Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: September 19, 2023

BOOK NEWS: September 19, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Let’s take a look at some of the new books out this week!

Books for Kids

A Very Cranky Book – When other books come over for story time, a cranky book just wants to be left alone. I will definitely be looking for this the next time I go to a bookstore!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Dogtown – A dog and a robot dog, both living in a shelter, try to find a forever home. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
If You Meet the Devil, Don’t Shake Hands – When Gavin meets his friend’s long-lost grandfather, they switch bodies when they shake hands!
The Vanderbeekers Ever After – The Vanderbeekers series comes to a close with this story about the family dealing with a serious illness. I have heard great things about this whole series.
Greeking Out (Nonfiction) – A kid-friendly book about Greek myths.
How to Find a Missing Girl – Iris swore off investigating a missing person’s case when the police said she would be charged once she’s 18 if she keeps “meddling.” but when her ex-girlfriend also goes missing, Iris is determined to find answers – and quickly since she’s turns 18 in about a month. This sounds fascinating!

Books for Adults

Every Duke Has His Day (Trade Paperback) – A duke and the daughter of a viscount must team up when their dogs are swapped and one of them is kidnapped. This is one of those stories that I want to dive into immediately after reading the synopsis. I can’t wait to dig into this one!
Every Wish Way (Trade Paperback) – A woman with three wishes uses one to create a modern Mr Darcy. This sounds fantastic!
Reading, Writing, and Murder (e-book) – Book 2 in the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery series. A murderer strikes at a writers conference. I love mysteries set at conferences and reunions, so this one is on my list.
Starter Villain (Hardcover) – A divorced substitute teacher inherits a relative’s supervillain business. Yes, please!

THROW BACK: The Really Really Really Big Dinosaur by Richard Byrne

THROW BACK: The Really Really Really Big Dinosaur by Richard Byrne

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on November 2, 2012. This did become a book I would read to my students frequently – and it was always a hit! This is the sort of book that kids want to read again when it’s done so they can check out the illustrations for all of the hints they missed the first time through. One of my favorite memories is a kid blurting out something he noticed in our first read through and having him Shhh (with a wink) so the other kids could discover it too.

Summary and Review

A little dinosaur is minding his own business, counting jellybeans, when a bigger dinosaur walks by. Being a friendly little guy, the small dinosaur offers the bigger dinosaur one. But the bigger dinosaur is a bit of a bully, and he decides he wants all of the jellybeans. But they don’t belong to the little dinosaur. He says they actually belong to his BIG friend. The two dinosaurs argue back and forth about who’s the biggest and best until the big dinosaur finally meets the little dino’s very BIG friend.

Fantastic!! So funny! I can imagine reading this to my students – they will love it!!

5 out of 5 stars

THROW BACK: Silly Doggy by Adam Stower

THROW BACK: Silly Doggy by Adam Stower

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on May 22, 2012. I did end up putting this in the school library, along with the sequel Naughty Kitty. Both were a hoot to read aloud with students.

Summary and Review

Lily has always wanted a doggy, and when she spies a big, furry brown critter in the back yard, she is thrilled.

5 out of 5 stars

This book was a total surprise! I was hooked from page 2 and had to buy it. I’m still not sure if it’s going to be for school or if I’m going to keep it for myself. For me, a five star book is one that surprises me in its delightfulness. This is such a book.

BOOK NEWS: September 12, 2023

BOOK NEWS: September 12, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Today in the US is a day of remembrance of the attacks of September 11, 2001. I don’t want to just jump into book news without acknowledging that. If today doesn’t feel like the right day to dig into what’s releasing this week, I hope you’ll swing back by later this week.

Books for Kids

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? – Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen tackle age old questions about Santa. I can’t wait to read this one!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Between Monsters and Marvels – Dare believes there are still monsters in the Bay but no one believes her and she is shipped off to school where she couldn’t possibly keep investigating – but she still stumbles across something that makes her question everything she’s been told. I have already pre-ordered this one! Sounds amazing – and it’s a stand alone story.
The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall – Book 1 in a new series. Young Arthur Conan Doyle is offered a place at Baskerville Hall, a secret school for the gifted, where he makes new friends and finds mysteries that makes at least one person want to see him expelled – or worse. This is getting a lot of praise for being a creative reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes universe. I’m intrigued!
The Name Drop – A corporate heir apparent and an intern find themselves in one another’s spots during their summer internship – and they decide to keep up the charade because it give her the chance to make some connections that can help her get into college and it gives him the chance to have a summer blending in with other teens away from his controlling father. This sounds fantastic!

