Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

REVIEW: Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Finlay Donovan is watching her life slip away from her. Her next book is overdue, and she hasn’t written a word of it. She can’t afford to pay back her advance – she can’t even pay her electric bill. Her ex is threatening to pursue full custody of their kids. And he laid off the nanny she was counting on for some child-free writing time.

During a meeting with her agent, Finlay notices a woman sitting nearby, watching her. But the woman misunderstands Finlay’s conversation about her romantic suspense novels and thinks Finlay is a killer for hire. And the woman is willing to pay big money to have her husband killed.

Finlay’s curiosity is too much to ignore, so she goes to check out the husband. Just to see what kind of guy he is.

Before she really knows what is going on, the guy is dead, his wife has gone missing, and Finlay has the name of someone else to kill. This whole, weird situation is just the creative  jump start she needed to write her new book. But she’s not sure which risk is worse – the risk of being arrested and having her kids taken away or the risk of being discovered by the big, dangerous men tied to the dead body she now has in her garage.

Review

The premise of this is brilliant, and so is the execution! I haven’t had this much fun with a mystery in awhile – and I have read some excellent mysteries in the last month.  But the mysteries I read and enjoy tend to follow a pattern. And this throws the pattern right out the window. And I loved it!

I loved Finlay and the nanny, Vero. What a team they make! I loved watching Finlay get a handle on her life again, especially thanks to Vero joining their family again. And their partnership regarding the dead body was fantastic.

There are laugh-out-loud moments in this as well as a few twists that made me gasp out loud. And the epilogue is a stunning set up for the next book. I was already excited about reading another Finlay Donovan adventure, but that epilogue made book 2 a must-read for me.

Mystery and suspense fans should be sure to check out this clever, funny, captivating story. I loved it! (Language, off-page sex, sexual references, TW: references to sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Rome Reframed by Amy Bearce

REVIEW: Rome Reframed by Amy Bearce

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lucas Duran is 3 days away from getting his wish and going HOME. He and his family have been traveling around Europe for months while his college professor parents do research for a new book. Lucas has missed a chunk of his 8th grade year, including his last season of middle school soccer, and he’s just ready to be done.

Lucas was assigned a travel journal project for three of his teachers to get credit for 8th grade. But in a family of brainiacs, it’s hard for him to feel motivated when he knows his little brothers could probably do better work.

On Lucas’s last few days in Rome, though, he finds out his poor work has left him in danger of failing 8th grade and being held back. If he doesn’t want to be any more behind his friends when he gets back, he has to ace his final journal entries.

When a strange old palm reader gives Lucas an unusual coin and special tickets to the Colosseum, Lucas finds it weird. But he can’t pass up the chance to fix his grade and save his future. He’s in for a surprise, though, when the coin heats up and transports him back in time to experience history first hand.

Review

This was outstanding! It has such a great voice, and the writing caught my attention right away. I knew from the early pages that I was in for a treat. I didn’t realize there was already a book in this Wish and Wander series – Paris on Repeat. There’s a teaser at the end of this book for a third installment, too. I’m excited to check those out.

It would be hard to beat the cast of this book! (It looks like each book in the series stands alone.) I loved Lucas and his family and his Italian friend, Vivi. At the beginning, I thought Lucas was a stereotypical underachiever. But there’s a richness to his story – the identities he’s layered on like sweaters that lead him to quit before he even starts something. I loved watching Lucas grow into his self-awareness and start to shed the false identities and ideas about himself. His boldness grows over the course of the book, and I loved it.

The time travel episodes are a means to an end – Lucas’s growth – rather than the focus of the book, which I enjoyed. I was captivated by the personal growth emphasis. The target audience for the book is 10 to 14 year olds, which I believe is an under-served group in publishing. I’m so happy to add this to my list of titles to recommend to readers in this age group. There’s a bit of romance to the book – feelings, hand holding – and a depth to Lucas’s journey that are a great fit for older middle grade readers.

Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: February 2, 2021

BOOK NEWS: February 2, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy February! There are a TON of new books releasing this week. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Books for Kids – Board Books and Picture Books

Blankie AND Bubbles (Board books) – Two new board books celebrating imagination and friendship from the author of the Narwhal and Jelly series.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Board book) – A board book version of this classic story.
Flashlight Night: An Adventure in Trusting God – When a boy wonders why God isn’t answering his prayers, his mother uses their prayer wall and a flashlight to teach him  about faith. This looks lovely!
A Girl’s Bill of Rights – A declaration of the rights for every girl and woman.
The Great Passover Escape – Animals escape from the zoo to search for a Seder they can attend. This looks darling!
Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket – Sadie and her stuffed animal crew plan for a trip to Mars!
What About X? – When the alphabet goes on a camping trip, X can’t think of something to bring that starts with x.
Grace Banker and the Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators – The true story of Grace Banker’s role in the Signal Corps in WWI.
Little People, Big Dreams: Megan Rapinoe AND Stevie Wonder – Picture book biographies.
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre – The story of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre from 1921.

