Tag: five star review

REVIEW: Aliens Abroad by Gini Koch

REVIEW: Aliens Abroad by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Distant Voyager is the first manned long-range spacecraft for Earth. And it’s about to leave on its first mission. Kitty and the gang are there for a tour and Jeff’s big speech before the launch.

Unexpectedly (although, par for the course in Kitty’s life), the ship takes off early with Jeff, half of the Presidential Cabinet, Kitty, their kids, and a good portion of their extended family on board. The ship’s AI is uncooperative at best, there are signs of sabotage, and no one on board seems to be able to control their course – or change it.

Whoever is controlling things knows Kitty – the “Warrior Queen” – is a protector. If she can help a person – or a planet – in need, she will. And there are several races in dire need of rescuing. So while she might have been a reluctant participant at first, Kitty is on board for saving the day. Because if Kitty can’t help, the whole galaxy might not survive.

Review

Wow! This was so fun! First of all, this is my favorite book series for adults. So any addition to the series, any book with these characters, is going to be one I am eagerly anticipating. Second, most of the book takes place in previously unknown parts of the galaxy. There are tons of new alien species and planets and galactic politics to explore. Third, there are at least four major events in the book. Reading this felt like binge watching a favorite show or binge reading a favorite book series all in one sitting. I got through the first event and still had hundreds of pages to go! I waited for this book for a long time. The wait was completely worthwhile.

Most of my favorite characters were along for the ride on this trip, so I enjoyed the little tidbits added to their stories. Continuing one of my favorite things from Alien Education, the kids play an important role in this book. In fact, the chapters where their role is really expanded I read twice. There’s a nice balance between the expected interplay and relationships from the series and all the new characters. In fact, to me the book felt weighted toward the new characters and events which gave this a fresh feel. I feel like this book and the next (Aliens Like Us) are going to have the same “interlude” feel that Universal Alien and Alien Separation did earlier in the series. It will advance the characters and the big picture, but it will keep the series from feeling like it is following a pattern.

Kudos to Gini Koch for this fast, fun, and fresh addition to the series. It’s everything I have come to expect from her in the last 6 years since I discovered the series. Many thanks to Netgalley and the folks at DAW (Penguin/Random House) for the opportunity to review an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My personal copy will be arriving any time now so I can start a re-read right away. Goodreads shows at least 4 more books coming in the series; I have all of them on my wish list and have pre-ordered Aliens Like Us so I don’t miss a moment of the action. If you love science fiction (with a little steamy romance thrown in ), I think you should follow my lead. If this is a new series to you, start with book one, Touched by an Alien, and carve out some serious reading time. This is a series you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Ban this Book by Alan Gratz

REVIEW: Ban this Book by Alan Gratz

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Amy Anne is a quiet girl. A reader. She’s bright and articulate, but people don’t always know that. Amy Anne has a comeback and a response for everything that happens around her – from obnoxious sisters, to unfair expectations at home, to things that happen at school. But Amy Anne keeps all those thoughts on the inside.

When Amy’s favorite book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is removed from the school library by Mrs. Spencer, an overzealous parent, and an acquiescing school board, Amy Anne has a lot to say. She even prepares a speech for the school board. But when it comes time for her to speak, Amy Anne keeps her seat, keeps her speech, and keeps quiet.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Spencer isn’t done “protecting students” from the books in the library. So Amy Anne gets an idea. She’ll start her own library and run it out of her locker. And she’ll stock as many of the banned books as she can get her hands on!

Review

This is a fantastic book! I loved Amy Anne from the first page! I longed to speak up for her and rescue her, but it’s so much more satisfying to watch her find her own voice along the way.

There are three main things going on in this story. First,  this is a love letter to the power of books. Books can teach us about things we don’t know, they can entertain us, and they can help us understand ourselves and others. There’s a guest appearance by author Dav Pilkey that is terrific.

Another big piece is the free speech/censorship issue the school goes through. The author does a great job of helping Amy Anne see the “villain” as more than a book-hating monster. It’s fantastic.

Finally this is the story of Amy Anne finding her voice. Her thoughts and feelings about things around her are often right on target. But she doesn’t say them so nothing can change. The evolution of THIS part of the story was my favorite.

I highly recommend this book to parents and librarians and teachers. This would be fantastic to read aloud with a class or for a kid’s book club. There are questions in the back for discussion or writing as well as common core standards references for teachers.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm

REVIEW: Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

It’s hard for Dylan to live in her sister, Dusty’s, shadow. Dusty is tall and gorgeous and popular and confident. She was Miss Mississippi. And now she is marrying Ronan, a Scottish lord-to-be that she met on the Bachelor-style reality show Prince in Disguise. Next to Dusty, Dylan feels geeky and awkward and out of place.

