Reviews, Etc.

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: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: My Kind of People by Lisa Duffy

BONUS REVIEW: My Kind of People by Lisa Duffy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Brian and Ann adopted Sky when she was a baby. Abandoned at the fire station. Discovered by Ann. They fell in love with her, and she was theirs from that moment until they were both killed in the car accident ten years later.

Leo and Xavier had been married about a year when they got the call about the accident. Brian and Ann’s will named Leo guardian. Leo and Xavier are trying to make this huge shift in their lives – and it’s not working.

Leo is grateful for Maggie who lives nearby and helps with Sky when he has to work. School is done for the summer, and her husband is hardly around. She’s happy to pitch in and feel useful.

Sky is struggling with the changes in her life. She likes Leo just fine but when Xavier comes for the weekends, everything gets tense and awkward. Ann’s mother wants to see Sky, but she doesn’t really know her grandmother. Why is she showing up now? Why were she and Ann estranged in the first place?

There’s someone else on the island who’s watching Sky, too. She’s looking for resolution for things in her past before it’s too late.

Review

This is a fascinating look at this neighborhood of people, negotiating significant life changes while also responding to the loss of Sky’s parents. I loved how all of the pieces came together in the end.

Sky’s story is central. I don’t know if she’s in shock or what, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of emotion over the death of her parents. Sure, things at home had been weird for the last couple years. But it felt like Sky was a new adoptee who wasn’t all that attached yet when her parents died. Instead, she has been with them her whole life. I expected a lot more expressions of grief, even if they came out sideways.  The reader sees her struggling to know where her footing is at home with Leo and his husband, and she responds to that with some acting out. But otherwise there was an emotional distance that felt off to me. If it was intentional to the story, one of the adults should have seen it and flagged it as something they should address, but I didn’t see anything like that.

The adults care for Sky well while dealing with personal, adult matters – loss, infidelity, bigotry, and family issues. I was pleased by the balance in the story. I never felt like we weren’t focusing on the right parts of the story. It was all woven together so well.

I enjoyed all of the characters. Well, Agnes was infuriating much of the time. I would have read 10 more chapters about where things go after the end of the novel. I cared about these people and their lives and the changes they were trying to make for the future. Fans of contemporary fiction with great characters as well as fans of ensemble stories should be sure to check this one out! You can read about other books by this author here.  (LGBTQ+, gaslighting)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

REVIEW: Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

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

When Mama Joy passed away, her legacy was far bigger than her knitting shop, Strong Knits, in Harlem. There were her sons – Damian, Lucas, Noah and Jesse – all adopted out of the foster care system. There was Kerry, the young woman Mama Joy mentored as she worked in the shop. Kerry had just finished her degree in art therapy. She had been working part time at the yarn shop while she waited for a full time position in her field. Then there were the neighborhood kids like Errol. Mama Joy had made a difference in so many lives.

That’s why Jesse wants to keep the shop open. Strong Knits was Mama Joy’s dream. His older brothers have their own lives. They are ready to put those memories behind them. But this shop – and their home above it – isn’t something Jesse is ready to give up. Unfortunately, Jesse’s track record for employment and general follow through isn’t great. His brothers are reluctant to keep the shop open with Jesse in charge.

But Kerry offers to help him. She can’t believe the words actually came out of her mouth. Maybe it was her long time crush on Jesse. Or her devotion to Mama Joy. Maybe it was her gratitude for all Mama Joy and the shop meant to her. Whatever it was, Kerry has now locked her future to the store and to Jesse for the time being, come what may.

Review

There’s a lot to love about a book with confident male characters who knit and feel no shame over it! This made me want to take up knitting – and I’ve tried before with disastrous results.

I got a huge kick out of the Strong brothers. Luke and Noah are my favorites of the four. Jesse grew on me over time here. I especially loved the relationship he starts building with Errol. I can’t tell right now if this is going to be a series, but if it is, I’d like to see more from that relationship in the future.

