Tag: five star review

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

April has lived in foster care since her mother left her with a note and a key April’s always worn around her neck but never understood. That key was the launching point for April’s adventure.

While on a museum visit, April recognizes that her key matches a Winterborne family heirloom – a jewel-covered box. She sneaks into the museum only to discover the key won’t turn. Then, she accidentally sets the museum on fire.

When April wakes up in the hospital, she finds her life has changed. Ms. Nelson represents the Winterborne Family Foundation, and they offer to take April in. She and four other kids are cared for at the huge and mysterious Winterborne mansion.

April is eager to see if her key will lead her to any answers about her mother, so she explores the mansion. As she slowly gets to know the other kids, she also discovers some mysterious goings on at the mansion. How far will a mysterious figure go to make sure no one believes what April says she has seen and to keep their own secrets?

Review

This was fantastic!! I only planned to get a few chapters in when I stared this. Next thing I knew, I was at the end. I could not put this down! The kids, the mysteries – all of it was perfect!

I am a sucker for a book with a great ensemble, and this has one. Each one of the kids has a story I would eagerly read. And even though I fell in love with each one just on the little I discovered in this book, it’s clear there is so much more to learn about each of them.

The mysteries are exceptional. Tons of twists and turns, including some at the very end. And even more unanswered questions to be addressed in future books.

And I hope there will be TONS of future books! This is the sort of book I would hand to every kid I know. This is for older middle grade readers (10+) and teens, I imagine due to the action and some violence involved in the mystery. I have yet to read an Ally Carter novel I didn’t love. But this is now one of my all time favorites. Fans of her previous books should run right out and get this one. You will not be disappointed.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

REVIEW: What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

REVIEW: What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Muiriel is 17. One more year and she ages out of the foster care system. She’s learned to pack light – to LIVE light – with the goal of getting to 18, beating the odds, and living healthy and free on her own.

Her social worker begs her to settle in for this final year of high school. Her eyes are on college for Muiriel, and she knows a strong senior year is important. Joellen has always been there for her, and her request seems simple enough for Muir to agree.

Muir’s new home across the Sound from Seattle seems too perfect. Too many signs of the few things she anchors her life to – her namesake John Muir, the wilderness, and independence. But it’s also all wrong. She’s the only placement in the house, so she can’t hide in the chaos of other kids. Her foster mom, Francine, lives on five acres of land out in the middle of nowhere, so there’s no city noise but tons of quiet. And Joellen is a ferry-ride away, so she can’t call for a quick escape. Even if she did, there were no other placements that would take her.

But maybe this last placement will give Muir something she’s refused to let herself hope for – a sense of home.

Review

“Not being perfect is for people who have families; you can screw up and they still keep you.”

This book was amazing! Excellent! Stupendous! I don’t know that I have an adjective for how much I loved this book. I’ve always had a soft spot for foster care stories, but this is so much more than that!

Muir is one of the best characters I’ve read in awhile. There’s a thread of her “packing light” philosophy that runs through the whole book and is brilliant. Her gradual shift from living out of her suitcase to setting things ON the dresser before putting something IN the dresser was a glorious way to SHOW how she’s feeling about her placement. The trinkets she carries from foster home to foster home illustrate her experiences and show why she has built these protective walls around herself.

The other characters are just as amazing. And there are fantastic tidbits about John Muir, as well as a sweet romance, and a skewering commentary about racism woven into this bigger story that is fantastic.

When I step back from the story I loved and think about how the author built it – her understanding of the out-of-home care system, her excellence in conveying Muir’s thoughts and feelings, the layers to the story itself and the characters – I appreciate the book even more. Do not miss this AMAZING story! (Language, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Crush the King by Jennifer Estep

REVIEW: Crush the King by Jennifer Estep

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Queen Everleigh has survived the Seven Spire Massacre and numerous assassination attempts. And she’s over playing defense. As all the kingdoms prepare for the annual Regalia Games, she’s ready to crush the king of Morta once and for all.

He’s the one who ultimately orchestrated the massacre. His illegitimate siblings comprise the Bastard Brigade who have tried to kill off the entire Blair line and conquer Bellona. If Everleigh can eliminate him at the Regalia Games, not only does she eliminate the threat to her kingdom and her friends, but she will show the rest of the world that she is not to be underestimated.

