Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Samantha says she is on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to watch her teenaged half-brother, Tyler, while his parents are on an extended vacation. But in reality, she quit her job as a chef in Boston when she was passed over for a job. She needs a soft place to land and re-group.

Sam did not count on meeting a handsome stranger on the ferry. She knew Ben was bookish because she accidentally knocked his book into the ocean. But he’s also a librarian. She’s not sure what to make of all of that bookishness. Sam’s dyslexia means that reading is a tremendous challenge. There are just too many other things she’d rather do instead. Things that don’t fill her with shame.

But the chemistry between them is undeniable. And Ben doesn’t seem to think Sam has anything to be ashamed of. But Sam has lost boyfriends and jobs over her dyslexia in the past, so she’s not sure she can trust him long term. But a summer fling might be all right, if she can keep herself from falling head over heels for him.

Review

That summary really doesn’t do this book justice, but if I try to explain all of the magic of this story, I will end up spoiling it. And this is too perfect to risk spoiling it.

I. Loved. Everything.

All of the characters are fantastic. And the set up – the family things, the reading things, the romance, the setting – is all perfect. There are funny moments and swooning moments and heart-tugging moments and angsty moments. And I adored them all. This was definitely a book I wanted to hug when I was done.

The author’s note about dyslexia and the choices she and the publisher made in the production of this novel were icing on the cake. I loved how that aspect of the story was handled. I can’t wait to see this book in person to see the dyslexia-friendly font they chose and other accommodations.

Finally, there’s a teaser for a companion novel focusing on another character – and I need it in my hands immediately!

Jenn McKinlay has never failed me before, and she certainly hasn’t here. Fans of her other romances – and fans of her mysteries if you  also like books with some spice – should absolutely pick this up. She really hits this one out of the park. Highly recommend! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: May 30, 2023

BOOK NEWS: May 30, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Memorial Day – Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Falling Out of Time – Sequel to 1997’s Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix. A girl in 2193 finds clues that her utopian world may not be all she thinks it is and that she might have a connection to Jessie Keyser (Main character in Running Out of Time).
The First Magnificent Summer (Older Middle Grade) – After a two year absence, Victoria is looking forward to some time with her father, hoping to impress him with her wit and maturity. But he shows up with his new family, the Replacements, and he treats Victoria in a way that makes her think he doesn’t like her because she’s a girl. This is on my list for this week!
The Night in Question – Sequel to one of my favorite books of 2022. You can read my full review here.
Time Out – When the local basketball star comes out to his community, he faces backlash he wasn’t expecting

 

