Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

REVIEW: Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

While Uncle Budrick enjoys being a traveling troubadour, Max would rather be a knight. When Max and Budrick visit Byjovia – Uncle Budrick’s home – they discover that the kind king is presumed dead and his evil brother has taken over. But thanks to some new friends, Max – and the Midknights – might be able to save the day.

Review

This was PURE FUN! I loved the whole story. The characters are delightful. The humor is pitch perfect – funny without beating you over the head with gags. The pacing of the story was excellent – every so often there was a new challenge and a new opportunity or friend.

If there’s a “message” to the story it’s that gender or family history shouldn’t force you into any role. Even though Max is a girl, she should get to train as a knight if that’s what she wants. And if her friend wants to be a writer instead of working with horses like his dad, so be it. But really, the message is secondary to the fun story full of magic and creatures and challenges and chances to be heroic.

I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book. Book 2, Battle of the Bodkins, is out now. Why not pick up both and check them out?!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥=Outstanding! Amazing! Special!

BONUS REVIEW: A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert

BONUS REVIEW: A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert

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

Their friend, Kurt Kendrick, hosted a party for Amy and Richard to celebrate their upcoming wedding. It was a lovely event with good food and fine champagne. Both sets of parents were there as well as Amy’s mysterious brother, and many of their friends. There was also an art dealer there by the name of Oscar Selvaggio. He and Kurt were bidding against one another on a rare book, and he happened to show up on the day of the party to try to negotiate with Kurt over the book.

That was unfortunate for the happy couple because before the party was over, Oscar was dead.

Thanks to Kurt’s shady history, he is a prime suspect. But Amy feels if Kurt had really wanted to kill someone, he’d be too smart to have the person die on his own property. But there are other suspects and plenty of researching and sleuthing Amy can do. Kurt is her friend. And the best way to protect her friends and family is to help the police find the real murderer.

Review

This is book 5 in the great Blue Ridge Library Mystery series that definitely should be read in order. I enjoy the characters in this series so much. While book 3 felt uneven to me, and I somehow missed book 4, this felt like the great series I loved from the first two books. The mystery here is layered and twisty. It adds to the history of Kurt’s mysterious past. It also ties back to some of the other events from earlier in the series, which is why I wouldn’t recommend newcomers start with this book.

I enjoyed the inclusion of Amy’s brother, Scott, here. He’s a bit of a plot tease because we never get a full reveal on what his job truly is. But I liked the addition of him to the core group. His love interest gives me hope that he’s going to make an appearance in future books.

Fans of this series should not miss this volume. The wedding-related pieces are lovely and satisfying for series fans. The author does a great job balancing the wedding threads with the mystery ones and keeping everything moving forward. Cozy fans should give this series a try! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Case for Keto by Gary Taubes

REVIEW: The Case for Keto by Gary Taubes

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is an exploration and defense of low carbohydrate, high fat eating, often called “Keto.” The author is not a doctor, which surprised me at first, but instead he is a health and science journalist. The research in this book is top notch. There’s a lot of history regarding health, nutrition, and obesity here. The endnotes and citations were thorough.

The general premise is that obesity and diabetes as well as other health issues continue to rise even though we have had decades of “eat less, move more” advice. That doesn’t work for all body types. Some schools of thought are reluctant to remove any food group from consumption in an effort to remain “balanced.” But if a particular category of foods – high carbohydrate ones, for example – are causing the problems, it would make sense to eliminate them.

The author makes a couple analogies with smoking, alcohol/drug addiction, and allergies, which I found convincing and helpful. We don’t consider abstinence a “deprivation” if the thing someone abstains from is something they are allergic to or something they are addicted to. Thinking of carbohydrates that way can be helpful  for those whose bodies would thrive without them. Following a ketogenic lifestyle to address a metabolic disorder is a way of living, not something you try for awhile before going back to “normal.” You would never recommend an alcoholic celebrate a sobriety milestone with a glass of champagne. If carbohydrates are problematic for a particular individual, they always will be problematic.

This is a dense, technical resource. I was probably not the right audience for this as a consumer. I did a lot of skimming in the early chapters. Still, I found the later chapters on what to eat and what to avoid most helpful along with the anecdotes from people interviewed for the book. Professionals – dietitians, medical professionals – are probably the proper audience for this book. If someone was curious about following a ketogenic diet, this would not be the resource I would hand them for their introduction.

