Month: April 2021

REVIEW: Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

REVIEW: Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lizzie Bennet longs to become a barrister and study the law and argue cases. But as a young woman – with a mother who thinks only of seeing her daughters married – that is never going to happen. But she holds out hope that her father will hire her to be a solicitor and investigator. He’ll have to be convinced, though, so Lizzie decides she will solve (another) case to prove her ability.

There’s been a murder and an arrest. Mr. Bingley is accused of killing his brother-in-law. Lizzie hopes to convince him to hire her father’s firm to represent him. (They could use the business!) And Bingley is impressed by Lizzie. But he already has help from his good friend, Mr. Darcy. Darcy is arrogant, condescending, and dismissive of Lizzie from the start.

Darcy’s plan seems to be to present Bingley as “too good” of a person to be a murderer. But Lizzie knows the only way to truly protect Bingley is to find the real killer. And she feels she is just the person to do that.

Review

Delightful!!

I have to confess: I’ve never read – or watched – Pride and Prejudice. I’ve never been able to make myself care enough to push through the reading. I love the Sense and Sensibility movie, but I could not get into that book, either. Austen just doesn’t click for me. But I do enjoy retellings in general, as well as mysteries, so I decided to give this a try. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

There are TONS of nods to the original plot (which I read online) with regard to the characters and relationships, but also lots of twists to keep fans engaged. But you don’t have to have read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy this. The author takes some liberties with the timeline (which she explains in an engaging author’s note), but it didn’t bother me in the least. I am not a purist about such things.

The mystery was fantastically twisty. I figured out part but not all of it before the end, which I enjoyed. I like both solving the puzzles and being surprised by them. And I can’t wait to read more mysteries in this series. Book 2 – Sense and Second-Degree Murder – will release in 2022 and book 3 – Manslaughter Park – will release in 2023. Mystery fans and Austen fans should be sure to pick this one up asap!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters

BONUS REVIEW: To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Marquess of Willingham had always made her heart race a little. Even when she was newly debuted and on the hunt for a husband of means, the Marquess was a tempting distraction. But Diana knew the only way she’d have any sort of future would be by marrying well. While handsome and charming, Jeremy had a reputation as something of a womanizer. And he had no money.

As a second son, Jeremy had been happy with his life of leisure – and pleasure. But the death of his older brother left him holding the family responsibilities – and debts. On a whim, one night five years ago, he had teased at marriage with Diana, and she shut him down, hard. Those debts were a dealbreaker for a woman hoping to secure a good match.

But now Diana is a wealthy widow. And Jeremy is still single. The two can rile one another up like no other. In their squabbling, Diana bets Jeremy that he will be wed within a year – something he protests vehemently. But it gets him thinking that Diana could help him with a bit of a “problem.” His last mistress critiqued his skills in the bedroom, and he needs someone who will be brutally honest with him to give him some feedback. The arrangement will help Diana out, too. She doesn’t want to marry again, enjoying her freedom. But she would like some romantic company, and an affair with Jeremy would signal to the ton that she was interested in such relationships. What could go wrong with such a proposition where both parties should come out winners?

Review

This was fun! I had skipped the first book in this series because I didn’t care for the couple or the premise. It just wasn’t a good fit for me. But the sassy, snarky couple at the center of this story was a much better fit. Their story of finding love was delightful. And I could see the author setting up some possible sequels with other couples from the social circle, and I would definitely pick those up.

As tropes go, this is enemies-to-lovers in a way. But the sass of the characters always has a flirty undertone, so I don’t think they were ever really “enemies.” But they had some baggage to work through before they could see each other clearly. The bedroom skills story thread was thankfully not as awkward as I feared it might be. It really was a smaller bit of the story than the summary led me to expect. I enjoyed watching Jeremy find himself again through Diana’s encouragement. He needed someone to see him and speak truth to him that he would hear. It was supremely satisfying.

