Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: July 9, 2024

BOOK NEWS: July 9, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

Spider-Man: Cosmic Chaos – Book 3 in the Mighty Marvel Team-Up series. Spider-Man teams up with the Guardians of the Galaxy on a new mission. I already pre-ordered this one. I love this series!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Illinois, Indiana & Ohio: 50 Hikes with Kids – Hikes and nature scavenger hunts you can do with kids in the Midwest.
The Darkness Within Us – A companion novel to the fantastic The Shadows Between Us. Chrysantha’s schemes are starting to pay off when someone tries to steal her inheritance. She can’t have that now, can she? I cannot wait to read this!!
Hearts Overboard – After a very public and humiliating breakup, Savannah tries to change her reputation – and her nemesis says he’ll help. This looks cute!
Heir, Apparently – Sequel to The Prince & the Apocalypse. Wren and her accidental prince-husband and his family and retainers are stranded on a tropical island after a plane crash. I am hoping to read book 1 this summer so I can catch up on this fun-sounding series.
The Umbrella Academy: Young Blood – A prequel book to the Netflix series. When things at home get stressful, Klaus suggests his siblings kick back at a party like normal teens.
The Enneagram for Teens – A book about the Enneagram targeted to teens.

Books for Adults

The Blind Devotion of Imogene (ebook) – Book 1 in a new series. Imogene Taylor is an elderly parolee trying to help her neighbor’s daughter deal with a dead body. This is a quirky sounding story – I can’t wait to check it out!
It’s Elementary (Trade Paperback) – An overwhelmed mom gets coerced into heading up a new diversity and inclusion committee for her daughter’s school. But her increased involvement at the school means she sees the PTA president acting strangely at the same time the principal who ticked the woman off goes missing. This is going to be fantastic!
The Next Best Fling (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Librarians in Love series. She’s in love with his brother who is engaged to someone else – and he’s in love with the fiancée. So they agree to pretend to be a couple and keep their true feelings to themselves. Until new feelings start to develop – for one another.
The Sky on Fire (Hardcover) – A new fantasy novel taking place in a world with dragons!
Sounds Like a Plan (Trade Paperback) – Rival PIs team up when they are set up to take the fall for murder.
Spellshop (Hardcover) – A new book by Sarah Beth Durst. A magic library’s librarian flees to her cozy home town after her library is destroyed – and she starts to build a new life. This sounds precisely like my kind of cozy fantasy novel!
Until Next Summer (Trade Paperback) – A new summer novel from Ali Brady. When she hears the camp where she works will be sold, Jessie decides to have one last hurrah – an adults-only camp where former campers are invited to return. Sounds like another great summer vacation read!

 

REVIEW: Stan Lee by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

REVIEW: Stan Lee by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This is a kid-friendly biography of comics-creator Stan Lee. I adored the colorful artwork in this book! The story is kid-friendly with a focus on reading and storytelling, perseverance, and familiar characters from comics, television, and movies.

While Marvel and the MCU isn’t quite at the height it was several years ago, the staying power of the characters Stan Lee created make his story one that endures whether Marvel is churning out blockbusters multiple times a year or fans are returning to “old” favorites.

This would be great for collections of the Little People Big Dreams series as well as other picture book biography collections – and of course for all Marvel/Stan Lee fans.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

BOOK NEWS: July 2, 2024

BOOK NEWS: July 2, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy July! Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

I Am Jesse Owens (Ordinary People Change the World) –  A picture book biography of Jesse Owens
Stan Lee (Little People, Big Dreams) – A picture book biography of Stan Lee.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Faker – A new book from Gordon Korman. The son of a con artist starts to question the life he’s always known – lying, no real friends, and quick departures.
Rise – The youngest of three Valkyrie sisters is the first to sense the coming of Ragnarök.

