Tag: authors

The Do-Over by Suzanne Park

The Do-Over by Suzanne Park

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lily is on the verge of getting everything she wants, including the release of a second book (which she technically still needs to write), and her dream job. But the employee background check for the new job turns up a surprise – Lily never actually graduated from college.

Now she has to go back and pick up the last few credits she needs – plus a STEM class to meet the current catalog requirements – and then she can get back to her life.

But the TA in her Computer Science class was her college sweetheart. He’s there finishing a PhD, and Lily wants to pretend he doesn’t exist. But Jake is hotter than ever – and he wants closure on what happened between them. He’s going to be super hard to ignore.

Review

I enjoyed this  – the characters, the attention to mental health, and Lily’s journey through shame to pride in herself as she goes back to school. There are just enough challenges along the way to keep this interesting. And we do get a flashback of what happened way back when between Jake and Lily. I felt like the personal journey for Lily was more satisfying for me than the romance with Jake, but both were good.

The three women at the center of this story are a delight. I would read more books with these three at the center, so if this is going to turn into one of those series where each character gets a book, I am all in for more. You can see my reviews of more books by this author here – there are a couple I would absolutely read again.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: The Raven Thief by Gig Pandian

REVIEW: The Raven Thief by Gig Pandian

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Tempest’s friend, Sanjay, has agreed to do a fake, “symbolic” séance for a client who is using Secret Staircase Construction to renovate her basement. The space used to be used by her ex as an office, but the client has had Tempest’s family  business renovate it into something all hers. For her housewarming celebration she wants to “banish” her ex-husband’s spirit from the property. Even though he’s not dead.

But someone takes that banishment seriously. And Tempest, Sanjay, and the others at the séance become suspects for the man’s murder. Now Tempest has a locked room mystery to solve involving at least 4 impossible elements. Tempest will have to put all of her magical knowledge to use to find the real killer.

Review

The set up of this Secret Staircase Mystery series is so clever! Between Tempest’s history with magic and illusions, and her family business of building secret rooms and trick bookcases, there’s a lot about the setting and cast that sets this series apart. And I love all of it!

Along with that unique set up, the mystery here is terrifically plotted. There were multiple “impossible” scenarios that Tempest had to peel apart to find the killer – and it was super satisfying to watch it unfold.

There’s a lot here to love! I was a bit disappointed and distracted in the reading, though. I am hoping it’s a matter of the review copy needing another round of edits, but I have never run into this with another ARC from this publisher. There were sections here that were repetitive, and there were odd word choices that jarred me out of the story as I read. And while I like that there is a series-centered mystery in addition to each book-centered mystery, this time some of the pieces about the family curse and what happened to Tempest’s mom were more of a distraction than an enhancement.

I adored book one, Under Lock and Skeleton Key, and the mystery in this sequel is top notch. I have my fingers crossed that the other issues are either a fluke or were resolved in final edits before publication.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

REVIEW: Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Posted on by Jaymie

[There’s no YA review today – the book I had scheduled just wasn’t a great fit for me. Instead, enjoy this review of a new adult cozy mystery. I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Chapters Bed and Breakfast is playing host to Amanda Nobel, an author of romantic fantasy books, as well as a few of her fans. Amanda is looking for a respite from her hectic book tour, so her stay at Chapters is a secret. But she did agree to one signing event in town, a cooperative venture between Chapters and the local indy bookstore, Bookwaves.

Charlotte, the owner of Chapters, is doing all she can to make the author’s visit restful and relaxing, including staying on her guard for any sort of trouble. A year ago there was a murder, and Charlotte wants no part of that sort of excitement ever again!

But Charlotte isn’t going to get her wish. When the president of an Amanda Nobel fan group is murdered, Charlotte and her neighbor, Ellen, start asking questions and looking for clues to the killer. The woman’s troublesome ex-husband seems the most likely candidate, but he’s certainly not the only one who had it out for the woman.

Review

While I am a huge fan of Victoria Gilbert and her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, I somehow missed reading the first book in this Booklover’s B&B Mystery series, Booked for Death (I have it on my e-reader.). But now I know I need to get back to it soon. The mystery here is solid, but there’s an intriguing side story about Charlotte’s neighbor that I wasn’t expecting. It really grabbed my attention. It gave the mystery a fresh spin from the usual formula.

