Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

REVIEW: Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

After seven years at the business equivalent of “always the bridesmaid, never the bride,”  Evie is ready for a change. She’s the assistant to an agent who manages screenwriters, including Oscar-winner Ezra Chester. The rude and arrogant writer is woefully behind on  completing a contracted rom-com script. And Evie is sent to light a fire under him. Maybe if she handles this well, she will get the chance to be an agent to some clients of her own.

Ezra feels rom-coms are beneath him. He says he has no intention of writing the script. Evie knows if he backs out of this, her company is doomed. All of her years on grunt work waiting for her big break to move up to agent will be wasted. So she convinces Ezra to sign on for a challenge.

Assuming the real reason he’s not writing is writer’s block, Evie says she will test out all the popular movie meet-cutes and show Ezra they can work. And while she tries to find love like in a romantic comedy, he’ll start writing his script. Sure, it’ll be embarrassing to spill coffee on a stranger or go looking for a date at a book club meeting, but it’s worth it if she can wrangle a script out of Ezra, keep her job, and maybe even find love.

Review

Stories like this, whether in a book or a movie or on TV walk a fine line between humor and pain. I struggle to rate this one because several of the scenarios in this were painful for me. I wanted to close my eyes rather than watch Evie ruin something else related to her friend’s wedding or endure another disastrous  meet cute. At the same time, I loved that Evie didn’t take herself too seriously. She set aside any humiliation and owned her disasters. And through them, she re-discovered herself as a writer.

Ezra was a piece of work. I wasn’t surprised by where things went regarding his script, but I was surprised by some of the choices he made in the end with Evie. Also, her work situation in general – not just the Ezra parts – was infuriating. I don’t know that the character ever communicated that she felt trapped in her work situation, but I felt trapped for her.

Evie’s friends had the patience of Job. They endured so much. I would have liked to see/read more of why they were friends. Sarah was an odd fit in the group for me. I would have liked to see some warm moments with Sarah and Evie, or Sarah and the group, to offset the shrill bridezilla moments. And I cringed every time Evie had to apologize to them yet again. They were awfully gracious.

I wanted more scenes with Ben and Anette. They were delightful! Yes, Anette comes across as older than her stated age, but I liked her so much, I didn’t care.

This has a particular sort of humor – disasters and embarrassment and quite a lot of sexual humor. For the right reader, this will be a hoot and a half. For me, it was sometimes more awkward than funny.  I agree with other reviewers who have said this feels more “chicklit” than “romance” because that’s really something that only gets sorted out in the end. Once settled, though, I enjoyed the romance in the end. (Language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet by Megan Frazer Blakemore

REVIEW: Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Frankie’s 3rd grade class is getting a class pet. They are going to set some parameters for the pet, and then students will research their options, and make a presentation to the class. Then the class will vote on what pet they should choose.

Frankie’s aunt is a rodentologist, and Frankie loves to visit the animals in her aunt’s lab. So she decides the class should get a rat.

Frankie is so convinced her idea is the right one, though, she wants to skip the classroom process and just present her research right away. She also assumes her best friend, Maya, will vote with her for a class rat. But when Maya confesses that she doesn’t like the idea of a rat and she wants to research betta fish instead, it causes a fracture in their friendship.

Review

After an afternoon of reading a variety of only-okay early chapter books, I discovered Frankie. What an absolute treat!

Frankie is a complex character. She’s quite bright, although she does struggle some with reading and writing at times. Her enthusiasm for rodents is fun; this is a great age for kids to go all in on a topic or passion. She is an inventor with her own space and supplies for her creations. She can be moody and pouting when she doesn’t get her way. And her parents challenge those moods in really healthy ways. I loved all of this!

The friendship fracture is mild compared to what you might find in a middle grade novel, which is perfect for lower elementary readers. Frankie’s feelings are hurt because Maya doesn’t do what Frankie wants. Frankie tries to manipulate Maya and gets called out for it. Maya’s response is withdrawal rather than confrontation or nastiness. And Frankie figures out how to apologize with actions, not just words, as she prioritizes her best friend over her own desires about the class pet.

