Lee Lawrie's Prairie Deco: History in Stone at the Nebraska State Capitol

Lee Lawrie's Prairie Deco is a meticulously researched and annotated study of Lee Lawrie, a phenomenally prolific and admirably talented designer and architectural sculptor and one of the leading lights of the art deco movement in the USA. Released in 2018, this is an impressive study of a massively talented designer and architect.

Millions of people have visited the massive landmark statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center. It's an instantly recognizable iconic image. I was unfamiliar with the artist behind Atlas, though I'd visited it on more than one occasion, and this volume is full of images of this and other extremely well known sculptures, friezes, building, and facades from Lawrie's genius and passion.

The book is split into three sections: early biographical detail from his birth and details from his life, collaborations and commissions, and a comprehensive survey of the art deco movement and Lawrie's place in its history. The book includes well collated and annotated references, bibliography, a cross referenced index, and many many photos and facsimiles of historical documents.

I found it an interesting and enlightening read which kept my interest and never descended into pedantry.

Five stars. Really well done.

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

Queen of the Unwanted (The Women's War #2)

Queen of the Unwanted is the second book in the Women's War by Jenna Glass. Released 12th May 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 592 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a fantasy trilogy which I fear will likely be stamped with a strong feminist label and miss a significant portion of its potential audience. It's a very well written epic saga with strong characters (both male and female) and an overarching slowly developing plot. It's the second in the series (though there's also a prequel), and does *not* work well as a standalone. In fact, my review was delayed because I wasn't able to give the book a good analysis without the background from the first book, so I had to go read that one before revisiting Queen of the Unwanted. 

I found the world building somewhat lacking, which is surprising and disappointing in a massive epic doorstop brick of a book (the kind with maps on the inside cover). Women have been brutalized and kept as chattel for centuries, and they've had just about enough, thank you very much. There are three central female characters, one a queen, one a crown princess, and one a Machiavellian abbess of a religious order (whose remit includes religious prostitution).  

I probably read more speculative fiction and fantasy than any other genre and I found this one a slog to finish. The plotting borders on glacial tempo. The characters struck me as self absorbed, tragic, or downright unlikable. That the author is quite adept at her craft is evident on every page. There wasn't any clunky or cringe-worthy writing; it's quite readable - I just found it a chore to pick up and finish. 

This one struck me as a lot more in the vein of Joe Abercrombie or Brian Sanderson than Octavia Butler, Margaret Atwood, or Sheri Tepper. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it *is* a thing.

Three and a half stars, rounded up for the undeniably competent prose. 

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

Budget-Friendly College Cookbook: Eating Well with Limited Space, Storage, and Savings

Budget-Friendly College Cookbook is a new recipe collection aimed at a cost effective student lifestyle. Released 16thJune 2020 by Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 154 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. 

The recipes are arranged thematically, an introduction with general directions for prep-work and the challenges of working in a small space on a very tight budget is followed by chapters for breakfasts, snacks, lunches to go and single serving dinners (as well as late-night study snacks), multiple serving meals for gatherings, and desserts. Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements only, no metric equivalents), and step by step instructions. Recipes have special category notes in a header (vegetarian, no-cook, gluten free, etc). Nutritional info is not included.  Variations and alternatives are provided in sidebars at the end of the recipes.  There is a metric convesion table at the back of the book.

Most of the ingredients should be available at any well stocked grocery store although some might need to be sourced at specialist (vegan) grocers.

My main quibble with the book is that the recipes are mostly not photographed. There are some photos, and they're clear and attractive, but they only represent about 5% of the recipes included in the book. It is, however, a very well written book full of budget friendly (mostly) healthy foods in a wide variety of styles. 

Four and a half stars. I've rounded up for the quality of the writing and the distinctly high quality of the recipes themselves (tasty!) and the mission of the book: high quality food with a budget friendly price tag. Good food shouldn't be ruinously expensive.

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

Anomaly (The Blood Race #0.5)

Anomaly is the prequel novella for the Blood Race series by K.A. Emmons. Released 7th April 2020, it's 150 pages and available in ebook format. Worth noting that the ebook has a handy interactive table of contents. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. Anomaly is currently free to download and read. 

This is a YA paranormal fantasy. Although released chronologically after the other books which make up the trilogy, this one is a prequel and backstory for one of the main characters, Ion. It works very well as a standalone, and was the first work I'd read by the author. 

