Month: July 2020

BONUS REVIEW: Shuri by Nic Stone

BONUS REVIEW: Shuri by Nic Stone

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When a middle school aged Shuri discovers the Wakandan heart-shaped herb is dying, she throws all of her scientific know-how at the problem. At the current rate of decay, there will be no herb left for T’Challa’s next challenge day. If T’Challa loses and there is a new leader, he or she would not have the herb and therefore not have the powers of the Black Panther.

Despite Shuri’s brilliance, the problem is too big for her to solve on her own. With support from her best friend K’Marah, a Dora in training; someone from the X-Men; and an Avenger, Shuri leaves Wakanda, racing against time to save the future of her nation.

Review

I loved this! This diverges from the Marvel movies in several ways, but Shuri’s love for her home and her brilliance are as I expected. Yes, her adventure may be a bit over the top for a 14-year-old princess, but we don’t watch Marvel movies – or read the books and comics – for their realism.

The story here was fantastic. The outlook for Wakanda’s future is dire. And Shuri is the one with the time and the intellect to pursue a solution. She finds the right support to give her clues to what she’s missing so that she can get to work on a solution.

I adored the relationship between Shuri and K’Marah. This adventure was good for their friendship. Shuri also chooses a good mentor to help her through the story. The tech and gadgets were fun, and the pacing of the story – the risks and dangers as well as the closing confrontations – was terrific!

I hope there will be future adventures for Shuri and K’Marah! (Note: This is NOT a graphic novel.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls: Weird Science by Amanda Deibert

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls: Weird Science by Amanda Deibert

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The DC Super Hero Girls are friends at Metropolis High. And it’s time for the science fair. The judge of this year’s fair is a Cadmus scientist, and the first prize is an internship at Cadmus as well as a year of treats from the Sweet Justice Cafe. All of the girls are excited to get their science on!

All the girls except “Zee” Zatara.

Zee is all about magic, not science. But the Cadmus scientist and Zee’s friends encourage her to help her friends with their projects while she tries to come up with one for herself.

Each project ends in some sort of disaster. Is Zee bad luck? Is she sabotaging her friends? Or is something else going on?

Review

I’ve enjoyed the previous DC Super Hero Girls series, which takes place at Super Hero High, for awhile now. You can read my reviews of those graphic novels here. This is my first book, though in this new Metropolis High series. I prefer the earlier series myself, but I enjoyed this new iteration and setting.

At Metropolis High, the girls have to balance their superhero lives with their alternate identities at school which adds an interesting dynamic to this series. I also enjoyed references to other DC characters. There are appearances here from Hal Jordan, Barry Allen, Steve Trevor, and Lex Luthor as well as references to Superman. The next book – Midterms – promises Lois Lane and Harley Quinn and will release this fall.

This is a meaty story. Zee “helps” Bumblebee, Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman and a Green Lantern as she prepares for the fair. (It looks like this was originally published as 15 issues of a comic book series. There’s a lot here to dig into.) Every time Zee tries to use magic to fix a problem or speed something along. And almost every time it backfires. Zee doesn’t really learn a lesson from this, but she does find her way to the science fair for herself, and the mystery of the disasters gets solved.

Hand this to DC fans, graphic novel fans, super hero fans, and fans of this series!

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: July 21, 2020

BOOK NEWS: July 21, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

 

