Month: September 2020

REVIEW: Dead-End Detective by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Dead-End Detective by Amanda Flower

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Darby Piper and Samantha Porter were detectives in Herrington. Their agency, the Two Girls Detective Agency, had been in business for ten years. But it was all about to end.

Samantha wanted out. As majority owner, with 60% of the business, she got to make the decision. She’d been offered a job as head of security for Lake Waters Retreat. She said she was ready for something more simple and stable.

Then, right before Samantha could sign the paperwork to dissolve the business, she’s killed.

Everyone seems to know the business was closing. Darby would have lost not only her job but also her home in the building where their offices were if that happened. So she is the number one suspect. She was unhappy about Samantha’s plans. She had the most to lose – and the most to gain, at least until Samantha’s nephew, Tate, shows up and learns he has inherited everything, including Samantha’s portion of the business.  Now Darby and Tate are circling each other warily, suspicious of each other’s motives, while also trying to work the case together and determine who killed Samantha.

Review

This was so fun! I loved Darby and Tate together! Tate is a fun character with a fascinating back story. I enjoyed all the things he brought to the book. The author does a great job of teasing out information. There are still some unanswered questions about his background that could be explored in future books. I wasn’t super excited about the hints at a possible love triangle. That’s a matter of personal preference. I don’t care for them. I have my clear favorite for Darby’s love interest, and I have my fingers crossed for that fella.

The mystery in this was front and center. There are a few introductions to the town at large, but most of the action was focused on the case. This made the mystery highly satisfying for me, but I am eager to read more about the town, and the townspeople, in future books.

I was able to figure out the killer about halfway through the book, but I needed Darby’s investigation to understand all the reasons why. This made for a fun reading experience for me. I got to feel triumphant about my armchair sleuthing while enjoying the reveals that the book still held for me.

I could absolutely see this playing out on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. If you are a fan of their cozy shows, you don’t want to miss this one. Amanda Flower fans as well as cozy fans who maybe haven’t tried her work yet should be sure to pick this one up. It’s a fun read with an engaging cast. I am already looking forward to the next Piper and Porter mystery!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great, might re-read

BONUS REVIEW: It's My Tree by Olivier Tallec

BONUS REVIEW: It’s My Tree by Olivier Tallec

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A squirrel declares his love for trees in general and one tree in particular. He’s so attached to his tree – and its pine cones – that he starts to worry that someone will try to take it from him. What could he do to protect his tree?

Review

The illustrations here are exceptional. I love this little squirrel! This plays out like an old cartoon – I could see it in my mind like I was watching Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry. There’s one frame in particular – after a white page of text, there’s a full picture without text – that’s my absolute favorite spot in the whole book. It’s a highlight in a collection of great pages.

I found it interesting that the squirrel struggles with some grass-is-always-greener/fear-of-missing-out sorts of thoughts just when he gets his tree protected. I’m not sure the intended audience will think much about it, but adults reading along and older kids who read this themselves or who have teachers who use it in the classroom might have some fascinating discussions about what they notice and what they think is going on in the story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Hug? by Charlene Chua

BONUS REVIEW: Hug? by Charlene Chua

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When a girl’s cat gets sick, she offers a hug to help it feel better. Then, a dog asks her for a hug next. Then a family of ducks. And a skunk. The girl continues to say yes, even when she’s uncertain, until things go too far.

Review

This is a cute story with excellent illustrations. I read it twice so I could really take in the changes in the girl’s hair and the condition of her clothes as the story goes on. On the surface, this is a story about the power of hugs, but it seems to have other layers when you take in the illustrations.

A case could be made that this is a book about boundaries. The girl gets to a point where she says no – first when someone goes too far and then again when the requests become overwhelming. There’s no clear discussion of this in the text of the book, but these things could be discussed with kids as the book is read. I could see this fitting perfectly into conversations about kids having the right to say no to requests for hugs, about boundaries with their bodies, and about boundaries in general.

This was great!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Millionaires for the Month by Stacy McAnulty

REVIEW: Millionaires for the Month by Stacy McAnulty

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

Felix Rannells is a rule follower. Benji Porter is a rule exploder. Benji doesn’t just bend rules or break rules – sometimes he outright destroys them. They are the odd couple of their field trip pairings.

