Month: June 2021

REVIEW: Don't Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd

REVIEW: Don’t Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on June 15, 2021.]

Summary

Emilia and Jake met in 4th grade at an arcade birthday party. They bonded over video games. And every year or so for a little while they would run into each other and hang out.

As a junior in high school, Emilia has carefully crafted her life. During the day, she is a diligent student and the captain of the field hockey team. She’s running for VP of the Junior class. If an activity could look good to a college, Emilia is doing it. But at night, she’s a member of Team Fury on Guardian League Online. No one in her real life knows about her gamer life. Her parents would have a fit that she’s wasting so much time that she could be putting toward her college prep. Her friends wouldn’t understand. So it’s a secret, and Emilia wants to keep it that way.

Jake has transferred to Emilia’s school, but she has no idea. She obviously doesn’t remember him because when she sees him, she looks right through him. He’d love to reconnect, but he’s just not sure how to approach her. All of his friends on Team Unity in Guardian League Online are shipping the two of them and urging him to talk with her.

When Wizard Games announces a huge in person GLO tournament, Team Unity and Team Fury are all in. But a public tournament will put everything in Emilia’s gaming life out in the spotlight if anyone finds out who she is. Considering the secrets she is keeping from her friends and family – not to mention the issues women put up with in the gaming world – publicity means nothing but trouble.

Review

What a delight! After a darling opener about Emilia and Jake as kids, there were a few chapters that were slow-going for me. I wasn’t vibing the game at the center of the story. But once Jake and Emilia re-connected, I was sold. The game descriptions made more sense to me as the book went on (I am not a gamer.). But it was the characters and their relationships that made this story special.

I am completely in love with Jake and Emilia – both the kid versions and the high school versions. Jake is the perfect guy for Emilia. He accepts her as she is without expectations. She can be fully herself, and he gets her. It’s lovely.

I adored the humor in this – and the great Marvel/Avengers/MCU references in the book. This was a FUN story, and I would definitely read it again. Readers who enjoy YA romance, gaming stories, and stories dealing with sexism – like Moxie, or Slay, or Don’t Read the Comments – should run right out and pick this one up! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: online harassment, doxxing, etc.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would read again!

REVIEW: Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

REVIEW: Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lester Morris – aka “Lester the Molester” – is notorious for his lecherous behavior. Sexist comments, inappropriate touching, innuendo and more. In fact, he grabbed Teddie’s butt while he was serving as a judge for the local baking off. She smacked him with her rolling pin and told him off.

So it’s really no surprise that Teddie is the prime suspect, at least to Lester’s widow, when Lester is later found dead. But Lester harassed a LOT of women who were sick of his behavior. Maybe one of them – or a husband or father – finally had enough of Lester’s antics.

Teddie and her friends are determined to clear her name – again. The last murder almost cost her her publishing deal. She’s not willing to risk that again.

Review

This was fun! I enjoy the crew in Lake Potawatomi, and it’s always fun to head back to my childhood home region, even if only in fiction. The mystery here is pretty straightforward, but the solution was twisty. My guess for the culprit was wrong, but I enjoyed watching the full resolution play out.

If you aren’t familiar with Laura Jensen Walker’s work, I highly recommend anything she writes. You can read my review of Murder Most Sweet, the first book in the Bookish Baker Mystery series, here. You can also read my review of the first book in her Faith Chapel Mystery series, Hope, Faith, and a Corpse, here. Be sure to check out her whole backlist, too – I’ve read several of her older books, and I loved them. (TW: sexual harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

 

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sonali is stressed as the new semester starts at school. She is in a drama class she’s not sure about, her best friend seems enamored with a new friend, and the tension between her parents at home seems to be rising. If she lived in the Bollywood films she loves, everyone would sing their feelings – from her best friend Zara’s excitement about all things drama to her brother’s frequent tears and her parent’s anger. But Sonali swore off feelings – and sharing them – years ago.

As a younger kid, Sonali had made a project all about her parent’s arguments and how it made her feel. But rather than changing anything at home, she was laughed at and yelled at. She learned quickly to keep everything she thought and felt to herself.

But when her parents announce their separation, everything changes for Sonali. First, she wakes up in a bedroom that is a cross between her regular room and what you might find in a Bollywood film. Then she has a soundtrack wherever she goes. And everyone says this is perfectly normal. Before she knows it, Sonali is breaking into song and dance routines while she watches her whole world shift into something out of her favorite movies. And she’s not sure how she’s going to get back to her own reality.

Review

This is a clever kids story along the lines of a Groundhog Day or Freaky Friday adaptation where the main character is in an alternate world and has to dig deep to unravel the mysteries that are keeping them from returning to their normal world. I love that sort of story, and this is a great twist on that idea. While I am not well-versed in Bollywood, the author does a great job of describing Sonali’s alternate world for readers with less context.

