Month: February 2020

BOOK NEWS: February 18, 2020

BOOK NEWS: February 18, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy President’s Day! Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

Evolution for Smart Kids (Board Book) – Theories of evolution presented in story form.
Dream Big, Little Scientists  – Introduces 11 branches of science in a bedtime story.
Friday Night Wrestlefest – A family gets ready for Friday night bedtime in the style of a televised wrestling match.
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring – A boy and his dog on a walk notice the signs of spring. Part of a series.
The Music of Life  – A composer with writer’s block is inspired by the sounds around him.
The Paper Kingdom – When the babysitter cancels, a boy has to go into work with his parents at night, but they turn the job into something magical and fun.
Tickled Pink: How Friendship Washes the World with Color – A flamingo is sad when a zebra and panda say they will only play with animals that are black and white. I’m eager to see this identity exploration in person.
Equality’s Call – Learn the history of voting rights.
God the Father and the Best Day Ever – A rhyming story about Easter and God’s love.
Frankie Sparks and the Lucky Charm  – Book 4 in the awesome Frankie Sparks series. Frankie and her classmates build Leprechaun traps, but Frankie is having trouble with her designs.
Miss Blake Is a Flake! – My Weirder-est School, book 4. The kids learn survival from an odd scout leader.
Born Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up to Be Awesome Scientists – Brief biographies of female scientists and mathematicians.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Fire in the Star – Book 3 in the Unicorn Quest series. Younger sister, Claire, finally gets a chance to lead in an adventure that might be their most important and dangerous yet.
Marvel Action: Spider-Man: Bad Luck (Graphic Novel) – Book 3 in the Marvel Action: Spider-Man series. Peter, Gwen and Miles are working together against a new villain and her bad luck powers.
Middle School: Master of Disaster – Book 12 in the Middle School series sees a team up between the stars of several Patterson series. Rafe and Jimmy are working on a huge celebration of books and reading when they team up with Jamie Grimm (I, Funny – ♥♥♥♥), Jacky Ha-Ha, the Kidd family (Treasure Hunters) and Max Einstein. I love the whole idea of this!
Star Wars Adventures: Defend the Republic (Graphic Novel) – A prequel adventure. Collects issues 18-20.
Taylor Before and After – A story told in journal entries in two timelines – before and after a tragedy as a girl negotiates changes at home and at school. This sounds really good.
Zatanna and the House of Secrets – The latest graphic novel for kids from the folks at DC. Zatanna discovers some mysteries about her family and her home in this fun, magical story. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow.
A Black Woman Did That – A celebration of women of color in history.
The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid – A self-identified feminist who thinks prom is a prime example of the gender-based issues in her school finds herself on the planning team for the event. So she convinces the team to change things up this year. I have already requested this one from the library.
Foul Is Fair – A group of teen girls who tend to “rule the school” – and any other environment they find themselves in – experience something new and unexpected when they crash a party for a local prep school. But these girls know their power, and when one of their own is assaulted, they fight back with a vengeance. A bloody, violent and dark Macbeth retelling about rape. Sensitive readers should approach this one with care, but the reviews for this are overwhelmingly positive.
Miss You Love You Hate You Bye – When her strong, leader best friend starts cracking under the strain of family issues and develops an eating disorder, the quiet, blend-into-the-background best friend has to find a way to speak up.
Of Curses and Kisses – From the author of When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie (♥♥♥♥½) and the upcoming 10 Things I Hate About Pinky (June 2020). A princess and a lord from feuding families meet at boarding school where she is determined to make him love her and then break his heart for what his family has put her family through, but where he is just waiting for his cursed future. This is at the top of my list for this week.
The Seventh Sun – First in a new series based on Aztec and Mayan legends. A young prince feels unprepared to take the throne after his father’s death, and his family’s connection to the sun seems to be fading. He is presented with six noble women from which to choose his bride, but the gods seem to be working against the prince and the young woman he would choose – and they both know any woman not chosen will be sacrificed.
The Upside of Falling – A YA fake-relationship story! I love these! Tired of being hassled for not having a boyfriend, a girl claims she already has one. A guy nearby steps into the role so he too can get people off his case. What starts as pretend starts to feel pretty real when the two teens realize how much they have in common. I already have this one on hold at the library!

