Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Free Period by Ali Terese

REVIEW: Free Period by Ali Terese

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Best friends Helen and Gracie are pranksters. And their latest stunt at the end of 8th grade has pushed their principal – and their families – to the limit. For punishment, in addition to things like detention, the girls are sentenced to “care” – to find something they can accomplish for the benefit of the school.

The girls agree to join a student-run community action group at school, hoping they can skate by on their “punishment” by using things the club has already done. The leader’s next plan to crusade for period products doesn’t sound like their kind of thing. But when Helen has a bleed-through incident at school, the girls are 100% on board.

But their enthusiasm might not be enough. Both of the girls’ parents are questioning if they are a good influence on each other and if maybe the girls should go to different schools in the future. Is there any way their period project can also save their future as friends?

Review

These girls are a lot! I get why their parents question the wisdom of letting them stay friends. But once you move past their chaotic – and borderline criminal – choices, their friendship is glorious. They truly see and understand – and CELEBRATE – each other. It’s so beautiful.

The friendship between Helen and Grace isn’t the only excellent thing in this book. It’s laugh-out-loud funny. And I adored the boys who made an effort to understand the cause and be part of the campaign for period products. There are also tons of stories told by a variety of characters about the realities of being a person who menstruates.

I think there are so many ways kids will enjoy this book. There’s a lot to love for readers who like prank stories, girl-power stories, friendship stories, and campaigns for justice. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

REVIEW: Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Archie, Simon, and Effie are finally off on their annual 2-week Earls Trip when their path crosses that of an old family friend of Archie’s. The Morgans were family friends long ago, but Archie can’t say no to Sir Albert’s request for help.

The Morgan daughters – Clementine and Olive – have gone missing. Olive has run off with Clementine’s fiancé, and Clementine has gone after them. Archie feels compelled to help, and Simon and Effie insist on accompanying him, even though it throws off their annual trip.

Once the ladies are “rescued” and the cad fiancé is sent off with threats of bodily harm, the earls continue on to their getaway “castle,” Olive and Clementine in tow. As long as the ladies keep to themselves, the gentlemen can keep their much-needed escape, and no one will accuse anyone of improper behavior.

Review

This book was both enjoyable and a struggle for me. I was reading it at a time when I felt pressured to “read faster.” And this felt super long without a necessarily “driving” plot. I kept telling myself I would just skim to the end in order to finish. But every time I sat down to read, I got caught up in the conversations and the relationships of the core five characters. I couldn’t actually make myself skim anything.

So the book is great! The writing is enjoyable, and the characters are terrific. But it’s not a particularly fast paced or action packed story.  I needed to be on a beach or some other vacation setting where I felt I had all the time in the world to just let the story unfold without pressure.

If you love character-driven love stories with a found-family sort of cast, I can’t recommend this enough. I loved the three gentlemen and their relationship almost immediately. I don’t often get to enjoy stories with this sort of male friend group (Think Bromance with more gentlemanly esteem and less sass – although there’s still some sass, but appropriate for the time period. The Ted Lasso quote at the beginning also calls to mind the Diamond Dogs). And I grew to love the sisters as they reconnected across the novel. The romance is lovely – one of those “caught by surprise by love” sorts that I found satisfying. But it’s the brotherly/sisterly relationships that really shine here.

Do yourself a favor and let this one unfold on its own timetable. Enjoy the ride. While the book is long, the story is worth savoring. I will absolutely be checking out the sequel, Manic Pixie Dream Earl, in 2025! (Sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

