Month: December 2018

REVIEW: Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn

REVIEW: Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Pantera Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sarah Burrowes is a former beautician with a degree in journalism looking for her big break. She has a column with a gossip magazine in Melbourne, but she can’t get her boss to give her a real story. If her career woes weren’t bad enough, her boyfriend left her with no explanation and a mortgage she can’t cover alone.

While at a club with friends, Sarah meets a musician who seems as down on his luck as she is. She heads to his hotel with him, but thoughts of her ex get in the way of her one night stand. Then the musician, Chris, gets a phone call that sends him fleeing from the hotel.

“Chris” is actually Chris Ford, the front man for The Fords. And the police think he may have killed the band’s bass player. Sarah manipulates her way into the story of her fledgling career. Soon she is off to Europe with an agency photographer – who’s also her ex’s best friend and a former one night stand. But Nick can be as nasty to her as he wants as long as she gets this story!

Review

This was a wild ride! I enjoyed the story but it got a little slow in the middle. The will-they-or-won’t-they with Nick the photographer was tiring at times. He was hot and cold with Sarah – volatile and cutting one moment and almost tender in another. Maybe if this was told from both perspectives, it would have softened his character into someone more appealing or sympathetic. Instead he was grating.

I enjoyed the mystery and adventure as well as Sarah’s determination to get this story no matter what. Overall this was fine, and I might read another book about Sarah in the future. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: The Once and Future Geek by Mari Mancusi

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: The Once and Future Geek by Mari Mancusi

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Arthur and Guinevere are best friends and constant companions. Sure, he’s an orphan – a peasant – and she’s a princess. But when the knights aren’t around, they can have sword fights and hang out and visit Merlin and just be friends.

Sophie and Stuart are best friends and constant companions. Well, at least they were…. They used to play Camelot’s Honor together all the time where they tried to defeat the sorceress Morgana. But Stuart has started playing soccer at school, and Sophie’s afraid things between them are changing.

When Guinevere accidentally sends a vital magical item into the 21st century, Arthur decides to go after it, arriving in Sophie and Stuart’s world. But Merlin pulls Sophie and Stuart  back to Arthur’s time because of their successes at Camelot’s Honor. He wants Stuart to pretend to be Arthur and pull the sword from the stone so they can keep history on track. Then Sophie goes back to her own time to get Arthur and the magical object in order to send them back to where – and when – they belong. But when Arthur Googles his own history and sees how his story turns out, he’s happy to play football and stay in the future. Unfortunately, that future is changing every day that Arthur stays away and Stuart tries to cover. Will Sophie be able to get Arthur back home safely and get her best friend and her old life back? Or is it already too late?

Review

This was so fun!! I loved the characters. Sophie’s a great, strong lead. Stuart really understands his mission to stand in for Arthur and what that means in the big picture of history. And Arthur’s desire to stay in the future is absolutely understandable, but the reader can see hints already of the leader he could be.

The story was so fun – gaming, friendship, time travel, jousting and magic. I loved the fantasy elements. This is exactly the sort of middle grade novel I enjoy.

There’s no cliffhanger, and the story is wrapped up well. But the series – The Camelot Code – is just getting started. I’m excited to see where the author takes the kids next. Highly recommend. I can’t wait to tell kids about this story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: December 11, 2018

BOOK NEWS: December 11, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

Two more weeks until Christmas. Don’t forget my Holiday Hint Lists if you are looking for gifts for readers on your shopping list this holiday season. Here are some of the books out this week.

Books for Kids

Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex – Two dinosaurs who just want to be friends realize their families would never get along. This looks adorable!
First Pitch AND Jump Shot – Nonfiction early readers about baseball and basketball respectively.
I Wish I Was a Polar Bear – Another nonfiction early reader.
The Dragon Games! – Book 10 in the Ella and Owen series for new chapter book readers. Ella is sabotaged in a flying contest, and Owen is trying to find the culprit.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Sprinkles Before Sweethearts – Book 5 in the Sprinkle Sundays series about 3 friends trying to stay connected when their life circumstances start to change. In this one, one of the girls feels like everyone around her is squealing about boys and dating, but she isn’t interested. Does that mean there’s something wrong with her? This sounds like a great series!
This Lie Will Kill You – I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Clue in this book for teens about five kids who played a part in the death of another.  The five have now been lured to a remote location for revenge. *shiver* Sounds great!

