Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog by Lisa Papp

REVIEW: Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog by Lisa Papp

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Madeline Finn’s puppy, Star, is finishing his training to be a therapy dog by visiting a retirement village. Star does well on his tests, and Madeline makes sure he practices. And the residents of Walker Oaks love him. But one resident doesn’t respond to Star or Madeline’s efforts to connect.

Review

Another winner of a book by Lisa Papp starring Madeline Finn! I don’t think I personally could use this one for a read aloud, though, because I think I choked up on every single page. This is precious!

Madeline is sweet and earnest. Star is adorable. The soft illustrations in this series feel like warm hugs. And once again, books and reading play as big a role as the sweet, cuddly dogs.

Do not miss ANY of the books in this series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Daphne & Velma: The Vanishing Girl by Josephine Ruby

REVIEW: Daphne & Velma: The Vanishing Girl by Josephine Ruby

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The town of Crystal Cove counts on their mysterious history (the disappearance of most of the town founders) and the Haunted Village attraction to bring tourists to town.

When a teen gets locked in an attraction at Haunted Village, and she blames ghosts, there’s tons of fresh attention on the town. Unfortunately, the girl’s story could cost Velma Dinkley’s mom her job at the Haunted Village. The Village has already taken so much from her family. So Velma is determined to get the girl, Marcy, to recant her story so Velma’s mom can get back to work.

Instead, Marcy goes missing. Daphne Blake is Marcy’s best friend. She does NOT believe the lame story that Marcy ran away to Mexico. Finding Marcy is a bigger job than Daphne can tackle on her own. But the only other person who questions the story is Velma. Maybe they could have worked together when they were 10. But the two girls have been bitter enemies for years now. Could they put aside their history to find out the truth about Marcy?

Review

This was great! I loved watching the girls work through their history as well as the mystery. Shaggy and Scooby play a role, and Fred is around, but the girls are the stars here.

I’m not certain if this is an alternate universe from the TV shows I have enjoyed for years, tracking it’s own independent course, or if it is an origin story for the Mystery Inc. gang that will develop over time. I’ll have to keep up with the series to find out. And I plan to! This was so fun.

I had thought this was going to be a graphic novel, but this is a prose novel instead. The history and angst between Daphne and Velma is a significant part of the story. It’s mostly resolved by the end, and I’m eager to see how they move forward in future books. There’s also family stuff going on for both girls that added some nice layers to the story.

The mystery was terrific. It felt like an episode of Scooby Doo in all the best ways. I’m eager to dive into book 2, The Dark Deception. A third book is currently scheduled for spring, 2021.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = Loved it! Would read again

REVIEW: Behind the Frame by Tracy Gardner

REVIEW: Behind the Frame by Tracy Gardner

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Carson has won the privilege of hosting the area Art in the Park Festival for this year. As an artist and art teacher, it makes sense for Savanna to be on the planning committee.

The first sign of trouble is the damage to a statue at the community park. It’s tagged with “Never Carson,” and the head of town founder, Jessamina Carson, has been severed from the body of the statue.

Then one of the other committee members, local councilman John Bellamy, is killed. When a family friend is arrested, Savanna and her sisters are certain the man could not have committed this heinous crime.

The question is, who did? And why? Is it tied to the art event? Folks from the town that hosted the last three years seem testy about the change of venue. And John did disqualify an entry for the $50,000 scholarship and other prizes. Or maybe it has something to do with Bellamy’s run for mayor. Or could it have been Bellamy’s son, back in town after a falling out with his father years ago?

Savanna and her sisters are fully invested in finding the killer, clearing their friend, and ensuring the festival goes off without a hitch.

Review

This was fun! I love Savanna and her sisters. It’s not often that I read a cozy that uses a team of sleuths, and I really enjoy the change up. Savanna is primary, but she and her sisters work together to bring different skills to the case. Also, the local LEO walks the fine line between cautioning the sisters and embracing their input and insights. I love it. And I thoroughly enjoyed the developments in Savanna and Aidan’s relationship. There are several fun developments on the personal side for all three sisters.

The mystery was great and had me guessing all the way to the end. The escalation was nicely paced. I could absolutely see this story play out on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on TV.

