Month: January 2019

REVIEW: Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

REVIEW: Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Imogene Chively knew her father had invited Ernest Steeple and his brother Ben for a visit. Mr. Chively was eager to set Imogene and Ernest together, and Imogene was willing to give the match a try. But she wasn’t at all prepared for their next meeting to occur right after her dog, Jasper, jumped off a high crumbling wall as Ben dove to save the reckless canine. And almost immediately after that, Jasper was trapped in a dreadful, life threatening situation. Once again, Ben to the rescue! It was good fortune to have him around.

As Imogene and Ernest tested the waters of a possible match, and Imogene’s best friend Emily spent time with Ben, it soon became clear that Ben was in trouble. Either he was the unluckiest man alive, or someone had it out for him!

It’s hard enough to entertain a new suitor and wait for feelings to warm. But it’s doubly hard when his brother’s frequent peril leads Imogene and Ben to spend more time together than they probably should. Her feelings are starting to warm, but maybe for the wrong brother.

Review

I picked this up because I so enjoyed another book by this author, Duels and Deception. This one was a little slow for my taste. Historical fiction is a stretch for me as a reader in the first place. I gravitate more to fantasy and science fiction instead. Readers who enjoy historical fiction (this takes place in 1817) and the customs and intricacies of the times might have a stronger connection to this than I did. The mystery element – who was targeting Ben and why – propelled me to keep reading until the end.  I was thrilled to discover I was right about the mystery elements in the end.

I enjoyed the characters in this, although I didn’t really have a favorite. The four main characters were good, and by the end I had a great appreciation for Emily and her family.

The author works hard to cover the relationship pieces of the story with the four main characters while also spacing out the mystery sections. Early on the spacing lent to questions of whether the incidents were bad luck or deliberate. Then she also filled in details about the supporting cast, a thread about art, and some architecture and travels for the characters. For me, this moved the story slowly along where I tend to prefer a faster pace. Readers who enjoy the time period or a slower pace in their reading material may be a better audience for this than I was.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

REVIEW: A Borrowing of Bones by Paula Munier

REVIEW: A Borrowing of Bones by Paula Munier

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Once upon a time there was a guy, a girl and a dog. Sergeant Martinez was the handler and Elvis was the bomb-sniffing Belgian shepherd. Mercy Carr was an MP. Martinez was her fiancé. A fire fight in Afghanistan left her with a bullet in her backside and a dog with PTSD, but without her fiancé.  Mercy and Elvis had to try to put the pieces of their lives back together, so they went “home” to Vermont and Mercy’s old stomping grounds.

Days before the 4th of July, Elvis discovers a baby abandoned in the forest. Mercy and Elvis call it in and take the baby to the hospital. Then, the baby disappears.

Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue dog, Susie Bear, help Mercy and Elvis explore the area for clues to the baby’s identity. Elvis finds hints of explosives. Susie Bear finds the bones.

Soon, the two law enforcement officers – one “retired,” and the other just trying to keep his job in the face of an egotistical State Police detective – and the two dogs are dodging bullets, corralling feral cats, and searching for clues to murder.

Review

This was fantastic! I loved Mercy and Elvis. They’ve lost so much, it’s tempting for them to withdraw and hide away from everything and everyone. But Elvis is ready to work again, and he’s found a partner in Susie Bear. And Mercy has a cop’s mind for clues and a determination to get to the truth no matter how much danger she might find. She’s determined to save the baby; the situation is all too familiar to her. Troy and Megan have a fun history and everyone is trying to match them up. The dogs are adorable together. The characters in this book are a treat! I hope this is the first of many stories with these characters. (The publisher’s website says this will be a series! They show a sequel coming in the fall of 2019.)

The mystery was great! And there were so many layers to it. Where’s the missing baby? Why was she alone? What’s the story with her parents? Why were there explosives in that area? Whose bones did they find? And those questions lead to others and to another dead body. And then another. I didn’t want to put the book down. I was eager to see all the pieces come together.