That said, there was a lot here that I found fascinating about obesity, about research methods, and about ketogenic eating. I would highly recommend this for professionals, but I would probably steer the general public to one of the author’s other books (The Case Against Sugar, maybe) or to a different resource that explores a ketogenic diet in a less technical way.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good/fine/solid

 

REVIEW: Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

REVIEW: Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the middle school years are some of the toughest years of childhood. Hormones, friend drama, and family issues converge with academic stress and bullies and extreme self-consciousness. For the girls at Fisher Middle School, one of the added stressors is the dress code.

A few members of the school administration take the dress code very seriously. In fact, recently, one of Molly’s friends was humiliated by the dress coding practices at the school. And, since the principal had used the dress code as the criteria for a year-end camping trip for the 8th graders, he cancelled the trip and blamed the girl, which made many of the other kids turn on her without the full story.

Molly has plenty of her own middle school drama to deal with. Her brother’s vaping has gotten so out of control that her mom quit her job so she could supervise him more closely. This means money is super tight for things like a camping trip or a graduation dress that meets the dress code. But Molly refuses to let her friend take the fall for the camping trip – or let anyone else be humiliated by the dress code policies at school. So Molly starts a podcast. And soon everyone is talking about the dress code.

Review

I was simultaneously horrified and delighted by this dress code story. The stories told in Molly’s podcast were so upsetting! But I was cheering the students on the whole time as they were brave and shared their stories. I loved that Molly refused to back down because she was going to graduate and move onto high school where no one enforced the dress code. She could not abandon her 7th grade friends or the next classes moving up. Her passion was inspiring.

The other threads here – vaping, family strife, friend drama, crushes, etc. – filled in around the dress code story. It was realistic in that the dress code obviously would not be the only thing going on in Molly’s life. I enjoyed the dress code story so much, though, that these other things – especially the vaping – felt at times like distractions. But the main thread got to be the main focus in the end. And all the pieces together helped Molly find and use her voice, both at school and at home. And I love a good story about a character finding her voice!

This would be a great story for young activists as well as for talking about dress codes, body shaming, sexism, puberty, and the rest. Young podcasters might also enjoy reading about how Molly uses her podcast to elevate the voices of the voiceless. Don’t miss this one! (LGBTQ+ and disability representation in the larger cast, TW: Bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

REVIEW: Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Connor and his mom have been in a stalemate for weeks. Connor’s boyfriend, Ario, insisted his life would be better if he came out to his mom. But it’s only made things worse. She took his phone, his laptop, his Switch. She’s not speaking to him, and she’s cut him off from Ario who is going to be leaving for college soon.

Connor’s mom is convinced he’s the father of his best friend’s baby. She’d much rather he be a teen father than be gay. She thinks she is doing him a favor by setting “boundaries” like refusing to acknowledge any boyfriend he might have or refusing to have anything to do with any future family Connor might have with another man. It’s so bad, Connor starts to wonder if he needs to find somewhere else to live for his senior year. But where could he possibly go?

Before Connor can even cobble together a plan, though, a group of men dressed all in black come into Connor’s home and physically remove him and toss him in a van. His mom watches this happen, but does nothing to stop it. The men say his mom has paid for him to take a “vacation.” In Costa Rica. But that’s not even close to what is happening. Connor is taken to a conversion camp called Nightlight where he finds other teens. Sent there by their own parents so the camp can “reprogram” their gay children.

Review

Wow! The first time I read the plot for this book, I was immediately captivated. A “Christian” conversion camp for gay teens where there’s more going on than meets the eye? I was intrigued. There’s no way I wasn’t reading this. I had to know what the secrets were.

And this story was a doozy! The author uses some carefully constructed time jumps to set up the larger questions of the book early on. Those questions carried Connor to Nightlight. I expected Connor to discover the mystery once he got there and started working on a way out. But this was so much better than the set up I was expecting. The suspense here and all the weird little puzzle pieces that had to fit together were so well constructed.

The subject matter makes this a hard book to like in some ways. I was heart-broken for Connor and the other kids at Nightlight for how they were treated, both at home and at the “camp.” The hate, the manipulation, the “conversion” techniques were all awful. There are dark moments here.

At the same time there are these awesome, resilient teens at the center of this story. I loved them. And I was rooting for them from the start. The ending is satisfying yet realistic. The kids have varying responses after their trauma. This was honest, but also sad in some cases.

