Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard edited by Chip Carter

REVIEW: Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard edited by Chip Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

This gift book/reference book includes quotes from one of Star Trek’s most well-known and well-loved captains, Jean-Luc Picard, both from The Next Generation TV series and movies as well as from the new Picard series. There are also photos of the character throughout the book.

The quotes are separated into five sections – philosophy and humanity, history and science, literature and the arts, exploration and adventure, and finally politics, leadership and diplomacy.

In my review copy, all of the quotes included the name of the episode where they came from. Only some of them included the name of the show and the season number as well. I assume that the printed versions include this information for every quote. There is no context given for the quote, other than the episode name, but sometimes the quote is given as part of the conversation it was part of.

I think this will be a fun resource for Star Trek and Picard fans. Some readers are going to recognize the quotes immediately. Others will recognize the episode titles and be able to fill in the context on their own. Still others will use the episode citations to go back and revisit the moments for a refresher.

I was sad that there was no indexing or cross referencing for the quotes. I would have liked a way to see which quotes came from which seasons or maybe which ones were said to or about a specific character or alien race. As it is, this is a fun stroll down memory lane for Star Trek fans. I’m not sure newcomers will get as much out of this except maybe as a prompt to watch a specific episode to find out more about a particular quote. But with only a few words or a few lines, I’m not sure it would be enough to draw novices in.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

REVIEW: Goodbye, Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

REVIEW: Goodbye, Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Mr. Terupt’s favorite students are back for another year of middle school. Their summer is full of camp and festivals and babysitting Mr. Terupt’s daughter, Hope. But when their 8th grade year starts, Mr. Terupt is teaching 7th grade science. All the kids are disappointed to not have him as their teacher for another year.

But when the school announces a one hour advising block every two weeks, the “Babysitters Gang” is thrilled to find out their advisor is Mr. Terupt. The kids are looking forward to the projects Mr. Terupt comes up with for them, like the time capsule, before they move on to high school.

In the midst of their season of change at school, the kids are also dealing with personal issues:

  • Peter is maturing, getting in less trouble, and doing well in school and wrestling. But he’s also watching his friends struggle, not aware that his own crisis is coming.
  • Jessica’s dad is moving back to town, hoping to reconnect with his family. But will he stick it out this time?
  • Anna misses the quality time she used to have with her mom before she got engaged to Danielle’s older brother.
  • Jeffrey is determined to make varsity wrestling as an 8th grader, in a lower weight class, no matter what it takes.
  • Lexie wonders if she carries the breast cancer gene now that her mom is in remission, so she steals a test to find out.
  • Luke is trying to excel in his advanced courses, which includes spending a lot of time with Danielle on the farm for a project.
  • Danielle is adjusting to the logistics of an insulin pump and wondering about her new feelings for Luke.

But the kids don’t know Mr. Terupt has his own changes on the horizon – and those changes will impact them most of all.

Review

What a perfect send off for this delightful series! Oh, how I cried. It’s been years since I spent time with these characters, but I felt like I was with old friends. They are older, wrestling with more mature life moments. But they are still sweet and loyal and compassionate. Wonderful friends. And they are soaking up time with the teacher who loves them and has drawn out the best in them over the years. (I wrote a post about my favorite teachers in children’s literature, and Mr. Terupt is on the list. You can read that post here.) And aside from some coaching, literally and figuratively, he gives them the space to step into their own opportunities to care for others and make a difference.

The focus of the book is relationships – the relationships between the kids, including some dating relationships (hand holding, a couple kisses), as well as the kids with their families, and ultimately their relationship with Mr. Terupt and his family. Through the lens of relationships, the book addresses communication, warning signs of trouble, service, friendship, and loyalty. There’s also a faith component for some of the characters that is lovely and feels genuine. With the dating and relationship pieces and some of the other material these 8th graders face, this might appeal more to the older end of the middle grade age range, even pushing up to “Older Middle Grade” readers between 10 and 14.