Review

This was perfection!!! It’s my first five star plus review of 2020.  I loved everything about this. All of my favorite characters were back for this – and we added some new ones.

There’s a TON going on here! We get some new backstory on Evie we haven’t had before. There are some new players adding into the plots to kill her. We get to meet all the other royalty in this world. And through it all, Evie is learning even more layers to what it means to be Queen, and what that role looks like when she is in it.

One of my favorite pieces in this is the way Evie starts to see her various responses to danger based on where the responses come from. There are techniques she learned as a gladiator and others she learned growing up as an orphan in the palace. She traces her plans to these sources – including one that is ALL her, all part of the legacy of her family and her people. She realizes that another queen might handle things in different ways, but she is best served by being herself and using her unique skills. I loved all of it.

Fans of the series should not hesitate to grab this one immediately. I had hoped there would be a last minute shake up to point us towards a fourth book. There was certainly a weird wrinkle in this that could have developed into something. But this wraps up in a completely satisfying way with no cliffhanger. There may be lingering questions, but it sounds like the author has wrapped up this particular story arc with this book. There may be future stories set in this world, though, and I can’t wait to read them.

If you’ve missed the earlier books in the Crown of Shards series – book 1, Kill the Queen, and book 2, Protect the Prince (♥♥♥♥½) –  and you love fantasy stories, you’ll want to scoop up all three right away. There’s plenty of royal intrigue and magic, amazing characters, and tons of scenes that will leave you frantically flipping pages. Don’t miss this series! (Language, sex, violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Liv (sister of Thea in The Bromance Book Club – ♥♥♥♥♥) is a pastry chef at the high end Savoy. She’s responsible for many of their special treats including a $1000 gold-infused cupcake called the Sultan.

Braden Mack is at the Savoy for a date with the first woman he’s wanted to have stick around, maybe ever. But nothing at this date is going quite right. He’s hoping the Sultan will help.

When Mack recognizes Liv things start to go sideways. Her boss, Royce, is fuming because Liv is getting the attention he feels he should always have from customers. Then, when Mack insists on a selfie with Liv and the cupcake, the dessert ends up in his date’s lap. Liv knows Royce won’t let this go. Surely she’s going to be fired.

But when Liv shows up for the dressing down she’s expecting, Royce is in the office with the restaurant’s young hostess. And what Liv hears through the door is NOT right! She storms in, rescuing the girl and incurring even more of her boss’ wrath. She’s fired and blackballed. The hostess refuses to report their boss. And Liv is stunned that Royce is going to get away with this behavior. How many times has he done this before?

Mack becomes an unexpected partner in Liv’s plan to take Royce down. She has no interest in the cocky playboy except to give the Savoy hostess a job if Liv can convince her to leave. But the feelings between Liv and Mack might hold more warmth than either of them expect for such an antagonistic relationship.

Review

This was even better than the first book! I loved Mack and Liv together. And this story was SO funny! The banter between Mack and Liv alone was hilarious. But there were so many other terrific, funny moments. Between the humor and the romance, I was a happy reader. But add to that the we’re-not-going-to-take-it-anymore vibe, and I was in reading heaven.

One of my favorite things about this series is the men’s book group. It’s an unusual feature in contemporary romance, and I love it. Not only do they have a fascinating perspective on the romance novels they read, but the way they show up for each other is excellent. In this particular book, they show up for the plot – for the Royce take down plans – but they also show up for Mack emotionally. That scene is one of my favorites in the whole series. And the explanation of the title was brilliant. I loved all of it!

Fans of contemporary romance – Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥),  Love on Lexington Avenue, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – should not miss this series! If you haven’t read the first book yet, run right out and get both of these and clear your reading schedule. And while you are at it, pre-order Crazy Stupid Bromance (releasing in October) because you aren’t going to want to miss a moment with these characters. (Language, sex, possible triggers for abuse and harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 2019 Cybils Awards

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 2019 Cybils Awards

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an advanced reader copy of The Bridge Home from another committee member and a published copy of Right as Rain from the publisher HarperCollins for review purposes. Both were passed on to a classroom teacher when my committee work was completed. All opinions are my own.]

