Tag: family

REVIEW: How to Live on the Edge by Sarah Lynn Scheerger

REVIEW: How to Live on the Edge by Sarah Lynn Scheerger

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Cayenne and Saffron lost their mother 14 years ago when they were 4 and 3 respectively. Since then, they’ve lived with their Aunt Tina and her family. Cayenne is about to finish high school, but she has no plans beyond that. It’s hard to be excited about your future when you know you are going to die early like every other woman in your family.

Cayenne and her boyfriend are adrenaline junkies, train jumping and cliff diving for thrills. Cayenne especially is looking for ways to feel “alive.” In her grief, she has even imagined a personification of death who feels like she is always lurking, coming for Cayenne one of these days.

Cayenne’s mom left some videos for the sisters to watch together before Cayenne graduates as a way for them to know her and for her to communicate some things to them as they become adults. Cayenne initially wants no part of them.

But when the girls’ aunt announces she has the BRCA gene and plans to have a preventative mastectomy, Cayenne is forced to face her fears about the family “curse” and the potential fate of the women she loves most.

Review

This is a realistic look at how people might respond to the weight of cancer risk. Cayenne believes the family history means she is going to die anyway, so she takes tremendous risks like she is daring Death. Saffron’s loss has left her afraid of losing someone else. And Aunt Tina is willing to do whatever it takes to reduce her risks in order to have as many healthy years with her family as possible. All of this felt realistic, and it all wove together so well.

Cayenne is the point-of-view character, so she’s the one we get to see grow the most. And her arc is tremendously satisfying. But the videos from their mom and their aunt’s genetic risk impact both of the girls over the course of the book. While Cayenne’s story is more dramatic, I preferred Saffron’s. I connected more with her character and her ways of coping. But the whole book is really well done.

I highly recommend this one for readers who want an emotional punch in their stories as well as readers who want to explore a story with a medical risk like cancer or grief and loss issues. This is a well-crafted story with tons to think about! (References to sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ – Great!

 

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

1913
The Lyons live in the Fifth Avenue branch of the New York Public Library. Jack is the superintendent for the library, and he and Laura live in an apartment in the building with their two kids. After work each night, Jack works on his novel, and Laura manages the kids and their routines. But Laura longs for more. She’s been accepted into a journalism program at Columbia University – one that accepts women. Laura wants to write, too. If she could get a reporting job, she could help with the family’s finances so Jack would have more time to finish his book.

1993
Sadie is working on a special collection at the New York Public Library. As part of the exhibit she’s preparing, her boss wants more examples of Laura Lyons’ work or personal effects. Her feminist essays have had a resurgence of popularity lately. Sadie hasn’t told him that Laura was her grandmother. She would have – she found some great examples of her early writing that would be fun additions to the exhibit. But she also found references to some missing books from the time Laura’s family lived in the library. Until Sadie can find out what happened then, she wants to keep her connection to the Lyons to herself. Books have started to go missing from the collection Sadie is curating, and the connection to the 80 year old mystery could make a difficult situation even worse.

Review

This was an interesting split timeline story connected by family relationships and the thefts at the NYPL. Beyond that, Sadie’s story is also about family, her work, and her identity following her divorce. Laura’s story is even more involved, focusing on the role of women in the early 1900s. She goes back to school to pursue a career in a field dominated by men. She longs for meaning and a challenge outside her home, but she also feels guilt for not being available to her children all the time. She connects with women in her community who are pushing for equality, suffrage, access to contraception and health care, etc. The myriad of issues in 1913 made that section of the story more intricate, but my personal preference was for the “contemporary” story with Sadie and her family and work.

The mystery of the book thefts is well done – in both timelines – and I loved the ways they were connected. I didn’t click with the characters very much in this book, but I was captivated by this mystery. The author does a great job putting together a mystery with an historic story that also explores the lives of grandmother and granddaughter. Readers who enjoy split timeline stories should check this one out. (Some Christian examples of this type of storytelling can be seen in Rachel Hauck’s work – The Writing Desk and The Love Letter are two examples.)

(Language, sex, LGBTQ+: Bisexual and F/F relationships. TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Piece by Piece by Laura Bradford

REVIEW: Piece by Piece by Laura Bradford

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

One moment Dani is enjoying a quiet day to herself – checking things off her to do list, thinking about what her three kids are doing at the park with their dad and grandmother, getting lost in a good book. The next, she is listening to a police officer tell her her entire family is gone. The rug is pulled out from under her. Her world tilts, never to be the same again.