Books for Adults

Dead to the Last Drop (e-book, February 21) – Book 8 in the Killer Coffee Mystery series. When Roxi’s Aunt Maxi gets involved in community theater, Roxi gets involved in another murder. This is free to read for subscribers to the Kindle Unlimited program at the time of this writing.
Ghost-Spider, Volume 1: Dog Days Are Over (Paperback Graphic Novel) – Gwen Stacey travels from Earth-65 to the Prime Marvel Universe to go to school. This looks fascinating! I have been interested in this characters since the Spider-verse movie came out in 2018.
Harley Quinn & the Gotham Girls (Paperback Graphic Novel) – Five issue mini series. Catwoman steals something thinking she is helping the lion preserve only to find out she is working for Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.
Highway to Hel (e-book) – Book 2 in the Vikings of Virginia Mystery series. When the goddess of the underworld shows up in Freya’s town, she figures she’s just there to check out the Asgardian retirees. But then Loki goes missing and it’s obvious Hel is up to something. I am SO intrigued by this series! I have book 1 waiting on my TBR. Both books are free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.
Isaiah’s Legacy (Trade Paperback) – A young girl tutoring the child-King Manasseh starts steering him away from obedience to Yahweh. The king’s road to ruin starts to take her with him and leads her to seek out Yahweh for herself and her people.
Lawless Litter (e-book, February 20) – Book 11 in the Pet Whisperer series. A litter of kittens is left on the porch, their paws covered in blood. This cozy mystery series looks so fun!
Queen of Raiders (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Nine Realms series. The exiled princess is compelled by spirits to join a group of rebel raiders.
Here for It: How to Save Your Soul in America (Hardcover) – A memoir-in-essays exploring identity as well as the current political landscape, asking the question, “Why should we bother when everything only gets worse?” (LGBTQ+)
I Still Believe (Trade Paperback) – A memoir by Jeremy Camp. Christian singer Jeremy Camp shares his journey of losing his first wife months after their wedding.
Loving Well in a Broken World: Discover the Hidden Power of Empathy (Trade Paperback) – Jesus said to love our neighbors, but that would be a lot easier if they thought and believed and acted just like us. Readers can learn to leverage their empathy to help us put Jesus’ words into practice.
Star Trek Voyager: 25th Anniversary Special Book (Hardcover) – A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the science fiction show.

REVIEW: Freaky in Fresno by Laurie Boyle Crompton

REVIEW: Freaky in Fresno by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ricki is into classic horror movies, monster makeup and saving the Starlight drive-in theater with her crush, Jake.

Lana is an online/social media influencer with her makeup videos. She has an online competition with another influencer who calls herself Her Highness, and an online relationship with Erik who has his own prank show. Lana is preparing for a huge appearance at Digifest in LA.

The girls are cousins. Their Aunt May announces she is giving them a joint gift – a Buick Skylark convertible. She knows the girls have been growing apart, so she insists that they learn to share the car, hoping it will help their relationship.

Lana is convinced that if she drives the car onto the stage at Digifest, it will launch her to the next level of stardom. Ricki is certain Lana is being selfish and will try to keep the car for herself. So she refuses to give Lana the car so that she can drive it to the Starlight’s grand re-opening. As the girls physically fight over control of the car, they get shocked and everything around them goes crazy. When everything goes back to normal, they shake off the weirdness and head home. But the next day, each wakes up in her cousin’s body.

Review

This was so fun! It made me want to watch both of the Freaky Friday movies; it’s been ages since I have seen them. This was a fantastic homage to the movies while standing on its own with contemporary conflicts. At first, I was frustrated with both girls, and I didn’t like either one. But as the story developed and we saw more of the girls’ inner lives, I came to appreciate them both.

My favorite moments were when Ricki experienced Lana’s anxiety. She didn’t know what that heavy feeling was at first. Lana loved the feeling of freedom she had while living in Ricki’s body. This whole piece of the story was well-done.

I was fascinated that the author chose to have Ricki tell the whole story rather than tell this with dual perspectives. In some ways, Lana had a LOT more to process, and the reader is able to dig into that through Ricki’s perspective. I’m not sure there would have been as much story to tell from the other direction, unless the author wanted to address how Ricki felt watching her mother connect so much with Lana. The story really didn’t directly address that dynamic.

If you enjoyed Pretty in Punxsutawney, if you love Freaky Friday stories, or if you just like novels that explore identity, fame, mental health and anxiety, and changing perspectives, you should check this story out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Cold Nose, Warm Heart by Mara Wells

REVIEW: Cold Nose, Warm Heart by Mara Wells

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

Caleb Donovan was the only one among his brothers who stood by their dad until the end of the trial. At first he took pride in his loyalty. But in the end, he knew what everyone else knew before him. His dad was guilty, and the business empire was finished. But Caleb’s grandfather has a property – the Dorothy. If Caleb can convince his brothers to work with him on it, they could develop the property and start the Donovan real estate business over again.

Riley had built her career at Donovan properties until she was laid off after the trial. She’s been working at her grandmother’s building – the Dorothy – as the building manager, just trying to get her feet under her again.

At least, Riley thought her grandmother owned the Dorothy. But now Caleb Donovan is there, looking all too handsome for her own good, saying he’s turning the Dorothy and the adjacent empty lot the residents call a “dog park,” into his next development deal. Riley’s dog might love Caleb, but Riley is not about to let another Donovan destroy her life again. And the rest of the neighborhood dog owners aren’t letting their dog park, such as it is, go without a fight.

Review

I love romance books with great animal characters, and this is a fun one. The complexity of the housing development situation and the history between Caleb’s and Riley’s families was perfect, creating several moments where everything teetered on the edge of disaster.

I especially liked Caleb. I wanted more for him – a better family situation, more with his brothers, and for him to have all the things in life he always craved. Riley was a great blend of strength and self-sufficiency alongside her own neediness. She lost everything and was still grieving her job and her dreams when Caleb showed up. Caleb was only one piece of her journey to community and connection.

