Category: Reviews

BONUS REVIEW: Under the Cover of Murder by Lauren Elliott

BONUS REVIEW: Under the Cover of Murder by Lauren Elliott

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

Addie is focused on seeing her friend, Serena, married. The groom’s step-mother has been a terror throughout the planning process, ignoring the wishes of the couple. She cancelled reservations, changed their cake, and ignored their plans for a small gathering, inviting her personal friends. Addie is running interference and trying to keep things from going off the rails. She doesn’t need the distraction of a murder on the beach near where the yacht for the wedding is anchored.

She also doesn’t need the disaster of Lacey Davenport. Lacey causes trouble and chaos wherever she goes. The last time Addie saw her, Lacey stole money from Serena. There’s no way she was invited  to the wedding. But she shows up, and she stirs up trouble anyway.

While Serena and her new husband are able to get away for their honeymoon, the guests who spent the night on the yacht find themselves confined on board when police find a second body connected to the yacht. It’s only a matter of time before Addie starts sleuthing.

Review

This is the sixth book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery, but it’s the first I have read. I enjoyed the setting for this – guests and suspects confined to the boat during the investigation. It’s what drew me to the story in the first place.

There’s a LOT going on in this book: two murders that may or may not be connected, a book-related mystery which draws Addie in to the investigation, affairs, secrets, suspicious, and relationship drama. There’s also a really large cast for this story. I struggled to track everyone, and at times the case seemed to spin its wheels. Maybe this would have been a better fit for me if I had read the previous books in the series. At least, I would know more of the main characters. That was really the only piece that ever left me feeling lost, even though I picked up in the middle of a series – tracking all the characters. I also struggled with some of the writing choices in this one, at least in the unedited review copy.

The mystery here is satisfying. I think series fans will enjoy this one. I always like seeing characters grow through everyday life events as a series grows, and this book includes Serena’s wedding as well as some relationship developments for a few other characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good/Solid/Fine

REVIEW: Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher

REVIEW: Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher

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

When Marin’s sister, Sadie, got home from her assignment in China, she looked worn out and thin. Marin, the caretaker and worrier of the pair, agreed to the getaway for Sadie’s sake. Marin had been taking care of Sadie since their mother died. She could put aside her fear of flying and her homebody nature to take a trip with her only sister.

But Sadie missed the flight. Which means she also missed the turbulence. And the storm that re-routed the plane. Sadie also missed every awful, embarrassing moment between Marin and her good looking seatmate, Lucas Tsai. (And really, all that embarrassment was Sadie’s fault! If she had been there, Marin never would have had to sit by Lucas!)

So now, Marin is alone on a beautiful tropical island while her sister is still at home. Marin has never been the adventurous one. She plays things safe. She’s been strangled by fear since their mother died. And this getaway is about to challenge every bit of her safe, quiet existence.

Review

Wow. I was wrecked by this book in all the best ways for a reader. I was expecting something light and funny – and those moments are there. But there are also these beautiful, ugly-crying moments with this stellar cast of characters. I wasn’t expecting the extremes, but I adored them. This book packs and punch, and I am forever a fan.

The author does a fantastic job of balancing the contemporary story with Marin’s backstory. It’s a great way to explain how Marin gets to the point where she’s settled for whatever life hands her instead of living a life she wants. I was engrossed in watching Marin’s journey, cheering for her along the way.

Yes, there’s a beautiful romantic element to this that’s supremely satisfying. But it’s also so much more. Do not miss this one! It will stick with me for a long time. (Language, TW: grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this from Netgalley, but by the time I was approved, I had already bought a print copy of the published book. I read the print version for this review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

April and her friends are settled in at Winterborne House. Gabriel Winterborne has been “found” and is famous again. April and the other kids thwarted a lot of dark, ugly schemes that could have hurt a lot of people (Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor) and lived to tell the tale.

But Izzy has disappeared and Smithers, the butler, is away, leaving Gabriel in charge of five kids and the house. Things are pretty chaotic when the case worker arrives. Then, a swordsman breaks into the house. And Gabriel goes missing.