While I enjoyed the characters in this as well as the save-the-store thread of the book, I was frustrated by the pacing. At the halfway point I felt like there had been a whole like of talking and overthinking, but not nearly enough action. There was no real plan for the store at that point, and no one was really doing anything, but they talked a lot about how urgent it was to save the shop. I think I would have liked more time for the events in the last 1/3 of the book – which were an absolute delight! The end felt rushed for me. I wanted time to linger over the more satisfying parts of the book.

Fans of contemporary romance should check this out. Readers on the hunt for romance books with non-white characters should bump this one up on their reading lists, too. The Strong brothers have the potential for some excellent stories! (Language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty

REVIEW: Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Scout and her friends at the Bark Park enjoy three adventures as she solves mysteries for her friends in this series kick off for chapter book readers.

First, Scout solves the mystery of who popped her friend Maggie’s ball. Second, Scout figures out why Rocky has to wear the Cone of Shame. Finally, she helps Gus find his missing bone.

The mysteries are low stakes but feature Scout’s problem solving skills. The main dogs in Scout’s circle have distinct personalities. The periodic illustrations help readers keep track of which dog is which.

The back matter provides context or background information for each of the three mysteries.

Animal lovers and mystery lovers will get a kick out of Scout and her friends!

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: May 19, 2020

BOOK NEWS: May 19, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

There are several books releasing this week that are at the top of my May wish list. Take a look at what is releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Two Dogs on a Trike – A counting book with 10 dogs and one calculating cat.
Through the Wardrobe: How C. S. Lewis Created Narnia – Picture book biography of C. S. Lewis, specifically about him writing the Narnia books.
What About Worms!? (Early Reader) – Part of the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading series. This book, by the author of Mother Bruce (♥♥♥♥♥) and We Don’t Eat Our Classmates (♥♥♥♥♥), is about a tiger afraid of worms.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

  

Zeus the Mighty: The Maze of the Menacing Minotaur – Book 2 in the Zeus the Mighty series about Zeus the hamster and his gang of gods. This time they are tackling the labyrinth.
Who Was Harvey Milk? (LGBTQ+) – A biography of teacher, activist, and politician Harvey Milk.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – The highly anticipated – and sometimes derided – prequel to The Hunger Games. This book focuses on a young Cornelius Snow as he mentors the tribute from District 12 in the 10th Annual Hunger Games.
Bookish Boyfriends: Talk Nerdy to Me – Book 3 in one of my all time favorite YA book series, Bookish Boyfriends. The books at the center of this story are Frankenstein and Anne of Green Gables. I can not wait to see what the English teacher, Ms Gregoire, has in store for her students next! I pre-ordered this weeks ago. I might even have time to sneak in a re-read of the first two before it gets here.
Just a Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe – A new YA romance from one of the authors of the Upside Down Magic books, Sarah Mlynowski. A teen returns as a counselor to the camp of her worst summer nightmares when her boyfriend ditches her for the summer. She’s certain her summer will be a disaster, until she meets the camp sailing instructor.

