Month: January 2020

REVIEW: Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith

REVIEW: Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Divya is known as D1V in Reclaim the Sun, a space exploration video game. She streams her game play which builds her list of followers and secures her sponsors. The sponsorships are helping her and her mom cover rent and food. Divya’s dad bailed on them. Her mom works two part time jobs while finishing graduate school. Divya doesn’t want to see her mom quit when she is so close to being done. But those part time jobs aren’t close to enough to keep them afloat.

Aaron is a writer and a gamer. His dream is to write the scripts for video games. He’s even done some of that for a small local company called ManaPunk – although they still haven’t paid him for his work. He loves exploring Reclaim the Sun with his friends (they tend to destroy eachother a lot, though), recently discovering a Level 4 planet and letting his little sister name it Planet Butts.

The majority of gamers are good people looking for a fun experience or a diversion. But just like in social media circles, there are trolls, people who target others because of their gender or race or some other reason. They harass those folks until they get scared or fed up and leave the game. A group of trolls calling themselves The Vox Populi have Divya in their sights. But she’s not giving up Reclaim the Sun, her streaming channel, and the life she’s built without a fight.

Review

Grrr, the trolls in this are infuriating! I loved Divya and her friend Rebekah, and I hated the garbage they went through just to have equal access to a game they loved.

Aaron is sweet. I enjoyed his relationship with his little sister. It’s pretty standard in gaming stories like this for there to be a teen who wants to work in gaming and a parent who thinks it’s a bad idea. And Aaron’s mom covers that part of the story. I liked that Aaron and his friend Ryan were involved with gaming, but not on the coding side like you find in a lot of books like this. These guys are involved in the writing and the art side, which made this feel a little different and fresh.

One of my favorite parts of this were the kids – many of them girls – in Divya’s “Angst Armada.” I was hoping in the end that Divya, Rebekah, Aaron and Ryan would build a game for these girls – a safe, fun place to play where they didn’t have to deal with the likes of the Vox Populi. Ugh, those guys were the worst.

I thought it was odd that the Vox Populi didn’t have a stronger motive than general dislike, at least not one they articulated. But I think it’s likely on purpose. No matter what their motive, it’s all based on hate and fear. Divya had something – notoriety, fame, a following, sponsorships – that these guys felt they deserved, and they tried to shut her down. I was thrilled when she chose to stand up to them. The ending was great – so satisfying! If you enjoy gaming stories (like Ready Player One), and stories of teens who fight back against the trolls (like Slay) be sure to check this one out. (Language, TW: assault, harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Tell Me Lies by Ed James

BONUS REVIEW: Tell Me Lies by Ed James

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Megan Holliday is shopping at the mall with her two kids. Avery is four. Brandon is three. They can both be a handful. The family has  no idea the guy in the elevator with them has been waiting for them. Watching them.

Megan wakes up on her porch with a note in her lap telling her not to call the police. Her children and her van are gone.

Senator Chris Holliday is in a congressional hearing when his phone buzzes. It’s in bad taste to check it, but it’s his private cell. Megan might need him. He sees a picture of Avery and Brandon with the morning paper, asleep in their van. The message that accompanies it sends him into a panic.

Special Agent Max Carter heads up the Seattle Field Office for the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team. He interviews Megan. She can’t reach the Senator. Carter promises he’ll do all he can to find the kids. But inside he’s wondering where the Senator has disappeared to.

Review

This was a great, suspenseful thriller. The twists and turns in this were like trying to get through a complicated maze. Every time a character made progress toward finding the truth, it opened an alley to another cover up, another lie, another suspect.

I liked the multiple perspectives in this. It allowed the reader to get into the heads of several characters including the kidnappers. There are so many secrets and lies in this, it added to the suspense to read the story from different perspectives. The reader keeps having to ask, “Is this character even trustworthy?”

There’s some darkness in this – violence, a good bit of foul language, and the dark subject matter. Kidnapping, murder, cover ups. It didn’t feel excessive for the story, but sensitive readers might run into issues with some story elements/moments.

