Month: February 2020

REVIEW: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

REVIEW: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lady Alessandra Stathos is not a young woman to be trifled with. She knows her own mind and her plans for her future. Nothing will get in her way.

The one young man who broke her heart was killed by her own hand.
Her various lovers all have secrets they wish to keep so they keep their liaisons secret as well.
And now that her older sister is betrothed, Alessandra is finally permitted to join society. And she has her eye on the biggest prize of all – the Shadow King.

She will make him fall in love with her and then marry her. And once she’s queen, she’ll kill him and take over the vast kingdom. But the first step is to get him to notice her out of a slew of young beauties vying for his attention. And the second is to keep an assassin from killing him before she can do it herself.

Review

This was fantastic and different. I loved it! It’s a classic fantasy tale of lords and ladies and royal marriage. But the protagonist – the “hero” – is a murderess. She tells you in the first sentence of the book. She’s wicked smart, calculating, and ruthless. She will do anything to get what she wants.

The king has a ruthless streak of his own. It’s not as well explored because Alessandra tells the story, but there are some stellar moments in this where you really see that part of him. He’s a conqueror, and he will kill anyone who crosses him or fails him. These are the stars of the story! These are the potential love interests. And it’s crazy because Alessandra is so likable. The writing of these characters is brilliant to pull that off. I’ve read standard protagonists who were morally good who I didn’t like as much as I liked Alessandra.  Her relationships with her new friends at court and her no-nonsense conversations with the king were actually endearing. I loved her sass, her fashion sense, and her confidence.

There’s a touch of magic in this – enough to add an interesting layer to the king and to the story, but something simple enough not to require tons of world building. The details could be doled out over time to keep the intrigue while never mucking up the storytelling. But the magic is essential to the plot. The whole setup was brilliant.

The ending was terrific. I loved how all the pieces fit together. I would absolutely read this again! This is a stand alone story, something which can be hard to find in YA fantasy. The dedication describes this as a “Slytherin romance,” and that is the most perfect description of this I can think of. Now I need to track down the author’s other books because this was so great! (Some language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Al Dente's Inferno by Stephanie Cole

BONUS REVIEW: Al Dente’s Inferno by Stephanie Cole

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

Nell Valenti has arrived in Italy for the opportunity of a lifetime. She’s there to work with the legendary Chef, Claudio Orlandini, her culinary hero.

Nell has been hired to take Villa Orlandini and turn it into a culinary school where tourists could come and learn from the famous chef. She would make any structural and equipment changes necessary, design a course of study, and promote the school. But the villa is not exactly in tip top shape. And neither is Chef Orlandini.

The Chef might be the big name draw, but he seems to play bocce more than he cooks these days. Parts of the villa look run down with old, worn, and mismatched furniture. There’s even a porcupine living in one of the rooms. Nell has a much larger job ahead of her than she had been led to believe.

Before she can really wrap her mind around all the work that needs to be done to transform the space into a cooking school, the occupants of the villa inform her they are throwing a dinner party to help with the launch of the school. But when someone is killed and Chef disappears, Nell has to wonder if the school even has a chance.

Review

I struggled with this one. I didn’t click with the characters or the story in a way that propelled me forward. It was too easy to set this down and pick up other books instead. I didn’t get a good sense of the cooking school pieces or Nell’s expertise to pull that off. The author tried to set up some interesting dynamics with Nell’s family, but it was more tell than show until the last part of the book. It didn’t have a chance to grow into all it could have been. And while it’s obvious that a story in Italy is going to have Italian-speaking characters and translation issues, this was often a distraction or interruption to the flow of the story for me.

There’s potential here. Nell seems to have an interesting background. I liked the potential love interest and the way he and Nell interacted. The setting – the villa, the cooking school angle – could be developed nicely. Personally, though, this didn’t click. I didn’t get a great sense of the victim, the suspects, or the larger group at the villa. Characters are a huge part of books and reading for me, and these didn’t draw me in.

The mystery is solid, and I enjoyed some of the latter scenes in the book where Nell works through some clues. I might try a second book in this series to see how the characters develop, especially if Nell’s parents are going to be part of the story. That dynamic is fascinating to me.