Suspense fans should not miss this one. The hook will draw you in, and the characters will keep you turning pages until you get to the end. Readers should be aware of the trauma that could be triggered by things in the story. The author includes a note at the start of the book that should be helpful. (Language, sex, violence, LGBTQ+, TW: Suicide, hate crimes and trauma around sexuality and gender identity)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥= Great!

BONUS REVIEW: To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano

BONUS REVIEW: To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Gabriella Goodhue grew up a thief on the streets. She used to work with a partner – Nicholas Quinn – but when she was caught at age 12, her street “family” abandoned her. She spent her teen years in an orphanage.

Gabriella is pulling her thieving skills out as an adult to help a friend. Miss Jennette Moore has been accused of stealing her fiancé’s family fortune in jewels. But Gabriella knows that’s not Jennette’s character at all. She’s obviously been framed. When Gabriella’s prime suspect hosts a party, Gabriella uses the opportunity to sneak in and check the woman’s safe.

Instead of finding jewels, though, Gabriella finds Nicholas breaking into the same room. Gabriella is angry and bitter that Nicholas never came after her when she was caught as a child. But Nicholas has his own version of what happened.

The ladies at Gabriella’s boarding house, calling themselves the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency, are determined to use every skill, secret, and connection they possess to clear Jennette’s name. While Nicholas says he is working toward the same end, he has changed so much, Gabriella is not sure she should trust him ever again.

Review

Another excellent book from Jen Turano. I thoroughly enjoyed this “found family” story that kicks off a new Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series. Hopefully, each one of the Bleeker Street ladies gets a book. I am here for every single one of them!

There’s a TON going on here, and I was captivated by all of it. Jennette’s case launches the Inquiry Agency, and also pulls Gabriella and Nicholas back into one another’s orbits. From there the author adds in several other cases for the ladies and their growing ensemble of helpers. The story also includes more information on what happened in the years since Gabriella and Nicholas have seen each other – as well as some secrets neither knew before. It felt like easily three books’ worth of story, in only the best ways. The pacing never dragged, and I never felt like the author didn’t have her various story threads firmly in hand. The faith pieces of the book are subtle and felt natural, something I am a stickler for when I read Christian fiction.

I was invested in every single part of this book. The ending was fantastic and supremely satisfying. I truly can’t wait to read book 2, To Write a Wrong, which is scheduled to release late in the summer of 2021.

Fans of the author should not miss this one. I love finding a terrific series right from the first book. And while you wait for book 2, you can check out the author’s extensive backlist.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Wine Tastings Are Murder by Libby Klein

REVIEW: Wine Tastings Are Murder by Libby Klein

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Poppy and her aunt, Ginny, are hosting members of a wine tasting tour at the B&B when tragedy strikes. One of Poppy’s guests dies at their first winery visit. What at first blush looks like a heart attack seems to be murder instead.

Poppy’s friends who have a stake in the winery beg her to look into things and clear the winery before the bad press puts them out of business.

It seems unlikely that the rest of the tour group would be involved. They’re mostly strangers to one another. But the victim was travelling with his attractive young wife as well as his bitter adult daughter and her husband. The son-in-law had been pressuring the man to ditch the women and go sailing so they could “talk business” from the moment they arrived. The daughter was trying to drive a wedge between her father and his new wife. Maybe something bigger was going on within the family – or the business – that led to murder.

At least investigating a murder will give Poppy something else to think about besides her complicated love life.

Review

This is book 5 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. This was a fun addition to this great mystery series. While I still don’t care for the love triangle (You can read my rant from book 4 here.), it took a back seat in this book which I was happy about. And there was progress made by the end – although with a new wrinkle to carry us into book 6, Beauty Expos Are Murder, due out in the summer of 2021.

This is a busy series to begin with. Poppy has her work at the B&B, plus caring for her elderly – and spunky – aunt. She also bakes for two local businesses with her two love interests. She has her small circle of friends who help with the sleuthing. And Aunt Ginny has her crew, too.

This book adds the murder as well as a wine tasting group, a problematic new employee, possible rivals in both of her romantic relationships, and an unusual request from her law enforcement frenemy. So there’s a LOT happening here. But the author never loses track of the various threads. Secondary story elements never overwhelm the focus on the mystery, which I appreciated. The mystery develops at a great pace, and there are lots of avenues for Poppy to pursue in her sleuthing. The solution to the mystery was quite satisfying.