Book one in the series is Out of the Picture (♥♥♥♥½). I really enjoyed both books. And I hope there are going to be more. This is the style of cozy I love – great characters and community balanced with a well-plotted and engaging mystery. Do not miss this series. Other mysteries from Hallmark Publishing so far are Dead-End Detective and The Game Changer.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥= Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Tune It Out by Jamie Sumner

BONUS REVIEW: Tune It Out by Jamie Sumner

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lou and her mom are living out of their truck at a camp ground. Her mom is a waitress, for now. She’s certain that Lou’s singing will change their fortunes if she can get “discovered.” So Lou hasn’t been enrolled at school for the last year. Schools ask too many questions. And they need to easily be able to leave town when Lou’s big break comes.

Lou’s voice is as good as her mom thinks it is. But she has some quirks that can cause trouble in public situations. Lou doesn’t like to be touched or to have people watching her. Loud noises can startle her and set her off. A teacher at her last school said she was “on the spectrum.” Whatever it is, Lou feels like she is always one moment away from a meltdown no matter what she does.

An accident on a snowy night leaves Lou with a concussion – and a CPS caseworker. Her mom is being investigated for neglect, and Lou is being sent to Tennessee to live with an aunt and uncle she doesn’t know. How is she ever going to manage without the one person who actually gets her?

Review

This book for older middle grade readers (ages 10+) was AMAZING!

First of all, it’s a foster care/found family story which I always enjoy. I loved seeing Lou cared for, seen, and heard at both her aunt’s house and at her new school. She’s in a place where she’s safe and can thrive, and I loved it.

Then there’s Lou herself. She was one of the best protagonists I have encountered this year. She may not know why she has her “meltdowns,” but she knows herself. She knows what she can handle and what’s not going to work. At the same time, though, she’s determined to push through where she can to make the most of her new situation.

The other characters are excellent, too. After Well’s first scene, I was firmly in love with this book. He’s my favorite sort of character – fun, personable, charming, and a great friend. He has his own issues which keeps him relatable, especially to Lou. I also loved the school staff who, again, SEE Lou and GET her. There are great counselors/social workers in this, and Lou’s aunt and uncle are also great.

One of my favorite things in this is the way Lou’s understanding of her mom and their relationship changes over the course of the book. Lou loves her mom. But she also recognizes her faults. And in the end she stands her ground for what she needs.

This was an absolute treat. The kids feel old for 6th grade, but I loved them too much to care. Do not miss this one! You can read a brief review of one of the author’s other books here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥=Outstanding! Amazing!

REVIEW: The Places We Sleep by Caroline Brooks DuBois

REVIEW: The Places We Sleep by Caroline Brooks DuBois

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a physical review copy of this book from Holiday House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A novel in verse starring Abbey, a seventh grader in a new school in 2001. She’s trying to make friends, avoid the mean kids, and deal with her first period.

Abbey’s mom isn’t around to help her with her period. Planes flew into the twin towers in New York City and now her mom’s sister, Rose, is missing. Abbey’s mom has gone to help her brother-in-law with their kids while they wait for word on Rose.

Abbey’s dad is career-military. As the country tries to recover from the unthinkable, he’s preparing for deployment.

When the world seems changed forever, Abbey is trying to negotiate middle school while her family deals with the unimaginable changes in their day to day lives.

Review

This is a new-kid-in-school story, told in verse, and set with 9/11 as the backdrop. September 11th is an inciting incident. It changes the dynamics in Abbey’s home and in the world around her. It pulls her mom away and pushes Abbey to deal with her first period on her own. And it is why her father later gets deployed. There are threads on grief and war protests and racism against Muslims. But those aren’t the main focus of the story.

The focus is Abbey. It’s on her adjustment to a new school and to puberty. She considers questions of identity when it comes to her art. And she grows in her confidence to stand up when others are teased or harassed.

I have read other novels in verse – The Crossover (♥♥♥♥), Garvey’s Choice, Inside Out and Back Again (♥♥♥♥♥), Long Way Down (♥♥♥♥), Solo – and my reaction has been mixed. Some I love and others haven’t clicked. For me, I think it’s about how much I connect with the story being told and how the format enhances that story. And this one was fine, but didn’t grab me. I liked Abbey, and I cared about what happened with her family. But I wanted more. I think I wanted to go deeper on the emotions of Abbey’s story with 9/11. That just wasn’t the story the author chose to tell.

If you are building a collection of novels in verse, or you are looking for middle grade coming-of-age stories, be sure to check this one out. Abbey is a lovely character, and I think kids will like her. If you are looking for more stories that talk honestly with readers about menstruation, this could be a good choice. Abbey’s period really weaves through the whole book rather than just being a one-off incident. (Content Warning: 9/11, grief, deployment)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/fine/solid

REVIEW: Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale

REVIEW: Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Josie used to be “kind of a big deal.” Her choir director told her she had “star power.” She knew how to light up a stage. And her talent and some connections got her a Broadway audition. She left home – and quit high school – with a one way ticket to New York.

