Bad Terms: Detective Annie Delamere #3

Bad Terms is the third Annie Delamere police procedural by Alex Walters. Released 24th Feb 2022 by Canelo, it's 304 pages and is 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. 

This series had managed to fly under my radar for until this, the third book. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing and plotting, and definitely will be on the lookout for future releases from this talented author. The story here is quite intricate and I needed to flip back in the book a couple times to check earlier developments; definitely a read which requires the reader's attention. It was slightly hampered for me as well, because I was reading it as a standalone. The main protagonist's mother was in the detective corps as an AC, and not always inside the boundaries, and that figures in this story as well. Although not strictly necessary, I would recommend picking up the earlier books in the series for the backstory. 

Although not at all derivative, in a lot of good ways, this style of this book reminded me of McGown's excellent Lloyd & Hill procedurals, with a dash of Booth's Cooper & Fry books. There are currently 3 books available in this series, making it a good candidate for a weekend binge read. 

Four stars. Definitely one for fans of British procedurals. 

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

Death of a Snow Ghost: A Cabin by the Lake Mystery

Death of a Snow Ghost is a well written mystery and the third in the Cabin by the Lake series by Linda Norlander. Released 17th May 2022, it's 268 pages and is available in paperback format. 

I wanted to like this book very much. It ticked a lot of my favorite boxes: amateur detective, isolated setting, unexplained disappearances, and more. The premise of the book and the narrative story arc are very good, and the author has a good technical grasp of narrative tension. My main problem came from the lack of cohesive editing which made for occasionally tough going. I was often yanked out of the narrative by odd grammar and punctuation, and lack of clarity in scene and character shifts. There were some outright odd bits of info included (the main character, Jamie, is apparently an expert in the use of the comma, for example). 

I hadn't read the first books in the series and followed the action well enough. The book is readable as a standalone. The language is PG (a few damns, not much worse). The author is undeniably talented and capable. The narrative is very cinematic, with solid scene descriptions and a good tension arc. With a ruthless editor, this could be an outstanding series. 

Three and a half stars.

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

Knits, Knots, and Knives Craft Fair Knitters Mysteries #3

Knits, Knots, and Knives is the third crafter cozy mystery by Emmie Caldwell. Released 6th Dec 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 288 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 and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is an engaging and well written crafter cozy which even includes a lovely ragdoll cat. I enjoyed the characters and the development of the mystery which although a tiny bit predictable and trope-y in places, is also appealingly well written and paced. Much of the action centers around a civil war re-enactment and living history group and the background research and descriptions are complete and full of interesting detail. The author has done her research well and provides good descriptions of the period re-enactments and the behind-the-scenes details. There are a number of suspects for Lia and the knitting group to examine and exonerate, and the denouement and resolution of the mystery are satisfying and well written. 

All-around comfortable cozy with an amateur group of knitters. I'm looking forward to future installments. With three books written in the series already, it would be a good choice for a weekend cozy mystery binge read.

Four stars. (Clean language, no sexual content). 

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

A Margin for Murder Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #8

A Margin for Murder is the 8th cozy bookshop mystery by Lauren Elliott. Released 26th April 2022 by Kensington, it's 320 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. 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, as are the earlier books in the series.

All of the mysteries in this series are self contained and as such work well enough as standalones. The characters' interrelationships have developed over the course of the books, so there will be some missing backstory, but the author is adept at giving the necessary information, so readers who choose to pick up this one first won't likely experience any problems with keeping the story straight.

For lovers of very light bookstore cozies with romance/drama, it's a good fit.The author is adept and prolific and the book is peppered with background info about bookselling, books, and general insider knowledge about the writing and publishing industry.

All in all, it's a diverting and readable cozy mystery with a whimsical ensemble cast. Some of the plot setups and developments are a bit over the top, but I strongly suspect that's a big part of why bookshop cozies are wildly popular. A strong suspension of disbelief is required. The language and content are chaste and perfectly safe for commute or work reading.

Four stars. The author is a talented and capable storyteller, and almost everyone loves bookstore cozies.

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

Amongst Our Weapons Rivers of London #9

Amongst Our Weapons is the ninth outing for Peter Grant and the residents of The Folly by Ben Aaronovitch. Released 12th April 2022 by DAW, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback is due out in second quarter 2023. 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.

This series is a permanent feature on my must read list. The books are very very well written, taut, engaging, brilliantly plotted, and satisfying.  This time Peter & co are looking into peculiar magical deaths which leave the victims with missing viscera (hearts, specifically), and no signs of vestigia/magic use on the part of those responsible. As always, readers get a look into his unusual life (he and his partner who happens to be a sort of demi-demi-goddess and who is currently expecting twins).

