Month: January 2021

REVIEW: Hope, Faith, and a Corpse by Laura Jensen Walker

REVIEW: Hope, Faith, and a Corpse by Laura Jensen Walker

Posted on by Jaymie

[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

Pastor Hope Taylor is new in Apple Springs, and about to be the first female priest in Faith Chapel’s history. That was truly enough excitement for her life. She really didn’t need to find a dead body and be accused of murder on her first day as well.

Pastor Hope is the new Associate Pastor for the Episcopalian church, brought in to help Father Christopher with his work load. Finding the body, and absentmindedly picking up the likely murder weapon before she knew the man was dead was not the introduction to the community she wanted. Especially considering the body was of one of the more vocal church members opposed to bringing in a woman priest.

Stanley King was an odious man with no shortage of enemies. If Hope can just figure out which one of them killed Stanley, maybe her new parishioners will stop avoiding her and thinking she might be a murderer. With the murder cleared up, all she’d have left to wrestle with is the usual sexist kerfuffle that most women clergy get to endure. Well, that and a second dead body.

Review

This is the second mystery series launch by Laura Jensen Walker I have read in 5 months. And I have LOVED them both! I re-discovered this author I read years ago when she launched her Bookish Baker Mystery series last fall with Murder Most Sweet. This new series launch, while not taking place in my old Wisconsin stomping grounds like the other one, is equally fantastic.

Hope is so cool – empathetic, smart, with pop culture references I understand. Her pastoral role is beautifully described, and the faith pieces of the book feel genuine and natural for the characters and the story. At the same time, there isn’t anything religious in the book that I think would alienate readers who don’t consider themselves to be “church people.”

The setting is excellent, and I got a kick out of the folks Hope meets in Apple Springs. I fell in love with the community of people in this book. I can’t wait to spend more time with them.

The mystery here is terrific. In fact, there are two mysterious deaths that Hope deals with in the book. I enjoyed all of Hope’s Trixie Belden references and the way that both mysteries are resolved.

I can’t think of anything that would have made this any more perfect. There’s an excellent mystery in an engaging setting with a delightful cast. Cozy mystery fans should not miss this one! I can’t wait to read another Faith Chapel Mystery! (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Star Wars The High Republic Sampler

REVIEW: Star Wars The High Republic Sampler

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Star Wars The High Republic: A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland – Summary and Impressions

The sampler included 3 chapters from this middle grade novel starring new Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh. Vernestra is on her first mission for the Jedi Council. It’s glorified babysitting – protecting a senator’s daughter – but she’s determined to do a good job. But Avon Starros is full of mischief and trouble, especially when it comes to her inventions.

The first three chapters in this sample introduce Vernestra, Avon, her protocol droid J-6, and Honesty, the son of a Dalnan ambassador. I thought the characters were interesting. Avon was probably my favorite of these few. She’s spunky, bright, and bored – a combination perfect for an adventure. When the action of the story kicks off, she will be a character to watch. While the sampler didn’t get into any of that action, I was intrigued enough by the introduction that I would read the whole book to see what happens and how these new characters interact and develop through the story.

 

Star Wars The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray – Summary and Impressions

The sampler included 3 chapters from this YA novel starring Jedi Padawan Reath Silas. Reath’s master has taken a new assignment in the middle of nowhere. Reath is not a fan. He’s always fallen on the more sedate side of the Jedi Temple. He’d rather do hours of research in the Archives than get into a light saber battle. He’d rather not be leaving the Temple at all. Master Jora will be in charge of the Starlight Beacon. Reath is traveling to the Beacon with an eclectic group of Jedi, each dealing with personal questions and dilemmas.

Sadly, this had a dry beginning that didn’t really grab my attention. If I had the full book, I would have pushed farther to see if things started clicking when the action amped up. I was also startled toward the end of the first chapter, after Reath had been the POV character for several pages, to have the POV suddenly shift to each of the other characters he is traveling with. That changing POV will be important to understanding the secrets each is keeping, but in the reading it felt abrupt and disorienting. Usually books will insert some sort of page break or change chapters when changing POV characters, but that was not the case in my electronic sampler. This may be clearer in the full, published version of the novel.

