Month: September 2019

BONUS REVIEW: The Nobodies by Liza Palmer

BONUS REVIEW: The Nobodies by Liza Palmer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Joan was 17, she broke her first big story. So she skipped college and went straight into journalism, expecting it to be her career for the rest of her life. But in the current market, more and more newspapers are closing, and layoffs are happening. Joan’s been job hunting now for nine months.

It’s making her question everything. Did she peak too early? Is she even a good writer? She’s questioning her identity and her future. At 36 years old she is living at home again. Joan needs to find a job!

One of the many jobs she applies for is a junior copywriter position at a tech start up called Bloom. It’s staffed by 20-somethings and hits many of the start-up cliches – fancy in-house coffees, open work spaces, and quarterly Q&A meetings overflowing with beer and pizza.

But Joan’s been in the real world long enough to take Bloom in with a more critical eye. What do they even do? Why is every speech a set of rehearsed statements, tons of words that say nothing? Maybe Bloom is hiding something. Maybe Joan’s days as a journalist aren’t over after all!

Review

This story tries to be both an exploration of a character’s identity crisis and also a suspenseful look at a company that might be hiding some big secret. I’m not sure it did well on either of those goals

I was more interested in the tech side of the story. And I enjoyed it. The crew Joan builds at Bloom is fun. The investigation was a fun story line. And it’s not over. There will be a sequel that will have to deal with what is going on at the start up.

The identity struggle and introspection that Joan is going through makes complete sense. She’s having something of a mid-life crisis. But her self-abuse and self-reflection bogged the story down. I didn’t  really like Joan, so I also didn’t sympathize with her. I generally love a good identity story, but this didn’t click for me.

Joan’s co-workers and her family were my only favorite parts of the story. I’m not sure if the secondary characters will be a big enough draw to get me to try out the sequel. (Language, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

REVIEW: How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

This is something of a how-to book for parents, grandparents, teachers and other caregivers eager to help kids connect with books. The book is broken into sections by the age of the child – baby, toddler, emerging and independent readers, middle grade, and teen. The whole book is a celebration of connecting around books, reading and investing in kids.

The authors are down to earth and speak truth about everything from how hard it is to raise a reader if you aren’t a reader to how hard it truly is to learn to read. It’s a skill that can take until a child is 7 to naturally develop. They answer questions like, “Why would I read to a baby who can’t understand the words?” or “Why are there no brown kids in my favorite childhood books?” They also address the anxiety adults face about when their kids might start reading, differences in kids’ readiness in the same family, concerns about middle grade readers reading young adult material, etc.

Each chapter is full of tons of information. The baby chapter, for example, sings the praises of board books. The size and heavy pages are great for small hands. They stand up to older baby and toddler antics like chewing or throwing better than 8×8 paperbacks or larger picture books. Then the authors give some feedback on things to be wary of with babies and books. And finally they have a good-sized list of recommendations.

Other topics include: reading out loud, the joy of libraries, when to get outside help for your reader, when teens take a reading break, reading on devices, graphic novels, the post-Harry Potter slump, etc.

Review

I cannot rave about this book enough! The structure and organization is perfect. Parents can go straight to the stage they are in and get practical advice right away. The tone is conversational. You could easily read this from start to finish and flag your favorite books and underline the principles you love. It won’t feel like reading a bossy parenting book.

The authors are honest about their own experiences raising readers – it wasn’t perfect. They don’t shy away from questions about things like cringe-worthy classics in the 21st century or the range of ages when reading clicks for kids.

There are TONS of recommendations in this, both by age and by other categories in the final chapter. This is a resource parents can use as they plan and execute actions to help their kids embrace reading and books. Older kids might use the recommendation lists to find ideas for things they want to read next. This would work for grandparents and others who love to buy books for kids and need good recommendations. This can also be helpful if you have well-meaning folks in your life who need proof that it’s okay that your 6 year old is still learning to read. This would also be a fantastic resource for teachers, principals and other educational professionals, both as a resource for their work, but also as a resource to share with teachers and families. I highly recommend this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

BONUS REVIEW: Judy Moody, Book Quiz Whiz by Megan McDonald

BONUS REVIEW: Judy Moody, Book Quiz Whiz by Megan McDonald

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Judy, Stink, and some of their friends make up the Virginia Dare School’s book quiz team, the Bookworms.