This is especially true when she finds herself at Ronan’s Scottish castle for their Christmas Eve wedding. First, the best man leaves her standing in the cold for almost an hour, waiting for a ride to the castle. She’s rescued by another groomsman, Jamie. At least he’s her age, smart and funny. But at the castle, she feels the cameras all around her. Dusty may be fine with all the TV attention, but Dylan wants no part of it.

The wedding-prep days include a lot of surprises for Dylan – things she’d like to keep off camera and to herself. Not the least of which are her feelings about Jamie. But she may find there are more important things than protecting her own privacy.

Review

I’m not sure I have words big enough for how much I loved this book! It was outstanding! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book like I did this one. It’s SO funny! It’s romantic. Sweet and fun and fiesty! I wanted it to go on and on. I loved the characters and wanted to spend even more time with them. This will definitely be a re-read for me! If the author decides to write a sequel, I will be the first in line to buy it!

Everything worked for me in this. The reality TV plot was terrific. It forced characters to decide what was for public consumption and what wasn’t. And how they would handle the difference. The family relationships changed and developed in the story in great, realistic ways. The chemistry between Dylan and Jamie was endearing. I loved them together. There were some fun surprises and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. This could easily be my favorite book of 2017.

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this spectacular book in exchange for an honest review. I honestly adored it. I read another book by Stephanie Kate Strohm earlier this year – It’s Not Me, It’s You– and I loved it too. That book made it onto my Holiday Hint List for 2017 – and if I had read this before I published the list, Prince in Disguise would have been on there, too.  Hand both of these books to the teens in your life – especially the ones who might not want books with the language and mature content found in some other books for teens and young adults.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEWS: 2017 Christmas Books

REVIEWS: 2017 Christmas Books

Posted on by Jaymie

I had something else scheduled for review today, but it didn’t work out, so I am going to plug in a few short reviews of some of the 2017 Christmas books I have been able to read this season. I hope you will find something here you like!

How the Finch Stole Christmas – The Christmas production of A Christmas Carol is headed off the rails thanks to a diva-level actor with a drinking problem. A dead body is not exactly what Meg and friends need on top of the production stress! This is book 22 in the Meg Langslow series, one of my favorite cozy series. I love that no matter how many books there are in the series, the stories and the characters stay strong and enjoyable. The mystery in this one was great. And Meg is one of my favorite protagonists of all time. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Merry and Bright – The latest from Debbie Macomber focuses on a young woman whose family sets her up for an online dating service. Her best match turns out to the be last person she wanted it to be.  I really enjoyed this one! The plot is pretty simple and You’ve Got Mail-esque, but the characters are fantastic and really made this a fun holiday read.  This would make a darling Hallmark Christmas movie. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

Holly and Ivy – A lonely widow meets a young girl with a great gift in this holiday story. For me, this story suffered from an unsympathetic character right from the beginning. I almost gave up on finishing this one. I pressed through the unpleasant character and things finally started to turn around about half-way through. The ending was great and made me glad I kept with it. Rating: ♥♥♥

 

 

Twelve Slays of Christmas – The first book in a Christmas Tree farm mystery series. A young woman heads home to Mistletoe, Maine after her Christmas Eve wedding is cancelled. Maybe some time at home, celebrating the holiday with family on the farm will be just what she needs. She certainly does NOT need a dead body or for her family and friends to be suspected murderers. This was a delight from start to finish! The setting was perfect – I loved the holiday activities the family does around the farm for Christmas. The characters were a lot of fun – the “voice” was great and there was humor and romance as well as a solid mystery. This is a series I will be following faithfully! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Sugar Pine Trail – A librarian finds herself taking care of two young boys at Christmas time. And her handsome neighbor pitches in. This is the 7th book in the Haven Point series, but I’m not sure the books are necessarily interconnected, except for the setting. This was so fantastic, though, I have added the rest of the series to my library wish list so I can check out all the rest of the books. The characters in this were spectacular. I loved the foster care angle, and the author did a great job of portraying that pretty realistically. The love story was terrific. Great romance to put you in the holiday spirit. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy

REVIEW: Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Alice does not want to be in Rainbow, Georgia. She wants to go home to Columbus, Ohio. How will her dad, who “hates” Rainbow, ever come back to them if they aren’t there?

But Alice’s grandmother is having memory issues. She needs help, so Alice and her mom and brother are in Rainbow for the foreseeable future.

Georgia in June, 1968, means hot and humid weather, “party” phone lines and racial tension. When Alice accidentally eavesdrops on her grandmother’s neighbor, Miss Millie, on the party line, she has to go apologize. That leads to daily walks with Miss Millie and her dog, Clarence. What starts as a burden becomes something Alice looks forward to as she gets to know their elderly African-American neighbor. And their talks help Alice learn some things about herself along the way.