The Process

Once again I had the privilege of serving on a committee for the 2019 Cybils Awards. This is the second year I served with the group choosing the winner in the Middle Grade Fiction category. You can see my post about the 2017 Cybils here and the 2018 Cybils here.

Now that our committee work is done, I am able to talk about the finalists we read this year. These are my personal thoughts on each of these books and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full committee who presided over this category.  Keep in mind that another committee determined what books we would be choosing from. These seven were not our personal best of 2019, but the ones chosen by another committee of readers based on nominations. Books here are listed in alphabetical order.

The Books

The Bridge Home – Four homeless kids make a family for themselves as they live near an abandoned bridge, but when illness strikes, will they continue to fend for themselves or will they have the strength to reach out for help? This was one of those “it’s well written, but I didn’t like it” books. This was dark and sad and upsetting and heart-wrenching. I did not enjoy reading it. But it’s well-written and there’s TONS of material in it for readers to dig into. This is for older middle grade readers (10+). Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over-reacting or should be flattered. You can read my full review of this one here. I really liked this one! I feel like this is an important story that gives kids language for those behaviors that feel icky, but they can’t quite pinpoint why. There are other books releasing now that address similar situations (Chirp was a good one I read recently), and they are so important. This is another one that I think is good for older middle grade readers. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

Operation Frog Effect – Eight kids tell the story of what happened that got their teacher in trouble. One of the stories is told in graphic novel format. To me this felt like a Mr. Terupt book (or something else by Rob Buyea), although not as in-depth. There’s a great, diverse group of students in this as well as an inspiring teacher. I enjoyed this. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise – Coyote and her dad have lived life on the road in their renovated school bus since Coyote’s mother and sisters were killed in an accident. But now she is desperate to get back home before her last moments with her mom and sisters are lost forever. You can read my full review of this one here. This is another story that deals with difficult topics, in this case grief. This also deals with the subject of identity, which is a favorite topic of mine, especially in kids literature. This is the book chosen by the committee to win the Cybils Award for 2019 for Middle Grade Fiction. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

Right As Rain – A grieving family moves to New York hoping a change of scenery can help them in their loss, but Rain is convinced her brother’s death is her fault. While she holds her secrets close, a new friend may help her open up and shine the light of truth on what happened that night. I LOVED this! Of these 7 books, I had already read and reviewed 3 of them. Of the four that were new to me, this was my favorite. I adored everything about this – the grieving pieces as well as the poetry and the hot chocolate and the soup kitchen and the running. Fantastic characters. A story I just wanted to hug. A happy tearful ending as Rain finally shares her story. Beautiful! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Roll with It – A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school. I loved Ellie and her family and friends in this one. The baking pieces were fun and sounded delicious. I don’t have a lot of books in my reading repertoire starring characters with disabilities, so I was glad to add this book to my list. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Song for a Whale –  A deaf girl who is also a tech genius learns about a whale that can’t communicate with other whales, and she decides to find a way to “sing” to this whale. You can read my full review of this one here. I adored this book! Sure, there are moments where the reader has to suspend disbelief (like when the main character runs away to go on a cruise with her grandmother – and her parents don’t freak out more), but there are other moments that are so perfect. I loved the threads in this about finding community and being with others who understand you and share some of your life experiences. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

You can see all of the 2019 Cybils Award winners here.

REVIEW: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

REVIEW: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lady Alessandra Stathos is not a young woman to be trifled with. She knows her own mind and her plans for her future. Nothing will get in her way.

The one young man who broke her heart was killed by her own hand.
Her various lovers all have secrets they wish to keep so they keep their liaisons secret as well.
And now that her older sister is betrothed, Alessandra is finally permitted to join society. And she has her eye on the biggest prize of all – the Shadow King.

She will make him fall in love with her and then marry her. And once she’s queen, she’ll kill him and take over the vast kingdom. But the first step is to get him to notice her out of a slew of young beauties vying for his attention. And the second is to keep an assassin from killing him before she can do it herself.

Review

This was fantastic and different. I loved it! It’s a classic fantasy tale of lords and ladies and royal marriage. But the protagonist – the “hero” – is a murderess. She tells you in the first sentence of the book. She’s wicked smart, calculating, and ruthless. She will do anything to get what she wants.

