Tag: friendship

REVIEW: This Is Home by Lisa Duffy

REVIEW: This Is Home by Lisa Duffy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Libby and her dad, Bent, moved in with her aunts after her mom died. Lucy lives in one apartment. Aunt Desiree moved in with Lucy after she broke up with her boyfriend. Libby and Bent live in a second apartment. Then Bent helps Quinn move into the third apartment. Libby isn’t sure they should trust her; she could be a serial killer!

Quinn’s husband had been in the military with Bent. After two tours, John is physically home, but mentally and emotionally, the war has changed him. He insists he’s fine, but he’s drinking. And the PTSD makes him unconsciously violent at times. Now John has disappeared, and Quinn is on her own. She’s grateful to have a place to stay. But she thinks Bent knows more than he is saying about where John is and why he has disappeared.

Review

This was a good story while also being a poor fit for me as a reader. I like stories with a clearly defined goal – finish the quest, dethrone the usurper, find the killer, etc. I had a hard time figuring out what the goal was for this one. Was it about finding John? Or Quinn finding herself? Or Libby and Quinn becoming friends? I just wasn’t certain. In the end I decided it was less of a goal-oriented story and more of a snapshot of this season in life for these characters. I also struggled to put the prologue into the right place in the timeline, so that left me flipping back and forth in the book to be sure I didn’t miss something. In the end the timing all made sense.

It took me as long to warm up to the characters as it took them to warm up to each other.  Once they all started interacting more comfortably, I was on board. By the end, I was invested in Libby and Quinn specifically, although Quinn’s boss became a fun addition to the story as well.

Libby and Quinn face some complicated relationships with the men in their lives. I enjoyed watching them find a friend in one another. Quinn’s journey includes more self-reflection, self-discovery and growth, which I enjoyed.

If you like character-driven stories, check out This Is Home and get to know Libby and Quinn. (Language, sex, substance use, PTSD/war stories, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: If You're Out There by Katy Loutzenhiser

REVIEW: If You’re Out There by Katy Loutzenhiser

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Zan (Alexandra) and Priya are crushed about the move. California is a long way from Chicago. But Priya’s step-dad has a new job. These things happen. Sometimes they even happen the summer before senior year.

But when Pria goes completely silent, Zan is devastated. Priya won’t answer her calls, reply to texts, or respond to emails. Zan’s only connection is through Priya’s social media posts. She seems thrilled with her new life in California. Apparently she wants nothing from her old life in Chicago.

Logan is a new guy at school. Zan doesn’t know much about him. They were kind of thrown together in Spanish class. He’s the one who first notices that Priya’s online behavior seems weird. Up to that point, Zan’s been focused on her angry and hurt feelings. But Logan’s questions help Zan re-examine things. And she starts to think maybe something more is going on with Priya. Maybe Priya is trying to send a call for help.

Review

Amazing!! I had no business starting a book at 10:30 on a weeknight. But I was intrigued by this premise. And I adored Zan and Logan. Next thing I knew, I had finished the whole book. It was fantastic! If you like teen mystery/suspense stories, check this one out.

I loved the characters in this. Zan’s family is warm and caring – and complicated (divorced parents, mom’s girlfriend has just moved in) – like most families. Logan’s situation is even more complicated, and it’s slowly revealed as the novel unfolds. I don’t want to give anything away. I’ll just say I LOVED Logan!

Zan has a lovely community around her – friends, her family, the cop who taught her to box to deal with her anger after the divorce. And they all share Zan’s disappointment that Priya is blowing her off. But no one believes her that more is going on.

The story of Zan’s search for the truth was so satisfying! Her emotions felt spot on – hurt and anger at Priya, desperation for an explanation, her attempts at resignation and acceptance of her “new normal” without her best friend. The author did an amazing job in weaving the story together. It was absolutely fantastic!! Highly recommend – you don’t want to miss this one! (language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Archie Drake has been attending Camp Shady Brook for three years. It’s probably the WORST camp in Vermont. The camp director is abrasive and hyper-strict. The cabins are rundown and falling apart. Art supplies are locked away so no one can actually use them. And the grounds look nothing like the flashy brochure that lures families in.

Archie loves Camp Shady Brook. But that’s because Archie has developed a system – a series of cons he can play on the weekly kids that leaves him richer when his six weeks of camp are over. But Archie has never had Vivian at camp before.

Vivian is only at Camp Shady Brook because of some trouble at school last year. Her parents don’t think they can trust her, so she’s stuck at camp for six weeks. She has some ideas to make her summer more pleasant, maybe scam some treats from fellow campers. That sort of thing. But Archie, sensing a rival con artist, tries to psych her out. Now the battle of wills – and cons – has begun.