Books for Kids – Chapter Books

Diary of a Pug: Pug’s Got Talent – Book 4 in the Diary of a Pug series. Bub has to work with his arch nemesis, Duchess the cat, to save Bella’s pet talent show.
Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly: The Coldfire Curse AND Shadow Hills (Graphic Novel) – The first two books of the Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly series are given the graphic novel treatment.
Give it a Try, Yasmin! – Four new Yasmin stories.
King & Kayla and the Case of the Gold Ring – Book 7 in the King and Kayla series. When their friend Asia loses her ring in the snow, King and Kayla are on the case.
Owl Diaries: Eva at the Beach – Book 14 in the Owl Diaries series. When Eva goes to the beach with her best friend, she is afraid to go into water.
Pup Detectives: The First Case AND The Tiger’s Eye (Graphic Novel) – The first two books in the Pup Detectives graphic novel series. Pup Detective Rider Woofson learns there are other puppy sleuths at his school, so they all team up to solve mysteries. This looks darling!
Super Turbo Saves the Day AND Super Turbo vs the Flying Ninja Squirrels (Graphic Novel) – The first two Super Turbo books get the graphic novel treatment.
Flash Facts (Graphic Novel) – Flash and other DC heroes talk about science and technology. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
She Persisted: Claudette Colvin – Before Rosa Parks protested unfair segregation, teenager Claudette Colvin took a similar stand.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Brightly Woven (Graphic Novel) – A talented weaver and a young wizard team up to dodge a dark wizard and deliver vital news to the capital to avert a war.
The EngiNerds Strike Back – Book 3 in the fun EngiNerds series (EngiNerds – ♥♥♥♥). The alien who appeared at the end of Revenge of the EngiNerds tells the kids that he’s there to scope out Earth as a site for a new galactic billboard. But if Earth is chosen, the planet would be destroyed to make space.
Girls Just Wanna Have Pugs – When Kat’s parents say she has to pick up an extracurricular activity, she decides to start a dog walking business with her friends.
Ground Zero – On September 11, 2001, a boy is visiting his dad on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center when the planes strike. On September 11, 2019, in Afghanistan, a girl finds an injured American soldier after battle erupts in her village. From the author’s track record, this will be a book you won’t want to miss.
The Hatmakers – When her father goes missing and the magical peace items made by the local guilds cause the opposite of peace, Cordelia is the one who goes searching for answers.
Hilo: Gina, the Girl Who Broke the World (Graphic Novel) – Book 7 in the outstanding HiLo graphic novel series. Book 6, All the Pieces Fit (♥♥♥♥♥), wraps up the initial story arc for the series, so this book launches a new arc starring Gina. Magical beings are showing up on Earth, hunting the Nestor, but only Gina can see them. And Gina is torn between helping the Nestor and walking away from magic all together. I’ll be reviewing this one soon, but the fact that this was in my most favorite of favorites list from 2020 will tell you how much I adored this one!
I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the original I Survived book.
The Last Bear – There aren’t supposed to be any more polar bears on Bear Island, but one night April sees something distinctly bear-shaped.
The Magical Reality of Nadia – First in a new series. Nadia is looking forward to winning a contest to design a museum exhibit, but a new classmate throws her off her game when he teases her about her Egyptian heritage. But the ancient Egyptian amulet she wears is concealing a secret that could help her confront this other kid and also win the contest.
The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) – Aidan was missing for six days. When he returns, he tells an outlandish story no one believes. The harder he is pushed on the story, the stronger he sticks to it. Aidan’s brother, Lucas, wants to believe him. And he’s getting worried about Aidan’s response to the conflict. But how can you believe in your own brother’s story whenever everyone else is telling you it can’t possibly be true? I am intrigued by this one!
