REVIEW: Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente

Summary


Eight comedians are invited to a private island to work with comedic great, Dustin Walker. Mr. Walker’s assistant, Meredith (a comedian in training) is coordinating all the details including gathering the guests at the airport and getting them to the island.

But the island caretaker is no where to be found when they arrive. The elevator at the dock is broken, so they can’t even get their belongings up to the house. There’s no cell service or internet access. The island seems to be deserted. This is not a terrific start to their weekend.

Once they all gather in the house, Mr. Walker welcomes everyone via video. He says they are all there to address “crimes against comedy.” And then the guests watch him wrap a noose around his neck and throw himself off a cliff ledge.

Mr. Walker’s death is only the first as the island’s inhabitants are slowly being killed off one at a time. Who is behind the murders? Will anyone be left standing in the end?

Review


This is a good execution of the kind of mystery seen most famously in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None or the movie Clue. The mystery had a couple nice twists in it before it was all said and done.

There are a lot of characters in a story like this. I needed a list at first to keep track of who was who. And since someone wanted to kill all of them off, it was hard to find characters to like or cheer for. Some were less obnoxious or odious than others but there weren’t any I truly liked.

While I tend to be motivated by characters in books, it had to be the plot to move me along in this story. And the clever murder methods and the question of who would be next and who might survive were what kept me going to the satisfying conclusion. This contained more language and crass conversations than in my usual cozy mysteries. Cozy readers should keep that in mind if they decide to give this one a try. But it is a solid mystery for fans who enjoy a wide range of mystery styles.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

I received an electronic copy of this book for review purposes. Thanks to Netgalley and Quirk Books for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Pennybaker School Is Headed for Disaster by Jennifer Brown

Summary


Thomas is a new student at the Pennybaker Hill Academy for the Uniquely Gifted. Thomas’ mom thinks he’s a chemistry genius, but in reality, Thomas is a magician. But any gift counts at Pennybaker – magic, juggling chainsaws, playing the didgeridoo.

Thomas is still trying to get used to Pennybaker – the uniform, the weird class names, the quirky kids – when the unimaginable happens. The statue of Mrs. Helen Heirmauser goes missing. Mrs. Heirmauser was a much-beloved math teacher at Pennybaker. The bust is a centerpiece of the school. Students bow to it when they walk by and speak of Mrs. Heirmauser reverently. To Thomas, though, the statue is just a weird head of some lady, yelling. This attitude makes Thomas the prime suspect in the theft, and soon he’s ostracized at school. Even his parents think he stole the head. Only his weird neighbor, Chip, is willing to help Thomas find the truth.

Review


This was an odd, quirky little story that grew on me over time. Some of the writing patterns – like the different “adventures” Thomas names or his torture plans for Louis XIV felt over done at the start of the book. When they were sprinkled more sparingly in the story as it went on, they weren’t as distracting.

I felt bad for Thomas. Everyone turned on him so quickly, assuming the worst. I was especially frustrated that his parents believed the worst right from the start with little to no evidence or reason. Only Chip believed him. I enjoyed seeing Thomas and Chip become friends over the course of the book. Chip never really got any less weird, but Thomas started accepting him as he was, weirdness and all.

I think this would be a great book for readers who like unusual, odd characters and light mysteries. There were several laugh-out-loud moments in the story. I would recommend it to upper elementary students.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

I received an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK NEWS: July 11, 2017

I’m having a hard time believing that summer vacation is almost over. A month from now we will be back in school! Thankfully, there are still plenty of carefree summer days to do lots of reading! Here are some new books coming out this week:

Books for Kids


 

Black Belt Bunny – A bunny who is a pro at martial arts has to make… a salad. This sounds so quirky, I have to read it. Might be a great story for the kids in your life who love martial arts.
Murphy’s Ticket (July 15) – A picture book story of the Cubs curse and their World Series win in 2016.
Mitzi Tulane, Preschool Detective in The Secret Ingredient – Two preschoolers investigate their muffins for “dodgy” ingredients. How can anyone NOT want to read this book? A preschool detective!! The book blurb uses the word “dodgy.” I have to read this book! Second book in the series.
There Is No Dragon in this Story (July 13) – I cannot wait to read this book about a dragon who can’t find a story that will take him.
Brave Batgirl – This early reader shares the backstory of one of my favorite heroes, Batgirl. For older readers, look into the Scholastic DC Backstories series. They have a Batgirl book that was well done.
Living in Egypt – An early reader about living in Egypt. Part of a series which has already covered India, Australia, China and other countries.
Disney Princess Dot-to-Dot – I’ve noticed that intricate dot-to-dot books are starting to join adult coloring books in stores.
Star Wars Dot-to-Dot

