Tag: legacy

REVIEW: Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

REVIEW: Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lee and Wren have been best friends since 8th grade. Prank partners. Ride or die – even after Lee moved across the country when his mom got a new job. It doesn’t matter that he’s Moonstruck, and she’s a Mundane without any magick. He’s her person. Period.

Lee is off to Moon Isle for school where Wren just can’t go. She’s been trying to figure out her next steps while his have been laid out for him his whole life. They won’t be able to talk to one another at all while he’s away. But at midnight on Wren’s 18th birthday, everything changes. She’s literally Moonstruck.

While mysterious, this development ensures that Wren gets to go to Moon Isle with Lee and her other Moonstruck friend, Sam. But the mysteries don’t stop once Wren gets there. While she questions whether she’ll ever feel like she belongs – and her feelings for Lee – Wren starts getting odd, cryptic messages. Those lead her to more questions, especially about what really happened to Lee’s older sister when she was at Moon Isle.

Review

Arrgh! I don’t love cliffhangers, especially at the end of a captivating book. And this was captivating from start to finish.

I really enjoyed this – I was drawn in by the magical system here, and I enjoyed the magical school setting. This book gives readers the barest bits of information and clues to draw you from chapter to chapter. And then that cliffhanger?! Really?! I literally shouted “No!” at the end.

I’m eager to read the sequel when it comes out so I can see all of the pieces put together. My only hesitation is that I did not love the romantic sub-plot. The female and non-binary characters in this are fantastic! But I didn’t love Lee at all. I am hoping that I get a better sense of him in book 2.

Fantasy fans and fans of the authors should definitely check this out. The second book of this duology is scheduled to release in the spring of 2025. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read

 

REVIEW: Begin Again by Emma Lord

REVIEW: Begin Again by Emma Lord

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

Andie has pulled off the impossible – a mid-year transfer to Blue Ridge State. It’s going to be perfect – she can experience all the things she has grown up hearing about. And she’s going to surprise her boyfriend, Connor, with the news that they will be at Blue Ridge State together.

Except nothing goes as planned.

Her first class is a disaster. She loses the pivotal ribbon in the scavenger hunt that was the primary reason for pushing to transfer mid-year. And then Connor announces his own surprise – he’s transferred home to go to the local community college with Andie.

As Andie tackles her first semester at Blue Ridge State, some of her expectations – for her relationship with Connor, for her quest to connect with her late mother by being at BRS, and for herself get challenged and leave her wondering what path she wants to be on after all.

Review

I have been a huge fan of Emma Lord for awhile. When You Get the Chance, You Have a Match, and Tweet Cute are some of my favorite YA stories of recent years. This story was a bit “quieter” for me – more introspective – but also a great read.

I connected with this story in a way I haven’t with the author’s earlier books. As a student of the Enneagram, I saw a lot of Type 2 thinking and behaving in Andie. This drew me to look at the story a bit more clinically rather than being able to just fall into the story. It’s good – and spot on. Just a different reading experience for me.

This is more Andie’s story than it is a romance. Oh, the romance is there – and it’s good! But Andie’s on a journey of personal growth and self-discovery that will have to take precedence over everything else. And the journey is so well done. I loved that the Andie is in college. It’s the perfect setting for her journey. There’s tons to love – from the dorm to the relationships to Bagelopolis. It’s all lovely.

There were several laugh-out-loud moments in this – as I’ve come to expect from the author – as well as great characters, and an engaging story. Emma Lord fans should not miss this one. And if the author is new to you, go ahead and pick up her backlist, too, because you are going to want to read them all! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

REVIEW: The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sabrina is back home in the Dells after losing her job. She just needs to pay some bills and find a new gig, and she can leave. Sure, she loves her family. It’s the ghosts she can do without.

The women in Sabrina’s family can see and speak with ghosts. And it’s their job to help the recently departed finish their unfinished business and cross over. With Sabrina’s anxiety, she doesn’t need the added stress of ghosts and ghostly conversations.

Ray has purchased a supper club in Wisconsin – The Otter Club – much to his mother’s dismay. She’d do anything to get Ray to give up this “foolishness” and return to New York. But Ray’s dad gives him one chance to stay – find the money to buy out his late uncle’s portion of the business, and show his parents he belongs in Wisconsin by planning the annual Goodbye Gala.

