Month: July 2022

REVIEW: Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

REVIEW: Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Beatrice has been in a holding pattern for the last 2 years after finishing high school at the age of 14. Her preference for her own company and her age left her parents feeling like college was an off-in-the-future eventuality. But her acceptance to Oxford changes everything.

But the only way they are willing to consider sending her to Oxford at 16 is if she can learn some interpersonal skills. So they send her to a summer Shakespeare camp with a “Teenager Experience Experiment” bucket list – make a friend, play a prank, take a dare, etc.. Beatrice doesn’t want anything as much as she wants Oxford. But 4 weeks at Shakespeare camp might be a step too far for her.

Review

This was an absolute delight! The author does a magnificent job with Beatrice – she’s awkward and endearing, someone I was pulling for from the beginning. I loved the whole camp experience with Mia and Nolan. Bea’s experience felt honest and reasonable – some false starts, some ups and downs, and also some great progress. And Bea’s parents don’t come off as evil or unreasonable in their quest for Bea to try some new things and learn about herself and others. I absolutely felt like they were doing this out of love with a lot of hope that she will triumph.

I have no complaints – this was fantastic! I would absolutely read this again. Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee

REVIEW: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee

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

Lizzy Chung is about to kick off the biggest trial of her life so far. But before she can get rolling on her opening argument, she has a panic attack and blacks out. When she comes to, Jack is there. Her best friend, always there when she needs him.

While Lizzy recovers and goes on to win her trial, there’s no joy in it. No sense of accomplishment. So she takes 3 weeks off in Weldon, where Jack lives. She’s staying in a studio apartment over a bookstore in need of some TLC. It will be just the break Lizzy needs.

Meanwhile, Jack is looking for purpose in his own life. He’s secretly applied for a job in LA, where he could be closer to Lizzy. But as Jack is preparing for his big move, Lizzy is wondering if LA is where she even belongs.

Review

I enjoyed this contemporary romance centered around a bookstore. The bookstore bits – and Lizzy’s love of checking things off a to do list – were delightful.  I also enjoyed the identity/self-discovery elements for both Lizzy and Jack. While the eventual conflict was no surprise, I did enjoy the individual character journeys, especially Lizzy’s which felt more developed.

Jack and Lizzy have great chemistry together. And the will-they-or-won’t-they progressed just far enough to be enjoyable and not dragged out.

This has a definite Hallmark movie feel. The pacing, the “predictable” conflict (not a complaint or judgement – just a description), the resolution follow a fairly standard layout. This can make for a satisfying “comfort” read.

Contemporary romance fans and fans of the series will want to pick this one up to see how things continue to develop for this community. You can read my review of book one, A Sweet Mess, here.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BOOK NEWS: July 26, 2022

BOOK NEWS: July 26, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last week of July – Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

Black Adam: An Origin Story/Harley Quinn: An Origin Story – Two of four new DC Supervillain origin stories from Stone Arch Books. I have a Batgirl book from the hero line which I loved. I think the Black Adam book would be a great pick up for this year as the movie releases in October. (Also Poison Ivy and Cheetah)

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel – After what happened last year, Georgie is determined to become the “perfect Darcy.” I am not a P&P fan, but I am intrigued by this reimagined contemporary novel. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Master of Iron – Book 2 in the Bladesmith series, after Blade of Secrets, by Tricia Levenseller. In Ziva’s quest to save her sister she finds the exact trouble she had been hoping to avoid. I am behind on this series as book 1 is still on my TBR. I need to kick it into gear!
Star Wars: Padawan – A story of young Obi-Wan. When his master goes missing, Obi-Wan leaves on a mission without him, falling into a gang of Force-wielding teens. This is definitely on my list for this week! I’m curious to see if it ties into some of the Obi-Wan backstory from other SW novels I have read.
Violet Made of Thorns – A crafty diviner is in danger of losing her royal role when the king asks her to prophesy about the prince’s future. Doing so may curse the kingdom, depending on the bride the prince chooses. I am really eager to give this one a try.
Zantanna: The Jewel of Gravesend (Graphic Novel) – A mystic’s quest for a powerful jewel unravels everything Zatanna thought was true about her life.