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


A Dash of Dragon – A teen chef tries to find her way with a new restaurant, a lone shark, magic creatures, and a snooty rival chef. This sounds like the perfect blend of fantasy and cooking story.
It All Comes Down to This – The new girl in a mostly -white neighborhood – and a black girl at that – Sophie just wants to do her usual thing. She wants to write and hang out with her friends. But in 1965 Los Angeles, during the Watts riots, her life is more complicated than that. This sounds like a great addition to stories for kids that look honestly at race in America.
Kid Normal (July 13) – A normal kid is mistakenly enrolled in a school for superheroes. This sounds right up my alley – sign me up!
Land of Stories Worlds Collide – The sixth and final book in the wildly popular Land of Stories series by actor Chris Colfer about a brother and sister who fall into a fairy tale world. I read the first book in this series – The Wishing Spell – ages ago, but I think I’d like to read it again and see how the whole series comes together.
Multiple Mayhem – Book 3 in the Gabby Duran series about a girl who babysits for aliens. This sounds like a cute series. Book one is Gabby Duran and the Unsittables.
Pennybaker School Is Headed for Disaster – A beloved statue goes missing from the Pennybaker School, and Thomas is everyone’s prime suspect. I’ll be reviewing this book tomorrow.
Queen Red Riding Hood’s Guide to Royalty – Tie-in material for the Land of Stories series.
The Sands of Shark Island – Book 2 in the School Ship Tobermory series by acclaimed author, Alexander McCall Smith. The stories focus on a pair of twins who go to school on the ship, Tobermory, to learn to be sailors and about life on the sea. This action/adventure mystery sounds like a great series to share with kids!
The Wild Bunch – Three boys head off on a wilderness adventure to find a local Bigfoot-like legendary creature. Part of the MAX line from Aladdin publishing. I have read (and loved) several books from the MIX line, which focuses on female characters. I have several MAX books on my TBR list right now – including this one.
You May Already Be a Winner – A girl tries to hold things together on her own – watching her little sister, writing letters to her absent father, looking for things to do in their trailer park for entertainment – but it’s a lot for one 12-year-old to manage. This is definitely on my list for this week!
Learn to Draw Star Wars – Learn to Draw books make great gifts and terrific additions to school and classroom libraries. My students couldn’t get enough of these.
Ash and Quill – Book 3 in the Great Library series about the Library of Alexandria in an alternate reality where the Library, and those who control it, wield power over books and information. I have book one, Ink and Bone, on my library wish list.
The Carnelian Crow – Book 4 in the Stoker (as in Bram Stoker, Dracula) and Holmes (Sherlock) series about Stoker’s sister and Holmes’ niece who team up to hunt vampires and solve mysteries. I’m not much of a vampire fan, but I might have to check out book one in this series, The Clockwork Scarab, to see if the story and characters click for me. This sounds like a fun team up!
I See London, I See France – Author of the middle grade Whatever After series publishes a YA novel this week about two teens traveling through Europe and negotiating exes and romance and family drama. I’m looking forward to this one, too!
The Lake Effect – Rising college freshman is spending the summer at Lake Michigan, working as a personal assistant. And nothing goes the way he expected. This is on my list for sure!
Waste of Space – A reality show where the teens are shot into space and have to survive. Sounds great, except it is all fake. I’ll be posting a review of this one later this week.
What to Say Next – Two unexpected friends join forces to try and figure out what killed Kit’s father.

Books for Adults


 

30 Second Death – Book 2 in the Tobi Tobias mystery series about a woman who starts her own advertising agency and tends to stumble across dead bodies. This time, she has to find out who killed the diva before her friend goes to jail.
Hello, Sunshine – Culinary star gets hacked and the world discovers everything is a lie. Now she has to retreat and reconstruct her life.
Ten Dead Comedians – Like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, a group of comedians gathers on a remote island where one by one they start to die. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
The Writing Desk – Two women, decades apart, share a writing desk and the stories of their lives. I requested this from the library a month ago! I can’t wait to read it.
The Darkening Web – Looks at the power and dangers of cyberspace.
I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool – Another collection of funny and true stories from this mother and daughter team. I have yet to read any of their books, but I would like to check this one out.
Reading with Patrick – The author shares her story of working with Patrick – first as a mentor and teacher to the teenager and then a few years later as he sits in a cell awaiting trial for murder. Sounds like a powerful memoir.
Remarkable Faith – Tells the story of the people with remarkable faith that claimed Jesus’ notice. Sounds like this could be a good book for group study.
Star Trek: The Klingon Empire – A travel guide to the Klingon Empire
The Strength Switch – Advocates for a parenting model based on drawing out the strengths of your children. Sounds great. Might work in a classroom setting as well as for parents.

