Category: Five Star Reviews

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!

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!

REVIEW: Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price

REVIEW: Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Fanny Price is the “poor relation” at Mansfield Park. Her uncle, Sir Thomas, took her in as his wife’s relative like he took in Edmund, his late brother’s son. The two “outsiders” become fast friends. Fanny’s never confessed her feelings for Edmund to anyone.

Fanny is fond of her uncle, the only kind person in the household besides Edmund. So she’s understandably saddened when Sir Thomas dies from a fall. But Fanny also thinks the fall was no accident – Sir Thomas was murdered.

When Sir Thomas’s will is read, the family discovers their financial state is not as solid as they believed. Fanny finds the whole thing out of character for her uncle and decides to investigate – the financials, the family business, her relatives, and Sir Thomas’s death.

Review

This was excellent! I have enjoyed this series from the start with Pride and Premeditation followed by Sense and Second-Degree Murder (♥♥♥♥). But I also had at least a passing familiarity with the source material for the first two books. I knew nothing about Mansfield Park when I read this. It didn’t matter at all – I loved this purely on its own merits. (In fact, when I read a summary of the original, it was not as captivating as this book was.)

I enjoyed watching Fanny’s evolution as she finds her purpose and character while pursing the truth about Sir Thomas’s death. The mystery plot was delightfully intricate. I didn’t want to put this down. And I’m proud to say I figured things out before the end which always makes me feel extra satisfied and triumphant after reading a mystery.

I hope there will be more of these in the future! This is one of my favorite YA series right now – which is kind of surprising since I have not quite gotten the appeal of Austen. But the changes the author makes in service of her story (like the addition of the queer romance here – with a great author’s note in the book) and the creation of her mysteries are right on target for me as a reader.

Newcomers could start here, I think. While Lizzie and Darcy play a role in this book, the reader doesn’t need their history in order to follow Fanny’s story. But you will definitely want to go back and pick up the earlier books in the series if you start here!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

REVIEW: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Charlie Fitzar has been in a bit of a rough patch. Laid off from his job as a journalist, divorced, his dad has died, and his half siblings are trying to sell  his family house out from under him. He’s trying to survive on money from substitute teaching – enough said.

Then word arrives that his estranged uncle, Jack – a billionaire who ran a company building parking garages – has died. And one of his last requests was for Charlie to host his memorial service.

When someone tries to stab his uncle’s body – in the coffin – to be extra sure he’s really dead, Charlie starts to think there was more to Uncle Jack than he previously knew.

Review

This was absolutely amazing! Everything I hoped it would be – smart, sassy, funny, captivating. I was completely drawn into the story. Charlie is a fantastic point of view character – completely out of his depth but still a “good” guy at his core, even as he finds himself in this Bond-esque world of villains.

I laughed out loud all the way through this. My family only had to sit through 5 or 6 passages read aloud before my husband just pre-ordered a print copy for us. I would absolutely read this again! This is my favorite sort of science fiction – something I’ve come to expect from John Scalzi. As my husband often says, we’ve yet to be disappointed by a Scalzi book.

While I could see how a sequel could be carved out of how this story ends (and I’d read a sequel immediately), I don’t feel like that’s necessarily the plan for Charlie and his friends. This stands completely on its own. And I highly recommend it! If you’ve never tried a Scalzi book, and you like funny books and science fiction, I think you should give this a try. If you are already a fan of the author, do NOT miss this one. Audiobook fans should check this out as well as Wil Wheaton narrates. (Language, violence)

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

THROW BACK: Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch

THROW BACK: Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on December 14, 2011. I recently posted a quick review of the first three books in this series based on my reading journals when I first read them. This is my 2011 review of book four, which is still one of my favorite books in the series.

Summary

Kitty and Martini are back, and baby makes three. You would think the happy little family could enjoy a little quiet together, but “quiet” is probably not going to be in the cards for them any time soon. After a traumatic delivery, Kitty discovers a plot to take out Chuckie and Kitty’s mom. At least, that seems to be the plot. But there are more layers to this situation than meets the eye. There’s a mole – or is there? Kitty’s high school friends are in danger – or are they part of the plotting? At the root of everything is Kitty’s baby. The bad guys want the baby and, like any good momma, Kitty will fight tooth and nail to protect her.

Review

This is a hard book to summarize because sooooo many things are going on, and I don’t want to give any of the good stuff away. I have been a big fan of this series since I read the first book. I re-read them just for fun even though I have tons of new and yet-unread books laying around. Alien Proliferation is a perfect addition to the series. I didn’t want to put the book down. I laughed out loud often as I zoomed through this 400+ page non-stop thrill. It was a delight to dig into such a meaty book that wasn’t filled with a lot of unnecessary fluff. Plenty of great twists and turns. New dynamics between characters as Kitty gets a new partner to work with and other new characters are introduced (or familiar characters are developed more fully). While motherhood changes Kitty in some ways, it doesn’t change any of the things I love about her – her sarcasm, her intuition, her kick-butt-and-take-names attitude. She continues to be a great, strong character.

