Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower

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

One week before her wedding, when Violet’s thoughts should have been on Christmas or her groom, she was distracted by an unpleasant visitor to her shop, Charming Books.

The rude and insistent woman had wanted Vi to buy a book. It *looked* like a signed first edition of Walden, something Vi would have loved to have owned. But the woman was so unpleasant and demanding – and in a terrible hurry. Something seemed fishy. So Vi said she needed an appraisal. And the woman left.

It’s a shock then when Vi and Rainwater find the woman’s body right after their wedding – but maybe not so surprising that the book has gone missing.

Review

This has been my favorite Amanda Flower series from the start. No matter how long it has been since I read the last book, I fall right into the stories and the characters as if it’s been no time at all.

One of the fun pieces of this series is the magical bookshop. What avid reader wouldn’t want to visit a bookshop that knows just the right next book for you? While none of the bookshop’s crime-solving tomes have been favorites of mine so far in the series, the premise is right up my alley.

The mystery was wonderfully plotted as always. I was completely caught up in the character I wanted to be the killer that I was distracted from hints I caught early on and then forgot. The whole case was completely satisfying.

Amanda Flower fans and fans of this series hardly need my encouragement to pick up a new mystery from the prolific author. (I can think of 7 series she has going or starting this year.) But you have that encouragement anyway – this was a fun read! Newcomers could probably start here without issue – and I’d encourage you to do so if you love cozy mysteries with great characters (including some fun animal ones) and a touch of magic.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: January 18, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 18, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

The Who Was? Trivia Book – Trivia fans will love this new resource from the folks who publish the Who Was series of nonfiction books for middle grade readers.
Bound by Firelight – Sequel to Cast in Firelight from the Wickery series. Adraa and Jatin are back to deal with the fall out from book one where Adraa is imprisoned and Jatin has to find a way to break her out and prove her innocence so they can find the ones scheming against their kingdoms. I can’t wait to spend time in this world again! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Chosen Twelve (Trade Paperback) – Comedy and lifestyle writer James Breakwell releases his first fiction novel this week, a science fiction story that has been called “Hunger Games meets the Hitchhiker’s Guide.” There are 12 seats left on a colony ship, and those twelve are the last to join a colony to repopulate the species. But there are 22 candidates for those 12 seats. I’ve enjoyed Breakwell’s social media for so long, I am curious to see if his humor translates to this fictional story.
To Disguise the Truth (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series by Jen Turano. Eunice turns down Arthur’s request for help out of fear the case would expose her true identity. But the case she takes on instead leads her to more risks, not only to her secrets, but also to those she cares about most. I loved book 1 in this series, and have book 2 on my TBR. I’m looking forward to catching up on this series so I can pick this one up, too.
Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America (Hardcover) – Gen Z is defined as those born between 1996 and  roughly 2012 (dates vary based on sources). This book looks at how the cultural shifts of the last 20ish years have impacted those who are becoming adults in the age of Trump and Covid and such – and how they are using the hallmarks of their childhood to push them toward activism and change. I love books on generational identities and impacts, so this one is on my radar for this week.

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

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

Millie Price’s star is on the rise. She’s worked her butt off to get into a theater pre-college program. But her dad is reluctant to let her go. And his resistance seems to have something to do with Millie’s mother.

Millie doesn’t know who her mother is, but she stumbles on her father’s LiveJournal from college. Reading through the entries around the time she would have been conceived, Millie finds some names of women who could be her mother. She’s sure if she can find the woman – who was also into musical theater – she could get her mother’s help to convince her dad to let her go.

But Millie’s plan to check out each of these women hits a snag when she ends up competing with her high school nemesis, Oliver, for an internship she doesn’t even want. But as it’s a chance to work with one of the potential moms, she sticks with it while getting to know the other women on her list. But Millie has no way of knowing how this search for her mom and her quest to attend this theater program is going to change everything.

Review

Emma Lord is the author of the fantastic Tweet Cute and You Have a Match, and after this third delightful story, she’s a must-read author for me.

I loved this! Millie is such a great character. She has a big personality, and sometimes the dramatic theater types can be abrasive to read. But that was never the case here. While she’s abrasive to Oliver, that’s part of the fun of the story, but I loved her (and Oliver) from the start.

Millie’s quest for her big theater program and for finding her mom opens up SO many great threads for this story – with the internship, with Oliver, with her family and friends, and with the new people she meets along the way. But none of those external pieces overshadows the internal work Millie does which is equally great.