As an adult, it was easy to see the solution to Sonali’s problem. I’m curious to see if the intended audience catches on as quickly or if they have to walk the journey with Sonali. Either way, there’s a ton of rich emotional storytelling here that would make this great for a read-aloud or a discussion group. This is a beautiful way to engage kids in the concepts of emotional expression and health.

Kids who love Bollywood as well as those who enjoy musical theater and drama will find a lot to love here. But any kid who has struggled with emotional regulation and expression, family conflict, divorce, or grief/loss may also see themselves reflected in this story. Be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read.

BOOK NEWS: June 8, 2021

BOOK NEWS: June 8, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that caught my attention:

Books for Kids

Franklin Endicott and the Third Key – Book 6 in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series, a spin-off of the Mercy Watson series. This is a new adventure starring Franklin.
The Incredible Power of God’s Word – Young readers get to discover the power of God’s Word thanks to this new book from Joyce Meyer.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Marvel-Verse: Shang-Chi (Graphic Novel, Older Middle Grade) – Book 12 in the Marvel-Verse series. This collects a variety of comics to lay out the story of Shang-Chi. Other heroes include Spider-Man, Wolverine, Nick Fury, and Black Widow.
To Tell You the Truth – A new story from Beth Vrabel. Trixy needs a story for school, and fast, but the only ones she can think of are the ones her grandmother told – and no one believed. And since her grandmother is gone, Trixy doesn’t think anyone will mind that she uses one of her stories. But the story grabs everyone’s attention and things start to get more complicated. So Trixy and her friend start looking into her grandmother’s past. Maybe when she knows the true story, Trixy will be able to come up with a story all her own.
What Comes Next – A new story from the fantastic Rob Buyea. After Thea loses her best friend in a tragic accident, she stops speaking. Her parents feel like a fresh start somewhere new might help, and her dad has promised all three girls that they will get a dog at their new house. Thea isn’t sure any of that could make any sort of difference, but Jack-Jack the dog opens up doors for her that she thought might be closed forever. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love – Oscar is biding his time until the end of high school so he can turn his full focus on the food truck he runs with his grandfather. Mary Louise – Lou – is a lock for valedictorian and she has a plan for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award, too. But Lou’s plans hijack Oscar’s plans and he ends up roped into helping someone he can’t stand on a project he never wanted to take on. This is on my list for this week!
Down with this Ship – A secret fanfiction writer is exposed when her work receives an award, and she finds herself caught up in not only “ships” over the characters in her work but also “ships” of her with people at her school.
Fire with Fire – Two sisters, raised to be dragon slayers. One is all about the hunt, driven and committed to their mission. Her sister is the one who forges a magical connection to one of the creatures, putting them at odds as war looms.
The Marvelous – The heiress-turned-social-media-influencer who created the most popular video-sharing app has returned dramatically from a year out of the spot light to make an announcement. Selected users of her app will be invited to her estate for a weekend. Once there, the guests discover they are part of an elaborate game to see who has what it takes to win, no matter the cost.
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This – Two teens, thrown together repeatedly thanks to their parents’ businesses (Hers are wedding planners – and she is a wedding harpist. His are caterers, and he often waits tables for them), clash the summer after she confessed her feelings for him and he left for college without saying anything.

Books for Adults

Deadly Delights (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the delightful Bookish Baker Mystery series. Teddie is on the case again when the lecherous judge of a baking contest is killed and her distinctive rolling pin is the murder weapon. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Love for Beginners (Hardcover) – Recovering from a coma – and from learning that while she was unconscious her fiancé fell in love with her best friend – Emma refuses to give up. She pushes through treatment with her evil physical therapist and opens a doggie day care, even though it means renting space from her nemesis. But nothing goes as she expects – she starts falling for the evil physical therapist, she might actually be becoming friends with her nemesis, and people start dropping off their elderly relatives instead of dogs at her new business. This is on my list for this week!
Reserved for Murder (Hardcover) – Sequel to Booked for Death in the Booklovers B&B Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. When one of the hottest authors of romantic fantasy comes to Chapters Bed and Breakfast, it’s to get away for awhile. But her fans start pouring into town, so she agrees to host a couple events and then get back to her retreat. But when the president of the author’s fan club is found dead, Charlotte starts sleuthing. I have book one in the series on my e-reader TBR.
A Rogue’s Company (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. Iris and Gwendolyn are on the case when something is very clearly going on in the Bainbridge family. Gwendolyn’s father-in-law threatens to send her son away and undo all of the work she and Iris have been doing. And then the ladies take on a new case for a client who seems to be harboring secrets related to the Bainbridge family. I enjoyed the last book in the series, so I would definitely give this one a go.
Star Trek The Next Generation: Mirror Universe Collection (Graphic Novel) – A collection of Mirror Universe TNG stories.
The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration  of the Avengers and Beyond (Hardcover) – An in-world book compiled on Shuri’s request to collect documentation of Wakanda’s inventions and technology from over the years.
Creative Polymer Clay (Paperback) – Learn to work with Polymer Clay. I can get lost for hours on Instagram, watching videos of people rolling out clay to make earrings and such. It’s very soothing!