 

Books for Adults

Booked on a Feeling (Trade Paperback) – A new book by Jayci Lee. A high-powered attorney back in her favorite childhood vacation spot to recover from the stress of her job starts renovating an old bookstore with her childhood friend. She has no idea of his mad crush for her, and he has no plans to tell her since she is leaving in a few weeks. Sounds delightful! I’ll be reviewing this soon.
No Parm No Foul (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Grilled Cheese Mystery series. When a rival sandwich shop owner is killed after a confrontation in her shop, Carly needs to find a killer before she takes the rap. This series sounds so cozy, I have to check it out!
The Nova Incident (Trade Paperback) – Book 3(ish) in the Galactic Cold War series. Simon and his team are called back in when a bomb explodes in Salaam and an ex-spy is implicated. I have really enjoyed this series! It starts with a prequel, The Caledonian Gambit (♥♥♥♥), and then moves into the series proper with The Bayern Agenda (♥♥♥♥)  and The Aleph Extraction (♥♥♥♥). There are also several short stories in the series worth a read. I’ll be reviewing this new book soon.
Three Miles Down: A Novel of First Contact in the Tumultuous 1970s (Hardcover) – In 1974 a marine biology student is recruited to help with a top-secret government project to raise a downed Russian sub. What they don’t tell him at first is what took the sub out – an alien vessel resting on the ocean floor next to the sub. I am intrigued by this one and have it on my library wish list!

 

 

REVIEW: A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins

REVIEW: A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins

Posted on by Jaymie

[I didn’t have a kid’s or YA book to review today, so here’s a bonus adult book review. 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

Emma’s friends, Liza and Sam run the Roundhead, a pub and brewery in town. And they are planning an expansion. In a huge gathering of friends from the community, they are going to smash through a walled-off tunnel in the cellar. The tunnel is rumored to be a smuggler’s route from back in the day. Sam’s mom had insisted the tunnel be closed off to keep her kids from finding trouble down there.

Sure enough, when Sam and his son swing their sledgehammers through the wall, trouble is down there waiting. An expensive vintage motorcycle thought to be stolen decades ago – and human remains.

Now, the whole town is buzzing over the case. And Emma is using the clues her corgi, Oliver, sniffs up to help her find out the truth.

Review

This was a super twisty mystery! The characters in this are quite antagonistic. Usually a cozy hero is well-liked and appreciated. But most of the folks here are snarky about Emma’s “gossip” and nosiness if not downright angry and nasty. In some ways that’s probably more realistic. But it did make this hard to “enjoy” while reading.

The author does a nice job of working a cold case and a contemporary murder together. The two timelines helped “complicate” the mystery in such a way to keep the reader guessing all the way through.

Oliver is adorable once again. The plot of a talking corgi is so fun and well-executed in this series.

Newcomers can probably start here, but I found the first two books more enjoyable, so my recommendation would be to start at the beginning with To Fetch a Felon.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Andy Carpenter knew Rachel Morehouse because she adopted a chow chow named Lion from his foundation/rescue. In fact, she had called him to talk about arrangements for Lion in case something ever happened to her. She was hoping her step-son would agree to take the dog, but Andy was her back up.

When Rachel died, it took a few days for the authorities to discover it was murder. By then, Andy had met her step-son, Tony, and he felt a connection to the case. When Tony is arrested, Andy agrees to represent him.

The prosecution’s case is solid, but circumstantial. And when Andy starts looking for other threads to pull, he’s drawn into a dizzying case. The question is if the things he discovers will be enough to convince a jury of Tony’s innocence.

Review

I have been an Andy Carpenter fan for years, but this new story hits a new high for me. I loved this! It drew me in right from the start. And it was a wild ride.  There were no slow spots – the pacing was perfect. I flew through this story, captivated by all of the twists and turns.

The wrap up was a little abrupt, but it felt like it was just a natural progression after the pace of the whole story. I was thrilled with the whole thing.