If you love suspense, thrillers, conspiracy stories and twisty mysteries, be sure to check this one out. It’s a wild ride! It looks like this is the first in a series starring Special Agent Max Carter. There are a couple threads of this left open, so future books might pick up pieces from this one, but the case is mostly resolved by the end. (Language, sexual references, violence, TW: suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

REVIEW: Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The author, a Black Muslim writer, speaker, and teacher, created a free 28-day Instagram challenge about white supremacy. That turned into a free pdf workbook which was then updated and expanded into this traditionally published book. It begins with a forward by Robin DiAngela, a white anti-racist educator. Then Ms. Saad gives the history of the book and a bit of her personal story. Then she very clearly outlines the WORK the reader will be doing if they are serious about digging into their own relationship with white supremacy.

This is not supposed to be easy work. And it’s not one-and-done work. Readers will get out of the process what they put in. They’ll benefit even more if they revisit it and keep learning and growing.

The writing style for this is great. It’s conversational while also being honest and direct. The daily work tends to be five or so pages of reading with five to eight reflection questions for the reader to consider and journal about. And these questions aren’t about generic “white people.” They are personal, about you, the reader. The questions will require self-examination and significant self-awareness. This is why this can’t be a one-and-done sort of exercise. As awareness grows, there is value in revisiting these principles and questions.

Review

I was challenged by what I read in this book. I know there are things in the world, and in myself, that I am blind to. And this book inspired me to want to do the work and dig into these things. I know it will be difficult and not really “fun,” but it will be worthwhile. As soon as I finished reading through my review copy, I ordered an official copy that will be here later this week. My plan is to spend February, Black History Month, working through this 28-day exercise. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.

So, I can’t say what the process of completing this book/workbook will be like in this review. I can’t really know until I dig in and do the work. I can say that I was drawn in and challenged by the opening pages of this. And I feel this is the next step in my journey of seeing myself and the world around me more honestly in terms of race and racism and white supremacy. I can tell this will require a lot of prayer – to see and reflect on my own white privilege, white fragility, etc. If I am afraid to see it, I can’t root it out and replace it with things that honor BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) the way God intended.

I encourage readers to pick this up and begin your own journey with the material. I don’t feel like I can give this five stars without having actually done the work of the book, but everything I have read so far is excellent. Be sure to pick this one up!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Case of the Missing Adults by Scott Bryan Wilson

REVIEW: The Case of the Missing Adults by Scott Bryan Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

On Nancy Drew’s first day of school at Bayport High, she meets local “detectives,” Frank and Joe Hardy. Joe declares his undying love for her, and Frank tries to drum up a new case. But there’s a mystery right under their noses. All the adults at their school have gone missing.

Turns out, all the adults in TOWN are missing. Kids are out of control, they’re running out of food and supplies, and no one can make contact with anyone outside of town through the internet. So the three teen detectives decide to head to the rival town nearby, Vansant, to see if they are having the same issues.

Review

This was so fun! The three kids are quirky, but smart, and they work well together. Frank and Joe bicker and fight, but Frank recognizes it’s all psychological to avoid the depth of their feelings for each other. Smart!

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The mystery was fun. I laughed out loud as I read, and I got a kick out of this version of these three iconic characters. This is a good introduction, but there’s still lots to explore with the main characters, their families, and the other kids at their high school, as well as the rivalry with Vansant. I can’t wait to read more of these! Hand this to graphic novel fans, mystery fans, and kids who enjoy Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys stories.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2020

