I’ve just finished a couple more really good books that I want to share with you. I’m also repeating a couple of reviews that I did prior to the book’s publication date, and two that I just have to mention again on a dedicated book review post in case you missed them buried in a chat post. Read on, there’s a giveaway today too!
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan – Historical fiction story of overcoming the austerity of rationing in 1941 England. Four women of disparate backgrounds enter a cooking contest to get the most of what is available during the severe shortages during the war. The prose is easy reading and grabs the reader’s attention with good character development. This novel is well researched, and includes actual recipes from the era. Although predictable in its storyline and resolution, it is heartwarming read for summer. Highly recommend.
The Nurse’s Secret by Amanda Skenandore – Tale of a thief, falsely accused of murder who joins a nursing training program to hide from the police in 1883. Historically based on the first nursing school in the United States. As another murder occurs, similar to the one she is accused of, she has to make a choice between exposing herself and revealing the murderer. Well researched, the story contains some of the grisly reality of medicine in the 1880s, when the concept of disinfection and bacteria was considered an unproven concept and quackery. Nicely written in an easy reading style. Recommend.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang – A white author, June, witnesses her Chinese author-friend Athena’s freak accidental death, and in a split second decision, takes Athena’s notes and partially finished manuscript. Athena, who had everything June did not, was more talented and a publisher darling. Or was she? Was she the prodigy as promoted, or did she herself steal the words of others? June pours herself into finishing the novel about Chinese immigrants during World War I, and publishes it as her own work. The morally wrong choice she makes to claim full credit for the work is the basis for the novel. As June continues to justify her actions and take steps to ensure her secrets remain secret, evidence begins to surface that would unravel her lies. She compounds the problem with a second novel, based partially on a paragraph written by Athena. The novel is a roller coaster read, illuminating the dark side of human nature, the brutality and ruthlessness of internet trolls, and the lengths people will go to in order to justify bad decisions. Along the way, the reader gets a glimpse into the cutthroat publishing industry. Written in first person, the reader sees June wrestling with her choices, her fears, her anxiety, and her selfishness. Add in the complications of cultural appropriation, diversity of voices in publishing, and racism, and this becomes the novel that will set book clubs on fire this summer. The discussion potential is extraordinary, and will keep the reader thinking about the themes for days. Just published on May 16, 2023. Available on Audiobook, hardcover and Kindle. Highly recommend!!
Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough – A woman approaching her 40th birthday has increasingly trouble sleeping, just like her own mother had when she was approaching the same age. Her mother went insane, and Emma fears the same thing will happen to her. As the insomnia worsens, she has trouble distinguishing reality from hallucination, loses time, and becomes more convinced that bad things are about to happen. The book starts rather slowly, but around page 135, you won’t be able to put it down. I sure couldn’t, reading the last 150 pages in a single sitting. The pacing picks up, like a train leaving a station, starting out slowly, gaining speed through the last half of the book as twist after twist comes barreling down the track. Just as you think you have it figured out, the protagonist goes down the same thought line, then changes direction. This is the author who wrote Behind Her Eyes, another thriller. If you have Netflix, see Behind Her Eyes, a limited series that will blow you away at the end as everything you thought you knew will change. If you enjoy thrillers, Insomnia may keep you up at night too. Published April 2022. Available in Audiobook, Kindle and book. Highly Recommend.
Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick – Esme loses her marriage and her job, and returns to her North Carolina home too late to learn what her grandmother wanted to tell her. She has to come to terms with her estranged mother, and a grandfather sliding into dementia, all while trying to help save the family retreat from financial ruin. The story is of resilience and perseverance in the face of disappointment and tragedy, picking up the pieces again and again, refusing to let problems defeat her, learning from the past, forgiveness, and looking to the future. Heartbreakingly tender at times, and laugh out loud funny at others. Quilts are an integral part of the story, from Esme’s discovery of her grandmother Adele’s unconventional style, to the stories that are discovered about her past. I enjoyed the rich character development, and layered storylines. Highly recommend, five stars! Now available in paperback. Oh, and I got to meet Marie Bostwick at an author event a couple of weeks ago, what fun!
And now, here’s the giveaway! Brian Porter has sent me a signed copy of his book to give away to one lucky reader! Here’s my review –
Dreams of Arcadia by Brian Porter – Divorced veterinarian, Nate, tired of the rat race of city life, decides to take a job offer to join a practice in his father’s hometown, a place he remembers from his own childhood before his father’s death. This is a story of a man searching for himself and his place in the world, a place he can call home. As he settles into a rural life, coming to terms with his teenage daughters growing up without him being close, he discovers all he thought he knew about his father’s family might not be the complete story. There are beautiful descriptions of country scenes, gritty scenes of the things a veterinarian must see and do to care for farm animals in distress, and an underlying mystery of the circumstances surrounding his father’s accidental death. The writing is easy to read and builds the story slowly, at a pace consistent with rural life. This would make a great book for book clubs, with many themes to discuss – rural life, animal care, a life story from a male point of view, a mystery to solve. Highly Recommend, five stars. Published this week, available in paperback and for Kindle.
