Death and the Librarian (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #9), by Victoria Gilbert

Publication July 8, 2025

Family, friends, and an art festival do not mix with murder. Unfortunately, that's just the situation Amy Muir finds herself facing in this, the ninth book of the series. While I tend to like the characters, I found myself exasperated with Amy this go-round. She's always been curious, never quite limiting herself to the "research" that she swears is all she's going to do to be involved in after the murder of author Maureen Dryden. She gets a note saying that if she doesn't back off, her friends and family would be in danger,. Does she let that stop her? Oh, you know the answer to that one, I bet. She's bound and determined to find out who killed the festival speaker and true crime author the morning before she's to meet with her to help her research. The suspects are varied and, yikes, include some close to Amy. Even family. Uh, oh.

Thus, while I found the mystery intriguing, I was constantly thrown off by Amy's rash actions and lack of common sense. While she does make the proactive move to remove her young twins from harm, a friend is injured as a warning and a second threatening note received. Does this attack put her off? You know the answer to that one, too. Of course not. Yet, Amy still goes hiking along up a tree-laden narrow trail to investigate the murder site of a possibly connected cold case murder. She also ventures out alone more than once, even waving away offers to accompany her. Does that get her in trouble? Oh, boy, you already know that answer, too. 

I won't detail the plot beyond this other than to say I do like that Amy has a good relationship with Brad, the chief police investigator. That isn't always true in cozy mysteries. She also has young children, which many amateur sleuths don't. It's definitely fun to see how husband' Richard's dance background is used and the fun of following the related side-story. Family friend and godfather to the twins, Kurt, has secrets, too. Big, potentially life changing secrets. As a result, despite my annoyance with Amy this go-round, I still enjoyed the read. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for this early peek at the always busy life of Amy and her family and friends. Who knew being a librarian could be so, uh, exciting.

We Match!, by Chris Barton, Sharon Glick (illustrator)

 

Publication July 15, 2025

Fun! 

Even better, amidst the laughs at the doggie antics and full-of-activity illustrations, it  has a message. We may all be different in appearance but we're also alike in, oh, so many ways. Join this lively, playful bunch of dog park dogs and discover ways we're alike. In the process, you'll probably find lots to grin and chuckle over, from the baseball player style cards that intro us to the dogs to the activity that goes on in the background behind the focus of attention. Make sure you take the time to look at the full illustrations, in other words, as there is lots going on. You'll see diverse humans, including at least one in a wheelchair, and one dog owner that I can't quite decide if is on skates or simply being dragged along by his enthusiastic dog in a full out run. Make sure you spot the duck. And, wait till you see their new friend at the end.

Done in comic style with the dogs being the ones to provide the dialogue, there's a lot to take in as you read. I have to admit to going back through the story a couple extra times after my initial read focused on the text simply to make sure I hadn't missed any nuances. I enjoyed every go-through and, yes, found something going on each time that I'd either totally missed or skimmed over initially. Children can spend some enjoyable moments trying to make sure they see everything. I also liked the careful way the illustrator made the park a safe place to enter, with an entrance design I've seen used at the dog walk area at my own vet's. There's even a sign about cleaning up after your dog, a nice touch. The illustrations are just plain fun, with colorful scenes that encompass everything from dogs and their humans arriving at the park to some unexpected encounters. Each dog has its own look at personality, further developed even at the end with the use of what would be the back of the player/dog cards shown early on. You'll learn not just the dogs' ages and breeds but other bits of info about them there. Button is Player of the Year, by the way. Grin. 

Bottom line, I thoroughly enjoyed this fun book. As the dogs go through what becomes a ritual of discovering what they all have in common, from not just appearance but such things as, well, the obvious "Throw the ball!" and what would be one of my dog's favorites, enjoying chasing squirrels, plus things she wouldn't like, like wearing coats and costume type get-ups. to things about where they met their owners and more. They are all friends, too. It's be great fun to lead children in a round of this, I'd think, as laughter and hopefully understanding would be  forthcoming and help us learn to be more open to others who might appear different on the surface. Thanks #AstraPublishingHouse for sharing this fun read early with me. I'll definitely be sharing it with my dog-loving friends.