This is not a story for the faint of heart. Kitty is in a life-and-death battle and there are casualties. Everything that happens is appropriate to the story, though. I enjoyed this so much, I am looking for time when I can carve out a few days to read through the whole series to date from start to finish. The next book, Alien Diplomacy, releases in April, 2012.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the series, science fiction/fantasy fans who like an element of romance in their stories

Cautions: My personal feeling is that new readers will be lost if they jump in here. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning and enjoy the whole series. Otherwise, there’s some violence, and some romantic moments are described in detail. Those sections can be skipped over by sensitive readers. There might also be some language (honestly, I was reading so fast to find out what was going on, I didn’t really pay that close of attention).

THROW BACK: Gabby and Gator by James Burks

THROW BACK: Gabby and Gator by James Burks

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on May 13, 2013. My students couldn’t get enough of graphic novels like this. The cover image here is updated since my original post and the book’s initial release.

Summary and Review

An outcast girl and an alligator that survived flushing find friendship together.

This was absolutely delightful! I liked it so much, I bought two for our school library because I think my students will enjoy it, too. The story starts by establishing each of the characters separately and establishing the “mystery” of a monster in the sewer. Then, when the two meet, they develop this wonderful, quirky relationship that is just right for both of them. Gabby and Gator make a great team. As a fun little bonus, there are line drawings at the bottom of the right-hand pages, and if you flip them quickly you can see Gabby and Gator dance. Great fun!

5 out of 5 stars

THROW BACK: The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

THROW BACK: The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 20, 2012. When this book first released, I often found it shelved with teen books. I think it probably best fits an Older Middle Grade age group, so 10-14. This is the first in what is now a four-book series by Jennifer A. Nielsen. 

Summary

Sage is an orphan – cocky, clever and independent. When he is bought and taken from the orphanage, his plan is to run away at the first opportunity. But the man who buys him has plans for Sage and the other orphans with them. He’s going to turn one of them into a prince – and the rest will probably die. Sage will have to decide who he wants to be and what he is and is not willing to do to be that person

 

Review

Amazing! Outstanding! Brilliant! I have not felt this strongly about a book since I first read The Candymakers. This could easily be my “best book of 2012.” It will be a hard one to beat. Sage has a great voice, and I was drawn into his story from the first page. There’s a Hunger Games-ish feel to the relationship between the boys as they know only one will be chosen to play the prince and the others will likely be killed. The whole story is masterfully put together. I could hardly get to sleep after finishing it because I was so excited about how it all came together. This is going to be the first of a trilogy. This is one I will buy for myself (this copy is for our school’s library), share with my son, rave about to my students – and any random stranger I can get to listen.

5 out of 5 stars – I’d give it more if I could!

Recommended for: readers 4th grade and older, those looking for stories with mystery and adventure.

 

THROW BACK: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett

THROW BACK: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 8, 2013. This is another book that was a hoot to read aloud with students. 

Summary

On the same day, a farmer discovers a small pig in his wagon and a queen is holding her baby girl. In one rash move, the baby tumbles from the tower into the wagon and the piglet is bounced from the hay up into the princess’s crib. The farmer and his wife believe a fairy has turned their pig into a child as a gracious and benevolent act while the king and queen believe an angry fairy has turned their princess into a pig because she wasn’t invited to the christening. The girl grows up sweet and charming while the pig is just a pig. Eventually, the farmer and his wife realize what has happened. Sadly they head off to the castle to make things right….

Review

I won’t spoil the fun by telling the end. Instead I’ll only say this book was a delight to read from beginning to end. I found this one at the Scholastic Book Fair at our church and my first thought after reading this was, “Why wasn’t THIS book in my preview pack!” I thought it was far better than anything else Scholastic had included in their pre-packaged preview sets for advertising their spring fairs. I can’t wait to read this one to my students and rave about it to every teacher and parent who comes through our fair at the end of the month. This was a winner!

5 out of 5 stars

 

THROW BACK: The Really Really Really Big Dinosaur by Richard Byrne

THROW BACK: The Really Really Really Big Dinosaur by Richard Byrne

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on November 2, 2012. This did become a book I would read to my students frequently – and it was always a hit! This is the sort of book that kids want to read again when it’s done so they can check out the illustrations for all of the hints they missed the first time through. One of my favorite memories is a kid blurting out something he noticed in our first read through and having him Shhh (with a wink) so the other kids could discover it too.

Summary and Review

A little dinosaur is minding his own business, counting jellybeans, when a bigger dinosaur walks by. Being a friendly little guy, the small dinosaur offers the bigger dinosaur one. But the bigger dinosaur is a bit of a bully, and he decides he wants all of the jellybeans. But they don’t belong to the little dinosaur. He says they actually belong to his BIG friend. The two dinosaurs argue back and forth about who’s the biggest and best until the big dinosaur finally meets the little dino’s very BIG friend.

Fantastic!! So funny! I can imagine reading this to my students – they will love it!!

5 out of 5 stars

THROW BACK: Silly Doggy by Adam Stower

THROW BACK: Silly Doggy by Adam Stower

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on May 22, 2012. I did end up putting this in the school library, along with the sequel Naughty Kitty. Both were a hoot to read aloud with students.

Summary and Review

Lily has always wanted a doggy, and when she spies a big, furry brown critter in the back yard, she is thrilled.

5 out of 5 stars

This book was a total surprise! I was hooked from page 2 and had to buy it. I’m still not sure if it’s going to be for school or if I’m going to keep it for myself. For me, a five star book is one that surprises me in its delightfulness. This is such a book.