The class pet project process in the classroom is well developed. Frankie tries to push against the structure to get her own way, but her teacher kindly holds the boundaries. Frankie is never shamed for her behavior, but she is held to a reasonable standard and coached to help her fix her own problems.

I loved everything about this! Don’t miss this one. Great for home and classroom use. Would be a great readaloud!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: December 10, 2019

BOOK NEWS: December 10, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

I don’t know about you, but my schedule is amping up the closer we get to the holidays. Let’s take a quick look at some of the books releasing this week!

Book for Kids

Books Are the Best – A leveled reader from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
Racing the Waves – A leveled reader about a school field day.
All About Bears – A National Geographic leveled reader.
If You Love Cooking, You Could Be… – A career focused leveled reader for kids who love to cook.
My First Puppy – A nonfiction leveled reader about caring for a puppy.
Fetch-22 – Book 8 in the Dog Man series. Dog Man and Petey need to put aside their differences and work together.
Henry Heckelbeck Gets a Dragon AND Never Cheats – Heidi Heckelbeck’s little brother Henry gets his own series when he finds a book of magic spells. And Henry discovers that magic can be tricky.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Donut Dreams: Hole in the Middle AND So Jelly – The first two books in a new series about a group of middle school girls. Hole in the Middle is about a girl named Lindsay who lost her mother and works in the family restaurant, selling donuts. As she gets ready to start middle school, Lindsay feels her mother’s absence all the more, but she discovers her friends and family are there to support her through anything. In book 2, when Kelsey’s mom starts spending a lot of time with her cousin, Lindsay, who lost her own mother, Kelsey starts to feel jealous. From the author of the Cupcake Diaries series as well as the Sprinkle Sundays series.
Kat Wolfe Takes the Case – Book 2 in the Wolfe & Lamb Mystery series about two girls and their loyal animal sidekicks. This time they are investigating a mysterious death that takes place when dinosaur bones are discovered.
Frozen II Movie Special – Go behind the scenes of the latest Frozen movie (which was terrific!).
Fearless (Marvel Graphic Novel) – Comic collection starring the women of Marvel.
The Pretenders – The sequel to The Similars, a twisty mystery/suspense story about clones and secrets. I am loving the new covers they have created for this hit series. And I already have this book on hold at the library. I have to find out what happens next. You can read my review of book one here.
Regretting You – A mother and daughter story about what happens when their husband/father – the peacemaker between the conflicted women – is in a questionable accident and is no longer the buffer between them. This is available for Kindle Unlimited subscribers for free at the time of this writing.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Graphic Novel) – The story of Sabrina Spellman, a teen witch, living with her two aunts who are also witches. Sabrina is getting a lot of attention right now. This seems like the lighter side of some of the new releases.
Shadow Knights (e-book) – Book 2 in the Knights of the Realm series. I loved book one, Realm of Knights, and I’ll be reviewing it at the end of the month. In this book, Reid is manipulated into an arranged marriage and sent to spy on her king’s enemies. But she isn’t sure the king is someone she should have ever trusted. This book is at the top of my wish list for the month. Book 3, Hidden Knights, will be out next spring.
The Easy College Cookbook: 75 Quick, Affordable Recipes for Campus Life – A cookbook for college students. This is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.

