Tag: librarians

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The mayoral race between Ms. Cole from the library and the incumbent, Mayor Hensen, is heating up. And Lindsey and her Crafternoon friends are all in for the campaign. In fact, children’s librarian, Beth, is serving as Ms. Cole’s campaign manager.

But when a dead body is found in Ms. Cole’s car, the mayor and his cronies smell blood in the water and turn up the heat on their smear campaign.

So Lindsey, Sully, and Beth start sleuthing, determined to clear Ms. Cole and clear a path to her election victory.

Review

This is one of those series that’s easy to fall into no matter how long it’s been since you read the last one. This is the 12th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay, and it’s a must-read for me and has been from the beginning. The main characters feel like old friends, and it’s no work at all to dive into a new book.

My book friends did not disappoint in this outing. I was completely invested in seeing Ms. Cole cleared, and I cheered every time she verbally stomped on the mayor when he tried to stir up trouble. The mystery kept me guessing, and I enjoyed watching the story and the solution play out.

I don’t know that you have to read this series in order. It helps, though, because of the history with Ms. Cole throughout the series. It’s so satisfying to have seen her evolution from the beginning of the series until now, especially in her relationships with Lindsey and the Crafternoon group. That said, I still think the story is easy enough to follow if you decide to drop into the series here.

Series fans, of course, should absolutely pick this one up and enjoy watching Lindsey work the case – and Ms. Cole work the election!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

REVIEW: Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Josie notices Sam is back in town, it makes her heart race a little. But finding he’s come back with his not-so-ex wife, Fiona, and a baby, is a crushing discovery. Then Fiona goes missing. And the police suspect foul play. They also suspect Sam. So Josie agrees to help him find the truth.

Josie is hoping her developing magic could help with the case. But her grandmother’s letter to train Josie about curses doesn’t paint an optimistic picture for resolving the troubles she senses at the site of the old mill. But “trouble” is the right word. A body is found – but it isn’t Fiona’s.

Review

I loved book 1 in this Witch Way Librarian series, Bait and Witch. I loved how the books in the library spoke to Josie about the mysteries she faced and how they were central to her magic. But in this second book, the magical system has expanded to include land spirits, curses, and Josie taking over the body of her cat. That took things a few steps too far for me as a reader. I loved the bookish pieces, but the rest of this one didn’t click.

I didn’t enjoy Josie’s pining over Sam. And there really weren’t many fun character moments in this at all – well, except for the elderly woman who loved sweets. She was great. But characters are crucial for my enjoyment of a book.

The mystery is well-plotted and twisty, but I struggled to connect with it since I wasn’t clicking with the characters. Readers who enjoy their paranormal cozies with a broader magical system might have better luck with this one than I did. Fans of the first book, your mileage may vary on this, depending on what you enjoyed with the story.

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid. Not a great fit for me, though.

 

BONUS REVIEW: The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James

BONUS REVIEW: The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James

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

When Duggar Hargrove, town manager, decided that bringing Cypress, South Carolina “into the future” meant turning the library into a book-free zone, the decision was hardly popular with library patrons, much less the staff. The books were headed to a landfill, and whenever Tru raised her concerns, Duggar patted her on the head dismissively.

So Tru and her friends snuck into the library late at night, rescued some of the most popular titles in the library’s print collection, and stashed them in the library’s old bomb shelter.

And while they were setting up their secret book room, Duggar Hargrove was killed.

Now a hot shot new detective trying to prove himself likes Tru for the murder. How can she prove her innocence when her alibi is creating a secret room with essentially stolen books?

Review

This was fun! I enjoyed the cast as well as the premise. I felt for Tru, watching outsiders dismantle her sanctuary, dismissively destroying a place that was so much a part of her life. The final explanation of the crime was interesting and satisfying.

It felt odd to me that there were many moments in the book where Tru is supposed to be this drab, disinteresting, forgettable character. People outside her closest circle are pretty dismissive about her in her day to day life. At the same time, though, she is supposed to have made such a spectacle of herself with her anger over the changes at the library that most of the town believes she is a murderer. Those pieces felt at odds with each other. I didn’t see a lot of evidence of a murderous level of anger in the book. It’s just something we are told.

The cast here felt just right. There are enough people to have several suspects as well as Tru’s closest friends. The townspeople were plentiful enough to feel real but not so many to feel overwhelming. The cat was a fun part of the story, too.