Now the kids are dodging the case worker who wants to take them away from their home and from each other. They are searching for Gabriel, afraid he’s hurt or dying – or that he’s just abandoned them. And they are running from guys with guns, desperate to preserve their found family.

Review

WOW! This was fantastic! I squeezed in a quick re-read of book one so the story was fresh in my mind when I started this. And I am so glad. I was able to pick up the action and the characters right away, which was important. This book jumps right into the action! This is definitely a read-in-order series.

While this is April’s story, I adore the full ensemble cast. The kids have really gelled into a team – and a family – by this book. I love them even more this time around.

The story was captivating from start to end. There are a ton of things going on here, but the author never loses the reigns on her story. I flew through this in one breathless sitting because I had to know what happens for everyone. I have my fingers crossed that there will be more stories for these characters in the future. But this book ends solidly with no major cliffhangers.

Fans of book 1, fans of Ally Carter, and fans of middle grade mysteries should NOT miss this excellent series. I’d say the target audience would be older middle grade readers – 10 and up – due to the violence of the story. While not at all graphic, there are sword fights and bullet wounds and stabbings and peril that might not be a good fit for some young readers.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

REVIEW: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sometimes, Charlie wishes she was more like her best friend, Amelia. She’s stylish, athletic, and popular. Even Charlie’s mom acts like she’d rather have Amelia as her daughter. And Charlie’s crush, Cal, can’t get enough of Amelia, even though she shuts him down, hard, all the time.

Not only does Charlie’s mom seem to like Amelia better, but she’s always on Charlie about her weight.  She gave her an activity tracker so she can track Charlie’s steps. She sells meal replacement shakes online and pushes Charlie about using them. When Charlie’s dad died and her mom focused her grief on losing weight, the dynamic between them shifted dramatically. Charlie chose self-acceptance instead of obsessing about weight, or at least she is trying to.

As Charlie negotiates her junior year, her worsening relationship with her mom, and her first boyfriend, things come to a head that leaves her on shaky ground.

Review

I adored this! It’s absolutely perfect – painful at times, sure, but so enjoyable overall. I loved Charlie! She, Amelia, and Brian made such a fantastic core group of characters. I would have loved a few more chapters with the characters at the end.

The writing and the story and the characters perfectly capture first love – and its sometimes all-consuming nature. The dynamic between Charlie and her mom also felt very real. I liked that, while progress was made, there were no instant solutions or easy answers to their issues (although, honest communication helped).

This is Charlie’s story of self-kindness, self-acceptance, and self-celebration. It’s a story *every* reader could enjoy and learn from. There were several moments where I wanted to mark the page or underline the writing – perfect little nuggets  I wanted to savor. This would make an excellent choice for a book group or discussion group. Don’t miss this one! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: fat shaming)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BONUS REVIEW: Fresh Brewed Murder by Emmeline Duncan

BONUS REVIEW: Fresh Brewed Murder by Emmeline Duncan

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

Sage and her friend, Harley, just opened their coffee cart, Ground Rules. They’ve been getting to know their neighbors – other food truck owners – and watching the protesters across the street, protesting a development going in.

On what should have been their third day of business, Sage discovers the gate to the square open, the door to her coffee cart ajar, and a dead body. And the murder weapon, a box cutter, was something Sage had been using in her cart for the last two days.

Now Sage is a murder suspect, her business is temporarily closed for the investigation, and she finds out her estranged mother has ties to the case. If Sage wants to be able to focus on the full launch of their business, she’s going to have to clear her name and find a killer.

Review

This was so good! There’s an engaging cast of characters, excellent pacing to both the mystery and the series set up, and tons of great coffee-related moments. For serious coffee lovers, there are lots of little details about what Sage and Harley are doing with their business, both the food cart and the roasting pieces. For those of us who take a more simple approach to caffeine, though, the details are fun but don’t bog things down.

The mystery does a great job of drawing out the details of Sage’s childhood and the situation with her mother in genuine and unforced ways. I was really impressed by how the author used the mystery to share that backstory rather than dumping the information in some other way. This way of crafting the story was one of my favorite parts of the book. Also, the reveal of the killer caught me completely by surprise, which was fun.

