In honor of Independence Day tomorrow, there’s no review today. Come back Friday for a new review!
Reviews, Etc.
BOOK NEWS: July 2, 2024
Happy July! Here are some of the new books out this week:
Books for Kids
I Am Jesse Owens (Ordinary People Change the World) – A picture book biography of Jesse Owens
Stan Lee (Little People, Big Dreams) – A picture book biography of Stan Lee.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Faker – A new book from Gordon Korman. The son of a con artist starts to question the life he’s always known – lying, no real friends, and quick departures.
Rise – The youngest of three Valkyrie sisters is the first to sense the coming of Ragnarök.
Books for Adults
Breaking the Dark (Hardcover) – First in a new Marvel Crime series of original stories of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil. Jessica Jones is reluctantly pulled into a new case when a mother comes to her for help after her twins return from visiting their father with significant personality changes.
Dog Day Afternoon (Hardcover) – Book 29 in the Andy Carpenter series. Andy helps a young man Marcus has been mentoring who got a dog from the Tara Foundation. I’m super excited to read this one!
Just Playing House (Trade Paperback) – Marley reconnects with the prom date who ghosted her after they slept together when he hires her to be his stylist for a huge new movie. And he’s determined to work with her, even volunteering to stay with her and help her as she recovers from a double mastectomy.
The Love of My Afterlife (Trade Paperback) – Delphie meets the man of her dreams in the afterlife right before he is sent back to Earth. She’s given the impossible second chance of returning to Earth to find him.
The Summer of Yes (Trade Paperback) – A young writer who second-guesses her talents meets the queen of New York businesswomen in a hospital where they both decide to work together to address their regrets. This sounds like a great vacation read!
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Hart and Mercy series. Twyla and Frank are best friends who are spending mid-life serving with the Tanrian Marshalls. They stumble across a mystery with a dead body – and a baby dragon.
REVIEW: Quiet Violet Finds Her Voice by Gabrielle Nidus
[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Free Spirit Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
While Violet is quiet in general, the one place she’s not is in the kitchen. In the kitchen she’s skilled, competent, and confident.
When her class at school tries some cooking, Violet struggles to be heard. Her classmates forget she’s there, and her small voice gets lost in the chaos. But when her chance to make an impression on the star of her favorite cooking show is in jeopardy because of her peers’ mistakes, Violet finds her voice.
Review
This is a cute story about quiet voices – and quiet kids – being seen and valued. The story includes some backmatter to help readers learn to value quiet voices. I really liked that the approach is less about “fixing” or “changing,” and instead about accepting. This includes questions for kids as well as suggestions for adults.
Rating: ♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥½ = Good+
REVIEW: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp
Summary
When it comes to murder pies, Daisy has a system. The requester identifies themselves in very specific ways. So when an unusual request comes through, she can’t shake the feeling that it could be a trap. But she also knows the statistics – police officers are 40% more likely to commit domestic violence than the average person. If the requester is legit, she doesn’t have a lot of options for help. So Daisy eventually reaches out again to test the request a bit more.
But the person goes silent before Daisy can decide if she’s going to take the job. Daisy does some investigating, but she can’t find the woman. Her boyfriend acts like she never even existed. Daisy feels guilty for having waited, and responsible if something has happened to the woman. So she goes all in on her own investigation. She has to know what happened before she can decide if the guy’s murder pie needs to be delivered or not.
Review
“What I do is terrible, but it’s also necessary.”
This is Daisy’s thinking about the Pies Before Guys part of her business. Her magic allows her to provide a pie that will convince an abuser to either turn from his ways, or keel over as the only way he will “stop.” I have loved this dark, unique, thought-provoking series from book one, but this new story is darker and more stressful than the first two books. The villain is every awful story you’ve ever read about sadistic, narcissistic individuals becoming police officers to wield that power so they can get away with anything. There were times I had to put the book down and take a break from the darkness of it all.
And because the villain is so bad AND he’s a cop, Daisy is in all sorts of new layers of danger. And that puts her friends and her future in jeopardy – not to mention the risks for the person or people she’s trying to help.
All of the ethical questions around “murder pies” and Daisy’s magic are amped up here too. What is the “right” thing to do when faced with an enemy with a badge and cohorts who also misuse their positions and power?
Fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy a “morally grey” character should give this series a look – although I do recommend reading the books in order. The “mystery” here is a smaller part of the story – what happened to the missing woman, how will Daisy figure it out – but I enjoyed watching Daisy and her friends work through the mystery – and the larger pie-related ethical questions. (Language)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ – Great!
