Month: September 2020

BOOK NEWS: September 22, 2020

BOOK NEWS: September 22, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Escape Goat – When things go wrong around the farm, everyone assumes the goat is at fault. This looks adorable!
For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World – A boy asks his father questions about protests and shootings and vigils as he processes life as a Black boy.
Perfect Pigeons – While a group of pigeons celebrates their uniformity, one pigeon stands out from the crowd. The cover art on this is delightful! Makes me want to pick this one up.
She Persisted in Sports – Book 3 in the She Persisted series focuses on some of the women who excel in sports.
Biggie-Biggie-BIGGIE! – The third Elephant and Piggie collection. Includes the books There Is a Bird on Your Head! (one of my favorites), Are You Ready to Play Outside?, Elephants Cannot Dance!, Should I Share My Ice Cream?, and I Will Take a Nap!
Brina the Cat: City Cat (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in the Brina the Cat series. After her freedom in the countryside, Brina has to adjust to being an indoor cat again.
Geeger the Robot Goes to School – Book 1 in a new series from Jarrett Lerner. Geeger is going to school for the first time – a human school. There are going to be lots of challenges for this very literally-minded robot. (Think Amelia Bedelia with a robot.)

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: Peril at Owl Park (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series. Aggie and Hector are spending Christmas with Aggie’s sister, the new Lady Greyson of Owl Park. But when there is a dead body under the tree instead of presents, Aggie and Hector will be sleuthing again.
Going Rogue at Hebrew School (Older Middle Grade) – A boy who is tired of going to Hebrew school thinks the new rabbi might just be a Jedi Master!
The Map of Stories – Book 3 in the Pages & Co series. Tilly is headed to the Library of Congress to find a mysterious group of bookwanderers.
Maya and the Rising Dark – Maya is a godling, and daughter of the guardian of the veil between our world and a dark world of monsters. But when Maya’s father goes missing, the veil becomes weak and monsters start invading as a dark force seeks to conquer the human world.
The Afterlife of the Party – When a teen is bitten by the lead singer of a band playing a party she was dragged to, she finds herself changing into something else as she chases after the singer who took her best friend. (TW: Sexual assault)
A Curse of Gold – Book 2 in the Touch of Gold series by Blink YA. (I have book one on my TBR shelves; I met the author at our local book store!) King Midas’ cursed daughter is a target when her people turn against her out of fear of her magic. Then the god Dionysus issues a challenge for someone to kill her and destroy her kingdom.
Early Departures – A new technology gives Jamal a second chance to work things out with his best friend, Q, who died. But he can’t tell Q that he has already died, or that in a few weeks he will die again, permanently. Wild!
Far from Normal – Maddie finally has a chance to stand out in the crowd of “normal” when she secures an internship with a sports marketing firm. But when she is tasked with helping a soccer player with a bad image, she is tempted to fall for him which she knows can only lead to disaster.
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London – The latest YA book from Garth Nix focuses on a girl with a quest to find her missing father. This quest puts her in contact with Merlin, one of the Left-Handed Booksellers of London (they have magic), and his sister, Vivien, one of the Right-Handed Booksellers of London (they are the intellectuals), whose own quest crosses paths with hers. This sounds amazing!
Miss Meteor – Two girls try to pull off the biggest pageant upset their town has ever seen.
The Silvered Serpents – Book 2 in the Gilded Wolves series. A treasure-hunter and his friends, haunted by what their last mission cost them, journey to find an artifact that can give someone the powers of God.
Smash It! – A girl determined to make the most of her junior year of high school decides to take bold risks to pursue what – and whom – she wants.