Fans of the series will NOT want to miss this final installment. Mr. Terupt even gets a point-of-view chapter in this book! If you are a parent or teacher planning to read this aloud, bring your tissues. I cried often. This is a beautiful story! If this series is new to you, be sure to grab all of the books – Because of Mr. Terupt (♥♥♥♥♥), Mr. Terupt Falls Again (♥♥♥♥♥), and Saving Mr. Terupt (♥♥♥♥♥) – and read them in order so you can enjoy the evolution of the relationships and watch the impact of this great teacher on his beloved students. You can read my reviews of the author’s other series, The Perfect Score, here. (TW: Eating disorders, cancer remission)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½* = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: December 8, 2020

BOOK NEWS: December 8, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? AND Who Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg? (Board Books) – A new format from the folks who publish Who Was nonfiction books for older kids.
Little Blue Truck’s Valentine – When Little Blue Truck delivers Valentine’s cards, he wonders if he will get any.
The ABCs of Black History – Alphabet book of Black History.
Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us – Based on the true story of an 11-year-old girl who writes a thank you note to her mail carrier.
Interrupting Cow and the Chicken Crossing the Road – Interrupting Cow meets a famous chicken.
Space Traveler, Sally Brown – Sally looks for help writing her report on a famous astronaut.
Wonders of America: Yosemite – A leveled reader about Yosemite National Park.
Lola’s Super Club – When villains kidnap Lola’s parents, including her super secret agent father, Lola becomes Super-Lola.   

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Arkhamaniacs – Young Bruce Wayne wants to know why the Arkham apartment building (owned by Wayne Enterprises) seems to be so fun.
Donut Dreams: Ready, Set, Bake – Book 5 in the Donut Dreams series. Lindsay is feeling jealous when there’s a new bakery in town. The owner’s daughter is in her class, and she’s everything Lindsay wishes she was.
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Seasons 7, Volume 1 Screen Comix – A comic retelling of the beginning of Season 7 of The Clone Wars.
Exploring the White House – Includes photos, fun facts and quotes about the folks who work and live at the White House.
Trailblazers: Martin Luther King Jr. – A biography of MLK, Jr.
Escaping Eleven – When the Earth became uninhabitable, humanity moved underground. In Compound 11, the lower the floor you live on, the worse the living conditions. Eve lives on Eleven which means she is a fighter. But she’s ready to leave Eleven, and her fighting skills might help her finally escape.
A Universe of Wishes – A collection of #OwnVoices ya fantasy stories from some of the biggest names in young adult literature.

Books for Adult

The Butterfly Effect (Trade Paperback) – An anti-social entomologist finds herself in a series of awkward situations when she leaves her research project – in the middle of her dissertation – to go home for a family health emergency.
The Daydream Cabin (Trade Paperback) – A public school teacher plans to spend her summer working as a substitute counselor for three troubled girls at a cabin for “wayward” teens while she deals with her own burdens.
A Deadly Edition (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Amy and Richard find a body during a party, and their friend Kurt is the prime suspect for the murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Grounds for Murder (Hardcover) – First in a new Coffee Lovers Mystery series. When Lana’s best barista leaves for another job right before the big barista competition, Lana understandably loses her temper. But when Fabrizio is later found dead, Lana is the prime suspect.
Hidden Treasure (Hardcover) – Book 13 in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series. When the elderly former owner of Josie and Ty’s new house insists that she left an old trunk behind, Josie finds it along with a jewel-encrusted box and a cat sculpture. But when Josie goes to return the box, Maudie has vanished. And there’s a dead body in her apartment. This sounds fascinating!
The Queen’s Triumph (e-book) – Book 3 in the Rogue Queen series by Jessie Mihalik, author of the excellent Consortium Rebellion series. Samara is going head to head against her sworn enemy, and her friends refuse to let her face him alone. I have book one in this series, and I can’t wait to dive into it.
Sit, Stay, Slay (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Dog Club Mystery series after Paw and Order, which I loved. When Lilly’s best friend is accused of murdering her old high school rival, Lilly is determined to find the real killer.
Star Trek Deep Space 9: Too Long a Sacrifice (Graphic Novel) – A space noir graphic novel starring Odo, the chief of security for Deep Space 9. A murder on the station leads to a fractured peace while Odo tries to track a killer.
Forged by Reading: The Power of a Literate Life (Professional Book, paperback) – A new professional development book for teachers from Kylene Beers and Robert Probst exploring the value of independent reading in the growth of students as citizens of the world.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2020

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Spiritual Growth Resources from 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

I made a concerted effort this year to work through spiritual growth resources I had already on my TBR shelves. I even set aside 12 – one per month – to prioritize. You can see the stack below. I finished 7 and DNF’d (“Did Not Finish”) an 8th. I also ADDED several books to the pile as the year went on. I actually found this system – of setting aside enough for one per month, putting them in a place of prominence where I wouldn’t miss them – fruitful. I will probably do that again for 2021. I also started an online group with some friends where we posted resources we read. It was a nice piece of accountability with a side of book recommendations!