Rome Reframed (Older Middle Grade) – Book 1 in the Wish & Wander series. Lucas is in danger of failing 8th grade. His family has been traveling the world, and Lucas doesn’t want to be there; he’d rather be home. The school work he is submitting from the trip is subpar. At their last stop in Rome, Lucas has one final chance to submit a stellar project and fix his grades. And help comes from a magical coin that teleports him to ancient Rome. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Shuri: The Vanished – Book 2 in the Shuri series by Nic Stone (Dear Martin – ♥♥♥♥). When Shuri hears of young, gifted female scientists going missing around the world, she is determined to find them. I enjoyed the first book and will be eager to dig into this one.
Strange Academy: First Class (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A comics collection of the first six issues of the Strange Academy comic series about Marvel’s first school for sorcerers.
Ultimate Gamer Career Mode (Older Middle Grade) – A handbook for making a career out of gaming including game development, Twitch streaming, and eSports.
Who Was Catherine the Great? AND Who Was Walt Whitman? – New biographies from Who HQ.
You’re God’s Girl Prayer Journal – From the late Wynter Pitts. Devotional thoughts with space to write responses and prayers. The sample pages of this look lovely.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Crown of Power (e-book, February 5) – Book 4 in the Hidden Mage series. Verene and Darius try to focus on finishing magic school while also protecting their future kingdoms.
Fat Chance Charlie Vega – Discovering her crush asked out her best friend first is the final straw for Charlie Vega who is ready to speak out and stand up to a world that tries to tell her she should be thinner, whiter, and quieter. This one is on my list for this week.
Love in English – An Argentinian teen longs to return home after her family moves to New Jersey. But finding potential love at school AND in her English as a Second Language class is almost as confusing as the rules of English.
Love Is a Revolution – Nala tells a few lies to make herself sound like she has more in common with the activist she meets at Open Mic Night. But as she falls further and further for Tye, her lies start to spin out of her control.
The Obsession – Logan doesn’t think he’s a stalker – he’s “romantic.” But that video camera he has trained on Delilah caught her killing her step-father. And he’s not about to let her forget what he knows. But Delilah is DONE with men controlling her life.
The Project – When their parents died, Lo went to live with a great-aunt while her sister joined The Unity Project. Lo is convinced it’s a cult. And when a man shows up at her newspaper claiming The Unity Project is responsible for the death of his son, she thinks she finally has a chance to prove it. The group’s charismatic leader tells Lo she can investigate and try to prove her suspicions. If she can’t, she has to leave them alone once and for all. But what Lo finds will turn all of her ideas and theories upside down.
Star Wars The High Republic: Into the Dark – Padawan Reath Silas would rather work in the Jedi archives than go on a mission to the edges of civilization with his master.  But when disaster strikes, Reath and his traveling companions find themselves on an abandoned space station where strange things start happening. I shared my thoughts on the first three chapters of this book here. Hardly any of the action of the story was touched on in those three chapters, so while I wasn’t impressed with the beginning, the rest of the story sounds fascinating.
A Taste for Love – Liza agrees to help with the family bakery’s junior competition to show her mother she is not “rebellious” or “stubborn” or any of the other usual complaints. What she doesn’t know, though, is that her mother has chosen young men to compete that she wants Liza to date. This one is on my list, too.
This is Not the Jess Show – In 1998, Jess is trying to deal with the crush she has on her best friend, her overprotective parents, and her sister’s declining health when she discovers a mysterious device with an apple logo that leads her to question everything she thought she knew. This thriller is also on my list for this week.
Yesterday is History (LGBTQ+) – Andre’s new transplanted liver comes with a side effect of time travel. When Andre travels to 1969, he is drawn to Michael, who is everything Andre wishes he was. When he returns to the present, though, Andre is drawn to Blake who is teaching him to use this gift while grieving the death of his brother, the source of Andre’s liver. Andre will have to figure out where he belongs before the impact of his new gift catches up with him. A fascinating premise!