Books for Adults

The Body From the Past (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Jazzi Zanders mystery series. When Jazzi walks through what will be her next home renovation project, she discovers a shrine to the teen who lived there when she was killed at her own graduation party. A friend’s brother-in-law was suspected but never convicted. He asks Jazzi to investigate and clear his name once and for all.
The Coast to Coast Murders (Hardcover) – An LA Detective and an FBI agent team up to investigate a series of murders that may be tied to a family where the parents, both psychologists, raised their adopted children in an experimental environment. This sounds too weird not to read.
The Doors of Eden (Trade Paperback) – Cracks between our world and parallel Earths are appearing – and widening – revealing extraordinary creatures.
Hench (Hardcover) – A bright administrative assistant who is injured by a “hero” uses her research skills to discern – and reveal – that the difference between heroes and villains is sometimes nothing more than positive press. And she has the skills, and the drive, to help control those perceptions for whoever wants to hire her. This sounds fantastic! Definitely on my list for this week.
Home for the Holidays (Trade Paperback) – Aunt Sassy invites the three Buchanan sisters home to Juniper Inn for the holidays one last time just when each is dealing with major life change. This one is on my list, too.
Man’s Best Friend (September 25 e-book) – Book 6 in the Dogmother’s series. Twenty years after the tragedy that drove them apart, Evie returns to Bitter Bark and encounters Declan again. I have this series on my list.
Well Played (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the delightful Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥). After watching her friends fall in love at the Faire, Stacey decides it’s time to find her own true love. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
FRIENDS Official Cookbook (Hardcover) – 100 recipes inspired by the TV show.
Love Is the Way: Holding onto Hope in Troubling Times (Hardcover) – From the Bishop who performed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Discover ways to live out of love which in turn can address the troubling issues of our day – poverty, racism, etc.
The Peanuts Book (Hardcover) – A celebration of Peanuts.
Three Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers’ Dynasty (Hardcover) – Covers Lakers History from 1996 through 2004.
A Weary World: Reflections for a Blue Christmas (Trade Paperback) – Celebrating the Advent season while also acknowledging life’s struggles and losses. Practices and prayers for 28 days of observation.
We’re Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy (Hardcover) – A new book from the late-Congressman Elijah Cummings that is part memoir and part call-to-action.

Happy Blogiversary!

Happy Blogiversary!

Posted on by Jaymie

Four years ago today, in a season of upheaval and confusion, I decided to fill my time with a new venture and started a book blog. I had had one before, but I let it go when I started teaching and couldn’t keep up with it.

I have enjoyed the last four years of Book News and reviews and pouring myself into something that means a lot to me – helping readers find books and helping books find readers.

I hope you have found some great books along the way! Today launches year five. I can’t wait to see what new reading treasures will be discovered.

REVIEW: Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale

REVIEW: Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Josie used to be “kind of a big deal.” Her choir director told her she had “star power.” She knew how to light up a stage. And her talent and some connections got her a Broadway audition. She left home – and quit high school – with a one way ticket to New York.

When the audition doesn’t go as planned, Josie decides to stay in New York, crashing wherever she can find a spot. She eventually starts nannying part time, going to any casting call she can find. Nothing clicks. How awful to discover your best moments were in high school. When her nanny job moves to Montana, Josie goes, too, for lack of any other plan.

On a trip to the park with her charge, Mia, Josie stops in a local book shop. And everything changes. She picks up a book, and as she’s reading, she falls into the story, becoming one of the characters. It’s like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. All of the people in Josie’s life play the characters in each story she falls into. Each time she dives into a book, she has a harder time remembering her real life and pulling back. What would happen to Josie – or to Mia – if she fell into a story and never came back out?

Review

This one didn’t click for me. Spending time with Josie felt like going to a high school reunion with someone who had never moved on. It’s tragic in a 40-year-old, and it’s tragic in an 18-year-old. Josie believes she peaked in high school. She puts everything into a shot at Broadway, and when it fails, she has no direction. She is lost, desperate. And she doesn’t know how to bounce back.

To Josie’s – and the book’s – credit, she doesn’t stay stuck. She starts to develop some insights, and she gets a better understanding of herself and the relationships she has been relying on. She sees the toxicity in some of her relationships as well as in her perceptions of herself and her life.

