Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

REVIEW: Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Nowhere Man is back.

As Evan works to rebuild his home and sanctuary, the Nowhere Man phone rings. The man on the other end is devastated – at the absolute end of himself. His daughter has been kidnapped by his enemy. And while he is powerful in so many ways, he feels powerless to fix this. But Aragón Urrea is not a good or virtuous man. Evan isn’t sure he is someone he even wants to help – and Aragón isn’t sure he is worthy of the assistance either.

 

Review

Wow, this was good. I have come to enjoy these books, even though they are darker and more violent than I prefer in my reading material. But I am completely attached to these characters. I have to know what is happening with them. And this book really delivers when it comes to the core group. (Joey, who is my absolute favorite character, has some stellar moments in this book.)

The Nowhere Man case/mission here is fascinating in that Evan is determining early on if he can bring himself to help the sort of person he usually fights against. There’s a lot of great material here on the rival groups Evan must infiltrate.

Swirling throughout the whole book – the mission and Evan’s personal life – are questions about family and connection. I loved this piece of the book. It was a great counter to the violence and tactical passages that don’t always click for me as a reader.

While the end of this one is not as huge of a cliffhanger as the last one, there are plenty of open-ended threads – and a direct threat – that will have me reaching for the next book when it releases.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed. New readers will probably be fine starting here and following the mission. The personal pieces, though – my favorite parts – will be harder to really dig into without the benefit of the earlier books. (Language, violence and gore, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger

REVIEW: Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The town of Elmwood is in trouble. The family that helped build the town is mostly gone. The matriarch who promised to leave her money to Elmwood didn’t. And her children destroyed the family business with their irresponsible choices.

Gina, Elena, Edgar, and Kevin stumble across a chance to save Elmwood – and their families’ livelihoods – when they meet the final member of the VanHouten family. Max found a speech his grandmother wrote – but never gave – announcing a hidden treasure in the town. So the GEEKs are going to find it!

Review

This is a fun mystery/treasure hunt story with solid characters and real stakes. It has a familiar feeling to it – like The Parker Inheritance or The Westing Game, The Amelia Six, Capture the Flag, the 39 Clues series, etc.. But it was still a fun read. I enjoy books like this, and I think kids who enjoy similar treasure hunting tales will enjoy this too.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The war with the Valoffs hadn’t been over long enough for Tavi to feel anything but mistrust and skepticism as she watched the team of them go from ship to ship looking to hire a crew. But while she doesn’t trust Torran Fletcher, his money is still good – and her crew and ship could use it.

Octavia Zarola is “the hero of Rodeni.” She and her crew may know how ridiculous that title is. They have no shortage of bitterness over it. But if any other Valoffs catch her in their space, she’ll be killed without question. Torran promises they will be safe.

But Torran is less than forthcoming about what he wants from them. They are supposed to recover a stolen item. But no matter how many promises are made, Tavi has to stay on her guard – something is not quite right about this assignment. And she can’t afford to give in to her growing intrigue about Torran and the way he makes her feel

Review

This was awesome! It’s the sort of book where you page count, but because you want it to stretch out as long as possible. The characters and world building are everything I’ve come to expect from Jessie Mihalik from her exceptional Consortium Rebellion series. If I can’t get more of those books, at least this new series launch is just as amazing.

I’m happy to see that two other characters from this book are the point-of-view characters for book 2, Eclipse the Moon. That’s what Mihalik did in the Consortium series, and I loved it. This is exactly the sort of book I am always looking for – science fiction or fantasy with sharp, sassy characters who don’t take any crap and who are trying to solve a mystery or save the day. (See also the Touched by an Alien series, Scarred Earth Saga, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, Sons of Destiny, etc.)

This is a must read, must buy, must re-read series for me already – don’t miss it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Will re-read.

REVIEW: Bound by Firelight by Dana Swift

REVIEW: Bound by Firelight by Dana Swift

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Adraa and Jatin are facing more trouble than they ever have.

Adraa’s kingdom has turned against her, believing the worst. She’s cast into prison at the Dome. She will have to fight for her life as well as for a chance to escape and make things right.

Jatin is supposed to be leading his own country, but he can only think of Adraa and freeing her. He’s pulled together a very small team of allies, but they have no idea what they are truly up against.

Review

Wow! This was a roller coaster! And I really enjoyed the ride.

Adraa and Jatin tell their own stories once again. I feel like Adraa was really the star of this book. All of her chapters were riveting. I truly loved her journey – maybe even more than I loved Cast in Firelight.

While Jatin is fighting his way back to Adraa, I had mixed feelings about the old friend who joined his team. While I appreciated the twists and reveals she brought with her, I didn’t love the attempted love triangle. She was a distraction and left me wanting to skip ahead to an Adraa chapter.