The Bookworms have been competing at school, and now they’ve made it all the way to the Book Quiz finals. Judy, Stink, Sophie, Frank and Jessica have been reading like crazy to prepare. Judy has even tried speed reading, although it didn’t go very well.

The Bookworms are feeling pretty confident, aside from some tummy butterflies – until they hear about their competition. The Bloodsucking Fake-Mustache Defenders have a 4th grader on their team! “Mighty Fantasky” is supposed to be a for-real speed reader. And she’s already read the 5th Harry Potter book. That’s almost 900 pages long! How can the Bookworms – three 3rd graders and two 2nd graders – compete against that?

Review

This was a delight! It felt like a Mr. Lemoncello book with all the book references, but for a younger audience. There’s supposed to be a book list in the back of the final copy, but it was not in the reviewer’s version.

Kids who read a lot will have a great time answering the book quiz practice questions along with the characters. And the book list is pretty vast. Readers will probably find some new titles to try as well. The only potential negative here is that the emphasis is on reading fast and accumulating knowledge to answer questions rather than on enjoying reading for the stories and the characters, being transformed by what we read, etc.

It’s fun to watch Judy and Stink working together in this story. They encourage each other in their reading, and Judy helps Stink with his nervous feelings. Fans of both characters will find something to love here. This is the 15th book in the Judy Moody series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Shirli Berman longs to be a performer. She dances and sings AND acts. And for her 8th grade year she’s tried out for the school production of Fiddler on the Roof. She was hoping to get the part of Hodel and get to sing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” Instead, she will be playing Golde, Tevye’s wife – an old Jewish woman with no solo. It was hard not to be disappointed.

It’s been five months since the World Trade Center towers fell on 9/11. Some people thought it was too soon for something as festive as a musical. But eventually the school decided it would be part of “moving forward” from the tragedy. A way to heal and get back to some semblance of normal.

Shirli’s grandfather, who she calls Zayde, has some old clothes and furniture in his attic that Shirli thinks could be useful for the musical. But when she looks through everything, she also finds an old violin and a poster for a music group. And one of the little boys on the poster is Zayde.

When Shirli shows him what she found, Zayde becomes angry, saying those things shouldn’t be in the attic. They were supposed to be thrown away years ago. What happened in Zayde’s past, and why does he want to keep it secret?

Review

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year (and I’ve read over 270 books so far)!! What a delightful surprise this was. I loved all the typical parts – the rehearsals and preparation for the musical, and the sweet middle school romance that might blossom. But there’s so much more!

Since the story takes place in New Jersey in late winter and spring of 2002, the characters are still reeling from 9/11. And there are some powerful scenes with Muslim, Jewish and Hindu characters around the events of that day. The scenes are amazing on their own, but they also address how America struggles, still today, with Muslims and other “brown” people because of the terrorists who struck that day.

But the story truly shines in the ways it addresses Jewish history through the musical and also through Shirli’s family. I can’t tell you how many times I cried as Zayde opened up to Shirli about his past. I learned things about the Holocaust I’d never heard/read before. And the authors did a masterful job of ensuring those stories impacted more characters than just Shirli.

This is a phenomenal story – delightful characters, and moving scenes about family, music and friendship. It also addresses heavy topics like 9/11 and the Holocaust in ways that are honest while also being kid-friendly. I’ve noticed a trend lately from publishers to have books targeted to older middle grade readers – 10-14 year olds. These books have excellent storytelling and meaningful plots without engaging in some of the more mature teen behavior you might find in YA books for older readers. Broken Strings is one such book.

My only complaint about this book is something I hope was fixed in the final editing process. This takes place in a Jr. High School with 8th and 9th grade students, but the book frequently refers to the 9th graders as “seniors” instead of “freshmen.” It happens so often, I forgot that Shirli is supposed to be 14 instead of 16. Hopefully that is just a factor in my early review copy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It would be an exceptional read aloud at school or at home, and would also be a fantastic choice for a book group. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

BOOK NEWS: September 10, 2019

BOOK NEWS: September 10, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

 