Considering how popular the secret book room is, I’m kind of surprised there wasn’t a stronger rebellion in town over the changes to the library. I’ll be interested in seeing how long Tru and her friends can – or need to – keep their bookroom a secret. Book 2 is currently scheduled to release this fall. Mystery fans, bibliophiles, and library advocates should definitely give this new series a try.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

REVIEW: Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Josie Way is on the run. She had a job at the Library of Congress in Washington DC. But something happened there, and now she’s in Wilfred, Oregon, determined to lay low. She’s been hired as the town librarian. But when she gets to Wilfred, she finds out that the library may get torn down to make way for a retreat center.

After only a few days at the library and in Oregon, Josie feels like she is finally where she belongs. The air is fresher, and colors even seem more vibrant. She has an almost magical connection to the library and its collection of books, not to mention the library cat. Josie doesn’t want to walk away from this special place.

But she can’t forget she’s in hiding. And the dead body she finds near the library is unsettling to say the least. Does it have anything to do with the trouble Josie is fleeing? Or does Josie’s new home have sinister troubles of its own?

Review

This is the first book in the new Witch Way Librarian Mystery series, and it is outstanding! The author does a breathtaking job teasing out the story in the early chapters – Josie on the run, the experience on the plane, the change in her perception. Talk about “show, don’t tell.” I was hooked right from the beginning, marveling out loud to my husband about how well crafted the beginning of this book is.

That early high quality carried throughout the whole book – the library, the town, the story of Josie’s life back in DC, her family, the library situation. It was all so well woven together. I loved every bit of it! The mystery is well-constructed, with nice wrinkles and twists along the way.

For me, this was a perfect blend of mystery and fantasy. I love both genres and enjoyed how the author weaves both together. I can’t wait to see what will happen with Josie’s magic in book 2. Seven-Year Witch is scheduled to release in late summer 2021. And I can’t wait to get my hands on it! Paranormal mystery fans should not miss this one! (Magic elements: spells, powers, transfer of consciousness to the cat, tarot cards used as prop by nonmagical character)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

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

Christmas is coming, which means Lindsey and Sully’s wedding is too. And the whole town is looking forward to it. In fact, thanks to a glitch with the invitations, it looks like the couple will have at least three times as many guests as they had planned for.

When Lindsey, Sully, and some friends head out to the wedding site to make plans for their extra guests, they find the body of a friend. Steve and Sully had known each other for years. He was going to perform their wedding. They had just seen him the night before at a Christmas party in his home.

Lindsey has to wonder if something from the party led to Steve’s death. There was the huge argument with Steve’s former business partner; everyone saw it. And then the frosty relationship with his wife. And what about the story of a strange woman dressed all in black in the house during the party?

While Lindsey would love to leave the sleuthing to the police this time, the island where her wedding should be is off limits as a crime scene. If she wants her wedding to go as planned, she’s going to need to help the case along.

Review

Terrific! I have enjoyed this series from the start. This latest story does not disappoint.

It’s finally time for Sully and Lindsey to get married. I enjoyed all the wedding prep and the sweet little moments between the couple in their excitement. The issue of an officiant drags through the whole book, and the solution is pretty obvious. But it does lead to one encounter with a possible fill in who was a hoot! That interaction alone made the officiant quest worth it. I would love to see that character in another book.

The mystery was top notch! The twists almost felt like they were circling in on each other – in the best way. I loved watching it all play out.

This is a come-for-the-characters-stay-for-the-mystery sort of series for me. This is book 11, and the Library Lovers Mystery series is as strong as ever.  The author does an excellent job of not sacrificing either part – the setting and characters or the mystery – striking just the right balance. This is why I read anything and everything Jenn McKinlay writes. I am already thinking about where future stories in this series might go – Ms. Cole is running for mayor after all! And I am here for that tale and any other with Lindsey and Sully.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½=Loved it. Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

1913
The Lyons live in the Fifth Avenue branch of the New York Public Library. Jack is the superintendent for the library, and he and Laura live in an apartment in the building with their two kids. After work each night, Jack works on his novel, and Laura manages the kids and their routines. But Laura longs for more. She’s been accepted into a journalism program at Columbia University – one that accepts women. Laura wants to write, too. If she could get a reporting job, she could help with the family’s finances so Jack would have more time to finish his book.

1993
Sadie is working on a special collection at the New York Public Library. As part of the exhibit she’s preparing, her boss wants more examples of Laura Lyons’ work or personal effects. Her feminist essays have had a resurgence of popularity lately. Sadie hasn’t told him that Laura was her grandmother. She would have – she found some great examples of her early writing that would be fun additions to the exhibit. But she also found references to some missing books from the time Laura’s family lived in the library. Until Sadie can find out what happened then, she wants to keep her connection to the Lyons to herself. Books have started to go missing from the collection Sadie is curating, and the connection to the 80 year old mystery could make a difficult situation even worse.