I had thought this Wickery series was going to be a duology. And the main action truly is wrapped up here without any cliffhangers. But there are some unresolved issues that make me wonder if there is a plan for more. If so, I am here for them.

If Jatin had had more of a story here, this would have been a five star book for me. In fact, when I look at the two books together, I truly loved Adraa’s story here more than book one. Don’t come into this book expecting more of the same from book one, though. This is less about secrets and lies, and more about peril and identity and real questions about whether or not the heroes will triumph. Book 1 fans should not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release February 1, 2022.)

Summary

Finlay Donovan is done with dead bodies. After what happened last time, she’s not even up for dealing with her daughter’s dead goldfish. The only good thing about all that happened before – aside from her friendship with Vero and whatever sparked between her and that detective – was it helped her break through her writer’s block.

Unfortunately, the writer’s block is back. And the muses seem intent on setting Finlay up for another wild ride in real life that might help with her next story idea.

Finlay has discovered a post on a women’s forum that seems to be hunting for a contract killer to take out Finlay’s ex-husband. While she doesn’t want him back in the least, Finlay also doesn’t want her kids to suffer if he’s killed. But tracking this would-be killer is going to involve another round of bluffing, bullets, and bodies.

Review

This was fantastic!

Know going in that the books in this series are painful and awkward a lot of the time as Finlay and Vero are magnets for trouble. But the mysteries are brilliantly plotted, the characters are fascinating, and the stories are a hoot! I am a huge fan of this series! Book 1 was one of my 2021 favorite reads.

This book – and book one, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It – are so DIFFERENT from any of the other mystery series I read. They truly feel like a genre all their own – and I am absolutely here for them. I love the writing angle as Finlay tries to wrangle the crazy situations she finds herself in into useable fiction for her career. I love the relationship between Finlay and Vero. And the piling on of problems and spiral-staircase-like twists to the mystery kept me frantically turning pages until the end.

Another feature I love in these is the epilogue that teases the next book. I am already thinking about what could happen in book 3 for Finlay and Vero. The next book is a must-read for me. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would read again.

REVIEW: House of El: The Enemy Delusion by Claudia Gray

REVIEW: House of El: The Enemy Delusion by Claudia Gray

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher, DC Entertainment, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sera and Zahn have stolen a data device from Jor-El and Lara, looking for answers about the experiments done to Sera. But there’s far more on the data solid than they can imagine.

Meanwhile, both are struggling to fit in with their old friends. They are distracted, not only by the mysteries they are trying to solve but also by the feelings growing between them. While Sera and Zahn were born into vastly different worlds, they are finding in each other someone who truly understands them.

As Sera and Zahn look for answers and explore the romantic side of their relationship, the “terrorists” known as Midnight are getting more bold about their plans to bring change to Krypton. And no one will believe who is truly in charge of that rebel group.

Review

Another fantastic Superman-adjacent graphic novel! I really enjoyed book one, The Shadow Threat, and this second chapter of the story is just as strong.

I love that Sera and Zahn are the focus of this story rather than Jor-El or Lara or Zod. They bring a fresh perspective to the Krypton story. I can’t wait for the third book in this series. Even though I know where things are headed, I can’t wait to see how all of the mythology we know weaves around these original characters to create a new, fresh story. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

One week before her wedding, when Violet’s thoughts should have been on Christmas or her groom, she was distracted by an unpleasant visitor to her shop, Charming Books.

The rude and insistent woman had wanted Vi to buy a book. It *looked* like a signed first edition of Walden, something Vi would have loved to have owned. But the woman was so unpleasant and demanding – and in a terrible hurry. Something seemed fishy. So Vi said she needed an appraisal. And the woman left.

It’s a shock then when Vi and Rainwater find the woman’s body right after their wedding – but maybe not so surprising that the book has gone missing.

Review

This has been my favorite Amanda Flower series from the start. No matter how long it has been since I read the last book, I fall right into the stories and the characters as if it’s been no time at all.

One of the fun pieces of this series is the magical bookshop. What avid reader wouldn’t want to visit a bookshop that knows just the right next book for you? While none of the bookshop’s crime-solving tomes have been favorites of mine so far in the series, the premise is right up my alley.

The mystery was wonderfully plotted as always. I was completely caught up in the character I wanted to be the killer that I was distracted from hints I caught early on and then forgot. The whole case was completely satisfying.

