial contains an introduction, materials list (nothing too exotic or difficult to source), and step by step photo tutorials from start to finish. Tips and alternative finishes are included in the tutorials. The book also includes a supplies and links list (but no index).
 
It should be noted that this book is about surface embroidery, not cross stitch.  It's lovely to see tutorials and and upswing in interest for the other fibrearts; it seems like only cross-stitch had any following for a long long time and it's nice to see surface embroidery enjoying a renaissance. I really love the breezy and sweet style, and the quirky comfortable projects.

Beautiful projects. Four stars.

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

The Truth about Baked Beans: An Edible New England History

The Truth about Baked Beans is a fascinating miscellany history of the culinary traditions and roots of New England and the people who live there. Due out 25th Aug 2020 from the NYU Press, it's 352 pages (in hardcover) and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

It has an accessible and engaging narrative. The author starts by examining the origins of the iconic Yankee staple: Boston brown bread and baked beans. I had grown up never once questioning the story that it was handed down from "Indian" cooks. The author makes a compelling argument for a much later origin in the 19th century coinciding with a strong drop in local sugar prices (and a wish to market the area's cultural and tourist attractions to an upwardly mobile traveling middle class).

There are some historically period recipes reproduced here for things varied (and delicious sounding). Recipes for fried dough, plum cake, pierogis, greek pizza and more add some interest and will be fun to reproduce and try, but by far the emphasis is on the history behind the development and blending of the cultures which make up New England.

The book is meticulously annotated throughout. The author has cited both period and modern scholarly research to support the narrative. There are numerous chapter notes, and an index (to come in the release version). The chapter notes alone will keep keen readers reading for ages.

The author has a casual academic style of writing; accessible and careful, with proper annotation, but not overly convoluted or impenetrably difficult to read. She manages to convey a wealth of information without being pedantic or preachy. I really enjoyed reading this historical catalogue of how closely food is intertwined with place, with social development and expansion, and with the people who live in New England.

This would be a great choice for libraries, local historians, food historians, period reproduction cooks, Bed & Breakfast/hospitality, or for fans of New England cuisine.

Five stars. It's abundantly clear that the author has poured prodigious effort and careful academic research into this tome. I can't imagine there's much left unanswered about New England's culinary traditions. I feel much enlightened anyhow.

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

The Moon: A Beginner's Guide to Lunar Features and Photography

The Moon is a hybrid atlas and photography tutorial manual dedicated to Earth's own satellite. Due out 30th Aug 2020 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Author James Harrop is an experienced photographer and he provides quite a lot of specific information for readers concerning equipment, atmospheric conditions, and other criteria to reproduce or capture their own images.

The book itself follows a logical and accessible format. From the general photography terms and equipment he moves on to more specific detail of DSLR imaging, mobile phone images, sensors and image resolution, Sharpcap, stacking, image processing in Photoshop, composite images in ICE, and lunar features (with a cool checklist to tick off seen/imaged features).  If those terms don't mean a lot, it might be reassuring to know that I am a complete newbie when it comes to photography and the author takes pains to make the concepts painless and understandable. This really is a mostly beginner friendly guide to capturing images better than I had thought possible with the equipment I had. I also liked the way the author used actual screenshots with specific programs to guide the reader through some of the software features. (Click here. The interface should look like this. Do this step, then that).  I also liked the way technical terms are defined in highlighted sidebars on the pages on which they appear. It makes it *so* much easier than looking things up at the back of the book.

Well written, very interesting, and night-time astral photography is a hobby anyone can do at a beginning level (whilst social distancing). I gained an appreciation for the subject reading the book. This would make a superlative selection for astronomy fans, photography hobbyists, or anyone looking for a neat way to use up some insomnia hours. It's all ages accessible and virtually free to start, since everyone has a mobile phone.

Five stars. Quite comprehensive.

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

Scientists Who Dared to Be Different

Scientists Who Dared to Be Different is a biography collection both historical and modern aimed at younger readers. Released 31st July by Arcturus Publishing, it's 202 pages (ebook edition) 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.

This is a beautifully illustrated book which includes biographies for titans of science and exploration (Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Galileo) to scientists who are equally worthy but lesser known by the general public outside their spheres of influence (Valentina Tereshkova, John Forbes Nash, Katherine Johnson, Mary Anning). The subjects of the biographies often lived very challenging lives and suffered a great deal because of their ethnicity, sex, or mental/physical handicaps. The biographies are roughly 10-15 pages each and run to a fair bit of age appropriate detail. Each of the them includes several colour illustrations.

I've been banging on about the importance of STE(A)M education for decades and this would make a superlative addition to the classroom or school library, or gift for a young person. 

The book also includes a short glossary, but no index. Five stars for plucking out a wide variety of 'lesser known' science and maths legends from varied backgrounds and time periods.

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

27 Essential Principles of Story: Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park

27 Essential Principles of Story is a masterclass in plotting and storytelling aimed at authors by Daniel Joshua Rubin. Due out 18th Aug 2020 from Workman Publishing, it's 384 pages (for the ebook) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an -extremely- well written and usable manual presenting clear and concise examples of plotting, tension, characterization, setting, dialogue, theme and other parts of narrative fiction which are essential tools for writers. The tutorial examples are arranged thematically: essential principles of plot, character, and setting dialogue & theme. Each of the tutorial chapters is presented with a real life example from literature, tv, or other media and broken down and examined point by point. Highlighted text boxes provide prompts and self quizzes to help the reader master the presented material.

Wonderful book on the nuts and bolts of story creation and writing. It would also be quite useful for reviewers and other readers who need to understand the bones of creative writing. Highly recommended.

Five stars.

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