Tag: Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The kingdom of Kadala is suffering. A deadly fever has taken root, and the only treatment that makes any impact is Moonflower petals. Only two sections of the kingdom can grow the flower, so it’s limited, rationed, and expensive. Only the privileged can get any. And the poor are becoming desperate.

Tessa and Wes are among a rare few who are trying to help the poor. Tessa’s background as an apothecary has led her to learn that a smaller dose could be equally effective, which means more people could receive the elixir. Wes helps her steal Moonflower petals, mix the elixir, and distribute it to those in need.

But the cruel King Harristan and his brother, the brutal King’s Justice enforcer, Prince Corrick, are clamping down on “smugglers.” When Wes disappears, Tessa fears the worst – that Corrick has killed him and made an example of him. And that fear makes her reckless. But when she sneaks into the palace, she discovers things aren’t exactly as she expected.

Review

Brigid Kemmerer is a master of writing compelling characters. I have adored her previous books like Letters to the Lost, More Than We Can Tell, Call It What You Want, and her Elementals series. And this book is no exception. I really enjoyed the characters in this one. They were what kept me flipping pages. I wanted to know what happened to them.

But at the same time that I was turning page after page in search of the full story of these characters, I was also wondering what exactly the goals were to the story. I need my books to have a goal – a villain to fight, a quest to complete, a mystery to solve. Other kinds of books are fine, but these are the sorts that most appeal to me. But for the early part of this book, as the character pieces are being developed, I wasn’t clear on the goal. I knew Tessa wanted answers and revenge for Wes. I knew Corrick was trying to protect his brother and their kingdom. But it wasn’t until closer to the end that an external villain/problem became clear.

While I was content to keep reading to see what happened to the characters, and eventually was caught up in who was lying and sneaking and causing trouble, that “quest” of the book took too long to develop for me. I might pick up a sequel to see what happens with Tessa and the rest. But this sense of not really knowing where things were going is hanging over this one for me. If that sense is still there when book two releases, I might not pick it up. While this was good, it wasn’t as great as some of the other Kemmerer novels I have loved in the past. (Violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Rob is a social outcast at school – and in the community. His dad was caught embezzling. He lost people’s entire life savings. He tried to commit suicide, but survived. He’s in no state for a trial – or even a conversation or eye contact. And Rob and his mom have to take care of him. Even after he cost them so much. People at school even whisper (loudly) that Rob probably knew what his dad was doing all along.

Maegan is something of an outcast, too, although at least her best friend has stayed by her side. Maegan cheated on the SAT. The whole cohort at her school had their scores thrown out. The dark looks and “cheater” reputation is easier to take than her parents’ disappointment. Although now that Maegan’s sister is home mid-semester from college, pregnant, the focus has shifted off of Maegan for awhile.

Rob and Maegan are thrown together for a school project. The weight of their loneliness and the secrets each of them carry push them together in a way that never would have happened a year or two ago. But it’s nice to have someone to share that weight after all this time.

Review

After each book I say, “Brigid Kemmerer is a must-buy author for me.” And once again, that is absolutely true!

This is an amazing character-driven story, my favorite kind of book. I loved each of these characters – even when I wasn’t sure I liked one of them. The complexity – of their situations, their emotions and their choices – was stunning. I am  in awe of how the author put all of those pieces together in a quickly-moving story. It never felt weighed down by the complexity. But it was absolutely compelling. I didn’t mean to read this in one sitting, but I couldn’t help myself.

I have come to love stories with multiple point-of-view characters. And I can’t think of how this story would have even worked if Maegan and Rob couldn’t have told their own pieces of it. They had too many burdens, secrets and conflicting emotions to not tell their own stories.

While there’s a TON of character work in this, there’s an intricate plot, too. Maegan is trying to support her sister while carrying her secrets and wondering if she should. Rob looks at his old life, his former friends, and the people around him in new ways after the corruption and tragedy in his family. And he makes some questionable-to-bad choices as he tries to figure things out almost entirely on his own. And then there’s the matter of finding in each other someone who gets the feelings of shame and isolation, the weight of secrets, and the cutting remarks of outsiders who think they know the truth.

It’s all SO good!
Do not miss this one!

(Language, LGBTQ, Trigger Warning: Suicide Attempt)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2019

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Last summer was something of a summer reading “FAIL” for me even though I read 69 books. I only read 2 of the six family challenge books I was assigned (I finally read a third later in the year). So this year, we are simplifying yet again for the Family Challenge. Here are some of the things I plan to read this summer.

Family Reading Challenge

We decided that this summer each of us will read the entire Harry Potter series again. It has been ages since we have read the whole thing, although my teen and I have re-read single books here and there. I might even read a couple of them from the illustrated versions we bought but haven’t enjoyed yet.