Review

This story was perfection. The heart was present from page one. Alice is an earnest, thoughtful character. Like any good 10-year-old, she jumps to conclusions about folks at times, but she’s also teachable and honest. Miss Millie is wise. And the author does a terrific job of “showing” rather than telling how Miss Millie feels and what she thinks but doesn’t say. The entire cast of characters is fantastic, and I quickly fell in love with them.

The story centers on Alice and the move to Rainbow as well as what that move means to her relationship with her absent father. But it’s also about the evolution of race relations from the late 1800s to 1968. It’s about family and loss and faith. I cried several times in the story as the emotional pieces are pitched perfectly for the characters. I can’t recommend this highly enough!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

REVIEW: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Elliot Lawrence Gabaroche is expected to go to either the Air Force Academy (like the Lawrence part of the family) or go into Law like her dad (which means attending a summer mock trial camp).

But “Ever” Lawrence has been accepted to Camp Onward, a camp for genius students where she hopes to win a scholarship to Rayevich College so she can join their science fiction literature program.

While everyone thinks Ellie is doing what THEY want her to do, she hops a train to Oregon as Ever to pursue her own plans for the future.

Ever doesn’t count on her annoying cousin, Isaiah, showing up at the same camp. They have to pretend to be twins so no one at the camp catches on to their secrets – her real name, his real age, and the fact that neither set of parents knows where they are. If their parents find out, both kids will lose their chance at the scholarship and setting their own course for the future. Ever also doesn’t count on meeting a great guy, making terrific friends, or stumbling into a mystery.

Review

This was excellent! The voice was outstanding. Ever is smart and sharp and so funny. I was truly sad when the book ended and there was no more Ever.

This is the second book published by the author, Lily Anderson, and I have loved both of them. The writing is fantastic. Lots of great voice and terrific humor. Anderson is an author I will put on a “must buy” list because I really enjoy her style.

The cast of characters is quirky and fun. The interplay between the kids on Ever’s team was a hoot. There were lots of great geeky moments. I kept reading passages aloud to my family because I was enjoying the book so much. The scene where the team gets together for the first time, and the counselors give them a taste of what is to come, is one of my favorites.

I loved Ever’s quest for her own path while feeling pressure and expectations from her whole family. The camp scholarship contest was a great plot – it brought interesting characters together and threw in some nice twists and a little mystery. Everything clicked perfectly for me in this book. (Some language)

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for an electronic review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Reading this book was a delight!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail

REVIEW: Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Gracie is a fairly typical 8th grader. She has a couple best friends and a larger circle of kids she hangs out with. Her parents are mostly okay, except they are overprotective. She can’t really go anywhere alone, she’s not allowed to have a pet, and she doesn’t feel like she can show anyone her true feelings. She’s smart, a reader, and she cares about charity, raising money for turtle rescues and book charities.

But things start to change in 8th grade. Gracie starts wondering about her parents and how they survived what happened to her sister. And she wonders what her role is in her family in light of her sister. Then there are the crushes. Gracie finds herself in a Cyrano DeBergerac-like role between her best friend Sienna and Gracie’s own maybe-crush AJ. And, in typical middle school fashion, there’s a stuck up mean girl and plenty of questions and doubts about physical traits and identity. When all of those pieces collide – family, friends, crushes, and mean girls, Gracie may find herself standing alone.

Review

I ADORED this! When I tried to summarize it, I realized how much is going on in this story! It’s hard to put it all together and keep it concise. But in the reading, it all hangs together perfectly!

Gracie tells the story in first person, so you get her stream-of-consciousness thinking, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Her “voice” is excellent! It has a funny, fast pace to it that really clicked for me. If this book existed when I was a teen, I would have read it over and over until it fell apart. I would have completely identified with Gracie.

I enjoyed the whole ensemble in this story. The development between Gracie and her parents is lovely and touching. I liked the evolution in the group of girls around Gracie, watching them wrestle with growing up and identity. And her other best friend, Emmett, is so cool and endearing.

This was an absolute delight! I hugged the book when I finished. I will be recommending this one often and reading it again in the future.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

REVIEW: The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

For Lucy, the hits just keep on coming. Her boyfriend put their relationship on “pause” for the summer so they can re-evaluate their relationship. Instead of spending the summer hosting church groups at her family’s church camp, Lucy’s mom asks her to counsel at Dayspring. Dayspring is a camp for kids who’ve experienced difficulties in life – teen pregnancy, grief, loss, family issues, and abuse. And Lucy feels like she HAS to do what her mom asks because her mom’s cancer is back. Not knowing what might happen to her mom, how can she say no to a request from her?

