Month: May 2021

REVIEW: Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

REVIEW: Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Fortuna Jane Belleweather has a secret. Well, actually, she has 58 million secrets. Jane bought the sole winning lottery ticket for a prize of $58 million.

Jane’s first problem is that she’s 17 for 2 more weeks. So she can’t turn the ticket in by herself yet. And it’s stressful to leave it hidden in random places in her house.

Second, Jane’s mom is a hoarder. It seemed to start when Jane’s dad died, and it’s progressively getting worse. She should never have access to this much money.

Third, Jane lives in a small rural community in Wisconsin. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. And they all know someone bought the ticket. So everyone is obsessing over it.

The more Jane learns about her situation and about the pitfalls of winning the lottery, the more panicked she feels about it. It might be better to tear up the ticket and let the town always wonder who the winner was.

Review

Woah, this was more stressful than I expected! Every time Jane left the winning ticket somewhere, I felt the panic of what might happen. Ugh.  Jane is really in a pickle (and it only gets worse). I found it fascinating that the community would be so hateful and resentful over the unclaimed money. They seemed to feel entitled to know who won – or entitled to criticize anyone who would keep it a secret.

I was relieved by the author’s solution in the end. It was the best outcome I could have imagined – better that the solution I exclaimed out loud when things got progressively out of control.

I didn’t love any of the characters in this. I had a lot of sympathy for Jane and her mom, though. And I despised the ex. There’s a great epilogue to show the reader what happens next that was satisfying. If you like lottery stories you might also check out Windfall or Too Lucky to Live. (Language, LGBTQ+, references to sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Find/solid/good

REVIEW: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

REVIEW: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

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

Poppy always dreamed of a life and career centered around travel. She works for a hugely popular travel magazine. She designs and executes dream vacations her readers long for. But lately it all feels empty. She’s gotten everything she thought she wanted. Now, she misses wanting something. She needs a new goal. She longs to feel happy again.

The last time Poppy felt happy was two years ago on her summer vacation with Alex Nilsen.

Alex was Poppy’s best friend. They met during orientation at college when they discovered they were from the same town. They got to know each other when they shared a ride home after freshman year. Then they became inseparable from that point on, even vacationing together every summer. Until two years ago when it fell apart.

But Poppy wants to be happy again. So she reaches out to Alex, and after some texts, they plan another summer trip to coincide with Alex’s brother’s wedding. But a lot has happened in the last two years. And they’ve never worked out what happened on that last trip. They might not be able to pick up where they left off like Poppy hopes. And if not, where does that leave her?

Review

This wasn’t a great match for me. It was fine. I liked Poppy and Alex well enough, but I didn’t love them. The big mystery of what happened two years ago was drawn out through most of the book. And the back and forth through time, back to college and their previous vacations, made the book feel really long, and not in a great way.

I was committed to seeing the story through, and I’m not sad I stuck with this. I liked the college stories for Poppy and Alex, and I got a kick out of the references to and scenes with their siblings. But otherwise this one was just “okay” for me. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Fine/solid

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

On the morning of Brian’s 13th birthday, his dad disappears leaving only a cryptic note, and his mom overdoses and is rushed to the hospital. Before the day is over, Brian and his little brother are in foster care. The pressure starts mounting, Brian’s anxiety starts growing, and he starts pushing back at everyone around him. He strikes back at his bully. He runs away from his foster home.

Ezra is one of the only guys at school who treats Brian like a friend. But as Brian starts to spiral, Ezra realizes that he’s never stood up for Brian to his other friends. Lately it seems like Brian might need a buddy to lean on, and Ezra is the one person he might trust enough to help him. The complication is that Ezra has a crush on Brian. And he’s not quite sure what to do with those feelings.

Review

I adored this! Brian and Ezra will quickly become kids you want to hang out with – and hug. There are so many exceptional character pieces in this – Brian’s evolution through the story, Ezra’s fierce desire to help Brian, Gabe – my favorite character – and Brittany, Brian’s family dynamics… It’s all perfection. I quickly became attached to these characters. And I would have happily kept reading another book’s worth of pages with them.

