Month: March 2022

REVIEW: Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter

REVIEW: Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter

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

In a life full of embarrassing mishaps and disasters, the latest – she burned down her apartment building while burning love letters from her ex – has left Olivia living with her older brother and his gorgeous yet annoying roommate. She literally has only the clothes on her back after the fire. She needs a job; she needs a break.

The one bright spot in the whole thing is a misdialed text that turns into a funny, flirty, banter-filled relationship with a stranger. But when the “stranger” discovers Olivia’s identity, he knows it can’t go any farther. Olivia is super off-limits. No matter how much he is captivated by her.

Review

This was so fun! The story is, of course, familiar – You’ve Got Mail, Shop Around the Corner. And it’s familiar because it works. And while a familiar plot could feel done or over-done, the execution here is great. The characters are endearing and funny, with great chemistry! I cared about this relationship from the start and was rooting for it until the end. The secondary characters were fun as well. I especially enjoyed the sibling relationships. The various parents were the worst, but they were relegated to something for the characters to push against, so we only had them in thankfully small doses.

If you love romantic comedies that make you literally laugh out loud, and you are intrigued by the set up here, be sure to pick this one up! I loved both the story and the characters in this one. Such a fun read! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: March 29, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 29, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of March, and April is right around the corner. Let’s see what new books are on my radar this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

A Darkening of Dragons (April 1) – A disgraced boy, a girl cursed to live as a rat, and a dracogriff team up against the Piper of Hamelyn.
Always Jane – The latest from Jenn Bennett. A young woman begins a relationship with the son of her record producer boss, but when she returns to the family’s resort and connects with the family black sheep, her feelings start to change. Jenn Bennett is my go-to author for YA romance, so of course this was on my list for this week.
So This is Ever After – A sword-wielding hero assumes the throne while his team works to save the true heir. But when they determine she is already dead, he’s stuck on the throne – and therefore stuck with the laws that say he has to wed by his 18th birthday. I’m loving the quest/D&D vibe of this, so it’s on my list this week as well.

Books for Adults

Cheddar Off Dead (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Cheese Shop Mystery series. As Willa works to launch her new business, everything goes awry, starting with the murder of the local food critic.
Four Aunties and a Wedding (Trade Paperback) – The follow up to the terrific Dial A for Aunties. Meddy is ready to marry her college sweetheart when she realizes the Mob is using her wedding to take out a target. I got such a kick out of book one, I can’t wait to check out this sequel!
Lost Coast Literary (Trade Paperback) – Something new from author Ellie Alexander. A book editor discovers she must edit manuscripts in order to inherit a Victorian mansion. But any edits she makes to the manuscripts happens in real life – and cause chaos she isn’t sure how to fix. This is fascinating – I definitely need to check this one out!
The Temps (Hardcover) – On his first day, a temp is stranded in an office complex when a toxic gas kills all the regular employees while they are in a meeting in the outdoor pavilion. Yes, please! I can’t WAIT to see what this is all about!
The Enneagram for Black Liberation (Hardcover) – The Enneagram as a tool for Black women to find wholeness. I am the wrong audience for this, but I am intrigued by it nonetheless.

REVIEW: The Map of Flames by Lisa McMann

REVIEW: The Map of Flames by Lisa McMann

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Louis was the only “parent” the kids had known for years. While he was Brix and Birdie’s biological father, he’d filled the role for Tenner, Seven, and Cabot too when their parents had not returned.

Three of the superpowered adults had left the island first, in search of supplies. When no one heard from them, four more left as well. And now Louis is dead, leaving the five kids alone.

Birdie’s father left her a map and told her to find her mother. Her ability to talk to animals would be an asset in the journey. But some of the kids don’t want to leave the only home they’ve ever known – and risk anyone back in Estero City discovering they have powers. But Birdie can’t resist the pull of finding out what happened to their missing parents. They all want to know why they’ve been left alone, forgotten, all this time.

Review

I was captivated by the start of this one, but after a few chapters of the kids alone on the island, the book started to drag. I think this is something tricky about first books in a new fantasy series. There’s a lot of world-building and character introduction to do, and it can feel slow.

Section 2 of the book picks up with some danger situations. And section 3 was great. I was all in by the end. There are some nice twists and tons of unanswered questions to carry readers to book 2 in the Forgotten Five series – The Invisible Spy (November 2022).