Music Cats (Board Book) – Board book of feline pictures and names for favorite musicians.
Dozens of Doughnuts – A baking bear keeps sharing her doughnuts with her friends until her supplies are used up – and she never got a doughnut. This looks cute.
Be Amazing: A History of Pride (LGBTQ+) – “Drag kid” Desmond is Amazing shares the history of Pride.
Mayor Pete: The Story of Pete Buttigieg – Picture book biography of the first openly gay Presidential candidate.
Cat Has a Plan – Cat and Dog trick one another in a battle over a favorite toy in this new Early Reader.
Dave the Unicorn: Welcome to Unicorn School AND Team Spirit – The first two books in this new illustrated chapter book series release this month. Dave the Unicorn is not the friend Mira was expecting when she signed up for unicorn school. Dave loves donuts and farts a lot. But Dave is also smarter than your average unicorn, which comes in handy during their adventures. This looks darling! I can’t wait to read these.
Henry Heckelbeck and the Haunted Hideout – Book 3 in the Henry Heckelbeck series, a spin-off of the Heidi Heckelbeck series. Henry uses his magic to make a hideout, but then he worries that his magic made it haunted.
Ranger in Time: Attack on Pearl Harbor – Book 12 in the fantastic Ranger in Time series. (It’s a lot like Magic Tree House, but with a dog.) This time Ranger helps a set of twins during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Unicorn Diaries: Bo the Brave – Book 3 in the darling Unicorn Diaries series from Scholastic BRANCHES. This time Bo and his friends are trying to earn their bravery patch. I thought the first book in this series was darling! If your kids enjoy Owl Diaries, make sure they are checking out this new series from the same author.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Act (Graphic Novel) – Book 3 in the Click graphic novel series. Olive decides to run for student council, even though it means running against two of her friends, in order to be a voice for others in her school. This sounds terrific.
Chloe: Carnival Party (Older Middle Grade – graphic novel) – Book 5 in the Chloe series. Chloe is home and struggling to connect with her best friend in the midst of preparations for a neighborhood carnival.
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez – A Cuban-American boy with the ability to talk to animals discovers the animals around his new home are disappearing because of a witch who wants to absorb their powers.
War Stories – A new book from the fantastic Gordon Korman. Trevor is thrilled to help his hero, his great-grandfather, retrace his path during WWII. But what Trevor finds on the journey leads to questions about the heroic stories he has always been told.
Who Is David Beckham? – Biography of the soccer star.
10 Things I Hate About Pinky – The latest novel from Sandhya Menon (and sequel to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie – ♥♥♥♥½). Pinky convinces her tightly-wound frenemy Samir to pose as her boyfriend to get her parents off her back for the summer. This is at the top of my list for this week; I have loved the whole series. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
More Than Maybe – The latest from the author of You’d Be Mine comes another ya story centered around music. A young songwriter with a famous dad  tries to connect with his crush, a driven music podcaster whose perfectly planned life doesn’t include him. This sounds terrific! This is also on my list for this week!
River of Dreams – When her comatose brother starts speaking to her in dreams, Finn discovers she is part of a family of dreamwalkers who wade into nightmares to fight other people’s monsters.
Shielded – While her older brother has the magical powers to help her country in a war, a princess learns her contribution is to be married and secure needed resources for the kingdom. But on her way to her new life she stumbles upon secrets that change everything she thought she knew about this war and her place in it.  The cover art for this one is stellar. I have this on my list, too.
Splinters of Scarlet – A young woman risks death to use her thread magic in order to discover what really happened to her father. The magic elements of this sound intriguing.

Books for Adults

The Book of Lost Names (Hardcover) – A semi-retired librarian sees a piece of her secret past in a magazine article about the libraries looted by the Nazis. Will she have the courage to speak out and share the truth of the Book of Lost Names where she and a gifted forger recorded new identities given to Jewish children escaping to Switzerland in WWII? Sounds fascinating!
Handbook for Homicide (Hardcover) – Book 14 in the Booktown Mystery series. Tricia looks into the murder of a homeless vet when her shop assistant becomes the prime suspect.
He Started It (Hardcover) – Three siblings and their partners take a road trip to fulfill their wealthy grandfather’s final wishes. I have this on my list for this week, too.
Lineage Most Lethal (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Ancestry Detective series. I absolutely adored book one, Murder Once Removed. This time Lucy is relaxing at the Sutton hotel, preparing to give her report to the hotel heiress herself when she is approached by a dying man who hands her a Montblanc pen. Her grandfather recognizes the pen as a message to him from his days as an Allied spy. This is top on my list, too. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Paris Is Always a Good Idea (Trade Paperback) – A young woman retraces the steps of her gap year in Europe when she realizes that was really the last time in her life she was truly happy. I’ll be reviewing this one soon, as well.
Solace of Bay Leaves (e-book) – The 5th book in the Spice Shop Mystery series. (The trade paperback version will release in October.) When a childhood friend is shot in an incident connected to an unsolved murder, Pepper starts to investigate.
Star Trek Year Five: The Wine-Dark Deep (Paperback Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in the Year Five graphic novel series, collecting comics 7-12.
The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life (Hardcover) – A memoir.

