On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down

On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down is a direct, often hilarious, always honest, day-by-day collection of historical commentary collected by James Fell. Released 10th Oct 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 432 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

The author has a vast (well deserved) following of folks who tune in to his blog and social media posts to get the low-down on history, political commentary, and wryly accurate sarcasm on human nature and the almost mind-boggling stuff they get up to regularly. 

He swears a lot, admittedly appropriately, but undeniably often and creatively. The historical tidbits cover quite a long period of time, there were historical events from a few centuries B.C.E. right up to the present day (relatively speaking). 

It's a no-holds-barred bare knuckles historical fracas, and it's really genuinely funny. 

Five stars for making history funny (even some of the really tragic bits). It would be an exceptional choice for public library acquisition. It would also make an excellent choice for school library acquisition, except that in the current puritanical climate in the USA, it's likely already banned and the subject of a crapload of challenges. It's not even a little bit "fine people on both sides". On the first page, he states for the record that Nazis are bad. The rest of the book carries on in a similar vein. This would also make a fine choice for personal reading or gifting to history interested/nerdy friends.

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

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret - Captain Jim and Lady Diana

 

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret is the third book in the Captain Jim and Lady Diana historical mystery series by Nev March. Released 12th Sept 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in Aug 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is a very well written and engaging historical mystery. The titular protagonist, Captain Jim Agnihotri, is a half English, half Indian officer and investigator who leaves India to take up a job in America with his young wife. He deals with racism because of his upbringing and skin color as well as being an Englishman in the US. 

The relationship between Jim and his wife Diana is refreshingly honest (and modern). She's intelligent and headstrong, if naive. Both of them have a distinct honesty that's refreshing to read. The mystery is well constructed and the prose is nuanced and enjoyable. The action moves the plot along quickly and the denouement and resolution are satisfying and fair play. There are some sweetly romantic moments as well as inevitable moments of melancholy and misunderstanding between the (married) protagonists, but it's all euphemistically described and effectively described. The author has an impressive command of dialogue and the writing is immersive and full of period verisimilitude.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 12 hours 1 minute and is beautifully narrated by Vikas Adam.  He has a classically trained, clear, and well modulated voice and manages a number of accents (including "foreign" accents), and a range of ages, and both sexes, without a hitch. He has a pleasantly neutral voice which made the read seamless and unobtrusive. Sound and production quality were high throughout.

Four stars. Recommended for public library acquisition and home use. With three volumes extant in the series, it would make a good choice for a binge/buddy read.

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

Sustainable Wardrobe: Practical Advice and Projects for Eco-Friendly Fashion

Sustainable Wardrobe is a volume in a green living series; this volume written by Sophie Benson. Released 12th Sept 2023 by Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

Dwindling resources and an ever increasing climate catastrophe has caused pretty much everyone on the planet to re-evaluate their consumption. This book is part of a series aimed at helping readers to make more informed and responsible decisions. 

The book has an accessible and logical layout. Information is gathered thematically: background/waste and fashion, assessing the reader's wardrobe, shopping habits & consumption, clothing maintenance, and repair. The tutorials are streamlined, sensible, accessible, and well photographed. 

There are a number of good exercises included for helping readers track their current wardrobe, find out what changes are practical for them, and make a plan to implement changes in a reasonable way.

Four stars. Well written and useful. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, and potentially for classroom units. 

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

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Book: Classic, Creative, and Must-Try Recipes for Every Kitchen

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Book is a well curated collection of recipes and tutorials for everything chocolate chip, collected and developed by Katie Jacobs. Released 3rd Oct 2023 by HarperCollins on their Celebrate imprint, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

This book really is an encyclopedic collection of all-things-chocolate-chip. There are cookies which are familiar and beloved of everyone - so it gets an A+ on completeness and inclusion. There are classics both easy and challenging for all occasions

The recipes are grouped roughly thematically: classic recipes, specialty cookies & bars, cakes pies & giant cookies, and fun chocolate chip "allied" items like waffles, fudge and truffles. Each recipe includes an introduction, yields, description, equipment, ingredients listed bullet-style in a sidebar, and step by step specific directions which are clear and easy to follow. Unit measures are in imperial (American) only. Alternatives and special info is included in highlighted in text bars in each recipe.