Ray and Sabrina keep running into one another. And there’s definitely a spark there. But she has her mind set on leaving town as soon as possible. And he has family secrets to uncover and a quest to secure the life he wants in Wisconsin. Can a spark overcome two people headed in opposite directions?

Review

This was so great! I loved the combination of the contemporary romance with the paranormal/ghostly piece. I’ve read plenty of paranormal stories before, but there was something different about this that I adored. The ghostly piece is light, and sometimes funny. But the punch of it is the impact it has on Sabrina with her high levels of anxiety. And Ray’s reaction to the ghostly part of her life is going to be crucial to what happens between then.

From the characters to the setting (Wisconsin!) to the humor and the sweet romance, this was a treat to read! I was so busy that it took me a few days to finish the book. Every time I thought about getting back to it, I smiled. Just thinking about these characters and the story made me smile. I still feel that way now that I have finished it. The whole story is a delight. I would absolutely read this one again.

Don’t miss this one if you enjoy contemporary romance or romance novels with light paranormal elements! (Language, sex, edibles used for anxiety, TW: anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would read again.

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this from Netgalley, but by the time I was approved, I had already bought a print copy of the published book. I read the print version for this review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

April and her friends are settled in at Winterborne House. Gabriel Winterborne has been “found” and is famous again. April and the other kids thwarted a lot of dark, ugly schemes that could have hurt a lot of people (Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor) and lived to tell the tale.

But Izzy has disappeared and Smithers, the butler, is away, leaving Gabriel in charge of five kids and the house. Things are pretty chaotic when the case worker arrives. Then, a swordsman breaks into the house. And Gabriel goes missing.

Now the kids are dodging the case worker who wants to take them away from their home and from each other. They are searching for Gabriel, afraid he’s hurt or dying – or that he’s just abandoned them. And they are running from guys with guns, desperate to preserve their found family.

Review

WOW! This was fantastic! I squeezed in a quick re-read of book one so the story was fresh in my mind when I started this. And I am so glad. I was able to pick up the action and the characters right away, which was important. This book jumps right into the action! This is definitely a read-in-order series.

While this is April’s story, I adore the full ensemble cast. The kids have really gelled into a team – and a family – by this book. I love them even more this time around.

The story was captivating from start to end. There are a ton of things going on here, but the author never loses the reigns on her story. I flew through this in one breathless sitting because I had to know what happens for everyone. I have my fingers crossed that there will be more stories for these characters in the future. But this book ends solidly with no major cliffhangers.

Fans of book 1, fans of Ally Carter, and fans of middle grade mysteries should NOT miss this excellent series. I’d say the target audience would be older middle grade readers – 10 and up – due to the violence of the story. While not at all graphic, there are sword fights and bullet wounds and stabbings and peril that might not be a good fit for some young readers.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on October 6, 2020.]

Summary

In 1972, Joan, a young wife and mother, teaches herself to cook from her mother’s recipes. When cancer strikes, she continues to cook, when she feels up to it, using the recipes to connect with her children. Family time is precious as they fight for her survival. Through the year, her husband finds some respite working on a table for their kitchen.

In 2012, Lauren and Travis discover they’re going to have a baby. As their friends help the newlyweds prepare their home for a new arrival, Lauren gets a refurbished kitchen table. The table has a secret drawer. Inside, she discovers a stack of recipe cards which include family stories. As she experiments with the recipes, Lauren is determined to do all she can to return those cards to that family.

Review

This is book 10 in the Christmas Hope series by Donna VanLiere. I think the books can be read alone (I started with book 8, The Christmas Town) without too much trouble, but to get everything out of the relationships, readers might try the books in order.

I liked the dual timeline/split timeline in this. The 1972 story keeps you wondering all the way through about how things will turn out for this family. For me, it was stressful. There’s a strong prayer/faith component to this timeline in the book which I enjoyed. For some, the cancer/chemo pieces could be difficult to read.

I preferred the 2012 timeline. I have loved Lauren’s story since The Christmas Town, so I was happy to spend more time with her in this book. The ending, where all was connected and revealed, was terrific and satisfying.