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

REVIEW: The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

“You are cordially invited to the Fifth Avenue Story Society.”

Jett receives his invitation after a night in jail for a drunken brawl where he tried to defend a bridesmaid from a groomsman who refused to hear the word “no.”

Lexa receives her invitation at work where she’s been the executive assistant to a rising star for years. She could be running the company, but she’s afraid of what would happen if she applied to be CEO and her boss said no.

Chuck was in jail with Jett because he waded into the fight. It was a huge mistake to get involved. It could have cost him the most important people in his life. He found his invitation in his car – the one he drove for Uber after his life fell apart.

Ed and Coral round out the group. All five of them received invitations. None of them know who sent them. But in time they all start to see their Monday nights together as one of the most important parts of their week. They process life together and encourage one another. And they wait to discover who called them together – and why.

Review

This was great! There was a connection to the author’s previous work The Writing Desk (which I loved!) that I didn’t expect, but thoroughly enjoyed.

This breaks with the pattern of an historical story alongside a contemporary one that the author used in the last couple books of hers I have read. I loved that this one is set entirely in the present. The set up of five mostly-strangers coming together gave the author so much to explore. Everyone was holding something back – from the group and in some ways from themselves. There’s a strong element of “the truth will set you free” in this.

The stories of the two women in the group were probably my favorites – although Ed’s story had the biggest emotional punch for me. But I enjoyed how all five stories wove together and built on one another. I also enjoyed the thread about writing that worked through the stories of the three men in the group.

There was plenty of tension in this – several spots where I thought the group might fracture beyond repair. But one character’s new relationship with God led her to be the example for the group, sharing her story and waiting to see if the others would be brave enough to share theirs. I completely enjoyed the journey of watching it all play out.

Fans of Rachel Hauck’s work – as well as fans of contemporary Christian fiction – should check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson

BONUS REVIEW: Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Shailey takes her bedtime reading routine VERY seriously. And she and her dad have a great one – until his new job gets in the way. So Shailey puts up a help wanted sign and starts interviewing replacements for him. Some of her applicants, while familiar from their own stories, aren’t a good fit for the job. Shailey wonders if she’ll ever find the right storyteller.

Review

This was delightful! The story was clever, using fairy tale characters like the Three Pigs and Cinderella as potential storytellers. The qualifications changed as Shailey weeded out the wrong types of applicants. There are even some fun sample applications at the end of the book. I loved the final solution to her dilemma.

The art work here is darling! This would be perfect for a school, library or book store read aloud. Don’t miss this one! This is scheduled to release on March 1, 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Sleeping Bronty by Christy Webster

REVIEW: Sleeping Bronty by Christy Webster

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In this twisted take on Sleeping Beauty, a dinosaur princess is cursed by a selfish fairy who wanted to be queen. When the curse works and the selfish fairy takes the throne, Bronty’s fairy friends go looking for help and find a prince who has a unique solution to the problem.

Review

This is an adorable board book, book 2 in the Once Before Time series. The dinosaur characters are a fun twist, and the illustrations are colorful and cute. I loved the shift in the solution. There are no consent issues raised, and there’s no kissing. Just a yummy solution for our heroes who can stomach it.

Be sure to check out Sleeping Bronty, as well as book one, Cinderella Rex, for your favorite board book readers. I can’t wait to pick these up as gifts. Who wouldn’t love a dinosaur fairy tale?!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: February 25, 2020