Fans of Emma Lord’s previous books should absolutely pick this up – the character work here is excellent! And the romantic bits and the humor is icing on the cake. RomCom fans and musical theater lovers – you’re going to want to read this one too! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

REVIEW: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In order to keep his mother from scheming to find him a wife, Hugh made up a fiancée. He named her Minerva. And since his mother lived in America with his step-father, Hugh could keep up the lie with detailed letters full of fabrications. And it was all working so well. But then his mother announced she was boarding a boat to come meet her future daughter-in-law and start planning the wedding.

When Hugh stepped in to help the lovely young woman arguing over money, he did it, sure, because she was lovely. But Hugh could never resist an opportunity to rescue a damsel in distress. The fact that her name was Minerva was a shock. The fact that she was arguing over money meant she needed some. And might therefore be open to his scheme.

Minerva would play fiancée for Hugh’s mother. Then they would find some way to break things off so they could both go back to their old lives.

What could possibly go wrong?

Review

I don’t read historical fiction often, but when I do, it is usually a story just like this. I love fake relationship stories! Even though I know the awkward moment is coming where everything falls apart, I still love the trope.

But this book felt different from the start. The tone, the voice, the characters – it all sparkled. There’s great chemistry between the main characters. There’s a ton of humor and some truly laugh-out-loud moments. Even as it’s all unravelling, I am cackling. But the author never loses track of her story. She brilliantly balances the conflicts with the romance and the humor. It made for a delightful reading experience. And now I HAVE to read book two.

I don’t know what it will be (although I am guessing Diana’s story – it’s called Never Rescue a Rogue), and for now it seems it won’t release until November of 2022, but it will be at the top of my TBR when the time comes.

Historical fiction readers, and others who love a good fake relationships story, should not miss this one! (Sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: January 11, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 11, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

This new Book News format is still feeling weird to me. I’m used to long scrolls through cover after cover after cover. At the same time as I am missing the old way, though, I love looking at these books because they are the ones I am most eager to see and read and hold. So, here are the books catching my attention this week.

 

Books for Kids

When the Schools Shut Down: A Young Girl’s Story of Virginia’s “Lost Generation” and the Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Decision – An autobiographical picture book from someone who lived during the five year school shutdown of Farmville, Virginia. This is a story I don’t know, and I am eager to get the full scoop here.
Rocket Finds an Egg – A new leveled reader starring Rocket. I will read anything with this dog in it – I love Rocket’s books!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Who Was the Girl Warrior of France? – One of four graphic novels from the folks at Who Was releasing this week. This is the one, though, I am most eager to pick up. The illustrations look fantastic!
House of El: The Enemy Delusion – Book 2 in the House of El series from the folks at DC Entertainment. I really enjoyed the first book in this Superman-adjacent series, so I jumped at the chance to read a review copy of book two. My review of this one will post soon.
The Storyteller – A young woman longing to live life on her own terms discovers the journals of her late aunt who might have been the missing princess Anastasia. This sounds like it’s going to be a great exploration of identity for both the main character and the aunt, and I love books that look at questions of identity.

 

Books for Adults

The Amber Crown (Trade Paperback) – Three outcasts are the only ones who can help a kingdom overrun by a usurper king – but only by following orders from the dead king’s ghost. Oh yeah, I am going to be checking this one out! I already have it on pre-order.
Crimes and Covers (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. Violet’s wedding reception is disrupted by a dead body. And Violet recognizes the woman as someone who tried to sell her a rare copy of Walden. Thankfully she has her magical bookstore to help her as she tries to solve the crime. This is such a fun series; I’m excited to read a new story set in this world.
The Family You Make (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Sunrise Cove series. A guy who thinks he’s about to die in a snowstorm tells his parents he’s met “the One” and uses the stranger he’s with for his description. But when the two survive the storm, his family is eager to meet the woman he told them about. While she agrees to pretend for one family dinner, she starts to wonder if maybe this could become the life she’s always wanted. Yes, please!
Tailing Trouble (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Furry Friends Mystery series. When the poodle she is boarding discovers a dead body, Ally and her grandfather get drawn into a mystery. This sounds so fun! I have book one on my review list (I am SO behind), and I would love to get caught up on both of these soon!

YEAR IN REVIEW - Best of 2021 for Kids and Teens

YEAR IN REVIEW – Best of 2021 for Kids and Teens

Posted on by Jaymie

Continuing my best of lists for 2021, here are the lists for books for kids and books for teens/young adults.