Review

For me, a heist/con story only works when I feel the characters have a compelling reason for the scheming. Otherwise it’s just dishonest and wrong. The real world has so much of that already. Early on, it was hard for me to like Archie or Vivian. Neither had a good reason for conning. They pretty much did things because they could get away with it and because they wanted to.

When the rivalry blows up in their faces – as it inevitably does – Archie and Vivian are forced to take a closer look at their behavior. They have to decide what kind of people they want to be.

And that’s where the story becomes magic. By the end, I wanted to stand up and cheer. I loved how Archie and Vivian grew up over the summer. And I loved how they decided to use their “powers” for the greater good!

I think this would work for a class read aloud or a book group. There’s a lot to unpack in this story about what it means to be a friend and what you have to do to make and keep friends. Check out this fun summer-themed story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Solving for M by Jennifer Swender

REVIEW: Solving for M by Jennifer Swender

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Mika (Mee-ka) starts middle school, there’s a lot to adjust to.  Four elementary schools feed into the middle school, so there are lots of new kids. The fifth grade is split into “pods,” and Mika’s best friend isn’t in her pod. She barely even sees Ella at lunch, and even when she does, Ella is with a whole new group of friends. While Mika loves art, she never gets to draw in class because it’s “not in the fifth grade curriculum.” But her quirky math teacher has the kids using math journals. So Mika does get to draw – in math class!

When Mika’s mom gets sick, Mika discovers that life doesn’t always work as neatly as math can. But Mika’s math journal is a place where she can work on her math concepts while also wrestling with all the changes in her personal life. And that’s just a taste of what a difference this one class – and one teacher – will make in Mika’s life this year.

Review

This book is brilliant! I sat down just to read a couple chapters to get a feel for it. Next thing I knew, I was done. I adored this!

Mika is a stellar character. Her meekness early on and her responses to her mom’s illness felt honest and genuine. But she also changes and grows in believable ways through the story. And I adored her school friends and her math teacher. I love a middle grade story with a fantastic, creative teacher in it!

I’m not familiar with teachers who use math journals in the classroom. But the way Mika uses hers – and the way the assignments are set up to have students apply concepts to personal interests was cool. Kids enjoy middle grade stories that are a mix of text and illustration. This fits that trend perfectly in a fresh, new way. I’d love to see a 6th grade sequel for Mika and her peers with this format. It was so cool!

Mika’s mom deals with her illness and treatment options in very realistic ways. She’s scared and angry and fatigued. She wonders if the improved chances of survival are worth the traumas of the treatment. She tries to shield Mika as much as she can, which leaves Mika feeling angry and out of the loop. It’s all handled honestly without ever feeling like “too much” for the age group. It’s beautifully done. My favorite moment in the book is one where Mika sort of takes charge of something related to her mom’s illness, calling in her supports and resources. It’s fantastic.

I highly recommend this one for elementary and middle school libraries and classrooms as well as home libraries. This would be fun for a math teacher who loves to engage with students about what they are reading. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

REVIEW: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Emma is back at Darkwood Academy for her junior year. And it’s going to be an unusual one. The biggest change is that her best friend Oliver won’t be with her. She’s still grieving the loss and medicating away the pain of finding him dead at the start of the summer.

The other big change is the arrival of the Similars, a group of six clones set to attend school alongside the kids whose DNA was used to create them. In a United States that forbids cloning, in a world still trying to decide how to treat clones, this group of six is big news.

One of the prominent families embroiled in the story tried to pay off the Similar of their daughter so she wouldn’t show up at Darkwood. No such luck. All six clones arrived on schedule.

Emma’s roommate and other best friend also has a Similar. Her family welcomed the girl into their home for the summer. They’re committed to changing the negative view people have of clones. And Emma agrees with them.

Until she sees that one of the six is a clone of Oliver named Levi. Levi is a punch in the chest, a twist of the knife, every time Emma sees him. As far as Emma is concerned, Levi shouldn’t even exist.

Review

That summary doesn’t even scratch the surface of what is going on in this story. This is suspense meets science fiction, and someone even described it as dystopian. There’s a LOT to this one. And I found it completely engrossing.

Emma is a great protagonist. She’s smart and confident. She knows her place at Darkwood, and she knows how things work there. Or at least she thinks she does. She has her mixed feelings about the Similars, especial Levi. She empathizes with them. They are distinct individuals with their own stories and feelings. And someone plunked them into a no-win scenario. But Emma also knows they are hiding things. Everyone seems to be  hiding things!  And Emma is determined to find the answers and uncover the secrets, especially when someone dear to her disappears.

