Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: The Bawk-ness Monster by Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess

Summary


Before Penny and her mom move away, Penny has one last thing to do – find the Bawk-ness Monster that saved her life three years ago. Penny’s friends, Luc and K, are also along for the adventure. (It would help if they could ditch Penny’s mom who’s a bit overprotective.) But the kids find more than they bargained for in their search for Bessie.

 

Review


This first book in the Cryptid Kids series was so fun! I loved all of the cryptid characters (who are twists on typical cryptids like Bigfoot). And the story kept moving forward while more challenges cropped up.

Penny’s mom is understandably over-protective after the scare three years ago. But there’s also a great moment when Penny stands up to her mom that I loved. Luc’s story is subtle but important. I would love to see a reading group dig into this book and see what kids make of Luc’s story.

I hope there will be more adventures for the Cryptid Kids. I would absolutely pick up a sequel to check it out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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

Summary


Sadie feels like she’s been dropped on an alien planet. She’s developed face blindness, and there’s no way for her to prepare for the cascade effect of that disorder. People she’s know for decades are suddenly unfamiliar – visual strangers who have to be identified in new ways. Voices alone aren’t necessarily enough. She can’t even recognize or discern her own face in a mirror.

The whole thing is traumatic enough by itself. Then add in her estranged father and step-mother trying to suddenly insert themselves into her life. But it’s all compounded by the fact that Sadie is a portrait artist. Faces are literally her business, her livelihood. And the highly esteemed portrait contest in which she is a finalist has a deadline right around the corner. She desperately needs the prize money – and the professional boost and affirmation. But there’s no guarantee when the condition will resolve – or if it ever will.

Review


I initially requested the review copy of this – and ordered two print copies of the book along with tickets to an author signing event – completely on the merits of The Bodyguard, one of my favorite reads of 2022. I didn’t even read the synopsis. “Oh, Katherine Center? The author of The Bodyguard? Yes, please!” And THEN I read the synopsis.

And I thought, “Oh no, what have I done?”

I was not looking forward to the face blindness storyline.  And I wasn’t sure this was a story I could even like. But I had already committed. So I decided to wait to read the story until after the author event so that if I didn’t care for it, I would still have been able to be fully on board for the event.

The author event was delightful. If you ever have a chance to hear Katherine Center speak, you absolutely should go. She’s a hoot! I love her philosophy of writing and enjoying romance. We waited 90 minutes after her presentation for the chance at a photo op and signed books – and it was completely worthwhile.

As was the book.  The psychology of this was fascinating – from Sadie’s early attempts to cope with her diagnosis to the family drama that became a focus later in the book.  Sadie is absolutely delightful, even in her most difficult moments. There are many laugh-out-loud sections as well as passages that begged to be read out loud. (There’s also a true villain who is one of the most vile “mean girl” sorts of characters I have ever encountered in a book.)

There’s a ton here to enjoy. I knew early on where the whole story/romance was headed, but the journey to get there was absolutely enjoyable – and there were still a few surprises along the way.

Fans of romance books with a slow burn (closed door) and a strong emphasis on personal growth for the main character should check this one out.  And the author’s (many) fans should pick this up without hesitation.  (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

BOOK NEWS: August 22, 2023

Here are some of the books out this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Truly, Madly, Sheeply (Older Middle Grade) – Book 4 in the Pumpkin Falls Mystery series for older elementary and middle school readers. Truly and her grandparents are farm-sitting for Truly’s aunt and uncle when they encounter some spooky goings on that seem designed to scare Truly’s family away from the new property. I adored the first book in this series. I’d love to find the time to catch up to this gorgeous-looking fall story.
Creeping Beauty – A plain-looking princes pricks her finger on a spindle and falls into a mysterious world of darkness and danger. I love a good fairy tale retelling!!
Unexpecting – A gay teen decides he wants to raise his unexpected baby as a single father, but he wasn’t ready for what that one decision would mean for all the other aspects of his life. This sounds amazing.

