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Wisconsin Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Tennessee: The Volunteer State
Jacqueline Hope Raynor
Firefly Books
https://www.fireflybooks.com
9780228105886, $24.95
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tennessee-Volunteer-Jacqueline-Hope-Raynor/dp/0228105889
Synopsis: Tennessee may be small in size with a population of just over 7 million, but it is a heavy-hitter when it comes to
its influence on popular music and American culture in the 20th century. The capital, Nashville, is the heart of country
music performance and production, with its long- running Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and the legendary
stretch of honky-tonks and dance halls known as the District.
Tennessee's many historical and contemporary attractions include:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, containing some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, is the
most-visited national park in the United States.
The Appalachian Trail, this world-famous hiking trail, spanning almost 2,200 miles, passes through Tennessee and attracts
more than 3 million hikers each year.
The Hermitage, President Andrew Jackson's 1,120-acre plantation, is now a museum that features exhibits covering all
aspects of plantation life.
Shiloh National Military Park, commemorating the battlefield of Shiloh, the Shiloh National Cemetery and other historical
landmarks.
The Titanic Museum, a two-story museum shaped like the Titanic, located in Pigeon Forge.
Critique: Illustrated with gorgeous full-color photography on virtually every page, Tennessee: The Volunteer State is an
armchair traveler's delight. Each photograph captures a notable place or feature located in Tennessee, and is paired with a
descriptive text caption: "With seating for up to 900 guests, the Showstreet Palace Theater at Dollywood hosts a variety of
performances, including musical tributes, gospel concerts, and interactive shows." This lightweight, visually stunning
coffee-table book is a joy to page through, and also makes an excellent gift! Highly recommended.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Art and Craft of Japanese Cooking
Nancy Singleton Hachisu
Tuttle
https://tuttlepublishing.com
9784805319895, $35.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Craft-Japanese-Cooking-Artisans/dp/4805319895
Synopsis: In this striking, highly personal volume, acclaimed cookbook author Nancy Singleton Hachisu introduces
readers to the regional chefs and artisans at the heart of Japan's unique food culture. Bringing to bear more than three
decades of life in the Japanese countryside and over a decade as a food writer and champion of artisanal Japanese food
traditions, she offers unique recipes, spectacular photographs and insightful essays about chefs and producers across
Japan.
The 140 recipes - created by seven remarkable Japanese chefs - use local, seasonal ingredients to deliver intense,
sophisticated flavors in an approachable way. Each of these Franco-Japanese, Italianate-Japanese and classic, yet modern
Japanese dishes have been meticulously tested in the author's home kitchen. Readers will find here:
Essays on regional producers of artisanal food items ranging from sea greens and umeboshi to potato flour, air-dried fish,
miso, soy sauce and Japanese malt whisky
Refreshing starters such as Squid and Yugao Gourd Salad with Shiso Vinaigrette, and Smoked Pacific Saury with Pickled
Myoga and Chrysanthemum
Savory mains such as Salt-Grilled Butterfish with Smashed Tofu, and Grilled Pigeon, Clam, Taro, Leeks & Dried
Treviso
Japanese influenced Franco and Italianate dishes such as Snapper with Yuzu Beurre Blanc and Abalone with Sweet Potato
and Abalone Liver Risotto
And many more plant- and seafood-focused dishes
Hachisu's passion for food traditions is shared by the chefs and artisans - making this book an inspiration for anyone who
appreciates food on a deeply personal level. Yet it is also a cookbook to be splashed on, marked up, and used to reproduce
the very best that Japanese cuisine has to offer in their own kitchens.
Critique: The Art and Craft of Japanese Cooking: Artisans, Chefs, Recipes is a storied cookbook filled not only with 140
recipes (created by seven talented Japanese chefs) of fine Japanese cuisine, but also fascinating essays about Japanese
culinary culture, and the regional producers of artisanal food ingredients in different regions of Japan. These ingredients
include sea greens, umeboshi, potato flour, air-dried fish, miso, soy sauce, or Japanese malt whiskey, and more. A treasure
for connoisseurs of fine Japanese cuisine, The Art and Craft of Japanese Cooking is highly recommended for both personal
and public library cookbook collections.
Eat Like a Greek
Marina Georgallides
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9780600639299, $29.99, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Like-Greek-Delicious-Recipes/dp/0600639290
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eat-like-a-greek-marina-georgallides/1148176745
Synopsis: With the publication of "Eat Like a Greek: 100 Quick, Easy, Delicious Recipes", Marina Georgallides shares
100 easy-to-follow Greek and Cypriot recipes drawn from her childhood, using fresh ingredients and surprisingly simple
cooking methods.
"Eat Like A Greek" includes:
Dips & appetizers (including Tirokafteri, a spicy feta dip made with hot peppers)
Breads (including Greek Flatbread, soft, fluffy and foldable breads)
Meat & fish (including Biftekia, the Greek version of a burger patty)
Vegetarian & vegan (including Dolmades Cake, an adaptation of the classic Greek mezze dish of stuffed vine)
Desserts & pastries (including Easy Tiropita, a classic savory Greek pastry stuffed with cheese and egg)
Rooted in tradition but designed to be adapted to American family kitchens, Marina's recipes make the flavorful dishes that
she grew up with accessible to all cooks. From a Portokalopita recipe that doesn't require you to oven dry the filo pastry to
a flatbread recipe that only needs one hour proving time, no dish is out of reach.
Critique: Fully living up to its subtitle, "Eat Like a Greek: 100 Quick, Easy, Delicious Recipes" is a compendium of
ethically authentic, appetite satisfying, palate pleasing, and kitchen cook friendly recipes for all dining occasions both
formal and informal. Magnificently illustrated with full color, full page photographs of finished dishes making it ideal for
menu planning ideas, "Eat Like a Greek" will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal, family,
professional, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Eat
Like a Greek" from Hamlyn is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Marina Georgallides (@chefmarinie) is a Greek-Cypriot London-based food blogger. Her journey into food
content creation started in earnest at the beginning of 2021 when she made a promise to herself to post a recipe every
single day for a month. She gradually galvanized an audience through her food series, 'Just Jamming', which paved the way
for subsequent food series like Noughties Nostalgia, Only Cans and Eat Like a Greek. She is online at:
instagram.com/chefmarinie / tiktok.com/@chefmarinie / youtube.com/@chefmarinie
The Miso Cookbook
Misa Enomoto
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805319871, $16.99, HC, 96pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Miso-Cookbook-Umami-Rich-Incredible-Probiotic/dp/4805319879
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-miso-cookbook-misa-enomoto/1148639319
Synopsis: Miso is produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji yeast. Not only is it packed with nutrition and gut-friendly
probiotics - supporting immunity, digestion, anti-aging and recovery from fatigue - it enhances the flavor of any dish you
add it to. Use it in miso soups, Japanese and Western-style meals, even snacks and desserts. It boosts umami, tenderizes
meats and brings a new level of deliciousness to your cooking!
In this beautifully illustrated book, Japanese fermentation expert and cookbook author Misa Enomoto shares her passion
for miso - a staple in Japanese kitchens for centuries.
She presents 87 delicious recipes based around this incredibly versatile ingredient, including:
Next-Level Miso Soups like Onion, Carrot & Ginger and Hearty Pork with Root Vegetables
Snacks and Sides like Miso Butter Toast and Carrot & Walnut Miso Slaw
Main Dishes like Miso Fried Chicken, Miso-Marinated Grilled Pork and Shiso Miso Gyoza
Noodle and Rice Dishes like Miso Carbonara and Miso Butter Chicken Curry
Sweet-Salty Desserts like Miso Cheesecake and Miso Banana Bread
Dressings, Sauces and Dips like Cheesy Miso Dip, Sesame Miso Sauce and Onion Miso Dressing
Japanese chef Enomoto also shows you how to make your own overnight miso at home along with other popular Japanese
fermented seasonings like shio koji. These simple, economical recipes will transform your cooking and improve your
health in the process!
Critique: Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friend' in organization and presentation, "The Miso Cookbook" by Misa Enomoto is a
showcase compendium featuring 87 authentic, umami-rich recipes featuring Japan's acclaimed probiotic superfood!