I have to wonder about the cover art chosen for the book as it doesn’t match the main dog. There is a black Lab in the story, but it belongs to a secondary character. The choice to put that dog on the cover of this story was odd. It should have been a toy poodle like LouLou.

This is the first book in the Fur Haven Dog Park series. Book 2, Tail for Two, which will focus on one of Caleb’s brothers, will release this summer. I can’t wait to see what role Riley and Caleb might have in future stories, and I am thrilled to get more information on Caleb’s brothers. If you enjoy romance stories, and stories with great animal characters, don’t miss out on this one. (Sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Revenge of the Red Club by Kim Harrington

REVIEW: Revenge of the Red Club by Kim Harrington

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Riley Dunne’s school life seems to crumble overnight. First, her middle school newspaper is shut down. She writes one article about the cafeteria’s “gluten free” chicken nuggets – which aren’t actually gluten free and make her friend sick – and the principal shuts it down indefinitely.

Then the school starts cracking down on dress code violations. But the rules only target the girls and leave them feeling like they should be ashamed of their bodies. Even the boys are finding the rules insulting. Like they don’t have enough self-control to see a bare shoulder and still concentrate in class.

But the biggest disruption is when the Red Club is shut down. The Red Club is a support group for the middle school girls who are getting their periods. Someone puts supplies in an empty locker as well as several pairs of sweatpants for accidents. And the girls get to meet in the library every week and encourage one another, answer questions, and help each other when they’re hassled by boys or have embarrassing moments at school. It’s one of the best parts of Riley’s week. And it too gets taken away.

The final straw is when one of the girls is dress coded from attending a dance. She was one of the event planners, but her dress was deemed “inappropriate,” and she was barred from the event. Riley is in the exact same dress. But because she doesn’t fill it out as well, she’s not dress coded. It’s one more attack on the girls at the school. And they’ve decide they aren’t going to roll over and take it any more.

Review

This was fantastic!! I LOVE a good girl power story (Moxie, Ban this Book, Suggested Reading, Maybe He Just Likes You, The Hate You Give, Slay, etc.), and this one is terrific! Riley’s family tells her that her superpower is how she uses her words. Cue the heart eyes! (I would have loved to have Riley’s articles included in the book to showcase that.) But the “girl power” isn’t just the rebellion that is kicked off at the school after the changes to policy. It’s the way the girls support one another – recognizing their individual gifts (business, writing, gymnastics, fashion/make up) and supporting them ALL.

And if the great girls aren’t enough, there are also great guys in this. I love the ones who see and understand what the girls are trying to do – and then they show up and take action! Fantastic!

Then there are the adults, both the ones who support the girls all along, and the ones who catch on later. They’re all great! My favorite scene was when Riley and her mom meet with the principal. It’s perfection.

This book is brilliant. The story is a delight – an engaging tale, characters you want to cheer for, and a chance to see some wrongs righted, even if only in fiction. The only thing that could have made this better in my opinion would be the addition of Riley’s articles as well as instructions for readers who want to start their own Red Club. Outstanding!! Do NOT miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2020

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week – maybe there’s something here your Valentine would love!

Books for Kids

Honor to Us All (Board Book) – Mulan board book with tabs to pull.
The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe – The 10 Blunder kids are responsible for keeping track of each other, but when it is time to go home and they try to count everyone, they are one Blunder short.
The Box Turtle – A turtle born without a shell is content with his box shell until someone calls it weird.
Cyclops of Central Park – A cyclops loses track of one of his sheep so the others help him search for Eugene.
The Great Eggscape! – A dozen eggs escape their carton to have an adventure in the store.
Up on Bob – A friendship story of a cat and a dog.
You Are Mine, Porcupine (February 15) – A mama porcupine tells her child all the things she loves about him while readers get to learn about the animals.
Facts vs Opinions vs Robots – A fun, colorful book that explores the difference between facts and opinions.
Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg – A biography of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Star Wars: R2D2 Is Lost! – The droids are back on Endor and R2D2 finds a young Ewok in need of help.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Batman Tales: Once Upon a Crime (Graphic Novel) – Batman short stories with a fairy tale twist. I am eager to see this one in person!
Beginners Welcome – A girl grieving the loss of her father wonders if it’s worth the risk to care about some new friends she encounters.
Cat & Cat: Girl Meets Cat (Graphic Novel) – A father and daughter team discover how life changes when they adopt a cat.
The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street – Nineteenth century Boston is home to magical creatures and a father and daughter team who care for them and hide them. When the father, and most of the monstrous creatures, disappear, Cordelia starts sifting through clues for some answers. Sounds like a fun mystery!
Marvel Action Avengers: The Fear Eaters (Graphic Novel) – Book 3 in the Marvel Action Adventures series. Collects three comic adventures.
Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk! (LGBTQ+) – A young aspiring talent agent takes on a teen drag queen and his business starts to boom. His relationship with the “out” performer makes Mikey wonder if he can live his truth publicly as well.
Mulan: Before the Sword – A story set before the Mulan movie.
Odd Gods: The Oddyssey – Book 2 in the illustrated Odd Gods series. Oddonis is in big trouble – he’s turned his father, Zeus, into a giant baby.
Wanda Seasongood and the Mostly True Secret – A girl who can’t believe her obnoxious family is really hers makes a wish to find her true family. A talking bluebird arrives with news that someone has been meddling in her affairs – he just can’t remember the details.
Cloak of Night – Sequel to Circle of Shadows. Sora and Daemon and their friends are on their own in standing up to a seemingly invincible foe in this sequel to a great fantasy novel from 2019. I can’t wait to see how everything works out!
Freaky in Fresno – From the author of the delightful Pretty in Punxsutawney. Two cousins who couldn’t be more different swap bodies thanks to a shared car – a gift from their aunt – and an electric shock. Now they have to figure out how to unswap and salvage the major events and relationships in their lives. I will be reviewing this one later this week.
No True Believers – Salma, her family, and her friends experience the pain of Islamaphobia in their community which is only heightened when there is a terrorist bombing.

