Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert

REVIEW: Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Jack is a kringle baker at the Julemarked, a magical Christmas market where it’s always December somewhere. But his favorite spot is Milwaukee. Because that’s where she is. He doesn’t know her name, and she never remembers him from year to year. But he always remembers her.

Astra looks forward to the Christmas trips with her college friends, especially the Christmas Market. And this year, after the divorce and issues with her ex, she’s lonely and really in need of a girls trip.

Astra has met Jack before. But she never remembers. She comes to the bakery, gets kringle, and maybe chats with him. But after Christmas, he vanishes from her memory. Every year.

Except this year.

Review

I’m struggling to name how I feel about this one. I loved the kringle references. And there are some hilarious moments. Astra’s friend group and Jack’s brother we get to know are fantastic. And maybe that’s where I’m getting hung up. I think I liked the secondary characters more than the primary ones.

The premise here is clever, although I did have some logistical questions. But overall, I didn’t fall in love with Astra and Jack in a way that I wanted to. I was invested in seeing this through to the end, but the characters just didn’t click for me.

If you like your romance with a hint of the paranormal (like the author’s fantastic Kindred Spirits Supper Club, or Ashley Poston’s delightful Dead Romantics), you might give this a try. I think it’s a nice blend of holiday magic and a will-they-or-won’t-they-make-it story. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ – Good, solid, fine

BOOK NEWS: November 22, 2022

BOOK NEWS: November 22, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Yetis Are the Worst! – Gilbert the Goblin is back, and this time he’s sure that Yetis are the worst! This is one I will have to check out in person – the first two were so fun.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Finally Something Dangerous – Book 2 in the One and Onlys series after Finally Something Mysterious. Paul, Shank, and Peephole are back. Their town is going through something of a renaissance, but the three kids are convinced something isn’t quite right. I loved the first one, so I am looking forward to reading this one!

Books for Adults

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bright Falls series after Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Astrid gets the chance to be the lead designer on a televised renovation – just the distraction and boost she needs – but she is at odds with the carpenter for the project at every turn. I have book one on my TBR shelves, and I’m eager to check both books out.
The Man I Never Met (Trade Paperback) – A wrong number leads to a young woman in London and a young man in America building a friendship over texts and phone calls and video chats. But when he gets a job in London and they believe they are about to take their relationship to a new, in-person level, they discover things aren’t quite what they expected.
Pride & Puppies (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Pine Hollow series. A woman who has sworn off men starts to catch feelings for her neighbor, but then he announces he’s considering moving away.
Sound of Light (Trade Paperback) – A Marvel: School of X novel. An ex-SHIELD agent stumbles into a mystery and teams up with some mutants to help her solve it.
Star Wars: Convergence (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the High Republic series. A Jedi teams up with the son of the Chancellor to investigate an assassination attempt on the royal offspring of two warring planets who are pledged to marry to unite their peoples.
Two Wrongs Make a Right (Trade Paperback) – A re-imagined Much Ado About Nothing. After a “meet-disaster,” Jamie and Bea are again thrown together by their meddling friends and family. So they plan their revenge – fake date in every over-the-top way they can think of and then break up once everyone else is convinced their meddling has worked. I pre-ordered this one months ago! I know what I am reading over the Thanksgiving weekend!
Self-Care Cross-Stitch: 40 Uplifting & Irreverent Patterns (Paperback) – I love sassy stitching!

 

REVIEW: Santa's Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Santa’s Little Yelpers 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. ]
(No kids or teen book to review today, so here’s a Christmas-y review to fill in!)

Summary

When he was in jail, Chris started a program where inmates could work with service dogs in training. When he gets out, he continues the work and starts helping at the Tara Foundation. He tells Andy that he was wrongfully convicted based on a lie. But the guy has recently come forward saying he would testify in secret to make things right before he goes into hiding.

Before Andy can set up the testimony, Chris says the guy has changed his mind. He’s furious. Before long, the lying witness is dead. And Chris is arrested for his murder. While Andy wasn’t attached to Chris’ original case, he’s determined to prove Chris’ innocence – of both crimes – and find whoever is truly responsible.

Review

Another fun Andy Carpenter case! I enjoyed how this one played out – I was starting to get worried about Chris’ chances for freedom. This is a tough case! But Andy and his team pushed through to a satisfying resolution.

If you’ve never read an Andy Carpenter mystery before, I feel like the stories hold together well so newcomers can drop in anywhere. My first Andy Carpenter book was a Christmas one, so I have a soft spot for them. What you might miss by starting here – and mainly it’s backstory for Andy and his team – shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the mystery.

