Month: February 2019

REVIEW: Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle

REVIEW: Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Princess Charlotte of Besmium is horrified that her parents have arranged her marriage already. She’s only 16. But the armies of Drethen have been pressing in. A marriage alliance with Vires, with their vast armies, would help strengthen Besmium.

When Prince Young and his older brother Prince Minseo arrive, Charlotte catches the eye of a prince. Unfortunately it isn’t Young, her betrothed, but Minseo. Young knows it might take some time for warm feelings to grow between them, but he is committed to this match. Before they have a chance to see how things might go between them, though, the armies of Drethen are sending cannonballs at the castle walls.

Before long, Charlotte and Young are on the run, there are rumors that Charlotte’s father the king has been killed, and Minseo is missing.

Review

Wow! This was a twisty one! I didn’t go looking for this book; it was offered to me. And my luck with such books has been mixed, so I always approach them with some trepidation. It didn’t take long for me to leave that skepticism behind, though, on this one, and I was pulled into the story.

This book runs on two levels. First there’s the romantic level. Charlotte and Minseo have sparks, but Young is the intended groom. When Minseo goes missing, Charlotte and Young get to spend more time together. But they are still strangers. They don’t know how to “read” one another very well. And in the world of princes and princesses, there are always new alliances that can be made between various kingdoms, and this adds some extra twists to this level of the story.

The second layer, which is strongly connected to the first, is the political. Besmium is a kingdom at war before the story even begins. Alliances are made and broken. Spies sneak and lie. Assassins and would-be assassins lurk. The cycle of security and danger, then security and more danger, runs right to the last page. I was captivated by the whole thing.

I enjoyed the political maneuvering more so than the romantic twists. Charlotte and Young’s “other options” never appealed to me in a way that would make a love triangle truly angsty for me as the reader. I had my clear preferences from the start, and in some ways I resented how the other characters tried to mess with my preferences!

I loved watching Charlotte and Young grow as individuals through the course of the story. They were young, but they represented their kingdoms and families well when it mattered. Clever reveals in the end made this a satisfying read. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Sisters of the Fire by Kim Wilkins

REVIEW: Sisters of the Fire by Kim Wilkins

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Five sisters. Daughters of King Athelrick. Each strong willed and determined to chart her own course.

  • BLUEBELL, the eldest. When her father fell ill in book one, Daughters of the Storm, she corralled her family on a quest to secure his healing. Now she rules again by his side, and grooms her niece to someday be her heir.
  • ROSE ignored reason and duty to pursue forbidden love in Daughters of the Storm. Now she lives in an exile of sorts, the people most precious to her out of her reach, maybe forever.
  • ASH discovered new elements of her magical powers in Daughters. She also saw a vision of her own future – and the many lives that will be destroyed along with her. So she lives in a self-imposed exile, bound to another magic wielder with murky motives.
  • IVY has always been the flighty, dramatic one. She wants to be adored and fawned over – the stereotypical “princess.” In Daughters, her selfish actions kicked off a chain reaction that would pull part of her family apart. But now, four years later, she has her own family, her own power and her own lover. And she has plans to get all that she believes she deserves.
  • Ivy’s twin, WILLOW, has denied the faith of her ancestors and family in favor of the trimartyr god, Maava. She hears Maava’s “angels” in her head, and she is willing to betray her “heathen” family for all Maava promises. The betrayals began in Daughters continue here.

The family drama continues to grow as Rose’s daughter, Rowan – Bluebell’s chosen successor – discovers her heritage. She follows her growing powers into danger. Soon the threads of the family are being drawn together again to rescue Rowan and face other threats on every side.

Review

I am thoroughly enjoying this series! The female characters are fascinating – strong, distinct and complicated. The world has a fairly simple magical system that makes it firmly a fantasy story, but the magic doesn’t overshadow the family dynamics at the heart of these books. I would recommend reading them in order to get the best and most full view of this family.