Fans of fantasy stories like McMann’s other series – The Unwanteds, Going Wild, etc. – will find a lot to connect to. And I’d encourage readers to push through section 1 if they feel things are starting to slow down. It’s worth it to stick with the story. The ending is easily a 4 or 4.5 star adventure. (Grief and loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: Under Lock and Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

REVIEW: Under Lock and Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

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

After a disastrous show that could have killed her, Tempest Raj has moved home to lick her wounds and look for a fresh start. But instead of a respite, she’s found the family business struggling, a musical ghost,  and a dead body.

Between Tempest’s experience as a stage magician and her family’s years of building secret rooms and hidden staircases for clients, she’s certain she can uncover the solution to her real life locked room mystery. But even as she sleuths, she has to wonder if she was the intended victim all along.

Review

This was incredible! I have had such a reading slump lately that I was starting to wonder if I’d ever click with a book again. This was perfect for me right from the beginning.

I loved all of the elements here – the magicians, the family construction business of installing secret rooms, Tempest and her core group of friends and family. Every bit of it was delightful. I was never bored and never tempted to skim ahead or stop reading – a real struggle of late.

There are layers of mysteries here, so the sleuthing as well as the solutions were so satisfying. I am all in on this series! Do not miss this launch of the Secret Staircase Mystery series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: March 22, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 22, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

New week means new books! Here are some of the titles I am excited about this week.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Okoye to the People – As a young Okoye tries to discover her place in the Dora Milaje, she goes on her first mission – to New York.

Books for Adults

The City of Dusk (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Dark Gods series. The four realms converge on the City of Dusk but the corresponding gods have withdrawn their favor. Four heirs work to save their city. I’m curious about this one, so it’s on my library wishlist.
The Impossible Us (Trade Paperback) – Two people fall for one another thanks to an errant email, but when they try to meet in person they realize they live in parallel universes. Yes, please!
Lifeless in the Library (e-book, March 24) – Book 4 in the Moorecliff Manor Cat Cozy Mystery series. A charity cat show turns deadly. I recently picked up the first book in this series to check this out – sounds fun!
The Recovery Agent (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A recovery agent has to team up with her ex in order to track down a missing treasure. This sounds so fun!
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell (Trade Paperback) – As Savvy works to renovate the kitchen she inherited, she also starts renovating the rest of her life. This is the one book I have pre-ordered for the week.

REVIEW: What Is the Story of Captain Kirk? by M. D. Payne

REVIEW: What Is the Story of Captain Kirk? by M. D. Payne

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

This book tells the dual story of the creation of Star Trek, including the Original Series (TOS) show and movies, as well as telling the life story of main character, James T. Kirk.

This is a fun race through the highlights of a franchise with five decades of history. The book includes references to

  • the first pilot with Captain Pike
  • the movie plots of the 6 movies starring the original cast
  • descriptions of those main characters
  • a mention of the Animated Series
  • the series which followed TOS
  • the Kelvin timeline
  • some of the alien species.

As a Trek fan, this was a fun glimpse at a 50+ year phenomena. The focus stays on Kirk, so the famous Trek lore about Lucille Ball and MLK Jr. doesn’t get a mention.

There should be spoiler alerts throughout the book as the movie summaries especially are pretty revealing at times. I also felt like the publisher missed a HUGE opportunity by not including episode titles, even in footnotes or end notes, for any readers who wanted to dig deeper on something the book referenced.

Overall, this is a fun, high level look at James Kirk and the original Trek series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford

REVIEW: The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The king is dead. Poison. And his relative has taken the throne and the crown.

Valdas is a king’s guard, on the run, looking for the truth. He’s the scapegoat for the new king, just like his men were.
Mirza is a witch and healer trying to take her place in her roving band.
And Lind? Lind is the king’s assassin.

But when Valdas is almost killed and Mirza must use her gifts to bring him back from near death, the two encounter the ghost of the murdered king. And he binds them to the quest for the truth.

Review

The writing here is enjoyable, and the characters and their situations were engaging. But the story was slow and drawn out for me. For example, the encounter with the king’s ghost didn’t happen for a quarter of the book. And while I usually don’t mind stories where you know the different characters are moving toward one another eventually, I was missing a driving story that pushed me forward to get to that place. The pace made the book too easy to set down and not pick up for awhile. And in the end, I didn’t finish it.