Beautifully illustrated, clear step-by-step instructions, and an amazing resource for creating authentic Japanese cuisine
themed meals for any and all dining occasions, "The Miso Cookbook" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended
addition to personal, family, professional, and community library Japanese Cuisine Cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Misa Enomoto is a chef and fermentation master and the author of Fermentation for Life (Tuttle) as well as
several books in her native Japan. Her areas of specialization include small-batch miso, rice bran and desserts and sweets
made with mirin. Follow her on YouTube at "Misa Enomoto's Seasonal Cooking," or visit her website:
www.futari-gohan.jp, which offers seasonal handicraft and recipe ideas for couples.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors
Kierstie Payge Dolezal
Sasquatch Books
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632176240, $16.99, PB, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/5-Minute-Chair-Yoga-Seniors-Confidence/dp/1632176246
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-minute-chair-yoga-for-seniors-kierstie-payge-dolezal/1147924684
Synopsis: With the publication of "5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors: Simple Exercises to Improve Mobility and Reclaim
Your Confidence", experienced yoga teacher Kierstie Payge Dolezal has created a 'reader friendly' and accessible guide to
gentle movement that supports healthy aging. Specifically designed especially for seniors over 60, the exercises comprising
"5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors" will prove invaluable in helping you reduce stiffness, ease pain, and build core strength
and flexibility through simple practices you can do anytime -- with just five minutes and a sturdy chair.
Kierstie has taught thousands of seniors how to move with more ease and confidence. Her compassionate, step-by-step
guidance makes every exercise safe, approachable, and achievable. Whether you are tasked with rebuilding strength after
an injury, seeking core exercises for seniors, or simply wanting a calm daily routine, you will find everything you need to
begin.
"5-Minute chair Yoga for Seniors" includes:
45+ gentle movements that improve balance, flexibility, and functional strength
Clear instructions and modifications for all ability levels, including limited mobility
9 complete 5-minute sequences for quick daily chair yoga routines
Large-print text and easy-to-follow illustrations for stress-free learning
Breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness practices to soothe the nervous system
Guidance to build your own personalized routine to practice at your own pace
You don't need to be flexible or a previously experienced yoga practitioner. With "5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors", all
you will need is a chair, your breath, and five minutes a day to reclaim your mobility, restore confidence, and feel better --
one supportive movement at a time.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors: Simple
Exercises to Improve Mobility and Reclaim Your Confidence" by yoga instruction professional Kierstie Payge Dolezal
features 'how to' illustrations for various yoga chair bound exercises and DIY step-by-step instructions for each movement.
Simply stated, "5-Minute Chair Yoga for Seniors" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
professional, community, Senior Citizen Center, and community library Health/Yoga/Exercise instructional reference
collections for seniors ages 60 and older. It would also be invaluable for younger yoga practitioners with medical issues
that would prevent other forms of yoga based exercise. It should be noted that this trade paperback edition of "5-Minute
Chair Yoga for Seniors" from Sasquatch Books is also readily available in a spiral-bound edition (9781632176332,
$16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Kierstie Payge Dolezal has dedicated her life to sharing and connecting through yoga, blending her athletic
background with teachings from some of the world's most respected instructors. She specializes in helping students find
strength, balance, and transformation through mindful practice. She been working with seniors for the past six years,
tailoring her approach to meet their unique needs and abilities.
The Parenting Shelf
Teach a Kid to Save
Stephen Day
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780800747848, $39.99, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Kid-Save-Hands-Approach/dp/0800747844
Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9780800747534_teach-a-kid-to-save
Synopsis: Some of the toughest choices we make in adult life are about money, and so often we feel uninformed, unsure,
and ill-prepared. We want better for our kids, but how do we teach them the things we never quite learned?
"Teach a Kid to Save: A Fun, Hands-On Approach to Building Smart Money Habits" by Stephen Day is a go-to, hands-on,
research-based guide to teaching your kids about the wise use of money and the value of work through an innovative,
interactive mini-economy.
In the mini-economy, kids have jobs, earn a play-money income, make a plan for their money, shop at the household store,
and even create their own businesses. The mini-economy gives kids a chance to practice making meaningful choices about
money and work, helping them build healthy lifelong habits.
With chapters on work, rest, generosity, saving, spending, and entrepreneurship, as well as a quick-start guide, templates,
visual aids, conversation starters, and a special appendix for homeschoolers.
Critique: Impressively 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "Teach a Kid to Save: A Fun, Hands-On
Approach to Building Smart Money Habits" by Stephen Day is the all-in-one DIY resource that is ideal for parents and
caregiver to teach children of any age the kind of life-long money management skills that will make the difference between
living in poverty or prosperity. While especially and unreservedly recommended for family and community library
Parenting and Money/Finance Managing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover
edition of "Teach a Kid to Save" from Revell is also readily available in paperback (9780800747534, $16.99) and in a
digital book format ($16.14).
Editorial Note: Stephen Day (https://www.drstephenday.com) is a term associate professor in the Virginia Commonwealth
University (VCU) School of Business, director of the VCU Center for Economic Education, and chairperson of the
Virginia Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. He is the author of many peer-reviewed articles on teaching
kids about money, and his ideas have been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Junior Scholastic.
He has helped hundreds of teachers create mini-economies in their classrooms, and he runs a household mini-economy
with his own children.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face
Scott Eyman
Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781668047309, $31.00, HC, 464pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Crawford-Womans-Scott-Eyman/dp/1668047306
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joan-crawford-scott-eyman/1147112009
Synopsis: Joan Crawford burst out of her poverty-stricken youth to become a bright young movie star in the 1920's,
drawing the admiration of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the attention of audiences worldwide. She flourished for decades,
working for multiple studios in every genre from romance to westerns (Mildred Pierce, Johnny Guitar), musicals to noir
(Torch Song, A Woman's Face), and being directed by a young Steven Spielberg in one of her last appearances. Along the
way she accumulated four husbands, an Academy Award for Best Actress, and the undeniable status of a legend.
Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face looks at the reality of this remarkable woman through the prism of groundbreaking
primary research, interviews with friends and relatives, and with the same insightful analysis of character and motive that
author Scott Eyman brought to John Wayne and Cary Grant, among others.
Joan Crawford was a woman like no other, and Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face is the first full telling of her dazzling,
turbulent life.
Critique: A definitive biography of the iconic film actress Joan Crawford (March 23, 1906 - May 10, 1977), "Joan
Crawford: A Woman's Face" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a six page
Bibliography, thirty-two pages of Notes, and a nineteen page Index, and a one page listing of the Photo Credits. With her
life and work deftly organized and presented in three major sections by biographer Scott Eyman, this comprehensive and
impressively well written study is a 'must' for the legions of Joan Crawford fans and American Cinematic History buffs.
While an unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university
library10th Century American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental 20th Century American Cinematic History
curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face" from Simon &
Schuster is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Scott Eyman (https://scotteyman.com/about-scott-eyman) is the author or co-author of eighteen books,
including the bestseller John Wayne and Pieces of My Heart and You Must Remember This with actor Robert Wagner.
Eyman, formerly the literary critic at The Palm Beach Post, also writes book reviews for The Wall Street Journal, and has
written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Anneke Jans in the New World
Sandra Freels
https://sandrafreels.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896360322, $17.99, PB, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anneke-Jans-New-World-Novel/dp/B0FD42VN9B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anneke-jans-in-the-new-world-sandra-freels/1147607273
Synopsis: "Anneke Jans in the New World" by Sandra Freels is set in 1630, with Anneke Jans, who has just arrived in the
fledgling colony of New Netherland with her husband, Roelof, and their two young daughters to create a new life for
herself and her family. One of very few women in the colony, Anneke quickly realizes that she will need to make her own
rules if she is to survive.
When Roelof dies, Anneke marries Everardus Bogardus, the flamboyant minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. With
this marriage, Anneke joins the elites of the colony -- but when the colony's new director provokes war with the region's
American Indians and her new husband emerges as the head of the anti-war opposition, she also finds herself in the midst
of political turmoil. As difficulties mount, she must rely more than ever on her quick wits to protect herself and her
growing family.
Although a work of fiction, "Anneke Jans in the New World" is based on real events, as novelist Sandra Freels tells the
story of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life in the New World.