Three notes on my list of resources for this year.

  • Like last year, many of these are “white noise” when I think back through the year. I remember that I read them, but they didn’t all make a big impact. In some cases, that was because the book didn’t work for me. In other cases, the book worked in the moment, but after the year we have had, I struggle to remember details. There’s also the issue of the sheer volume of things I read. My brain can only hold so much content. This is why I keep the books I love, and write in them, so I can go back later and revisit the content.
  • I also took advantage of some special offers this year and watched some Bible resources through Zondervan Academic’s MasterLectures. If I could have afforded to maintain the subscription, I would have. There were a TON of excellent studies I would have liked to try. I did an overview of the Old Testament that was one of the highlights of this whole year.
  • Last year I split out Enneagram Resources and Bible Study resources. This year, that didn’t feel right for the big picture of the year.

So, here are the resources I read this year!

40 Days on Being a Two – I am about halfway through this and it has been excellent. I would like more journaling space, but I can make do with another option. Right now, the devotionals for Enneagram 2s and 3s are out. The rest will release over the course of 2021.
100 Bible Verses that Made America – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥½.
Becoming Us – I talked about this one here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
Chasing Vines – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥♥+++.
The Color of Compromise – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥♥.
Dangerous Prayers – I started this as part of an online Bible study, but the online portion was really disappointing. I ended up abandoning the study and just finished the book. The book was good, and I liked it as a prayer resource. ♥♥♥♥
Discerning the Voice of God – I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Priscilla Shirer. This is one I will revisit, much like Fervent.  ♥♥♥♥♥
Dream Big – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day – Daily devotional with two pieces per day (which I usually split over two days instead). I liked the content of this, even when I was no longer reading the source book. ♥♥♥♥
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – Good resource. Some chapters felt more pertinent than others. Would make a great group study, and I know there are videos to go with the book. ♥♥♥♥
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
The Enneagram of Discernment – Some excellent triad material here, but the writing is dense and a bit dry, so it took me forever to work through to the good stuff. Will definitely revisit, but more for specific bits rather than as a whole. ♥♥♥½
Getting to Know God’s Voice – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥.
The God of Great Reversals – My women’s Bible study was doing this in the Spring. Even before we stopped meeting in person because of the pandemic, I had given up on this. I felt the author made far too many leaps from scripture, and then stated his opinions as facts. I was NOT a fan.
How the Bible Actually Works – I LOVED this resource. 10-15 years ago, this book would have scared me. I was uncomfortable closely examining the Bible’s contradictions. I didn’t want to lose all faith in the Bible. But every time this book, and its author, would dig into a conflict or a contradiction or a hard question, it affirmed the value of both the Bible and the work of pressing into the hard bits. I have several of the author’s books on my pile for 2021, and I’m looking forward to them! ♥♥♥♥½
Jesus Feminist – I wanted to love this but it didn’t click for me. Maybe it was answering questions I just wasn’t asking this year. ♥♥♥
Love Letter from Prison – A few years ago I completed a study on Colossians called Enough by these same ladies, and I adored it! I love how they put together a Bible study. I have one more from them on John’s letters. ♥♥♥♥
Pastrix – In recent months I have come to a new level of appreciation for Nadia Bolz-Weber. She pulls no punches and lays her thoughts and feelings out for all to see, take them or leave them. This year especially I needed that level of frank honesty. This was the perfect season to read this book. ♥♥♥♥
Ready to Rise – You can read my full review here. I rated this one ♥♥♥♥.
Remember God – This reads like a novel, and I didn’t want to put it down. I could hear the author’s voice as I read – her personality really shines through the writing. I would happily read anything she writes. ♥♥♥♥
Surprise the World – A quick read that felt like it was asking a lot, even if we weren’t in a pandemic. A lot of the challenges in the book are difficult to consider in 2020. But some good food for thought. ♥♥♥½
Unclobber – I picked this up based on a Twitter recommendation and a conversation with a friend. This is part memoir and part Bible study, and I flew through it. Engaging and though-provoking. ♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: The Boomerang Effect by Gordon Jack

REVIEW: The Boomerang Effect by Gordon Jack

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lawrence Barry is one screw up away from expulsion. An appeal from his guidance counselor and a scathing letter from his lawyer father are the only things that kept it from happening already. So Lawrence agrees to an act of community service to cement his “commitment” to getting clean and staying out of trouble – mentoring an exchange student.