Review

This was an interesting split timeline story connected by family relationships and the thefts at the NYPL. Beyond that, Sadie’s story is also about family, her work, and her identity following her divorce. Laura’s story is even more involved, focusing on the role of women in the early 1900s. She goes back to school to pursue a career in a field dominated by men. She longs for meaning and a challenge outside her home, but she also feels guilt for not being available to her children all the time. She connects with women in her community who are pushing for equality, suffrage, access to contraception and health care, etc. The myriad of issues in 1913 made that section of the story more intricate, but my personal preference was for the “contemporary” story with Sadie and her family and work.

The mystery of the book thefts is well done – in both timelines – and I loved the ways they were connected. I didn’t click with the characters very much in this book, but I was captivated by this mystery. The author does a great job putting together a mystery with an historic story that also explores the lives of grandmother and granddaughter. Readers who enjoy split timeline stories should check this one out. (Some Christian examples of this type of storytelling can be seen in Rachel Hauck’s work – The Writing Desk and The Love Letter are two examples.)

(Language, sex, LGBTQ+: Bisexual and F/F relationships. TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Parked by Danielle Svetcov

REVIEW: Parked by Danielle Svetcov

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jeanne Ann and her mother live in Chicago where her mom works in a restaurant as a cook. The hours are long, and her boss is awful. Jeanne Ann splits her time between school and the local library. She stays there until it closes, and the staff have a rule that someone stays with her until her mom gets there to pick her up. The library is like a second home. Jeanne Ann loves Mrs. Jablonsky, the librarian. She has a reading spot, and she helps shelve the books. The librarian even gives her review copies of upcoming books so she can tell them which ones to buy.

But one day, Jeanne Ann’s mom decides to pursue her dream, so they buy a run down orange van and start driving west to San Francisco.

They find a side street with a great view and park the van near some other folks with the same idea. Jeanne Ann’s mom says they are on vacation and can relax for a few days. But when she decides to look for a job, she runs into road blocks. The former co-worker who invited her to come out to San Francisco is gone. The apartment they thought they could live in isn’t an option. So they live on the side street in their van. Across from Cal’s house.

Cal was 8 the first time he approached one of the folks parked across the street. He gave the man some food. And ever since then, he’s been hyper-aware of the people living there. He wants to help them. He wants people to SEE them. But his efforts backfire. He’s gotten into trouble at school which means trouble at home. But the arrival of a new orange van – and a girl his age – catches his attention.

Review

This was SO good! I loved Jeanne Ann and Cal. Readers in books get me every time – and Jeanne Ann is a reader. That trait – and her relationship with books – is a thread through the whole story. Cal is earnest and determined. He’s young – both kids are going into 7th grade. His intentions are great, but his execution causes some trouble. But he keeps showing up. He keeps trying to help; he keeps trying to get his mom to see HIM and see the need right in front of them.

There’s a library thread in this that is absolutely delightful! Mrs. Jablonsky is trying to find Jeanne Ann and her mom when Jeanne Ann stops coming to the library and her books are flagged overdue. The love of this team of librarians for this preteen girl warmed my heart.

The ending of this is also spectacular. I loved how everything came together in the end. This feel-good story tackles a lot of topics – homelessness, helping vs. rescuing, success and failure, fear, friendship, food, reading, neighbors. So much to love here. This would be an AMAZING read aloud at home or at school. Be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan

REVIEW: A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Volunteering at the library for her summer vacation wasn’t Jamie’s idea. It was her penance, her punishment. One epically bad choice at the end of the school year – and the fall out over the next few days – left Jamie ashamed and humiliated.

The library was quiet, but there was a routine to it. Black Hat Guy always shows up around 4 pm, sits in the same chair charging his phone, and taking a nap. Wally always comes in on Tuesdays with a fresh carnation for the desk and 5 DVDs to return. Jamie comes to love the library. She loves the tasks she learns to do, the staff, and the patrons. But any reminder of school, any hint of what happened at the end of the year, floods Jamie with guilt and shame all over again. Can she ever hope to move past her failure? Will some people from her school ever let her move on?

Review

This was delightful!! I loved the library setting – the staff, the regular patrons, the fight to save the library from closure. It was a terrific setting for the story. Jamie learns so much from her friends there – and also from the books that surround her every day.

Jamie is a great protagonist. When readers get the full story about what she did at school, they’ll see why she did what she did and what the impact was. She earned her guilt, but she also should be able to turn a fresh page in her story. At the start, she doesn’t know how to do that. But she can learn.

