Month: November 2022

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hannah’s work is her life which gets problematic when her mother dies and her boss forces her to take bereavement leave. And that’s complicated even more by her complicated feelings about her mother. And the fact that her boyfriend dumped her the day after the funeral.

But instead of getting a distracting new protection assignment far, far away from her ex and her grief, Hannah’s next client is two-time Sexiest Man Alive, Jack Stapleton.

Jack’s in town to help his mom go through cancer treatment. And he’s fiercely protective of her. Nothing can stress her out – like a bodyguard or talk of stalkers. So he wants Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend while she’s on duty. Whatever. How hard could that be?

Review

I have had this book on my wishlist since I first read the synopsis months ago. First, it has a fake relationship at the center – a trope that is like catnip to me. Then, the protective agent is the woman – awesome! And the plot is right up my alley as a reader.

I had high hopes for this – and it met every one. The characters are endearing (well, not Robby). The romance is sweet and cozy. And an unexpected bonus? This is HILARIOUS! I could not have asked for a more delightful reading experience.

Romance fans, fake dating fans – don’t miss this one! The minute I finished I was ready to flip back to the first page and start all over again. Another favorite for 2022.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

BOOK NEWS: November 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: November 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Jasper and the Yeti – Jasper is on the search for the Yeti when he looses his glasses. The pictures I have seen are DARLING! I can’t wait to check this one out in person.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World (Older Middle Grade) – For a class assignment to “change the world,” Daisy decides to help her older brother who has Down syndrome become a fashion celebrity online even though her parents have forbidden her brother from having social media for his own safety. I will be reviewing this one soon.
Diana and Nubia Princesses of the Amazons (Graphic Novel) – Diana, Princess of the Amazons is back, and this time she has a friend. But while their families insist the girls have always known each other, the girls know something mysterious has happened. I am super excited to read this one!
Gleanings – Neal Shusterman returns to his Arc of a Scythe series with a collection of short stories set in that world.
Whiteout – From the team who wrote Blackout! Twelve teens work together to help a friend make an epic apology – if the blizzard conditions don’t foul up their plans.

Books for Adults

Better Than Fiction (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Alexa Martin. A book hater inherits a bookstore where a meddling book club and a bestselling author try to change her perspective on books. This one is on my library list.
Expire of Exiles (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Books of the Usurper series. An empire recovering from a coup attempt is in danger once again, and an apprentice scribe, a young mage, an archivist, and a detective are the only ones who might be able to set things right. I ordered this weeks ago and can’t wait to dive in!
Never Rescue a Rogue (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Merriwell Sisters series after Never Fall for Your Fiancée. Diana and Giles must set aside their constant bickering to help him secure his place in society – and her tenacity and investigative skills are just what he needs. I adored the first book and cannot wait to dig into this one!
Super Plum Spies (ebook) – Book 2 in the Section 47 series by the fantastic Jennifer Estep. Two spies spend their holiday season sniffing out a dangerous enemy. I haven’t read book one yet, but I already have book 2 on order so I can read them back-to-back.
Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man (Hardcover) – First in the Girl Friday Mystery series. Viviana is the “Girl Friday” for a top investigator in 1950 New York when the investigator goes missing at the start of a new case, and she finds a dead body in their office. When the police decide the investigator must be the killer, Viviana will start her own investigation. This is on my library list.
Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are (Hardcover) – The latest from Lysa TerKeurst looks at boundaries.

 

REVIEW: The BIG Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker by Jennifer L. Holm

REVIEW: The BIG Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker by Jennifer L. Holm

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is an all new format for a Babymouse book – 200 pages, full color – but the same fun. This book includes

  • school stories
  • Cinderella
  • Jason and the Golden Fleece
  • Three Little Kittens
  • Rapunzel, and
  • the Titanic

This was cute! I think Babymouse fans are going to love having a new book to enjoy. And newcomers to the character will have lots of classic material to go back to. Libraries and classrooms should definitely have this in their collection.

Details from the publisher list this as a book for 7-10 year olds. But I think the topics in the book – middle school, self-consciousness, identity, etc. – skew this a little older than that, so I put this in a middle grade range (9-12).

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Flight Risk by Cherie Priest

REVIEW: Flight Risk by Cherie Priest

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on November 15th.]

Summary

Leda picks up a new psychic detective case when a man comes to her travel agency looking for help to find his sister who has gone missing.

At the same time, Grady stumbles across a new case when his dog, missing for days at Mount Rainier, trots out of the woods with a human leg in its mouth.

Before either Leda or Grady can get very far on their cases, they discover a connection that puts them on the same path once again.

Review

Book 2 in the Booking Agents series is fantastic! This was so fun, a start-to-finish read for me. I easily fell back into the rhythm with these characters from book 1, Grave Reservations. The mystery was twisty and kept me guessing all the way to the end. And there were numerous moments that left me laughing out loud. The whole reading experience was delightful!

The slightly psychic hook for this series is wonderfully sketchy. It’s hit and miss for Leda but that makes it all the better for the reader as you watch her puzzle things out. The main characters in this are fun – and the extended group rounds things out nicely. I would happily spend more time with these characters. I hope there are going to be many more Booking Agents books in the future. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.