Aaronovitch is a gifted author with a razor wit and a prodigious talent for descriptive narrative. The dialogue is never clunky, the world building and magic systems are virtuoso, and the story is varied and engaging.

Since there are so many interwoven multi-book plot threads in this series, it wouldn't work very well as a standalone. I strongly recommend reading the series start to finish, they're wonderful. This one is very much in the same pattern as the other books in the series and for me, that was a definite benefit. Pure escapist fantasy mystery police procedurals are the bees' knees and this one is a great example.

Five stars for the series as a whole, four stars for this installment.

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

The Blood Covenant Simon Westow #4

The Blood Covenant is the fourth Simon Westow historical mystery by Chris Nickson. Released 1st March 2022 by Severn House, it's 224 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. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is such a skillfully written series. Protagonist thief-takers (bounty hunters) Simon and his partner Jane are tasked with a simple re-acquisition of a pair of silver candlesticks which turns out to be a central thread in a complex web of lies, deceptions, labour and class struggles, and power plays. They're outclassed in terms of power and deceitfulness by influential men in Leeds and are in danger of losing their freedom and lives throughout the book. 

I was captivated from the first pages. There's an unusual verisimilitude to the writing which really calls the historical time period to mind. It's written around a framework of actual events so skillfully that it's difficult to tell when fact shades over into fiction. The author is technically competent and (happily) quite prolific. There are now 4 books extant in the series with a 5th due out in March 2023, making this a good candidate for a long weekend binge read. 

The books -are- quite realistic and this one is no exception. The author has a very realistic writing style and describes the less salubrious facts of life in the early 19th century unflinchingly. This book deals with the stark, brutal, and all-too-often short lives of the poor as well as discussions of sexual abuse, sexism, self harm, and life in the marginalised sectors of society. 

One of the main characters, Jane, has a very sad back-story, and much of the plot of the book revolves around her past, her present, and her (scarily competent) redemptive development. I love her character, but she's often quite frightening. I was impressed by the author's ability to write a young female character and do it very well. There are emphatically no perky anythings here, no bodice ripping, and absolutely zero flirty eyelashes to be found. 

Five stars. Definitely one for lovers of well-crafted mysteries. I would heartily recommend it to fans of Hambly's Benjamin January and Peters' Cadfael (although different time periods and settings, obviously). 

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

The Bat House Guide

The Bat House Guide is a well written and practical guide to increasing habitat and attracting and supporting bats written by Merlin Tuttle & Danielle Cordani. Released 8th Nov 2022 by Greenleaf, it's 88 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. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a concise and *useful* guide to creating supportive habitat for indigenous bat species in a wide variety of locales. There are tutorials for bat houses and colony houses which include lumber cut lists, isometric drawings and cutaways which will allow readers with some basic woodworking experience to recreate them for local species. 

The photography throughout is truly amazing and top quality. There are macro shots with incredible detail of bats in flight and standing still, eating, rearing young, and going about their business. Even without the useful woodworking plans, the book would be valuable for the amazing photography alone. In addition, it contains a surprising amount of layman accessible natural science and biology (and even a bit of botany related to bats' vital role as pollinators). 

Five stars. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, as well as for smallholders, community garden groups, and similar. 

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

Murder at the Gardens A Belinda Penshurst Mystery #3

 

Murder at the Gardens is the third book in Lisa Cutts' charming Belinda Penshurst village cozy series. Released 14th April 2022, it's 266 pages and is 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, as are the other books in the series.

This is such an engaging and fun series. The narrative is lighthearted, including an ensemble cast of oddball small-town characters. There are moments of genuine humor which surprised a giggle out of me. The author definitely doesn't take herself or her characters too seriously. For all that, it's well written and eminently readable.

There are admittedly some fairly silly and over the top developments and plot twists, but it's a village cozy, so it's really part of the whimsy. The "over the top" characters and dialogue were always on the right side of charming and didn't shade over into annoying or yank me out of my suspension of disbelief, so it was a fun read.  As always, amateur sleuth Belinda, castle-dwelling, clever, and single minded, is determined to get to the bottom of the skullduggery infesting *her* village. 

Readers who enjoy very light village cozies such as the series by Merryn Allingham, Frances Evesham, and Clare Chase will find much to like with these books. There are 3 books currently extant in the series, making it a good candidate for a weekend binge series read.

Four stars. Charming, diverting, and well written.