Book for Adults

Death in the Afternoon (e-book) – First in a new series. When the Pierogi Fest is in town, Freya stumbles across a dead body – and she was the only one who had access to the place where he’s found. There are so many people in town for the festival. Freya is afraid the police will arrest her as the easy solution to their troubles, so she will have to sleuth out a killer on her own. This sounds fun! This is currently free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. I have it on my reading list.
Jingle Bells, Mussel Shells, Murder All the Way (December 15 – e-book) – When Tessa discovers her assistant is living in her car, she wants to help her, but she didn’t count on Melissa ending up a murder suspect. This sounds like a fun mystery! This is also free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.
Kingdom Chaos (December 12 – Trade Paperback) – A stand-alone story with crossover ties to the Dixon on Disney series. When a controversial US President and his family disappear while aboard a Disney monorail, it sets off a national crisis. This is a political thriller, set at Walt Disney World. How fun is that?!
They’re Strictly Friends (e-book) – The crackling electricity between a stuffy British gentleman and a sassy Parisian woman is hard to ignore, but he says they are “strictly friends.” But she suspects he’s holding her at arms length, not because he’s not interested, but because of something else. This is another new ebook that is available for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber.
Verse and Vengeance (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series by Amanda Flower. While Violet tries to protect the secrets of the bookshop, a nosy PI keeps hounding her, until he winds up dead. I’ll be reviewing this one in a couple weeks.
The Enneagram Collection (Hardcover) – Your Enneagram Coach, Beth McCord, is releasing a series of Enneagram workbooks that examine the qualities of each type and include space for journaling. I have already ordered two of these based on my type and my husband’s, and I have asked for third, for my teen’s type, for Christmas. I can’t wait to see these in person!
The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners: 75 Delicious, Healthy Whole Food Recipes (Paperback) – Recipes for those trying out a plant-based diet.
The Ultimate Make-Ahead Cookbook: 125 Delicious, Family-Friendly Freezer Meals to Prep Now and Enjoy Later (Paperback) – For those busy seasons of life where it helps to have food in the freezer, ready to cook whenever you need it. I wish I could check this out in person – the description says the recipes are labeled for dietary restrictions, and I am curious what that looks like. This is another book that is currently available for Kindle Unlimited, which means it is free for subscribers.
The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2020 (Paperback) – If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando in the near future, these books are a great resource to help you prepare and plan for your vacation.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2019

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

If you had asked me a month ago what spiritual growth resources I have used this year, I would have been hard-pressed to come up with more than three titles. But when I went back to review the year, I found many more. While I enjoyed many of these in the moment, looking back, only a few made a lasting impact. You can go here to see my list from 2017 and here to see the 2018 list. And here are the resources I used in 2019:

Enneagram

Studying the Enneagram has been a big part of my spiritual journey over the last couple years. You can read my full posts about Ennegram resources here for 2018 and here for 2019 where I talk about all four of these books. Even though I have talked about all of these before, the Spiritual Rhythms of the Enneagram is one of my favorite resources from this year, and one of the most impactful.

 

Bible Study

I think one of the reasons I didn’t feel like I had worked through many spiritual resources this year is because I didn’t do a lot of Bible studies. I am still riding the high of the Isaiah study I did last year. My small group at church worked through Fervent this fall, and because of that, I have spent a lot of time with my Bible, which has been great. This is the second time I have worked through the book, and it is always a solid resource.

I haven’t finished Four Portraits, One Jesus, yet. I’ve had the book for awhile because I love studying the synoptic gospels and looking at how Matthew, Mark and Luke shared the same stories, differently. Last year I got a workbook to go with the text book, but the workbook actually seems to slow me down. I might just finish reading the book in 2020 instead of trying to press through the rest of the workbook. I have LOVED digging into the history of Bible times as well as the days when the gospels were written.

 

Fiction and Nonfiction

I read every single book in this list – and I enjoyed many of them! But few left a lasting impression. In fact, while I might revisit a couple of these because I enjoyed them, only one book in this list earned 5 stars from me – and that’s the fiction one published by a secular company.

Andrew was a perfect fit for me this year because in the book, he’s introduced to a young Amish woman who left the faith and then returned – pregnant. And he wrestles with how to relate to her in light of her “sin.” I was wrestling right along with him. For weeks after I finished the book, I kept thinking about it. To me, that is the mark of a great spiritual growth resource – something that sticks with you and continues to ask you questions and asks you to consider things from a different point of view. (Andrew is book one in the Petersheim Brothers series by Jennifer Beckstrand.)

