Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: October 8, 2024

BOOK NEWS: October 8, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Zoey and Sassafras: Gnomes and Sneezes – Book 10 in the adorable Zoey and Sassafras series. Zoey encounters an illness she might not be able to cure for some new friends.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

The Bletchley Riddle (Older Middle Grade) – Siblings living at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII’s British Codebreakers, try to help the war effort while also looking into the disappearance of their mother.

Books for Adults

 

Bloodguard (Hardcover) – A gladiator plotting revenge meets a princess who says she can give him everything he wants.
Court of Talons (ebook) – (First in a new Fang & Fire series) – The family blacksheep bonds with her beloved younger brother’s monster when her brother is killed before the Tournament of Gold. Since they don’t let women fight, she assumes her brother’s identity and enters the Tournament. Yes, please!
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch (Trade Paperback) – Best friends who even look alike decide to trade holiday plans – Ivy goes on Holly’s ruined nonrefundable honeymoon while Holly goes to Ivy’s rented cabin. Yes, please!
My Kind of Trouble (Hardcover) – A gender-swapped The Music Man. A California con-woman launches her plan to take down the man who ruined her father and her family with a music festival con, but her plans didn’t account for the autistic librarian she has to use for part of the con. Yes, please! So many great stories coming out this week!
The Night Woods (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the fantastic Mercy Carr series. A very pregnant Mercy and her dog Elvis have to prove that a friend is innocent of murder.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in a new Royals and Romance series starring Holiday royalty. The heir of Christmas is supposed to be marrying the princess of Easter – his best friend, Iris (his brothers secret crush) – not making out with mysterious men behind seedy bars. But the mysterious man turns out to be the prince of Halloween – and he’s shown up to challenge for Iris’s hand. Yes, please – again!
The Wedding Witch (Trade Paperback) – Graves Glen, book 3. Bowen and Tamsyn are transported 50 years into the past to a holiday party and must find their way back to the present.
I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t: Moving Forward When You’re Skeptical of Others, Afraid of What God Will Allow, and Doubtful of Your Own Discernment (Hardcover) – From Lysa TerKeurst. What to do with the lingering distrust that comes after a betrayal.
Not Sure Who Needs to Hear This, But… (Hardcover, Nonfiction) – A beautiful collection from We the Urban.

 

REVIEW: Griselda Snook's Spectacular Books by Barry Timms

REVIEW: Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books by Barry Timms

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Henry helps a bookstore owner on opening day and discovers a “just right” book for himself.

This is a book about the joys of books and bookstores set in a Halloween-ish town. Everyone is friendly, and in the end, the whole town is seen reading. The artwork is lovely – even better in the print version than it was in the electronic! The illustrations will draw kids in to look closely at the book and pour over every picture for the little details. This is would be a good addition to home libraries as well as other collections where you want books with a seasonal feel that are not scary or spooky.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

REVIEW: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

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

Maggie Chase has had a rough road in life, from the loss of her parents when she was in college to the betrayal by her husband and their subsequent divorce. And that last one pushed her so far down to the point where she rarely leaves the house. Her editor had to cajole her to take this mysterious Christmas trip that is supposed to “change her life.”

But Ethan Wyatt ruined everything. While Maggie is the queen of the cozy mystery, Wyatt writes thrillers – “leather jacket books.” And he is all ego and confidence – and annoyance. He can’t even get her name right after all these years, repeatedly calling her “Marcie.”

The two of them find themselves in the middle of a real-life mystery when world famous author, Eleanor Ashley, their Christmas host, goes missing from a locked room of her mansion in the middle of a snowstorm.

Review

Sometimes you start a new book and everything clicks. The characters are intriguing. The banter makes you laugh out loud. And you feel like you can’t contain the feeling – the potential that this could be a new favorite. You feel a pressure in your chest. Not the weight of anxiety or dread pressing down but the hope – the delight – bubbling up, trying to press out from inside. This was one such book for me.

From the very beginning I felt GIDDY reading this. The main characters had personal stories I couldn’t wait to uncover. Their cutting remarks were funny, not vicious. The potential and chemistry between Maggie and Ethan CRACKLED. Then there was the writing/publishing/mystery angle, which is always a great hook for me. And finally it was a snowed in whodunit which I also adore. If I could design a perfect book for me, this is an A+ set up, checking all the boxes.

I have been an Ally Carter fan since I discovered the Gallagher Girls series. Her older middle grade (10-14) mysteries in the Winterborne series are OUTSTANDING. Her first adult romance, The Blonde Identity, had mixed reviews, and while I could understand some of the criticism, it worked for me

But THIS is everything I have ever loved about her work all rolled into one. My all-time favorite Ally Carter book – and likely one of my favorite books read in 2024. Do NOT miss this! (Language, gaslighting)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2024

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week to kick off October!

Books for Kids

The Bakery Dragon – A small dragon who fears he may never be fearsome enough to have a good horde of gold discovers a new way of thinking – at the bakery.
Bear in a Bathrobe – Bear’s friends want him to go ice skating with them but he’s far more comfortable at home in his bathrobe. This looks darling!

