Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: March 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

More new books out this week – some fun ones to add to my list!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Green Arrow: Stranded (Graphic Novel) – Teen Oliver Queen is alone and stranded on a desert island.
Those Kids from Fawn Creek – A new girl in a small town shakes things up at the middle school
Great or Nothing – A reimagined Little Women where each sister, including the late Beth, tells her own story.
One for All – A re-imagined Three Musketeers. After her father’s death, Tania goes to finishing school only to discover it is a secret training school for female Musketeers. This is on my review list!

Books for Adults

If You Ask Me (Trade Paperback) – When a sweet advice columnist discovers her husband’s cheating, she takes her frustration to her column in a brutally honest way that leads her to go viral. I’ve pre-ordered this one!
The Suite Spot (Trade Paperback) – When a single mom is fired for something she didn’t do, she takes the first opportunity she finds – helping a grouch build a hotel while she rebuilds her life.

REVIEW: Gina and the Big Secret by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Gina and the Big Secret by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

In an effort to save the Nestor, Gina accidentally allowed the world to get “broken.” The Nestor changed Earth’s history. Now, Gina, Lisa, Hilo, and DJ are on a new Earth – where magic has ruled for 100,000 years.

But a new Earth means changes for Lisa and DJ’s family as well as oppression for humans. They NEED to change everything back. But the kids quickly discover they are up against numerous foes in their quest to set Earth right.

Review

This was so fun! Great characters in a new story with some laugh-out-loud moments, tons of action, and new adventures to come in book 9, Gina and the Last City on Earth (2023). I love how meaty these books are – so much for readers to enjoy, both visually and in the story itself.

Series fans will have a lot to love here with old friends and new. Newcomers will enjoy this more if they at least go back to book 7, Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World which launches this new story arc. But honestly, I think any reader would be better off starting at the very beginning with book 1. This whole series is such a delight to read! And this new arc builds on what happened before. You are really missing out if you haven’t read the previous books!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

No REVIEW Today

No REVIEW Today

Posted on by Jaymie

The book I was going to review today was a total bust for me, so I don’t have something new to post.

But in preparation for Friday’s review of Gina and the Big Secret, here’s a link to the first book in this new story arc for the delightful Hilo graphic novel series for kids, Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World.

 

BOOK NEWS: March 1, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 1, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Tomorrow begins the month of March! There are, of course, tons of books releasing this week. Here are the ones that really grabbed my attention.

Books for Kids

Owl Diaries: Get Well, Eva – Book 19 in this darling series. When Eva’s wing is in a sling and she can’t write in her diary, her friends and family help out.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Anne of West Philly – A graphic novel adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, set in contemporary Philadelphia. I love the idea of a fresh take on a classic.
Drew LeClair Gets a Clue – When a cyberbully starts posting people’s secrets online, Drew uses her detective skills to try and track the bully – before they expose Drew’s own secret. I am a sucker for a middle grade detective.
Max & the Midknights: The Tower of Time – Book 3 in this delightful series. I can’t wait to see what happens now with Max’s twin! I already have this one on hold at the library.
The School for Whatnots – The summer after 5th grade, Max’s best friend, Josie, disappeared. So when he finds a note from her, Max is determined to find out the truth. This is my first March pre-order. Cannot wait to read this one!

Books for Adults

All the Queen’s Men (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. In the midst of all that 2016 holds for the world, a death in the palace and missing painting have the Queen detecting again. I am giddy at the idea of this series. I have both books on my wish list with the library.
By Any Other Name (Trade Paperback) – A successful romance editor gets the chance to work with her biggest inspiration, but she’s in for a huge surprise. This is on my library list, too.
Hook, Line, and Sinker (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the It Happened One Summer series. It’s friends to lovers as best friends become roommates and then potentially more.
Mr. Wrong Number (Trade Paperback) – There are hints of You’ve Got Mail in this new book where a sexy text from a wrong number turns into something more. This is on my review list.

REVIEW: Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

REVIEW: Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Weston is the outcast in the town of Enfield. In a small town, everyone knows your business. So everyone knows about his parents’ divorce, about the year he spent at the rival high school. And the things they don’t know, they make up with rumor and assumption. Everyone but his closest friends thinks he’s weird at best if not actually dangerous.

Anna is an unexpected bright spot in Weston’s life. While they are supposed to be practicing their big duet for marching band, they are finding in each other someone who, surprisingly, GETS them – his struggles after the divorce, her anxiety, his music, her writing.

But since everyone assumes the worst about Weston, Anna feels she has to hide and lie to be with him. But in a small town, no one keeps a secret for long.

Review

I have to be honest. The synopsis for this book did not grab me when I read it. But the author wrote my favorite book of 2021. So reading this one was a given. While I read, my feelings were mixed.

I loved Anna and Weston, both as individuals and together. And the author’s writing is top notch. But I just did not get this story. For so long, nothing was happening. Sure, they grew closer, they faced some roadblocks. But things just kept rolling along. I couldn’t figure out the point of it all.

I’ve described my ideal book a lot here. A big piece of my enjoyment is the puzzle or the quest – something to solve, something to overcome, something to rail against. This just isn’t that sort of book.

I have no idea how to rate this – I was engrossed in the characters and enjoyed the writing. On that alone, I would probably give this 4 stars. But I just couldn’t connect to the plot. And the ending did not help my enjoyment of the story. The whole reading experience was unsatisfying in the end.

Readers who love character-rich stories and don’t care about driving plots are likely a much better audience for this than I was. There’s a lot here to enjoy if you are excited about watching a relationship unfold over time with some fantastic descriptions – especially if you have a soft spot for band stories. (Language, sex, TW: Grief)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good, solid, fine

REVIEW: Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

REVIEW: Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sarah Anderson is trying to hold it all together. She’s running the company she started with her husband while also being their top coder. She’s raising her two young sons alone after the death of her husband. The juggling of everything is leaving her exhausted.

And then she gets the letter from the lawyer.

Sarah’s mother-in-law has always assumed and believed the worst about Sarah. And now she’s threatening legal action to take Sarah’s boys away. So reluctantly, she agrees to a six-week visitation with her late husband’s family. Yes, their verbal abuse and hatefulness is hard to take. But she can endure it for six weeks to show her willingness to compromise.

Luke Thompson, the good-looking rancher next door to Sarah’s mother-in-law is the lawyer who sent the letter. And he’s guarded when it comes to Sarah, ready to see this awful person his neighbor has described. But Sarah is nothing like he expected. How does her mother-in-law see something so different? What is he missing in the story of this family? Who is really telling the truth?

 

Review

I picked this up because I was intrigued by the story. I also ADORED the author’s earlier book, The Me I Used to Be. I thought this would be something similar, and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

I enjoyed this sweet story of steadfast integrity and character in the face of cruelty and anger. Sarah is almost too good to be true.

While I enjoyed the story and the characters, the big climax with Sarah’s family happened mid-book. And unlike The Me I Used to Be, there was no other mystery to carry the rest of the story to the end. I spent the second half of this book waiting for a BIG new conflict or disaster to come, but it never did. The almost-too-perfect-to-be-believable character continued to be saint-like in response to the garbage her late husband had pulled and the fall out she faced through the end of the book.

I felt like the lack of a new challenge or conflict as well as Sarah’s perfection took some of the joy out of the reading experience for me. It was 100+ pages of resolution and happily ever after, which can be nice at times, but isn’t always satisfying. I mistrust books where there’s no challenge or mission – and this one only had a challenge for about half of the story.

These days, though, there is a place for reading an escape story where there’s not a ton of conflict and there’s a whole lot of happily-ever-after. If you are looking for a book like that, give this one a try!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

BOOK NEWS: February 22, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 22, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing during this last week of February 2022.

 

Books for Kids

That’s Betty! The Story of Betty White – A picture book biography of Betty White.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Forgotten Five: Map of Flames – First in a new series from the author of The Unwanteds, described as “X-Men meets Oceans 11.” Eight supernatural criminals fled to an island where, over time, seven of them disappeared. The eighth has recently died. Now the criminals’ children, each with powers of their own, have been left to fend for themselves. But when one of them finds a map and a note to find her mother, they’ll venture out into a world where, thanks to their parents, being supernatural is a crime. I couldn’t hit the pre-order button on this one fast enough!
Lunch Lady 2-for-1 Special: The First Helping AND Second Helpings – This stellar graphic novel series is getting a full color re-release as well as audio books. This is great news for series fans as well as new readers who get to discover it now for the first time!
Full Flight – New from the author of the amazing Amelia Unabridged. A young couple begin to fall for each other while their families want to keep them apart. This is on my review list for this month.

Books for Adults

Antique Auctions Are Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy and Aunt Ginny are caught up in another murder when a dead man falls out of an item they are bidding on at an auction. I’m a book behind in this fun series, and I’m eager to get caught up.
A Deadly Bone to Pick (Hardcover) – A former cop and PI becomes a murder suspect when the dog she is training digs up a severed hand.
Death of a Knit Wit (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Knit & Nibble Mystery series. Pamela and the Knit and Nibble ladies are investigating again when someone is murdered during a fiber arts and crafts conference.
Murder Faux Paws (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. Nick and Nora are sleuthing again when first one and then a second PI are murdered.

REVIEW: Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian

REVIEW: Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Triplet princesses, trained for conquest, turn 16 and head to the countries of their betrotheds.

Daphne heads north to Friv. But the wedding and life she’s been preparing for falls apart before she even arrives.

Beatriz heads to Cellaria, the one place where magic is outlawed. She disguises her silver, stardusted eyes as any hint of magic could get her killed. But her betrothed couldn’t be less enthused about their wedding and life together. How can she work her plans if she can’t even get him to look at her?

Sophronia heads to Temarin, the only one of the princesses with feelings for her intended. Of course, her mother is dismayed instead of pleased. Her girls have jobs to do for the next year to move the Empress’ plans forward so she can take over all three countries for herself.

Each princess has her assignment. But the Empress’ spies couldn’t prepare them for everything.

Review

This was outstanding!! Absolutely fantastic! I was captivated from the start. The set up/world building is excellent, and I loved the princesses. I was fascinated as I watched their journeys begin. And when everything started to shift and twist, I couldn’t put it down until I finished.

And what a finish!

I can’t get book 2 into my hands fast enough.

I said recently that the best sort of book for me is science fiction or fantasy (check) with sharp, sassy characters who don’t take any crap (check), and who are trying to solve a mystery or save the day. While these characters are scheming for the Empress’ plans, this still fit that final requirement, too. The fact that there’s royalty involved is just a bonus for me. I adore books like this – like the author’s Ash Princess (I still need to finish that series) as well as the Wickery series, Crown of Shards, Ruined, etc.. This is by far the best book I have read so far this year – don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding! Amazing! Special!

REVIEW: A Dash of Death by Michelle Hillen Klump

REVIEW: A Dash of Death by Michelle Hillen Klump

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Samantha really needed the distraction of the historic home tour. This was supposed to be her wedding day. But Greg had dumped her and moved away. Her friends had sweetly suggested her as a temp bartender for the tour. Not only did it give her plans for the night, but it also provided a way for her to use the bitters she had made up as wedding favors.

There was no way she could have predicted someone would use one of her drinks to kill a man.

When the widow names Samantha in a wrongful death lawsuit and it starts to impact her freelance writing gigs, the former reporter can’t help digging into the case. The question becomes whether she will solve it before someone else is killed.

Review

This was a great mystery! The whole “bitters” and cocktail mixing hook wasn’t a great fit for me. But the mystery itself is solid – an interesting set up, plenty of suspects and action, and some great twists along the way.

I liked Sam for the most part. She was little too wishy washy about her ex at times for my preferences. But I loved her quick thinking and her investigative reporting skills and instincts.

I was disappointed by the lack of an endearing group around her. Her “friends” never felt warm or emotionally supportive to me. Sam seemed to click better with a murder suspect than her so called friends. Maybe those relationships – and the love interest – will develop more in future books, but it was a gap I noticed in this book.

Cozy readers who love mixology – or who are looking for a unique hobby hook for their mysteries – should check out this launch for the Cocktails and Catering Mystery series.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

BOOK NEWS: February 15, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 15, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Valentine’s Day for those who care – Happy Monday for the rest! Here are some great books to check out this week.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Dear Student (Older Middle Grade, 10+) – A girl is caught in the middle as the advice columnist of her school paper when her two new friends are on different sides of an issue.
Hilo: Gina and the Big Secret – Book 8 in the Hilo series, and a follow up to the outstanding Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World. Gina has a huge problem on her hands when she finds herself on a world filled with monsters. I pre-ordered this one, so I should be able to read it soon!
All the Right Reasons – Cara and her single mom become contestants on a new reality show where her mom gets to meet a lot of single dads while she looks for love.
Bright Ruined Things – A young woman hopes that the celebration of First Night will help her best friend and her crush – both members of the powerful Prosper family – truly see her, but instead the island’s spirits start dying and the Prosper heir might hold the answers to why. It’s a hard, twisty plot to summarize when I haven’t read the book, but I am intrigued by the whole thing and have this on my list of books to check out.
The Chandler Legacies – Five teens at an elite boarding school come together in the Circle, a coveted writing group at the school. They are supposed to write their truths, but the truth might not be enough to change the culture at Chandler. I have this one on my review list for this month.

Books for Adults

#FollowMe for Murder (e-book) – First in a new Trending Topic Mystery series. When Coco launches her social media consulting firm, she had no idea her first clients would lead her into investigating a murder. I pre-ordered this one the first moment I read about it. Sounds amazing!
An Impossible Impostor (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. A man with amnesia arrives at Hathaway Hall, appearing to be the heir, thought to be deceased. So Veronica and her boyfriend agree to investigate the man to see if he is an imposter. I haven’t read this series before, but the story in this one really grabs my attention. I have it on my library list.
Meet Me in the Margins (Trade Paperback) – A woman secretly writing a romance novel at a publishing house that looks down on the genre has to hide her manuscript before she is found out. When she goes to retrieve it from her hiding place, she finds that someone has been reading it – and giving her editing notes. I saw a meme recently about pre-ordering books so you have these delightful surprises in the mail as the books release. I totally took that advice this month, and this is one of the books that will be showing up in my mailbox any day now.