Books for Adults

All the Best Lies (Hardcover) – An FBI agent investigating his mother’s murder from when he was a baby teams up with a suspended cop with her own troubled past. This one sounds like it will be twisty!
A Crafter Quilts a Crime (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Handcrafted Mystery series. A fun live-mannequin contest turns dark when one participant is found dead. The SHE detective team start sleuthing to see who might have wanted the quilter dead. I read book 2 in this series, A Crafter Hooks a Killer, and I enjoyed it. I’d like to read the other books in this Wisconsin-based series.
Felicity Carrol and the Murderous Menace (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Felicity Carrol Mystery series. Felicity travels to Montana when her friend from Scotland Yard suspects Jack the Ripper has taken up his killing spree in the US.
House Rules (e-book) – Uptown, book 3. A Manhattan chef must share an apartment with her ex-husband in order to afford life in the city. While they try to avoid the chemistry between them, their history together could keep them from enjoying this second chance at love. I have book 1 from this series on my TBR list. I need to catch up on this series soon.
In Cold Chamomile (Hardcover)  – Book 3 in the A Tea and a Read Mystery series. A murder at a Valentine’s Day event, and a suspect close to home, means Callie is investigating again.
Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident (e-book short story, February 16) – A prequel to the fun Parasol Protectorate paranormal series. I haven’t read those books in years, but I might have to dig into them again so I can enjoy this prequel about the series protagonist, Alexia Tarabotti’s first meeting with the new Alpha werewolf in town.
Microphones and Murder (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Podcasting Sisters Mystery series. A podcaster gives up everything to launch her own true crime/cold case podcast with her sister. When the 10 year old missing persons case they are talking about catches the ear of a killer, the women are threatened, but they won’t quit until they find out what happened to the missing woman. Pair this one with The Game Changer for a fun set of podcasting mysteries.
Sisters By Choice (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Blackberry Island series. Three women, cousins, face difficulties and look for solutions and fresh starts on the island.
Star Trek Picard: The Last Best Hope (Hardcover) – An original novel and prequel to the CBS streaming show Star Trek Picard by Una McCormack. Our family is enjoying the new series, and it will be a fight to see which of us gets to read this new book first.
The Unspoken Name (Hardcover) – An orc priestess turns her back on her faith and her prophesied destiny to become a thief, a spy and an assassin. I have requested this one from the library.
The Bible in 52 Weeks: A Yearlong Bible Study for Women (Trade Paperback) – Includes 6 days of reading passages (with a catch up day on day 7) as well as questions to answer and actions to take. This is currently available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad (Hardcover) – Explores simple practices you can add to your life to restore your soul.
Prayers for Faithful Families: Everyday Prayers for Everyday Life (Hardcover) – Simple prayers for busy families to pray in a variety of circumstances.

REVIEW: Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn

REVIEW: Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn

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

Cassandra Cain was a trained assassin with no friends, no language and many questions about her past.

When her latest target pleads for his daughter, the word catches Cassandra’s attention and she runs. She finds refuge in a noodle shop and then at the library.

A red-headed young woman in a wheelchair named Barbara leads sessions at the library with some kids, talking about Batgirl and what she meant to the city. Her stories grab Cassandra’s attention. As her literacy skills grow, she starts to seek out the woman’s lessons, reading what she can from articles about Batgirl. She also starts to see her early life in a whole new light. The question is what does she do with this new insight – and her shame over the things she has done?

Review

This was fantastic!! The art style isn’t my favorite – it’s beautiful, but not a style that I gravitate towards – which distracted me at first. But I was obsessed with watching this furtive, skittish girl warm up to the two women in this story who could help her so much if she gave them a chance. And of course I loved the library setting for this!

I did some research on the history of Cassandra Cain in DC Comics. (I’m more familiar with the Barbara Gordon version of the character of Batgirl.) I like the choices made in this with her language development and the relationship with Barbara and Jackie. The developing friendship between the three of them was one of my favorite parts of the story.