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

The Evers: Never Thirteen – Book 2 in the Evers series by Stacy McAnulty. The Evers, kids who never age, are trying to help Ivy avoid their fate. I have got to get caught up on this series!
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy (Limited Edition) – A new – and gorgeous – cover for the book that started the Wings of Fire series.
The Hunger Games (Illustrated) – An illustrated edition of the book that launched the phenomenon.
Nothing Like the Movies – The sequel to Better Than the Movies. Wes is determined to win Liz back.
Some Like It Cold – Jasper is back in Lake Pristine to say goodbye but a young filmmaker could make her want to stay.

Books for Adults

Death at the Dinner Party (ebook) – Book 3 in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. A murder mystery dinner turns deadly in real life.
A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer (Trade Paperback) – First in a quirky new mystery series. A woman working for SCYTHE in the Department of Natural Causes runs into trouble with her latest client who insists he was murdered. Yes, please!
Make the Season Bright (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – A pair of exes encounter each other unexpectedly while traveling for Christmas.
Star Trek: Open a Channel – A Woman’s Trek (Hardcover) – Nana Visitor, actor on Star Trek Deep Space Nine, explores how the long-running franchise has included, portrayed, and inspired women.

 

REVIEW: The Woofmore Is NOT Haunted by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran

REVIEW: The Woofmore Is NOT Haunted by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Woofmore is hosting everyone’s favorite author, Silas Fang. Well, he’s everyone’s favorite except for Rufus. Rufus has always been too scared to try one of Silas Fang’s books. Why would anyone want to be scared by a story?

To Rufus’ great relief, Silas is at the Woofmore taking a break from spooky things. And Rufus assures him there’s nothing spooky about the Woofmore!

Except someone has been saying the Woofmore is haunted. Most of the hotel’s guests are there to see ghosts and be frightened. And Silas has said if he sees anything scary he’s going to leave the Woofmore and never come back! What can the staff at the Woofmore do?

Review

Another fun VIP (Very Important Pooch) visit to the Woofmore. This story is a little meatier than book 1 was. Ms. Coco has to figure out why her hotel has a spooky reputation while Rufus has to keep anything spooky away from their guest.

I love that Rufus is never shamed for not being into all of the spookiness. At the same time, he pushes past his fear to do his job well. Rufus is adorable, and I think kids will enjoy this. I think new readers can start with this fun, seasonal story – these books don’t have to be read in order. Watch for book 3, The Woofmore on Thin Ice, releasing in 2025.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Frances and George head to Paris during the Exposition Universelle in order to spice up their dull routine and visit Frances’ sister, brother-in-law, and new niece. And so George can help his Aunt Julia. An artist, Paul Ducasse, recently died, and Julia thinks it wasn’t an accident.

But when George and Frances arrive, Julia refuses to talk with them about her suspicions. And then she is murdered. George and Frances must dig into the very private Julia’s life to see who might have killed her, and what might have really happened to Paul Ducasse.

Review

A great mystery in a fantastic setting! This is book 7 in the Countess of Harleigh historical mystery series which I have adored since book one. I loved seeing George and Frances do their thing in a new city. Their partnership – in life, in marriage, and in investigations – is delightful. I love how they give and take together, with love and respect for what each brings to the case. It’s excellent.

The case this time was twisty, and I had no idea how things would play out until they were done. Everything was wrapped up in a satisfying way – but the implications for the next book are up in the air, giving the author some room to play going forward.

This was all I hoped it would be – a cozy mystery with familiar characters that I could fall into easily. I haven’t kept up with too many cozy series in recent years, but this one continues to deliver every time. If you enjoy historical fiction and cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this series. I would read them in order so you can enjoy the relationship between Frances and George as it develops.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: September 24, 2024

BOOK NEWS: September 24, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

The Most Boring Book Ever – From Brandon Sanderson. A boy experiences an “ordinary,” boring day.
The Woofmore Is NOT Haunted – Rufus and his friends need to keep a famous author away from anything spooky at the Woofmore.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess – Book 7 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (book 2 in the new additions to the original 5). Percy is trying to earn recommendation letters from the gods to get into college, but it’s never easy with the gods.
What Do We Know About the Yeti?
The Thirteenth Child – In a world where the 13th child in a family belongs to the gods, Hazel’s future is to become a great healer and see just what cure is needed for any illness. But she is also expected to dole out death to those who are at the end of their lives. What happens if she goes against the wishes of Death?