You can see my reviews and ratings of some of these other good resources here:
Inspired – ♥♥♥♥½
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way – ♥♥♥♥½
The Jesus Who Surprises – ♥♥♥♥
The Middle Matters – ♥♥♥♥
Shameless – ♥♥♥♥
Taste and See – ♥♥♥♥
The Universal Christ – ♥♥♥♥

2020 Reading

I have high hopes for 2020. I chose 12 resources from my TBR shelves and I have already started one for this month. I also found a few friends who wanted to join me on a more intentional reading journey, so we are keeping each other accountable in the coming year.

REVIEW: Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

REVIEW: Where You’ll Find Me by Natasha Friend

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Anna can’t believe she’s living at her dad’s house. He had gotten engaged to Marnie before her parents’ divorce was even final. And their baby appeared soon after their wedding. She’d done a careful job of avoiding sleeping there. Daytime visits only. Anything else felt disloyal to her mother. But that was before.

Before her mother tried to kill herself and ended up in the hospital.

And when it rains, it pours. Anna has also lost her best friend. She’s stuck at school hanging out with the weird kids. It seems like everyone – other parents, teachers at school – is talking about Anna’s mom. And Marnie’s trying too hard with Anna, making her feel suffocated.

It all leaves Anna feeling lost and adrift. But help will arrive from places she least expects.

Review

I pulled this from a middle grade pile on my bookshelf, but when I looked the book up, the publishing information says this is for teens. I was confused. Anna is only 13 in this story – young for a teen book. And while her processing of all the things feels appropriate for 13, it also feels young for a teen/YA book. It might be a good fit for the new “Older Middle Grade” category for readers 10 to 14. But there’s some mature content – some swearing, Anna hears her dad and step-mom having sex, etc. – things you don’t generally find in middle grade books. All of this made it hard for me to get a good grasp on this one. Who exactly is this book for?

That aside, I loved the story. My heart broke for Anna. The near suicide is a huge stressor, but there’s so much MORE going on:

  • The unspoken things between Anna and her dad and the ways she has felt abandoned by him, left to care for her mom on her own.
  • Anna’s fears of finding her mother dead.
  • Anna’s memories of her mom’s manic episodes as she learns about Bipolar 2.
  • Anna’s shame about her mom’s illness.
  • The loss of her best friend.

All of these things are conveyed SO well. I was rooting for Anna through the whole book – that she would make new and better friends, that she would see her step-mother as an ally, and that she would share the burden of her mom’s illness with someone. There’s a great happy-for-now wrap up to this that was so satisfying.

Find the right audience and this will be a hit with readers. I loved it! (Language, sexual references, references to Wicca, CW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: A Very Scalzi Christmas by John Scalzi

BONUS REVIEW: A Very Scalzi Christmas by John Scalzi

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

A collection of seasonal essays and short stories from John Scalzi. My favorites include:

  • A hilarious Thanksgiving prayer of gratitude,
  • A hilarious conversation with a bitter month of November, feeling crowded out by December and its festivities,
  • A hilarious interview with Santa’s Reindeer Wrangler, and
  • A hilarious list of script notes on the Birth of Jesus (written to “Matt and Luke”).

This is a short collection – around 15 pieces. They’re mostly quirky and often funny. These four listed above had me cackling aloud. I enjoyed the science fiction references as well as the riffs on the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth.

If you are looking for humor in your holiday fare, don’t skip this one! (Although, the $40 price tag seems steep for a print copy of such a small collection. I noticed this week that the print copy is no longer showing as an option. $6 for an e-book version is a much nicer price.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

REVIEW: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

After a string of bad dates, Cassie is giving up on her dating app and the blind date scene. Her best friend is convinced the string of bad luck is because her dating profile says she doesn’t want kids. She actually does, but she physically can’t have them. And that has caused enough heartache all on its own. She can’t get attached to a guy and then find out it’s a deal breaker.

Jett can’t believe he found Cassie on that dating app. He had such a huge crush on her when she was a senior in high school. As a lowly freshman, she didn’t know he even existed. But now he has a chance to try again.