When the audition doesn’t go as planned, Josie decides to stay in New York, crashing wherever she can find a spot. She eventually starts nannying part time, going to any casting call she can find. Nothing clicks. How awful to discover your best moments were in high school. When her nanny job moves to Montana, Josie goes, too, for lack of any other plan.

On a trip to the park with her charge, Mia, Josie stops in a local book shop. And everything changes. She picks up a book, and as she’s reading, she falls into the story, becoming one of the characters. It’s like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. All of the people in Josie’s life play the characters in each story she falls into. Each time she dives into a book, she has a harder time remembering her real life and pulling back. What would happen to Josie – or to Mia – if she fell into a story and never came back out?

Review

This one didn’t click for me. Spending time with Josie felt like going to a high school reunion with someone who had never moved on. It’s tragic in a 40-year-old, and it’s tragic in an 18-year-old. Josie believes she peaked in high school. She puts everything into a shot at Broadway, and when it fails, she has no direction. She is lost, desperate. And she doesn’t know how to bounce back.

To Josie’s – and the book’s – credit, she doesn’t stay stuck. She starts to develop some insights, and she gets a better understanding of herself and the relationships she has been relying on. She sees the toxicity in some of her relationships as well as in her perceptions of herself and her life.

The jumps into books, and the big climax for that part of the story, while effective for producing some change in Josie, didn’t work for me. I skimmed over most of the book jumping. Josie’s a lot to take at times. In these passages especially, she was exhausting for me. I was more interested in the things going on in her real life. Josie’s charge, Mia, and her transgender friend Nina were the characters I most wanted to see. In the end it felt like the story I wanted with the characters here and the story the author wanted to tell with them just weren’t the same story. And the climax, while an interesting twist, felt a little too out of left field for me.

Readers who enjoy angsty teens (who feel like realistic teenagers) and fantasy stories centered around books might give this one a try. Some readers have really enjoyed this one. (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½=mostly solid to solid

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Charlie and his finacée, Helen Louise, along with Charlie’s Maine Coon, Diesel, travel to Asheville, North Carolina for a mystery retreat for the members of the Athena Public Library’s mystery group. The Ducote sisters secured a lovely boutique hotel for everyone to stay in that will also hold their group events.

The group includes the Ducote’s ward, Benjy, as well as an art history professor, a loan officer, a plumber, and a retired couple. All together, there are 12 group members there as well as a few significant others. Charlie is looking forward to getting to know the other folks in the newly formed group.

But their mystery-focused fun is disrupted when the loan officer’s “boyfriend”/stalker disrupts their first meeting. The next day, he is found dead. Before long, the whole group is pulled into a real-life mystery.

Review

Another great mystery starring Charlie and Diesel, book 13 in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series. It was nice to have a change of setting for this book. I wanted more of their mystery retreat sessions. I loved the bits on Golden Age writers that are part of the set up of the story. In fact, I even started a list of authors to check out. I was sad that the murder investigation ended up edging out the rest of their retreat meetings.

The mystery here was excellent. It was twisty in all the best ways. I didn’t see the solution until it was revealed on the page.

There’s lots here for series fans to enjoy. There are plenty of scenes with Diesel as well as some of Charlie’s usual friend group, including the ladies from Miranda James‘ Southern Ladies Mysteries series. There’s also a fresh setting and a mystery to keep you guessing until the end. Fans of these characters should not miss this installment. Book 14, What the Cat Dragged In, will release in the spring of 2021. (Alludes to off-page sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great, might re-read

REVIEW: You Lucky Dog by Julia London

REVIEW: You Lucky Dog by Julia London

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Carly Kennedy is trying to build a PR business in Austin so she can get the money to move to New York City. She’s keeping her sister’s basset hound, Baxter (her mother’s fault – don’t ask), and she pays someone to walk him. Baxter is a quiet, sad, and anxious fella but Carly loves him.

Max Sheffington is a neuroscience professor studying dogs. He’s interested in how the reactions of neurotransmitters in dogs and dog lovers could be applied to the understanding of the autistic brain. Max’s brother, Jamie, is profoundly autistic. But Jamie really connects with dogs. That’s why Max got his basset hound, Hazel – to connect with Jamie.