Critique: Original, exceptional, engaging, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Anneke Jans in
the New World" by Sandra Freels is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction
collections. It should be noted the personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Anneke Jans in the New World"
from She Writes Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Sandra Freels (https://sandrafreels.com) majored in Russian at Indiana University and completed a PhD in
Slavic Languages and Literatures at Stanford University. The author of three textbooks, she headed the Russian program at
Portland State University for many years. An interest in genealogy led her to the Council Records of New Netherland and
the delicious stories of the people who once lived there. She claims descent from Anneke Jans and sixteen other major and
minor characters in Anneke Jans in the New World.
A Deeper Well: The Story of the Woman at the Well
Jill Eileen Smith
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.revellbooks.com
9780800747961, $39.99, HC, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Well-Story-Woman/dp/0800747968
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-deeper-well-jill-eileen-smith/1147595933
Synopsis: In ancient Israel, soon after Nessa is of marriageable age, her father gives her to a wealthy widowed friend,
capitalizing on her beauty to bring in the highest bride-price he can find. Nessa is devastated, as she had begged to marry
Lavi, who returned her love and saw more in her than her appearance. Nessa's betrothal leads to Lavi's departure,
compounding her grief, and she can never forget her forbidden first love.
Nessa tries to accept her fate, but after only a year of marriage, tragedy hits her new family. She is sent back to her father,
who quickly finds a young man who wants to marry the most beautiful woman in Sychar. Misfortune follows Nessa as she
is passed from one marriage to the next -- until she meets an unusual Jewish rabbi at the town's well one afternoon, and her
life is forever changed.
Critique: With her latest biblical novel, "A Deeper Well: The Story of the Woman at the Well", by gifted storyteller Jill
Eileen Smith deftly weaves an historically and biblically rich New Testament story of Jesus and the woman at the well
with many husbands, but the one she was currently living with she was not married to. Bringing a fresh perspective of faith
and redemption, this iconic biblical-era historical fiction is a simply riveting read from start to finish and will prove a
welcome pick for community library biblically based fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
this hardcover edition of "A Deeper Well" from Revell is also readily available in paperback (9780800744809, $18.99) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Jill Eileen Smith (www.JillEileenSmith.com) is the author of many biblical novels, including her first
series, The Wives of King David. She has since published twenty-five fiction and nonfiction books. She loves Jesus and
His Word and all things related to learning more about the women God has immortalized in Scripture.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Every Happiness
Reena Shah
Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781639733002, $28.99, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Every-Happiness-Novel-Reena-Shah/dp/1639733000
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/every-happiness-reena-shah/1147282044
Synopsis: Deepa and Ruchi are 12 years old when they first meet at their Catholic school in India, but their connection is
swift and lasting. As the two girls grow up and face their families' expectations and the limits of their ambitions, their
friendship is marked by intimacy, jealousy, and suppressed desire.
When, in their twenties, Deepa marries a doctor and moves from India to the suburbs of Connecticut, Ruchi quickly finds
an engineer bound for the same state and follows her friend across the world. But life in the United States is different than
either woman expects.
Deepa's daughter seeks affection Deepa refuses to give, and Ruchi's son resists her smothering care. At the same time,
Deepa and Ruchi find their closeness tested by a growing class disparity, competing family needs, and the differences in
their desires.
Ultimately, when Ruchi discovers a dangerous secret about Deepa's husband's wealth, both women are forced to weigh the
tangled bonds of their friendship with their lives, and their families', in the burgeoning Indian American community.
Critique: Original, extraordinary, and a deeply engaging read from start to finish, "Every Happiness" by author Reena
Shaw showcases her considerable storytelling talents and is unreservedly recommended for readers with an interest in
deftly crafted novels about life long friendships and the generational differences/conflicts between immigrant parents and
their American born children. While a prized pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Every Happiness" from Bloomsbury Publishing is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Reena Shah (https://www.reenadshah.com) is a writer, editor, and teacher. Her work has been featured in
the Masters Review, Electric Literature, Joyland, BBC, the American Prospect, National Geographic, and the Guardian,
among other publications. She has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the Martha Heasley Cox Center for
Steinbeck Studies, Millay Arts, Tin House, Sustainable Arts Foundation, Cuttyhunk Island Residency, and the Fulbright
Foundation. She received an MFA in fiction from the Michener Center for Writers, where she won the Keene Prize for
Literature.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
At Morning's Light
Lauraine Snelling & Kiersti Giron
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764245756, $29.99, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mornings-Light-Christian-Historical-Midwestern/dp/0764245759
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/at-mornings-light-lauraine-snelling/1147013280
Synopsis: Maya Bredesen and her husband plan to journey from Norway to a new life at her cousin's boardinghouse in
America, but on one last fateful fishing trip, a fierce winter storm steals away her husband. With her dreams for the future
crushed, Maya is left grieving on the voyage to Iowa, accompanied instead by her brother, who plans to finish his seminary
degree.
Arriving at a boardinghouse spilling over with orphans and a newly married couple, Maya struggles to find her place amid
the chaos. A new friendship develops between her and Eben Miller, the reserved, kind farmer next door, but just as Maya
begins to recover from her wounded heart, more tragedy engulfs her. As she and Eben weather trials together, can they
overcome the difficulties this new land holds when it seems so far from becoming home?
Critique: Co-authored by Lauraine Snelling and Kiersti Giron, "At Morning's Light" is a deftly crafted novel of romance
set on the Midwestern American frontier. Original, fun and heartwarming, "At Morning's Light" will prove an enduringly
popular pick for community library Historical Romance collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the
legions of Lauraine Snelling fans that this hardcover edition of "At Morning's Light" from Bethany House is also readily
available in paperback (9780764243530, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.56).
Editorial Note #1: Lauraine Snelling (www.LauraineSnelling.comis the award-winning author of more than one hundred
books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies.
Editorial Note #2: Kiersti Giron (www.KierstiGiron.com) writes stories and collaborates on historical fiction series with
bestselling author Lauraine Snelling. When she's not writing, Kiersti loves drinking tea, adventuring with her family, and
teaching writing and literature.
The Caregiver at Wounded Knee
Debby Lee
Barbour Publishing
www.barbourbooks.com
9798891512900, $14.99, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Caregiver-Wounded-Knee-Enduring-Hope/dp/B0F712KPF4
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-caregiver-at-wounded-knee-debby-lee/1147343809
Synopsis: Rose Rushing Water, an Oglala Sioux trained back East in nursing, is torn between two brothers -- one who
seeks to appease the government and one who fights to cling to the old ways at all costs.
Tribal policeman Nathaniel Gray Cloud struggles to keep peace on the reservation and support his sister, who is also
desperate to hold on to family traditions.
Can Rose and Nathaniel find a peace that comes only from God, or will they lose their families and their lives as tensions
reach a boiling point at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota?
Critique: Original, exceptional, emotionally engaging, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Caregiver at
Wounded Knee" is a carefully crafted historical romance by novelist Debby Lee has a Native American theme and is
unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Historical Romance collections. It
should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Caregiver at Wounded Knee" from Barbour Publishing is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.28) and in a large print hardcover edition (Thorndike Press Large Print,
9781420534528, $34.00).
Editorial Note: Debby Lee (www.booksbydebbylee.com) was raised in the cozy little town of Toledo, Washington. She has
been writing since she was a small child, and has written several novels, but never forgets home. The Northwest Christian
Writers Association and Romance Writers of America are two organizations that Debby enjoys being a part of.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Lady on Esplanade
Karen White
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593549490, $29.99, HC, 416pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Esplanade-Royal-Street-Novel/dp/059354949X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-on-esplanade-karen-white/1146937694
Synopsis: Nola is ready to focus on starting over in the Big Easy. She wants to get back to work on the renovations of her
Creole cottage, and she is eager to launch a new murder-house-flipping business with contractor, closet psychic, and
part-time nemesis Beau Ryan. After a near-death ghostly encounter and the return of Beau's missing sister, they are
confident that the ghost of his mother can finally rest.
Nola believes the shotgun house on famed Esplanade Avenue is a prime fixer-upper for her first project. It may have been
the site of a woman's murder and the disappearance of an entire family, but the house will be perfect for new-to-town
Cooper Ravenel -- who happens to have caused Nola's first heartbreak.