BOOK NEWS: February 25, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last week of February. 2020 is zooming by! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Count With Olaf (Board Book) – Book comes with plush, movable hands.
Balletball – A girl who loves ballet is “stuck” playing baseball in the spring, but discovers she might actually like it.
Don’t Feed the Coos! – She was warned what will happen, but the girl still feeds a pigeon. Then all of its little pigeon friends start following her every where she goes. I can not WAIT to see this in person!
Feast of Peas (March 1) – Jiva works so hard in his garden to care for his peas. And he can hardly wait to enjoy them. But every time he goes to take the ripe ones from his garden, they are already gone.
Mr Pig’s Big Wall – Hog is annoyed that after a hard day’s work he can’t just relax in his garden because his neighbor always wants to play. So he builds a wall to keep her out, not realizing that his wall will deprive him of what he values most.
Piper & Mabel – An adorable story of two dogs sent to “Happy Trails Ranch” instead of going on vacation with their people. I can’t wait to see this in person.
Supertato: Books Are Rubbish (February 27) – The evil Pea thinks books are rubbish, and the other vegetables are determined to prove him wrong.
Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote – The story of Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson’s battle over votes for women.
Free for You and Me: What Our First Amendment Means – Picture book exploring the first amendment to the Constitution.
Cats in the Crater – Book 3 in the early chapter book My FANGtastically Evil Vampire Pet series. The Great and Powerful Mark, and his vampire cat, are spending the summer at Evil Scientist Summer Camp. This sounds hilarious!
InvestiGators – First in a new graphic novel early chapter book series about super spy alligators. This. Looks. Amazing. I have this one on my list for this week, too.
Trouble at Table 5: The Candy Caper AND Busted By Breakfast – The first two books in a new early chapter book series from the author of the Stick Cat and Stick Dog books, Tom Watson. The stories focus on a set of three friends and the antics they get into as they help one another.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Finding Home – Book 2 in the Baxter Family Children series, a spin off from the adult Baxter family novels.
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! – Novel in letters. A girl on the autism spectrum writes letters to a baseball star sharing her own dreams of playing on the team. This one is on my list for this week!
A Home for Goddesses and Dogs (Older Middle Grade) – When a girl loses her mother and goes to live with an aunt and her wife, she struggles to find a place of belonging. Then the adults also take in a rotten, misbehaving dog. Wasn’t taking her in enough “rescuing” for them for awhile? This one is on my list for this week, too.
Village of Scoundrels (Older Middle Grade) – For older middle grade readers and teens based on a true story about teens in the French resistance in WWII.
We Could Be Heroes – A boy on the autism spectrum is suspended for a week because of his choices when his teacher makes the class read a really sad book. A girl has been looking for a kid just like him – someone with the gumption to help her save a dog with seizures. This is also on my list.
The Wonder of Wildflowers – A girl looks forward to when her family completes the path to citizenship so she can finally access Amber and the magic it provides and be an insider instead of an outsider.
The Opposite of Falling Apart – A YA story of two teens preparing to leave for college, one battling extreme anxiety and the other dealing with the fallout of “The Accident.” As they find each other, they also find a means of overcoming some of the obstacles in their paths.
Rebelwing – That cover is screaming my name! It’s amazing!! This book has it all – it’s dystopian, there are cybernetic dragons and smugglers, and it takes place in a near-future Washington DC. This one is already in my Amazon cart.
The Shadows Between Us – A girl with a murderous plan for the king needs to keep him alive long enough to make her queen before she takes him out. And plenty of others are trying to hunt him down.
The Sound of Stars – In a world where a misunderstanding led to the death of 1/3 of the population and takeover by an alien race, music, books and art are illegal and emotional expression can be grounds for death. But Ellie is keeping a secret library anyway. When one of the aliens discovers her secret, he knows he should turn her in, but his love of music compels him to keep her secret. This sounds fascinating.

