Reviews, Etc.

BONUS REVIEW: Broken Genius by Drew Murray

BONUS REVIEW: Broken Genius by Drew Murray

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Will Parker was one deal away from becoming the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. But a tech error – maybe from the arrogance of youth or success, or from the distraction of his next big deal – leaves a young woman dead and Will yakking into a trashcan, overwhelmed with shame and disgust. He can barely focus on the fact that at that exact same moment an earthquake is about to destroy the business deal that would have changed not only Will’s life and company, but also the world.

So Will becomes a special agent with the FBI – his penance for what he feels was an egregious and inexcusable error. And his tech expertise sends him to the middle of Indiana to work with a Special Agent from Counter Intelligence on a murder at a small comic convention.

Why would a murder at a comic convention require someone from Counter Intelligence? Or someone from Cyber? Because the dead man was found with a radioactive case in his hotel room – an empty one. And the space inside is just right to be the tech that disappeared from Japan in the wake of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The tech Will was going to buy all those years ago.

Review

This was fantastic!! I loved this twisty, suspenseful mystery/thriller. Will Parker was the key to my enjoyment of this book. He’s smart and geeky. But he’s also good at his job for the FBI (even if he’s not a great shot).

There’s TONS going on here with the murder, dangerous tech up for bid on the dark web, kidnapping, and the convention, not to mention the ties to Will’s past and his ongoing guilt about what happened. It was all excellent. The layers to this reminded me of a David Rosenfelt mystery, but this is a more active story since it’s law enforcement rather than trial work.

I read several passages of this aloud to my husband because I was enjoying the story so much. Eventually he picked up  his phone and ordered a copy of the book. I know he’s going to love this one. Mystery/thriller/suspense fans, especially those who enjoy stories with law enforcement officers, should not miss this one. It was a delight to read. I hope there will be more Will Parker books in the future. (Language, violence, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Marshmallow Malice by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Marshmallow Malice by Amanda Flower

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

Juliet and the Reverend are getting married. Bailey and Aiden – as well as Jethro the pig – are their attendants. The whole community has turned out for the event, both the Amish and the “English.” Bailey’s biggest concern is the wedding cake – a four-tier cake with marshmallow frosting and pink fondant polka-dots. Ohio temperatures in July are not friendly for the decorations.

The real wrinkle in the day, though comes from the woman who stormed in during the middle of the wedding to create a scene for Reverend Brook. But no one could have anticipated that.

It was even less expected when Bailey later found the woman dead.

What was the woman’s connection to Reverend Brook? Why did she crash his wedding and call him a “traitor?” Who was the man Bailey saw her with after the wedding? Could the Reverend have been the one to kill her?

Review

This was great. The mystery was excellent! The pacing was perfect, as was the solution. I was caught completely off guard in the end. I loved that.

The ongoing character development pieces were interesting. I was pretty frustrated with Juliet and Jethro the pig early on. That pig is a menace! And there’s an interesting wrinkle in Aiden and Bailey’s relationship in this book. Bailey shows remarkable restraint in the face of rude condescension and manipulation. There are also developments in Juliet and the Reverend’s relationship in addition to the wedding. On top of all that is the lead up to Bailey’s new TV show (which hasn’t launched yet by the end of the book). The only thing that would have made me happier with this is to get some resolution with the nasty pretzel shop owners. Maybe that is coming in a book soon.

Fans of the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series should not miss this one. The mystery is top notch, and series regulars are in top form. I am also impressed by how well the author incorporated faith pieces into this so naturally. This is not published by a Christian publisher, but the faith pieces in this are supremely well done. I have read Christian novels that haven’t done as nice of a job.

It looks like Amanda Flower has three more books releasing this year – Mums and Mayhem, the next book in her Magic Garden series, releases in August. Its release date was pushed back due to the pandemic. Dead-End Detective, a new mystery from Hallmark Publishing, releases in August as well. Finally, Courting Can Be Killer, the second book in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series releases in November. The author is even launching another new series in 2021 with the book Farm to Trouble, a Farm to Table Mystery. Flower fans have a lot to look forward to!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

REVIEW: The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The pets enjoyed their life with “Mrs. Food.” It was Butterbean the dog, Walt the Cat, Oliver the bird, and the two rats, Marco and Polo.

