Month: October 2023

BOOK NEWS: October 31, 2023

BOOK NEWS: October 31, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy almost-Halloween! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

I Am Mister Rogers – The latest in the Ordinary People Change the World series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Hidden Truths (Older Middle Grade) – Something new from Elly Swartz.  A best friendship is in jeopardy when Eric can’t be sure Dani’s accident isn’t his fault.
The Lotus Flower Champion – Instead of being able to focus on her mother’s final days, a young woman is stranded on an island with strangers as Thai mythology comes to life around them. This one is on my list!
People to Follow – A group of social media influencers are invited to an island for a 3-week reality show “off the grid.” But when none of the crew arrives, and one of the influencers is killed, it becomes obvious that something more menacing is going on. Yes, please!!
The Rosewood Hunt – Four teens are on an unexpected treasure hunt when Lily’s grandmother dies and her fortune goes missing. Fascinating!

Books for Adults

A Dish Best Served Hot (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Vega Family Love Stories series. High school sweethearts reconnect years later when she discovers his family is what has put the LGBTQ+ youth shelter at risk. This series is new to me, but I have both books in my cart right now!
Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond (Hardcover) – A memoir.

REVIEW: The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

REVIEW: The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Grayson is drawn to Phoenix to help the younger sisters he has never met. But the line between helping them in their current circumstances and protecting them from the truth gets hard to walk. If necessary, he’d rather have them hate him in order to keep his secrets – for everyone’s sake.

Jameson’s father draws him into a challenge he can’t resist. Make his way into a secret gaming establishment and retrieve what his father lost. Jameson’s never been one to walk away from a challenge – especially if it can connect him to the family he’s never known.

Two of the four Hawthorne brothers might be running personal missions – but they are never alone. Avery, Nash, and Xander are always ready to lend a hand.

Review

This is a continuation of the Inheritance Games series – and readers really need to have have read that whole series for this to make sense. In fact, I wish I had at least re-read Final Gambit for a refresher before diving into this.

The emphasis here is on the brothers rather than Avery (although she does play a part). I have never connected with Jameson in the earlier books, so him telling half the story here really made it hard for me to get into this initially. Grayson’s story was a little easier for me to enjoy.

By the end, though, I was completely in the groove. I loved any time the four brothers were all together. (Xander is my favorite by far – I *need* a Xander-focused story!) The ending of both stories was great, and the next book is set up nicely at the very end. Fans of The Inheritance Games should absolutely pick this up to continue the story of these characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

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

Laurel never planned on lying. Yes, her life was in total disarray. And she desperately needed a job. But she clearly stated in her interview that she ran social media for Meadow Rose Farm. Her boss made the assumption that it was her farm. But when she could have corrected him, she didn’t.

She *really* needed that job.

And so far it’s worked out. Her twin sister, Holly, and her husband, Darius, do own the farm. So Laurel writes her pieces about what HOLLY does – just in first person.

But now her boss has invited himself to Christmas Eve Eve at the farm. And while Holly is happy to help with the subterfuge for Laurel’s sake, she’s not willing to sacrifice Darius to the cause. So they’ve invited Max Beckett to play Laurel’s husband. Too bad she hates the man.

Review

This absolutely has those Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. And I was here for it! This was so fun to read! I adore fake relationship stories – although the “be my date to all the things so my relatives leave me alone” style usually involves less outright lying than this did. But I loved Laurel and her whole family. And Max was my favorite sort of grump – you know there’s depth there. The “sunshine” just has to slow down and give him a chance.

Yes, the inevitable disaster was as painful as you can imagine. But the resolution was also all I had hoped for. I can’t recommend this highly enough. This should appeal to Hallmark fans, grumpy/sunshine fans, fake relationship fans, fans of the author’s other books, as well as everyday romantic comedy fans. Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: October 24, 2023

BOOK NEWS: October 24, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Final Word – A charity spelling bee turns into a hunt for clues through a family chalet for a set of twins. This sounds fun!
Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity – Book 5 in the Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery series. Myrtle and her governess are stranded on an island with a thief if not a killer. I really enjoyed the first book in this series! Can’t wait to get caught up to this one.
Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica (Older Middle Grade) – I love infographics!!

Books for Adults

 

Emergency Contact (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Lauren Layne.  A woman with a concussion ends up stuck on an out-of-town trip with her ex as her “emergency contact” to monitor her. Yes, please!
Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date (Trade Paperback – LGBTQ+) – Book 3 in the Bright Falls series. A romance writer on deadline with no ideas agrees to fake date her last (disastrous) one night stand. I’m intrigued by this one.
It’s a Date (Again) (Trade Paperback) – A woman with amnesia finds three men at her bedside, each claiming to be her boyfriend. She just can’t remember which of them she was going to say yes to marrying. So her friends suggest she date them all again. I pre-ordered this weeks ago!
Murder in Drury Lane (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Lady Worthing Mystery series. Lady Worthing is drawn into a murder at the Drury Lane Theatre
The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline (Hardcover) – Movie stills and plot descriptions lay out the MCU in timeline order. This looks gorgeous, but it’s on the pricey side, along the lines of the Art of books for various Marvel movies.