At it’s core, this is a story of family. Sacrifices made for it, and betrayals made against it. And page after page I wonder how it will all turn out. Which alliance will become important next? Which sister will grow up and perhaps join the more responsible parts of the family? Is there something more going on with this piece or that piece? It’s fantastic!

Goodreads says book three will be called Queens of the Sea, but I can’t find a release date for it yet, as Sisters is still so new. I already have Queens on my reading wish list because I can’t wait to see what happens next for these six women. If you enjoy mature fantasy stories, be sure to check out this series! I have thoroughly enjoyed it. (Language, violence, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

(Rating for Daughters of the Storm – ♥♥♥♥½)

REVIEW: The Lost Continent by Tui T. Sutherland

REVIEW: The Lost Continent by Tui T. Sutherland

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Land of Pantala has been at peace since the end of the Tree Wars. The HiveWings destroyed the LeafWings and the trees, and now they rule the SilkWings.

Blue and Luna are both SilkWings – siblings with the same father. Both are days away from their Metamorphosis which is when SilkWing dragonets get their wings.

But when it’s time for Luna to begin her Metamorphosis, something unexpected happens, and the HiveWings become VERY interested in Luna. And since Blue is her brother, the HiveWings want him, too.

Before long, Blue has teamed up with an unexpected ally, and they are on the run from Queen Wasp. All of Blue’s expectations for his life – and his understanding of the world – are turned upside down. Another dragon prophecy is at play, and Blue is smack in the middle of the action.

Review

I have been a Wings of Fire fan since the first book released in 2013. The second five-book series was even better than the first. And now a third series has started. I was engrossed from the first page.

The author hints at this story at the end of Darkness of Dragons, and the end of this book ties that teaser into this new series. And now I can’t wait until the whole series is out so I can see how all the pieces work together. I’m already attached to Blue and his surprise ally. And I have so many questions about this new world and its history, not to mention questions about what happens next in the story.

The author has done an incredible job of creating a new world while keeping some familiar features from the previous 10 books. I think she gets better and better with each story! These are automatic purchases for me. I can’t wait to see how the two dragon lands Pantala and Pyrrhia will connect as this series develops!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

Book 2 in this series (Book 12 overall) is The Hive Queen. It was good, but felt like a transitional story to move the reader from book 11 to book 13. Book 3 (13) is called The Poison Jungle and it will release this summer.

BOOK NEWS: February 26, 2019

BOOK NEWS: February 26, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

LOTS of great reading material out this week for the final week in February!

Books for Kids

Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog (March 1) – Madeline Finn and the Library Dog is one of my all time favorite picture books, perfect for reading aloud. I am so excited to get to review the sequel for you next week.
Say Something – The latest from Peter H. Reynolds teaches readers that the world needs their voices.
A Shazam Showdown – A leveled Early Reader starring Shazam.
Eva and Baby Mo – Book 10 in the Branches series Owl Diaries. Eva is on her first babysitting job for her little brother, but things don’t go like she thought they would. I already ordered this one from Scholastic. I love this series.
Fast-Forward to the Future – Book 3 in the Branches series Time Jumpers. This time the kids jump into a future of robots and flying cars.
Thief Strikes! – Book 6 in the Branches series Hilde Cracks the Case. This time Hilde is investigating the theft of some local tomato plants, right out of someone’s garden.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