Books for Adults

A Baker Street Wedding (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Baker Street Letters series. In this book, Reggie and Laura are now married, but there are still mysteries to solve including why they are honeymooning in a remote village on the coast. I’m several books behind on this series, but I enjoyed the first few.
Batter Off Dead (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Southern Cake Baker Mystery series. The host of a library fundraiser is killed after promising to pay off the library’s loan but before he can follow through on his promise – or pay Sophia for the catering she did for the event. If she doesn’t find out who’s responsible so everything can be sorted out and she can be paid, her business may not survive. I’d love to give this new series a try.
Hooks Can Be Deceiving (Hardcover) – Book 13 in this crochet-themed mystery series. In this book, a new member of the crochet group is killed. Who would kill her? Was she even the killer’s target in the first place?
Mera, Queen of Atlantis (Paperback GN) – There seem to be several versions of Mera in the Aquaman/DC universe. In this new graphic novel, she is the queen of Atlantis in exile trying to quell a civil war. I’m curious to see this one in person.
Who I Am With You (Paperback) – A pregnant woman grieving the loss of her husband and first born meets a guy hiding out in Hope Springs, Idaho.  Over time, thanks to the notes in the margins of the woman’s great-grandfather’s Bible, they may both find the healing they are looking for.
Together with Christ: A Dating Couple’s Devotional (Paperback) – This looks like a terrific gift or resource for young couples hoping to grow in their relationship with one another and with Christ.

REVIEW: The Devoted Life - A Creative Devotional Journal by Marjorie Jackson

REVIEW: The Devoted Life – A Creative Devotional Journal by Marjorie Jackson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley and Shiloh Run Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

This devotional includes an introduction and 31 devotional entries. Each entry includes a few paragraphs on the topic (identity, prayer, friendship, reading the Bible, etc.), some applicable verses of scripture, several questions to answer with space to respond, and a design to color.

Review

In principle, this is a great devotional. The topics are appropriate for teens of all ages and each section is anchored in scripture. The thought questions aren’t too complicated or deep, but are a good starting point for readers to think about the topic raised.

The writing is both lovely and a problem. I read a lot of books for kids and teens, and from the first few paragraphs of the Introduction, I felt like the writing was too much for a typical teen audience. So I tested that impression by running a reading level assessment on a few paragraphs of the introduction (9th grade reading level), three random devotionals (12.4, 11.1, 13.9 – so end of high school/freshman year of college reading level), and the accompanying journal questions (6.3, 5.5, 5.2 – fifth and sixth grade, so the questions are great for most teen readers in regard to reading level).

I often talk to parents and teachers about reading levels. They are NOT for labeling students, but they are for labeling reading material and for professionals to help students find material that will help them both grow as readers and enjoy reading. Usually I am drawn into such conversations because the parent has a strong reader and a teacher is insisting that the student “read at his/her level.” The issue is that most contemporary fiction – with topics and characters that many kids relate to – isn’t written at a high school level. Even a lot of popular adult fiction is written at a 5th or 6th grade reading level. (As a comparison, I ran a few entries from Jesus Calling and A Moment to Breathe, two adult devotionals, through this as well. The Jesus Calling entries ranged from 5.2 to 7.6 while the Moment to Breathe entries I tested were around 5.0) While this devotional is nonfiction, and nonfiction for kids does tend to hit those higher reading levels, that will only work for the segment of the audience that can handle high school and college level reading material. The others will either need a lot of support to read and understand and gain the insights the author is hoping for, or they might feel frustrated and quit trying to push through. I wish the publisher had tried to put this at a reading level that more teens could access easily.

If you are looking for a teen devotional and this journaling/coloring format appeals to you or your reader, take a look at this. I think this would be an excellent resource for a college student. Even college students who aren’t strong readers probably have some strategies to help them negotiate tougher reading material. And I believe the content is still applicable. If you have a strong reader in the middle school/high school age range, this might work for them as well. Have them read the introduction or one of the entries and see if they are inspired by the writing. Amazon has a “Look Inside” option if you can’t find the book in person to check it out. If you are concerned about the reading level for your reader but you really want to use this resource, consider working through the book in a group or partner the teen with an older sibling or a parent/aunt/grandparent/mentor to help her get as much as she can out of the material.

