Category: Five Star Reviews

REVIEW: The Dream of You by Jo Saxton

REVIEW: The Dream of You by Jo Saxton

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[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago.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 and Review

When the storms of life come – as they always do – it’s important to know who and whose you are. Be anchored in your identity in Christ.

Jo Saxton has experienced plenty of ups and downs in life. Through them all, she knows God has been walking beside her. She shares her personal story in this book – from her early years in foster care to her move to the US and the ups and downs of her life in ministry. She also shares Bible stories about Ruth and Naomi, Ezekiel, David and Goliath, and others to illustrate basic principles of identity.

This book was a delight from start to finish. Jo Saxton first came to my attention through If Gathering (several years ago). Every time I hear her, she speaks directly to my heart and my circumstances. This book was no different. Many of the chapters start with a letter. It was my favorite feature. The letters are personable and tender. The writing style of the whole book is that way. I felt like I was reading a letter from a friend – someone who’s been there before, someone who wants to help.

Identity is one of my favorite themes in books – fiction or nonfiction. And this is one of the best I’ve ready. [I received an ARC of this book when I registered for the 2018 If Gathering conference in my local area.]

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes

REVIEW: Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Winnie has a new gig helping someone who needs a professional organizer. And the timing is perfect, getting her out of London and away from her mom and the memories of Patrick… and Claire.

Alaric’s butler has hired the organizer to help him prepare for a ball his mother insists on holding in his home. The problem is that the organizer is a human. And Alaric is a vampire.

Winnie’s job might be too much for one woman to handle in three weeks. But she’s joining a local book club – The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven – and they have a murder to solve. And that’s a nice distraction from her childhood trauma, from her ex-fiancé and ex-best friend who are in town, and from the completely inappropriate feelings she is developing for her client.

But instead of distracting her from her boss, she ends up faking a romantic relationship with him – at first to fool Winnie’s ex and then to fool Alaric’s mother – who has shown up with a woman she expects him to marry.

Review

So fun! I immediately fell in love with this – the characters, the world building, the romance, and the mystery. And the story is LONG – I felt like I really got to dig deep with this. And when I finished the ARC, I immediately bought my own copy and pre-ordered the sequel, A Grave Mistake. Together the books kick off the author’s Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven series, which is a spinoff of an earlier Nevermore Bookshop Mystery series. I haven’t read that series, but plan to try it out. [Sadly for readers, book two has been postponed and pre-orders have been canceled. Happily for the author, she has secured a publishing deal! So book one is being re-released and book two will come out later this year. I guess I will have to re-read Fangs for Nothing while I wait!]

The mystery here – humans drained of blood by a rogue vampire – takes a back seat to the romance, and I was okay with that.  (Pieces of the mystery will carry over into book 2.) The romance between two broken people dealing with past trauma was the central focus, and I adored it so much I was a little sad to discover that Winnie and Alaric won’t be the POV characters for the sequel – but only a little sad because the premise for book 2 is fantastic!

I don’t generally love vampire stories – and I definitely don’t seek them out. But this, while also spicier than my usual read, really worked for me. The world building is well done and clever, and the pacing is terrific. I have an aversion to the word “smut,” so I didn’t love it’s use in the book, but it was a small price to pay for the overall experience of this fantastic story. This was the first book in a LONG time that trumped my other hobbies and chores and bedtime and kept me reading any chance I could find until I finished.

Paranormal romance and fantasy fans as well as vampire fans should definitely pick this up.  This checks a few of the same boxes as my 2024 find, the Riley Thorne series – the paranormal aspects (vampire here, psychic there) in a romance/mystery combo story. This is quite a bit darker than Riley as well as being more serious and more spicy. But I loved it all the same! (Language, sex. Trigger warning: Hoarding, nightmares, obsessive-compulsive behaviors)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

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!

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: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

REVIEW: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

This past summer I took a deep dive into the Bible for Normal People podcast. I’m generally not a podcast person, but there is a sub-set of episodes called “Pete Ruins ____” that are a deep dive into a particular book of the Bible. And I adore them. I listen while I get ready for work in the morning, and I look forward to that time that’s just for me.

