Month: June 2022

REVIEW: Austin//His Amish Sweetheart by Jennifer Beckstrand

REVIEW: Austin//His Amish Sweetheart by Jennifer Beckstrand

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Alfie and Benji Petersheim have been working to get their three older brothers married and out of the house. They helped Andrew (♥♥♥♥♥) and Abraham find true love and now they just need Austin in love so all of the older boys will move out of the house and the twins can move out of the cellar and back into a room.  But Austin could be their hardest project yet.

Benji is convinced Austin is in love with his best friend, Hannah Yutzy. Alfie thinks they should get Austin interested in Priscilla Lambright who works at the library. With the twins at odds, they decide to work their own agendas – alone. May the best man win.

Review

This was a lovely wrap up to the Petersheim Brothers trilogy!

I’ve been a fan of this series from the start. This book, originally titled Austin, was supposed to release in the summer of 2020. And then Covid. And while the publisher waited for the right time to release it, they also determined that the book might sell better with an Amish woman on the cover. So this is the new cover and the new title. While I had no issues with the other titles and covers, I’m just happy to finally see how the series ended. It was a satisfying resolution.

I have to be honest, though. Austin is a hot mess in this book. I can’t say for sure who I grumbled about more – Austin or “Scilla.” She was obnoxious, and he was an idiot a lot of the time. It never got to the point where I thought about giving up on the book, but they were truly a mess. The twins and Hannah and some of the other events of the book helped balance out Austin’s moments.

I think my annoyance is part of what made things so awesome in the end, though. I loved the resolution here. Alfie and Benji really stole the show in this book. And the extra help they recruit for their quest was an added delight!

Newcomers can start here without too much trouble. There are pieces of the story with the larger community – and the twins’ quest to get out of the cellar – that play out in Andrew, Abraham, and the Honeybee Sisters books. And reading those will fill in around this story, but I think new readers can get along without those details to start. But I highly recommend the books in both series, so you should be sure to check them all out in the end.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: June 28, 2022

BOOK NEWS: June 28, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of June – here are some of the new books on my list for this week.

Books for Kids

Is This Your Class Pet? – Something new from Troy Cummings. Arfie the reading buddy finds a stowaway in his vest one day after he leaves school – a turtle!
Pets Rule!: My Kingdom of Darkness – First in a new series from BRANCHES. Ember the rescue Chihuahua thinks he is an evil overlord and tries to get the other family pets to help him take over the neighborhood.

 

Books for Adults

The Accidental Newlywed Game (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Boots and Bouquets series. A wedding planner at a convention in Vegas runs into her sister’s ex-fiancé – and after a drunken night she wakes up to find them married. This sounds fun and breezy – perfect for summer!
A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (Hardcover) – Frances and George have just gotten married when her brother is accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Dead Romantics (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ashley Poston. A ghostwriter afraid she’s going to lose her job when she gets a new editor finds herself in the town where she never wanted to return after the death of her father. But one more surprise is waiting for her at the family funeral home – the ghost of her new editor. Yes, please!! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
For the Love of the Bard (Trade Paperback) – A writer longing for time to work on her latest YA novel instead gets roped into helping direct a local production of Twelfth Night while she’s also trying to dodge the local veterinarian who broke her heart as a teen.
His Amish Sweetheart (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Petersheim Brothers series, originally titled Austin. Alfie and Benji just have to help their brother Austin find a girl so he will finally move out and they can move from the cellar back into the house, away from the spiders. I adore this series. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith (Hardcover) – 20 years after Endor, Luke and Lando team up to investigate a growing Sith threat that’s involved in the kidnapping of Lando’s daughter. I am intrigued!
Two-Damage My Heart (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Nerds of Happy Valley series. Rue once fell in love with her brother’s roommate who would send her letters of encouragement from across the country. And then he ghosted her and disappeared. Eight years later, he returns – and he doesn’t recognize her.  But she remembers it all too clearly and wants no part of his apparent interest.
Radical Love (Hardcover) – A memoir from Zachary Levi, star of Chuck and Shazam.

REVIEW: Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari

REVIEW: Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Happily Ever Island is Disney’s newest themed resort. It allows guests to live as their favorite character for awhile – costumes, music, housing, everything. And Madison just won a trip for two to be among the first to experience the island.

While Madison’s peers all seem focused on futures and careers, Madison still has no clue what she wants to study at school or do for a job. But she knows EVERYTHING about Disney.