I liked the series set up – the B&B, the writing/reading/publishing pieces, the perfectly sized cast. The mystery was well done with lots of questions. The pacing of the reveals was nice. I’m looking forward to picking up book 1 as well as watching for what might happen for these characters in the future. Don’t miss either of the author’s mystery series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

 

REVIEW: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

REVIEW: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Amelia and Jenna became best friends on one of the worst days of Amelia’s life. Jenna’s family welcomed Amelia in as a daughter. And they gave her a sense of home. As a graduation gift, they even send the girls to a book festival in California where they have VIP tickets to see a presentation by Amelia’s favorite author, N. E. Endsley.

But Endsley cancels his session. Amelia is devastated.

To make matters worse, Jenna explains that she met Endsley. The immensely private author was having a panic attack. And Jenna told him to be true to himself and do what was necessary to care for himself, so he left. Amelia was incensed. Jenna met him? And made him leave? The fight after that was probably the first of their friendship.

And the last.

Jenna is killed in a car accident not long after. And Amelia is lost and adrift. Then a special edition book by N. E. Endsley arrives from a bookstore in Michigan. Amelia can’t imagine how it found its way to her, but she is certain it has something to do with Jenna. So she takes a trip to Michigan to see what Jenna might be trying to tell her.

Review

I don’t know that I have the words to do this justice. I was captivated from the first page. Just reading through the summary above makes me want to pick the book up again and dive in. I thought I knew roughly how the story would play out, but I was surprised time and time again in so many perfect ways. If I had to choose an exemplary “perfect” book for me, this would be one example. Characters, setting, heart, story – every piece was a perfect fit for me.

I loved Amelia and the main characters of the story. The book store in Michigan sounds like a place I could get lost in for days. The author’s descriptions – of the Orman books, of Amelia’s pictures, of her connection to her closest friends – drew me in. Sometimes a book’s prose will capture my attention, pulling me out of the story with lovely turns of phrase. Instead, in this book, the writing was so fantastic it pulled me further into the story. I lost track of the reading experience and just lived in the story for awhile. It was magical.

Every piece, every page, every bit. Lovely. Perfect. Exceptional. This will be one of the 2021 books that will stick with me for years to come. (Language, TW: grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

*♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best

REVIEW: Murder Most Sweet by Laura Jensen Walker

REVIEW: Murder Most Sweet by Laura Jensen Walker

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Teddie St. John is an author living in Lake Potawatomi, Wisconsin with tons of friends and her family nearby. A cancer survivor, Teddie took early retirement from her government job and toured Europe before settling down at home to become an author of cozy mysteries. Life is too short to not do what you love.

Tavish Bentley is an author, too, visiting Lake Potawatomi for a book signing. Teddie ends up missing it due to a hot flash issue (early menopause thanks to her cancer). But she’s first on the scene to find Bentley’s ex-fiancée dead. And to discover the woman was strangled with a scarf someone stole from Teddie earlier in the day.

As a mystery writer, Teddie can’t ignore a murder mystery right in her home town. And as a suspect, she needs to clear her name before her publisher drops her for violating the morality clause in her contract. So she’ll be pressuring her friend the sheriff for details and keeping her ears open for clues. And maybe even going under cover! Whatever it takes to find a killer before they strike again.

Review

This was fabulous!! From the very first page, the writing and the voice grabbed me. In fact, in those early pages it felt like nothing I had read before. The voice is fresh and fun. I would love to be part of Teddie’s circle. (I am a Wisconsin girl, too, and from the area around where Lake Potawatomi is supposed to be.) Every reference to kringle (the Wisconsin stuff, not that stuff in the one Hallmark Christmas movie) made me crave it.

As if all of the Wisconsin pieces weren’t enough to endear this to me, Teddie is fabulous. She’s a writer, and a mystery writer at that. And her whole vibe over being a cancer survivor is brilliant. She discusses her mastectomy in a matter-of-fact way, sometimes with humor, which made her stand out for me compared to other mystery protagonists.

So, by all means pick this up for the perfect setting and awesome protagonist. But stick around for the great mystery. I had two favorite theories going into the home stretch, but I had to wait for the big reveal to find out which would be correct. Also, I don’t usually like mysteries where the protagonist is the main suspect. I find them extra stressful. But the balance here of suspects was terrific. The author paces the whole novel in such a way that Teddie can really dig into investigating a suspect. I loved it! She also does a great job of giving Teddie a reason for sleuthing that felt plausible.