Historical romance fans, romcom fans, and fans of the first book, To Have and to Hoax, should be sure to check this one out. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

REVIEW: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ten years ago, Liam destroyed Daisy’s fragile teenage heart when he stood her up for the prom and disappeared from her life. Good riddance!

But now he’s back. Just when her family is pressuring her with yet another fix up. And her ex is still hooking up with her ex-boss. Introducting Liam as her fiancé, in the heat of the moment, was… temporary insanity.

If Liam wants the chance to inherit the business that has been in his family for generations, he has two months to get married. If not, his brother will raze it to the ground. Even though Daisy hates him, maybe she’d be willing to take this pretend engagement to the next level.

Liam and Daisy are both getting something out of this fake relationship. Thanks to their upbringing, each of them has significant relationship baggage that keeps them from making a real commitment to anyone. And they both are perfectly fine keeping this fake relationship purely business. But what happens when their feelings about each other become all too real?

Review

This was fun! I thoroughly enjoyed the main characters, both alone and together. Their work, their families, and their history were fascinating. And I was absolutely invested in seeing how they pulled things off. But I would have liked a little more time spent on dealing with the last “secret” Liam was keeping. (It was pretty obvious in the reading, but I expected it to have a bigger punch in the reveal.) After waiting so long for it to be revealed, I wanted a meatier scene or response for it. The ending, though, was supremely satisfying.

This is the first book I have read by the author even though this is the second book in the series. I don’t feel like I was missing anything having not read the first book. I do have book 3, The Singles Table, on my wish list though. It sounds fantastic!

This was fun and funny and sexy with a happy ending – everything a reader could want from a romcom. I love fake relationship stories, and this is a great example of the trope. Don’t miss this one! (Language, sex TW: domestic violence, child abuse/neglect, abandonment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Cinders and Sparks: Magic at Midnight by Lindsey Kelk

REVIEW: Cinders and Sparks: Magic at Midnight by Lindsey Kelk

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It all started with a sink of dishes that washed themselves.

It was a typical day for Cinders – her haughty step-mother criticizing her, her step-sisters acting like they are better than her, and her father refusing to take her to the castle where he works.

Then the dishes washed themselves. Sparks the dog started talking. And Cinders met her fairy godmother, Brian.

It turns out that Cinders has magic. And it couldn’t have come at a better time. The royal family is about to host a ball.

Review

This is a cute kick off to the Cinders & Sparks series. The opening follows the Cinderella story with a few notable wrinkles, including Cinders’ magic. But from there Cinders is launched on an adventure to find out who and what she is and how that will impact her kingdom and her new friend, the prince.

There’s a hint of a mash up here – the kingdom has electronics and social media and DMs. But otherwise it’s a typical fantasy kingdom with magic, witches, fairies, and creatures. There are some mentions of other fairy tale characters – Hansel and Gretel, Belle, Jack and Jill, Jack (from the beanstalk) – that I think readers will enjoy. This is a young-feeling middle grade story which I believe will also be a good fit for chapter book readers who are ready for longer stories. Fractured fairy tale fans should check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BOOK NEWS: April 13, 2021

BOOK NEWS: April 13, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Beatrice Bly’s Rules for Spies: The Missing Hamster – Beatrice’s next case is finding the missing class pet.
A Cape! (April 15) – When a boy finds a cape, he knows it must mean he has a super power!
The Rock From the Sky – The latest from the author of the Hat Trilogy. A story of friendship and a rock.
Bear and Friends: A House for Mouse AND Where Is Bear? – Two new Puzzle Readers from Highlights.
Aven Green Sleuthing Machine – A new chapter book from the author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus starring Aven Green, a girl born without arms. A younger Aven is a sleuth who takes on the case of a missing dog and a teacher’s missing lunch.
The Story of Joe Biden – A chapter book biography.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Camp Average: Away Games (April 15) – The final book in the Camp Average series. Part of the Camp Average crew is at a rival camp this year. While Miles works on getting them all back together, he has to deal with an obnoxious newcomer. I have the first book in the series on my TBR shelves.
The Sun Will Come Out – A shy girl alone at camp decides to avoid the mean girls and the betrayal of “friends” by hanging out at the camp infirmary where she makes an inspiring new friend.
Victories Greater Than Death – Book 1 in the Universal Expansion series. Tina is the hidden clone of a famous alien hero, disguised as an average teen. But when she’s called into service, her mission is far more dangerous than she expected, and she isn’t actually the “savior” she was cloned from. This sounds fun!