REVIEW: Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

REVIEW: Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

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

When Willow (AKA Detective Duck) and her friends hear a splash in the pond, she is on the case to discover the cause. Once she puzzles it out, she’ll have two more mysteries to solve – how to get the thing OUT of the pond, and what to do with it next?

Review

This is a cute transitional chapter book with a fun cast of animal characters. I can still hear Henry Winkler’s voice as he first described the series concept on a late-night talk show. It was fun to get to read the first book in the new series.

Willow is both industrious and compassionate. She uses her Stuff Box in her efforts to address the problems, and she looks out for how the problem will impact her community. She also invites community members to help. I liked that Willow gets to work on essentially 3 “mysteries” or puzzles/problems with her friends. It gives the reader something to look forward to once they know what caused the mysterious splash.

Willow is a clever and determined main character, and her adventure here is so fun. Many readers will appreciate the strong environmental message in the book, too! I recommend this one for parents/grandparents as well as teachers and librarians. Kids are going to enjoy this new series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Cordova

REVIEW: Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Cordova

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ariel del Mar and her sisters – Siren Seven – have fulfilled their part of the deal with their record label – and their father. They’ve been performing for years. And now all of the girls get a break to do what they want – to just “be” for awhile. Except for Ariel. Her father wants her to “strike while the iron’s hot” and launch a solo career.

When Ariel meets Eric, lead singer of Star Crossed, as her true self, Melody, instead of her stage persona, he has no idea who she is. And some freedom and anonymity sounds like all she’s been craving. So she signs on to be his band’s merch person on their tour.

With her sisters providing cover with their dad, Melody has a chance to rediscover who she is – what’s really her and what’s just the character she’s been playing on stage. But real feelings start to bloom between Melody and Eric. What will happen when he discovers the truth? Or when her father finally tracks her down?

Review

This is book 3 in the Meant to Be series of fairytale retellings after If the Shoe Fits and By the Book. Each is written by a different author. This is the first one I have read – the plot summary was so amazing I couldn’t pre-order this fast enough. But I will absolutely be checking out the rest.

This was excellent! The author does an excellent job with Little Mermaid touches throughout the book. Yet the story is original and allowed to stand on its own without being forced into a template by the movie.

I loved the characters in this! Melody and Eric are great, and the secondary characters really add a lot to the story. I would have loved to see more of the sisters together – they were great!

I did have to remind myself, often, that the characters here are adults, not teens. There’s a YA vibe to the story that worked for me until something happened (like drinking alcohol) to remind me these were adults.

If you like fairytale retellings like I do, don’t miss this one. This is a stand alone story, so you don’t have to have read any of the others to enjoy this. (Language, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read

BOOK NEWS: October 17, 2023

BOOK NEWS: October 17, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

I’m not quite sure how we have gotten halfway through October already, but here we are. Let’s see some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash – Detective Duck works with her friends on environmental problems that crop up at their pond.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Lost Legends: The Fixer Upper – Book 3 in Disney’s Lost Legends series (after books about Flynn Rider and Aladdin). In an effort to get Kristoff to relate to other children, his adoptive troll family sends him to school. But it’s not a great fit for Kristoff, especially with his childhood bully there. He hopes he can win the ice harvester competition and that will help him to fit in.
The Queen’s Crown (e-book, October 19) – Book 1 in the League of Rulers series from the author of the Knights of the Realm series. Sabine seeks to avenge her sister’s murder by trying to take her place in the kingdom where she was about to wed, but the king is distractingly appealing even while she tries to dodge a killer in the court. I cannot wait to read this!!!
Thin Air – A teen invited to compete in a contest that could pull her and her family out of poverty forever boards a plane to Europe with the other contestants who then start to die on the plane. A locked-room mystery on an airplane? Stunning!

Books for Adults

10 Things That Never Happened (Trade Paperback) – Jonathan has determined it’s time to let Sam go from his job, but when Sam bumps his head and accidentally implies he has amnesia, Jonathan feels like he can’t fire him. But as the two spend time together, Sam still faking amnesia, the feelings between them become more and more complicated. Yeah, this one is on the list!
Dragged to the Wedding (Trade Paperback) – A closeted gay man needs a date to a family wedding, so a drag queen agrees to help him out. Yes, please!
Friends Don’t Fall in Love (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Erin Hahn. A former country star reaches out to her ex’s  best friend to help her reclaim her lost career. This is a book for *adults* so readers should remember this will be spicier than her YA stories.
Home at Night (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the awesome Mercy Carr Mystery series. A supposedly haunted manor becomes a site for a murder. I love this series and can’t wait to read this new book.
Let’s Get Quizzical (Trade Paperback) – High school exes have a second chance at love when they are paired up on a televised quiz show. This sounds fun!
One Christmas Morning (Trade Paperback) – A woman hiding from past heartbreak during Christmas inhabits the lives of several of her friends in a Christmas miracle designed to help her face her past. Yes!!
Stalking Around the Christmas Tree (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. Holly is sleuthing again when a visiting dancer is killed right before Christmas.