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last week of January – how did we get here so quickly?! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Hard Work, But It’s Worth It: The Life of Jimmy Carter – Picture book biography of the 39th President.
Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina – The true story of Sylvia Townsend who fell in love with the ballet when she saw Swan Lake on TV. There weren’t dance schools that would take her in the 1950s, but a local librarian on the bookmobile helped her find books where she could teach herself the basics. This sounds amazing!
Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit – The story of how Beatrix Potter used the money from her writing to protect the countryside that inspired her books.
Minnie Tales – Five Level 1 stories starring Minnie Mouse.
Sea Sheep – Pre-Level 1 reader about some silly swimming sheep.
The Amazing Adventures of Batman: The Terrible Twos! (February 1) – Batman and his cousin Batwoman team up against Two-Face.
DC Super Hero Adventures: Batman and the Ultimate Riddle, Justice League and the False Destiny,  Superman and the Apokolips Attack, AND Wonder Woman and the Pandora Plot (February 1) – Various DC Comics hero stories in early chapter book format.
Zach & Zoe Mysteries: The Hall of Fame Heist – Book 7 in the Zach and Zoe Mystery series. Something goes missing from the Baseball Hall of Fame while the kids are there for a field trip.
You Can Do It Yasmin! – Four stories starring Yasmin.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Confessions of a Dork Lord – The son of the Dark Lord is stuck in remedial classes in Middle Ages School where the bullies call him “dork lord.”
Slamdown Town – The two sons of a wrestling legend long to follow in their mother’s footsteps. But the younger son is built more like his dad, and his dreams of winning wrestling glory for his mom’s sake seem out of reach. But when his big brother forces him to chew the gum of an old wrestler, Ollie discovers it will transform him into a brawny wrestler. This sound so fun!
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day – While Willow’s magic has always seemed small and insignificant in her family, she’s the one the most feared witch in Starfell seeks out. Willow finds lost things – and last Tuesday is missing. This sounds amazing!
The Story Seeker: A New York Public Library Book – Book 2 in the Story Collector series. A twelve-year-old girl who lives in the New York Public Library and dreams of being a reporter wants to enter a writing contest. But a case of writer’s block and several distracting issues at the library threaten to derail her.
That’s What Friends Do – A friend dynamic changes dramatically when a comfortable pair pick up a third. While the new kid’s behavior towards Samantha makes her uncomfortable, David only sees it as confident flirting which makes him want to make his own move since he has developed feelings for Sammie. Soon things go wrong, and the kids are left trying to figure out where to go from here. There’s an emphasis here on consent and boundaries that make me wonder if this is something along the lines of Maybe He Just Likes You. Important conversations for kids these days!
When You Trap a Tiger – When a Korean girl’s grandmother falls sick, a magical tiger approaches her with a deal – return what her grandmother took from the tiger in exchange for her grandmother’s health. But deals with tigers are rarely what they seem to be on the surface.
Blood Countess – YA horror story about a girl who starts out as a maid, but is elevated to a paid position for the Blood Countess. While she falls under the Countess’s influence, she doesn’t notice that she has become a prisoner. When people start to die, she has to wonder if she might be next.
A Castle in the Clouds – A hotel intern finds herself in the middle of a mystery when the aging hotel where she works plays host to a New Year’s Eve ball.
Don’t Read the Comments – Two teens meet through the game Reclaiming the Sun. Divya is a rising star who goes by the name D1V. She uses her sponsorships to pay for everyday living expenses for her and her mom. Aaron is already writing games for a local developer even though his mom would rather he become a doctor like her. When trolls start to invade Reclaiming the Sun, and then take their trouble to the real world, doxxing and threatening gamers, Divya decides she is not going down without a fight.
Hostile Territory – Four teen campers are stranded in the Alaskan wilderness when an earth quake destroys their base camp. As they take inventory of their supplies and options, there are signs that this natural disaster has maybe launched a political one. The America they are trying to return to may not be the same one they left.
How to Build a Heart – After years of frequent moves and losses, Izzy’s family has a real chance to find some permanence. They have qualified for a Habitat for Humanity home in their new community. While Izzy has kept her scholarship status a secret from the kids at school and her boyfriend, those secrets are about to come out and unravel everything that was finally coming together for her family.
Almost American Girl (Graphic Novel Memoir) – A Korean girl finds herself in a life she never expected when a vacation to Alabama becomes a permanent move as her mother gets married. Struggling in a foreign culture where she doesn’t know her new “family” or the language, a comics drawing class could be the one thing that redeems all the struggles she has been facing.