Most of the ingredients will be available at any well stocked grocery store; there may be some items which will require a specialty supplier or online source (vanilla paste and a few other items, but not many). The author/publisher have also included groupings of recipes in an index by difficulty as well as suggested pairings with seasonally appropriate choices.

Five stars.The photography is superb. This is a classic and comprehensive collection and will be a perennial go-to. This would be a great choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gifting to a foodie enthusiast friend.

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

Sew Mindful Cross Stitch

Sew Mindful Cross Stitch is a well curated collection of nice, simple, beginner friendly cross stitch designs by Sophie Crabb. Due out in Jan 2024 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback format. 

These are colourful, sweetly upbeat, simple designs. They're all full-cross patterns, no partial stitches. Some of them do have outline and detail stitching and/or backstitching. The book contains a good absolute beginner tutorial with tips and how-to's for materials and getting started and how to actually -do- cross stitch. Her voice throughout is calm and encouraging (anyone can do this and it's relaxing and fun). 

Charts are both colour coded and with symbols. Most of the patterns are on the smaller side, under about 60x60 stitches. Finishing options are not the focus of the book. Most of the projects are shown finished in round wooden embroidery hoops, she does also give a short picture tutorial on mounting with foam core board for framing or displaying.

The author/publisher have also included a short resources and links lists at the back of the book. Supplies, fabrics, and floss will be readily available at any crafts store, as well as online or most big box stores. 

Five stars. Very cute collection. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, as well as home use.

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

Titanium Noir

Titanium Noir is a subtly written love letter to classic American PI noir pulp fiction reimagined in a SF setting by Nick Harkaway. Released 16th May 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Knopf imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The vibe here is definitely techno-noir crime thriller with a dollop of classic Chandler and an immersive deep biotech twist. It's impressively well constructed and readable and the characterizations are often so masterful that they require a moment's contemplation. For fans of vintage crime/Black Lizard/noir -and/or- Philip K. Dick style trippy SF, this is a no-fail winner. For wider audiences, it's a solid story and well worth a look. 

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, or gifting (to SF/classic noir friends). This one will unquestionably be short listed for the Hugo 2024.

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

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder is a well written mystery of the classic form, and the debut novel by C.L. Miller. Due out 6th Feb 2024 from Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.  It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a well rounded cozy(ish) mystery with surprising side plot-threads into skullduggery, international antiquities repatriation, murder, and black-market crime. It's got a classic limited-suspect pool, and much of the action occurs at an isolated country house. The characters are varied, quirky, well rendered, and with an amateur sleuth in the lead who has a complex back story revealed over the course of the book.  

The author imbues the story with a great deal of background info on arts and antiquities, and is clearly well versed in the subject, which adds a nice bit of verisimilitude and interest to the storytelling. The nuts and bolts of the plot are well constructed, and although readers who are fans of the form will likely have much of the reveal worked out before the denouement, the author manages to toss a few nice twists in at the end, à la Christie. 

The story is told in alternating chapters, with main character Freya's chapters in first person, and the other characters' PoV in 3rd person. A challenging form, but the author manages it well and the whole is readable and engaging. 

Four stars. It would make a good choice for public library acquisition, as well as for mystery book club selection, and for fans of classic British mystery. Quite well written. The epilogue seems to point to further planned adventures for Freya and her quirky Aunt Carole. 

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

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse is another office politics / industrial espionage caper featuring the wizards and demigods at J.W.Wells & co, written by Tom Holt. Released 10th Oct 2023 by Orbit Books, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

For fans of the author, the full-bore frenetic humor is front and centre here as well. Interoffice politics, sarcasm, sniping, and the occasional dirty deed (for the right price) feature heavily. There are demigods, infernal agents, banks in the realm of the dead, and excursions to killer asteroids, death, and (literal) destruction on offer. 