The animals’ routine is upended when Mrs. Food slips on a mess Butterbean left on the floor. Paramedics come and take Mrs. Food away. The animals start to panic about who will take care of them. Then a girl named Madison arrives with the building manager to be their pet sitter.

The girl means they will get fed and Butterbean will get walked. But at some point the animals will either need to get jobs or find some money to buy food and supplies.

When all of the animals pool their personal treasures, they don’t have much to work with. But Butterbean does have a coin she found in the elevator. If the animals can find the human who dropped the gold coin, maybe they can find more of them. That would keep them all in kibble and litter and newspaper until Mrs. Food comes back home.

Review

This was a hoot! The different animal characters have fantastic voices. I adored them. The premise is wacky, and it helps to have it anchored by these great personalities.

The heist is pretty intricate. The author does a great job of keeping the story within the realms of pet fantasy stories (not reality, but in keeping with some of the basic ideas for the genre) with what fantasy pets are “capable” of.

There’s a bonus mystery to this of a secret that Madison the pet sitter is keeping. It dovetails perfectly into the story and adds a layer of satisfaction to the ending of the book.

This was fantastically fun to read! It’s funny and engaging. There are no slow spots. I hope there will be more books with these characters in the future. Do NOT miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: June 2, 2020

BOOK NEWS: June 2, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy June! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