Working at Dayspring will give Lucy a chance to grow in ways she can’t even imagine when the summer begins. It’s a safe place to work through her crisis of faith and her feelings about everything happening in her life. And she will find a community she didn’t know she needed.

Review

Stellar. Outstanding. I almost don’t have the adjectives to describe how amazing this story is.

This is not a Christian novel, per se. It’s not published by a Christian publisher. It includes lifestyle pieces that a traditional Christian story wouldn’t address. But there is a DEEP faith core to this story. And it’s about faith in hard times. Where is God when tragedy strikes, when cancer returns? And for me, the faith pieces were right on target – from Lucy’s awkwardness in the face of things she has never encountered before and her earnest desire to be compassionate to the question of “Is it okay to be a Christian and be mad at God?”

Having lived through a similar situation of recurring cancer at a similar age to Lucy’s, I identified with her thoughts and feelings. Her wrestling felt genuine. There’s a scene towards the end with Lucy’s dad that just wrecked me. It was all too familiar – and so authentic. This book left me feeling known and understood.

I think this is an amazing book even if you haven’t faced the same things as Lucy because her story is told so well. There is some mature content in the book (language, teen pregnancy, drinking, sexual identity), so this is a good fit for older teens/young adults and adults. If I could give this more than five stars, I absolutely would. This was fantastic!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Sisters of Sugarcreek by Cathy Liggett

REVIEW: The Sisters of Sugarcreek by Cathy Liggett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lydia lost her husband, a volunteer firefighter, in the fire at Faith Community Church. But even more, she lost her anchor to everything. Henry was a private man. He did everything around the house himself except cook and garden, which Lydia did. They didn’t have neighbors over often, and they never lingered after church. They lived a quiet life, and Lydia was often alone. Without Henry, she’s adrift and feeling out of her depth.

Jessica lost her Aunt Rose in the fire. Rose had raised her as a child when she lost her parents. She welcomed her back as a young pregnant woman when her marriage fell apart. Now Jessica owns Rose’s craft store, Rose’s Knit One Quilt Two Cottage. But Jessica doesn’t knit or quilt. She’s not prepared to run a store like this. She’s definitely in over her head.

Liz is grieving Rose’s death, too. Her best friend and partner in “crime.” Rose and Liz had started a secret encouragement ministry, leaving food and handcrafted items for folks in need of a little hope. She talks Jessica into helping her keep it going. And Lydia is going to be their first recipient.

Review

This was delightful. Each of the three main characters was strong and interesting in her own right. There wasn’t a part of the trio that sagged. The pieces of their stories wove into each other’s well. The romantic pairings were obvious from the outset, but I enjoyed the story so much I didn’t care if that was predictable.

I have not had a lot of luck with finding Christian fiction I love. I have a few “go to” books that I read over and over, but otherwise I find the stories or characters can be flat or the message feels heavy-handed. This was NOT the case here. The faith pieces made sense where they entered the story. It felt natural. I didn’t feel like the author was trying to make a point. She just told a great story about people of faith.

This was excellent. I will be adding it to my small collection of Christian Fiction mainstays and telling others about this great story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying by Amanda Hosch

REVIEW: Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying by Amanda Hosch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mabel’s parents are spies. Specifically, they  are “Cleaners.” They go in after another spy leaves a problem in the course of their work. Mabel loves that they do such cool, important work. But she likes it even better when they’re home. Then, she and her mom work in the family’s collectible spoon museum. Her dad works on phone lines in Mount Rainier National Park. When her parents are home, her Aunt Gertie doesn’t have to leave Mabel “pity” cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

When Mabel’s parents get called away on a new mission, Aunt Gertie doesn’t show up to stay with Mabel. She wakes up to her horrible Uncle Frank and Aunt Stella and torturous cousin, Victoria, instead. Mabel’s own spy senses know something is really wrong. Gertie has been arrested. Frank and Stella are beyond desperate to get into the spoon museum, and a Washington Border Patrol agent insists that Mabel’s family members are thieves. Mabel will have to follow her 36 Rules for a Successful Life as an Undercover Secret Agent to figure out what is really going on!

Review

I was hooked after the first chapter! Mabel has a terrific “voice.” She’s smart. She’s a reader. She puts her family first (even if it means distancing herself from potential friends in order to protect her secrets). The first chapter introduces us to a lot of the main players and sets up the story without feeling like an information dump. The author does a fantastic job of moving the reader forward, balancing new questions with backstory in just the right portions.

The mystery is great. Mabel’s response to the events feel realistic for a kid her age. There are several questions left unanswered, so I hope that means there will be a sequel!

This book made me giddy! It was a perfect book for me – a smart and resourceful main character, a terrific mystery, and a fun, engaging story. I loved it from start to finish. The Nathan Fillion reference in the back matter solidified this author in my “favorites” department.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Capstone for providing an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