Spencer Knudsen is a freshman from Norway who seems destined for bullying and humiliation. He’s too smart, dresses too formally, and has awkward social skills. Lawrence is determined to help Spencer survive high school.

But Lawrence finds himself in a pile of trouble during Homecoming, including being framed for things that could send him to military school. And – surprise, surprise – Spencer may turn out to be exactly the friend, and the help, Lawrence needs.

Review

This was fun! I liked Lawrence, even though he had a habit of wanting to fix everyone to be what he thought they should be. The sobriety part of his story was unexpected, but I liked it. I also enjoyed Spencer and Eddie and Audrey. There’s a quirkiness to the cast here that was delightful!

Lawrence has a lot going on – his partying and sobriety, his relationship with his parents, figuring out his identity at school if he’s not going to party anymore, his “fixing” tendencies, and also being framed for all the trouble at school. There’s a nice balance here between Lawrence’s story and the school story. And I liked both parts equally.

Be sure to check this one out if you enjoy light mysteries (like who is framing Lawrence at school), friendship stories (like the relationship between Lawrence and Spencer), or school stories (like this one centered around Homecoming activities). There’s a lot here to enjoy! (Language, drug use and drinking, recovery)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BONUS REVIEW: A Lady Compromised by Darcie Wilde

BONUS REVIEW: A Lady Compromised by Darcie Wilde

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Rosalind is off to stay with the Winterbourne family for a month to help her friend – and the Duke of Casselmaine/Devon Winterbourne’s cousin – Louisa with her wedding. But before she leaves London, Rosalind receives a letter from one of Louisa’s friends hoping Rosalind might help her with a delicate matter. Rosalind’s specialty.

Helen Corbyn is still mourning the death of her older brother. He was to fight a duel – with Helen’s fiancé. She was going to interfere, with her fiancé’s encouragement. He didn’t want to fight her brother. But when she got to the site, her brother was already dead. The inquiry blamed it on poachers, but Helen never believed that. And a small part of her is afraid her fiancé is responsible. She wants Rosalind to find the truth.

At the same time, Rosalind’s days at Cassel House will give her and Devon the opportunity to see if their one-time understanding could once again blossom into a match and a future together.

But Devon doesn’t know all the secrets Rosalind has been holding. If they are to have any sort of future, she will need to tell him the whole truth – and see if, once he’s heard it all, he still wants her in his life.

Review

This is book 4 in the excellent Rosalind Thorne Mystery series after A Useful Woman (♥♥♥♥♥), A Purely Private Matter (♥♥♥♥♥), and also And Dangerous to Know (♥♥♥♥). I love this series, and I love the main characters – Rosalind, Alice, and Adam.

This was dizzying in its complexity! The one question of the cause of Colonel Corbyn’s death was exceedingly twisty. His death occurred months ago. There’s no consensus on the nature of his wounds, and the body has already been buried. There are several people who know what the duel was about, but none of them are talking. There are inheritance rules and gossip and rivalries at play. And Rosalind is not in London, so she is at a disadvantage with these families and their histories.

On top of that, there’s Rosalind’s relationship with Devon, his projects in his community, and his prickly mother. And then Rosalind is separated from the people she loves in London and the regular routine of her life there.

All of this makes for a busy story. I’m afraid if I tried to read this a few chapters at a time, I might not have been able to keep hold of all the threads. There is almost too much going on in this one. I’d recommend reading this when you have time to devote to large chunks so you can keep the whole plot in mind.

I enjoyed this journey with Rosalind, although the case left me feeling more scattered than earlier books. I also missed Alice as a more central character. But the epilogue here sets up a future story where Alice and Rosalind will have to work together again. And I am here for that story!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½=Good+

REVIEW: Notorious by Minerva Spencer

REVIEW: Notorious by Minerva Spencer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Secretly, Drusilla Clare has been in love with her best friend’s step-brother, Gabriel Marlington, for years. He makes her pulse race – and her temper flare. He goads her, and before she knows it, they are bickering. She never expects him to end up challenged to a dual over her honor.

When Drusilla’s aunt fell sick at the party, Gabriel became the responsible chaperone for Drusilla and his step-sister Eva. When he went looking for the women after an absence, he found Drusilla alone with the foul Lord Visel. And he was NOT acting like a gentleman. Things only went down hill from there.

In the end, though, the only way to salvage the situation for Drusilla – besides the duel – was for Gabriel to marry her. But each of them bring burdens and expectations to this new marriage. Assumptions and Lord Visel piled on top could derail their relationship before it even has a chance.