Books for Adults

Book of Candlelight (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society mystery series. When a local Cherokee artisan is found dead, Nora and the sheriff don’t think it was accidental. So the Secret, Book, and Scone Society start investigating.
Buried to the Brim (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in Jenn McKinlay’s Hat Shop Mystery series. When murder strikes at the annual dog show, Scarlett and Vivian go “undercover” to investigate and protect a friend who is the prime suspect. I have been itching to start this series for awhile now!
Claw Enforcement (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Sarah and her friends are investigating again when someone dies at an event to celebrate a redevelopment project at the harbor.
Death Comes to the Nursery (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Kurland St Mary Mystery series. Lucy is looking to expand her nursery staff when she discovers she is pregnant again. She agrees to hire her current nurse’s cousin, Polly. But Polly’s presence provokes a slew of trouble, including her eventual death. Lucy and Robert suspect foul play.
Field Guide to Homicide (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Cat Latimer Mystery series. On a writer’s retreat hike, Cat’s retreat group stumbles across a body. Her boyfriend Seth recognizes the man, but he thought the man had already died.
A Girls’ Guide to the Outback (Trade Paperback) – A struggling youth pastor leaves ministry and returns home to Australia to help his sister with her dairy farm. When his ministry nemesis tries to coax him back, he makes her a deal – she comes out to Australia to apply her start-up expertise to the farm and he will reconsider his future with the church.
Headliners (Mass Market Paperback) – Two rival TV hosts are thrown together to lead a failing morning show. As if their interpersonal issues weren’t problematic enough, someone is trying to sabotage the show.
Highfire (Hardcover) – Vern, the last dragon alive, is hiding out in the swamps of Louisiana, drowning his sorrows in vodka. A kid called Squib sees a crooked cop kill his boss. He’s about to be eliminated himself when Vern rescues him. So the two strike a deal – Vern protects Squib from the guy who wants to kill him and Squib will be his runner and interface with the human world. But the cop is determined to silence Squib permanently. This sounds AMAZING!
Journaled to Death (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A woman and her teenage daughter who create journaling content on their social media channels hear a noise in the house and find their renter dead. Now they are the prime suspects for his murder.
Lipstick and Lies (e-book) – Book 2 in the Murder in Style series. When her neighbor – an attractive firefighter – is found standing over the dead body of his ex, Jenna can’t help but start investigating when it seems obvious he’s been set up. At the time of this writing, this is available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Marriage, Merlot & Murder (e-book) – Book 4 in the Wine and Dine Mysteries series. Emmy is thrilled to be hosting the first wedding at her family’s vineyard. But when the groom is killed moments before the ceremony, all of her perfect plans disappear as her business becomes a crime scene. This series sounds terrific!
Marriage on Madison Avenue (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the fantastic Central Park Pact series. Audrey and Clarke have been best friends since childhood. And best friends will generally do anything for one another – even agree to a fake engagement to keep Clarke’s matchmaking mother off his back. But their fake relationship starts to heat up in very real ways as the fake wedding date approaches. I have been waiting for this book for months! It’s the top book for my wish list this month.
Mortal Music (Trade Paperback) – Book 7 in the Silver Rush Mysteries series. Inez agrees to be an accompanist for opera diva Theia Drake as a way to help out her struggling music store, but it quickly becomes apparent that someone wants Theia dead.
Parable of the Sower Graphic Novel Adaptation (Hardcover) – Octavia Butler’s famous Parable of the Sower is now in graphic novel format.
Playing the Devil (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bridge to Death Mystery series. Investigative reporter and bridge player Wendy Winchester is investigating a murder once again when the husband of one of her new bridge club members is found dead.
The Romeo Effect (e-book) – Cupids, book 3. (This sounds like the movie Hitch.) Seth Harding engineers meet-cutes for a living, helping people find love. But when a failed match brings out some sparks between Seth and the matchee, can they find true love when he specializes in fake starts?
Shall We Dance (Trade Paperback) – A cop loses a bet with his buddies and has to take dance lessons. Then he meets the beautiful studio owner who just discovered she has two sisters and invited them into her home and into her life. Could two people with plenty of life changes and obstacles to overcome find love?
Statue of Limitations (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series by Kate Collins – the Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series. A woman moves home after her divorce to raise her son and help her family out at their garden center. But there’s a dispute over a valuable statue her grandfather picked up at an estate sale – and a powerful family connected to the statue wants to bulldoze the whole area around the garden center to build condos. I love that Kate Collins has a new series launching, and that it is launching in mass market paperback format. This will be a definite purchase for me.
Then, Now, Always (Mass Market Paperback) – When her teenage daughter Samantha runs into legal trouble for something she didn’t do, Maya can’t think of anyone else to go to but her ex, Samantha’s father. Only, he doesn’t know he has a daughter. I will be picking this one up too! I love stories like this.
View to a Kilt (Hardcover) – Book 13 in the Liss MacCrimmon Mystery series. As the snow thaws, Liss’ husband finds a body on their property. Not only has the man been murdered, but he turns out to be Liss’ uncle – a man everyone thought died in Vietnam.
A Century of Votes for Women: American Elections Since Suffrage (Paperback – January 30) – A look at women voters in American politics over the last 100 years.
From Lost to Found: Giving Up What You Think You Want for What Will Set You Free (Trade Paperback) – The author shares her personal journey while also helping readers identify what they fear losing and how to find the freedom God wants to provide for them.
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts (Hardcover) – The latest book from IF: Gathering founder Jennie Allen is an exploration and solution for toxic thinking. There will be a Bible study of Philippians to go with this which releases this spring. I am so excited to attend her tour for this book later this year. It’s going to be amazing.
Harry Potter Knitting Magic (Hardcover) – Includes official patterns for 25 items including house scarves and Mrs. Weasley’s Christmas sweaters.
Me and White Supremacy (Hardcover) – A 28-day workbook for self-examination to discover and root out white supremacy. I will be reviewing this later this week – I got to read an early copy – and I’ll be spending February (Black History month) doing the daily reading and writing work.
The Smoke Shop’s Backyard BBQ: Eat, Drink and Party like a Pitmaster (Hardcover) – January isn’t a great time to talk about grilling, at least not in the parts of the world experiencing winter, but the recipes in here sound amazing, and I’m sure there are suggestions and dishes you can enjoy year round.

