Month: September 2019

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2019

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

I think publishers load a lot of new releases into September and October so there’s a nice selection for the holidays, because we have another HUGE week of releases to look at. Here you go:

Books for Kids – Board Books

Frozen II: Forever Friends (October 4) – A die-cut board book with flaps starring the characters from Frozen and Frozen II.
Marvel Flying Super Heroes – Interactive die-cut board book with spinning characters.

Books for Kids – Picture Books

Anna, Elsa and the Secret River (October 4) – An original picture book that ties into the story of Frozen II.
Frozen II (Little Golden Book – October 4) – Tells the story of the November 2019 film.
The Most Wonderful Gift in the World (October 3) – A bear and a girl find a Christmas present under the tree, but it’s not for either of them. So they go in search of the recipient.
Star Wars: Creatures Big and Small – Picture book of the creatures in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars: We Are the Resistance (Little Golden Book – October 4) – A look at the resistance fighters from the most recent Star Wars movies.
The Tooth Fairy vs. Santa – A wanna-be tooth fairy shows up for his final test to pick up a tooth on Christmas Eve, but Santa doesn’t want to share the holiday.
Vegetables in Holiday Underwear – Pea is excited that December is finally time for holiday-activity underwear.

Books for Kids – Leveled Readers and Chapter Books

Elsa’s Epic Journey (October 4) – This leveled reader with stickers ties into the Frozen II movie out this November.
Fly Guy Presents Monster Trucks – A non-fiction leveled reader about monster trucks.
Journey to Star Wars: Age of Skywalker Resistance Heroes (October 4) – A leveled reader introducing kids to the heroes of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.
Who Is the Mystery Reader? – The latest from Mo Willems and book 2 in the Unlimited Squirrels series.
Friends Rock – Book 3 in the Unicorn and Yeti series from ACORN. This includes stories about sharing.
Frozen II: The Enchanted Forest (October 4) – An early chapter book based on the new movie.
Gotta Warn the Unicorns – Book 7 in the Princess Pulverizer series. The next step in the Princess’ quest is to unite the unicorns.
Pug Blasts Off – First in a new series from BRANCHES. Bub the Pug accidentally destroys his human’s project for the Inventor’s Challenge.
The Secret of Shadow Lake – Book 1 in a new early chapter book series called Creature Campers about a human boy, a bigfoot, a jackalope, and a fairy at summer camp. This looks darling!
Tabby Takes the Crown – Book 4 in the Kitten Kingdom series where Tabby is trying once again to save her kingdom.
Dog Man Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D – An activity book that includes step-by-step instructions for drawing Dog Man characters and making your own comic characters.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Alien Superstar – First in a new series from the authors of Hank Zipzer. A real alien strolling around a Universal lot gets cast in a TV show and becomes an overnight sensation.
The Bootlace Magician – Sequel to Circus Mirandus with the magical circus, Micah, and his guardian, the Lightbender.
A Christmas Carol (Geronimo Stilton) – A retelling of the classic holiday story.
The Dark Lord Clementine – The sole heir of the Dark Lord Elithor, Clementine finds herself having to take on her father’s responsibilities when he is cursed and to find a way to break the curse. And through it all, she starts to wonder if she really agrees with her father’s ideas of “good” and “evil.”
Dear Sweet Pea – From the author of Dumplin’. A girl recovering from her parents’ life changing divorce agrees to help her neighbor who is on vacation. While Sweet Pea is supposed to be forwarding the neighbor’s advice column letters, she recognizes the writing on one of them. Sweet Pea’s choices about that letter set off a chain reaction.
Ember and the Ice Dragons – Ember used to be a dragon, but her accident-prone adoptive father magically changed her into a girl. Her dragon-like behaviors – like bursting into flames – gets her sent to Antarctica where she learns about a contest to hunt ice dragons. So Ember decides to join the hunt and disrupt it from within. This sounds terrific!
Field Trip Disaster – Book 5 in the DC Secret Hero Society series. This time, Wonder Woman gets to narrate the action as the trio is transported to the 31st century.
Frozen II: Forest of Shadows – An original novel spanning the time between the first Frozen movie and the second.
Geeks and the Holy Grail – Book 2 in the Camelot Code series. This time the kids are called in to help when Merlin’s apprentice turns the Holy Grail into a dragon. I posted my full review of this last week.
The Great Brain Robbery (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Train to Impossible Places series. Suzy is back on the Impossible Postal Express to delivery packages and investigate a series of tremors in Trollville.
The Math Kids: An Unusual Pattern – Book 3 in the series. This time the kids will use their math skills on a cryptic poem written by a dying bank robber.
Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over reacting or should be flattered. This was OUTSTANDING. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Outlaws – Book 2 in the Royal Academy Rebels series, after Misfits. Devin and her friends are kicked out of school and labeled “outlaws,” but she’s determined to expose the truth about the headmistress and save the other kids at the Academy. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
Roll With It (Older Middle Grade) –  A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school.
Sam Saves the Night – Book 1 in the SleepWakers series. A girl fighting exhaustion thanks to nightly sleepwalking where she actually leaves her house and wanders around town goes to a sketchy sleep specialist and wakes up with new powers. She wakes up outside her sleeping body and discovers there are others who can do this too. Some use their powers to learn new things for school while others use theirs to torment other kids. This sounds fascinating!!
Sunny Rolls the Dice – Book 3 in the graphic novel series about Sunny. Sunny is in middle school now and negotiating the changing interests of her friends. While her best friend wants to talk about boys and fashion, Sunny would rather play Dungeons and Dragons with her new friends.
Spark of the Resistance (Journey to Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker – October 4) – Rey, Poe and Rose answer a distress call and fight a weapon that could change the course of the war.
A Tale of Magic – Kicks off a new series set in the Land of Stories universe. Thanks to a book, a girl discovers she is a fairy capable of magic, but magic and women reading are both outlawed in the Southern Kingdom, so she is arrested. A mysterious woman rescues her and sends her to an academy for magic, but then the woman disappears. This sounds fun.
A Time Traveler’s Theory of Relativity (Older Middle Grade) – A boy who lost his sister and whose mother disappeared fights his feelings of abandonment with the concrete facts in his physics books. But his grandmother tells him the women in his family are time travelers, and his mother has left him a portal so he can rescue her.
The Tornado (Older Middle Grade) – A fantastic bullying story from Jake Burt that asks what responsibility the formerly-bullied have when their bully chooses a new target. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Weird Little Robots – An illustrated middle grade novel about a girl in a new town, looking for new friends, who makes robots who might be coming to life.
White Bird: A Wonder Story (Graphic Novel) – Grandmère, a character in Palacio’s Auggie & Me, gets to tell her story of being a Jewish girl in hiding in Nazi-occupied France.
Wings of Fire: Jade Mountain Prophecy set – The second story arc for Wings of Fire, the Jade Mountain Prophecy books, are now available in one book set. This includes books 6 through 10 in the larger series. Now that Christmas is coming, I am seeing more book sets on sale. They make great gifts.
Words on Fire – The latest from Jennifer A. Nielsen. In Lithuania in 1893 Audra’s parents tell her to flee and take a secret package with her when the Cossack soldiers arrive at their door.
Awesome Minds: Comic Book Creators – This nonfiction book introduces kids to the people who originally created the comic book heroes who are such an every day staple today.
Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel about 6 young people who survived the Holocaust.
Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon – Biography of Neil Armstrong
Who Was Mister Rogers?