Books for Adults

Hana Khan Carries On (Trade Paperback) – A podcaster who dreams of telling stories on the radio is in danger of being overwhelmed by family issues – a new halal restaurant to rival her mother’s, a mysterious aunt with family secrets – on top of growing feelings for the rival restaurant’s owner. This has been compared to You’ve Got Mail, so it is on my list for this week.
How to Catch a Duke (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Rogues to Riches series. When Abigail desperately needs to disappear, permanently, she asks her ruthless friend, and heir to the Duke of Walden, Lord Stephen Wentworth, to kill her. He makes a counter proposal of a fake engagement to keep her safe from her enemies. I love a good fake relationship story, so I’ll be checking this one out.
Malice (LGBTQ+ – Hardcover) – A Sleeping Beauty retelling where the princess falls in love with the “evil” sorceress.
Second First Impressions (Trade Paperback) – The Parloni Sisters are constantly looking for a hot, young, male assistant to help them with day-to-day tasks. How hard can it be to work for a couple of 90 year old women? But when the slacker son of the new owner shows up to Providence Retirement Villa, the unimpressed manager decides he’s just the sort of guy to be at the sisters’ beck and call. This could be fun!
The Sign of Death (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. Lord William and Lady Amy are sleuthing again when a dishonest business man is killed and William is a suspect. I have book one, A Study in Murder, on my Kindle TBR.
How to Fight Racism Study Guide (Paperback) – A study guide for the book How to Fight Racism by the author of The Color of Compromise.

REVIEW: The Flipside of Perfect by Liz Reinhardt

REVIEW: The Flipside of Perfect by Liz Reinhardt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Della heads home to Michigan after her summer with her dad and older siblings in Florida, she feels torn. It was a hard summer after the death of Nan Sunny. And now Dell is about to start high school alone, with her older siblings in Florida and her younger sisters still at Trinity. But Dell’s mother misunderstands the struggle and suggests she stop going to Florida. So Dell decides she just has to be extra awesome at compartmentalizing her life. In Michigan, she’s AJ, the uber-responsible daughter, perfect sister, and top notch student leader. In the summers, she can relax and be Della, the baby of the family who is free to cut loose.

Three years later, AJ has become a pro at her double life. But she doesn’t love how it feels. As she approaches her senior year of high school, the pressure is mounting. Her parents in Michigan are pushing internships and extracurriculars that threaten her time in Florida. Her father’s business in Florida is struggling, and Della keeps butting heads with his teen employee. But as life starts to crumble for one of Della’s younger sisters and she is sent to Florida, Della’s two worlds are about to collide.

Review

This had a slow, slow start for me. It made the book feel twice as long as it really was. I was maybe 1/3 or more into it before things started to click. I needed AJ to get to a place where she was honestly appraising her dual life – and the reasons for it – while also digging into what it was costing her. Once that happened, I was hooked. And once her younger sister arrived in Florida and pushed AJ’s self-evaluation that much deeper, I couldn’t put the book down.

I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this early on. I ended up adoring this book. The characters are a delight – even the one who annoyed me early on. There are fantastic messages woven in about emotional health and maturity, communication, therapy, and identity. The core pieces about family and siblings are lovely. Really, there are almost too many terrific pieces to list them all – romance, humor, self-discovery. So satisfying in the end.