BOOK NEWS: June 25, 2024
Here are some of the new books out this week:
Books for Kids
Sophie Mouse: Lightning Bug Light Show – Book 21 in the darling Sophie Mouse chapter book series where Sophie helps a new friend.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Wander Lost – When their mom goes missing, a pair of brothers discover that their ancestor was once a board game character who escaped and came to life. And they have that same power where they can go into games!
Girls Like Her – A dead businessman. A teen in jail awaiting trial. And her state-appointed caseworker. Will anyone care enough to dig into what really happened?
Six of Sorrow – Six girls, born on the same day – good friends until they drift apart. But when one of them goes missing, they are drawn back together when it seems something more is going on.
Books for Adults
An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. Frances and George are in Paris looking into a suspicious death for George’s aunt when she is murdered. I have loved this series from the start, and I can’t wait to dive into this one!
A Daughter of Fair Verona (Hardcover) – First in a new series described as “Knives Out meets Bridgerton.” The oldest of Romeo and Juliet’s children (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) is uninterested in marriage, so she tends to find new wives for all of her suitors. Except the latest isn’t someone she can redirect – he’s already buried three wives, under mysterious circumstances. When he is then found dead, Rosie goes looking for his killer. YES, PLEASE!
Finding Mr. Write (Trade Paperback) – Daphne posed as a male author when she started pitching her latest book and now there’s a bidding war, and she needs to make her fake persona real. YES, PLEASE!
A Novel Love Story (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ashley Poston. Eileen needs her book club retreat this year more than ever, but on the way her car breaks down in a town that seems plucked entirely out of her favorite book series. YES, PLEASE! (How many times is too many times to say that in one release week?)
Romancing Miss Stone (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Belize Dreams series. Bo heads to Belize to get his ex back when she breaks things off, but the chemistry between him and his guide becomes undeniable.
Rules for Second Chances (Trade Paperback) – A woman who is tired of playing a background character in her own life decides an improv class is the way to help. And her almost-ex is determined to use the class to win her back. Yes, this sounds great!
Tangled Up in You (Trade Paperback) – Part of the Meant to Be series of re-imagined fairy tales. This one is a take on Tangled where a sheltered young woman tries to navigate the “real world” of college and meets a player trying to reinvent himself. And it’s by Christina Lauren?! YES, PLEASE!
Under Your Spell (Trade Paperback) – A woman down on her luck ends up working with the hottest rock star in the world for the summer.
You’ll Never Find Me (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Angelheart Investigations series (after the novella “Into the Fire”). A PI estranged from her family – and the family investigation business – finds herself in over her head and reaching out to the family she thought she left behind. I picked up the novella to give this series a try!
You’ve Got Male (Trade Paperback) – An overwhelmed single mom goes viral when her best friend posts a clip of her describing her perfect mate. So when men start descending to make their case for being just what she’s looking for, she convinces her neighbor to be her fake boyfriend to make them go away. Yep, that’s on the list for this week, too!
REVIEW: Welcome to the Woofmore by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran
Summary
Rufus works for Ms. Coco at the Woofmore. And this week they have a special VIP (Very Important Pooch) visiting: movie star Greta Garbark!
Greta is looking for some peace and quiet. But the puparazzi have tracked her to the Woofmore. Thankfully, Rufus has a great idea to help Greta get her peace and quiet. And in return she helps the Woofmore with a big problem that could ruin the hotel.
Review
This is a cute early chapter book with fun, colorful illustrations. There are plenty of dog puns across the five chapters for readers to enjoy. Kids will get a kick out of Rufus who toots when he gets excited or nervous. The story is complete and satisfying while being simple for new readers to enjoy. Watch this fall for my review of book 2 in the series, The Woofmore Is Not Haunted.
Rating: ♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥½ = Good+
HOLIDAY: June 19, 2024, Juneteenth
In honor of the Juneteenth holiday today, I am going to direct you to 3 books that stand out in my mind from my reading over the last few years about race and racism:
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation As an Exercise in Hope (♥♥♥♥♥) – I didn’t post a full review of this, but I thought it was outstanding! I highly recommend this one.
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor (♥♥♥♥½) – You can read my full review here.
The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism (♥♥♥♥♥) – You can read my full review here.
BOOK NEWS: June 18, 2024
Here are some of the new books out this week:
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
The Last Apple Tree – Feuding neighbors find common ground when they unearth a family secret.
