Month: April 2018

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Tenley’s first book was a best-seller. An award winner. But she can’t get one word written for a follow up. With a famous father and great-great-grandfather who were authors, shouldn’t this be easier? Is she destined to be a one hit wonder?

In 1902, Birdie longs to throw off the expectations of her station. She wants to have her stories published and marry the man she loves. But the publisher she approached turned her down, and she never got her manuscript back. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her that will solidify her status in society for the rest of her life. But what about what she wants?

When Tenley heads to Florida to care for her estranged mother while she goes through chemo, she’s supposed to be writing her next book. Instead she takes steps that will draw her story and Birdie’s together across more than 100 years.

Review

This was terrific! First and foremost it’s a story of writers, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I adored Birdie. She showed great strength and determination as she made every effort to fight the destiny laid out for her. Her story was my favorite.

I empathized with Tenley. She’s lost. She doesn’t really know who she is. But she does the right thing in going to take care of her mom. And while they still had prickly moments, I loved watching them try to sort things out.

This is also a set of love stories (Jonas and his family are fantastic!! There are several laugh-out-loud moments of banter between Tenley and Jonas). And it is also a story of God who sings over both of these women, encouraging them to not be dismayed. This was absolutely lovely!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Charlie and Frog by Karen Kane

REVIEW: Charlie and Frog by Karen Kane

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Charlie Tickler wishes his parents were a little more “normal.” They often leave him with a nanny so they can go to far flung places to help exotic animals. This time, they’re off to help the Giant Golden Moles in South Africa. And they’ve left Charlie with his grandparents.

Charlie’s grandparents may stay at home most of the time – generally watching TV all day – but they aren’t a lot better than Charlie’s folks. They tend to forget about him. They are resistant to anything that would take them away from the TV programs, like playing with Charlie or taking him somewhere. Thanks to the four most important people in Charlie’s life, he feels pretty unwanted.

But in his new temporary home of Castle-on-the-Hudson, Charlie finds a purpose. He meets an elderly Deaf woman, Aggie, at the library, and she seems to be worried about something. Before Charlie can figure out what’s wrong, Aggie has disappeared, and some strangers show up looking for her.

The librarian suggests Charlie find “Frog” at the Flying Hands Cafe to help him figure out the sign language Aggie had used before she disappeared. Soon, Charlie, who is hearing, and Frog, who is Deaf, are working together to solve the mystery

Review

This was delightful! There are three main layers to this story. First is the mystery. For me, this was the weakest part of the story. The mystery is pretty simple and is only solved when the kids finally get all the information they need from the adults at the end. It’s not something the reader can really puzzle out on his/her own.

The second layer is the Deaf/hearing/sign language piece. This was really cool. The author did a fantastic job conveying the conversations between characters without getting bogged down in sign descriptions every time. The descriptions were there often enough to inform the reader without negatively impacting the flow of the story. As a kid, I would have adored a book like this! I always wanted to learn sign and took some classes. This book would have been a perfect fit for me.

The third layer is Charlie, who longs to be noticed and wanted and valued by the people who should love him most. There are some lovely, powerful moments in the book that address this layer. I would have liked more. I think what’s there is appropriate for the larger story and the audience, but for Charlie’s sake I wanted more. Hopefully this piece will get more development in future books.

I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on this are my own.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: April 10, 2018

BOOK NEWS: April 10, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the second week of April. Does it feel like Spring where you live? As I am typing this, we are in the midst of a huge line of storms, so it sure feels like spring here.

Here are some of the books releasing this week that are on my radar:

