Day 223: The Modern Cottage Garden

Chatting Books Online Day 223. Today's recommended book is  chosen to celebrate the fact that we finally have an outside event book sale pop-up today at The Folsom Garden Show!  We are so looking forward to bringing a wide selection of our gardening books to this group of enthusiastic gardeners.  Today's book is : The Modern Cottage Garden: a fresh approach to a classic style by Greg Loades with photography by Neil Hepworth.

When I saw the announcement of this new book from the Timber Press I knew I needed to order it immediately .  I am a huge fan of the traditional cottage garden style often found throughout the English countryside .  It is a style that is abundant and varied but unfortunately I have found it difficult to replicate in my own gardens.  Well I now have a new tool in my quest and a new approach .  This fabulous new book gives step-by-step directions in developing a cottage style garden of your own by blending the traditional cottage garden style with the new perennial movement in modern gardening making a "new traditional garden style" that combines the two previously separate styles to blend into something new, blended, and improved that maintains that cottage garden look I am wanting but with easier perennials mixed in to lessen the work load.  Win- Win!!! 

Actually in the book they describe the blending of styles to be similar to hearing Bing Crosby sing the "Little Drummer Boy"  with David Bowie where the old and the new come together to become something beautiful.   Well, they had me with that description alone.

I love that not only do you get the step-by-step garden building sections, but then it also includes a check list for each season of what to do to maintain your new modern cottage garden and it even ends with a list of 50 essential plants for your new modern cottage garden and information on each. (you know I will be looking for all of these at the garden show this weekend!)

This new gardening book is hardcover , 228 pages, and sells for $24.95 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up and go buy some plants !

Day 222: The Monsters Three

Chatting Books Online Day 222. Today's recommended book is The Monsters Three by Rosalind Bunn & Kathleen Howard.

This is a fun story book about three little monsters who go out trick-or-treating on Halloween. These monsters are not very nice, they shove the other children out of the way at each door and they shout at the homeowners and demand treats Pretty soon they realize that some of the porch lights are turning off as they approach so they hide and watch the other children thinking they will tease them when they realize no one is home - but the door opens, and they get candy! The little monsters start to understand that perhaps if they were a bit more polite things might go better for them , so they give that a try. Guess what? It works! And soon enough their bags are full of candy and as they walk home we see that they were not monsters after all just children who needed to learn a bit more about manners.

A great treat for Halloween, this storybook sells for $17.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you - but hurry up, Halloween is almost here !

Day 221: Paris by the Book

Chatting Books Online Day 221, Today's recommended book is Paris by the Book by Liam Callahan. When my friend Jaimee sent me a message early yesterday about a bookstore for sale in Paris I knew right away what book I wanted to write about today.

Paris by the Book is a novel that tells the tale of a writer who has mysteriously vanished and the clues left in his final book. His family follow the clues and end up buying a bookstore in Paris to try and solve the mystery and bring him home. Between the references to other great books set in Paris (among them The Red Balloon and Madeline ) , and the descriptions of Paris there is a lot to keep you interested - but remember, there is also a mystery to solve!

And for those of you curious, yes - I have been daydreaming all day about opening a second location in Paris - and yes, I have included the link to the ad for you here - you know, in case a bookstore in Paris is your destiny: https://lithub.com/the-quiet-death-of-a-legendary.../...

We currently carry this book in paperback selling for $16 a copy .

To purchase a copy of this book come see us Mondays - Saturdays between 10:00am and 4pm, and Sundays between Noon and 4pm at the shop, or you can message me and we can ship a copy directly to you. Take Care and dream of Paris (and bookstores) .

Day 220 : Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes

Chatting Books Online Day 220. Today's recommended book is Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin and James Dean. This is the book where we first fell in love with Pete the Cat. Our friend Pete is a blue cat (naturally) , who has a new pair of White tennis shoes. He loves his new shoes so much he even sings about them. But then he accidentally steps in a variety of things like strawberries , blueberries, and even mud ! None of this phases our pal Pete , he just keeps on walking and keeps on singing ! I fully get where Pete is coming from, as many of you know I love my white Keds - wear them with everything - and getting a new pair makes me want to sing too!