And they hit it off. They have a great first date. They exchange some flirty texts. And then, in a moment, everything changes. Each of them becomes the caretaker of three kids. And neither wants to tell the other and risk ruining the tender new relationship they had just started to explore. But the girls in Cassie’s care are in desperate need of love and stability. And Jett’s niece and nephews are traumatized after being abandoned. They have to prioritize the kids. But how long can they keep up the charade of being the same single people they were on their first date?

Review

This was great! I loved watching how these two single people were transformed when they became instant parents to three kids each. It was hard, but they also determined it was worth every struggle.

The end was a little abrupt, at least on Cassie’s side. We get no explanation of how things wrap up like they do. But I enjoyed the wrap up and the epilogue.

I expected more Christian content since this is published by Thomas Nelson, but other than an extended scene at church, there aren’t really any faith pieces to this.

Expectations are a BIG deal when it comes to this book. The publicity materials sell this as a “romantic comedy.” I did not find that to be true at all. Jett and Cassie barely spend any time together before the arrival of the kids, and even less after. It’s almost like the romantic relationship is based on imagination and potential rather than reality. Thankfully the epilogue takes place a year later so I could tell myself they had a real foundation by then. But there’s not a lot of romance happening in the story. I also didn’t find it especially funny. I thought of it as a Christmas story, and in that regard, I was satisfied. This situation is fascinating. I would have liked more obvious treatment for the girls in Cassie’s care and more discipline and boundaries for Jett’s three. But I enjoyed the story for what it was – a story of two adults who let the unexpected upend their lives for the sake of kids who need them.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty

REVIEW: The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Elle’s grandfather is a “prepper,” a survivalist. He is always prepared for a disaster or catastrophe. And he’s trained Elle and her younger brothers to be ready for unexpected disaster at any time. All three kids have go bags full of ready-to-eat meals, first aid supplies, etc.. Elle’s getting older, though, and she finds most of the survivalist stuff eye-rollingly dull. But her brothers still find the drills fun, and Elle’s best friend Mack thinks the whole thing is fascinating.

On a search for end-of-the-world memes to share with her grandfather, Elle stumbles across a website that says the world will end next spring due to an asteroid strike. She’s appropriately skeptical. But when she finds out the author of the web post is a professor at Harvard, and she researches other asteroid hits, Elle starts to wonder if the guy is onto something.

When other kids at school overhear Elle and Mack talking about “TEOTWAWKI” (The End of the World As We Know It), they beg for more information and check out the website for themselves. Before long, Elle finds herself leading a club of kids who want to know how to prepare for the asteroid strike and the end of the world.

Review

Elle grew on me over the course of this book. By the end I was quite attached to her, and my heart broke for her as things played out at the end of the story.

On one level this is Elle’s story. It’s about her family dynamics and her school experiences. It’s about her friendships and her protective abrasiveness. On another level you get all the science and survival bits along with information on screening internet sources. I was intrigued by the asteroid information shared. There’s a good chunk of back matter in this about asteroids and the author’s research.

I think this would be an excellent class read-aloud or book club book. How do readers see Elle’s choices for informing her peers about the impending doom? Are there things they are as passionate about as Elle? So many threads of the story students can dig into! And reading this with support will ensure some kids who might not otherwise get it understand Elle’s devotion to her cause. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author pulled everything together in the end.

Fans of the extraordinary The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl (like me!) should not miss the author’s latest work. If you aren’t a fan of either title yet, be sure to check them both out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: December 3, 2019

BOOK NEWS: December 3, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy December! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We are in the countdown to Christmas, and I always think books make the best gifts! You can check out my Holiday Hint Lists here for some book recommendations. Or you can take a look at some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