This is one for fans of Charles Stross, Christopher Moore, Ben Aaronovitch, and of course, current fans of the author. For fantasy fans who don't already have him on their must-read list... it's -very- sharply sarcastic and almost frenetically humorous which can come across as trying too hard in places. For all that, it's absolutely cleverly convoluted and very well constructed. 

There's an old chestnut attributed to Chekhov: "a gun presented in act 1 must be used by act 3" and the author is absolutely virtuoso at this narrative prestidigitation. There are incidental details written in which seem to simply have absolutely no bearing on the story which wind up getting whipped out at the denouement and used to devastating effect. 

Four stars, it's funny, bonkers, and chaotic. That rating will be higher for folks who already love his other work, and this fits very well in his oeuvre. It's the 8th book to feature some of these returning characters, but works fine as a standalone. 

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

Madame Fromage's Adventures in Cheese: How to Explore It, Pair It, and Love It, from the Creamiest Bries to the Funkiest Blues

Madame Fromage's Adventures in Cheese is a well written, lightly humorous, encouraging, and info packed guide to choosing, using, pairing, and serving cheese, written and curated by Tenaya Darlington. Released 12th Sept 2023 by Hachette on their Workman imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

There's a bewildering array of cheese purpose built for every situation. There are artisanal cheeses made from an astounding array of milks and casein containing products and "Madame Fromage" gives the low-down on most of them. The book is engagingly written and graphically appealing and arranged in a logical manner so the info is easy to find and use.

The chapters are arranged in order: discovery (building a cheese board, what cheese *is* and how it's made, and more), exploration (different classes of cheese including fresh, soft ripened, cheddars, Alpine cheeses and even "stinky" cheeses), entertaining (shopping for, buying, and presenting cheese),  and further reading and learning opportunities (cheese tours!!). The author/publisher has provided a bibliography and resources, links lists, glossary, and cross referenced index. 

The illustrations are simple and colorful; there are no photographs. Items of special interest are presented in highlighted text boxes throughout. 

Five stars. Interesting information, usefully presented, attractively packaged, and arranged in an accessible and logical manner. This would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, as well as for smallholders, and foodies. 

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

Seeds of Murder - The Gardener Mysteries #1

 

Seeds of Murder is the first book in a new semi-cozy gardener mystery series by Rosie Sandler. Released 31st Aug 2023 by Bonnier on their Embla Books imprint, it's 259 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a well written, eminently readable, action driven cozy murder mystery. It's got a sympathetic amateur sleuth who's a gardener to the rich and privileged in the main role, a varied selection of quirky-to-downright-dislikable suspects, murder, blackmail, and lots of fun facts about gardening and plants. It's abundantly clear that the author is a keen horticulturalist or employs a stable of fact checkers/researchers. 

It's not flawless, the setup of Steph as amateur sleuth will test readers' suspension of disbelief to the breaking point (she's accused of sending blackmail notes to the residents of her gated community and is given a week to clear her name and find the real culprit or she's out on her ear, courtesy of the Homeowners' association from hades). The police aren't to be called in because... the blackmail hits too close to home. Despite the sometimes less-than-subtle plot machinations, the dialogue flows well and the denouement and resolution are well constructed, if a bit over the top. 

I liked the nuts and bolts setup of the series; it appears each new book will be set in a new place with the same lead character in new gardening situations and with new mysteries to figure out. 

Four stars.

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

Sepulchre Street - Rachel Savernake #4

 

Sepulchre Street is the fourth book in the Rachel Savernake series by Martin Edwards. Released 11th May 2023 by Head of Zeus on their Aria imprint, it's 448 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

I've seen the series touted as an homage to the golden age of British detective fiction, and while it's certainly set in the interwar period in England, it didn't necessarily feel like it was of the period to me. It's very well crafted, with the hallmarks of the era (drama, skullduggery, genteel (and not so genteel) murder, wide variety of suspects), but the setting could have been any time from about 1920 to the present day.

