Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters

REVIEW: The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters

Posted on by Jaymie

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

 

Summary

Logan has another chance at prospective parents and life outside the orphanage – probably his last chance as he is almost 13. Everyone knows it’s harder for teenagers to get placed. And it’s not like Logan is easy in the first place. The supervisor at the orphanage is always telling Logan not to do or say things that might turn away a set of prospective parents. And Logan always ends up doing or saying them anyway.

But Gil and Margie don’t seem to mind Logan’s eidetic memory or the way he says whatever comes to mind. And they invite him to their home to live with them.

It doesn’t take long for Logan to start to question his new circumstances. Sure, Margie’s cooking is awful, as are Gil’s puns. But there are some seriously extra-weird things going on in Logan’s new home – and he’s going to get to the truth.

 

Review

This was so fun! I loved Logan. The orphanage/foster home pieces were handled well. I especially enjoyed the ways Logan’s neurodivergence and idiosyncrasies go from being a liability in the eyes of the orphanage supervisor – and in Logan’s eyes to a degree – to being an asset.

The superhero pieces felt pretty typical for these sorts of stories. So fans of the genre should feel right at home here.

I especially enjoyed the writing in this – the author does a great job with Logan’s voice throughout the book as well as with some fantastic metaphors along the way. This would be a great class or bedtime read aloud. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

REVIEW: Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz

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

The Nowhere Man is back.

As Evan works to rebuild his home and sanctuary, the Nowhere Man phone rings. The man on the other end is devastated – at the absolute end of himself. His daughter has been kidnapped by his enemy. And while he is powerful in so many ways, he feels powerless to fix this. But Aragón Urrea is not a good or virtuous man. Evan isn’t sure he is someone he even wants to help – and Aragón isn’t sure he is worthy of the assistance either.

 

Review

Wow, this was good. I have come to enjoy these books, even though they are darker and more violent than I prefer in my reading material. But I am completely attached to these characters. I have to know what is happening with them. And this book really delivers when it comes to the core group. (Joey, who is my absolute favorite character, has some stellar moments in this book.)

The Nowhere Man case/mission here is fascinating in that Evan is determining early on if he can bring himself to help the sort of person he usually fights against. There’s a lot of great material here on the rival groups Evan must infiltrate.

Swirling throughout the whole book – the mission and Evan’s personal life – are questions about family and connection. I loved this piece of the book. It was a great counter to the violence and tactical passages that don’t always click for me as a reader.

While the end of this one is not as huge of a cliffhanger as the last one, there are plenty of open-ended threads – and a direct threat – that will have me reaching for the next book when it releases.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed. New readers will probably be fine starting here and following the mission. The personal pieces, though – my favorite parts – will be harder to really dig into without the benefit of the earlier books. (Language, violence and gore, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: February 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I can’t wait to check out!

Books for Kids

The Story of Lin-Manuel Miranda – A chapter book biography of the creator behind Hamilton and Encanto.

 

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Mirror Girls – Charlie is a Black organizer for the Civil Rights movement. White-passing Magnolia is the heiress to a cotton plantation. Neither knows they are twins, separated and raised apart after the lynching of their parents, an interracial couple. When the truth comes out, Magnolia suffers from a curse where her reflection disappears from mirrors, and the two girls must overcome their upbringing to break the curse and put the horrors of the past to rest.
You Truly Assumed – Sabriya finds an outlet in her blog You Truly Assumed where she writes about being Muslim in a world where “Muslim” seems to only be associated with “terrorist.” As the blog goes viral and she finds a couple friends to help her with the upkeep, the push back grows and one of the teens is threatened. As they try to find the culprit they have to wonder if it’s a sign they should quit or stand firm.

 

Books for Adults

Dark Horse (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Orphan X series. The Nowhere Man is back, called to help find a kidnapped girl, but the person asking for help is usually the type of guy Evan works AGAINST rather than for. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
A Dash of Death (Hardcover) – First in a new Cocktails and Catering Mystery series. Samantha agrees to fill in as a bartender on a home tour to distract herself from her cancelled wedding, but instead the event leaves her a suspect in a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Live, Local, and Dead (Hardcover) – First in a new Vermont Radio Mystery series. Jaye thought life as a small town radio DJ would be quieter than her life in New York. But instead she’s had to fire a raving talk show host who is now dead – and everyone is convinced she killed him. This one is on my review list, too.
Not the Witch You Wed (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series. A magic-less witch and a wolf shifter agree to fake date when both are pressured by Supernatural Law to find their mates. Magic plus fake dating equals I pre-ordered this one awhile ago. I should have this in hand soon!
Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life (Hardcover) – Since I seem to always be on the quest to declutter and downside, this book’s title appeals to me.

REVIEW: Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger

REVIEW: Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger

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

The town of Elmwood is in trouble. The family that helped build the town is mostly gone. The matriarch who promised to leave her money to Elmwood didn’t. And her children destroyed the family business with their irresponsible choices.

Gina, Elena, Edgar, and Kevin stumble across a chance to save Elmwood – and their families’ livelihoods – when they meet the final member of the VanHouten family. Max found a speech his grandmother wrote – but never gave – announcing a hidden treasure in the town. So the GEEKs are going to find it!