I Am Curious AND I Am Strong (Board Books) – Board book adaptations of picture book biographies by Brad Meltzer.
Best Day Ever – A high strung boy wants to have the “best day ever” before his summer break ends, but his flighty next door neighbor keeps interrupting his plans with crazy suggestions.
I’m Trying to Love Rocks – A girl who loves rocks tries to help a skeptical reader see that geology is cool. The format of this is fantastic. Other titles in the series address bees, spiders and math.
What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark? – A spin-off of the What If You Had series. In this book readers explore the superpowers of ocean animals.
Barney – Book 57 in the Puppy Place series. The kids try to re-home a boisterous puppy for an overwhelmed family.
Craftily Ever After: Best Buds Forever – Book 7 in the Craftily Ever After series. The kids learn about community activism when they try to resurrect a community garden.  This sounds fantastic!
Dragon Masters: Call of the Sound Dragon – Book 16 in the Dragon Masters series. The Dragon Masters have to stop a wizards’ battle which is destroying a nearby city.
Take a Hike! – Book 2 in the new Scholastic ACORN series Moby Shinobi and Toby Too! Moby tries to use his ninja skills on a camping trip, but Toby helps him see that teamwork is the key to a great outing.
Thea Stilton and the Race for the Gold – Book 31 in the Thea Stilton series, this one focused on the Summer Olympics.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Agatha Oddly and the Silver Serpent (Middle Grade and Older) – Book 3 in the Agatha Oddly mystery series. This time Agatha is investigating a missing employee from the National Gallery. This series looks so fun.
Brave Like That – A boy expected to follow in his father’s footsteps of greatness doesn’t think he is brave enough. But with the help of a stray dog and some new friends he might realize he is more brave than he realized.
Dactyl Hill Squad: Thunder Run – Book 3 in the Dactyl Hill Squad alternate history series. The kids try to help the Union Army when the Confederates join forces with Imperial troops in Mexico to fight for a spread of slavery. Dinosaur fans should not miss this series!
The Great Pet Heist – “Ocean’s Eleven meets The Secret Life of Pets.” What a great description! Sign me up. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Gryphon’s Lair (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Royal Guide to Monster Slaying series. Rowan is now the Royal Monster Hunter and one of her first tasks in the role is to return a baby gryphon to the wild. The journey is hard and makes Rowan wonder if she really has what it takes to be the Royal Monster Hunter for her kingdom.
I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the story. This is the second graphic novel in this series.
Klawde: Target Earth – Book 4 in the Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat series. (Book 1: ♥♥♥♥♥, Book 2 – Enemies: ♥♥♥♥) Klawde is ready to conquer earth, and all he needs to do it are an army of zombie squirrels and a ton of cash.
Once Upon a Space-Time (Graphic Novel) – From the author of the original Jedi Academy books comes this new series launch about two kids chosen to go on a research mission to Mars. This looks terrific!
Rescue Dogs: Dusty – Book 2 in the Rescue Dogs series. When Dusty is rescued from the side of the road, he is cared for at the Sterling Center where search and rescue dogs are trained. Dusty thinks he has the determination to do SAR, but his trainers are afraid he might be too small. When disaster strikes, Dusty will have a chance to prove himself.
The School for Good and Evil: One True King – The sixth and final book in the School for Good and Evil series.
Treasure Hunters: Plunder Down Under – The Treasure Hunters are on a race across Australia to find the pirate who framed their parents and got them arrested and get the proof to clear their names.
Warriors: A Shadow in Riverclan (Graphic Novel) – An original full-color graphic novel from the Warriors universe. Feathertail tries to find forgiveness – and compassion for some newcomers – after the events of the past with her clan.
Who Was Ida B. Wells? – Biography of the most famous female Black journalist of the American nineteenth century.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Again Again – The latest from the author of We Were Liars (♥♥♥♥) about a summer of love for a teen who survives a near-fatal family catastrophe.
Burn – Only the poorest people have to hire dragons to help on their farms. And that is the position where Sarah and her father find themselves. But the dragon who arrives is there for more than just the job. He carries a prophecy about assassins, dragon-worshipers, the FBI – and Sarah.
The Court of Miracles – A re-imagined Les Miserables where the French Revolution fails and nine underworld criminal guilds develop. Eponine, a member of the Thieves guild, watches over her adopted sister, Cosette, who has caught the eye of the head of the Guild of Flesh.
Jo & Laurie – A “romantic re-telling of Little Women” by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz. After the success of her first novel Jo, and her best friend and neighbor, Laurie, head to New York for inspiration for her next one. Laurie has romance on his mind, but Jo turns down his proposal to protect her independence. When he shows up later with a new girlfriend, Jo has to wonder if she has made a big mistake.
My Calamity Jane – Book 3 in the Lady Janies series. Calamity Jane is a werewolf hunter. After a hunt goes bad and she finds a suspicious bite on her arm, Jane heads to Deadwood where there’s rumor of a cure. I have this whole series on my TBR list.
A Song Below Water – Best friends negotiate junior year of high school as well as demons from the past and hidden siren powers.
Star Wars: Queen’s Peril – Companion novel to Queen’s Shadow (♥♥♥♥). This book will focus on Queen Amidala and her handmaidens when the Trade Federation attacks Naboo. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed (Graphic Novel) – On Diana’s 16th birthday, the day she expects to be finally accepted into the warrior tribe, the boundary of Themyscira is crossed by boats full of refugees. When Diana goes to help them, she is swept out to sea. I’ll be reviewing this one soon as well.
You Should See Me in a Crown (LGBTQ+) – When a young woman’s college scholarship falls through, she sees her dreams of getting out of her small town going up in smoke. Until she remembers that her high school has a scholarship for the Prom King and Queen. As her campaign for queen progresses, though, Liz realizes she is falling for her rival, the new girl in school. Which would be better – winning Prom Queen or winning the girl?