Little Eva Loves (Board Book) – Board book starring Eva from the Owl Diaries series.
The Cool Bean – A picture book about the importance of kindness.
A Home for a Princess – An inside look at 9 Disney princess castles including ones for Cinderella, Aurora, Merida and Mulan.
The Serious Goose – This picture book by late night host Jimmy Kimmel stars a very serious goose and challenges readers to make the goose laugh.
The Cloud Kingdom – Book 7 in the Last Firehawk series where the characters are trying to find a hidden magical kingdom.
Griffith’s Guide for Dragon Masters – A special edition book from Scholastic Branches for fans of the Dragon Masters series. Full color book with maps and sections on the various Dragon Masters and their dragons.
Hercules and the Nine-Headed Hydra – Book 16 in the Heroes in Training series about Greek mythology.
Off I Go! – Book 2 in the Princess Truly series.
The Stolen Slipper – Once Upon a Fairy Tale, book 2. Kara and Zed try to help Prince Charming find a girl who lost a slipper – and find her slipper which has gone missing.
Thea Stilton and the Black Forest Burglary – Book 30 in the Thea Stilton series. The Thea Sisters travel to Germany for a Festival of Time.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

All the Colors of Magic – An unusual girl discovers her absent father is a wizard, and she heads out on a quest to find him.
Clotho the Fate – Book 25 in the Goddess Girls series based on Greek mythology. One of the three Fates tries to undo some mistakes she has made.
DC Brave and Bold!: Female DC Super Heroes Take on the Universe – Beautiful art and descriptions of 50+ DC characters.
Major Impossible – Book 9 in the fantastic Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales nonfiction graphic novel series. This is the story of John Wesley Powell, a one-armed man who explored the Grand Canyon in the 1800s.
Who Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg? – Biography of Justice Ginsburg.
Adorkable (previously available as an e-book, new this week in print) – To keep her best friend from trying any more awful matchmaking attempts, Sally convinces her best guy friend – and crush – to pose as her boyfriend. I adore fake relationship stories, so I have already bought this one.
Amazon Princess (December 6 – e-book) – First book in a new series that picks up after the events of the Mount Olympus Academy series. When a Greek god is destroyed, 10 different teens end up with one of his powers. They are all attending Amazon Academy to compete in contests where the winner will get to keep all 10 of the powers. I have the first book in the Mount Olympus series – Fire & Flood – on my Kindle so I can try out the whole series. (Fire & Flood is free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers at the time of this writing.)
Children of Virtue and Vengeance – Sequel to the best-selling Children of Blood and Bone about a young woman working to bring magic back to her home land. I have the first book on my library list.
Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance – A young woman enters society in search of a husband in order to save her family – with only her favorite Jane Austen books to guide her. I already have this on hold at the library. The author had me at “Austentacious.”
Diamond & Dawn – Sequel to Amber & Dusk. A young woman expecting to take her place as empress discovers her rival isn’t dead, but in a coma. And that is not the only threat to her rule. This sounds awesome! I need to check out the first book.
The Piper’s Pursuit (Hardcover) – Part of a collection of fairy tale retellings from Melanie Dickerson and Thomas Nelson. A young woman determined to protect her community from a plague of rats and a mysterious beast teams up with an arrogant duke’s son who happens to be a talented musician. A take on the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Reverie – A young man found half-dead in the river has no memory of his life before the accident. When 3 teens say they were his friends, he’s not sure if he should trust them, but that’s the least of their problems as reality itself seems to be unraveling. (LGBTQ+)
Scared Little Rabbits – A girl in a summer coding program is suspected of foul play when another student goes missing and all the clues point back to her.
Just Mercy (YA adaptation and movie tie in) – Lawyer and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson shares his story of working with the wrongfully imprisoned.