This is a fun series that often makes me laugh out loud. The mysteries are always terrific, and I get a kick out of most of the main characters. If we could get past the love triangle, I would adore it all the more. (Poppy spends a lot of time in this book talking about and thinking about her weight, her diet, and what she is and is not eating. This could be triggering for some readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover by Summer Rachel Short

REVIEW: The Mutant Mushroom Takeover by Summer Rachel Short

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a print copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Magnolia is on the hunt for something scientifically amazing. Something to help her win the Junior Naturalist Merit Award. Not only is there a cash prize, but she would also have a chance to meet with the board of Vitaccino. She could convince them to give her dad his job back so he could come home from his latest job at Yellowstone.

Maggie agrees to explore Old Man Bell’s woods with her best friend Nate. Nate believes he can find evidence of paranormal activity. Maggie just wants some nature pictures for her award application. But the kids find more than they bargained for.

The woods light up with bio-luminescence. But there seems to be something else in the woods, too. Maggie’s brother is exposed to it and is acting strangely. She’s also noticing mutations and strange behavior in the local wildlife. Pretty soon, Maggie’s investigation is about a whole lot more than an award program, some glowing mushrooms, or getting her dad his job back. If she doesn’t figure out what is going on, her whole town could be lost to this thing – and it could continue to spread.

Review

Kids are going to love this!

This is a prime example of how a book can be great while at the same time being a story I did not like. This hits closer to horror than science fiction for me, and that’s not a genre I care for. I don’t watch zombie shows, and I don’t like being scared. So this was not a great fit for me as a reader. But the horror pieces are absolutely middle grade appropriate. And I think a lot of kids are going to love this one.

The story is well constructed. And the science is solid and fascinating. One of my favorite moments was when Maggie devises an experiment – with a control group – to see what solution has the best chance of fixing the problem she discovers. The characters here are terrific. I loved Maggie and was rooting for her from the start, both in her quest to reunite her family and later in the one to save her town – and possibly the world.

Teachers could have a field day with this, tying it to biology and ecology. The cross-discipline potential for using this in the classroom is vast – reading, writing, and science applications.

Hand this to fans of Goosebumps, science fiction, mysteries, and zombie stories as well as kids who love hard science. While this is not a book I personally *enjoyed,* it is well written and will be a huge hit with kids. If I had had this book when I was teaching, the kids would have kept it in constant circulation!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥= Great

 

REVIEW: Together, Apart

REVIEW: Together, Apart

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is a collection of 9 romantic stories for young adults about love in the time of Covid and quarantine.

“Love, Delivered” by Erin A. Craig
A family’s move is accelerated due to the pandemic as Millie’s scientist parents are needed at their new jobs ASAP. Thanks to the pandemic, her folks have to report to work right away, but their groceries won’t be delivered for a few days. This leaves Millie ordering a lot of pizza from a local joint – and getting to know the delivery guy.

This was ADORABLE! So sweet. I thought it captured the early days of the pandemic well as people tried to adjust to new masking and distancing requirements. Loved this! ♥♥♥♥½

“The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade” by Bill Konigsberg
After several awkward encounters with a group of dog walkers, a cute boy invites Kaz to join them.

This is a far more serious, angsty story than the first one. Kaz has been burned in relationships before. He’s introverted and shy to begin with, but now he’s also protective. But slowly Daxton gets him to warm up. This was good, although halfway through the book it became clear that the cozy, squishy stories were more my speed than the more serious ones in general. (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: Cutting) ♥♥♥

“One Day” by Sajni Patel
A girl in search of peace and quiet while in lockdown with her family in their apartment starts communicating with a boy playing guitar on his balcony, after she throws her shoe at him and he refuses to return it.

This was another cute, flirty story – right up my alley. I loved how all of these stories so far have taken a different angle on the lockdown, in this case, a small apartment with four people at home. ♥♥♥♥

“The Rules of Comedy” by Auriane Desombre
Harper gets her older sister’s help with a funny TikTok video to get her crush’s attention. But when it works, Harper thinks she’s not funny enough on her own to keep up with the conversation.

I enjoyed the relationship with the sisters here. For me that was the more interesting, and in the end, satisfying, relationship addressed in the story. Covid was the context for why Harper was connecting with Alyssa through devices rather than at school in person, but otherwise it wasn’t a big factor in this story. (LGBTQ+) ♥♥♥

“The New Boy Next Door” by Natasha Preston
Quinn’s new neighbor is gorgeous – and brooding. But she’s determined to break down his walls and get to know him – from a safe distance.

