Tag: Kindle

• Book Review: Death on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood

  In Death on the Marlow Belle (Poisoned Pen Press, September, 2025) this fourth installment of The Marlow Murder Club, a cozy murder mystery series, author Robert Thorogood has returned us to Marlow, a very real town located on the Thames River thirty miles from London. This is brilliant news for all of Thorogood’s fans, as…

  michardillo

  June 16, 2025

  books

  Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None, book-review, books, British, Columbia Theatre Players, community theatre, cozy mystery, death, Death Comes to Marlow, Death in Paradise, Death on the Marlow Belle, Downton Abbey, England, English, fiction, Goodreads, James Bond, Kindle, Lady Rosalind, London, Lord Grantham, Marlow, Miss Moneypenny, mystery, NetGalley, novel, Oscar Wilde, PBS Masterpiece, Poisoned Pen Press, reading, Richard Osman, River Thames, Samantha Bond, Ten Little Indians, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Marlow Murder Club, The Queen of Poisons, The Thursday Murder Club, theater, theatre, writer, writing

• Book Review: Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

  I have a love-hate relationship with book series. Part of me loves the continuity, the bond established between the reader and the characters from book to book, the story taking me on a journey and coming back full-circle. But, I also hate when the series ends. To me, after I’ve invested so much time with…

  michardillo

  June 11, 2025

  books

  AJ Pearce, Blitz, book series, book-review, books, British, Dear Miss Lake, Dear Mrs. Bird, Edelweiss, England, English, fiction, Kate Messner, Kindle, library, literature, London, Maryland, Mrs. Porter Calling, mystery, novel, reading, Scholastic Press, Scribner, Silver Jaguar, social media, teacher, teaching, writer, writing, WWII, Yours Cheerfully

• Book Review: Orbital by Samantha Harvey

  I’m not really sure what I want to say about this book. I finished it last night, but it took me much longer to read it than most books I read these days. Clearly displayed on the cover is the notice that it won the 2024 Booker Prize, a British award given to the best…

  michardillo

  June 7, 2025

  books

  Anne Tyler, astronauts, Book World, book-review, Booker Prize, books, cosmonauts, earth, Elizabeth Strout, fiction, grief, Grove Atlantic, International Space Station, Jonathan Cape, Kindle, literary fiction, literature, novel, Orbital, reading, Samantha Harvey, science, space, space travel, typhoon, Washington Post

• Book Review: Through an Open Window by Pamela Terry

  First, thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Terry, through her publisher Penguin Random House, for the ARC of this new novel, to be published on August 19, 2025. This is Pamela Terry’s third novel, and I feel that her work becomes stronger and stronger with each new book. She is a true Southerner, and her…

  michardillo

  May 13, 2025

  books

  book-review, books, chihuahua, Clumber Spaniel, death, debut, dog, fiction, Georgia, Goodreads, grief, Kindle, literature, loss, Louisiana, magical realism, mystery, NetGalley, novel, Pamela Terry, Penguin, Random House, reading, Scotland, sophomore, Sweet Taste of Muscadines, Through an Open Window, When the Moon Turns Blue, writer, writing

• Book Review: Teacher Jitters by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by Judy Love

  As a teacher for nearly 20 years, I can truly identify with the premise behind this soon to be published picture book titled Teacher Jitters (Charlesbridge, 2025) by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by Judy Love. Although this is part of The Jitter Series, it is my first read from this author and illustrator. I recall my…

  michardillo

  March 29, 2025

  books

  book-review, books, Charlesbridge, education, Judy Love, Julie Danneberg, Kindle, NetGalley, reading, teacher, teaching, writing

• Book Review: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

  Yes, I am late to the party. Yes, the rest of the world of book reviewers read this book and reviewed it already. Tons of people have read this book for their book clubs. Somehow, I got behind on this one. Last night, well after midnight, I finished The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry…

  michardillo

  March 27, 2025

  books

  Alfred Hitchcock, Alison Espach, book clubs, book hangover, book-review, books, Daphne du Maurier, depression, fiction, Goodreads, Henry Holt and Co., Joan Fontaine, Kindle, Laurence Olivier, literature, Manderley, Mrs. Dalloway, mystery, Newport, novel, reading, Rebecca, Rhode Island, Romance, romcom, The Wedding People, Victorian, Virginia Woolf, writing

• Book Review: Life Skills by Katie Fforde

  Of the 46 or so novels written by British author Katie Fforde, Life Skills is my 6th. Life Skills was published in 1999 and has been reprinted several times since, so I chose this light, breezy rom-com from Fforde’s back list. Quite a few of her novels have been adapted for German TV, but I…

  michardillo

  March 22, 2025

  books, Essay

  book-review, books, canal cruise, cooking, crew member, English, fiction, hotel boat, Katie Fforde, Kindle, Life Skills, literature, London, novel, reading, rom-com, romcom

• Book Review – Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life by Kate McKean

  I recently registered for a book reviewer’s account with Edelweiss, which is a service very similar to NetGalley where I have typically received the ARCs I have reviewed here on my website. Write Through It by Kate McKean was the first book I requested, for two reasons: (1) I am a little burned out on…

  michardillo

  March 17, 2025

  books, Essay

  Agents & Books newsletter, Anne Lamott, ARC, Big Five, Bird by Bird, book-review, books, Edelweiss, editing, editor, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Kindle, literary agent, Louise Miller, MFA, nonfiction, novel, On Writing, publishing, reading, Stephen King, writer, writing

• Book Review: How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

  How do you feel about books that start with an epigraph? Yea or nay? I generally like it, but sometimes I have no idea of its relevance until deep into the book. Not with this one, however. Last night I finished How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. This book is VERY popular right now.…

  michardillo

  February 5, 2025

  books, Essay

  aging, Andy Griffith, Are You Being Served, As Time Goes By, Aspen Hill Public Library, Bonnie Garmus, book-review, books, British, British TV, Clare Pooley, Dylan Thomas, epigraph, fiction, Goodreads, How to Age Disgracefully, invisibility, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting, Kathy Bates, Keeping Up Appearances, Kindle, Lessons in Chemistry, library, literature, Maryland, Matlock, Montgomery County, Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame, novel, old people, Pamela Dorman Books, reading, Richard Osman, seniors, Six-Thirty, The Authenticity Project, The Sober Diaries, The Thursday Murder Club, Waiting for God, writer, writing

• Book Review-Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe by Kate Messner and Margaret E. Powell, illustrated by Erin K. Robinson

  Kate Messner is one of my favorite authors and when I see one of her new books, I just have to grab it and read it right away. Today one of her books was offered as a Kindle Special Deal, and I did just that. Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann…

  michardillo

  February 4, 2025

  books, Essay

  Alabama, Ann Lowe, book-review, books, Chronicle Books, Deep South, Erin K. Robinson, fashion design, Goodreads, Kate Messner, Kindle, literature, Margaret E. Powell, middle grade nonfiction, middle school, nonfiction, NYC, Only the Best, reading, teacher, writing