Pick this one up! If it feels slow at first, stick with it. This was so good, I would read it again! (Language, LGBTQ+, sexual references, underage drinking, teen pregnancy)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Duchess If You Dare by Anabelle Bryant

BONUS REVIEW: Duchess If You Dare by Anabelle Bryant

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Scarlett Wynn and the rest of the Maidens of Mayhem seek to right wrongs and protect the less fortunate. When Scarlett’s seamstress goes missing, and the search leads to a brothel, Scarlett becomes worried for the young woman.

Ambrose Cross, the Duke of Aylesford, is beside himself over his brother’s irresponsibility. In fact, right after a big speech and cutting off his brother’s funds, Ambrose is summoned to a brothel to bail his brother out of trouble once again.

Soon, Ambrose and Scarlett are both looking for the missing seamstress. Their stations allow them access to different areas of town for sleuthing. But those differences also cause a lot of complication as the two become closer and start to explore the draw they feel toward one another.

Review

This is a good romance/mystery centered around a dark topic – prostitution and the sex trade. This is the first title in a new series – the Maidens of Mayhem. And while we meet the other women, we don’t get a good feel for them in this book. I assume the other women will star in their own future stories. (This has a similar set up to the Wallflowers of West End, although that series, or at least Capturing the Earl, which is the one book I have read so far, has a much lighter tone than this story. )

I appreciated the mystery in this book. The author put together a great set up where the two main characters are at odds with one another while searching for answers on what will amount to the same case. It’s quite clever. But the subject matter is dark and I found it disturbing. It made it difficult to enjoy the rest of the story. The ending for the couple was a happy one, but the heinous crimes of the book were not really resolved in a satisfying way for me.

Historical fiction fans who enjoy stories like this where women defy conventions in order to be themselves and right wrongs and such should check out this series. (Sex, TW: Assault, sex trade)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good/solid/fine

REVIEW: Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Corey Douglas was a cop, one somewhat random case always bothered him. He didn’t usually work domestic violence cases, but he answered this call about a neighbor hearing an escalating fight. The alleged victim refused to press charges, saying she fell. Her boyfriend was far too smug to be innocent. But Corey was powerless to do much more than file the report.

Now, Corey and his former K-9 partner, Simon, are PIs along with a couple other investigators, including Andy Carpenter’s wife, Laurie Collins. When the alleged domestic violence victim is murdered in what looks like a drive by, Corey is convinced the boyfriend struck again. The K-Team agrees to help Corey look into the case.

What seemed simple at first becomes more convoluted than any member of the K-Team could have predicted. And Corey has the most to lose if they can’t puzzle out the truth.

Review

This was excellent! Come for the fantastically plotted mystery, stay for the terrific cast of characters and the sassy tone of the writing. Rosenfelt is in fine form with the second K-Team book. All of my favorite characters are part of the case including Andy Carpenter, the defense attorney from Rosenfelt’s long-running series.

The mystery in this one is exceptionally twisty. I had no clue what was going on, but I was happy to just be along for the ride. The resolution was supremely satisfying!

I don’t know that readers have to read the K-Team books in order or to have read the Andy Carpenter books first. The case here stands solidly on its own. But I think readers will enjoy the characters enough to want to go back and fill in the gaps if they start reading here. David Rosenfelt fans should be sure to pick this one up!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Thornwood by Leah Cypess

REVIEW: Thornwood by Leah Cypess

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

If you went by the standard fairy tales, you might think Sleeping Beauty was an only child. After all, she’s the focus of the story and all you hear about. But Rosalin – Sleeping Beauty – has a younger sister, Briony.

On Rosalin’s 16th birthday, she’s supposed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and sleep for 100 years along with the rest of the castle. And Briony remembers the start of that day. But when she wakes up in the tower with a spinning wheel and a fairy, she has no memory of the birthday or what happened to Rosalin or the kingdom.

While the prince is there when Briony wakes up, and he wakes Rosalin with a kiss, the Thornwood surrounding the castle is as robust as ever, even trying to grab Briony and pull her in. But when she starts to work on a plan to get out of the castle, Briony discovers that nothing is what she expected – not the curse or the castle or the prince.