Review

This is a fun mystery/treasure hunt story with solid characters and real stakes. It has a familiar feeling to it – like The Parker Inheritance or The Westing Game, The Amelia Six, Capture the Flag, the 39 Clues series, etc.. But it was still a fun read. I enjoy books like this, and I think kids who enjoy similar treasure hunting tales will enjoy this too.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on 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

The war with the Valoffs hadn’t been over long enough for Tavi to feel anything but mistrust and skepticism as she watched the team of them go from ship to ship looking to hire a crew. But while she doesn’t trust Torran Fletcher, his money is still good – and her crew and ship could use it.

Octavia Zarola is “the hero of Rodeni.” She and her crew may know how ridiculous that title is. They have no shortage of bitterness over it. But if any other Valoffs catch her in their space, she’ll be killed without question. Torran promises they will be safe.

But Torran is less than forthcoming about what he wants from them. They are supposed to recover a stolen item. But no matter how many promises are made, Tavi has to stay on her guard – something is not quite right about this assignment. And she can’t afford to give in to her growing intrigue about Torran and the way he makes her feel

Review

This was awesome! It’s the sort of book where you page count, but because you want it to stretch out as long as possible. The characters and world building are everything I’ve come to expect from Jessie Mihalik from her exceptional Consortium Rebellion series. If I can’t get more of those books, at least this new series launch is just as amazing.

I’m happy to see that two other characters from this book are the point-of-view characters for book 2, Eclipse the Moon. That’s what Mihalik did in the Consortium series, and I loved it. This is exactly the sort of book I am always looking for – science fiction or fantasy with sharp, sassy characters who don’t take any crap and who are trying to solve a mystery or save the day. (See also the Touched by an Alien series, Scarred Earth Saga, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, Sons of Destiny, etc.)

This is a must read, must buy, must re-read series for me already – don’t miss it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Will re-read.

BOOK NEWS: February 1, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 1, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the first week of February – starting tomorrow – and here are some of the books releasing that I am excited about!

Books for Kids

I Am Malala Yousafzai – Picture book biography
The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess – Book 9 in the Princess in Black series. The Princess in Black and her friends help a mermaid princess discover the power of using her voice in the face of trouble.
Unicorn Diaries: Storm on Snowbelle Mountain – Book 6 in this darling early chapter book starring Bo the Unicorn who is on the hunt for yetis in this new story.
Little People Big Dreams: Amanda Gorman – Early reader biography of the 2021 inaugural poet.
She Persisted: Wangari Maathai – Early reader biography of the founder of the Green Belt Movement.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms – When Cameron’s parents disappeared, his grandmother locked away The Book of Chidani, stories of a fabled kingdom. But when Cameron and his friends open the book, they are transported to Chidani, a kingdom in need of saving.
City Spies: Forbidden City – Book 3 in the City Spies series by James Ponti. The City Spies are trailing two kids who are entrenched in their parents’ dangerous work. I’m a book behind in this series, but I’d love to get caught up!
When the World Turned Upside Down – A group of friends and neighbors cope while the coronavirus spreads, their schools close down, and they see how the pandemic is impacting their families. Not many books have tackled our present reality, so I am curious to see how this one does it.
Castles in Their Bones – First in a new series from the author of Ash Princess. Three princesses trained to be perfect brides – and spies – for their ruthless mother, the Queen, venture forth to marry their princes. I pre-ordered this one so I should have it in hand soon!
We Were Kings – Twenty years ago a teen was convicted of murdering her best friend. Now, thanks to a new law, she has 30 days left before her execution. But a member of the victim’s family believes the woman is innocent, so she puts everything on the line to prove it. Sounds twisty!!

 

 

Books for Adults

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the fantastic Finlay Donovan series. I reviewed this one last week. You can read my full review here.
Hunt the Stars (Trade Paperback) – A new series launch from Jessie Mihalik, author of the outstanding Consortium Rebellion series. You might also remember me talking about this one in my Best of 2021 post because I read it last year and loved it. A bounty hunter reluctantly teams up with her enemy, risking her life to help him find something that was stolen. I loved this so much I immediately ordered my own copy as well as pre-ordering book two, Eclipse the Moon. You can read my full review of this, the first book in the Starlight’s Shadow series, later this week.
Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Marion Lane series about an Inquirer and a 1959 murder. I have both books in this series on my list at the library.
Totally Pawstruck (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 9 in the Second Chance Cat mystery series. Stella and her group of senior citizen detectives work a case for a friend suspected of murder. I have yet to read any book in this series, so in my new Book News system, I likely wouldn’t even bring this one up. But the story sounds too good not to mention.

REVIEW: Bound by Firelight by Dana Swift

REVIEW: Bound by Firelight by Dana Swift

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Adraa and Jatin are facing more trouble than they ever have.

Adraa’s kingdom has turned against her, believing the worst. She’s cast into prison at the Dome. She will have to fight for her life as well as for a chance to escape and make things right.

Jatin is supposed to be leading his own country, but he can only think of Adraa and freeing her. He’s pulled together a very small team of allies, but they have no idea what they are truly up against.

Review

Wow! This was a roller coaster! And I really enjoyed the ride.

Adraa and Jatin tell their own stories once again. I feel like Adraa was really the star of this book. All of her chapters were riveting. I truly loved her journey – maybe even more than I loved Cast in Firelight.

While Jatin is fighting his way back to Adraa, I had mixed feelings about the old friend who joined his team. While I appreciated the twists and reveals she brought with her, I didn’t love the attempted love triangle. She was a distraction and left me wanting to skip ahead to an Adraa chapter.

I had thought this Wickery series was going to be a duology. And the main action truly is wrapped up here without any cliffhangers. But there are some unresolved issues that make me wonder if there is a plan for more. If so, I am here for them.

If Jatin had had more of a story here, this would have been a five star book for me. In fact, when I look at the two books together, I truly loved Adraa’s story here more than book one. Don’t come into this book expecting more of the same from book one, though. This is less about secrets and lies, and more about peril and identity and real questions about whether or not the heroes will triumph. Book 1 fans should not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

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. This book will release February 1, 2022.)

Summary

Finlay Donovan is done with dead bodies. After what happened last time, she’s not even up for dealing with her daughter’s dead goldfish. The only good thing about all that happened before – aside from her friendship with Vero and whatever sparked between her and that detective – was it helped her break through her writer’s block.

Unfortunately, the writer’s block is back. And the muses seem intent on setting Finlay up for another wild ride in real life that might help with her next story idea.

Finlay has discovered a post on a women’s forum that seems to be hunting for a contract killer to take out Finlay’s ex-husband. While she doesn’t want him back in the least, Finlay also doesn’t want her kids to suffer if he’s killed. But tracking this would-be killer is going to involve another round of bluffing, bullets, and bodies.

Review

This was fantastic!

Know going in that the books in this series are painful and awkward a lot of the time as Finlay and Vero are magnets for trouble. But the mysteries are brilliantly plotted, the characters are fascinating, and the stories are a hoot! I am a huge fan of this series! Book 1 was one of my 2021 favorite reads.

This book – and book one, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It – are so DIFFERENT from any of the other mystery series I read. They truly feel like a genre all their own – and I am absolutely here for them. I love the writing angle as Finlay tries to wrangle the crazy situations she finds herself in into useable fiction for her career. I love the relationship between Finlay and Vero. And the piling on of problems and spiral-staircase-like twists to the mystery kept me frantically turning pages until the end.

Another feature I love in these is the epilogue that teases the next book. I am already thinking about what could happen in book 3 for Finlay and Vero. The next book is a must-read for me. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would read again.

BOOK NEWS: January 25, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 25, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are the books releasing during the final week of January that are on my radar – it’s a much smaller list than I expected. But take a look!

Exchange Students – The Teen Titans Go! team meets up with the DC Super Hero Girls when the Titans pose as exchange students at Metropolis where all of the heroes have secret identities. This sounds so fun – I can’t wait to read it!
Her Hidden Genius (Hardcover) – A female scientist cracks the mysteries of DNA, but her male colleagues will try to grab the credit. This sounds fascinating!
Light Years from Home (Hardcover) – On a family camping trip, Evie  and Kass’s father and brother disappeared. Later, their father is found, and he has stories of alien abduction. Their brother, on the other hand, seems truly gone. The sisters’ relationship fractures. And when their brother Jakob returns with stories of an invading alien armada, their broken relationship might be the easiest thing to fix. Yes please!!
Up to No Gouda (Mass Market Paperback) – Usually I would have a large number of cozies on my list this week, but this – the launch for a new Grilled Cheese Mystery series – was the only one I was really eager to read. A widow lives her dream by opening her grilled cheese restaurant, but the town bully has just bought up her building and wants her out. When he’s found dead, one of her employees is the prime suspect, so the widow starts sleuthing. I love reading the first mystery in a new series, so this one is absolutely on my list for this week. From the author of Escape Claws.

REVIEW: House of El: The Enemy Delusion by Claudia Gray

REVIEW: House of El: The Enemy Delusion by Claudia Gray

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher, DC Entertainment, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sera and Zahn have stolen a data device from Jor-El and Lara, looking for answers about the experiments done to Sera. But there’s far more on the data solid than they can imagine.

Meanwhile, both are struggling to fit in with their old friends. They are distracted, not only by the mysteries they are trying to solve but also by the feelings growing between them. While Sera and Zahn were born into vastly different worlds, they are finding in each other someone who truly understands them.

As Sera and Zahn look for answers and explore the romantic side of their relationship, the “terrorists” known as Midnight are getting more bold about their plans to bring change to Krypton. And no one will believe who is truly in charge of that rebel group.

Review

Another fantastic Superman-adjacent graphic novel! I really enjoyed book one, The Shadow Threat, and this second chapter of the story is just as strong.

I love that Sera and Zahn are the focus of this story rather than Jor-El or Lara or Zod. They bring a fresh perspective to the Krypton story. I can’t wait for the third book in this series. Even though I know where things are headed, I can’t wait to see how all of the mythology we know weaves around these original characters to create a new, fresh story. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read