Books for Adults – Fiction

18½ Disguises (e-book) – Book 7 in the Maizie Albright Star Detective mystery series. Former TV teen private eye Maizie Albright is still waiting for her own PI licence, but that doesn’t mean she won’t start investigating when an old friend is killed. I am intrigued by this character!
All Fall Down (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Max McLean series. Black Ops British agent Max McLean finds himself framed for murder and on the run.
Beneath the Keep (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Queen of the Tearling series, this is actually a prequel to the original trilogy about an exiled princess returning to her kingdom and facing off against a sorceress. This book tells the story of the princess’s mother. I have heard great things about the first two books in the trilogy, so I am going to give that a go before diving into this prequel.
Bubble Gum and Blackmail (e-book) – A military vet and former assassin launches a new life as a candy maker. But when bodies start dropping, she can’t help but investigate, even if her former superiors have insisted she not do anything to draw attention to herself. Yes, please! This sounds fun!
Farewell to Murder (e-book, February 4) – Book 2 in the Deadly Paradise Mystery series. (Amazon says this is book 1, but there is an earlier book/prequel, Death in the Afternoon.) Mallory Hemingway, cousin to Ernest Hemingway, is excited to start a new job as the night caretaker at the Hemingway museum. But a series of incidents, including a dead body, cost her the job and leave her the prime suspect in the murder. There are plenty of other suspects, though, so Mallory starts investigating.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Hardcover) – A struggling novelist discussing the plot of her new book with her agent is mistaken for a contract killer and offered a job. Soon, she is tangled up in a real- life murder. Yes, please! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Firefly Junction: A Crafty Killing (e-book) – Book 10 in the Firefly Junction Cozy Mystery series. Sunni is covering the Firefly Junction Craft Fair when one of the crafters is killed.
Girls with Bright Futures (Trade Paperback) – When Stanford announces it only has one spot for a student from the high profile Elliott Bay Academy, three mothers discover how high the stakes are when one of the girls is nearly killed in an “accident.”
The Hiker’s Guide to Murder (e-book) – Book 2 in the Southwest Exposure Mystery series. Outdoor guide Andie Sullivan is racing against local law enforcement to find a killer and save the tourist season for her business and her community. Frankly, I want to read these just because the covers are amazing!
Killer Content (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Brooklyn Murder Mystery series. A Bayou transplant adds “sleuth” to her list of new roles when she moves to Brooklyn and a coworker is killed. This sounds great!
The Kindest Lie (Hardcover) – A Black woman on the verge of starting a family decides she needs to make peace with the child she gave birth to as a teen. This takes her back to her hometown where her family harbors secrets they want desperately to keep. While she searches for answers to her personal questions, racial issues in the town threaten to ignite.
Knitted & Knifed (e-book, February 5) – Book 1 in the Knitty Kitty Mystery series. Tessa Wakefield has moved back home to recover from her broken marriage, but she is quickly drawn into her weird family’s antics, helping at her grandfather’s yarn store, and trying to prove her brother innocent of murder. I pre-ordered this weeks ago. It sounds great!
Make Up Break Up (Hardcover) – Her app – Make Up – is all about conflict resolution and repairing failing relationships. His app – Break Up – is all about high efficiency break ups. These rival app developers who once hooked up in Vegas find themselves in direct competition for an award she needs to keep her business afloat.
Much Ado About You (Trade Paperback) – An English holiday – including a temp job at a quaint book store – is just what Evie needs to get some perspective on her life. She doesn’t expect to be so caught up in the lives of the locals, including an irresistible, flirty farmer. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Transformers vs the Terminator: Enemy of My Enemy (Paperback Graphic Novel) – In 1984, the time traveling T-800 goes toe-to-toe with a deadly race of machines.
Trial and Error (Trade Paperback) – When Buddy Smith’s wife took their young daughter and disappeared, he turned his focus to work and built a law practice that specializes in finding missing children. When a local teen goes missing, Buddy partners with a new PI in town as well as the clerk of the county court to find the girl, and he discovers hints about his own daughter’s location along the way. This sounds great!
Winter’s Orbit (LGBTQ+, Hardcover) – When Prince Kiem, the Emperor’s least favorite grandchild, is promised in marriage to a widower who is a suspect in his first husband’s murder, the two will need to work together to discover the truth. The success or failure of their efforts – and their marriage – could impact the survival of the empire. I love the combination of a science fiction/space story with the royal intrigue, so this one is on my list.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 (Hardcover) – A history of African America, edited by Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be Antiracist and Stamped from the Beginning, and Keisha N. Blain, author of Set the World on Fire. Ninety writers take successive blocks of history and approach their years in a variety of ways. This sounds incredible. It is on my list for this week!
Gluten-Free Cooking for Beginners (Paperback) – Includes a sample meal plan, over 100 recipes, and tips and tricks for gluten-free eating. But to be honest, the book is on my list because of that cover. Yum!
The Gospel for Peacemakers (e-book/Paperback) – Last summer I posted a review for The Gospel for Achievers, a devotional for Enneagram 3s. Now the author has a second volume, this time for 9s. I can’t wait for him to get to books for the numbers represented by my family!
That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, And Why You Need a Hobby (Hardcover) – I read my first Annie F. Downs book last year (Remember God – ♥♥♥♥), and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I am looking forward to this new book which is an invitation to embrace fun. This is also on my list for this week.
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation (Hardcover) – As these three Black women, born at the start of the 20th century, raised their families in light of the racial conditions in society, their lessons, their experiences, and their resilience influenced the Civil Rights leaders of the 1950s and 1960s.

REVIEW: City of Villains by Estelle Laure

REVIEW: City of Villains by Estelle Laure

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When a teenager from her high school goes missing, police intern Mary Elizabeth Heart is assigned the case. She’ll be working with one of the only other Legacies at the station, young Officer Bella Loyola.

Mally Saint was not someone to be trifled with. When her friends decided she was too bossy to be invited to their annual fairy party, she showed up anyway and let her bird, Hellion, destroy the place. Then she targeted each of her three “friends” for acts of retribution. Those girls were obviously Mary Elizabeth’s first suspects.

But when another Legacy goes missing, it seems to Mary Elizabeth and Bella that there is something larger going on than acts of revenge over a party. And this time, it’s personal to Mary Elizabeth. In fact, the police chief assigns the second case to other officers – non-Legacies who don’t take it seriously – and threatens to pull Mary Elizabeth off Mally’s case if she can’t pull it together. Mary Elizabeth is going to have to decide what is more important to her – keeping her job or protecting her found family.

Review

The reviews on Goodreads for this were less than stellar, which worried me. But I enjoyed it! It took a little while for the world building to come together for me. And some of the writing and word choices for the world were awkward, especially early on when I was trying to grasp everything. But once the system was established, it was easy to fall into the story.