When Baxter and Hazel’s dog walker gets into some trouble, someone else has to take the dogs home. And that person switches the two basset hounds. Carly and Max notice immediately that they have the wrong dogs, but it takes awhile to find each other. But once they do, they see what a difference Hazel makes in Baxter’s life.

Review

The core to this contemporary romance by Julia London is the relationship between Baxter and Hazel and the one between Max and Carly. And there’s a lot in those relationships to love. Unfortunately for Carly and Max, their relationship also has about three Hallmark movies’-worth of roadblocks and drama. The ending, thankfully, is a satisfying resolution to those roadblocks.

Along the way, though, this gets wordy. I’m not big on setting and wardrobe descriptions. I skim right by those in most books if they are more than a sentence or two long. Also, too much overthinking by the characters encourages me to skim. There was a good bit of that here. I felt like I did a fair amount of skimming, especially early on. If you enjoy the more detailed descriptions and inner processing, this may be a better fit for you in that way.

The characters in this were what kept me turning pages. First of all, Baxter and Hazel are excellent. The description of Baxter before he meets Hazel is endearing and sad. But the spark he finds in Hazel is darling. Carly and Max alone are okay on their own. She puts up with a lot of garbage from her wacky family and her clients. Max can get too in his own head. But together they are great. I liked them more as a couple than I did as individuals. I also loved Max’s brother, Jamie. I would have enjoyed even more scenes with Jamie in them. I think character-driven readers will like what they find in this book. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥= Fine/Solid/Good

BONUS REVIEW: The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar

BONUS REVIEW: The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It’s been 3 years since Mayor Thornton banned chocolate and sweets from the town. Three years since the Farnsworth Chocolate Factory closed and the owner disappeared.

Nelle Faulkner is a private detective on summer break. Eddie deMenthe is her latest client, a candy bootlegger looking for someone who can find things. Precious things. Stolen things.

But Nelle’s case only gets more complicated. Someone breaks into her office. The police come to her house. And Eddie goes missing. Something in the secret chocolate trade is rotten. Something beyond just smuggling.

Review

This was fun. The premise was interesting – the candy ban, kids as smugglers. And then the larger secrets and motives that Nelle discovers as she investigates.

I liked Nelle and the other kids she ends up working with. The focus of the book was more on the action than character development. I would have enjoyed more on the characters. There were hints at the toll of the smuggling scheme on the kids; I would have loved to see that explored a lot more. I found that piece fascinating.

The mystery had a few twists – some I predicted and others that surprised me. I think kids will enjoy this story . Mystery fans will get a kick out of trying to solve the case before Nelle.

Like Nelle, I wanted more in the end, but overall the story is fun, and the solution is solid. This could be a fun read-aloud selection or good for use in a book club.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

REVIEW: Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters by Ginger Garrett

REVIEW: Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters by Ginger Garrett

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lizbeth and her mom have moved to the other side of Atlanta, which means a change of schools. Lizbeth is certain that, with the right, happy approach, she can pick just the right person to be her new best friend. And that will set her up for a great year.

Instead, she is placed in a classroom with an exhausted and distracted teacher and in a pod with kids called the “weirdos.” Lizbeth’s choice for a new best friend can’t get away from her fast enough. And the only kid who seems to “get” her also seems to be the resident mean girl.

Lizbeth finds herself helping her podmates with the mandatory school talent show while she’s also stuck doing all the work for a partnered science project. On top of all that, she has her quest to sabotage her dad’s latest girlfriend. Lizbeth figures that’s the best way to get her parents back together which will mean Lizbeth can get her old, perfect life back, too.

Review

The ending of this is stellar! There were some ups and downs for me along the way, but the ending was fantastic.

I had a mixed experience here with Lizbeth. She’s a funny, quirky kid, which I loved. She’s a lot to take early on. The scene of her trying to be Hailey’s friend at that first lunch period was almost painful. And when it comes to her dad’s girlfriends, frankly, she’s a bully. She’s mean. For every point she earns in my heart because she defends her podmates at school, she loses several for her horrible, hateful behavior with these women. And her parents don’t seem to do anything about it. This made it hard for me to like any of the family. And it made it hard to root for Lizbeth in the larger story.

With some time, though, Lizbeth starts to mature. She starts to see things from other points of view. She begins to get some personal insight. And that made up for some of the early ugliness in the story.

The art pieces in this were excellent. And the climax of the story was as well. I absolutely adored the end. There’s a lot here for readers to enjoy, and plenty to think about and talk through – labels, bullying, art, friendship, family, dealing with divorce, etc. This could prompt some meaty discussions both at home and in the classroom.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+