That's the least of Nola's worries, though. In addition to the elusive spirit of an angry young woman who accompanied
Cooper to New Orleans, the house on Esplanade has its own ghosts, including one that is becoming increasingly dangerous
as he tries to hide his dark secrets. And the wet footprints from the spirit of Beau's mother have returned to let them know
there is still unfinished business before she can rest.
Spectral danger is headed toward them, and it's up to Nola to convince Beau to help before it's too late...
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "The Lady on Esplanade"
effectively showcases author Karen White's truly extraordinary storytelling skills and her genuine flair as a novelist for the
kind of narrative drive style that holds the reader's full attention. "The Lady on Esplanade", with its theme of ghosts,
mystery, and an amateur female sleuth is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Lady on Esplanade' from Berkley
Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Karen White (https://www.karen-white.com) is the author of more than thirty novels, including the Tradd
Street series, The Last Night in London, Dreams of Falling, The Night the Lights Went Out, Flight Patterns, The Sound of
Glass, A Long Time Gone, and The Time Between. She is the coauthor of The Lost Summers of Newport, All the Ways
We Said Goodbye, The Glass Ocean, and co-author of The Forgotten Room.
Death of a Groom
M. C. Beaton
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781538774755, $28.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Groom-Hamish-Macbeth-Mysteries/dp/1538774755
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-of-a-groom-m-c-beaton/1147516392
Synopsis: It is February and the Scottish Highlands village of Lochdubh is dealing with heavy snow and freezing
temperatures. Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can handle the weather, but with a surprise influx of high-society visitors for a
Valentine's Day wedding at Tommel Castle Hotel, he has bigger problems.
The guest list includes not one, but two women from his own romantic past! And Hamish isn't the only one disrupted by
the arrival of the wedding party. The groom (the supposedly suave and sophisticated Darius Palmerston) is involved in a
series of incidents in the local pub. Tensions between guests and villagers escalate until, shortly after the lavish wedding
ceremony, a body is found in the hotel dining room.
The gruesome killing means Hamish suddenly has a murder investigation on his hands, one with a very long list of
suspects.
Critique: Another deftly crafted and riveting 'whodunnit' mystery from the mind and imagination of M. C. Beaton, "Death
of a Groom" is a 'must' for the legions of her fans in general, and fans of the Hamish Macbeth mystery novels in particular.
An original and fun read from start to finish, "Death of a Groom" is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick
for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover
edition of "Death of a Groom" from Grand Central Publishing is also readily available in paperback (9781538779163,
$30.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: M. C. Beaton (https://www.mcbeaton.com/en-us) is the author of the Agatha Raisin novels (the basis for
the hit series on Acorn TV and public television) as well as the Hamish Macbeth series. Born in Scotland, Beaton started
her career writing historical romances under several pseudonyms as well as her maiden name, Marion Chesney.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Sight Unseen
Alexis Marie
https://www.alexismariewrites.net
47 North
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662536793, $16.99, PB, 397pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sight-Unseen-Alexis-Marie/dp/1662536798
Synopsis: Veda Thorne is living on borrowed time. After exhausting every magical cure for the fatal curse trapped inside
her, she's accepted her fate. But Veda's self-imposed isolation begins to crack when she's asked to tutor Antaris, a child
whose pain calls to her own.
Hiram Ellis left his wealthy, prejudiced family years ago. Now unexpectedly thrust into single fatherhood, he returns to his
hometown, determined to build a life far from the cold privilege that stifled his own childhood. The last thing he expects is
to be drawn to the fiercely protective, sharp-tongued woman helping his son.
When a trail of enchanted spider lilies leads Hiram and Veda to discover their deadly tie to a prolific serial killer, they're
forced to set aside their differences to unearth long-buried secrets. But the truth is as deadly as Veda's curse, and both come
at a devastating cost. As victims mount and motives emerge, their greatest challenge is choosing to trust and love each
other.
Critique: Offering an original and deftly crafted blending of romance, fantasy and suspense, "Sight Unseen" is an
extraordinary and fun read from start to finish. All the more impressive when considering that this is author Alexis Marie's
debut as a novelist, "Sight Unseen" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community
library collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Sight Unseen" from 47 North is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Alexis Marie (https://www.alexismariewrites.net) grew up in the suburbs of Georgia with her mom. She is
married, has one sister, and can be found either under a heated blanket with her laptop and dog at her side or out in the
garden pleading with her plants to stay alive in the Southern heat.
Ship of Spells
H. Leighton Dickson
www.hleightondickson.com
Entangled
c/o Red Tower Books
https://entangledpublishing.com
9781649379139, $32.99, HC, 512pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spells-Deluxe-Limited-Leighton-Dickson/dp/1649379137
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ship-of-spells-h-leighton-dickson/1146890604
Synopsis: When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or
disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms
alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that
has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.
But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn't just take lives -- it left something behind.
Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that's chimeric, arcane...and slowly killing her. But the captain's
mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn't trust her.
Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future -- or set the sea on fire.
Critique: Original, clever, and a fun read from cover to cover, "Ship of Spells" by H. Leighton Dickson will hold a
particular appeal to fans of action/adventure, high fantasy, and romance. As an author, Dickson demonstrates a genuine
flair for the kind of immerse storytelling style that will immediately engage and hold the attention of the enthralled read for
start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Heroic
Fantasy collections, it should be noted for Dickson's growing legions of dedicated fantasy fans that this hardcover edition
from Entangled is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: H. Leighton Dickson (www.hleightondickson.com) lives on the north shore of Lake Superior where the
winters are long, and the forest is at her back door. A self-confessed naturalist, world traveler and science geek, she writes
full time and is the author of over ten novels. When she is not chasing dogs, cats, foxes or grandchildren, Heather also
works with several not-for-profit orgs to showcase the arts and culture of Northwestern Ontario.
The Music CD Shelf
The Call
Bellbird
bellbird.band
Constellation Records
cstrecords.com
$15.00 CD / $9.00 digital / $30.00 vinyl
Bandcamp
https://bellbirdband.bandcamp.com/album/the-call
The Call is an avant-garde jazz album of original songs created by the talented Bellbird quartet, which consists of Allison
Burik on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Claire Devlin on tenor saxophone, Eli Davidovici on bass, and Mili Hong on
drums. The Call experiments with transcending the usual de facto role of select musical instruments - horns provide
underlying rhythm, while acoustic bass and drums shape the music. Notably, The Call does not shy away from modern
social and political issues such as the threat of climate change. "Blowing on Embers" in particular is expressly dedicated to
the hope that Palestine may one day be free from bombing, starvation, and oppression. The Call is profound, memorable,
and highly recommended. The tracks are Firefly Pharology; Murmuration; Soft Animal; Blowing on Embers; Eternity
Perspective; Phthalo Green; The Call; and Mourning Dove.
Alchemy
Wayne Alpern
waynealpern.com
Henri Elkan Music
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Wayne-Alpern/dp/B0FLNHCLRF
The twelfth music album by composer Wayne Alpern, Alchemy has a title that reflects Alpern's desire to draw from
diverse sources in the quest to create something new and exciting. Inspired by elements of the classics, Americana,
experimentalism, dance floor jazz, Broadway theater and more, Alchemy transcends boundaries and styles. Performed by
Grammy winner Imani Winds with Brandon Patrick George on flute, Toyin Spellman-Diaz on oboe, Kevin Newton on
horn, Mark Dover on clarinet, and Monica Ellis on bassoon, Alchemy is a "must" for avant-garde music enthusiasts! The
tracks are Stomp; Gigue; Burlesca; Impromptu; Masquerade; Partita; Elegy; Overture; Rag; Invention; Scherzo; and
Capriccio.
Reckless Meter
Convergence
Capri Records
www.caprirecords.com
$19.58 CD / $8.99 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Reckless-Meter-Convergence/dp/B0FPHNQ1P6
The acclaimed modern jazz ensemble Convergence consists of Eric Gunnison on piano, Greg Gisbert on trumpet and
flugelhorn, John Gunther on saxophones, Mark Patterson on trombone, Mark Simon on bass, and Paul Romaine on drums.
Together they present the album Convergence, which showcases their flair for bold improvisation before a live audience.
All the songs of Reckless Meter are the original creations of individual band members. Reckless Meter lives up to its title
with an exciting drive, adventurous melodies, and solos performed with panache. Highly recommended! The tracks are Big
Boot (Mark Simon); Springaling (John Gunther); Margaret Clara (Mark Patterson); It's One or Not One (Paul Romaine);
Master Jake (John Gunther); Cauldron (Eric Gunnison); Coyote Moon (Greg Gisbert); and Reckless Meter (Mark
Simon).