 

So, what’s going on your TBR this week?

REVIEW: Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Summary


The kingdom of Eden is in the middle of a war. The king and crown prince are checking on the fighting before the prince’s wedding to the kingdom’s seer. The winter season will be starting soon which means the savage Xhelozi will be hunting the borders. It’s vital that Eden stay strong and keep the windmills collecting power for the kingdom.

But that strength is in danger when the king and crown prince are killed under mysterious circumstances. In the power vacuum, the Council of Elders starts maneuvering for power. Caught in the middle are the king and queen’s twins, Andreus and Carys. They have protected eachother’s secrets – and very lives – since they were born.  But now only one of them can rule. And only by winning a contest against the other.

Secrets and lies abound as the twins and other forces battle for control of Eden.

Review


Wow! This was great! This is a hard book to summarize. So many things are going on right from the outset. And the reader knows early on that most of the characters are hiding things and scheming for their own goals.

The twins at the center of the story are fascinating. On the surface, they are completely committed to one another. Carys sacrifices often to protect her brother’s big secret. And Andreus has her back when it comes to Carys’ secret too. But with the kingdom at stake and other voices whispering in their ears, their bond starts to fracture.

The scheming in this book is tremendous. Even at the end, I am not sure who is completely trustworthy. Secrets have secrets, and I’m confident I still only know maybe 40% of what’s truly going on. I was amazed to realize that while I was totally engrossed from start to finish, I had so many questions! That takes masterful plotting. Charbonneau has done a great job of crafting a page-turning story while still maintaining lots of mystery for the future.

I am looking forward to book 2!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Every Body on Deck by G. A. McKevett

Summary


Savannah, Dirk and the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency are hired by a famous mystery author. Natasha Van Cleef has been receiving threatening notes. She’s about to do a promotional cruise to Alaska. She wants Savannah and her team to protect her and her entourage on the cruise. The whole team is thrilled to enjoy an Alaskan cruise. Savannah’s Granny and Dirk’s parents even join them for the experience.

Once on the ship, though, Natasha is resistant to Savannah’s presence. She refuses to keep protection around her at dinner and pushes the team to leave her alone for most of the next day so she can enjoy being with her husband and a long massage.

But when Savannah and Dirk arrive to find Natasha and her husband missing and another threatening note, it seems the author needed Midnight Magnolia Detective Agency’s protection more than she thought.

Review


This is the 22nd book in this series that I have enjoyed for ages. They can be enjoyed out of order – the mysteries easily stand alone. But part of the fun of the series for me is the team, and they have grown and changed over the years. It is fun to experience that evolution in series order.

Savannah and Dirk are great characters – smart and good at their jobs. They make an interesting couple. There’s plenty of banter as she’s a Southern belle and he’s a little more rough around the edges. I love Savannah’s family (at least the ones in this book) and the larger role her granny and brother have had in recent books.

The mystery was good. I didn’t get a great feel for the author and her entourage as they weren’t around much in the story. I didn’t have a strong feeling for them – either worry over what happened or a good sense of the suspects. But I enjoyed the twisty investigation and the overall solution in the end.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Brightest Stars of Summer by Leila Howland

Summary


Book 2 in the Silver Sisters series finds Marigold, Zinnie and Lilly headed back to Massachusetts to visit their great-aunt, Sunny, and help her get ready for her wedding.

A lot has happened in the last year since they summered with Aunt Sunny. Marigold had a part in a huge movie, but it got cut out. She found seventh grade to be harder than she expected. There are cliques to negotiate and her “stardom” doesn’t seem to make her as popular as she expected.

Zinnie has embraced her passion for writing. She had planned to go to a writer’s camp for the summer before the trip to Massachusetts came up. Without the camp, she is on her own to come up with an amazing story that will get her one of 8 precious spots in a writing group at school. She hopes her time in Massachusetts will inspire a great story.

As each of the older sisters wrestles with her identity, with crushes, and with the relationship with the other, the Silver Sisters are in for a summer of growing and changing.