REVIEW: Finding Mr. Better-Than-You by Shani Petroff

REVIEW: Finding Mr. Better-Than-You by Shani Petroff

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Camryn Roth has her heart set on Columbia for college. Her boyfriend, Marc, is a legacy, and they made a pact to attend together. Then Cam meets with her school counselor. Cam has been so focused on Marc and her friends, she’s neglected her extracurriculars. As things stand at the start of her senior year, she doesn’t have enough on her applications to get her into somewhere like Columbia. And there’s really no other school on her list.

That meeting with the counselor was bad. It threw Cam off and left her brain spinning. But she was going out that night with Marc. He would help her brainstorm some ideas to get back on track.

Only, he didn’t. He dumped her. Publicly. Not over the college thing, but because he wanted “some space.”

Cam is devastated. Marc is dating again in no time, eager to move on. But Cam’s whole life – her free time, her class schedule, her future plans – all revolved around Marc.

But with her best friends by her side, some new friends on her team, and a plan, Cam is going to get her life back on track. And she’ll show Marc what a huge mistake he’s made.

Review

This had a rough start for me. I did NOT like Cam. I felt there were huge, flashing “DANGER” signs in her thinking about Marc and their relationship. She hounded her counselor for the whole summer because she *had* to have at least one class with Marc her senior year. The activities she did as a freshman dropped off so she could focus on Marc. And it wasn’t because Marc made her drop those things. He wasn’t abusive or demanding. That was just what Cam thought it meant to be in a relationship – ignoring her ideas or her interests to focus solely on him. Every new glimpse into their relationship dynamic made me feel even more uncomfortable.

I do not enjoy characters and stories like that. I like strong, sassy characters who don’t put up with anyone’s guff. Cam seemed to be giving herself up for this relationship that started when she was 14 or 15. A lot can change about a teen from freshman year to senior year. And that’s often a good thing. But not for Cam. The big drama, the big feelings and the desperation were a turn off to me. If I had not committed to reading this, I probably would have stopped after a couple chapters.

Once I pushed through those initial feelings, I started to think that I was supposed to be uncomfortable with how Cam was acting. This whole book is about her finding herself again outside of this relationship. Cam kept sacrificing her wants and her options for guys – it didn’t just happen with Marc. And her head was so far in the sand of these “romantic” relationships, she missed out on some amazing friends until the break up set her on a new course.

It takes awhile, but Cam starts to listen to her own heart again. She prioritizes the things that have always mattered to her – having fun, being a little wild (like, school mascot wild), her friends – but got lost when she put other people’s preferences over her own. There’s still more of an emphasis on dating through the last half of the book than I would have chosen, but it’s probably more realistic this way. Cam needs time to realize what she’s doing in these relationships and start making her own choices again.