Books for Adults

Beach Read (Trade Paperback) – Two very different writers sharing side-by-side beach houses and struggling with writer’s block set up a challenge to help them get out of their writing ruts. The literary writer who usually kills off his entire cast will try to write something happy. And the romance writer will try to write the Great American Novel. This week is FULL of AMAZING books for adults and this is near the top of my list for this week!
Chaos Reigning (Trade Paperback) – It’s. Finally. Here. This is book 3 in the Consortium Rebellion series. Book 1, Polaris Rising, was my favorite book of 2019. I have been waiting for this book since the minute I finished book 2, Aurora Blazing (♥♥♥♥½). I am going to try to work in a re-read of this series, too, before my pre-order arrives. This book focuses on the youngest member of the von Hasenberg family who goes undercover to a rival house’s summer retreat. This week is like my perfect release Tuesday. If only book stores were open so I could fully enjoy the day. Shout out to my indie bookstores – Kids Ink for Talk Nerdy to Me and Second Flight Books for Chaos Reigning.
The Plus One Pact (e-book May 21) – When her dating app tells a woman there are no more eligible men in her area, and she is facing a summer of plus-one activities like weddings, she connects with a guy in a similar boat and they decide to be each other’s plus one to get through the summer together. Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read this one for free at the time of this writing.
Real Men Knit (Trade Paperback) – Four brothers struggle to keep their adoptive mother’s knitting shop open. Jesse is the brother pushing the hardest to keep the store going, but he knows next to nothing about knitting. Thankfully, a shop employee is willing to help out. The crush she has on Jesse probably has nothing to do with why she volunteers. This is also at the top of my reading list for this week. I’m going to be busy! Good thing we have a long weekend coming up.
A Royal Kiss & Tell (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Royal Wedding series after The Princess Plan. When popular Lady Caroline is snubbed by a prince, she gets even by secretly planting stories about him in the ladies’ gossip papers. When the rumors start to ruin his reputation, he seeks out help to fix his image – from Lady Caroline.
Stranger Ranger (e-book) – Book 2 in the Smart Ranger series from Smartypants Romance. A reclusive loner runs into a hot shot park ranger who thinks he is up to trouble on park land.
The Enneagram of Belonging (Trade Paperback) – One of my early Enneagram resources was The Sacred Enneagram from Chris Heuertz (♥♥♥♥). The author is now releasing a second book with an emphasis on self-acceptance for all the parts of our personalities. There is also a workbook to go with this one. I’m eager to see this in person and see how it stacks up to other resources that are available. [EDIT: Sadly, some new about the author came out after this post. Readers can decide for themselves how this will impact them. You can read the article here. ]

BONUS REVIEW: The Lost Carnival by Michael Moreci

BONUS REVIEW: The Lost Carnival by Michael Moreci

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Dick Grayson is tired of his life with Haly’s Circus. It’s the same thing every day. And the crowds just keep getting smaller.

On an afternoon away with his best friend Willow, Dick meets Luciana. She’s from the Lost Carnival that has set up nearby. The circus folks are angry that the carnival is cutting into their crowds and their profits. And Luciana’s uncle, Caliban, has magic that seems like much more than illusions and cutting people in half. That is drawing crowds away, too. As tensions between the rival attractions heat up, and as Dick develops feelings for Luciana, the two teens are caught in the middle.

But when Willow falls into an unexplained coma, and her uncle, the circus magician, insists it is a spell, Dick pushes Luciana to share her secrets and save his best friend.

Review

Dick Grayson – at least the older version – is one of my favorite DC characters. (I loved the Grayson: Agents of Spyral graphic novel series.) I was eager to check out this story because it starred Dick Grayson. And I’m glad I did.

I feel like the story starts with some typical teen angst and developmental stuff. Dick is pulling away from his parents. He wants to live a life he chooses for himself – something more exciting than his current existence. (There is a foreshadowing panel about his future that was fantastic!) Then he is pushed to choose between the mysterious girl he likes and his circus “family.” And finally there’s a magical showdown and all the secrets are revealed. It was a satisfying arc. I don’t know that there were any big surprises. Frankly, I read this after Superman Smashes the Klan, and this might have suffered in the comparison because that was full of nuance and subtlety and a few surprises. This story is just more straightforward. It’s not really comparing apples to apples.

Fans of DC’s latest foray into graphic novels for kids and teens should be sure to check this one out. We get a glimpse of Dick’s life before Batman and before personal tragedy strikes, which is nice.

DC has been generous and provided some images of some of the interior pages of this book. Check them out here:

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang

REVIEW: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are on the scene when Superman takes down The Atom Man. No one seems to really notice his sickly reaction to the green crystal that powered the villain’s transformation.

Roberta’s family is moving from Chinatown to Metropolis proper. Her dad has a new job which comes with a new house, more money – and hostility from one of his colleagues. Jimmy Olsen lives nearby. On the day they move in, Roberta even gets to see Superman run across the telephone wires above the neighborhood.