Books for Kids

Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s First Bookmobile – The story of a Maryland librarian who wanted to reach as many of her patrons as possible, even if she had to take the books to them. Sounds like a great biography!
Max Explains Everything: Grocery Store Expert – A kid’s guide to getting through the grocery store. This looks hilarious!
Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths – Two friends discover their differences in this book about a home-body sloth and an adventure-loving sloth. I love sloths, so this looks great to me!
Judy Moody Goes to College (anniversary covers) – The Judy Moody series is 10 years old, and in honor of the anniversary, they are all getting new covers. I adore this new look for a great series. Be sure to check them out!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Charlie & Frog: A Mystery – A boy left with his grandparents discovers a mystery in his new temporary home. A girl who longs to be a detective is eager to help solve this case. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow, so I hope you will come back to read about it. This has a terrific hook that I think kids will love.
The Creature of the Pines – Book 1 in the Unicorn Rescue Society series about a group of adventurers trying to save mythical creatures. This sounds like the Menagerie series by Tui T. Sutherland or the Imaginary Veterinary series by Suzanne Selfors or Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw which I reviewed last year.
Sunny – Book 3 in the Track series by Jason Reynolds about a group of kids who run track who have a lot to prove
You Go First – Two lonely kids connect online through a Scrabble game. I have already requested this from the library. I can’t wait to dive into this one. That cover is absolutely fabulous!
Ace of Shades – This is another one with an amazing cover. First in the new Shadow Games series about a girl tracking her missing mother to a Vegas-like city. I’m eager to dig into this one, too.
Fall of Grace – A girl on the brink of having everything she wants watches everything fall apart when her mom is accused of theft and the FBI is on her doorstep. This sounds like an awesome suspense story!
Rewind – Recommended for fans of The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (I’m a huge fan!), this is the story of a world where “spinners” can travel back in time and help solve crimes, but it costs them their lives when they turn 20. This sounds promising!
Winter Glass – Book 2 in the Spindle Fire series about a pair of half sisters in fairy tale-like circumstances (Sleeping Beauty in book one and Cinderella in book 2). I have the first book tagged at the library for reading as soon as I work through my backlog. The fairy tale twists of this series sound like a perfect fit for me.

Books for Adults

 

Lord of the Pies – Book 2 in the Kensington Palace Chef mystery series about the personal chef of the royal family. I am eager to read book one – both books look amazing. This series is releasing in hardcover instead of mass market paperback, so this is a library read for me.
Tin Men – Three crooked cops work to find out who killed a detective they all knew – and what happened to her unborn child. This sounds much darker than my usual mystery, but I find the premise really grabs my attention.
Everday Holy: Finding a Big God in the Little Moments – A devotional from Melanie Shankle
One List a Day – A Listography journal, with space to record answers to prompts over the course of 3 years. I currently have a journal like this – one sentence or so a day, for 5 years – which I love. It’s great to be able to look back and see what was going on this time last year – or several years ago. The listing format for this means this is already in my Amazon cart.
The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Health Relationships – For those who are interested in the Enneagram personality system, this book looks specifically at the nine types in regard to relationships. The author of this one was co-author on The Road Back to You which I reviewed last year when I first started reading about the Enneagram.  This is in my Amazon cart, too.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Memorable Protagonists

Posted on by Jaymie

I’ve noticed that a make-or-break part of a book for me is the main character. While I enjoy tons of books, the truly special ones have characters that I adore. I read so much, I often don’t remember a lot of details about the books unless I re-read them a few times. But there are some characters that I remember immediately. I see the cover of the book, and instantly I think of these characters, and I want to dive into the book again. And when I think about these characters, there are often characteristics they have in common.

Here are a few of my favorite, most memorable protagonists:

The Protectors – I am a HUGE fan of smart, protective, and fierce characters who defend others. Kitty Katt-Martini in the Alien series by Gini Koch is the epitome of this sort of character. It’s why I am fanatic of the series that is already 16 books long – most of those book over 500 pages – and I re-read it at least once a year. In every book, Kitty puts herself between the evil megalomaniacs and the people she loves and the characters who need to be protected. Tess Kendrick from the Fixer series (book one was my favorite book of 2015 and book two was top of the list in 2016) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is about half Kitty’s age, but she is just as fierce. She has a delightfully strong personality and doesn’t care what other people think about her, but she follows her moral code, “fixing” the wrongs around her. Another teen protector is Adam Blake from Robin Roe’s A List of Cages. This was my favorite book from 2017. Adam is a more happy-go-lucky character than Kitty or Tess – he’s breezy and unconcerned for the most part, but when it comes to Julian, he is fiercely protective exactly when Julian needs him. Finally, Turtle the Seawing dragon is the star of Talons of Power in the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland. He is fairly meek for a “protector,” but he pushes past his insecurity and fear to do what no one else can to protect his friends.

Graphic Novels for Kids - Phoebe and her Unicorn

The Funny Folks – Wedgie the Corgi is my favorite part of the Wedgie and Gizmo series by Suzanne Selfors. In my head he sounds like Doug from the Pixar movie Up. He’s a goofy, hilarious, earnest character who loves everyone and everything. He makes up fantastic names for other characters – he calls Gizmo the guinea pig “Furry Potato.” I love characters that make me laugh. The other protagonist who always makes me laugh is Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, the unicorn in the Phoebe and her Unicorn series by Dana Simpson. Early in the series it was her declaration of “UNICORN!” in fancy fonts to show why  she was awesome and should always win every argument that would crack me up. As the series has gone on, that stellar attitude is only part of what makes her funny. I love her character.