Books for Adults

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (Trade Paperback) – Twins of a certain age look for excitement and distraction by helping a friend out of a bad relationship. But they encounter unexpected trials – and one has a chance at love. This sounds so fun. I have a review copy of this waiting for me.
Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly (Trade Paperback) – In this new novel by Marie Bostwick, a newly unemployed and single woman returns to her childhood home and helps her estranged family try to save their lakeside retreat. While there, she discovers a chapter of her late-grandmother’s life she never knew before. This sounds lovely – and I thoroughly enjoyed The Restoration of Celia Fairchild. I’ll be checking this one out.
Even If the Sky Is Falling (Trade Paperback, collection) – When the world thinks an incoming meteor shower could mean the end of life as we know it, 6 couples decide to make the most of their “last” hours – except the world doesn’t actually end. This looks like it will be 6 interconnected short stories. What a clever set up! This is on my list.
The Gay Best Friend (Trade Paperback) – Dom feels torn trying to be the best friend to both the bride and the groom as they approach their big day – and he starts to realize how little attention he has paid to his own heart and what he wants for his own life. Yes, please!
Ink Blood Sister Scribe (Hardcover) – Half sisters charged with supervising and protecting a library of magical books discover centuries worth of secrets kept by their parents. Yep, sounds right up my alley!
Marrying Off Morgan McBride (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the McBrides of Montana series. A woman who always seems to be “too much” answers an ad for a mail order bride, but the husband-to-be isn’t the one who placed the ad – his younger sister placed it for him! I’m not much for westerns in general, but these two books sound fun!
Murder Off the Books (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the By the Book Mystery series. Right when Tess is trying to get back in the town’s good graces by having an extravagant book release/store opening event, her mother arrives in town with a notorious conman connected to the deaths of three elderly women. When the conman is found dead, and Tess’s mother becomes the prime murder suspect, Tess has to start sleuthing again. I adored book 1 in this series and cannot wait to dig into books 2 and now 3, hopefully this summer!
Once More with Feeling (Trade Paperback) – Once upon a time, she was a pop star with everything. Then a hook up with a member of a popular boyfriend – and not the one she was dating – destroyed everything. Now she’s content in a more quiet life – until the hook up shows up with a Broadway offer she can’t refuse. Yep, this one too! I told you there were a LOT of great books releasing this month!
Puzzled Pieces (ebook) – Book 5 in the PTO Murder Club Mystery series. Mustang and her friends investigate a string of murders of school bus drivers. This is the first I had heard of this series, but it sounds great! I’ve picked up the first book in the series to check it out.
Star Trek: Discovery: Somewhere to Belong (Trade Paperback) – The Discovery crew has gone 900 years into the future. After helping a world cut off from the Federation because of the Burn, the Discovery answers a distress call that seems to have connections to their old 23rd century lives.
The Wishing Game (Hardcover) – After a difficult childhood, Lucy is sensitive to the needs of one of her students who was recently orphaned. If only she had the resources to adopt Christopher and give him the love and home he deserves after such loss. Lucy gets her chance when she is chosen to participate in a contest where she can win the only copy of a new book written by her favorite author from her own childhood. This sounds like a not-to-be-missed story!

 

REVIEW: The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

REVIEW: The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

Posted on by Jaymie

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.]

Summary

Alice and Iris and their friends are with everyone who’s anyone at the Sadie Hawkins dance at Levy Castle. The history of the castle – including the mysterious death of movie star Mona Moody – is something Castle Cove takes very seriously. But two of Alice’s old friends, Kennedy and Park, seem more concerned with contemporary drama rather than history. They have a very public fight in the middle of the dance.

Then there’s the screaming.
The blood.
Kennedy is gravely injured. Park runs.
The students are trapped at the Castle due to a storm-caused mudslide – and the authorities struggle to get there.

It’s like one of Alice’s Agatha Christie novels! While Kennedy is soon taken to the hospital, and the students can finally leave the Castle, the questions over what really happened aren’t going away any time soon. So Alice, Iris, and their friends start investigating.

Review

I absolutely adored The Agathas when I first read it a year ago. In fact, it was one of my top 10 most favorite reads of 2022. Halfway through the book I was begging the universe to make this a series. I was so excited when I heard there would be a sequel!

This was outstanding! The story blew me right out of the water. Alice and Iris are back, better than ever – with a real friendship with ups and downs but a core connection and loyalty that keeps them together. The mystery is layered, and each piece is solid and meaty on its own. There’s a LOT going on here – and I loved all of it! There are real stakes here, too, which added to the tension and to my enjoyment. There were several moments when I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.

I blitzed through The Agathas in a day before I started this so I would have the characters fresh in my mind. I am glad I did so I could jump right into this new story.  Newcomers should absolutely start with book 1, if for no other reason than the ending is “spoiled” here in book 2. You’ll be happier if you read these in order. Fans of book one should snap this up immediately – it was terrific! I can’t wait to see what comes in book 3.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Secret Service of Tea and Treasure by India Holton

REVIEW: The Secret Service of Tea and Treasure by India Holton

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A.U.N.T. is the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret intelligence agency of “below stairs” staffers like butlers and ladies maids. Alice Dearlove, Agent A, is the top operative in A.U.N.T., and Daniel Bixby is her biggest rival. His identity was a secret to her until recently. But now they have to put their rivalry – and unwelcome chemistry – aside to prevent an assassination.