Not everyone in the neighborhood is as nice as Jimmy. Roberta and her brother Tommy run into trouble with a bigot on the youth baseball team. But the racist teen is small time compared to the hate rising in Metropolis.

The Lee family is targeted by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. Time and time again they are attacked. The places important to them are in the line of fire. Thankfully Superman is always there to lend a hand.

But while Superman helps the Lees, he has problems of his own. Ever since he encountered that green crystal he’s been hearing a strange language and seeing beings no one else can see. What is happening to Metropolis’ hero?

Review

This was excellent! It’s a meaty story with a TON of things going on. Roberta and Superman tell most of the story. Between the two of them they wrestle with the obvious racism, Roberta tries to fit in with the kids in their new neighborhood, Clark remembers parts of his childhood, and then deals with his new visions. Both Roberta and Clark are dealing with identity issues and questions. I loved that Superman wasn’t just the guy swooping in to save the day – he had a character development arc, too. I definitely got my “money’s worth” out of this book. There’s so much to this story! It’s excellent.

I got to see about 60% of the artwork, and I loved it. The art style is one I enjoy, and the color was beautiful. The story was so easy to follow.

Stories about racism are hard to read – the hate, the duplicity, the name calling. But I think it’s good for readers – kids, teens, and adults – to wrestle with the issues, the language, and the hate. And to try to recognize the fear that runs underneath those other things. It’s subtle, but the feeling of desperately grasping for power and security is definitely there in the bigoted characters. There are even moments of racial tension between minorities, like when the Lee family resists interacting with some African American men who try to help them. Those more subtle pieces in the story add to the richness of the graphic novel. I feel like I could read this again and again and discover more depth each time.

I can’t recommend this highly enough. There’s great historical context in the back matter – for Superman the character as well as for racism in America and also personal stories from the author. The story is enjoyable, but readers who are willing to go deeper will find lots to think about here.

DC has graciously shared some of the interior art from this book. You can check it out here:

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel

REVIEW: The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Liya thought she was having dinner with her parents. Not her favorite activity thanks to her father’s constant disapproval. But she expressly told them she was not in the market for a husband. She wanted no part of some matchmaking dinner engineered by her parents.

Then Jay and his mom came to the door.

In her fury, Liya ended up slamming right into Jay, knocking them both to the ground, as she tried to escape. He probably thought she was rude – or crazy – but his opinion doesn’t matter. She’s not going to have to see him again.

But she does. When she should be celebrating a new promotion at work, she discovers her company is going under. They never mentioned the lawsuits or other issues during her interview. And the lawyer who’s been brought in to determine if the company can be saved? Jay.

And he’s furious that Liya ran out and was so disrespectful to his mother. He’s heard all sorts of rumors about Liya at church. She’s sassy and hard headed. Almost impossible to get along with. And she clearly wants nothing to do with him. So why does his heart race like that when he gets in verbal sparring matches with her?

Review

Tons of rich, emotional content in this contemporary enemies-to-lovers romance! Liya is a complex, complicated character. She’s fun and loyal with her friends, protective of her mother, and respectful of Jay’s mother. But at the same time she has no patience for gossipy aunties. And she’s openly hostile to the trash-talking men at her church. Her hostility is a shield, but Jay sees through some of that when he finally starts really paying attention.

Liya doesn’t make a very good first, second, or third impression with Jay. And he’s willing, after all that, to write her off. But his true character comes through when she’s too vulnerable to be hostile or protective. And that gives them a chance.

The author has a note right at the front of the book that indicates there are references to sexual assault in the book. Sensitive readers should know that going in.

Both Jay and Liya bring significant baggage into the story. And those situations are huge enough to derail the healthiest couple. There’s a lot for them to work through. And I was here for all of it. The final conflict in the story – and the subsequent wrap up – was an emotional powerhouse. My heart was racing, and I was hanging on every word. I though the ending was faithful to real life – no miracle endings. It was satisfying, although I would have happily taken an epilogue to see how things played out later. (Some language, CW: sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Voyagers: The Third Ghost

REVIEW: Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher – Dancing Lemur Press – in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This is a collection of short stories for middle grade readers. There’s a mix of genres – fantasy, science fiction, history.  As examples, there’s a story with ghosts, some with time travel, one with a character on a slave ship, and another with nature-based magic. It’s an eclectic mix so readers are likely to find a few stories that click for them no matter what genre they prefer.