A Drop of Hope – A well in If Only, Ohio has started granting wishes. Only three kids in the town know why. This sounds awesome!
Erth Dragons: A New Age – The third and final book in the Erth Dragons series. I have this dragon series on my wish list. This feels like one that would need to be read from the beginning.
Klawde Evil Alien Overlord Cat AND Klawde : Enemies – A cat warlord is cast out and sent to Earth where he meets a kid adjusting to his new home. I cannot wait to try these out!
The Light Jar – A boy and his mom fleeing an abusive situation hide out in an abandoned cabin, but when his mom doesn’t return from her trip to get groceries, the boy is left to fend for himself. I am curious to try this one!
Lion Down – Book 5 in the FunJungle series. A local lion is accused of killing a famous dog. I have book one of this series on my wish list.
Operation Frog Effect – Eight kids tell the story of what happened that got their teacher in trouble. One of the stories is told in graphic novel format. This is on my list, too.
Rise of the Dragons – In a world where dragons used to co-exist with humans, a human child connects with a dragon for the first time in centuries. This is at the top of my wish list for this week!
Science Fair Crisis – DC Comics Secret Hero Society book 4. A mysterious person offers to help the kids win the science fair where first prize is a trip to STAR labs. I love the idea of this series, but I didn’t care for the art style in the first book, so I didn’t keep up with it. In this book, there is a new illustrator, so I will be checking this one out the next  time I am at the bookstore.
Shazam: The Junior Novel – The Junior Novelization of the new Shazam movie.
Stolen Girl – A girl haunted by her memories of World War II wonders if she was raised by Nazis. Sounds like a great story for historical fiction fans.
The Treasure Seekers – First in a new series starring Thea Stilton on a quest for a series of treasures.
Wings of Fire: The Lost Heir Graphic Novel – The second book in the original series has been given the graphic novel treatment. I was able to get an early copy of this through a Scholastic order. Such a great series!
An Affair of Poisons – A teen accidentally helps her mother assassinate King Louis IV forcing her to look at everything she thought was true in a whole new way. This sounds fantastic!
The Deceiver’s Heart – Book 2 in the Traitor’s Game series by the fantastic Jennifer A. Nielsen (The False Prince, The Scourge). When a young woman fails in her quest to destroy a tyrant, he wipes her memory and leaves her friends to try to pick up the pieces. I have book one on my TBR shelves.
The Dysasters – There’s a different cover for this one now, but I LOVE this one. A group of genetically modified teens discover they were engineered to control the elements, and now they are being hunted. I have this one on my library list!
Four Dead Queens – Two teens – one a skilled thief and the other an upstanding citizen – find themselves tangled up in events that leave the four queens of their land dead. This has been on my library hold list for months!
Last of Her Name – When the Union leader shows up accusing the people of Stacia’s village of being traitors, he also says she is the lost princess of the royal family, presumed dead. It’s the story of Anastasia set in a space-faring world. Sounds awesome!
Pretend She’s Here – A girl grieving the loss of her best friend discovers her friend’s family is willing to do something desperate in their own grief. Yep, I have to read this one to find out what happens!
Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee – Two teens who host a Friday Night Creature Feature on a local cable station grapple with what they want for their futures. This sounds great, too.
The Stars Below – The fourth and final book in the Vega Jane fantasy series by David Baldacci. I haven’t tried these yet, but my husband has read one or two, and he enjoyed them.  They are on my list.
Tell Me Everything – A girl using an anonymous art-sharing app uses it to celebrate her creative classmates. I’m curious to know more about this one.
That’s Not What I Heard – The latest from Stephanie Kate Strohm. This sounds like an unintentional game of Telephone that turns a high school upside down. I was able to get a copy of this early thanks to a Scholastic order. I hope to read it asap.
We Set the Dark on Fire – In a world where the choices for young women of privilege are to either run their husband’s households or raise his children, a teen whose “privileged” pedigree is a lie is asked to risk it all by spying for a group of rebels. I am fascinated by this one! It’s on my list.