I will start by saying I am emphatically not the target audience (tween/teens). Some of the angst and fighting and *unfairness-of-it-all* got to me after a while. It's relentlessly dark with physical and psychological abuse, themes of suicide and self harm, and failure of *every* adult in the book. From the blurbs and reviews of the other books in the series, I gather it all works out in the end, but this prequel is pretty grim. The father figure in the book is an alcoholic, abusive, bullying horror. I shudder to *think* what the child services is like in their city, because I can't imagine this family passing even the most cursory home visit. 

I would recommend this one to current fans of the series who want some backstory for Ion. Three stars (again, I'm not the target audience - I can certainly see this being optioned as a movie with a tragic heartthrob actor making a generation of tween moviegoers swoon. I suspect I'm in the definite minority with the *meh* rating). The author's style is capable and direct, just not to my taste. 

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

Dear Durwood (Third Chance Enterprises)

Dear Durwood is the second of a series of PI/mystery thrillers by Jeff Bond. Due out 15th June 2020, it's a compact and quick 175 pages 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 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.

I really loved the pulp cover (yes, even the faux distressing) and was hoping for a rollicking story. I wasn't disappointed. The protagonist is an altruistic son-of-a-coal-miner Don Quixote type knight errant with the role of Sancho taken up by his faithful hound Sue-Ann. 

Much of the situational tension is funny and happily the book doesn't take itself overly seriously. There's a lot of action, some romance, a fair bit of snappy dialogue, some off scene sex and a satisfying denouement. Although this is the second book in the series, it works quite well as a standalone, and in fact, I got a LOT more insight into Durwood's character and backstory which was missing from the first book (an ensemble trio of whom Durwood is one third).

Although set in the present day, the action and adventure hearken back to the days of the pulps like Creasey's Baron and Toff, and Gardner's A.A. Fair books (Donald Lam & Bertha Cool), with a tiny smidge of Billy Jack and a whiff of Hap & Leonard thrown in for good measure (much less active violence and much cleaner language than Lansdale's duo, though).

I really enjoyed it. Pure escapist over the top and well written. The author is a capable wordsmith. Bonus for this edition, a sneak peek at the first chapter of the next book: The Begonia Killer. I was unfamiliar with the author prior to reading and reviewing the first two books in the series, and I'm so glad I did. I will definitely keep an eye out for future work. 

Four and a half stars. 

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

Supersimple Chemistry

Supersimple Chemistry is a resource guide for learning and studying chemistry. Due out 23rd June 2020 from Penguin/Random House on their DK imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. As almost always with DK's offerings, I was blown away by the detailed, clear, and solidly expert photography. Every photo is well rendered and easy to follow. The supportive text is also clear and accessible.

This is a well written, factual, science based introduction to chemistry aimed at middle grades and up. The book introduces basic concepts starting with the scientific method and critical thinking skills, through basic chemistry: atoms, structure, isotopes, mixtures, solubility, etc and followed by chapters on elements and the periodic table, structure and bonding, states of matter, nanoscience, quantitative analysis, acids, metals, electrochemistry, rates of reaction, and even (surprisingly to me) a solid introduction to organic chemistry. 

The graphics and formatting are top notch. There are color sidebars with explanatory details and side information. "Key Facts" sidebars also give bullet lists of salient points in easily remembered and digested one sentence capsules of information. Photographs and explanations cover all the concepts from lab safety to an overview of geochemistry. 

Especially now that remote & self study have become so important, this would make a worthy addition to the student's home library. This book and its sister volume are written under the auspices of the Smithsonian. 

Five stars. 

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

The Western Fells

The Western Fells is a well structured and written guide to roaming the Western Fells area of the Lake District. Originally published in 1966 and revised in 2009, this classic is now in a new edition due out 23rd June 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint. It's 352 pages.

The Wainwright guides are known for their meticulous (mostly hand drawn) maps, thorough explanations and classic layout. The table of contents includes a key map with different hikes listed alphabetically by name with included heights/difficulties of the climb and a keycoded numbered map along with page numbers for easy reference.

The introduction and commentary updated by Clive Hutchby includes picturesque, almost whimsical, destination walks including Floutern Tarn, Gavel Fell, and Grey Knotts (via Seatroller) and more. There are 33 distinct walks listed with a whole book full of additional commentary and landmarks.