 

Books for Adults

Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Hardcover) – A woman who uses her flawless intuition for survival in a hostile world meets a prince who she senses will be someone very special to her – until he becomes her doom. I”m intrigued by this one, too.
A Market of Dreams and Destiny (Trade Paperback) – Once a boy sold into servitude for the secret and magical Untermarkt, Deri now has a chance to buy his freedom and make a name for himself, but the cost might be too much, including a chance at love. (The cover of this always makes me think it’s part of the Last Binding series by Freya Marske, but it is not,)
Murder Most Royal (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series. The queen is once again pulled into a mystery when a severed hand is found and she recognizes the signet ring still on one of the fingers. I still haven’t tried this series, but I get a kick out of the premise.
My Rogue to Ruin (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Wild Wynchesters series (this seems to be the first book in the series with an illustrated cover). The Wynchesters are trying to unmask a forger.
Star Trek: Picard’s Academy, Vol 1 (Comic, releasing Sept. 13) – First in a new comic book line about Captain Jean Luc Picard’s time at Star Fleet Academy. How fun!

 

THROW BACK: The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

THROW BACK: The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on April 11, 2011. Reading this review again makes me want to pull the book out for a re-read some time soon!

 

Summary

For 16 years, she was Nalia, princess of Thorvaldor. Then, in one moment, she becomes Sinda, the princess’ “stand in,” put in place through a magic spell, in order to protect the princess from prophesied disaster. Once the magic is removed, Sinda is sent to live with an aunt she’s never known who thought she was dead all this time. Sinda’s lost the only family she’s ever known, her home, her best friend, her very identity.

As Sinda struggles to redefine her life, she must make peace with an immense amount of previously unknown magic. She returns to Thorvaldor to learn to master her magic, and stumbles into a plot to overthrow the rulers of Thorvaldor. Can a displaced false princess ever hope to save her kingdom?

 

Review

Fantastic!! Great characters. Increasing levels of distress – personal, then interpersonal, then national – pull the reader through the story. Amazing plot twists. Mild romantic story line. Sinda is a great character, realistically dealing with the upheaval in her core identity and the doubts she battles. I would happily share The False Princess with others and would read it again some time. Excellent story.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: readers 12 and up, readers who like princess stories that are more intricate than the typical princess story for younger kids, mystery lovers

 

 

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 11, 2011. I wasn’t a school librarian yet when I wrote this, but I was running a creative writing club for elementary school students, two different age groups, at the time. This book became the gold standard of middle grade fiction for me. The STRUCTURE of the story is brilliant, with each of the four main characters telling their version of the A section of the story, one after the other. Each new walk through the material gives the reader new information and insights about the characters and the story. Then, the focal point character comes in and tells the B section of the story to wrap everything up. It’s truly brilliant!

Summary

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Four children gather at the Life is Sweet candy factory to prepare for the Annual New Candy Contest. They will spend two days together, learning about candy making and developing their own candy for the contest. Each one has a story – a “secret” – a “battle.” But if they can learn to trust each other, they can make something amazing happen.

 

Review

Outstanding! Fantastic! In a lesson for my writing students about good story beginnings, I read the first paragraph or two of eight different children’s books. This is the book that 21 out of my 22 students in one class said I should read first. They couldn’t have chosen better. Great twists and turns. Amazing connections between the kids that come out little by little. The author starts with Logan’s story and then layers each of the others over that before putting everything together to wrap up the overall story arc.  I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. And I raved about it to both of my groups of students. I returned the library’s copy as soon as I finished with it and ran out to buy my own copy. Now I can read it again, read it to my son, and share it with more students in the years to come.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: children 8 and up, writing teachers, classroom teachers, summer reading for families

BOOK NEWS: September 5, 2023

BOOK NEWS: September 5, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Labor Day to everyone in the US. Here are some of the books release during this first week of September!

