Tag: orphans

REVIEW: Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

REVIEW: Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Galahad is in the market for a building where he can open a gaming hell. And he’s found the perfect opportunity in an ideal location. Except for the neighbors.

Galahad’s business opportunity is next door to an orphanage – the one where Venus teaches. The two of them have NEVER gotten along. But he needs to smooth things over between them if they are going to be “neighbors.”

But just as things start to get even cozier that just “smoothed over,” Vee finds out about Galahad’s real estate deal – and how it impacts the orphanage.

Review

This was a fun conclusion to this great series! I didn’t adore this as much as I did the two earlier books. At times this felt too introspective, with long passages of the characters thinking through their feelings and dilemmas. But I loved Galahad. He was a fascinating character and I loved his interactions with the boys from the orphanage.

This feels like a book newcomers could start with. There are several references to what came before, especially with how Vee and Gal initially met. But it’s not so much that it would keep a new reader from enjoying this without the full backstory. I personally enjoyed Never Fall for Your Fiancée and Never Rescue a Rogue even more than this one, so I’d definitely recommend new readers go back and check out the earlier books, too. Series fans should absolutely finish out the series and check out this final installment. (Sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

THROW BACK: The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

THROW BACK: The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 20, 2012. When this book first released, I often found it shelved with teen books. I think it probably best fits an Older Middle Grade age group, so 10-14. This is the first in what is now a four-book series by Jennifer A. Nielsen. 

Summary

Sage is an orphan – cocky, clever and independent. When he is bought and taken from the orphanage, his plan is to run away at the first opportunity. But the man who buys him has plans for Sage and the other orphans with them. He’s going to turn one of them into a prince – and the rest will probably die. Sage will have to decide who he wants to be and what he is and is not willing to do to be that person

 

Review

Amazing! Outstanding! Brilliant! I have not felt this strongly about a book since I first read The Candymakers. This could easily be my “best book of 2012.” It will be a hard one to beat. Sage has a great voice, and I was drawn into his story from the first page. There’s a Hunger Games-ish feel to the relationship between the boys as they know only one will be chosen to play the prince and the others will likely be killed. The whole story is masterfully put together. I could hardly get to sleep after finishing it because I was so excited about how it all came together. This is going to be the first of a trilogy. This is one I will buy for myself (this copy is for our school’s library), share with my son, rave about to my students – and any random stranger I can get to listen.

5 out of 5 stars – I’d give it more if I could!

Recommended for: readers 4th grade and older, those looking for stories with mystery and adventure.

 

REVIEW: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

REVIEW: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Hercules Beal doesn’t want to go to the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences. But his brother, Achilles, made that decision for him. He’d been responsible for Hercules since The Accident.

Hercules’ homeroom teacher at his new school is Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, a retired marine. He’s also their Language Arts teacher. And he assigns each student a year-long Greek mythology project. And he gives Hercules a project to study the twelve labors of Hercules – and repeat them in a contemporary context.

At first, Hercules isn’t sure how he’s supposed to turn these myths into real events – and write 150 words about each one. But solutions seem to pop up along the way to help him – and not just with his school assignment.

Review

Oh, this book. I am tearing up just thinking about Hercules and Hupfer (who I adored!) and Achilles…. This was a constant journey from tears to laughter and back again. And I loved it.

Hercules has a FANTASTIC “voice” here – earnest and honest and twelve. I totally believed it and got a huge kick out of him. I was impressed with how the author worked myth-Hercules’ labors into things our Hercules could do – and what those experiences would teach him along the way.

This would be an outstanding choice for a family or classroom read aloud. It would also be an excellent book club selection for upper elementary/early middle school classrooms. I would love to watch students meet Hercules and dig into this story. This is not to be missed! (A couple uses of the word “jackass.”)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

For years, Evan has used the skills the Orphan program gave him to help people in desperate need of his talents as the Nowhere Man. But the US government didn’t like that. They said he could have a pardon for all he’s done – under orders and under his own conscience – if he stopped being the Nowhere Man. But he didn’t. And they have hunted him down.

Now he has a new offer – help the President by taking out a problem and his pardon agreement will be reinstated. But X is working on his own terms – he needs to check the guy out for himself. But what he finds isn’t what he expected.

Review

I read this series for two reasons:

One, my husband loves it. I read one of the early books for a family challenge a few years ago.
Two, I love the series characters.

But these books are often dark and super violent. So they don’t always click for me. I’ve even skipped a couple along the way. This one really only worked for me about 60% of the time. Most of the scenes with the villain fell flat. He was annoying. I hated him, but not in a “he needs to pay”/someone needs justice sort of way. More in a “when can we get back to the good stuff?” way.

Honestly, EVERY OTHER THING in the book (other than the violence/gore/icky bits) was a delight – Joey, other old friends, Evan’s personal growth. Even the scenes with the governmental powers that be who were coercing Evan were brilliant. Emotionally, I felt like I was reading two different books – one laugh-out-loud-funny and smart and sharp while the other was flat, bland, and colorless. I’m not sure if the author was trying to create a sort of Moriarty character here, (which I don’t enjoy in Sherlock Holmes either – although the recent Enola Holmes movie did an amazing job with the character) but it did not work for me.

