Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer

REVIEW: Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer

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. This book is scheduled to release on September 6th.]

Summary

Enola’s friend, Lady Cecily Alastair, had been through a lot in their short acquaintance, and the pair had quickly become best friends. Enola was the one who had figured out that Cecily had two distinct personalities – one confident and clever, the other meek and helpless.

When Enola goes to visit her friend and is turned away at the door, she is concerned. Turns out, Cecily’s father has been holding her captive, locked in her room with no clothes other than what she is wearing and no food. Enola is able to rescue Cecily, but the girl soon goes missing  before Enola can find her a safe haven.

Almost immediately, Sherlock is on the case at the behest of Cecily’s mother who is also locked away, although with a bit more support than Cecily had. Enola is only too aware of the trouble Cecily can walk into, out in the world, alone, especially if her more helpless personality takes hold. So Enola needs to find and rescue her friend while dodging her brother, the famous detective. Well, it’s not like she hasn’t done that before!

Review

This was great! I enjoyed the mystery and loved Cecily and the other characters who help Enola with this case. The dual personality portion of the story was well done. (Earlier books in this series establish Cecily and Enola’s relationship and some of these factors. While I have read the earlier books, it’s been AGES, but I had no difficulty following this story without a review of the earlier tales.)

The relationship between Enola and Sherlock is as delightful as ever. I didn’t notice the Netflix tie-ins as much as I did reading the last book, Enola Holmes and Black Barouche, but it’s been awhile since I watched the movie. It’s not as fresh in my mind as it was when I read the previous book.

Mystery fans, Enola fans, and even Sherlock fans should definitely give this a try. I think fans of historical mysteries and historical fiction in general might enjoy this as well. There’s a lot to love! You can read more about Enola’s books here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great. Might re-read.

REVIEW: Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

REVIEW: Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

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

Maddy’s always been a bit pampered and spoiled. But being stood up at the altar has left her feeling determined to build a life she can be proud of, and to stand on her own two feet. And her late great-aunt Octavia gives her a head start.

Octavia left Maddy a house, a bakery, and a dog in her will. Maddy has to stay in Michigan and run the business for a year before she can take full possession. And no matter how many times her father, the Admiral, tells her she can’t do it and should just give up and return home, Maddy wants to make it work.

When someone is murdered in the bakery, Maddy teams up with Octavia’s friends – the Baker Street Irregulars – to find a killer.

Review

This was delightful! I loved the whole cast of characters. These are people I would want as friends. The baked goods at Baby Cakes sound divine. The “voice” for the book is fantastic. The relationship between Maddy and her dad adds a fascinating layer to the story. (I can’t wait for a book where he comes to town!) This is the sort of set up – the community and the characters – that will put a new series on my must-buy list.

The book ended abruptly with a few questions still unanswered. While jarring, my assumption is that those will be picked up in the next book. The mystery here was good, and I’m eager to test my guesses on those remaining threads. I will absolutely be picking up the next book, both to see how things play out, and also to spend more time with these characters.

My only complaint was the use of the expression “deaf, dumb, and blind” twice in my review copy. That phrase has been out of fashion for decades since society determined that using “dumb” for mute was inappropriate.  Hopefully that will be addressed in final edits.

Mystery fans who love endearing animal characters, recipes, and mouth-watering descriptions of baked good in their cozy mysteries should snap this up right away!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read

REVIEW: Spellbound by Jess Townes

REVIEW: Spellbound by Jess Townes

Posted on by Jaymie

[The book originally scheduled for review today was NOT a good fit for me, so instead I’m going to share a brief review of a picture book I read in the bookstore earlier this summer.]

Summary and Review

A little girl starts to suspect her new baby brother is a wizard because he enchants everyone he meets, interrupting her own magical little world.

This was OUTSTANDING! I was, of course, immediately drawn in by the purple cover with the darling illustration. But the set up of the magical story, where a charming little girl “enchants” her entire family only to be overthrown when a new baby joins the family, is an absolute delight! It’s clever and sweet.

This would make a lovely gift for a family expecting a second child, or for a story time with children who can identify with how a new baby changes family dynamics. Pair this with The New Small Person, which is another new sibling picture book I loved.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mercy Carr and her Malinois, Elvis, should be consumed with wedding festivities instead of reporting a dead body. But when the spa director at her grandmother’s destination wedding goes missing, Mercy says she’ll check things out. She gets more than she bargained for.

Pretty soon, it’s a toss up over which situation is more troublesome – the pre-wedding antics of the wedding party or the trail of violence that is centered around the resort. But Mercy and Elvis – and Troy and Sugar Bear – are on the case!