Books for Teens/Young Adults

10 Blind Dates – A fantastic romantic comedy about a teen who breaks up with her boyfriend and her extended family set her up on 10 blind dates over Christmas break. I’ll be posting a full review next week.
Batman Nightwalker GN – The graphic novel based on the DC Icons book Batman Nightwalker. You can read my review of the original book here.
Conceal, Don’t Feel – The latest in the Twisted Tales collection asks what would happen if Princess Elsa (Frozen) didn’t have Anna as a little sister. I have this on the top of my wishlist for this week.
Cursed – A new series coming to Netflix. A twist on the legend of King Arthur where Nimue the druid – the Lady of the Lake – is the hero.
The End and Other Beginnings – A collection of science fiction novellas from the author of Divergent.
The Good Luck Girls – Five girls sold to a “welcome house” in a dystopian world have a chance to escape the life that’s been chosen for them when one of them accidentally kills a man giving them a chance for freedom. A fantasy Western adventure. I have already requested this one from the library.
The Memory Thief – A teen desperate to save her mother from a corrupt ruler who wants to sell off her mother’s memories before she is killed joins a band of rebels she once swore off and agrees to steal a map for a prison called The Maze.
Now Entering Addamsville – A teen wrongfully accused of arson and murder tries to weed through the rumors and the ghost stories that surround her town in order to find the true culprit.
Rebel – Book 4 in the Legend series. The grand finale of the Legend series.
Scars Like Wings – A girl who lost everything in a fire and bears the physical scars returns to school a year after the tragedy, afraid she will always be alone because no one wants to be friends with “the Burned Girl.”
The Depression Workbook for Teens: Tools to Improve Your Mood, Build Self-Esteem and Stay Motivated – Contains information about depression, worksheets, and exercises for teens. This is currently free through the Kindle Unlimited program.
Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia – An historical account of Cold War spies.

Books for Adults – Fiction

 

Aurora Blazing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Consortium Rebellion series, sequel to the fantastic Polaris Rising. This book focuses on Ada’s sister, Bianca, as she leaves the safety of home to find her missing brother, chased by her father’s head of security, a man who once broke her heart. I pre-ordered this months ago. I will drop everything and read this one when it arrives this week.
Beyond a Reasonable Stout (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Sloan Krause mystery series. As a brewer of signature craft beers, Sloan’s business – and that of many of her friends – is in danger when a local politician starts pushing for the town to go “dry.”
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Exotic Pet-Sitter mystery series. Belinda knows “pet-sitting” some wolves will be an unusual job, but she’s not ready for the dead body she discovers in the wolf enclosure.
The Christmas Boutique (Hardcover) – Book 21 in the Elm Creek Quilts series. When the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique charity fundraiser is damaged by weather, Sylvia agrees to host it at Elm Creek Manor. Each of the Elm Creek Quilters helping with the event are facing personal struggles and looking for a Christmas miracle while they work to serve their community
The Christmas Wish List (e-book – October 3) – A woman who lost her job right before Christmas and has a huge decision to make about her future goes with a friend to celebrate Christmas. She makes a Christmas wish list of things she wants to do to try to find her Christmas spirit.
Cilka’s Journey (Hardcover) – From the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. A teen who is brought to Auschwitz in 1942 catches the eye of the commandant, and she does what she has to do in order to survive. When the camp is later liberated, she is not set free, but is held as a collaborator. When she is sent to a camp in Siberia, she will have to wrestle with her choices at Auschwitz as well as with what her future might hold.
Dachshund Through the Snow (Hardcover) – Book 20 in the fantastic Andy Carpenter mystery series. When Laurie starts her holiday charitable giving, she discovers a wishlist from a boy who wants his missing father to come home. When the father is arrested for a murder he says he didn’t commit, Andy is reluctantly on the case. The Christmas books in this series are my favorites, and this one is just as delightful as the rest. I’ll be reviewing this next week.
The Library of the Unwritten (Trade Paperback) – First in the Novel from Hell’s Library series. Books that go unfinished end up in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell. The Librarian is charged with finding any characters that try to break away from their unfinished stories. On one such hunt, though, the Librarian is accused of holding a powerful weapon in the battle between Heaven and Hell. I am intrigued by this one and will be checking it out.
A Merry Murder (Trade Paperback) – Book 10 in the Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery series. There’s been another murder at the Pennyfoot. Apparently their Christmas curse is in full swing. And this particular culprit may be craftier than most.
Mistaken Reality (Trade Paperback) – First her boyfriend invites her to a fancy hotel dinner, and then breaks up with her. Then an FBI agent busts into her pity party in the bathroom to tell her she has to evacuate the hotel. Then the hotel blows up. That should be plenty to fill her quota of disaster, but really, it’s only the beginning. I can not wait to read this one!!
Royal Holiday (Hardcover) – A woman tagging along on her daughter’s work trip to Britain doesn’t expect to enjoy a British fling with the Queen’s private secretary.
The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club series based on horror classics. In this book, Mary Jekyll and the Athena Club try to find one of their own who has been kidnapped – as has Sherlock Holmes. I have this series on my wish list.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