This hardcover storybook currently sells for $17.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy of this book come see us Mondays - Saturdays between 10:00am and 4pm, and Sundays between Noon and 4pm at the shop, or you can message me and we can ship a copy directly to you. Take Care and be happy enough to sing about your shoes!

Day 219: The Fonville Winans Cookbook

Chatting Books online Day 219. Today's recommended book is The Fonville Winans Cookbook: Recipes and Photographs from a Louisiana Artist by Melinda Risch Winans and Cynthia Lejeune Nobles.

You probably know that Fonville Winans was a terrific photographer, but did you know that he was also an accomplished cook?

This fantastic collection of traditional Louisiana dishes shows the famous photographer's love of food and of working out a recipe. He would start with a base recipe and then tweak it each time he prepared it changing the recipe slight;y and writing down the new recipe meticulously. I particularly love that the author was able to share actual photos of some of his recipes in his own handwriting in several versions as the recipe evolved under Fonville Winans' workmanship.

A beautiful book with lovely photographs and great recipes. This hardcover cookbook sells for $39.95.

o purchase a copy of this book come see us Mondays - Saturdays between 10:00am and 4pm, and Sundays between Noon and 4pm at the shop, or you can message me and we can ship a copy directly to you. Take Care and cook something delicious.

Day 218 : The Lost Spells

Chatting Books Online Day 218. Today's recommended book is The Lost Spells by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. You may have seen their last boo The Lost Words, and if you did you will certainly remember that big beautifully illustrated book of "lost words" of nature filled with short poems , well this has the same wonderful illustrations, but with longer "spells" (poems) , still about nature . This time the book is a hardcover in a smaller size (about 7" x 5") that will actually fit on a bookshelf - or even in your handbag !

Absolutely beautiful book, a perfect gift for any nature lover , poetry fan - or just those who love pretty things.

The new book is hardcover , 120 pages and currently sells for $26.00 a copy.

To purchase a copy of this book come see us Mondays - Saturdays between 10:00am and 4pm, and Sundays between Noon and 4pm at the shop, or you can message me and we can ship a copy directly to you. Take Care and Cast a Spell or two.

Chatting Books Online Day 217: The Week in Review Oct 12-18, 2020

Chatting Books Online Day 217. The Week in Review Oct 12 - 18, 2020.

Another week gone by, and a week's worth of book recommendations just for you!

This week I told you about:

Two inspirational books in Hoda Kotb's : This Just Speaks to Me and in Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

Three Children's Books (4 if you count Good Night Stories above) in The Rainbow Fish, The Real Mother Goose Anniversary Edition, and The Little Prince

and one from my favorite genre "Books set in bookshops" with The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my recommendations, and maybe have come in to pick up a book to add to your TBR (To Be Read) pile. Next week brings another assortments of recommendations to get ready!

If you missed any of these reviews and want to read what I had to say about them you can see all of our Chatting Books Online picks by visiting our website at: http://www.conundrumbooks.com/chatting-books-online .

We still (and always will going forward) offer shipping if you cannot make it to the store. Or just stop by the shop Monday - Saturday between 10:00am and 4pm and between noon and 4pm on Sundays.

Day 216: The Rainbow Fish

Chatting Books Online Day 216.  Today's recommended book is The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.

In this delightful children's storybook we meet The Rainbow Fish who is the most beautiful fish in the ocean due to his shiny scales .  No other fish has these scales and everyone thinks they are awfully special when he swims by with his scales flashing.   Naturally everyone would like to have even one little shiny scale but the Rainbow Fish will not give them any fearing that if he does he will no longer be the most special fish.  Through the book the fish meets some a very wise octopus who shares a secret with him , it is only by sharing our gifts that we can truly enjoy them. ....And they all lived happily ever after.

This hardcover storybook currently sells for $ 18.95 a copy.

To purchase a copy of this book come see us Mondays - Saturdays between 10:00am and 4pm, and Sundays between Noon and 4pm at the shop, or you can message me and we can ship a copy directly to you.  Take Care and share what makes you special!