The king has a ruthless streak of his own. It’s not as well explored because Alessandra tells the story, but there are some stellar moments in this where you really see that part of him. He’s a conqueror, and he will kill anyone who crosses him or fails him. These are the stars of the story! These are the potential love interests. And it’s crazy because Alessandra is so likable. The writing of these characters is brilliant to pull that off. I’ve read standard protagonists who were morally good who I didn’t like as much as I liked Alessandra.  Her relationships with her new friends at court and her no-nonsense conversations with the king were actually endearing. I loved her sass, her fashion sense, and her confidence.

There’s a touch of magic in this – enough to add an interesting layer to the king and to the story, but something simple enough not to require tons of world building. The details could be doled out over time to keep the intrigue while never mucking up the storytelling. But the magic is essential to the plot. The whole setup was brilliant.

The ending was terrific. I loved how all the pieces fit together. I would absolutely read this again! This is a stand alone story, something which can be hard to find in YA fantasy. The dedication describes this as a “Slytherin romance,” and that is the most perfect description of this I can think of. Now I need to track down the author’s other books because this was so great! (Some language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, fashioned a daughter out of clay, and the goddesses gave the girl life and many powers. Some of the Amazons don’t trust Diana, or what her existence might mean for the the island and their people. But Diana is determined to prove herself to everyone – the doubters, her mother and herself – by winning an epic race.

An accident occurs during the race, and Diana breaks one of the most basic rules of Themyscira – she rescues a human named Alia and brings her to the island. This sets off a chain reaction that endangers Diana’s home and all who live there. The girl she saved is a Warbringer, a young woman like Helen of Troy who leaves war and destruction in her wake simply by existing. If Diana lets the girl die, Themyscira will go back to normal. But Diana is determined to save everyone – her family AND Alia. Which means she must make a quest to the human world to overcome Alia’s destiny as a Warbringer.

Review

This was terrific! I think this format worked for the story even better than the full prose novel which published in 2017, the first of the DC Icons books. While I enjoyed the full novel (♥♥♥♥), it felt long at times. I enjoyed the graphic novel format for this so much. This has a Percy Jackson feel with the gods and goddesses, an oracle, and a quest to fight monsters and save the world. I loved the contrast of the Themyscira stories and New York stories when Diana and Alia go to the human world. The art in this is incredibly well done, and it was easy to follow the characters and the story.

I enjoyed the identity pieces of this story. All of the teens in this are dealing with identity issues in and around the quest to save Alia and the world, Their personal quests dovetailed nicely into the larger story and gave this a deeper plot in that way.

This is a rich and meaty story that moves quickly in the graphic novel format. I highly recommend this for Wonder Woman fans, DC fans, graphic novel fans, and readers who enjoyed the original book. While I have not personally clicked with the DC movie universe, their recent novels and graphic novels have been really well done!

DC very generously shared some of the interior art for the book. Here are a few sample pages of what you can expect when you pick up this terrific story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

REVIEW: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

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

Meg has built a business around hand lettering. Stationery, signs, wedding programs, planner spreads. She does it all. And her business is really taking off (Instagram is a huge help!). But when she needs her business most, as her roommate tells her she’s moving out, Meg hits a creative wall.

At the same time, Reid Sutherland comes into her life. Well, back into her life. A year ago, Meg had worked with his fiancée on wedding materials. But Reid was the only one who discovered the “code”  in Meg’s designs – a sign she had seen the doomed relationship for what it was long before he did.

After talking to Reid – a handsome but uptight, reserved guy – Meg gets the idea to scout the city for lettering inspiration. And she invites Reid along. Maybe their hunt will help her over her creative block and help Reid find some joy in a city he says he hates.

Review

This was unexpected! The lettering angle – serifs and type/font descriptions and pen preferences – was so unique! I’ve never read anything with a premise like this. And the writing is sharp and funny with GREAT metaphors. At times, the humor would sneak up on me in delightful ways. I kept reading Meg’s descriptions out loud to my husband because they were so clever!