Big Bird (Board Book) – A board book celebrating a Sesame Street favorite.
Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck (Board Book) – Board book celebrating Cookie and his foodie truck.
I Am Brave (Board Book) AND  I Am Caring (Board Book) – Board book versions of Meltzer’s Ordinary People Change the World series of picture book biographies.
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border – A family travels to the border of California and Mexico to celebrate Christmas with their Abuela.
Fairy Science – The latest picture book from the delightful Ashley Spires. Esther the fairy believes in science instead of magic which is handy. When a tree in the forest stops growing, Esther uses her science skills to look for the cause. I cannot wait to read this one!!
I Am Marie Curie AND I Am Walt Disney – The latest picture book biographies in the excellent Ordinary People Change the World series.
Musical Mac – A shy millipede wants to compete in a talent show, but he’s too shy to compete by himself. When he tries to join a band there’s no group that will take him. The sample pages I have seen look delightful! I can’t wait to read this one, too!
A Mustache Baby Christmas – Mustache Baby becomes Elf Baby at Christmas time, and he’s eager to help his friend Javier whose beard turned white so he can be Santa Baby. But when Elf Baby finishes helping with all the new toys, he decides to keep them for himself. This is another one I will be looking for this week!
You’re In Good Paws – His distracted parents accidentally take Leo to the animal hospital to have his tonsils removed. This looks fantastic!
Didi Dodo Future Spy: Robo-Dodo Rumble – Book 2 in the series. Koko’s cookie shop is in trouble when a Robo-Dodo starts selling cookies for only a penny.
Judy Moody, Book Quiz Whiz – Book 15 in the Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald. This time Judy, Stink and their friends are competing in a quiz tournament about books. This was delightful! I’ll be posting a full review tomorrow.
Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue AND Kitty and the Tiger Treasure – The first two books in a new early chapter book series about a superhero cat.
The World Series Kids – Part of the Ballpark Mysteries series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Astronuts – First in a new series. Four hybrid animals created to find planets suitable for life after the Earth is destroyed check out the Plant Planet. Addresses some environmental issues in a fun, space-related story. I can’t wait to read this one!
Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes – Sequel to Kid Normal. Kid Normal and his friends meet up with the world’s worst supervillain.
Max Eintsein: Rebels with a Cause – Book 2 in the Max Einstein series, the latest from the team up of James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Max and her genius friends are off to tackle a water crisis while dodging kidnappers.
Magic Misfits: The Minor Third – Book 3 in the Magic Misfits series by Neil Patrick Harris. I enjoyed the first book and felt it had a Lemoncello-esque feel to it. In this book, Theo the violinist is the central character, and the kids are up against a suspicious ventriloquist.
Stargazing – A middle grade graphic novel. Two kids become friends and one confesses to the other that she sometimes has other-worldly visions. But those visions have an earthly cause and soon the girl is in the hospital. How does a kid be a best friend to someone fighting for her life in a hospital? This one is going to be amazing.
The Art of Harry Potter Mini Book of Magical Places – Small gift book with art from the Harry Potter films.
Broken Strings (Older Middle Grade) – When a middle schooler gets cast in Fiddler on the Roof, she thinks her Jewish grandfather might have things in his attic the school production can use. But she discovers an old violin with broken strings and some secrets of her grandfather’s past that he wants to keep to himself. This is one of the best books I have read all year! I will be posting a full review of this tomorrow. The intended audience for this is older middle grade readers – kids 10 and up.
Cracking the Bell – A teen who finds order and structure on the football field after a family tragedy wonders if the costs of football are worth it after he suffers a concussion. This is a timely story for teens. I have this on my library list.
Frankly in Love – When a Korean teen falls in love with a white girl, going against his family’s expectations, he turns to a Korean friend for a fake dating scheme to keep their parents off their backs. But things don’t go the way they planned.
The Liar’s Daughter – A teen raised in a cult is reunited with her biological mother when the government raids the cult. But she is determined to get back to her Family no matter what.
Lost and Found – A teen with a “micropower” of finding lost things thinks his power is a waste because it only makes people think he is a thief. But a police detective thinks his power could be a gift for the case of a missing girl.
The Magnolia Sword – A story of Mulan.
A Match Made in Mehendi – A teen in a long line of Indian matchmakers accidentally sets up her cousin and everyone thinks she has the family “gift.”  But when she starts making matches at school via an app, she turns the social hierarchy upside down and people are NOT happy.
Rebel Girls – A punk rock teen at a conservative Catholic school puts her girl-power vibe to work when her older sister is accused of having an abortion, an act that could get her expelled from school.
Tiger Queen – A princess who must fight in the arena to keep her kingdom must flee to the desert when she faces a fight she cannot win.  I am intrigued by this one.
A Treason of Thorns – After seven years of exile after her father’s treason, Violet returns home to the magic of Burleigh, but the magic has become wild and tormented in her family’s absence.
When She Reigns – Fallen Isles, book 3. After the events of the first two books, everything in the Fallen Isles is being destroyed. But if Mira can find the bones of the very first dragon, she might be able to save the dragons and the people she loves.