This is really NOT a romance, although it looks and sounds from the title like it might be. It’s really about Cam finding herself outside of a relationship and being okay with that, and with herself, for the first time in awhile. This could be a powerful story for teens exploring co-dependent relationships or  trying to figure out where their own romantic relationships fit in the balance of their lives.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

BONUS REVIEW: My Great Ex-Scape by Portia MacIntosh

BONUS REVIEW: My Great Ex-Scape by Portia MacIntosh

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Thanks to some unexpected twists in an otherwise ordinary day, Rosie finds herself center state on the live quiz show One Big Question.  And she’s done an amazing job. She’s down to her final lifeline – calling someone from her speed dial – on the final question. That final question is about dinosaurs. And Rosie’s boyfriend is a paleobiologist!

When she calls to ask him the “big question,” he interrupts her and breaks up with her on live television. Stunned, she still asks the dinosaur question which he answers. In one moment, she loses her boyfriend, wins £50,000, and goes viral.

The next day isn’t much better. Her social media has blown up in awful ways. Her ex feels entitled to some of her winnings. And a catty co-worker is chomping at the bit to write a newspaper article about her shame. The one bright spot is the flower arrangement on her doorstep. The unsigned card says, “I love you. I should never have let you go. I want you back.”

Thinking maybe her future can be found in her past, Rosie decides to track down all her exes and see who sent the flowers. Maybe he’s someone she wants back, too.

Review

This has a great premise, and it’s well executed. I enjoyed Rosie. The journey back to past relationships has been done before, and I love the trope. I enjoyed how it played out in this book. I didn’t expect the bulk of this to focus on only two of her past relationships (the other 3 were addressed early on) and to take place on a cruise ship. But the cruise pieces were fantastic. I enjoy cruise stories. And there’s a great balance here with the travel experience and Rosie’s re-connections with her exes. The main story stayed the main story, but there were delightful – and some aggravating – side stories that kept me engaged in the journey.

The characters really made this story for me. The gay-best friend can feel cliched, but I liked Rosie’s relationship with Eli. He was a good “wing-man” at times and a sounding board for her as she processed her past and her present. Rosie’s parents on the cruise were a hoot! I adored them.

If you enjoy stories with fun, quirky characters, be sure to check this one out. There are some great lines and some laugh-out-loud moments. And at the time of this writing, the book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Careless Whiskers by Miranda James

REVIEW: Careless Whiskers by Miranda James

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

The Athena College production of Careless Whispers is turning into quite the event for the community. Charlie’s daughter, Laura, is the female lead, and her husband is directing. But the guest actor they had hired had to cancel, so they ended up with Luke Lombardi. Lombardi is known for his tantrums and disruptive behavior. Only the promise of a prominent director possibly coming to the performance is keeping the actor somewhat in line. Some “pranks” targeting Lombardi have unraveled his composure and put his histrionics on display for everyone to see.

Charlie’s daughter, Laura, is often the target of Lombardi’s tantrums. So when he’s killed, she’s the primary suspect. But she’s hardly the only one who had conflicts with Lombardi. First of all, there’s something weird going on with the playwright. There’s also a woman in town with an old grudge. And then there’s Lombardi’s mistress who travels with him and fumes as other women throw themselves at the actor. Also Lombardi’s personal assistant is his mistress’s ex-husband. With no shortage of suspects, Charlie’s on the case to find a murderer and protect Laura who could have been killed when the murderer struck.

Review

Book 12 in the Cat in the Stacks series. I always enjoy spending time with Charlie and Diesel. And this was no exception. The mystery was twisty. While Lombardi was a jerk, there was no strong motive for the murder, so Charlie had to keep spinning through his suspects until new details started to break through. There was no huge confrontation at the end, but most of the threads were wrapped up at the conclusion.

I was frustrated by one of the clues in the case. The “pranks” on Lombardi started at the first introduction to the character, but sometimes the book would only talk about the second and third. At first I thought maybe this was on purpose and the first, “forgotten” prank would prove to be the detail that broke the case wide open. Instead, when the prankster was unmasked, we never really tied the person to the first prank. Why did the person start there, with that prank at that time?  It never really felt like it fit with the other two.