Review

This is the first book in a new Rebels of the Ton series. (Book 2, Outrageous, is scheduled to release in the summer of 2021.)

This starts primarily with Eva, Drusilla, and Gabriel. The villain is more of an annoyance than a true threat until after Drusilla and Gabriel become engaged. I expected a bigger, larger story to start the novel, and then for that larger story to carry all the way through the book. The larger story eventually comes, but in the second half of the book.

I struggled to feel connected to the characters and the story early on. I didn’t have a good feel for Drusilla or Gabriel. And in some ways that made sense for the story. They had serious trust and communication issues. And as they slowly worked through those, I got a better sense of both of them. But that meant for the first 1/3 or so, I wondered why there wasn’t “more.” I loved Eva, but she shifted into the background (probably in part because of the set up for book 2), which left me with Gabriel, who I didn’t really like, especially early on, and Drusilla. It took longer than in some other books for me to get a good feel for them.

By the second half of the book things clicked into place. The larger story took center stage, and Drusilla and Gabriel started to thaw towards one another. And at that point I was engaged in seeing what would happen in the end.

If you enjoy historical romance with brooding heroes and an antagonists-to-lovers story line (They are never really “enemies.”), be sure to check this one out. There’s a nice teaser in the end for the next book! (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/Fine/Solid

 

BONUS REVIEW: The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein

BONUS REVIEW: The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an 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

Once upon a time, a ruthless pirate entrusted his treasure to his cabin boy. He forgot he killed the boy’s father; the boy had no loyalty to the pirate. The cabin boy hid the treasure and left a trail for his descendants to follow to find it.

Riverview Middle School is a shabby, derelict building whose best days were long ago. The district will likely sell the building off at the end of the year rather than invest what it would cost to bring it up to snuff. At least, that is what a certain land developer and his cohort are counting on.

Jake McQuade attends Riverview. Jake is cool and popular. And he’s at school to hang out with his friends. He figures if he needs to know something, he can just look it up on his phone rather than put a lot of effort into learning things. He’s the poster child for apathy and slothfulness.

For example, one night when his mom is working late, she tells Jake he’s responsible for making sure he and his younger sister have dinner. Rather than cooking something from the fridge – too much work – he and his sister take a bus to the hotel where his mom works. She’s working a big banquet where there’s always extra food, cooked by someone else. While Jake waits, he eats a small jar of jelly beans from the hotel’s green room.

Jake has no idea that those were no ordinary jelly beans. They were a science experiment! By the end of the night, Jake is spouting random facts and speaking foreign languages. But he doesn’t know why.

When word starts getting out about Jake’s intelligence, everyone wants Jake for something. The scientist who made the jelly beans wants to study him. His crush at school wants him to join the quiz bowl team. His best friend wants him to use his brain to make money. And the FBI wants his help solving cases. All Jake wants, though, is to go back to his normal self and his old life.

Review

This was so fun! Jake’s a great kid – both the apathetic version and the brilliant one. I loved his friends and his relationship with them and with his family.

The villains were exactly right for the audience of the book. And I enjoyed the three distinct pieces of the story – the jelly beans and Jake’s intelligence, the missing treasure, and the school pieces (quiz bowl, the principal, etc.). Everything fit together like a perfect puzzle, well-balanced and well-paced. The short chapters added to the sense of adventure and urgency of the story. This would be a fun class read-aloud because of the story, but those short chapters would be an advantage for teachers as well when kids ask for “one more chapter.”

This is another fun, captivating story from the author of the Lemoncello Library books and many others, Chris Grabenstein. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: The Rembrandt Conspiracy by Deron Hicks

REVIEW: The Rembrandt Conspiracy by Deron Hicks

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

An iced mocha and 42 steps.

Those were the things that convinced Art that something was wrong and the National Portrait Gallery was going to be robbed. Art had grown up around and in art museums. His dad worked at the Portrait Gallery. And after a week of watching, Art knew something was up. But his hunch was going to be hard to prove.

Art remembered another robbery – one from before he was born. The Gardner Museum. The thieves had explicit inside information. Major pieces of art were stolen – and never seen again. This could be something similar. And it would be devastating – to the art world and to Art’s dad and his co-workers at the Gallery.

So Art and his best friend Camille team up to track down the would-be thieves.

Review

Another fun art-based mystery in the Lost Art Mystery series after The Van Gogh Deception.

