Month: January 2017

REVIEW: You Carried Me by Melissa Ohden

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Melissa Ohden always knew she was adopted. But when she was a teenager she found out that she survived an abortion. This memoir is her story – about her adoptive family, about her reaction to the news of the abortion, and about her journey to integrate that piece of information into her identity, her calling and her faith.

I received a copy of this book from Plough Publishing and Handlebar in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on this book are my own. You can read more about my review copy disclaimer here.

Abortion Survivor Memoir

Review

Wow, this is an amazing and touching story! I appreciated the author’s honesty and transparency as she shares her journey. My heart broke as I read about her struggles as a teen to reconcile the abortion information and as she shared that she felt like damaged goods.

I was surprised by the hateful, angry, suspicious responses her story has received in pro-choice circles over the years. My guess is that it is painful to think about what abortion really is when you look at an adult who wouldn’t exist if the procedure had gone as planned.

This is a memoir with grace and forgiveness at its core. And that is beautiful. Ms. Ohden’s story had a fair number of surprises still to come, but her faith encourages – and helps – her to keep offering empathy and understanding to the people who are part of her story.

My favorite parts of the book were when she talked about being a voice – a voice for unborn babies, a voice offering forgiveness for grieving parents who had abortions, a voice for those who are pressured to abort their children.

This is an emotional read. If you have experienced an abortion or miscarriage (which Ms. Ohden does), some passages may be difficult for you to read. Be sure to take care of yourself as you read.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Digging Up the Dirt by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The latest Southern Ladies Mystery. A 40 year old mystery comes home to roost when community heartthrob Hadley Partridge returns to Athena after forty years away. He has no idea that the rumor was that he had run off with his sister-in-law all those years ago. He says he hasn’t talked to her since he left. So where did his sister-in-law disappear to?

When members of their garden club start having dangerous accidents and remains are found at the home Hadley inherited, Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce can’t help but dig a little deeper to find a murderer.

Southern Ladies Mystery

Review

Such a fun Southern mystery series. Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce make a great team. Their pets are a fun part of the story, as is their ward, Benjy.  Charlie Harris and Diesel from the Cat in the Stacks series by the same author make an appearance, too.

The mystery in this was fascinating because you have the 40 year old disappearance mixed in with the things happening with the older women of the garden club. I really had to work at my theory of whodunit – and I was wrong. Some interesting surprises rounded out the story nicely.

I love both the Cat in the Stacks series and this Southern Ladies mystery series by this author. The crossover pieces are nice for fans of both series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Friday Barnes, Girl Detective by R. A. Spratt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Friday is a bright, bored middle schooler who puzzles out the solution to a bank robbery. The reward money lets Friday buy her way into a prestigious boarding school. While there, Friday uses her powers of observation and her crazy-high IQ to tackle some mysteries at her new school, too.

Brilliant Middle School Detective

Review

Wow, I liked this book! My first criteria for a “good” book is always the main character. Friday clicked for me from the start. Her family situation endeared her to me. But Friday handles her family’s quirks so matter-of-factly, I didn’t pity her.

Next, since this was a mystery, I needed the “cases” to be good. Friday is a bit Sherlockian in her methods and her brilliance. I didn’t feel like it was my job to solve the mystery before her. I didn’t have enough information. So instead I just got to sit back and watch Friday do her thing.

The thing I noticed most about this book, though, was the fast, snappy writing. It’s like watching an episode of The West Wing – part of you knows that there’s a wordy-ness to the writing. But at the same time the words are essential – no fluff. They are establishing a fast pace to every scene. The words are sharp and clever. I think this would be a fun story to read out loud.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

If this sounds like a good read for you – or someone you love – be sure to have book 2, Under Suspicion, handy because this one ends on a cliff hanger. Books three and four are coming in 2017 and are pictured below.

BOOK NEWS: January 10, 2017

Posted on by Jaymie

How’s your reading going so far in 2017? Mine is slow going. I have several non-fiction books going now, and it always takes me longer to read those than fiction. Of course, with more books releasing every week, I’ll never be “caught up” anyway, so no guilt!

Here are some of the books coming out this week:

Books for Kids

I Am Jim Henson – I love this biography series for kids! The focus is on each person’s character rather than personal accomplishments. I can’t wait to read this one.
I Don’t Know What to Call My Cat – This story about choosing a pet name looks cute
One Proud Penny – The history of the penny
The Dragonsitter’s Party – Book 5 in this cute early chapter book series
The Goat Who Chewed too Much – Book 3 in this new series from the author of the Origami Yoda series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

  

New Leash on Life & Bone to Pick – Books 5 & 6 in the Roxbury Park Dog Club series
Rolf – Book 10 in the Dog Diaries series, this one focusing on a therapy dog
Crushing It – A Cyrano DeBergerac- like story about a girl who helps her cousin get the attention of the boy she likes.
The Jolly Regina – Two girls are kidnapped by a band of female pirates
Matchstick Castle – A summer adventure for two kids who stumble on an amazing castle
The Runaway – Book 2 in the Valkyrie series by the author of the Pegasus mythology series
Hideout – A kid in a fishing boat discovers a boy living alone in a swamp
Spy on History: Mary Bowswer and the Civil War Spy Ring – A non-fiction book about an African-American spy who infiltrates the Confederate side of the Civil War.
Basher Engineering – The latest in this cool non-fiction series for kids
Mission to Pluto – Images of Pluto and its 5 moons from the robotic spacecraft, New Horizons
List of Cages – A teen working for the school psychologist tries to track down his missing former foster brother.
You Don’t Know My Name – A girl trained to be a spy falls in love and has to decide which of her two lives she wants to keep.