Books for Adults

Captivating in Love (Trade Paperback) – Maverick Billionaires, book 6. When Rosie and Gideon agree to watch a friend’s son while that friend is on their honeymoon, they have no idea what sort of matchmaking trouble the boy and Rosie’s son can cause together. But when Rosie and her son are in danger, Gideon will put everything on the line to protect them.
Don’t You Forget About Me (Trade Paperback) – When a woman loses her job and finds out her boyfriend is cheating all in the same day, it sends her life spinning. To get some control back, she takes the first job she finds, as a bartender at a new pub. She has no idea it’s owned by “the one who got away.” And he doesn’t remember her at all. I have this on hold from the library.
The Girl with the Pearl Pin (Trade Paperback) – First in the Society of Single Ladies series about a crime-solving group made up of single lords and and overlooked ladies. In this book, it’s a case of a fake engagement to protect a young woman accused of a crime until the Society can ferret out the truth.
The Institute (Hardcover) – New from Stephen King. Kids with special gifts are kidnapped and taken to the Institute while their parents are murdered. The kids are manipulated into using their gifts by unscrupulous staff . Those who don’t cooperate are brutally punished. No one escapes the Institute. This sounds so interesting, but I’ve never met a creepy King story that couldn’t give me nightmares, so I will probably skip this one. I just need someone to tell me what happens so my curiosity is satisfied.
The Nobodies (Hardcover) – A thirty-something journalist who has been unemployed for almost a year takes the only job she can find – a junior copywriter at a new tech start up. But something about the company seems fishy. So she teams up with some of the other outcasts at her job to see if they can get to the truth. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
One Christmas Star (e-book, September 12) – A woman with no musical talent in charge of a school Christmas program teams up with a washed out superstar to work on the program. This looks fun! I’m ready to start digging into Christmas books in preparation for the season.
Strands of Truth (Trade Paperback) – A woman who grew up in foster care discovers a half-sister with a similar story – dead mother, mysterious and unknown father. When the man who took Harper in as a teen is attacked, she and his son team up to find out what secrets are threatening everything they care about.
Survival Can Be Deadly: A Discount Detective Mystery (Trade Paperback) – First in the Cameron Chandler Mystery series. A single mom and new widow takes a job at a detective agency. When she picks up the runaway girl case her missing predecessor was on, she ends up at a survivalist camp armed with only a Swiss Army knife. This sounds fun and quirky.
The Testaments (Hardcover) – The highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. This picks up the story 15 years later.
The Vanished Bride (Hardcover) – First in the new Brontë Sisters Mystery series. The Brontë sisters of Yorkshire in 1845 are drawn into the mystery of a missing mother and gruesome crime scene. This sounds terrific! I have this on my library list.
Where the Light Enters (Hardcover) – Two women doctors in the late 1800s are called in to consult on a missing person’s case and a murder.
The Wonder of Now (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Sanctuary Sound series. A breast cancer survivor is writing a memoir and reliving every trial when she’d rather be moving on from it all. She’s hoping her European book tour will give her a chance to consider other writing projects and think about her future, but her PR agent is determined to keep her on track and focused on her current project. Currently available for free through Kindle Unlimited.
Antoni in the Kitchen (Hardcover) – One of the Queer Eye guys from Netflix, Antoni Porowski is the food and wine guru for the show. This book is designed to help anyone become more confident in the kitchen.
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 (Hardcover) – A unique look at the events of September 11, 2001 from those who experienced it directly.
A Republic if You Can Keep It (Hardcover) – Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch shares his journey to the Court and his views on his role in regard to the Constitution.
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know (Hardcover) – The latest from Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell uses real-world examples to talk about how our systems for evaluating the safety and integrity of people we don’t know are flawed.
The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together (Trade Paperback) – An “easy-to-follow” go-to guide for families gearing up for the college admissions process.
Why Meadow Died: The People and Policies that Created the Parkland Shooter and Endanger America’s Students (Hardcover) – A Parkland father teams up with an educational expert to investigate what allowed Parkland to happen and how to keep it from happening again. This seems to be less about gun control and more about school policies and procedures. I am curious about this one.
Yale Needs Women: How the First Group of Girls Rewrote the Rules of an Ivy League Giant (Hardcover) – This explores what it was like for the first groups of women to attend Yale University in the early 1970s.
Your Battles Belong to the Lord (Hardcover) AND Study Guide (Paperback) – The latest from Joyce Meyer. Recognize your true enemy and learn to overcome him by recognizing what tasks are yours to do and what belongs to the Lord.