Hiding in her house, sleeping whole days away isn’t helping. Seeing neighborhood friends and hearing their kids playing outside is excruciating. On a whim, Dani throws some things in a bag and heads to Lydia’s home in Pennsylvania.

Lydia and Dani met as girls when Dani visited Amish country. They stayed friends and exchanged letters over the years. When Lydia hears of the tragedy, she invites Dani to visit, and creates space for her to grieve. Though Dani’s not ready to see it yet, Lydia is on her own grief journey. The two women need each other more than they know.

Review

This is a hard book to read at times. Dani’s loss is painful. It’s my worst nightmare, laid out on the page, and it is devastating. The earliest chapters where Dani is mostly on her own with her grief are written so well, which means they are emotional and can be hard to endure.

Time spent with Lydia’s family is a perfect balance to those dark early chapters. The children are a delight every time they are on the page. Lydia’s family shows a different way to grieve.

There are few answers here for the many questions that flow out of tragic loss. Dani struggles with God and with the Amish philosophy of God’s will. Her anger and her struggle are honest, and while other characters see a different way to look at loss, Dani’s questions are never dismissed. But she is encouraged to find another way through her grief than being angry and closed off. Her journey to some amount of healing was so satisfying.

If you haven’t read a Laura Bradford Amish standalone – like A Daughter’s Truth (♥♥♥♥♥) or Portrait of a Sister – you are missing out on some great stories and storytelling. All three of these books deal with loss in different ways, and I have enjoyed all of them. If you are already a fan, you are going to want to pick up Piece by Piece for sure! (TW: Grief and loss, depression)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

BONUS REVIEW: The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In the spring of 1992, Ashley is trying to endure the final days of her senior year. She’s a good student, and her parents’ hard work and success have given her opportunities she might not have had otherwise. She recognizes that being Black makes her perspective on things different from that of her while friends. But usually she tries to operate like it’s a non-factor.

Then the officers who beat Rodney King are acquitted, and her LA community explodes in anger and protest.

As her uncle’s store sits in the middle of the violence, and her cousin moves into their house for safety, and Ashley’s sister joins the demonstrations, Ashley tries to negotiate the ways the riots change her life and the way she thinks about herself, her friends, and her family.

Review

There’s a lot going on in this book. Ashley’s waiting to hear about college, she’s doing daily life with the white kids she’s grown up with. She and her family experience the same racist behavior as any other Black person in her community. Her fancy school, and her parents’ money, can’t protect them from those who only see skin color.  There’s relationship drama and prom and then rumors about one of the Black athletes at school. Ashley’s sister has eloped, which has only increased the tension between her and Ashley’s parents. The LA riots are a thread that runs through the story, but it’s one thread of many, and in some ways it seems more like a setting piece or part of the story’s context rather than a major part of the book itself.

This feels more like a cross-section of teen life than a story centered on the riots. Yes, Ashley is wrestling with her racial identity, and the wrestling is elevated by the Rodney King verdict. But there’s so much else going on. I struggled to hold onto a through line because I thought the riots were going to be that through line, and they weren’t for me. And at times, I also struggled with the timeline of passages of the book. A question might be raised, which would lead to backstory or fill-in details, but the answer for the question would come later or in the next passage. I found myself stopping and backtracking to see if I somehow missed the answer to the question. It’s a style choice that will work for some readers, but didn’t always click for me.

I think I would have gotten into the groove of this faster if my expectations were different. The materials I read leading up to starting the book left me with the impression that this would be more about the riots – something like I’m Not Dying with You Tonight – than it was. Instead, when you read this one, keep in mind that the riots are a backdrop for a more personal story about Ashley. This is really about her – her identity, her relationships, and the seismic shifts that come with graduation and with the impact of the riots on her family and community.

(Language, off-page sex, drug/alcohol/cigarette use, LGBTQ+: M/M couple, F/F flirting and kissing. TW: Abuse, suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

REVIEW: More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Every year the core class teachers at Aligheri Prep choose a senior to represent their subject in a Renaissance Man competition. And every year excited parents and bored students listen to the presentations on English, math, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, and economics. It is the kind of thing that looks good on a college application for the few who are chosen. And the winner gets $5000 and doesn’t have to take the final for their subject area. But none of that mattered to Danyal Jilani because he was not the sort of student to ever be chosen for the Renaissance Man.