To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post and tell me – what interests you most about Dreams of Arcadia? Drawing will be held on July 4 at 5 pm. Drawing has been held, congratulations to winner Brenda F.
What are you reading now?
From My Carolina Home 
Love mysteries! Sounds like a good book
It is intriguing to learn about how the author digs into the feelings and actions of the character(s).
This description of the book reminds me of All Creatures Great and Small. Sounds heartwarming.
I live a rural life so I enjoy books that focus on this lifestyle.
I think the mystery behind his Father’s death is sounding interesting to me. I like books that delve into family history.
I can give a thumbs up for Kitchen Front. Enjoyed this so much I listened to it again as an audio book presentation. Waiting for this author’s next book about this era. The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir was my first introduction to this author and her WWII books. These books are about normal everyday folks doing what they do with a little tweak of fun, mystery and good feelings based in true historical situations
Sounds like something I would read as I grew up on a farm can’t wait to get the book.
I like reading about how characters overcome challenges and adversity, sounds like a great read.
It will be interesting to read a book like this with a male point of view.
I enjoys books that have a mystery and rural life.
This book sounds really good !!
Love anything about animals & vet procedures…
But a mystery added in ?? WIN WIN
I love mysteries. The mystery of his father’s death will keep me reading.
As a big fan of All Creatures Great and Small, I would enjoy the veterinary issues.
Thanks for the information about these. Books. I. Am always looking for some new authors to read. I’m curious about the dreams of Arcadia to see if it’s anything like the James Herriot books. I loved reading them.
I love arcadian themes in novels.
I love reading your reviews on books. It gets me interested in my next read. Thank you for the chance to obtain such a treasured copy
It would be interesting to learn his thoughts and feelings behind leaving the rat race and returning to a small town, his angst of moving away from his daughters, and the mystery surrounding his father’s death. Sounds like a good read.
I checked out “Yellowface” after reading your review a couple months ago and almost finished. It is hard to put down and I am going to recommend it to my book club.
Arcadia sounds like a nice read. The main character being a man, the mystery around his father’s death, an d of course the veterinarian stuff interests me.
My library just notified me that “Yellowface” is available on audio and I am on the “hold” list. Can’t wait to listen to it! Sounds like enriching themes from your review.
I just finished “Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly” and loved it! Marie Bostwick does an excellent job with dialogue and strong characters.
I added the “Kitchen Front” to my audio hold list. I enjoy historical fiction and from your review this book sounds like it would be a pleasure.
Thank you for your insightful reviews!
The mystery to solve.
So many good books – each one you’ve reviewed today interests me! And thanks for the giveaway, too. I don’t often read books written from the male point of view, so that would be interesting. Learning more about the life of a veterinarian would make for a good story, too.
Dreams of Arcadia sounds like a great read. It’s always hard to start over in a new place and sometimes going home is not what we thought it would be. I am reading Yellowface now and enjoying it very much, always appreciate your reviews.
I love to read! This sounds like an interesting one. Especially the animal care part in a rural area.
Enjoy reading your blog. Keep it up please.
Colleen
Sounds like a very interesting read. I grew up on a farm near a small community and love stories about animals and their care and also mysteries. I would love to win this book. I really enjoy your blog. Thanks. June
Country life and animals. What could be better?
I enjoy reading stories set in the slower country lifestyle. This sounds like a good book to read on a lazy summer day. And I am hoping to meet Maria Bostwick up in Oregon next week.
I love your book reviews! Dreams of Arcadia is interesting to me first because it is from a man’s perspective. Secondly, I love a good mystery. And lastly, having just moved to a rural area, it will be fun to read about that setting.
Definitely seems to have the flavor of James Herriot’s novels with some mystery thrown in!! Since I wanted to be a vet when I was a kid and I live on a farm…perfect read!!!
The male’s point of view would be interesting as my husband and I often see things in a different light and laugh at why it appears so different to each other.
I love reading books about animals and the people who care for them!
I’m enchanted with the idea of leaving city life for the country. Even better, this looks like a book my husband would enjoy too!
Loved all of the Herriot stories, I’ve lived in Chicago Loop and Iowa farm country – and now live smack inbetween. But vets are the same all over. Caring for patients who can’t say “It hurts here….” Sounds like a good read! Thanks, always on the mark.
I live in a rural area and enjoy stories about this way of life.