Since her girlfriend broke up with her just before Madison gets the good news, she needs a new plus 1 for her trip. And her best friend Lanie is the perfect choice.

Lanie is Madison’s opposite in a lot of ways – grounded, focused, driven. It feels like she’s been on the fast track for med school her whole life. But suddenly she’s having doubts about all of those plans. So, even though she knows almost nothing about Disney, Lanie agrees to go on the trip.

But their magical vacation challenges each of the young women to re-examine their lives – and dishes up surprises that could change their trajectories completely.

Review

How fun! This is a great friendship/coming of age story with a strong side of romance in a clever setting. I really enjoyed this! Both Madison and Lanie were characters I would hang out with. And both are struggling with questions about the future. This is a great topic for the intended young adult audience. And I love how the characters are coming at the same issue from different angles.

There’s a LOT here for readers to enjoy. For Disney and theme park fans there’s this creative setting and lots of classic Disney moments. For romance fans, both main characters meet someone special. Then there’s the friendship struggles and growth alongside the coming-of-age pieces. And I enjoyed all of it! This is a creative and clever story – don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases next week on June 28th.]

Summary

Frances can’t wait until her wedding day. Not only so she can begin her life with George, but also to escape her mother’s meddling and battles over guest lists, seating charts, and feuding aristocrats.

But before Frances and George can escape on their wedding trip, her brother is arrested for the murder of one of those feuding aristocrats. Alonzo may have been found with the murder weapon, but the man had plenty of enemies. And the path between the man’s home and the wedding reception site was well travelled over the course of the day. Frances and George will have to team up again to find the truth before they miss out on their entire honeymoon.

Review

What a great mystery! This one is super twisty, so it kept me guessing all the way through. The pacing was great – I never felt like things were dragging. As Frances and George investigated, there were new clues discovered, more questions raised, and a different suspect to consider. The mystery was highly satisfying!

I was as over Frances’ family as she was in the book. The author does a great job of making them a pain without making the reader miserable. There were lots of lovely Frances and George moments to offset her family as well as moments with some of the other series regulars.

Other than tracking the various relationships, I think newcomers could start this series here without any major difficulty. While I love the journey Frances and George have been on, I don’t think readers have to know all the backstory to follow the action here. But I’ve loved all 5 books in this series so far – and I hope there will be many more! I recommend these for historical fiction fans as well as mystery lovers. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: The Gospel for Improvers by Tyler Zach

REVIEW: The Gospel for Improvers by Tyler Zach

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

This is book 5 in the author’s series of devotionals for various Enneagram types. The devotionals for 3s, 9s, 6s, and 4s are already available; you can read my review of the first book, for Threes, here. It looks like *my* book for 2s will be out before the end of this year.

There are 40 days of devotionals in the book. Each day is laid out with the title, a Bible verse, a page or two of devotional thoughts and then a feature called “The Good News for Improvers.” This section ties the general Biblical content or truth to the personality of Enneagram 1s. After that section there is a short prayer, 3-4 reflection questions (with space to write answers), and a response activity.

Review

As with the book for Achievers (3s), I loved the introductory material for this book, especially the caveat that this is “an invitation to be rather than do or improve.” I have a very strong 1 wing, and that statement really connected for me.

As far as general Enneagram content, the devotional addresses moves in stress and security, defense mechanisms, and subtypes. Each devotional ends with resource references which can lead readers to other materials to check out. There’s a lot of material here for readers to dig into. I could see this being something to return to annually as the reader grows in self-awareness and understanding of their Enneagram nuances. This is a “second tier” resource in my opinion as it is for folks who are solidly aware of their number, although it could also be helpful for folks who are trying to discern between two numbers if they could read both versions.

I gave this to my husband to read as he identifies as an Enneagram 1. He read a few of the entries and immediately said he would like to have the whole book to work through. He felt like the content really connected for him in a way that he both felt seen and understood and in a way where he felt the book could help him grow.

We both highly recommend this resource! (You can read more reviews of Enneagram resources here.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: June 21, 2022

BOOK NEWS: June 21, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week that are on my radar!

Books for Adults

Fake It Till You Bake It (Trade Paperback) – A pro-football player agrees to fake date his sometime nemesis when the kiss she plants on him goes viral. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Killers of a Feather (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series. A fortune-telling parrot predicts a murder, and almost everyone in town had a reason to want the guy dead.
A Thousand Miles (Trade Paperback) – Old high school friends reunite to dig up a time capsule they buried senior year before their friendship fell apart. Someone at my local library has the same taste I do because I keep finding these books on their “coming soon” list!