REVIEW: The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope by Sam Maggs

REVIEW: The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope by Sam Maggs

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Nadia Van Dyne – the Unstoppable Wasp – was stolen from her father, Hank Pym, before she was born. Her mother was kidnapped while pregnant and killed, and Nadia was raised in the Red Room. But now she’s free. She’s with her step-mother, Janet Van Dyne, and she runs a science lab called G.I.R.L. – Genius In action Research Labs. Nadia runs the lab out of Pym Laboratories and hopes it will convince SHIELD to recognize and encourage more female scientists.

Nadia’s training, her personality, and her bipolar disorder make her pretty driven. And when she’s struggling, she can take on too many things at once and become a workaholic. To help, she takes her meds, goes to therapy, and her friends keep an eye on her. Also to help, Janet gives her a virtual assistant – VERA.

VERA reminds Nadia to get enough sleep and take her meds. It also helps her do research and track her projects. She even gets to meet VERA’s creator, Margaret Hoff. But despite all of her productivity, Nadia is soon feeling estranged from all of her friends and lost in projects that the others don’t think she should be working on. Nadia’s family is concerned about her, but she doesn’t seem to recognize that she might be in trouble.

Review

I have mixed feelings on this one. There are things I loved and others things I struggled with. My only connection to Wasp before this was the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is not the same timeline/universe, so I had a lot of catching up to do when I started reading this. That added to the lag I felt early on as I tried to find the rhythm of this. Other readers more familiar with Nadia won’t have that issue.

Other places I struggled:

  • VERA, the crux of the plot, was barely present in the first third of the story. While this made for some great character development time, I kept wondering where the plot was.
  • There’s some name dropping early on that didn’t feel essential to the narrative. I get anchoring the book in the larger universe – and characters like Janet and Bobbie and a fun surprise at the end do that. It makes sense that a Marvel author would want to play with the larger palette of Marvel characters, but when a name seems to be there just to be there, I was distracted.
  • I was also distracted by the use of the words “boys” and “girls” when talking about adults in the story. For example, there was one scene in my review copy where Nadia and Margaret are together doing something and the book refers to them together as the “girls.” Nadia is 16; Margaret is at least 23 or 24. I couldn’t find her exact age, but she started her company at 22, and it’s been doing business for at least a little while.  In a story about empowering women and girls, it was jarring to see this pair referred to as “girls” when one of them is an adult.
  • The previous things probably sound minor in the scheme of things, but the one piece that almost drove me to giving up on the book was the intrusive inclusion of “Nadia’s Neat Science Facts” throughout the story.  These are not footnotes (which the book also has, but uses pretty well), but instead they are first person interludes of science information. I found that they interrupted the flow of the story almost every time they were used. And some didn’t even seem necessary at all to explain the science going on in the story. I wish they had been included at the beginning or end of chapters instead, where there’s a natural break, rather then interrupt the narrative of the book.

But it wasn’t not all a struggle. There were also things I loved:

  • I thoroughly enjoy found family stories, and this is a great one.
  • Nadia’s squad has some diversity in race, in sexual orientation (two of the girls are dating), and one team member has cerebral palsy.
  • The action descriptions, especially in the fight scenes, are outstanding. I read a lot of superhero stories, and often the fight scenes lose me, and I skim past them. They get wordy and drag down the story. This was NOT the case in this book. I could actually visualize the scene from the writing. The author did an exceptionally good job with this in my opinion.
  • The mental health and therapy pieces are woven in naturally. Medication and education about her bipolar disorder are normalized, everyday parts of Nadia’s life.
  • Once the VERA story takes off, I enjoyed the book. I didn’t click readily with the team in this because of some of the dynamics in play because of the story, but I did enjoy seeing Nadia and her crew working together.

I might check out a sequel if the storyline sounds compelling. Sadly, I didn’t really click with any of the characters enough here for them to draw me back no matter what, so the plot will be a big factor.

If you enjoy the Unstoppable Wasp already, or if you like superhero stories or STEM stories featuring young women, consider giving this one a go.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bea Schumacher, plus-sized fashion blogger with over 600,000 Instagram followers went viral thanks to a blog post about the most recent season of Main Squeeze, a reality dating show. Bea called out the show’s lack of diversity, especially the fact that the women were all rail thin when two-thirds of the women in the country wear a size 14 or larger. When the show’s ratings tanked, the producer was fired and his assistant, a woman, was promoted.