All Roads Lead to Rome – Story agrees to fake date a Scottish heartthrob while he’s in Rome.
Poison in Their Hearts – The final book in the fantastic Castles in their Bones series. I will have to wait to read this until I can get a copy from the UK because I refuse to have my book cover styles not match. (First world problems!) And since I never got to do my book 2 re-read and tab, I will definitely be doing a series re-read before picking up this conclusion.
Books for Adults
The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night (Hardcover) – Five strangers join a trivia team, the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers, where they start to become friends.
The Memo (Trade Paperback) – A young woman gets the chance to relive her life and make different choices. The set up for this sounds quirky and clever!
One-Star Romance (Trade Paperback) – The maid-of-honor discovers the best man is the same person who gave her new novel a very public one-star rating.
A Very Unshakespeare Romance (Trade Paperback) – A police officer pretends to be a single dad when his cousin goes on the run and leaves him with the kids.
REVIEW: Free Period by Ali Terese
Summary
Best friends Helen and Gracie are pranksters. And their latest stunt at the end of 8th grade has pushed their principal – and their families – to the limit. For punishment, in addition to things like detention, the girls are sentenced to “care” – to find something they can accomplish for the benefit of the school.
The girls agree to join a student-run community action group at school, hoping they can skate by on their “punishment” by using things the club has already done. The leader’s next plan to crusade for period products doesn’t sound like their kind of thing. But when Helen has a bleed-through incident at school, the girls are 100% on board.
But their enthusiasm might not be enough. Both of the girls’ parents are questioning if they are a good influence on each other and if maybe the girls should go to different schools in the future. Is there any way their period project can also save their future as friends?
Review
These girls are a lot! I get why their parents question the wisdom of letting them stay friends. But once you move past their chaotic – and borderline criminal – choices, their friendship is glorious. They truly see and understand – and CELEBRATE – each other. It’s so beautiful.
The friendship between Helen and Grace isn’t the only excellent thing in this book. It’s laugh-out-loud funny. And I adored the boys who made an effort to understand the cause and be part of the campaign for period products. There are also tons of stories told by a variety of characters about the realities of being a person who menstruates.
I think there are so many ways kids will enjoy this book. There’s a lot to love for readers who like prank stories, girl-power stories, friendship stories, and campaigns for justice. Don’t miss this one!
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.
REVIEW: Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday
Summary
Archie, Simon, and Effie are finally off on their annual 2-week Earls Trip when their path crosses that of an old family friend of Archie’s. The Morgans were family friends long ago, but Archie can’t say no to Sir Albert’s request for help.
The Morgan daughters – Clementine and Olive – have gone missing. Olive has run off with Clementine’s fiancé, and Clementine has gone after them. Archie feels compelled to help, and Simon and Effie insist on accompanying him, even though it throws off their annual trip.
Once the ladies are “rescued” and the cad fiancé is sent off with threats of bodily harm, the earls continue on to their getaway “castle,” Olive and Clementine in tow. As long as the ladies keep to themselves, the gentlemen can keep their much-needed escape, and no one will accuse anyone of improper behavior.
Review
This book was both enjoyable and a struggle for me. I was reading it at a time when I felt pressured to “read faster.” And this felt super long without a necessarily “driving” plot. I kept telling myself I would just skim to the end in order to finish. But every time I sat down to read, I got caught up in the conversations and the relationships of the core five characters. I couldn’t actually make myself skim anything.
So the book is great! The writing is enjoyable, and the characters are terrific. But it’s not a particularly fast paced or action packed story. I needed to be on a beach or some other vacation setting where I felt I had all the time in the world to just let the story unfold without pressure.
If you love character-driven love stories with a found-family sort of cast, I can’t recommend this enough. I loved the three gentlemen and their relationship almost immediately. I don’t often get to enjoy stories with this sort of male friend group (Think Bromance with more gentlemanly esteem and less sass – although there’s still some sass, but appropriate for the time period. The Ted Lasso quote at the beginning also calls to mind the Diamond Dogs). And I grew to love the sisters as they reconnected across the novel. The romance is lovely – one of those “caught by surprise by love” sorts that I found satisfying. But it’s the brotherly/sisterly relationships that really shine here.
Do yourself a favor and let this one unfold on its own timetable. Enjoy the ride. While the book is long, the story is worth savoring. I will absolutely be checking out the sequel, Manic Pixie Dream Earl, in 2025! (Sex)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ – Great!