Books for Adults

Alibis & Angels (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Sister Lou Mystery series about a nun and a local reporter who team up to solve cases in their community. These sound so fun! I have book one on my list.
California Girls (Hardcover) – Three sisters face life after their break ups, leaning on one another as they try to rebuild. I loved When We Found Home so much I put this straight onto my library list!
Captain Marvel: Liberation Run (Hardcover) – An original prose novel about Captain Marvel. The story includes Ant-Man, Mantis and Amadeus Cho (another Hulk). I am fascinated by that team up, so I have this on my list as well.
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hardcover) – Book 24 in the Hannah Swendson series. I moved on from this series due to the love triangle that mired the series for many, many books. Then I heard Hannah got married to a completely different guy. Now, that relationships seems to be in trouble. Fans who have stuck with the series will want to tune in and find out what happened.
Criminally Cocoa (Ebook) – This short e-book is part of Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. This time, Bailey’s cousin, Charlotte gets to tell the story when she and Bailey kick off a cable TV baking show. I pre-ordered this one weeks ago. I can’t wait to check it out!
Drawn and Buttered (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Lobster Shack Mystery series, this one focused around a huge lobster named Lobzilla. That sounds hilarious!
Murder in an Irish Pub (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Irish Village Mystery series, this one focused on a murder at a poker tournament.
No Good Tea Goes Unpunished (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Seaside Cafe Mystery series where a beachfront wedding is disrupted because of murder.
One Feta in the Grave (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series where there’s a murder at the end of tourist season.
Pie Hard (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Pie Town Mystery series where murder steals the limelight on a reality TV show.
Please Don’t Feed the Mayor (Trade Paperback) – When a dog wins the mayoral election in a landslide, it does great things for town tourism, but it causes problems for the dog’s owner. This looks so fun!
Restaurant Weeks Are Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series where a B&B owner has the chance to work in a professional kitchen, but sabotage causes problems. I loved the first book in the series, so I have this one on my list, too.
Secrets of Paper and Ink (Trade Paperback) – A woman moves to England for the summer to deal with issues from her past. She rents an apartment above a bookstore and meets the owner and her brother-in-law who help her track down a 150-year-old mystery. This is also at the top of my list for the week.
Decades: Marvel in the 50s – Captain America Strikes (Graphic Novel) – The second in this new line of graphic novels from Marvel.
Keep Showing Up: How to Stay Crazy in Love When Your Love Drives You Crazy (Trade Paperback) – A faith-based guide to preserving and protecting your marriage.
The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two: Perfectly Portioned Recipes for 3-Quart and 6-Quart Models (Paperback) – For all my instant pot-using friends!

REVIEW: The Way to the Stars (Star Trek Discovery) by Una McCormack

REVIEW: The Way to the Stars (Star Trek Discovery) by Una McCormack

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

On the eve of her start in the Command Training Program, Tilly shares her personal story with her Discovery roommate Michael Burnham.

When Sylvia Tilly was 16, she lived with her maternal grandmother in Paris and went to school every day in New York. Her parents were divorced. Her dad was on a starship, The Dorothy Garrod, and her mom was a bigwig with the Federation Security Council. Frankly, her mom was a force to be reckoned with. She often left Sylvia feeling small and trapped – like she felt when her mom announced she was sending her to a boarding school on Talaris IV. Sylvia’s mom was determined to give her daughter every opportunity to develop the skills she would need to join the diplomatic corps. She didn’t see Sylvia’s love of math and science as anything to cultivate when there were languages to learn and political scenarios to understand.

The ups and downs of boarding school life set Sylvia/”Tilly” on a path she never could have imagined when she first stepped foot onto Talaris IV.

Review

This book’s intended audience is adults, but Tilly’s story is so solidly in the YA range, too, that I wanted to review it as a YA coming-of-age tale.

Tilly is my favorite character on the show Star Trek Discovery. So when I saw she was getting a book, it immediately went on my “must read” list. And now that I’ve read it, it’s on my “must buy list.” This was outstanding! A perfect-fit book for me.

The Star Trek pieces were comfortable and familiar, as was the general story of a teen seeking her identity while under the thumb of a controlling parent. And I loved all those pieces. But Tilly really made this story for me. She’s wicked smart and funny. She’s also endearing and awkward. I wanted to rescue her from her mother’s controlling ways. But it was so much more satisfying to watch her rescue herself. Her journey wasn’t flawless, but it was delightful! I am a sucker for a book with a kid or a teen who finds his/her place/gift/identity and then thrives in it. And this was that sort of story.

The Star Trek Discovery connections are minimal, mostly just the prologue and epilogue which anchor the character to the TV series. But if you know that Michael Burnham is a woman, and she’s Tilly’s roommate on the ship – older, with more life and Star Fleet experience, maybe a reluctant mentor – you probably have everything you need to know to enjoy the book.