Book for Kids

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh! – A new book for the Pigeon!
How the Grinch Lost Christmas – A sequel!
A Lot Like Batman – A young Batman negotiates starting school for the first time. This looks darling!
Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles – A novice uncle gets some training in uncleology in this new picture book by Jake Gyllenhaal. With illustrations by Dan Santat, this looks like a must read to me.  I already have this on hold at the library.
Cat on the Run – From the author of the Bad Guys series comes a new hero – Princess Beautiful – a cat video star who is accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Yes, please!
Cryptid Club: Chupacabra Hoopla – Book 3 in the Cryptid Club series. Something is stealing food at the school, so the Cryptid Club is on the case.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Curious Vanishing of Beatrice Willoughby – Thirteen years after Beatrice disappeared, six households are invited to a celebration of All Hallows Eve – and to help solve the mystery. This sounds AMAZING! I already pre-ordered this one.
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity  (Nonfiction) – Discover the history of the Mona Lisa in this new nonfiction book for middle grade readers!
Who Was Accused in the Salem Witch Trials? (Nonfiction) – New from the folks at Who HQ.
Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose – Book 9 in the Enola Holmes series. When a man connected to American publishing goes missing, a young author, Rudyard Kipling, seeks out Holmesian help. But he refuses to hire Enola, and instead moves on to Sherlock. But Enola won’t be dissuaded from investigating. Yes, please!
The Fallout – Book 2 in a dystopian series about our world, on the brink of a collision with a comet, and the holograms who come to offer rescue. Or do they? I have GOT to pick up the first book in this series!
Maybe Meant to Be (LGBTQ+) – Everyone thinks Sage and Charlie belong together, and they are just waiting around to see them finally figure it out. But a new boy at school leaves Charlie questioning the new feelings he is experiencing, and Charlie’s distraction leaves Sage to see if there might be something between her and Charlie’s twin brother. Fascinating!
Suddenly a Murder – Seven friends enjoy an end-of-high-school 1920s themed party until one of them ends up dead.

 

Books for Adults

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other (Trade Paperback) – America’s sweetheart has to repair her reputation which means keeping her sunny disposition around the reclusive former journalist who is her driver while she’s back in Adelaide Springs. I am a big fan of Bethany Turner, and I can’t wait to pick this one up.
Death in the Romance Aisle (Trade Paperback) – Rarity is starting over after breast cancer with a new bookstore in Sedona. But the exciting return of her best friend’s brother coincides with a murder, and she can’t help but wonder if the two events are connected.
Enchanted to Meet You (Trade Paperback) – New from Meg Cabot. A woman banned from the World Council of Witches finds herself having to help save West Harbor from sinister forces. So looking forward to this one!
Fly with Me (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – A nurse who goes viral for saving a life on her flight agrees to play fake girlfriend for the co-pilot whose airline is reaping the benefits of the heartwarming story.
The Long Game (Trade Paperback) – A soccer exec banished to redeem her reputation with a kids’ soccer team runs afoul of a local soccer star who wants to run her out of town. This sounds adorable!
Look Out for the Little Guy (Hardcover) – An “autobiography” of Marvel character Scott Lang (aka Ant Man).
Main Character Energy (Trade Paperback) – A struggling author has the chance to inherit a gorgeous villa in the French Rivera from her beloved late aunt. She just has to finish her novel first. YES. This is top of my list for this week.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night (Hardcover) – Lana misses her high-powered life as she finds herself fighting cancer and living with her daughter and grand-daughter.  But when her grand-daughter becomes a murder suspect, Lana puts her drive to use finding the real killer. Yes, please! Another for my list this week.
Witches Get Stuff Done (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series. The local librarian is eager to get access to Shaddow House now that it is under new ownership. The new owner, though, is just trying to wrangle her newly discovered magical powers as well as her new haunted home. Sounds fun!

 

THROW BACK: Goldlilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson

THROW BACK: Goldlilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on November 16, 2012. And I was right – this was a fantastic read aloud for the library. I developed a lesson series for the end of the school year based on fractured fairy tales and this was one of the books I used in that curriculum.

Summary and Review

A bear gets lost and wanders into the big city. Looking for a quiet place to rest and regroup, he wanders into a penthouse where he looks for some “just right” porridge, a “just right” chair and a “just right” spot to nap. When the family comes home, the bear and the mom recognize one another from a long ago adventure when the roles were reversed.

Such a cute twist on the classic Goldilocks story. I can’t wait to read this one to my students. It is a treat! I’m thinking about pairing it with Children Make Terrible Pets or Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs for reading time in the library.

