Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Birder She Wrote by Donna Andrews

REVIEW: Birder She Wrote by Donna Andrews

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

While a May afternoon in the hammock while the boys are at school seems like a glorious idea, Meg’s friends and family have other plans for her time – installing bees in a hive, entertaining a dismissive reporter, finding a missing wild life photographer, wrangling fussy city folk who are causing trouble, and finding a lost 19th century cemetery.

Stumbling across a dead body doesn’t help either.

Soon Meg is looking for clues to a murderer’s identity while also tracking a bee killer and a blackmailer.  Never a dull moment!

Review

This was so fun! The mystery was great – involved enough to pull me through the book with no sections where Meg was spinning her wheels (something I’ve encountered in other books lately). And the bee and hummingbird side-missions were far more interesting than I expected.

It’s always nice to spend time with Meg and the folks in Caerphilly County. Meg’s large extended family doesn’t really factor into this story. While I usually get a kick out of them, I enjoyed that change of pace. The focus here was instead on community members which was a nice shift.

This is book 33 in the funny and long-running Meg Langslow Mystery series. I think newcomers could enjoy the main mystery without feeling like they were missing out on a bunch of history and backstory for the series. Series fans should absolutely check this one out – and then watch for Let It Crow, Let It Crow, book 34, due out in October.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: August 1, 2023

BOOK NEWS: August 1, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Tomorrow is the first book release day for August 2023 – let’s look at some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Books Aren’t for Bears – When Bear finds a book in the woods and learns how to read, he heads to the city to find more books. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale – Kanzi loves the variety of diverse books in her school library, but when the books disappear because of a ban, she decides to take action. I’ll be reviewing this one, too.
Taco Falls Apart – When the pressure of holding too much and trying to be too strong pushes Taco too far, he falls apart. I’ll also be reviewing this one!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Great Texas Dragon Race – A girl who has grown up around dragons takes her best dragon and sneaks into the Great Texas Dragon Race against her father’s wishes.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: One Girl Can Make a Difference – A novelization of the Marvel series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Young Alfred Pain in the Butler – A story of Batman’s famous butler, Alfred, as a young man at Gotham’s Servant School. This is definitely on my wish list for this week!
Swimming in a Sea of Stars – A novel about interconnectedness with a teen who attempted suicide at the center.

 

Books for Adults

Birder She Wrote (Hardcover) – Book 33 in the Meg Langslow series. Meg is hunting for a murderer and a bee killer as well as dodging a troublesome reporter in her latest adventure. I’ll be reviewing this soon.
Change of Plans (Trade Paperback) – A chef suddenly responsible for the care of her three nieces encounters a former military man still reeling from the loss of his lower leg. Navigating love feels like one more thing neither has the bandwidth for. This sounds lovely.
Deja Glitch (Trade Paperback) – Jack is caught in a time loop, but he’s certain if he can just get Gemma to fall in love with him it will break the cycle – and they can both find their HEA.
Kiss the Girl (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Meant to Be line of stories by various authors (If the Shoe Fits, By the Book). Ariel and her sisters are the princesses of pop, but their farewell tour means Ariel might be able to have a different life. But her father’s determined to have her launch a solo career, Instead, Ariel takes off with another band for a chance to be “part of their world.” This Little Mermaid-esque story is a must buy for me!
Positively Penelope (Trade Paperback) – An optimistic dreamer tries to save a historic theater despite a string of obstacles.
With Love from Cold World (Trade Paperback) – A by-the-book bookkeeper and her all-fun-all-the-time coworker are tasked with coming up with something to save the amusement park where they work.

REVIEW: The Great Banned Books Bake Sale by Aya Khalil

REVIEW: The Great Banned Books Bake Sale by Aya Khalil

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Kanzi loves the library at her school. The books there reflect a variety of people and stories.

When her class arrives at the library one day, the kids notice that all of the diverse books have been removed. They have been banned by the school district.

Kanzi and her friends decide to fight back by holding a bake sale to raise money to buy diverse books as well as a protest to speak out against the ban.

Review

“Some books are so powerful that they intimidate people.”

This sentence is a punch to the gut in this story – so beautifully expressed! This is a celebration of not only books – especially diverse books – but also of the families and cultures reflected in those stories.  While district book bans in America aren’t quickly or easily resolved, Kanzi and her friends are quickly successful at ending their ban, bringing a solid and affirming resolution to the story. I enjoyed the story overall, but the quick wrap up felt a bit too easy for such a widespread issue.

This would make a great classroom read aloud or book group selection for discussion with kids. The author includes a note of her own experience when a ban in 2021 included her book The Arabic Quilt, which was Kanzi’s first story. This book also includes the recipe for a treat used in the bake sale.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Jenny Nichols is a famous actress. She’s also someone Andy Carpenter dated for a little while in high school – something he likes to drop into casual conversation. The two have stayed in touch and she’s been in town and met Andy, Laurie, and their friends for dinner. A dinner that Jenny’s ex ruins with his barbaric behavior.

