Tag: fame

REVIEW: Cat on the Run: Cucumber Madness by Aaron Blabey

REVIEW: Cat on the Run: Cucumber Madness by Aaron Blabey

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Princess Beautiful is still on the run from a frenzied public insisting that she tried to start a nuclear war. A new friend who understands her predicament breaks her out of jail. While she trains to survive on the run, she tells her new friend the full story of how she became known for silly videos which made it so no one now takes her seriously.

While Beautiful and her new friend are searching for answers, they stumble onto a conspiracy no one is ready for.

Review

I didn’t love the pacing of this one. It starts with a commentary on sensationalized news, then goes into a long bit about “scapegoating.” The big reveal was an unexpected surprise, but it felt like I really had to work hard to get through the rest to get there. I think this just isn’t the right fit for me.

I think kids will get a kick out of the “cucumber madness” bits here, but I am still wondering if the book’s content exceeds the experience/exposure of the target age group. Fans of book 1 will absolutely want to pick this one up. And the big reveal will drive them to book 3 when it releases. But I don’t think I will be sticking with the series.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ – Solid, fine

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Daisy is a semester away from the shift to high school and the ground beneath her feet has never felt less stable. Her parents have launched a dog poop business, trying to stay afloat after her mom was laid off. And as her parents use every spare moment to secure their own footing, Daisy has to step up at home, including helping her older brother, “Squirrel,” who has Down syndrome.

When Squirrel endures several crushing disappointments in a row, Daisy decides she’s going to help him achieve his dream – to be a YouTube celebrity. Even though her parents have forbidden him from all social media after the #EligibleBachelor incident.

Review

This was quietly amazing. I was hooked by the characters early on, but was starting to feel the stress of the impending doom. You know it’s all going to explode at some point. One minute I was braced for disaster and ready to skim ahead. The next I was wiping away tears, and reading every word. This is SO GOOD.

Like most of my favorite middle grade and older middle grade books (this one is for readers 10-14), this has an excellent teacher at the edges of the story, encouraging and cheering on his students.

If you can work around a few uses of the word “ass” in the text, this would be an excellent class read aloud – or a family/bedtime read aloud. I could also see this being a fantastic book club selection for upper elementary or middle school students.

If you love books with great characters, personal and family growth, and a triumphant ending, don’t miss Daisy’s story! (Includes some examples of online trolls/bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

REVIEW: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hannah’s work is her life which gets problematic when her mother dies and her boss forces her to take bereavement leave. And that’s complicated even more by her complicated feelings about her mother. And the fact that her boyfriend dumped her the day after the funeral.

But instead of getting a distracting new protection assignment far, far away from her ex and her grief, Hannah’s next client is two-time Sexiest Man Alive, Jack Stapleton.

Jack’s in town to help his mom go through cancer treatment. And he’s fiercely protective of her. Nothing can stress her out – like a bodyguard or talk of stalkers. So he wants Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend while she’s on duty. Whatever. How hard could that be?

Review

I have had this book on my wishlist since I first read the synopsis months ago. First, it has a fake relationship at the center – a trope that is like catnip to me. Then, the protective agent is the woman – awesome! And the plot is right up my alley as a reader.

I had high hopes for this – and it met every one. The characters are endearing (well, not Robby). The romance is sweet and cozy. And an unexpected bonus? This is HILARIOUS! I could not have asked for a more delightful reading experience.

Romance fans, fake dating fans – don’t miss this one! The minute I finished I was ready to flip back to the first page and start all over again. Another favorite for 2022.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best!

REVIEW: Freaky in Fresno by Laurie Boyle Crompton

REVIEW: Freaky in Fresno by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ricki is into classic horror movies, monster makeup and saving the Starlight drive-in theater with her crush, Jake.

Lana is an online/social media influencer with her makeup videos. She has an online competition with another influencer who calls herself Her Highness, and an online relationship with Erik who has his own prank show. Lana is preparing for a huge appearance at Digifest in LA.

The girls are cousins. Their Aunt May announces she is giving them a joint gift – a Buick Skylark convertible. She knows the girls have been growing apart, so she insists that they learn to share the car, hoping it will help their relationship.

Lana is convinced that if she drives the car onto the stage at Digifest, it will launch her to the next level of stardom. Ricki is certain Lana is being selfish and will try to keep the car for herself. So she refuses to give Lana the car so that she can drive it to the Starlight’s grand re-opening. As the girls physically fight over control of the car, they get shocked and everything around them goes crazy. When everything goes back to normal, they shake off the weirdness and head home. But the next day, each wakes up in her cousin’s body.