Review

This was outstanding!! Mercy and Troy are in a good relationship place in this one, and it sets a lovely tone for the whole book. The dogs are in excellent form here, as always. And the mystery is truly top notch. I even started taking notes, trying to put all the pieces together for myself. (Ended up about 50/50 on my guessing.)

I have enjoyed the Mercy and Elvis mysteries since book one, A Borrowing of Bones. For me, this is the best of the series (so far). In fact, I can say for certain that this will be one of my favorite books of 2022 when the year is done. This book has everything I love – great characters, brilliant plotting, and a quest that propels the characters and the reader forward. I read this start to finish in one day and enjoyed it all. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++* = Best of the best

REVIEW: Ham Helsing, Vampire Hunter by Rich Moyer

REVIEW: Ham Helsing, Vampire Hunter by Rich Moyer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ham is part of a long line of monster hunters. Most have been big on bravery, but short on smarts. But now it’s Ham’s turn to be in the family business, so he goes to hunt a vampire.

Along the way, Ham makes some interesting friends and discovers evil lurks in unexpected places.

 

Review

This was a hoot! A clever graphic novel with some laughs, a few monsters, and a bit of self-discovery and self-acceptance. I think kids will love this book! There’s some gross bits, some funny bits – and an engaging story from start to finish.

Graphic novel fans and fans of funny adventure stories should give this one a try!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Story of You Workbook by Ian Morgan Cron

REVIEW: The Story of You Workbook by Ian Morgan Cron

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is a companion workbook for The Story of You, an Enneagram resource from Ian Morgan Cron that released last year. I thought the book was fantastic!

The purpose of the book and the workbook is to examine the stories we tell ourselves (related to Enneagram type) and correct the less functional ones. The author says learning your type is the “appetizer” while transformation is the “main course” and purpose of studying the Enneagram.

While the full book explains the SOAR process for all nine types, the workbook is designed to walk the reader through the process individually.  There are sections of the workbook that briefly address all 9 types alongside the journaling questions.

I appreciate the emphasis on self-awareness with the questions and with the examination of both positive and negative traits. The questions are challenging and made me want to sit down and start writing.

This is absolutely the sort of book where you will get out of it what you put in. If you want to explore the concepts and put the book on a shelf, go with the full book that released last year. But if you want to go toe to toe with yourself to actively pursue personal growth, you want to grab this workbook – and maybe your own journal or notebook – and a dive in.

Occasionally I will consider a workbook like this  and think I’ll read the book from the library and buy the workbook for my personal work. I feel like this approach to the Enneagram lends itself more to having the full book at hand. I think the concepts described and the examples in the book will help workbook users along the way.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez

REVIEW: How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Astrid is master of schedules. She’s turned it into almost an art form – timed out to the minute, color coded. The whole deal. Unfortunately, real life is rarely as precise. For example, there was the night the dining hall closed early because of some superhero shenanigans right when she was supposed to be getting dinner with her roommate David and her boyfriend Max. It completely threw off her schedule!

Astrid has known Max since high school where he was awkward and accident prone. But none of the time she has known him has she suspected Max was a superhero. Not until his nemesis tries to kidnap her.

Astrid adores Max, but is she really cut out for a life of dating a superhero?

Review

This was fun. It’s got an interesting structure as the chapters jump back and forth through time so we can see the contemporary relationship between Astrid and Max and then see how it started.

I enjoyed the world-building here with both the superhero characters and the support systems they have in place for the romantic partners of superheroes. I also enjoyed Astrid and Max together – they are sweet and adorable. And the tension is real when Astrid’s life is in danger.

There’s a side story with a strong sense of foreshadowing. You know it’s going to eventually be a thing. You just have to wait it out. I actually wanted this to be a bigger thing across the story. The payoff was great in the end, but when I read a book, I’m always more satisfied if there’s a big challenge – a mystery to solve, an enemy to beat, etc.. This eventually delivers that, but the bulk of the story is focused on Astrid as she tries to hang onto Max – and herself – while the hero/villain world tries to tear everything apart.

This is a fun story, and I would encourage readers who love romance with a side of superheroes and fantasy to give this a go! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Taylor is off-planet on personal business while Kovalic and the rest of the team are enjoying a little down time after their last mission [The Aleph Extraction] when a bomb goes off on Terra Nova – almost in front of Simon. And he sees someone in the crowd who should not be there.

