Tag: friendship

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 11, 2011. I wasn’t a school librarian yet when I wrote this, but I was running a creative writing club for elementary school students, two different age groups, at the time. This book became the gold standard of middle grade fiction for me. The STRUCTURE of the story is brilliant, with each of the four main characters telling their version of the A section of the story, one after the other. Each new walk through the material gives the reader new information and insights about the characters and the story. Then, the focal point character comes in and tells the B section of the story to wrap everything up. It’s truly brilliant!

Summary

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Four children gather at the Life is Sweet candy factory to prepare for the Annual New Candy Contest. They will spend two days together, learning about candy making and developing their own candy for the contest. Each one has a story – a “secret” – a “battle.” But if they can learn to trust each other, they can make something amazing happen.

 

Review

Outstanding! Fantastic! In a lesson for my writing students about good story beginnings, I read the first paragraph or two of eight different children’s books. This is the book that 21 out of my 22 students in one class said I should read first. They couldn’t have chosen better. Great twists and turns. Amazing connections between the kids that come out little by little. The author starts with Logan’s story and then layers each of the others over that before putting everything together to wrap up the overall story arc.  I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. And I raved about it to both of my groups of students. I returned the library’s copy as soon as I finished with it and ran out to buy my own copy. Now I can read it again, read it to my son, and share it with more students in the years to come.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: children 8 and up, writing teachers, classroom teachers, summer reading for families

REVIEW: The Bawk-ness Monster by Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess

REVIEW: The Bawk-ness Monster by Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Before Penny and her mom move away, Penny has one last thing to do – find the Bawk-ness Monster that saved her life three years ago. Penny’s friends, Luc and K, are also along for the adventure. (It would help if they could ditch Penny’s mom who’s a bit overprotective.) But the kids find more than they bargained for in their search for Bessie.

 

Review

This first book in the Cryptid Kids series was so fun! I loved all of the cryptid characters (who are twists on typical cryptids like Bigfoot). And the story kept moving forward while more challenges cropped up.

Penny’s mom is understandably over-protective after the scare three years ago. But there’s also a great moment when Penny stands up to her mom that I loved. Luc’s story is subtle but important. I would love to see a reading group dig into this book and see what kids make of Luc’s story.

I hope there will be more adventures for the Cryptid Kids. I would absolutely pick up a sequel to check it out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Books Aren't for Bears by Mark Barry

REVIEW: Books Aren’t for Bears by Mark Barry

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Bear discovers a book, and Owl teaches him to read it, Bear decides he wants more! (I feel you, Bear.) So he takes a bike he finds to the city, both to try to return the bike to its owner and also to find more books.

Review

This simple, sweet story was a joy to read! Through his ups and downs, Bear doesn’t completely lose hope. His perseverance eventually brings him to a perfect bookish spot where he finds the help he needs to continue his bookish life.

The illustrations by Katy Halford are a large part of the book’s charm. I LOVED them. The cover art was what first drew me to pick this up. I think readers will be captivated by the art as well.

This would be a great storytime book – for school, a bookstore, or the library – but I think many kids will also want the up-close experience of reading this in someone’s lap. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Jamie by L. D. Lapinski

REVIEW: Jamie by L. D. Lapinski

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jamie Rambeau told their best friends first. Then their parents. And eventually people at school. “Non-binary.” They spelled out their preferred pronouns. They pointed out school practices that were gendered (like “boys and girls” to refer to the group as a whole). And things worked out. Some people were more accepting and cooperative than others. But overall things were fine.

But Year 7 students go to secondary school. And in Jamie’s community there are only 2 – one for boys and one for girls. Where is Jamie supposed to go?

Review

This was lovely! I enjoyed Jamie and their friends. And I learned a TON reading this book. I appreciated the emphasis on educating readers – from the between-chapter pages defining terms to the things Jamie and their community learn along the way.

This is exactly the sort of book I think about when I talked to people about how books can help develop empathy. If you had asked me before I read this to anticipate the things that would be hard for Jamie, I would only have been able to scratch the surface. But as I was reading, I was incensed on Jamie’s behalf – over things I never expected. I kept marking moments that caught my attention.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to get a sense of the perspective of a non-binary character. (This book was published in the UK, so you may have to hunt a bit for a source.) This would be great for a book club or class read-aloud with discussion, especially if it’s with a group learning about various perspectives – LGBTQ+  experiences or disabilities or race, etc..

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

 

REVIEW: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Samantha says she is on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to watch her teenaged half-brother, Tyler, while his parents are on an extended vacation. But in reality, she quit her job as a chef in Boston when she was passed over for a job. She needs a soft place to land and re-group.

Sam did not count on meeting a handsome stranger on the ferry. She knew Ben was bookish because she accidentally knocked his book into the ocean. But he’s also a librarian. She’s not sure what to make of all of that bookishness. Sam’s dyslexia means that reading is a tremendous challenge. There are just too many other things she’d rather do instead. Things that don’t fill her with shame.