I’m not sure that I would go out of my way to read the full novel. The teaser just didn’t grab my attention.  I am intrigued by the connections between Reath and the main Jedi character in the middle grade novel, Vernestra, though. They are contemporaries at least, which is interesting. If I enjoy Vernestra’s story enough, that could draw me into reading this one.

BOOK NEWS: January 12, 2021

BOOK NEWS: January 12, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Mia Mayhem and the Super Switcheroo – Book 10 in the Mia Mayhem series. When Mia wakes up with no powers one day, her best friend Eddie has them instead.
Stella Diaz Dreams Big – Book 3 in the Stella Diaz series. Stella is fully in the groove of 4th grade, including extracurriculars. But when school gets harder, she starts to feel like she is juggling too much.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Alone (Older Middle Grade) – Novel in verse about a girl who finds herself alone in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. Sounds like a fascinating read for those who love survival stories.
Animal Rescue Agency: Little Claws – Book 1 in the Animal Rescue Agency series. An animal odd couple run the Animal Rescue Agency whose latest quest is to rescue a polar bear cub.
Clues to the Universe – An #Own Voices story. Two kids who are science partners bond over missing their fathers and try to help one another with the things that are most important to them.
Halfway to Harmony – The latest from Barbara O’Connor. As Walter grieves the loss of his brother who went into the military and never came home, a summer of adventures with his new neighbor and an eccentric man in town help him start to figure out who he is without the brother who was so important to him.
Many Points of Me – When Georgia finds one of her father’s last sketches, it looks like he was working on a fourth asterism based on her. Her quest to prove her theory takes her all over her neighborhood and to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood – A middle grade memoir from the author of Hatchet.
What Is Nintendo? – The latest from the folks at Who Was?

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Angel of Greenwood – Historical YA novel exploring the story of Black Wall Street. Two Black teens with different ideas of how Black Americans should respond to the racism of 1921 experience the mob riots in Oklahoma City on May 31st. This is on my list for this week.
Concrete Rose – A prequel to Thomas’ The Hate U Give.  Maverick Carter decides to give up dealing and go straight once he has a child who is depending on him. But his family ties and family name make it hard to leave that life behind.
Every Single Lie – A teen who is already the target of rumors and speculation finds herself in the middle of a firestorm when she finds the body of a newborn baby in her school’s locker room. Everyone is saying the baby is hers, and it becomes all too clear that a lot of people are holding secrets at her school.
The Meet Cute Project – When Mia has to find a date to her bridezilla sister’s wedding, her friends think it would be brilliant to use their favorite movie meet-cutes to help, even though Mia hates those movies. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
You Have a Match – The latest from the author of the delightful Tweet Cute. Abby signs up for a DNA service to help a friend, never expecting to find out she has a secret older sister. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Books for Adults