The Brooding and Mysterious Men – It’s always interesting to me to read a series about a set of brothers where each brother gets a book to explore their unique perspective and personality. One series I have read multiple times is the Sons of Destiny series. Yes, I know it’s hard to take that cover seriously. And the content of the book is just what you would expect based on that cover. But what I love most about the series is the fantasy world and the magic as well as the story arc that covers all eight books. Rydan Corvis, “The Storm,” is brother number six, and his story is my favorite. He is the dark and brooding brother that shuns the light and the company of the others. No one seems to understand him, so getting to read a story from his perspective is really enjoyable. (One note about the series – there are four sets of twin brothers and the books go in order from the oldest brother to the youngest. But books five and six, which includes Rydan’s story, take place concurrently. So you get 60% or so of the same story, but from different perspectives, which I found really clever). The other brooding character that captivated me is Gabriel Merrick from Brigid Kemmerer‘s Elementals series. This is another fantasy romance series geared more toward young adults. While I enjoyed reading the whole series, Gabriel’s story was my favorite. He has a fierce, fiery personality, and he is reluctant to let others in, so the only way to really get a read on him is to dig into his own story. (Note, one of the books in the series includes a character’s struggle with his sexuality.) Both of these characters have a dark and mysterious air about them, so breaking through that by learning their stories is really satisfying for me as a reader.

The Character Most Like Me – Meg Langslow is the smart, organized, diplomatic, and creative protagonist at the center of Donna Andrews mystery series. And she is a woman after my own heart. She is the only one of my favorite protagonists who seems most like me. I’d love to be protective like the first group, but that’s not really who I am. But I am Meg. She has her “notebook that tells me when to breathe” and I have my to do lists and planners and forms and calendars and organizational systems. I “get” Meg which makes reading her stories enjoyable!

So these are my most memorable protagonists. What sorts of characters do you enjoy?

REVIEW: Frat Girl by Kiley Roache

REVIEW: Frat Girl by Kiley Roache

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When it’s time for Cassie to apply for college, the only place she wants to go is Warren University. So that’s the only place she applies.  They promise tons of financial aid for everyone. Unfortunately for Cassie, the school’s definition of “financial need” and her real life do not line up. So if she’s going to attend her dream school, she’s going to need a miracle.

Enter The Stevenson Scholarship. With the right project, Cassie can win the money she needs to go to Warren. And in a sea of IT proposals, a gender studies project could really grab the committee’s attention.

Warren University was in the news recently when they placed the Delta Tau Chi fraternity on probation for “creating a hostile environment for women.” So Cassie’s project is to rush the fraternity and write a first-hand account of the experience as a woman. Sure enough, Cassie wins the scholarship.

Armed with a Project Coordinator from the scholarship board, a faculty adviser Cassie has idolized for years, and more than a few pre-conceived ideas about Greek life at a university, Cassie is ready to take on the men of DTC and make history that will help her fund college for the next four years.

Review

I almost gave up on this book a few times early on. I found Cassie to be abrasive and crass at times and entrenched in her own ideas of men and women and feminism and fraternities. For a student hoping to be a social researcher, her biases were startling.

But as the story evolved, and Cassie was challenged in some of her assumptions, I started to like her a little more. But to be honest, I liked several of the frat guys even more in the end. As Cassie got to know some of these young men, it changed how she thought about her project, which was great. (She still could use some growth in how she looked at the women around her, though.)

No matter what enlightenment Cassie or the “brothers” might achieve through the story, it was still working toward the inevitable moment when her research would be published and her secret agenda would be exposed. It was painful to wait for that unavoidable calamity (but in a good way). In the end, I was glad I stuck with the story all the way through.

In some ways, this is an abrasive and crass story – it’s not just Cassie. This hits all the stereotypes about fraternities. There’s a ridiculous amount of drinking considering most of the characters are college freshmen. There’s drugs and foul language and a lot of conversation about sexual double standards and sexual conduct. But there are also these fantastic character moments. And challenging conversations about what feminism is and what equality should look like for many minority groups. These sections made me think, which I liked.

If the feminism angle appeals to you, and you are comfortable with the details mentioned above, I recommend this as a thought-provoking story about equality and feminism and the relationships between men and women – and what all of those things might look like on a college campus.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions about this book are my own.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Make a List by Marilyn McEntyre

REVIEW: Make a List by Marilyn McEntyre

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Section one of this book looks at why people make lists and why some find it enjoyable. There’s a focus on goals and what people want from their lives as well as setting priorities. There are lots of list examples in this section, as well as in the other sections of the book.

Section two examines when lists can be helpful – seeing what things are and aren’t priorities, remembering important things, or developing a call to action, etc..