So one night when I was looking for a new nonfiction book to read, I pulled this off the shelf and discovered it’s like my podcast experience in book form.

The “voice” is Pete, complete with funny and sarcastic asides. (Not all of his books are like this – there are others with a bit more academic, formal voice – equally as terrific, but just a different tone.) The content is easy to follow while still being challenging. This is not an approach to the Bible that I’ve found in the “pew” on Sunday mornings, but it’s absolutely where God has been meeting me over the last year, starting with Wisdom for Faithful Reading and then in The Lost World of the Prophets, and finally in these podcasts and this book.

My “elevator pitch” of this approach would be “a faithful approach to reading the Bible, not as a rule book to follow but a collection of writings centered around historical people of faith and their experiences with God.” The book addresses questions I have been asking for a few years now – and it affirms the FAITHFULNESS of asking those questions and seeking the answers. I loved the reading experience; it has meant so much to me in my spiritual growth and development over the last year. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Let It Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

REVIEW: Let It Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Aviva and Holly have grown up knowing they were adopted. For Aviva, sometimes that makes her feel like she’s not really Jewish, like her grandmother. But with Bubbe’s encouragement, she agrees to perform a Hanukkah song at a holiday pageant at the Senior Center. Performing is like breathing to her!

Holly isn’t a performer like Aviva – her creativity is in her writing. It’s something she and her grandfather have in common. Her family is checking out the Senior Center for her grandfather who has had a few scary falls at home lately. But when Holly and Aviva come face to face at the center, it’s like looking into a mirror.

Could they be twins?!

Review

“I barely know you, but that expression on your face looks like trouble.”

Who doesn’t love a twin-swapping story? And this is a fun one! I enjoyed every bit of this. The two girls are great – separately and together. Their families are lovely, too.

There’s a fascinating piece of this story were Aviva wrestles with her identity as an adoptee in a Jewish family, wondering if she is “Jewish enough” while also realizing how much she doesn’t know about the Jewish faith, holidays, and traditions. Both girls get to explore this in the book while Aviva also gets to check out some pieces of Christmas while she lives with Holly’s family for a few days.

The swap is a lot of fun for the reader. And it opens up some other places where the girls get to think about identity and family and what they hope their discovery of each other can mean for the future.

This is exactly the right mix of holiday cozy and middle grade fun, and I highly recommend it. It would make for a great classroom read aloud around the holidays.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

REVIEW: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lula Dean is on a crusade to rid the town libraries of “pornography.” It doesn’t matter that the erotic cookbook was put on a shelf as a prank. Lula has found her calling.

Beverly Underwood has been Lula Dean’s long-time nemesis. And as the head of the school board, Beverly has a front row seat as Lula and her “Concerned Parents Committee” attack the various school and public libraries with their “righteous” intensions. And the townsfolks are ready to watch the “filth” burn. Beverly is blindsided by the whole thing. But her college-aged daughter, Lindsay, is inspired to action.

In the dark of night, Lindsay swaps out the prim books in Lula’s Little Free Library for the banned titles confiscated from Lula’s crusade, setting them inside the jackets of Lula’s “approved” titles.

And then people in the town start reading those banned books – without Lula noticing.

Review

What a brilliant story! Once the premise is set up, most of the chapters focus on one person and one book from Lula’s library – and how reading that book changes something for them. It’s a series of fascinating short stories from a variety of perspectives.

Positioned around those vignettes is the larger story of Lula, Beverly, and the town. It’s stunning – like watching something get woven together. In the end as the threads are finally pulled taut, you see the whole picture come together in a way that is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a creative structure that elevates an excellent story to a whole other level. (I feel the same way about The Candymakers for kids.)

This is thought-provoking – and funny. But it’s also grim at times. I was captivated by the folks in this town and the way books influenced families and kids and siblings and spouses. The ending is supremely satisfying – including an epilogue from 2034 that was more than I even hoped for.