So when that same ex is later found in Jenny’s house, murdered, and the police think she’s the killer, she calls Andy. But Andy and his team might be in over their heads on this one.

Review

Another great mystery in the Andy Carpenter series! This one kept me on the edge of my seat almost to the last page. The mystery was twisty and super satisfying in the end.

I loved spending time with Andy and his team in this book. There were several laugh-out-loud moments in this one. Andy’s snark was top notch.

While I always like to enjoy a series in order, I started reading this one mid-series. And I think new readers could absolutely start here. Other than references to Andy and his family and investigative team – who have a long history in the series – the case itself stands on its own.

Series fans should definitely pick this one up – and keep an eye out for ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas which will release in October. You can read more about the Andy Carpenter series here as well as the author’s spin-off K-Team series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: July 25, 2023

BOOK NEWS: July 25, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the final release week of July – here are some of the new books available this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Adventures of Batgirl and Supergirl: Alien Bloom of Doom  AND Citywide Scream Scheme AND Luthor’s Deep-Sea Danger AND Two Face and the Fusion Confusion (July 31) – A new collection of Batgirl/Supergirl stories!
Ghosted – A grieving girl agrees to team up with a new student at her (allegedly) haunted school to see if they can prove the school’s reputation about ghosts. This sound fantastic!
One of Us Is Back – Book 3 in the One of Us Is Lying series by the amazing Karen McManus.
Their Vicious Games – One moment of lost control has left Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college. She has one chance to get her future back – win the mysterious game called The Finish. I have this one on hold at the library.

Books for Adults

Mischief Nights Are Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Participating the local Haunted Dinners Tour is one thing, but hosting a murderer during Halloween is something else entirely.
Murder at a London Finishing School (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Beryl and Edwina mystery series. Beryl and Edwina go back to their finishing school – reluctantly – to help investigate allegations of sabotage and along the way find murder.
Someone Just Like You (Trade Paperback) – Childhood rivals are forced to work together to plan a joint anniversary party for their parents.
The Witch Hitch (Trade Paperback) – A young woman trying to plan her wedding discovers her birth mother is an actual witch while also conjuring a man from 1929 into the mix. I have this one on hold too.

 

REVIEW: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

REVIEW: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Hercules Beal doesn’t want to go to the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences. But his brother, Achilles, made that decision for him. He’d been responsible for Hercules since The Accident.

Hercules’ homeroom teacher at his new school is Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, a retired marine. He’s also their Language Arts teacher. And he assigns each student a year-long Greek mythology project. And he gives Hercules a project to study the twelve labors of Hercules – and repeat them in a contemporary context.

At first, Hercules isn’t sure how he’s supposed to turn these myths into real events – and write 150 words about each one. But solutions seem to pop up along the way to help him – and not just with his school assignment.

Review

Oh, this book. I am tearing up just thinking about Hercules and Hupfer (who I adored!) and Achilles…. This was a constant journey from tears to laughter and back again. And I loved it.

Hercules has a FANTASTIC “voice” here – earnest and honest and twelve. I totally believed it and got a huge kick out of him. I was impressed with how the author worked myth-Hercules’ labors into things our Hercules could do – and what those experiences would teach him along the way.

This would be an outstanding choice for a family or classroom read aloud. It would also be an excellent book club selection for upper elementary/early middle school classrooms. I would love to watch students meet Hercules and dig into this story. This is not to be missed! (A couple uses of the word “jackass.”)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Unlock Your Menopause Type by Dr. Heather Hirsch

REVIEW: Unlock Your Menopause Type by Dr. Heather Hirsch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Considering how little seems to be known – or discussed – about something every aging person who menstruates will go through, it’s nice to see another book release that talks honestly about menopause. The “hook” for this book is the author’s way of grouping common menopause symptoms into types. It’s not a perfect system – people can fall into more than one category. So you might have to read more than one section to get a good idea of what options are available to you. But it’s pretty brilliant if you have ever read something about menopause and thought, “That’s not been my experience.” The experience of menopause differs from person to person.

The overall tone of the book is conversational – another one that feels like talking with an expert over coffee.  I especially appreciated the chapter on myths and misconceptions. It’s also affirming in that you will likely read about others who are experiencing some of the same things you are. You aren’t alone! The chapters on the types are more technical than the introduction, and there may be some readers who want to take the book to their personal physician to talk through the author’s recommendations. Each type is described with at least one anecdote, and then author makes recommendations for typical treatment options that might work for readers who find themselves in a particular type.