Books for Adults

Al Dente’s Inferno (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Tuscan Cooking School Mystery series. An American chef trying to launch a farm-to-table culinary school in Tuscany stumbles across a murder. Looking forward to this one!
The Body in the Bookmobile (e-book) – First in the new Millie Monroe Mysteries series. A law school drop out who takes on the job of driving the local bookmobile discovers a dead body in the van.
British Murder (Trade Paperback) – Combines previously published books 17 (English Tea Murder) and 23 (British Manor Murder) into one volume.
Coconut Layer Cake Murder (Hardcover) – Book 25 in the Hannah Swenson Mystery series. Hannah’s sister’s boyfriend is the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
A Cowboy to Remember (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Cowboys of California series. A chef who loses her memory in an accident heads to California and family friends who might be able to help her put her life back together again. There she sees the face that has been haunting her dreams even though she doesn’t remember the history between them. I already have this one on hold at the library.
Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series. When a Pirate Festival comes to town, bakeshop owners Jake and Ellie find a dead body instead of a boost in their bottom line. And then Jake becomes the prime suspect.
Death with a Dark Red Rose (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Writer’s Apprentice Mystery series. While Lena should be working on her next book with friend and author Camilla Graham as well as enjoying her engagement, she’s instead looking for one of her friends who has gone missing. I am two books behind on this fantastic series, but I’ll be catching up soon!
Dressed Up 4 Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Phee’s mom is consumed with showing her dog Streetman in the Precious Pooches Holiday Extravaganza costume contest. But a couple dead bodies could be a sign that someone is after the dog owners in the contest, including Phee’s mom.
Egg Drop Dead (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Lana’s first ever catering event is a flop when a dead body is found at the event.
Finna (Trade Paperback) – A Swedish big box store is home to multiverse-spanning portals. And when an elderly customer slips through one, two minimum wage employees (who recently broke up) must go after her to save the company (and the woman). (LGBTQ+)
Here Comes the Body (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Catering Hall Mystery series. A dead body at the family catering hall is not what Mia needed at the bachelor party she planned as her first event back in town. Now she is sleuthing to be sure her father doesn’t end up in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.
The King’s Justice (Hardcover) – Book 9 in the Maggie Hope Mystery series. Secret Agent Maggie Hope is looking for connections between a missing violin and a series of murders.
Lupine Lies (e-book, February 27) – A Gray Whale Inn short story.
Murder Makes Scents (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series. Coming home from a Paris perfume conference, Stella and her mom, Millie, have brought trouble home with them. Millie is attacked and a stranger accuses her of stealing a formula and smuggling it home.
On the Lamb (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. While preparing for Easter and enjoying the annual Bikers on the Beach celebration a man is killed and Lucy’s friend is the prime suspect.
Pies Before Guys (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Pie Town Mystery series. A poet accused of plagiarism is found dead at the pie shop, and the Baker Street Bakers are asked to look into it.
A Silent Stabbing (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the A Lady and a Lady’s Maid Mystery series.  Lady Phoebe and her lady’s maid, Eva, are in a puzzling mess when their new head gardener is murdered. His brother is the most likely suspect, but Eva’s sister – her MARRIED sister – has been spending time with him while she’s on holiday. If she is his alibi, her reputation will be ruined. Phoebe and Eva know they have to investigate so the killer can be brought to justice.
Stayin’ Alive (e-book) – Book 10 in the Country Club Murders series. After all this time, Ellison has sort of come to expect that she’ll find a body any time there’s a big event – like the exhibit of Chinese funerary at the museum. She’s happy, though, to stay far from the investigation this time, until someone tries to kill her.
Who’s Dead, Doc? (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Jules and Bun Mystery series. Jules and her telepathic rabbit Bun are sleuthing again when someone is killed at a birthday party.
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot (Hardcover) – The author asserts that the feminist movement is too often focused on “increasing privilege for the few” instead of the basic needs – food, quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage – for the many. This is on my list of nonfiction books to add to my TBR.
The Illustrated Feminist: 100 Years of Suffrage, Strength, and Sisterhood in America (Hardcover) – Highlights 10 landmark moments for women from each decade from 1920 to 2020.
On the Bright Side: Stories about Friendship, Love and Being True to Yourself (Hardcover) – The latest from Melanie Shankle. How to anchor yourself to unchanging principles in a world gone mad.
Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote (Hardcover) – History of Suffrage from pre-Civil War to now.

REVIEW: Break in Case of Emergency by Brian Francis

REVIEW: Break in Case of Emergency by Brian Francis

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

When Toby was a kid, growing up with her mom, she was fascinated hearing her mom talk about her absent father. It didn’t happen often. She showed Toby one picture of them together, and she talked about his singing. She said he was “magic.”

Toby’s mom cycled through dark moments and neutral ones. The voices would become incessant and drive her to the quiet of her locked bedroom. When Toby was 10, she came home from school and found her mother dead by suicide.

Now, at 15, Toby lives with her grandparents. Her grandparents rarely speak about Toby’s mother. And her father is a non-factor in her life. Toby fights her own darkness. She has to force herself out of bed in the morning. She’s convinced everyone will be better off when she is gone. She’s almost ready for her plan.