I was thrilled to discover the second book in the Bookish Baker Mystery series – Deadly Delights – is already scheduled for summer 2021. And I also realized I have a review copy of the launch of the author’s second cozy series – the Faith Chapel Mystery series – waiting to be read. I’ll be reviewing Hope, Faith, and a Corpse in January 2021. In fact, as I looked into the author’s backlist I discovered that I have read her work before. She published at least two books with Thomas Nelson (Christian) publishing that I enjoyed years ago – Reconstructing Natalie (2006) and Miss Invisible (2007). I can recommend those books, too.

I am so pleased to support this fellow Wisconsinite and a great writer. Cozy fans should NOT miss Murder Most Sweet!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥= Outstanding, Excellent, Amazing

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

January Andrews is a romance writer who believes her own stories – perfect couples, happy endings – even in the face of ugly truths. But after the hits she has taken in the last year, while her brain still wants to conjure happily-ever-afters, her heart is struggling to write any that would feel believable. Her foundations have been shaken. And she has a book due at the end of the summer.

After losing her boyfriend – and therefore her home – January has moved into the cottage on Lake Michigan that her father left her recently when he passed away. The cottage he shared with the mistress January found out about when he died. It’s an act of desperation to be sure. The cottage is a constant reminder of her father’s lies, her disillusionment, and the fact that she can’t get any answers out of a dead man.

January’s neighbor at the cottage is a grump whose friends throw loud parties late into the night. The loud music and his crappy attitude are bad enough. But then January realizes she KNOWS this guy. Augustus “Gus” Everett. Best-selling author of literary fiction and January’s college rival.

After a few days of snapish comments and bickering, the two writers let down their guard over a box of donuts and horrendous coffee. After admitting they are both struggling with their next books – and could each use a quick and lucrative sale – Gus issues the challenge. January will spend the summer writing his sort of serious, angsty literary fiction, and he’ll write something hopeful with a romantic happily-ever-after. Whoever sells their book first, wins.

Let the writing begin!

Review

This was good! More serious than I was expecting. Each of the main characters has personal baggage to deal with. And that baggage also impacts the relationship between them.

I loved the writing/storytelling pieces of this. January and Gus come at storytelling from different world views and with different personal goals. I found the differences fascinating.

The romance is an enemies-to-lovers that didn’t feel like one. I didn’t even notice that this fit that trope until I was thinking over the book as a whole once I had finished. The fact that January is the only POV character has a lot to do with that, also. The hostile feelings are more on her side than I think they ever were on his, so they weren’t truly “enemies,” really.  But the initial hostility between them fits the trope, too. The camaraderie over their writing made for a nice bit of neutral ground for the story to develop.

I wanted more from the bet/contest. It’s there as they write, as they try to expose one another to the sort of research that goes into the kind of writing they usually do and what the other has been challenged to try. But it moves to the background as January falls into the rhythm of a new story and as January and Gus’s relationship develops. I think that piece would have been stronger and more present if January and Gus had both been POV characters. We don’t get to see the contest from Gus’s perspective, which I would have enjoyed.

While the book I was expecting and the book I read didn’t line up precisely, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging story of love, personal growth, family, grief, and writing. Don’t miss it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley

REVIEW: Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lena London may have proven her boyfriend, Sam West, innocent of murder. But his estranged wife, Victoria, is still missing. And plenty of people who were “certain” Sam was guilty – and treated him accordingly – need to eat crow.

That includes Victoria’s best friend, Taylor, a popular blogger who bashed Sam when he was being investigated. She promises to come to Blue Lake to apologize in person. But someone kills her before she can get to Sam.

It looks like Sam is in trouble again when Lena finds Taylor’s body on his property. The press have descended on Blue Lake like vultures. Lena is determined to clear Sam’s name and get back to some sort of peaceful existence and maybe pick up their budding romance. But even if she can find Taylor’s killer, they still have the mystery of Victoria hanging over their heads.

Review

This was excellent! And I am so pleased. I loved book one in the Writer’s Apprentice series, A Dark and Stormy Murder. I hoped Death in Dark Blue would be just as good and I was not disappointed.