In addition to Harry, we are only picking one challenge book for each of the other people in the family. I gave both my husband and my teen a stack of books to choose from. If we were doing 2 or 3 books, I would have picked myself but I didn’t have “that one” book I wanted either to read. I have challenged my teen to read Powerless and my husband to read Polaris Rising. My husband and I both were thinking of Scalzi’s Lock In for the teen so he assigned that one. My teen chose #MurderTrending for both parents. And my husband chose Long Road to Mercy for me.  He’s always trying to get me to read more Baldacci!

We are also putting in “prizes” for this year, too, to see if that helps us actually finish the goal by July 31.

#Bookaday

Teachers, librarians and other book fanatics all over social media (Instagram, Twitter) choose to read a book each day of summer vacation. My #bookaday will run from June 1 to July 31, so 61 books in 61 days. And to help with that I have a Kindle full of Advance Reader Copies and my personal TBR pile for the summer.

TBR Books

My top priority for the summer is to get ahead on my review copies. These are some of the ones I am most excited to read.

 

These are some of the new books coming out in June and July that I hope to read.

 

And finally, these are some of the books I want to RE-READ this summer. I am craving a re-reading binge like no one’s business. I am hoping to get ahead on as much as I can in June so I can spend July on reading old favorites – some to get ready for sequels (Ash Princess, Kill the Queen, Lady’s Guide…) and the rest just because I love them.

Aliens Abroad
Ash Princess
It’s Not Me It’s You
Kill the Queen
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder
A List of Cages
The Names They Gave Us
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You
Polaris Rising
Prince in Disguise
The Way to the Stars

What are you planning to read this summer?

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My May TBR

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My May TBR

Posted on by Jaymie

Every month I track my reading, and I also set aside some books I want to prioritize for that month. I have a ridiculous number of books on my shelves that I bought, intending to read them, but they wait and gather dust. Then, I am trying to read more nonfiction, so I put a couple of those books on a list so I don’t forget about that goal. I have library hold requests for books coming out this summer as well as books already available if I can just find the time. Also, I have books I would love to to read again so I can lose myself in characters and stories I already know I love. And then I have the review books from publishers that have to take a priority in my reading because I am on a schedule, and I made a commitment to read them. It’s a lot to juggle, but if I set some goals, I have a fighting chance of getting to at least a few of these before the calendar flips to June.

These are the books I am prioritizing for May 2019.

Nonfiction

I am still working on my 2018 goal of learning as much as I can about the Enneagram. While I am reading a book on the topic right now, I have at least two on my TBR shelves including The Complete Enneagram. I love the work of Ally Carter, so I had to pick up her nonfiction book about writing, Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? And I have also started following Sarah Bessey on social media this year, and I like her a lot. So I picked her book, Jesus Feminist, up, too, and it is sitting in a pile, waiting for me to get to it. Maybe in May!

My TBR Shelves

Summer of a Thousand Pies is one of those books that once I read the description, I couldn’t stop thinking about it! I also picked up the new Star Wars book recently, Master and Apprentice. I hope to get to that in May. Then Alyssa Cole has a THIRD book out in her Reluctant Royals series, and I still haven’t read book 2, A Duke by Default. So it’s my goal to get that read in May.

Library Holds for May

      

I already have these three romances on hold at the library – The Flatshare (May 28), The Unhoneymooners (May 14) and Smitten by the Brit (May 28). My local library is amazing!

New in May

These four books are at the top of my list for May. I’m hoping I can pick these up or find them at the library. Mr Lemoncello’s All-Star Breakout Game is the latest in the fantastic Mr. Lemoncello series for kids. No Saving Throw is the first in a new cozy mystery series with a gaming theme. Millenneagram is a new Enneagram book, and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is the latest Christian fiction book from the author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck.

 

Review books for this summer

Finally, these are some of the ARCs I MUST get to very soon. The Scent of Murder is the first book in a new mystery series. Solving for M is a new middle grade novel that I am super excited about. Cherry Scones & Broken Bones is book two in a cherry themed mystery series after Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies, which I loved. Finally, Call It What You Want is the latest from Brigid Kemmerer, who is a must-read author for me. I’m looking forward to this stand alone YA novel.

 

What will YOU be reading in May?

REVIEW: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Harper is starting to wonder if things could get any worse. Her mother is dying. Her father got in deep with loan sharks and then disappeared. Now her brother Jake is trying to hold off the loan sharks, but they are starting to push him to do things he doesn’t want to do. Then one night, as Harper is waiting for Jake to finish a job, she sees someone kidnapping a woman. She can’t just ignore it. Even though she only has a tire iron for a weapon, and she has a bad foot, she goes after the attacker.

