Month: February 2025

REVIEW: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

REVIEW: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

The Charm Girls (from The Charming Life of Izzy Malone) are back, finishing up their month of grounding. (Things in the last book got a bit out of hand!) Aunt Mildred has challenges for the girls to undertake as their club continues.

Violet’s life has taken a humongous turn in that month. Her dad has remarried which means they are moving in with her new step-mom and her kids. Violet’s mom has been gone for a year and a half, and now everything is changing again.

Violet’s trying. She really is. Her mom always said if you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all. So rather than spew her frustration over all she’s had to give up, she keeps it all inside. She’s not even sure she can tell the Charm Girls how she really feels. They complain about their moms, but at least they still have them.

When Violet finds a final letter from her mom, with a Christmas To Do list, she decides to try to make this Christmas a little better by focusing on her mom’s list. But with everything going on at the new house, the Christmas To Do list might not be enough.

Review

This was a delight. I loved spending time with the Charm Girls again. And I adored Violet’s story. Violet is my kind of kid – an only child, a word nerd, and I could identify with her grief. Her struggles with her loss and the huge changes to her family were completely realistic. Violet tries to manage these major life changes on her own. That’s hard to do for an adult, much less for a middle schooler. I love the coping mechanisms she learns – writing letters, and sharing the burdens with friends and family.

I hope there will be more Charm Girl books in the future. The entire community is a delight. And I’d like more stories so I can see how Violet and her new family are doing as they continue to negotiate their new life together. I can’t recommend this series highly enough. Both books are an absolute treat!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

REVIEW: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Violet has been preparing her whole life to attend Basgiath War College as a scribe, just like her father. But following his death, her mother, General Sorrengail, decides she must join the Riders Quadrant instead – the most ruthless and deadly path at Basgiath.

The cadets who survive the initiation and early training have the chance to bond with a dragon which means developing a magical gift and riding that dragon into battle. But there are fewer and fewer dragons willing to bond with humans. So the competition is fierce. Violet has never been physically strong or healthy, so she’s already at a significant disadvantage. And on top of that, there are others at Basgiath who want to kill her.

Review

Yes, I know. This book pubbed almost 2 years ago, and was almost immediately a huge hit. But my copy sat on my TBR bookcase for ages. I don’t always love books with a lot of hype, so I was reluctant to take my chances with it. Then book 3 released to great fanfare, and it felt like time.

This absolutely lived up to the hype! I was sold from the start, and never wanted to put the book down.

This felt comfortable and familiar from the start – I’ve read this sort of book before. The heroine who isn’t supposed to be special, who has to overcome all sorts of trials to prove herself – both to others and herself. The bad boy love interest. All familiar. And all ABSOLUTELY my jam. By the time I got to the dragon portion of the story, I had already ordered the next two books so I could get completely caught up with the series. It’s so fun to finally understand all the memes!

If you love these sorts of stories as much as I do, be sure to give this one a try if you haven’t already! (Language, violence, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: February 25, 2025

BOOK NEWS: February 25, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

The Cookie Vote – A new book in the Mr. TIffin’s Classroom series. (The Dinosaur Expert is my favorite  of the books I’ve read.) Mr. Tiffin’s class is going to the state capital, and the kids want to learn about how a bill becomes a law by making their own bill to choose a “state cookie.”
What Is the Bible? – A picture book about the Bible from Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Tear This Down – A new book from Barbara Dee. When a student discovers her town’s namesake had some problematic beliefs about women, she decides the man’s statue in town should be replaced with one of a local suffragette.

Books for Adults

Big Name Fan (Hardcover, LGBTQ+) – First in the TV Detectives series. Two actresses who played TV detectives get the chance to solve a real-life murder. This sounds terrific!
Book Boyfriend (Trade Paperback) – A woman spends her time at a con for her favorite series with her work nemesis who thinks he can find love if he takes some tips from her favorite book boyfriends from the series.
Famous Last Words (Hardcover) – A literary agent at the end of her maternity leave, about to return to work, wakes up to a nightmare when she gets news that her husband has become a terrorist, a gunman holding people hostage.
Greenteeth (Trade Paperback) – A lake monster and a witch team up against forces of evil in this new cozy fantasy novel.
Not Quite by the Book (March 1 release) – Something new from Julie Anne Lindsey. A young woman, disappointed with her life’s trajectory, tries life as a recluse,  renting a house away from her family and her life where she can be alone.
Something Like Fate (Trade Paperback, March 1) – A woman from a family of women who have the power to have visions of “The One” finally has her vision, but reality – and her feelings for her best friend – might get in the way of her HEA.
Star Wars: Reign of the Empire – The Mask of Fear (Hardcover) – First in a new Star Wars series. These are the stories of the three architects of the Rebellion – Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa – in the earliest days of the Empire.
Swordheart (Hardcover re-release of a previously-published story) – A woman who inherits her uncle’s estate finds an enchanted sword – and the warrior attached to it who is bound to protect whoever wields it. This sounds delightful! Another cozy fantasy on today’s list.
Three Bags Full (Trade Paperback) – First in  a new Sheep Detective series. A flock of sheep become amateur detectives when they try to discover who killed their shepherd.
Unlikely Story (Trade Paperback, March 1) – A therapist who is also secretly an advice columnist has fallen in love with someone she’s never met.