The characters are great. I love Lena’s relationship with her boss/mentor, Camilla. We didn’t get to enjoy a lot of their writing work in this book, but it is still a fun thread. The core group working on the mystery is terrific. I loved the addition of the research librarian, Belinda. She totally earned an ARC of Lena and Camilla’s first book!

The mystery was good – solid suspects and great action. I could not puzzle out the solution until the end. What I love most about this series, though, is that unmasking Taylor’s killer isn’t the end of the story. The ongoing Victoria situation is still playing out as the story goes on, and it’s just as fun to watch that as it is the original mystery. Ms. Buckley does a great job of setting up this overarching plot between books – and may even have set up something else for future books down the line. It’s brilliant plotting and I love it. I highly recommend this series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lena became a writer because she has loved the books by Camilla Graham her whole life. So when she has a chance to work for her writing idol, Lena jumps at the chance. But her dream job in Indiana unfortunately comes with a dead body. And some suspicious characters around town. Pretty soon, Lena is writing, defending a new friend from the local gossip, and dodging assailants!

cozy mystery about authors

Review

Wow! This was an excellent mystery! The author does a great job introducing her characters so you know who is who without difficulty. I felt like I had read other things with Lena and Camilla because I was so comfortable with them immediately. The mystery for this book was great – I kept getting surprised by what happened. All my theories were wrong. I loved getting to be surprised by a well-plotted mystery!

I felt like I got a bonus with this book because there’s an over-arching mystery that comes up early in the book, carries throughout, and is the primary focus of the last chapter after the main mystery for this book was done. And the over-arching mystery will carry readers right into book 2. Death in Dark Blue  is currently scheduled to release on May 2, 2017 (release dates subject to change).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Six Authors to Follow on Twitter

Posted on by Jaymie

Twitter is a fantastic resource for anyone. Love the musical Hamilton? (Me, too!) You can follow the creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda and other cast members on Twitter. Do you have a favorite soda or candy bar? The company that makes them is probably on Twitter. Having trouble with your cable service? You can probably find the company on Twitter and get a faster result than if you called the 800 number.

On Twitter, I have found teachers and authors and publishers to be a tremendous resource for me. It’s so nice to find a cyber-tribe who loves the things I love. I can tweet out to an author when I finish their amazing book. I can ask for recommendations. I can encourage other readers.

I follow a tremendous number of authors on Twitter. Some post a lot. Some post a little. If you have never used Twitter, or you’ve never thought about following an author, I have six recommendations for you to start with!

  1. Kate Messner – @katemessner. I have blogged about Kate several times. I think she is an outstanding author. She tweets about her books, about other authors, resources for teachers, etc. She also hosts a summer program for teachers called Teachers Write which is an excellent program encouraging teachers of writing to dig into the process on their own.
  2. Phil Bilder – @philbildner. Phil is a relatively new author to me. He does a great job of tweeting about book news. As a former teacher, he is a great advocate for reading and for other authors, too.
  3. Brad Meltzer – @bradmeltzer. If you don’t know who Brad is, you should check him out. I love his Ordinary People Change the World picture book series for kids. He also writes thrillers for adults and hosts Lost History on television. He’s a funny guy and his social media is always great.
  4. Jess Keating – @jess_keating. I haven’t read any of Jess’ books yet, although I had some of her middle grade books in the library when I was teaching. I met her at a conference a few years ago and she was very cool. She tweets about science, writing and reading. She also has a YouTube show called Animals for Smart People that is fun.
  5. Josh Funk – @joshfunkbooks. Josh writes picture books and I love them! They are so clever. Josh is a major reading/book advocate. I often see him promoting books of other authors/illustrators. He’s a great resource for book fanatics.
  6. Candace Fleming – @candacemfleming. Candace is a fiction and non-fiction author for kids. I’ve met her at two different conferences and she is fabulous. Check out her Twitter for information about her various projects.

This time of year, Twitter is full of political posts. I tried to steer you toward authors who post mostly about book things. Use this as a jumping off point. If you have some favorite authors, look them up on Twitter and see if they are active there or not. If you don’t care for an author’s politics, but you love their books, wait until after the election to follow them so you can get all the best tweets from them to meet your reading needs!

You can also follow The Neverending TBR blog on twitter – @Neverending_TBR. I hope you’ll come check it out.