Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair by Bob Scott

REVIEW: Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair by Bob Scott

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Molly’s parents leave her home alone for the first time, and a bear crawls into the house. At first he’s scared, but Molly’s nice – and there’s yummy food in the house, so Bear decides to stay! He’s afraid of nearly everything which really starts to complicate Molly’s life.

This is darling! Bear is smart and sweet, and Molly is determined and compassionate. There are sweet moments and laugh-out-loud moments. Bear’s fear and anxiety is on display for most of the book. But it never overwhelms the optimistic friendship story.

Graphic novel fans and fans of animal books should absolutely check this one out. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would happily read more stories with these characters!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Helen Monroe is the “writer in residence” in Briar Creek this winter. After completing her long-running thriller series (by killing off her main character), Helen is working on a new, secret project.

Helen’s “biggest fan,” Jackie Lewis, has also shown up in Briar Creek. And her presence has alarm bells going off in Lindsey’s head. Lindsey has dealt with a stalker before, and this feels all too familiar. And when Jackie crashes a community event trying to paint Helen as a plagiarist who stole Jackie’s book ideas, Lindsey’s fear is confirmed.

But Jackie isn’t the only person with a grudge or vendetta against Helen. Helen’s novels based on true crimes have angered the families involved. And a new member of the library board has a vendetta against Helen as well.

So when  Lindsey discovers a dead body, she has some investigating to do.

Review

This was great! A few holiday activities give this a Christmas-y feel, but the story is a solid mystery for readers to enjoy at any time of the year.

I loved the writing-based mystery, and the many twists kept me guessing to the end. I loved getting to spend some time with Lindsey and Sully and their friends while watching the mystery unfold.

Newcomers could easily start this series here. The mystery is terrific and doesn’t rely too much on series history. But the Library Lover series has been a favorite for me for awhile – so be sure to check out the whole series. And once you are hooked, you can check out Jenn McKinlay’s other mysteries and romance books. You won’t be disappointed.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: December 3, 2024

BOOK NEWS: December 3, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week to kick off December.

Books for Kids

Grown With Love – A young scientist and plant expert tries to help a neighbor who can’t grown anything.
Disaster Squad: Blizzard Rescue – Book 3 in this series about a family that travels to help with natural disasters. This time they are going to Minnesota to help with a blizzard.
Dragon Masters: Haunting of the Ghost Dragon – Book 27 in this long-running series for new readers.
Duck and Moose: Duck in the Dark – Book 3 in the fun Duck and Moose series. Duck and Moose plan a sleepover.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Disney’s Encanto: Nightmares and Sueños – Encanto fans can now read about Bruno as a teen – before his family stopped talking about Bruno.

Books for Adults

Designs on You (Trade Paperback) – An interior designer focused on resurrecting her career and raising her kids after her divorce thinks the new guy in her life is too young for her, no matter how much they click. Yes, please!
How to Steal a Galaxy (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Chaotic Orbits series about space heists. I’m way overdue in reading book 1!
Keep Me (Trade Paperback) – After a year married to Killian, Sylvie is supposed to be able to walk away with $10 million – but that will be harder to do if she’s fallen in love with the man. Looks like this one could be spicy.
A Killer Hold (ebook) – Book 3 in the Larkspur Library series. The latest murder for Greta to solve has something to do with treasure hunting and a book with a coded message.
P.S. I Hate You (Trade Paperback) – Maddie is willing to follow her beloved brother’s final wishes for his ashes, his will requires her to do everything with the man who broke her heart.
The Rivals (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Claudia Lin series. Claudia and her friends are investigating dating sites that might be resorting to murder.
Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – A ghostwriter is literally working with a ghost, trying to tell the man’s story before his body is found.
Statistically Speaking (Trade Paperback) – A history teacher is consumed with the thought of the baby she put up for adoption turning 18, wondering if they will meet some day soon – even if a new student with the same birthday might be her daughter.
Under Loch and Key (Trade Paperback) – Following her father’s death, Key heads to Scotland for answers to the mysterious story he always told about how a monster saved his life. Along the way she meets a man with secrets.
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right (Trade Paperback) – A new historical from Suzanne Allain. Lady Issie and her low-born cousin Bella switch places so the introverted and sickly Issie can stay home and read while Bella enjoys the society events. But when Bella is pursued by a Lord who thinks she’s a Lady, there could be a lot of trouble when they start to have real feelings for one another.

 

 

REVIEW: Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

REVIEW: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lula Dean is on a crusade to rid the town libraries of “pornography.” It doesn’t matter that the erotic cookbook was put on a shelf as a prank. Lula has found her calling.

Beverly Underwood has been Lula Dean’s long-time nemesis. And as the head of the school board, Beverly has a front row seat as Lula and her “Concerned Parents Committee” attack the various school and public libraries with their “righteous” intensions. And the townsfolks are ready to watch the “filth” burn. Beverly is blindsided by the whole thing. But her college-aged daughter, Lindsay, is inspired to action.

In the dark of night, Lindsay swaps out the prim books in Lula’s Little Free Library for the banned titles confiscated from Lula’s crusade, setting them inside the jackets of Lula’s “approved” titles.

And then people in the town start reading those banned books – without Lula noticing.

Review

What a brilliant story! Once the premise is set up, most of the chapters focus on one person and one book from Lula’s library – and how reading that book changes something for them. It’s a series of fascinating short stories from a variety of perspectives.