BOOK NEWS: June 11, 2024

BOOK NEWS: June 11, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

Taylor Swift (Little People Big Dreams) – A picture book biography.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Cookie Crumbles – When best friends discover they are set to go to different high schools, one enters a bakeoff to go to a special boarding school where her friend could also attend for journalism. And when a mystery strikes the bakeoff alongside a huge storm, she might have her chance at a big story. This looks great!
Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic (Graphic Novel) – When Jupiter fails to get accepted into any of the Seven Schools of Magic, she gets a special invitation to attend anyway, but finds it harder than she expected. While doubting her abilities to make it at the Seven Schools, someone tries to attack them and Jupiter has a chance to show her stuff. This sounds great, too!
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman (Older Middle Grade) – When his mom goes missing for longer than usual, Hank has to reach out to the stranger listed as their emergency contact – for his sake and for his little sister’s. But asking for help, while the right thing to do, has unexpected consequences. I enjoy stories like this, so this one is on my list for June.
You Are Not Alone: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What’s True – An edition of Get Out of Your Head for kids.
Icon and Inferno – Book 2 in the Stars and Smoke series for teens. A global pop star and a young secret agent team up again for a new mission. I have book 1 on my TBR, so I need to catch up on this series, soon!
The Shadows Between Us – If you haven’t already read The Shadows Between Us (it’s AMAZING), now’s the time to pick it up with these gorgeous sprayed edges. And then you will be ready when the companion book, The Darkness Within Us, releases in July.
The Wilderness of Girls – When Rhi is placed in foster care and starts working at a wilderness preserve, she discovers four feral girls who say they are lost princesses from another land. Could that be true, or are the victims of something much darker? Fascinating!

 

Books for Adults

Bigtime Series, Vol 2 (e-book) – Collects books 3-5 of the Bigtime series by Jennifer Estep into one volume.
Books and Broadswords (e-book) – Collects “Books and Broadswords” as well as “Rocks and Rapiers,” two fantasy stories by Jessie Mihalik, previously available online. I adored both, so of course I have already pre-ordered this collection.
Curvy Girl Summer (Trade Paperback) – Tired of her family’s insinuations that her big personality and/or her body are what is keeping her from finding a man, Aaliyah creates a fake boyfriend who loves her curves. Now, she just has to find such a man before a big family gathering where they are going to want to meet this “boyfriend.” Yes, please!
Natural Born Outlaws (e-book) – First in a new series by my friend Gini Koch, writing as A. E. Stanton. After watching her husband gunned down by people they thought were their friends, outlaw Belle Stark and her friends are looking for paybacks. I’m looking forward to picking this one up!
Not in Love (Hardcover) – A biotech engineer starts a steamy, secret relationship with the man trying to buy out her employer.
Rogue Sequence (Hardcover) – An incarcerated super soldier is given a chance at freedom if he will help the powers that be capture one of his former team members.
The Rom-commers (Hardcover) – An amateur screenwriter gets the chance to work on a romcom with her screenwriting idol, except he turns out to be a jerk who doesn’t believe in love and is only writing the script (which is horrible) as a means to an end. My husband and I have both enjoyed Katherine Center’s last couple books, and I’m looking forward to reading this one!
The Stars Too Fondly (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – Four young adults exploring a space ship tied to the missing crew of the Providence find themselves on a space adventure.

 

REVIEW: They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt

REVIEW: They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

No Sam! keeps a diary of his life – starting with his days with a “naked monkey thing” named Mike and continuing to his days at the shelter after he ran away from Mike. But now he lives with a new naked monkey thing named Justin and his parents. Maybe if he does a good job with this new placement he’ll never have to go back to Mike!

Review

No Sam! is a hoot of an illustrated story from the author of The Day the Crayons Quit. It’s a comedy of errors as Sam tries to protect his new family from threats like pirates (garbage men), a Ghost Wolf (his own reflection in glass), and a wizard (Justin’s new friend.) A super cute story with a happy ending. Kids are going to love Sam!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

REVIEW: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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

Anna and Liam used to be married – in college, and in name only. Just to qualify for married student housing. She was friends with Liam’s brother, Jake, who came up with the plan that helped both Anna and Liam out of a jam. When they graduated, they divorced and went their separate ways.

Except there was no divorce. Because Liam being married triggered a family inheritance. And he needed to stay married for 5 years to keep it. So what Anna thought were divorce papers instead was an agreement to stay married until the 5 years were up. But 4 months before that deadline, Liam is forced to attend a family event. And his “wife” has to come with him.

Liam is desperate enough to pay Anna a lot of money for her time. And playing along with his wealthy, dysfunctional family is worth what Liam’s money will do for Anna and her family. But the stakes for keeping their secret are higher than almost anyone understands.

Review

Wow! This was SO good! I’ve been surviving a 2-month reading slump with re-read after re-read. But this felt like running into an old friend. I zoomed through it in two days, staying up past my bedtime on  a weeknight just to know how it was all going to wrap up.

This was the second book in a row that I read with toxic parents, and it’s not a trend I want to maintain. Those story threads are stressful! But the creation and execution of this particular toxic family is stunningly “good.” Wow!