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: Reading People AND I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

REVIEW: Reading People AND I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

Posted on by Jaymie

Reading People – Summary

This nonfiction book is about several different personality assessments and how they can be used to help the reader understand him or herself better. The book covers

  • Introverts and Extroverts
  • Highly Sensitive People
  • The Five Love Languages
  • The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Keirsey Temperaments
  • The Clifton Strengths Finder
  • The Enneagram

Reading People – Review

This was an enjoyable read. The writing style and tone is conversational and approachable. I felt like I was chatting with a friend about her exploration of these tools. And as I love several of these tools, this is a conversation I would actually have with someone! The author shares not only her personal discoveries but also her false starts and personal growth as she learns about herself and her friends and family.

I was familiar with each of the systems on the list except the Highly Sensitive People one. While most of the other information was review for me, it was a great review and got me thinking about digging into my old materials on each of these tools/assessments.

If you already have a deep knowledge about these tools, this may be too basic for you. If these are mostly new to you, this is a terrific introduction. This was my first exposure to Anne Bogel, but I’ve found that I like her work a lot. She has an online presence (Modern Mrs. Darcy blog) and a podcast (What Should I Read Next?) as well as another book that I loved.

Rating:♥♥♥♥

 

I’d Rather Be Reading – Summary

I’d Rather Be Reading is a collection of essays on the reading life. Libraries and bookstores get a lot of love, and readers are encouraged to embrace their reading lives as they are, not as someone thinks they SHOULD be. There are cautions about becoming “book bossy” and some encouragement to develop a system to record or track your reading. Bogel’s love of story and books and reading is evident throughout.

I’d Rather Be Reading – Review

I adored this! I feel like Anne Bogel and I could go to the bookstore together and have a great time – although I think our personal reading preferences are pretty different. The writing in this is, again, friendly and down to earth. It feels like a chat over coffee. There’s no pushiness or “my way is the right way.” It’s a celebration of reading and readers – whether you haven’t read a book all year or you’ve read three this week already.

My favorite chapter was Chapter 10 – Bookworm Problems. It could not have been more perfect or accurate in my opinion.

I think this would make a lovely gift for the avid readers in your life. Be sure to get one for yourself, too. The book is hardcover but in a smaller size – about the size of a mass market paperback, though thinner. I consider it “gift book” sized.

The book inspired me to think about my own stories as a reader – milestone books and memorable reading experiences. I loved the whole experience of reading this and celebrating my own reading journey. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of both of these books from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

DC Super Hero Girls Out of the Bottle – Summary

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Supergirl and Katana are in the art room at Super Hero High working on their comics project. Katana’s is one of the best their teacher has ever seen, but Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn are struggling with theirs. While Wonder Woman checks out Supergirl’s project, Harley decides to try their teacher’s “magic paint” on her own.

When Katana checks on Wonder Woman’s project in order to encourage her friend, one of Harley’s drawings has moved from her project onto Wonder Woman’s. And the comic version of Harley is only interested in causing trouble. Soon she is off the pages all together and hassling the heroes face to face. Then she sets all of their comic characters free, too – and they all become villains.

Review

This is a fun addition to the Super Hero High graphic novel collection. It was the sixth book in the series so far (although in some places it is marked as book 5), after Date with Disaster and before Search for Atlantis. The story for this one is delightfully wacky, which fits the focus on Harley, with more chaos in every chapter, especially when the art teacher gives in to her dark side. The solution to the runaway comic characters is a little cheesy, but I think kids will get a kick out of it (although it may elicit some groans). The story takes a serious turn at the end when the characters talk about anger management, mental health, and therapy. This seems like a great message for the audience – it’s okay to need help and to get help!

These are fun characters, familiar in a lot of ways but still growing up, learning about friendship, and gaining confidence in themselves and their gifts. This particular book had some nice moments celebrating creativity along with the usual friendship and teamwork themes. Fans of this series will gobble up this story.

This is a lighter, sillier version of the characters in Lisa Yee’s middle grade novels. One series or the other (or in my case, both!) will appeal to superhero fans in general as well as fans of these particular heroes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

DC Super Hero Girls Search for Atlantis – Summary

Mera has arrived from Atlantis to go to Super Hero High. Wonder Woman offers to help her get settled in. The two become friends, leaving Bumblebee feeling left out. Mr. Fox, the weaponomics teacher, leads the heroes on a field trip to Atlantis. But after a battle with a giant squid the group discovers Atlantis has gone missing! It is a lost city once again.