When Felix finds a wallet on the sidewalk during their lunch break, he wants to turn it in. Benji sees it as a chance to get some lunch since he left his at home by mistake. He insists he’ll pay the person back. He even uses the $20 he takes to get Felix food, too.

Then the boys discover the wallet belongs to Laura Friendly, a billionaire. Benji insists that $20 to her is like a penny to normal folks. And they’re just “borrowing it.” Felix know they actually STOLE the money, but he doesn’t have $10 to pay back his half. And while Benji will be able to get money from his parents, Felix’s mom doesn’t have money just lying around. They are barely getting by as it is.

When Laura Friendly confronts the boys about the theft, Benji mouths off about his “penny” theory which gives the billionaire an idea. A penny, doubled, every day for a month is more than $5 million. She’ll give the boys that much money and they will have one month to spend it – with some restrictions. If they can pull it off, they will each get $10 million.

Review

This has a Brewster’s Millions feel to it (it’s a movie starring Richard Pryor from 1985), and I was here for all of it! I first encountered Stacy McAnulty’s work when I fell in love with her debut, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl. She’s an author I watch very closely because I never want to miss her latest release. You aren’t going to want to miss this one, either. When I read the plot, I was immediately sold. And the book did not disappoint.

I loved Felix and Benji from the start. Even though they are very different guys, there’s something endearing about each of them. Felix is very aware of his family’s financial situation, and he wishes they had a little more breathing room. Benji generally has whatever material things he needs, but he’s looking for significance, and approval from his parents. Through the novel, not only do they each grow individually, but they also grow to be friends. I loved watching their journey.

Ms. Friendly is a fascinating character. Not much like her name, though. The boys learn a lot with her challenge, and I think she grows to like them. I loved watching her relationship with them over the course of the story.

I think this would make a fun classroom read-aloud or a book club selection. Anyone who has ever daydreamed what they’d do with a million dollars will be able to identify with these boys and their secret financial challenge. I loved how it played out over the month and how it wrapped up in the end. This is my favorite sort of middle grade novel – kids you love in fascinating circumstances who learn and grow over time. Do not miss this one! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – Loved it! Would read again!