Artistic License to Kill (Trade Paperback, January 15) – First in a new Fine Art Mystery series. Amanda is trying to create a new life for herself post-divorce, and getting a spot at the Roadrunner Gallery could be an integral part of that. But her joy at being accepted is short-lived when she later finds the director dead and all of the Gallery members become murder suspects.
Birds of Prey: Hero Hunters (Graphic Novel) – A reprint of Gail Simone’s beloved line. Collects issues 96-103.
A Curious Incident (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series (Book 1 is Elementary She Read – ♥♥♥♥). Gemma is approached by her 10-year-old neighbor who wants to hire her as a consulting detective, first to find the girl’s missing cat, which she does, and then to clear her mother of murder charges. I enjoyed the first couple books in this series, and this new story sounds fantastic!
Ever After Always (e-book) – Book 3 in the Berman Brothers series. A couple struggling in their marriage and in their lives are thrown together on an island getaway to celebrate her parents’ marriage.
The Forever Girl (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Wildstone series. A group of friends, torn apart by tragedy as teens, is brought together again for a wedding.
The Frozen Crown (Hardcover) – Book 1 in the Warrior Witch Duology. A naive woman becomes heir to the Frozen Crown because of her devotion to her people, but she is in no way prepared to defend her land from invading hordes or to navigate the political intrigue of the neighboring kingdom where she goes for help. And she must keep the secret of her magic at any cost. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Hope, Faith and a Corpse (Hardcover) – The first book in the Faith Chapel Mystery series from Laura Jensen Walker. Hope Taylor arrives in Apple Springs a widow, and the first female pastor for Faith Chapel Episcopal Church – and quickly finds herself under suspicion of murder. I am so looking forward to reading this one! I’ll be reviewing it soon.
The Last Exit (Hardcover) – First in the new Jen Lu Mystery series. A police detective in the Elder Abuse unit in a not-too distant future gets pulled into a bizarre investigation involving the highly sought after longevity drug – and a street version with dangerous side effects. I am fascinated by the sci-fi pieces of this thriller. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Lost Manuscript (Hardcover) – A woman on vacation finds an abandoned manuscript in the bedside table of her hotel room. She falls in love with the story and reaches out to the author whose address is scribbled on a page in the middle of the document. When she hears back, he confesses that he only wrote the first portion and then lost track of it 30 years ago. The woman is determined to find out who wrote the rest of the story.  This plot is fascinating to me.
The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry (Trade Paperback) – A young con-woman with some magical ability secures a job protecting a “Lady of some importance” before her wedding, but the job turns unexpectedly deadly – and undead. I’m not big on the “undead” part, but everything else in the description of this sounds fantastic. It’s on my list to check out, as is the author’s debut novel, Unnatural Magic.

REVIEW: House of El: The Shadow Threat by Claudia Gray

REVIEW: House of El: The Shadow Threat by Claudia Gray

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Krypton might be a technological marvel, but it has problems the same as any other planet. Their leaders are arrogant and prideful about their advancements. They refuse to acknowledge anything could possibly go wrong with their plans. The lower castes are cannon fodder, like the soldiers who routinely put themselves in harm’s way, expecting not to survive. Then the elite citizens can maintain their delusions of superiority and their sense of security. Their hubris will be their undoing.

Zahn of the elite House of Re and a soldier named Sera-Ur are at the center of this story. They see the truths their leaders deny and the general populace ignores. Krypton’s terraforming efforts are failing. The home world is in serious trouble. Working together, Zahn and Sera may be able to put the pieces together and figure out what is truly happening and what can be done to save Krypton.

Review

This is very clever! I’m not a Superman super fan, so I don’t know how much of this is canon and what is created for this particular story. My impression has been that Krypton was some sort of utopia. But this paints a different picture. And I was captivated by the idea of a flawed Krypton – genetic engineering, a caste system, arrogant and ineffectual leaders, rebellion. This was NOT the Krypton I was expecting. It was far more interesting.

I enjoyed references to Jor-El, General Zod, and the Phantom Zone, but this is really Zahn and Sera’s story. And I liked that. They are a function of their place in the caste system and upbringing. But the story reveals there are other factors in play which I really liked. There are some philosophical issues introduced here that would be fun to discuss with other readers.

This ends on a major cliffhanger that left me grasping for the next installment. I was drawn in by the whole story. Part two will be a must read for me.

I enjoyed the design of Krypton in the art. The illustration style is not my preferred style, but it’s well done. And the graphics tie perfectly into the story. DC fans should NOT miss this one!

The folks at DC Entertainment graciously provided a couple sample pages so you can see the artwork in this book:

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: To Fetch a Felon by Jennifer Hawkins

BONUS REVIEW: To Fetch a Felon by Jennifer Hawkins

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

Emma Reed is starting over in Tervena, a village she remembers fondly from vacations in her childhood. She’s left the hustle and bustle of the London financial scene to follow her dream of opening a village tea shop.