There’s a lot of heavy content in this one – the overdose/suicide attempt, Brian’s panic attacks and social anxiety, some of Brian’s choices in the story, Ezra working through his understanding of his sexuality and the impact of it on his friendships, grief and loss – which is why this is an older middle grade story for readers 10 and up. All of the content is handled beautifully. But it’s still a lot, especially when you remember that Brian and Ezra are only 13. (The story reminds me of A List of Cages in some of the content, although more “mild” in some ways for the younger audience.)

This would be a great book for discussion with kids – both to help them process some of the more serious pieces of the story, but also because it’s such a rich and meaty story with great characters and an engaging plot. I think kids will love Brian and Ezra (and Gabe!). And the story here will leave readers with lots to think about. (LGBTQ+, TW: Panic attacks/anxiety, suicide attempt, bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: May 11, 2021

BOOK NEWS: May 11, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Bedtime for Bad Kitty – Bad Kitty is doing everything she can to keep from going to bed.
How to Apologize – Hilarious examples accompany instructions for how to make a sincere apology. This looks adorable!
Oh Look, A Cake! – When they find a cake, Sloth thinks they should tell all their friends, but Lemur wants to keep the cake to themselves.
Turtle in a Tree – Two dogs argue over what is hidden in a tree in this book about listening to other perspectives.
The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken – A mama worm wants to remember her children’s childhood, so she decides they should have their picture taken. But when one of the young worms tries to “fix” her family to make them photo-ready, she discovers how great they are just being themselves.
Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend – First in a new chapter book series starring a young Ojibwe girl working through friend issues.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster (Older Middle Grade) – When her father’s girlfriend enters Alice and her dad into a cooking competition, Alice isn’t sure she is ready for everyone to know about her hobby of cooking dishes from history. But during the competition, she also stumbles into a mystery. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Dog Squad – First in a new series by Chris Grabenstein. Fred, an “average” dog, gets the chance to be a stand in for Duke, the star of DOG SQUAD. But sometimes the adventures continue off screen. Is Fred brave enough to step up when real life trouble comes his way?
Kate the Chemist: Birthday Blastoff – Book 4 in the Kate the Chemist series. Kate is double booked with a birthday party for her brother and a science club event. And in her effort to do both, she forgets to pick up the cake for the party. Can science help her save the day?
Rule of Threes (Older Middle Grade) – A girl who loves interior design and living life by a plan has her plans up-ended when her family takes in her half-brother whose mother is struggling with addiction. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Shape of Thunder – Two girls, best friends, at least until the shooting. Now they are lost in their own grief. Then Quinn leaves Cora a note that she has decided the only way to move forward is to first go back in time and keep her brother from doing what he did. This is at the top of my list for this week!
Thanks a Lot Universe (Older Middle Grade, LGBTQ+) – Brian is newly placed in foster care with his brother and suffering from panic attacks. Ezra is trying to be a good friend to all the kids on his basketball team, including Brian, but he doesn’t want anyone to know he has a crush on Brian. But when Brian and his brother run away, Ezra decides to take a chance and reach out. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Awesome Book of Edible Experiments for Kids – New from Kate the Chemist. Includes 25 recipes/experiments for kids that dig into the ways cooking is like science and the impact of different ingredients on a recipe (like baking powder vs baking soda or brown sugar vs white sugar). Sounds fabulous!
Stamped for Kids: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You – A version of Stamped from the Beginning adapted for kids by authors Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds.
What Is Congress? 
Who Is RuPaul?
Baby & Solo – Joel is hoping to keep his past a secret while following his therapist’s instructions to get a job. He starts working at a video store (the book is set in the 1990s) where he gets a nickname (“Solo”) and connects with his first real friend, “Baby.” But everything is at risk when his secrets are exposed. I am really curious about this one.
From Little Tokyo with Love – Rika, an orphan, believes America’s romcom sweetheart could be her mother. But her search for clues could leave her disappointed. I am looking forward to this new book from Sarah Kuhn, author of the Heroine Complex series (Heroine Complex ♥♥♥♥) as well as Shadow of the Batgirl.
Lucky Girl – When an underage teen buys a winning lottery ticket, she has to figure out how to claim her prize without losing it to her hoarder mother or her scheming ex. And while she works on a solution, neighbor turns against neighbor as the community wonders who the winner is. I love a good lottery story! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize – After being bullied for ages, Lucy finally pushes back and finds herself kicked out of her boarding school and sent to Manhattan to be a companion to an eccentric woman who believes someone is trying to kill her. Yep, this is on my list.
The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 (Young Readers Edition) – A YA edition of this book that shares the history and impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Books for Adults