Review


I liked this one ever more than I liked book 1, The Forget-Me-Not Summer. The girls are older and are digging deeper into their identity – a theme I love in books for kids. Marigold decides to be the opposite of who she really is, and in the process learns new things about herself.

Zinnie wrestles with who she is as a writer. Her natural style doesn’t seem to fit the kind of writing done by the writing group. So she also tries to be something she is not. She learns things about herself as a writer along the way.

The girls hit some really rough moments in their relationship as sisters. In the end, their healing and reconciliation comes in part when they accept themselves for who they are and use their gifts to make things right.

Terrific story! Great series! Book 3, The Silver Moon of Summer released in June.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: July 4, 2017

Happy July and happy almost-Independence day! A holiday weekend is a great time to get in some extra reading.

Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t need an excuse to get in some extra reading – how about you?

This is a BUSY week for new books. Here are the books releasing this week that are on my radar:

Books for Kids


  

The Birthday Invitation (July 3) – Ella accidentally loses one of her birthday invitations. She’ll never expect who finds it!
Doris the Bookasaurus (July 3) – A book-loving big sister shows her little brothers how fun books can be. This is top of my list this week!
Goodnight Lab – A scientific take on bedtime stories that looks really familiar.
How to Get Your Teacher Ready – It’s up to the kids to get their teacher ready for all the important parts of the school year, from holiday celebrations to the 100th day of school. Looks like a great addition to the world of school-related picture books.
LMNO Pea-quel – A new picture book starring the LMNO peas.
What George Forgot – While George is pretty good at remembering things, this morning he feels like he has forgotten something important. I love the illustrations of Richard Byrne, so the cover of this one immediately caught my attention. I have to read this picture book to know what George forgot!
The Founding Fathers Were Spies! – New Early Reader in a series called Secrets of American History. This looks terrific and I am excited to read it.
Secret Agents! Sharks! Ghost Armies! – Another book in the Secrets of American History series, this time looking at World War II.
Comics Squad: Detention – Book 3 in this graphic novel series that collects the work of a variety of authors in one place. Great introduction for kids who are looking for new graphic novels for their reading enjoyment.
Cosmic Commandos – New graphic novel from the illustrator for the Ordinary People Change the World picture book biography series. In this book, twin brothers who are different as day and night have to work together when one of their video games comes to life. This is a must-read book on my list this week.
Dino-Riders: How to Hog-tie a T-Rex – Book 3 in the Dino-riders series where the wild west meets dinosaurs. This sounds excellent! Dinosaurs are so  popular with the early elementary school crowd. Great to give them chapter books with their favorite critters!
Heartwood Hotel: A True Home/The Greatest Gift – A woodland hotel for forest critters is a haven to a little mouse who works there as a maid. She may have finally found a home at the Heartwood Hotel. These are the first two books in the series. These look sweet and perfect for the early-reading crowd
Lola Levine and Halloween Scream – Book 6 in the Lola Levine series, this time Halloween is the theme.
Princess Lessons – Book 4 in the Tales of Sasha early chapter book series about Sasha who has discovered she is a princess of the flying horses. Put this series in front of your kids who love horses!
Storm Chasing – The second book in the Cars Origins series is a chapter book backstory of one of the characters from the Cars 3 movie, Storm.
Super Turbo vs the Pencil Pointer – Book 3 in the Super Turbo series about a class pet hamster. This looks like a fun series for elementary students starting to explore and enjoy chapter books.
Survivor Diaries: Overboard – An adventure story about kids tossed overboard during a whale-watching expedition. Includes Coast Guard approved cold-water survival tips.
American Girl Character Encyclopedia – Fans of American Girl can now see all the different characters in one large book. The pictures I’ve seen are lovely. If I had an AG fan in my life, this would definitely be on my list of gift ideas for the holidays.
Journey through the Ark Encounter – Take a look at the Ark Encounter, located in Kentucky. I’ve never been and would be interested to take a look at this book and see what it is like.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


  