I loved the characters in this! Sage will keep me coming back for more books in this series. I was fascinated by the ways her character is self-aware, especially about the impact of life with her mother on her personality now. She does a great job thinking through the boundary between being personable and manipulating people. I hope her romantic life will settle on my favorite of her two suitors. And I’m eager to see how some of her other relationships develop, especially with Harley, who is off-page for a lot of the book. I never got a good feel for her in the book, so I have high hopes that book 2 will dig more into their friendship and business partnership.

This books releases NEXT week, on March 30, 2021.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it ! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A woman of no title or money, Mercy Heath knows she is likely to wind up a spinster. And the one man who makes her pulse race, the Earl of Castlewick, would never pursue her. She’s nowhere near his level. And she keeps telling herself that, even when he asks her to dance out of the blue, or when he pays her any bit of attention.

Mercy’s best friend, Aurora, Lady Radcliff, is widowed and has no intention of remarrying. Ever. But the Earl of Castlewick has decided to court her. She owns a parcel of land that used to belong to his family. As her husband, the land would return to his family’s holdings. That has been the driving focus of Wesley’s adult life – buying back the land his grandfather lost yeas ago.

Wesley is committed to this plan for the sake of his family and the promise he made to his father before he died. And Aurora is lovely and bright and would make a good wife. But he can’t stop thinking of Mercy and wishing she was the woman he was pursing instead.

Review

This was lovely! It’s book 3 in the Wallflowers of West Lane series. I have the first two books on my TBR, but I haven’t gotten to them yet. After enjoying this so much, I’ll be bumping them up the list. I adored all four of the Wallflowers, and I can’t wait to read the first two stories. (I had no issues jumping into this series with book 3.)

The first thing I loved about this was the quartet of friends. I didn’t have to have read the previous books – The Earl Not Taken and Misleading a Duke – in order to enjoy and understand their bond. They are like sisters in all the best ways – fiercely loyal and protective of anyone in their circle. These ladies are amazing.

I especially liked Mercy as the odd woman out in this book. No title, no money, but fully secure in who she is and in the love of her friends. It was obvious from the start that Wesley was captivated by her. But he stubbornly clung to his plan to marry Aurora, despite his feelings and her clear disinterest. I felt like a stronger case could have been made for why this land mattered to Wesley so much. (I also would have liked much stronger repercussions for something that happens later in the story.) But I liked everything else so much that I didn’t let those pieces distract me from the story.

Historical romance fans who enjoy stories with characters thwarted in their pursuit of love and with excellent, strong women, should be sure to check this book out – as well as the rest of the series. (Sex, TW: sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Sherlock Bones and the Sea-Creature Feature by Renée Treml

REVIEW: Sherlock Bones and the Sea-Creature Feature by Renée Treml

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sherlock Bones is a mystery-solving superstar at the Natural History Museum. Sherlock, the skeleton of a tawny frogmouth, along with his helpers Watts, a stuffed parrot from an exhibit, and Grace, a raccoon, takes on the case of a swamp monster stalking around the museum.

Review

This is book 2 in the Sherlock Bones graphic novel series for kids. As I was reading this, I imagined this was for kids in the 6-9 age range, but the range from the publisher is 8-12. I think any elementary school reader who loves mysteries, quirky characters, and animal facts will enjoy this one. The characters are punny, and the animal facts were interesting. Readers can follow along with the detectives and work out the solutions on their own.

I got a kick out of this! It’s a funny story with unusual characters in a fascinating setting. I would like to go back and read the first one to see how the author sets up this unique team of sleuths. I would happily hand this to a young reader – I think kids will enjoy this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Five Ways to Fall Out of Love by Emily Martin

REVIEW: Five Ways to Fall Out of Love by Emily Martin

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Webster stood Aubrey up for Homecoming, she was devastated. And the awful things he said to her that night only added to her hurt and confusion. It ruined their friendship much less any chance at it becoming something more.

Between Webster and the disaster that is her parents’ marriage, Aubrey has become pretty cynical when it comes to love. Even when she starts dating Webster’s cousin, Holland, she is always bracing for something to go wrong.

When Aubrey puts all of her energy into examining the ways love could go wrong – both in her life and in the relationships around her, it’s a way to try to manage her fears. But it’s also a great way to make sure everything that matters most to her blows up in her face.