The plotting is rather slow, built up over time rather than explosive. The narrative arc is deliberate - stately even, and the denouement is less of a crescendo than an inescapable inevitability when it finally comes. There were a number of fairly outlandish plot twists which interfered with my suspension of disbelief, but in the end the plot threads resolve, the clues are deciphered, and the mysteries are solved. This entry was a bit different, in that titular lead character Rachel was more peripheral to the action, although she was there to tie up the loose ends in the denouement.

There is very little background information provided by the author, so the book (in my opinion) doesn't work very well as a standalone. I do recommend the series and the author, so reading the first volume will reward diligent readers. With 4 volumes extant, it would make a good choice for a series binge/buddy read.

Four stars. Not classic golden age, but quite readable (and edgy with a sort of noir vibe).

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

The Hands–On Ranch Book

The Hands–On Ranch Book is a useful and accessible collection of practical advice and tutorials for daily tasks indoors and outdoors. Released 26th Sept 2023 by Baker Publishing on their Revell imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover, flexi-bound, paperback, and ebook formats. 

The book is short, but it's well arranged and there are lots of good sensible tips included. The chapters are arranged thematically: country living (reading clouds, finding and purifying water, building fires, making a fishing pole + hook, and more), DIY (dyes, cooking, candlemaking, leatherworking, and more), animal husbandry (arranged by animal type), and some business/entrepreneurial advice aimed at young readers. 

The illustrations are very simple and line drawn in black & white, but they are useful and illustrate the points well; for example with animal tracks. 

Three and a half stars. It's a nice collection of useful tips. It seems to be mostly slanted toward younger reader (tweens to young adults), but all-ages will find useful info. It would make a good choice for public or school library acquisition, makers' groups, scouts, community gardens, small homesteaders, and similar.

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

A Field Guide to Backyard Birds of North America: A Visual Directory of the Most Popular Backyard Birds

A Field Guide to Backyard Birds of North America is a well illustrated field guide to common birds of North America written by Rob Hume. Originally published in 2007, this reformat and re-release from Quarto on their Chartwell imprint was released 12th Sept 2023. It's 208 pages and is available in paperback format. 

The author does a great job of introducing birding and general bird anatomy for beginners. The introductory chapters include some basic ornithology and some practical suggestions. There's a very good overview over equipment including a primer on selecting and using binoculars. The book contains a directory, which includes well drawn color illustrations of common birds, their distinguishing features, and ranges, general sizes, and other features including diet and behavior. Unfortunately, the author/publisher have chosen not to use proper nomenclature, electing to use the most recognized common names for each species. 

The bulk of the book is taken up by a 2 year field log in which readers can record their observations. Each page of the log includes spaces for species, notes, weather, location, and behavior. The pages also include practical bird tracker tips in a highlighted text bar.

This would be a superlative gift or for home use. Due to the logbook nature, it would have very limited use for public or school library acquisition. It could also be a good choice for scouting, camp, or group activities. 

Four stars. 

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

Octavia E. Butler: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations

Octavia E. Butler: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations is a very well curated collection of recollections, interviews, and vignettes by/about/and featuring Octavia Butler. Released 19th Sept 2023 by Melville House, it's 192 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

Octavia Butler was a powerhouse author and a brilliant human being. Her practicality and intelligence shine in these articles and interviews which span decades from her early career (1979 Thrust interview with Jeffrey Elliott) through a 2006 podcast shortly before her death. She is always articulate and well spoken and offers astute insights into human nature, speculative fiction, authors and the craft of creative writing, being a minority voice in an overwhelmingly white (at the time) field, and her lived experiences.

This book is part of a series of Last Interviews with authors, cultural icons, writers, and musicians. The interviews included in this volume are arranged in roughly chronological order and give an interesting overview and some insights into ways her interactions changed over her career, or at least her interactions with interviewers. The introduction by Samuel R. Delany is warmly and respectfully written and adds a lot to the overall book.

This is a short but vitally interesting collection for fans of the author, and would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition (along with the rest of the series), as well as for fans of the author's work and potentially for more formal classroom instruction. 