The jumps into books, and the big climax for that part of the story, while effective for producing some change in Josie, didn’t work for me. I skimmed over most of the book jumping. Josie’s a lot to take at times. In these passages especially, she was exhausting for me. I was more interested in the things going on in her real life. Josie’s charge, Mia, and her transgender friend Nina were the characters I most wanted to see. In the end it felt like the story I wanted with the characters here and the story the author wanted to tell with them just weren’t the same story. And the climax, while an interesting twist, felt a little too out of left field for me.

Readers who enjoy angsty teens (who feel like realistic teenagers) and fantasy stories centered around books might give this one a try. Some readers have really enjoyed this one. (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½=mostly solid to solid

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Charlie and his finacée, Helen Louise, along with Charlie’s Maine Coon, Diesel, travel to Asheville, North Carolina for a mystery retreat for the members of the Athena Public Library’s mystery group. The Ducote sisters secured a lovely boutique hotel for everyone to stay in that will also hold their group events.

The group includes the Ducote’s ward, Benjy, as well as an art history professor, a loan officer, a plumber, and a retired couple. All together, there are 12 group members there as well as a few significant others. Charlie is looking forward to getting to know the other folks in the newly formed group.

But their mystery-focused fun is disrupted when the loan officer’s “boyfriend”/stalker disrupts their first meeting. The next day, he is found dead. Before long, the whole group is pulled into a real-life mystery.

Review

Another great mystery starring Charlie and Diesel, book 13 in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series. It was nice to have a change of setting for this book. I wanted more of their mystery retreat sessions. I loved the bits on Golden Age writers that are part of the set up of the story. In fact, I even started a list of authors to check out. I was sad that the murder investigation ended up edging out the rest of their retreat meetings.

The mystery here was excellent. It was twisty in all the best ways. I didn’t see the solution until it was revealed on the page.

There’s lots here for series fans to enjoy. There are plenty of scenes with Diesel as well as some of Charlie’s usual friend group, including the ladies from Miranda James‘ Southern Ladies Mysteries series. There’s also a fresh setting and a mystery to keep you guessing until the end. Fans of these characters should not miss this installment. Book 14, What the Cat Dragged In, will release in the spring of 2021. (Alludes to off-page sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great, might re-read

REVIEW: You Lucky Dog by Julia London

REVIEW: You Lucky Dog by Julia London

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

Carly Kennedy is trying to build a PR business in Austin so she can get the money to move to New York City. She’s keeping her sister’s basset hound, Baxter (her mother’s fault – don’t ask), and she pays someone to walk him. Baxter is a quiet, sad, and anxious fella but Carly loves him.

Max Sheffington is a neuroscience professor studying dogs. He’s interested in how the reactions of neurotransmitters in dogs and dog lovers could be applied to the understanding of the autistic brain. Max’s brother, Jamie, is profoundly autistic. But Jamie really connects with dogs. That’s why Max got his basset hound, Hazel – to connect with Jamie.

When Baxter and Hazel’s dog walker gets into some trouble, someone else has to take the dogs home. And that person switches the two basset hounds. Carly and Max notice immediately that they have the wrong dogs, but it takes awhile to find each other. But once they do, they see what a difference Hazel makes in Baxter’s life.

Review

The core to this contemporary romance by Julia London is the relationship between Baxter and Hazel and the one between Max and Carly. And there’s a lot in those relationships to love. Unfortunately for Carly and Max, their relationship also has about three Hallmark movies’-worth of roadblocks and drama. The ending, thankfully, is a satisfying resolution to those roadblocks.

Along the way, though, this gets wordy. I’m not big on setting and wardrobe descriptions. I skim right by those in most books if they are more than a sentence or two long. Also, too much overthinking by the characters encourages me to skim. There was a good bit of that here. I felt like I did a fair amount of skimming, especially early on. If you enjoy the more detailed descriptions and inner processing, this may be a better fit for you in that way.