I thought the set up was clever. Former magic wielders – Legacies – sharing a community with “Narrows” who are the outsiders. There are prejudices and class differences rumbling in and around the story, setting up some of the book’s conflicts. Then there was the mystery of the missing teens. I was intrigued.

In addition to the core story of missing kids and lost magic and community tragedies, there are other pieces working between and around the characters – Mary Elizabeth’s murdered family, her hero worship of the police chief who tracked their killer, sexism and discrimination between the Legacy and the Narrow, and the importance of Mary Elizabeth’s found family. For me, this wasn’t a character-driven story. I didn’t love or connect with any particular characters in a special way. I was intrigued by the mystery (although I did pick out the culprit right away) and the sleuthing of Mary Elizabeth and Bella as well as this re-imagined origin story for familiar Disney characters.

Early on it was easy to get distracted trying to figure out who each character was supposed to be in the larger Disney universe (some are more obvious than others). But it didn’t take long for me to get drawn into the story instead. I will definitely be reading book 2 to see what happens to these characters next. There are some unanswered questions at the end of this, and I am eager to see how things play out. (Some language and violence, magic, some sexual harassment/sexist workplace behavior)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son 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, Evan Smoak, is retired from government work  and from being a vigilante fixer. He expects that to mean the Nowhere Man phone will stop ringing. But that is not the case. Even more surprising? The latest caller insists that she’s his birth mother.

The woman asks Evan to help a man named Andrew Duran. Andrew witnessed a murder and was set up to take the fall. He’s on the run, and Evan is curious enough about the whole thing to try to find him.

But this case, that can’t be a case because Evan is retired and could lose his pardon, is going to bring Evan face to face with his childhood. And even though he knows his own Commandment Four by heart, this case is definitely personal.

Review

Wow!! There is a LOT going on here. The core of the book is the trouble Andrew Duran is in and how Evan plans to help him. And just when I think Hurwitz has hit the peak of his bad guy plots, he writes another one that takes things to a whole new level. The story in this book will literally chase Evan to the final page. Fans of this suspense series will find all the usual series pieces they love in this book. But there’s so much more.

My husband is a HUGE fan of this series. He gave me book one, Orphan X, to read early last year (♥♥♥♥), and then challenged me to read book 3, Hellbent, last summer (♥♥♥♥½) because he thought I might enjoy the series a little more with the addition of Evan’s teen protégé, Joey. I also read book 4, Out of the Dark (♥♥♥♥), but did not enjoy the start of book 5, so I skipped it. I have also read the three short stories with mixed reviews (“The List,” Joey’s story, was outstanding! – ♥♥♥♥♥).  All that to say, I show up to this series for Joey, frankly, and for the relationship between her and Evan. I like Evan well enough, and his cases are pretty interesting. But the violence can be a bit much for me at times, and the missions drag in the middle for me. That’s not a knock on this series. I feel the same way about other suspense thrillers. I completely skip the Baldaccis my husband loves for this reason. But Joey and Even keep me returning to this one. Every scene with Joey is a delight. I love her on her own, but I absolutely adore what her presence does for Evan.

Then, in Prodigal Son, Hurwitz adds a new interpersonal wrinkle – the supposed birth mother. Her call forces Evan to look at his childhood, and his current relationships, in new ways. (The book includes scenes from Evan’s childhood in foster care which were fascinating.) I especially enjoyed watching how this mom issue shifted Evan’s relationship with Joey. This whole aspect of the story was brilliant. It added a fantastic new layer to Evan.

The ending will leave readers gasping – and grasping for the next volume. I have book 7, which hasn’t even been announced yet, on my mental wish list. I have to see what will happen next! Series fans will NOT want to miss this.

While I think you could probably read this without the rest of the series, I think it would be frustrating to not understand the interplay between characters, and Evan’s full history. So if you are new to the Orphan X series, start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. (I have skipped book 2 and 80% of book 5 without issue. I don’t think the short stories are essential reading, but “The List” is my favorite of the three.) This is one of the best books in the series, and thriller fans should not miss it. (Language, violence, alcohol addiction, vaping, sexual references, TW: rape and sexual assault, child abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Shipped by Angie Hockman

REVIEW: Shipped by Angie Hockman

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Henley Evans is doing everything she can to get ahead at work – putting in extra hours, working toward her MBA, and developing new marketing ideas for her company’s cruise line. So when she finds out she’s up for a huge promotion, she’s thrilled.

But then she finds out her work nemesis, Graeme Crawford-Collins, is up for the job, too. Graeme has only been with the company a year. He’s abrupt in his communication, and doesn’t always respond to her requests to post material to the company’s social media, which is his job. He took credit for some of her best work. He doesn’t even work in the office! He’s remote from half a country away.

The boss’s brilliant idea is to send both of them on one of the company’s cruises. Whoever returns with the best marketing plan to improve sales will get the job. But Henley didn’t expect that spending time with Graeme face to face would be so distracting – or that he would be so sexy.