I keep coming back to this series for Andy and his team – I love them! Andy’s sass fits my mood every time. And the mysteries always leave me satisfied. Some of my favorites have been Bury the Lead (book 3), Play Dead (book 6), The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (book 15 – my introduction to the series), and Holy Chow (book 25). Book 27, Flop Dead Gorgeous, will release in the summer of 2023. And a new K-Team book, Good Dog Bad Cop, releases in March. Be sure to check them out. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews

REVIEW: Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Meg’s notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe says she should be busy with wedding tasks for her brother’s big day. But she’s also gotten drawn into checking into some cold cases. Her nephew and a buddy started a true crime podcast and seem to have gotten some unwanted attention.

Meg has a few cases to check out – a cheating scandal, a missing singer, and a robbery-turned-homicide. The three cases have her chasing all around the community. Each case seems so cold she’s not sure there’s anything new to discover. But there must be something she is missing because someone wants these cases to just go away. And they’ll do anything to make that happen.

Review

What a wild ride! One of the things I love about this series is the antics of Meg’s family. And they are in rare form in this book. In fact, in telling a funny part to my husband I realized, for an outsider, this family is too ridiculous to be believed. But I love them.

The mystery was fun. Meg has three different cases to dig into. And each one initially seems like it’s too old, too cold, to make any headway. But in the end it all comes together. The ending was satisfying and enjoyable.

Series fans should pick this one up. I laughed out loud MANY times while reading. And I always enjoy time with Meg and the crew. Newcomers might find the family antics to be a bit too much without the history and context that makes them endearing. The mysteries can easily stand alone for new series readers. Hopefully you’ll find the family chaos fun enough to go back and pick up the earlier books in the series – it’s one of my favorites! Book 32, Dashing through the Snowbirds, is out now, and I plan to review that one soon.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

Book Shopping Suggestions: The 2022 Holiday Hint List Is Here

Book Shopping Suggestions: The 2022 Holiday Hint List Is Here

Posted on by Jaymie

I can’t remember a year like this one, where I am prepping my Holiday Hint List while having done none of my own holiday shopping. I’m the sort of person who usually starts picking things up in October – if not September. But this year I’m dragging my feet.

But putting this year’s list together has helped my mood quite a bit. It’s been fun looking back at some of the fantastic books I’ve read over the last year or so and thinking about the titles I would buy for folks on my gift list. I hope you are able to find some helpful titles here as well. You can also look at past lists here – I try not to repeat a title from year to year,  although it does happen at times.

So, here is this year’s PDF of the Hint List: 2022 Neverending TBR Holiday Shopping Hint List

Also, this year I put together another Padlet so you can see covers while you look at the list. You can take a look at that here.

As always, you can find reviews of a lot of these books here at The Neverending TBR. Happy Holidays!

BOOK NEWS: November 15, 2022

BOOK NEWS: November 15, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

The closer we get to Thanksgiving, the slimmer the new book pickings become – but we have quality over quantity! Let’s see some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

What Do We Know About the Loch Ness Monster? – Part of a new series on cryptids and other mysteries.

Books for Adults

The Christmas Wish (Trade Paperback) – A Groundhog Day-esque story where a young woman keeps reliving Christmas Day over, falling for her next-door-neighbor crush again and again even though he doesn’t remember her when the day starts over.
Flight Risk (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the delightful Booking Agents mystery series about a somewhat-psychic travel agent and a police detective who team up to solve crimes. You can read my full review here.
Ship Wrecked (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Olivia Dade. Co-stars on a 6-year island shoot try to ignore the chemistry between them after the disastrous fallout from their one-night-stand.
Wayward (Hardcover) – Book 2 of the Wanderers series by Chuck Wendig. The survivors of the sleepwalking epidemic – and those who protected them – have been trying to build a new home together, but forces are at work that will leave them fighting once again for survival. I cannot wait to read these!!!
The Wilder Women (Hardcover) – Sisters with extraordinary powers – one sees the future and the other sees the memories of others – go in search of their mother who went missing five years earlier.

 

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Daisy is a semester away from the shift to high school and the ground beneath her feet has never felt less stable. Her parents have launched a dog poop business, trying to stay afloat after her mom was laid off. And as her parents use every spare moment to secure their own footing, Daisy has to step up at home, including helping her older brother, “Squirrel,” who has Down syndrome.

When Squirrel endures several crushing disappointments in a row, Daisy decides she’s going to help him achieve his dream – to be a YouTube celebrity. Even though her parents have forbidden him from all social media after the #EligibleBachelor incident.

Review

This was quietly amazing. I was hooked by the characters early on, but was starting to feel the stress of the impending doom. You know it’s all going to explode at some point. One minute I was braced for disaster and ready to skim ahead. The next I was wiping away tears, and reading every word. This is SO GOOD.