There are fascinating interpersonal dynamics through the book. And the authors call it all out – the toxicity, the narcissism, the gaslighting, the “brokenness.” But there are also these fantastic moments between Anna and many of the book’s characters. And that’s because Anna is such a fantastic character. I loved her – her sass, her no f’s to give, her focus on caring for her father, her groundedness. She really sees people, and in the Weston family that’s unheard of, at least in positive ways.

While Anna brings a fantastic relationship dynamic to the whole destination wedding, it’s her relationship with Liam that really shows off who she is. I adored Anna and Liam together! I was so grateful for the extended epilogue to see what happens to these characters. The whole story is supremely satisfying! If you love fake relationships stories like I do, you won’t want to miss this one. And if you are a long-time Christina Lauren fan like I am, I’m sure you already have this on your TBR. Bump it to the top of the pile, friends, because you won’t regret picking this one up! If you haven’t tried a Christian Lauren story yet, I highly recommend starting here – this was excellent! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: June 4, 2024

BOOK NEWS: June 4, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast – A crocodile who ferries animals across the river has to miss breakfast and then his passengers start to look yummy. This sounds hilarious!
Gorgeously Me! – A celebration of self from Jonathan Van Ness.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Roswell Johnson Saves the World! – First in a new series by Chris Colfer. A boy named for Roswell, New Mexico is abducted by aliens and discovers Earth is in danger.
They Call Me No Sam! – A misunderstood dog tries to save his family.
The Breakup Artists – Best friends run a business breaking up bad relationships for their peers.
Storm: Dawn of a Goddess – An origin story from Tiffany D. Jackson.
Wish You Weren’t Here (LGBTQ+) – Lifelong rivals find themselves in a cabin together at summer camp.

Books for Adults

Birding with Benefits (Trade Paperback) – An almost-empty nester agrees to pose as the girlfriend for a birder who needs a partner for a birdwatching contest. I love the uniqueness of the context for this story!
Cole and Laila Are Just Friends (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Bethany Turner. Best friends toy with the idea of becoming something more when they spend a week in New York while he decides if he’s going to leave their small town after a life-changing betrayal and she wonders if she wants to live across the country from her best friend.
Dead Tired (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Expectant Detectives series. Alice and her mom-friends participate in an eco-protest as an effort to get some rest from their infants, but in the morning one of the other protesters is dead. I’m looking forward to digging into this one!
Isabel and the Rogue (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Luna Sisters series. Two covert agents wonder if love is even possible for them when their work puts them at odds.
Lady Eve’s Last Con (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – A small-time con woman meets her match when her plans to take down the man who broke her sister’s heart catch the attention of the man’s irresistible sister.
Leather & Lark (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. A contract killer and an indie singer/songwriter team up in a fake marriage so he can track a killer for her and she can secure him freedom for a life he hates.
Love Signals (June 6, e-book) – A woman trying to beat her rotten ex on a work project gets pulled off the project to mentor some Hollywood A-lister for a new role.
Match Me If You Can (Trade Paperback) – A woman playing matchmaker to secure a new job finds her own maybe-happily ever after in jeopardy.
My Royal Showmance (e-book) – A woman working on a royalty dating reality show becomes a contestant.
Nice Work Nora November (Trade Paperback) – A woman brought back from an accident that made her clinically dead works through a reverse bucket list of things she wants to do with her new lease on life.
Pardon My Frenchie (Trade Paperback) – Ashanti’s doggie daycare is in jeopardy when a social media favorite poodle – and Duchess’s best doggie-friend – is taken out by Puddin’s owner’s grandson who doesn’t like dogs. So Ashanti – and Duchess – need to make nice. This could be fun!
Summer Romance (Trade Paperback) – A professional organizer with a personal life that’s a mess toys with the idea of a summer fling.
Unwedding (Hardcover) – Ellery thought it was unsettling enough to be taking her 20th anniversary trip to the Resort at Broken Point alone, but that’s nothing to how unsettled she feels after finding a dead body.
We Could Be Heroes (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – An actor in a superhero movie starts an unexpected friendship with a bookseller/part-time drag queen while each wonders if their friendship could become something more.
The Wren in the Holly Library – First in a new series. In a post-war world where monsters are real, a thief sneaks into the Holly Library and finding a monster with a proposition.