I think fans of longer, more intricate fantasy will find a lot here to enjoy. I did like several of the characters, and I found their situations interesting. The world building is well done, too. But I seem to be in a reading space where I need the author to get to the point. I need fast paced stories that grab me from page one rather than slow builds. There’s nothing wrong with a slow build for a story, but it’s not a great fit for me right now. (Language, sex, violence/gore, reference to sexual assault of a minor)

Rating: ♥♥♥* – did not finish

*♥♥♥ = Solid/fine

 

BOOK NEWS: March 15, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 15, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Some fun new releases out this week – let’s take a look!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

Area 51 Interns: Alien Summer – Four kids spend their summer looking for aliens escaped from Area 51. I’ve requested this one from the library – sounds so fun!
Worser – An introverted word-lover finds his world turned upside down when his mom has a stroke and his aunt moves it. But he finds a sanctuary with some like-minded kids. Yes, please! This is already on pre-order.

Books for Adults

Citizen K-9 (Hardcover)- Book 3 in the excellent K Team series by David Rosenfelt. Laurie and the K Team take on cold cases for the Patterson PD – and their first is the case of two missing persons from Laurie’s 10th high school reunion ten years ago. I have already requested our library pick this one up – I can’t wait to read it!
Dating Dr. Dil (Trade Paperback) – A reimagined Taming of the Shrew starring a woman with her mother’s legacy on the line and a cardiologist who raises her hackles. This sounds fun!
The Do-Over (Trade Paperback) – The latest novel from Bethany Turner. Why is it you always run into your high school rival – who now looks amazing and has had every success imaginable – when your life has completely fallen apart?
Eve of Destruction (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. When members of a League of Assassins start falling, Jinx suspects an insider, so he needs an outsider to help him find the traitor. I’ve already got this pre-ordered!
The League of Gentlewomen Witches (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the delightful and quirky The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. The future leader of the League of Gentlewomen Witches has to team up with a pirate to steal a powerful talisman. I am SO excited to read this! This is on my review list for this month.
Under Lock and Skeleton Key (Hardcover) – First in a new series. Tempest heads home to lick her wounds, hoping she can find something else to do so she doesn’t have to join her father’s business – Secret Staircase Construction. (They build secret rooms and sliding bookcases into their clients’ homes.) But when her former stage double is found dead inside a wall that was supposed to be sealed for more than 100 years, Tempest has to wonder if she was the intended victim. Eeek! That sounds so amazing! This one is also on my review list.

REVIEW: Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

REVIEW: Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Dad takes a work break and his daughter slips in to his office to explore.

This is one of the most delightful picture books I have read in awhile!

First there’s the joy of office supplies. That alone caused me to buy the book after reading only the first few pages. Then there’s the art – the portrayal of the child’s glee and the way she plays with everything from tape to binder clips to post-its is fantastic!

And then there’s the surprise ending. Absolutely outstanding! Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park

REVIEW: So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Jessie was tired of being overlooked and taken advantage of at her New York firm, but she’s completely caught off guard when she’s laid off. The company says it’s because she doesn’t “show leadership,” even though she saved the day countless times over the years. But someone else always took the credit. So, now she’s moved back in with her parents in Nashville to try to figure out her next steps.

Already feeling a bit fragile, the last thing Jessie needs is to run into her middle school nemesis. Gorgeous and successful, Daniel is a Korean parent’s dream child. But as Jessie lets Daniel help her with some connections for launching her new business, things between them start to heat up. Should she even think about giving her heart to someone, though, who could be here today and gone tomorrow?

Review

I requested this book solely because of the author. I adored the last couple books I read by Suzanne Park including Loathe at First Sight and The Perfect Escape (YA).

Sadly, this one wasn’t as magical for me as those two books. There were a couple fun moments, but overall Jessie and Daniel didn’t click for me as a reader. The secondary characters didn’t grab me either. I couldn’t get a good rhythm with the story, and it was far too easy to set this down and not pick it back up. I don’t think it’s a “bad” story. It just felt flat for me. The story didn’t keep me engaged and flipping pages like the other two books I mentioned did.

If you are a Park fan, I’d definitely give this a go and see what you think. It’s a fairly light story, so it could make for a nice rainy/snowy day distraction.

(No Rating)