The characters in this were what kept me turning pages. First of all, Baxter and Hazel are excellent. The description of Baxter before he meets Hazel is endearing and sad. But the spark he finds in Hazel is darling. Carly and Max alone are okay on their own. She puts up with a lot of garbage from her wacky family and her clients. Max can get too in his own head. But together they are great. I liked them more as a couple than I did as individuals. I also loved Max’s brother, Jamie. I would have enjoyed even more scenes with Jamie in them. I think character-driven readers will like what they find in this book. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥= Fine/Solid/Good

BONUS REVIEW: The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar

BONUS REVIEW: The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It’s been 3 years since Mayor Thornton banned chocolate and sweets from the town. Three years since the Farnsworth Chocolate Factory closed and the owner disappeared.

Nelle Faulkner is a private detective on summer break. Eddie deMenthe is her latest client, a candy bootlegger looking for someone who can find things. Precious things. Stolen things.

But Nelle’s case only gets more complicated. Someone breaks into her office. The police come to her house. And Eddie goes missing. Something in the secret chocolate trade is rotten. Something beyond just smuggling.

Review

This was fun. The premise was interesting – the candy ban, kids as smugglers. And then the larger secrets and motives that Nelle discovers as she investigates.

I liked Nelle and the other kids she ends up working with. The focus of the book was more on the action than character development. I would have enjoyed more on the characters. There were hints at the toll of the smuggling scheme on the kids; I would have loved to see that explored a lot more. I found that piece fascinating.

The mystery had a few twists – some I predicted and others that surprised me. I think kids will enjoy this story . Mystery fans will get a kick out of trying to solve the case before Nelle.

Like Nelle, I wanted more in the end, but overall the story is fun, and the solution is solid. This could be a fun read-aloud selection or good for use in a book club.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

REVIEW: Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters by Ginger Garrett

REVIEW: Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters by Ginger Garrett

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lizbeth and her mom have moved to the other side of Atlanta, which means a change of schools. Lizbeth is certain that, with the right, happy approach, she can pick just the right person to be her new best friend. And that will set her up for a great year.

Instead, she is placed in a classroom with an exhausted and distracted teacher and in a pod with kids called the “weirdos.” Lizbeth’s choice for a new best friend can’t get away from her fast enough. And the only kid who seems to “get” her also seems to be the resident mean girl.

Lizbeth finds herself helping her podmates with the mandatory school talent show while she’s also stuck doing all the work for a partnered science project. On top of all that, she has her quest to sabotage her dad’s latest girlfriend. Lizbeth figures that’s the best way to get her parents back together which will mean Lizbeth can get her old, perfect life back, too.

Review

The ending of this is stellar! There were some ups and downs for me along the way, but the ending was fantastic.

I had a mixed experience here with Lizbeth. She’s a funny, quirky kid, which I loved. She’s a lot to take early on. The scene of her trying to be Hailey’s friend at that first lunch period was almost painful. And when it comes to her dad’s girlfriends, frankly, she’s a bully. She’s mean. For every point she earns in my heart because she defends her podmates at school, she loses several for her horrible, hateful behavior with these women. And her parents don’t seem to do anything about it. This made it hard for me to like any of the family. And it made it hard to root for Lizbeth in the larger story.

With some time, though, Lizbeth starts to mature. She starts to see things from other points of view. She begins to get some personal insight. And that made up for some of the early ugliness in the story.

The art pieces in this were excellent. And the climax of the story was as well. I absolutely adored the end. There’s a lot here for readers to enjoy, and plenty to think about and talk through – labels, bullying, art, friendship, family, dealing with divorce, etc. This could prompt some meaty discussions both at home and in the classroom.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

BOOK NEWS: September 15, 2020

BOOK NEWS: September 15, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

It may be the middle of September, but you’ll notice Christmas books are starting to sneak into publication already. Let’s take a look at some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids – Board Books and Picture Books