Series fans should not miss this new book. Readers who have enjoyed Rosenfelt’s K-Team series will see the team help in this story, too, so they should pick this up as well. I think newcomers could start here – I read my first Andy Carpenter by picking up something mid-series and had no issues following it. This would be an excellent starting place for this great series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: July 19, 2022

BOOK NEWS: July 19, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

Baby’s First Klingon Words – I am WAY too excited about this board book. How adorable is that cover?! (This book may be pushed back into August.)

 

Books for Adults

The Accidental Pinup (Trade Paperback) – A plus-sized photographer finds herself in front of the camera modeling a line of lingerie while her rival is behind the camera. This looks terrific! This one is already on my library list!
The Bodyguard (Hardcover) – A high priced bodyguard protecting an actor from a stalker poses as his girlfriend so his family doesn’t know he’s in danger. I have this on hold at the library – when I finally get it, I will be dropping everything else to start reading!
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau (Hardcover) – A newcomer to the island sets off a dangerous chain reaction between the island’s human inhabitants and the monstrosities Dr. Moreau has created. This is not my usual sort of read, and I haven’t read the original book. But I am intrigued by this premise!
The Godparent Trap (Trade Paperback) – A free-spirited food blogger and a rigid accountant become co-guardians when his sister/her best friend and her husband are killed. But as much as the two godparents hate each other, they might need each other more. This is also on my library list.

 

REVIEW: The Charmed List by Julie Abe

REVIEW: The Charmed List by Julie Abe

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ellie Kobata loves her little magical community – the shops, the spells. Everything but her ex-best friend Jack and his grouch of a father. In fact, it’s a prank on Jack that goes so wrong it might cost Ellie her current best friend, her parents’ trust, and her magic. It was an item on Ellie’s “Anti-wallflower” to do list – a list of tasks she wanted to do to come out of her shell. But “Get revenge on Jack Yasuda” went all wrong.

As penance, she has to take a business road trip – the trip she was supposed to take with Lia before everything fell apart – with Jack. How can she endure hour after hour in close quarters with the best friend who abandoned her years ago?

Review

This was an unexpected delight. I wasn’t sure about this at first. It took me a bit to get into the flow of the magical world. And Ellie and Jack were hard to like early on with all of the mysterious hostility. I’m still not 100% sure Jack’s explanation was sufficient. But the two of them are delightful together once they set their feud aside.

By the end I was deeply attached to this magical world. I loved the village and the cottage and the convention – brilliant! The supporting cast is lovely; they were a great anchor for me to keep reading when Ellie and Jack were at odds.

The bucket list plot has been done often, and I generally enjoy the stories. I enjoyed how the list comes into play here. It’s a constant thread in the book, but not a driving one. It’s part of Ellie’s journey to define herself and take up space in the world and that whole journey was enjoyable.

Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers should definitely check this out, especially of you like stories with an extra layer of magic.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The crew of Starlight’s Shadow is in a holding pattern while they try to get answers about the people behind the job they just finished in Valovian space (Hunt the Stars). And since Tavi and Torran had a new relationship to distract them, they weren’t as antsy about the delay as Kee was. But as their information person, Kee was frustrated by the lack of progress.

Kee decides to take a room for a few weeks at Bastion to get closer access to the information they need. The space station should be busy enough to allow her some anonymity.

The time away should also give Kee emotional space from Varro, the Valovian weapons specialist who  makes her heart race. He’s been abundantly clear that he doesn’t feel the same way about Kee. So she’s grateful for some space from him, too.

But Varro shows up on Bastion, insisting on watching her back and keeping her safe. And before long, things are so out of hand, she’s grateful to not be working alone.

Review

This is a great second book in the Starlight’s Shadow series, full of will-they-or-won’t-they romantic tension, political intrigue, and danger. It was a delight to spend more time with these characters again!

I think Tavi’s story in Hunt the Stars was a better fit for me than Kee’s, but I enjoyed getting to know Kee better. You really get a feel for how her skills have been so helpful to the crew. And there’s a great emphasis here on Kee and her resilience when some might dismiss her that I really enjoyed.