Home
Keith Oxman with Derek Banach, Clint Dadian, Bill McCrossen, and Todd Reid
Capri Records
www.caprirecords.com
$16.99 CD / $8.99 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Keith-Oxman/dp/B0FV126VWG
Saxophonist Keith Oxman, trumpeter Derek Banach, guitarist Clint Dadian, bassist Bill McCrossen, and drummer Todd
Reid present Home, a collaborative jazz album created in tribute and celebration of home, beloved family members, fellow
mentors, and more. Most of the tracks are original music. From ballads to blues, the music has a central theme of
appreciation for help from those who came before, and the joy of building a legacy for those who will come after. Home is
highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections, and also makes an excellent gift. The tracks
are True Lou; Hardenesque; Serenata - Leroy Anderson - EMI Mills Music. Inc. ASCAP (arrangement by Keith Oxman);
Don't Throw in the Powell; Home (Where Shadows Fall) - Geoffrey Clarkson, Harry Clarkson, and Peter Van Steeden -
Geoffrey Clarkson Music Co. ASCAP; Pam Cousin Steve; Stray Killer; The Jazz Brothers Visit Curtis Street; Detective
Acosta and the Case of the Misplaced Square; Owen's Defense; Opus for Wherda; and An Extraordinary Rose.
Found Memories
Carolyn Trowbridge
Carolyn Trowbridge Music
https://www.carolyntrowbridge.com
$TBA CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://carolyntrowbridge.bandcamp.com/album/found-memories
Vibraphone and percussion master Carolyn Trowbridge presents Found Memories, a jazz album of original songs created
by Trowbridge and performed by Trowbridge on vibraphone, Alex Coke on flute, Bryan Sunderman on guitar, Mario
Castellanos on bass, and Nick Tozzo on drums and percussion. Exciting, fluid, and adventurous, Found Memories is a
"must-have" for connoisseurs of vibraphone music and avant-garde jazz, highly recommended! The tracks are Thank You
For the Memories, Thank You For the Laughs; Duchess of Sheba; Chopin's Seance; Grackle vs. Tacotarian; The Lonely
Frost Flower; Tookey's Engine; Turtle Heart; The Old Woman Who Never Grew Older; Physalia's Journey; and
Onward.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
The Modern Quest for Torah Understanding
Rabbi Rafael Grossman
https://www.rafaelgrossman.com
Mazo Publishers
https://www.mazopublishers.com
9781956381917, $16.95, PB, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Quest-Torah-Understanding-Commentaries/dp/1956381910
Synopsis: Written with an impressive clarity and conviction by Rabbi Rafael Grossman, the erudite essays comprising
"The Modern Quest for Torah Understanding: Incisive Essays On Trending Jewish Topics With Commentaries drawn
from Beresheet" delve into pressing current Jewish issues through the lens of classical and modern commentary found in
the Book of Beresheet.
With insight and relevance, Rabbi Grossman confronts the spiritual questions of our time, drawing timeless lessons from
the Torah's earliest narratives.
Whether studied individually or explored in group settings, the essays call for a return to reflective, discerning Torah study
- an approach that nurtures enduring faith and meaningful engagement with tradition.
Rabbi Grossman urges readers to move beyond rote scholarship and embrace Torah as a vibrant, intellectual, and
profoundly personal journey toward truth and divine connection.
Critique: Dealing with such diverse issues as the Holocaust, Zionism, Anti-Semitism, Judaic Theology, the Diaspora,
Israel, and more, "The Modern Quest for Torah Understanding: Incisive Essays On Trending Jewish Topics With
Commentaries drawn from Beresheet" is exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation.
Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Modern Quest for Torah Understanding" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, synagogue, community, and college/university library Contemporary
Judaic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for rabbinical students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "The Modern Quest for
Torah Understanding" from Mazo Publishers is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.13).
The Gardening Shelf
Japanese Garden Design
Marc Peter Keane, author
Haruzo Ohashi, photography
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805319321, $29.99, HC, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Garden-Design-Peter-Keane/dp/4805319321
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/japanese-garden-design-marc-peter-keane/1100637269
Synopsis: With the publication of "Japanese Garden Design" landscape architect Marc Peter Keane presents a complete
overview of the history and development of the principles that underlie all Japanese gardens -- a respect for nature
combined with profound concepts of aesthetics and structure.
Keane is one of the world's leading designers of Japanese-style gardens and he describes in detail the historical influences
of Confucian, Shinto and Buddhist ideas that have linked poetry and philosophy to the tangible forms of gardens in Japan.
Creative inspiration is found in prehistoric Japanese conceptions of nature, gardens of the Heian-era aristocrats,
world-renowned Zen Buddhist temple rock gardens and tea gardens; compact courtyard gardens and large-scale Edo-era
stroll gardens.
Detailed explanations of these basic forms identify and interpret the symbolism and principles behind them and explain
how they are still in active use today. Topics covered in "Japanese Garden Design" include:
Early Gardens: Poetry in Paradise
Gardens of the Heian Aristocrats
Zen Gardens: The Art of Emptiness
The Tea Garden: A Spiritual Passage
Tsubo Gardens: Private Niches
Edo Stroll Gardens: A Collector's Park
Filled with gorgeous photographs by Haruzo Ohashi and expert text by leading garden designer Marc Peter Keane,
"Japanese Garden Design" explains both the theory and practice of Japanese gardening from an insider's point of view. It
will be treasured by all Japanese garden lovers and visitors to Japan.
Critique: Extraordinarily informative, beautifully illustrated, and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Japanese decorative gardening collections and supplemental Gardening Design
curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that originally published in paperback (2004), this new hardcover edition of
"Japanese Gardening Design" from Tuttle Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Marc Peter Keane (https://www.mpkeane.com) is an American landscape architect who has been
designing gardens in Kyoto, Japan, for twenty years. He is a research fellow at the Research Center for Japanese Garden
Art, and the author of many books on gardens and nature including Sakuteiki (Tuttle).
Editorial Note #2: Haruzo Ohashi born in Osaka City in 1927 and went to Tokyo in 1957 to become a freelance
photographer. Specializing in Japanese garden and landscape. A listing of his work is available at
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630785.Haruzo_Ohashi
The Needlecraft Shelf
A Love of Cloth & Thread: Woodland Walks
Tilly Rose
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800921900, $19.95 pbk / $18.95 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Cloth-Thread-embroidery-iron/dp/180092190X
Synopsis: A stunning collection of over 25 woodland-themed designs to transfer, embroider and cherish, from best-selling
textile artist Tilly Rose. Create your own unique, embroidered, heirloom textiles using these easy-to-use iron-on transfers
and a sprinkle of Tilly magic.
Tilly's unique designs have been carefully selected and hand-stitched with love. Inspired by a love of visiting ancient
woodlands and wooded pastures, you can choose from a variety of delicate arrangements such as ivy, mistletoe, bluebells,
leaves, posies of clover and even a sweet little hedgehog, robin, moth and toadstools.
Each of the seasonal designs includes advice on Tilly's chosen stitches and threads and comes with accompanying insights
into its historical influences
Choose from a variety of delicate arrangements such as ivy, mistletoe, bluebells, leaves, posies of clover and even a sweet
little hedgehog, robin, moth and toadstools
There are over 25 reusable iron-on transfers, which can be cut out, stored in the pocket at the back of the book, and used
multiple times each, allowing you to create an array of beautiful designs
A detachable illustrated stitch guide is also included in the book, which makes the perfect handy reference to pop in your
sewing bag when stitching on the go
Tilly takes you on a journey to uncover the magic and mystery hiding among beautiful woodland greenery through the
patterns, shapes and textures found throughout the changing seasons. Once you've created the 25 stunning designs, follow
Tilly's inspirational ideas to combine transfer designs of your choice into a gorgeous 'Woodland Whispers' Patchwork
Collage - a wonderfully unique piece to capture and preserve your own woodland memories and make into a personalized
textile collage to hang or display as you wish.