BOOK NEWS: September 8, 2020

BOOK NEWS: September 8, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Let’s take a look at some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away – Best friends are challenged when one of the families is moving away. This looks sweet.
Fairy Science: Solid, Liquid, Gassy – Book 2 in the Fairy Science series from Ashley Spires.
Snow Day for Groot – Rocket and Groot have a day off to hang out with Spider-Man in New York. I was sold when I saw Shuri tucked into an illustration of the characters at the NYPL. I love clever storytelling and illustrations!
Speak Up Molly Lou Melon – Sweet little Molly Lou Melon stands up for her friends.
God Speaks in Whispers – A new picture book about hearing God from Mark Batterson.
Happy Narwhalidays – Book 5 in the Narwhal and Jelly series. Narwhal is excited about the holiday arrival of the Merry Mermicorn while Jelly is trying to figure out the best gift to give Narwhal. This is a cute series.
Stink and the Hairy Scary Spider – Book 12 in the Stink series. Judy and her friend Webster try to help Stink with his spider phobia.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Alex Rider: Ark Angel (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the 6th Alex Rider novel.
The Canyon’s Edge – The latest from the author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. When a girl and her father are exploring a canyon in Arizona, a flash flood sweeps him and their supplies away, leaving Nora on her own in the desert.
Izzy Newton and the SMART Squad: Absolute Hero – First in the new SMART Squad series. Izzy Newton, Allie Einstein, and Charlie Darwin are the SMART Squad, and they use science to solve problems at their school, like when the air conditioning goes on the fritz, creating a chilly situation. This looks cute!
Kudo Kids: Mystery of the Masked Medalist – First in the new Kudo Kids series, set at the Tokyo Olympics. A mysterious Olympic medalist has created a scavenger hunt game for Olympics fans to play while they are in Tokyo. But when someone sabotages the game, Andy and Mika start looking for the troublemaker.
Lost Wonderland Diaries – First in a new series. Lewis Carroll created four diaries of his actual journeys into Wonderland, but the journals have been lost. Two kids find the diaries and are pulled through a portal into Wonderland, but it is a Wonderland that has changed in dark ways.
Revver the Speedway Squirrel – First in a new illustrated series. A squirrel who lives above a race track longs to be a race car driver.
Stick Dog Meets His Match – Book 10 in the Stick Dog series by Tom Watson. This time, Stick Dog is trying to rescue Karen and track down a meat truck to feed his friends.
Unwanted Quests: Dragon Slayers – Book 6 in the Unwanted Quests series. The twins have been captured by a dragon woman who traps them between four vicious dragons, hoping to coerce them to fight on her side.
Loved and Cherished: 100 Devotions for Girls – Devotions to address the questions girls may have about identity and self-image.
Where Is Chichen Itza? – Readers can learn about the center of Mayan culture.
The Bookweaver’s Daughter – An OwnVoices YA fantasy centered around Indian culture. Reya can trace her family back through generations of Bookweavers, those who guarded Kasmiri culture. Reya’s father, who can use this Bookweaver magic, has been taken by those who would like to see magic stamped out. Reya and a friend flee with only one book to help her discover her magic and save her father and her people.
Charming as a Verb – A teen working a dog-walking scheme can’t charm the classmate who discovers his less-than-honest system. So he agrees to help her change her image at school in exchange for her not ratting him out.
Currents (The Ables) – Book 3 in the Ables series, set four years after the events in book 2, Strings. Now in college, the heroes are fighting an energy-hoarding villain while Philip struggles with the loss of his sight again.
Devastation Class – A new book from the folks at Blink YA publishing. Triumphant after a 9 year war with the Kastazi, Earth sends the California out for a science expedition. But the crew stumbles on a new advancing force of Kastazi. Two cadets who think they have the best plan for the ship’s survival activate experimental technology that takes them not to a safe region of space but to an alternate reality. Sounds awesome!
Nobody Knows But You – A new thriller about a summer at camp that ends in murder.
The Other Side of the Sky – His home is in the sky, powered by technology. Her’s is on the Surface. Despite their feelings for one another, a prophecy makes it clear what could happen if they act on their emotions.
Sources Say – Angeline and Leo, exes who are both running for class president, up their games when someone posts doctored photos of scantily clad girls from their school. Angeline’s sister, Cat, is content to report on the election – and the photos – for the school paper. But when someone anonymously starts reporting “fake news,” Cat is ready to throw down for journalistic integrity.
These Vengeful Hearts – Ember has seen the damage a secret society, the Red Court, and their leader, the Queen of Hearts, have done to her school, so she decides to tear them apart from within.

