Category: Five Star Reviews

REVIEW: Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp

REVIEW: Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Cinzia is apprentice to a printer who gets on the wrong side of the ruling family with something she writes. Cinzia is able to escape arrest, but only with unexpected help from the mysterious Contessina Elena. Together they go looking for the proof needed to convince the Principessa that the magistrate – her brother – is up to no good.

Review

This was excellent! I loved the story and the girls. It’s an inspiring tale about the power of words, truth, friendship, and community. The artwork is gorgeous and pulls the story together so well. There are some author’s notes about the time and setting for this fictional city as well as information about the avvisi, the flyers Cinzia and her mestra printed.

This belongs in graphic novel collections in classrooms and homes and libraries. I think the “sweet spot” for this is 10 to 14 year olds, but it will also appeal to some younger and older readers. This would also be an excellent discussion group selection for upper elementary and middle school kids.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding

REVIEW: Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon

REVIEW: Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Poppy Banks has always wanted to be a writer. But life has not gone like she planned. It’s gotten so bad she’s ready to give in to her critical mother’s constant negativity and give up writing completely.

But Poppy’s mysterious aunt isn’t going to let her just quit. She leaves Poppy her exclusive writer’s retreat – at a villa in France. In order to inherit, Poppy has to live there for six months and write a novel.

Without hope for writing, Poppy is tempted to bide her time and sell the villa to dig herself out of the hole. But her aunt was the only one who ever seemed to believe in Poppy. And it would be ungrateful to not let her aunt’s plans unfold and just see how things might turn out.

Review

This was excellent! Early on I really connected with the writing of this novel – the way the author described and phrased things. I would mark pages with especially good passages. But before long I was captivated by Poppy – by her struggles, the family drama, the war within herself between confidence and fear. I didn’t want to put this down.

A lot of the conflict in the novel is internal for Poppy, so in some ways this was a little more introspective than you might expect from a “romance.” I liked it this way. While there are several moments of emotional conflict, for the most part this is light on tension and turmoil, which I loved. (Language, sex – TW: attempted sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Graphic Novel by Chris Grabenstein

REVIEW: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Graphic Novel by Chris Grabenstein

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers! If you are looking for gift ideas on this Black Friday, be sure to check out my Holiday Hint List of book recommendations.

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

Summary

Game designer Luigi Lemoncello builds a fantastical public library in his home town and then invites a group of kids to take a early peek inside by spending a night in the library. But the lock-in turns into a game when the kids have a chance to solve the puzzle of how to escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.

Review

Outstanding! I have been a fan of this book – really, of the whole series – from the beginning. And this is a fantastic graphic novel adaptation of the first book in the Lemoncello’s Library series. It’s been too long since I read the original for me to be able to comment on what was trimmed out for length. But the story here hangs together brilliantly.

This would be a great introduction for kids who aren’t familiar with the prose novel or kids who think the novel looks intimidating. Graphic novel adaptations can be a great onramp for some kids before they try out the full book. I also think this is a fun option for kids (and teens and adults) who already love the original and want to explore a visual version of the story and characters. Do not miss this one! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

REVIEW: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Evangeline desperately needs a new job. Family tragedy and then her dad’s illness have left her to bear the responsibility of providing for her family and keeping them alive.

Is a job as the personal assistant to the Villain an ideal solution? No, but it’s better than her last job which ended badly. With time, maybe she’ll get used to the severed heads and tortured screams of the Villain’s enemies.

When Evie discovers someone is sabotaging the Villain – a mole in their midst – she’s determined to find the traitor. Her boss may be a notorious Villain, but she’s become rather fond of him.

Review

I. Loved. This!!! Everything about it – the characters! The story! The ending! The cliffhanger! Immediately after finishing I wanted to start over. When I see it in the bookstore, I want to hug it. This is the perfect sort of book for me – something I am always on the hunt for. This could be my favorite book of 2023 – the quirkiness of it is right up my alley.

This is everything I love in a story – a great protagonist, a swoony love interest, a mystery to solve, fantasy elements, and some great twists. This is the full package. I can’t wait to read it again.

Fans of romantic fantasy should absolutely pick this up. Fans of quirky stories like The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels and series like Pies Before Guys should try this too. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

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

Laurel never planned on lying. Yes, her life was in total disarray. And she desperately needed a job. But she clearly stated in her interview that she ran social media for Meadow Rose Farm. Her boss made the assumption that it was her farm. But when she could have corrected him, she didn’t.