And she ends up in Emberfall.

Prince Rhen is cursed. Time and time again he turns into a monster, destroying his home, his people, his land. The only thing that could break the curse is love. That’s why his guard, Grey, travels to another world to find young women willing to meet a prince and take a chance on love. But on the most recent trip, he returns with an unwilling companion. Harper is desperate to get home to her family. But the magic won’t work again until the monster returns. And what are the chances for love for Rhen with a young woman who doesn’t want to be there and who only wants to get back to her life?

Review

I fell in love with Brigid Kemmerer’s work when I first read Letters to the Lost.  So between the fact that this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and the fact that she wrote it, there wasn’t a moment’s doubt that I would be reading this book! And it totally lived up to my expectations!

The parallels to the original story are clear – although no humongous library like in the movie. But to be honest, there’s not a lot of down time in the story for Harper to get in leisurely reading. There are lots of original twists that help this story stand solidly on its own. Rhen changes into the monster on a cycle. So he’s not always physically a beast. Also, a lot of the story is tied to what has happened to Emberfall while the prince has sequestered himself in the castle. I loved all of the parallels – and all of the original pieces as well.

The characters in this are fantastic. Every inch of progress in the relationships is hard-earned on both sides. The secondary characters are just as great as the main three. I loved that we got some quality interaction with Harper’s family in the book. Great stuff! I also realized that I have a thing for fantasy stories where someone from our world is pulled into a magical world. I can think of several books with that plot that I have loved and re-read over and over. This is one I will revisit, too.

The action in this was consistent all the way through to the end. And what an end! Book 2 is a year away, but we already know the characters it’s going to focus on, and the author sets up some great material to launch us in a new direction. Fantastic! I highly recommend this book, and I will certainly be reading book two, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, in 2020. [Violence]

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Emma is a coder. She’s only a junior in high school, but she’s already designed her own game and other people are playing it online. Once she gets it perfect, she will show it to her dad. As a game designer, he’ll “get” how huge this is. And his approval is everything to Emma. She won’t mention the troll who is sending hateful, harassing emails to her through the game, though. That’s just how it is for women in gaming. She has to show her dad she can handle the jerks on her own.

Rev hasn’t seen his father since he was removed from the home for abuse when he was seven. At first, he didn’t even talk to his foster family. The first day, he ran away and hid at the neighbor’s. That’s how he and Declan became best friends. Now Rev’s 18. He’s in his last year of high school. His foster parents adopted him. He has a real family now. So why does the letter from his biological father throw him into such a tailspin?

Emma and Rev are both dealing with family issues. Neither one feels like they can tell the people closest to them what they are going through. But maybe they can rely on each other.

Review

Brigid Kemmerer is the real deal! After I felt in love with Declan and Juliet’s story (Letters to the Lost) last year, I started to follow her on Twitter and I tried her fantasy series (The Elementals) and loved it. This is her latest book, and it takes place in the same world as Letters. And it is another triumph.

I feel this is a darker, edgier story than Letters. The harassment Emma experiences is no joke. And the abuse Rev and other characters have suffered is horrific. But these pieces are also compelling. I have loved Rev since he first appeared in Letters. I enjoyed learning more of his story. Overall, the horrors the characters are experiencing give other people a chance to show up for Rev and for Emma. The protectiveness some people show for these characters when they are at their most fragile reminded me of all the best moments of another 2017 favorite, A List of Cages. Both books are inspiring. Oh, that we would care for others so fiercely.

I adored this story. I didn’t want it to end. I wanted more moments with these characters after the story is resolved. More of just them and life and caring for one another. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say – Matthew. Oh, this character. I’d love to read more of his story some day.

I loved everything about this! From now on, if Brigid Kemmerer writes something, I’m reading it immediately. Check her books out – I highly recommend her work. (Language, trigger warning for abuse/harassment)

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review. I honestly adored it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2017 Favorites

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2017 Favorites

Posted on by Jaymie

I read a lot of books every year.  I like to keep track of what I read every year and see how it stacks up to years before. Here are some of my reading statistics for 2017.

2017 Stats

Through the course of 2017 I read 308 books.  There were 26 more that I started but did not finish.

Of those 308, the break down for target audience is

  • 127 adult
  • 98 middle grade
  • 63 teen/young adult
  • 10 picture books/early readers
  • 9 transitional chapter books
  • as well as 19 graphic novels for various ages

The genre breakdown (some books are counted in two categories) is

  • 77 mystery
  • 73 realistic
  • 72 fantasy
  • 35 science fiction
  • 18 romance
  • 17 non-fiction
  • 6 Christian fiction
  • 5 Christmas
  • 4 historic fiction
  • 3 memoirs/autobiographies
  • 2 dystopian
  • 3 suspense

This year most of the books I read were from the library (104). I read 59 books from my To Be Read shelves (which are overflowing), as well as 58 advanced reader copies from publishers. I also re-read 47 favorites this year.