7 Days of Christmas: A Season of Generosity (Hardcover) – From the author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, Jen Hatmaker. This book uses the original for inspiration as readers are challenged to generosity and restraint during the holiday season.
Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving, Gospel-Centered Marriage (Trade Paperback) – I have been so impressed by Beth McCord’s work with the Enneagram. I can’t wait to dig into this new resource. (She is also releasing books for each of the types this December. I have already pre-ordered two of them!)
Bible and Breakfast: 31 Mornings with Jesus – Feeding Our Bodies and Souls Together (Hardcover) – Thirty-one devotions and 31 breakfast recipes. Includes both “snack” devotions and “feast” devotions depending on the time you have each day. Recipes are marked for which are freezer-friendly and which are gluten free, etc. I love the sample pages I have seen of this – it’s a clever layout and Bible study idea!
The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience (Hardcover) – Gutsy women who inspire.
Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament (Paperback Workbook) – Book 3 in this Creative Devotional series. A twelve week Bible study with material for 5 days each week. Includes side-bars, small illustrations you can color, Bible study questions to answer, etc.
Eat Happy Too: 160+ New Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made From Real Foods for a Joyful Life (Hardcover)  – Sequel to Eat Happy. I’ve read a few pages of the introductions to both books, and I like what I see. The recipes look a little fussy for the way we cook, but I’d still like to page through them in person.
Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity (Trade Paperback) – Tips, tricks and exercises for unleashing creativity.
The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less (Hardcover)  – Reject the pressure to do more and be more and instead focus on what is important to YOU.
The Marvel Book (Hardcover) – An overview of the full Marvel universe.
Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose (Hardcover)  – Helping readers trade stress for peace.
She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God (Trade Paperback) – Grow in your prayer life with God through this resource.
When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People (Hardcover) – Jeannie Gaffigan shares the story of her journey with a pear-shaped brain tumor. This is at the top of my list for this week, too.
Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through Storytelling (Trade Paperback) – Creative expression through writing. Includes a writing prompt with each chapter.

REVIEW: The Last Word by Samantha Hastings

REVIEW: The Last Word by Samantha Hastings

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

She Knew She Was Right was one of Lucinda Leavitt’s few joys in life. She lost her mother at a young age. Because of his grief, her father dismantled any reminders of her and tucked them away. Rather than relate to his teenage daughter,  who looked more like her mother every day, he sent Lucy to finishing school. Her days were spent on “proper” pursuits like calling on society families and embroidery. Despite her giftedness for numbers and finance, Lucy wasn’t even allowed to work at her father’s business even though she had helped there as a kid.

Wheathill’s Magazine carried the serialized She Knew She Was Right by Mrs. Smith. And Lucinda read it faithfully. In fact, she’s been eagerly anticipating the final pages so she can find out which suitor the protagonist chooses. But the last entry is unfinished. Mrs. Smith apparently died, and the publisher didn’t receive the full finale. Lucy won’t ever know who Miss Emerson chose. Well, that’s unacceptable!

Lucy is determined to track down this Mrs. Smith, find her family and final papers, and learn Miss Emerson’s fictional fate. And she knows just the gentleman to escort her – her childhood friend David Randall. He has to help her. After all, it’s all his fault she ended up at finishing school!

Review

This was a delightful, quick story of 1860s London and a young woman of some wealth but no title trying to make her way in the world. Lucy is a treat. She’s spunky and smart. She knows how to use her position and her wit to get what she wants a lot of the time. David is a great character, too. He gets to tell part of the story, which I enjoyed.

This is a story of Lucy’s quest for independence and the freedom to be herself in a man’s world. It’s also the story of Lucy and David which was lovely. But it was the quest for the end of Mrs. Smith’s story that tied it all together and kept me reading this straight through to the end.

I enjoyed the author’s note at the close of the book. She describes real life serials that weren’t finished due to the deaths of their authors. Other story events were anchored in real historic people and experiences, too. I loved those little details.