Review

This was so fun! I’ve read other “fractured” or re-imagined fairy tales (I love them!), and this one felt fresh and had some nice twists to it.

I liked Briony and her friend Edwin. I found the repeated dismissals of Briony by her family and others in the castle to be frustrating. It fits with the kids fiction emphasis on protagonists who save themselves, which I love. But this felt cruel, and I didn’t like it for Briony.

The reaction of the other folks in the castle to their plight was a clever piece of this story. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was probably my favorite feature. It’s a great example of what makes this story feel fresh and different.

Fans of The Wide Awake Princess series, The Hamster Princess series, The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, and other fractured fairy tales should not miss this one! This is the first book in a new series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: April 6, 2021

BOOK NEWS: April 6, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy April! Hope you had a wonderful Passover or Easter (if you celebrate). Here are some of the books kicking off the new month of reading:

Books for Kids

The Little Butterfly That Could – A companion picture book to The Very Impatient Caterpillar (♥♥♥♥). A butterfly learns to persevere through migration challenges.
Labstah Gahden – Two rival lobsters team up to protect their ocean homes when pollution impacts their gardens.
Summer Adventure for Groot! – Rocket and Groot work to incorporate as much fun into their summer vacation as possible.
Max Meow Cat Crusader: Donuts and Danger – Book 2 in the Max Meow series. When Max and Mindy’s evil doubles show up, they cause lots of trouble, but the real Max and Mindy take the blame.
The Secret Explorers and the Smoking Volcano – Book 6 in the Secret Explorers series. Readers get to join Cheng, the volcano expert on the team, in this book where the kids go to watch an eruption and end up on a rescue mission.
She Persisted: Virginia Apgar – An early chapter book biography of the woman who developed the Apgar test for newborn babies.
The Story of Jackie Robinson  – An early chapter book biography of Jackie Robinson.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

  

Almost There and Almost Not (Older Middle Grade) – California has been dropped off with yet another unsuspecting relative, her great-aunt, Monica, who tries to keep California busy by having her research a somewhat-famous relative. A relative that is now a temperamental ghost.
Aru Shah and the City of Gold – Book 4 in the mythology-based Pandava series. Aru and her sisters are searching for their lost mentors in the City of Gold before war breaks out.
Avengers Assembly: Sinister Substitute – Doreen (Squirrel Girl) and her friends team up when a new group of teachers at their super school – including some that seem like super villains – makes it easy for some troublemakers to create chaos.
Buster – Buster is called into Dog Court for breaking their most sacred rule – showing humans how smart they are, including talking to one. But Buster is a therapy dog, and he’s willing to break the rules to help his boy, Tonio.
Dear DC Super-Villains – A companion to Dear Justice League. Kids ask DC villains questions about their lives.
Fearless – First in a new series. Monica has moved to Broadway for her big break, but the theater where she is understudy is in danger of closing. When problems start plaguing their production, Monica and her new friends start looking for a way to break the theater’s curse. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Great Peach Experiment: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie – Now that they are millionaires, the Peach family is planning to travel the country in a food truck, selling pies. Except none of them knows how to bake. This is at the top of my wish list for this week!
The Last Kids on Earth: Tales from the Tree House (Graphic Novel) – A short story collection from the  Last Kids on Earth series, in a graphic novel format. Includes 6 short stories from their monster/zombie adventures and a set up for book 7 releasing later this year.
The Messengers – Book 3 in the Greystone Secrets series. The Greystones’ friends in the alternate world send mysterious coins to signal that they need help.
Squad Goals – Magic heads to cheer camp hoping for some help in following in the footsteps of her family members who are legends in sports circles. But when it seems Magic didn’t inherit any of her family’s athletic talent, and a group of mean girls try to bring her down, she’ll need her new crew of misfits to make the most of Planet Pom Poms camp.
Switched – When Parker has to dog sit his sister’s chaotic goldendoodle, Boof, the dog does not exactly fit into the orderly life Parker is trying to arrange for himself. And then, when a game of tug-of-war goes awry, Boof and Parker switch bodies.
Thornwood – Book 1 in the Sisters Ever After series. Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty. Briony has been watching her older sister, Rosalin, wait for the curse to kick in as they are powerless to stop it. But when Briony wakes up, it’s up to her to find out what is really going on and save her family and her kingdom. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Unicorn Famous (Graphic Novel/Comics Collection) – Book 13 in the fabulous Phoebe and her Unicorn series.
Whatever After: Good as Gold – Book 14 in the Whatever After series. Abby and Jonah find themselves in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
History Smashers: Titanic – Book 4 in the History Smashers series from Kate Messner. Read the fascinating truths about the Titanic!
The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Natural World – By Dr. Temple Grandin. Includes 40 projects for readers to try to learn about the world around us.
What Is the Story of Alice in Wonderland? – The history of Alice in Wonderland.