This was delightful! The flirty banter is exactly what I love in stories. I also enjoyed the glimpse at how the fictional neighborhood was dealing with Covid and staying connected. ♥♥♥♥½

“The Green Thumb War” by Brittney Morris
Two teens growing herbs on their balconies devise a contest to see who can do something amazing with them.

This starts with antagonists, not unlike “One Day,” although with a cat and dog fight as well as an injury instead of just a thrown shoe. But I enjoyed the awkward, quirky characters and their back-and-forth banter. The set up for this one was clever, as was the resolution. ♥♥♥♥½

“Stuck with Her” by Rachael Lippincott
Allie’s roommate, Mia, is making her crazy, eating all her food and playing loud music at 3am while they are stuck together in lockdown.

This may be the most relatable regarding Covid for me, reading this in December. This shows some of the wear and tear of constant togetherness, the question of whether things will ever get back to normal, etc. Allie’s coming out story is heartbreaking. The description of her panic attack felt realistic, and the way Mia cares for her and responds is endearing. The coming out story and panic attack could be triggering for some readers. (LGBTQ+) ♥♥♥♥½

“Masked” by Erin Hahn
When Covid cancels prom, Gray decides to use the material she bought to make her dream dress to make masks instead. She meets Jude on a neighborhood app when he reaches out to have her make masks for his uncle’s business.

This is my favorite story from the collection! Not a surprise because I already love the author. There’s a fun music component to this, like in a lot of her work. I was devastated for Gray to sacrifice her dress and her dreams for prom. I felt like the author did a great job demonstrating that piece of the early part of the pandemic. That she used her sewing skills and her precious material to do something to help others was endearing. And then she met Jude. *swoon* ♥♥♥♥♥

 

This whole collection is a delight. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: A Murder Between the Pages by Amy Lillard

BONUS REVIEW: A Murder Between the Pages by Amy Lillard

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Arlo and the book club laides helped solve the murder of author, Wally Harrison, Arlo assumed that was the first and LAST of their sleuthing. And of Wally. But the Books and More shop’s book club wasn’t done with Wally quite yet. They were reading Wally’s best seller, Missing Girl. And they are convinced he based his book on a 50 year old cold case – the disappearance of Mary Kennedy from right there in Sugar Springs.

Mary was last seen at Lillyfield, an historic mansion in town. As Arlo has to go out there to pick up a book donation for the store, the book club ladies insist on going, too, to snoop. None of them expected to witness the death of a young woman who had such a bright future ahead of her. Now the seniors want to help solve this new murder as well as the cold case. Arlo would rather leave the detecting to actual detectives, but the book club ladies are a force to be reckoned with!

Review

This is book 2 in the Main Street Book Club Mystery series after Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder. Sadly, I did not enjoy this one as much as I did the first. For the longest time, nothing seemed to happen. The first third or more of the book felt like it just kept rehashing opinions on whether or not the book was about Mary Kennedy and what the book club ladies knew – or suspected or guessed – about the case. They did their “sleuthing” at the hairdresser’s, off page, gathering gossip. There was no movement or progress made for the longest time. I was disappointed. Then, when the new murder happened, it didn’t feel like it made much difference; it was just sort of “there” until the end.

The book club ladies were a LOT to take in this one. They have no self-control; they don’t listen to anyone who gives them a boundary or a suggestion for their own safety. Also, they have no regard for law enforcement, private property, etc. Only for their own whims. Some of that comes with the territory in a cozy with amateur sleuths, but this felt over the top for me. I also felt like Arlo was an ineffectual parent trying to corral a group of willful three year olds. She went along with things because she felt powerless to do anything else. She seemed to be there mostly for crowd control – without much control – rather than for sleuthing or digging into a mystery.

In the second half, the mystery started to pull together. And I enjoyed the romance thread for one of the book club ladies, but otherwise I didn’t click with the characters or the love triangle for Arlo. The ending of the mystery was satisfying, but the road to get there was frustrating. I don’t know that I will move forward with this series.

Readers who get a kick out of these feisty octogenarians should definitely pick this one up. The ladies are in rare form in this book. They were just too much for me. (Includes some dated references about homosexuality including a slur from the older characters that Arlo doesn’t address. This is keeping with her resignation that these ladies are going to do and say what they want no matter what she does, but it might offend some readers.)

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid, some issues but overall okay