Over all, this was a delight! If you enjoy historical fiction or dual perspective storytelling, along with light romance and a little bit of mystery, don’t miss this terrific story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy

REVIEW: Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Delta Douglas was living the dream. Thanks to an early inheritance from her grandmother, Delta has been able to quit her job in Wyoming and move to Montana. There she is going into business with her friend, Hazel, running a specialty stationery/paper products shop. The store, Wanted, is housed in an old sheriff’s office where Hazel had taken advantage of interest in the Old West. She used the cells and the sheriff’s desk as part of her displays. And working at the shop will give Delta the opportunity to pursue her own stationery designs.

One of Delta’s first events with Wanted is a craft night at a local hotel. Glitter Galore will be held in the board room while the Taylor family, who owns the hotel, hosts their annual Gold Miner’s party in another section of the building. Delta picks up some tension between members of the Taylor family. And she overhears an argument between some party guests. But none of that prepares her for murder before the night is through.

Review

A great mystery with a fun theme!

I enjoyed this kick off to a new series. The characters were good. I enjoyed Delta and her team up with former cop, Jonas, and the dog Spud. The local LEO was of the incompetent and paranoid variety you get sometimes in a cozy. I’m sure in future books he’ll grow even more antagonistic. He’s that type.

The mystery was good. There were a lot of suspects and motives for the murder. I was not able to figure out the culprit before the end. The only gap for me is that the culprit never addressed the sleuthing and “back off” messages in the final confession. It felt like an glaring omission in the show down. If the culprit was that bothered, I’m not convinced the person would have fallen for the set up at the end.

I’ll be keeping with this series in the future. The setting was a lot of fun, and that is what usually sets cozy mystery series apart from one another. I hope we get even more scenes with the Paper Posse in future stories. This was a fun introduction to these characters!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail by Mari Mancusi

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail 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

A young druid named Nimue, charged with protecting the Holy Grail, is on the run from Morgana’s soldiers. She and her sisters were taking the grail to Camelot where King Arthur is sick and in need of its miraculous powers. But Morgana struck, and now Nimue is all alone and in fear for her life. Then she spies a familiar cave – the home of Merlin. Maybe he could save her life once again!

Sadly, Merlin is on something called “Spring Break.” There’s a boy in his cave – Emrys the Excellent – who says he is Merlin’s apprentice. Desperate, Nimue asks Emrys to use some magic to hide the grail from the men hunting for her. The good news is that Emrys succeeds in hiding the grail just in time and sends off the men with nothing. The bad news is that by the time Emrys is done with it, the grail is a young, gaseous dragon, and Emrys has no clue how to change it back.

Nimue summons the Companions by reciting the Camelot Code. Which means Sophie and Stu are summoned from our time to help. Only, Sophie and Stu aren’t together. He’s at home getting some surprising news while Sophie is trying on the world’s ugliest bridesmaid’s dress with her obnoxious soon-to-be step-sister, Ashley. When Sophie responds to the distress call, Ashley unexpectedly gets dragged along to Camelot.

Review

This is a fun second adventure for Sophie and Stu. The addition of Ashley, Emrys and Nimue was a nice touch. I enjoyed the larger cast and all the things the story was able to do with more characters working on a solution.

While this is solidly a fantasy story, it also deals with family issues and friendship concerns, both for Sophie and Ashley and also for Stu. Even Emrys and Nimue to a smaller extent are dealing with family – or lack there off – issues. There’s a fun back and forth again between our world/time and Camelot. Some funny situations develop as well as lots of suspenseful ones. There are a few unanswered questions at the end to pull readers forward into a third book in the series.

You can read my review of the first book, The Once and Future Geek, here. This is a great series for kids who love King Arthur’s legends, or for kids who enjoy fantasy and magic in their reading (think Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Wings of Fire, etc.). Fans of book one should not miss this sequel!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: September 24, 2019

BOOK NEWS: September 24, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Either I am just getting better at my book research, or September 2019 has just been a HUGE month for publishing. The list of great books out this month has been overwhelming. And we have a lot more out this week.

(Note there are SEVEN books out this week categorized for “older middle grade readers.” Sometimes this means kids 10-12, or 12-14, or 10-14, so basically in the upper elementary/middle school age range.)