Review

This was so fun! It made me want to watch both of the Freaky Friday movies; it’s been ages since I have seen them. This was a fantastic homage to the movies while standing on its own with contemporary conflicts. At first, I was frustrated with both girls, and I didn’t like either one. But as the story developed and we saw more of the girls’ inner lives, I came to appreciate them both.

My favorite moments were when Ricki experienced Lana’s anxiety. She didn’t know what that heavy feeling was at first. Lana loved the feeling of freedom she had while living in Ricki’s body. This whole piece of the story was well-done.

I was fascinated that the author chose to have Ricki tell the whole story rather than tell this with dual perspectives. In some ways, Lana had a LOT more to process, and the reader is able to dig into that through Ricki’s perspective. I’m not sure there would have been as much story to tell from the other direction, unless the author wanted to address how Ricki felt watching her mother connect so much with Lana. The story really didn’t directly address that dynamic.

If you enjoyed Pretty in Punxsutawney, if you love Freaky Friday stories, or if you just like novels that explore identity, fame, mental health and anxiety, and changing perspectives, you should check this story out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

REVIEW: Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sophie is the president of the Marching Pride of Acadia Student Fundraising Committee. And this year they will be trying to raise funds to go to the Rose Parade. Sophie’s idea is to track down Acadia’s most famous resident, country singer Megan Pleasant and have her sing at a benefit concert. On Megan’s first album she sang all about how much she loved Acadia. But now that her third album is out, Megan has moved on to singing that she’s “never going back.”

As Sophie cajoles her friends into helping her track down Megan, their group also starts making space for August. Sophie babysits for August’s brother and his wife every week. But she didn’t know August existed before he arrived at the start of the summer. Apparently his brother and sister-in-law didn’t know he existed either.

Sophie and August fall into a comfortable banter, but he’s hiding things. No matter what chemistry there may be tween them, he seems determined to keep her at arm’s length. But maybe the search for Megan Pleasant will change all that.

Review

I am a sucker for a book with witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments. So Famous in a Small Town was a perfect fit for me as a reader. I’m sure my family was getting tired of my sudden barks of laughter (and they were worried when I started choking rather than do a spit take at one line). I couldn’t help it. I got such a kick out of these characters!

While the story is billed as one centered around the search for Megan Pleasant, for me it’s really about the six teens in this friend group. While they are – to varying degrees – trying to help Sophie with her fundraising idea, there’s a TON going on between the characters. And I loved all of it.

There were some great surprises in the story and some heart-tugging moments to balance out the laughter. The whole package was terrific. I loved every moment of this story. I would enjoy even more stories with this group of teens. They were a treat! I highly recommend this for fans of funny contemporary YA with great characters. (Language, drinking, innuendo, LGBTQ)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Hello Stars by Alena Pitts and Wynter Pitts

REVIEW: Hello Stars by Alena Pitts and Wynter Pitts

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

All Lena wants to do is enjoy summer break with her dog, her family and her friends. But when the chance to meet her idol, Mallory Winston, comes up, Lena can’t pass up the opportunity.

While her contest video ends up being something of a disaster, Lena wins anyway. Before she really grasps what has happened, Lena and her family are whisked off to California so Lena and Mallory Winston can star in a movie.

While Lena loves the people she works with – and the message of the film they are making – the process challenges her in ways she wasn’t expecting. And one innocent but careless decision could end up costing her everything.

Review

This is a fun story. Lena is a sweet girl trying to figure out her faith and where God fits into her daily life, choices and opportunities. Her family’s faith is strong. It’s a cornerstone of who they are. And in the middle is big sister, Lena, trying to apply the scriptures and principles her parents are trying to teach them.

First in a new series, this will be a great choice for middle to upper elementary girls (like 3rd through 6th grade, or so). The faith pieces are well integrated in the characters and the story line. The characters are likable and believable. The average-girl-meets-singing-sensation-and-makes-a-movie premise is fun, with glimpses into the process for how movies are made. Book two, Day Dreams and Movie Screens will release this fall and continues the story as Lena takes part in promotion for the movie and sees how fame may change the life she loves.

Many thanks to Zonderkidz and Handlebar for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