There’s a small romantic storyline in this and tons of identity exploration. Who is Barbara now if she is not Batgirl? What is Erick going to choose for his life – will he be the man he wants to be or the one his parents expect him to become? Can Cassandra choose to be something other than the assassin she was created to be? I was here for every one of those questions. It was all amazing.

DC continues to impress me with their non-comic graphic novels for kids and teens. You can read my thoughts about the DC book universe here. You can also read some of my recent DC reviews – Black Canary Ignite, Diana Princess of the Amazons, Teen Titans: Raven, Wonder Woman Warbringer, Mera:Tidebreaker. And there will be more this spring – I can’t wait to tell you about them! But this one just might be my favorite of all of them. I hope you will check it out! (Some language)

DC Entertainment graciously shared some of the interior art work with me so I could show you what’s in store for you with this terrific story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Dozen Second Chances by Kate Field

REVIEW: A Dozen Second Chances by Kate Field

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Eve’s sister Faye died, Eve was at the start of her dream life. She had archaeology and her geeky passion for history. And she had Paddy and their plans for a life together.

After Faye died, Eve took in her orphaned niece, Caitlyn, only a toddler at the time, to raise. She put aside her professional dreams, willingly. And Paddy was on board – initially. But when he left, Eve and Caitlyn were both devastated. Eve decided then and there that she would never let a man into their lives again who could break their hearts.

Caitlyn’s grown now and ready to spend a year in Paris as an au pair. She makes Eve promise she’ll do things to pamper herself as she moves into this empty nest stage of life. She even gives Eve 12 decorated certificates to fill out and mail her, saying what Eve is doing to treat herself.

In the quiet of Eve’s life after Caitlyn leaves, she is forced to take a close look at her life. She’s almost 40 and in a job she chose so she could be close to Caitlyn as she was in school. Without her niece, and with a new, awful boss, is this job really where she wants to stay? Eve’s been dating a guy for a couple years. But he’s never introduced her to his kids, and she realizes he is more around as a distraction than someone she really cares for.

Before she can even think about making any changes, though, Paddy shows up in her life again, reminding her of the dreams she once had. Is it possible to start over, here and now, and reclaim some of those dreams?

Summary

From the first page, I clicked with the empty nest/where-does-my-life-go-now aspect of Eve’s story. I was sad over all the ways she seemed to settle for whatever was readily available rather than pursuing what she wanted. So I loved that Caitlyn’s gift gave Eve permission – and a push – to re-examine her life and her choices.

I read a lot of books for kids and teens, so I’m familiar with the coming-of-age novel, the stories of identity formation, and the books that look at the transitions common to young people. I’ve not read as many “middle age”/empty nest novels with those same themes, but after this I am here for as many of them as I can find. Thankfully this mid-life crisis book doesn’t involve an affair or demolishing a quarter-century marriage or any of those common pieces, because I would not have liked that sort of tale nearly as much. This is more introspective and identity focused. It’s more about Eve’s feelings and about pursuing the dreams she set aside for Caitlyn. And it was great.

There are some nice plot twists in this to ramp up the tension and keep the characters interesting. And it all wraps up in a satisfying way in the end. Be sure to check this one out. (Some language, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn

REVIEW: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Aggie is a bright girl, living in Torquay, England with her mother and grandmother. She takes dance at the Mermaid Dance Room from Miss Marianne. Marianne lives with her sister-in-law, Irma Eversham, and her niece Rose, neighbors of Aggie’s. Mrs. Eversham is abrasive, shrill, short-tempered and snappish. In fact, on the night of the benefit concert at the Mermaid Dance Room, Irma doesn’t even stay for the performance. She walks in, shouts at people, and leaves.

The benefit goes well, collecting clothes for the recent influx of refugees. When Aggie and her friends show up for dance class the next day, still excited about their performance and the good they accomplished, Aggie is surprised to find Irma dead under the piano from what appears to be poison.

Since Aggie saw the body, she’s eager to do some investigating of her own, especially when Miss Marianne becomes the primary suspect. Aggie discovers that her new Belgian friend, Hector, is an eager partner for her investigation. While Aggie’s nursemaid is determined to distract her from investigating, Aggie is firm in her plans to discover the culprit for herself.

Review

This was a fun mystery! Aggie is a great character – curious and determined. And she’s already a storyteller. She plots out interesting scenes and conversations in her mind based on the people and events around her. When I read the author’s note that Aggie was written with Agatha Christie in mind, this habit of Aggie’s was even more endearing.

I enjoyed the full cast of characters. The setting and timing of the story led to great challenges for the writer to address. Aggie’s age and gender meant she had to be properly supervised. The timing of the story also influenced how the women in the book were treated. I loved the feisty characters who pushed back against the gender expectations/limitations.

It’s not often that a kid’s mystery deals directly with a murder. Usually the crime is less violent – a theft, a missing person, etc. This is written for older middle grade readers (10+), probably because of the violence of a murder and an assault. Nothing seemed too graphic for the general reader in this age group. More sensitive readers should just be aware.

The case is delightfully twisty, giving readers several possible suspects. I enjoyed watching Aggie and Hector puzzle through their clues. I can’t wait to see what mystery the two of them stumble across next.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: February 4, 2020

BOOK NEWS: February 4, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy February! Here are some books releasing this week to kick off a new month of reading.