Positioned around those vignettes is the larger story of Lula, Beverly, and the town. It’s stunning – like watching something get woven together. In the end as the threads are finally pulled taut, you see the whole picture come together in a way that is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a creative structure that elevates an excellent story to a whole other level. (I feel the same way about The Candymakers for kids.)

This is thought-provoking – and funny. But it’s also grim at times. I was captivated by the folks in this town and the way books influenced families and kids and siblings and spouses. The ending is supremely satisfying – including an epilogue from 2034 that was more than I even hoped for.

This will definitely be one of the top reads for me in 2024!

(Language, some sexual content. TW: racism, homophobia, rape, gun violence, suicide, white supremacy/Christian nationalism)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: November 26, 2024

BOOK NEWS: November 26, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Thanks to the holiday week, there’s only a couple of new books to highlight this week. If you are thinking about some Christmas shopping, be sure to check out my Holiday Hint List posts here.

Books for Adults

Church Girl (Trade Paperback) – A young woman on the run from her family and her wedding gets a job as a nanny for a grumpy tattoo artist.
The Jewel of the Isle (Trade Paperback) – A woman trying to finish her late father’s bucket list hires a tour guide to help her navigate an unfamiliar island. What she doesn’t know is the brother who did the touring has passed away and his non-outdoorsy sibling is trying to keep the family business afloat.

REVIEW: The Imposter by Laura Bower

REVIEW: The Imposter by Laura Bower

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Olive’s beloved Mr. Snuggles goes missing, and she is devastated. So of course, when she finds him again, she is relieved. But Mr. Snuggles is different somehow – cleaner, flufflier. . . .

It’s an imposter!!

Review

This was delightful! Everything works – the simple text, the familiar scenario, Olive’s reactions to every development in the Snuggles situation, the artwork. This would be a hoot to read aloud. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julie McKay

REVIEW: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julie McKay

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free 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

Holly and Ivy have been best friends since their boyfriends introduced them at a Christmas frat party while singing an intoxicated version of the old carol their names called to mind. Eight years of friendship brings them to the weekend of Holly’s wedding to Matt – when Matt calls the whole thing off and dumps her.

Holly decides to take Ivy’s remote vacation cabin in the woods for two weeks to wrestle with Matt’s blindsiding announcement. And she sends Ivy on her non-refundable Hawaiian honeymoon. Except Matt has shown up for the honeymoon, too. With his girlfriend.

Since they look so much alike, Ivy was supposed to pretend to be Holly and enjoy the trip as her friend. Instead she’s stuck in a lie, trying to dodge Matt. Ivy finds a place to stay, but keeps the whole story from Holly to protect her from Matt’s most recent betrayal.

Holly’s vacation cabin is owned by an old friend from high school. Making a few friends on her remote retreat is doing a lot to help her over her heartbreak. But what is going to happen – for both Holly and Ivy – when it’s time to go home?

Review

This was fun! I can’t remember the last time I read an entire adult novel in one day. But this was exactly what I expected and what I wanted this to be. I easily predicted how one of the closing conflicts would play out – this absolutely follows the beats of a Hallmark movie. None of the conflicts lingered for too long. Things happened and then they were resolved to make way for the HEA. I would have liked a bit more from the epilogue – if I’m going to get details of what happens next, I want all of them. But overall it was satisfying in the end. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: November 19, 2024

BOOK NEWS: November 19, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

The Purple One: A Story on Prince – A picture book biography of Prince.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Mallory In Full Color – A kid who tends to keep her true thoughts and feelings to herself and her webcomic finds herself in trouble when her comic goes viral, and her true thoughts are seen by everyone,  putting her one potential friendship in jeopardy.
Take It from the Top – Scenes from six summers of camp explore a friendship – and a fracture – between two girls.
Dead Below Deck – It’s a mystery at sea when an heiress is killed and her friends are suspects.
If You Can Hear This – When the AV Club’s beloved sponsor goes missing, the club members and their newest addition start investigating.
Thanks for Listening – A girl whose advice is never followed creates an anonymous account where she can give advice to her friends that they might actually follow – but it also reveals secrets she didn’t know.

Books for Adults

The Half King (Hardcover) – Cursed nobility includes a king in danger of fading away permanently on his 21st birthday. A “seer” with no gift for seeing and other secrets may be the only one who can save him.
The Serpent and the Wolf (Hardcover) – A woman fighting against the darkness growing inside her is married off to a rival king so when her power leads to her death, her brother can invade the other kingdom. But her new husband offers her both her freedom but also information about her magic. Yes, please!
Shell Games (Trade Paperback) – When her mother makes a wild claim that her new husband confessed to a murder, Julie has to figure out if her mother has become paranoid or if she was conned by her new husband – or if something else is going on.

REVIEW: One Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland

REVIEW: One Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Three friends – a bear, a moose, and a beaver – prepare to celebrate Christmas when they realize they forgot to get a tree. Once they find a perfect pine, Bear won’t let them chop it down.

This is an adorable Christmas story that is part of the Life in the Wild series. There’s a small amount of text on each page, and fantastic illustrations that do some of the storytelling heavy-lifting. I enjoyed the humor in this, and the resolution makes this a fun read-aloud for Christmas. This was the first book in the series that I read, and I got such a kick out of it I ended up reading all of them. You can see some of my other reviews at the links above.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read