Month: January 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 31, 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 31, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of January – let’s see what new reading treasures we can find this week!

 

Books for Kids

This Book Is My Best Friend – Two kids consider the same book from the library their best friend.
Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends – A new leveled graphic novel. Worm assumes they are friends because they are so much alike, but Caterpillar thinks there are big changes coming.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Simon Sort of Says – The only boy in his class to have survived a school shooting moves to a community where the internet is banned – somewhere he might be able to be known for something else.
Where the Black Flowers Bloom – An orphan goes on a quest to find out what killed her caretaker.
The Davenports – The Davenports are a wealthy Black family in the early 1900s, and this story centers around four women in and around the family.
Going Dark – An influencer goes missing – just like another girl two years ago – and a hacker starts looking for the truth.
Promise Boys – When a prep school principal is murdered, three boys at the school become murder suspects.
Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling – Starting on New Year’s, Reggie and Delilah keep running into each other on holidays throughout a year – and they grow closer over time.

Books for Adults

Dear Henry, Love Edith (Trade Paperback) – A widow and a grump share a living space for a little while. He assumes she’s an old woman, and she assumes he’s a grumpy old man. The exchange notes in their shared space, but at the same time they keep running into each other around town – and they have no idea the other person is their house-mate. This is on my list for this week!
Dodged a Bullet (e-book, February 3) – Book 6 in the Samantha True series. Samantha is working with a woman dodging a stalker – and the stalker doesn’t care who gets in his way in his pursuit of his target. I can’t want to dig into this series!
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the fantastic Finlay Donovan series! Finlay finds herself in debt to the Russian mob, and they want Finlay to help them find a contract killer.
Sorry, Bro (Trade Paperback) – An Armenian woman’s mother is trying to set her up with men all over town, but it’s a woman who catches her eye.

REVIEW: Begin Again by Emma Lord

REVIEW: Begin Again by Emma Lord

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

Andie has pulled off the impossible – a mid-year transfer to Blue Ridge State. It’s going to be perfect – she can experience all the things she has grown up hearing about. And she’s going to surprise her boyfriend, Connor, with the news that they will be at Blue Ridge State together.

Except nothing goes as planned.

Her first class is a disaster. She loses the pivotal ribbon in the scavenger hunt that was the primary reason for pushing to transfer mid-year. And then Connor announces his own surprise – he’s transferred home to go to the local community college with Andie.

As Andie tackles her first semester at Blue Ridge State, some of her expectations – for her relationship with Connor, for her quest to connect with her late mother by being at BRS, and for herself get challenged and leave her wondering what path she wants to be on after all.

Review

I have been a huge fan of Emma Lord for awhile. When You Get the Chance, You Have a Match, and Tweet Cute are some of my favorite YA stories of recent years. This story was a bit “quieter” for me – more introspective – but also a great read.

I connected with this story in a way I haven’t with the author’s earlier books. As a student of the Enneagram, I saw a lot of Type 2 thinking and behaving in Andie. This drew me to look at the story a bit more clinically rather than being able to just fall into the story. It’s good – and spot on. Just a different reading experience for me.

This is more Andie’s story than it is a romance. Oh, the romance is there – and it’s good! But Andie’s on a journey of personal growth and self-discovery that will have to take precedence over everything else. And the journey is so well done. I loved that the Andie is in college. It’s the perfect setting for her journey. There’s tons to love – from the dorm to the relationships to Bagelopolis. It’s all lovely.

There were several laugh-out-loud moments in this – as I’ve come to expect from the author – as well as great characters, and an engaging story. Emma Lord fans should not miss this one. And if the author is new to you, go ahead and pick up her backlist, too, because you are going to want to read them all! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Enneagram Life by Elizabeth Bennett

REVIEW: Enneagram Life by Elizabeth Bennett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

The full title of this book is Enneagram Life: Personal, Relational, and Biblical insights for All Seasons, and the author has also published a set of 60-day devotionals by type. So this comes from a Christian perspective.

This Enneagram resource was a fascinating read. The structure of the book – assigning content to different life stages – was clever and unique. It’s not often you save the topic of wings, for example, until the end! There are also some references to non-Enneagram things like birth order and introversion/extroversion and gender, but as they relate to the Enneagram, which was interesting. (The gender chapter references only male/female.) I learned a lot from working through this material, although I did stick mostly with my own number rather than reading broadly for each section/chapter.

My favorite section was the chapter on workplace stances. It gave me a fresh perspective on my workplace and co-workers. I will definitely be revisiting that material.