Emma isn’t alone in this launch of her new life. She has Oliver, her corgi, with her. Her talking corgi. That’s right, Emma can understand Oliver. And Oliver has a lot to say – commentary on the smells of their new home, on the fish and chips counter in town, and on the fox he can smell at the house of the lady who yelled at Emma.

Emma’s first encounter with Victoria Roberts doesn’t go well. It’s even worse when she realizes Victoria owns the building Emma wants to use for her tea shop.

To make amends, Emma bakes the disagreeable woman some scones. But when Emma and Oliver try to deliver them, they find Victoria dead. And Oliver is certain something smells very wrong.

Review

This was the second of two books in a row that I read where a dog is a point of view character. It’s a fun plot device, and it’s especially well executed here. Oliver is a treat! The author does a great job of writing Oliver and figuring out the “rules” for this world she creates including how a dog could be a factor in a mystery. Oliver tells part of the story in his own words, which is also a lot of fun. Oliver’s “voice” is fantastic and helps make a great story even better.

The mystery here is excellent. It’s twisty and Emma’s sleuthing – along with Oliver’s – is perfect. I loved the ways Oliver is able to help. But the author establishes some nice limitations to keep him from being too good at solving things. I was impressed with the whole construction of the story.

To Fetch a Felon is the first book in the new Chatty Corgi Mystery series. And it’s the perfect cozy launch – I loved Emma and the other characters in Trevena. The setting is lovely, and Oliver is a delight. Book 2, Murder Always Barks Twice, will release this summer and it’s already on my wishlist. This is a not-to-be-missed book for those who love cozy mysteries as well as for dog lovers. I can’t wait to read more of Emma and Oliver’s adventures.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Joint Custody by Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Jackie Logsted

REVIEW: Joint Custody by Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Jackie Logsted

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

Gatz the dog is convinced The Man and The Woman still belong together. And since he helped bring them together 3 years ago, he figures he can help pull them back together now.

First, he eats the box of chocolates. Yes, Gatz knows it’s dangerous. But he loves The Man and The Woman enough to risk his life for their love.

When that doesn’t work, Gatz settles into their shared custody arrangement, still looking for ways to push them together. But no one is truly happy.

And then The Woman meets New Man.

Review

This is a cute, clever story told by Gatz the dog who loves The Man and The Woman and will do all he can to get them back together.

The authors do an exceptional job with the details of this story – how Gatz understands what is happening, how he knows what happens when he is not present, etc. There were no discernible “holes” in the story, which was impressive from a writing standpoint. Gatz has a terrific “voice” for the story. He’s funny, smart, and surprisingly well-read, and uses dog-appropriate behavior for most of the book to pursue reconciliation for The Man and The Woman.

Sadly, this clever premise created a little too much distance for me to really connect to the human characters enough to get caught up in the romantic pieces of the story. I never felt like I knew, or really liked, either The Man or The Woman. And that made it hard to feel invested in the efforts to get them back together.

I am happy to have read this story. Animal lovers will get a kick out of Gatz. But as a romance, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I had hoped to. (Language, references to sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Fine/solid/good

REVIEW: The Great Escape by Alan Katz

REVIEW: The Great Escape by Alan Katz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It was a normal Monday, and Milton remembered it was his job to feed the class pet. Noah the ferret was a pretty low key animal, except he liked to get out of his cage. Like when Milton forgot to latch it on this otherwise normal Monday.

But when Noah escaped, it stopped being a normal day. Mrs. Baltman, the teacher, pretended to be sick. And when the sub arrived, it was Milton’s mom. And to make things even stranger, Milton discovers his mom is some sort of agent tasked with catching Noah the ferret before he can carry out his evil plot for world domination.

