Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

REVIEW: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

This past summer I took a deep dive into the Bible for Normal People podcast. I’m generally not a podcast person, but there is a sub-set of episodes called “Pete Ruins ____” that are a deep dive into a particular book of the Bible. And I adore them. I listen while I get ready for work in the morning, and I look forward to that time that’s just for me.

So one night when I was looking for a new nonfiction book to read, I pulled this off the shelf and discovered it’s like my podcast experience in book form.

The “voice” is Pete, complete with funny and sarcastic asides. (Not all of his books are like this – there are others with a bit more academic, formal voice – equally as terrific, but just a different tone.) The content is easy to follow while still being challenging. This is not an approach to the Bible that I’ve found in the “pew” on Sunday mornings, but it’s absolutely where God has been meeting me over the last year, starting with Wisdom for Faithful Reading and then in The Lost World of the Prophets, and finally in these podcasts and this book.

My “elevator pitch” of this approach would be “a faithful approach to reading the Bible, not as a rule book to follow but a collection of writings centered around historical people of faith and their experiences with God.” The book addresses questions I have been asking for a few years now – and it affirms the FAITHFULNESS of asking those questions and seeking the answers. I loved the reading experience; it has meant so much to me in my spiritual growth and development over the last year. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2025

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Adults

Beast of the North Woods (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Monster Hunter Mystery series. Morgan investigates the death of an ice fisherman when his death is blamed on the Hodag. I loved book one, but haven’t read book 2 yet because the opening chapter was super violent. My husband read it and said the whole book isn’t that way, so I need to pick it up soon because I MUST read this Hodag story!
Here Beside the Rising Tide (Trade Paperback) – A writer and her family go back to the island she visited as a kid where her missing childhood friend seems to come out of the water, still 10 years old, telling her he’s trying to save the world.
If Tomorrow Never Comes (Trade Paperback) – A sick young woman waiting for a stem cell transplant and uncertain about her future throws caution to the wind and has a romantic moment with a stranger. A year later, when she’s healthy and connecting with her stem cell donor she discovers the woman’s boyfriend is the stranger she kissed a year ago.
A Lady Would Know Better (Trade Paperback) – An English Lord finds a woman on his property, freezing in the snow, with no memory of her name or her life.
Out of the Woods (Trade Paperback) – A couple facing a crisis-point 17 years into their marriage decide to go on an intense couples hiking trip to see if they can save their relationship.
The Outcast Mage (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Shattered Lands series about a mage who is trying to learn to use her magic before it destroys her.
Wedding Dashers (Trade Paperback) – Two travelers stranded in London while on the way to Ireland discover they are trying to get to the same wedding and face a series of travel disasters.
Enneagram in Real Life: Find Your Type, Understand Who You Are, and Take Steps Toward Growth (Hardcover) – A new Enneagram resource.
The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between (Hardcover) – Therapist and Enneagram practitioner Ian Morgan Cron brings this book – and a workbook – about the Twelve Steps to everyone to show how anyone can benefit from following the Steps.

REVIEW: Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce

REVIEW: Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

While Quinn is somewhat relieved to have a fresh start after the friend drama at her old school, being the new girl at school in February is lonely. But she hears about a D&D group that is open to adding a new player. After everything imploded with her last group, Quinn has longed to get back to a regular campaign.

Logan Weber is the cute guy who helped Quinn out on her first day. And they seem to have real chemistry whenever they run into each other. But he is NOT interested in having Quinn join their D&D group. They livestream their high-energy campaigns, and they are trying to build a following. He thinks Quinn is too quiet and too easily intimidated for their style of D&D.

It’s soon apparent that Logan’s real problem is that he likes Quinn – but their D&D group has a STRICT no-dating policy. And that’s something Quinn can get behind after what happened before. But she and Logan can’t seem to shake the sparks between them.

Review

This was so sweet! I loved the D&D group in this book. These teens are exactly what Quinn needs to heal from what happened before.