Aftermath (Trade Paperback) – When a former military service member is accused of a terrorist act and insists he is being framed, his childhood best friend agrees to defend him even though it puts her entire career in jeopardy.
Competitive Grieving (Hardcover) – Wren’s closest friend is dead and his mother has put her in charge of disseminating his possessions, which is no small feat. Stewart was a rising TV star and everyone wants a piece of him, even in death.
Deadly Ever After (Hardcover) – Book 8 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. While Lucy and Connor are celebrating their engagement, Lucy’s ex – and his mother – arrive to convince Lucy to take him back. Lucy agrees to a dinner party with them, counting on their subsequent return to Boston, but a body is discovered at the restaurant.
Hooked on You (Trade Paperback) – First in the Maple Falls Romance series. Riley may be a struggling artist in NYC, but she’s working hard to give the impression of having it all together. When her grandmother breaks her leg in a softball game, Riley agrees to come back to Maple Falls and help out. While Riley is itching to get back to her life in the city, her grandmother is matchmaking.
Peaches and Schemes (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Georgia B&B Mystery series. Nina hopes to expand her business by tapping into the destination wedding market. But when a friend is murdered during a bridal expo, Nina and Harry start investigating.
People We Meet on Vacation (Trade Paperback) – Best friends Poppy and Alex have been inseparable since they met on a ride share in college. In fact, every summer they take a week’s vacation together – until two years ago when they ruined everything. While they haven’t spoken since, Poppy knows that summer was the last time she was truly happy, so she asks Alex to take one more vacation together. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Raiders of the Campsite (e-book, May 13) – Book 3 in the Southwest Exposure Mystery series. Andie is the guide for a spring break camping trip where someone is attacked and a dead body is found.
That Summer (Hardcover) – Daisy knows she should be happy with the life she has, but she is still not sleeping and feels something is just not right. Then she starts receiving emails meant for someone else with a much more glamorous life. When the two women meet, Daisy discovers their connection wasn’t exactly an accident. I am intrigued by this one!
While Justice Sleeps (Hardcover) – A brilliant young law clerk finds herself in dizzying circumstances when the Supreme Court justice she works for slips into a coma and she finds she has been named his guardian and power of attorney. The justice has left behind research into a case that could have far-reaching implications on the world as we know it. As Avery digs into the clues left by the justice, she finds herself in harm’s way. By author and political activist Stacey Abrams. This is also on my list for this week.

REVIEW: Counting Down with You by Tashi Bhuiyan

REVIEW: Counting Down with You by Tashi Bhuiyan

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

Karina’s parents are traveling for a month to Bangladesh to visit family, leaving her and her younger brother with their grandmother. And it’s just the break Karina needs. She never realized the anxiety she carries every day until she mentioned to her parents she might not want to go to medical school. She never even mentioned what she might study instead – English – before they completely freaked out. Their rules are plentiful and strict and not open for discussion.

Karina’s English teacher is her favorite, of course. So when she asks Karina to tutor another student, she agrees in order to not disappoint the woman. But she had no idea the student was Alistair Clyde. Ace is an enigma around school. His family is super rich, and his brother is super popular as well as being president of the student body. Ace on the other hand skips class and seems like a bad boy and a loner. Getting him to actually do any work in their tutoring sessions will take a miracle.

Karina has barely gotten Ace to engage in their study sessions when he announces to his family that they are dating. He doesn’t want anyone to know he needs a tutor. But if Karina’s parents find out she is spending any time with a boy, much less a white boy, they will explode. She will lose even the barest bit of freedom she currently has. She should just say no and make Ace deal with his family honestly. But she’s seen the dynamic with his dad and his brother. And she has a bit of understanding of what it’s like in a complicated family. So Karina agrees to go along with things until her parents get back. But as she counts down the days until their return, her heart doesn’t seem to remember that this is all supposed to be pretend.