I highly recommend this book. In fact, after typing up this review, I want to go read it again! (Some language, minor consumption of alcohol)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

BONUS REVIEW: One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lucas Grant has a sports radio show in Madison , Wisconsin. And while he’d love to spend the show talking Badgers, Brewers and Packers, his listeners have other plans. Lucas is single and straight-talking. And he is plagued by women calling his show to ask for relationship advice.

Rachel Somers is the personal assistant to relationship guru, Dr. Donna Somerville, at least on paper. In reality, though, Rachel writes the best-selling books, and her aunt Donna is the face of “Dr. Donna.” Most of the time. But every once in a while, if there’s a scheduling issue, Rachel will fill in for Donna on radio programs. Like Lucas’.

When Lucas joins Dr. Donna for a book tour titled Feelings and Football, it’s a chance for his career to grow. In fact, he gets a job offer that would really help out Lucas’ whole family. But the catch is that he has to dig into Dr. Donna’s history and expose any secrets he finds. Lucas has no patience for lies and deception, so he’s okay with the idea of digging for the truth. Plus everything with Donna seems on the up and up. But Rachel is growing more uncomfortable with all the deception about her role in the brand. And she’s not sure how people will feel when the truth finally comes out, especially how Lucas will feel.

Review

The plot for this book reads like a typical Hallmark movie. The reader knows going in that it’s all going to fall apart about ¾ of the way through. It’s just a matter of how it falls apart and what pieces are irreparably damaged in the end.

One Thing I Know delivered everything I expected and one thing I didn’t. The main characters were terrific. I completely understood how each of them got to where they did in the whole Dr. Donna situation.  The romance built up at just the right pace, and then it all came crashing down about the time I was expecting as well. I was not expecting the faith elements to the story, but they were handled so nicely. I struggle sometimes with books that try to wedge faith into places where it doesn’t fit or where the “message” might as well have neon lights around it. But this has a nice, light touch. It fits. It raises real questions. Characters who initially aren’t interested give faith a try when they’ve run out of options. And there’s no fake, miraculous resolution or conversion. It all just fits the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and highly recommend it to romance fans as well as fans of “women’s fiction” or Christian fiction.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Murders and Metaphors by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Murders and Metaphors by Amanda Flower

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

There were a lot of wineries in the Niagara region of New York, and Cascade Springs was no exception. And since it was her home town, it was the perfect place for Belinda Perkins to  hold her book signing.

And as the only bookstore in town, Violet and Grandma Daisy’s store, Charming Books, was the natural choice for handling the details of the signing. Yes, it meant Violet had to spend an evening at the Morton Vineyard, but the signing would be good for business.

At first, Violet didn’t realize she knew Belinda Perkins. She was a well-known and popular author when it came to wine. And her opinion could make or break a vineyard – like she broke the nearby Bone and Hearth Vineyard. But Violet knew Belinda from her own childhood in Cascade Springs. She was the older sister of one of Violet’s closest friends, Lacey. What Violet didn’t know was that the Perkins girls had had a huge falling out after Violet left town. At the signing, Lacey tried to approach Belinda to make amends. But Belinda flew into a rage and ordered Lacey to leave. When Belinda’s body is found later, Lacey becomes a murder suspect.

Review

This is my favorite of Flower’s many mystery series. I’ve also read her Amish Candy Shop series and the Magic Garden series. (Her Instagram feed at @amandaflowerauthor is also delightful!) I adore the characters, the town and of course the magical bookshop in this series. All three of the books in this series so far have been well-done and really kept me guessing!

There are some interesting extra wrinkles in this book – an obnoxious private investigator following Violet around, new additions to the writers’ critique group that meets in the shop, and an exploration of the book Little Women. I loved all of it – the ongoing character development, the celebration of books and reading, the fun animal characters. The whole book was a treat to read.

I felt like there were a couple pieces of the mystery that weren’t as fully spelled out as I wanted – a clue that maybe should have been a bigger deal to the police and a suspect with an excellent motive who was almost a non-factor in the investigation. These are minor observations that did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the mystery in the big picture. The culprit was a nice development. I had toyed with that solution but never committed completely, so I enjoyed the final reveal. It handled several threads of the story nicely.