Review

This is book 1 in the Society of Substitutes series, part of the Harper Chapters line of early chapter books. Book 2, The Zoo of Switcheroo, is also out now. This is an illustrated story (the pictures are great!) with some chapter end notes and some questions at the end of the book. I had envisioned this being a cross between the Super Turbo and Lunch Lady series, but I was disappointed. The premise is good, but it didn’t live up to its potential.

At first, the issues were small things that could have been (might have been?) tightened up with just a couple additions. For example, twice in the book the kids, second graders, are sent outside for recess early in the day. Milton mentions several times how unusual it is to go outside before they had really done any school work. But neither time does the book mention who is supervising the kids outside while the teacher is in the building. This could have been passed off to a sleepy custodian or aide or someone who wouldn’t ask questions – or even someone who takes the kids with a wink like they know exactly what is going on.

Another example is the helmet Milton’s mom wears to get her instructions for the case. Why would a full helmet have a speaker that an outsider, like Milton, could hear rather than be a full, soundproof headset? If we need the sub to get the mission briefing and need Milton to overhear it, have it come through a smart watch or a tablet. Later, Milton seems to know names for the weapons being thrown around. I know it makes the story easier to tell if the writer doesn’t have to keep explaining them. But, again, it’s a little detail that could be tightened up with a few sentences – maybe Milton names them himself in his glee at watching this secret mission unfold in front of him. That could be funny.

My biggest issue, though, was with the big reveal in the middle of the book. Milton is overhearing this mission briefing. The reader could have “listened” along and also gotten Milton’s inner monologue about what he is hearing, his disbelief, his questions about his mom’s involvement. Instead, Milton summarizes what he hears and the action moves forward. It felt like a missed opportunity to draw the reader into the action of the story, to revel in the reveal with Milton, and then chase down the action from there. It was more “telling” than “showing.” And as the reader, it really tripped up my momentum with the story.

Some kids will not catch any of these things and will enjoy this series launch. Others will catch them and not care. But it would be easier for me to recommend this one if these pieces were tightened up.

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid; okay overall, but there are some issues

 

BOOK NEWS: January 5, 2021

BOOK NEWS: January 5, 2021

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy 2021! I hope these first few days of the new year are treating you well. Here are some of the books launching this new year of reading:

Books for Kids – Picture Books

Blanket: Journey to Extreme Coziness – Discover the power of the blanket!
Loki – A Little Golden Book starring Loki
Spring Stinks – Bruce is not impressed with the smells of spring.
Stella’s Stellar Hair – When Stella’s hair isn’t quite right for her big day, she travels the solar system to visit her aunties for some help. A celebration of hairstyles of the African diaspora.
Star Wars The High Republic: The Great Jedi Rescue – The Jedi of the High Republic are on a rescue mission. Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace.
The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy – Picture book biography.
Prince (Little People, Big Dreams) – Picture book biography
What If You Could Spy Like a Narwhal!? – Part of the What If You Had series, this one focused on animal superpowers.