Five stars. 

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

The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating - Pinnacle Hotel Mystery #2

 

The Socialite's Guide to Murder is the second Pinnacle Hotel murder mystery by S.K. Golden. Due out 10th Oct 2023 from Crooked Lane Books, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a refined and engaging cozy mystery with a young wealthy girl/woman who lives her life within the confines of her father's very posh hotel due to her agoraphobia, which she's trying to mitigate with therapy and by forcing herself outside. It's all lace curtains and silk stockings, social calendars and parties, until circumstances thrust her into the middle of another investigation. 

The writing style is simple and direct. The characters are well rendered, albeit often fairly superficial. Main character Evelyn is a spoiled little rich girl, but nevertheless stands by her friends. She does develop over the course of the book, and it's an actively ongoing series.

This will likely appeal to fans of Ashley  Weaver and Anna Lee Huber, although this series is set in America in the late 1950s and not Victorian England. There are a number of anachronisms, and often the dialogue seems to be cosplaying 1958 and not actually set during the time period. I am also not sure how accurate the availability of psychiatric treatment and therapy was for general anxiety in the late 1950s in the USA and couldn't find much resource info with a cursory search. All that being said, however, it *is* an entertaining and readable book with a good plot and pace.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 10 hours, 4 minutes and is narrated by Amara Jasper. She has a well modulated rich alto voice and does a number of character voices distinctly and well. Her British accent(s) are not always flawless, but the characters are competently rendered and certainly don't distract from the read. I found her voice soothing to listen to and suited to the read overall.

Three and a half stars. Escapist comfort reading. There are two books in the series so far, so it would make a nice choice for a short binge/buddy read.

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

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace - Nonna Maria #2

 

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace is the second delightful cozy mystery featuring the wonderful, wise, and practical octogenarian Nonna Maria alongside a whimsical cast of secondary characters and another cleverly constructed puzzle by Lorenzo Carcaterra. Released 2nd May 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Bantam imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2024.

This was such a relaxing and enjoyable read. It's redolent of the setting, with the local cuisine and lifestyle pace and rhythms of the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples and the charming and intelligent chief protagonist, Nonna Maria. Everyone knows her and she knows everyone and their extended family histories and interrelationships, so she's naturally sought out for advice and help when the locals don't need or want to go to the official police. 

In some ways this reminded me of the pacing and atmosphere of the Bruno, Chief of Police, novels or Guido Bernetti, or even Bannalec's excellent Georges Dupin novels. The pacing is similar, the storytelling unhurried, but it's not at all derivative. The mysteries small and large entwine closer to a satisfyingly constructed climax and denouement. 

Nonna Maria herself, though age and craftiness comparisons will surely be made to Miss Marple, strikes me as tough, resilient, and resourceful and more compassionate than Christie's inimitable sleuth who could be cold as ice and brilliantly calculating. I found Nonna Maria thoroughly likeable and wonderfully warm and really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to more from this capable author featuring this island setting and these appealing characters.

An epilogue chapter at the end of the book teases the next book in the series. Readers who enjoy intelligent, well plotted cozies would be wise to have this author on their radar. It would make a nice choice for public library acquisition as well as for home use and mystery book club or buddy read.

Four stars. Very well done.

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

 

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop -

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a gently written slice-of-life love letter to bibliophiles written by Satoshi Yagisawa and translated by Eric Ozawa. Released 4th July 2023 by HarperCollins on their Harper Perennial imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is such a warm and whimsical story, entirely character driven. It meanders, often touchingly, through the daily lives, dreams and hopes of the characters and their interactions with one another. It's indelibly Japanese in its sensibilities, culture, and grammar. It does read as though it's literature in translation (and that's not a bad thing). The translation work is competent and seems true to the original text. 

The book is full of references to other works of Japanese literature. In the translator's afterword, he notes that not all of the books mentioned are available in translation (yet), but also notes many of the ones which are currently available. 