REVIEW: Quadzilla Finds His Footing by AJ Dillon

REVIEW: Quadzilla Finds His Footing by AJ Dillon

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Quadzilla likes hanging out with his monster friends. They are all good at something they play, but Quadzilla hasn’t found his “thing,” yet.

Review

The Green Bay Packers posted a video this summer where they asked various players what they did during the off season. Running Back AJ Dillon said he wrote a children’s book. Of course, I had to check it out.

This is a cute story with a nice message about trying again and perseverance. Quadzilla eventually finds his place/activity in football, of course. But he also keeps trying the things his friends like, too.

The message makes this a fun read, and I think kids will get a kick out of the monster characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

♥♥♥ = Good/Solid/Fine

REVIEW: Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

REVIEW: Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Duke of Woriton, Michael Bromley, likely would never leave his home laboratory and science experiments if he had his way. But his aunt has asked him to watch her beloved poodle, Lancelot, for a few weeks. To keep Lancelot, and his aunt, happy, Michael takes the dog out for regular walks.

Elizabeth Dockering has her own poodle, Galahad. And Galahad is NOT a fan of her primary suitor, Lord Peter Cordray. Galahad is her best protector, but his behavior does get out of hand at times. Like when he runs off at the park and gets tangled with another dog – and that weird Duke of Woriton.

Elizabeth and Michael accidentally trade dogs, but before they can set things right, Lancelot is dognapped from Elizabeth’s home. So naturally, Michael and Elizabeth have to team up to find Lancelot. And the more time they spend together, the more their assumptions about one another are challenged.

Review

This was outstanding! I adored everything about it. The mismatched dognapping was everything I wanted it to be. The main characters had delightful depth that was revealed gradually – to each other and to the reader. The scientific bits were interesting. The whole book is funny.  And the wrap up is supremely satisfying. This was delightful to read – a perfect way to lose myself for a few hours. When I finished I realized I would happily flip back to page one and start again. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: October 10, 2023

BOOK NEWS: October 10, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Let’s take a look at some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Frankie and Friends: Breaking News – When Frankie’s mom leaves on an assignment to cover a news event, Frankie and her friends decide to host their own news show. This new chapter book series looks fantastic!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Curlfriends: New in Town (Graphic Novel) – Charlie is used to being the new kid thanks to her military family’s frequent moves, but this looks like a place they could stay awhile, so she’s determined to make a good impression. But nothing goes like she planned. This sounds amazing!
Diana and the Hero’s Journey – The girl who will some day become Wonder Woman discovers the story of the first Greek hero, Hero.
Trouble Finds Plum! – Book 3 in a series about a young peacock named Plum. When the Athensville Zoo is overrun by raccoons, Plum has a plan to save the day.
Huda F Cares? (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in this YA graphic novel series about Huda. This time Huda and her family are going to Disney World, but the forced togetherness with her sisters and the ways her family stands out in Florida are challenging.

Books for Adults

Better Hate Than Never (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Wilmot Sisters series after Two Wrongs Make a Right. Childhood enemies discover an unexpected spark in this modern take on Taming of the Shrew. I have book 1, based on Much Ado About Nothing, on my TBR, and now I think I need to bump it up the list because those two Shakespeare plays are my favorites!
The Holiday Mix-Up (Trade Paperback) – Basically While You Were Sleeping with fake dating – and I am HERE FOR IT!
Let It Crow Let It Crow Let It Crow (Hardcover) – Book 34 in the Meg Langslow series. To help out a friend, Meg gets pulled into a televised blacksmithing competition at Christmas time. Yes, please!
Love Interest (Trade Paperback) – After Casey is passed over for a job, she has to work with the person who got it instead of her – the son of the board chairman.
The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed (Trade Paperback) – Sana’s mother won’t let her be named guardian of her autistic younger brother unless she is married, so she agrees to an arranged marriage, despite her feelings for an old friend (and family enemy) who has resurfaced in her life.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Illyrian Enigma (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel bridging season one and two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Sword Catcher (Hardcover) – The prince’s body double and a magic-wielding physician get drawn into the criminal underworld of their kingdom where each is offered what they truly want most. But they uncover a conspiracy that leads them to question everything. This sounds amazing!
‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas (Hardcover) – Book 28 in the delightful  Andy Carpenter series. Andy defends a man who adopted his dogs from the Tara Foundation when he’s accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!