Best of 2021 – Books for Kids

The Hunger Heroes: Missed Meal Mayhem – If I could only pick one kids book from 2021 to highlight, it would be this one. I struggle to find early chapter books that I really love and am excited to share with kids, but this is one I literally handed to anyone and everyone in 2021. This graphic novel was a delight to read and to share. Don’t miss it! You can read my full review here.
The Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery – Book 2 in this fantastic series for kids 10 and up from the amazing Ally Carter was another favorite from 2021. You can read my full review here for book one and here for this second book in the series.
Bea Is for Blended – A lovely, powerful middle grade story that shouldn’t be missed. You can read my full review here.
What Comes Next – A stand alone story from the author of the Mr. Terupt series as well as the Perfect Score series. You can read the full review here.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy – I don’t usually read a lot of nonfiction for kids, but I was intrigued by this kid-friendly version of the author’s show/book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. This is for readers 10 and up. You can read my full review here.

 

Best of 2021 – Books for Teens/Young Adults

Amelia Unabridged – If I could only pick one “Best of 2021” book, regardless of audience, I would pick this one. This book rocked my world when I first read it, and it stuck with me all year. I’m looking forward to carving out some time for a re-read soon. You can read my full review here.
Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven – I have really enjoyed this graphic novel series. Yes, I wish the series had more depth to the characters, but once I accept the limitations of the format for digging deeper into character details, I just enjoy the story and characters for what they are – fun. You can read my full review of this book here and the whole series here.
Bookish Boyfriends: Get a Clue – This series has been a delight since book one. You can read my full review of this book here, and you can read more about the whole series here.
Counting Down with You – Loved this powerful YA novel this year! You can read my full review here.
The Hawthorne Legacy (♥♥♥♥♥) – Book 2 in the Hawthorne series by my favorite YA author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, was a powerhouse, It delivered on all the things I thought were missing for the first book while not losing any of the parts I loved. I can’t wait to read book 3 later this year. You can read my full review of book 1 here.
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche – After the delightful Netflix movie starring Enola Holmes, this book was a must read for me – and it did not disappoint! You can read my full review here.
Never Saw You Coming – I heard a lot about this book last year as I follow the author on social media. The book did not disappoint. Read my full review here.
You Have a Match – This was my second Emma Lord book and I loved it! You can read my full review here, and check out the author page here – she has a new book out that I will be reviewing soon.

YEAR IN REVIEW - Best of 2021 for Adults

YEAR IN REVIEW – Best of 2021 for Adults

Posted on by Jaymie

2021 was a tough reading year for me. Between starting a new job, rediscovering an old hobby, and (waves vaguely at a world in chaos), I found it hard to stop doom scrolling and focus long enough to really engage with the sort of reading I usually do. But that doesn’t mean 2021 didn’t have some amazing books that I thoroughly enjoyed. Here are some of my favorites for adults from what I read in 2021:

Best of 2021 – Adult Fiction

Hunt the Stars (♥♥♥♥½)- These books aren’t necessarily in order, but if I had to pick a favorite adult fiction book from last year, I think Hunt the Stars would be the one. It helps that it was one of the last books I read in 2021. But I remember so clearly as I was reading being delighted by the whole story and the characters, and feeling such joy whenever I checked my progress and saw I had so much book still left to enjoy.  This one doesn’t release until this year, but the author is a favorite, so I prioritized this one over some others I probably should have read – and I was not disappointed. If you enjoyed The Consortium Rebellion series or you love romantic scifi, put this one on your list for February 2022. Stay tuned for my full review in February as well.
Capture the Crown – If you’ve read my coverage of the Crown of Shards series, my love of this spin off shouldn’t come as a surprise. You can read my full review here.
The List (♥♥♥♥♥)- My husband pulled me into the Orphan X series a couple summers ago. One of my favorite characters is Joey, who features as the main character in this short story. It was everything I wanted it to be. If the author would ever spin off a series starring Joey, I’d be first in line to pick it up.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It – This mystery was quirky and different, and I loved it. You can read my full review here. And stay tuned for my review of the sequel, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, which releases February 1st.
To Fetch a Felon – First in a new cozy series from late 2020 with a talking corgi, this was a delight from start to finish. (My blog was even quoted in the “praise for book one” section of the second book!) You can read my full review of book one here and book two here. Cozy fans should NOT miss this series!

