Month: November 2021

BOOK NEWS: November 9, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Lots of fantastic books releasing this week – here are some of the ones on my radar:

Books for Kids

Who Was Walt Disney? (Board Book) – A board book from the Who Was folks.
Off-Limits – Dad’s office is “off limits.” But who can resist all of those cool, fascinating gadgets and supplies? Certainly not me – this is on my list for this week!!
Stitch by Stitch: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly Sews Her Way to Freedom – An enslaved seamstress is able to buy her freedom because of the gorgeous gowns she made.
Itty Bitty Princess Kitty: Tea for Two – When Itty starts spending time with some pegasi she meets, her best friend Luna starts to feel left out.
When Pigs Fly (A Batpig Book) (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series. A bite from a radioactive bat gives Gary special powers. This looks so fun!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Amethyst: Princess of Gem World (Graphic Novel) – From Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. When a prank goes wrong, Amethyst is grounded to Earth. She’s only supposed to be there a week, but three years later, Amy has completely forgotten her old life.
Batman, Robin, and Howard (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series from the author of early Jedi Academy series, Jeffrey Brown. When Robin/Damian Wayne makes a mistake on patrol, he is benched from his superhero-ing and sent to a new school where he encounters a new rival. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Out of My Heart (Older Middle Grade) – A sequel to the bestselling Out of My Mind. This time, Melody is determined to experience summer camp and all the adventures one has to offer.
What Was the Plague? and Who Was David Bowie?
Margot Mertz Takes It Down – A teen who launched her own business as a digital cleaner to clean up your most embarrassing online gaffs uncovers a revenge porn site featuring girls from her school and vows to take it – and those behind it -down.
Year of the Reaper – A former engineer’s apprentice and a young historian team up to find a royal assassin.
You’ve Reached Sam – A girl missing her dead boyfriend calls his cell to hear his voice again – and he picks up the phone, giving her a second chance to say goodbye.

 

Books for Adults

The After Party (Trade Paperback) – Three women commiserating over their awful boss after a holiday party find themselves facing new challenges when their boss is later murdered.
The Archivist (Hardcover)- An archivist working to finish processing the papers of a writer on the short list for a Nobel finds herself investigating her predecessor who died – a woman who had a torrid affair with the writer. Could her death be more than the accident the police believe it was?
An Eggnog to Die For (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Cape Cod Foodie Mystery series. While Sam was hoping for a nice, quiet Christmas, stumbling over the body of the town’s Santa Claus has made that dream a whole lot less likely.
How to Murder a Marriage: The Ex-Whisperer Files (Trade Paperback) – A relationship advice author is trying to make a new life for herself, but instead she is dodging a stalker and looking for a woman who went missing after the author told the woman to leave her husband.
Maggie Dove and the Lost Brides (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Maggie Dove series. While Maggie is hired to find a runaway bride, she instead finds her niece on her doorstep in a wedding gown after being jilted by her own fiancé. But when the runaway bride is found dead, her groom is suspected of murder, and Maggie’s niece has fallen in love with the murder suspect, Maggie still has plenty of sleuthing to do.
Never Fall for Your Fiancée (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Meriwell Sisters series. A woman struggling to get by after her father abandoned her and her sisters can’t afford to pass up the Earl’s offer to pretend to be his fiancée while his mother is visiting. But if they were to actually fall in love, it would complicate things for both of them.
The Return of the Pharaoh (Hardcover) – Dr. Watson’s journal shares the story of a previously unknown Sherlock adventure, where he went searching for a missing Duke in Egypt.
The Undertakers (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Murders & Magic series. Hetty and Benjy are investigating a series of fires around Philadelphia as well as a fire company that seems all too willing to let homes burn if they belong to Black citizens.
Vanishing Edge (Hardcover) – A former FBI agent and a former SEAL, both working with the National Parks, team up to determine what happened to the folks who disappeared from their exclusive campsite full of high-tech gear.
The Wedding Ringer (Trade Paperback) – A woman, down on her luck and settling for playing a princess at birthday parties agrees to be a bridesmaid for hire as a means to an end. But the gig could end up getting her a real friend – and a real chance at love. This is on my review list!
Divine Disruption: Holding on to Faith When Life Breaks Your Heart (Hardcover) – Pastor Tony Evans and his family have endured several tragedies in recent years. In this book, Pastor Evans and his adult children, including writers/preachers Priscilla Shirer and Chrystal Evans Hurst (She’s Still There – ♥♥♥♥♥, share how their faith has withstood the tragedies.
Will (Hardcover) – A memoir.