Fans of book 1, Dungeons and Drama, should absolutely pick this up. The stories stand alone, so these could be read in any order. And for newcomers, you don’t have to play D&D to follow the story. The emphasis is more on the group dynamic and the dilemma for Quinn and Logan. That said, the D&D scenes are fun, and I would have happily read more of them. And I loved how the livestream led to other characters getting interested in trying D&D. (The epilogue is fantastic!)

If you are in the market for a fun and swoony YA romance, be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Night Woods by Paula Munier

REVIEW: The Night Woods by Paula Munier

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

On a walk in the woods, a very pregnant Mercy and her dog Elvis discover a dead man in the home of their friend Homer. And they find Homer and his bloodhound in the woods, and Homer is gravely injured.

Then a wealthy landowner goes missing during a forest hunt with some of his guests. And Mercy – or Troy – receives an ominous, threatening note on the door of their home.

Mercy’s family and friends would like her to hunker down and wait for the baby, going as far as assigning her a teenaged “keeper.” But she’s determined to help Homer find the truth of what happened to his murdered friend.

Review

I enjoyed this 5th book in the Mercy Carr series. Mercy and Elvis are great, as always. I enjoyed how the author worked things to let Mercy be Mercy while also acknowledging her pregnancy and how that would impact her usual investigating.

One of my favorite things about the book was how Mercy honestly deliberates about her preparedness – and even suitability – for parenting. It felt so vulnerable and so honest. And also so true to the character.

Troy and Mercy are delightful together – as usual. He is protective and concerned while never asking or expecting Mercy to be someone she is not. It’s a beautiful partnership/relationship. The addition of Tandie, the teen, to the core group was a treat! I’ve said many times how much I love an amazing child or teen character, and Tandie fits that same feature I have loved in other things.

Series fans should totally pick this up to stay up on Mercy’s story. The mystery is good – twisty! – but it took a backseat for me to the baby/pregnancy deliberations and the group dynamics which I loved. Newcomers should really start the series from the beginning to get the most from this.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: January 21, 2025

BOOK NEWS: January 21, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Very Bad at Math (Graphic Novel) – A capable and super involved teen struggling in math discovers she has dyscalculia.
Love on Paper – Two teen writers with parents in the publishing business – who happen to be long-term rivals – attend a writing retreat.
The Rival – A new romance from Emma Lord. High school rivals become college rivals when Seb gets pulled off the waitlist and he and Sadie start vying for a spot writing for the school zine. Lord’s books are must reads for me.
The Wilde Trials – Exes participating in a set of dangerous pre-graduation trials at their school team up to help her find her blackmailer and find out why his brother died in the last Trials.

Books for Adults

Earl Crush (Trade Paperback) – An heiress corresponding with a single earl in financial trouble travels to him to offer up a marriage of convenience. Except the earl has no idea who she is, because his brother has been impersonating him to the woman.
Loose Lips (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Ghostwriter Mystery series after The Busy Body. The ghostwriter attends a writing conference aboard a cruise ship. When one of the guests dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s investigation time again. Book 1 was excellent, so this is a must read for me!
Onyx Storm (Hardcover) – Book three in the Empyrean series after Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I haven’t gotten to Fourth Wing yet – I need to catch up!
She Doesn’t Have a Clue (Trade Paperback) – A murder at a destination wedding draws a mystery writer into investigating. I can’t wait to read this one!

REVIEW: No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

REVIEW: No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Emerald Axe of Angbar has been stolen from Baron Angbar, and he thinks Runar the sorcerer has stolen it. So he sends a servant to hire a bounty hunter. The servant hires “the Lilac” after hearing a bard sing about her accomplishments – only to find out that the Lilac is a teenaged girl. The Lilac, and bard/best friend Netta, are hoping to make a name for themselves – and finding the Emerald Axe would be a great way to do that!

Unfortunately for the Lilac, the axe returns on its own, and the Baron weasels out of paying her. But at least she and Netta will get a fancy dinner out of their trip to the castle.