Review

This. Was. FANTASTIC! Wow! I didn’t expect to be captivated by this so quickly. But the characters are phenomenal! One minute I wanted to hug all of them, but the next I wanted to just stand back and admire the heart and the strength and the fierceness of them.

The book ran me through the full range of emotions. There were tons of laugh-out-loud moments, but there were also tearful ones. And there was one piece that made me want to stand up and cheer. I am so in awe of this story. The minute I finished, I wanted to pick it up and start all over.

Karina and Ace are magical together. I can’t get enough of them. There are some tough family moments here – hurtful, devastating conversations. But as painful as those moments are – for Karina and for Ace – they also shine a spotlight on the inner strength of these teens. There’s a LOT to discuss here. This would be excellent for a book club or a discussion group.

Do not miss this story! (Language, TW: panic attacks, parental shaming)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

*♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

REVIEW: The Seat Filler by Sariah Wilson

REVIEW: The Seat Filler by Sariah Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Juliet only agreed to be a seat filler at the awards ceremony to help her best friend, Shelby. Shelby’s mother-in-law to-be owns a company that supplies seat fillers, and she needed help for the event. Juliet is pretty sure the woman is evil, but she would do anything for Shelby who is desperate for the woman’s approval. And apparently “anything” includes sitting next to the gorgeous and annoying Noah Douglas.

After bickering with Noah and embarrassing herself, Juliet figures that’s the end of her contact with Noah. But he keeps popping back into her life. Shelby says he likes Juliet, but she can’t even entertain the thought. Juliet is terrified of kissing. It leads to horrible panic attacks – and embarrassing moments. She’s never even confessed to Shelby why she doesn’t date. But if she is going to have any sort of relationship with Noah, it will have to be as friends.

But when Juliet makes an alcohol-fueled confession of her phobia to Noah, he offers to help her get over her kissing aversion. He’s actually familiar with her condition because it’s part of a script he was recently reviewing. So they could help each other out – she can help him prepare for the role and he can be her “seat filler” with the kissing until she gets past her aversion. But when Juliet starts having real feelings for Noah, she’s afraid it will all be ruined if he finds out she lied to him when they first met.

Review

Delightful! I immediately fell in love with these characters. They are smart and sassy and have amazing chemistry. And the book is FUNNY! Like laughing-out-loud, reading passages to my husband, funny. That’s the best sort of book for me – one that hits all the emotional beats.

At first, the kissing phobia sounded odd to me. But it’s a real phobia, and the author does a good job working it into her story. The source of Juliet’s fear made sense, and the way she and Noah work through it is anchored in real practices for dealing with panic attacks and anxiety.

The characters made this the perfect read for me. I loved them as individuals and as a couple. Even their friends were characters I enjoyed. The big conflict felt a bit blown out of proportion, but the author addresses that in the story as part of the characterization, which was great. Rom-com fans will definitely want to pick this one up. (TW: Panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Bea Is for Blended by Lindsey Stoddard

BONUS REVIEW: Bea Is for Blended by Lindsey Stoddard

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bea Embers is about to start middle school, but that’s only one of a series of changes she’s experiencing all at once. Bea’s mom has just gotten married, the two families have moved into a new house together, and Bea’s mom is going to have a baby. On top of all that, one of her new step-brothers, Bryce, is a “bully-follower” in her homeroom. Bryce’s friends always pick on Bea’s best friend, and Bryce goes along with it and even joins in. How will she ever think of someone like that as family?

Complicating Bea’s life even more is the soccer situation at school. Bea’s always been a leader on her past teams. (Usually they were boys’ teams that “allowed” the girls to join. But they often sat on the bench and rarely received any credit or encouragement for their contributions to the team.) But her new neighbor is going to be some stiff competition. Even worse, the middle school soccer coach (who is also the principal) is dismissive of every girl who wants to play. And he’s a constant obstacle to their desire for a team of their own.

But Bea Embers is as feisty and fiery as her name would imply. She and her friends – and her new family – aren’t going to put up with any misogynistic “bullsharky” this year. They’re going to stand tall and push back.