Books for Adults

Checked Out for Murder (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Haunted Library Mystery series. Carrie, the librarian, and Evelyn, the library ghost, team up again when a woman shows up claiming to be a psychic, but she somehow never perceives the danger she is in from a killer.
Cottage on Gooseberry Bay: Halloween Moon (e-book) – First in a new series. Ainsley is in Gooseberry Bay looking for answers after losing the man who raised her about his death and about the family she once belonged to. This sounds fascinating. This is free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers to read at the time of this writing.
A Deception at Thornecrest (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Amory Ames Mystery series. While Milo is in London on business, Amory is at home at Thornecrest getting things ready for the arrival of their baby. Then a stranger arrives claiming she is also Milo’s wife. I haven’t read any of these before, but I will absolutely be picking this up to check out that plot twist!
For Whom the Book Tolls (Hardcover) – First in the new Antique Bookshop Mystery series. Jenna accepts her uncle’s invitation to come for a visit so she can flee some trouble at home. But trouble finds her anyway when she finds her uncle’s body and she’s accused of the crime. I’m looking forward to this one!
In Case You Missed It (Trade Paperback) – After 3 years away, Ros comes home to find everything has changed, just when she wants to pick things up where she left off.
Little Bookshop of Murder (Hardcover) – First in the new Beach Reads Mystery series. I posted a full review of this one last week. You can read it here.
Murder at Hotel 1911 (Hardcover) – First in the new Ivy Nichols Mystery series. Ivy works behind the check in desk at the Hotel 1911, so she gets to meet all the guests. Unfortunately that includes the unpleasant ones like the wealthy Ms. Swain. When Ms. Swain later dies from eating something she was allergic to, the hotel chef is implicated. But Ivy is sure her friend is innocent.
Murder Most Sweet (Hardcover) – First in the new Bookish Baker Mystery series. A local baker and mystery writer becomes the suspect in a real-life murder case when the fiancée of a touring author is found dead. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
One By One (Hardcover) – A trendy startup decides to hold a team building retreat in a rustic ski chalet in the French Alps. But one team member doesn’t make it back to the chalet before an avalanche. And the surviving group members may be in an equal amount of danger as tempers flare and they are cut off from outside help.
Portrait of Loyalty (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Codebreakers series. One of Russia’s top cryptographers offers his services to the Brits and meets a photographer who is also working for British Intelligence. As feelings grow between them, though, can they get through the roadblocks caused by his past?
Prime Deceptions (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Chilling Effect series. Captain Eva Innocente agrees to help her sister by tracking down a missing scientist. She’s not sure she can trust her sister, but the payday is worth the risk. But her hunt takes her back to the scene of her greatest failure. Can Eva pull off this latest quest cleanly, or is she doomed to repeat the past?
Two Reasons to Run (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Pelican Harbor series by Colleen Coble. Police Chief Jane Hardy is still dealing with the fall out over her father’s lie and a convoluted history that involves a cult and her mother, not to mention her newly-returned ex with her presumed-dead teen son. But those things will have to go to the back burner when an environmental terrorist strikes and Jane’s son’s life is on the line.
A Literary Holiday Cookbook: Festive Meals for the Snow Queen, Gandalf, Sherlock, Scrooge, and Booklovers Everywhere (Hardcover)
The Liturgy of Politics (Trade Paperback) – Includes 17 full four-course holiday meals from 25 classic stories including Little Women and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor (Trade Paperback) – Looks at how the Church’s practices and habits shape its politics and suggests course corrections to get us back to Jesus. I have this one on my list.
Pass It On: Work Hard, Serve Others, … Repeat (Hardcover) – From Houston Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson. Watson shares the story of his family receiving a house from Falcon’s RB Warrick Dunn’s charity when Watson was a kid and the impact it made on him. Includes 7 core values that Watson uses to anchor his life including generosity, service, and empathy
Peace: Hope and Healing for the Anxious Momma’s Heart (Trade Paperback) – Wrestling with anxiety and fear in a world that tells women they just need to “have more faith.”
The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation (Hardcover) – Suggestions based on the research of Church Answers to lead a post-Covid congregation.
Proof of Corruption: Bribery, Impeachment, and Pandemic in the Age of Trump (Hardcover) – The third book in the author’s Proof series after Proof of Collusion and Proof of Conspiracy. Focuses on the years from 2015 to early 2020 with examples of corruption from the president and his advisors.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Fandom and Fan Convention Stories

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Fandom and Fan Convention Stories

Posted on by Jaymie

Our family thoroughly enjoys attending comic and fan conventions, book signings, etc.. We have been to several over the last 8 years. We love meeting stars and authors, going to panels, and picking up new artwork of our favorite characters or new books from authors we discover.

Thanks to the pandemic, we’ve only been able to do some online fan events this year. While I appreciate ALL of the work that various groups have done to make these events happen, they are still no substitute for the real thing.

So if you are missing out on your usual con events this year, too, consider reading a book or two about the experience. I find these books bring back lots of fun Con memories (although I wish there were more for middle grade and adult readers). Here are some to consider:

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Con Quest! (LGBTQ+) –  A pair of twins ditch their family at a comics convention while they try to win a huge scavenger hunt. This is the book that gave me the idea to do this post. I love books like this! This was written by Sam Maggs. ♥♥♥♥½
The Game Masters of Garden Place – A group of kids playing an RPG (role playing game, like Dungeons and Dragons) find their characters have come to life. This was SO fun! You can read my review here.
Princesses, Inc – From the MIX line by Aladdin about a group of girls who open up a service of princesses and pirates to babysit neighborhood kids. You can read my review here.
Secrets of a Fangirl – A girl trying to keep her “geek life” separate from her popular “jock life” has a chance to win a contest to go to the movie premier for her fandom. But she will have to go up against older competitors who question her fan cred, and she risks showing her peers this geeky side of herself. This one is on my TBR shelves.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

 