REVIEW: The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matthew Landis

REVIEW: The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matthew Landis

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

Oliver is a major history nerd – and proud of it. He loves all things Civil War.  He reads Civil War books and even does battle reenactments. His room is decorated with flags and other memorabilia he has found online. When his history teacher announces a Civil War project, Oliver is thrilled.

He’s less thrilled about the details of the project. First, he has to have a partner. And his teacher puts Oliver with Ella, an unkempt girl who seems to be failing all of her classes. Second, they have to research Private Raymond Stone – a guy no one’s heard of. It’s bad enough to Ollie that he has to work with a partner he doesn’t want. But he doesn’t even get to focus on one of the generals or battles he already loves.

Everything about this project is going to challenge Oliver – challenge his concept of friendship, his understanding of history and the Civil War, and his understanding of himself.

Review

Outstanding! I absolutely adored this book! It’s smart and informative and SO funny! The premise is excellent. There are some great history lessons worked in around an engaging story with great characters. The three kids at the center of the story are fantastic. Ella is maybe the most complex, but Ollie and Kevin have some fun depth and interesting stories. Mr. Carrow, the history teacher, is a hoot! He’s my favorite kind of teacher – he knows his material, he’s committed to keeping his students engaged with creative lessons, and he’s funny. The English teacher plays an excellent role in the story, too.

Family is another fascinating theme in this book. Ella’s family is the obvious one that first comes to mind – distracted parents, perfect older sibling, and Ella feels invisible. Ollie’s family, by contrast, is committed to helping Ollie and his sister pursue their own interests. And there are hints at other interesting families throughout the book.

The Civil War sections of the story are fascinating. The author is a history teacher, and he does a great job of making the information accessible and interesting to readers.

This book is the full package – terrific story, characters you care about, and lots of laughs and heart!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Funny Story by Emily Henry

REVIEW: Funny Story by Emily Henry

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Daphne’s fiancé, Peter, calls off their wedding, she’s blindsided. He had always insisted his best friend, Petra, was just a platonic friend. But now they are together – and Daphne’s alone.

Petra’s fiancé, Miles, invites Daphne to move into the extra bedroom now that Petra is with Peter. They can lick their wounds and try to put their lives back together.

When Petra and Peter announce their upcoming wedding, Miles and Daphne both RSVP in a drunken haze. But when Peter calls, patronizing and dismissive, Daphne puts on a brave front and tells him Miles will be her plus 1 as they’re now a couple. Now, she just has to clue Miles in on their fake relationship.

Review

This is my first Emily Henry in awhile, and I enjoyed it. It took me a few chapters to get into it, and I even thought about DNFing. But then every year end favorites list I saw on social media included this book. I had to give it another try.

Once I was in a better reading space, I completely fell for Daphne and Miles both. I loved the fake relationship – and then the not-quite-fake relationship that grew between them.

And that fun romance would have been enough. But several of the female characters, including Daphne, had these great moments of personal growth or insight that seemed to jump off the page. These paragraphs were the icing on the cake of this story.

Henry fans should definitely pick this one up. Romance fans, especially those who like fake relationship stories, should not miss this. The painful lies and subterfuge you sometimes get in a fake relationship book are not present here, to my great relief. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: February 18, 2025

BOOK NEWS: February 18, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

I Am Sally Ride – The latest picture book biography in the Ordinary People Change the World series.
Where Did TJ Go? – Writer and speaker Annie F. Downs brings kids and families this book on grief and loss, specifically infant loss. While the full description of the book will bring tears to your eyes, this could be a valuable resource for families experiencing loss.
The Woofmore On Thin Ice – Book 3 in the Woofmore early chapter book series. The Woofmore is counting on a positive review from a famous figure skater to bring more business to the hotel.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Racing the Clouds (Older Middle Grade, 10-14 year olds) – Sage hopes a summer vacation spent with the grandparents she’s never met will help mend the rifts between her and her dad after what happened last year.
Truth Cursed – An orphaned young woman is trained by a rebel spy ring and sent to infiltrate the royal court.