 

Books for Teens/Young Adults

The Cost of Knowing – A teen who has visions of the future sees something about his brother that sends him into a tailspin. I reviewed this last week. It’s one I highly recommend. You can read my review here.
The Flipside of Perfect – AJ is a controlled, high achieving student at a prestigious high school. Della spends her summers in Florida, footloose, fancy free, and wild. In reality, though, AJ and Della are the same girl, and when AJ’s sister crashes her summer in Florida, the dual life she lives gets a lot more complicated. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Go the Distance – A Twisted Tale, the 11th in the series, based on the Disney movie Hercules. By Jen Calonita. Once Hercules recovers his godship, Meg is told she can’t be with him because she is just a mortal. But Hera gives her a chance to become a goddess and get her happily ever after.
Hello Cruel Heart – The story of a teen Cruella de Vil. (There has been some negative buzz around the idea – not necessarily this book – of an origin story to humanize a villain like Cruella, so YMMV on this one.)
House of Hollow – Three sisters who disappeared for a month as children returned with no memory of their time away. And then they started to change. Now, 10 years later, when the youngest is trying to finish high school, one of her older sisters goes missing, leaving bizarre clues behind. The full description of this is SO intriguing! I have this one on hold at the library already.
The Infinity Courts – Nami has finished high school and has her whole future ahead of her, but she is murdered before she can explore any of it. Then she discovers that an Earth AI has taken over the afterlife as a queen, forcing the dead into servitude. This is on my list, too.
Kisses and Croissants – A girl who longs to be a professional ballerina encounters a ruthless rival, a cruel instructor, and love during her summer of study in Paris.
The Murder Game – Luke was only looking for a hook up in the woods that night, not finding a dead body and investigating whether his roommate might be a murderer. Fans of prep school stories might try this one out.
Pride and Premeditation – First in a new Jane Austen Murder Mystery series. Aspiring lawyer Lizzy Bennet goes looking for a murderer in order to prove herself to the doubters like that awful Fitzwilliam Darcy. I’m not an Austen fan, but the murder mystery element grabbed my attention. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Sky Blues (LGBTQ+) – A gay teen decides to go all out for his senior year and plans the perfect promposal for his crush. But when an anonymous hacker exposes the plan, the whole school chips in to expose the perpetrator. I have this one on hold at the library, too.
The Spy Who Raised Me (Graphic Novel) – A teen with gaps in her memory discovers she has been secretly trained to be a spy. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good – A serious girl with a serious boyfriend with serious plans for his life ducks out for a night of nerdy fun at Dragon Con. I am here for any fan convention story, so I will be tracking this one down.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask – A young readers edition of a book about Native Americans, including pieces about social activism and racism.