I don’t know that I would recommend this as a starting resource for Enneagram newbies – it includes some higher tier material like subtypes pretty early on. But I think after something like The Road Back to You, this could be a good second book. The author and I seem to both like this idea of starter material vs higher tier information as she has a tiered list of recourses at the end of the book as well.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: January 24, 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 24, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

There are some fun looking books out this week – let’s check them out!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

6 Times We Almost Kissed – Bickering friends try to stay on their best behavior for the sake of their moms who are recovering from major surgeries. Living across the hall from each other while their moms recover leads them to re-examine several almost-kisses from their past.
Begin Again – Andie’s plans to transfer from her community college to a hyper-competitive state school don’t quite go like she imagined. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with an Emma Lord book, so this is definitely on my list!
Spice Road – First in a new series. Imani must track down her missing brother – who seems to be sharing their land’s spice magic with outsiders – so she can protect her home.

Books for Adults

 

Breaking All the Rules (Mass Market Paperback) – Beatrice has had enough and moved to a new community to live life on her own terms – and a cute local LEO might be just the guy to help with the romantic side of her new life.
Georgie, All Along (Trade Paperback) – After years of putting others first, Georgie has the chance to get in touch with herself through an old diary and an unexpected friend.
Make a Wish (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Spark House series. Harley thinks she is over the mortification of trying to kiss the widowed man she worked for – it’s been years, and he moved away. But now he’s back – and he doesn’t seem to remember anything at all.
How to Human: Three Ways to Share Life Beyond What Distracts, Divides, and Disconnects Us (Trade Paperback, Nonfiction) – A look at how we can become the best versions of ourselves.
How We Relate: Understanding God, Yourself and Others Through the Enneagram (Hardcover, Nonfiction) – A new book on the Enneagram, so of course, I already ordered this one!
The Journey Home: A Biblical Guide to Using the Enneagram to Deepen Your Faith and Relationships (Trade Paperback, Nonfiction) – Another new Enneagram resource – I don’t have this one ordered yet, but it’s on my list

REVIEW: Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby

REVIEW: Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Cranky Chicken inadvertently saves a worm and finds herself with an unexpected, chipper friend.

As I said recently in another review, when it comes to books for adults, I don’t usually seek out the Grumpy/Sunshine trope. But when it comes to kids books, I love it! This reminds me a lot of Piggie and Gerald books or Ballet Cat in all the best ways. This made me laugh out loud more than once. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

REVIEW: Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ellie Christie has returned home to work at the family store, the Book Chalet. The Colorado shop, accessible by ski gondola, is a book lovers’ destination! But when a mysterious man shows up at the shop looking for “Cece” and is later murdered, Ellie and her sister, Meg, start hunting for a killer.

 

Review

This was a lot of fun! I would definitely read more of these. El is a great point of view character, and her immediate family was lovely. There are the typical “colorful locals” that you expect from a cozy mystery series. The location was great – both the Chalet (a place I’d love to visit!) and the town. And the mystery was twisty! I was proud of my personal sleuthing skills to puzzle out the culprit, but the author kept me second guessing until the end.

If you love cozy mysteries – especially checking out new series – be sure to check this one out. The snowy setting is perfect for January reading, and there are some fun Agatha Christie trivia facts included.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: January 17, 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 17, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Lots of great-sounding new books out this week – let’s take a look!

Books for Kids

I Am John Lewis – The latest in the Ordinary People Change the World series.
To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights – Examines the impact of the character of Uhura – and the actress who originally played her – on the world.
Nat the Cat Takes a Nap – First in a new leveled reader series from the author of the Enginerds and the Hunger Heroes. As Nat the Cat tries to nap, the narrator is keeping him awake.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Figure It Out Henri Weldon – Henrietta is excited about getting to move to a mainstream school, but the changes start causing problems at home. This one looks fantastic!
The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing – A girl who never seems to run out of questions gets some new ones when her grandfather moves in with them, still grieving the loss of his wife.
Lost Legends of Nothing (Graphic Novel) – Book two in this series. Nathan and his friends continue to work to save Nothing. I have book 1 on my wish list!
Star Trek Prodigy: A Dangerous Trade – An original story from the new Star Trek Prodigy series.
As You Walk on By – Theo hides in a bedroom when his promposal goes awry, but one by one he’s joined by other classmates also avoiding things outside the bedroom. This is on my list for this month!
Seven Percent of Ro Devereux – Ro’s remarkable app has gotten the attention of financial backers, but to show them her app is flawless she has to fake date her ex best friend.

Books for Adults

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone (Hardcover) – The title of this alone would get me to pick this up! I can’t wait to read this family reunion mystery.
Murder at the Bookstore (e-book, January 19) – A mystery writer with writer’s block finds herself the suspect when a bookstore owner dies and she is named the heir. I have already pre-ordered this one!
The Reunion (Trade Paperback) – Former teen stars reunite at a cast reunion where they discover they still have chemistry together. This looks great!
Sweeter Than Chocolate (Trade Paperback) – A reporter and a baker team up to track the stories of customers who found love through the bakery’s special Cupid Chocolates.
Parenting: Getting It Right (Hardcover Nonfiction) – A parenting resource from pastor Andy Stanley and his wife.