And the new producer, Lauren, knows exactly how she wants to improve the show. One of the cornerstones of her plan is to get Bea as their star for the spring season.

Bea is nursing a broken heart. And she’s all too aware of the cruelty of the world, especially on the internet. Putting herself center stage on Main Squeeze would open her up to scathing, hurtful and vile responses online. But this opportunity would also help build her notoriety. She knows she won’t find love, but she’s willing to go through the motions so America can see that everyone – no matter their body type – deserves a chance at love.

Review

This is a jam-packed contemporary romance with a lot to say about love, self-acceptance, and diversity. It plays out just like a reality dating show, so The Bachelor fans will feel right at home. There are great interludes with tweets and group chats and news articles that help tell the story and also serve as something of a palate cleanser between scenes from the show. Chris Evans even gets to steal the spotlight a few times! It’s delightful.

There’s so much to enjoy here. I can think of so many characters and scenes I adored. Bea’s family and the show’s trip to their home in Ohio was pivotal – and hilarious! There are many laugh-out-loud moments, and some swoon-worthy ones, too. Aside from Bea and some of her suitors, Allison, Bea’s stylist from the show was my favorite character. In the crazy reality TV world, she was a constant delight and source of support for Bea.

One of the significant threads of the book is Bea’s weight – how she feels about her body, the hoops she jumps through to live her life as a plus-sized woman, and the fact that total strangers feel entitled to comment on her body. There are some gross, rude moments in this. And some offensive ones. Sadly, there are also triggering ones. And every awful bit is true. These things are really said – often by total strangers, usually men – to women online. The author does a great job of working that reality into Bea’s experience. They don’t overshadow the larger love story, but they inform it at key moments.

I was thrilled with the ending, although I was frustrated at times with the love story as it played out on the show. The reading experience was just like watching a reality dating show on TV. I had my favorite suitors, and I didn’t like anything or anyone who made Bea’s journey to love difficult.

There’s a lot to enjoy here – romance, reality TV, social commentary on issues like body image/body confidence/weight, family, friendship, fashion, etc. There are lots of examples of diversity in the story, both in race and in sexual identity (lesbian, bisexual, asexual, gender nonconforming). I felt like the author did a good job weaving these pieces naturally into the story. They never felt forced. The real world reflected in the novel. If you enjoy reality TV and/or contemporary romance, be sure to check this one out! (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Rape threat/online harassment, verbal abuse/harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Comfort Zone, Aubrey’s bakery, is her life. It’s popular with the locals and with out-of-towners who stop in on their way somewhere else or place orders. In fact, the shop is doing well enough that Aubrey is planning an expansion and a move to a new location.

Landon was only in town because of a blown tire. He had been travelling to do a restaurant review before leaving the country for a month for work. Now he has no review, and he’s in this tiny town for the night. He essentially does two things during his short stay – hook up with Aubrey after a couple drinks in her friend’s bar and buy a chocolate cake from a local bakery.

Instead of getting Aubrey’s shop special chocolate cake, her teen sales girl sold Landon a specialty cake for a kid’s birthday party. Landon was NOT a fan. He never met the baker, but he needed a replacement review. He felt he had a duty to warn customers, so he blazed the baker and Comfort Zone. And Aubrey’s business dried up.

Landon doesn’t find out about the cake mix up until it is too late to change anything. Out of guilt and a sense of responsibility, he invites Aubrey to be a guest on a cooking show he’s producing.

No one can know about their personal connection. They’re both professionals. They can keep their distance. But Landon will have to be on set for his job. And they are sharing a villa during the taping.  And their connection is electric whenever they get close to one another. How will this ever work?

Review

This was great! I loved the characters in this. Their predicament was intriguing. Their chemistry was fierce. There’s terrific back-and-forth, will-they-or-won’t-they tension for ages. And I loved the resolution.

Fans of Hallmark movies should check this out. While there’s more heat here than you will find in a Hallmark movie, the layout of the story will feel familiar. It follows similar beats. The fall-apart moment near the end is just what you would expect if you’ve watched as many Hallmark movies as I have. But the characters and the resolution help this stand out from the crowd. I loved how this one wrapped up.