Katana at Super Hero High – Book 4 in the Super Hero High series. I have enjoyed all of the previous books (you can read my review of Batgirl here), and I already have book 5, Harley Quinn, on  my wish list for 2018.
Lights, Camera, Middle School – Babymouse is growing up! Popular star of 19 pink-tinted graphic novels has a new middle-school based series. I can NOT wait to get this one! My students devoured the original series. I know this new version will be hugely popular.
Molly’s Story (July 3) – A new Dog’s Purpose novel for kids about a dog named Molly whose person, CJ, is hiding Molly in a closet from her mother who doesn’t want her to have a dog.
Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls – A girl discovers her boarding school is actually a spy school and her missing mother is one of their best agents. This sounds like a younger version of the Gallagher Girls. Sign me up for this one!
Our Story Begins – Twenty-six amazing children’s authors/illustrators like Jarrett Krosoczka, Candace Fleming and Kwame Alexander share some of the stories and art that they created as kids. This would be terrific for a school library, reading and writing classrooms, and in home libraries of creative kids! Inspiring!
Unicorn in the Barn – The local legend of a mysterious white deer is actually even more amazing – it’s a unicorn! This sounds terrific.
Walking with Miss Millie – A young white girl befriends an elderly African American woman in the South in the 1960s. This sounds lovely, and early reviews are extremely positive.
Who Was Andrew Jackson? – The Who Was series looks at the 7th president of the United States.
The Silence – Book 3 in the Six series about teens with physical issues and illnesses who trade their declining bodies for an existence in machines in order to defend humanity from a rogue artificial intelligence. I have book one, The Six, on my TBR shelf.
Infographic Guide to College – Everything you need to know for surviving college, from doing laundry to saving money and avoiding the Freshman Fifteen. I adore infographics, so books like this are an immediate draw for me. I’d love to take a look at this one! Could be a great post-graduation gift.

Books for Adults


Dead Storage – Book 3 in the Maggie McDonald mystery series about a professional organizer. This is a new series to me but it sounds great.
Lions and Tigers and Murder, Oh My – Book 6 in the Devereaux’s Dime Store mystery series. I haven’t read any of the books in this series, but I enjoyed the author’s Scumble River series for years. I’d like to try this one.
Mayoral Affairs – First in the Vixen Investigations series about an investigative journalist-turned private investigator. This sounds like a fun mystery.
Murder at the Male Revue (July 8) – Book 3 in the Bucket List mystery series starting some 70-something year old sleuths. I have book one in this series on my TBR shelves.
Over Maya Dead Body – Book 3 in the Serena Jones mystery series about an FBI agent who investigates art-related crimes. This series sounds terrific. I’m putting book one, A Fool and His Monet, on my list
Sowed to Death – Book 2 in the Farmer’s Daughter mystery series about a lifestyle blogger who solves mysteries.
Fearless Parenting – The fact that this comes from the work of George Barna is what draws me to this one. It offers Christian parents a plan for raising healthy children. I am eager to read this one!
Ten Reminders for the Single Christian Woman (July 6) – The author contacted me and asked to have her new book included in book news. If you are a single Christian woman, or you do ministry with this group, you might check this one out.

What are you looking forward to reading this week? 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD – Service Dog Stories

I’ve noticed a trend lately of stories with service dogs central to the plot. I have read several of them and have really enjoyed them, so I thought I would  collect some of them here. If you have enjoyed any of these, you might enjoy some of the others!

Sadie: The Dog Who Found the Evidence – These early reader books are great for introducing kids to stories about service dogs. In this series are also books about a dog named Gabe who is a military dog and one named Stella who is a therapy dog.

 

 

Ranger in Time  – This is a terrific series for elementary school readers about Ranger, a dog who almost passed the service dog training (darn squirrels). Now, thanks to a magical first aid box, Ranger travels in time to disasters and helps kids. Book one is Rescue on the Oregon Trail. This is book pictured is the most recent Ranger story.

 

 

Dog Diaries: Barry – In the Dog Diaries series, the dogs tell their own stories. In Barry, kids can read about a St Bernard who rescues travelers in the snowy Swiss Alps.

 

 

 

Chester and Gus – I adored Chester! Chester is adopted by a family to help their severely autistic son, Gus. You can read my review here.

 

 

Ellie’s Story – Ellie tells her own story here about becoming a search and rescue dog. It’s a cute, fun, emotional story from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed Ellie’s voice throughout.

 

 

A Dog Like Daisy – This is a new release from June. I haven’t read it yet, but it sounds fantastic. Again, the dog gets to tell the story. This time, Daisy is working as a therapy dog for a veteran with PTSD.

 

 

Hero – Hero is a series of books, two so far, with a third releasing this fall. In this book, Hero is a retired search and rescue dog who has to use his skills to save a puppy. In book two, Hero has to find a boy and the puppy during a hurricane.  This series sounds great for kids who love adventure stories and dog stories.

 

 

Secret Service Dogs – For adults, here is a highly rated book about the dogs used in the Secret Service to protect the president and our country.

 

 

 

If you are a fan of heroic stories starring dogs, be sure to check these out!