REVIEW: The Cryptid Club: Bigfoot Takes the Field by Michael Brumm

REVIEW: The Cryptid Club: Bigfoot Takes the Field by Michael Brumm

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Lily is looking for a big story for the school paper, she decides to investigate the rumors of a Bigfoot on the school grounds.

Review

This was fun! The graphic novel layout is something kids will enjoy. The team up between Lily, her younger brother, and the neighbor she babysits makes for some funny moments. The sibling bickering is familiar and yet at moments also endearing. And the young neighbor is the source of some of the gross humor some kids enjoy.

The Bigfoot mystery is light and fun. I’d read more in this series, and I think kids will enjoy them, too!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

REVIEW: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Donovan Dell – pro football player, baker, and part owner of Sugar Blitz, a San Diego cupcake store. The store is Donovan’s dream – and his back up plan for life after football. But sagging sales are putting his dream in jeopardy. So he lets the sassy customer get to him as he tries to defend his store.

Jada Townsend-Matthews – reality TV star, and target of vicious hate after turning down a marriage proposal on the show My One and Only. Jada only goes into Sugar Blitz because her best friend loves their cupcakes. She doesn’t intend to get into a verbal battle with the sexy staff member. Her day only goes downhill from there, ending with a summons to her grandmother’s office to talk about her “future” and lack of direction in life.

In order for Jada to access her trust fund when she turns 26, her grandmother is requiring her to work a consistent job – and she’s convinced one of her football players to hire Jada. Now Donovan and Jada are thrown together again. But when a reporter shows up at Sugar Blitz and pressures Jada on why she turned down the marriage proposal on TV, Jada panics and says it’s because she is in love with Donovan. And the kiss she springs on him goes viral.

Review

This was excellent! If I wasn’t laughing at something out loud, I had a big grin on my face. This was delightful! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, so I was already sold with that part of the story. But the slowly thawing animosity between the main characters was perfectly paced and so satisfying. The dual perspective storytelling gives the reader all the insights about the characters’ thoughts and feelings while still letting the action unfold over time. The chemistry between the two main characters was fantastic, too.

I also loved the dynamic with Donovan and his business partners. I had my fingers crossed all the way through that this would turn out to be just the first book in a series focused on those three men. Judging by the end of this, my wish is coming true. Don’t miss this fun, steamy romance! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: June 14, 2022

BOOK NEWS: June 14, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Tomorrow is Flag Day – why don’t you treat yourself to a new book?! (Isn’t Flag Day a book-buying holiday?) Here are some of the new books out this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Ham Helsing: Monster Hunter – Book 2 in the fun Ham Helsing series. When Ham and his friends show up at a camp with no staff, they decide to help supervise the kids who are being dropped off. How hard could it be to manage a camp? I am SO excited about this one! I really got a kick out of book 1.
Love and Other Great Expectations – A sidelined soccer player turns her attention to a scavenger hunt around England. This looks darling; I already have it on hold at the library.
A Mirror Mended – Book 2 in the Fractured Fables series. A professional fairy tale fixer gets drawn into helping the Evil Queen. I’m intrigued by this fairy tale fixer concept.

Books for Adults

Thank You, Next (Trade Paperback) – A young woman tired of always being the last girlfriend before a guy finds his “true love” decides to interview all of her exes to find out why.

 

REVIEW: Sloth Sleuth by Cyndi Marko

REVIEW: Sloth Sleuth by Cyndi Marko

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When the inhabitants of the island of Winklefuss start getting sick at the café, Paz the sloth teams up with her best friend, Andrews, the librarian, to figure out why.

Review

This is a meaty graphic novel mystery – lots of characters, plenty of silliness, and one main case – from the author of the BRANCHES series Kung Pow Chicken.

The book starts with something of an info dump. The background of the island is amusing. The introduction of the island’s inhabitants – all criminals – feels like a lot. Later in the book, minor characters get a side bar-ish introduction that might have worked earlier for some of the main characters so they weren’t all introduced at once.

There are a lot of distractions along the way to the solution – many based on sloth facts. Their slow pace is used a lot. Also the fact that they poop once a week. Other facts worked into the story are explained in an end note. Overall, this was cute, and I think kids will enjoy it.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +