Reviews, Etc.

YEAR IN REVIEW: Faves from 2022, Part 1

YEAR IN REVIEW: Faves from 2022, Part 1

Posted on by Jaymie

2022 is a wrap! This week we’ll look back at some of my favorites from last year – if you missed these, you can add them to your TBR for 2023.

10. The Wedding Plot – This has been my favorite book in this whole, fantastic series. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

9. The Joy of Reading – This is the only nonfiction title to make my top 10 – and it’s not about the Enneagram! This year, this book about reading for teachers and librarians – and others who care about kids and reading – was a favorite. I even bought copies for some of my teacher friends to encourage them in their important work. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

8. Not the Witch You Wed – I didn’t blog a full review of this one in 2022, but I loved it. The paranormal elements were right up my alley, and I loved the characters and the world building. I am eager to read more in this series. (♥♥♥♥½)

 

 

 

 

7. The Nova Incident – I have enjoyed this Galactic Cold War series from the beginning, but it gets better with every new book. I loved this new story and can’t wait to see what happens next in this sci-fi spy series. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

6. The Agathas – There are only two YA novels on this year’s Top 10, and this is the first. I still have my fingers crossed that this will be a series – I loved these characters! You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

Come back on Friday to see the top 5 books on my list!

BOOK NEWS: January 3, 2023

BOOK NEWS: January 3, 2023

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy 2023! It’s a new year full of new reading opportunities – here are some of the new books releasing this week!

 

Books for Kids

Peekaboo Rex! (Board Book) – A T-Rex plays peekaboo.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Captain America: The Ghost Army (Graphic Novel) – Captain America and Bucky face a mysterious challenge – war dead are coming back to life.
The Librarian of Auschwitz (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the original book.
Return to Atlantis – Book 2 in the Atlantis series by Kate O’Hearn. Riley is back home, ready to move on from her adventures, but the Atlanteans in the basement aren’t coping well so far from Atlantis.
The Unforgettable Logan Foster and the Shadow of Doubt – Book 2 in the Logan Foster series. When superheroes start going missing, Logan and his friends start investigating, wondering if the answers they are looking for might also lead to information about Logan’s birth parents. I really enjoyed the first book in the series – I think this will be a great sequel.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute – A new YA novel by romance author Talia Hibbert. Two ex best friends end up in a survivalist contest together where the togetherness might help heal old wounds – and spark something new.
They’re Watching You – A girl discovers a secret society at her school when her best friend goes missing. As long as she keeps winning their challenges, they will give her a clue as to what happened to her missing friend.
The Wrong Kind of Weird – Cameron’s summer fling with a person his social group despises has become a complicated secret for his senior year. But when a new girl catches his attention – and she’s someone he wouldn’t have to hide – it causes him to take a closer look at his choices.

 

Books for Adults

Back in a Spell (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Witches of Thistle Grove series. A first date turns complicated when the couple discovers history between their two families. But when one starts to unexpectedly develop magic – while the other’s magic mysteriously starts surging – they will have to work together despite the history to get things sorted out. I have book one on my TBR. I’m eager to check out this series.
Loathe to Love You (Trade Paperback) – Three STEM-adjacent novellas from the author of The Love Hypothesis. (All three novellas have been released previously.)

BOOK NEWS: December 27, 2022

BOOK NEWS: December 27, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

I hope you have enjoyed the holiday season – or at least had some restful reading moments! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Bad Kitty: Supercat – During a playdate, Kitty and Strange Kitty pretend to be superheroes.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Wings of Fire: Moon Rising (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of Moon Rising, the first book in the second Wings of Fire series. This is my favorite of the three story arcs in the Wings of Fire universe (so far). I have already pre-ordered this one.
What Was Reconstruction?  – Another great non-fiction book from the folks at WhoHQ.

Books for Adults

The Heretic Royal (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Scarred Earth Saga, this one focused on Ainsley. I have adored the first two books in this series, and pre-ordered this almost a year ago. I have already read this one, so you will get a full review soon.
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. Millie’s best friend becomes a murder suspect when her ex’s new wife is killed.
The Secret of the Lost Pearls (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Rosalind Thorne Mystery series. Rosalind is asked to help a lady find a missing pearl necklace. Her husband believes it was stolen by her sister. But as Rosalind starts investigating she discovers secrets on top of secrets in this family. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Vinyl Resting Place (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Record Shop Mystery series. Three sisters open a coffee/record shop and find a dead body in their supply closet.

REVIEW: Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

REVIEW: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

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

Astrid Parker’s design business is drying up, so she needs this job at the Everwood Inn to work. The television coverage alone will help bring in new business. But a coffee mishap on the first day leads to Astrid losing her cool and blowing up at the person who doused her in coffee – and that person turns out to not only be the carpenter on the job, but also a member of the Everwood family.

Jordan Everwood is lost and grieving. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to roll over and take whatever Astrid is dishing out. From their disastrous first meeting to Astrid’s designs that will erase the character of the one place Jordan considers “home,” Jordan will have none of it. Thankfully, the TV people seem to be enjoying the animosity between the two women. So Jordan will just keep giving them what they want.

Review

This is the second book in the Bright Falls series after Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, but the first book I have read. But I will be reading more. I really enjoyed these characters as well as the setting and the larger group around Jordan and Astrid. This is a very queer-positive series. As someone who picked this book up to get a little better feel for the queer community, that was a great bonus for me. The next book will be Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date, and I will definitely be picking that up to see what happens next for this group.

The individual journeys for Astrid and Jordan were fascinating.  I loved the peek we get into each character’s perspective on the budding relationship, but even more how they are handling the baggage they bring with them into the story. The surrounding cast is lovely, and I found the design descriptions for the Inn to be well done.  This was a great introduction to this series, and I had no issues understanding things without having read the first book, so other newcomers can definitely start here. (Language, sex. There’s also a thread on tarot cards and readings that spans the entire book.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

REVIEW: The Gospel for Helpers by Tyler Zach

REVIEW: The Gospel for Helpers by Tyler Zach

Posted on by Jaymie

My YA review scheduled for today turned out to be a bust so instead I thought I would tell you a bit about a new Enneagram devotional I picked up this month. I have reviewed two of Tyler Zach’s previous devotionals in this series, but I have been waiting for it to be my turn – and that time has arrived!

I compared my husband’s copy of the book for his number to mine, and was pleased to see that they were different. This isn’t the sort of deal where every book follows the same outline, wedging in stuff for each type. And the entries I have read so far have been right on target. In fact, I have left each reading feeling  seen, understood, and valued, but also challenged or encouraged in some area of growth. There are spaces at the end of each entry for the reader to answer reflection questions. There’s also a prayer and a suggestion of how to respond to the material for that day.

If you have an Enneagram fan in your life, I think this devotional would make a great gift. There are devotionals for all of the numbers except 5, 7, and 8. I expect we will see those release in 2023.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews

REVIEW: Dashing Through the Snowbirds 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

Meg and her family are playing host to a group out of Canada that is working with her brother’s company. And for the most part they are a lovely, yet stressed, group. But their boss, Ian, is awful and has everyone walking on eggshells. Meg and a few other Mutant Wizards board members are hoping to dissolve the contract between Ian’s company and Mutant Wizards – both to get rid of Ian, but also to protect Rob’s company from Ian’s bad business practices. But before the board can take action, Ian is dead.

There’s no shortage of suspects, from disgruntled employees to angry clients whose lives Ian nearly ruined. But Meg is on the case. If she’s lucky, she can wrap up the investigation so the Canadians can head home before the predicted snow storm arrives.

Review

Another fun Meg Langslow mystery! This one felt a little more tame compared to the last one. The cast was a manageable size while still giving series readers some of the quirky antics we have come to love.

In addition to a solid mystery, there were several laugh-out-loud moments here that made this a lovely reading experience. I can’t wait to see what Meg and her family and friends get up to next! I recently picked up the e-book of Murder, with Peacocks, the first book in the series. It’s probably been 20 years since I last read it. I am hoping for some re-reading time over the holidays so I can pick it up and revisit the series’ beginnings. The next book in the series, Birder She Wrote, is the 33rd book in the series, and it is scheduled to release in August of 2023.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: December 13, 2022

BOOK NEWS: December 13, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

I Already Love You (Board Book) – A board book about all the ways a parent already loves their little one.
Rocket’s Secret Valentine (Board Book) – Rocket, Bella, and Owl try to figure out who is secretly sending messages to Rocket. I adore these characters!
Stacey’s Remarkable Books (Picture Book) – Stacey Abrams’ picture book about a girl whose love of library day spreads when she helps another student who struggles to read in English.
On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue: How Milton Hershey Brought Milk Chocolate to America (Nonfiction Picture Book) – A picture book biography of Milton Hershey.
Bookstore Bunnies (Early Reader) – The bookstore bunnies help their friends find books for every need.

Books for Adults

Star Trek: Discovery: Adventures in the 32nd Century (Graphic Novel) – A comics collection starring Grudge, Adira, Detmer, and Linus from Star Trek Discovery. I have the individual comics for the four stories told here, and I enjoyed them!
Star Trek: The Original Series: Harm’s Way – Kirk and his crew are on a mission to find a missing scientist.

REVIEW: Doggo and Pupper Save the World by Katherine Applegate

REVIEW: Doggo and Pupper Save the World by Katherine Applegate

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Pupper longs to be a hero and save the day, but his anxiety – mostly over giant squirrels – makes him wonder if he could ever really be a hero.

Review

Another clever story starring Doggo and Pupper. The short, simple sentences and sweet illustrations are only the beginning of the list of delightful things about this book. I was also fascinated by the way the author chose to help Pupper be a hero. It’s a quiet solution that I think will make for interesting conversations with kids. Doggo and Pupper are a treat!

Book 3 in the series, Doggo and Pupper Search for Cozy, will release in the spring of 2023.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!