Review

This is such a fun, funny story with a unique setting, an electric couple, and a powerful ending. This is a romantic comedy which delivers on both fronts. There are several laugh-out-loud moments, and I enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads.

What really set this apart for me, though, was the setting and the post-cruise events. I loved the unique experience of the Galápagos Islands. At least, it was unique to me. I also enjoyed the way Henley connects with the conservation efforts of those who live and work there.

The post-cruise pieces, though, won me over on this. Henley gets a wake up call on the way she is living her life (all work, no life) just in time to make a stand and make some changes. And I was cheering for her and for her team all the way to the end. Overall I would give the romance three stars, the setting 4, and the ending 5.

This is a fun story with good characters in a fascinating locale with a girl-power ending to tie it all together. Be sure to check it out! (Language, LGBTQ+ secondary characters, mostly off-page sex, references to abusive/manipulative relationship)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥= Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Battle of the Bodkins by Lincoln Peirce

REVIEW: Battle of the Bodkins by Lincoln Peirce

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Long ago, in the land of Byjovia, a selfish prince was ready to become king. His fairy “dogmother” siphoned off his more problematic personality traits and put them in a jar. But when the jar broke, an evil copy of the prince emerged – a “bodkin.”

While that bodkin was exiled, Max and her friends have discovered a bodkin in present day Byjovia. It seems as though there are even more bodkins now, and they are preparing for an invasion. It will be Max’s job – along with the Midknights – to invade the bodkins’ home and stop them.

Review

I got such a huge kick out of Max’s first adventure, I knew I had to read book two. This is fun and suspenseful. The Midknights really have their hands full with the evil bodkins.

As with the first book, the pacing of the story is great – peril on top of peril, but nothing so far fetched that it pulls you out of the story. There’s a larger cast here – the Midknights plus the key adults in the kingdom as well as a few new friends. I call this a graphic novel, but it really is more of a highly illustrated story – prose along side line drawings. It’s a terrific format for the story.

I think kids will love Max’s new adventure. There are some nice tidbits in the book about Max’s origins – and an interesting twist to launch the kids into their next adventure. Fans should not miss this one. I am looking forward to reading book 3.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BOOK NEWS: January 26, 2021

BOOK NEWS: January 26, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are the new releases for the final week of January 2021.

Books for Kids

What’s the Matter, Marlo? – A picture book about best friends and big feelings.
Pizza and Taco: Best Party Ever! – Book 2 in this “young graphic novel” series (early reader/early chapter book). When Pizza and Taco feel bored, they decide to throw a party.
It’s Her Story: Marie Curie – A kids graphic novel biography of Marie Curie. (I’ve seen mixed reports on the age group for this. The description says 6-9 but in other places it is listed for middle grade readers.)
The Story of John Lewis – A kids biography of John Lewis.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Starfell: Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale – Book 2 in the Starfell series after Willow Moss and the Lost Day (♥♥♥♥). After recovering the lost day and setting things right, no one remembers the near- disaster Willow averted. But when one of her friends sends word for help, Willow assembles her crew once again, this time to face the Queen of the Undead. I loved book one in this magical series.
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Battle Tales – Stories from the Clone Wars era.
Star Wars Adventures: Rise of the Wookiees (Graphic Novel) – Comics collection (Issues 27-32).
Glory Girl: Daring to Believe in Your Passion & God’s Purpose – From the author of You Are the Girl for the Job comes this journaling guide for preteen girls about discerning your purpose.
NIV Verse Mapping Bible for Girls – Includes 350 partially-completed maps showing the first three steps done as well as 70 blank maps for readers to use. I love this idea – and the Bible looks beautiful inside. This would be so cool to do with a small group of students.
City of Villains – Book one in a new series about Disney villains in a Gotham-like city. This re-imagined origin story for villains like Maleficent, Ursula, and Captain Hook sounds fascinating. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Girls I’ve Been (LGBTQ+) – The daughter of a con artist and her friends get caught up in a bank robbery. I have this on my list – I want to see how Nora’s life of cons helps her out in a robbery.
Time Travel for Love and Profit – After a crummy freshman year, Nephele creates a time travel app to go back and give it another try. And it works – except she is the only one looping. She’s about to start her 10th freshman year, complete with a teacher who was once in her original 9th grade class. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Wings of Ebony – When Rue’s mother is killed, she is taken away from her sister by the father she never knew only to discover she is a half-god. Desperate to reconnect with her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue leaves her magical new home to return to Houston, only to find it sinking into evil and her sister falling in with the forces that destroyed their mother. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Books for Adults – Fiction