The Seaside Murders (The Secret Detective Agency #2), by Helena Dixon

 

Publication April 30, 2025

I'm hooked. While I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, it's the characters that brought me back for this second installment. Although I spent a great deal of time being annoyed with Jane in the first book, either she's mellowed a bit or I have. At least she isn't practically chain smoking, much to the detriment of code-breaker extraordinary Arthur, this time. Oh, she hasn't quit completely, just seems more aware of how the smoke impacts his asthma. That said, her one-eyed cat, Marmaduke, once again makes the trip with her.  But, hey, small steps, right? 

We also get to know her background a bit more as this book largely takes place at her childhood home in Ashbourne, Kent, England. While I knew POW's were used as labor during the war (it's October, 1941), I really didn't know how it worked, so that was interesting, as was finding out how they chose prisoners who'd be of little danger to the community while working on farms and such. It's when an Italian POW is killed that Jane, Arthur, and his manservent Benson are sent to investigate and stay at Jane's late father's home. It holds many memories for Jane and she's never been able to face sorting things out there. There's also the not-so-little matter of black market activity. Victims of bombings are the usual targets and left with even less than they had once the sly criminals are done with them. There are countless twists and turns and secrets hidden away in this once quiet area. The area becomes even livelier with the arrival of Jane's mother, an actress who's always the center of attention and likes it that way. Can you say "diva"? Jane's relationship with her is, uh, complicated. 

Bottom line, I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and getting to know Jane better. Since I spent most of book one annoyed with her for her thoughtless ways, the fact that I realized I've become quite fond of her was both a delight and surprising. True, she's got a way to go yet but she's making progress and it was fun to see the growing sense of understanding and appreciation of what they each bring to the case between Jane and Arthur. No romance but, hey, it's early. His asthma is an interesting trait to assign to a spy catcher, code-breaker or not, so it's interesting to see how it was managed back then. I'm definitely hoping to learn a bit more about Benson, too. He may be the perfect man-servant and well able to deal with Arthur's health issues, but there's surely more beneath the surface there that hasn't been touched on yet. Let's just say, I'd feel good with him having my back. The plot moves along smoothly and the clues are realistic albeit not always obvious. Thanks #Bookouture for gifting me this advance look at how things are progressing on both the war front and for Jane and Arthur. The history buff in me is definitely enjoying this look at life in wartime England and I'm already anxious to read the next installment to see where it takes us.

Animals of the National Parks: An Alphabet Book, by Fifty-Nine Parks

 

Publication May 5, 2025

The child in me still gravitates to alphabet books. Give me one featuring animals and I'm a happy camper. I'm always curious to see how the creators will differentiate their book from the multitude of others out there, not to mention how they'll find a way to represent some of the lesser used letters. This one does both well. 

To be honest, there was a part of me interested to see not just what Alaskan animals make the cut but how they'd handle those tricky letters like "X". Well, first, they cleverly used descriptive adjectives such as zigzag salamander, but outdid themselves for that "X". They not only came up with an Alaskan critter but one whose name I didn't recognize. As it turned out, I've even seen that animal, nope, not telling, but just didn't now its official name. See, even us big kids can learn a thing or two from these alphabet books. Needless to say, being Alaskan with access to not just Denali National Park but wild animals occasionally roaming about, I was delighted to discover how many I had seen. Young readers should appreciate the chart provided at the end where they can write down not just the animals they've observed but things like who they were with at the time and even sounds heard. A nice touch.

The illustrations were realistic but fun in a slightly whimsical way. I mean, it doesn't look like those bears might want to eat us for dinner. Grin. Each subject gets a full color illustrations and short, easy to digest description on the next as well as what parks they might be found at. Another nice teaching touch is that each alphabet letter is presented in both upper and lower case, not always common. There's a lively color map at the end that shows where each park is located as well as showing small versions of the animals scattered about. There's also a list to make it even clearer. Then the chart I mentioned earlier. All in all, nicely done and would make not only a fun gift for animal crazy kids but a nice addition to your school or classroom libraries. Thanks #ClarksonPotter - #TenSpeedPress for gifting me this early copy. It made me crave another trip to Denali National Park. Ironically enough, although moose are common sights here in Alaska...in fact, one visited my yard just a few days ago....that's the one critter I've yet to spy while visiting the park, go figure.