She *really* needed that job.

And so far it’s worked out. Her twin sister, Holly, and her husband, Darius, do own the farm. So Laurel writes her pieces about what HOLLY does – just in first person.

But now her boss has invited himself to Christmas Eve Eve at the farm. And while Holly is happy to help with the subterfuge for Laurel’s sake, she’s not willing to sacrifice Darius to the cause. So they’ve invited Max Beckett to play Laurel’s husband. Too bad she hates the man.

Review

This absolutely has those Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. And I was here for it! This was so fun to read! I adore fake relationship stories – although the “be my date to all the things so my relatives leave me alone” style usually involves less outright lying than this did. But I loved Laurel and her whole family. And Max was my favorite sort of grump – you know there’s depth there. The “sunshine” just has to slow down and give him a chance.

Yes, the inevitable disaster was as painful as you can imagine. But the resolution was also all I had hoped for. I can’t recommend this highly enough. This should appeal to Hallmark fans, grumpy/sunshine fans, fake relationship fans, fans of the author’s other books, as well as everyday romantic comedy fans. Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

REVIEW: Every Duke Has His Day 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

The Duke of Woriton, Michael Bromley, likely would never leave his home laboratory and science experiments if he had his way. But his aunt has asked him to watch her beloved poodle, Lancelot, for a few weeks. To keep Lancelot, and his aunt, happy, Michael takes the dog out for regular walks.

Elizabeth Dockering has her own poodle, Galahad. And Galahad is NOT a fan of her primary suitor, Lord Peter Cordray. Galahad is her best protector, but his behavior does get out of hand at times. Like when he runs off at the park and gets tangled with another dog – and that weird Duke of Woriton.

Elizabeth and Michael accidentally trade dogs, but before they can set things right, Lancelot is dognapped from Elizabeth’s home. So naturally, Michael and Elizabeth have to team up to find Lancelot. And the more time they spend together, the more their assumptions about one another are challenged.

Review

This was outstanding! I adored everything about it. The mismatched dognapping was everything I wanted it to be. The main characters had delightful depth that was revealed gradually – to each other and to the reader. The scientific bits were interesting. The whole book is funny.  And the wrap up is supremely satisfying. This was delightful to read – a perfect way to lose myself for a few hours. When I finished I realized I would happily flip back to page one and start again. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price

REVIEW: Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Fanny Price is the “poor relation” at Mansfield Park. Her uncle, Sir Thomas, took her in as his wife’s relative like he took in Edmund, his late brother’s son. The two “outsiders” become fast friends. Fanny’s never confessed her feelings for Edmund to anyone.

Fanny is fond of her uncle, the only kind person in the household besides Edmund. So she’s understandably saddened when Sir Thomas dies from a fall. But Fanny also thinks the fall was no accident – Sir Thomas was murdered.

When Sir Thomas’s will is read, the family discovers their financial state is not as solid as they believed. Fanny finds the whole thing out of character for her uncle and decides to investigate – the financials, the family business, her relatives, and Sir Thomas’s death.

Review

This was excellent! I have enjoyed this series from the start with Pride and Premeditation followed by Sense and Second-Degree Murder (♥♥♥♥). But I also had at least a passing familiarity with the source material for the first two books. I knew nothing about Mansfield Park when I read this. It didn’t matter at all – I loved this purely on its own merits. (In fact, when I read a summary of the original, it was not as captivating as this book was.)

I enjoyed watching Fanny’s evolution as she finds her purpose and character while pursing the truth about Sir Thomas’s death. The mystery plot was delightfully intricate. I didn’t want to put this down. And I’m proud to say I figured things out before the end which always makes me feel extra satisfied and triumphant after reading a mystery.

I hope there will be more of these in the future! This is one of my favorite YA series right now – which is kind of surprising since I have not quite gotten the appeal of Austen. But the changes the author makes in service of her story (like the addition of the queer romance here – with a great author’s note in the book) and the creation of her mysteries are right on target for me as a reader.

Newcomers could start here, I think. While Lizzie and Darcy play a role in this book, the reader doesn’t need their history in order to follow Fanny’s story. But you will definitely want to go back and pick up the earlier books in the series if you start here!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

REVIEW: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Charlie Fitzar has been in a bit of a rough patch. Laid off from his job as a journalist, divorced, his dad has died, and his half siblings are trying to sell  his family house out from under him. He’s trying to survive on money from substitute teaching – enough said.