 

 

REVIEW: Mad About Meatloaf by Maureen Fergus

REVIEW: Mad About Meatloaf by Maureen Fergus

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Weenie is a meatloaf-loving weiner dog. His best friends are a grumpy, sarcastic cat named Frank and a wise, encouraging guinea pig named Beans. They all live with a guy named Bob who takes care of them. When Weenie eats Bob’s meatloaf right off the counter, Bob’s pretty mad. So Weenie tries to think of a way to make things right with Bob.

Review

This is a darling graphic novel for new chapter book readers. Weenie is a big goof, and Frank and Beans are (mostly) faithful friends. Sure, Frank isn’t always the best influence. (It cracked me up to see Frank as the devil on Weenie’s shoulder while Beans was the angel.) But when Weenie needs him, Frank is there along with Beans.

Kids are going to get a kick out of these three friends and the troubles they find all because Weenie loves meatloaf, maybe a little too much.  Don’t miss this graphic novel series launch perfect for animal fans, dog fans, and fans of funny books and graphic novels.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

REVIEW: The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The focus in this one is on the centers (Head, Heart, Gut), stress and security moves, and stances. This is a great intermediate level resource for those who have been digging into the Enneagram for a bit. I think beginners could start here, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think The Road Back to You is a better introduction. Then, once you know your number, or think you have narrowed it down a bit, this could be a helpful second (or third or fourth) resource.

I appreciated the personal stories – Suzanne’s and others’. I’ve followed Suzanne Stabile  long enough to know something about many of her family members. I always enjoy a new story or illustration starring one of her kids or grandkids. The narratives balance out the instructional pieces nicely.

The general information about the centers and stances wasn’t new to me. But her *descriptions* of them are super helpful. And her recommendations for each type feel spot on. As I have said before, when I get to read material written by someone with my same number, I find it especially fruitful. And Suzanne and I share a number, so I got a lot out of this one. I am eager to receive my print copy when this releases so I can dig into it once again.

You can read my reviews of other Enneagram resources here. If you want to see what it is like to read an Enneagram book from someone with your number, check out the 40 Days as a ______ line from Suzanne. Each is written by a person who operates from that number.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: November 2, 2021

BOOK NEWS: November 2, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy November! With the holidays right around the corner, now is a great time to start thinking about books your friends and family will love. Remember, supply chain issues are a thing right now. This might mean that a book’s release date gets moved around; it can also mean that shipping will take longer. Stay aware. If I can note a delay on something I thought was releasing during a certain week in November, I will.

I’ll be releasing my 2021 Holiday Hint List sooner than usual this year to give you some ideas and a few extra weeks to get your orders shipped. Stay tuned! (You can go here to see some of the previous Holiday Hint Lists.)

Books for Kids

Aaron Slater Illustrator – An artist discovers his struggles with reading are due to dyslexia. But he wonders if he can still be the storyteller he longs to be. Yes, please! I can’t wait to read about the newest member of the Questioneers!
Life Is Better with Friends – This picture book focuses on key moments in the series.
Our Table – As a family grows apart, their gathering space – a table – grows smaller. I don’t know that you can EVER go wrong with a Peter H. Reynolds book! I can’t wait to see this one in person.
Parker Shines On – A sequel to Parker Looks Up. This time Parker learns to be a good friend in her dance class. This looks lovely. I adored the first book, so this one is on my list, too.
Redlocks and the Three Bears – Instead of Goldilocks, the Three Bears meet Little Red Riding Hood – and the Wolf is not far behind. Fractured and mixed up fairy tales are one of my all time favorite things, so this is a must-read for me this week.
The Smart Cookie – A cookie doesn’t feel so smart compared to some of the other confections at the bakery.
What If You Had Animal Scales? – The latest in this fun line of books about animal facts.
The Bad Guys in They’re Bee-hind You! – Book 14 in the Bad Guys series of early chapter books.
Dragon Masters: Howl of the Wind Dragon – Book 20 in the Dragon Masters series.
I Survived True Stories: Courageous Creatures – A new collection of true survival stories. These books are fantastic!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