Bookish and the Beast (LGBTQ+) – Book 3 in the Once Upon a Con series. Vance Reigns, Hollywood royalty, is hiding from a tabloid scandal in a small town. Rosie lives in that small town, and when she and Vance cross paths, and a rare book is accidentally destroyed, Rosie finds herself having to work off the debt. She also finds out that Vance is a jerk. Beauty and the Beast, anyone? I thoroughly enjoyed this one! ♥♥♥♥½
Bookishly Ever After – A book nerd tries to use the characters from her favorite books to help her negotiate a romance. You can read my review here.
Don’t Cosplay with My Heart – A struggling teen finds strength in her cosplay character and community. You can read my review here.
The Improbable Theory of Ana & Zak – An unlikely pair of teens team up to find  Ana’s younger brother at a fan convention when he sneaks away from a class trip. You can read my review here.
Eliza and Her Monsters – The anonymous creator of a popular webcomic  loses her anonymity, and everything she has built starts to fall apart. I have this one on my TBR shelves.
Fangirl (LGBTQ+) – When two sisters who grew up immersed in a magical fictional world (Harry Potter-ish) start college, one wants to keep writing her fanfiction and stay connected to that part of their childhood while the other wants to make a complete break. I read this forever ago – while at a fan convention – and it was delightful. ♥♥♥♥♥
Geekerella – Book 1 in the Once Upon a Con series. Elle wants to win a cosplay contest for a reboot of her father’s favorite scifi show. Darian wants nothing more than to be in the reboot, but the fandom seems to have written him off completely. Maybe Elle can change all that. You can read my review here.
The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love – A guy plans how to tell his best friend he loves her – at New York Comic Con. I haven’t read this one yet.
Now a Major Motion Picture – When their grandmother’s famous book series is being turned into a movie, a teen and her younger brother are on set to watch the magic happen. Until things start to fall apart which puts the whole movie in jeopardy. You can read my review here.
The Princess and the Fangirl (LGBTQ+) – Book 2 in the Once Upon a Con series. In this Prince and the Pauper-like tale, a Starfield fan and the actress who is absolutely over the series must team up to find out who is causing trouble for the franchise. ♥♥♥♥½
The Pros of Cons (LGBTQ+) – A mix-up at a hotel hosting 3 different groups – a percussion convention, a fan convention, and a taxidermy convention – brings three teens together in an unexpected friendship. You can read my review here.
Queens of Geek (LGBTQ+) – Three teens at a convention find unexpected chances at love. I haven’t read this one yet.
Verona Comics (LGBTQ+) – Two teens who meet at a comic convention prom wrestle with personal issues and their feuding families (rival comics shop owners) as they grow closer together.

 

Books for Adults

Battle at the Comic Expo – A comics creator and a con security chief team up when a fan goes rogue and comes after the creator for revenge. This is a new title to me. I only heard about this one when I was doing research for this post.
Broken Genius –  Book 1 in the new Will Parker Thriller series. In 2011, a coding error by young revolutionary CEO Will Parker cost a college student her life. His self-directed penance was joining the FBI Cyber Division. Years later, Will is on a case at a Midwest comic convention when he discovers the case involves tech from his pre-FBI life. You can read my review here.
The Con Artist – An illustrated mystery that takes place at San Diego Comic Con. I haven’t read this one.
Loathe at First Sight – As a joke, Melody shares an idea for an app starring male strippers in a survival game, but it quickly becomes her company’s hottest new project, and she’s running the whole thing. There’s a portion of this book that takes place at a gaming convention, some of my favorite scenes in the book. I just posted a full review for this here.
Pros and (Comic) Cons – An anthology of comics and prose focused on comic conventions. I haven’t read this one.

 

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

BONUS REVIEW: Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Shoshanna adores her job at the mall bookstore, Once Upon. Her boss is a mentor, and she loves her co-workers. And it’s a good thing she loves it because it’s the holiday season which means the mall is crazy busy, and she is working double shifts until Christmas.

Shoshanna needs those double shifts. Her car has become unreliable, and the repair is expensive. Her moms don’t have the money, and they are fighting enough already. She doesn’t want to add any stress to their household. But then her boss offers a holiday incentive. The person who sells to the most customers leading up to Christmas will earn a bonus. That extra money would go a long way toward helping her fix her car.