This will definitely be one of the top reads for me in 2024!

(Language, some sexual content. TW: racism, homophobia, rape, gun violence, suicide, white supremacy/Christian nationalism)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Imposter by Laura Bower

REVIEW: The Imposter by Laura Bower

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Olive’s beloved Mr. Snuggles goes missing, and she is devastated. So of course, when she finds him again, she is relieved. But Mr. Snuggles is different somehow – cleaner, flufflier. . . .

It’s an imposter!!

Review

This was delightful! Everything works – the simple text, the familiar scenario, Olive’s reactions to every development in the Snuggles situation, the artwork. This would be a hoot to read aloud. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Frindle Files by Andrew Clements

REVIEW: The Frindle Files by Andrew Clements

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Josh Willet’s Language Arts teacher, Mr. N, is like someone from the stone age! No computers in class. An honest-to-goodness CHALKBOARD in the classroom. And handwritten homework. What century is this guy living in?!

One night while working on his (handwritten) homework, Josh’s pen runs out of ink. The one he borrows from his mom has the word “Frindle” written on it. Josh looks up the word online and get’s an unbelievable surprise. The kid who invented the word Frindle? Nicholas Allen?

He looks just like Mr. N!

So Josh opens a new file on his computer, names it “The Frindle Files,” and starts investigating his teacher and this “Nick Allen,” the creator of Frindle.

Review

This. Was. Incredible.

It’s everything I wanted it to be. I should never have doubted Andrew Clements.

This has a familiar and similar dynamic as the original book without being an outright copy. And it’s sharp and contemporary without trying too hard. The main characters of The Frindle Files are like Nick and his friends from Frindle – smart and clever kids who aren’t perfect but who have good intentions. Their grown ups – both at school and at home – want what’s best for the kids. And that’s provided with both freedom and boundaries.

And the teacher/student relationship is everything I loved from the original.

Of course, I re-read Frindle for a refresh before diving into this – and I’m so glad I did. It made the call backs so easy to recognize. And I cried happy tears through both books. Clements fans and Frindle fans – do NOT miss this!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

REVIEW: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Maggie Chase has had a rough road in life, from the loss of her parents when she was in college to the betrayal by her husband and their subsequent divorce. And that last one pushed her so far down to the point where she rarely leaves the house. Her editor had to cajole her to take this mysterious Christmas trip that is supposed to “change her life.”

But Ethan Wyatt ruined everything. While Maggie is the queen of the cozy mystery, Wyatt writes thrillers – “leather jacket books.” And he is all ego and confidence – and annoyance. He can’t even get her name right after all these years, repeatedly calling her “Marcie.”

The two of them find themselves in the middle of a real-life mystery when world famous author, Eleanor Ashley, their Christmas host, goes missing from a locked room of her mansion in the middle of a snowstorm.

Review

Sometimes you start a new book and everything clicks. The characters are intriguing. The banter makes you laugh out loud. And you feel like you can’t contain the feeling – the potential that this could be a new favorite. You feel a pressure in your chest. Not the weight of anxiety or dread pressing down but the hope – the delight – bubbling up, trying to press out from inside. This was one such book for me.

From the very beginning I felt GIDDY reading this. The main characters had personal stories I couldn’t wait to uncover. Their cutting remarks were funny, not vicious. The potential and chemistry between Maggie and Ethan CRACKLED. Then there was the writing/publishing/mystery angle, which is always a great hook for me. And finally it was a snowed in whodunit which I also adore. If I could design a perfect book for me, this is an A+ set up, checking all the boxes.

I have been an Ally Carter fan since I discovered the Gallagher Girls series. Her older middle grade (10-14) mysteries in the Winterborne series are OUTSTANDING. Her first adult romance, The Blonde Identity, had mixed reviews, and while I could understand some of the criticism, it worked for me

But THIS is everything I have ever loved about her work all rolled into one. My all-time favorite Ally Carter book – and likely one of my favorite books read in 2024. Do NOT miss this! (Language, gaslighting)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!