The kids discover Brainiac has shrunken the city and keeps it on his ship. Their elaborate plan to rescue Atlantis requires Miss Martian to impersonate a criminal; the Teen Titans to back her up; and Bumblebee, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Mera to shrink down and wait in a fake miniature city until Miss Martian’s team sells it to Brainiac. What could possibly go wrong?!

Review

This series just gets better and better! I loved this story. It’s intricate with lots of suspense and conflict in each chapter. The characters are smart and play off one another in familiar ways (the Teen Titans are a great example). I loved the emphasis on Bumblebee, Raven and Miss Martian in this story. I know Raven from a few episodes of Teen Titans Go! and Miss Martian from Young Justice. I enjoy both of those characters a lot, so I loved seeing them get a lot of focus in this story. The author does a great job with these characters as well as with Bumblebee’s angst and jealousy over Wonder Woman’s friendship with Mera.

In the midst of superhero powers and super villain schemes, there’s a very relate-able friendship crisis that plays out through the larger Atlantis/Brainiac story that’s fantastic! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: December 4, 2018

BOOK NEWS: December 4, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

December is here, and there are plenty of new books releasing this month to keep you reading right on through the end of the year! Here are some of the books out this week:

Books for Kids

Louise and the Class Pet – From the author of Louise Loves Art, a darling picture book, comes book 2 in an Early Reader series starring Louise.
A Puppy for Helen Keller (Tails from History) – Book 3 in the Tails from History Early Reader series, this time about Helen Keller and her Akita dog from Japan.
Dog Diaries – Patterson’s Middle School series now for young readers, told through the eyes of Rafe’s dog, Junior. I’m curious about this one. I love books where the animals tell the story in their own “voice.”
Dragon Quest – Book 3 in the reissued Dragonling series. I loved the first one, although I wish the internal illustrations had been redone by the cover artist. In this book Darek and his dragon are trying to stop the kidnapping of a baby dragon. This story sounds great!
It’s Not Easy Being Mimi – Book 1 in a new chapter book series about a girl named Mimi and her cat Marvin who are trying to adjust to a new neighbor.
Beavers: Superpower Field Guide – First in a new illustrated nonfiction series for kids about animal “superpowers.”

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Never Evers – A middle school ski trip doesn’t go quite as planned when a boy goes on the trip looking for his first kiss, but a big pop star shows up and has his eye on the same girl. With the kissing/dating pieces, this is obviously for older middle grade readers.
North to Benjamin – A boy and his mother head to northwestern Canada as his mom looks for a new guy whose heart she will eventually break. The boy pours his heart out to a dog as he tries to protect his new friends from his mom’s bad choices. This is an adventure story full of complicated family dynamics. Another one for an older middle grade audience.
Who Was Napoleon? AND Who Was Nikola Tesla? – The latest in the Who Was series
The Expedition – Book two in a teen dystopian series following The Initiation. Drayden and his friends venture out of New America (Manhattan) and brave the supervirus that wiped out most of humanity on a quest to contact another civilization in the old area of Boston. I’ve just started the first book in this series.
Fire & Heist – A fantasy story of a girl who is part-dragon trying to save her family from losing everything when her mom goes missing and her family is stripped of their place in wyvern (were-dragon) society. This was outstanding! I can’t wait to post my full review in a few weeks.
Once a King – Book 3 in the Clash of Kingdoms series. This seems to be set a few years in the future from the first two books in the series. I think I have book 1 on my TBR shelves. This series sounds like my sort of book – kings and kingdoms and magic.
Realm of Ruins – A girl with uncontrollable magic may be the only hope for stopping an ancient evil. I have requested this one from the library.
Unpresidented – A biography for teens about our 45th president.