Books for Adults


A Beautiful Disguise (Trade Paperback) – Book one in the Imposters series. A pair of siblings have started an elite and  secret spy agency to save their family estate. This sounds clever – familiar in some ways to the Rosalind Thorne series. I’m always in the market for a new series.
Board to Death (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in a new “quozy” (queer and cozy) mystery series. Even though the family game store is struggling, Cliff turns down an offer too good to be true and then ends up a murder suspect.  I’m looking forward to checking this series starter out.
Curves for Days (Trade Paperback) – A contractor resists falling for his newest client who has a secret that could destroy everything. Fairly standard grumpy-sunshine set up, and this is getting rave reviews. I’ll be checking this one out.
Mugshots of Manhattan (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Snapshot of NYC mystery series. Liv’s big break turns into a big nightmare when she’s suspected of murder. I’ll be picking this one up too!
A Secret Staircase (e-book, August 25) – Book 2 in the Murder at the Morrisey Mystery series. Meg discovers a secret staircase in the building that not only leads to the Seattle Underground, but also to two dead bodies.
The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? (Hardcover Nonfiction) – The first large-scale study of the shift in America away from the Church. I’m really curious about this one.
Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From (Hardcover Nonfiction) – A faith-based parenting book where kids are encouraged to explore God and faith rather than handed a list of things to believe. I hope to review this one soon.

REVIEW: The Littlest Turtle by Lysa Mullady

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

Summary


Littlest Turtle overhears the bigger turtles talking about how upset they are because they only get to eat berries from the ground. The berries are often sour, if not completely spoiled. But the smaller turtles who climb on the backs of the larger ones get to eat all of the fresher berries.

Littlest Turtle talks to Biggest Turtle about what she overhears. Then she decides to use her voice to support the bigger turtles in their requests for change.

Review


This book is published by Magination Press, the children’s book imprint of the American Psychological Association. Littlest Turtle’s story leads into a discussion of being a good citizen. The Reader’s Note points out skills like empathy, voice, and accepting differences in an effort to help kids (and grown ups) be more community minded.

The story is sweet and simple. Even the youngest readers can connect to ideas of sharing, fairness, and helping while older readers can tackle concepts like empathy.  The illustrations are darling and add to the sweet vibe of the story. I loved reading this and digging into the backmatter. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Saints AND Sinners by Kat Armstrong

Summary and Review


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

These books are the third pair released in the Storyline Bible Study series. I picked up my own copies of the first set – Mountains and Valleys – when they first released because the covers are gorgeous and the content was intriguing. And that’s about as far as I got with them – I checked out the layout, loved it, and they have taunted me from a pile ever since.

Because I liked the set up of these so much, I immediately requested the review copies of this third set, following Sticks and Stones.  And the set up and content continue to impress me.

The titles are somewhat tongue in cheek – Saints focuses on 5 Bible stories and personalities who might be on some list – if only in their own minds – of “saints, ” but the studies show where they fall short. The “sinners” list includes those who are shunned in the Biblical record as “sinners” but who are drawn out by Jesus for some other purpose.  For my review, I read all of the set up information as well as one full study in each book. And that teaser made me want more.

The studies are set up in four steps/sections – context, a close reading of the text, building understanding and making connections, and finally responding. There’s also an element that connects the stories in each study to the larger story of scripture in the books that have come before. I find the structure thoughtful, logical, and intentional. The writing tone is conversational and easy to read. I could honestly read these cover to cover, but so much would be missed by blitzing through what is here.

Bible studies tend to collect on shelves at my house and rarely get finished, but these feel like exactly the sort of studies I am looking for right now. I plan to work through the whole collection. As of this writing, the author and publisher websites don’t say anything about what might be next after this release, but I will be watching for something new in this impressive series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it!

BOOK NEWS: August 15, 2023

Here are some of the new releases this week!

 

Books for Kids


The Littlest Turtle – The littlest turtle tries to use her voice to help others in the community. I’ll be reviewing this soon.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Dust – A girl with severe asthma befriends a troubled boy who seems to be the cause of increased dust storms in their town.
No One Leaves the Castle – Something new from the author of the fantastic The Heroes Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (♥♥♥♥♥). A girl determined to become the best bounty hunter takes a case that leaves her locked in a castle with a murderer. This is at the top of my list for this week!!!
West of the Sea – Haven’s mom’s disappearance uncovers a long-hidden family secret – she, and Haven, can turn into a creature called a kitskara. Haven and her friends head out on a road trip to find Haven’s mom – and some answers.

Books for Adults


Codename Charming (Trade Paperback) – A gruff, business-first bodyguard and a perky, positive personal assistant stage a fake relationship to protect their boss from bad PR.
Rent to Be (Trade Paperback) – Isla agrees to a fake relationship with her brother’s best friend in exchange for him keeping a big secret for her.
The Witch Is Back (Trade Paperback) – An ex comes back to make things right, but the woman he finds isn’t the meek witch he left all those years ago.