Books for Kids

Future Geniuses: Space for Smart Kids (Board Book) – First in the Future Geniuses series of board books. Looks like this is a LARGE board book – 28 pages and around 8 inches square. I’m eager to see this one in person.
Agent Lion – A lion detective looks for a missing cat.
Fritzy Finds a Hat – From Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton  and country music star Brad Paisley comes this story of a boy whose mom has cancer.
It’s Okay to be a Unicorn! – A unicorn pretends to be a horse until he learns it’s okay to be himself.
No More Naps! – From the author of the Mr. Lemoncello series. A dad takes his toddler on a walk to help her take a nap. Everyone they meet says they will gladly take Annalise’s nap if she doesn’t want it. Soon they are all asleep. When Annalise decides she’s ready for a nap, all the naps have been taken.
Pig the Tourist – Pig the Pug causes trouble on his vacation.
When Numbers Met Letters – When letters meet numbers for the first time, they run into some issues when 1 and A both say they should be first.
Alice Across America: The Story of the First Women’s Cross-Country Road Trip – The story of Alice Ramsey, the first woman to drive across the country in 1909.
Bones in the White House: Thomas Jefferson’s Mammoth – The story of our third president’s quest to find a full mastodon skeleton in America.
Emily Writes: Emily Dickinson and Her Poetic Beginnings – Highlights Emily Dickinson’s early years and experiments with poetry and writing.
Leave It to Abigail!: The Revolutionary Life of Abigail Adams – A picture book biography of Abigail Adams that highlights the ways Abigail didn’t fit the mold of women in her era.
The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America – Picture book biography of Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a Presidential Cabinet position and the mastermind behind FDR’s New Deal program.
Happy Pi Day to You! – The Cat in the Hat celebrates Pi Day (March 14).
Jack Goes West – When Jack and The Lady visit a dude ranch, the bank next door gets robbed, and Jack is accused of the crime. This looks funny and sarcastic, which is not surprising considering it was written by Mac Barnett.
Susan B. Anthony: Her Fight for Equal Rights – A leveled reader biography of Susan B. Anthony.
The Colorado Curveball – Book 16 in the Ballpark Mysteries series. Someone threatens to mess with the scoreboard at a game in Colorado.
Kodiak – Book 56 in the Puppy Place series. Some kids off for a girls’ weekend in the woods rescue a Malamute stray.
The Pepper Party Double Dare Disguise – Book 4 in the Pepper Party early chapter book series. Each book focuses on a different member of the Pepper Family. Megs is grounded, but she can’t miss ComicCon, so she dresses in costume and sneaks away to the convention where she helps save the day.
Ranger in Time: Escape from the Twin Towers – Book 11 in the Ranger in Time series that feels like Magic Tree House, but with a dog. I haven’t read one of these in awhile, but when the series first came out, I read every book. The series, written by Kate Messner, is so great. Ranger tries to help a girl who was with her mom at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and then gets separated from her during the evacuation.
Speedah Cheetah – Binder of Doom, book 3, from Scholastic Branches. The kids of the Super Secret Monster Patrol are on the case when a monster tries to join the big race at the Stermont Derby.
Who Needs a Checkup? – Hello, Hedgehog, book 3, from Scholastic Acorn. Hedgehog helps Harry get ready for a trip to the doctor.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Arlo Finch in the Kingdom of Shadows – Book 3 in the Arlo Finch series. Arlo and the Rangers of Pine Mountain Company have finished their summer at camp and are getting ready for a new school year when Arlo is forced to choose between saving his family and friends and saving the Long Woods. This sounds like a terrific fantasy series for kids!
Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano (Older Middle Grade) – First in the new Aggie Morton Mystery Queen series. Aggie discovers a dead body and is determined to find the killer. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow.
Chirp (Older Middle Grade) – Kate Messner has a second book out today, this one for older middle grade readers (10-14). Mia moves to Vermont, healing from a broken arm and hiding a secret. She and her new friends get pulled into helping her grandmother who believes someone is trying to sabotage her cricket farm. But Mia isn’t sure if there is a real threat, or if her grandmother’s thinking has changed after a stroke. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a book from Kate Messner. This one is on my list for this week.
Disney Frozen Adventures: Snowy Stories (Graphic Novel) – A collection of Frozen stories in comics form.
Dragon Fire (Unwanted Quests) – Book 5 in the Unwanted Quests series. Twins Fifer and Thisbe’s relationship continues to fracture as their kingdom turns against their family. This series sounds so amazing! I need to get caught up on both the original Unwanteds series and then this second series.
A Galaxy of Sea Stars – Izzy’s world has turned upside down after her dad’s return from deployment. And it’s shaken once again when he invites the family of his interpreter from Afghanistan to live in their upstairs apartment. She doesn’t know what to make of the girl Sitara. Sitara’s presence could disrupt Izzy’s friend group, the Sea Stars, but she also challenges Izzy to use her voice to stand up for herself. This sounds fantastic!
Here in the Real World – A kid who wants to live in his own fantasy world, and a girl who is all too aware of reality find a summer home in an abandoned church lot in their community. But when their refuge is threatened, the boy is determined to do everything he can to save their space.
Hilo: All the Pieces Fit (Graphic Novel) – Book 6 in the Hilo series where Hilo has been chased by Razorwark through the Universe. Their epic showdown happens here and now. I have had this on hold from the library for months! I can’t wait to see where this fantastic series goes next.
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic (Graphic Novel) – Graphic novel adaptation of the I Survived book about the sinking of the Titanic.
The Jigsaw Puzzle King – A boy starting at a new school is weary of trying to fit in while also being protective of his twin brother with Down syndrome. His brother never notices how people respond to him, but Warren notices every smirk and every comment.
Nikki Tesla and the Fellowship of the Bling – Book 2 in the terrific Elements of Genius series. When one of their friends is kidnapped, the kids at the Genius Academy plan to steal a lethal high-tech ring the kidnapper wants. I enjoyed the first book, and I’ve already requested the second from the library.
Onward: The Junior Novelization – The Junior Novel for the new Pixar movie, Onward.
Parked (Older Middle Grade) – Jeanne lives in an orange van, but she hopes to have a more permanent address by the time school starts. Cal lives in a big house across the street from Jeanne’s van, and he’s determined to “rescue” her. While Jeanne is not on board with that plan, the two do form a friendship that will impact both of them. I’ve already requested this one, too.
Red Menace (Older Middle Grade) – A teen has FBI agents staking out his house (in 1953) because they are convinced his parents, college professors, are communist sympathizers. He knows the Rosenbergs are scheduled for execution because of their suspected activities. A friend of mine who teaches history pointed out that most historical fiction seems to focus on WWII. I’m eager to read this new book that looks at America several years later in a part of our history we don’t talk about as much.
Sugar, Spice and Sprinkles – Book 9 of the Sprinkle Sundays series. Sierra writes an original song to help her find her voice.
Things Seen from Above – A girl struggling with lunch time drama signs up to monitor the Buddy Bench for younger kids at her school where she discovers something about one of the kids that no one else seems to notice. This sounds fantastic! I love the idea that her story is told in text while his is told in art. Clever!
Time Warp – Book 7 in the Geronimo Stilton Journey through Time series. This book includes a trip to Stonehenge and Atlantis.
The Wish and the Peacock – A girl wishes to save her family farm and believes she can help make that happen by nursing an injured peacock back to health. This sounds great, too!
Who Is Jackie Chan? AND Who Was Richard Nixon? – The latest biography from the folks at Who HQ.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