Best of 2021 – Adult Nonfiction

All of the Marvels – Again, these aren’t listed in any particular order, but if I had to pick just one favorite nonfiction book from this year, it would be this one. I didn’t expect to love this like I did – the writing is fantastic, and the comics history and stories are fascinating. You can read my full review here.
Reading While Black (♥♥♥♥♥) – I read this one for me, rather than for a blog post, so there’s no review here on the blog. But I will tell you this was FANTASTIC. It was challenging in all the best ways. The writing is engaging and conversational. This is a resource I highly recommend.
The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up – I didn’t read much nonfiction in 2021, and the bulk of what I did read was Enneagram related. You can read my full review of this resource here.
The Enneagram Goes to Church – Another great Enneagram resource from 2021, you can read my full review here.
The Story of You – This was my final review of 2021, so this one might be more familiar to you. You can read the full review again here.

BOOK NEWS: January 4, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 4, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

In honor of a new year, and fresh starts, I am taking a new approach to Book News.

I don’t have the same amount of research and writing time as I did when I worked from home, freelancing. So for 2022, Book News will focus on the books I am MOST excited about releasing in a particular week. So you will see fewer titles from week to week. And some of your series favorites might be missing. But what you will see are the books on my wish lists and in my shopping carts and on my TBR piles. Nothing posted out of a sense of obligation, but only the books I am talking about, looking for, and reading this week.

So, here are those books that are releasing tomorrow, January 4th, 2022.

Books for Kids

Hawkeye – This Little Golden Book from Marvel showcases Hawkeye, a perfect choice after the Disney+ program this past Christmas season.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Hide and Geek – A famous toymaker left one final puzzle to solve after her death, and a group of friends are determined to solve it before the toymaker’s factory closes and their families move away. I adore stories like this. This is on my review list.
Operation Sisterhood – A blended family living in one brownstone in New York can feel overwhelming at times. But the four new sisters might just find something to love about their new circumstances.
The Unforgettable Logan Foster – Just as Logan starts to wonder if he will ever find foster parents who “get” him. And when he does finally get some who could be a good fit, he discovers they are secret superheroes being hunted by villains and the fate of the world hanging in the balance. A foster care story with superheroes? Sounds like my favorite parts of Shazam, and I am here for this one! This is also on my review list.
How to Fight Racism (Young Reader’s Edition) – A young reader’s edition of the book How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby.
Serendipity – Ten common romance tropes are flipped into new configurations in this short story collection.
Spin Me Right Round – Luis is sent back in time to his parents’ days in high school by a hit to the head. And he sees it as his chance to save a closeted boy whose 1985 experiences mean that today Luis can’t go to prom with his boyfriend. But Luis is quickly in over his head as he learns things about his parents as teenagers while also encountering the homophobia in this conservative high school.
When You Get the Chance – When Millie starts wondering if her dreams to be a Broadway star and find people who get her for who she is will ever come true, she decides to go looking for her mom. This sounds so fun! And there is no way I am passing up a new book by Emma Lord! This is also on my review list.

 

Books for Adults

Be More Loki: Alternative Thinking from the God of Mischief (Hardcover gift book) – A little gift book of images and advice from Loki of Asgard. Absolutely going to be picking this one up!
Rise: An Authentic Lenten Devotional (Paperback) – A devotional for Lent from John Pavlovitz.

 

REVIEW: The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

REVIEW: The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Ian Cron’s new book is a great second-tier Enneagram resource, and a perfect what-to-read-next for fans of The Road Back to You. In this book, Ian shares stories from his friends and podcast guests and shows how the stories we grow up telling ourselves about the ways we need to deal with the world to stay safe or feel loved can become dysfunctional. Then he helps each type see the way to a new story to embrace in a move toward more health and wholeness.

I don’t always want to read every number’s portion of a new Enneagram resource, but this one is so engaging and delightfully conversational, it’s almost like reading fiction. I was afraid to skip a number and miss out on a great story! There are fun, and insightful pop-culture and literary references that brilliantly illustrate points Ian is trying to make to each number. And the Typology podcast ends up being both a foundation and a follow up to this book. Many of the stories shared here came from the podcast, and readers have episode references so they can go back to those episodes for more content. It’s pretty clever organization!

The breezy tone and sense of sharing stories and coffee with a friend will make this a great resource for folks ready to go a little deeper in their Enneagram journey. The faith references in this felt genuine and natural and never overpowering or manipulative or intrusive. I was delighted by the whole book and highly recommend it for my friends doing personal work with the Enneagram. I am looking forward to holding my own copy soon and highlighting and underlining and making notes in this great new book

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.