Finding Mr. July, by Anna E. Collins

 Publication uly 1, 2025

While I expected to enjoy what appeared from the cover to be a dog heavy romance, I wound up liking it far more than I'd expected.  I was right in that a calendar played a role, too, and enjoyed Holly's search for twelve likely candidates and their dogs to pose for a non-profit calendar project to raise funds. Who knew it'd be so hard? While I wasn't amused by Holly's use of a dating app to find candidates under false pretenses,, albeit only after some persuasion, that was short lived and handled relatively well. Heck, she even found some guys willing to pose for no pay for the cause. Getting her "hot" brother, as her best friend and mentor describes him, took more effort, not to mention some sisterly bribery. Holly's unexpected career path has its ups and downs but she finds herself enjoying the project and, okay, working with the office's grumpy creative guy.

 I won't detail the plot further other than to say it was fun to read about the various photo sessions done, including some quirks of the canines, and the different feels/moods created by the photographer, who is certainly model worthy himself. Oh, did I mention Jonathan, the initially grumpy and reticent to be involved, is an extraordinary photographer? There are reasons he isn't using that skill as the story opens which I'll leave for you to discover as you read. As it turns out, he's a rather complicated guy that Holly just can't help being curious about after their meet-cute, although not sure the word cute is accurate. As you discover more about Jonathan, you'll understand why and more about his reasons for being standoffish. I liked both, albeit it took me a bit to warm up to Holly. A former lawyer, she has her own story to tell, however, and you'll gradually root for her to find happiness. Love how that goal was emphasized later in the book. Nope. Not telling. You'll just have to read. 

Bottom line, while an entertaining romance on the surface, I liked the fact that the main characters were multi-layered. My initial reaction to Jonathan was bewilderment, I must admit, albeit I sort of liked his willingness to help a virtual stranger initially in the book, Holly. Glad they fixed that pantry door, Holly. Her relationship with her brother and his daughter is close with amusing brother-sister banter between them. In fact, the dialogue flowed naturally, even in the spicier scenes. Nothing heavy duty, mostly just sweet and sexy to warm you up and bring a smile at their budding relationship. And, I liked her brother's budding relationship that may keep him in town long enough not to risk the eternal ire of a teenage dragged away from long-time friends on a parent's whim. My thanks to #Forever - #GrandCentralPublishing for this early peek at a book I wound up thoroughly enjoying. Loved Holly's discovery of what was probably her mother's stash of Holly's old school days memories.

Bringing the Beach Home, by Laura Atkins, Evgenia Penman (illustrator)

 

Publication July 1, 2025

Although I'd have preferred a sand castle be built rather than the kid being buried in the sand, this was overall a sweet, thoughtful read. Children who alternate between parents handle it in other ways but it's obvious as the story opens that Rowen has grown weary of it. That said, I noted that if you don't read the back of the book blurb, you may momentarily be confused about what is going on and why Rowen is looking so dejected. Dad does wonders to make this a special day, however, and suggestions on how to  bring the beach home with you, so to speak, are shared. I liked the focus on natural materials and creativity. When Rowan looks at his creation, he'll surely remember this day.

The drawings and done in a light and airy fashion, recalling my own memories of some sunny days at the beach. In fact, I chuckled at Rowan finding the sand too hot initially because, as one who grew up near and spent considerable time at the beach with parents and friends, I, too, remember that issue all too well. The idea of how to use the seashells is definitely a fun one. While adults should probably be ready for questions about why Rowan is initially reluctant to go and looks so sullen, they should also be ready to simply explain the about divorce/custody. In other words, while a simple story of a day at the beach on the surface, the book offers many opportunities to discuss the world about us, let's say. Thanks to #TheCollectiveBookStudio for sharing this early look at a lovely book with .multiple layers. I enjoyed this virtual trip back to my childhood beach days.

Dogged Pursuit (Andy Carpenter, #31), by David Rosenfelt

 

Publication July 1, 2025

When Andy met Tara....and Laurie.