But the chemistry between them is undeniable. And Ben doesn’t seem to think Sam has anything to be ashamed of. But Sam has lost boyfriends and jobs over her dyslexia in the past, so she’s not sure she can trust him long term. But a summer fling might be all right, if she can keep herself from falling head over heels for him.

Review

That summary really doesn’t do this book justice, but if I try to explain all of the magic of this story, I will end up spoiling it. And this is too perfect to risk spoiling it.

I. Loved. Everything.

All of the characters are fantastic. And the set up – the family things, the reading things, the romance, the setting – is all perfect. There are funny moments and swooning moments and heart-tugging moments and angsty moments. And I adored them all. This was definitely a book I wanted to hug when I was done.

The author’s note about dyslexia and the choices she and the publisher made in the production of this novel were icing on the cake. I loved how that aspect of the story was handled. I can’t wait to see this book in person to see the dyslexia-friendly font they chose and other accommodations.

Finally, there’s a teaser for a companion novel focusing on another character – and I need it in my hands immediately!

Jenn McKinlay has never failed me before, and she certainly hasn’t here. Fans of her other romances – and fans of her mysteries if you  also like books with some spice – should absolutely pick this up. She really hits this one out of the park. Highly recommend! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

REVIEW: The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

Posted on by Jaymie

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.]

Summary

Alice and Iris and their friends are with everyone who’s anyone at the Sadie Hawkins dance at Levy Castle. The history of the castle – including the mysterious death of movie star Mona Moody – is something Castle Cove takes very seriously. But two of Alice’s old friends, Kennedy and Park, seem more concerned with contemporary drama rather than history. They have a very public fight in the middle of the dance.

Then there’s the screaming.
The blood.
Kennedy is gravely injured. Park runs.
The students are trapped at the Castle due to a storm-caused mudslide – and the authorities struggle to get there.

It’s like one of Alice’s Agatha Christie novels! While Kennedy is soon taken to the hospital, and the students can finally leave the Castle, the questions over what really happened aren’t going away any time soon. So Alice, Iris, and their friends start investigating.

Review

I absolutely adored The Agathas when I first read it a year ago. In fact, it was one of my top 10 most favorite reads of 2022. Halfway through the book I was begging the universe to make this a series. I was so excited when I heard there would be a sequel!

This was outstanding! The story blew me right out of the water. Alice and Iris are back, better than ever – with a real friendship with ups and downs but a core connection and loyalty that keeps them together. The mystery is layered, and each piece is solid and meaty on its own. There’s a LOT going on here – and I loved all of it! There are real stakes here, too, which added to the tension and to my enjoyment. There were several moments when I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.

I blitzed through The Agathas in a day before I started this so I would have the characters fresh in my mind. I am glad I did so I could jump right into this new story.  Newcomers should absolutely start with book 1, if for no other reason than the ending is “spoiled” here in book 2. You’ll be happier if you read these in order. Fans of book one should snap this up immediately – it was terrific! I can’t wait to see what comes in book 3.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley

REVIEW: Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on Tuesday, April 25th.]

Summary

Delilah is hoping the Geneva Bay Taste of Wisconsin contest will net her enough money to get through the typical lean winter in her touristy Wisconsin town. But her chances of that keep taking hits.

First, the “celebrity judge” has a history with her business partner. And it’s not a good history – Sonja slept with the man’s wife. It’s highly unlikely that he would choose Delilah’s food as the winning entry, no matter how good it is.

Then, there is a mysterious death in Geneva Bay – and another person is poisoned. The poisoning victim happens to be another contestant – the woman Delilah’s ex is dating.

And if all that wasn’t complicated enough, the celebrity judge is later murdered. Delilah has her hands full with her floundering business, her aging aunt who is hiding something from her, and her custody agreement with her ex over their cat. She really doesn’t have time to investigate a murder! But she also can’t let any of their friends go down for a crime they didn’t commit.

Review

This is book 2 in the Deep Dish Mystery series, and I thought it was great! Stronger than the first book, in my opinion.

One essential element of a good cozy mystery, for me, is the ensemble cast. This has a great one! It’s large enough to be interesting and small enough to track easily. I also enjoyed the hints at a possible future romance for Delilah.

The mystery here is excellent – there are several crimes that weave in and out of the day to day events for Delilah and her friends. It was super satisfying to read – lots to puzzle out, and “busy” enough to keep me engaged without feeling overwhelmed. It was just the right balance of elements.

I don’t know that you have to read these two books in order, but as always, it does help with establishing the character relationships. If you tried book 1 and enjoyed it, you are in for an even bigger treat here!