REVIEW: Taco Falls Apart by Brenda S. Miles

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

Summary


Taco feels overwhelmed at times at people’s expectations that he always be open but also strong. And when it all gets to be too much, he tips over and falls apart.

His friend, Nacho, teaches Taco a way to pull himself back together: Think-Feel-Do

Review


This book is published by Magination Press, the publishing arm of the American Psychological Association (APA). In this book, Nacho describes, very simply for young readers, some basic principles of cognitive-behavioral change. Taco is encouraged to change his thinking in order to change his feelings and from there change his behavior.

The story is simple, the illustrations are cute, and the message is good and easy for kids to grasp. Detailed end notes are great for adults who want to know more. I feel like the skill described here is so crucial that it bumps what might otherwise be a “solid, but fine” rating up to “great.”

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

[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


A woman wakes up on the snowy ground, looking up at the Eiffel Tower.  But  she doesn’t remember her name, how she came to be in Paris, or even why her head hurts. It’s all troublesome. But nothing compared to the men with guns. One of them calls her Alex. That must be her name. But it doesn’t ring a bell or bring back anything else.

Jack Sawyer is a spy – an “operative” – and he’s worked with Alex for years. She’s supremely competent (and annoying), so it doesn’t take long for him to figure out this is NOT Alex.

Alex is a spy gone rogue, and everyone is after her – her bosses at the CIA, and the bad guys. And Jake didn’t manage to find Alex like he was trying to – he found her twin sister. A person he always assumed didn’t actually exist. And now everyone after Alex will make the same mistake he did. So Alex’s twin – whatever her name and story is – is in life-ending kinds of trouble.

Review


I had a lot of fun with this one. I laughed often and read funny sections to my husband. I enjoyed the banter and got a kick out of the bumbling-into-success way of the main character. I would read this again and will definitely give the sequel a try – although with some hesitation. The hinted POV character was not a favorite for me in this one.

That said, this felt more like my favorite YA stories (Prince in Disguise, 10 Blind Dates) than my favorite adult romances (The Bodyguard, Undercover Bromance) – and not just because this is a “closed door” romance. The main character comes off as young. And my favorite banter-y moments at times felt like a different book when compared to the parts where f-bombs are dropping and bullets are flying.

So, YA fans – especially fans of the author’s YA and Older Middle Grade novels – who are not looking for a spicy romance may find a lot here to enjoy – I did! But for die hard adult romance fans, YMMV.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: August 8, 2023

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


The Raven Throne – Sequel to The Raven Heir. When the newly crowned queen falls into an enchanted sleep, her siblings go out to find a cure.
A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama (Nonfiction) – Six biographies in verse.

Books for Adults


Accidentally in Love (Trade Paperback) – A woman with a mobile photo studio for boudoir shoots gets matched up with a newcomer who is supposed to launch a food truck on the same festival circuit she knows so well.
Blonde Identity (Hardcover) – YA author, Ally Carter, releases her first adult romance about a woman who has lost her memory and the spy who thinks she is someone else. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Forged by Blood (Hardcover) – First in a new duology based on Nigerian mythology. In an effort to protect her people and get revenge for the death of her mother, a young woman plans to kidnap a prince.
Out of the Dawn (Hardcover) – Sequel to Into the Mist (♥♥♥♥½). Mercury and her friends who have survived the green mist that gave them their powers while killing the men who encountered it face new challenges as they try to protect the community they have established. I can not wait to read this!!!
Saints AND Sinners (Nonfiction) – New installments in the Storyline Bible Studies. I’ll be reviewing these soon.

REVIEW: Books Aren’t for Bears by Mark Barry

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

Summary


When Bear discovers a book, and Owl teaches him to read it, Bear decides he wants more! (I feel you, Bear.) So he takes a bike he finds to the city, both to try to return the bike to its owner and also to find more books.

Review


This simple, sweet story was a joy to read! Through his ups and downs, Bear doesn’t completely lose hope. His perseverance eventually brings him to a perfect bookish spot where he finds the help he needs to continue his bookish life.

The illustrations by Katy Halford are a large part of the book’s charm. I LOVED them. The cover art was what first drew me to pick this up. I think readers will be captivated by the art as well.

This would be a great storytime book – for school, a bookstore, or the library – but I think many kids will also want the up-close experience of reading this in someone’s lap. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read