REVIEW: Just Wild Enough by Marta Magellan

REVIEW: Just Wild Enough by Marta Magellan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Marta Magellan tells the story of primatologist Mireya Mayor in this delightful new picture book. Mireya Mayor has loved animals and been fascinated by them her whole life. “Wild” was kind of her vibe. The book chronicles her quest for the “wild” as she moved from dancer to NFL cheerleader to scientist. The media has called Mayor “the female Indiana Jones.” And this book briefly tells the story of her discovery of a new species of mouse lemur and her efforts to preserve its home.

My husband met Mayor at convention recently and picked this book up for me. And it’s terrific! I loved how the author wove “wild’ through her subject’s journey from childhood to her work as a primatologist. The author includes just enough information to round out the story, but she never gets too lost in details that might cause her to lose her audience. And the illustrations are engaging and beautiful. Classrooms and libraries in need of more picture book biographies, especially ones looking to highlight women in STEM, should considering adding this to their collections!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: The Heretic Royal by G. A. Aiken

REVIEW: The Heretic Royal by G. A. Aiken

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.]

Summary

Queen Annwyl the Bloody (Dragon Actually) – the Mad Queen – has come to Forgetown, the lands ruled by Keely, the Blacksmith Queen. And Annwyl is not alone. She has a group of shapeshifting dragons with her.

While Keely and her sister Gemma try to figure out what to make of the unpredictable woman and her dragon allies, their sister Ainsley is trying to make her mark and get her family to take her seriously. So when an opportunity arises for her to take a swipe at her sister Beatrix’s rival army, Ainsley and her friends take it.

Review

Wow! I have some mixed feelings on this one, but the bottom line is WOW. The epilogue left me gasping and growling. I read this 4 months ago, so I am looking at 16-18 months or more of waiting until book 4 releases. Ugh. I need it!

Almost a year ago, when I first saw the pre-order for this, the third book in the Scarred Earth Saga, I couldn’t hit the pre-order button fast enough. I was thrilled to get a chance to read an early review copy, something I treated myself to during my 2022 sabbatical. I have adored this series since I first heard about The Blacksmith Queen (♥♥♥♥♥).

That said, I struggled with this one. I loved the glimpses of Ainsley in the last book. But the fun, punchy moments earlier in the series became these longer fights with Gemma that were hard to enjoy. Also, the arrival of the dragons at the end of book 2 became a long “introduction” to this book, and it dragged. And I could not get a handle on the various dragons. (Readers who have read the author’s Dragon Kin series will not struggle like I did. I didn’t realize this was a crossover until after I finished reading.) But on the first read through, I couldn’t keep them straight. I would have loved more scenes with Ainsley and her friends, too. They were a curious trio, and I wanted more of them together, bantering and battling, which would have been a fun attempt to balance the more stagnant dragon parts. Also, the romance here was only okay. I didn’t feel it had the same build up – and fun – as in the previous two books.

To me, this felt like a transitional book, one with a goal of moving characters to wherever they need to go to be ready for book 4. So for me this lost something by not having a strong, driving story of its own. Most of the “action” here centered on Keely’s stronghold and trying to build an alliance, teeing things up for later.

That said, I am still fully invested in this Saga. I adored Isadora’s appearances in this book. I imagine the next book will be hers. I’m eager to read it, but that anticipation is tempered by the dragging parts of this one and the experience of loving Ainsley in bits and pieces earlier in the series, but not loving her quite so much when the full focus of a book was on her. But I have my fingers crossed for book 4 to be a better fit for me.

These books absolutely need to be read in order. You do not want to miss the amazingness of The Blacksmith Queen and The Princess Knight. I re-read both in preparation for this, and loved them just as much in a re-read as I did the first time through. I feel like this series is fantasy with hints of romance. If that sounds up your alley, pick up the whole trio of books out now so you are ready for book 4 when it releases. (Language, violence, gore, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: January 10, 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 10, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I have my eye on!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Superteacher Project – Two students suspect something about their new homeroom teacher isn’t quite right.
What Happened to Rachel Riley? – A new girl starts a podcast to document her search into what happened to take Rachel Riley from the top of the social food chain to the very bottom at their middle school. I am fascinated by this one!
What Is the Story of Nancy Drew?
Friday I’m in Love – Mahalia starts planning a coming out party, but in her effort to have everything she wants – including the party, and a girlfriend – things start to get out of hand.
The Wicked Ones – First in a new line from Disney that explores some of the classic villains. In this case, readers get an inside look at Cinderella’s step-sisters.

Books for Adults

Spare (Harcover) – A memoir.