The food descriptions in the book will leave your mouth watering. There’s only one recipe in the book, which is a shame for those who like to try new recipes. Everything in this sounded amazing.

Don’t miss this yummy contemporary romance with excellent characters. The setting is great; the family and friends we get to meet are fantastic as well. I loved the strong women in this book! Be sure to check it out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Diana and the Island of No Return by Aisha Saeed

REVIEW: Diana and the Island of No Return by Aisha Saeed

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Diana has been looking forward to an event where women leaders from around the world travel to Themyscira to share art and wisdom and weaponry with one another. It’s the one time Diana’s best friend, Princess Sakina, comes to visit. They get to spend one thrilling week together exploring the festival.

But instead of getting a week with her best friend, Diana finds a boy on the island – something that is NOT allowed. Augustus manipulates Diana into trusting him while he lies to her about Sakina’s family. But the truth is even worse. He’s been sent to the island by a demon who holds all of Augustus’ people hostage. Either Augustus brings Diana back, or all of his people die.

Diana and Sakina are on their own to decide how to deal with the threat as all of the woman on the island are in an enchanted sleep. What can three pre-teens do against a deadly demon?

Review

Young Wonder Woman is getting a lot of attention lately in the world of books. Young readers will be fascinated by Diana before she gains and understands her full powers. The various books that have come out lately – Diana, Princess of the Amazons; Wonder Woman Warbringer; and the many iterations of the DC Super Hero Girls – don’t seem to be connected to one another, but they all explore this idea of a young Diana figuring out who she is. (This is NOT a graphic novel, but a traditional middle grade novel.)

I enjoyed the team up with Sakina in this book. Sakina had the background knowledge they needed while Diana had the tactical knowledge, physical skills, and determination. The story is very suspenseful. There’s one challenge after another after another, even before they confront the demon. It made for a stressful yet compelling reading experience. I think kids will love it!

My review copy included a two chapter teaser for book 2 – Diana and the Underworld Odyssey. I was hooked after those two chapters and now I have to read the sequel! Hand this to Rick Riordan/mythology fans because I think the challenges here will appeal to them. Wonder Woman fans shouldn’t miss this one either!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: July 14, 2020

BOOK NEWS: July 14, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week! The slate of new YA books is especially fantastic. Be sure to check them out!

Books for Kids

Alien Tomato – When a red orb lands in the garden, the vegetables believe it is an alien tomato, while Gopher thinks it’s just a ball. The cover art is calling to me. I can’t wait to read this one!
Poesy the Monster Slayer – A girl fights monsters in her room at night. This looks darling.
A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Pumpkin Monster – Book 4 in the Sparkle series. Lucy loves the scary parts of Halloween, but she takes things too far for Sparkle who does NOT like being scared.
Rocket and the Perfect Pumpkin – A new adventure for Rocket the dog (How Rocket Learned to Read – ♥♥♥♥♥, Rocket Writes a Story – ♥♥♥♥♥) when his perfect pumpkin rolls away from him.
Viola Desmond: A Hero for Us All – Part of the Fearless Girls series of Early Readers. A biography of Viola Desmond, a Canadian Civil Rights activist.
Mia Mayhem Steals the Show! – Book 8 in the Mia Mayhem early chapter book series. Mia gets to play a superhero in a school play.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Babymouse Tales from the Locker: Curtain Call – Book 4 in the Babymouse Tales from the Locker series. This time, Babymouse tries out for the school play.
Danny Constantino’s First (and Maybe Last) Date – The latest from Paul Acampora. When Danny asks a local celebrity to the school dance, and she says yes, his whole life becomes something for public commentary. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
DC Super Hero Girls: Weird Science – Everyone is excited about the science fair except Zee Zatana who thinks nothing is as exciting as magic. I’ll be reviewing this one soon. You can read my reviews of other Super Hero Girl stories here.
Diana and the Island of No Return – A boy sneaks onto Themyscira and convinces Diana and her best friend to come back with him to his island where a demon has taken over his people and wants to capture Diana. I’ll be reviewing this tomorrow.
Something to Say – From the author of A Good Kind of Trouble. A girl who likes to stay invisible gets paired with a new kid at school for a debate he desperately wants to win. Which would be worse – speaking in public, or losing the first real friend she’s ever had? This is on my list for this week.
The Do-Over – Six months after she picks the popular guy over the best friend who has feelings for her, Emelia wonders if she made the right decision. So she finds a magical solution that will let her have a second chance. This sounds great!
The Fell of Dark (LGBTQ+) – A boy who hates living in a town that seems to attract all sorts of paranormal drama seems to be the only one who can help when a hot vampire comes to town warning of a terrible evil on the move. I’m curious to see if this is going to be campy or serious. Campy could be a lot of fun.
He Must Like You – A high school senior has hit her limit of thoughtless, selfish men in her life from her brother to her father to her hook up. But the last straw is the handsy harasser at work. He gets a pitcher of sangria dumped on his head. But then Libby has to deal with the fall out because the guy is a home town hero – and her mom’s boss. This is on my list, too.
The Invention of Sophie Carter – From the author of The Last Word. Orphaned twins are at the whims of their various relatives in Victorian England. When an aunt says she can only take in one of them for the summer in London, they decide to travel together, but take turns pretending to be one girl. This sounds amazing! It’s at the top of my list.
Keep My Heart in San Francisco – A teen teams up with her ex-best friend to infiltrate the local bowling scene and try to save her family’s bowling alley.
Running – When Mariana’s father, a US Senator, runs for President, it exposes their family to a whole new level of scrutiny, and shows Mariana that her father’s politics don’t line up with her own. This is on my list, too.
The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope – An original novel based on the comic book series. Nadia Van Dyne is trying to put her days in the Red Room behind her and to embrace her new life and her new family. She struggles to keep all of the balls in the air, so when she’s gifted a virtual assistant, it seems like the best thing ever. But things aren’t always what they appear.