Books for Adults

Breaking the Dark (Hardcover) – First in a new Marvel Crime series of original stories of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil. Jessica Jones is reluctantly pulled into a new case when a mother comes to her for help after her twins return from visiting their father with significant personality changes.
Dog Day Afternoon (Hardcover) – Book 29 in the Andy Carpenter series. Andy helps a young man Marcus has been mentoring who got a dog from the Tara Foundation. I’m super excited to read this one!
Just Playing House (Trade Paperback) – Marley reconnects with the prom date who ghosted her after they slept together when he hires her to be his stylist for a huge new movie. And he’s determined to work with her, even volunteering to stay with her and help her as she recovers from a double mastectomy.
The Love of My Afterlife (Trade Paperback) – Delphie meets the man of her dreams in the afterlife right before he is sent back to Earth. She’s given the impossible second chance of returning to Earth to find him.
The Summer of Yes (Trade Paperback) – A young writer who second-guesses her talents meets the queen of New York businesswomen in a hospital where they both decide to work together to address their regrets. This sounds like a great vacation read!
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Hart and Mercy series. Twyla and Frank are best friends who are spending mid-life serving with the Tanrian Marshalls. They stumble across a mystery with a dead body – and a baby dragon.

 

REVIEW: Quiet Violet Finds Her Voice by Gabrielle Nidus

REVIEW: Quiet Violet Finds Her Voice by Gabrielle Nidus

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

While Violet is quiet in general, the one place she’s not is in the kitchen. In the kitchen she’s skilled, competent, and confident.

When her class at school tries some cooking, Violet struggles to be heard. Her classmates forget she’s there, and her small voice gets lost in the chaos. But when her chance to make an impression on the star of her favorite cooking show is in jeopardy because of her peers’ mistakes, Violet finds her voice.

Review

This is a cute story about quiet voices – and quiet kids – being seen and valued. The story includes some backmatter to help readers learn to value quiet voices. I really liked that the approach is less about “fixing” or “changing,” and instead about accepting. This includes questions for kids as well as suggestions for adults.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp

REVIEW: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When it comes to murder pies, Daisy has a system. The requester identifies themselves in very specific ways. So when an unusual request comes through, she can’t shake the feeling that it could be a trap. But she also knows the statistics – police officers are 40% more likely to commit domestic violence than the average person.  If the requester is legit, she doesn’t have a lot of options for help. So Daisy eventually reaches out again to test the request a bit more.

But the person goes silent before Daisy can decide if she’s going to take the job. Daisy does some investigating, but she can’t find the woman. Her boyfriend acts like she never even existed. Daisy feels guilty for having waited, and responsible if something has happened to the woman. So she goes all in on her own investigation. She has to know what happened before she can decide if the guy’s murder pie needs to be delivered or not.

Review

“What I do is terrible, but it’s also necessary.”

This is Daisy’s thinking about the Pies Before Guys part of her business.  Her magic allows her to provide a pie that will convince an abuser to either turn from his ways, or keel over as the only way he will “stop.” I have loved this dark, unique, thought-provoking series from book one,  but this new story is darker and more stressful than the first two books. The villain is every awful story you’ve ever read about sadistic, narcissistic individuals becoming police officers to wield that power so they can get away with anything. There were times I had to put the book down and take a break from the darkness of it all.

And because the villain is so bad AND he’s a cop, Daisy is in all sorts of new layers of danger. And that puts her friends and her future in jeopardy – not to mention the risks for the person or people she’s trying to help.

All of the ethical questions around “murder pies” and Daisy’s magic are amped up here too. What is the “right” thing to do when faced with an enemy with a badge and cohorts who also misuse their positions and power?

Fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy a “morally grey” character should give this series a look – although I do recommend reading the books in order. The “mystery” here is a smaller part of the story – what happened to the missing woman, how will Daisy figure it out –  but I enjoyed watching Daisy and her friends work through the mystery – and the larger pie-related ethical questions. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

BOOK NEWS: June 25, 2024

BOOK NEWS: June 25, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

Sophie Mouse: Lightning Bug Light Show – Book 21 in the darling Sophie Mouse chapter book series where Sophie helps a new friend.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Wander Lost – When their mom goes missing, a pair of brothers discover that their ancestor was once a board game character who escaped and came to life. And they have that same power where they can go into games!
Girls Like Her – A dead businessman. A teen in jail awaiting trial. And her state-appointed caseworker. Will anyone care enough to dig into what really happened?
Six of Sorrow – Six girls, born on the same day – good friends until they drift apart. But when one of them goes missing, they are drawn back together when it seems something more is going on.