5 out of 5 stars

THROW BACK - It's time for another Sabbatical

THROW BACK – It’s time for another Sabbatical

Posted on by Jaymie

Last year I took the month of September off, and it was a brilliant decision for my mental health and reading life. So I am going to do it again.

It seems weird to take the site’s birthday month off, but I work in higher ed now – something that wasn’t true when I started The Neverending TBR. And August and September tend to be overwhelming. In fact, I have an annual reminder on my phone now to lower my expectations for August of what I can get done because it’s such a draining time of year.

So I am going to take September off from new posts to allow myself to regroup after the start of a new school year.

Like last year, I will still do Book News on Mondays – I am always on the hunt for new releases! But on Wednesdays and Fridays this month I will post older reviews from my previous blog which still exists on the internet.

So starting next week you can check out some “throw back” reviews of books you might have missed the first time around. I hope you enjoy the reviews. I’ll see you back in October for some new ones.

BOOK NEWS: August 29, 2023

BOOK NEWS: August 29, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of August – here are some of the new books releasing to wrap up August 2023.

Books for Kids

Squash, the Cat – Squash accidentally mistakes his best friend’s favorite toy as a threat, and now the two friends aren’t sure what to do next. Can their friendship survive? This sounds adorable!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Do More Club (Older Middle Grade) – In response to an anti-Semitic hate crime, Josh and his friends start the Do More Club at school to spread kindness.
The Lost Library – A mysterious Little Free Library pops up in town, guarded by an old cat. Two kids find books inside that expose one of the town’s long-kept secrets. I have this one on hold at the library.
Vivian Van Tassel and the Secret of Midnight Lake – First in a new series. Vivian is angry about all she has lost and being uprooted to this weird new town, but when she discovers the town’s connection to Beasts & Battlements, things start to get interesting.
Wings of Fire Guide to the Dragon World (September 1) – A new collection of stories and art.
The Brothers Hawthorne – Book 4 in the Inheritance Games series. Greyson and Jameson are pulled into new adventures – and new risks – by their extended families. I cannot wait for this!! I pre-ordered the special edition from Barnes and Noble last year.  Just a few days more to wait!
Elles Vol 2 (Graphic Novel) – Elle is lost in her own subconscious while one of her personalities takes over her life. I’m checking out book 1 because I am intrigued by this whole premise.
House of Marionne – A girl with magic is inducted into a secret debutante society that is supposed to help her manage her magic, but they may have secret plans of their own. This is absolutely on hold at the library!!
Neverwraith – Yesir can feel something inside him changing – but no one has prepared him for what is about to happen. Yes please!

Books for Adults

Assistant to the Villain (Trade Paperback) – Desperate for a job, Evie agrees to work for the Villain, and then discovers that someone is trying to take him and his whole empire down. I could not hit pre-order fast enough on this one. Can’t wait to read it!
Beast Mom (Trade Paperback, August 30) – A typical suburban mom turns monstrous when she gets fed up with the things going on around her – and she’s not the only one. I have to get my hands on this to find out more!
Big Little Spells (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to Small Town, Big Magic. A banished witch returns to St. Cyprian where the local witch council has determined her friends are a danger to witchkind and must be eliminated. I have got to start this series – sounds fantastic!
The Love Plot (Trade Paperback) – A veterinarian hires a gig worker to be his fake girlfriend for family events. I love a good fake dating story!
My Roommate Is a Vampire (Trade Paperback) – The apartment seems too good to be true, but Cassie is desperate. Besides, Frederick is rarely around during the day, works at night, and is gorgeous. Although, the bags of blood in the fridge are alarming…. I can’t wait to give this a try!
The Phoenix King (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series.  Elena is supposed to someday ascend to the throne, but she’s the one person in her family who can’t wield their magical fire. As she considers how to prove herself worthy, a suspicious assassin arrives saying he is there to serve the king – but Elena is certain he can’t be trusted.
The Referral Program (Trade Paperback) – Three single friends decide to use their not-quite-right exes as referrals to find a perfect relationship for their friends.
Three Card Murder (e-book, August 31) – A detective trying to solve a locked room mystery finds out her sister has ties to the deceased. But there’s no way her con-artist sister is a killer. I have already pre-ordered this one!