REVIEW: The Unlucky Kid by Bob Holt

REVIEW: The Unlucky Kid by Bob Holt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Quin is a normal kid who runs into a bit of bad luck with a flock of hungry seagulls, a rogue wave, a poorly designed plan to remove a loose tooth, and a fishing day.

This is a three-chapter graphic novel with a lot of slapstick antics I think some kids will get a kick out of. As an adult reading this, the three stories felt repetitive. And the “holy (whatever) ” that Quin exclaimed whenever something unlucky happened (9x in the whole book) got old pretty quickly.  That said, I have never been the sort of person who enjoys watching personal disasters like what Quin experiences – I don’t watch those sorts of shows, and I scroll past those sorts of videos online. So I’m not exactly the audience for this. For the right readers, this will be a hoot.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Solid, fine

REVIEW: Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Emily Allen has stepped away from her life in Martha’s Vineyard to work at the Last Chapter bookshop in Ireland and be an assistant to a writer in residence.  Siobhan Riordan – Emily’s favorite author. This has the potential to be a dream come true for Emily. Except for Kiernan Murphy – bookstore owner, all-around jerk who wants nothing to do with Emily, and Siobhan’s son.

For some reason, Kiernan seems determined to send Emily back to America asap. But she’s just as determined to stay. Siobhan’s books accompanied her through many difficult years. She wants to return the favor by helping Siobhan with her writer’s block. Being an ocean away from her toxic mother is just an added perk.

As Em becomes a bigger part of the Last Chapter family and Siobhan starts writing again, Kier thaws towards her – and then things between them heat up. But a secret has the potential to tear down everything Emily has found in Finn Hollow – everything she’s ever wanted.

Review

This was so good! I completely fell in love with the main character and the bookshop staff. What a delight to spend time with all of them!

The main story beats were pretty obvious going in, but I can’t complain that this was “predictable” because the execution was terrific. I loved Emily’s journey toward redefining herself in this new place without the burden of her mother. (BTW, her mother was deplorable – the absolute worst.) Siobhan was fantastic – both as a writer but also as a mentor. Kier and Em together were great, but it was the larger story of Emily’s journey that really clicked for me.

Romance fans, McKinlay fans, Summer Reading fans (these two books are loosely connected), and book/writing story fans should absolutely pick this up. And be sure to have tissues handly for the last quarter. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: May 28, 2024

BOOK NEWS: May 28, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Braided – Book 4 in the Sisters Ever After series. Cinna is so happy to have her sister Rapunzel home after she was kidnapped, but Rapunzel is not what Cinna expected – and danger still lurks. This sounds great! You can read my review of book one in the series here. I can’t believe I missed the rest of this series. The set up is super clever, and I love “fractured fairy tales.”
Flawless Girls – Two sisters are sent to a finishing school. One comes home after a day, but the other stays and comes home acting like a completely different person. And then she disappears.
Twelfth Knight – Vi starts to fall for the jock who makes her crazy when they become friends in an online game. The only problem is that she’s pretending to be someone else in the game. This sounds fantastic!

Books for Adults

Dreadful (Trade Paperback) – An evil dark lord loses his memory and has to play along with the role while he waits to get his memory back.
The Fireborne Blade (Hardcover) – A female knight goes on a quest to take the Fireborne Blade from its dragon keeper. Look at that cover!!
Summer Fridays (Trade Paperback) – Two people build an online and offline relationship as they spend time together while trying to determine if their significant others are cheating on them.

REVIEW: Have You Seen an Elephant? by Elina Ellis

REVIEW: Have You Seen an Elephant? by Elina Ellis

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A young explorer who loves elephants heads out on an expedition to find one. But while she finds all sorts of other animals, she keeps missing the elephants. Along the way, she shares the elephant facts from her journal with the other animals (and the reader).

Review

Great elephant facts delivered in a fun way in this clever story! This was terrific, and I hope it’s only the beginning of Alex’s adventures. The artwork is fantastic, and I think kids will love it. This might work best as a lap book as kids are going to want to track all of the elephant sightings that Alex is missing.

The book includes instructions for young readers to make their own animal journals as well as information on the endangered species status of both the African and Asian elephants. I think this would work well for a classroom or library program where kids could also make an animal journal like Alex’s.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.