Books for Kids

Eee-Moo! – A platypus egg hatches on a farm and the platypus says “Eee-Moo” and the animals think he is an emu and therefore should travel to Australia where he “came from.”
Explorers – A wordless picture book about a family’s trip to the museum.
Pigeon Math – The storyteller struggles to share a tale of pigeons as they keep flying off and changing the number of birds in the scene. This looks darling.
Reading Beauty – From the author of Interstellar Cinderella comes this book-related take on Sleeping Beauty. A princess who is cursed to fall into a death-like sleep if she ever gets a papercut hunts for the fairy who cursed her so she can bring books back to her kingdom. This is on my list for this week!
This Book Just Stole My Cat! – Ben’s cat disappears into the gutter of the book. I get such a kick out of this series.
The President Sang Amazing Grace – The true story of President Obama singing Amazing Grace at the site of a church shooting during his eulogy.
Pete the Kitty Goes to the Doctor – A leveled reader about going to the doctor.
If You Love Fashion, You Could Be…. – A new leveled reader in this line of nonfiction books that explore career choices.
Dragon Trouble – Book 5 in the Dragonling series that has new cover art.
Mia Mayhem Stops Time – Book 5 in the fun Mia Mayhem superhero chapter book series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Bookwanderers – A girl living with her grandparents finds out she can travel into stories when her favorite book characters start showing up at her grandparents’ bookstore. This sounds fun!
Explorer Academy: Double Helix – Book 3 in the Explorer Academy series. A boy trying to find his missing mother hears his father has disappeared, too, and his guardian leaves in search of him while the boy and his friends continue their quest.
Remarkables – A new story from Margaret Peterson Haddix. A girl in a new town discovers a mysterious group of teens called the Remarkables who can disappear and reappear like magic.
The Stolen Show – Book 18 in the Nancy Drew Diaries series. Nancy and her friends track an international jewel thief at a dog show.
Two Cats to the Rescue – Book 5 in the Stick Cat series. Stick Cat and Edith are on a rescue mission to find Millie who has wandered off.
What Was the Berlin Wall?
Amy’s Diary: The World Is Upside Down (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Amy’s Diary series for older middle grade readers. Amy heads to her grandparents’ farm as a distraction from her recent break up and other events at home.
Anya and the Dragon (Older Middle Grade) – A girl promises to help trap a dragon in an effort to help her family with money problems. But when she gets to know the dragon in question, she starts to think she should save it instead.
The Crossover (Graphic Novel – Older Middle Grade) – A graphic novel adaptation of Kwame Alexander’s amazing book, The Crossover.
Emmy in the Key of Code (Older Middle Grade) – A friendship story with a coding and music angle. A musician discovers coding – and a new friend – at her new school, but a series of disappointments leaves her feeling like her new life isn’t so great after all.
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages (Older Middle Grade) – The long-awaited fourth book in the Mysterious Benedict Society series. A new society member and a new threat send the kids onto a new case.
The Tyrant’s Tomb (Older Middle Grade) – Book 4 in the Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan. The god Apollo has been turned into a teenager and sent on a quest that should restore his godly powers. In this book, Apollo heads to Camp Jupiter and connects with some friends from the Heroes of Olympus series. I started this series, but didn’t stick with it, but the connection to Heroes is a FUN twist.
Born to Fly: The First Women’s Air Race Across America (Older Middle Grade) – A middle grade history of the 1929 Air Derby, the first women’s air race across America.
A Dream So Dark – Book 2 in the Nightmare-Verse series after A Blade So Black where Alice confronts a new villain in Wonderland.
The Infinite Noise – A teen running back develops a supernatural gift of extreme empathy. He’s an Atypical. And when his empathic gifts draw him toward another student at his school, his therapist encourages him to befriend the other teen. Based on the Bright Sessions science fiction podcast about a group of therapy patients. I had never heard of this podcast, but now I am thinking about trying it.
Six Goodbyes We Never Said – Two teens connect over their grief as well as their struggles with mental illness (depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.).
Slay – A Black teen video game developer sees her creation at the center of a media firestorm when a game-based conflict spills over into the real world. What was once a haven for Black gamers becomes the focal point of conflict over “anti-white discrimination.” This sounds fascinating.
Strings – Book 2 in the Ables series. Three years after their last major battle, the Ables, a group of disabled kids with superpowers, find new challenges in a world hostile to those with special abilities. I’ve heard great things about the first book in this series.
Verify – The latest from Joelle Charbonneau, author of The Testing and other YA novels. In this dystopian story, in a world of unprecedented peace and complete honesty, the death of a teen’s mother launches her into a search for truth that will show her secrets her government doesn’t want anyone to find. This is on my list for this week.
Who Put This Song On? – A depressed teen feels like the whole world is shouting the rules that everyone needs to follow while she is wondering if it is time to decide for herself how she wants to live.