Books for Adults

An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. Frances and George are in Paris looking into a suspicious death for George’s aunt when she is murdered. I have loved this series from the start, and I can’t wait to dive into this one!
A Daughter of Fair Verona (Hardcover) – First in a new series described as “Knives Out meets Bridgerton.” The oldest of Romeo and Juliet’s children (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) is uninterested in marriage, so she tends to find new wives for all of her suitors. Except the latest isn’t someone she can redirect – he’s already buried three wives, under mysterious circumstances. When he is then found dead, Rosie goes looking for his killer. YES, PLEASE!
Finding Mr. Write (Trade Paperback) – Daphne posed as a male author when she started pitching her latest book and now there’s a bidding war, and she needs to make her fake persona real. YES, PLEASE!
A Novel Love Story (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ashley Poston. Eileen needs her book club retreat this year more than ever, but on the way her car breaks down in a town that seems plucked entirely out of her favorite book series. YES, PLEASE! (How many times is too many times to say that in one release week?)
Romancing Miss Stone (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Belize Dreams series. Bo heads to Belize to get his ex back when she breaks things off, but the chemistry between him and his guide becomes undeniable.
Rules for Second Chances (Trade Paperback) – A woman who is tired of playing a background character in her own life decides an improv class is the way to help. And her almost-ex is determined to use the class to win her back. Yes, this sounds great!
Tangled Up in You (Trade Paperback) – Part of the Meant to Be series of re-imagined fairy tales. This one is a take on Tangled where a sheltered young woman tries to navigate the “real world” of college and meets a player trying to reinvent himself. And it’s by Christina Lauren?! YES, PLEASE!
Under Your Spell (Trade Paperback) – A woman down on her luck ends up working with the hottest rock star in the world for the summer.
You’ll Never Find Me (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Angelheart Investigations series (after the novella “Into the Fire”). A PI estranged from her family – and the family investigation business – finds herself in over her head and reaching out to the family she thought she left behind. I picked up the novella to give this series a try!
You’ve Got Male (Trade Paperback) – An overwhelmed single mom goes viral when her best friend posts a clip of her describing her perfect mate. So when men start descending to make their case for being just what she’s looking for, she convinces her neighbor to be her fake boyfriend to make them go away. Yep, that’s on the list for this week, too!

 

REVIEW: Welcome to the Woofmore by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran

REVIEW: Welcome to the Woofmore by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Rufus works for Ms. Coco at the Woofmore. And this week they have a special VIP (Very Important Pooch) visiting:  movie star Greta Garbark!

Greta is looking for some peace and quiet. But the puparazzi have tracked her to the Woofmore. Thankfully, Rufus has a great idea to help Greta get her peace and quiet. And in return she helps the Woofmore with a big problem that could ruin the hotel.

Review

This is a cute early chapter book with fun, colorful illustrations. There are plenty of dog puns across the five chapters for readers to enjoy. Kids will get a kick out of Rufus who toots when he gets excited or nervous. The story is complete and satisfying while being simple for new readers to enjoy. Watch this fall for my review of book 2 in the series, The Woofmore Is Not Haunted.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

HOLIDAY: June 19, 2024, Juneteenth

HOLIDAY: June 19, 2024, Juneteenth

Posted on by Jaymie

In honor of the Juneteenth holiday today, I am going to direct you to 3 books that stand out in my mind from my reading over the last few years about race and racism:

Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation As an Exercise in Hope (♥♥♥♥♥) – I didn’t post a full review of this, but I thought it was outstanding! I highly recommend this one.

 

 

 

 

Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor (♥♥♥♥½) – You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

 

The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism (♥♥♥♥♥) – You can read my full review here.

BOOK NEWS: June 18, 2024

BOOK NEWS: June 18, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Last Apple Tree – Feuding neighbors find common ground when they unearth a family secret.
All Roads Lead to Rome – Story agrees to fake date a Scottish heartthrob while he’s in Rome.
Poison in Their Hearts – The final book in the fantastic Castles in their Bones series. I will have to wait to read this until I can get a copy from the UK because I refuse to have my book cover styles not match. (First world problems!) And since I never got to do my book 2 re-read and tab, I will definitely be doing a series re-read before picking up this conclusion.

Books for Adults

The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night (Hardcover) – Five strangers join a trivia team, the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers, where they start to become friends.
The Memo (Trade Paperback) – A young woman gets the chance to relive her life and make different choices. The set up for this sounds quirky and clever!
One-Star Romance (Trade Paperback) – The maid-of-honor discovers the best man is the same person who gave her new novel a very public one-star rating.
A Very Unshakespeare Romance (Trade Paperback) – A police officer pretends to be a single dad when his cousin goes on the run and leaves him with the kids.