Books for Kids: Early Readers and Transitional Chapter Books

Libby Loves Science: Mix and Measure – Libby is hosting a party and accidentally leaves out an important ingredient for her cupcakes. She and her friends use science to solve the problem.
The Adventures of Allie and Amy: Stars of the Show – Book 3 in the series. Allie and Amy are supposed to perform together for a fundraiser, but Allie gets sick, leaving Amy to wonder if she will have to perform alone.
BunBun & BonBon: Hoppy Go Lucky (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in the series. BunBun and BonBon have an epic adventure.
Geeger the Robot: Lost and Found – Book 2 in the series. When the class pet goes missing, Tillie helps Geeger prove he didn’t eat it.
Little Goddess Girls: Persephone and the Evil King – Book 6 in the series. Hephaestus has turned Athena and her dog into treasures and hidden them away. The girls only have 7 guesses to find their friends.
Pixie Tricks: The Greedy Gremlin – Book 2 in the series. A fairy traps Violet’s cousin in a video game.
Society of Substitutes: The Great Escape – First in a new series. When Milton finds out his classroom’s pet ferret is plotting for world domination, he’s grateful to know the Society of Substitutes – including his mom – is there to help. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Star Wars Galactic Storybook – Six illustrated stories.
She Persisted: Harriet Tubman – First in a new line of chapter book biographies of women. Part of Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted line.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Lion of Mars – The latest from Jennifer L. Holm (Babymouse, Squish, and Sunny graphic novel series, The Fourteenth Goldfish – ♥♥♥♥♥). All the adults in Bell’s colony on Mars fall ill with a virus, leaving Bell and the rest of the kids to uncover the truth and save their families. This is going to be fantastic! I can’t wait to read it.
Meow or Never – Part of the WISH line from Scholastic. When Avery gets talked into singing in the school musical and her stage fright threatens to get the best of her, a stray cat tucked away backstage could be the help she needs – as long as no one finds it.
The Sea in Winter – Maisie struggles with her anxieties and dark mood when an injury keeps her from ballet training and auditions.
Star Wars The High Republic: A Test of Courage – One of three new books out today launching the new Star Wars High Republic line of stories that take place 200 years before The Phantom Menace. When the cruiser they are in is bombed, a new Jedi Knight, the young inventor she is supervising, a Padawan, and an ambassador’s son escape in a shuttle, but they have few supplies, and communications are down. I’ll be talking more about this one soon.
Star Wars The Mandalorian Junior Novel – A junior novel of season one of The Mandalorian.
Unplugged – The son of a tech billionaire dropped off at a device-free camp for the summer notices the adults acting strangely. But his reputation as a spoiled troublemaker makes it hard for him to get any of the other kids to take him seriously. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a book from Gordon Korman!
The World Between Blinks – Two cousins following their late grandmother’s map find themselves in a magical world where lost things – and people – wind up, and where someone wants to keep them from getting back home.
Baseball’s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues (Older Middle Grade) – The story of the first and only woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Fascinating!!
History Smashers: Pearl Harbor – Explore little-known truths behind the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath.
Race Against Time: The Untold Story of Scipio Jones and the Battle to Save Twelve Innocent Men  (Older Middle Grade) – A self-taught attorney who had been born enslaved steps up to defend twelve sharecroppers wrongfully sentenced to death. Sounds like an excellent addition to history collections.
Trailblazers: Lin-Manuel Miranda: Raising Theater to New Heights – A biography of the creator of Hamilton.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

The Awakening of Malcolm X – An historical novel about Malcolm X’s adolescence in jail written by his daughter in cooperation with Tiffany D. Jackson (Monday’s Not Coming – ♥♥♥♥½)
Court of Swans – Book 1 in a new Christian historical fiction series for teens and young adults. When her father, an earl, dies, Delia watches his wife accuse her seven brothers of treason and murder just as Richard II is executing anyone who could be a threat to the throne. Delia is their only hope, and a captain of the guard who finds the situation fishy agrees to help her.
Happily Ever Afters – A young writer who has rarely seen herself in a romance novel writes the characters she longs for into her own stories. But when she is accepted into a prestigious creative writing program, Tessa’s words dry up. Her best friend is convinced that the solution is Tessa finding a real life romance of her own.
House of El: The Shadow Threat (Graphic Novel) – First in a new graphic novel series about Superman’s home planet of Krypton. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Influence – From the author of Pretty Little Liars. Four young women enjoying their moments in the spotlight have no idea they are on the verge of watching everything fall apart.
Monsters Among Us – After one semester of college, Catherine is dealing with the fleeting memories of a night she’s not sure she wants to remember. Days later someone close to her is killed. Then a stranger shows up with clues to the night Catherine can’t quite remember – and to the murder. But what is his angle, and is he actually trying to help?
One of the Good Ones – When Happi’s sister, Kezi, is killed after a social justice rally, she becomes another icon in the fight against police brutality. But Happi and her other sister, Genny, want to remember the real Kezi, not the idealized version in the news. So they set off on a road trip to honor her in their own way.
The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss – By senior year, Evie has worked on her anxiety enough that she might just be ready to enter the national math and physics competition AND to flirt back with the new boy at school. She has no idea her best friend Caleb is in love with her, and he is devastated watching her meet cute with the new guy, so he uses an online forum to get her attention without revealing his identity. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Roman and Jewel – Roman and Jewel is the new hip-hop take on Romeo and Juliet, and Jerzie is desperate to play the lead. She will have to settle for being Cinny’s understudy. And falling in love with the male lead is definitely a no-no. Especially when Cinny has decided she wants him too.
Jesus for You: The Ultimate Answer to Your Deepest Needs (Teen Bible Study) – A Bible study over 8 sessions based on the author’s new book releasing next week.