I think the format of short stories can be especially helpful for developing readers. Shorter stories means a shorter time commitment. For the longest time the books my students all wanted to read were 400 page behemoths. My poor kiddos who weren’t strong readers languished for weeks trying to make some progress on those longer books. A collection of short stories might have allowed them a sense of accomplishment when they finished some of the stories. They can also be great for classroom use as a group of students could all read one story fairly quickly and move on to discussion, where reading whole novels takes longer.

“The Orchard” was probably my favorite of the stories – I liked the characters. “The Blind Ship” was good and also horribly sad. I liked that it was based on a true story and that the actual journal the character was keeping was used to fight slavery. “The Third Ghost” is the story that has stuck with me the most since I finished reading.

Rating: ♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: May 12, 2020

BOOK NEWS: May 12, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

   

It Is (Not) Perfect – Two friends try to make their sandcastle perfect. At the time of this writing, this is available to read for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Memoirs of a Tortoise (May 15) – Book 5 in this series. Oliver and his human Ike are both 80 years old and have a lot of similar interests. But when Ike stops visiting the garden, Oliver wonders why. One of the subjects of this book is death and dying, so this sounds like a more serious entry into this fun series.
Teddy Spaghetti – A boy who loves spaghetti gets teased at school.
If You Love Robots, You Could Be… (Early Reader) – The latest in a line of leveled readers about career options based on childhood interests.
Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion – Book 3 in the Questioneers chapter book series. Iggy Peck, Architect, and his friends the Questioneers, hunt for missing treasure in an old mansion. You can read about some of the picture books that launched this series here.
The Infamous Ratsos Camp Out – Book 4 in the Infamous Ratsos series. This time the boys are going camping. But their special guide tells them that good scouts never ask for help, which causes a lot of trouble.
The Unbelievable Oliver and the Sawed-in-Half Dads (LGBTQ+) – Book 2 in the Unbelievable Oliver series. This time, Oliver has been hired to do magic at a wedding. He decides to use the grooms as his helpers in the sawed-in-half trick.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Bella’s Story – Looks like this is book 8 in the Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tales series (Ellie’s Story: ♥♥♥♥♥). When Bella has to go to a foster home, she is determined to get back to her boy, Lucas.
Dragon Ops – From the author of the Camelot Code series comes this new book about a video game theme park, and three kids lucky enough to beta test it. But once there they get trapped inside by a rogue artificial intelligence dragon.
Elsa’s Hero Journal – The flip side of this is Anna’s Hero Journal. It’s one volume, but two pieces that start at the covers and meet in the middle. This guided journal includes writing prompts and gorgeous Frozen 2 artwork.
By the Book – A teen tries to use 19th century literature to create a Scoundrel Survival Guide to warn her friends off of guys who are bad news. I have this on hold already at the library. I can’t wait to read this one!
Dear Universe – A teen navigating her senior year and her father’s terminal illness encounters an unusual hospital volunteer who helps her walk the line between her two lives.
House of Dragons – “Three Dark Crowns meets The Breakfast Club with dragons.” I don’t know that I need to hear much more than that to put this one on my list!
The Princess Trials (e-book – May 14) – A desperate teen signs on for the Princess Trials, a contest to find a wife for the future king, in order to get into the castle and search for weaknesses to help the rebellion. This sounds like The Selection (♥♥♥♥♥), and I am here for it. At the time of this writing, this is available for Kindle Unlimited subscribers to read for free.
Say Yes Summer – A girl with lofty goals has spent her high school career saying no to everything but studying. And now that she has graduated, she is ready for a summer of “YES.” I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Superman Smashes the Klan – The latest graphic novel from DC Entertainment focuses on Superman in 1946 where he shows up to help a Chinese family who is being targeted by the Klan. I will be reviewing this one soon as well.