Review

This was so amazing! This exemplifies why I love middle grade novels:

  • Imperfect characters grow and learn over time.
  • Amazing teachers coach and encourage and fight for their students.
  • Families come together and back each other up.
  • Adults give kids space to work through conflicts while also being willing to back them up when it’s needed.

There’s so much heart here, I wanted to hug the book. This is the perfect blend of a story that has you tearing up one moment and wanting to stand up and cheer the next. It’s delightful!

Bea had to grow on me for a few chapters while I waited to get a feel for her. At the same time, though, I feel like in those early chapters, Bea is trying to get a feel for herself in all of these new roles and settings. I was captivated by her story and her circumstances from the start. I loved the kids, their teachers, and their families. I loved how the characters grow over time – and not just Bea. Bea’s experience with Bridge to Terabithia was a fantastic part of the story. My favorite part, though, is getting a peek into Bea’s thinking about all of the things happening in her life – the changes in her family, the soccer situation, her friends at school, her feelings about Bryce, how she relates what she is reading to what she is experiencing, etc..

There is SO MUCH here to love. Do not miss the latest book from the author of Right as Rain (another book I wanted to hug after reading). This would be a fantastic read-aloud, but would also work well for book groups and book clubs. (Includes a few excellent uses of the word “badass.”)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy by Emmanuel Acho

REVIEW: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy by Emmanuel Acho

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Emmanuel Acho is the creator behind the video series and book titled Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. This book takes some of the questions and topics from the adult content and formats them for kids 10 and up. Each chapter introduces a concept with a question. Then some history is given (“Let’s Rewind”) and the talk gets frank (“Let’s Get Uncomfortable”). Finally there are suggestions for what to do to take action about a particular concept (“Talk It, Walk It). Topics include things like the N-word/language, history of Blacks in America, bias, “color blindness,” privilege, the Confederate flag, systemic racism, and “reverse racism.”

The tone is conversational; I could actually hear the author’s speaking voice as I read. He never talks down to readers and often adopts a coaching tone, which I loved. But because of the seriousness of the topic, some of the material is heavy and intense. Struggling readers may need some assistance – reading chunks at a time, discussion groups/family conversation – to push through all of the material. And it is absolutely worth pushing through! This is an exceptionally good resource for kids, teens, and adults, including school personnel, pastors, youth workers, and helping professionals.

There are no citations in the text for some of the history and statistics the author gives, but there are references listed in the backmatter. There are also suggestions of other materials – books, documentaries – to go deeper. This is a starting point resource, not the be-all-end-all discussion of race and racism. But the history and context given makes this an excellent foundation to build on. As an adult, I found the history enlightening (and alarming), and the conversation frank and helpful. When I talk about race and racism with other adults, there are common refrains from those who do not believe racism is still an issue, those who want to “move on.” This includes terrific talking points and responses for people of all ages looking to grow in their understanding and practice of anti-racism.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

* ♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

 

BOOK NEWS: May 4, 2021

BOOK NEWS: May 4, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy May!! There are a TON of new books releasing this week – I couldn’t even fit all of the ones I wanted into this list. My library holds list is maxing out this week! Let’s take a look:

Books for Kids – Board Books and Picture Books

The Crayons’ Book of Feelings (Board Book) – Board book about feelings starring the delightful characters from The Day the Crayons Quit.
The Bruce Swap – Bruce’s friends start to think he is never any fun, but when Bruce goes fishing without telling anyone and his fun cousin shows up unexpectedly for a visit, they start to think Bruce might have a fun side after all. I can’t wait to read this one!
Hair Twins – A father helps his daughter with her hair every day, but her favorite look is when hers matches his joora which he wears under his turban. Pair this with Hair Love.
I Am the Shark – A group of sharks talk about what makes them all different, but still great. This will be a HUGE hit!
30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag – The story of the restoration of the flag that hung across from Ground Zero in the days following 9/11. This will be a fascinating story!
I Affirm Me: The ABCs of Inspiration for Black Kids – An alphabet book celebrating and honoring Black children. This looks beautiful!