Critique: In addition to full-color photography and project instructions, A Love of Cloth & Thread: Woodland Walks also
includes over 25 original embroidery designs with iron-on transfers. These transfers are consumable, meant to be
impressed on to fabric with a hot iron; detailed instructions walk the reader through the process step by step. Basic,
illustrated stitching techniques and accessible patterns make Woodland Walks thoroughly accessible to needlecrafters of
all skill and experience levels. The designs are sorted by season and include winter jasmine, hawthorn blossom, wild
honeysuckle, blackberry bramble, and more. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Woodland Walks is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.95).
Island Knitting
Erika Aberg
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800923546, $29.95 hc / $24.55 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Island-Knitting-collection-knitting-landscapes/dp/1800923546
Synopsis: Embark on a knitting journey through the captivating landscapes of Shetland, the Hebrides, Gotland and Blido
with best-selling author and knitwear designer Erika Aberg (@wynja). This stunning book features 20 timeless patterns
inspired by the sea, wind and spirit of each island, perfect for knitters seeking one-of-a-kind garments infused with a touch
of coastal magic.
From the outer Hebrides, whose 'poetry, history and stories are visible in the landscape', to Shetland, 'an island world of
colours, light and patterns', discover the joy of creating unique pieces that reflect the essence of these captivating
destinations.
Each chapter begins with an evocative and personal introduction to one of the islands, exploring its history and culture.
This is followed by 5 stunning knitting patterns per chapter.
Each of the 20 exquisite hand-knitting patterns, from cozy sweaters and warm socks to stylish shawls, contains detailed
pattern instructions and easy-to-follow color charts.
The essential techniques section at the start covers all the key knitting information you need, including tips on increasing
and decreasing, working with more than one yarn color and grafting.
For knitters who are interested in the provenance and heritage of the sheep and wool the designs are knitted with, the book
also contains a fascinating insight into the islands' native breeds, desirable properties of wool and an insight into the
tradition of knitting in island life.
A treat for knitters and armchair travellers alike, Island Knitting invites you to explore the rugged beauty of these four
unique islands: the Scottish islands of Shetland and the Hebrides, and the Swedish islands of Gotland and Blido. Immerse
yourself in the rich history, vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes of each location as you learn to knit 20 beautiful
garments inspired by the colors and culture of each island.
Critique: Illustrated with full color photography throughout, as well as helpful black-and-white tables and diagrams, Island
Knitting: Beautiful Knitting Patterns Inspired by Coastal Landscapes is a wonderful repository of 20 knitting patterns.
Intermediate to advanced knitters can incorporate the patterns into sample projects such as "Seaweed Sweater", "Sea Foam
Socks", "Peat Vest", and much more. In addition to extensive instructions, the text is replete with the history, lore, and
culture of beautiful Scottish and Swedish islands. Island Knitting is both a treasure for needlecrafters and a coastal
vacation for armchair travelers. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Island Knitting is
also available in a Kindle edition ($24.55).
The Easy Guide to Machine Quilt Making
Carolyn Forster
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781782219941, $25.95
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Guide-Machine-Quiltmaking-patchwork/dp/1782219943
Synopsis: The complete beginner's guide to machine quilting, from best-selling author, Carolyn Forster. Discover 1 classic
quilt block worked 30 different ways, for a cohesive range of inspiring, beginner-friendly designs!
Carolyn has taught hundreds of beginners to quilt, and this book follows her tried-and-tested teaching method for getting
started. Using one classic block design (the Sawtooth Star), a multitude of inspiring techniques and a clever use of fabric,
she shows you how to sew over 30 different star blocks with ease. Build up your skills as you go, and create a stunning and
unique heirloom quilt to be proud of.
SKILL-BUILDING STRUCTURE: Each of the 30 blocks introduces a new patchwork technique that's more challenging
than the last to build your skills gradually. From the simple Four Patch and Flying Geese units through to the brain-testing
Split Quarter Square Triangles, you'll cover core patchwork methods that are essential for making your first quilt, and will
be invaluable for quilts in years to come.
COMPLETE QUILTING GUIDE: Once you've made up your star blocks, discover how to put them together. There's
advice on different layout options; adding strips ("sashing" or "coping strips"); squares ("posts") and borders; quilting;
attaching binding; labelling; and much more
MIX AND MATCH DESIGN: All the blocks in the book are 12-inch square, so it's easy to mix and match your favorite
motifs to create your own unique quilt. And, with just a few quick-to-learn math formulas, Carolyn shows you how to sew
any size quilt you like for even more tailoring potential.
Carolyn's friendly, tried-and-tested techniques make this the perfect beginner's introduction to quilting.
Critique: The Easy Guide to Machine Quilt Making is a beginner's guide to machine quiltmaking by experienced teacher
Carolyn Foster. The first section walks the reader through setup tasks choosing a sewing machine and fabrics, how to use
tools designed for cutting and piercing, and how to pin, sew, and press patchwork. The second and third sections use
detailed instructions and full-color illustrations to show how to create 12-inch (30-centimeter) quilt blocks in thirty
different designs that can be mixed and matched. Quilt care guidelines, sample quilting recipes, and a handy glossary
round out this excellent hands-on starter guide. Highly recommended!
Needle Felting Art
Jo Lochhead
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800923317, $24.95 pbk / $20.06 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Felting-Art-mixed-media-woodland/dp/1800923317
Synopsis: Create works of art with wool: use needle-felting and mixed-media techniques to create 12 delightful
woodland-themed projects. Needle Felting Art is by popular crafter and author Jo Lochhead, creator of the Crafty Kit
Company (@craftykitcompany).
Inspired by the Scottish countryside and a worldwide palette of woodlands, wildlife and open skies, all 12 projects reflect
the rich textures and colors of nature. You'll find everything from autumn leaves to woodland animals, with each design
capturing a little piece of that outdoor beauty to place inside your home.
It's easy to get started: whether you are a complete beginner, or just looking for artistic inspiration, needle felting is an
easy, enjoyable craft. Everything you need to get started is covered in the book: from key tools and essential techniques, to
framing and displaying your finished pieces.
12 inspiring projects, clearly explained: follow the illustrated step-by-step instructions and use the full-size outlines to
create your own stunning nature-inspired scenes. Push your creative boundaries: incorporate embroidery techniques,
watercolor, felt fabric and small foraged items, which add extra dimension and texture to bring your woodland scenes to
life.
With just a few simple tools and some wool fibers, you too can create beautiful wool-painted woodland works of art!
Critique: Needle Felting Art: 12 Mixed-Media Woodland Projects to Paint and Sew is a hands-on craft project for making
beautiful, woodland-themed decorations that combine needle felting with sewing, embroidery, and basic mixed media
techniques (such as preserving leaves with glycerine). Step-by-step instructions with full-color illustrations make Needle
Felting Art easy to use for needlecrafters of all skill and experience levels. Needle Felting Art is a treasure for adventurous,
nature-loving needlecrafters, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reference lists that Needle Felting Art is
also available in a Kindle edition ($20.06).
The Art Shelf
Drawing is Important
Tom Froese
Rockport
c/o Quarto
quarto.com
9780760399460, $24.99 pbk / $23.74 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Important-Lifelong-Practice-Journey/dp/0760399468
Synopsis: Make drawing a rewarding daily habit with this practical and encouraging guide.
What if drawing wasn't just something you did when inspiration struck - but an essential part of your daily life? Drawing Is
Important by illustrator and educator Tom Froese is an inspiring and practical guide to building a sustainable daily drawing
practice, embracing consistency over perfection.
Through insightful essays and creative exercises, Froese builds on his popular Skillshare class of the same name to make
the case for why drawing every day - without pressure for results - can lead to greater creativity, artistic growth, and
personal satisfaction. This book offers motivation, mindset shifts, and practical guidance to help you develop a habit of
drawing regularly, no matter your skill level or experience.
Inside, you'll find:
Encouraging insights on why daily drawing leads to creative breakthroughs
Exercises to build consistency and make drawing a natural part of your day
Techniques for overcoming perfectionism and creative fears
A beautiful design that inspires creativity on every page
Whether you're an experienced artist looking to reinvigorate your practice or a beginner eager to build confidence, Drawing
Is Important will help you make drawing a joyful, meaningful part of your daily life.