The biggest roadblock to Shoshanna’s success is the new guy, Jake. He doesn’t even read, except for things assigned at school! But he’s charming and clever, and customers like him. He’s bonded with Shoshanna’s work friends and leveraged technology to help him make recommendations. He is serious competition. In all of their interactions he has come across as a jerk to Shoshanna, so she is determined to beat him. She’ll get the money she needs AND show Jake that being a bookseller is about more than doing an online search.

Review

This was fun! I loved the bookstore pieces in this as well as Shoshanna’s enthusiasm about her work and about books/reading in general. The author does a good job of keeping Shoshanna endearing, even when she’s a bit much. There’s some immaturity at play, which makes sense for her age. In fact, it’s been awhile since I read a YA novel where the main character felt like a genuine teenager. Shoshanna really feels genuine. Here, she has a lot to learn about boundaries. She wants everyone to be happy, get along, and feel good about themselves, even if that means she meddles in things she shouldn’t. The other great thing about this is that Shoshanna learns from her mistakes. She is intentional about making different, better choices as the book goes on. She lets her failures instruct her for the future.

The bookstore pieces are balanced by the women in Shoshanna’s life and the problems they are experiencing. Shoshanna’s moms are fighting and it makes home feel unsettled and tense. Then, when Shoshanna alienates her best friends, she can’t even go home for comfort because things there are so on-edge. There are nice holiday pieces woven in, too – Hanukkah celebrations for Shoshanna and Jake as well as the Christmas festivities at the mall.

The romance here is sweet and gradual. It’s a low key enemies-to-lovers story. And in reality it’s probably more bickering-rivals-to-crushes, but the usual features of the trope are there. I warmed up to Jake pretty quickly and loved watching his relationship with Shoshanna thaw over time.

While the cover doesn’t show it, this is definitely a holiday story, so librarians and booksellers should keep this title in mind for holiday displays. Readers who love sweet teen romances, books about books and bookstores, and stories about personal growth should check this on out! (Some language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great!

REVIEW: Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia

REVIEW: Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia

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

Garfield “Gar” Logan is a senior in high school, and he’s tired of looking like a freshman. He’s lifting weights and downing protein shakes with no impact. He starts to wonder if the supplements his parents have him taking could be stunting his growth. So, he stops taking them. And things start to… change.

Gar is desperate to get in with the cool crowd and get the attention of a certain girl before high school ends. The weird things happening to him seem to be helping him get that attention for once. But a sinister figure, new in town, may be giving Gar exactly the wrong kind of attention.

Review

I have been excited about this book since the moment I finished Teen Titans: Raven last year. This is from the same team, and they can’t churn out books fast enough for me. I discovered that the next book will be a team up of both Raven and Gar, currently titled Beast Boy Loves Raven, and I am here for it! This one ends on a huge cliffhanger, and I need a sequel!

This is an origin story for Gar. There’s an emphasis early in the book on his longing to be noticed. He wants to fit in physically; he wants to be considered “cool.” And he wants to find what he’s good at and who he is meant to be. Gar stumbles into these dares, and the physical changes he’s experiencing help him pull off things that should be impossible.

I wish this had been longer or that some of the set up was condensed. Just when I felt like things were getting into place – a bitter rival at school, a dangerous foe from his parents’ past, full use of his powers –  it was over. I used some choice words when I swiped for more and found there wasn’t any.

So, I enjoyed what’s here, but I wanted more. I guess that’s a sign of a good story. Fans of the Raven graphic novel, and fans of the character Gar/Beast Boy should be sure to check this one out. If you haven’t read these but you enjoy other Teen Titans material, like Teen Titans: Damian Knows Best, put these on your TBR.

DC has graciously shared some examples of the interior artwork for you to enjoy!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn

BONUS REVIEW: Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on September 8, 2020.]

Summary

Summer is back in her home community of Brigid’s Island for her mother’s funeral. And nothing is right. First, her mother was too healthy to have a heart attack with no warning. Also, her funeral is in a church. No one who knew Hildy would have planned a funeral for her in a traditional church. And then there are the threatening notes Hildy, and now Summer, receive saying to sell Hildy’s bookstore, Beach Reads, or die. Maybe Summer’s mom didn’t die from natural causes….

When someone sets Summer’s childhood home on fire – with her inside – she feels that clinches things. Someone is after her family. While the police chief is disinterested in Summer’s theories – there’s just too much history and bad blood between them – at least the cute fire chief is willing to consider that Summer might be right. Now, she just has to find proof, and the murderer.