Four stars. It's a delightful very short read. Quite a lot of story, without a lot of conflict or action. A relaxing and delightful experience. This would make a great choice for public or school library acquisition, book club discussion, or home library. 

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

What We Sow: On the Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds

What We Sow is an engaging and well written memoir on the cultural and ecological significance of seeds written by Jennifer Jewell. Released 19th Sept 2023 by Hachette on their Timber Press imprint, it's a substantial 392 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. 

This is an often profound rumination on the impact of agribusiness, food security, heirloom seeds and reclaiming the culturally significant traditional plant varieties, and the author's personal engagement with the species around her. She does a good job of knitting the threads together into an often sobering and cohesive whole.

It's set up in chapters around a calendar year, from autumn's seed setting and dormancy, through  summer's production and harvest. The author also takes a look at the potentially bleak future for inhabitants of planet earth without a paradigm shift of epic proportions. 

There's a lot of information in this volume, and it's well grounded and presented. The book also contains a bibliography and resources list for further reading.

Four stars. This would make a good selection for public or school library acquisition, home use, as well as for gardening groups and community garden/allotment reference collections. 

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

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

Of Time and Turtles is a very well written, warm, often touching memoir of turtle conservation by Sy Montgomery. Released 19th Sept 2023 by HarperCollins on their Mariner imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a truly engaging, often harrowing, and lovingly told memoir. It's a stark reminder that turtles, who literally roamed the earth with the dinosaurs, are threatened, and many are on the brink of extinction, simply because of habitat loss and encounters with humans and vehicles. 

The people who are desperately trying to ameliorate, protect, heal, and often repatriate wild animals are fighting a constant uphill desperate battle to save animals from predation and loss (mostly because in any encounter with humans, the animal tends to lose).  Some of the veterinary techniques and treatment developments are amazing and creative. It's impressive to read about the engagement and passion of the people who are doing their best for the turtles.

The text throughout is enhanced by beautifully rendered line drawings from wildlife artist Matt Patterson. Many of them were so realistic, even for simple line drawings, that the movement was evident. 

There were many sad (realistic) parts in the book, but they were balanced somewhat by the triumphs and successes. The book is annotated throughout and the bibliography and resources lists at the back of the book will provide readers with many more hours of investigation. 

Four and a half stars. This would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition and home use. 

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

Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things

Shitty Craft Club is a warmly humorous multi-craftsy inspirational romp by Sam Reece. Released 19th Sept 2023 by Chronicle Books, it's 144 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

This is such an incredibly enthusiastic, bubbly, fun, and freeing book. Sam is like the coolest babysitter, who made popcorn and let you stay up and watch *almost* scary movies when you were 12 years old. She's quite funny, and so relatable, slightly off-kilter but genuinely and enthusiastically dedicated to making crafting accessible and *fun* for everyone.

Humans need creativity. Living ever more specialized and busy lives, quite often more isolated from one another (especially with and after the pandemic) has left most of us struggling to find time to do anything creative. This book is a nice reminder to grab some crafts supplies and "just do it". 

Spontaneity is foremost, and the process is a significant part of the therapeutic value of crafting. This book is *full* of sparkle and glitter and very colorful. The aesthetic is youthful and fun, occasionally frenetic, but always fun. 

Chapters are arranged somewhat thematically: an intro (with discussion of her crafting philosophy and how-we-got-here), you-can-do-it crafting even for people who don't think they can, appreciating the things readers do in their daily lives and building community by showing everyone procrastinates, defeating perfectionism, pom-pom crafts, beads, community, personal attributes (being gay is a craft), holidays (sort of), corn (!?), and social events/crafting with friends.

In addition to the stream-of-consciousness humorous monologue, which actually often shades into near profundity, each chapter contains one or more tutorial projects. They, much like the book, are enthusiastic and colorful. I don't know how many I would really want to display in my actual house, but the point of the book is for readers to free themselves to embrace creativity without too much perfectionism, and in that, it succeeds spectacularly.

Four stars. Funny and fun. Probably more suited to young urban 30somethings than to serious artists doing art and not having much fun doing it.

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