Books for Adults

The Amish Christmas Cookie Club (Mass Market Paperback) – Sequel to the delightful Amish Cookie Club (♥♥♥♥½ – review to come later this year) by Sarah Price. Edna Esh and her friends use their cookie baking Fridays to talk about their families – and maybe do some more matchmaking!
Carpet Diem (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Tallie Graver Mystery series. When Tallie is up for a big , new cleaning contract against her fancy rival, she has to wonder how the woman can do the work she says she does and still maintain that manicure. When she finds her rival dead in a rolled up carpet, Tallie will be sleuthing again.
Christmas Cocoa Murder (Hardcover) – Three holiday themed mysteries – a dead Santa in a hot cocoa-filled dunk tank, a Chocolate lab at the scene of a murder, and death at a Christmas-themed escape game. These sound fun!
Christmas Cow Bells (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. A woman starts her life over just in time for the holidays with a big move and a shift to a new job as an organic micro-dairy farmer and cheese-maker. But a murder in the neighborhood has a way of throwing off her holiday groove. This sounds fun!
Coming Home for Christmas (Trade Paperback) – When a man finds his long-lost wife seven years after she disappeared, he needs her to come home to prove he didn’t murder her. But neither of them are sure the kids – or the town – are ready to accept her. I’ll be reviewing this one next week.
Cup of Holiday Fear (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 10 in the Bakeshop Mystery series. When Jules invites the Torte crew to a local Dickens Feast to celebrate the holidays, she has no idea murder is on the menu. I never miss a book in this series.
The Empty Birdcage (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Mycroft and Sherlock series by NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This time the brothers are looking into a murder of someone in the Queen’s extended family while Mycroft is also looking into a kidnapping.
Fudge Bites (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Candy-Coated Mystery series where a zombie festival for Halloween is used as a cover for murder.
Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery Series. The sisters are sleuthing once again when the mayor is killed and stuffed into his Santa Bear suit for the village parade.
A Killer Carol (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in Laura Bradford‘s Amish Mystery series. Claire is asked to help a young Amish couple convince the police that they aren’t responsible for the deaths of the older Amish couple they had been visiting just before they died. As Claire looks into things, she’s not even convinced herself that they aren’t guilty. I have several of the books in this series on my TBR shelves.
Last Pen Standing (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. Delta quits her job and invests her early-inheritance into a stationery store in Montana. But there’s a murder at the site of their first event, and Delta’s new business partner is suspected of involvement in the crime. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Lavender and Mistletoe (e-book, Novella) – A brilliant woman decides researching love is the perfect holiday challenge for her to take up since everything else in her life is clicking along. But the subject she chooses might be the perfect match for her if she can let love take its course instead of trying to approach it like science. This sounds cute.
Mischief in New Orleans (e-book) – Book 2 in the Accidentally Undercover Mystery series (after Peril in Pensacola). Evie and Dora are looking for evidence for another case when they stumble onto a murder. I haven’t read either of these books yet, but this series sounds fun!
Murder in the Balcony (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the fantastic Murder at the Palace.  Nora is drawn into another murder investigation as she juggles The Palace and her personal life. I’ve already requested this from the library.
Murder in the Corn Maze (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Granny Reid Mystery series by G. A. McKevett. This series takes place when Savannah, star of McKevett’s long running series, was a kid. A skull found in the middle of the local corn maze might be connected to the mystery of what happened to Granny’s mother. I enjoyed the first book, although I did think that readers who are not already familiar with the characters will have trouble getting into this series.
Murder in the First Edition (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. A bookstore owner discovers her donation of a rare copy of A Christmas Carol has been stolen when she also discovers the dead body of the woman running the charity auction.
No Judgments (Hardcover) – When a hurricane severs power and access to a Florida island, a young woman teams up with her boss’s sexy nephew to rescue as many of the pets on the island whose humans can’t get home as she can.
Puppy Christmas (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Forever Home series. Lila knows that donating a service puppy and its training is a great business move, but she’s not prepared for the impact Ford Ford and his daughter Emily will have on her life when they receive the donated pup. I’ll be reviewing this next week. (This was so good, I grabbed the first book off my TBR shelves and read it right away – delightful!)
Tide and Punishment (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Seaside Café Mystery series. Everly would rather be enjoying the first Christmas in her iced tea shop, but instead she has to be sure her Aunt Fran isn’t accused of murder when her rival for the office of mayor is found dead.
Two Bites Too Many (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Sarah Blair Mystery series. When her sister’s business plans get shot down, it’s Sarah’s mother who is suspected of killing the chair of the city council that nixed the plan.
An Unforgettable Christmas (Trade Paperback) – A Christmas story from Hallmark Publishing. When her workaholic boss ends up with amnesia, a widowed mom steps in to care for him. Both of them get a fresh look at his life thanks to the amnesia. I’ll be reviewing this one in a few weeks.
Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion (Hardcover) – A how-to book to build your own snack boards for celebrations and every day use. The pictures for this are gorgeous.
Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus (Hardcover) – The latest from Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners. His premise is that Christians have become disconnected from Jesus. Wallis explores 8 questions Jesus either asks or is asked in Scripture and uses those to ask readers if they are aligned with the priorities of Christ. This is on my wish list for this week.
Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love (Hardcover) – A memoir from Jonathan Van Ness from the Netflix hit, Queer Eye. I’ve already requested this one from the library.
How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks (Hardcover Gift Book) – A humorous guide to surviving the Star Wars universe.
The Unqualified Hostess: I Do It My Way So You Can Too! (Hardcover) – From my fave, Whoopi Goldberg, who asserts that readers have everything they need right now to set a great table for entertaining and hospitality. I can absolutely hear her voice as I read the full description of this book. I can’t wait to read the whole thing (although right now it is PRICEY at $35 for 128 pages).
You Are the Girl for the Job: Daring to Believe the God Who Calls You (Trade Paperback) – From the title alone, I would be buying this book. Embrace the idea that God has prepared you for this moment in your life – and prepared this moment for you. A workbook for the video series for this releases October 1, and a DVD/Study Guide set releases October 15.

REVIEW: American Royals by Katharine McGee

REVIEW: American Royals by Katharine McGee

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

An alternate history where General Washington was offered a crown at the end of the American Revolution – and he accepted, becoming King George I.

Now, two-and-a-half centuries later, his descendant, King George IV sits on the throne, and his oldest, Princess Beatrice, is in line to be the first Washington Queen of America. Beatrice’s grandfather changed the succession rules so instead of her younger brother, Jeff, being groomed for the throne, that is Beatrice’s path.

The pressure on Beatrice is enormous. And it doesn’t get better when her parents tell her she has to find a husband soon so she has a partner to help shoulder the load when it’s her turn to rule.

Beatrice isn’t the only member of the royal family struggling. Beatrice’s sister, Sam (Jeff’s twin) is watching the young man she has feelings for slip through her fingers. And Jeff is keeping a secret girlfriend from his twin and the rest of the family. The king himself is keeping the biggest secret of all – one that will have ripple-effects on each member of his family.

Review

It took me awhile to find the “why” of this book – why is this story being told? The alternate history angle was fascinating to me, so that kept me turning pages until I understood where the story of this family was going.

There are a series of love triangles at  play in the book among the royal siblings. Normally I don’t care for love triangles. But these were interwoven and intriguing enough to pull me forward through the story to see how things would play out.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of the characters. Maybe I’m not supposed to like the royals. I don’t know. I actively disliked the manipulative, back-stabbing character, but the rest were rather “meh.” I kept reading to see how the circumstances changed, but not because I wanted to know what happened to the people. I’m not sure I will try the sequel since I didn’t actually like any of the characters in this.