The text is spare, but gently poetic. The love that the creators of the book have for contemplative rambles in the countryside shines through, though it never crosses over into the maudlin. Most of the walks are delineated with waypoints including some useful information such as 360 degree panorama explanations of what the reader is looking at once the summit has been attained. The text is rendered in a font that mimics a hand drawn journal. It's high contrast and easy to read. And the maps, always always the meticulously drawn maps are the stars of the volume. There are multitudinous very well drawn, clear, and understandable maps and line drawings of landmarks and natural features along each of the walks.

Beautifully made book full of the natural wonder of this area of the Lake District. Still relevant after more than 50 years. Five stars.

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

Anarchy of the Mice

Anarchy of the Mice is the first book in a new PI/thriller series by Jeff Bond. Due out 15th June 2020, it's 462 pages 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 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.

I really loved the pulp cover (yes, even the faux distressing) and was hoping for a rollicking story. I wasn't disappointed. This is a well told tale featuring a trio of altruistic mavericks with three wildly different skill sets. Much of the situational tension is funny and happily the book doesn't take itself overly seriously. Many of the critical story elements are somewhat farcical, if not downright ridiculous (lead character Molly is going to infiltrate a hacker collective despite not being tech-savvy in any way shape or form?)... For me, it was a bit like hot dogs, delicious as long as they're not examined too closely. 

Although set in the present day, the action and adventure hearken back to the days of the pulps like Creasey's Baron and Toff, and Gardner's A.A. Fair books (Donald Lam & Bertha Cool), with a tiny smidge of Hap & Leonard thrown in for good measure (much less active violence and much cleaner language than Lansdale's duo, though).

I really enjoyed it. Pure escapist over the top and well written. The author is a capable wordsmith. Bonus for this edition, a sneak peek at the first chapter of the next book: Dear Durwood. 

Four stars. 

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

New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads; With Recipes for Birote, Bagels, Pan de Coco, Beignets, and More

New World Sourdough is a tutorial and recipe collection for all things sourdough by Bryan Ford. Due out 16th June 2020 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardback and ebook formats (ebook available now).

Given that a significant proportion of the world has been locked down for months and baking so much bread that there's a significant yeast shortage, this book has been both timely and satisfying on a soul deep level.  I've wanted to learn how to make sourdough starter at home for years, and never managed to carve out the time to do it.

I found this book inspiring and creative, reassuring ,and honestly fun. The author has such an enthusiastic and patient voice that I really think anyone can succeed with the process of creating a starter and making good bread. I imagine he would be a very capable teacher.

The introduction includes a capsule list of tools and ingredients necessary. The first section includes tutorials for making a starter, keeping it alive, mixing, shaping, and proofing dough through the final baking.  The second section contains a dizzying array of artisanal recipes for breads and treats both savory and sweet. 

Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (most of the flours are given by weight, in grams), and step by step instructions. There is no nutritional info provided. The breads are photographed very well and clearly. Serving suggestions are attractive and appropriate. 

The recipe ingredients themselves are mostly fairly easily sourced and will be available at well stocked grocery stores like wholefoods.
The book also includes a solid cross referenced index with listed ingredients.

Five stars. I can't imagine anyone needing more from a sourdough tutorial cookbook; this one's definitive. 

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

Simantov

Simantov is a difficult to classify hybrid of magical realism, police procedural, and fable by debut author Asaf Ashery. Released 14th April 2020 by Angry Robot, it's 392 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

Originally published in Hebrew, there is a significant cultural aesthetic with which I struggled in translation. I often felt like I was missing *most* of what was going on under the surface. I could see there was a commonly understood undercurrent of which I was aware but completely nescient. I think that fact contributed to my difficulty settling down and investing in the plot and characters. (Side note: I was trying to read this book and take notes in the middle of a great deal of uncertainty during the early months of 2020 and the pandemic - and I'm a healthcare worker - so that also contributed a great deal to my general stress level and is one reason this review is tardy).

There are a truly impressive number of partially interwoven themes here. The descendants of Lilith (Adam's first wife according to Judaic mysticism who was created at the same time and of the same materials as Adam and pretty much buggered off because she didn't want to be subservient to him) and the Nephilim (yes, the giants who came from fallen angels and human women in the years prior to the great flood) make an appearance. There are soothsayers, and kidnapped women, and trying to stave off the apocalypse along with more mundane police procedural type plot elements and a love triangle thrown in there for good measure. The book has guts and the author juggles the disparate elements relatively well, but I admit that I spent a fair bit of my time reading thinking it was jumbled chaos.