D&D Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed – First in a new middle grade series based on Dungeons and Dragons. A human girl, disguised as a minotaur so she can go to Dungeon Academy without scaring the other creatures there, heads off on a quest to find out more about a human adventurer named Allidora Steelstrike. This sounds SO FUN!
Eddie Whatever (Older Middle Grade) – Eddie gets stuck volunteering at a retirement home for his bar mitzvah service project. The residents may call him “Eddie Whatever,” but he discovers there is more to like – and secrets to uncover – there than he expected.  This sounds fun!
Tangled Up in Luck – Enemies become friends as two girls search for a town’s missing treasure. This looks awesome. I have this on my review list.
Blame It on the Mistletoe – A social media darling and a girl wanting to flee a holiday embarrassment switch homes for the holidays. Love the premise of this one, so I’ll have to check this out.
Gilded – A Rumpelstiltskin retelling from the author of The Lunar Chronicles.
Skin of the Sea – First in a new series. A mermaid saves a boy tossed into the sea instead of collecting his soul like she’s supposed to, bringing the wrath of the gods upon her.
Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed – A collection of Latinx short stories.

Books for Adults

All Her Little Secrets (Hardcover) – A lawyer with secrets is promoted after her boss – and lover – is murdered. But she can’t shake the feeling that something with her promotion or at the company is off. This sounds twisty!
The Donut Trap (Trade Paperback – Now releasing November 9th) – Without a job or a relationship keeping her away, Jasmine finds herself working at her parents’ donut shop and feeling trapped. But the relationship that could change everything for her isn’t falling into place like she expected. This looks fun. It’s on my review list.
The Fastest Way to Fall (Trade Paperback) – She’s supposed to be writing a feature about a new fitness app that includes a coaching component. He’s the CEO who isn’t supposed to be coaching, but it’s the only way he’s found to feel happy. But when their coaching relationships teeters on becoming something more, they both realize they could lose everything if they let themselves fall in love.
Game On (Hardcover) – Book 28 in the Stephanie Plum series. In Stephanie’s hunt for a ruthless hacker, she finds herself working with Diesel again, but she can’t be sure if he’s her partner or her competition.
How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days (Trade Paperback) – Rumors abound that Keanu Reeves is about to get married, so Lu and her best friend Truman hit the road so Lu can find Keanu and convince him she’s the one he should marry. Yep, I will have to read this one.
I Hate You More (Trade Paperback) – From the author of the DELIGHTFUL Forever Home series.  A former beauty contestant determined to help a lazy Golden Retriever make a good showing at the local dog show runs afoul of the veterinarian judge who thinks she is in over her head.
Killer Research (Hardcover) – Book 12 in the Library Lovers series from Jenn McKinlay. Curmudgeon librarian Ms. Cole is running for mayor. But a dead body in the trunk of her car might sink her campaign – and get her thrown in jail. Lindsey and Sully and the rest of the crew are determined to prove her innocence. I adore this series. This is a must-read book for me this week.
Lore Olympus (Graphic Novel) – A new take on the story of Persephone.
A Marvelous Light (Hardcover – LGBTQ+) – First in a new series. Robin has been named the liaison to a magical society he never new existed in secret around the British Isles. But between the prickly counterpart he has to work with in the society, and the fact that his predecessor went missing, Robin finds himself smack in the middle of mysteries and secrets people have died to keep hidden. I am intrigued by this one!
Miss Moriarty, I Presume (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Lady Sherlock series. Moriarty seeks out Charlotte’s help when he fears tragedy has befallen his daughter.
Witches, Spiders, and Schemes (e-book, November 5) – Book 4 in the Destiny Falls series. Cracks are starting to show in the enchantments around Destiny Falls – and two dead bodies are found in the bay. Hayden and her friends will need to dig deep to solve the mystery and restore Destiny Falls. I loved book one, but I haven’t been able to carve out time to get caught up with the series. Hopefully that will happen soon.
The Journey Toward Wholeness (Hardcover) – The latest from the “godmother of the Enneagram,” Suzanne Stabile. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Prayers from the Throne Room (Leather) – A prayer book and devotional based on The Passion Translation. Includes a year’s worth of prayers and meditations.
Wholehearted Faith (Hardcover) – Rachel Held Evans’ last book, a collection of essays, finished by Jeff Chu.