Books for Adults

The Accidental Beauty Queen (Paperback) – A beauty queen wannabe drags her elementary school librarian twin to a pageant but needs her twin to fill in for her when she has an allergic reaction to something. I already have this one on hold from the library!
Catch Me If Yukon (Paperback) – Book 12 in the Passport to Peril mystery series. This time there’s a murder on a seniors tour of Alaska – and the culprit seems to be… Bigfoot. This sounds fun!
Claws for Celebration (Paperback) – Book 3 in the Cat Lady Mystery series about a murder at a holiday cookie bake off.  You can read my review of book one here.
The Decoy Date (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in a romance series of stand alone stories. In this one, a guy proposes a fake relationship with his best friend to help her egg on the target of her affection. Neither of them ever expected to have more-than-friends feelings for one another. This sounds cute! I’ve requested this at the library, too.
Eggs on Ice (Hardcover) – Book 8 in the Cackleberry Club Mystery series is another mystery set at Christmas. This time, a local curmudgeon playing Scrooge is stabbed by the Ghost of Christmas Past. I have several of these books on my TBR shelves. This one sounds like a great holiday mystery!
Murder at the Mill (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A woman new to town is commissioned to paint a portrait of a local crime writer. At Christmas, a member of his family finds a dead body. I’m curious to find out more about this new series.
The Teacher’s Bride (Paperback) – This has been the year of Amish books for me – I’ve never really read many before. This is the fourth book in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series. In this one, a man who comes to town to be the new school teacher and to find a wife, finds himself out of commission and having to trust his classroom to a unexpected, and unconventional replacement. This looks cute. I’ve requested this from the library, too.
Biblical Grandparenting: Exploring God’s Design for Disciple-Making and Passing Faith to Future Generations (Paperback) – A leadership book for grandparenting ministry.
Never Grow Up (Hardcover) – A memoir from Jackie Chan.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2018

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

Last December I posted a list of spiritual growth resources I enjoyed using during 2017. You can see that list here. Today I’m going to highlight similar resources from 2018. Also check my post on Enneagram resources here. Those have been a big part of my spiritual work this year, too.

A Mile Wide: Trading Shallow Religion for a Deeper Faith – This is one of the books my husband challenged me to read this summer. And one I actually read! (I am STILL behind on the summer challenge!) I enjoy Jen Hatmaker’s books so much, but this is the first book I have read from her husband. I enjoyed this one. I think I underlined something on almost every page. This really lined up well with things we have been talking about at church this year.  I’ll be reviewing this one in January.
Draw the Circle Study Guide – I talked about Draw the Circle in last year’s post, (and posted a full review earlier this year ) but then I did the study again for Lent with this study guide and a free video series I found. I enjoyed the study guide, but I don’t think it is essential to using the original resource. Either alone or with this extra resource, Draw the Circle would be a great annual experience for spiritual growth.
The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For –  I adore Jo Saxton! The only thing better than reading her thoughts on identity (one of my favorite themes in spiritual growth books as well as novels) would have been an audio book version so I could hear it in her own delightful accent! I will listen to and/or read anything she puts out there. She’s one of my favorite speakers.
Heir to the Crown – I have become an Alisa Keeton fan over the last year. I support her fitness/health/wholeness ministry, Revelation Wellness, and I thoroughly enjoyed her 2017 book The Wellness Revelation. She, like Jo Saxton, is someone I want to hear from regularly. I am slowly working through her new devotional for teens and women about our identity as daughters of the King. Each entry includes a brief meditation thought (which I rarely do – I know I would get more out of this if I would take the time), the devotional, a couple questions related to the day’s material and space to answer some wellness/wholeness questions that are part of each day’s page.
Isaiah (Life Change Series) – While I am familiar with several stand alone verses from Isaiah, it wasn’t a book I had ever read from start to finish. And the parts I had read seemed hard to follow. This particular study was a treat for me! In fact, Isaiah has become one of my favorite books of the Bible because of this study. The book is set up so you can use it for individual or group study. I usually work through each section over the course of a week, answering 2-3 questions (often with multiple parts) every day. I feel like going slowly really helps me dig into the material rather than just check it off a list that I did some reading, but not letting the material really sink in. I love the format of this so much, I have asked for several more for Christmas!
Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done – This was the sort of book I felt was written just for me at just this moment. So much of what I read here tied into the work I was doing in my Enneagram reading, too. You can read my review here.
Romans (Life Change Series) – I am working my way through Romans right now in the same study series as the Isaiah study. The language of Romans at times seems to circle in on itself, and I have found this study is helping me piece through it so I get more out of my reading and study.
The Quest: An Excursion Toward Intimacy with God – Lifeway offered a free study with videos this fall, and since I already had the book, I jumped at the chance. The first and last video are around an hour long and were really rich experiences. The rest were fine, but I didn’t find them essential to the whole. The book, though, was fantastic. It’s a detailed and in-depth study. I highly recommend this one – even if you can’t get to the videos. The study stands on its own.
Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God – I am a huge Mark Batterson fan (Draw the Circle), and I enjoyed this exploration of listening to the voice of God. I enjoy Batterson’s writing style and the stories he tells. But most of all I enjoyed the topic of this one!