There’s a sizable core cast in this series – 16 or so including babies and pets. And I love how everyone ties into each book – filling in details about Charlie’s life, providing insight into characters and cases, etc. Once readers know the main players, I think these books can be read in any order. Fans of the series should be sure to check out this latest installment. The scene where Charlie is lurking in the theater trying to get some clues was a highlight for me. So out of character in some ways, and completely in character in others. The playwright situation was also a highlight of this book in my opinion – unexpected and twisty. (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Josie Bloom and the Emergency of Life by Susan Hill Long

REVIEW: Josie Bloom and the Emergency of Life by Susan Hill Long

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Josie has been living with her grandfather since her mom died. But lately things have gotten… odd. Her grandfather has been stashing wads of cash in weird places around the house. And Josie’s found a bunch of past due notices on their bills. And her grandfather often blurts out nonsense words. She hopes others aren’t noticing.

Her teacher at school IS noticing some other things. Josie’s grades aren’t great. Neither is her hygiene. Her teacher is getting suspicious.

Worst of all is the overdue mortgage bill. Once Josie figures out what a mortgage is, she realizes if she can’t come up with the money, they could lose their house. What would happen to her and her grandfather then?

Review

There’s a LOT going on in this book. Josie is trying to be the responsible grown up in her home, but she doesn’t understand mortgages and checking accounts. She doesn’t know where her grandfather’s cash is coming from. And the two of them end up at cross purposes at times while each is following his/her own plan. Then Josie’s best friend, Winky, is a baseball fanatic who is going blind, so he can’t play the game he loves. His favorite player, Joe Viola, becomes a regular character in Josie’s life. And finally, Josie’s teachers are trying to help out where they can see there’s need, although none of them know the whole story.

It took me awhile to connect to the heart of this one. The different threads felt willy nilly, and I couldn’t lock in to the characters or where the story was going. The timing of the story wasn’t well anchored for me either; I thought this was a contemporary story until it suddenly wasn’t.

But when everything fell apart, and Josie acknowledges the relief of not having to shoulder these burdens on her own any more, I found my connection point. I enjoyed the satisfying conclusion to the story.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: January 21, 2020

BOOK NEWS: January 21, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Today in America we are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr for his work in the area of Civil Rights. We still have so far to go, but I am grateful for the ground gained in the last 60 years.