This will be great for mystery fans and for readers who love books with great dogs – and great humans. I highly recommend this one – it’s a treat!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Misfits by Jen Calonita

REVIEW: Misfits by Jen Calonita

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In the world of the Fairy Tale Reform School there is another school for fairy tale-related characters – the Royal Academy. And Devinaria Nile of Cobblestone Creek has been invited to attend. The headmistress is the famous fairy godmother, Olivina. Devin has less than no interest in princess training. She has a special gift for communicating with animals and feels her calling is creature care. But the Royal Academy, Olivina, and Devin’s mother won’t take no for an answer.

Devin is in way over her head! She hasn’t done any of the required reading, so she doesn’t know the rules and expectations for the Royal Academy. She doesn’t have the right clothes for all the balls and princess-y activities. And her gift for talking to animals and her drive to take charge and care for her friends have put her at risk for expulsion. But something about the Royal Academy is just not right. The question is whether Devin will fall in line with Olivina’s rules or if she’ll keep digging until she finds the truth.

Review

This was excellent! This has strong characters like the ones I loved at the start of the Fairy Tale Reform School series. I love the princess-saves-herself attitude from Devin. And Olivina’s efforts to squash it were infuriating. But there’s so much more going on that we still don’t understand even after the first book wraps up. I can’t wait to get to book 2! It’s been awhile since I wanted a middle grade sequel so badly.

Devin and her friends are characters you want to cheer for. Even when tensions arise as Devin’s choices lead to trouble for her friends, and they push her away, you know they will stand together when it truly matters.

This book does a terrific job of establishing the characters and the setting while teasing at the mysteries of the series. I am thrilled with how the author balanced those pieces. I never felt like the character pieces were drawn out or filler to drag out the mystery/questions of the plot. And there’s a ton of action and plot in this but only hints at what’s really going on. This is delightful and redeems all of my frustration at the last couple Fairy Tale Reform School books. Highly Recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: January 29, 2019

BOOK NEWS: January 29, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

There are a TON of new books out this week – something for everyone! In fact, there are so many transitional chapter books out this week, I gave them their own category.

Books for Kids

Friends Don’t Eat Friends – Shark has eaten his friend Bob, but now he won’t even admit to it! This is one I have to check out in person!
Carter Reads the Newspaper (Feb 1) – Picture book biography of Carter G. Woodson, a man born to two former slaves who read to his father and then to the men working the coal mines who could not read for themselves. This is a MUST read for me.
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet – A celebration and exploration of space and astronomy. This looks terrific.
The Night Fury and the Light Fury – I am so looking forward to this movie!

Transitional Chapter Books (7-10 year olds)

 

All Tangled Up (GN) – Book 5 in the Bird & Squirrel graphic novel series. I have loved all of the previous books in this series. Looking forward to this one!
Cuddles – Puppy Place, book 52.
DC Origin Stories: Catwoman AND The Joker AND Lex Luthor (February 1) – The cover art is really what grabbed my attention on these. It’s glorious! (This is the third line of these the publisher, Stone Arch Books, has produced. There’s a superhero line, a super pet line and now these villain books.)  I have these on my wish list for this week. (Not pictured: Bizarro)
Disaster on the Titanic – Book 9 in this series that is like Magic Tree House with a dog.
Everybody Needs a Buddy AND Worst Mascot Ever – The Big Idea Gang is a new series from the author of the Jigsaw Jones mysteries that we LOVED when my son was starting to explore chapter books.
Fairy in Waiting – Book 2 in the Fairy Mom and Me series about a young “Fairy in Waiting” eager to grow up and get her wings.
I Survived the Battle of D-Day – Book 18 in this terrific historical fiction series!
Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring AND Mighty Meg and the Melting Menace – The first two books in a new series about a girl and a magic ring that gives her super powers.
Ready for Action – Book 2 in the Toy Academy series. Toy Academy is where toys learn to play. This time Grumbolt discovers he is the sidekick to the school bully.
The Shadowlands – Book 5 in the Last Firehawk series from Branches
The Soccer Secret – Book 4 in the Zach and Zoe Mystery series about eight-year-old twins.
Yay for Vaycay – Book 2 in the Pug Pals series