Except he IS chosen. By his history teacher. Mostly out of spite.

Danyal is supposed to speak about Winston Churchill. His history teacher is a major Churchill fan. But as Danyal starts reading about Churchill and talking to his father, he finds out about Churchill’s role in the Bengal Famine. Danyal feels a responsibility to talk about that part of Churchill’s story. But Danyal’s parents say he needs to deliver the story his teacher expects so he can graduate. His crush says the same. She likes him, but her parents won’t even consider a match between them if Danyal is going to settle for squeaking through high school and becoming a chef. He needs to wow them at the Renaissance Man, go to college, and follow the expected path.

If Danyal’s going to go against his parents, his teacher, and the girl he wants to someday marry, and live to tell the tale, he has to crush his speech at the competition. And Danyal’s rarely excelled at anything non-food related in his life. But his new friend Bisma might be just the help he needs.

Review

In the beginning, Danyal felt like an underachieving screw up. He’s not driven except when it comes to cooking. He struggles at school, both academically and with motivation. He goes for the laugh in awkward moments or when he’s caught unprepared. I thought I had him all figured out.

Then he defends Bisma, a girl he barely knows, to her father. And my whole understanding of Danyal shifted.

I am a character driven reader. If I love a character, I will excuse a lot of things that might not work for me in the storytelling. If I don’t like a character, it’s hard for me to be excited about even a well-written story. In that one moment, with Bisma and her family, I fell in love with Danyal. And he only got better as the book went on. And I loved it.

There’s a lot happening in this book. There’s the Renaissance Man speech that Danyal gets roped into. He has to decide how to approach his topic, do the research, write and prepare his presentation, and then deliver it in front of a crowd. In the midst of that, he has his “dream girl,” Kaval, pushing him to be someone he’s not. His parents are looking for a marriage match for him yet at the same time his father basically tells him that he’s a loser. Cooking is Danyal’s passion and something he is good at, but few people in his life value that about him (unless he is feeding them). Then Danyal meets Bisma, whose father shames her repeatedly. Danyal is decent to her – a true friend – and in friendship she helps him with his contest preparation.

The Renaissance Man contest and one of Danyal’s friend’s deep faith raise fascinating questions about colonization, history, and sin that weave in and around the people in this story and in their relationships with one another. And I thought it was perfect. There’s so much to enjoy here – don’t miss it.

(Language, TW: Shaming over sexual behavior) NOTE: While I thoroughly enjoyed this story, some Muslim reviewers have had a different opinion of the story and raise issues with how their faith is represented. Be sure to check out their reviews as you consider this book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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

Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, is enjoying some quiet days. No murders or investigations. Sure, she’s helping her sister plan her wedding, but otherwise she is just dealing with the day to day things and enjoying her secret engagement to George Hazelton.

Then she finds out her sister needs to move the wedding up. Immediately, if you catch my drift. Thankfully, George is heading to his family’s estate. It would be the perfect place for a small wedding. Lily and Leo could be married within a week and no one would have to know why the date changed. And of course, George is gracious and compassionate and welcomes the wedding party into his plans at the estate.

But from the moment their party gets on the train, there is no shortage of trouble. Leo’s younger sisters are constantly arguing and bickering. His best friend is making eyes at Lily, and she is not doing enough to dissuade him. Leo’s brother-in-law is bitter about feeling left out of the family business, and he isn’t quiet about it. And strange accidents keep happening. When several people are injured and one person ends up dead, Frances starts to think someone might want Leo dead.

Review

I fell in love with this series when I first read A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder. And it has never disappointed me. This is the third book in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series, and it’s as strong as ever.

As much as I say I dislike historical fiction, the characters in this are what bring me back over and over. I have loved watching Frances’ growth over the last three books, finding both her confidence and true love.

The mystery in this particular book was especially twisty. I couldn’t settle on who I thought was the culprit. My choices all made sense. And were completely wrong! It was so fun to sit back and watch it all play out until the end.