Section 3 includes lists of lists and more examples of why lists can be helpful.  There’s also an appendix which includes even more list examples.

Review

If you want to make lists, I recommend getting a journal or a planner or even a guided journal (like Listography) and dive right in.

If you want to explore WHY to make lists and how they can be useful for different purposes, give this book a try. You can also get list ideas from the many examples in the book.

I am more of the first sort, so I was looking for list ideas moreso than reasons to list. I love my Literary Listography journal because it provides the prompts and I provide the list. I have kept a bullet journal before and found it a positive experience. I know there are a bunch of guided journals like Listography if you need help figuring out what lists to make. While I found this book to be good in general, the examples of lists were the most interesting part to me. Although I didn’t find a lot of examples that made me want to get out my journal to make my own similar list. I did not find the different sections to be well defined, either. Maybe this would be a better resource for a beginning list-maker or someone who isn’t convinced that listing is a useful practice.

Thanks to Netgalley and the folks at Eerdmans for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Nick the Sidekick by Dave Whamond

REVIEW: Nick the Sidekick by Dave Whamond

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nick’s super-amazing hearing – and extra large ears – aren’t always an advantage. Sure, he can hear a kid trapped in a backpack by bullies and hear the teacher planning a pop quiz. But he also gets hassled for his crazy-big ears.

When Super Fantastic Guy recruits him as a “superhero assistant,” though, Nick is ready to use his powers for good!

Unfortunately, being a side kick is just as annoying and clichéd as Nick was afraid of. And Super Fantastic Guy likes to always take all the credit! Maybe Nick should give up his dream of ever being a real superhero.

Review

This is a fun graphic novel that will feel familiar to any superhero fan. Nick is absolutely right about all of the superhero tropes and clichés, but he also calls them out when he sees them.

This was a great introduction to Nick, Super Fantastic Guy, and Nick’s best friend, Tess. Lots of potential for future stories – criminals to foil, skills to learn (like flying), and ways for Super Fantastic Guy and Nick to find balance in their relationship.

My students would have loved this graphic novel when I was teaching. This will be popular with elementary-aged readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: April 3, 2018

BOOK NEWS: April 3, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Easter Monday! Hope you had a wonderful celebration with family and friends this weekend. Maybe you or someone you love even found a book or two in the Easter basket.

Here are some of the new books coming this week that I am excited about:

Books for Kids

Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists – For fans of Ada Twist, Scientist comes this book of STEM projects just for kids. This could be a great classroom resource, too.
Alien Alert – Book 3 in the Breaking News series. This time, the bears are abducted by aliens. I haven’t read any of these, but they sound fantastic. I have this one on my list of books to check out in person.
But the Bear Came Back – A boy pushes away a persistent bear, but when the bear stops coming back, the boy misses him. I’ve seen only a few pages of this one, but it looks absolutely adorable. I can’t wait to read the whole thing.
A Dog with Nice Ears – The latest book starring Charlie and Lola.
Don’t Blink – A bedtime book in disguise. Every time the reader blinks, he or she has to turn the page. If you never get to the end, you never have to go to bed. So don’t blink. Adorable!
An Extraordinary Teacher – The Bible story of Priscilla from the Book of Acts. Part of the Called and Courageous Girls series, this looks fantastic!
The Magician’s Secret – A boy is fascinated by his grandfather’s treasures and the stories that go with them. Looks fun!
Shark Nate-o – A shark-loving boy learns to swim. Adorable! Looks like this includes some shark facts, too.
Unicorn and Horse – Horse can’t stand the unicorn he shares a pen with. But when Unicorn is in trouble, will Horse help? This is at the top of my picture book list for this week because I want to see what happens!
What’s Cooking Moo Moo? – A cow and a duck open a five star restaurant. I haven’t read the other book in this series, but I am curious to check them both out.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