Books for Adults

Dead Cold Brew – Book 16 in the Coffeehouse mystery series
She Stopped for Death – Book 2 in the Little Library mystery series
You Carried Me – A memoir about a woman who lived after an abortion attempt
Craving Connection – 30 challenges for “real-life engagement” with real-life stories and Scriptural application.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2016 Favorites

Posted on by Jaymie

I read a lot of books every year. A lot of times,  I don’t remember all the details about the books I read. But I always remember how I felt when I finish. I remember which books follow me throughout the year – how I feel when I see them in the bookstore or library or online. These are the ones I want to go back and read again. These are the ones I recommend over and over and over.

When I went back through my list of the 304 books I read in 2016, I came up with 28 that were candidates for the best of the year. I whittled that list down to ten. And here they are:

10. The Scourge by Jennifer Nielsen

I read this one earlier this year, so I don’t have a review posted here at The Neverending TBR. This is a fantastic middle grade fantasy from the author of The False Prince. You can read more about The Scourge here.

 

 

9. Alien Nation by Gini Koch

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

8. Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

7. Darkstalker by Tui T. Sutherland

I love the middle grade dragon series Wings of Fire. This book stands alone as a backstory for a dragon that makes an appearance in the second five book series.

 

 

6. Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

5. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

 4. The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

3. The Charming Life of Izzy Malone by Jenny Lundquist

You can find my review of this here.

 

 

2. The Boy Is Back by Meg Cabot

You can find my review of this here on February 1. This was a fun romantic story told totally in emails and chat rooms and memos!

 

 

1. The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

You can find my review of this here.

REVIEW: Into White by Randi Pink

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

After a humiliating “final straw,” Latoya prays that God would make her “anything but black.” The next day she is a blonde, blue eyed white girl, still living with her black family. They are the only ones who still see her as she originally was. Latoya gets to experience her school and her peers as “Katarina” the white exchange student. She talks face to face at times with Jesus about her transformation.

Black girl experiences life as white girl

Review

This was a fascinating story. Toya feels all the pain in her life is the fault of her race. At times it was difficult to read – the cruelty, the blatant racism, the crass moments. But it made me think, which I think is a great quality in a book.

I would love to read this with a group of white and black readers and hear from others what they thought of the portrayals in the story. Online reviews are mixed and most of the ones I saw were written by white people. There’s an element of a story like this that begs to be enhanced by conversation. I wonder – are the characters in the book the worst of stereotypes? Or are there high school students who have had experiences like this? Are there minority students who hate their own race because of the bigotry they experience? And if so, how can we help them?

If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that it doesn’t offer any solutions. Toya’s resolution seems centered more on her individual life and circumstances and less on a universal experience or revelation about valuing her race.

Racial issues are front and center in our country these days. I think it’s important to read books that explore race and racism, especially ones that expose readers to perspectives that are different from their own. (This book includes some language as well as an attempted sexual assault. May be best suited for mature readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Staged to Death by Karen Rose Smith

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A home staging mystery! Caprice De Luca is an interior designer who stages homes to help people sell them. What starts as an interesting challenge – helping an old friend and her husband sell their castle-like mansion – becomes a much darker task when the husband is murdered.

Caprice is determined to protect her friend and find the real killer. But while she does that, she’ll juggle new pets, family secrets and two potential love interests. Lots to enjoy in this mystery!

Home Staging Mystery

Review

Fun first in a mystery series with a unique premise. Home improvement stories aren’t something I usually read. But the home-staging piece set this story apart in a good way.

Caprice has a big family which means lots of interesting side stories to round out the book. The author did a good job of keeping these side stories connected to the larger story so they didn’t feel like filler or a distraction from what I wanted to know.

At first, the writing felt wordy to me. There were lots of description details. But as I adjusted to the author’s style, I fell into the story and stopped noticing the style.

The solution came a little out of left field for me. I never saw that angle coming. I would read more books about Caprice and her family and friends.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The origin story of Santa! A boy and his father, poor and struggling. An opportunity to change their fortunes. The abusive guardian. A dangerous journey. Good deeds. Hope. Loss. All of these elements – and more – make up the fairy-tale-like beginnings of Father Christmas!