Dreams of Arcadia – Was would make me want to read this book is the intrigue of a mystery in his family history.
I have a family mystery, associated with a grandparent, and wish I knew how to solve it.
What interests me most ? – the rural setting and the life of a vet in that setting. Makes me think of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’
Thanks for some great book recommendations! I’ll be putting in hold requests for several of these with my library.
Reading about transitioning from city to rural life interests me since I live rurally and find what my city friends think of my life comical sometimes. I always enjoy your book reviews and often flag them for future books to read.
I once thought about going to vet school but learned from having my own pets that I would not be a good one. Seeing any creatures in pain and suffering is too devastating to me. They would have to put me in the hospital I would be so upset. That is one reason I would like to read this book and also to get the male perspective, as I usually read books by female authors. Anyway, I would love to read it and I appreciate your reviews and will definitely check them out. Thanks so much for sharing with us. I always look forward to your posts.
Intrigued by the perils of the vet. I wanted to be one, or work in a pet store, but dying animals turned me away.
I love your quilt patterns and blog! Thanks for all the book recommendations, too – many great ideas! I want to read Dreams of Arcadia – I usually read books by female authors, so this will be a good change.
It would be interesting to read a book like this from a man’s point of view. The books I read are usually from a woman’s POV. Following along with his changes in life from big city to rural living sound very intriguing!
I love animals and mysteries and animals and vets and animals and rural life! Did I mention animas? LOL! I will read any book, within reach for that matter. This book is right up my alley!
I just joined a book club a couple weeks ago. This book sounds like it would have lots of things to discuss with other readers, can’t wait to read it!
My favorite BBC show now is “All Creatures Great and Small” and this seems to have the same feel to it.
You’ve been a prolific reader of late. Many sound good but that first (the cooking/rationing) has me specially intrigued.
I like mysteries and trying to solve them . I also enjoy reading about animals. Thanks for a chance to win.
The name of the book sounded familiar, but I don’t think it’s one I’ve read. I read over a hundred books a year, easily, sometimes 4 or 5 in a week, depending on the circumstances. My mom, who died 3 weeks ago, was a published poet and author, and I didn’t find out until after she died that a university in Rhode Island has every one of her manuscripts!!! How cool is that!!!?
Anyway, thanks so much for the chance to win, and even if I don’t, I still have LOTS of books on my Kindle to keep me busy! Have a super 4th of July!!
It’s interesting that this is the second occasion I have heard good reviews for Yellowface. Thanks for the suggestions.
Great reviews Carole, you’ve read some very interesting and different books~ I know you must have really enjoyed the one that included quilts! Thanks for the recommendations!
Jenna
Sounds like a wonderful read. I’m interested in the male point of view and the mystery surrounding his family.
Reading from a males perspective is something I‘m not accustomed to reading. I love a good mystery and with his father‘s death being questionable as accidental would prove to be a good read for me. Thank you, Carole, for all your book reviews. I appreciate your insight.
Carole, your book reviews are always excellent! They all sound interesting!
Your reviews are always spot on! I always enjoy reading them….and helps me avoid some books I might not finish once started. I enjoy books about rural life as that has been my lifestyle for most of my life and believe it or not, I used to want to be a veterinarian. Thank you for pointing us to Behind Her Eyes….I’ve just binge-watched it and you were right!!!!I couldn’t believe the ending although I almost had it figured out when “Adele” constantly counted her fingers. Insomnia will be on my reading list!
I love mysteries & would love to read about a veterinarian in rural life, sounds good !
I immediately thought of James Harriet’s works, but this sounds intriguing too- especially the mystery about his father.
Living in a rural area ,with limited accessto large animal vets, it is always interesting to read about the care these animals need. And a mystery to boot! Looking for this book now!
I love your book reviews, Carole. I find lots of good reads thanks to you. Can’t wait for the last step in Quadrille pr
Dreaming of time to get back to uninterrupted book reading.
What interests me is that, from your review, the premise seems fairly simple. However, I believe the complexities intertwined into the plot would make this a fascinating read.
I love mysteries! I just read the last one from a female author and believe a different perspective would be a nice change.
Mysteries!!! Love a good story like that with going back home and discovering the life lived of those one has left behind. We all are a book, with stories of our own. When I was young we had a community library where locals could come. As a young girl I spent hours there, Mysteries and Art! The Librarian gave me job of putting books away. I think she knew I loved being there.
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve added several to my wish list.
I’d love to win. I enjoy your blog and love the book recommendations. I also love stories about country vets. Like the James Herriot series.
The book sounds very interesting and I like that you mentioned it would be a good one for a book club..I love your book reviews and look forward to reading them, you do a really good job telling us about them! Enjoy your quilting projects too, always good to see finished projects, something that I don’t have many of!!