I liked the idea of using recipe cards as a storytelling mechanism. But in reality, it got old to me at times to read the cooking details. I felt like it slowed the story down. Cooking is not something I enjoy, but those pieces might be perfect and enjoyable for other readers who do. The book includes several recipes for readers who want to try some of the items on their own.

Fans of Grandon and the Christmas Hope series will want to pick this one up. Readers who enjoy stories of faith, warm Christmas tales, and dual/split  timeline stories should check this out, too. (CW: Cancer/Chemo. One reference in the ARC to a newborn sleeping on her stomach. Due to SIDS risk, babies should be put to sleep on their backs.)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

REVIEW: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss+ and William Morrow in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Bill Sweeney passed away, it was big news. He was famous in the literary world. And he had been working on a new memoir. The one about his deceased wife had been extremely well-received. The publishing world could only dream of what Bill might share next from his personal life.

The Sweeney sisters come home for the funeral: dutiful Liza who lives nearby, flighty and emotional Maggie the artist, and Tricia, the baby – the most controlled and put together of the bunch.

The Sweeney sisters have generally had good relationships with one another. Different circumstances bring out different pairings and alliances. But in a crisis like burying their father, handling the estate, and finding his final missing manuscript, they pull together. But their father’s death raises a new, unforeseen wrinkle.

There is a fourth Sweeney sister.

Thanks to a DNA test, Serena discovers Bill Sweeney was her biological father. This leaves the original Sweeney sisters reeling and wondering what agenda Serena might bring to their task of managing Bill’s estate. Will Serena capitalize on the scandal with a book of her own? Is she only there for whatever money she can squeeze from the estate? And what might the missing memoir have to say about Bill’s infidelity and his surprise heir?

Review

I enjoyed this novel about sisterhood and legacy. The blurbs promised me “belly laughs” and something “uproarious.” But I didn’t find much hilarity in this. It’s touching and nuanced as it explores the five main characters of the story – the sisters and their father.

The core of the book is the father’s death and what the loss means for the family, from dealing with the house to the search for the missing memoir. And there’s a good bit here about legacy. Those pieces of the story were good and engaging.

But the best part of the story for me was the exploration of sisterhood. The three main sisters have distinct personalities and bring a good amount of personal baggage into the grief journey. On their own, they are all dealing with something – Liza’s rocky marriage, Maggie’s flighty personality and work ethic and penchant for drama, and Tricia’s new romantic relationship. But in addition to their individual journeys there’s a great layer of sisterhood over the top.

The sisterhood pieces were fascinating to Serena as an outsider. She longs to be part of that dynamic, but she know she doesn’t really fit. I loved how she found her own way to step into the sisterly dance the other three already have going.

Readers who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction, family stories, and books with literary elements should not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

REVIEW: The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Founder’s Bluff’s history centers around the Kramer family – and witches. Judge Nathaniel Kramer led the settlers who founded Founder’s Bluff. And he led the witch hunt against a group of women who were seen as outsiders.

Turns out the women were witches. And they ran and hid as long as they could. But they eventually called on the goddess Hecate to help them find a safe haven where they could live free.

Moth Hush is a middle school student studying the history of Founder’s Bluff. On Halloween, she even dresses as a witch. But in a fit of anger after abuse by the usual bullies, something strange and magical happens.

What is Moth’s connection to the history of Founder’s Bluff and the witches who once lived there?

Review

This is a rich graphic novel that is a fantasy, but also an exploration of legacy, belonging, and identity. And I really enjoyed it!

Early on the book is all about the history of Founder’s Bluff, Moth’s questions, and her mom, Calendula. And that was fine. But as the story developed and we learned about Calendula’s life, it really grabbed my attention. Calendula longed for her own place – her own story and identity outside of magic. At the same time, Moth is longing for those things, also, but she wants the magic, too. It was fascinating!

If the story was just about Moth and magic, it would have been solid. But these deeper, richer themes really brought this up to the next level for me. Fantasy fans should be sure to check this one out! (Magic elements – witches, goddesses, spells, familiars, ghosts)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