I *love* speculative fantasy. I *love* police procedurals. There aren't a whole lot of overlaps, but when I find some, I gobble them up. I really believe that for readers who are more familiar with the culture (Israeli) and backstory, the book could be a great read (especially for a debut). The author has a strong and very sure voice and a deft hand with setting.  It was just a difficult fit for me.

Three and a half stars for me.

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

Furmidable Foes (Mrs. Murphy #29)

Furmidable Foes is the 29th (!!!) Mrs. Murphy mystery by Rita Mae Brown. Released 19th May 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Bantam book imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

I've long been a fan of the author, and enjoyed her cozy Mrs. Murphy series as well as her more serious writing.  This anthropomorphic cozy series is a pillar of the genre (and the author a prolific and dependable source of cozy reads in several series).

The dialogue and writing are pitch perfect (including such historical southern vernacular as 'dependencies' for slave quarters).  Typically for Ms. Brown, the writing is solidly comfortable and engaging.  Reading her books is almost like visiting with an old friend you haven't seen for a while; you just pick up where you left off the last time, even if you haven't seen them for ages.

I had read the first couple of books in this series, then sort of lost track of it and hadn't read any of them for several years.  I didn't have any trouble following the story or keeping the main characters straight in my head whilst reading.  There is a comprehensive dramatis personae section at the beginning of the book in case the reader needs to sort of who is who.  That being said, it is the 29th book in the series and would probably be best read roughly in order. The story is told in alternating flashbacks from the modern day to the 18th century. The dates are given in the chapter headings, so it's no trouble to keep the intertwined stories straight. It's a testament to the author's technical ability that she manages to write period appropriate dialogue alternated with modern times without giving the reader whiplash or managing to lose the disparate plot threads.

One note for long term readers of the series: there are a number of returning characters missing from this one. Big Mim, Boom Boom, Miranda, and some others do not make an appearance in this installment. I also found the admittedly accurate period depiction of slaves, racial violence, and slavery quite a downer for a cozy book. It's probably edifying to talk about openly, but especially in light of the recent racial upheavals, I found it especially sad that we've not managed to make much of an apprciable difference in following 230 years.

I personally love anthropomorphic mysteries, but fair warning, if talking animals bug you, this probably isn't the series for you.  The book also does a superlative job of giving a glimpse into Virginia hospitality and etiquette and the 18th century culture parallel to the modern day.

Four stars.

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

Memory of Dragons

Memory of Dragons is an NA cross-worlds fantasy novel by Michael Munz. Due out 15th June 2020, it's 315 pages 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 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 and deftly plotted fantasy. The parallel worlds/portal trope is popular, but the world building and magic here is unusually good. Fantasy creatures have been sent to earth through a magical rift as punishment or containment for thousands of earth years (turns out politicians from other worlds aren't a lot different than our own) and it's up to protagonist Austin to thwart the bad guy's plans, save the world, and keep the evil dragons from getting loose and running amok. 

The pacing and story arc are nicely controlled and plotted and the whole of the narrative works well. The characterization could have been more finely drawn, but overall the author does a good job of using action and settings to move the story along. The denouement was foreshadowed pretty heavily, there weren't any AHA surprises or huge reveals. Overall a satisfying fantasy with dragons and tragic character backstories. It works very well as a standalone and it isn't clear that there will be more books to come (presumably there will be, but this one ends on a fairly satisfying note).

I would recommend this one to fans of darker crossworlds fantasy such as Lev Grossman, Stephen Lawhead, or even Stephen R. Donaldson. 

Four stars, I'll keep an eye out for more work by the author. 

Chosen Ones (The Chosen Ones #1)

Chosen Ones is the first novel in a NA series by author Veronica Roth. Released 7th April 2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, it's 432 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

Although ostensibly an adult novel, with some adult themes including PTSD, depression, lots of anger management issues, etc, it felt like a YA novel. The main characters (who defeated the Dark One) are 20-somethings, 10 years on after saving the world, still trying to process the trauma, grief, and rage, and find their places in the world. The language was rough and some of the themes are difficult, but the whole still felt like a YA novel to me (and there's nothing wrong with YA fiction at all) but with a fair bit of rough language and more unhappiness added into the mix.

The plotting was very slow for me. It was a bit of a slog to finish, though the writing is quite adept and the author is clearly talented. Main character Sloane was prickly, cold, unpleasantly unstable, and scary. It didn't make the reading more pleasant to know that every bit of her prickle and spite was 100% intentional on the author's part.

I know that this novel (and series) will be hugely successful. I found it slow and too drama filled and depressingly like real life.