When the axe goes missing again, Runar magically seals the whole castle until the axe is found and he is cleared of suspicion once and for all. And he wants the Lilac to find the real thief!

But then Runar is found dead, and the Lilac’s first case goes from solving a theft to solving a murder.

Review

This was a treat to read from start to finish. The voice and fun-but-chaotic story reminded me why Christopher Healy’s The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom has long been a favorite. In fact, reading this made me want to pick that book up again some time soon. The Lilac and Netta are a fantastic team – I would love to read more stories about their adventures together.

Nearly everyone in this book is hiding a secret, so there’s a LOT to uncover here besides a thief and a murderer. But each reveal keeps the frantic pace of the story up – and I loved that high energy. It made me want to get right back to the book each time I had to put it down.

I would absolutely read this again. This would make for a high-energy classroom read-aloud. Kids will beg for one more chapter. For the same reason, it would be a fun bedtime read, too. I think reading groups would get a kick out of digging into this mystery, too. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Star Trek Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North

REVIEW: Star Trek Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

A choose-your-own-adventure comic starring Beckett Mariner and the crew of the Cerritos was a must see for me. I have fallen in love with Star Trek Lower Decks over the last couple of years, and it is my go to comfort watch these days.

In this book, Mariner discovers the Cerritos crew is either acting strangely or completely missing, and she tries to save the day. Sounds just like an everyday episode of Star Trek!

Sadly, the ARC was NOT formatted to make the choose-your-own-adventure work. I couldn’t jump pages depending on my choice, so I could only scroll back and forth trying to find the right page. I ended up just flipping page by page and trying to put the story together that way. I determined that there are a lot of ways to die in this story!

I will definitely be looking for a print version of this since it contains the characters I already love. I’d be wary of an e-book version just based on my ARC experience. I’d give the overall concept here 4 stars, but only 2 for execution. Until I can verify a print version, I’m giving this 3.5 stars.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BOOK NEWS: January 14, 2025

BOOK NEWS: January 14, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Make Your Mark: The Empowering True Story of the First Known Black Female Tattoo Artists – Picture book biography of Jacci Gresham.
Bad Kitty: Party Animal – It’s Puppy’s birthday, but Kitty keeps causing trouble.
Lila Greer and the Shrieking Shadow – Book 7 in the Questioneers series of chapter books based on the picture book series.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner (Older Middle Grade) – A grieving girl receives a pencil she uses to write stories that then come true.
Old School – A kid homeschooled at a retirement community is forced to go to a regular middle school. I adore Korman’s books and can’t wait to read this one!
PAWS: Hazel Has Her Hands Full (Graphic Novel) – Book 4 in the PAWS series. Hazel takes on a new summer pet sitting job – and the home is even wheelchair acceptable! But when her friends’ busy schedules mean she would be doing the job alone, she’s afraid her overprotective mom will balk.
Same Page (Older Middle Grade) – Something new from Elly Swartz. Two girls launch a project to get a book vending machine for their school, but one of their mom’s objects to some of the books that are supposed to be in the machine. I’m looking forward to this one!
Liar’s Kingdom – Tired of life with her step-family, Ell takes her shot at a different life by lying to a prince, saying she danced with him at a ball she never attended. What a fun twist on a familiar story!
The Queen’s Spade – Queen Victoria’s goddaughter, kidnapped from her African home and family, plots revenge. Inspired by a true story.