I loved the heart of this book. It’s a relatively low-stress story with lots of character insights. The relationships between the characters feel authentic and warm. These are people I’d love to know. This library would be my second home. And Jamie’s growth over her summer at the library is everything I love about character-driven middle grade fiction! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Read on Arrival by Nora Page

REVIEW: Read on Arrival by Nora Page

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

Cleo Watkins is a librarian in Catalpa Springs, Georgia. At seventy-five, there’s not much that flusters her anymore. Except for dead bodies, of course.

In some ways, Dixie Huddleston was Cleo’s arch nemesis. The woman checked the book Luck and Lore out from the library 45 years ago and refused to return it. Oh, she’d tease that she was going to give it back. But she was as bad as Lucy in the comic strips, yanking the football away from Charlie Brown. Whenever Cleo got her hopes up about getting the book back, Dixie would dash them once again.

The story was an oft repeated one around town. In an article about the library reopening after some major repairs, Cleo even mentioned her desire to have the book back by the re-opening. But that didn’t mean she’d kill Dixie! Who would kill someone over an overdue book? To clear her name, Cleo will be sleuthing once again.

Review

Book 2 in the Bookmobile mystery series (not to be confused with the Bookmobile Cat mystery series by Laurie Cass) was great fun. I’m going to have to go back and read the first one, Better Off Read, now.

I loved Cleo! I usually enjoy book or library related stories. But I especially liked this one with a non-traditional sleuth. Cleo is older than most cozy protagonists. And I loved that there was no love triangle in this either. The balance between Cleo’s sleuthing and the time she spent dealing with her library issues was great. The story moved at a good pace and all the pieces tied together nicely.

The mystery was terrific! There were several factors at work in the story besides Dixie’s murder. Cleo had a librarian rival. There were weird omens and threatening notes all over town. And on top of that there were several strong suspects who might have wanted Dixie dead. The solution was a fascinating choice – the author really did a fine job with the whole set up and resolution.

If you are a cozy mystery fan, be sure to check out Cleo and the gang from Catalpa Springs in the Bookmobile Mystery series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lenora is stuck. Her parents are off traveling the world, and she is left behind with a nanny. A horrible nanny, too, who is working her own angles and agendas while dragging Lenora along. But when the nanny has to head to the library, Lenora sees her chance to escape.

Ditching the nanny by dodging through the stacks, Lenora opens a gateway to an unusual library thanks to an act of protective kindness. And this new library offers exactly what Lenora wants – a chance to both learn things and make a difference to others.

While Lenora is learning what it means to be the “Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian,” dark forces are gathering. They know knowledge is dangerous, and they are determined to destroy it.

Review

This is a fun fantasy story on the young side of middle grade. I loved Lenora! She is bright and resourceful. She keeps a notebook to record what she learns and her questions – I love that! And I learned some cool things right along with her. She has an earnest desire to learn. And she works to overcome the fear and angst that would naturally arise in such an unusual setting with few if any instructions for how to proceed.

I was frustrated by the villains when they appeared in the story. I felt like the villains, and their cause, lived on a different level in the storytelling than the fantasy worlds Lenora visited. It was like her travels and tasks were painted in rich, vibrant colors, and I was immersed right along with her. But the direct confrontations with the villains to me felt like black and white interactions in comparison. They pulled me out of the delightful fantasy.

This could be a function of (a) being an adult reader of a book for kids, and (b) reading a lot of adult and young adult fantasy where things are far more drawn out and motives are more often teased rather than stated plainly. So, I wanted this to be longer, with more drawn out trials for Lenora on each task. With a longer story, the villains could have been developed more slowly, too. And their motives would have felt less obvious.

But as I considered it, I don’t think that is the goal of this book. There are books for that – for the longer trials and nuanced villains – Percy Jackson and the like. This feels like more of an introduction to fantasy for maybe a slightly younger audience. A good introduction for readers who aren’t yet ready for those longer books just yet (The first Percy Jackson book is twice as long as this one.). For those almost-ready readers, this will be great! I feel like Lenora and the library will give a taste of the magic and mythology and world building of fantasy, but in a politely-sized format with a relatively quick return on the reading investment – action, results, resolution, and hints at a future adventure.

I think this would make for a great family or classroom read aloud. The quickly resolved adventures (1 – 2 chapters) work for classroom or bedtime reading. And depending on the age and insight of the readers, discussions about the villains and their goals could be very interesting, too.

I think readers will love Lenora, so be sure to watch for her future adventures! The library in this book is a delightful place to spend some time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