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Books from DC Comics

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Books from DC Comics

Posted on by Jaymie

Superhero stories – and villain stories – are all the rage these days. Marvel has had a HUGE year at the box office while I feel like DC has done a better job with their print offerings. My emphasis for this post is on prose books and graphic novels that are original in that form, rather than graphic novels that are collections of comic books. You can read some of my reviews of DC books here. But there are other DC books I have enjoyed that I haven’t given a full review. Read about some of those books below as well as some things DC will be publishing in the coming months.

DC Backstories

I loved this line of books that gave the backstories for these DC superheroes (as well as Superman and Supergirl).
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Super Hero High

I did a full review of the Batgirl story from this series, but I have read all of these. I am missing two books in the series to read – Harley Quinn and Bumblebee. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Middle Grade Books

Flash: Hocus Pocus – I loved the first book in this Flash series! I haven’t kept up with the books (and now there is a new crossover series starting), but I liked how this one tied into the TV show, but was from a different timeline where Barry hadn’t gone back in time to change things (creating a slew of problems). The villain in this was legitimate and made for a very suspenseful story. Fans of the TV show should definitely check this series out. Rating: ♥♥♥♥ There’s also a Supergirl series like this, but I haven’t read any of those. Book one is called Age of Atlantis.

Study Hall of Justice – The first  Secret Hero Society book was fun. They are set up like the Jedi Academy books with comic panels, journal entries, etc. I did not like the art style for the first book, so I didn’t keep with it, but it looks like they changed artists with book 4, so I might have to try them again. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

DC Icons

I loved the idea of these DC Icons books – prose novels about the “heroes” as teens – so I read all four of them even though I have only posted a full review for Batman: Nightwalker. I thoroughly enjoyed the Wonder Woman story (Rating: ♥♥♥♥) and the Catwoman story (Rating: ♥♥♥♥), but the Superman book was a disappointment (Rating: ♥♥♥). The WW and Batman stories are being turned into graphic novels.

Early Readers/Chapter Books – Coming Soon

DC Super Hero Adventures – Four books release February 1, 2020 from DC including these two titles. It looks like these will be chapter books rather than graphic novels. I’m excited to see that!
DC Super Hero Girls at Metropolis High  – A new Super Hero Girls iteration launches on October 15, 2019. A second graphic novel in the series will release in spring 2020.
Winner Takes All – A chapter book starring Wonder Woman in Metropolis. Releases November 19, 2019. There may be a second book in the series releasing the same day.

Middle Grade – Coming Soon

Batman: Overdrive – Middle grade graphic novel releasing in March 2020.
Black Canary: Ignite (Dinah Lance) – Graphic novel, releasing October 29, 2019
Diana Princess of the Amazons – New graphic novel from the fantastic Shannon Hale releases in January 2020.
Field Trip Disaster – Book 5 in the Secret Hero Society series. Releases October 1, 2019.
Green Lantern: Legacy – New graphic novel releases in January 2020.
Super Sons: The Foxglove Mission – Book 2 in the Super Sons series releases on October 29, 2019
Zatanna and the House of Secrets – Middle grade graphic novel releasing in February 2020.

Teens – Coming Soon

Batman: Nightwalker Graphic Novel – Releases October 1, 2019
Gotham High (Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, Jack Napier) – Graphic novel, releasing April 2020
The Oracle Code (Barbara Gordon) – Graphic novel, releasing March 2020
Shadow of the Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) – Graphic novel, releasing February 2020
Wonder Woman: Warbringer Graphic Novel – Releases in January 2020

REVIEW: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

REVIEW: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Loki knows he doesn’t fit in in Asgard. He might be a prince, but Asgardians are warriors, not sorcerers.