I didn’t want to put this one down. It’s captivating. I still have questions, so I’ll have to wait until book two to see how things evolve from here. If you enjoy twisty, suspenseful stories, be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt

REVIEW: The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

From the beginning, we know that Devin punched Addison. But the events of the story help Addison figure out why.

The story starts with a scheme called The Double-Barreled Monkey Bar Backflip of Doom. Devin is convinced if he can pull off this legendary playground move, he’ll become internet famous. And he wants Addison to be the look out and guy on the camera. But when the playground monitor approaches them, Addison freezes. Just like always. Too much attention, potential trouble, or just too many eyes turned his way, and Addison clams up. He might think of the right thing to say, but he’s too frozen to even speak.

Usually Devin is fine with being Addison’s voice in these moments. But Devin is obsessed with his grand plans to be internet famous. But it’s not for himself. Devin’s dad needs a really expensive surgery. If he can find the right move, and get the right attention, he can fix this thing for his family. But when the moment comes, things don’t go quite how Devin planned.

Review

I enjoyed Jake Burt’s first book, Greetings From Witness Protection, so much, this book was a must-buy for me. And this one was so fun! I love smart, funny stories. And this is exactly that. I was reading in a public space and had to remind myself not to cackle out loud as I read. This was a treat!

I love the families at the center of this story. Yes, Devin and Addison are great – but the magic of this is the big picture. It’s the relationships between these boys AND these families.

The stories of the two boys when they were little are precious. But this is the biggest challenge their friendship has faced. And the journey is fantastic. This is a great look at what friendship is about. I could see this being a great choice for a book group at a school or a classroom read-aloud.

Jake Burt is now an author I buy automatically. His third book, The Tornado, will be out this fall, and I can’t wait to read it. He’s an author to keep an eye on. Be sure to check out Greetings from Witness Protection AND The Right Hook of Devin Velma if you haven’t already! (Language – “damn” is used twice.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Gia is stunned. Who gets dumped in the parking lot before prom? But that’s what happens. Her college-aged boyfriend, Bradley, drives 3 hours to join her for prom, and then breaks up with her before they even get in the door. That’s pretty bad. Even worse, though, is going to be Jules’ reaction.

Gia’s been feeling like Jules is trying to undermine her with her friends. She’s been vocal about her suspicions that Bradley isn’t even real. Gia’s desperate to hang onto her friendships and put Jules in her place. When she sees a guy drop off another student for the dance, and sit in his car, she wonders if maybe he would agree to be fake Bradley.

“Fill-in-Bradley” does an amazing job. There’s a slight glitch when his very real sister approaches him and almost blows his cover, but they improvise. He provides Gia a fake break up and the ruse is over.

Except Gia can’t stop thinking about fill-in-Bradley. She doesn’t even know his real name! His real sister, though, feels like Gia owes him and talks her into posing as HIS fill-in girlfriend at a party for his ex.

What could possibly go wrong with all these secrets and lies?

Review

This was delightful! I enjoy the fake-relationship trope, and this is a great example of it. I loved Gia and Hayden (fake Bradley) together. He was really a good influence on her. I appreciated Gia’s growth over the course of the book. I empathized with her desperate need to hold onto her friends at the start of the book. Jules was awful and manipulative and catty. And then, as Gia starts to become more self-aware and wants to make some changes, she becomes even more like-able.

The contrast between Gia’s family and Hayden’s family was fascinating. Hayden’s home and family become a safe haven for Gia to explore some feelings and test her new insights.

Gia’s “friends” were the most uncomfortable part of the story for me. I knew we were headed toward a big confrontation where the full truth would come out. And I half dreaded it while also half welcoming it. I knew they would only see the betrayal but wouldn’t appreciate the personal growth Gia gains. I was more than ready for Gia to discover some new relationships with people she hadn’t noticed before when she was more shallow and driven to be perfect in the eyes of everyone around her.

On one level, this is a darling contemporary teen romance. And it’s lovely on that level. But this is SO much richer in emotional awareness and growth. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

REVIEW: The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

Posted on by Jaymie

[I mentioned this book in my post a couple weeks ago about the 2018 Cybils Awards. Here is my full review of The Orphan Band of Springdale.]