Review

This is book 3 in the Dangerous Damsels series – and it was a delight from start to finish! Everything I loved about book 1 was back. And the characters and story were just right for me. The backstory of hurts and trauma and longing here is subtle and beautiful, tucked behind hilarious innuendo, riotous chaos, and pirates with magically flying houses. I love this mashup of historical fiction with romance and fantasy. This was a hoot!

At one moment in the middle I realized the characters weren’t really moving forward in their quest to find the weapon and save the queen – and I didn’t really care. I was having too much fun with these characters. The found family elements here are a treat. The innuendo – and Alice’s naïveté – was hilarious! And once again the writing is stellar. I love how Holton crafts a sentence. I would definitely read this again.

Series fans should absolutely pick this one up. I think it helps to have read the previous books, both for the world building and also for some character crossover. But if you start here, I think you can follow the story – but you will want to read more! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: May 23, 2023

BOOK NEWS: May 23, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Cranky Chicken: Crankosaurus – I fell in love with the Cranky Chicken books when I discovered them last year. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Labors of Hercules Beal – A boy named for a mythical hero thinks he is nothing like his namesake, but a teacher challenges him to duplicate Hercules’ feats and see what he discovers. I can’t wait to read this one!
Picture-Perfect Boyfriend – When a girl’s made-up boyfriend shows up at the airport for her family’s vacation, she can’t very well call him out as a fraud without exposing her own lies. Yes, please!

 

Books for Adults

The Blighted Stars (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series. A woman hiding in plain sight as a bodyguard for the Mercator heir finds herself trapped with him on a dead planet. The two band together to survive and along the way uncover a plot neither of them bargained for. Sounds awesome!
The Front Porch Club (Mass Market Paperback) – Three women whose lives have turned upside down find friendship and community together.
Gone Rogue (e-book) – Book 3 in the Mia Murphy Mystery series. When a local bad girl turns back up and is later murdered, Mia starts investigating to keep a friend from being wrongly accused of the crime.
Mrs. Nash’s Ashes (Trade Paperback) – Millie agreed to transport her elderly neighbor’s ashes to symbolically reunite her with her lost love. But when she said yes, she didn’t count on having to make her delivery via road trip with an obnoxious acquaintance. This looks fun!
Rogue Justice (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Avery Keene series by Stacey Abrams. Law clerk Avery Keene stumbles onto another conspiracy. This series sounds amazing. I have book 1 on my TBR.

 

REVIEW: Stink: Superhero Superfan by Megan McDonald

REVIEW: Stink: Superhero Superfan by Megan McDonald

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Stink discovers a box of comics in the family garage and becomes a super-fan of Super Gecko. He plans to study Super Gecko’s powers at Saturday Science Club when they have Superhero Science Day.

When Stink finds a mysterious note signed “Super Gecko,” he starts investigating to see if his new favorite hero could be real.

 

Review

This was delightful! This may be Stink’s 13th book, but this brings back the joy of his earliest adventures.

There’s a fun mash up here of science, mystery, and comic books, and I loved all of it. This could be a fun class read aloud or a bedtime read. There are some fun tie-ins here for Free Comic Book Day or science classes/clubs. It’s a winner all the way around!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon

REVIEW: Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Jillian Moorewood is newly released from prison. Crashing her family of con artists’ big garden party by arriving – unannounced – in a helicopter was a stroke of genius. They were nearly apoplectic.

She had told them all they needed to go straight while she dealt with her prison sentence. But with her out of the way, they doubled down on their schemes. Now Jillian is going to wrangle this family onto the straight and narrow, no matter what it takes.

Jillian’s allies insist she have a bodyguard because the rest of the family won’t go down without a fight. And Beck the bodyguard is committed to keeping Jillian safe – and finding all the evidence they need to keep her that way. The banter and steamy interactions between them is just a bonus!