Books for Adults

How Sweet It Is (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Legacy of Faith series. Jed heads to Boise to try and reconcile with his brother, and he rents a room from Holly who is trying to hold onto the restaurant she inherited now that her fiancé has abandoned her.
How to Save a Life (Trade Paperback) – Dom runs into his ex-fiancée and feels like it’s a second chance for them. When she dies on their date, he wishes for a chance to change things. That pushes him into a time loop where no matter what he tries, she still dies. But Dom is committed to trying everything for one chance to save her. An interesting twist on Groundhog Day. At the time of this writing, this book was available to Kindle Unlimited Subscribers to read for free.
Just Make Believe (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Lady Adelaide Mystery series where there’s a murder at a week-long house party – and that’s only the beginning of the trouble there.  Sounds great!
Murder at the Falls (e-book) – Creature Comforts Mystery, book 3. Perri and Babette take their therapy dogs to an upscale senior living facility, but the troubles they find there, including murder, will need more than just therapy dogs to solve.
Star Trek Discovery: Die Standing (Trade Paperback) – Book 7 in the Star Trek Discovery collection of original stories. (#4 – The Way to the Stars, #6 – Dead Endless: ♥♥♥♥) Mirror Universe Georgiou, forced to take refuge in the Star Trek universe and working for Section 31, gets a chance at a super weapon that escaped her in her own universe when a young Trill, Emony Dax, discovers it. As soon as I read that this would include a Dax, it went on my wish list!
A Sweet Mess (Trade Paperback) – A baker and a food critic have a one-night stand, but her happy memories of their time together are tainted by his scathing review of her shop. In order to save her business, she agrees to his mea culpa offer of a spot on the cooking show he is producing.
Get Wisdom Bible Studies: Leading Wherever You Are (Joshua) AND Living For What Really Matters (Philippians) AND Saying Yes in the Darkness (Psalms) (Trade Paperback) – Each of these is a 7 week Bible study from Nav Press. There’s a nice introduction to each book giving some background on the author as well as answering questions and giving information about Bible translations, using commentaries, etc. The only key resources needed are a Bible in a translation you like, a couple smart phone apps and internet access, a writing utensil and a quiet place to work. The sample pages I have seen include a conversational tone, some historical background information (something I like in a study), and questions with space to write answers. I think these look great!
The Leader in You: Discovering Your Unexpected Path to Influence (Trade Paperback) – The author brings both organizational and church leadership experience into this discussion of leadership and encouragement to find your God-given gifts to lead and serve. This sounds terrific!
Weep With Me: How Lament Opens a Door for Racial Reconciliation (Trade Paperback) – A discussion of lament, specifically as it relates to racial injustice and reconciliation, including prayers of lament.