Books for Kids – Early Readers and Chapter Books

Sabrina Sue Loves the Sea – A barnyard chicken longs to visit the sea in this new Early Reader.
The Invincible Girls Club: Home Sweet Forever Home AND Art with Heart – The first two books in the new Invincible Girls Club series about a group of girls and their acts of empowerment. In the first book, the girls help senior shelter animals. In the second, they deal with bullying.
Let’s Go Swimming! – Book 4 in the Hello, Hedgehog! series. Hedgehog and Harry head to the pond to cool down on a hot day, but Harry is not yet ready to swim underwater.
Pea, Bee, & Jay: Lift Off – Book 3 in this early graphic novel series. When some super cool birds show up at the farm and invite Jay to join them in their games, he needs to learn to fly as soon as possible.
Unicorn Academy Nature Magic: Lily and Feather AND Phoebe and Shimmer – The first two books in this new chapter book series (a sub-series of Unicorn Academy) about  the environment. In both books, the girls and their unicorns are facing some unusual weather that endangers Unicorn Island.
The Story of Kamala Harris AND The Story of Nelson Mandela – Two new chapter book biographies.
She Persisted: Nellie Bly – A chapter book biography.
Sofia Valdez’s Big Project Book for Awesome Activists – Sofia Valdez, one of the Questioneers, shares a collection of projects with kids centered around activism, government, and politics.  

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Adventure Is Now – An ostracized kid gets the chance to be the naturalist he always wanted to be (and the one he gets to pretend to be in a video game) when his parents ship him off to an uncle who is a researcher on an island in peril. But if Milton and his new friends can decipher the clues in a field guide, they might be able to make a difference. This sounds terrific!
Bea Is for Blended – A girl negotiates the blending of her family while also fighting for a girls soccer team at school. I’ll be reviewing this one soon. (Sneak Peek – It’s AMAZING!)
Best Nerds Forever – A group of “nerds” band together when one of their own is targeted. This is on my list for this week.
Finding Junie Kim – Junie uses a history assignment where she interviews her grandparents about the Korean War to help her find her voice to fight back against racism at her middle school. I’ve heard rave reviews of this one!
Glitter Gets Everywhere – When Kitty’s mom dies, her dad decides to move their family from London – where all of her memories of her mom are – to New York.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Road Trip – The kids head out on a road trip to a High School Musical convention.
I Speak Boy (Older Middle Grade) – An Emma (Jane Austen) retelling. When Emmy’s matchmaking attempts go awry, a mysterious new app on her phone helps her to understand boys.
The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter: Narwhal I’m Around – Book 2 in this series about a boy who is cursed to be visited by ghostly animals looking for his help. In this book, Rex is trying to solve the death of a narwhal. This series sounds delightfully quirky!
The Last Fallen Star – A new debut from Rick Riordan Presents. When her non-magical adopted sister, Riley, feels like an outsider in their community, Hattie devises a plan to share her magic with her. But when the plan backfires and Hattie’s life is hanging in the balance, Riley is sent on a quest to find the “last fallen star,” whatever that is, to save her sister.
The Last Shadow Warrior – Described as Percy Jackson meets Thor. Abby is a young Aesir who has been training to hunt Grendel when she finds out a Grendel is hunting her instead, but no one believes her. When Abby goes on a quest to discover the truth about what happened to her parents and  what’s after her, she discovers a sinister plot. Yes, please! This is at the very top of my list for the week.
Metropolis Grove (Graphic Novel) – Everyone in Metropolis Grove knows Superman isn’t real. But a new-comer convinces a couple kids to believe when they discover a cave full of memorabilia. But they are in for some surprises about their discovery. This sounds fun!
The Mouse Watch: Underwater – Book 2 in the fun Mouse Watch series. Bernie and Jarvis are now level one agents and are sent on a mission to find a lost spy vessel under the sea.
Truly Tyler – Book 5 in the Emmie & Friends series. Tyler is feeling torn between art and basketball when he teams up on an art assignment with Emmie. You can read my full review here.
Wings of Fire: Forge Your Dragon World – An interactive journal for fans of the Wings of Fire series.
Basher Science: Pandemic – A mini Basher book about Covid-19.
Give This Book a Cover – An interactive book full of writing and drawing prompts by Jarrett Lerner.
A Kid’s Guide to Fandom: Exploring Fan-Fic, Cosplay, Gaming, Podcasting, and More in the Geek World – A celebration and how-to guide for fandom, including history and artist spotlights. This looks awesome!
Star Wars Galactic Baking: The Official Cookbook of Sweet and Savory Treats from Tatooine, Hoth, and Beyond – A Star Wars-themed cookbook releasing on May the Fourth (Be With You)/Star Wars Day? Brilliant marketing plan!
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy (Older Middle Grade) – A frank conversation about race and racism  for kids 10 and up from the creator behind the Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man videos and book. I’ll be reviewing this one soon – it’s exceptionally good!