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2021

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

As weird as 2020 was, I was feeling like 2021 would be an even harder year to pull off our annual Summer Reading Challenge, but my family was committed to keeping up the tradition. We’ve made some changes again this year to reflect a busier season. We also changed up our incentive system. In the past, the “reward” for finishing was higher for the first person done than for the second or the third person. This was a dis-incentive for the person who read the least/slowest. And that person, year after year, would just give up. So this year, the “prize” for completion is the same for everyone. We all feel much better about that.

Our Summer Reading kicked off Monday May 31st and will end on July 31 – 62days of reading. Here are the details for 2021. (You can read about past years here.)

Family Reading Challenge

This summer we are each choosing 2 books for each of the other members of the household to read for a total of 4 books each. Then each of us is also choosing a personal reading selection. The only stipulation was that picture books would not count. But anything else – graphic novel, a re-read, a new book, one that’s been languishing on a TBR pile – was fine.

I will be reading one TBR book (Enchanted, selected at random) and one favorite (Alien Nation, also picked at random) chosen by my teen. My husband chose Star Trek Picard: The Dark Veil and the new book by Stacey Abrams, While Justice Sleeps, for me to read. My personal choice book will be Star Trek Discovery: Wonderlands which just released in May.

For my teen I chose Kill the Queen, a favorite from 2018. I also gave him some YA books to choose from, and he picked The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. He’s enjoyed some of her other books in the past, plus he enjoyed the Westing Game feel of the description.  My husband chose the first Orphan X book as well as The Gray Man, two thrillers, for my son to read.  Then my son chose Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening, an old favorite, for his personal choice book.

For my husband, I chose Alien in the House which is his next book in the Kitty Katt-Martini/Touched by an Alien series that I adore. He usually gets one of those each year. This is one of my most favorite books in the series, so I am eager to have him read this one. I also chose The Blacksmith Queen for him. It’s a favorite from 2019 AND 2020 for me. I hope he gets a kick out of them. My teen chose the latest Baldacci book, A Gambling Man, for my husband to read this summer as well as Star Wars: Thrawn: Treason. Then my husband picked up one of my favorite John Scalzi novels, Redshirts, as his personal choice for the challenge.

#Bookaday

I have been doing the Bookaday summer challenge for 6 or 8 years now, but that was when I was off for the summers. I’m actually starting a full time job this summer, so I’ll be happy to stay on top of my ARC reading and the five books I have for the challenge. Therefore, I won’t be doing #bookaday this year.

 

ARCs

Speaking of ARCs, I have over 60 review books to read between now and the rest of the year, many of them releasing this summer. Here are some of the ones I’ll be reading and discussing in the coming months. And while there are other books I’d like to get to as well, the ARCs are my priority. We’ll see how many I get to!

REVIEW: The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

REVIEW: The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Mark and his mother are living in Santa Julia, away from his congressman father. The deal was they’d officially, publicly, stay married. But she and Mark could move 40 miles away where Mark has the freedom to transition out of the public eye. In fact, only two kids at his school even know Mark started life as Madison Tegan.

Mark is in the International Baccalaureate program, and he’s obsessive about political science. But he can’t join Junior Statesmen of America at his new school because someone might recognize him. The deal with the congressman was that Mark would cut ties with his old life and stay under the radar in exchange for this move. And he’s passing; no one seems to have any idea that Mark is transgender. All he has to do is stay quiet and blend in.

But when a younger kid Mark knows strikes back at the football players who bully him for being gay, Mark knows he’s supposed to stay quiet, but he doesn’t feel good about it. When the school chooses to punish Mark’s friend, one of the football players uses the incident to spew hateful rhetoric in the race for student body president. Now Mark has to decide if he can actually stay on the sidelines, or if it’s time to make some noise.

Review

This was a fascinating story. This might be the first book I have read starring a transgender main character, written by a transgender/transmasculine author. So this was enlightening for me. I learned a lot, and it gave me a lot to think about. I felt for Mark as he was confined by the deal he made with his father and also confined by his secret. He also was learning and growing in his understanding of politics and leadership. I enjoyed his West Wing references. Mark even has a “cathedral” moment which was sad spiritually, but enlightening considering the character’s journey.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic relationship that starts for Mark in this book. It’s a sweet relationship, and it really adds to the story and the complexities between the characters.