It wasn’t until after I finished this that I saw some online criticism of the concept of this book. Some readers are bothered by a story that would have the first George choose a crown – something they were fighting against in the Revolution. Another complaint was that a colonized country, built on slavery and stolen land and abuse of native populations, would have a monarchy. These are not factors that occurred to me as I read or before I picked the book up. Readers will have to decide on their own where they stand on those issues. (Language, sex, drinking)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

REVIEW: Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Claire, Naomi, and Audrey met the day of Claire’s husband’s funeral. It was also the day of Naomi’s lover’s funeral. And Audrey’s boyfriend’s funeral. All three funerals were for the same man. That was the day the Central Park Pact was set. The three women would help each other watch out for manipulative, cheating men.

A year later, and Naomi’s fallen in love with a great guy (Passion on Park Avenue – ♥♥♥♥½). But Claire is still trying to figure out this weird new life. It’s hard to be a grieving wife when you are best friends with your husband’s mistresses – and you know he died on a “date” with someone else. But that’s still what she is – a grieving widow. How does she move forward after such betrayal?

One way is a complete overhaul of the brownstone where she and her husband lived. Scott Turner is an in-demand builder. He usually does multi-million dollar office buildings and skyscrapers. But he’s back in the city for a little while and itching to do a project that lets him work in a different sort of space. He’s pretty sure Claire’s brownstone is NOT it, though. He plans to meet his buddy’s friend, look at her project, and turn her down. Scott refuses to work with stuffy socialites. But Claire is nothing like he expects.

Review

This series has been a delightful surprise! I picked up Passion on Park Avenue from the library so I could read it before reading this one, just so I would have the characters and context in my head. I read it in a day and loved it. I jumped this one ahead in my review schedule because I enjoyed the first book so much. I was not disappointed! I read this in one sitting as well.

I love these characters! They’re complicated and compelling. The cheating jerk has impacted each of these women in different ways. Add to that their personal stories and emotional baggage, and you’ve got characters I wanted to spend time with. They’re fascinating! Then add to that some interesting guys and excellent chemistry, and you’ve got a romance series I would happily read again and again.

If you enjoy contemporary romance, don’t miss this series! Book 3, Marriage on Madison Avenue, releases in January. That will be a must-read for me. And I’ll be checking out the author’s other work because I have adored the two books in this series so far. Highly recommend! (language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Pipi’s humiliations are legendary. And no one at her middle school is going to let her forget them. From her kindergarten self-portrait (as a strip of bacon with boobs) shown on the first day of 8th grade to her reputation for picking her nose (an unfortunate school picture fiasco) and starting a vomiting epidemic on the school bus, Pipi can’t catch a break. If anyone touches her, they treat their hand as if they have the plague, trying to pass the “Pipi touch” to other students. But Pipi is convinced THIS will be the year everything changes. This will be the year of revenge and redemption!

Pipi has a plan to reinvent herself, undo all of her humiliations, and to strike back at those who hurt her the most when she was vulnerable. Her single-minded focus on changing her life before high school ends up causing more trouble than it fixes. In fact, her quest for reinvention could cost her the parts of her current life she actually enjoys.

Review

There are some truly delightful moments in this story. But there are also plenty of painful ones for Pipi. This is the second “revenge” story line I’ve read recently, and both were a bit painful to read. This isn’t the good-will-triumph-over-evil sort of revenge where you identify with the oppressed and cheer for them to rise up. It tends to look more like good-kid-temporarily-becomes-a-jerk-to-get-back-at-the-jerks.  And as the reader, you have to sit back and watch it all fall apart while you hope Pipi will learn from everything and find some redemption in the end.

Pipi’s family really helps offset the more awkward and painful parts of the book. They are spectacular! My favorite scene is a birthday party in the middle of the book – it’s an absolute treat. There’s also a couple brief appearances of characters from the author’s 2018 book The Reckless Club (which I ADORED). The tie in was terrific.

I am loving the publishing trend of producing books for older middle grade readers – the 10 to 14-year-olds, the middle schoolers who are ready for more complicated and intricate stories but still young enough to steer away from some YA themes. This is a perfect example of a story for that audience – complicated friendships and relationships, lessons to be learned, and identity to develop. Be sure to check out Pipi McGee! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: September 17, 2019

BOOK NEWS: September 17, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books coming out this week!