What a delight to go back in time to meet a younger but no less snarky Andy Carpenter in his first true murder defense trial. Even better, we get to spend some time getting to know his father, a renowned prosecutor, Nelson Carpenter. I liked their easy, trusting relationship where, even knowing his father wished Andy hadn't moved to the defense table, he's there 100% for Andy. Nelson even turns out to love dogs, noting that the only reason they never had a family dog was due to Andy's mother's allergies. 

Even as a long time Andy Carpenter fan, going back and meeting Tara for the very first time was also delightful. Never mind Andy walked into the shelter looking for a small dog. Tara had him with their first look. It goes almost without saying that a dog, Tara's then kennel buddy Sonny, was involved in Andy taking the case of Ryan Tierney, Sonny's owner, who has been charged with murder. Blowing up a car kind of murder. Yikes. Sonny is under a legal hold until after the trial, however, and a waver is needed before the shelter can release Sonny to anyone but Ryan. Needless to say, since Andy seems to feel it is only right to keep Tara and her canine friend together, Andy visits the jail to get the waver and finds himself with a client. Thus begins the fun. 

As usual, this case if far, far more complicated than the norm. I won't detail the plot further but will hint that it involves, let's see, hit men, shady business practices, potential suspects who keep getting themselves killed, life insurance scams, mob action, federal agents, and....well, you get my drift. Besides the younger Andy, we get our first meeting with investigator extraordinary Laurie Collins and discover Andy has friends himself on the police force, even if he does have to pick up their tab at meals. We also "almost" get to meet Marcus, he of incredible protective skills and that's touching the surface. I say "almost" meet because while Andy doesn't get to meet him in person, Marcus plays a major role in the story. Oh, and I can't forget Sam, Andy's accountant who seems to harbor dreams of being an detective. Andy usually seems to keep him tethered to the computer, which is where Sam's formidable hacking, er, computer research skills usually play a vital role. It's interesting to see how they manage to incorporate Sam's discoveries legally, let's just say. That said, who knew Sam had skills at breaking into cargo trucks?

 Bottom line, a fun, entertaining read with lots of laughs and remarkable insight into the courtroom and investigative processes. As always,, I marveled at Andy's then young courtroom skills and ability to use humor, personality, and, yes, snark as weapons for the defense.There's a fine line between pushing too far and irritating the judge and making his point, all of which Andy tip-toes along skillfully. I've told friends occasionally that the reason I know what news people are talking about at times on court cases, you know, all that legal terms, is because I've picked up some legal vocabulary from this series, in fact. Rather amazingly, author Rosenfelt weaves this all together skillfully while sharing the ongoing marriage woes of Andy and then wife Nicole. I admired Rosenfelt's delicate touch with this, even while introducing Laurie. He shows the mutual respect and love Andy and Nicole share, albeit now firmly heading along different paths with different goals. Let's just say, it would have been easy to portray Nicole as a spoiled rich girl but Rosenfelt don't take that shortcut and, instead, presents her as a sympathetic character. Speaking of sympathetic characters, Thanks #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for giving me this early spin on the time machine back to meet the younger but already charmingly snarky Andy and some of those who play such a huge role in his status as a reluctant attorney who is always trying to retire.

ABCs of Safe Web Surfing: Essential Online Safety Tips for Your Child's First Device , by CD Richardson

 

A nicely done, colorful guide for both parents and children. While the illustrations are definitely kid friendly with their colorful graphics, the words are obviously meant to be read by both the child and parents. I liked that concept, actually. Each term addressed is pertinent, with fun drawings to illustrate meaning, two pages per letter. 

I'm pretty certain there are some excellent reminders in here for even long time web surfers, too. It's easy to become careless and complacent as we click about at random, something this reminds us isn't always good form. I won't detail the contents but will share a few. My favorite perhaps was early one as the author urges "balance", a balance between time on and offline. As much fun and addictive as endless surfing the net can be, we're remind that time away from the screen is important, too. Cyberbullies are also addressed with the advice being direct, "Don't be one". 