(I know it’s Friday, and there would normally be a review here for a book for kids or for teens, but I have been overrun with review copies of adult books, so adult readers get a bonus review this week. Come back next week for something for younger readers!)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

REVIEW: The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Madeline has grown up on the Ren Faire circuit, and she’s at her favorite Faire, Stormsworth. But all the ways it feels different, starting with (1) Mom isn’t here because she died last year, are too many to count. There are new owners, a full castle on the grounds, and there’s even a moat. And then there’s the bard – a boy her age who is entirely too perky and insists on following her and calling her Gwen.

The bard is Arthur, and his dads are the new owners of the Faire – the ones who have changed so much of what was her mother’s last and favorite Faire.

Arthur’s sunny disposition and relentless chatter, initially so off-putting, start to wear her down as she opens herself up to the Faire and a friend. But the pain of Maddie’s loss is still so sharp and ever-present, it’s left her to put up walls to keep anyone from getting too close. Because if she cares about anyone, she exposes herself to future pain and loss.

Review

Two years ago I read a stunningly good book called Amelia Unabridged. And it set a high bar for all other books. It was my favorite of 2021. Last year I read the author’s follow up. And while the characters and writing for Full Flight were excellent once again, the plot did not work for me. I wasn’t sure what that might mean for future books – was Amelia a fluke of a perfect book for me? Or was Flight just not a story made for me? And then I read this. And it was another perfect story for me.

I happened to be reading this on the anniversary of my own mother’s death. And the author’s depiction of Maddie’s wrestling through her grief and loss – and the approaching 1st anniversary of her own loss – was spot on. I love how Maddie’s thinking and coping are portrayed here. Her whole journey was perfect.

I’d have been happy with just Maddie’s story. But Arthur is my FAVORITE sort of sidekick/romantic interest in books like this. Confident, but not perfect. Fond of grand gestures. Funny! But also insightful and observant.

There was a thread of the story that the author pulled forward at the end that was the exclamation point on the perfection of this book for me. If it hadn’t happened, I would have still loved this book. But this extra little pay off was the cherry on the sundae that was this reading experience. Exactly the finishing touch I wanted to make the reading payoff just a bit sweeter.

Schumacher has done it again for me. Her writing is consistently top notch – I highlighted multiple passages as I was reading (I will definitely be tabbing this book the next time I read it once my personal print copy gets here!). Her characters are favorites I would be friends with. There’s a great balance of humor (one scene at the end had me cackling!) and heart. Combine that with a plot that grabs my attention (grief, books, authors in Amelia; Renaissance Faire, grief, self-esteem/confidence, body positivity in this one), and it’s going to be a winner!

Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: My Flawless Life by Yvonne Woon

REVIEW: My Flawless Life by Yvonne Woon

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Hana Yang Lerner used to be an insider. She used to be a fixer. And she used to be best friends with Luce Herrera.

Now, an anonymous texter has offered Hana $5,000 to follow Luce and help her fix something. But Hana is not in the habit of being cajoled – or bribed – into doing anything. Still, she’s an outcast just trying to get though high school after a national scandal involving her family. That kind of money and the chance to see what her old friend is into is hard to ignore.

Against her instincts, Hana teams up with another old friend who seems to be working the same mystery from a different angle. But the things they discover continue to catch them by surprise.

Review

Wow, this was great! The mystery is top notch, and the reader is treated to some jaw-dropping moments. I was captivated right from the start. The voice for this is engaging and the mystery kept me zipping through, page after page.

There are some time jumps that are used to explain Hana’s history as a fixer as well as the history with Luce and other ex-friends. Hana’s family story balances out the school-related mystery as Hana tries to figure out who she is in light of the family scandal.

YA readers who love a great mystery should give this a try. I loved it, and will be thinking about it, and about some of the twists, for years to come! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hilo has been captured by the magical rulers of an alternate Earth. They want to prevent a prophecy that says two magical humans will take the Earth from them. And they believe those humans are Hilo’s friends.

Gina has connected with her ancestor, Regina, who has been serving as a magical guardian for ages. She has kept countless magical creatures from invading Earth. But with the arrival of Gina and her friends, Regina realizes things aren’t what they seem in her magical world.

Review

I wasn’t supposed to be reviewing this book today. I’m having a hard time catching up on my reading from the first of the year. But when the library notice came through that this was in my hold list, I dropped everything to read through it. This is one of my “ride or die” graphic novel series. And this entry did not disappoint.

I continue to be awed by how this funny, action-packed series can also deal with grief and loss so well. There’s just the right amount of heart-tugging  that comes from how much readers care about these characters. But that is well-balanced with the action and humor. Graphic novel fans should definitely start this series at the beginning – there’s just too much to catch up on if you were to jump in here. But it’s worth the time because this series is amazing. I already have book 10, Rise of the Cat, on my wish list for 2024.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.