Summary

In 1941, Gusta is put on a bus to Springdale, Maine to live with her maternal grandmother for awhile while her parents sort out their life in New York. Grandma Hoopes runs a boarding house for orphans and “state kids.” And Gusta finds a second home in the hustle and bustle of a house full of kids.

Aside from her clothes, Gusta arrives only with a head full of her mother’s stories about her grandfather’s days as a sea captain in Maine and her father’s French horn. While Gusta’s mom said the horn could be sold for room and board expenses, Gusta can’t imagine parting with it.

Gusta’s resolve to keep the horn strengthens when she has the chance to play with the high school orchestra even though she is only eleven. And she forms a little band with her cousin and the “First Girl” at the boarding house. But realities of life start crowding in for Gusta. Her uncle Charlie was hurt at the Mill and lost his job. There’s no money for the surgery he needs, and he’s sinking into depression. She tries to take what she knows about labor laws and unions to help but ends up making things worse. Maybe selling her horn and using the money for her family is worth the heartache she would feel over the horn. Or maybe that will be the final piece that causes everything Gusta loves to fall apart completely.

Review

I have mentioned before that I don’t generally read historic fiction. It’s not a genre I seek out. In fact, I often actively avoid it. But I had to read this for an award committee. I planned to endure it. I pushed it off to last.

And I loved it!

I was captivated by Gusta right from the start. I loved her voice and her observations and thoughts and questions. And then the other characters started pulling me in even more.

This stirred up a lot of emotions for me, too. There’s terrific heart in the story, and there were many moments I loved. There were others, though, that left me sad, surprised and even ranting-and-raving-mad. A good story can crawl up inside you and pull all those different strings. And this one does.

I learned a lot from reading this, too, especially about 1941 America – the swell of patriotism and the moments it twisted into paranoia. I also learned about the beginning of the labor movement, which is something we take for granted today. It was fascinating. And it was all woven seamlessly into the story so I never felt like someone was trying to make a point. It was just a facet of this intricate story.

In some ways, I was hoping for a more satisfying ending, especially with regard to a few of the infuriating parts of the story. But the ending for this is satisfying and pretty realistic. I can’t wait to tell kids about this one. I’m afraid it could be a hard sell because this is a long book. It’s so hard to summarize all the things that go on here – I didn’t even include them all in my summary.

But Gusta….

For me if you just come to this book to meet Gusta, you’ll enjoy all the stories that follow her.

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

BONUS REVIEW: The Unusual Chickens series by Kelly Jones

BONUS REVIEW: The Unusual Chickens series by Kelly Jones

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? from Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer – SUMMARY

Sophie and her family have inherited her great-uncle Jim’s farm. And Jim at one time had some very special chickens. Now those chickens belong to Sophie – but someone is trying to steal them! Sophie shares the story of her family’s adjustment to the farm and her own learning curve when it comes to chickens in general as well as her unusual chickens through letters to her dead great-uncle, her Abuelita who has also passed away, and a farm supply catalog company.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Are You Read to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? SUMMARY

Sophie continues to care for her unusual chickens, and now she gets to hatch a batch of her own for the very first time. She has a lot to learn – about the hatching process and also about caring for the farm she inherited in book 1 (a different farm than Great-Uncle Jim’s). The biggest lesson of all, though, is learning to ask for help. Sophie is a bright girl who loves her chickens. She’s committed to doing whatever it takes to care for them. And that’s good because her new chicks are a whole new level of “unusual.”

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

Review

I adore this series! I read book one from the library in  preparation for reading book 2. It was adorable! I loved Sophie. She’s got a great “voice.” The format – letters to deceased relatives and an unknown person at the catalog – is clever. It’s like a journal, but it keeps Sophie connected to family, which is important to her and to the story.

In the second book, Sophie continues to tell her story in letters to the dead and also emails to the living. Her letters and emails are where Sophie pours out her heart about the ups and downs of family, friends, a new school, and being a farmer with unusual chickens. There are illustrations and chicken facts throughout the book, which were fun to read. There are general illustrations for the story, too, which I loved. Henrietta is my favorite chicken from the illustrations!

The bulk of this story is anchored in reality – Sophie’s family is trying to find their way on a farm when they are city folks, and they have little money to put into the farm while they get it up and running. Sophie is making new friends and starting at a new school – pretty typical activities for kids her age. The Brown family is becoming part of the community around their farm, especially as Sophie meets people who can help her with chicken tasks. The unusual chickens are the only fantasy elements in the books. I read a lot of fantasy where the whole WORLD around the story is fantastical. This is a lovely change of pace. It reminds me of the author’s YA book that I read last year.

I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series, and I recommend them highly!!