I highly recommend this book, and the whole series! Book one is Crime and Poetry and book 2 is Prose and Cons.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Perfect Secret by Rob Buyea

REVIEW: The Perfect Secret by Rob Buyea

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Secrets abound when the kids from The Perfect Score return as seventh graders.

  • Gaven is ready to play some football, but being on the team isn’t what he expected.
  • Randi is in a great place with her mom, but a special gymnastics camp opens an unexpected door to their past.
  • Natalie is determined to lead the team in their effort to reunite Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta (estranged mother and daughter), but she ends up leading a lot of other vital projects as well.
  • Scott learns that he has the perfect skills to be the stat guy for the football team, if only they’d give him a chance.
  • Trevor is safe from his brother and his friends, but the whole mess last year could be tearing his family apart.

Review

Rob Buyea’s books are my favorite example of multiple points of view done well. Each of the kids has a great voice, and they can tell so many stories because each gets a moment on the “stage.” I think I love this group of kids even more than the group in the Mr. Terupt series. They are smart, caring kids. They are so good at looking outside of themselves and helping others.

The first book in the series looked at standardized testing. This one looks at immigration – among other things. It’s a pretty simple discussion of a very complex issue, but it’s handled really well. Middle school dating is introduced in this one, too – hand holding only. There are also pieces in this about racism, bullying and the trouble secrets can cause. My only complaint is that it felt like there is a lot of “we would learn later…” sorts of foreshadowing. I would have preferred the story to just happen, or maybe to just use that technique once or twice when it really mattered.

This is a series I highly recommend. I look forward to each new book. Book three – The Perfect Star  – will release in the fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: February 19, 2019

BOOK NEWS: February 19, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

The third week of the month is often the smallest week of releases, but there’s a lot of great quality this week you don’t want to miss!

Books for Kids

Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep – A delightful-sounding story about unlikely friends. I can’t wait to read this one!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Amulet of Power – Book 3 in the Will Wilder series. Use of an amulet containing some of the hair of Samson attracts demonic attention. In general, this sort of fantasy series sounds right up my alley, but I need to see how dark the evil/”demonic” pieces are first.
Enter the Core – The third and final book in the Max Tilt series starring a descendant of Jules Verne who uses Verne’s books to solve world-ending problems.
The Fang of Bonfire Crossing: Legends of the Lost Causes – Book 2 in the Legends of the Lost Causes series. A group of orphans go up against an evil sorcerer and various monsters in their quest for an all-powerful object.
Good Enough – A girl in an inpatient unit for eating disorder treatment struggles to regain her old life in the face of her peers whose choices trigger her old behaviors. I have this one on my list!
Kim Possible Adventures – Looks like this will be a graphic novel of classic Kim Possible adventures from the original TV show. We loved the original show so much, I am curious to see how this book looks.
Middle School: Born to Rock (February 18) – Middle School Book 11. Rafe’s sister is juggling a lot of different projects but the one she loves the most is her girl band, We Stink. This sounds cute.
Revenge of the EngiNerds (MAX) – Sequel to the fun adventure, EngiNerds. This time, the crew is on the hunt for a rogue robot. I can’t wait to read this one!
Secret in the Stone – Book 2 in the Unicorn Quest series. Sisters stay in the magical land they discovered in book one, hoping one of them will develop the magic she needs to awaken the unicorns. I have book one on my reading list!
The Art of Losing – In one night a teen loses her boyfriend and her little sister when she catches them hooking up at a party. She storms off, he drunkenly tries to drive the sister home, and when he crashes, her sister ends up in a coma. It’s obvious to her now that her ex has a drinking problem, but will a relationship with another guy in recovery help or just be more of the same issues she has already experienced?
Honor Bound – Book 2 in the Honors series about a petty criminal who avoids incarceration by heading for the stars and finds herself in an unexpected war.
A Soldier and a Liar – Four superpowered teens are called on to help protect the city from rebels.