Books for Adults

Death in the Downline (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Multi-level Marketing Murder Mystery series. A reporter starting her life over and living at home gets pulled into the LuminUS MLM. When a LuminUS distributer is found dead, she starts investigating.
Extreme Romancing in Idaho (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Clear Springs Romance series. A woman hoping to connect with a new guy lies and tells him she’s into extreme sports.
The In-Between Bookstore (Hardcover) – Darby finds himself in the bookstore he worked in as a teen when he moves back to his hometown. But he doesn’t expect to walk in and find himself back in 2009, face to face with his teenaged self.
Let’s Call a Truce (Trade Paperback) – Two work rivals are forced to work on a project together and find potential for a different kind of relationship.
Murder in the Dressing Room (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in the Misty Divine Mystery series. When a drag queen is poisoned by a box of chocolates, the other drag performers are the top suspects. Crushed by the death of their “drag mother” and frustrated by police bias, Misty decides to solve the mystery.
Once Smitten Twice Shy (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Wilmot Sisters series. Based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Two people who feel like they will never find love decide to help each other “practice” romance.
Playing Flirty (Trade Paperback) – A woman and her gaming rival work together to launch her new board game design.
A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage (Hardcover) – Two married killers walked away from the life when they had a baby. But Hazel is finding the mom life dull – so she kills someone and doesn’t tell her husband. Then the police show up at their door. Quirky!
The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds (Trade Paperback) – A new widow buys her family home to fix up. When she finds and replaces the original door, she is transported  100 years into the past. Her experiences there put her at risk of slipping out of existance.
Work in Progress (Trade Paperback) – A woman who lost both her career and her fiancé impulsively signs on for a UK literary bus tour that doesn’t go at all like she imagined.
Write Your Own Cake (e-book – essay) – “Book” 2 in this writing series by Jennifer Estep. This one is focused on writing a long series.
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman (Hardcover) – A memoir from actress and model Brooke Shields about women enjoying the prime of their lives.
In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some (Hardcover) – A memoir from actor Josh Gad.
This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith and Other Things We Don’t Talk About (Hardcover) – A new memoir from the author of I Take My Coffee Black (♥♥♥♥).

 

REVIEW: Eowulf: Of Monsters and Middle School by Mike Cavallaro

REVIEW: Eowulf: Of Monsters and Middle School by Mike Cavallaro

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Eowulf is back from a summer of monster hunting and adventuring, and it puts her regular kid life in a new light. It also changes her thinking about the town black sheep, Amadeus Hornburg. When Eowulf befriends Amadeus, her D&D friends pull away, telling her to choose between him or them.

When a monster attacks Eowulf and Amadeus outside his house, Eowulf discovers her parents have been keeping secrets from her that could change her understanding of her friends, Amadeus, and even her herself.

Review

This was spectacular! I knew it was a spin-off of the Nico Brave series, but I struggled to connect with those stories. But I clicked with Eowulf immediately in this. I loved this nuanced friendship story with fun fantasy elements. The artwork is great, and the story was captivating. I hope Eowulf will have more adventures in the future – I will absolutely be watching for more!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

REVIEW: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Her twin’s call couldn’t have come at a better time. Naomi had crawled out of a church basement window in her wedding gown just before the call came through. Showing up in a town called “Knockemout” to rescue her sister was just the distraction she needed. Except her sister then stole Naomi’s car and her purse, broke into her hotel room, and then abandoned Naomi’s pre-teen niece.

A niece Naomi hadn’t known existed.

Knox had shown up at the Café to make sure Tina left town without causing any more trouble. That gave him a front row seat to “Not Tina” and her no good, very bad day. So he offers some help for both Naomi and her niece, Waylay. But he’s determined to ignore that zing he feels whenever Naomi is around.

Review

Lucy Score was one of the cornerstones of my reading in 2024. First I discovered and then devoured the delightful Riley Thorn series. Then I gave this a try – another winner! I laughed through the whole book while falling completely in love with the whole slate of characters, from Naomi, Waylay, and Knox to their families and friends and the central townspeople. If this book is any indication, this series is going to be a lot steamier than the Riley Thorn books. (EDIT: After having read all three books – yes, this series is a LOT steamier than the mystery series.) But the banter and sarcasm and humor are absolutely the same. And I loved this!

This is the first in a trilogy focused on three male characters in Knockemout – Knox, his brother Nash, and their friend Lucian. I wasn’t even half way through this when I ordered the other books in the series. Looking forward to reading them! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read

[Book 2 – Things We Hide from the Light = ♥♥♥♥½. Book 3 – Things We Left Behind = ♥♥♥♥.]