Books for Adults

Assault and Batting (e-book) – First in the new Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mystery series. A young woman returns home after the death of her mother to take care of her little sister and aging grandfather. Her little sister is afraid her birth mom caused their mother’s death, so the sisters start investigating.
Blitzed (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Playbook series. Brynn is grateful that her bar has become a home to many of the Denver Mustangs and their significant others, but there’s no way she would ever date one of them. I have enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I am eager to check out this next installment.
Brewed Awakening (Hardcover) – Book 18 in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. Clare wakes up on a park bench with no memory of the last 15 years, including her NYPD Detective fiancé. But security camera footage shows Clare there when a hotel heiress was kidnapped. The police are starting to wonder if Clare was an innocent bystander or if she’s guilty, so she’s got to get her memories back and help find the real culprit. This sounds fascinating!!
The Dating Charade (Trade Paperback) – Just as Cassie is ready to swear off blind dates and dating apps, she meets Jett, and they hit it off. But before the two can see what sort of future they have together, each of them becomes guardian to three children and is afraid to tell the other. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery (e-book) – A broken man discovers a woman who makes him want to find a fresh perspective on life. I love the idea of a Hanukkah romance!
Have a Deadly New Year (e-book) – Book 4 in the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series. A private catered dinner for a famous band turns deadly when someone is found with a drumstick in the chest.
Murder at the Arts and Crafts Festival (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Cleo Mack Mystery series about a social work professor who takes an early retirement to join an Alabama community for active seniors. In this book, an artist is murdered at the local Arts and Crafts Festival.
Murder on Book Row (e-book) – A book shop owner turns sleuth when a neighboring bookseller is murdered.
Pizza Pie Puzzler (December 5 – e-book) – Book 3 in the Felicia’s Food Truck One Hour Mystery series. When a rival food truck starts poaching Felicia’s customers and then explodes, her cook is the prime suspect. All of the books in this series are currently available for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Reputation (Trade Paperback) – When a hacker dumps a college town’s emails into a searchable database, everyone’s secrets are exposed. When an investigative reporter comes to town for her brother-in-law’s funeral, she decides to look into his murder. Finding a killer is easier said than done when so many people have something to hide. Sounds fantastic! I have this one on my library list.
A Spy to Die For (e-book) – A lonely accountant with a photographic memory teams up with an MI6 agent to track down a man who wants her dead. At the time of this writing, this is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Star Wars: Age of Resistance – Villains (Paperback Graphic Novel) – A collection of comics starring the villains of Star Wars.
Thin Ice (Hardcover) – First in a new series. When a thriller author becomes the focus of an obsessed fan who kidnaps her, she escapes and goes on the run to Alaska to hide out. While she tries to settle into her new community, a suspicious death makes her wonder if her captor has found her.
Would Like to Meet (Trade Paperback) – An assistant to an agent is charged with getting their one big client – an Oscar-winning screenwriter – to finish his contracted romcom (romantic comedy) screenplay. So she makes him a deal – she will try out all of the meet cutes from classic romcoms to prove someone could actually find love that way if he will start writing his screenplay. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
Disney’s Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park that Changed the World (Hardcover) – A history of Disneyland.
Fresh Start Bible (Hardcover/Paperback) – Includes over 500 discipleship entries to answer common faith questions and help users build a strong foundation for their Christian faith.
The Leaky Gut Meal Plan: 4 Weeks to Detox and Improve Digestive Health (Paperback Cookbook) – Includes a 4-week meal plan and 75 recipes as well as background information on “leaky gut” and how to correct it.
One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe (Hardcover) – 80 cast members share what a day at Disney looks like for them. This looks amazing!
The One Year Pray for America Bible NLT (Paperback) – Includes a 15-minutes-per-day reading plan for the Bible as well as non-partisan prayer prompts.
The Soul of Wine: Savoring the Goodness of God (Hardcover) – The author, daughter of a vintner and someone trained as a theologian, explores the use of wine in the Bible. Includes a wine tasting and book discussion guide.
Star Trek: Body by Starfleet (Hardcover) – A fitness guide that plays off Star Trek references and characters. I’m eager to check out this humorous book in person.
The Total Money Makeover Journal (Hardcover) – Bullet journal format with prompts to track your journey to financial freedom.
The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch: How the Canceled Sitcom Became the Beloved Pop Culture Icon We Are Still Talking About Today (Hardcover) – Part of the 50th anniversary celebration of The Brady Bunch.