Books for Adults

Batman: The Court of Owls Original Prose Novel (Hardcover) – This is an original novel pitting Batman against a secret society of wealthy families who have controlled Gotham for years. Batman nearly defeated the Court of Owls and their minions the Talons once, but they went into hiding. When a new rash of murders plagues the city, Batman, Nightwing and Batgirl dig to determine if the Owls and Talons are back and what they are after this time. My husband really enjoyed the Court of Owls line of graphic novels. I think he has this one on his reading list.
Captain Marvel Prelude (Paperback Graphic Novel) – Collects pertinent comics to help readers learn about Captain Marvel’s history and prepare for the release of the movie in March.
The Life of Captain Marvel (Paperback Graphic Novel) – Graphic novel with more backstory for Captain Marvel.
Once Thing I Know (Trade Paperback) – A sports radio guy who spends more time answering relationship advice is invited on a book tour with Dr. Donna. And he has the chance at a new career if he can dig up any dirt on the relationship guru. And there is dirt to find – Dr. Donna is only the face of the franchise while her assistant is the real author. This is a fun Christian-romance-meets-Hallmark-movie sort of story. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Whack the Mole (ebook – February 22) – Book 2 in the Whispering Bay mystery series. A Florida muffin maker uses her secret skill as a human lie detector to help her solve mysteries. I have this series high on my reading list; this sounds so fun!
Who Killed the Fonz? (Hardcover) – Based on the hit TV series Happy Days. It’s the mid-80s, and a struggling Richard Cunningham gets word that his best friend from home, Arthur Fonzarelli, is dead. There was an accident while the Fonz was on his motorcycle. No body has been recovered. When Richard goes home for the memorial, he teams up with his old pals Potsie and Ralph to look into things, because what happened to the Fonz was no accident. This is at the TOP of my list for this week!
Feeding You Lies: How to Unravel the Food Industry’s Playbook and Reclaim Your Health (Hardcover) – Get to the truth about the food industry with this book from the person behind FoodBabe.com.

REVIEW: Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

REVIEW: Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Andie’s family moves to Punxsutawney, PA the summer before her senior year. And Andie spends her summer break at the movie theater. At first it’s because she’s a huge movie fanatic. But then she meets Colton there. And she manages to return each time he’s at work so she can spend more time with him.

Andie’s first day of school finds her asleep on her mom’s new stunningly pink couch in a pink polka dotted dress, while the theme music from Pretty in Pink plays from the DVD she was watching when she fell asleep. Colton is supposed to be picking her up. This is her chance to make some more inroads with him. But she’s running so late she has to wear the awful polka dotted dress to school. And that’s only the FIRST disaster of the day. Nothing goes the way Andie hopes, least of all her plans for connecting more with Colton.

When Andie wakes up for the second day of school, everything is the same. Pink couch. Polka dotted dress. Pretty in Pink. What is going on?! Once she warms up to the idea of getting a do over for her awful first day, Andie’s feeling optimistic. But as the do overs stretch out over weeks and weeks, Andie wonders just what she has to do to break out of this time loop.

Review

This was delightful! The voice is fantastic. I loved Andie. And there are so many laugh-out-loud moments. The movie references are also a lot of fun. This was a treat to read – from start to finish. Yes, there were awkward moments as Andie tries to find the “perfect” day. But they weren’t any more painful than any other teen rom-com. And the awesome moments – for Andie and for a lot of the other terrific characters – made it all worthwhile.

I loved the Groundhog Day story line. There are several references to the movie itself as well as some other more subtle nods that I enjoyed. But the story was really an original, even with the other movie tie ins.

I’ve read a few books from this publisher, Blink, before, but this is my favorite of the bunch. I could hand this book to any tween or teen – from upper elementary/middle school students to college students – without reservation. The characters are three-dimensional and fascinating – and so fun! The story is engaging. This hits all the right notes for me. I would have loved another couple chapters to see how things play out for Andie and her friends. Highly recommend!!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½