I read more fantasy and nonfiction last year and more realistic fiction and science fiction this year. And I can see what difference not teaching has made in my reading. Last year I read a lot more picture books and early readers. This year there were more books for teens and adults.

 

2017 Favorites!!

I read a lot of books every year. I often don’t remember all the details, but I remember how they made me feel. I remember which books follow me throughout the year – how I feel when I see them in the bookstore or library or online. These are the ones I want to go back and read again. These are the ones I recommend over and over and over.

You can see my list of favorites from 2016 here. Last year I had five middle grade books, two YA books, and three books for adults (all fiction). When I went back through my list of the 300+ books I read in 2017, I came up with 50 that were candidates for the best of the year. I whittled that list down to ten – only one middle grade this time, five YA books, two adult fiction books and two nonfiction. And here they are:

10. Nothing to Prove – A fantastic non-fiction book. I hope to read it again this year and complete the Bible study that goes with it. You can read a little about this here and my full review here.

 

 

 

9. Barking Up the Wrong Tree – I loved this romance book, second in a series. I reviewed the third and final book in the series earlier this week. You can read my review of book one here. Book 2 is even better than the first! I enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters.

 

 

 

8. Draw the Circle – This is a forty day prayer journey. This is one I will go back to again and again. You can read a little about this book here. I’ll be doing a full review later in 2018.

 

 

 

7. Alien Education – This is book 15 in the Alien series by Gini Koch. This is my favorite fiction series. I included book 14 in my list last year. Book 16 releases in February. I just finished a re-read of the whole series, and I was struck again by how fun this particular book is. I know it is because so much of the story centers on the kids. I can’t wait to see what happens next!  You can read my thoughts about this book here.

 

 

 

6. The Names They Gave Us – This book stuck with me all year because there were so many times in it where I felt known and understood in the description of the main character. You can read my review here.

 

 

 

5. It’s Not Me, It’s You – This book was not at all what I expected – in all the best ways! I loved the unusual format and the terrific characters. I actually have two books by this author on my list for 2017! You can read my review here.

 

 

 

4. Greetings from Witness Protection – This has a fantastic premise and the main character is a delight. I hope there will be more books with these characters. You can read my review of this one here.

 

 

 

3. Letters to the Lost – Another fantastic book for teens and young adults. I am chomping at the bit for her new book that comes out this spring since this one was so great! You can read my review here.

 

 

 

2. Prince in Disguise – This was a late addition to my list as it came out in December. Reading it was like eating a favorite dessert. I savored each page, giggling. The writing is so smart and the characters are delightful. This is the second book I have on my list from Stephanie Kate Strohm. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

#1 – A List of Cages – Oh, this book. Whenever I see it I think about how the characters impacted me. They have followed me all year long. It’s a difficult read, but worth every tear and every tissue. You can read my review here.

 

 

 

As always, if you are looking for even more fantastic books, you can always check out my Five Star Reviews to see all of my favorites! I had a hard time choosing only 10 from all the terrific books in 2017. I have high hopes for great reading in 2018!

 

REVIEW: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

REVIEW: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Juliet is still grieving the death of her mother. And that takes the form of frequent trips to the cemetery and writing her mother letters. She leaves the letters by her mother’s headstone. Juliet wrote letters as a kid when her mom was on the road for work. She keeps up the practice as she tries to deal with her loss.

Declan mows the lawn at the cemetery. It’s his community service after getting drunk and crashing into a building. Usually he just trashes the things left around the headstones when he needs to mow. But for some reason, one day he reads a letter he finds – and he write’s the author back.

One response leads to an exchange of letters and then an exchange of emails as two hurting teens find connection through writing and transparency with one other person in the world. They each find someone who understands them. Someone they can really talk to and say all the things they are holding inside. And they also find that this relationship may give them the help and courage to address some things out loud in their real lives, too.

Review

This was a delight! I read it through in one sitting and when I was done I wanted to start all over from the beginning.

I love these characters. Juliet and Declan are so broken and so endearing. They each so badly need someone to really see them and hear them. Someone who draws out the best in them. Someone who sees past the prickliness of grief and pain.

One of the messages of the story is that there IS help available. Each of the kids has friends and teachers or mentors who want to help. They have to learn to ask for that help sometimes – or to accept it when it’s offered.

This story gave me the same feeling as A List of Cages when I was done. The subject matters wasn’t as dark in this one, but it left me with the same warm feelings from seeing teens find a community that loves them, knows them, and shows up for them. Fantastic! (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