Rocket’s Christmas Surprise (Board Book) – Rocket and his friends wait up for Santa to give him gifts, including a story that Rocket wrote. As always, the illustrations in this one shine! I can’t wait to read the whole story.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Pop-Up Book) – A new pop-up edition of the classic Charlie Brown Christmas.
The Eight Knights of Hanukkah – The knights are called in to stop a dragon named Dreadful from ruining the last night of Hanukkah.
I Love You More Than Christmas – Little Bear tries to share what he loves more than Christmas, but his declaration is interrupted time and time again. This looks sweet.
Imogene Comes Back! – A sequel to the delightful Imogene’s Antlers, 35 years in the making. Every day Imogene wakes up to a new surprise. This is on my wishlist for this week.
Margaret’s Unicorn – Margaret finds a lost baby unicorn. This looks so sweet!
Peppermint Post – The North Pole Postmaster finds a lost Christmas letter after Santa has already left to deliver his gifts on Christmas Eve.
Princesses vs. Dinosaurs – A group of princesses and a group of dinosaurs argue over whose book it is. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Twelve Unicorns of Christmas – A girl and her unicorn celebrate the season. This looks darling.
What If You Had an Animal Tongue? – A continuation of the series about animal features.

Books for Kids – Early Chapter Books

Bumble and Bee: Let’s BEE Thankful – Book 3 in the Bumble & Bee series from Scholastic ACORN. Froggy is ready to settle in for the winter, but Bumble and Bee want one more fall adventure.
Creature Campers: The Wall of Doom – Book 3 in the Creature Campers series. The campers take on a ropes course.
Kung Pow Chicken: Jurassic Peck – Six years ago I discovered this delightful series from Scholastic BRANCHES. Finally, they are releasing a fifth book in the series. I am so excited to see more adventures for Kung Pow Chicken! This time, the heroes go back in time.
Mia Mayhem and the Super Family Field Day – Book 9 in the Mia Mayhem series. Mia and her family participate in Family Field Day.
The Puppy Place: Fluffy & Freckles – Book 58 in the Puppy Place series. Charles finds a lost puppy while on vacation. He and his dad decide to foster the pup, who becomes friends with an undersized newborn lamb.
Snazzy Cat Capers: Meow or Never – Book 3 in this fun mystery/heist series for kids. (You can read my review of book one here.) Ophelia’s cousin tries to beat her in a heist competition, but she thinks the painting he brings is a fake.
Spy Penguins: Golden Egg – Book 3 in the Spy Penguins series. Two penguins who want to join the Frosty Bureau of Investigation take on a new case tracking down an escaped criminal. At the same time, they have to babysit.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

The Derby Daredevils: Shelly Struggles to Shine – Book 2 in the Derby Daredevils series. Shelly looks for a way to shine when her team competes in their first tournament.
Fly on the Wall – Henry is desperate to escape his overprotective family for awhile, especially because he is keeping a big secret. But when his trip to Singapore to visit his father is canceled, he decides to go on his own.
Magic Misfits: Fourth Suit – The fourth and final book in the Magic Misfits series by Neil Patrick Harris. (The Magic Misfits: ♥♥♥♥) The tension builds towards a final confrontation with their longtime enemy.
My Life in the Fish Tank – The latest book from Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You and Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½). When her older brother is diagnosed with a mental illness, Zinny feels the need to keep it secret, even from her best friends and the support group at school.
Rescue Dogs: Jet – Book 3 in the Rescue Dogs series. An abandoned dog struggles to adjust to the leash in his training as a search and rescue dog.
Tamora Carter Goblin Queen (e-book) – A girl who discovers two goblins who have passed through a portal to our world wonders if they know anything about her missing friend.
Three Keys – Sequel to the award-winning novel The Front Desk. Mia thought things had turned around for her and her family. But her new teacher doesn’t think Mia’s writing is very good, the motel is struggling, and a new immigration law will threaten everything if it passes.
The True Definition of Neva Beane – Neva negotiates her questions about growing up and about the changes in her family and the world around them through words and their meanings.
Turning Point – Two friends spending a summer apart negotiate new experiences – a new romance for one and a prestigious dance program with unforseen racial tensions for the other – with distance between them.
The Vanderbeekers: Lost and Found – Book 4 in this popular middle grade series. This time, the kids are caring for a person making a home in their community garden’s shed.
Even If We Break (LGBTQ+) – From the author of This Is Where It Ends (♥♥♥♥) and The Oracle Code. Five friends head to a cabin for a last round of their murder mystery game, but this time the game has become all too real. YA thriller fans should check this one out.
Grown – From the author of Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming (♥♥♥♥½). Enchanted had dreams of stardom, and R&B star, Korey Fields had the power to make her dreams come true. But behind closed doors, Korey was not who his fans thought he was. Now he’s dead, there’s blood on Enchanted’s hands, and she has no memory of what happened.
Legendborn – Expected to be one of the hottest books of the fall season. When Bree moves to a residential program for bright high schoolers, the last thing she expects to encounter are demons and mages. But when a mage calling himself a “Merlin” tries to erase Bree’s memory of what she saw, he unlocks not only her own magic, but her memories of her mother’s death – and the Merlin who was at the hospital. I already have this on hold from the library.
#NoEscape – Book 3 in the #MurderTrending series, which is actually a prequel to the other two books. Twenty years before the first book, #MurderTrending,  Persey joins an escape room competition where the competition doesn’t just lose. They die.
Surrender Your Sons (LGBTQ+) – A teen who “comes out” to his mother is sent away to a conversion camp. But nothing at the camp is what it seems. Connor is determined to not only rescue the other kids there, but to expose the camp for what it really is.