All the Stars and Teeth – A princess trained in magic has to demonstrate her mastery in order to take the throne. But when her demonstration goes awry, she teams up with a pirate to get a second chance, as long as she helps him find his stolen magic.
Belle Révolte – A young noblewoman would rather be a doctor than live the life she was born into. So she swaps lives with a young woman with fewer opportunities so they can both live the lives they want – one can be a doctor and the other can be trained in magic. But both are drawn together to help a rebellion succeed in  sharing the truth of an unjust war. (LGBTQ+)
Ember Queen – The third and final book in the Ash Princess series. Theo is ready to fight for her people and her throne, but the stakes have never been higher. I can not WAIT to read this, but I need to get caught up with book 2 first. So many books, so little time!
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – A high school senior starts digging into a five-year-old murder/suicide and discovers that things might not have played out like everyone thinks. This is on my list, too.
Malice – A voice from the future tells a teen that that a kid in their school will someday create a virus that will destroy 2/3 of the world. But is that voice even trustworthy? Wow!
The Queen’s Assassin – An assassin magically bound to the queen and a girl expected to serve on the court team up as assassin and apprentice when a surprise attack is launched.
Shadow of the Batgirl (Graphic Novel) – A teen assassin breaks away from her training and hides out in a library where she hears about the hero Batgirl. This was SO AMAZING! It’ll be another week until I can post my review, but I’ll tell you right now that I loved this one.
Straight on Till Morning – A twisted take on the story of Wendy Darling and Peter Pan.
What Kind of Girl – The girls at North Bay Academy are divided over one of their own accusing her boyfriend of abuse.
Yes No Maybe So – Two teens with strikingly different backgrounds and personalities are paired up to canvas for a political candidate. I’ve had this on hold at the library for months, too!