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

Breaking Boundaries (GN) – Continuing stories of Anna and Elsa.
Fangs for Everything – Book 4 in this fun series about a kid who thinks his dog might be a vampire.
Frenemies – Book 2 in the Ask Emma series about a middle school blogger. This time, Emma is trying to prove that she can be neutral and keep her opinions to herself for once, but that is causing a lot of trouble. I’d like to try this series out – it sounds great.
Girls Survive: Ann AND Emmi AND Noelle – A new survival series kicks off this week with stories about the Underground Railroad, the Great Chicago Fire, and the Titanic.
HiLo: Then Everything Went Wrong (GN) – Book 5 in this fantastic graphic novel series. I love this one! This time, HiLo and his friends go back to HiLo’s world to find out what set HiLo on this adventure in the first place. I’m ready for a series re-read and then to check out this new story!
One-Third Nerd – A family story about three kids (the youngest has Down Syndrome) with different gifts and challenges, trying to help their pup who’s been peeing in the house. If they can’t make enough money to get the dog to the vet, their parents might have to find Cupcake a new home. I am really excited to try this new series!
The Test of Time – Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time #6. This time a variety of historical figures are brought into present-day New Mouse City.
Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Start a Club By Accident – Book 2 in this funny series. I’m curious to see what sort of club the dogs start and what hilarious things happen after that.
Come Find Me – This new teen thriller focuses on two teens who have been through family tragedies and discover some mysterious signals from space. This is on my library list.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely – The latest from one of my favorite authors for books for teens, Brigid Kemmerer. In this book, a girl from our world is sucked into an enchanted land in a story that brings to mind Beauty and the Beast. This is a must-read for me!
The Dead Queens Club – A new girl discovers that she is one in a long line of girlfriends for the school’s homecoming king. And two of the previous “queens” are dead. Yep, this is on my list, too!
Death Prefers Blondes – A teen socialite leads a double life as a cat burglar with a crew of drag queens. It’s such a bizarre premise, I have to read it to see what it’s all about!
King of Scars – First book in a new fantasy duology that takes place in the Grishaverse of the author, Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows, Shadow and Bone)
The Lonely Dead – A teen with the power to communicate with the dead finds herself the prime suspect in the death of her ex best friend. Now, with the help of her friend’s ghost, she is trying to find out what truly happened and keep herself from becoming the next victim.

Books for Adults

Coffee Club Mysteries (Kindle/Paperback – February 1) – Six mysteries in small-town Kansas.
Crazy Cupid Love (Mass Market Paperback) – Described as Percy Jackson for romance fans, this book focuses on a descendant of Eros whose matchmaking work starts to go awry. I’m eager to try this one out.
Dead as a Door Knocker (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new house flipper mystery series. A body in a flower bed could ruin the main character’s investment – and could cost her her life.
Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Death by Chocolate mystery series. When murder ruins the wedding of the season, the ladies a the Chocolate Moose are on the case.
Death by Committee (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series about a young woman who inherits property with a body buried in the back yard. This one sounds fun!
Decades: Marvel in the 40s (Paperback Graphic Novel) – A new series from Marvel covering a decade at a time of their history. This book covers their earliest years.
A Dog Called Jack (Hardcover) – An abandoned dog finds a home with the residents of Christmas Street.
The Forgiving Jar (Paperback – February 1) – Book 2 in the Prayer Jars series. When Sara discovers her estranged grandparents are Amish and goes to visit them, she finds someone has been pretending to be her for awhile (Book 1, The Hope Jar). I have book one on my TBR shelves. I need to bump it up on my list so I can get to this one as soon as I finish.
Grand Slam Murders (Paperback) – Book 1 in the Bridge to Death Mystery series. Four bridge players are murdered, and a wannabe member of their exclusive group starts to investigate. This is on my list for this week, too!
The Gun Also Rises (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Garage Sale Mystery series. When a wealthy widow asks Sarah to sell off her collection of mysteries, she discovers a priceless set of stolen books.
Hot Fudge Murder (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Lickety Splits Mystery series. The ice cream shoppe owner is tasked to providing treats for the swankiest party of the year, but the host is found murdered.
Murder, She Meowed (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. The owner of the organic pet treat business finds a body at her own bachelorette party.
No Escape Claws (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Second Chance Cat mystery series centered around a secondhand store.
Pruning the Dead (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Garden Squad Mystery series about a woman who causes trouble at a garden party for the protagonist – and then is found dead a few days later.
ESV Scripture Journal – Isaiah (Paperback) – The ESV Scripture Journal is a book containing all the text of a particular book of the Bible, in this case Isaiah, on one side of the page while the other side is blank for journaling. I received several of the New Testament books for Christmas. Now the Old Testament books are available. A great study resource!
Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House (Hardcover) – Touted as the “first honest account” of life in the Trump White House. I personally have not read any of the political books about the current climate. It’s hard to know who to believe in this era of saying whatever panders to the voters you are courting. It remains to be seen how “honest” this account will be.