Two stars for the dark and drama filled plot, four for the admittedly high quality writing.

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

Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists: How to Create Beautifully Detailed Plant and Flower Illustrations

Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists is a tutorial and style guide for rendering botanical subjects in a variety of media. Due out 16th June 2020 from Quarto on their Rockport imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a nicely designed and well presented book. It is aimed at artists who are engaged in, or studying botanical art subjects and still life drawing. The introduction provides an overview of tools and supplies, preparing botanical materials and how to visualize and see as an artist.  The main tutorials are split into two sections for different media: drawing and rendering with pencils and other drawing tools (including colored pencils), and painting with watercolor (and gouache). 

Although it's a simple book which allows the learner to utilize widely available materials for skill building, it contains a lot of valuable information, and I could well see this book being used to advantage in a classroom setting. It is aimed at intermediate to advanced artists but there are definitely takeaways for beginners as well. There are some tutorials showing how to break down references in perspective and transfer them realistically to the page.

A very useful book. It would make a good addition to the artist's home reference library, a classroom or other formal setting, or gift (with supplies) for an artist.

Four stars.

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

Snapshots and Short Notes: Images and Messages of Early Twentieth-Century Photo Postcards

Images and Messages of Early Twentieth-Century Photo Postcards is a well curated survey of the picture postcard and associated history. Due out 15th June from the University of North Texas Press, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

There are rare postcards here reproduced along with fascimiles of the handwritten notes from the original senders. I found it fascinating to see the words written by people more than a century ago. I think they had more impact because they were everyday observations about life and love and even trivialities ("Had fine luck. Be home Tuesday midnight. Stay at Mays").

The book is arranged thematically starting with a general introduction and history of the rise of the postcard and its use as a means of communication before and during WW1. The second part of the book contains the postcards and messages, arranged by diverse subjects.

The author includes a comprehensive bibliography and links for further reading. There is also an index.

I loved these little glimpses into a vanished world. The emphasis is on American postcards, but there are a number of postcards and photos of European subjects (especially those sent in and around WW1).

Well written and engaging. Five stars. This would make a superlative gift for history interested readers, philatelists, ephemera fans, and the like.

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

The Clutter Corpse (Clutter)

The Clutter Corpse is the first book in a new murder mystery series by superhumanly prolific author Simon Brett. Released 2nd June 2020 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

Simon Brett is a really gifted writer. He writes entertainingly and well. All the parts (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. This is a delightful intro to a new series which isn't fluffy enough (in my estimation) to fit firmly into the cozy mold, but it's not at all gritty, either. In short, it's a modern British murder mystery with a well plotted story arc, some not-too-graphic murders, some humour, and a satisfying denouement. It's also blessedly free of anthropomorphic animals, ghosts, and other bells and whistles.

There is no romance subplot, though a fair bit of the book does revolve around substance abuse and mental illness. The author manages to treat the subjects sensitively, but some readers could conceivably find some of the subject matter triggering (hoarding, trauma, heroin abuse, sexual harassment, compulsive behaviour, it's a fair laundry list).

I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (torch, lift, flat, etc).

Four stars. Really well done. I'm looking forward to future installments of the series.

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

The Banana Cookbook: 50 Simple and Delicious Recipes

The Banana Cookbook: 50 Simple and Delicious Recipes is a recipe collection full of all things banana. Due out 16th June 2020 from Andrews McMeel, it's 128 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is an odd compilation. The recipes themselves are fine and include everything from standards (banana bread) to slightly more exotic fare (chocolate and banana French toast). There's a pictorial recipe index included at the back of the book for easily finding desired recipes.

The book has a nice,logical layout. The introductory chapter covers the basics of tools and equpment.  The recipes are arranged thematically: breakfast bites, cupcakes and muffins, smoothies, sweet treats, frozen sweets, and desserts.

Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (in a really odd mix of metric and US measurements), step by step instructions, there is no nutritional info provided although the relevant recipes are marked as vegan friendly and gluten free. The dishes are photographed, however, the book credits are all shutterstock stock photos. The photos provided are high quality and clear. It's not clear if the recipes were developed to match the photos (some are quite specific) or if the recipes and photos were licensed for the book.

The recipe ingredients themselves are easily sourced and will be available at most well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.