Books for Adults

Broken Genius (Hardcover) – Book 1 in the new Will Parker Thriller series. In 2011, a coding error by young revolutionary CEO Will Parker cost a college student her life. His self-directed penance was joining the FBI Cyber Division. Years later, Will is on a case at a Midwest comic convention when he discovers the case involves tech from his pre-FBI life. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
A Cottage Wedding (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Heart’s Landing series from Hallmark Publishing. A journalist is in town, charged by her boss to “de-bunk” the romantic reputation of Heart’s Landing. This could destroy the economy of the town and all the people who live there. The townspeople ask the descendant of the town’s founder to wine and dine the reporter to save their community.
Deadly Sweet Tooth (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Vintage Sweets Mystery series. Tally finally has her sweet shop on the road to success and feels she can afford to take a day off to throw an event for her parents, travelling performers. It will give her an opportunity to share her sweets with a new audience, which could be great for her shop. But a dead body at the party is not going to help much at all.
The Grim Reader (Hardcover) – Book 14 in Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile Mystery series. Brooklyn and her new husband are eager to enjoy a new book fair. Her mom is spearheading the whole event, including having her own booth for palm readings and tarot cards. But things quickly turn ugly at the quaint event – a nasty local businessman stirs up trouble, a member of the planning committee is murdered, and the proceeds from the fair go missing. (I haven’t kept up on this series, so I can’t say if the occult pieces are there for novelty or if there really is an occult component.)
Lady Rights a Wrong (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Manor Cat Mystery series. Lady Cecilia is captivated by the idea of Women’s Suffrage, but when the movement’s local leader is found dead, Cecilia trades marching for investigating.
The Lies that Bind (Hardcover) – Cecily takes the advice of a stranger in a bar and instead of calling her ex she strikes up a conversation with the stranger. Months later, after their relationship has continued to develop, she loses track of him in the aftermath of 9/11. When she sees his face on a poster of those who have gone missing, Cecily uses her investigative reporter skills to  dig into the man she loved who might have been more of a stranger to her than she thought.
Where the Road Bends (Hardcover) – Fifteen years after college graduation, four friends set off on a camping trip in the Australian Outback. Just as they are realizing how much each of them has changed since college, a storm drives the four of them into desert where each finds a guide that helps them set out on a path to find what they are looking for.
The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook: 60 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Your Oven and Mini Donut Maker (Paperback) – Simple sweet and savory donut recipes. I had NO idea there was such a thing as a “mini donut maker.” How fun!
Game Changers: The Story of Pictionary and How I Turned a Simple Idea Into the Bestselling Board Game in the World (Hardcover) – The history behind the board game Pictionary.
What If Jesus Was Serious?: A Visual Guide to the Teachings of Jesus We Love to Ignore (Trade Paperback) – A devotional with charts and doodles. This is on my list for this week.

REVIEW: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

REVIEW: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Astrid is an indentured servant – a surrogate for the Princess. When Princess Rayna is disobedient, Astrid takes the punishment. She has scars upon scars. But all of the brutality might be worthwhile because Reyna has finally gotten what Astrid has been asking for. The king has granted Astrid’s father access to the Enchanted hospital where he can get real treatment. But things don’t go the way Astrid planned.

In her despair, Astrid signs up for the Race of Oblivion. Racers’ memories are stripped away, and they are given an initial clue to a puzzle they have to solve as the race progresses. The winner of the race gets full citizenship for themselves and their entire family. Losers get extra years tacked onto their years of service – if they even survive the race.

Armed only with her name and her wits, Astrid competes against strangers who aren’t really strangers, and other desperate Outsiders longing for citizenship and the benefits that would secure a better future for them. And when her memories start to return, Astrid will discover what exactly she’s been running from.

Review

This is a solid YA fantasy with dystopian and Hunger Games-ish tones. Astrid is competing for a prize only one person can win. The contest itself is oppressive, but a chance at a different life seems better than enduring your current life with no hope for something else.

The memory loss piece adds an interesting wrinkle to the story. In fact, I got so caught up in the race and trying to figure out who was whom, I forgot that Astrid had seen/heard something important right before the race had started. But in other ways I feel like it cut into some character depth and some of the story telling. The rebellion group wasn’t a strong piece nor were Astrid’s family connections in part because of her memory wipe.

The race was suspenseful, but not as engaging as something like The Hunger Games. Maybe that was because I didn’t feel as connected to Astrid as I did to Katniss. I didn’t feel like the world building was as strong in this. I would have liked more information on the magic systems and the history of the Enchanteds vs the Outsiders.

Readers who enjoy stories with a contest to win and a dystopian society to rebel against should check this one out. (Violence, abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano

BONUS REVIEW: Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Norman was on the train because he was returning home to Chicago after presenting on his scientific research in New York.

Beatrix was on the train because she was going to Chicago to live with her Aunt Gladys after being arrested – twice – in New York at marches for Women’s Suffrage. That, along with some other issues, led her mother to advise Beatrix to get away from the city for awhile.

The thieves were on the train because they were trying to get Norman’s research as well as whatever money and trinkets they could take from the passengers. When they tried to steal Beatrix’s purse, she stood up to them. She and Norman ended up fleeing on horseback – well, Beatrix was on horseback – and reporting the thieves when they got to the next train station.

