Reviews, Etc. - Page 32 of 179 - The Neverending TBR

REVIEW: Tell Her Story by Nijay Gupta

Posted on March 15, 2023March 18, 2023 by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Dr. Gupta explores the women named in the New Testament as leaders of the early Church, but first he goes back to the Old Testament to review the Biblical record of Deborah and the creation story. As he moves forward in time to examine roles of women in the Roman world, he explores evidence of a full range of responsibilities from wife and mother to business owner to cult priestess. Then he looks at the women in Jesus’ life before moving on to the women who help launch the Church.

I had a teaser of some of this material a couple years ago when I heard the author speak. I was fascinated by what he shared and eager to hear more. The writing here is super engaging. There are plenty of reference notes for those approaching this topic and material as scholars. But there’s tons here to enjoy if you just picked this up to augment your own Bible study. I did a lot of underlining as I read, and came across references to other resources I might want to look at on my own.

Reading this made me want to pull a group of women together with this book and an unmarked Bible to dig into the passages with fresh eyes. I think it would be a moving, memorable study experience. I highly recommend this whether you are looking for a text book or reference for academic work or if you are looking for something for personal study.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: March 14, 2023

Posted on March 13, 2023March 13, 2023 by Jaymie

Let’s see what new books are releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Fish and Crab (Picture Book) – At bedtime, Crab is ready to go to sleep, but his best friend Fish has a lot of questions.
The Recess Genius: Open for Business (Picture Book) – A girl who feels most at home with her books becomes the playground fixer, but that doesn’t leave her much time to read.
Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem (Nonfiction Picture Book) – Whale fall is when a whale dies in the ocean and sinks to the ocean floor, becoming home and food for other ocean life. I have heard rave reviews of this book – great for budding oceanographers and marine biologists.
The Cryptid Club: A Nessie Situation (Chapter Book) – Book 2 in the Cryptid Club series. When a mysterious monster starts popping out of toilets, the principal shuts down the school bathrooms. It’s the Cryptid Club to the rescue, so their peers don’t have to hold it any longer!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Bruce Wayne Not Super (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series. Bruce is attending a school for the super-powered, which leaves him feeling pretty un-super. But when he discovers some students are using their powers to bully others, he’s determined to make a difference. I can’t wait to read this one!
Hoops (Graphic Novel) – Inspired by a true story. A girls basketball team in Indiana in 1975 might have no resources, making their own uniforms and practicing in another school’s gym, but they keep winning! I have heard rave reviews about this one too!
Midnight Strikes – A commoner finds herself trapped in a time loop when the royal palace explodes during a royal ball. Yes please!
The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway – The latest from the author of the outstanding Amelia Unabridged. When her late mother’s beloved Ren Faire comes under new management, Gwen is initially resistant to any change. The loss of her mom was more change than she can bear. But as she gets to know the son of the new owner, and she cautiously steps into some of the changes, she finds she might actually enjoy them. I cannot wait to read this!!
Whistleblower – A college journalist risks everything to write a story no one wants to come to light.

Books for Adults

The Fun Widow’s Book Tour (Trade Paperback) – A widow struggling to motivate herself for a book tour is rescued by her best friends who plan a tour for her in their home cities. In return, the widow plans to help fix some of their struggles while she’s in town as a way to thank them for their support. Fascinating!
Good Dog, Bad Cop (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the K-Team series by David Rosenfelt. The K-Team digs into a cold case featuring Corey’s former mentor. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Love and Other Flight Delays (Trade Paperback) – A collection of novellas set at the airport, including fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, and friends to lovers. These sound cute!
The Love Wager (Trade Paperback) – A new story from Lynn Painter. After a hookup gone wrong, a couple decide to be friends – and wing-persons – instead, and they even make a bet over who can find love first. Sounds like a winner!
Not that Kind of Ever After (Trade Paperback) – A want-to-be writer finds her angle when she posts a fairytale retelling of a disastrous one night stand. This sounds awesome!
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church (Trade Paperback) – Explore the many ways women were active parts of the early Christian church. I heard Dr. Nijay Gupta speak a couple years ago on this very topic. I can’t wait to dig into this one! I’ll be reviewing it soon.