Four stars

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

The Math(s) Fix: An Education Blueprint for the AI Age

The Math(s) Fix is a comprehensive densely informational book on the reformation and updating of mathematics education and teaching methods. Due out 10th June 2020 from Wolfram, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

Many educational teaching methods haven't changed a whole lot in hundreds of years. Outdated methods are slowly being replaced but change has been slow and often ineffective. Currently mathematics classes are being stripped to the bare minimum due to funding cuts as well as a lack of qualified and engaged teachers. The author makes the statement that without intervention, it wil become: "a backwater for a few afficianados, and drop out of the mainstream - a bit like the demise of Latin in UK or European schools". 

Mathematics and logical reasoning skills are absolutely critical to our continued survival as a species. A basic understanding of math concepts is necessary for most other academic pursuits as well as teaching thinking patterns which provide tools for problem solving.  As with most pursuits, having the proper tools available can mean the difference between success and failure. 

Our past modality for teaching mathematics has proven inadequate for our current educational needs. The author makes a very good point for utilizing the tools available, including powerful computer assisted processing power, to structure mathematics education to reach more students and actually *teach* them, helping them build and own the problem solving tools instead of just using cookie-cutter tests to "cram - test - forget". 

This is an intellectually dense textbook, written by an academic from an academic family. It's full of formal academic language and isn't an "easy" (read lazy) book to read. It's rigorous and demanding. He follows the premise in the introduction: define - abstract - compute - interpret, as a formula for the rest of the book. 

At the end of the day, though it's somewhat oversimplified (and much more elegantly said in the 320 pages of the book) no teaching reform (however well meaning) has really taken into account the fact that computers exist. This book changes that. 

For American readers, much of the spelling and language utilize the British standard spellings, so things like "maths", "utilise", "specialise", etc are chosen consequently. It shouldn't prove any difficulty in context. 

We need a better way to teach mathematics. We need more people who understand mathematics to become engineers, physicists, scientists, and problem solvers. Wolfram has a lot of interesting ideas on that subject.

Five stars (readers should keep in mind that the subject requires some effort). I would enthusiastically recommend people in education or policy to expend the necessary effort.

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

Honey and Venom: Confessions of an Urban Beekeeper

Honey and Venom: Confessions of an Urban Beekeeper is a vividly written and engaging discourse on bees, beekeeping, ecology, and life philosophy filled with personal anecdotes by Andrew Coté. Released 9th June by Penguin/Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

The book is arranged around the calendar year, starting in January, moving through to December, and elucidating the trials, drama, and triumphs of the beekeeper's year. There is a rhythm and flow to both the subject matter and the author's retelling. Tucked into the pages are many entertaining anecdotes about the author's experiences as a beekeeper, from a beekeeping family, and travels as an educator and international ambassador and ombudsman for honeybees and apiarists worldwide.

For readers who have enjoyed and loved John Seymour and Sue Hubbell but were looking for a little bit more modern glamorous NYC version of the beekeeper's year, this is your book. Coté writes humorously and well about life and his encounters with humans and bees. For readers in search of a no-frills how-to-keep-bees, this isn't it.

Four stars, I really enjoyed it.

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

The Grown-Up's Guide to Painting with Kids: 20+ fun fluid art and messy paint projects for adults and kids to make together

The Grown-Up's Guide to Painting with Kids is a tutorial and resource guide filled with fun liquid art (paint pouring) projects for kids (and their adults). Released 2nd June 2020 by Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 128 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

I noticed something when going through this book. While it certainly is full of guided creative tutorials for painting with kids, I noticed *myself* opening up and not stifling myself at all during the process. This is an incredibly valuable side-effect of taking the focus off of ourselves and letting the process happen. I heartily recommend doing these fun exercises for us personally before we try them out with students or our own kids. I suffer a lot from the "instant expert" expectations for myself (happily, I don't do it to anyone but myself.. but it's still a drag, not feeling like my own art is "good enough"). This little book helped me get over that feeling a little bit. 

Paint pouring is completely serendipitous and not under the artist's control in a lot of ways. That makes it perfect for concentrating on the process and creativity. The author uses about 15% of the page content giving a good introduction to the tools, materials, and techniques and then leads into the tutorials. A lot of the prompts are "what happens when we..." and include some really pretty finished projects like a cloud mobile with randomly colored raindrops.

Each of the projects includes an intro/description, tools and materials, and step by step photo tutorial. The photography is clear and abundant. There are color photos on every page. Alternate steps and enhancements are included for many of the activities.

This would make a superlative choice for a staying home activity, as well as a great idea for a library or classroom activity (when we can gather together again).

Five stars. There are a lot of good ideas here.

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