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

Killer in the Crowd

Killer in the Crowd is a well written standalone mystery thriller by PN Johnson. Released 30th March 2022 by Burning Chair, it's 318 pages and is 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 the author's debut novel and I was most pleasantly surprised with the quality of the writing. It's an engaging and immersive cold-case missing persons mystery/thriller with a death in the current day which draws the female protagonist into trying to solve the 30-year-old mystery of her own mother's disappearance. Much of the book is set in the underground/punk music scene and the author does a superb job of recreating the milieu, including the gritty behind-the-scenes realities. 

There's a romance subplot which was deftly handled and which meshes nicely with the book's denouement and resolution. All in all a well written mystery thriller. There are mentions of drug abuse and sexual crimes. The language is rough in places with rugged monosyllables sprinkled throughout. Very much a case of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. 

Four stars. It'll be nice to see how (or if) the author develops the characters further.

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

A Pen Dipped in Poison

A Pen Dipped in Poison is the second cozy mystery featuring a trio of retired primary school teachers by J.M. Hall. Due out 30th March 2023 from HarperCollins on their Avon, UK imprint, it's 378 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. 

There's an anonymous poison pen loose at St. Barnabus primary school and they've targeted everyone from the headmistress on down. Soon (despite the protestations of their spouses), retired teacher trio Pat, Liz, and Thelma are drawn into the case to get to the bottom of the nasty anonymous letters as well as potential skullduggery on the part of Lodestone, which has acquired St. Barnabus amongst other holdings.

I reviewed the first book in the series, and this one is a well written and solidly entertaining follow-up. The protagonists are believable and appealing. The writing is smoother than the debut book, and I found the mystery well wrought and satisfying. The author has found his stride and I look forward to more featuring these protagonists. 

Four stars. This would be a good choice for fans of Osman's excellent Thursday Murder club books, as well as Laurien Berenson's new Peg & Rose series. 

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

A Spoonful Of Murder

A Spoonful Of Murder is an engaging amateur sleuth mystery and series debut by J.M. Hall. Released 17the March 2022 by Harper Collins on their Avon, UK imprint, it's 331 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. 

For fans of quirky fair play mysteries with non-traditional amateur sleuths, there's a lot to like here. The main characters are a trio of retired primary school teachers who are drawn into sleuthing when a former colleague dies under murky circumstances. The pacing is careful, and a bit slow, but does pick up toward the middle/later parts of the book. The background and interrelationships are built up gradually; I suspect the following book(s) in the series won't be as leisurely. 

One thing I found distracting, although I'm a huge sinner myself in my personal writing is that the author is -very- fond of parenthetical commentary throughout the book. Third person omniscient point of view provides temptations aplenty for side comments and the author hasn't resisted any of them (said Nonstop Reader in the privacy of her own mind). Readers who are irritated by small asides in third person PoV will likely be dragged out of their suspension of disbelief every page (not an exaggeration, she said with an earnest look). 

That's the only complaint I had with the book. The plotline is diverting and well constructed, the protagonists are competent and well-meaning, and the denouement and resolution are satisfying and well written. 

Four stars. This would be a good choice for fans of Osman's excellent Thursday Murder club books, as well as Laurien Berenson's new Peg & Rose series. 

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

How to Become a Gardener: Find Empowerment in Creating Your Own Food Security

How to Become a Gardener is a no-nonsense, well written, beginner accessible guide to getting started with food gardening and improving personal and community food security written and curated by Ashlie Thomas. Released 1st Nov 2022 by Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formast. 

Food security and transportation costs and availability are real and immediate concerns for the vast majority of people worldwide. We only have to look at the supply issues of the last few years to see how vulnerable we are to interruptions and resource scarcity. It's not possible to be self-sufficient with toilet paper and toothpaste (well, not really), but providing for part of our food needs ourselves is a great way to reduce some stress, gain valuable skills, and gain a fun and relaxing hobby. 

The author has a great encouraging writing style and she is willing to share her experience to help other would-be gardeners improve their outcomes.  The book contains tangible advice for starting, sourcing materials, planning, seed starting, growing, harvesting, troubleshooting and compensating for less than ideal results, but it -also- contains a lot of useful and thought provoking philosophy and interesting info for ruminating about our consumerist lifestyle, our definition of community, and how we can be less dependent on unstable supply chains for our daily nutrition. Plus it's good fun and healthy exercise.

Five stars. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, activity groups, community garden collections, and home use. There is an emphasis on urban and to a lesser degree suburban gardeners, but there are valuable takeaways for gardeners in other situations.