Capturing the Earl (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Wallflowers of West Lane. Mercy is determined to protect her friend from another disastrous match, but she doesn’t count on finding the Earl so irresistible herself. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Coffee House Clairvoyant: Emeralds in the Espresso AND Faberge in the Frappuccino AND Opals in the Oolong (e-book) – Three books in this new paranormal cozy series release this week. A woman who can read the history of an object by touch keeps finding items that are tied to murders in her caffeinated beverages. I’m looking forward to giving this series a try.
Claw & Disorder (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Cat Groomer Mystery series. When an elderly hoarder dies and suspicion falls on her husband and their cats, Cassie is there to help track down a killer.
Crime of the Ancient Marinara (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Tuscan Cooking School Mystery series. Chef Orlandini is set to reveal his secret marinara recipe to a group of American foodies, including a possible private investigator sent by Nell’s father, when one of the guests falls dead.
Death by Intermission (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Abby McCree Mystery series. Abby’s mother’s boyfriend is accused of murder at the final Movies in the Park night of the summer.
Egg Shooters (Hardcover) – Book 9 in the Cackleberry Club series. Suzanne stops a gunman at the emergency room by beaning him with a thermos, but he gets away. The Cackleberry Club are concerned he’ll be back, so they start sleuthing.
The Ex Talk (Trade Paperback) – From YA mainstay Rachel Lynn Solomon comes this adult romcom debut. Public radio host rivals have to pretend to be exes in order to keep their jobs. But as the public gets more invested in their new show based on this fake failed relationship, the two hosts start to fall for one another. I have this one on my list.
Falcon & Winter Soldier (Graphic Novel) – Comics collection (Issues 1-5). Sam and Bucky are reunited when someone tries to kill Bucky and the two former Captain Americas are drawn into the hunt for the newest head of Hydra.
Fruit Basket Upset (e-book, January 31) – Book 6 in the Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mystery series. A murder at her family’s strawberry farm pushes Taylor to do what she can to keep a family scandal a secret. Except her efforts undermine her alibi for the murder.
Hopeless RomeAntic (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the When in Rome series. Sixteen years ago, Leo gave up his dream and stuck around to work the family business and be a father figure for his niece. But just when things look like he could reconnect with that dream, he meets a woman who runs a concierge service in town as she also cares for her autistic brother. And he finds her captivating. I have book one from this series on my TBR shelves.
Ink and Shadows (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society. When a Halloween window display at Miracle Books causes a stir, Nora and the Society try to calm things, but in the local uproar, someone is killed. While the death is ruled an accident, some clues lead Nora to believe otherwise. I have the first three books of this series waiting on my digital TBR shelves.
Irish Parade Murder (Hardcover) – Book 27 in the Lucy Stone Mystery series. Lucy’s reporting rival leaves her wondering if her job is in jeopardy – until he is suspected of murder.
Maryann’s Hope (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Amish Charm Bakery series. An Amish widow’s chance at love is shaken when her fiancé has to leave town to care for his family’s business and she discovers he’s been harboring secrets.
Murder at Mabel’s Motel (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Granny Reid Mystery series (Murder in Her Stocking – ♥♥♥♥), a spinoff of the Savannah Reid Mystery series. This series is set 30 years before the original series, when Savannah is a teen. When a gang leader is found dead, most assume it is from an accidental overdose, but Stella knows something more is going on.
A Pairing to Die For (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Colorado Wine Mystery series. In the chaos following the arrival of his estranged family,  Reid is accused of murdering his sous chef. Parker is determined to clear her new boyfriend’s name.
The Preacher’s Son (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Infamous Amish series. When Isaiah’s father is imprisoned for fraud, it costs him everything, not the least of which is his reputation. At his new job, he’s falling for a woman who has lost everything thanks to his father’s crimes. How could she ever take a chance on Isaiah after all she’s lost? I’m intrigued by this new series.
Prodigal Son (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz. Retired secret government assassin Evan Smoak is contacted by a woman claiming to be his biological mother. And she needs his help. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
A Sinister Service (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mystery series. When Phoebe and her siblings travel to Staffordshire to commission a set of china, one of the two rival designers is found dead, and his design book is missing. Eva goes undercover to talk with the women who work there (and who are only allowed to paint, never design) while Phoebe and her younger brother investigate the case.
A Tourist’s Guide to Murder (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Mystery Bookshop series. Sam and the Shady Acres ladies are on a London tour of sites related to famous mystery writers when people start dying.
Undercover Kitty (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Charlotte’s Angels, a group of elderly sleuths operating a detective agency out of Sarah’s store, are hired to find out who is sabotaging cat shows around the state. They have Elvis entered in the next show “undercover,” so when a volunteer is murdered, Sarah starts sleuthing.
We Could Be Heroes (Hardcover) – Zoe and Jamie meet in a memory-loss support group with no memory of their past lives. Zoe uses her powers of speed and strength to deliver fast food. Jamie uses his ability to read and erase memories to hold up banks. Their friendship could be the key to discovering their past, but before they can dig too far into that, they discover a much larger threat. I can not WAIT to read this!