Books for Adults

A Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder (e-book reissue) – This completed series from Julie Anne Lindsey is being REISSUED, and I am here for it. I loved the whole series! Book 1 is out this week.
Never Planned on You (Trade Paperback) – Ali encounters the man she once drunkenly got tattoos with in England, but now he’s the groom in the wedding she’s supposed to be planning.
An Overdue Match (Trade Paperback) – Book one in the new Checking Out Love series. The new librarian in town teams up with a tattoo artist to matchmake her patrons.
To Sicily with Love (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Meet Me in Italy series. A woman who recently lost her parents discovers through a DNA test that she has family in Sicily and travels there to see if she can find herself once again.
Wooing the Witch Queen (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Queens of Villainy series by Stephanie Burgis. A sorceress queen takes on an assistant to help her organize her magical library so she can concentrate on protecting her kingdom, not realizing that he is hiding things about himself. I’m looking forward to this one!
You Between the Lines (Trade Paperback) – A woman in an MFA program struggling with imposter syndrome encounters her high school nemesis in the program.

REVIEW: The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

REVIEW: The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

Three kids from different schools have a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship. But they are not the kids you would expect to be chosen for a scholarship contest:

  • Melissa does homework for other kids for money so she and her little brother can have lunch at school. Her teacher assumes she is copying off of others. Her guidance counselor is convinced Melissa was included by mistake and assumes she will fail spectacularly.
  • Bondi is “Mr. Personality,” a guy who uses his people skills to help out kids in need at school and get a class pet elected school president.
  • Wilf has smooth moves, able to stealthily steal tardy slips. He’s not much of a go-getter at school or at home.

The scholarship coordinator, Mr. Smith, gives each of the kids a cell phone, a driver, a debit card for expenses, and three clues to solve. The first to correctly solve them wins the $10,000. As the kids work their own angles on the puzzle, though, they start to think there’s more going on than Mr. Smith has explained

Review

This fun, clever story feels like The Westing Game (♥♥♥♥♥). The puzzles are tricky and lead to various Chicago landmarks. There are fun twists that lead the kids to the truth of what’s really going on.

I enjoyed the three kids at the center of this story. I loved Melissa. Her guidance counselor was HORRIBLE. I loved that Melissa excelled beyond whatever pathetic assumptions and expectations her school personnel had for her. Bondi has the healthiest situation. His parents were great, and his situation was pretty normal. I didn’t get as good of a feel for Wilf as the other two. His relationship with his driver and the way Wilf approaches the contest does give some hints to his life.

This is a terrific, smart, and satisfying story! It will appeal to mystery fans as well as readers who enjoy clue and puzzle stories like The Puzzling World of Winston Breen or The Westing Game. This would be a fantastic class read aloud or a book club selection. You can find other reviews of terrific middle grade mystery and puzzle stories, including The Great Pet Heist by this same author, here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Fearless Christian University by John W. Hawthorne

REVIEW: The Fearless Christian University by John W. Hawthorne

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The author lays out a bleak picture for Christian universities, citing the rise of the “nones” (those who claim no religious affiliation or practice) and questions of the value and cost of college among other factors. As someone working at a small Christian university, the only surprises were some of the statistics shared by the author. The realities themselves are quite familiar to me.

The tone of this can come across as antagonistic and perhaps defensive, at least at first. The author has served in a variety of Christian institutions of Higher Education and brings his personal and professional experiences with him – good and bad. But over the course of the book, the author seems less antagonistic and more prophetic, pleading with the powers that be in Christian Higher Ed to change course.

Hawthorne recommends things like:

  • keeping focus on quality education and pedagogy with a Christian identity, remembering students are being prepared to engage the world, not just to get a job
  • improving the partnership between faculty and administration, reshaping the business model away from a “church” or “factory” type to a “laboratory” type (This was my favorite chapter.)
  • targeting potential students more broadly than just white evangelicals
  • reimagining the roles of the Church and the University in relation to one another.

The book includes examples of cultural change regarding LGBTQ+ students, asserting there are many ways for schools to support their queer students without having to declare themselves “affirming” or running up against Church stances on homosexuality.

The shining stars for me in this challenging read are the imagined examples of two “fearless Christian universities” in the closing section. The descriptions were inspiring and both schools felt like places I would love to serve. There are plenty of links in the author’s citations which make this an appealing e-book read.