Amanda Flower fans and fans of this series hardly need my encouragement to pick up a new mystery from the prolific author. (I can think of 7 series she has going or starting this year.) But you have that encouragement anyway – this was a fun read! Newcomers could probably start here without issue – and I’d encourage you to do so if you love cozy mysteries with great characters (including some fun animal ones) and a touch of magic.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

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.]

Summary

Millie Price’s star is on the rise. She’s worked her butt off to get into a theater pre-college program. But her dad is reluctant to let her go. And his resistance seems to have something to do with Millie’s mother.

Millie doesn’t know who her mother is, but she stumbles on her father’s LiveJournal from college. Reading through the entries around the time she would have been conceived, Millie finds some names of women who could be her mother. She’s sure if she can find the woman – who was also into musical theater – she could get her mother’s help to convince her dad to let her go.

But Millie’s plan to check out each of these women hits a snag when she ends up competing with her high school nemesis, Oliver, for an internship she doesn’t even want. But as it’s a chance to work with one of the potential moms, she sticks with it while getting to know the other women on her list. But Millie has no way of knowing how this search for her mom and her quest to attend this theater program is going to change everything.

Review

Emma Lord is the author of the fantastic Tweet Cute and You Have a Match, and after this third delightful story, she’s a must-read author for me.

I loved this! Millie is such a great character. She has a big personality, and sometimes the dramatic theater types can be abrasive to read. But that was never the case here. While she’s abrasive to Oliver, that’s part of the fun of the story, but I loved her (and Oliver) from the start.

Millie’s quest for her big theater program and for finding her mom opens up SO many great threads for this story – with the internship, with Oliver, with her family and friends, and with the new people she meets along the way. But none of those external pieces overshadows the internal work Millie does which is equally great.

Fans of Emma Lord’s previous books should absolutely pick this up – the character work here is excellent! And the romantic bits and the humor is icing on the cake. RomCom fans and musical theater lovers – you’re going to want to read this one too! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

REVIEW: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In order to keep his mother from scheming to find him a wife, Hugh made up a fiancée. He named her Minerva. And since his mother lived in America with his step-father, Hugh could keep up the lie with detailed letters full of fabrications. And it was all working so well. But then his mother announced she was boarding a boat to come meet her future daughter-in-law and start planning the wedding.

When Hugh stepped in to help the lovely young woman arguing over money, he did it, sure, because she was lovely. But Hugh could never resist an opportunity to rescue a damsel in distress. The fact that her name was Minerva was a shock. The fact that she was arguing over money meant she needed some. And might therefore be open to his scheme.

Minerva would play fiancée for Hugh’s mother. Then they would find some way to break things off so they could both go back to their old lives.

What could possibly go wrong?

Review

I don’t read historical fiction often, but when I do, it is usually a story just like this. I love fake relationship stories! Even though I know the awkward moment is coming where everything falls apart, I still love the trope.

But this book felt different from the start. The tone, the voice, the characters – it all sparkled. There’s great chemistry between the main characters. There’s a ton of humor and some truly laugh-out-loud moments. Even as it’s all unravelling, I am cackling. But the author never loses track of her story. She brilliantly balances the conflicts with the romance and the humor. It made for a delightful reading experience. And now I HAVE to read book two.

I don’t know what it will be (although I am guessing Diana’s story – it’s called Never Rescue a Rogue), and for now it seems it won’t release until November of 2022, but it will be at the top of my TBR when the time comes.

Historical fiction readers, and others who love a good fake relationships story, should not miss this one! (Sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

REVIEW: The Story of You 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

Ian Cron’s new book is a great second-tier Enneagram resource, and a perfect what-to-read-next for fans of The Road Back to You. In this book, Ian shares stories from his friends and podcast guests and shows how the stories we grow up telling ourselves about the ways we need to deal with the world to stay safe or feel loved can become dysfunctional. Then he helps each type see the way to a new story to embrace in a move toward more health and wholeness.

I don’t always want to read every number’s portion of a new Enneagram resource, but this one is so engaging and delightfully conversational, it’s almost like reading fiction. I was afraid to skip a number and miss out on a great story! There are fun, and insightful pop-culture and literary references that brilliantly illustrate points Ian is trying to make to each number. And the Typology podcast ends up being both a foundation and a follow up to this book. Many of the stories shared here came from the podcast, and readers have episode references so they can go back to those episodes for more content. It’s pretty clever organization!

The breezy tone and sense of sharing stories and coffee with a friend will make this a great resource for folks ready to go a little deeper in their Enneagram journey. The faith references in this felt genuine and natural and never overpowering or manipulative or intrusive. I was delighted by the whole book and highly recommend it for my friends doing personal work with the Enneagram. I am looking forward to holding my own copy soon and highlighting and underlining and making notes in this great new book

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.