Odin has a royal sorceress, Karnilla, Queen of Norns. Even though she is training an apprentice, Amora, she is officially the only magic-wielder for Odin’s court. Even Odin’s wife, Frigga, mostly kept her magic small and to herself.

In Amora, Loki found a peer. They did magic together and understood each other. (And he thought she had the most magnificent high heeled boots!) But an act of magic – desperation on Loki’s part – left a magical artifact destroyed and Amora banished to Midgard where her magic would dry up completely. And Loki was left in Asgard, without the one friend who understood him and with Odin’s constant disapproval, living in Thor’s everpresent shadow.

Years later, after a disastrous diplomatic mission, Loki himself is sent to Midgard. It’s supposed to be an important task for Odin, but Loki knows when he is being dumped somewhere. Something magical, though, is going on on Midgard, a place where there should be no magic. People are dying. This is Loki’s chance to redeem himself by helping some allies look into these deaths in 19th century London.

Review

I wanted to love this. I love the MCU version of Loki played by Tom Hiddleston. And there are some great moments early in the book where I could “hear” that Loki. It’s mostly in the interplay with Thor. But that’s lost in the second part of the book when those characters aren’t together.

Fans were promised a Loki from the comics in terms of sexuality. And it’s here. This Loki is genderfluid (although that’s mostly stated in a single line in the book). He also kisses both a male character and a female character in the book. This sexuality piece, though, wasn’t a huge part of the story, so it felt “there” rather than integrated. Readers who have strong feelings about this aspect of the character’s history will have a better take on this than me. For me, it felt tacked on, but with no emotional weight or punch.

I think antiheroes must be hard to write. A character like Loki is beloved, but he isn’t the hero. And as a young man here, part of Loki WANTS to be the hero. He wants to earn real praise from Odin. He wants the choice of successor to at least demand some thought and debate. This could have been a much stronger exploration of identity; I would have loved that. But it never went as far in that direction as I wanted.

I wanted to get to the end of the book and believe it couldn’t have worked out any other way – that Loki HAD to give in to his darker side and become the villain. But I didn’t feel the story here was compelling on that piece. There’s more “I’m a trickster, I guess I have to just lean all the way in” than circumstances that drive him there. There’s a bit of the Odin situation that didn’t leave Loki some of the options he wants, but he lets that eliminate everything else, too. I was disappointed by this. If this piece had been stronger, I would have liked the book a lot more.

The story was solid. I had plenty of questions so I kept turning pages, waiting for it all to become clear. And it did. It was more violent and gruesome in parts than I generally prefer. But none of the story grabbed me emotionally. I wasn’t in suspense or connected to any character other than Loki for the Earth-bound portions of the book. It was fine but it wasn’t fantastic. I wanted fantastic.

Fans of the character should check this out for themselves and see what they think. And readers who enjoy historical fiction might enjoy that angle on the story as well. (Violence; some language; some horror features – zombies; LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: A Bittersweet Surprise by Cynthia Ellingsen

BONUS REVIEW: A Bittersweet Surprise by Cynthia Ellingsen

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Emma’s father opened the Sweetery in Starlight Cove over 30 years ago. When he died, her step-mother Gillian used a management company to run it for awhile. But Emma works there now, prepping the chocolates every day, handling sales and supplies. At one time she had some ideas for changing or expanding the business, but Gillian wasn’t interested. Now, Gillian says she wants to sell the shop. And Emma is in no position to buy it.

Emma’s had some tough breaks in life. Her mother gave her up as a baby. When she was a kid, her dad died, and Gillian refused to raise her and left Emma with her grandmother instead. Her fiancé was killed ten years ago while being a Good Samaritan. And a decision to help an unreliable friend left Emma in a credit nightmare.

Helping others. That’s something Emma and her fiancé Joe had in common. Joe’s help sadly got him killed. Emma’s friends are concerned that her efforts to “save the world” could backfire on Emma, too. Like the stranger in town, living out of her car with her son. Emma gives her food, helps her find some work, and gives her a place to stay. That compulsion to help surely comes from the losses in her life. But Emma doesn’t always recognize the risks.

That helpful nature. though, also means others are willing to help Emma when she needs it. An unexpected discovery could give Emma a chance to buy the Sweetery from her step-mother. And her friends are ready to help her make connections and build a business plan. But when the rug is pulled out from under her, Emma is left wonder what her future holds.