REVIEW: Parkland Speaks edited by Sarah Lerner

REVIEW: Parkland Speaks edited by Sarah Lerner

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, Penguin Random House/Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School became a tragic addition to the gun violence statistics in America. At the end of the school day on that Valentine’s Day, a teen gunman pulled a fire alarm to expose students and staff to his shooting rampage, and 17 people died.

In response, some of the students have chosen to speak out, march and prod politicians to action. There are two other books from the survivors, We Say #Never Again: Reporting by the Parkland Student Journalists and #Never Again: A New Generation Draws the Line. Now there is a third, Parkland Speaks: Survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas Share Their Stories.

Parkland Speaks is a collection of poems, essays, pictures and drawings from the survivors at MSD High School about their experiences on Valentine’s Day last year and the days that followed.

Proceeds from the sales of this book will go to Shine MSD Inc. to support victims’ families and encourage community recovery through the arts.

Review

This is a moving, powerful and sad record of the Parkland Massacre and the aftermath.  It’s hard to read what students and staff went through that day. But it’s also vitally important that we read and know and remember. It’s the only way things have a chance to change.

Like with any collection, each reader will connect with different entries. I really engaged with the entries from students and teachers who were in the building where the shooting happened. I was heart broken at the stories of high school relationships cut short when a person who was joking around at the start of the day didn’t make it out of the building. These are names to those of us on the outside, but they were people – friends, family, mentors, colleagues – to the survivors.

Gun violence and gun rights are issues fraught with strong emotions and strong opinions. But our children are dying – and it’s time to engage in the conversation so things can change for the future. This book is a great starting point for those conversations.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder

BONUS REVIEW: Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Kelly is back in her home town, Lucky Cove, following the death of her grandmother. Kelly’s grandmother left her a consignment shop. The timing is actually pretty perfect as Kelly just lost her New York fashion job and needed somewhere to land. But Kelly’s uncle is pressuring her to sell the place, and her one employee is resistant to any changes Kelly wants to make in the store.

And then there is the “murder dress.” A local “psychic” comes into the store, tries on a little black dress, and has a vision of murder. Before Kelly can get a handle on things, the story drives customers away, and she becomes the suspect in a different murder.

Kelly is determined to get to the truth before someone else is killed or her grandmother’s business is ruined. But a fashion buyer might not be well equipped to find a murderer, no matter how many Nancy Drew books she read as a kid.

Review

I enjoyed the mystery in this one! The solution was a nice surprise, and the whole case kept me guessing. While there is a supposed psychic in this as well as an impromptu seance that Kelly disbands rather quickly, there isn’t a “paranormal” vibe in the story. It’s a fairly straightforward cozy mystery.