That should have been the last Norman and Beatrix saw of each other. They had growled and bickered at each other for most of their flight from the robbers. But Norman could not stop thinking about Beatrix. He took runs through her aunt’s neighborhood hoping to see her. He tracked her down at her department store job. And while his social skills generally left something to be desired, he was starting to grow on Beatrix.

Then the thieves found Norman and Beatrix in Chicago. They were not out of danger yet.

Review

This was a delight from the very first page. I adored the entire cast of characters, from Beatrix and Norman to Norman’s family and friends to the women Aunt Gladys was housing and helping. I would happily spend several more hours with these characters!

This book was hilarious! I laughed, out loud, so many times. The bickering was fantastically funny. The writing here is so sharp – not only in the humor but also in the character development and the emotional descriptions.

I loved that both Beatrix and Norman got to tell their parts of the story. That let me in on their thinking and growth as Beatrix saw working conditions for women and as Norman saw himself and his relationships honestly and clearly for the first time. Norman has a Sheldon-esque quality at first (Sheldon, from The Big Bang Theory). He’s brilliant and awkward. My favorite part of the book, aside from the laughter, was Norman’s growth over time.

This is book three of the American Heiresses series, but it’s the first one I have read. I have wanted to read these since the first book released early in 2019. They are now at the top of my TBR list, along with everything else the author has written. I don’t feel like I missed anything in reading this story first. There are some references to the characters in the other books, but this story stands well on its own.

The faith pieces in the book are light, but felt a little clunky and forced to me. The last one especially felt out of rhythm with the rest of the story. But I refuse to let anything distract me from the delightful experience of reading this novel. This is one I will immediately buy so that I have my own copy to re-read as often as I want. This was immensely enjoyable, and I highly recommend it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

January Andrews is a romance writer who believes her own stories – perfect couples, happy endings – even in the face of ugly truths. But after the hits she has taken in the last year, while her brain still wants to conjure happily-ever-afters, her heart is struggling to write any that would feel believable. Her foundations have been shaken. And she has a book due at the end of the summer.

After losing her boyfriend – and therefore her home – January has moved into the cottage on Lake Michigan that her father left her recently when he passed away. The cottage he shared with the mistress January found out about when he died. It’s an act of desperation to be sure. The cottage is a constant reminder of her father’s lies, her disillusionment, and the fact that she can’t get any answers out of a dead man.

January’s neighbor at the cottage is a grump whose friends throw loud parties late into the night. The loud music and his crappy attitude are bad enough. But then January realizes she KNOWS this guy. Augustus “Gus” Everett. Best-selling author of literary fiction and January’s college rival.

After a few days of snapish comments and bickering, the two writers let down their guard over a box of donuts and horrendous coffee. After admitting they are both struggling with their next books – and could each use a quick and lucrative sale – Gus issues the challenge. January will spend the summer writing his sort of serious, angsty literary fiction, and he’ll write something hopeful with a romantic happily-ever-after. Whoever sells their book first, wins.

Let the writing begin!

Review

This was good! More serious than I was expecting. Each of the main characters has personal baggage to deal with. And that baggage also impacts the relationship between them.

I loved the writing/storytelling pieces of this. January and Gus come at storytelling from different world views and with different personal goals. I found the differences fascinating.

The romance is an enemies-to-lovers that didn’t feel like one. I didn’t even notice that this fit that trope until I was thinking over the book as a whole once I had finished. The fact that January is the only POV character has a lot to do with that, also. The hostile feelings are more on her side than I think they ever were on his, so they weren’t truly “enemies,” really.  But the initial hostility between them fits the trope, too. The camaraderie over their writing made for a nice bit of neutral ground for the story to develop.

I wanted more from the bet/contest. It’s there as they write, as they try to expose one another to the sort of research that goes into the kind of writing they usually do and what the other has been challenged to try. But it moves to the background as January falls into the rhythm of a new story and as January and Gus’s relationship develops. I think that piece would have been stronger and more present if January and Gus had both been POV characters. We don’t get to see the contest from Gus’s perspective, which I would have enjoyed.