REVIEW: Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

REVIEW: Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Two hundred years after Cinderella died, the country of Mersailles has become an oppressive place for women. They may honor the story of Cinderella with repeated readings and magical thinking and an annual ball, but the magic is all a lie.

The king reigns with an iron fist. Men are the heads of households, and whatever they do is “right” and acceptable. Anyone who doesn’t fall in line is either executed or they disappear. Girls who attend the annual ball three times without being chosen by a suitor tend to disappear, too.

Sophia doesn’t want a suitor. She wants her best friend Erin. But same-sex relationships aren’t allowed. Both girls are required by law to attend the ball and go with whatever suitor chooses them, no matter what. But when everything turns ugly that night, Sophia runs off.

She meets Constance who shares the true story of Cinderella and her family. They had challenged the king of their day – and paid the price for it. Their example, though, is just the inspiration Sophia was looking for. Maybe there’s something she can do to change life for her people who have suffered so much.

Review

This was an interesting twist on the story of Cinderella with a strong “smash the patriarchy” vibe. I was completely on board with the girls destroying the misogynistic world they suffered through, but I wasn’t 100% sold on how the fairy tale tied into the way things were. I want my fantasy stories to have well-developed world building, so I wanted more here.  But I did enjoy the twists and the way the magic system played out in the big picture, though.

The characters are interesting. I liked Constance’s connection to Cinderella and the ways her story enhanced the typical Cinderella tale. I also liked Sophia’s strength and determination throughout the story.

The romance didn’t click for me. Sophia’s immediate draw to Constance and some of their flirtations and long looks and such felt a little forced, especially when Sophia was supposedly so devoted to Erin at the start. I did appreciate Sophia’s integrity in at least trying to talk with Erin before giving into her feelings for Constance.

Fans of fairy tale retellings, fantasy stories, and fans looking for F/F romance in young adult novels should check this one out. (Language, LGBTQ+: F/F relationships, reference to M/M relationship)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

BONUS REVIEW: The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism originally published in 2019, and it sat on my reading wishlist forever. My local bookstore never carried it in 2019. And when I had the opportunity to order a new book, I almost always chose a fictional adventure instead. I knew this was not going to be a “feel good” read for me.

But when the paperback released earlier this year, my local store had copies ordered for a Black History Month display. I was picking up some other books on racism and white supremacy, and I grabbed this as well. It was time.

I can read a fiction novel in a day or two without trying hard. This took me almost a whole month to finish – not because it was bad but because the truth was so hard to read. And even though I finished this months ago, it is a timely read now, in the middle of 2020, too, not just during Black History Month.

This book changed me, changed my thinking and my understanding. It changes not only how I see the Church and the state of our country today, but also how I see myself. And I am challenged by the author’s call to live out James 4:17 – “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” It is not time for silence or for fear. It is time to put the words and actions of Jesus into practice.

This book covers the history of race in America from the Colonial era to today. Concepts of racial identity and oppression are explored in the history of the country and also in where the Christian Church stood on the issues of the times. While the author is very clear “all Christians” aren’t complicit, it’s still an unflattering portrait of the Church. And readers are forced to consider, from the “enlightened” 21st Century, if we would have been on the side of right if we had lived in those times.

I am grateful for the chapters on where people of faith should go from here. There are many great ideas. I am also challenged because I am tired. I feel the weight of these stories, and I’d love to move on to something more pleasant. And that is sin – to know and to hide from action. To see the truth and ignore it is a primary example of White Privilege. It dishonors my friends who are people of color who live this every day. It dishonors the call of Jesus to love my neighbor.

So, one of my actions is to write about and talk about and recommend this book. It’s not the only action I’ve taken this year, but it is one piece.

If you love history, if you are feeling challenged to face systems of White Supremacy – or your own privilege, if you are a person of faith, do not miss this book. This December you will be able to pick up a study guide that will go with a video series on this book. If you have a membership to MasterLectures from ZondervanAcademic (which I do – it’s awesome!), you can watch the video series there right now.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