The characters developed slowly for me. There’s a lot of history with some of them from long before this particular story, but I didn’t feel like it was thoroughly explained. It didn’t impact the mystery, but considering the impact of the event on the whole town, I wanted the full scoop. Supposedly the “whole town” blamed Kelly for an accident in her youth. But the details on how they determined Kelly was “at fault” by NOT being there and why some characters even had a stake in the event wasn’t clear. And then there wasn’t a lot shown in the story to back up this idea that the “whole town” blamed Kelly. It was just stated a lot.

I was happy to see some of the secondary characters call Kelly out on her rescuing behavior and poor boundaries as this case developed. She didn’t know any of the folks involved in the case, but she is all in on protecting someone who seems to only cause her trouble. Kelly’s friends are very forgiving even after calling her out. I hope in future books she’ll be a little more careful. This was another part of the story that diminished some of my reading enjoyment. Boundaries are a big deal.

I’ll stick with this series at least through another book to see how the story and characters develop, especially since the romance angle was only teased in this book. As I stated earlier, the mystery itself was great!

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

REVIEW: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Tess and the crew of the Endeavor thought they were stealing vaccines. They were like Robin Hood in the fight against the Overseer. And if all they had were vaccines, they probably would have gotten them to the orphanage at Starway 8 without too much trouble. But the lab they took was full of something far more dangerous. The Overseer was desperate to get his hands on Tess – and that lab and its contents.

Shade thought Tess was just a naive visitor to Albion 5. She was sexy and interesting. And he could easily do the repair work she needed for her ship. But then he saw the bounty for finding her – 200 million in universal currency. And that was if she was dead. The bounty doubled for finding whatever she stole, with a bonus for bringing her in alive.

Shade could use that money to get his whole life back, the way it used to be. Tess was essentially a stranger. Would he give up the chance to regain his inheritance for a woman he just met?

Review

I have mixed feelings on this one. I am always on the lookout for a series like Gini Koch’s Alien series – sassy science fiction romance with awesome characters. This definitely hit the science fiction pieces, and there’s a romantic thread. But I didn’t love the characters. We get to know Tess and Shade to some degree. There’s less development of the rest of the cast – companions or historians for the rest of the story. And this felt more foul than sassy to me. Not much sarcasm, but a lot of the f-word.

There’s a big chunk of the story that takes place on Albion 5 that doesn’t move the plot forward very much. There’s a lot of action at the beginning and the last third of the book. But in between, the focus is on pulling Tess and Shade together and waiting for Shade to decide what he’s going to do about the bounty.

The last third of the book redeemed things. The action kicked up a lot, and the character interactions were more interesting. I was set to give this 3 stars until I got caught up in the engaging ending. I’m still undecided on giving a sequel a try after the mixed feelings on this one. Now that the characters are established, maybe book 2 will live up to the ending of this one. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

REVIEW: The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I won an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in an online contest. Thanks to the publisher, Balzer + Bray, for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mr. Zachary Kermit is counting down the days until he is eligible for early retirement. He used to be an exceptional teacher. But in 1992, a student – Jake Terranova – sold answers to a national standardized test to his peers. When the students scored well, the principal, Dr. Thaddeus, soaked in the accolades. When the cheating was discovered, Jack was suspended and Thaddeus blamed Mr. Kermit for the scandal. Mr. Kermit was the scapegoat. He kept his job, but he lost his fiancée and the fire he had for teaching.

Dr. Thaddeus, now the superintendent, is determined to push Mr. Kermit out before he can qualify for his retirement. So Mr. Kermit is assigned to the self-contained 8th grade class known as The Unteachables. This misfit group of kids is notorious. They’ve been shuffled to a corner of the building with hope that the kids won’t cause any trouble for the rest of the school. Kermit knows part of the problem is the school’s – they’ve failed to intervene on behalf of these kids for two years already. But he’s content to babysit them, drinking coffee and doing crosswords, until the school year comes to an end. But an unexpected student sees things in Mr. Kermit that he might have forgotten. And maybe those qualities can make all the difference for The Unteachables.