Review

This was a hard story to enjoy. It’s well-written, with engaging characters. But it’s also painful. Aubrey is so young to be so cynical. Her fear and self-protectiveness are understandable, but they are also sad. And they make her a hard character to like. (Webster is hard to like, too.)

I appreciated Aubrey’s journey and the transparency of the novel. Readers may find their own stories and relationships and feelings reflected in Aubrey’s experience. And her story is a great sales pitch for the value of honest communication.

Readers looking for a serious story about romantic relationships in high school, especially seniors considering the next steps of college and career, should pick this one up. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, drinking)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Solid/fine/good

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

REVIEW: The Enneagram Goes to Church by Todd A. Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

“If I would have known the Enneagram, I would have been a much better pastor.”

This is the confession that launches this resource about the role the Enneagram could play in the Church. The author comes to the discussion from a standard evangelical background. He works from the assumption that the reader has at least a passing knowledge of the Enneagram – this is not a resource for beginners. There is a chapter on triads, stances, and orientation to time, but it is there to give readers a common background and language for the rest of the book, not as an introduction for novices.

The content includes a look at the nine types as pastors as well as in leadership roles. There’s a chapter on the types related to preaching and teaching as well as chapters on worship, congregational care, and conflict. There’s also a great discussion at the start of the book about whether or not the Enneagram even belongs in the church. The author’s bottom line to readers, especially pastors, is to pursue self-awareness which in turn will help in all aspects of pastoring.

Review

This is an exceptionally good resource. The tone and writing is conversational, and the content is applicable in many settings, not just in churches. (Personally, I though the author came on pretty strong at first, and when he revealed his type in the book, that made more sense. I was quickly able to settle into his writing style, though.) The teaching is solid as it relates to pastors and pastoral roles, but it could also apply to teachers (especially the chapter on preaching) and helping professionals (especially the chapters on conflict and congregational care). I got a TON out of this, and I don’t fit into any of these roles right now.

It was fascinating to me to apply the content to my current and past church experiences. It was easy to see where this information could have helped heal some of the hurts we have seen in our churches over the years.

The material here is challenging in all the best ways. There’s lots of references here to church history, scripture, and Enneagram leaders and teachers, which I enjoyed immensely. This is a must-buy resource for me, and I am looking forward to reading through it again! You can read my reviews of other Enneagram resources here. (There is one use of the word “tribe” in the book as an expression of a like-minded group, which might be offensive to some readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: Upstaged by Diana Harmon Asher

REVIEW: Upstaged by Diana Harmon Asher

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Shira is ambushed into auditioning for The Music Man. Her best friend, Cassie, thinks it’s a great way for Shira to move past her shyness. All Shira knows is that getting the first tenor part for the barbershop quartet in the play is drawing a lot more attention than she wants.

But being a girl cast in a male role in middle school starts to feel like small potatoes when Shira is asked to also be the understudy for Marian, the female lead in the musical. While Shira’s nervous about dealing with Monica, the 8th grade diva cast in the role, she really understands and identifies with the prim and shy librarian in the play.

But when Monica starts causing problems for Shira and her friends – and the production – Shira has to dig deep and find her voice, for the sake of everything that has become so important for her.

Review

This was so fun!! I had high hopes for this one. I adored the author’s previous book, Sidetracked. And I enjoy The Music Man as well as school stories, so this felt like it would be a good fit for me – and it was!

I think it will help readers if they have seen a production of The Music Man. Even if they don’t know the songs, it will help to understand the plot and especially the main characters. If I was doing something with this book in a classroom – a read-aloud, a book group – I would schedule a viewing if I could. It would be so fun!

Shira’s shyness is not an extreme example; she doesn’t have a paralyzing level of anxiety. She’s comfortable singing in private. And once she meets each new challenge in the story, she gains confidence and keeps moving forward.

There are plenty of middle grade standard elements here – friendship pieces, a mean girl, oblivious school personnel, amazing teachers, some crushes, etc. Any reader who enjoys contemporary middle grade fiction can find something here to love. Theater fans, singers, performers, and Music Man fans should absolutely check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.