I think there’s a lot here for series fans to enjoy. I bookmarked many perfect moments as I read. Readers who really get into the villainous interchanges here will find this to be the full package. But if the villain falls flat for you too, this may be an “only okay” addition to the series. Newcomers should not start here. I think this book only has a chance of being satisfying if you’ve read enough of the previous 7 stories. Context matters here. (Language, sex, sexual references including references to sexual assault, gore, violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch

REVIEW: Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Theirs was a marriage of convenience. Emmeline offered to help William with his career in exchange for a whirlwind wedding to ensure she got to keep the family home. As the first to wed, she was guaranteed the house in the short term. To keep it, she needed to bear a child.

When that didn’t happen, Emmeline fed her family a series of… stories… about their son, Malcolm and daughter Flora, expecting (hoping) no one would ever find out the truth.

But now the family patriarch has called everyone to gather for his birthday. So Emmaline and Will need two children. Immediately. Preferably ones who know how to behave properly in society.

They have to settle for George and Rose, two orphans they take in on a “trial” basis. Once the family makes an appearance at the big birthday celebration, they should be off the hook forever more.

Review

This was an interesting story. Predictable in a lot of ways. There are no real surprises with this, except maybe the sheer number of lies the family resorts to over the course of the book. And the story is not really a romance in my opinion.

While William and Emmeline do discover a spark while they deal with her deception and their attempt to keep the house, most of it is conveyed in glances and internal observations for the two characters. It’s only a tiny piece of the larger story.

The salvation of this for me was how likable the children are – and Will and Emmie, too. And I especially enjoyed how the household staff responded to the situation.

If you like stories with endearing children and a ton of hijinks, you should definitely pick this up. If you are looking for a romance, this one may be a disappointment. Lower your expectations and focus on the family story instead, and you might get a kick out of this one.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters

REVIEW: The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters

Posted on by Jaymie

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

 

Summary

Logan has another chance at prospective parents and life outside the orphanage – probably his last chance as he is almost 13. Everyone knows it’s harder for teenagers to get placed. And it’s not like Logan is easy in the first place. The supervisor at the orphanage is always telling Logan not to do or say things that might turn away a set of prospective parents. And Logan always ends up doing or saying them anyway.

But Gil and Margie don’t seem to mind Logan’s eidetic memory or the way he says whatever comes to mind. And they invite him to their home to live with them.

It doesn’t take long for Logan to start to question his new circumstances. Sure, Margie’s cooking is awful, as are Gil’s puns. But there are some seriously extra-weird things going on in Logan’s new home – and he’s going to get to the truth.

 

Review

This was so fun! I loved Logan. The orphanage/foster home pieces were handled well. I especially enjoyed the ways Logan’s neurodivergence and idiosyncrasies go from being a liability in the eyes of the orphanage supervisor – and in Logan’s eyes to a degree – to being an asset.

The superhero pieces felt pretty typical for these sorts of stories. So fans of the genre should feel right at home here.

I especially enjoyed the writing in this – the author does a great job with Logan’s voice throughout the book as well as with some fantastic metaphors along the way. This would be a great class or bedtime read aloud. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

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!

REVIEW: Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye

REVIEW: Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Ozzy was seven, his parents left New York and moved to a remote cabin in Oregon. Both of Ozzy’s parents were brilliant scientists – one in neuroscience and the other in psychology. Everything that remained of their lives out east was stacked in boxes in the small cabin.

One day when Ozzy was off playing by a stream, some men came to the cabin and took his parents. Ozzy came running when he heard his mother scream. But when he hid from the men, they left in him there. Alone in the woods.

For seven years Ozzy lived alone in the cabin with only a mechanical bird, Clark (one of his dad’s inventions), for company. He survived on the canned and dried food stockpiled in the basement. He entertained himself with all of the books and papers in the house. Thankfully his mother taught him to read at an early age. The academic papers were offset by fantasy novels like Harry Potter. And Ozzy had cassettes of his father’s work so he could hear his dad’s voice and remember when he had parents and felt safe and loved.

When Ozzy tries going to school in order to meet other people and access a computer to try and get information on his missing parents, it draws unwanted attention to his situation. Then a magazine ad gives him a great idea. He’ll hire a wizard to help him find his missing parents. Labyrinth – “Rin” – the wizard isn’t quite what Ozzy expected from Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings, but if Rin can help him, that is all that matters.

Review

I can’t remember the last time I read such a spectacularly bizarre book. I loved every page! Ozzy’s story is fascinating. I was engrossed from the beginning. I had to know what would happen to this boy,  abandoned in the woods.

When  Clark the bird is discovered, Ozzy’s world widens quite a bit. They explore their surroundings, and Ozzy experiences school. I loved this part. He has a great reaction to this unfamiliar system, and he’s bright enough to pull it off for awhile.

Adding Rin to the story, though, kicks this into a whole other place. He says he’s a wizard, but Ozzy sees no evidence. Yet he is trusting and wants to believe Rin can help. And while Rin is quirky to the nth degree, he is honestly invested in helping Ozzy. And the people Rin pulls into Ozzy’s orbit are terrific parts of the story.

If the awesome and quirky characters aren’t enough, there’s the adventure of keeping Ozzy off the radar of the powers that be that will take him from his home “for his own good.” And on top of that is the mystery of what happened to Ozzy’s parents and what he might discover if he finds them.

All the pieces come together into a reading experience unlike anything I have had before. And I enjoyed every bit of it. This is a smart, funny, and engaging story. I highly recommend this for upper elementary and middle school readers, but I think this also would work for older teen readers who enjoy quirky and unusual characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½