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

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks is an engaging, humorous, and light comedy/romance by Shauna Robinson. Released 1st Nov 2022 by Sourcebooks Landmark, it's 336 pages and is 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. 

I liked the characterizations here - the author is quite adept at making her characters live and breathe and although I found myself horrified over some of Maggie's choices (I'm supposedly older and wiser), I could sympathize. There's a definite "Bridget Jones" vibe about some of her actions. The whole has a warm and quirky vibe which will appeal to most readers, and Maggie herself is mostly appealing and clearly well meaning. 

I'm never sure (as a ghostly-pale reviewer) how to mention that the MC is a woman of color - but she is, and the author does a great job of portraying her as real and certainly not as a prop. She has foibles aplenty, but she's never a cardboard cutout and Ms. Robinson doesn't ever make a huge case of her ethnicity. 

There were several places where I kept thinking "oh, this isn't going to go well", but Maggie's heart really does seem to be in the right place, and she seems to manage to just about hold it together. The "frenemies" romance part wasn't personally to my taste, and the whole subplot with the "cranky white guy running the show" was a bit over the top for me personally. I don't read a lot in the light slice-of-life romance genre, but fans will find quite a lot to appeal here. It's undeniably competently written. That didn't stop me wanting to shake some sense into Maggie, and, if I'm 100% honest, her helicopter parents as well. 

Three and a half stars, with the codicil that it will likely be higher for fans of the genre. 

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

Spring of Hope A Gaslight Mystery #4

 

Spring of Hope is the fourth Gaslight historical mystery by Cora Harrison. Released 1st March 2022 by Severn House, it's 240 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. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is an engaging and well written historical mystery featuring historical characters and a framework of actual historical events and people. It's set in 1859 in and around London environs and Dickens has befriended English civil engineer Joseph Bazalgette who is working on London's intractable sewage problem and the resulting dangers to the general population. His friend Wilkie Collins (yes, that one) has domestic issues in the form of a servant and her daughter who are terrified of something/someone from their past. 

I was impressed that the author managed to weave the fiction around the bones of historical events so skillfully that it wasn't always clear where fact shaded into fiction. She's clearly very adept at research and giving the writing verisimilitude of the period without being at all impenetrable or awkward to modern ears. 

The pacing was relaxed, but I didn't find it overly slow and never found my interest waning. The climax and denouement were satisfying and well written. It was enjoyable enough to me that I fully intend to seek out the three previous books. The background is presented well enough that it worked well as a standalone story. 

Four stars. Definitely one for readers who enjoy historical mystery.

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

Where Loyalties Lie

 

Where Loyalties Lie is a murder thriller with an investigative reporter by Val Collins. Released 1st March 2022, it's 270 pages and is 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. 

This is a very fast paced, action driven thriller featuring a reporter protagonist and a heap of unreliable witnesses. Despite being the fourth book in the series, it works quite well as a standalone, and readers coming into the series with this book won't have any troubles keeping up with the plot or characters. I liked that Aoife is tenacious and intelligent, and her interplay with the other characters is well written and nuanced. 

Four stars. The ending is definitely a page-turner, and I found the climax, denouement, and resolution satisfying and well done. This is one for fans of procedural/investigative thrillers. 

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

A History of Women in Medicine and Medical Research: Exploring the Trailblazers of STEM

A History of Women in Medicine and Medical Research is a well written and layman accessible collection of short biographies of women luminaries in the medical fields, written and curated by Dale Debakcsy. Released 3rd Nov 2022 in the UK (due out 15th Dec elsewhere) by Pen & Sword on their History imprint, it's 224 pages and is/will be available in hardcover format. 

The biographies are arranged in roughly chronological order, from Peseshet (~27th century BCE) to Dr. Virginia Apgar (1909-1974) and cover a gratifyingly large range of specialties and subjects. The subjects are from all geographical areas, not just well born women from Europe and North America.

Although it's not annotated and there are no chapter notes, this is a readable and fascinating look at some of the contributions of women over the last millennia to furthering the sciences, especially in medicine and biotech. It's completely accessible for readers of roughly teen to adult ages. The author has included an abbreviated bibliography, and there's an included index. It's not lavishly illustrated, but there is a chapter with interesting black and white photos at the end of some of the biography subjects.

Five stars. It would make a superlative choice for public and school library acquisition, gift giving, and home use.  