Books for Adults

A Study in Murder (e-book/Hardcover) – First in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. This will be releasing electronically this week, but the hardcover won’t release until June 9. 1890, England. When a mystery author gets news that her fiance is up to something illegal, she dumps him. When he winds up dead in her library a couple days later, she is the prime suspect. I can’t wait to read this one!
Aleph Extraction (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Galactic Cold War series after The Bayern Agenda. Misfit spies on a space heist? Yes, please. I have this series on my list.
The Bright Side of Going Dark (Trade Paperback) – One of the most popular influencers on social media chucks it all – literally, she chucks her phone off a cliff – to live life off the grid for awhile. Another young woman hacks the influencer’s idle accounts and pretends to be her in an effort to connect with her sister who is a fan and is struggling. This is currently available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. I’m eager to read this one!
A Deadly Inside Scoop (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series. A woman trying to relaunch her family’s ice cream shop with a new image gets more than she bargained for with an unexpected snow storm and a dead body.
Love in Deed (e-book) – Book 6 in the Green Valley Library series. A recluse and a nomad find an unexpected life alongside one another – and the possibility of love. I am so intrigued by these books from Smartypants Romance because of their great covers. I have several on my reading list.
Of Literature and Lattes (Trade Paperback) – A woman reluctantly returns to her hometown after a series of problems and meets a man who is looking for help to save his business. The sparks between them won’t mean anything, though, if they keep running into roadblocks.
Read or Alive (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Bookmobile Mystery series (not to be confused with the Bookmobile CAT mystery series by Laurie Cass – Book 1 is Lending a Paw – ♥♥♥♥ ). When a book scout comes to town for the Antiquarian Book Society fair and swindles locals out of rare and valuable tomes, it’s really no surprise he ends up dead. (This is a mystery after all!) But the surprise is that Cleo’s cousin Dot AND Cleo’s beau, Henry, are suspects.
A Spell for Trouble (e-book/Hardcover) – First in the new Enchanted Bay Mystery series. This is another book where the e-book will release this week, but the physical book won’t be out until June. A woman ignores her father’s warnings, forbidding her from contacting her extended family, and returns to Bellamy Bay, NC. What she finds is the family apothecary shop, rumors that her family are descended from MERMAIDS, and murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
To Kill a Mocking Girl (e-book/Hardcover) – The series debut for the Bookbinding Mystery series. This is yet another book (all from the same publisher) that will release electronically this week, but in print on June 9. A woman back in her home town at her family’s bookshop is suspected of murdering her high school nemesis – the woman engaged to her ex. So she teams up with her older brother’s detective friend and her cousin-turned-nun to find the truth. Frankly, it’s the ensemble that makes this one sound so amazing. I am eager to read this one.
The Trouble with Hating You (Trade Paperback) – A successful biochemical engineer has had enough of her family’s fix-ups. The latest, a lawyer, actually shows up at her work a week after the disastrous fix-up dinner, as he’s been hired to come in and help save her company. She realizes she might have been hasty to dismiss him early on, but both of them may have too much baggage to make a relationship work. I am eager to read this, too!
100 Days to Brave Guided Journal (Hardcover) – The latest accessory to Annie F. Downs’ popular devotional 100 Days to Brave. This guided journal walks users through excerpts, writing prompts and Bible verses. It can be used on its own or alongside the devotional.
For All Who Hunger: Searching for Communion in a Shattered World (Hardcover) – A memoir from the founding pastor of St. Lydia’s Dinner Church in Brooklyn, New York. The founding of this church sounds fascinating, and then add in the stories of how they interacted with their community in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and this will be one not to miss. (LGBTQ+)
This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers (Trade Paperback) – If God loves us, why does he allow us to hurt? This memoir/spiritual growth resource looks at suffering in the middle. What can be learned in this space, especially if it is a suffering that isn’t going to go away? I loved this description: “An antidote to our cultural idolatry of effort and ease.” This will be a timely resource!