Then, out of the blue, her father calls. He’s going to be in the area. He wants to meet Toby.

Her grandparents don’t want him to come. Toby’s not sure she wants him to visit either. Where has he been all this time? He didn’t even come for her mom’s funeral. And when she hears more about him – that he’s gay and a drag performer – she’s even more confused than ever. Her plan is postponed for the moment – she’ll wait to check out this “father” who wants to meet her. But the darkness still stalks her.

Review

This is heartbreaking. The early chapters were dark and sad. Toby’s depression and her struggles are so well described it was almost hard to read.

Really, the whole story has a dark edge to it, but the heart develops alongside the darker pieces, and I was captivated by the story. There’s so much pain here. Toby’s loss is tragic, and she’s never been able to talk to anyone about it. Her father never felt at home in the community. His family turned him away. Toby’s grandparents carry their own grief. The pain of it all was raw and conveyed so well.

The mental illness pieces of this are well-written. I do wish there was more therapeutic follow up for Toby. Her needs were not going to just magically clear up. But I did enjoy the ways Toby starts to grow from her experiences – the new ways she sees her mom, her dad, her friends, and her experiences.

This needs an intense trigger warning for suicide and depression. I would caution readers to be in a good, safe, and healthy emotional place before reading this one. This left me in tears multiple times. Toby’s emotional state and her suicidal plans are well described and sensitively handled. But this could be triggering for some readers. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Microphones and Murder by Erin Huss

BONUS REVIEW: Microphones and Murder by Erin Huss

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

After several years as an engineer on a successful podcast, Liv pitches the idea of her own true crime show, Missing or Murdered. But the “talent” says she doesn’t have the experience or the gumption to do it well. So Liv quits her job.

She gives up her life to move to Santa Maria where Amelia Clark lived before she disappeared in 2008. Liv is accompanied by her enthusiastic younger biracial step-sister, Camry. Camry’s great aunt, Hazel, lives in Santa Maria and is letting them stay with her while they launch the podcast and learn everything they can about Amelia.

Liv’s early investigation goes poorly. Witnesses are hard to find or reluctant to share. Her primary source is only able to give them some files on the case before he’s no longer able to help. The area where Amelia’s car was found has changed a lot in 10 years making it hard to get clues in that space. There’s a reason this case has gone unsolved for so long. Liv starts to wonder if she’s made a BIG mistake.

But when an apple comes crashing through the bedroom window at Hazel’s, the sisters have to wonder if they have more information than they realize, and if they have gotten too close to a killer desperate to protect their secrets.

Review

This was OUTSTANDING!! I was pulled into the story form the first page. I loved the characters! By the end, there’s a little group of 5 working on the podcast and the case, and they are delightful. Liv and Camry are sisters, but by marriage, which makes for an interesting dynamic. Hazel, Camry’s great aunt, looks like Mrs. Claus, but sounds younger and sexier when she’s recorded for the podcast. Oliver is a Deaf YouTube star with millions of followers. He speaks as well as signs. As his grandmother, Hazel signs as does Liv who studied ASL in high school and college. This dynamic made for some fun moments in the story. And Austin is a reporter with a stutter, a crush on Camry, and some contacts around Santa Maria that the sisters really need. I loved how they all came together as a group and how they worked together.

The case was top notch! They got breakthroughs at reasonable moments where just the right question or contact opened a new avenue for the investigation. The pacing was terrific. There were early roadblocks to test Liv’s commitment to this path. And future discoveries came in a way that never pointed to police incompetence – they just didn’t find the right information in the right combinations to put all the pieces together. There were reluctant witnesses and others who never knew they had relevant information before. And the overall resolution was very satisfying!