Art is brilliant, and Camille is clever and bold, making them a good team to work together and try to thwart a heist. Their parents are appropriately involved and typical parents. There’s an interesting epilogue to this one. I am curious to see where it leads for a third book.

Once again, the use of QR codes that take readers to pictures of the art being discussed is brilliant. My QR reader didn’t care for the ARC on my tablet, but when it worked, it was great. I think this feature will be perfect in print versions of the book.

The mystery here – with ties to an actual real-life heist – was twisty and engaging. Mystery fans and art lovers should be sure to check this series out.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

BOOK NEWS: December 1, 2020

BOOK NEWS: December 1, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Looking forward to some great new releases in DECEMBER! (How is tomorrow already December? ) Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

The Square Root of Possible – A picture book based on a song from the Netflix movie Jingle Jangle.
Star Wars Mandalorian: A Clan of Two – A picture book summary of season one highlights.
Star Wars Mandalorian: Allies & Enemies – This leveled reader includes a look at the heroes and villains for The Mandalorian.
Cat Kid Comic Club (Graphic Novel) – Book 1 in a new series by Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants, Dog Man). Li’l Petey and friends talk about creating comics and characters.
Itty Bitty Princess Kitty: The Un-Fairy – Book 6 in the series. Itty helps a new friend figure out where she belongs.
Pixie Tricks: Sprite’s Secret – First in a new series from Scholastic BRANCHES. When Violet finds a portal to the fairy world in her backyard, she and her new friend, Sprite, team up when a fairy’s fun gets out of control.
Sparkleton: The Mini Mistake – Book 3 in the Sparkleton series. Sparkleton accidentally shrinks himself and his friends right before the town talent show.
Unicorn Diaries: The Goblin Princess – Book 4 in the Unicorn Diaries series. Bo grants a bored princess her wish to fly, but trouble ensues.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Goodbye, Mr. Terupt – Book 4 in the delightful Mr. Terupt series. The seven kids from the series are back with Mr. Terupt again when he serves as their 8th grade advisor. The kids come up with bucket list projects to make this final year together memorable. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Hilo Box set – A collection of the first story arc of this delightful graphic novel series. Includes books 1-6.
Jingle Jangle: The Invention of Jeronicus Jangle (Novelization) – A middle grade novel based on the Jingle Jangle movie on Netflix.
Max & the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins – Book 2 in the outstanding Max and the Midknights series. (I’ll be reviewing book one in December – I loved it!) Max and her friends attend knight school. I can’t wait to read this one!
Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy (Older Middle Grade) – Book 1 in the Chronicles of Never After from the author of the Descendants series. When Filomena is approached by a character from her favorite book series, she is drawn into a world of fairies and an evil enchantress.
Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem: The Final Gambit – The third and final book in the series. It’s 1884 and the Peppers and the Lees have survived their latest adventures, and they are feeling a little disillusioned about the world around them that would try to silence them and cover up what they have discovered. But when they discover a plot tied to the 1884 presidential election, they are off to Washington DC to do the right thing one more time.
The Rembrandt Conspiracy – Book 2 in the Lost Art Mysteries series after the fantastic The Van Gogh Deception. Art and Camille team up again, this time to thwart a heist at the National Portrait Gallery. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Smartest Kid in the Universe – The latest from Chris Grabenstein. When a kid eats jelly beans from a bowl at a conference, he accidentally ingests untested information pills. Jake becomes the smartest kid in the universe, but then everyone wants a piece of him. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
American Girl: My First Cookbook Collection – A collection of American Girl cookbooks including Baking, Cooking, and Parties.
Brick x Brick: How to Build Amazing Things with 100-ish Bricks or Fewer – From the host of the YouTube series Brick x Brick. Includes build instructions, trivia, and mini challenges.
Who Was Confucius? AND Who Was Duke Ellington? – New middle grade biographies.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Admission – From the author of Hope and Other Punchlines. When her B-list celebrity mother is arrested in a college admissions bribery scandal, Chloe is left to wonder why her parents thought they had to cheat to get her into school and how she might have been complicit in the scandal.
The Cousins – The latest from teen thriller master Karen McManus. When three cousins are invited to work at an island resort by their reclusive grandmother – the one who disinherited their parents before the teens were even born – their families see this as a way to get back into their grandmother’s good graces. But the more time the teens spend at the resort, the clearer it becomes that there was an ulterior motive to bringing them to the island. And the family’s secrets won’t be secret for long. This is at the top of my list for this week!
Day One – Book 2 in the Day Zero duology. Stepsisters Jinx and MacKenna must work together in a time of unprecedented political upheaval, thanks in part to members of their own family, in order to rescue their younger brother from the Opposition. This series sounds fascinating!
Heiress Apparently – When a young actress heads to Beijing for a role in M Butterfly, she discovers secrets her parents have been keeping from her her whole life.
The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre (LGBTQ+) – Every time Melody falls for someone during a theater production, it always ends in disaster. So to protect the school production of Les Mis, Melody swears off relationships. But then she meets Odile.
New Year’s Kiss – When reserved Tess has to stay at her grandmother’s resort between Christmas and New Year’s, she decides to create a bucket list of activities to get her out of her comfort zone.
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person – The author shares race-related anecdotes from his time in a largely white high school about statements and experiences that he ignored at the time, but he would now handle differently. Consider this a conversation starter for race-related growth and action.