To be honest, one draw back to this book for me is the thought of having to convince a medical professional to take this material – and my feelings about it – seriously enough for this to be useful. If my doctor hasn’t read this, how can I go to him and say “I think I have this type and this doctor recommends this course of action” and expect to get very far? But if you have a relationship with your doctor that’s more open and collaborative, I could see using this as a starting point for addressing any symptoms or difficulties you are experiencing.

I also thought The Menopause Manifesto was an excellent resource. If you are approaching this stage in life, I’d probably start with Manifesto to equip yourself with information. If you are already experiencing some of the symptoms of perimenopause, this might be a good resource to add to your arsenal of information.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great resource!

BOOK NEWS: July 18, 2023

BOOK NEWS: July 18, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Hope your summer – and your summer reading – is going well! Here are some of the new books out this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Buzzing (Graphic Novel) – While his new friends and their role playing game seem to be helping Isaac cope with his OCD, his helicopter mother and his therapist don’t think he should keep playing.
Charming – Prince Charming is really a con man and three of his recent victims have just met each other – and they’re ready for revenge. Yes!!!

Books for Adults

Only Good Enemies (ebook) – Book 2 in the Galactic Bonds series by Jennifer Estep. Vesper and Kyrion must team up again as they both try to take down Techwave before someone takes them out – permanently. I seriously need to dive into book 1 so I am ready for this one.
Star Trek: Godshock (Hardcover Graphic Novel) – Ben Sisko is back, and he has some new powers after his years with the Prophets. But his powers are fading just when there’s a new threat on the horizon. I’m intrigued by the teasers of who will be joining Sisko on this adventure! This includes the prequel story and issues 1-6.
Star Wars: Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade (Hardcover) – The story of a Jedi padawan who eventually turns to the Dark Side. This looks amazing.
Take the Honey and Run (Hardcover) – First in a new Bee Keeping Mystery series.  A mystery writer comes home to help her grandmother after a fall, but then her grandmother becomes the prime suspect in a murder. I love the clever set up of this one. I hope to review it soon.
The Intentional Year Journal – A guided journal companion to The Intentional Year book/philosophy.

 

REVIEW: I Am Batman by Brad Meltzer

REVIEW: I Am Batman by Brad Meltzer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

From the folks who created the delightful Ordinary People Change the World series comes a new series called Stories Change the World. I Am Batman and I Am Superman kicked off the series last year, and this week I Am Wonder Woman released.

The book tells the story of young Bruce Wayne and his journey to becoming Batman. There are references to some of Batman’s most famous associates – Alfred, Robin, Batgirl (Brad Meltzer – I NEED a Batgirl book!!), and Commissioner Gordon.  We also get to see some of his most recognizable foes – Riddler, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker.

And through it all, the book focuses on Bruce’s character – just like the Ordinary People books do. This is everything I have come to love and appreciate about the original series, but with a shift from biographies of famous people to an exploration of a fictional character. I cannot wait to see what other stories this series explores. (Maybe, like the Who HQ, these will explore the Star Trek universe!)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lexi is back on Valovia – a place she promised herself she’d never return to – because the price was just too good to ignore.

But before she can adjust to the double sunrise and sunset on Valovia, she’s on the run from the Empress once again.

Teaming up with Nilo hardly seems like a good idea, considering their history. But at least they both have a vested interest in seeing their friends on Starlight’s Shadow safe and successful in their shared mission to prevent a new war.

But when Starlight’s Shadow goes missing in Valovian space, Lexi will have to trust Nilo if she’s going to have any hope of saving her friends.

Review

This was a satisfying end to the Starlight’s Shadow series. But I’ve noticed that I tend to struggle with the third book in the author’s trilogies. I struggled with the third book in the Consortium Rebellion series, too (although that book has grown on me after subsequent reading).

Lexi was super hard for me to like early on. The trust issues she had make total sense considering the war. And the panic she feels with Nilo’s mental connection has a PTSD-ish quality to it. But instead of making me empathize with her, she came across as difficult and abrasive. Looking back at the whole story, I’m sure that was the point. I just struggled to click with her which made it harder to get into the flow of the story.

I was satisfied with the wrap up of the series-arcing conspiracy. Also I think that because this book had to both tell Lexi’s story AND wrap up the whole series, it made some sections drag at bit while I waited for the action to kick up again. But it all came together in the end.

I might re-read this series again. My re-read of Hunt the Stars and Eclipse the Moon in preparation for reading this was super fun.  I love the Valoffs and the world-building around them. They are my favorite part of this series. But given the choice, I would re-read Polaris Rising and the Consortium Rebellion series first. It was the better fit for me as a reader.

Series fans should definitely pick this up to wrap up the series. I wouldn’t start here. I think there’s too much backstory and worldbuilding that comes in the first two books to read these out of order. And if you’ve never read Polaris Rising, be sure to pick that up when you’ve finished this series – it’s AMAZING! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ =  Good+