Like most of my favorite middle grade and older middle grade books (this one is for readers 10-14), this has an excellent teacher at the edges of the story, encouraging and cheering on his students.

If you can work around a few uses of the word “ass” in the text, this would be an excellent class read aloud – or a family/bedtime read aloud. I could also see this being a fantastic book club selection for upper elementary or middle school students.

If you love books with great characters, personal and family growth, and a triumphant ending, don’t miss Daisy’s story! (Includes some examples of online trolls/bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hannah’s work is her life which gets problematic when her mother dies and her boss forces her to take bereavement leave. And that’s complicated even more by her complicated feelings about her mother. And the fact that her boyfriend dumped her the day after the funeral.

But instead of getting a distracting new protection assignment far, far away from her ex and her grief, Hannah’s next client is two-time Sexiest Man Alive, Jack Stapleton.

Jack’s in town to help his mom go through cancer treatment. And he’s fiercely protective of her. Nothing can stress her out – like a bodyguard or talk of stalkers. So he wants Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend while she’s on duty. Whatever. How hard could that be?

Review

I have had this book on my wishlist since I first read the synopsis months ago. First, it has a fake relationship at the center – a trope that is like catnip to me. Then, the protective agent is the woman – awesome! And the plot is right up my alley as a reader.

I had high hopes for this – and it met every one. The characters are endearing (well, not Robby). The romance is sweet and cozy. And an unexpected bonus? This is HILARIOUS! I could not have asked for a more delightful reading experience.

Romance fans, fake dating fans – don’t miss this one! The minute I finished I was ready to flip back to the first page and start all over again. Another favorite for 2022.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

BOOK NEWS: November 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: November 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Jasper and the Yeti – Jasper is on the search for the Yeti when he looses his glasses. The pictures I have seen are DARLING! I can’t wait to check this one out in person.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World (Older Middle Grade) – For a class assignment to “change the world,” Daisy decides to help her older brother who has Down syndrome become a fashion celebrity online even though her parents have forbidden her brother from having social media for his own safety. I will be reviewing this one soon.
Diana and Nubia Princesses of the Amazons (Graphic Novel) – Diana, Princess of the Amazons is back, and this time she has a friend. But while their families insist the girls have always known each other, the girls know something mysterious has happened. I am super excited to read this one!
Gleanings – Neal Shusterman returns to his Arc of a Scythe series with a collection of short stories set in that world.
Whiteout – From the team who wrote Blackout! Twelve teens work together to help a friend make an epic apology – if the blizzard conditions don’t foul up their plans.

Books for Adults

Better Than Fiction (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Alexa Martin. A book hater inherits a bookstore where a meddling book club and a bestselling author try to change her perspective on books. This one is on my library list.
Expire of Exiles (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Books of the Usurper series. An empire recovering from a coup attempt is in danger once again, and an apprentice scribe, a young mage, an archivist, and a detective are the only ones who might be able to set things right. I ordered this weeks ago and can’t wait to dive in!
Never Rescue a Rogue (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Merriwell Sisters series after Never Fall for Your Fiancée. Diana and Giles must set aside their constant bickering to help him secure his place in society – and her tenacity and investigative skills are just what he needs. I adored the first book and cannot wait to dig into this one!
Super Plum Spies (ebook) – Book 2 in the Section 47 series by the fantastic Jennifer Estep. Two spies spend their holiday season sniffing out a dangerous enemy. I haven’t read book one yet, but I already have book 2 on order so I can read them back-to-back.
Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man (Hardcover) – First in the Girl Friday Mystery series. Viviana is the “Girl Friday” for a top investigator in 1950 New York when the investigator goes missing at the start of a new case, and she finds a dead body in their office. When the police decide the investigator must be the killer, Viviana will start her own investigation. This is on my library list.
Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are (Hardcover) – The latest from Lysa TerKeurst looks at boundaries.

 

REVIEW: The BIG Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker by Jennifer L. Holm

REVIEW: The BIG Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker by Jennifer L. Holm

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is an all new format for a Babymouse book – 200 pages, full color – but the same fun. This book includes

  • school stories
  • Cinderella
  • Jason and the Golden Fleece
  • Three Little Kittens
  • Rapunzel, and
  • the Titanic

This was cute! I think Babymouse fans are going to love having a new book to enjoy. And newcomers to the character will have lots of classic material to go back to. Libraries and classrooms should definitely have this in their collection.

Details from the publisher list this as a book for 7-10 year olds. But I think the topics in the book – middle school, self-consciousness, identity, etc. – skew this a little older than that, so I put this in a middle grade range (9-12).

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+