Books for Teens/Young Adults

10 Truths and a Dare – A companion novel to 10 Blind Dates. Olivia discovers she is half a credit short for graduation, and she needs to fix things before her family finds out. You can read my full review here.
Better Than the Movies – A girl looking for her romcom moment with the crush who got away starts to fall for the annoying neighbor who is supposed to be helping her get her crush. This sounds fun! I have this one on hold at the library already.
Blade of Secrets – Book 1 in the new Bladesmith series by the author of the fantastic The Shadows Between Us. A young magical blacksmith makes a sword that can steal secrets. But when she discovers what a warlord plans to do with it, she and her sister flee, trying to keep the sword safe until they can find someone worthy to wield it. I have this on hold as well!
Counting Down with You – When her parents return to Bangladesh for a month, Karina agrees to ignore their rules in order to fake-date the “bad boy” she’s been tutoring at school. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Ember of Night – The protagonist is biding her time until she turns 18 and can take her sister and build a better life, but then she’s caught up in a battle between Heaven and Hell. I have this one on my list for the week.
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry – When Quinn’s journal of lists, including all the things that scare her, goes missing, and one of her lists gets posted on IG for the whole school to see, she is blackmailed by the thief to face her greatest fears. I have this one on hold as well.
The Fourth Kinetic: Clairvoyants – Kinetics are Clairvoyants who can move things with their minds, and Rion is one, although he doesn’t know there are others in the world. When Rion is separated from the mother who has protected him, he finds himself on the run from military forces who want to exterminate him. I’m intrigued by this one which is supposed to be more about Rion’s journey to self-discovery than good vs evil.
Hurricane Summer – Tilla’s father regularly leaves their family to return to his home in Jamaica. When Tilla gets a chance to spend the summer there, she hopes to discover what keeps drawing him there, but secrets and a hurricane bring unexpected challenges to her trip.
Meet Cute Diary (LGBTQ+) – Noah is the author of a popular blog of trans happily-ever-after stories, but all of his stories are fake. When a troll tries to expose the truth, Noah finds a friend, Drew, who is willing to fake date him to save these stories which have become important to so many people. I’ve got this one on hold, too.
Realm Breaker – I am a sucker for a book with a sword on the cover! This is the first book in a new series by the author of Red Queen (♥♥♥♥). An unlikely band of heroes go up against an army that wants to burn their world to the ground. I am intrigued by this one, but it’s described as “monster fiction” which isn’t always a good fit for me. I’ll probably wait and see about this one.
Take Me Home Tonight – Two girls plan to spend one glorious night in New York City, but everything that can go wrong with their plan does. Someone at my local library loves me because they already have this one for me to request. *place hold*
They Better Call Me Sugar: My Journey from the Hood to the Hardwood – An autobiography from WNBA star, Sugar Rodgers.