Books for Adults – Fiction

Active Defense (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Danger Never Sleeps series. A former field surgeon is on the run from a dangerous stalker while a security expert has been tailing her for weeks, watching her back.
Blood Heir (Trade Paperback, January 8) – First in the Kate Daniels World series, a spinoff of the Kate Daniels series. A woman with a new name, new face, and new magic returns to an Atlanta drifting towards apocalypse in order to save her adoptive mother, Kate Daniels.
City of Schemes (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Counterfeit Lady series. Elizabeth and Gideon’s wedding is in jeopardy from Elizabeth’s past, but she’s also trying to help a wealthy friend who may be the target of a con.
A Double Dose of Love (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Amish Mail-Order Bride series. Impulsive Darla travels to Birch Creek in search of a husband while her responsible twin, Amanda, promises to bring her back home. Darla meets reckless Zeke, and his twin, Zeb, teams up with Amanda to protect their siblings from one another. This sounds convoluted but fun!
Joint Custody (Trade Paperback) – A dog in the midst of a custody battle ups the ante to get his owners to see they still belong together. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Killer Comfort Food (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series. Angie is investigating the case of a missing woman with ties to the soybean processing plant that is trying to edge her out of her Nona’s farm.
Say I Do (Trade Paperback) – A collection of wedding stories from Rachel Hauck, Becky Wade, and Kate Ganshert. All three stories have previously been published in other collections, so be sure to check the titles carefully.
Star Trek Picard: The Dark Veil (Hardcover) – Following the novel The Last Best Hope comes this new Picard-era story starring Will and Deanna Riker and the crew of the Titan. This is at the top of my wish list for the month!
Star Wars The High Republic: Light of the Jedi (Hardcover) – The first adult novel of the High Republic era of Star Wars (taking place 200 years before The Phantom Menace). In the golden age of the Republic, the Jedi are called in to deal with a hyperspace disaster which signals something sinister in the works.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

100 Days of Prayer (Devotional Journal) – A devotional with dot grid space on the facing page for journaling or art. Part of the series by Shanna Noel.
Book of Genesis Study Guide AND Book of Romans Study Guide (The Passion Translation – Trade Paperback) – Two new studies related to the Passion translation of the Bible.
Depression, Anxiety and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About (Trade Paperback) – A Christian exploration of mental health and mental illness.
Elijah: Faith and Fire (Paperback Study Guide) – A new Bible study from Priscilla Shirer.
Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies that Hold You Back (Trade Paperback) – Essay collection of Christian thinking on stress management, empowerment, and pushing through hard times.
Healthy Keto Air Fryer Cookbook: 100 Delicious Low-Carb and Fat-Burning Recipes (Paperback) – Keto-friendly recipes for your air fryer.
How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice (Hardcover) – The latest from Jemar Tisby, the author of The Color of Compromise. Move beyond conversations about racism and into action against it. There is also a study guide that will be available in April.
Sacred Tears: Simple Reminders that God Sees You and Loves You (Hardcover) – Essay collection with art, photography, prayers, and scripture for weary souls.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2020 Favorites

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My 2020 Favorites

Posted on by Jaymie

There were moments in 2020 when I despaired of ever finding my reading groove. There were others where reading was the perfect escape. What a unique year in so many ways! Here are some of my reading statistics for 2020. (If you’d like to see my past Year in Review/favorites posts, you can go here.)