Review

This was good! I felt for Emma; her helping thing felt very Enneagram 2-ish to me. So many of her circumstances were no fault of her own. She just had to live with the fall out. But all the things that converge in this story a) get her to do some self-evaluation and b) prompt her to deal with a couple of things that are in her power to influence. This was great.

Apparently this is the third book in the Starlight Cove series. (Book one is The Lighthouse Keeper, and book 2 is The Winemaker’s Secret.) While some of the characters from the first two books play a role in this one, this book completely stands on its own. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything starting with this book.

A few twists in this one, and some emotional ups and downs made for an engaging tale. There’s a LOT going on here. There’s the situation with the store, the situation with Emma’s step-mother, then there’s the woman and her son that Emma helps. Emma’s also responsible for the care of her elderly grandmother. Then there’s also a potential romance for Emma as well as her grief over her fiancé. On top of all of that there’s an art piece threaded through the whole story. There’s a lot here for readers to enjoy – and a lot of threads for the author to track. I never once felt like she didn’t have full control of her story, which is masterful.

If you enjoy a character-driven story with lots of moving pieces which never feel like “too much,” check out the Starlight Cove series and A Bittersweet Surprise in particular.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lindsey Norris is in a good place in life. She’s prepping for her wedding to Sully in December. She loves her extended family-to-be, including Sully’s niece Josie. She’s in a good place with her job at the library and at peace with her co-workers.

But it’s one task for her job – one she performs well – that turns everything upside down.

Aaron Grady and his wife are new to town. He raises roses, and is concerned about the impact of a recent drought. Since Lindsey is on the reference desk when he comes in, she takes him to their books on gardening and roses and connects him with a local gardening group.

While Lindsey thought she was just doing her job, Aaron thinks it’s something much more. He tracks Lindsey down at her house to bring her flowers, stares at her for hours while she’s at work, and stalks her, sending texts while she is shopping for her wedding dress. While the local police are taking it seriously, Aaron has yet to really cross a line. The mayor tells Lindsey she’s over reacting. He thinks she should be “flattered” by the attention. He refuses to let her ban Aaron from the library.

When Aaron’s stalking extends to following Lindsey while they are out to dinner, Sully’s had enough. He and Aaron argue publicly. The next day Aaron is dead, Sully’s gun is missing, and he’s the number one suspect for the murder.

Review

This is the second harassment story I’ve read in two days, and I have to say they both have been unsettling. The victims feel skittish and trapped while clueless outsiders excuse the perpetrators’ lack of boundaries. Ugh. It feels awful. The author here does a great job of painting that emotional picture before the murder. I felt a real sense of relief that the guy would not be stalking Lindsey any more.

The mystery here is top notch. Everything moves along quickly. While Sully – and Lindsey – are suspects, their community believes in them and supports them as they seek the truth. There are great twists and turns in this one. I really enjoyed the journey to the truth.

This is the 10th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay – and it’s not slowing down at all. I love spending time with these characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Founder’s Bluff’s history centers around the Kramer family – and witches. Judge Nathaniel Kramer led the settlers who founded Founder’s Bluff. And he led the witch hunt against a group of women who were seen as outsiders.

Turns out the women were witches. And they ran and hid as long as they could. But they eventually called on the goddess Hecate to help them find a safe haven where they could live free.

Moth Hush is a middle school student studying the history of Founder’s Bluff. On Halloween, she even dresses as a witch. But in a fit of anger after abuse by the usual bullies, something strange and magical happens.

What is Moth’s connection to the history of Founder’s Bluff and the witches who once lived there?

Review

This is a rich graphic novel that is a fantasy, but also an exploration of legacy, belonging, and identity. And I really enjoyed it!

Early on the book is all about the history of Founder’s Bluff, Moth’s questions, and her mom, Calendula. And that was fine. But as the story developed and we learned about Calendula’s life, it really grabbed my attention. Calendula longed for her own place – her own story and identity outside of magic. At the same time, Moth is longing for those things, also, but she wants the magic, too. It was fascinating!

If the story was just about Moth and magic, it would have been solid. But these deeper, richer themes really brought this up to the next level for me. Fantasy fans should be sure to check this one out! (Magic elements – witches, goddesses, spells, familiars, ghosts)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