While the book I was expecting and the book I read didn’t line up precisely, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging story of love, personal growth, family, grief, and writing. Don’t miss it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington

REVIEW: The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Lexington was around 5 an EF5 tornado blew her into the Lexington, Nebraska zoo. An elephant named Nyah protected Lex from the storm. Her family never came to claim her leaving everyone to assume they had been killed in the devastating storm. Lex had no memory of her name or her life before the tornado. So one of the zoo employees took her in and became her guardian, raising her at the zoo. He named her Lexington after the town and the zoo.

Lex loves her life at the zoo. Roger takes great care of her. Her best friend, Fisher, lives there, too, as his dad is the zookeeper. Lex even does school at the zoo with Fisher’s mom. And best of all, Nyah is at the zoo.

Lex’s connection with Nyah is special. She communicates with Lex through a deep rumble and in images directly in Lex’s mind when she gets close enough. They had this connection that night of the storm, and it’s still there now, seven years later.

And Nyah’s message for Lex this time is urgent. The images she sees send Lex into the woods outside the zoo where she meets a ghost on a quest to find lost treasure.

Review

This unusual book – a contemporary story which takes place at a zoo but also has a ghost and elephant telepathy – was an unexpected delight!

As I first dug into the story, I read it with an eyebrow raised. Magical elephants? A ghost? It’s an odd story at first and those magical pieces were not what I was expecting.

But Lex is an endearing character. I loved her. My heart broke for her in her loss and in the harassment from other kids that sends her running for the zoo more than once. I was intrigued by the quest the ghost sends Lex on. The pacing of the treasure hunt was great.

By the end, I couldn’t read fast enough to see how the mystery would wrap up and what would happen with Lex. And I think the ending is perfect. This is intriguing, entertaining, and heart-warming – and so satisfying!

Give this to fans of elephants/elephant stories. I think readers who adored The One and Only Ivan might enjoy this. This would also be good for readers who enjoy magical elements in their books. This would make for a great book club book or a family/classroom read aloud.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: May 26, 2020

BOOK NEWS: May 26, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Memorial Day to those of you here from the US! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort – Two friends decide to each build a fort to see whose is better. This looks darling!
Piglette – A precise piglet heads to Paris to use her skills in perfume shops, but she starts to miss the comforts of home.
Smug Seagull – A seagull who likes to snatch snacks from beach goers meets his match in a grabby crab.
Wonder Woman – A new Little Golden Book about Wonder Woman.
Big Shark, Little Shark, Baby Shark (Early Reader) – The latest early reader in the Big Shark, Little Shark series where Big Shark and Little Shark discover something they can agree on – Baby Shark is too little to be fun.
Storybots: Wheels on the Road (Early Reader) – The latest Storybots early reader focuses on cars and trucks and other things that go.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Disney Frozen True Treasure (Graphic Novel) – Anna and Elsa complete a scavenger hunt that was once created by their mother in this graphic novel that takes place before the events of Frozen 2.
Flash Crossover Crisis: Supergirl’s Sacrifice – Book 2 in the Crossover Crisis sub-series of the Flash middle grade novels. The Flash and Supergirl are trying to save the multiverse after the events of Green Arrow’s Perfect Shot.
Hello from Renn Lake – A girl who has always had a special relationship with the water near her home discovers an algae bloom is hurting her beloved lake.
Camp (LGBTQ+) – A boy at a camp for queer teens reinvents himself to get the attention of his crush, but he starts to wonder if it can really be love if he isn’t being true to himself.
Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco (May 31) – A teen investigates when one of the teachers at her new school is killed. At first Holly wants to keep her detective mom from arresting the socially awkward kid who is the prime suspect. But then that kid starts investigating, too, wanting to beat Holly to the truth. This sounds fun!
The Paper Girls of Paris – When her grandmother leaves her a secret apartment in Paris that hasn’t been opened in 70 years, a teen starts digging into family secrets. This is told from the teen’s perspective as well as her grandmother’s from Nazi-occupied Paris. Sounds like a fascinating story!
Parachutes – “Parachutes” are teens who are dropped off with American host families to live and attend school while their wealthy parents stay in Asia. Claire finds herself sharing a home with Dani who is not happy to be competing with the parachutes who are buying their way into opportunities she is trying to earn. While the girls try to leave one another alone, they keep bouncing into one another’s lanes. There are hints that there might be references here to sexual assault/abuse.