REVIEW: Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick

Posted on March 10, 2023March 4, 2023 by Jaymie

Summary

Hilo has been captured by the magical rulers of an alternate Earth. They want to prevent a prophecy that says two magical humans will take the Earth from them. And they believe those humans are Hilo’s friends.

Gina has connected with her ancestor, Regina, who has been serving as a magical guardian for ages. She has kept countless magical creatures from invading Earth. But with the arrival of Gina and her friends, Regina realizes things aren’t what they seem in her magical world.

Review

I wasn’t supposed to be reviewing this book today. I’m having a hard time catching up on my reading from the first of the year. But when the library notice came through that this was in my hold list, I dropped everything to read through it. This is one of my “ride or die” graphic novel series. And this entry did not disappoint.

I continue to be awed by how this funny, action-packed series can also deal with grief and loss so well. There’s just the right amount of heart-tugging that comes from how much readers care about these characters. But that is well-balanced with the action and humor. Graphic novel fans should definitely start this series at the beginning – there’s just too much to catch up on if you were to jump in here. But it’s worth the time because this series is amazing. I already have book 10, Rise of the Cat, on my wish list for 2024.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Conquer the Kingdom by Jennifer Estep

Posted on March 8, 2023March 4, 2023 by Jaymie

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

Summary

While Gemma and Leonides and their friends and family have survived Milo’s attempted assassinations, they are wary and on guard. Milo survived, too, and has gone into hiding with a huge bounty on his head. While some speculate that he will flee, Gemma feels it’s more likely he’s plotting something else, maybe for the upcoming Sword and Shield Tournament.

Gemma invites Queen Maeven and Princess Delmira as her guests for the tournament, hoping to lure Milo out of hiding to take another shot at his mother. The animosity between the Ripleys and the Morricones simmers as they kick off the tournament and wait for Milo to make his move. And Gemma and Leo are caught by their family loyalties and the history of plots and schemes – and murder – between the families. While they hope to eventually triumph over Milo, their love seems doomed to fail.

Review

I have loved this series – this world – since I first read Kill the Queen, first in the Crown of Shards series. The author has said this is the last book from this world, at least for awhile, and I’m a little sad it’s all over.

Gemma gets to have another showdown with the Morricones here – actually a few of them. And they are epic! If you love the big battles in this series, you will not be disappointed here. Most of the threads of Gemma’s story are tied up here, so the ending is satisfying. There are definitely a few loose ends for the author to play with if she ever comes back to this world. But if this is truly the end, I think fans will be satisfied.

I have to be honest. There were a few moments where I felt the plot was engineered to draw out the drama. I realize that’s fiction. Duh! But I mean moments where something happened – or didn’t happen – that felt out of character or so out of the flow that it pulled me out of the story with “Wait, what?” These moments didn’t ruin the story, and they weren’t *big* things. But they did shake up the flow of things for me. And then they sat in the back of my brain for the rest of my reading experience.

That said, there’s been some brilliant plotting in this trilogy. The teasers from earlier books get to resolve here in fantastic ways. I will definitely read this again once my personal copy arrives. I tabbed my way through a re-read of the first two Gargoyle Queen books, and I am eager to tab this as well to note where all the payoffs come.

Series fans should definitely pick this up asap. New readers should at least go back to the start of this series, Capture the Crown, if not all the way back to Kill the Queen to get the full experience with this awesome world and these fantastic characters. And remember, these are adult fantasy novels (language, sex, violence), not YA.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: March 7, 2023

Posted on March 6, 2023February 25, 2023 by Jaymie

It’s the first release week of March – let’s see what books are out this week! I know there are some on this week’s list that I have been waiting for for ages!