Whether you love late 19th century London society stories, mysteries with a side of romance, or mysteries that leave you guessing until the end, be sure to pick up A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder. While you are at it, pick up the first two books in the series as well. I don’t think these have to be read in order, but if you like to see the evolution of the relationships in a series, you should start with book one.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Parked by Danielle Svetcov

REVIEW: Parked by Danielle Svetcov

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jeanne Ann and her mother live in Chicago where her mom works in a restaurant as a cook. The hours are long, and her boss is awful. Jeanne Ann splits her time between school and the local library. She stays there until it closes, and the staff have a rule that someone stays with her until her mom gets there to pick her up. The library is like a second home. Jeanne Ann loves Mrs. Jablonsky, the librarian. She has a reading spot, and she helps shelve the books. The librarian even gives her review copies of upcoming books so she can tell them which ones to buy.

But one day, Jeanne Ann’s mom decides to pursue her dream, so they buy a run down orange van and start driving west to San Francisco.

They find a side street with a great view and park the van near some other folks with the same idea. Jeanne Ann’s mom says they are on vacation and can relax for a few days. But when she decides to look for a job, she runs into road blocks. The former co-worker who invited her to come out to San Francisco is gone. The apartment they thought they could live in isn’t an option. So they live on the side street in their van. Across from Cal’s house.

Cal was 8 the first time he approached one of the folks parked across the street. He gave the man some food. And ever since then, he’s been hyper-aware of the people living there. He wants to help them. He wants people to SEE them. But his efforts backfire. He’s gotten into trouble at school which means trouble at home. But the arrival of a new orange van – and a girl his age – catches his attention.

Review

This was SO good! I loved Jeanne Ann and Cal. Readers in books get me every time – and Jeanne Ann is a reader. That trait – and her relationship with books – is a thread through the whole story. Cal is earnest and determined. He’s young – both kids are going into 7th grade. His intentions are great, but his execution causes some trouble. But he keeps showing up. He keeps trying to help; he keeps trying to get his mom to see HIM and see the need right in front of them.

There’s a library thread in this that is absolutely delightful! Mrs. Jablonsky is trying to find Jeanne Ann and her mom when Jeanne Ann stops coming to the library and her books are flagged overdue. The love of this team of librarians for this preteen girl warmed my heart.

The ending of this is also spectacular. I loved how everything came together in the end. This feel-good story tackles a lot of topics – homelessness, helping vs. rescuing, success and failure, fear, friendship, food, reading, neighbors. So much to love here. This would be an AMAZING read aloud at home or at school. Be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

REVIEW: 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Samir had been so excited about this internship at a major DC law firm. It was prestigious. He was one of their top candidates. And it got him away from his helicopter mom for the summer. He loved her, but after she beat cancer, she became so smothering. He needed this summer away. Then, on his first day, he found out the internship fell through.

Pinky was spending the summer on the East Coast with her cousin Dolly and their families as usual. And as usual, Dolly was the perfect child while Pinky always earned the side eye. If anything went wrong, everyone assumed it was Pinky’s fault. She was sick of being the outcast and the problem child.

When Pinky hears about Samir’s internship woes, she makes him a deal. Pretend to be her boyfriend for the summer – he’s exactly the kind of guy her parents would love – and she’d get him a new internship with her mom’s law firm.

But if they keep fighting all summer, it will be more likely they’ll kill each other than they will convince anyone they are a couple!

Review

This was a fun addition to the series, following When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something About Sweetie (♥♥♥♥½). I loved Samir. He shows Pinky that a guy can be attractive AND fun and loyal and decent. Just because he’s stable and polite, and already knows what he wants to do with his life, doesn’t mean he can’t be boyfriend material.

Pinky was harder to like. She’s defensively abrasive, something Samir calls out when he sees it. She has a big personality, naturally, but she’s learned to also use it to get attention or to rebel. Once you see where some of her behavior comes from, she’s easier to like and root for.

Samir, Pinky, and Dolly get caught up in an effort to save a butterfly habitat from developers. This adds a plot to the story beyond the fake relationship, and it also gives Pinky’s toughest relationships – with Samir and with her mother – something to interact with. I didn’t enjoy that part of the story as much as I loved the back and forth of Samir and Pinky figuring out their feelings. The relationship parts of this were especially rich.

Fans of the previous books should definitely pick this up. I don’t think these have to be read in order, though, to be enjoyed.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Lineage Most Lethal by S. C. Perkins

REVIEW: Lineage Most Lethal by S. C. Perkins

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lucy Lancaster, genealogist, is preparing the last details on her research regarding the Sutton family. Her client, Pippa Sutton, is the last descendant of the wealthy family to carry the name. She’s called all of her distant relatives out to help Lucy with her project. Now, days before New Year’s, Lucy is going to complete her final interviews, present her findings, and enjoy a “vacation” of sorts at the Hotel Sutton.