I can’t tell you how often I laughed while I was reading. Between the humor and the great characters and the fantastic plot, I was in mystery-lover bliss with this book. I cannot recommend this highly enough! I noticed a couple details that were inconsistent, but I trust those were worked out in final edits. I’ll definitely be picking up my own copy of this now that it has released. Mystery fans and podcasting fans should not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: 100 Bible Verses that Made America by Robert J. Morgan

REVIEW: 100 Bible Verses that Made America by Robert J. Morgan

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Bible holds a sacred place in the hearts of those who base their lives on the words and concepts in its pages. It also holds a sacred place in the history of the United States of America. The author states, “I am not commending all those whose stories I tell in these pages, but I am commending the BOOK they held in their hands.” This is a pivotal assertion for readers to remember.

This book contains 100 stories of moments in American history where the Bible has figured prominently. Stories include:

  • President George Washington kissing the Bible after taking his oath of office.
  • Friar Antonio de Montesinos preaching a blistering sermon to Spaniards who were enslaving indigenous people in the “New World” which the author tied to Matthew 3:3’s reference to a “voice calling in the wilderness.”
  • Early settlers surviving based on Biblical principles like 1 Thessalonians 3:8 addressing idleness and Ezra 8 where the pilgrims identified with the Israelite exiles returning to the Promised Land.
  • Tales of women like Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Fanny Crosby
  • Contemporary examples from Ronald Reagan, the elder President Bush, 9/11, and Presidents Obama and Trump.

Review

I expected more evidence of 100 Bible verses and principles that went into the formation and work of the nation. That is not what this is. This felt more like a devotional than a scholarly, historic work (although sources are cited like you would find in a scholarly piece). This might be a good resource for readers who enjoy faith and history, but at a lighter, breezier level.

Not every story is as anchored to the scripture given as others. Sometimes the scripture listed was used in a sermon or in the speech or letter referenced. Other times it seems as if it was chosen by the author to convey the theme he wanted to emphasize with the story or the character of the historical figure referenced.

I am not sure these 100 examples are enough evidence to support the author’s claim that “the Bible is the cornerstone of American history.” I think it’s certainly a huge piece of our history – and I’m grateful for it. But if we take an honest look at un-scrubbed American history, we will see too often that we failed to live up to Biblical principles and the high calling of Christ. We will see many times when Scripture was twisted to make it say what we wanted it to say. We will see plenty of key decision makers using other means and standards to drive their choices for the country.

I could see someone using this as a devotional or as a gift for someone who enjoys historical faith stories. I found fascinating stories throughout the book. But this would not be something I could recommend for history students or others looking for an in-depth look at the Bible’s influence on American history and politics. I feel like the rating for this one suffered in part because of the clash between reality and my expectations. Readers who go in knowing the  survey-nature of the book might be more satisfied with the reading experience.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It’s almost Halloween, and Zatanna’s been having a rough couple of days. She got into an argument with some bullies at school because they were harassing her friend. And it was SO weird – at one point, they all turned RED! Not like a blush, but their skin changed color. So strange….

Then Zatanna’s best friend ditched her, acting like Zatanna is too immature or too weird. Then Zatanna blew off her only other friend AND found out her dad lied to her.

And then, some crazy woman calling herself “the Witch Queen” broke into her house, used MAGIC on Zatanna, fought her dad, and then they both vanished.

With Pocus, a talking rabbit/animal spirit as her companion, Zatanna has to figure out how her father’s backward-words magic works and find him in this wonky House of Secrets before the Witch Queen takes the house away from their family and uses it for her own evil purposes.

Review

This was cute! I’ve seen this House before in an episode of Young Justice. It was fun to see it again in a new context. The library scene and the sphinx were my favorite parts of the story.

Zatanna changes a lot in the story. She learns things about herself and her family that she couldn’t have imagined at the very start. Her biggest challenges came from losing the “adult” characters who had always advised or protected her. She had to make her own way – although she did get help from a source she wasn’t expecting.

My only “complaint” is that the talking bunny had to be called a “familiar” which will put off some readers/families because of occult connections. I am not 100% familiar with Zatanna’s full history, but I know one of the villains has a “familiar,” so maybe that is part of the character’s history and would never be changed. But I feel like the bunny could have just been a magical talking bunny and left at that.

I love the confidence Zatanna has by the end – in herself and in her magic. She understands where she fits and she stands up for herself with Witch Boy. She also seems more confident in her own skin by the end. She’s found her footing and her purpose!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