There’s a lot of back and forth with Varro – miscommunications, misunderstandings, assumptions – that helps draw out the tension between them. The resolution of their back and forth was satisfying.

What’s not satisfying is the political situation. We wrap up this book with tons of new questions but not many answers. So I would like to have book 3 in my hands right. now! I think it’s likely that the focus of the next book will be the two members of the crew off working another angle during the action of Eclipse the Moon. And I am here for their story! The glimpses from Hunt the Stars reminded me of the main characters of Aurora Blazing, book 2 in the Consortium Rebellion series (♥♥♥♥½), which I adored.

I think these are best read in order, especially for the world building and the political plot development. Science fiction/romance fans should not miss this series! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: July 12, 2022

BOOK NEWS: July 12, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the fantastic books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

A Perfect Mistake – Max doesn’t know what happened after he left that night, but it cost him his friendship with Joey and it left Will in a coma. But when the authorities run out of leads. Max teams up with a budding journalist to find out the truth. Intriguing!

 

Books for Adults

Caught Dead to Write (ebook – July 14) – Part of the Cat Latimer Mystery series. When Cat hosts a group of paranormal authors at her retreat center, it puts the sponsorship of the local college in jeopardy. But when the primary adversary at the college winds up dead, Cat starts hunting for a killer – again.
Eclipse the Moon (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Starlight’s Shadow series. I’ll be reviewing this soon!
Hottie on Her Shelf (ebook) – A head librarian finds herself running for mayor thanks to one passing comment. This looks cute!
Into the Mist (Hardcover) – An attack on the US includes the release of a green mist that kills men and gives women unusual powers. A group of teachers coming home from a conference encounter the mist and try to find a safe space to ride out the apocalypse. YES! Top of my list for this week! I already have this one on pre-order.
Nobody’s Princess (Mass Market Paperback) – Graham’s intelligence leads him to believe there’s a member or royalty in need of his help but instead it is a woman who intends to be the first Royal Guardswoman in her country – and she wants no help from a man, no matter how charming he is.
Nothing But the Truth (Trade Paperback) – A wish over a pre-birthday cocktail after being stood up by her boyfriend leaves Lucy unable to lie – lie to herself about the things she does out of obligation rather than desire, and unable to lie at work about how awful things are. And once the truth is out there, Lucy is left to fight all of the injustices around her. I have this one on hold from the library.
The Story of You Workbook (Nonfiction) – A workbook to accompany the 2021 release The Story of You. I’ll be reviewing this workbook soon.

REVIEW: Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks

REVIEW: Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks

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

The Montgomerys and the Blackwells have been rivals since Lia’s grandmother, Matilda, and Beckett’s grandfather, Henry, divorced. The two families can hardly stand to be in a room together. And Lia knows Blackwell boys are troublesome – and forbidden.

But when she first meets Beckett, she thinks he’s just a cute guy who loves math like she does. But when she’s called in for the contest her grandmother has devised, she discovers Beckett is definitely a Blackwell.

With her grandmother’s Starlight Theater in Mirror Lake at stake – as well as her honor as a magician and a Montgomery – Lia is determined to win the contest. If she can take down some Blackwells and the unscrupulous good-old-boy network in Mirror Lake at the same time, all the better.

Review

Outstanding! This was a delight from start to finish. I loved everything here – Lia and her family, the Blackwell boys (There’s a Hawthorne brothers/Inheritance Games feel to the interactions here that I adored), and the entire journey. Even the magic was fascinating – which can be hard to pull off in writing. When I finished reading, I was desperate to HOLD this book in my hands and tell everyone how good it was. When I finally see this in a store, I will absolutely hug it.

This is the perfect sort of story for me – great chemistry in the characters, supportive family members, a quest that goes beyond the central characters, a plucky heroine with plenty of sass… Wow, I loved all of this!

This is a not-to-be-missed book. Grab a copy for yourself and settle in for laughs and heart eyes and a few “they must pay” moments wrapped in a fantastic, magical story. You can read my review of another great Amy Noelle Parks book here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!