Books for Adults

Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Honey Creek series. The Honey Creek mayor brings in an investigator to find her missing fiancé, but to avoid a scandal the undercover officer pretends to be an ex trying to win her back. This sound awesome!
Call for Kelp (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Seaside Café Mystery series focuses on the murder of an iconic Hollywood actress who had been in town.
Death by Auction (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Abby McCree Mystery series. Abby is helping with a bachelor action chock full of surprises, including a dead body. I haven’t read anything from this series, but this story sounds terrific.
Ghosting: A Love Story (Trade Paperback) – Two people working out of a café, ghostwriting dating profiles for rival services, unknowingly cross paths online. This sounds like a hoot!
Girls of Summer (Hardcover) – A divorcée living on Nantucket creates sparks with her handyman who is 10 years her junior. Her grown children, worried she’ll get hurt, head home for the summer to keep an eye on her – and to maybe find love for themselves. This sounds like a great story of family and a second chance at love.
Killer Chardonnay (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Colorado Wine Mystery series. On a winery’s opening day a critic shows up unannounced and then is killed.
Marshmallow Malice (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower. Juliet and the Reverend are finally getting married, and Bailey is sleuthing when an uninvited wedding guest, there to cause trouble for the Reverend, is found dead. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey (Trade Paperback) – A spy for the crown and a woman with a secret find themselves posing as a couple to protect themselves and those they hold dear while they try to uncover a murderer. This sounds twisty and terrific! I’ve requested this from the library.
Murder with Clotted Cream (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series. When a local girl who left town to become a star returns with a multimillionaire husband, everyone wants to get a glimpse. But when the woman is killed at the tea Daisy had prepared for her, Daisy is sleuthing again.
No Filter (e-book) – First in the Barks & Beans Café Mystery series. Siblings run a café where guests can pet shelter dogs, and one of them ends up with a new pet after a local is killed and his Great Dane is put up for adoption. But when the dog is kidnapped it’s clear there’s more going on. At the time of this writing, this is available for Kindle Unlimited subscribers to read for free.
Red Hot (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Red Herring Mystery series. Alex heads to South Beach for a little R&R, but gets pulled into shenanigans at her sister’s condo association elections. I’m a book behind in this series, but I am hoping to catch up soon.
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Marygene Brown Mystery series. A woman haunted by the ghost of her mother is pulled into investigating again when she discovers not one but two burnt bodies.
The Marvel Studios Story: How a Failing Comic Book Publisher Became a Hollywood Superhero (Hardcover) – A business/entrepreneurial book based on the success of Marvel Studios.

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

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

It hit her in the middle of her speech. Rachel Walls, valedictorian, looked around at her graduating class and realized most of the people in front of her probably had no idea who she was.

Rachel’s high school years were focused. Determined. Disciplined. But what did she have to show for them besides this moment as valedictorian and her admission to her dream college? She has one friend at school. She knows her classmates from their social media accounts and hallway chatter and gossip, not from real life.

When her best friend leaves for a summer music program, Rachel’s “social life” dries up. Her big weekend plans include decluttering her room. That’s where she finds her grandmother’s book A Season of Yes! It looks and smells ancient, but the underlined passages catch Rachel’s eye.

What if, instead of isolation and self-preservation, Rachel started to say yes to the opportunities in front of her?

Yes to a party.
Yes to a friend.
Yes to a dip in the pool.
Yes to a roller coaster.
Yes to flirting.
Yes to Clayton Carville.

Review

This was cute and fun. I liked Rachel and her family and friends. I thought the identity crisis was perfect – Rachel’s ready for college, there are unknowns ahead. Graduation kicks off a season of reflection. And in this case, Rachel is second guessing her choices in life so far.

It’s also not uncommon for college students to try on a new identity. That’s what Rachel does here – she tries on the identity of a person who says yes. And it’s mostly good for her. She rediscovers an old friend. She has a couple small adventures. And she gets to explore some romantic possibilities.

The downside is that in her haste to say yes and change things up, Rachel forgets about wisdom and discernment. And that leads to trouble. And as in most great young adult literature, she starts to learn from it.

I enjoyed the journey with Rachel and her friends. Fans of contemporary YA, contemporary YA romance, and fans of love triangle stories should check this one out. (Language, underage drinking)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