Hardcover Archives – Carol's Notebook

Street Unicorns by Robbie Quinn

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 by Carol3 Comments

Street Unicorns is such a fabulous, positive book filled with stunning photographs. It's a celebration of fashion, style, creative expression, and people n all their diversity. I loved the outfits and reading about the people and their outlooks. This is not a book I would usually have picked up, but I needed a unicorn book for a bingo board. I am so glad I chose it. It was wonderful and is a fun one to keep on the end table. ...

Marple: Twelve New Mysteries by Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, et al.

November 8, 2022November 8, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

We all know I'm a huge Christie fan, so of course, this collection of twelve new Marple mysteries has been on my wishlist since I heard about it. I appreciate the variety. Each of the stories is written by a different contemporary female crime writer doing her take on the iconic Miss Jane Marple. Miss Marple is a force to be reckoned with, and these writers captured her intelligence, her wit, and her tenacity. Granted some of the stories are more successful than others, but that's to be expected. Overall, it's fun. The stories: Evil in Small Places - Lucy FoleyThe Second Murder in the Vicarage - Val McDermid: This one might have been my favorite. A second murder occurs at the vicarage in St. Mary Mead. Luckily, Jane Marple lives right next door. Miss Marple Takes Manhattan - Alyssa Cole: Miss Marple visits Manhattan with her nephew. A play base on his work is being performed - off-Broadway. I liked seeing...

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

June 29, 2020June 27, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

I thoroughly enjoyed A Memory Called Empire. It was engrossing and smart. It's science fiction centered around political intrigue and a murder mystery. One of the themes of the book is colonialism. Teixcalaan is a galaxies-spanning empire with a capital that is a planet-spanning City. In their language, the word for the world and the planet and the city is the same. Peoples who are not part of the empire are "barbarians" and while in the City are not granted the freedoms and technology of the Teixcalaani. It is an old culture rooted traditions and deeply connected to its poetry. I found the importance of poetry to the culture fascinating and is part of what I loved. Poetry as history, political rhetoric, battle cry, prayer for peace, everything poetry can be but that we don't give the power it deserves. Teixcalaan's size and influence dwarfs the small, but still independent Lsel station. Mahit Dzmare is the new ambassador from Lsel to Teixcalaan,...

Mailbox Monday – 2/17

February 17, 2020June 27, 2022 by Carol9 Comments

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists. Tell us about your new arrivals by adding your Mailbox Monday post to the linky at mailboxmonday.wordpress.com. I used my Barnes and Noble gift card to get two books (and a coffee and cookie). ...

A Rumpole Christmas by John Mortimer

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

I have some books that come out every year with the Christmas decorations. Some I've read multiple times, like A Christmas Carol, and some I haven't gotten around to yet. This year I finally picked up A Rumpole Christmas from the stack and thoroughly enjoyed the stories. I'm familiar with Rumpole of the Bailey and "She Who Must Be Obeyed." I feel like I must have seen some episodes back when it was on PBS Mystery! which we used to watch almost weekly. Barrister Horace Rumpole, defender of the criminal class, loves his work. Fortunately, work finds him even during the Christmas holidays, whether it be spending Christmas at a health farm when a murder occurs, meeting former clients under interesting circumstances, or being booked into the same hotel as a judge. Rumpole character is funny, wry, and insightful, and some of his comments about terrorists and the Church could have been made now. He honestly enjoys defending his...

Hibernate with Me by Benjamin Scheuer

February 12, 2019February 12, 2019 by Carol9 Comments

Hibernate with Me is a wonderful picture book. The story features a little bear and his mom/dad. No matter how rough life can gets or how shy the little bear feels, little bear always has a safe, warm home to go to. The words have a gentle rhyming pattern, and the illustrations accompany it perfectly. They are detailed, colorful and fit the moods, seasons of the story. The story was originally a song. The melody is in the back of the book. The lullaby quality of the story makes it a perfect book for bedtime. I think I'm going to give my copy to either my brother or my mom. A couple of my brother's kids are still young enough for picture books and I really like this one. Hibernate with Me is a gentle reminder that no matter how sad, small, or scared you feel, you are always worthy of love, and that brighter days are always ahead. I have one copy to...