Books for Adults

Chance of a Lifetime (Hardcover) – A couple fell in love in 1844 and accidentally changed the future. Now, he has an assignment to meet her again today and push her towards the man she should have married originally. I’m curious about this one. It seems to be a quirky mix of reincarnation and angels and a second chance at love.
Love Is a Battlefield (e-book) – First in the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers series. Former college roommates scheme to get their adult children to meet on a fishing trip to Oregon. This sounds like a hoot.
Mayhem in Montana (September 20, e-book) – Book 4 in the Accidentally Undercover series. Dora and Evie stay at a ranch to help a friend investigate a murder.
One Winter’s Night (September 16, e-book) – Book 2 in the Kelsey Anderson series. When Kelsey’s friend, Mirren moves to town, at first everything is great. She’s thrilled to have a friend in town, especially when her boyfriend, Jonathan, is in America. But when Mirren uncovers some secrets about Jonathan and his family while working for the local paper, will she pick her career over her friends?
See Her Die (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bree Taggert series. A homeless teen says her friend was shot, but when Sheriff Bree Taggert arrives at the shuttered campground, there’s no sign of a shooter or a victim. The K-9 unit she calls in finds a body – but not the one they were looking for. This sounds twisty! This book – and the rest in the series – are available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Son of a Stitch (e-book) – Book 5 in the Knitorius Murder Mystery series. Megan thought the latest dead body was an accident, but now that she has acquired a stalker, she has to wonder if the two are connected. This book – and the rest in the series – are available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (Hardcover) –  A new story from the author of Eragon about an alien relic and a deadly secret.
60-Day Enneagram Devotional: Peacemaker AND Helper AND Individualist (Hardcover) – Three Enneagram devotionals release this week. I’m eager to see these in person and see how deep they go.
Dirty Lazy Keto Dirt Cheap Cookbook (Paperback) – 100 Keto recipes, designed to be easy and inexpensive.
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus (Trade Paperback) – A new Enneagram resource with an emphasis on spiritual growth and development. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Everything Is Spiritual: Who We Are and What We’re Doing Here (Hardcover) – A new book from Rob Bell.
Football’s Fearless Activists: How Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Kenny Stills, and Fellow Athletes Stood Up to the NFL and President Trump (Hardcover) – Includes interviews and history behind the protests against racial inequality in the NFL.
The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to be You (Trade Paperback) – Understanding and celebrating introversion.
Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life (Hardcover) – I am all for recipes that simplify my life!
You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracles of God’s Presence and Power (Hardcover) – The latest from Max Lucado.