The idea of "empathy", remembering that there's a real human (well, maybe) on the other end of the posting is emphasized, as is that one should never give away their "password". Nor should you click mindlessly. When in doubt, the book urges young uses to turn to trusted adults for guidance. As many learn to their sorrow, not all links are harmless and can, in fact, lead to major headaches. You're also reminded that every post you make, every comment you share, is most likely forever engraved in a digital footprint somewhere. I guess in the cloud? Not that this book even attempts to explain the cloud. Grin. 

Bottom line, a nicely done guide with fun graphics to help guide newcomers through the basics of the web. In addition, various activities are suggested at the end, including an encouraging way to get parent and child to talk out use and create guidelines. Internet sources are also given at the end. Thanks for this peek at this handy, sadly much needed guide, #IndependentlyPublished. As noted, I lean toward thinking the idea of "balance" between screen and away time is something just about any of us who find themselves seemingly glued to the screen can use.

Can I Sleep in Your Bed Tonight?, by Andreas Sahar

 

Publication June 1, 2025

This is surely something every parent has heard whispered to them in the night.  Every parent surely has handled it differently. I honestly wasn't as taken with this as I'd expected to be despite the lovely illustrations and dreamy colors. First, an admission. I really, really wanted to just give good ol' Dad a shove off that bed for both his lack of helpfulness, leaving it all to Mom to handle, and my jealousy of him being able to fall back asleep in practically the blink of an eye. Even the mother, while relatively patient, didn't seem to put much effort into how she handled the situation. 

If anything, while it's easy to give her a break for probably being exhausted and wanting desperately to sleep herself, she didn't seem to offer any soothing words or suggestions other than go back to bed. Dad continued to sleep through most of the interruptions, mind you, only going into action when a storm struck and the dogs' barking joined the pleas of the frightened children. They're adorable, by the way, and there are even a pair of twins. In any case, Dad's solution was to simply grab a blanket and pillow and move to the couch, in essence leaving Mom to deal with the children in the now roomier space of the bed. Can you tell I was disappointed by both? 

Bottom line, while I'm sure this could open a conversation between children and parents of how the situation could have been better handled, I didn't really enjoy the story. The rhyming text was relatively well done, however, and, as noted, the illustrations had a bit of a dreamy feel to most of them with the night colors and subtle soft hues. And, much as I hate to admit it, the situation is probably rather realistic. Children get frightened or even bored at night frequently and seek the comfort of their parents. I just wish there had been more of a gentle, positive handling of the situation, albeit, as noted, I can see this being used as a means to open a dialogue between not just parents and children but between the parents. Thanks #HolzerBooks for giving me this early peek at the book and life in many homes with small, restless children.

Scavenger Hunt, by Thea Whitehead, Suzi Devlin (Illustrator)

 

Why does a bumblebee wear a hat? Nope, not telling, not that I'm sure there's any one right answer, but it's one of the fun things you get to ponder as you read this book. Given the day off because the beekeeper needs to "smoke" the hive, a term you'll learn within, Betty Bumble Bee organizes a fun Scavenger Hunt for her friends, friends of all kinds.

The catch is that the clues ask participants to guess the target color from a visual hint. They're very well done, too, and kudos to the author for finding a way to use a tricky, two word rhyme for orange. Never fear if you don't get it as Betty Bumble Bee quickly explains each. The illustrations are bright and fun and be sure you pay attention to the background and who/what turns up in each. That was an added bit of fun and challenge. The friends work together to solve the riddles, a nice way of emphasizing teamwork as an important skill. And, needless to say, they're learning their colors and about rhymes all at the same time. 

Bottom line, this was a fun book that will have children giggling and chiming in to answer with Betty as answers are revealed. Needless to say, they all involve colors, mostly illustrated via lovely, perky flowers although you may not some bug friends in the pictures that fit the description, too. Friends work together, you know. I definitely liked the different level activity suggestions at the end, falling right into the category of challenging young minds while engaging them in a fun task. My only "Huh?" moment was at the start when I wasn't quite clear on how the clues worked but that quickly became obvious to my tired ol' brain. This would make a great addition to any elementary teacher's library or parent's book stash to keep their children entertained and learning at the same time. Thanks. #BooksGoSocial for the sneak peek at this fun read/activity book. As noted, kudos for the way the author managed to find a way to work in the color orange.4.5 rounded to 5 star.