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Grow, Candace, Grow – A second picture book from Hallmark movie star Candace Cameron Bure, this one about a little girl who wants a garden to grow faster.
Lawrence, the Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked – Lawrence’s mother always dresses him in interesting clothes, but he would rather run naked like other bunnies.
Swim Swim Sink – What are ducklings to do when the last one in the line sinks when she should swim? I can’t wait to see this one in person.
Althea Gibson: The Story of Tennis’ Fleet-of-Foot Girl – Picture Book biography
Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet – Describes a world-wide event where everyone turns off non-essential electricity for one hour.
Bug Dipping, Bug Sipping – Explore the world of bugs.
The Adventures of Allie and Amy: The Best Friend Plan – First in a new series. The girls make plans together for their summer before finding out one of them is going to be going away to camp.
Little Goddess Girls: Aphrodite and the Gold Apple – Book 3 in the series. Aphrodite hopes Zeus will give her the gift of likability so she can be a better friend, but at the same time she finds a magical gold apple and keeps it a secret from the other girls.
Mack Rhino, Private Eye: The Big Race Lace Case – Mack is about to investigate his 100th case!
Pet Rescue Adventures: The Loneliest Kitten AND The Puppy Who Couldn’t Sleep – New additions to the Pet Rescue Adventures series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Catherine’s War – Inspired by a true story. A girl records her life with a camera while everything changes – her name, her home, her future – because of the Nazi occupation of France.
Green Lantern: Legacy – A new DC graphic novel. When a teen inherits his grandmother’s jade ring he discovers the Green Lantern Corps.
The Mystwick School of Musicraft – When a girl bombs her audition to get in to a music school that teaches magic, they offer her a second chance, but only on a trial basis. She is determined to stay, even if it means pretending to be someone she isn’t. But it might just be that as herself she is exactly what the school needs.
The Runaway Princess (Graphic Novel) – A bored princess leaves her home in search of adventure.
Sunnyside Plaza – A woman with developmental disabilities living in a group home/community center decides to help investigate some suspicious deaths at the home. This is an unusual premise for a middle grade story. I’m curious about this one!
The Hand on the Wall – The third and final book in the Truly Devious series. Stevie has solved the mystery of Truly Devious, but three people are already dead. Missing and dead folks, both in the past and the present, mean there are plenty of questions and puzzles for Stevie to investigate. But when a massive storm approaches and the Academy is evacuated, Stevie stays behind to confront a murderer and settle things once and for all.
Layoverland – After the worst day ever, where she betrayed her beloved little sister, Beatrice wakes up in purgatory after a fatal accident. In order to get to heaven she will have to help 5,000 other people figure out what is keeping them from moving into eternity. This is so quirky I have to check it out!
Not So Pure and Simple – A teen who spots his first opportunity to connect with his longtime crush inadvertently signs on to a purity pledge at their church. His friend thinks he’s crazy, but he’s determined to make his move and somehow get the girl.
Rogue Princess – “A gender-swapped sci-fi retelling of Cinderella.” Yes, please! A princess determined to find love steals a spaceship to flee an arranged marriage and discovers a handsome stowaway inside.
Spell Hacker – While this was supposed to be their last magic heist, Diz and her friends discover not only a new strain of magic more powerful than anyone has ever seen but also a conspiracy about what led their world into the situation they are in. This sounds fascinating! (LGBTQ+)
Tweet Cute – Daughter of the family that runs a huge fast food chain – Big League Burger – manages their immensely popular Twitter account. The son of the family that runs the local deli feels like Big League Burger has stolen a family recipe used in their store. When he takes to Twitter to get justice, his Twitter feud goes viral. The teens have no idea, though, who they are battling on Twitter or that they are also communicating on an anonymous chat app – and falling for each other. I can not WAIT to read this one!
Wardens of Eternity – The last descendant of Egyptian royalty must learn to harness her magic, leverage her relationship with the Egyptian gods, and fight Hitler’s Nazis who want her power for themselves. Amazing!
What I Carry – A girl about to age out of foster care has learned to keep her distance from anything she might not be able to take with her due to the transitory nature of her life – that especially includes people. But in her last year before “freedom” she meets some people who could change her thinking about relationships and keeping to herself. I  asked the library for this one weeks ago!

Books for Adults

Careless Whiskers (Hardcover) – Book 12 in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series. Diesel and Charlie are sleuthing again when Charlie’s daughter is the prime suspect in a murder.
A Case for the Winemaker (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Ainsley McGregor series. Ainsley has put everything into her new business venture, an artisan market. Everything is going well – until she finds the dead body. Her best friend is a suspect and her brother the sheriff doesn’t want her help. But Ainsley is determined to find out who done it.
Entitled to Kill (e-book) – Book 2 of the St Marin’s Cozy Mystery series. A bookstore owner stumbles across a body at the local farm-to-table shop.
Loki: The God Who Fell to Earth (Graphic Novel) – A comics collection starring a resurrected Loki, sent to Midgard to be “Earth’s Mightiest Hero.” When he seeks out Tony Stark for some advice, he finds that Tony hasn’t forgotten all the problems Loki caused in the past. This sounds fun!
The Protective One (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Walnut Creek series. A young Mennonite woman breaks off her engagement, riling her family. But her decision means she is open to true love and a purpose she might not have found otherwise. This sounds fantastic!
A Queen in Hiding (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Nine Realms series, with new books releasing monthly. An orphaned princess in exile must learn to master her magic, inspire an army of rebels, and wrest her throne back from the corrupt aristocracy that stole it from her.
Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases (Hardcover) – Original pieces inspired by ACLU cases.
Jesus, Friend of My Soul: Reflections for the Lenten Journey (Trade Paperback) – A book of reflections/meditations for Lent.
Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name (Hardcover) – The latest from Max Lucado focuses on the life of Jesus, his interactions with others, and the rhythm of his earthly life.