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

Playful Peg Loom Weaving: A modern approach to the ancient technique of peg loom weaving, plus 17 projects to make

 

Playful Peg Loom Weaving is a beginner friendly instructional guide with tutorials for getting started with simple peg looms written by Stephanie Fradette. Released 31st Oct 2022 by Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 120 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

This book *is* playful and exuberant, full of colourful and fun projects which will get readers' fingers itching to dive in. In addition (perhaps as importantly), it's a solid instruction book for making/acquiring tools and techniques to craft items with simple movable peg looms & weaving sticks, yarn/fibres, and hands. The author presupposes no previous experience or familiarity with the techniques and gives a step-by-step introduction to the process from start to finish. Full sized templates are included in the back of the book, as well as an abbreviated suppliers list with links (mostly aimed at readers living in the UK).

The book is arranged logically and the tutorials are grouped thematically: getting started (making/acquiring tools and sourcing supplies through setting up, materials choices, and even a little colour theory), followed by the 17 tutorials arranged roughly by time investment needed to finish each project. The projects range from utilitarian to purely decorative and there are several jewelry type accessories included. The photography is clear and in colour.

Four stars. Lovely and useful book. This would be a nice choice for public library acquisition, maker's groups, school art classes (even for young students), and for home crafters. 

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

Craft Your Own Cosy Scandi Christmas

Craft Your Own Cosy Scandi Christmas is a well written and accessible guide with tutorials to creating seasonal gifts, craft projects, and recipes by Becci Coombes. Released 30th Oct 2022 by Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 168 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

This is a beautifully photographed and appealing collection of food, decorations, gifts and more, for helping readers create the perfect holiday with family and friends. The book is well laid out and the tutorials are appealing and easy to follow. The projects are arranged thematically: decorating, edible gifts, quick & easy crafts, Christmas comfort food, and family fun. 

The tutorials are written with an introduction, examples of the finished project, supplies in a bullet list, and step by step instructions. Full size templates are included in the back of the book. Tutorial supplies and recipes have ingredients given in metric measurements. There are many beautiful ideas for upcycling and recycling which look professional and appealing and would be welcome in any crafter's home. 

The book stands out especially with the lovely photography. All the projects contain a finished photo, but also many (many) tutorial photos. Photos are clear, in colour, and well staged so that hands and tools aren't in the way of the action. 

Four and a half stars. Lovely and useful book. This would be a nice choice for public library acquisition, maker's groups, and for home crafters. 

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

Cooking with Nonna Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia

Cooking with Nonna Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia is the newest cookbook with recipes and tutorials by Rossella Rago. Released 25th Oct 2022 by HarperCollins on their Harper Horizon imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

These are traditional Sunday family dinners to be shared with loved ones. There's such a homey and warm vibe to the whole book along with the reminiscences for which she's well known. She has a chatty and informal style of writing, and I enjoyed her stories about her family and growing up (and learning from her Nonna) almost as much as the recipes and instruction. 

The recipes are arranged by courses just as a dinner would normally be served: basics (doughs & sauces), antipasto, soup & salad, sides, pasta al forno lasagne & primi, secondi & parms, oven dishes (with love), sweets, biscotti, and alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks. Recipes are written with an introduction/history, servings, ingredients in a bullet list sidebar, and followed by step-by-step directions. Ingredient measures are provided in imperial (American) measures only, no metric equivalents. Nutritional information is not included. Most of the ingredients will be readily available in an average well stocked grocery store in North America. Some few specific ingredients and types of olive oil, anise oil, etc might require a gourmet food store or specialist supplier. 

The photography is stellar. The dishes are beautifully prepared, appetizing, and professionally styled. 

Four and a half stars. This is a very good Italian cookbook with lots of traditional sauces, pasta doughs, prep instructions, serving suggestions, sweets, and everything needed to prepare a traditional Sunday dinner. 

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

Cooking with Whey: A Cheesemaker's Guide to Using Whey in Probiotic Drinks, Savory Dishes, Sweet Treats, and More

Cooking with Whey is an accessible and well written guide to using whey alongside recipes developed by Claudia Lucero. Released 25th Oct 2022 by Storey, it's 128 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

For folks who make cheese, yogurt, and other related foods at home, whey (the liquid left over after curding, straining, and processing dairy) is usually seen as a waste product. I live and work in Norway and except for "brunost" (caramelized whey pressed into blocks and eaten on everything from pancakes to lunch sandwiches), I was not familiar with other thrifty uses of whey. This book is so much more. 

The layout is accessible and easy to follow. The author's friendly and competent instructions are well explained and accessible to non-experts/beginners. The book has a retro vibe; there aren't any photos in the text or the recipes. The illustrations are simple but easy to understand and recognize (see cover). 

Four stars. Definitely a niche book, but quite a good one. The recipes are varied and appealing. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, as well as for self-sufficiency and smallholding folks.

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