While at the hotel, a sickly man stumbles into Lucy and passes her a Mont Blanc pen and a secret message before he dies.

Lucy contacts her grandfather, a collector, about the pen, and he tells her a startling story. He knew the dead man. And the pen was a clue about a secret mission Lucy’s grandfather was part of in WWII – when he was a spy.

Lucy barely has time to take in this surprising information before other people start to die. Are the deaths around Hotel Sutton connected to the WWII mission and the pen? Or has Lucy stumbled onto two mysteries at once?

Review

This is just as exceptional as the first book in the series, Murder Once Removed. The storytelling and the mystery are fantastic. I love the characters and the intricacy of the story. I was even able to puzzle out the killer, which is always so satisfying.

Lucy’s office mates/best friends and her FBI fella are not featured as prominently in this book, which was sad. I missed them. But their involvement was logical based on the story, so I can’t complain. The book was just as strong with them in the background as the first book was when they were more central. But I have high hopes for them to have a higher involvement in book 3.

Lucy is a fantastic protagonist. She’s so smart. She really knows her stuff with genealogy, but she never makes it too stuffy or too “inside” for those who only have a passing understanding. Everything in the book is well explained, and I never feel like I don’t know what is going on. The historic pieces of this particular book are also well explained – and fascinating!

If you missed book one, it is now available in mass market paperback (my favorite format). Do not skip it! I don’t think you have to have read it to understand this one, but it is just too good for mystery fans to miss it. Cozy mystery fans should be sure this series is at the top of their TBR lists.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bea Schumacher, plus-sized fashion blogger with over 600,000 Instagram followers went viral thanks to a blog post about the most recent season of Main Squeeze, a reality dating show. Bea called out the show’s lack of diversity, especially the fact that the women were all rail thin when two-thirds of the women in the country wear a size 14 or larger. When the show’s ratings tanked, the producer was fired and his assistant, a woman, was promoted.

And the new producer, Lauren, knows exactly how she wants to improve the show. One of the cornerstones of her plan is to get Bea as their star for the spring season.

Bea is nursing a broken heart. And she’s all too aware of the cruelty of the world, especially on the internet. Putting herself center stage on Main Squeeze would open her up to scathing, hurtful and vile responses online. But this opportunity would also help build her notoriety. She knows she won’t find love, but she’s willing to go through the motions so America can see that everyone – no matter their body type – deserves a chance at love.

Review

This is a jam-packed contemporary romance with a lot to say about love, self-acceptance, and diversity. It plays out just like a reality dating show, so The Bachelor fans will feel right at home. There are great interludes with tweets and group chats and news articles that help tell the story and also serve as something of a palate cleanser between scenes from the show. Chris Evans even gets to steal the spotlight a few times! It’s delightful.

There’s so much to enjoy here. I can think of so many characters and scenes I adored. Bea’s family and the show’s trip to their home in Ohio was pivotal – and hilarious! There are many laugh-out-loud moments, and some swoon-worthy ones, too. Aside from Bea and some of her suitors, Allison, Bea’s stylist from the show was my favorite character. In the crazy reality TV world, she was a constant delight and source of support for Bea.

One of the significant threads of the book is Bea’s weight – how she feels about her body, the hoops she jumps through to live her life as a plus-sized woman, and the fact that total strangers feel entitled to comment on her body. There are some gross, rude moments in this. And some offensive ones. Sadly, there are also triggering ones. And every awful bit is true. These things are really said – often by total strangers, usually men – to women online. The author does a great job of working that reality into Bea’s experience. They don’t overshadow the larger love story, but they inform it at key moments.

I was thrilled with the ending, although I was frustrated at times with the love story as it played out on the show. The reading experience was just like watching a reality dating show on TV. I had my favorite suitors, and I didn’t like anything or anyone who made Bea’s journey to love difficult.

There’s a lot to enjoy here – romance, reality TV, social commentary on issues like body image/body confidence/weight, family, friendship, fashion, etc. There are lots of examples of diversity in the story, both in race and in sexual identity (lesbian, bisexual, asexual, gender nonconforming). I felt like the author did a good job weaving these pieces naturally into the story. They never felt forced. The real world reflected in the novel. If you enjoy reality TV and/or contemporary romance, be sure to check this one out! (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Rape threat/online harassment, verbal abuse/harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