Then word arrives that his estranged uncle, Jack – a billionaire who ran a company building parking garages – has died. And one of his last requests was for Charlie to host his memorial service.

When someone tries to stab his uncle’s body – in the coffin – to be extra sure he’s really dead, Charlie starts to think there was more to Uncle Jack than he previously knew.

Review

This was absolutely amazing! Everything I hoped it would be – smart, sassy, funny, captivating. I was completely drawn into the story. Charlie is a fantastic point of view character – completely out of his depth but still a “good” guy at his core, even as he finds himself in this Bond-esque world of villains.

I laughed out loud all the way through this. My family only had to sit through 5 or 6 passages read aloud before my husband just pre-ordered a print copy for us. I would absolutely read this again! This is my favorite sort of science fiction – something I’ve come to expect from John Scalzi. As my husband often says, we’ve yet to be disappointed by a Scalzi book.

While I could see how a sequel could be carved out of how this story ends (and I’d read a sequel immediately), I don’t feel like that’s necessarily the plan for Charlie and his friends. This stands completely on its own. And I highly recommend it! If you’ve never tried a Scalzi book, and you like funny books and science fiction, I think you should give this a try. If you are already a fan of the author, do NOT miss this one. Audiobook fans should check this out as well as Wil Wheaton narrates. (Language, violence)

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

THROW BACK: Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch

THROW BACK: Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on December 14, 2011. I recently posted a quick review of the first three books in this series based on my reading journals when I first read them. This is my 2011 review of book four, which is still one of my favorite books in the series.

Summary

Kitty and Martini are back, and baby makes three. You would think the happy little family could enjoy a little quiet together, but “quiet” is probably not going to be in the cards for them any time soon. After a traumatic delivery, Kitty discovers a plot to take out Chuckie and Kitty’s mom. At least, that seems to be the plot. But there are more layers to this situation than meets the eye. There’s a mole – or is there? Kitty’s high school friends are in danger – or are they part of the plotting? At the root of everything is Kitty’s baby. The bad guys want the baby and, like any good momma, Kitty will fight tooth and nail to protect her.

Review

This is a hard book to summarize because sooooo many things are going on, and I don’t want to give any of the good stuff away. I have been a big fan of this series since I read the first book. I re-read them just for fun even though I have tons of new and yet-unread books laying around. Alien Proliferation is a perfect addition to the series. I didn’t want to put the book down. I laughed out loud often as I zoomed through this 400+ page non-stop thrill. It was a delight to dig into such a meaty book that wasn’t filled with a lot of unnecessary fluff. Plenty of great twists and turns. New dynamics between characters as Kitty gets a new partner to work with and other new characters are introduced (or familiar characters are developed more fully). While motherhood changes Kitty in some ways, it doesn’t change any of the things I love about her – her sarcasm, her intuition, her kick-butt-and-take-names attitude. She continues to be a great, strong character.

This is not a story for the faint of heart. Kitty is in a life-and-death battle and there are casualties. Everything that happens is appropriate to the story, though. I enjoyed this so much, I am looking for time when I can carve out a few days to read through the whole series to date from start to finish. The next book, Alien Diplomacy, releases in April, 2012.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the series, science fiction/fantasy fans who like an element of romance in their stories

Cautions: My personal feeling is that new readers will be lost if they jump in here. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning and enjoy the whole series. Otherwise, there’s some violence, and some romantic moments are described in detail. Those sections can be skipped over by sensitive readers. There might also be some language (honestly, I was reading so fast to find out what was going on, I didn’t really pay that close of attention).

THROW BACK: Gabby and Gator by James Burks

THROW BACK: Gabby and Gator by James Burks

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on May 13, 2013. My students couldn’t get enough of graphic novels like this. The cover image here is updated since my original post and the book’s initial release.

Summary and Review

An outcast girl and an alligator that survived flushing find friendship together.

This was absolutely delightful! I liked it so much, I bought two for our school library because I think my students will enjoy it, too. The story starts by establishing each of the characters separately and establishing the “mystery” of a monster in the sewer. Then, when the two meet, they develop this wonderful, quirky relationship that is just right for both of them. Gabby and Gator make a great team. As a fun little bonus, there are line drawings at the bottom of the right-hand pages, and if you flip them quickly you can see Gabby and Gator dance. Great fun!

5 out of 5 stars