Review

I have mixed feelings about this one. There were parts I liked – Summer’s relationship with her family and her mother’s bird, the book store, and a twist right at the end. But there were numerous other places where I struggled.

Passages felt repetitive – things said by the same person, statements rehashed, and sections that didn’t seem to move anything forward. Some of the spots felt like filler. Also, one of the book club women had an alibi for the time of the murder, but she kept weighing in on the details of the day as if she had been there. I was confused by it several times in the story. Then, the book club meeting, which was going to be a significant moment in the story, was “tomorrow” for almost a week. I started counting how many times it was “tomorrow” and then how many “next mornings” there were before the next time someone said the meeting was “tomorrow.”

I was surprised by these issues. This is a seasoned mystery author. My hope is that the above issues were addressed in the final edits between the production of my review copy of the finalization of the novel. Usually the ARC has been edited more tightly than this.

While those issue may be resolved by the release date, I ran into other issues. Summer was hard to like. As a romance and cozy reader – in the act of reading a cozy mystery – I was put off by Summer’s snootiness about “real literature” vs. genre literature. It didn’t endear her to me. The author worked to soften her over the course of the book – this was intentionally part of her character at the start. But I personally read cozies because I like the protagonists. Summer made that difficult. Also, her phobia was a quirky thread in the story that never clicked for me. It didn’t feel integral. I was disappointed that the potential love interest disappeared in the latter parts of the book. Also, as a matter of personal preference only, the new age/tarot/goddess pieces aren’t a good fit for me as a reader.

Regarding the mystery, I was sadly disappointed here, too. I felt like the killer was obvious from the beginning. I zeroed in on this person and never second guessed my choice, even as other suspects were presented. None of the rest felt like real possibilities. And in the end, I thought the motive could have been stronger, especially for when Summer became the target.

If the edits I mentioned have been addressed before publication, my rating would maybe be a half point higher. Otherwise this just wasn’t the right fit for me. But the series has potential if some of these pieces are developed in the future. (Some language, new age/occult references)

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ – Mostly solid to solid, some issues

 

REVIEW: Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park

REVIEW: Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Melody Joo is a new video game producer at a male-dominated gaming company. The boss, Ian MacKenzie, is everything awful you can imagine – demanding, tantrum-throwing, egotistical, and misogynistic. And since he’s the leader, many of the other staff follow his example.

In a moment of commiseration with a female colleague, Melody tosses off a random game idea about male strippers fighting zombies and such in the apocalypse. She was just joking around. But Ian gets wind of the idea. And when the board backs him into a corner about the company’s low engagement with female gamers, he throws Melody’s idea at them. And they love it.

Now Melody has to work with the company’s latest intern – Ian’s nephew Nolan – on this fast-tracked game. Melody and Nolan have already had several conflicts. What are the chances they can finish this project without killing each other?

Review

This was so much more than I was expecting! I knew it would be an enemies-to-lovers romance, but that was a smaller piece of the whole story than I realized it would be. And it was terrific!

The bulk of the story focuses on Melody, striving to succeed in a field – and a company – willfully working against her. The racism and sexism is rampant. Early on, Melody assumes Nolan will be a part of that.

The nitty-gritty gaming pieces are not part of this, which I liked. The focus stayed on the people and the outcomes, which was perfect. While I might not have been 100% clear on what Melody was doing all the time, I definitely knew she was busting her backside, working long hours and leveraging the expertise of her team members and friends when she needed to. When word gets out about her game – targeting female gamers and produced by an Asian woman – the backlash is tremendous. There are no magical solutions to the haters and trolls and doxxing and harassment that Melody endures. But I was quite satisfied with how most of that is sorted out in the end.

The gaming story is balanced out by Melody’s parents who were a lot (for Melody, not for the reader) and her two best friends who are both experiencing major life transitions. They were just the right blend of helpful and focused on things outside Melody’s work life. They rounded out the story well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! If you like your romance books with a full, meaty story around the relationship, pick this one up. If you love books about strong, bright women fighting for a seat at the table, pick this up. And if you love books about women in tech fields charting their own courses in both their work and personal lives, pick this up. I don’t think you will regret it. You can read my review of the author’s latest YA romance, The Perfect Escape, here. (Language. TW: Harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = Loved it! Would read again.