Books for Adults

 

The Armageddon Protocol (Trade Paperback) – The fourth, and final, book in the Galactic Cold War series – or book 5 if you count the prequel, The Caledonian Gambit, which I absolutely do. (The series didn’t make sense to me until I went back and read that.) Kovalic and the General are arrested for treason and the rest of the team goes on the run to root out a traitor.
The Christmas Inn (Hardcover) – After an unexpected job loss, a woman returns home to the family inn to help her mother who has been injured.
The Christmas You Found Me (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series by Sarah Morgenthaler. A single father committed to do anything to keep his young daughter alive marries a lonely stranger living on an Idaho ranch.
A Killer Clue (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Hunter and Clewe series by Victoria Gilbert. Jane and Cam are asked to help resolve a cold case after a woman dies in prison for a crime her daughter insists she didn’t commit.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year (Hardcover) – An amazing Christmas mystery from the fantastic Ally Carter. Rival mystery writers find themselves stranded in a snowstorm with a locked-room mystery on their hands. I can’t wait to review this one for you – it’s one of my favorites so far in 2024.
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco (Trade Paperback) – The granddaughter of a serial killer decides to investigate his case when a copycat starts killing and she starts looking like a suspect. Looking forward to reading this!
Star Trek Picard: No Man’s Land (Trade Paperback) – The script of the audio drama that takes place after the first season of Star Trek Picard. Seven and Raffi team up to rescue a professor who is being hunted by a Romulan warlord.
The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society (Trade Paperback) – A mystery solving librarian starts to get worried about all of the murders around her small village and what might be causing them.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition (Academic Hardcover)

 

REVIEW: Is This a Tiger? by Elina Ellis

REVIEW: Is This a Tiger? by Elina Ellis

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Alex (from Have You Seen an Elephant?) and Atticus set out to find a real tiger, while Alex uses her field guide to help.

This was such an informative book! I learned several things about tigers I didn’t know before – like their stripes are on their SKIN, they are nocturnal, and there are three species that have gone extinct.

This would be an excellent addition to classroom, public, and home library nonfiction collections. Fans of Alex’s first book should definitely pick up this great sequel. I could see a classroom project of making a field guide for an animal studies unit with these books as mentor texts. Brilliant! I can’t wait to see what Alex explores next.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

REVIEW: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Posted on by Jaymie

[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

Emma Wheeler has been given the opportunity of a lifetime – co-write/ghostwrite a screenplay with her idol, Charlie Yates. He’s written a rom-com, and it needs some serious help. But he has to get it written in order to get a pet project produced. Emma has to put her life on hold and go to LA for 6 weeks to work on the re-write. She’s been her father’s daily caregiver for years – it’s a lot to step away from.

But when she gets to LA, Charlie doesn’t know anything about this arrangement – and he’s not interested in anything Emma has to offer.  She’s embarrassed and tempted to flee back home where life is familiar even though it is also soul-crushing at times. Instead, she fights for this opportunity. Taking in some observations of Charlie and recognizing the power of being completely willing to walk away, she negotiates her way into a real chance to write this screenplay and see it get produced. And maybe prove to Charlie – and herself – that she’s not a “failed writer.”

Review

This was excellent! Everything the book describes as essential for a rom-com – the happily-ever-after, the banter, the slow burn, the “sparkle” – is on display here.

I loved Emma and Charlie, both alone and together. Their individual stories are fascinating. And the psychology of how those individual stories impact the relationship between the two writers was delightful. There were many beautifully written scenes that begged to be read out loud. And I laughed out loud often.

Katherine Center’s fans should not hesitate to grab her latest rom-com. It absolutely sparkles, both in the cozy relationship and in the writing. And if you are a rom-com fan in general, you do not want to miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: September 17, 2024

BOOK NEWS: September 17, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

This week I am celebrating the 8th anniversary of the launch of this website! It’s hard to believe. Thank you for being here and enjoying a lot of book love with me! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

The Owlympic Games – Book 20 in the sweet Owl Diaries series from Scholastic Branches. The pressure of the Owlympic Games starts to get to Eva when she worries about letting her team down.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences – A “good girl” teams up with a  new girl who likes to push boundaries to make a banned book club.
May the Best Player Win – A chess player faces a lot of pressure when some media attention makes her “friends” question if she’s really as good as everyone says.
Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better – Quagmire ends up having to live with an uncle he doesn’t know when his mom’s mental health struggles leave him without a place to land. While sad, I love stories like this where kids find the support they need when they thought they were all alone to carry grown up troubles.
The Lies We Conjure – A standalone story from the author of The Princess Will Save You. Two sisters agree to pretend to be an elderly woman’s long-lost grandchildren but find themselves locked in a mansion with a group of witches, trying to solve a murder while keeping their ruse a secret.

Books for Adults

All Signs Point to Malibu (Trade Paperback) – A woman who gets glimpses of the future sees that her ex and his fiancée are headed toward an unhappy ending. But her efforts to help catch the attention of her nemesis, the best man. This sounds fun!
Can’t Help Falling in Love (Trade Paperback) – A fake engagement could lead to love. Yes, please!
Karaoke Queen (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – Rex tries to help his ex save his karaoke bar by showing up as his drag alter ego – but he feels like he can never let anyone know it’s him.
My Vampire Plus-One (Trade Paperback) – A sequel to My Roommate Is a Vampire. A young woman needs a fake boyfriend to get her family off her case about her dating life, but she has no idea Reggie is a vampire.
Rewitched (Trade Paperback) – A stressed and burned out witch may lose her powers on her 30th birthday if she can’t prove her “worthiness.”
We Solve Murders (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A woman working private security for a famous author reaches out to her retired father-in-law for help when she gets in over her head. This could be fun!
An American Story (Hardcover) – An autobiography from actor Wilmer Valderrama.