Overall, I felt this book was prophetic, but sadly like the prophets of the Old Testament who warned of impending exile but were largely ignored. I’m not sure many schools will have the courage to hear and respond. Still, if I had the resources, I would buy this for every member of our Board of Trustees and school administration, not to mention for faculty and staff. This would make for an excellent conversation starter for those who love Christian Higher Ed and are looking for encouragement and potential solutions. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2025

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Bat and the Business of Ferrets – Book 4 in the Bat series. As Bat tries to adjust to the changes that come with a new grade, new classroom, and new teacher, he hopes to convince his teacher – and a classmate – that a class Ferret would be a good idea.
HiLo: The Great Space Iguana (Graphic Novel) – HiLo and his friends try to help a giant space iguana get home.
Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the Lighthouse AND Murder at the Museum – A young sleuth pretending to be a famous detective solves mysteries including a murder at a museum (Book 1) and one at a lighthouse (Book 2).
Unicorn Book Club (Graphic Novel) – Book 21 in the delightful Phoebe and her Unicorn series. Marigold and Phoebe create a book club. Yes, please!
Wicked Darlings – An aspiring journalist investigates her sister’s death

Books for Adults

Celebrity Crush (Trade Paperback) – An author suggests a fake dating scheme to the actor staring in the adaptation of her book to give them both some important positive PR.
Change of Heart (Trade Paperback) – A cynical lawyer is transported to a Hallmark channel-esque small town where she has to complete three tasks in order to get back to her real life.
Death at the Shipshape Bookshop (Trade Paperback) – An Alaskan bookstore owner becomes a part time sleuth after her bookshop is ransacked and someone is murdered in her back room.
Get Lost With You (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Rock Bottom Love series. A single mom takes a second chance at love.
A Girl Like Us (Hardcover) – A party girl turned heiress investigates the family she married into looking for answers to questions that have already left someone dead.
The Last Hamilton (Trade Paperback) – When the last heir of Alexander Hamilton dies, her best friend and her husband team up to find out what happened. This sounds excellent!
The Launch Date (Trade Paperback) – Two rivals must team up to create first date scenarios as they compete for the same job at their dating app company.
The Perfect Rom-Com (Trade Paperback) – An aspiring writer becomes a ghostwriter in a trade off as she tries to sell her own novel. Yes, please!
Queens of Crime (Hardcover) – The five greatest women crime writers team up to solve a real life murder in 1930. This sounds so amazing.
A Victim at Valentine’s (ebook) – Book 5 in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series from Ellie Alexander. A bookshop owner tries to help local law enforcement solve a murder connected her her shop.
You Are Fatally Invited (Hardcover) – Mila is an aspiring writer hired by thriller master J.R. Alastor to help him host a thriller writer’s retreat which gives her an opportunity to plan a murder of her own. But then someone else is murdered and she’s drawn into solving the case. Another fantastic sounding story!
The Fearless Christian University (Trade Paperback, February 13) – A form professor and administrator in Christian Higher Ed explores the state of Christian Higher Ed and strategies to survive into the future.

REVIEW: The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman

REVIEW: The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

In the community of St. Polonius-by-the-Fjord, the annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver is the highlight of the year. Every citizen 12 or older eats a bit of the bear liver to commemorate the winter long ago when “saints” put the citizens into a winter-long sleep to survive the season.

This is the year for Jean to do her first bear tasting. But the liver makes her sick. Her parents hustle her home telling her not to give it another thought. Then they both fall asleep.

Jean and her little brother Micah, do what they can to help their folks, but it turns out all of the adults and teens have fallen asleep. Jean and one other boy are the only ones who were to be in the tasting who aren’t asleep. The mayor’s son assigns everyone jobs to keep the town running until the adults wake up But Jean is determined to get help rather than wait. But then she discovers some clues that this Great Hibernation is no accident. Jean may be in over her head.

Review

This was terrific! There’s a slight dystopian feel as the “mayor” and “police” start working their own agendas on the town and the kids. There’s lots of suspense as Jean works against them to try to save the day. And there’s a little math, science, politics, and law thrown in.

The team of kids that work with Jean made a great ensemble. Each brought something special to the team and to the plan to save the day. I would have loved another chapter or two at the end in order to see the schemers get their comeuppance. But I can imagine my own satisfying wrap up to everything that transpires.

This is an excellent middle grade story that would work for upper elementary readers as well as middle schoolers. The plot is intricate and fun. I also loved the author’s previous books, All Four Stars (♥♥♥♥♥)  as well as The Stars of Summer (♥♥♥♥♥). Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ + I loved it! Would re-read.