But as the Special Projects Team tries to investigate, they run into roadblocks – both from the terrorists who set the bomb and the authorities. But Kovalic can’t shake what – who – he saw and what it might mean for his team – and their mission.

Review

Gah!! This is the best of this series so far! I loved all of this! There are some great surprises and an epic cliffhanger that left me stunned. I need the next book NOW! A few threads left open after Aleph go unmentioned here, leaving me to wonder how those pieces will tie into what happens going forward. Ack! This was excellent!

I can’t believe I have never reviewed one of these books on my blog – I looked! It’s a great sci-fi/spy series that’s a must buy/must read for me. I did a full re-read to prep for this, including the short stories, and it was the best idea I have had in awhile. It was great to get the full impact of the series at once. The stories, in order, are:

  • The Caledonian Gambit (considered a prequel or book 0 in the series) – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Pilot Error” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Bayern Agenda – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Showdown” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Aleph Extraction – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Homecoming” (short story) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • and now The Nova Incident

Not only did my re-read refresh my memory of the characters and their earlier adventures, but it was also a great way to appreciate how terrific this series is.

Readers should definitely read these in order. Caledonian was published by another publisher which is why it is considered a prequel, but I think it fills in some important details and shouldn’t be skipped. (I actually did skip it initially since Bayern was listed as “Book 1.” But all the way through I felt like I was missing context and backstory, which I don’t enjoy. )

This series is perfect for readers who love action/adventure and spy stories – as well as those who love science fiction. The spy thriller is primary – the setting is space and a galactic cold war with great futuristic tech. It’s a great fit for me. And this book, The Nova Incident, is the best of the series in my opinion. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: A Perilous Pal by Laura Bradford

REVIEW: A Perilous Pal by Laura Bradford

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

Emma’s newest client in her Friend for Hire business is Kim, a middle-aged woman whose husband left her for a younger woman. Kim’s children have recently “left the nest,” and she is feeling adrift. She reaches out to Emma out of desperation. She needs help finding some things to give her life meaning in this new season.

But when Kim’s ex is found dead, she’s the police’s first suspect. And when Emma inadvertently hands the police evidence against Kim, she becomes their ONLY suspect. And Emma is devastated.

If Emma is going to redeem herself after her mistake, save her new client from wrongful imprisonment, and salvage the burgeoning relationship she had with Deputy Riordan before this murder, she and her friends are going to need to start investigating.

Review

Another fun mystery in this cozy series! I loved the set up – Emma’s new client and the tie in with a murder. Emma continues to develop relationships with all of her clients while she works on Kim’s situation, and it’s all brilliantly woven together and kept in balance.

And then one other mystery, teased mid-book, also starts to swirl together, culminating in a final moment that had me exclaiming “No! I need more!” in the end. I cannot wait to dig into book 3 in the Friend for Hire series so I can see this extra tidbit play out completely!

Newcomers to this series should read these first two books in order just to enjoy the development of Emma’s business here at the start. Overall, I think the romance and character pieces will be more satisfying if read in order, but the mystery definitely stands on its own. I highly recommend this series. Observant readers will catch references to some of the author’s other series. Reading some of those books could be a great way to pass the time while waiting for book 3.

 

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

 

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

At the end of a successful 15 year reunion, London agrees to have a drink with Drew Sullivan, her high school nemesis. And the drink leads to a few more. Which leads to her spending the night. It was an amazing night, but what was she thinking?!

But when she finds out Drew is in town for work – and that work involves the possible sale of the hospital where she works – her animosity toward him reaches supernova levels.

But she can’t deny that they have chemistry. And she needs to blow off a lot of steam. So while she wants nothing to do with him at the hospital, she’s willing to meet him for a hookup now and again. And again. He’ll be leaving town soon enough, and she’ll be glad to be rid of him when the time comes.

Review

This was a fun, sexy story. A few surprises and a couple with great chemistry made this a nice wrap up to The Boyfriend Project series.

The set up of the hookup plan leads to a chunk of the book devoted to the physical relationship between Drew and London, especially in the early parts of the story. The author makes some creative choices in how she describes their encounters to keep them from falling into something repetitive. Then, as the story develops, extra layers are added to the relationship. While the personal growth Drew and London are working on felt like a lot smaller of a part of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed their journeys, both independently and as they helped each other along the way.

Fans of the series should absolutely pick up this third and final book of the series that launched when London and her new friends were first catfished. Readers who love a steamy “enemies” to lovers story should give this a try as well. I don’t know that you have to read these in order, although it does help to know about the inciting incident that led the women to become friends. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!