Origin story of Santa

Review

I really enjoyed this middle grade Christmas story. I definitely felt like I was reading a fairy tale. There’s even a Disney-esque quality to it where some amount of personal tragedy spurs the hero on his journey.

All of the classic Santa bits are here – elves, flying reindeer, gifts in stockings. But the author does a great job of doling them out in the service of the larger story. They aren’t just dumped in. (The reference to Rudolph was especially fun.)

The end of the book shifts focus from the story of Nikolas the boy to the quest of Nikolas the man to find his purpose. It almost feels like an extended epilogue or a bonus story. It feels different in tone from the larger story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

I think this would make a great seasonal read for families to enjoy together!

BOOK NEWS: January 3, 2017

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy New Year!! I hope your holiday season was delightful! Personally, I enjoyed time with family and friends, and did lots of reading. There are a LOT of new books coming in the new year, and January is chock full of reading goodness. Here are some of the books coming out this week:

Books for Kids

A Greyhound, A Groundhog – Fun wordplay in this picture book! I imagine this would be fun – and tricky – to read out loud.
Pen Pals – An octopus and an ant exchange letters
XO, Ox – Another letter-based story. Both of these would be great for classrooms that work on letter writing skills
Egg – The latest picture book from prolific author, Kevin Henkes in a graphic novel format about four eggs.
Cold Caper – Story and sticker book about DC superheroes like Wonder Woman and Batgirl
Wolf in the Snow – A girl and a wolf cub are lost in the snow.
No More Bows – How cute is that cover!? Hugo the dog loves his owner Milly, but he hates the bows she puts on him.
Adrift – Two very different polar bears star in this new picture book.
Surprise Teacher – Pete the Cat gets a surprise at school.
Fly Guy, Castles – I love these non-fiction books staring Fly Guy. Check out this one about castles!
Tricky Trouble – An early reader starring Marvel heroes your kids already know and love!
Bad Kitty Takes the Test – I am so looking forward to reading this new book from Nick Bruel starring Bad Kitty! I heard him give an interview about this book and his take on the standardized testing  push in our country. This should be a great addition to the series!
Anna Takes Charge – Book 9 in this series of chapter books staring Anna and Elsa from Frozen in original stories. When I was teaching, my students couldn’t read these fast enough!
Secret Spell – Book 4 in a similar series starting Merida from Brave.
Belle’s Discovery – Disney is calling these books a “new chapter book series” with Disney Princesses as young girls.
Cinderella Takes the Stage – Belle and Cinderella get the first books in this series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Batgirl at Super Hero High – Book 3 in this series about your favorite DC super heroes as high school students. I am really eager to read this one!
The Impossible Clue – A new mystery starring a young math whiz
Flying Lessons – A short story collection from award-winning children’s authors
Midnight without a Moon – This story, set in the south in 1955, addresses life for African Americans in America by combining the story of a fictional family with facts about real-life events.
One Last Word – A poetry collection from the author of Garvey’s Choice
Riverboat Roulette – Book 14 in the Nancy Drew Diaries series
Scar Island – The boys at a reform school find themselves without adult supervision
Star Wars Adventures in Wild Space: The Snare – First in a six-book series that takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
The Sweetest Sound – A shy girl with a musical gift looks for a way to muster the courage to share her gift with others.
Jax vs Saxophone of Doom – A sixth grade hockey player takes on a new challenge – the saxophone
The Warden’s Daughter – A prison warden’s daughter comes of age in this story set in 1959.
Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls – Biographies of 16 African Americans from the 18th to 20th centuries and their impact on our history. Could be a great resource for preparing to celebrating MLK Jr’s birthday and Black History Month.
Book Jumper – A girl can jump into the story in any book she reads.
Freeks – A girl in a traveling circus falls in love with a local boy and has to use powers she didn’t know she had to fight an unknown evil.
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett – Hawthorn has her own theory about what happened to Lizzie Lovett. This sounds like a terrific mystery!
Life in a Fishbowl – Jackie’s dying father puts his life up for auction on Ebay
Whenever I’m with You – Gabi and Hunter head into the Alaskan wild in search of Hunter’s missing twin brother

Books for Adults

Agent of Chaos – Seventeen-year-old Fox Mulder gets pulled into a missing persons case that might give him some information on his sister’s disappearance.
Devil’s Advocate – Fifteen-year-old Dana Scully is haunted by dark visions pushing her to investigate suspicious deaths in her new community
Assault and Beret – Book 5 in the Hat Shop cozy mystery series
Fudge and Jury – Book 5 in the Bakeshop cozy mystery series
Pop Goes the Murder – Book 2 in the Popcorn Shop cozy mystery series
Telling Tales – Book 4 in the Second Chance Cat cozy mystery series
Third Time’s a Crime – Book 3 in the Love or Money cozy mystery series
Love Unending: Rediscovering Your Marriage in the Midst of Motherhood – A 21 day challenge for wives and mothers looking to reconnect in their marriages.