Review

This was so fun! I couldn’t read this as quickly as I wanted to – these last few weeks have been just too busy. But this was never far from my mind in the long gaps. I remembered everything in the interim while I waited to pick this back up again (something that rarely happens when I have to take a break from a story). I longed to curl up with it. Once I carved out some time, I blitzed through to the end.

This was a perfect fit for me. I loved Jillian. Her revenge fantasies – and realities – were right up my alley. I couldn’t wait for her family to get their comeuppance, but at the same time, I also didn’t hate them when they were on the scene. The author does a masterful job of walking the fine line between making the reader want to see them get theirs while also not making readers despise them. The choice to give one of them a few POV chapters really helped with this too.

I enjoyed Jillian’s personal journey as she wrestled with her responsibility for and to her family. There were some Enneagram 2-ish vibes to this part of the story that I enjoyed. I highly recommend this book – super satisfying story with great characters!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: May 16, 2023

BOOK NEWS: May 16, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Julieta and the Romeos – A young writer posts her work online and finds herself with an intriguing collaborator. Yes, please!
The DC Book of Pride (Nonfiction) – Highlights DC Comics’ characters in the LGBTQ+ community. The artwork on the sample pages I have seen is gorgeous. Will definitely be picking this one up!
You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory (Nonfiction) – A writer’s guide that encourages young writers to use their own lives and experiences to help them grow as writers. This sounds amazing!

 

Books for Adults

The Late Mrs. Willoughby (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series after The Murder of Mr. Wickham (which is on my TBR). When Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are once again together at the site of a murder, they team up to solve the crime. This series sounds so fantastic. I can’t wait to get some time to dig into the first book!
The Malevolent Seven (Hardcover) – I can’t do the summary of this justice – you’ll just have to read up on this one for yourself. I am fascinated to see what this one is like!
A Novel Disguise (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Lady Librarian Mystery series. A young woman takes her half-brother’s identity after his death so she can keep her home. But that seems to be only one of a dozen mysteries and secrets swirling around her. Sounds fun!
Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts (Trade Paperback) – When a podcaster breaks her own rules for hooking up without “catching feelings” by falling in love and getting married, her podcasting partner tries to save their reputations and their following by breaking all the rules herself to show what a terrible idea that is.  She is certain the best man is the perfect person to help her prove her point – until she actually starts to fall for him.
Summer Reading (Trade Paperback) – A incident on a ferry when a determined non-reader knocks a bookworm’s latest read into the ocean could lead to love. Yes, please! Can’t go wrong with Jenn McKinlay.

 

Playing Catch Up, part 4

Playing Catch Up, part 4

Posted on by Jaymie

Thanks so much for visiting The Neverending TBR today. I don’t have a review to post. As I am writing this, I am in the middle of three books – one is an ARC, one is a library book, and one is a personal favorite I have read a dozen times. And I can’t seem to get any traction on any of them, even though I am enjoying all three. Life is super busy right now with work and family which isn’t leaving a lot of reading time. So I am going to take a couple weeks off from reviews and see if I can get caught up.

Instead, I thought I would share some favorites from 2023 so far!

My fourth five star review of the year was for Teen Titans: Robin – you can read my full review here.

Playing Catch Up, part 3

Playing Catch Up, part 3

Posted on by Jaymie

Thanks so much for visiting The Neverending TBR today. I don’t have a review to post. As I am writing this, I am in the middle of three books – one is an ARC, one is a library book, and one is a personal favorite I have read a dozen times. And I can’t seem to get any traction on any of them, even though I am enjoying all three. Life is super busy right now with work and family which isn’t leaving a lot of reading time. So I am going to take a couple weeks off from reviews and see if I can get caught up.

Instead, I thought I would share some favorites from 2023 so far!

My most recent five star review this year was for Damsel – you can read my full review here.