The Doughnut Fix – A boy trying to adjust to a new town decides to open a doughnut stand and make the town’s secret doughnut recipe once again. I am fascinated by this whole story idea. I’ll be looking for this one!
Following Baxter – Two kids and a magical dog search for a missing neighbor. This sounds terrific! My kind of fantasy story.
Johnny Quick – Book 2 in the Flash TV show series for kids. I enjoyed the first book which fits into the TV version of The Flash, but takes place in a different timeline so the books can work independently from the show. This continues the story started in book one, Hocus Pocus.
Maggie and Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort – Two girls trying to negotiate changes in their friendship after a summer apart build a pillow fort that magically connects to a network of forts around the world. The quirky premise of this story really grabs my attention. I’m curious to see how the story comes together.
My Life as a Youtuber – Book 7 in the My Life series. I included this book in the mix this week because YouTube is HUGE with kids and teens right now. This feels like a timely story of a kid negotiating the world of YouTube in the midst of his regular life ups and downs.
The Pompeii Disaster – Book 3 in Dan Gutman’s Flashback Four series about a set of kids traveling through time to document major world events. I haven’tried this adventure series, but my students and I enjoyed one of Gutman’s previous action packed series – The Genius Files.
Rebound – A new novel in verse from Kwame Alexander, Rebound takes readers into the story of Chuck Bell, father to Josh and Jordan Bell from Alexander’s epically popular book, The Crossover.
Seeker of the Crown – Book 2 in the Prisoner of Ice and Snow series about twin sisters, wrongful imprisonment and missing royals. Book one is at the top of my personal list for this week.
Until Tomorrow Mr. Marsworth – Historical fiction about the Vietnam war and a girl who desperately hopes her brother won’t enlist and a reclusive neighbor who wants to help her. The cover for this one has grabbed my attention since I first saw it.
Living Your Faith: A Journey Through James – A Bible study on the book of James for tween girls (ages 8-12)
Who is Aretha Franklin?
Who Is the Dalai Lama?
Folded Notes from High School – Set in 1991, a senior Queen Bee is dazzled by a freshman’s Danny Zuko audition which turns into obsession. I am curious to see what the tone of this one is. If it is funny, I think this could be a book I will really enjoy.
Loser’s Bracket – A difficult family situation leaves a teenager in foster care on the hunt for her missing nephew who also needs a safe place to land. This sounds like a book I will enjoy. This is on my list for this week, too.
The Oracle Queen (e-novella) – A Three Dark Crowns novella about the last Oracle Queen in Fennbirn – before they started killing any potential queens born with the oracle gift. Is the story passed down about Queen Elsabet what truly happened, or is there more to her story than anyone knows? This is available as a stand alone story for e-readers. I really enjoyed the first novella, and will definitely be reading the second one! I’ve already requested it from the library.
Queens of Fennbirn – This physical book collects both the new novella, The Oracle Queen, as well as the first one, The Young Queens, about the three queens of Three Dark Crowns when they were children.
Starry Eyes – A pair of exes with unresolved issues (and parents who are modern day Capulets and Montagues) are stranded alone together in the woods. This first caught my attention because the cover reminded me of Alex, Approximately. Sure enough, the books are by the same author. That will get me to give this one a try!
Zombie Abbey – A zombified version of Downton Abbey. I don’t read (or watch) zombie things as a rule, but I adore mashups like this, and I have enjoyed some of the author’s other books, so I include this one for those of you who might love a good zombie story. Enjoy!

Books for Adults

Avengers Infinity War Prelude – A graphic novel that sets up the new Avengers movie that releases at the end of the month. If you have seen all of the previous Marvel movies, you probably don’t NEED to read this, but if you love the characters and the stories you may WANT it to whet your appetite.
Cinco de Murder – Book 3 in the Taste of Texas mystery series starring a waitress who is also a part-time reporter. In this book, a chili cook off turns deadly.
Fiction Can Be Murder (April 8) – First in a new Mystery Writer’s Mystery series where an author discovers a murder that fits the details of her new, unpublished novel. I have already pre-ordered this one! I am SO excited! This seems to primarily be an e-book but it looks like you can order a physical copy if you want to track one down.
Good Liar – Three women with a connection to a building that exploded a year ago in Chicago harbor secrets about what happened that day. This sounds fascinating!
Lost Books and Old Bones – Book 3 in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series about a bookseller/amateur sleuth and some antique medical books that lead to murder.
My Lady’s Choosing – A choose-your-own-adventure romance! The whole premise of this – you are a Regency-era young woman faced with a handful of possible suitors – with the choose-your-path format sounds hilarious. I already have this on hold at my library.
No One Ever Asked – Three women are connected to an affluent school that opens its doors to the public school children of a district that loses its accreditation. They each have to face the issues that arise in the transition, both personally and with regard to the school. I am curious to dig into this book and see how it all plays out.
Tart of Darkness – First in the new Chef-to-Go series by Denise Swanson about  a chef who opens a catering business and boarding house after inheriting a large house. I am eager to try out this new series.
Wedding Cake Crumble – Book 10 in the fabulous Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery mystery series. I’ve only read book one in this series, but I enjoyed it.
Living a Life You Love: Embracing the Adventure of Being Led by the Holy Spirit – The latest from speaker  and teacher Joyce Meyer focuses on enjoying the life that you have.