Critique: Drawing is like any other skill - it has to be practiced regularly to stay sharp or improve. Drawing is Important:
How to Start a Lifelong Daily Drawing Practice is a useful guide for artists of all skill and experience levels, from budding
amateurs to professionals seeking to create a daily rhythm to hone their craft, and everyone in between. Full-color
illustrations illuminate the basic principles to making drawing part of one's daily routine, and offer advice specific to
beginners (such as recommended starter kits) and professionals ("When Drawing Is Your Day Job"). "Having a personal
Daily Drawing Practice will ensure that you always stay in touch with your creative impulses, regardless of how things are
going in your main line of work. I find it's easy to stay in autopilot with client work, while drawing makes me more
intentional about staying creatively challenged and inspired." Drawing is Important is a "must-have" for anyone with a
keen interesting in drawing, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Drawing is Important is
also available in a Kindle edition ($23.74).
Paint 50: Watercolour Nature
Clarice Gomes
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800923041, $19.95 pbk / $13.85 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Paint-50-Watercolour-paintings-super-easy/dp/180092304X
Synopsis: Create colorful, softly blended vignettes of delicate flowers, juicy grapefruit, fluffy bumblebees, striking
toadstools and more!
Over the course of 50 simple watercolor projects - including exotic fruit, iconic trees, vibrant insects and traditional
flowers - this beginner-friendly title will teach you how to paint! Each project can be completed in six to eight simple
steps, using a small selection of colors and a handful of easy-to-follow watercolour techniques.
No prior knowledge of watercolor techniques needed - This book contains a short list of tools and materials needed to get
started and a clear and informative guide to the basic techniques needed.
No drawing skills required - Some simple outlines are included where necessary, but at the heart of Clarice's painting style
is the mantra 'go with the flow': be bold and creative and learn to work with the marks you make.
Suitable for artists of all levels - Clarice's clear instructions guide the reader from start to finish in a way that makes it easy
for anyone to pick up a brush and learn how to paint in her loose, characterful style.
Latest title in the bestselling series - Animals and Flowers have already been published and are selling extremely well.
Whether you want to create a hand-painted card, decorate your wall or maybe you simply want to learn the relaxing art of
painting with watercolors, with 50 cute motifs to choose from, you'll easily find something to inspire you.
Critique: Featuring full-color illustrations of the step-by-step creation of sample designs, Paint 50: Watercolour Nature -
From Basic Shapes to Amazing Paintings in Super-Easy Steps lives up to its title. An introduction walks the reader
through the basics of using watercolor painting materials, including staple painting techniques. The 50 natural painting
subjects examined in depth include a cherry blossom tree, a bumblebee, a feather, a jellyfish, a watermelon, a butterfly,
carrots, and much more. Beautiful and practical, Paint 50: Watercolour Nature is a choice pick for aspiring artists, highly
recommended. It should be noted for personal reference lists that Paint 50: Watercolour Nature is also available in a Kindle
edition ($13.85).
Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Seascapes in Watercolour
Matthew Palmer
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800921047, $19.95 / $15.67 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Paint-30-Minutes-Seascapes/dp/1800921047
Synopsis: Short on time but bursting with creativity? Learn to paint dynamic watercolor seascapes with these 33
quick-and-easy, skill-building projects. Best-selling author Matthew Palmer has included all his tried-and-tested tips and
techniques, along with step-by-step instructions and full-size tracings for all 33 stunning projects.
This beginner's course in watercolor contains a series of 33 ocean-themed painting projects, each designed to take 30
minutes or fewer, and structured to build up your skills gradually. Start simple with still water and rippling tides, then
move on to creating crashing waves, coastal buildings, boats and sun-bleached sand.
Designed for busy hobby artists who want to snatch moments to paint here or there, each of these compact projects is
explained in 10 steps or fewer and is accompanied by a full-size outline on tracing paper. Seascapes in Watercolour covers
watercolor basics, building up from core watercolor techniques including preparing paper and paint and blending.
Each of the 33 quick and easy exercises takes no more than 30 minutes and will teach you how to create a new and
inspiring subject - including wild waves, lightning on the ocean, yachts, palm trees and rocky shores. The exercises are all
worked at postcard size - ideal for a 6 x 4in watercolor pad.
At the end of the book discover 3 larger scale finished paintings that demonstrate how to integrate the techniques you've
learned into vibrant and inspiring seascapes; these complete paintings also have an accompanying actual-size tracing.
Critique: Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Seascapes in Watercolour lives up to its title as a hands-on guide, including usable
tracings for 33 step-by-step painting projects. Using the tracings is not required, but they can be helpful for beginning
artists who are not yet comfortable drawing freehand. Using the tracings is a two-step process: first the artist scribbles over
the lines on the back of the tracing with a soft pencil, then the artist positions watercolour paper under the tracing and
draws over the lines on the top, so that pressure from the pencil transfers the graphite from the scribbling on to the
watercolour paper, in preparation for painting. Each of the painting projects has a two-page spread of dedicated
instructions, packed with tips, tricks, techniques, and full-color illustrations. Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Seascapes in
Watercolour is a treasure for aspiring watercolour painters, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reference
lists that Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Seascapes in Watercolour is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.67).
Comic Art Superheroes
Sam Hart
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800922624, $24.95
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Comic-Art-Superheroes-Villains-Monsters/dp/1800922620
Synopsis: Create your own jaw-dropping comic art characters who burst off the page with personality and power! This is
the essential, practical guide to creating believable, unique characters, authored by influential artist Sam Hart, a comic
book guru of over 30 years.
Aimed at young teens and upwards, this must-have guide is the perfect introduction to creating dynamic, memorable comic
book superheroes, supervillains and monsters. With step-by-step instructions and skill-building exercises integrated
throughout for fun, fast results, you will build your characters from the ground up:
Start with a comprehensive introduction to the human form, looking at muscles, movement and amplifying characteristics
for a superhuman finish
Give your characters charisma and personality through their facial expressions, head movements and masks
Clothe your characters: from spandex to fabric, this section contains everything you need to know to give your superhero
their vital, identifying costume
Translate power onto paper (from flight, strength and speed, to x-ray vision, magic and even weaponry)
Create believable, dynamic action poses
Once you master the basics, you'll move on to advanced skills like creating dramatic perspective, adding narrative and
inking to create comic-style tone and shading. Sam also shares special secrets on creating drama and dynamics through
layout - a key element of comic book art!
With a foreword from John Higgins, prominent comic book artist and writer best known for his coloring work on two of
the biggest and most groundbreaking graphic novels of all time - Watchmen and The Killing Joke, this is the must-have
guide to bringing your own comic art to life.
Critique: Filled with both black-and-white and color illustrations to demonstrate drawing techniques, often step by step,
Comic Art Superheroes: Your Master Guide To Drawing Awesome Heroes, Villains and Monsters lives up to its title. An
easy-to-follow guide to physically or digitally drawing superhero or supervillain comic book characters, Comic Art
Superheroes covers techniques for drawing faces, expressions, uniforms, action, visual FX representing superpowers, and
more. Comic Art Superheroes is a "must-have" for aspiring artists with a keen interest in the superhero genre, highly
recommended!
The Crafts Shelf
Crafting the Wheel of the Year
Claire Gelder and Deb Bowen
Search Press
https://www.searchpress.com
9781800922372 $25.95 pbk / $21.82 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Wheel-Year-magical-projects/dp/180092237X
Synopsis: Craft in harmony with the changing seasons; create 17 stunning projects designed to connect you with the
natural world and aid your magical practice. Discover a range of crafts, including knitting, crochet and macrame, and work
with natural materials including pinecones, flowers and twigs.
The turning of the seasons, known as the Wheel of the Year, is rich in history and forms an integral part of various
modern-day magical practices. Structured seasonally to guide you through the year, this inspiring book will ground and
calm you as you get creative and is suitable for crafters of all abilities. Renowned author and podcaster Deb Bowen
introduces each of the 8 seasons with warmth, clarity and insight, while each of the 17 projects has been lovingly created
by best-selling craft author Claire Gelder.
A range of 17 inspiring projects with all the necessary techniques clearly described. Revel in the warmth and joy of
summer with a glorious flower crown for Beltane; decorate your table with cute and cuddly knitted pumpkins for Samhain
(autumn); create festive cheer with a rowan berry garland for Yule (winter); and welcome the coming spring with a
macrame hanging jar glowing with dried flowers.