In the early chapters, while the writing was sharp, the story unfolded slowly. That is something that can derail me pretty quickly. But as Meg and Reid started their New York lettering “games,” I was sucked into the story. And as their relationship grew and Meg started to grow and develop some backbone in her relationships, I was completely captivated. Her observations about people – and about herself – were fascinating. I couldn’t wait to see how things developed. The conflict at the end was unexpected (for me), and fit the story perfectly. I couldn’t turn pages fast enough to find out how it would all turn out.

I have read some delightful rom-coms this year – Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥), The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Passion on Park Avenue (♥♥♥♥½), Love on Lexington Avenue – and this is another delight to add to the list. Don’t miss this one! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower

REVIEW: Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower

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

Millie Fisher recently moved back to Holmes County, Ohio. She had lived in Michigan for years, taking care of her sister. But now she’s back, enjoying being home in her Amish community with family close by.

Millie has a reputation as something of a matchmaker in her community. God has given her a sense for when two people are a good match – or not. Which is why Millie is so eager to talk to her niece, Edith. She rushed into an engagement to Zeke Miller, but it’s obvious to Millie that the two are ill-suited for one another. Thankfully, Edith agrees and breaks her engagement.

Gossip spreads quickly in the small community. And people have some strong opinions about the break up. It caught everyone but Millie by surprise. But it’s nothing compared to the surprise of finding Zeke, murdered. Millie is desperate to help Edith, but she’s keeping secrets and she looks guilty. Millie’s going to have to work her people skills to figure out who wanted Zeke dead – and why.

Review

This was terrific! It’s a spin off of the author’s Amish Candy Shop series, so the setting and several of the secondary characters are familiar.

I loved Millie and her English friend, Lois. They are a delightful contrast, and they are hoot together! Because of those two, this is my new favorite Amanda Flower series.

Flower does a great job weaving this book together. There are enough connections to the other series that readers of those books will feel instantly at home. But they are presented in such a way that newcomers won’t feel like they’ve missed something. The author also seeds the book with story threads that can play out in future books. I can’t wait.

The mystery was great. All the pieces came together well. The pacing of the sleuthing worked, too. I enjoyed everything about this one – don’t miss it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Sweet as Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand

REVIEW: Sweet as Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lily, Poppy, and Rose Christner have been raised by their Aunt Bitsy since their mother and father died. Bitsy’s a little unusual for an Amish woman, but she has done well by her nieces. They have built a honey bee farm on their property, and their honey and other bee products take care of their family.

Dan Kanagy is back in town after two years in Pennsylvania. He went to learn more about raising cattle to help on his family farm. His parents hoped he might find a wife there, but no luck. He has always been in love with Lily Christner.

Lily can’t believe that mean Dan Kanagy is back in town. He made fun of her braces and thick glasses when they were in school together. His nicknames for her always hurt so much. Thankfully, Paul Glick has always pulled her away from the teasing and been her one true friend. He seems to be talking a lot about their “future.” But Dan’s arrival leaves Lily’s feelings very confused.

Review

The author has launched a new series – the Petersheim Brothers – and I ADORED the first book, Andrew (Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥). While I was waiting for book 2 (Abraham, out now), I decided to try one of her other books to see if I enjoyed more of the author’s work than just that one title. I read this in a day, and I loved it. In fact, when I finished it, I gave it back to the library and bought the whole three-book series for myself.

The characters are my favorite part of this series, although the story is terrific. I fell in love with all three of the Christner girls – responsible Lily, spunky Poppy, and wary yet sweet Rose. And their Aunt Bitsy is delightful. Dan is terrific – although his cluelessness is cringe-worthy. I kept watching him screw up this relationship with Lily because he has NO idea his nicknames and teasing tear her apart.

Lily’s boyfriend shows a lot of examples of gaslighting. The more strict parts of the Amish life and community reinforced the awful things he said to her. My heart broke for Lily as she accepted his manipulation as her due, and I was quite vocal about my dislike of that man as I read. But I especially loved that Lily worked out her own issues. No one rescued her. In fact, when someone tried, it caused even more trouble. This was something she had to do for herself.

I enjoyed the second book in the series, A Bee in Her Bonnet (Rating: ♥♥♥♥½), and I read book three, Like a Bee to Honey, in a day (Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥). I highly recommend this series as well as the Petersheim Brothers series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