Books for Adults

A Big Fat Greek Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series. When a groom-to-be is found dead and her sister is accused of his murder, Athena starts digging into the mystery.
The Bookworm’s Guide to Faking It (e-book) – Book 2 in the Bookworm’s Guide series. A woman agrees to be a pro baseball player’s date to his sister’s wedding. But while he doesn’t seem to remember what happened at senior prom when he broke her heart, she can’t seem to forget it.
Bridgerton: The Duke and I (Netflix Edition, Trade Paperback) – The first book in the Bridgerton series, with a new cover based on the Netflix series. I don’t usually post about re-releases, but fans of the show might be interested in picking up the source material.
Christmas Corpse (e-book, December 3) – First in a new Christmas Cozy Mystery series. When Holly skids into a snow bank, she is rescued by a woman named Mrs. Claus and taken to Candy Cane Hollow to recover. But when Mrs. Claus is accused of murder, Holly hopes to repay her kindness by clearing the woman’s name. This sounds cute!
Coffee Corner (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Amish Marketplace series. Micah and his grandfather are regulars at Bethany’s coffee and donut stand. But when they miss a Saturday, she starts to worry about them. When she hears tragedy has struck, she wonders how to help Micah in his time of need. This series looks delightful.
Courting Can Be Killer (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series after Matchmaking Can Be Murder. This time, Millie and Lois are investigating when a young man is killed after being told he cannot marry the young woman he loves. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Courting Misfortune (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Joplin Chronicles series from Bethany House Publishers. A new Pinkerton operative is charged with finding the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss. But a handsome pastor puts her undercover identity and her mission at risk.
Death at a Country Mansion (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Daisy Thorne Mystery series. A stylist becomes an amateur detective when her best friend’s mother – an opera star – is killed and a famous painting goes missing.
Finished Off in Fondant (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Courtney Archer Mystery series. Courtney is thrilled to be co-hosting the new season of  The American Baking Battle. But when a murderer strikes, Courtney starts investigating.
Firefly: Watch How I Soar (Graphic Novel) – An original Firefly graphic novel starring Wash as he realizes he is about to die.
Heather and Homicide (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Highland Bookshop Mystery series. A true crime writer asking nosy questions is murdered after faking her death to observe Janet’s reaction to finding her “dead body.” When her real death includes a valuable book from Janet’s shop, the police what to know what the connection is between Janet, the book, and the dead woman.
How to Catch a Queen (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Runaway Royals series by the fantastic Alyssa Cole.  When a conflicted royal couple hits a rough patch, both in their marriage, and in their kingdom, the queen goes on the run, and the king must figure out how to get her back while also leading his people into the future. This is a spin off of the author’s *delightful* Reluctant Royals series, and I can’t wait to read it.
How to Fail at Flirting (Trade Paperback) – When Professor Naya Turner’s job is in jeopardy, her friends convince her that she needs a night on the town. An unexpected connection leaves her wondering if she wants to stick with the safe life she knows or if she wants to stay with the person who inspires her to live a little.
The Kensington Kidnap (e-book, December 2) – First in the new Epiphany Bloom Mystery series. A woman with barely enough money to feed herself and her three-legged cat is mistaken for a missing persons expert and charged with finding the missing son of two celebrities. I pre-ordered this one and can’t wait to dig into it.
Murder at Veronica’s Diner (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Ferrara Family Mystery series. When their waitress at the local diner is killed during the breakfast rush, there are plenty of suspects for the Ferrara family to investigate. This series sounds so terrific! I have book one, Murder on Memory Lake, on my TBR shelves.
Murder Is a Must (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the First Edition Library Mystery series. Hayley recruits her somewhat difficult former boss to help her prepare the First Edition Library for an exhibition. The woman is later found dead, and Hayley has to wonder if the murder had something to do with a valuable mystery that is supposed to be in the First Edition collection. I have book one of this series on my library wish list.