Books for Adults

Arsenic and Adobo (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series. When her ex drops dead right after a confrontation in her family’s restaurant, Lila becomes the prime suspect for his murder. This is on my library wish list – my hold list is full!
The Bookshop of Second Chances (Trade Paperback) – When Thea’s life is falling apart, her inheritance of a cottage and antique book collection in Scotland sounds like a perfect escape. And she loves everything about the cottage and the area – except the cranky bookseller she’s trying to get to buy the book collection. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
For Batter or Worse (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 13 in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. Mel, Joe, and their friends have their minds on weddings until a murder interrupts the plans.
The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Haunted Bookshop Mystery series. Pen turns to her ghostly PI friend when an old painting seems cursed.
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes (Trade Paperback) Book 1 in a new series. Toni tries out for an up-and-coming band, The Lillys, but the ex who broke her heart is moonlighting as their manager. This is on my wish list, too.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Illustrated (Hardcover) – An illustrated version of the classic novel.
The Jam and Jelly Nook (Trade Paperback) – The fourth and final book in the Amish Marketplace series. A widow and a widower, each with troubled teens, start to fall for one another.
Just Last Night (Trade Paperback) – The four of them have been best friends since they were teens, but in one moment everything changes and Eve’s world turns upside down.
Let It Be Me (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Misty River Romance series. When Leah gets unexpected results on a DNA scan, she enlists Sebastian to help her dig for answers. But as they grow closer, Sebastian resists because he knows his best friend has his heart set on her.
Like Cats and Dogs (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Whitman Street Cat Café series. A new veterinarian moves in next to Lauren’s Cat Café, and sparks fly.
The Newcomer (Hardcover) – Tonya always told her sister Letty that if anything ever happened to her, it would be because of her ex. So when Letty finds Tonya dead, she grabs the woman’s go-bag and her four-year-old niece and they go on the run, trying to follow fleeting clues to what happened. I have requested this one from the library.
Project Hail Mary (Hardcover) – From the author of The Martian. The lone survivor of a desperate space mission has to puzzle out what he’s mission was and what he can do now to achieve it because he has lost his memories.
The Secret Bridesmaid (Trade Paperback) – Sophie is such a good bridesmaid, she has turned it into her job. She’s hired by a former model to work the woman’s daughter’s wedding, but the bride makes it exceedingly difficult. Sophie’s attraction to the bride’s very much off-limits brother doesn’t help either. This is on my wish list, too.
Star Wars Insider Fiction Collection (Hardcover) – A collection of Star Wars stories.
A Woman of Words (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Jerusalem Road series. Jesus’ mother, Mary, asks Matthew to compile a record of Jesus’ life and teachings.
40 Days on Being a One AND 40 Days on Being a Four (Hardcover) – Two new Enneagram-based devotionals, edited by Suzanne Stabile. The one written for Enneagram 2s (my type) was fantastic. I highly recommend these.
Dogwinks: True Godwink Stories of Dogs and the Blessings They Bring (Hardcover) – The Godwinks series releases a collection of dog-based stories.
Star Trek Shipyards: Borg and the Delta Quadrant (Hardcover) – Explore the ships of the Delta Quadrant.

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Publishers - St. Martin's Press

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Publishers – St. Martin’s Press

Posted on by Jaymie

Back in February I posted the first of my publisher spotlight posts about Crooked Lane Books. Then, in April, I did a spotlight on Kensington. This month I want to highlight St. Martin’s Press which is a division of Macmillan and includes the imprints of St. Martin’s Paperbacks (Nora Roberts books, Stephanie Plum mysteries, cozy mysteries),  Griffin (contemporary paperbacks – fiction, puzzles, etc.), Minotaur (crime fiction), Castle Point (nonfiction including gift books, cookbooks, activity and coloring books), and Wednesday Books (YA) among others.

Here are reviews for some of my favorite St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and St. Martin’s Press Paperback titles and series:

The Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander
(and other cozy mystery series – Noodle Shop, Apron Shop, Cookie House, House-Flipper, Paw Enforcement,
Ten Rules for Faking It
The Love Scam
A Sweet Mess
The Christmas Town

Here are reviews for some of my favorite Minotaur titles and series:

Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt
The K-Team series by David Rosenfelt
The Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews
The Ancestry Detective series by S. C. Perkins
The Mercy Carr/Mercy and Elvis Mystery series by Paula Munier
The Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz
The Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes
A Royal Affair
The Dog Dish of Doom

Here are reviews for some of my favorite Wednesday Books titles and series:

Amelia Unabridged
Tweet Cute
You Have a Match
Not Now, Not Ever
In Another Life
The Mall
You’d Be Mine
Only Mostly Devastated (♥♥♥♥½)