Books for Adults

The Authenticity Project (Hardcover) – A green notebook brings 6 strangers together as they share the truths of their lives.
A Conjuring of Assassins (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Chimera series. A ragtag group uses forbidden magic at the behest of their ruler in order to protect their kingdom. I can’t wait to dig into this series.
Daughter of Rome (Trade Paperback) – A fictionalized story of biblical figures Priscilla and Aquila. This looks fabulous!
A Dozen Second Chances (e-book) – A woman who lost her “perfect life” when she lost her boyfriend and gave up her career to raise her orphaned niece has a new opportunity to start over with some “be kind to yourself” vouchers from her niece when she moves out. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
The Fifth Avenue Story Society (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Rachel Hauck. Five strangers from different walks of life each receive an invitation to join the Fifth Avenue Story Society. While they are skeptical of the never-heard-of-before literary society, they keep coming back, week after week discovering the stories that draw them together. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Murderous Macaron (e-book) – Book 1 in the Julie Cavallo Investigates series starring a pastry chef in Provence, France. When the man died in her patisserie, the police ruled it a heart attack, but Julie is convinced he was poisoned. I love the description of Julie’s sleuthing partners – this is on my list for this week for sure.
The Solid Grounds Coffee Company (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Saturday Night Supper Club series. When a business woman loses her career when she refuses to cover up a client’s unethical dealings, she gets a second chance by helping a former professional rock climber launch a new business as he takes over a Columbian coffee farm.
Star Trek Year Five: Odyssey’s End (Graphic Novel) – Collects comics 1-6 into one graphic novel.
Two Steps Forward (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Deacon’s Family series. A woman desperate for help on her farm takes a chance on her neighbor’s son despite the friction between the families. But is he really there to help her or to help his mother steal her farm?
Upright Women Wanted (Hardcover) – To escape an arranged marriage, a woman stows away in a librarian’s book wagon. Her fiance was previously engaged to her best friend – a woman she loved – who is now about to be executed for possessing resistance propaganda. This sounds like a re-imagined western sci-fi story for those who love a good mash up. (LGBTQ+)
The Worst Best Man (Trade Paperback) – A jilted bride (and wedding planner) has to team up with the brother of her ex in order to help both of them out professionally, but the sparks between them can lead to nothing good in her opinion.
100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith (Hardcover) – In the last few years I have become more interested in – and frankly more skeptical of – the intersection between faith and politics/government. I’ll be giving this book a try and will post a review later this month.
Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life (Hardcover) – The latest from Beth Moore digs into Jesus’ words recorded in John 15. I’m looking forward to reading this one. There’s also a DVD and a group resource to go with the book.
Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe (Hardcover) – An inspirational and instructional guide to prayer.
Goodbye, Yesterday!: Activating the Twelve Laws of Boundary-Defying Faith (Hardcover) – Dig into the book of Genesis and discover principles for being set from from your past.
Rage Baking: The Transformative Power of Flour, Fury and Women’s Voices (Hardcover) – Includes 50 recipes as well as essays and quotes from women encouraging readers to resist and persist.
The Toni Morrison Book Club (Trade Paperback) – A group memoir. Four friends, Black and white, gay and straight, immigrant and American-born, use Toni Morrison books to spark conversations about race, gender and identity. I’ve requested this one from the library.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Kindle Unlimited

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Kindle Unlimited

Posted on by Jaymie

As a voracious reader, I am always curious about programs that can help me maximize my book budget – the library, reading apps like Overdrive, book apps like Goodreads, etc.

One program I had heard a lot about was Kindle Unlimited (KU). I have had a couple trial memberships – three months for free or for a dollar – that I would sign up for and then not use. But over the last year I really tried to dig into it and figure out how it works. And I wanted to share that with all of you.

The Basics

First of all – you do NOT have to own a Kindle device. There is a Kindle app that you can get for your phone or tablet that works for Kindle Unlimited as well as for Kindle e-books.

Second, you are NOT buying the book. It’s more like a lending library that you pay for. For $10 per month, you can read as many books from the program as you want, but you can only “check out” 10 books at a time. This makes it easy to try things out and send them back if you don’t click with a particular book. The book is NOT yours to keep unless you choose to use one of your 10 slots to maintain a book or two that you want to be able to revisit or re-read whenever you choose.

Third, you have a LOT of books to choose from. Some are self-published titles and some are traditionally published. Every genre is represented. There are some books that I would consider “classics” in the program. There are also some brand new books that are in the program for awhile. (I try to note in Book News when a new book is available for KU subscribers.) Amazon offers a TON of newsletter options – by genre and just for the KU program – to help you be aware of titles that are available to you.

Fourth, if you love audio books, some of the KU books also have an audio option. Don’t think because you don’t read on a device that this program wouldn’t work for you.

Examples

Here are examples of some of the titles available at the time of this writing:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Kids/YA fiction) – The entire Harry Potter series is available for subscribers.
Lost Hills (Adult fiction) – Book one in the Eve Ronin series by suspense/thriller writer Lee Goldberg.
Regretting You (YA fiction) – A story for teens/young adults.
Murder by the Book (Adult fiction) – First in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. The first book in the series is part of the KU program, but the rest are not at this time. It’s a great way to try out a new series with no risk.
Tea Shop Cozy Mysteries, books 1-6 (Adult fiction) – You can even read book collections through the KU program. For one spot in your KU library, this would give you six mysteries to try.
The Purpose Driven Life – There are nonfiction options in a variety of topics for the KU program.
Phantoms of Arendelle – There are kids books – chapter books and picture books – in the program as well.

You can try out the Kindle Unlimited program for free for 30-days and see for yourself what they offer. You can also search Kindle books, and then click in the margin that you only want books to show up that are part of the KU program – it’s a great way to see what you might want to try. Enjoy!

(I am not an affiliate, so I do not make any money off your subscription or your purchases)