Review

This is such a great school story!! I love changing perspective stories like this one. This includes adult perspectives, not just the kids, which sets this apart from other books like this. And the adult perspectives are great and really essential to the story.

Mr. Kermit is the character who changes the most throughout the course of the book. And that sets this story apart, too. The reader can see Mr. Kermit fight for his students from the beginning. He’s burned out and beaten down. He’s just biding his time. Yet he still knows that dumping The Unteachables in a dark corner for a year until they can be the high school’s problem is wrong. And he says so. That spark of justice – of being a voice for the voiceless – is what starts to draw his students to him. When the kids recognize this quality in Mr. Kermit, they respond to it and start to change, too. And that’s where the story gets magical.

This was a delight from start to finish. I loved the characters and found the story inspirational. Another treat from Gordon Korman. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: January 22, 2019

BOOK NEWS: January 22, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Lots of fun books out this week!

Books for Kids

Hello Robots! – A new board book about robots and sequencing. Cute!
Dress Like a Girl – Set at a slumber party where girls talk about fashion rules and the careers open to women today (all of them). This looks fun.
Under My Hijab – A girl notices how different women wear their hijab and contemplates how she might display her own unique personality through her hijab. This is not a cultural piece I am familiar with so I am excited to read this and learn something!
The Great Louweezie AND Lost and Found – A new transitional chapter book series kicks off this week starring a big black bear and a small chipmunk.
Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Captain Marvel – The latest in this fun Marvel line of stories for kids. I’m really looking forward to reading this one.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

Where Is Antarctica? AND Where Is Hollywood? – The latest in this nonfiction line.
Circle of Shadows – Two young people, training as magical warriors in a kingdom that has been at peace for ages, discover a mysterious band of soldiers and decide to infiltrate them to protect their home. I have this one on my list.
Unnatural Disasters – In a dark future, a teen tries to survive an attack by an unknown group of terrorists. Yep, this is on my list, too.
The Vanishing Stair – The sequel to the twisty Truly Devious.
Parkland Speaks – A collection of essays from the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in 2018. I received an early copy of this one and will be reviewing it soon.

Books for Adults

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress – A woman trying to take over her grandmother’s consignment shop stumbles over a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Secrets at Cedar Cabin – The latest by Colleen Coble – Book 3 in the Lavender Tides series – focuses on a woman on the run after her mother’s murder.
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism – I imagine this will be a difficult read, but I also feel it is a necessary one. This is on my list for this week, too.
Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers and Fresh Food Makers – I am a big Margaret Feinberg fan! Her latest book looks at God’s perspective on food. I’m eager to see this one in person.

REVIEW: Phantom Wheel by Tracy Deebs

REVIEW: Phantom Wheel by Tracy Deebs

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Six teens are invited to LA to compete for a scholarship through a CIA college program. All of them are excellent hackers. And the CIA has a special task for each of them as their “audition.”

Except nothing about this program is what it appears to be. Soon the kids find themselves trying to figure out who they can trust – even among the six of them. Car chases and flying bullets weren’t what they were expecting either. While their hacking skills are top notch, and several of them have immense family resources, it may not be enough to get them out of the dangerous situation they find themselves in.

Review

I feel like there’s so much going on in this story, I can’t give a full summary for fear that it will give something away. And this was TOO fun to spoil for another reader. I loved this! I’m not a techy person, but there were only a few spots where the tech was over my head, but that was never an issue for my enjoyment of the book.

The characters are terrific. I loved watching them move from strangers to teammates to friends. Their interplay was so fun! The individual backstories were fascinating, too. I would love for this to kick off a series. When the book ended, I wanted to know what happened next for these characters.

The story was a treat! The pacing was excellent. The tension builds throughout the whole book, and the finale was perfectly satisfying. I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know if the kids were going to solve the problems they were fighting – and if they were all going to survive.

There are a few swear words and some innuendo and teasing between the characters. But otherwise I feel like I could hand this to any teen who wants a story that is full of action, some humor, and lots of technology and hacking. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