Readers who are interested in politics – and in allyship – should give this a try. The characters have some interesting things to say about being queer in their community and about the Gay/Straight Alliance group at their school (which seems to have no LGBTQ+ members). This would be a meaty book for a book club or discussion group, too. Don’t miss this one. (Language, pot use/underage drinking, LGBTQ+ TW: coming out stories, parental disapproval)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Blind Spots by Kimberly Nix Berens, PhD

REVIEW: Blind Spots by Kimberly Nix Berens, PhD

Posted on by Jaymie

[I won a free copy of this book in a contest by the publisher.]

Summary

The author’s assertions include:

  • In America, proficiency declines over the course of learning, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress
  • Students are promoted due to age or time spent, or they are introduced to new concepts without mastering the earlier, prerequisite skills. This puts them further and further behind.
  • Some “interventions” are actually detrimental. When students practice those skills over and over, they become habits that interfere with effective learning.
  • Even the kids at the “top” are failing to reach advanced levels in subject areas. Over 75% of college freshmen need remedial classes in reading, writing, and math.
  • What is often a lack of opportunity to master basic skills is instead labeled a “disability” or given a medical diagnosis. Then the child is medicated and programmed accordingly.

The author instead comes to the world of education and learning as a behavioral scientist. She focuses on observation, skills practice, and reinforcement.

Review

The author is highly critical of the American schooling “establishment” which can be off-putting for someone who has worked in education. While I agreed with some of her assertions about unrealistic expectations of kindergarten and first grade students, about behavior modification over medication/diagnosis in some cases, etc., the delivery was a little too antagonistic for me.

One positive to the author’s criticism of every system from teacher training to social promotions is a sense that every student could succeed if only we gave them the right sort of environment and instruction. And I do love that philosophy.

Out of the 190 pages of content, not including appendices, 130 or so are focused on the “problems” of the system. I see the need to establish a strong case for the ways the current system is broken. But I would have enjoyed more emphasis on solutions. The author gives a lot of page space to her own learning program, but not much that the general reader could apply to their situation. I also would have loved more anecdotes and stories of kids and families who saw change and improvement.

The author makes a good case for a shift in instructional methods, but as both a former educator (Teacher/Librarian) and as a parent, this left me feeling pretty powerless. The case is strongly made that the “establishment” will do its thing regardless of research and data. What’s the average parent supposed to do to help their kids? There’s not even enough practical examples here for a parent to adapt to a homeschooling environment. If anything, this could be an interesting discussion starter. But I’m afraid the antagonistic, accusatory tone will keep educational professionals – from teachers to administration to the “establishment – from getting into ways to make a difference for real kids in real need.

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid – some issues, but I was able to finish.

BONUS REVIEW: Arnold the Super-ish Hero by Heather Tekavec

BONUS REVIEW: Arnold the Super-ish Hero by Heather Tekavec

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Arnold’s superhero family keeps waiting for him to get a super power of his own. In the mean time, he answers the phone at headquarters and takes down messages in his very neat penmanship.

When an emergency call comes in and all of the heroes are busy, Arnold dons a mask and cape to see if he can save the day. Arnold’s hero-ing may not look like what his family expects, but to the people he helps, he’s a super-ish hero!

Review

DARLING! This is a such a fun story! This would be a great read-aloud. It has a fantastic message about heroic acts of everyday kindness and helpfulness. The illustrations are excellent. This is the sort of book kids will enjoy hearing, but will insist on exploring up close time and time again.

I think this would be perfect for classroom, story time, and bedtime reading. If your little reader(s) love(s) hero stories and/or you are looking to launch a discussion about kindness, helpfulness, or everyday heroes, be sure to give Arnold a try!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥=Outstanding!

REVIEW: Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite by Ashley Spires

REVIEW: Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite by Ashley Spires

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Burt the june beetle learns all about the special skills of different bugs. And he starts to wonder what is special about june beetles like him.

What if the answer is… nothing?

Review

ADORABLE! Another delightful book by the spectacular Ashley Spires! (I included her in a list of my favorite illustrators a few years back. You can read that post here. ) This is funny, and full of awesome bug facts as well as a fantastic story starring an endearing character. It take something special to make a BUG an endearing character!

Spires writes such fantastic stories, but her illustrations are really what make her books memorable for me. This is the sort of book that kids – and adults – are going to want to read up close so they can really enjoy the pictures and the humorous little side comments. Even the end papers are not to be missed!

If you aren’t familiar with the author’s work, some of my favorites are: The Most Magnificent Thing (♥♥♥♥♥), Binky the Space Cat (♥♥♥♥♥) and the whole Binky graphic novel series. Do not miss her work, especially this delightful book starring Burt.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥=Outstanding!