 

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

Ida B the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells (Hardcover) – Born into slavery. Journalist. Suffragist. Activist. Co-Founder of the NAACP. This biography is written by the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells. This is on my list for this week.
NIV Verse Mapping Bible (Leather) – Just like the girls’ Bible described earlier. Includes 350 partially completed maps and 70 blank ones. From pictures, the Bible looks gorgeous!
Now that Faith Has Come (Paperback) – This six-week study of Galatians is the latest from Beth Moore, written with her daughter, Melissa Moore. I tweeted with Melissa, and she said you do not have to have the videos to complete the study. Personally, I do better with just the book and my Bible, but there are options for different sorts of learners. They also have a PODCAST option if that is more your speed!
Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause (Hardcover) – The author, who grew up with the narrative of Lee as the “greatest man who ever lived” and Confederates as “underdogs who lost the war with honor,” shares the evolution of his thinking over time. Part memoir, part history lesson.
Verse Mapping Bible Study Journal (Hardcover) I am SUPER intrigued by this. I haven’t seen any sample pages yet, but I am assuming they will look like the blank maps in the Verse Mapping Bible. I am waiting to see some interior pictures, though, before I order one.

 

REVIEW: Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift

REVIEW: Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When she was 8 and he was 9, Adraa met Jatin for the first time. Their parents talked about the betrothal while Adraa and Jatin were talking about magic and getting to know one another. To say that first meeting didn’t go well would be an understatement.

Now, nine years later, Jatin has finished his magical schooling. He has mastered all 9 types of magic. And he loves rubbing it into Adraa’s face when he sends her periodic “love notes” with secret, sarcastic messages in them. Adraa, as a future ruler/maharani of Wickery, can’t rule unless she can master all 9 as well. She has 45 days to get a handle on the last piece of magic.

But Adraa has other priorities than magic practice. She’s been undercover on a mission sanctioned by Jatin’s father, going by the name Jaya Smoke. She can pull it off now because no one really knows she’s the next Maharani. But once she’s 18 that all changes, so she has to work fast if she is going to uncover the seedy things going on in her country.

Jatin has met “Jaya,” but he has no idea she is his betrothed, Adraa. And that’s okay because she thinks Jatin is his own friend and guard Kalyan. And while neither knows who the other is, they team up on Jaya’s undercover mission, one far more dangerous than future royalty should be tackling on their own.

Review

This was fantastic! I loved the secret identity story line even though it was obviously going to cause trouble eventually. I also loved the magic system and the world-building for this. I was completely engrossed, right from the beginning. This is exactly the sort of YA fantasy I love.

I loved Jatin and Adraa, both as individuals and as a potential couple. They are so good with and for each other!

The larger mystery that Jatin and Adraa are investigating takes awhile to develop. And in an instant it becomes  far more than it seems to be early on. I was waiting for some big shift, and got more than I bargained for. There isn’t a cliffhanger per se in this; you get to some level of resolution. But it’s really more of a breathing spot before launching into whatever book 2 will have in store. I can’t wait to read it and see what happens next for these characters. Book 2, Bound by Firelight, is currently scheduled to release in 2022.

I highly recommend this one for fans of YA fantasy!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler

REVIEW: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

River Lane’s fledgling career as a producer and director depends on getting this documentary right. But the residents of Moose Springs, Alaska, couldn’t be less cooperative. She can’t get the permits she needs to film, and the townspeople keep selling her out to local law enforcement who runs them off every time.

Easton Lockett thought he was offering to help a stranded tourist when he offered River a ride. How could he possibly know he was “ruining the shot?” But the actress-turned-director is captivating. Before he knows it, Easton is leading River and her crew on a climb of Mount Vail for their documentary.

No matter how many times Easton warns the group about the dangers of the climb, reality will catch River and her group off guard. And the challenges they face could push each of them to their limits.

Review

This was so awesome! There’s more suspense in this book with the frozen mountain climbing adventure than in the previous books in the series. But there’s also a sweet budding romance that’s delightful to watch. And  SO MUCH HUMOR! This is one of the few series labeled “romantic comedy” that actually delivers on that promise for me. This book made me laugh, out loud and often!

I think newcomers could start with this book, which is the third in the series, without much trouble. There are references to the couples from the other books, but I think readers can enjoy this without having those connections. But after reading this, I think you’ll want to read The Tourist Attraction (♥♥♥♥♥) and Mistletoe and Mr. Right (♥♥♥½).

Easton has been something of a mystery in the earlier books – the burly, silent mountain man. But now that he’s had a book of his own, I think he and his twin sister are my favorite characters in the series. I loved him with River, too. There’s a lovely lack of lying or secrets in this story, which can make for great conflict in a book, but also gets old for me. The mountain in this book makes for plenty of conflict all by itself.

This is a must-read series for me. While book 2’s characters didn’t click for me like in book 1 and this book, I still love the Moose Springs setting and the community in the whole series. And when I feel the need for a laugh, I know this series will always deliver. Be sure to check out the Moose Springs, Alaska series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.