REVIEW: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

REVIEW: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Pepper’s parents started Big League Burgers when their whole family still lived in the same town. Now, Pepper’s parents are amicably divorced. Her sister, Paige, is away at college, and Pepper is trying to survive her senior year at an incredibly competitive private school. Her life revolves around her school work, staying ahead of her academic rival, and swim team responsibilities as the captain. When she’s not consumed with all that, she bakes to let off steam. Her mom, in a bit of tone deaf parenting, also expects her to help with the business’ Twitter account. While there’s an employee assigned to it, she doesn’t have Pepper’s instincts or snark.

Jack’s parents run the deli Girl Cheese which was started by Jack’s grandmother. Jack’s parents seem to assume Jack will take over the deli some day, although they don’t make those assumptions about his twin brother, Ethan. Jack would rather design apps. In fact, he’s the secret designer of Weazel, a wildly popular social app at his private school. He also sometimes tweets things on the deli’s Twitter profile.

When Big League Burgers announces a new line of grilled cheese sandwiches, Jack and Ethan realize one is a direct rip off of their grandmother’s secret grilled cheese recipe at the deli. Their dad wants to ignore it, but Jack fires off a tweet. And Pepper, not knowing who is on the other side of the Twitter war, fires back.

Let the games begin.

Review

“You can’t just casually tell someone you carry caramel sauce around and walk away like that’s a normal thing. What other emergency condiments do you have stashed in your bag?”

This is delightful!! Sharp writing – and so funny! I loved Pepper and Jack! There are tons of levels to this – their assumptions about each other from school, their anonymous conversations on Weazel, their face-to-face interactions, and then the Twitter war. And it was all so fun!

There’s a lot of depth to the characters and the relationships amid the banter back and forth. Both teens are thinking about their futures. They’re struggling under expectations, and they’re trying to discover who they are. There are also some fascinating family dynamics for both teens.

And all of that – along with some mouth-watering food descriptions – is woven together so well. I loved it. The only thing missing is some recipes. Do not miss this fun novel! The paperback of this will release after the first of the year along with the author’s second book, You Have a Match. I’ll be reviewing that one in 2021. (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = Loved it! Would read again!

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Christmas is coming, which means Lindsey and Sully’s wedding is too. And the whole town is looking forward to it. In fact, thanks to a glitch with the invitations, it looks like the couple will have at least three times as many guests as they had planned for.

When Lindsey, Sully, and some friends head out to the wedding site to make plans for their extra guests, they find the body of a friend. Steve and Sully had known each other for years. He was going to perform their wedding. They had just seen him the night before at a Christmas party in his home.

Lindsey has to wonder if something from the party led to Steve’s death. There was the huge argument with Steve’s former business partner; everyone saw it. And then the frosty relationship with his wife. And what about the story of a strange woman dressed all in black in the house during the party?

While Lindsey would love to leave the sleuthing to the police this time, the island where her wedding should be is off limits as a crime scene. If she wants her wedding to go as planned, she’s going to need to help the case along.

Review

Terrific! I have enjoyed this series from the start. This latest story does not disappoint.

It’s finally time for Sully and Lindsey to get married. I enjoyed all the wedding prep and the sweet little moments between the couple in their excitement. The issue of an officiant drags through the whole book, and the solution is pretty obvious. But it does lead to one encounter with a possible fill in who was a hoot! That interaction alone made the officiant quest worth it. I would love to see that character in another book.

The mystery was top notch! The twists almost felt like they were circling in on each other – in the best way. I loved watching it all play out.

This is a come-for-the-characters-stay-for-the-mystery sort of series for me. This is book 11, and the Library Lovers Mystery series is as strong as ever.  The author does an excellent job of not sacrificing either part – the setting and characters or the mystery – striking just the right balance. This is why I read anything and everything Jenn McKinlay writes. I am already thinking about where future stories in this series might go – Ms. Cole is running for mayor after all! And I am here for that tale and any other with Lindsey and Sully.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½=Loved it. Would re-read.