Murder on a Midnight Clear (e-book) – Book 6 in the High Society Lady Detective series. Olive gets drawn into a new mystery when she attends an “old fashioned English Christmas” and the butler goes missing. This whole series sounds terrific!
Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Woman of WWII Mystery series. Poppy’s job as a script writer sends her to investigate the Air Transport Auxiliary to write a 15 minute film about the “Attagirls,” a group of civilian women who have been trained to pilot planes to military airfields all over Great Britain. When some of the Attagirls start dying off, Poppy believe these “accidents” are the work of a killer.
Premeditated Mortar (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series. A series of problems at her latest work site – an old asylum being converted into a small luxury hotel – including murder, leads Shannon to start investigating.
Second Chance on Cypress Lane (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Holly Grove Island series. After a scandal wrecks her career, Dakota returns home only to find herself working for the man who broke her heart.
Suspects and Sorting (e-book) – Book 3 in the Good, Clean Cozy Mystery series starring roommates (Aurora) Sparks and Joy. This time, Joy’s uncle is murdered, and Joy is at the top of the suspect list, so Aurora goes looking for the real killer. I picked up the first book in this series because I was tickled by the names of the characters.
Ten Things I Hate About the Duke (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Difficult Dukes series. A new spin on Taming of the Shrew. When Cassandra’s habit for plain speaking and trouble with a duke threatens not only her own future but that of her sister and her whole family, she will probably have to marry the man.
This Time Next Year (Trade Paperback) – Two babies born just after midnight in London on January 1, 1990. Quinn’s family was given the cash prize while Minnie’s birthdays from that moment on were a series of unlucky breaks. Running into each other at a New Year’s party on their 30th birthday, it seems obvious that Quinn has continued to enjoy all the luck while Minnie is on the verge of losing everything. But if their lives and their trajectories are so different, why do the two keep bumping into each other? I am intrigued by this one!
Trusting Skylar (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Silverstone series about ex military operatives running a tow business as a front for clandestine work. When Bull rescues the lovely kindergarten teacher stranded at the side of the road, the attraction is immediate. But Skylar can’t get past what Bull really does for a living, even when she faces her own threats where his work could literally save her life. I am intrigued by this one, too.
The Way You Hold Me (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Pure Talent series. Skye encounters her ex when they are doing crisis management for a couple whose high-profile marriage is imploding. But Skye represents the A-list actress while Garrett represents her high-powered director husband. When Skye and Garrett rekindle their personal relationship, it could put both of them in professional jeopardy.
When a Rogue Meets His Match (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Greycourt series. After years working as the Duke of Windemere’s fixer, Gideon is ready to strike out on his own. But first, the Duke wants his help with one final task. In exchange, Gideon can marry Messalina Greycourt. But the lady is not interested in a marriage of convenience.
A Whisker of Doubt (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. When tensions flare between wealthy homeowners and animal activists over a feral cat colony that Maddie is overseeing, the tensions lead to murder.
Wine Tastings Are Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the fantastic Poppy McAllister Mystery series. This time Poppy and Aunt Ginny are hosting a wine and cheese tasting for a tour group at their B&B. One of the tour group guests is later killed on a winery tour, and Poppy starts to look for clues to the culprit. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Write Christmas (Trade Paperback) – In this twist on A Christmas Carol, a grieving young woman decides to sell her late-father’s greeting card business. But when she signs the sales papers, the whole world changes to one without Christmas.
Art of Star Wars Mandalorian, Season One (Hardcover) – A coffee table book of art from the first season of The Mandalorian.
Big Kibble: The Hidden Dangers of the Pet Food Industry and How to Do Better by Our Dogs (Hardcover) – An inside look at the pet food industry.
The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism (Study Guide) – A workbook to go with the video study of The Color of Compromise. You can read my full review of the original book here.
Marvel Myths and Legends: The Epic Origins of Thor, the Eternals, Black Panther, and the Marvel Universe (Hardcover) – A beautifully illustrated book outlining the origins of Marvel’s characters.
Strange Planet: Existence Chronicle (Hardcover Guided Journal) – A Strange Planet guided journal.