Books for Adults – Fiction

All that Really Matters (Trade Paperback) – A social media influencer who wants a new gig on a makeover show decides to pad her resumé with some service work with kids aging out of foster care. And the experience changes her perspective. This is on my list for this week, too.
Animal Instinct (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the K-Team series by David Rosenfelt. Corey and the K-Team investigate a murder that ties to a case Corey worked when he was with the police. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Big Little Spies (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Paws & Claws mystery series. Holly is sleuthing when a pet detective is found dead while on the case of a missing pup.
Blackberry Beach (Trade Paperback) – Book 7 in the Hope Harbor series. A grieving coffee shop owner and his secretive new neighbor team up to rehab a home for foster children, and they find love.
Checking Out Crime (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 9 in the delightful Bookmobile Cat Mystery series. Minnie thinks she and Eddie have come across the victim of a hit and run, but when they start investigating, the case just gets more and more complicated.
Deadly Editions (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Delaney is drawn into a treasure hunt with a grand prize of a first edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But she didn’t count on a string of robberies, a kidnapping, or a murder being connected to the game.
The Duke Undone (Trade Paperback) – A young artist stumbles across an unconscious, naked man in an alley, so she calls for help. But when she can’t get him out of her mind, she paints him in all his glory. Then, when the rent comes due, she sells the painting. When the Duke of Weston gets word about the scandalous painting that could ruin him, he plans to buy it, burn it, and confront the painter. But when he meets Lucy, he is so captivated by her that he agrees to a scheme that could save them both.
The Intimacy Experiment (Trade Paperback) – The founder of a sex-positive start up and one of LA’s hottest bachelors – who happens to also be a rabbi of a struggling synagogue – team up to host a series on modern intimacy. She’s looking for a path to lecturing at the university level. He has three months to bring in enough congregants to save his synagogue. Neither of them expected to find love. This is such a quirky premise, I might have to check this one out!
Laid Out in Lavender (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Garlic Farm Mystery series. An app developer turned farmer, Mabel is renting out the lavender field for weddings when one of the guests at a wedding is killed.
Life’s Too Short (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Friend Zone series after The Friend Zone (♥♥♥♥½) and The Happy Ever After Playlist (♥♥♥♥½). Since her mother and sister never made it to 30, Vanessa is determined to live each day to the fullest. And she has millions of YouTube followers along for the ride. But Vanessa’s life philosophy never accounted for her half sister leaving Vanessa in charge of her baby daughter. I have absolutely adored the other two books in this series. I will definitely be picking those up for a re-read before diving into this one as soon as I can.
One Thing Leads to a Lover (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Love and Let Spy series after Who’s That Earl? which I have on my TBR pile. A widow looking for a little adventure comes into the possession of a mysterious book that puts her, and the spy who was supposed to receive it, in jeopardy. This is on my list, too.
Phantoms & Felonies (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Haunted Mansion Mystery series after Haunted Homicide (♥♥♥♥). Avery hopes to gain some new members for the Women’s Club by playing host to a local theater troupe, but when the lead is found dead, she and the Club’s ghost, Clemmie, are on the hunt for a murderer.
Star Wars: Skywalker, A Family at War (Hardcover) – A biography of the Skywalker family.
To Love and to Loathe (Trade Paperback) – Jeremy and Diana are so constantly at odds, no one is surprised when things escalate to a wager. Jeremy will wed within the year or Diana will owe him 100 pounds. But in private, Jeremy asks for a different sort of arrangement. His last mistress critiqued his skills in the bedroom. If Diana will help him out, he will improve and she can use the gossip to signal she is in the market for a lover. But they don’t count on this arrangement leading to real feelings between them.

 

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

Book of Hebrews Study (The Passion Translation – Paperback) – A study of the book of Hebrews.
Soundtracks (Hardcover) – The latest book from the fabulous Jon Acuff. Soundtracks are the messages we repeat to ourselves which can either lead to trouble or can be leveraged to help us achieve our goals. I am eager to read this one!
Woman Evolve: Breakup with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life (Hardcover) – Become the woman God intended through this look at Eve from the book of Genesis.