Books for Kids

Dear Mr. President – A boy who has to share his room hears that the president wants to build a border wall. And that seems like a good solution to the boy’s problems, too.
Don’t Call Me Bear – Koala is sick of being called a bear, and he’s ready to let everybody know!
Five Minutes (That’s a Lot of Time) (No It’s Not) (Yes It Is) – It’s all about perspective in this new picture book about a kid and “five minutes.” The sample pictures I’ve seen are outstanding! Can’t wait to read this one .
The Squirrels Who Squabbled – Two squirrels fight over the last pinecone of the season.
Born to Draw Comics: The Story of Charles Schulz and the Creation of Peanuts – A picture book biography of the creator of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
An Elephant and Piggie Biggie-Biggie – The second collection of Elephant and Piggie books.
My Tooth Is LOST! – The third Monkey & Cake book. Monkey has lost his tooth, and he’s afraid the Tooth Fairy won’t come.
Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures – Heroes & Villains – Leveled reader about the heroes and villains of Star Wars.
Snazzy Cat Capers: The Fast and the Furriest – Book 2 in the fun Snazzy Cat Capers series. The Furry Feline Burglary Institute (FFBI) sends Ophelia in after thieves steal an artifact from a vault. But the Central Canine Intelligence Agency (CCIA) is on the case, too.  I got a kick out of the first book in this series.
Spy Penguins: The Spy Who Loved Ice Cream – Book 2 in the Spy Penguins series. Jackson and Quigley didn’t get to join the Frosty Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but they are still on the hunt for adventure. And adventure finds them when they have to prove their favorite uncle isn’t a master thief. This series sounds fun.
Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures – Illustrated chapter book of Star Wars mini adventures.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Guts – The highly anticipated next book from Raina Telgemeier. Another autobiographical tale of young Raina, who this time is having a lot of tummy trouble which coincides with stress at school.
It’s Me, Two – Book 2 in the Catwad series with funny stories about two cats.
Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus – Sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus about a girl born without arms. In the sequel, Aven moves on to high school.
Paws vs. Claws – Book 2 in the Queenie and Arthur mystery series. Arthur the dog is worried about his humans and the stresses that are piling up for their family while Queenie is distressed that the neighbor’s cow has gone missing which means she is not getting her morning cream.
Top Secret Smackdown – Book 3 in the Mac B., Kid Spy series. This time, ravens have been stolen from the Tower of London, and Mac is off to Iceland to solve the case.
The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue – Book 3 in the Vanderbeeker’s series. The Vanderbeeker kids are on spring break and having  a grand old time of it until city officials show up at their mother’s bakery. I have heard rave reviews about this series. Book 1 is on my TBR shelves.
Mammal Takeover: Journey through the Cenozoic Era – Book 3 in the Earth Before Us series focuses on the mammals that thrived after the destruction of the dinosaurs.
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation (Older Middle Grade) – First in a new series from the author of Spy School, The Last Musketeer, and the FunJungle series. The CIA drags a young genius into the hunt for a secret Einstein equation that could save – or destroy – the world. This looks SO fun! For readers 10 and up.
The Humiliations of Pipi McGee (Older Middle Grade) – Pipi has decided this is the year she is going to right all the wrongs and humiliations of her past before she goes to high school next year. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow. For readers 10 and up.
It’s a Whole Spiel – A collection of stories about Jewish teens.
Shatter City – Book 2 in the Impostors series from Scott Westerfeld (Uglies). Frey has taken her twin sister’s place as she tries to find her missing sister and take revenge on those who created her.
Suggested Reading – When the principal at her school bans a bunch of classic stories, Clara decides to strike back. I already have this one on hold at the library.
The Survival List – When her sister commits suicide, a young woman digs into the puzzle she left behind to find out why.

Books for Adults

A Gingerbread Romance (Trade Paperback) – Based on a Hallmark movie from 2018. An architect teams up with a baker in a life-sized gingerbread house competition.
A Golden Grave (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Rose Gallagher mystery series about a maid-turned Pinkerton detective dealing with paranormal activity. And this time Rose’s job is to protect Teddy Roosevelt who is running for mayor of New York City.
Love on Lexington Avenue (Trade Paperback) – Book two in the Central Park Pact series. Claire is still reeling from the death of her husband, even though he was a philandering jerk. Her solution is to remodel their brownstone so it feels like a fresh start. The famous contractor her friend recommends might be more trouble than the job is worth. I am ADORING this series! I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
A Trick of Light (Hardcover) – A gifted hacker and social media darling runs into a vlogger who has cyberkinetic powers after a lightning strike. And together they decide to right the wrongs in the world. This one is on my list for this week.
Bread for the Resistance: Forty Devotions for Justice People (Trade Paperback) – A devotional for those standing up to injustice in the world, a necessary but exhausting work.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood (Hardcover) – A gift-sized book of lessons from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show that Defined a Television Era (Hardcover) – A behind-the-scenes look at the TV show Friends.
How to Be a Family: The Year I Dragged My Kids Around the World to Find a New Way to Be Together (Hardcover) – Memoir from a writer about the year he traveled with his family to get out of their rut and see how families around the world live together.
Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World (Trade Paperback) – Helping your girls deal with worry and anxiety from a Christian perspective.
Teaching When the World Is on Fire (Hardcover) – Advice for K-12 teachers wanting to engage students with today’s real-world issues.

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Three girls bounced from institutions to asylums find themselves at a boarding school called Cheshire Crossing. The girls are the only residents – and they have a history of “dissociative psychosis.” But Dr. Rutherford doesn’t think they are crazy. He believes every story Alice Liddell (Wonderland), Wendy Darling (Neverland) and Dorothy Gale (Oz) have ever told.  And he’s going to research how the girls have been able to travel between worlds.

Alice’s bad attitude starts the trouble. Determined to escape the boarding school, she steals Dorothy’s silver slippers to go to Oz. Wendy tries to stop her and is pulled along. Their sudden arrival in Oz catches the attention of the resurrected Wicked Witch of the West and kicks off a universe-crossing adventure for all three girls and their nanny.

[Illustrations by Sarah Andersen]

Review

I have never been a fan of Wonderland or Neverland, but the premise of this one felt like something I had to check out. I’m so glad I did because it was a ton of fun! Alice has the most distinct personality of the three girls. She’s abrasive from the first moment, but I warmed to her over time. Each of the girls has a basic understanding of her world, but when the others visit, it creates a lot of fun scenarios. And there are even some things they can learn about their magic and their lands from one another.

The final page sets up a possible sequel – and I am here for it! I’m curious to see more of Cheshire Crossing and to see how Dr. Rutherford’s research impacts the girls and where their magical abilities and artifacts take them next.

One site says this is for teen readers (12-17) while some other places have this with middle grade graphic novels. I don’t know that I would go below 10 years old with this – that “older middle grade” designation might be the best fit for this story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