Natural crafts inspired by the world around you: discover a range of projects that incorporate natural items, from a smudge
stick made from rosemary and dried rose petals, a Brigid's cross woven from reeds and a wand, crafted from fallen or
beach-combed wood.
Included with each holiday are corresponding crystals and essential oils: the crystals offer you an insight into the mineral
kingdom; the essential oils will elicit fragrances that beckon you to fond memories and awaken your senses.
A fascinating introduction to each of the 8 seasons, and historical insights into the traditions and rituals that shape our
world today.
Critique: Filled cover to cover with full-color photography illustrating the steps of each project, Crafting the Wheel of the
Year: 17 Magical Projects to Honour Nature's Seasons is a thoroughly accessible, multidiscplinary crafter's delight.
Crafters of all skill and experience levels will enjoy these hands-on creations with seasonal themes. Different projects
involve simple knitting, flower crowns, garlands, macrame, cross stitch, and more, inviting readers who may be familiar
with one craft to try something new and exciting! Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Crafting the Wheel of the Year is also available in a Kindle edition ($21.82).
The Interior Design Shelf
The Story of the Interior
Graeme Brooker
Thames & Hudson
https://www.thamesandhudson.com
9780500027592, $85.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Interior-Shaped-Rooms-Shape/dp/0500027595
Synopsis: An exhilarating and eclectic volume on the social, cultural, and technological history of interior design from
prehistory to the present day, exploring how spaces shape our lives.
The majority of our lives are spent indoors, yet we rarely, if ever, stop to ask ourselves the origins or reasons behind the
ideas and forms of our interior spaces. From traditional nomadic dwellings to state-of-the-art airports, The Story of the
Interior explores an exciting array of inside spaces from around the world to reveal how the fundamental elements of a
room have evolved and endured.
Organized in three parts - The Room, The Private Interior, and The Public Interior - the book presents a fascinating
account of how the interior has been conceived and thought of from antiquity to the present day. By calling to attention the
most basic elements of inside space - walls, doors, windows, furniture, ambience to name a few - this engaging exploration
delves into how private and public interiors actively shape the way we live, work, learn, and play.
Using a thematic approach, author Graeme Brooker digs into the elements of the interior found in both historic spaces and
cutting-edge contemporary interiors. The book spans a wide range of iconic and off beat examples. Brooker deftly guides
readers through interiors as diverse as Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, Olafur Eliasson's The Weather Project, the Prada
store in Marfa, Texas, and Sou Fujimoto's NA House, as well as the rock-cut Buddhist temples of India, medieval
European castles, and ancient Egyptian tombs, to unveil the drastically different and surprisingly similar spaces that
surround us. The result is a fascinating tour of global interiors, tracing the genesis and evolution of these spaces and how
they help us understand human presence and behavior.
Critique: Illustrated with lavish, full-color photography on virtually every page, The Story of the Interior: How We Have
Shaped Rooms and How They Shape Us is a scholarly analysis of both private and public interior designs worldwide, from
grand historic spaces to contemporary interiors. From the interiors created by celebrated architects like Frank Lloyd right
and Olafur Eliasson, to rock-cut Buddhist temples in India, medieval European castles, ancient Egyptian tombs, and more,
The Story of the Interior is an extraordinary tour rich with historical and cultural lore as well as deep insights into the
human psyche. Suggested further reading, a list of illustration sources, and an index round out this grand, in-depth study,
highly recommended especially for public and college library Architecture and Interior Design collections.
The Jewelry Shelf
Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery
Text and introduction by Alexander Fury
Foreword by Andreas Kronthaler
Special photography by Philippe Lacombe
Thames & Hudson
https://www.thamesandhudson.com
9780500028438, $70.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Vivienne-Westwood-Jewellery-Alexander-Fury/dp/0500028435
Synopsis: Vivienne Westwood's jewellery creations in a beautifully produced volume, published in close collaboration
with the house and authored by fashion - and Westwood - expert Alexander Fury.
This lavish survey of Vivienne Westwood jewellery evokes the heady blend of luxury and rebellion that is the house's
signature style. Whether a skillfully rendered safety-pin brooch, a hand-strung "broken" pearl necklace, or the iconic
Westwood orb in crystal, these are pieces that define the house's codes. The book centers on specially photographed
vignettes, interspersed with catwalk shots and images of Westwood herself wearing her pieces to form a compendium that
will inspire and inform any jewellery or fashion aficionado.
Following an introduction by renowned fashion journalist Alexander Fury, which acquaints readers with the recurring
motifs, techniques, and inspirations of the world of Vivienne Westwood jewellery, the book presents some two hundred
pieces arranged by theme. From punk masterworks, such as the "Hardcore Paperclip Earrings" and "Chaos Necklace,"
through the pastel-toned "Flower Skull Necklace" and "Rubber Earrings," to the recycled-can "Simone Earrings" and the
pagan "Conkers Necklace," contemporary creations mingle with reimagined classics. A full range of jewellery is included:
necklaces, pendants and chokers; earrings and nose rings; brooches, pins, badges, and medals; tiaras and coronets;
bejeweled sunglasses; cuffs and bangles. Each piece is identified with its name, fashion season, and what is often an
extraordinary range of materials. Through evocative still-life vignettes and close-ups, images of catwalk models, and
stunning portraits of Vivienne Westwood, this glittering volume welcomes readers to a vibrant world that draws on the
house's rich heritage.
Critique: An introduction and relatively brief text by veteran fashion journalist Alexander Fury begins Vivienne Westwood
& Jewellery. The vast majority of the pages are devoted entirely to full-color photographs of nearly two hundred of her
avant-garde artistic creations, each with a brief caption of the jewellery piece's name and what it was made for. Most
photographs focus on the jewelllery by itself; some show it worn by people. From recycled-can "Simone Earrings" to
bejeweled sunglasses, papier-mache tiaras, a charm belt with carvings of a heart, hand, and phallus, and much more,
Westwood's creations push the boundaries of media, form, function, and art. A striking, unforgettable compendium,
Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery is highly recommended especially for university modern art collections.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide
Brigid Ehrmantraut
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500029732, $24.95, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Magic-Practitioners-Brigid-Ehrmantraut/dp/0500029733
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/celtic-magic-brigid-ehrmantraut/1147800628
Synopsis: Druids and divination, curses and charms: the ancient Celtic world was filled with magic and intrigue, but how
and why did people practice magic? "Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide" by academician Brigid Ehrmantraut is an
informative guide through Celtic-speaking regions exploring the different ways people interacted with magic. Some sought
aid through deities and dedications, while others used spells and curse tablets to wish ill on their enemies. With the
medieval period, magic collided with popular religion, saints overtook the old gods, and witches, shape-shifters, and spirit
battles became but tropes of medieval literature.
"Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide" deftly delves into gods and practices that shaped the lives of Celts through
antiquity. It reveals forgotten gods like Cernunnos and Esus, immortalized on the Pillar of the Boatmen in Paris, and
explores the sanctuary of Sequana, goddess of healing at the Seine's source.
But magic wasn't always benevolent; curses like those etched on the famous Larzac tablet, expose a darker side to magic
practitioners. While Classical accounts of magic offer tantalizing glimpses into lurid rituals and wild druids, their accounts
blur fact and fiction.
This journey through the Celtic world sweeps into medieval Wales and Ireland, touching on Scotland and Brittany in the
process. Protective prayers, such as St. Patrick's loricae, and miraculous tales from saints' lives reveal the interplay of
magic and religion. The power of star signs and medicinal charms connect Celtic practices to broader medieval traditions.
Celtic Magic also includes tips and tricks for personal practice, including creating curses, dedicating religious offerings to
the gods, and a medieval Welsh hangover cure.
Critique: Inherently fascinating, impressively informative, truly exceptional, "Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide" is an
extraordinary and highly prized pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical
Studies/Celtic Magic collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for metaphysical studies
students, magic/wiccan practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover
edition of "Celtic Magic: A Practitioner's Guide" from Thames & Hudson is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $20.98).
Editorial Note: Brigid Ehrmantraut is an expert in Celtic languages and literature. She is currently a junior research fellow
at St John's College, University of Cambridge in the department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic. Originally from
Washington, she studied at Princeton University and is also the author of Classical Myth in Medieval Ireland.
(https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/people/bke1)
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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