2020 Stats

Through the course of 2020 I read 342 books.  There were 35 more that I started but did not finish. I started the year intending to take my time, maybe read FEWER books but really savor them – and maybe even remember them once the year was done. In reality, though, that  didn’t happen. I committed to reading a large number of books for publishers which kept me turning pages all year long.

Of those 342, the break down for target audience is

  • 47% adult
  • 19% teen/young adult (including both prose books and graphic novels)
  •   5% older middle grade for readers 10-14
  • 18% middle grade (standard middle grade prose books as well as kids graphic novels)
  •   8% picture books
  •   2% transitional chapter books and early readers

The main genre breakdown is

  • 24% Fantasy
  • 18% Realistic/Contemporary
  • 18% Romance
  • 21% Mystery
  •   6% Science Fiction
  • 11% Nonfiction in various categories (36 books – My goal was at least one per month, so I exceeded that.)

This year most of the books I read were review copies from publishers – 216 books. (63% of the total – more than double what I read from publishers each of the last two years, and 4x 2017.) I also read 44 books from my To Be Read shelves, including 15 brand new books (read within 2 weeks of acquiring them), as well as  60 books from the library. I also re-read 16 favorites this year – not nearly as many as I wanted to re-read.

In 2020, I had a goal of reading 1 nonfiction book each month, specifically from a stack of spiritual growth resources I set aside for the year. As I mentioned,  I met the numerical goal, but I didn’t get to every book in the stack. (And I added several books, too!) I used the Book Riot spreadsheet (which is customizable!) again, which was super helpful in tracking my books for the year as well as helping me with monthly stats. You can check out the 2021 version here. I already have mine customized and ready to go for my first read of the new year.

In 2021, I need to scale back my ARC reading. While I love discovering new books, new authors, and new series – as well as continuations of my favorite series – I found myself wrestling with what I needed to read vs. what I wanted to read all throughout 2020. I have committed to 80 ARCs already for 2021. That means weeks where I have two or three reviews to post per day in order to stay on track with release dates as much as I can. That becomes a reading obligation, which does not leave room to read whatever I feel like – or to take any time off for a break.

Speaking of breaks, I took 21 days off from reading in 2020. That’s more than double what I did in 2019 when I started keeping track. 2020 was intense at times, and it was hard to get lost in a book some weeks. I liked the freedom to do other things – and discovered I need some new hobbies since reading has become a job in a lot of ways – but it added to the pressure and feelings of obligation when I had fewer days to read the next week’s ARCs. So, in 2021 I am seeking better balance.

2020 Favorites!!

At the end of the year, I go back through my reading log and pull out the titles of the best of the best from the year.  (Not every 5 star review makes it onto the blog, depending on my publishing schedule, but you can find many of the reviews here.) Then I compare them to one another until a list of 10 or so rise to the top. This year there were 53 that made it onto the list. And the results are fascinating. There are two re-reads on the list – my top two books from 2019. And there are two books on the list that haven’t even released yet. So, here are my most favorite favorites from 2020:

12. What’s Your Enneatype? – This is my favorite Enneagram resource from this year. The book is small, and packed with great information and color-coded graphics. I am looking forward to digging into this one again in 2021. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

11. Microphones and Murder – I loved this first-in-a-new-series mystery. Book 2 in the Podcasting Sisters series, Up Next, Murder, is out now. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

10. Undercover Bromance – Book 2 in the Bromance Bookclub series was even better than the fantastic series starter. There are three books in the series so far, and book 4, Isn’t It Bromantic?, will release this summer. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

9. Talk Nerdy to Me – Book 4 in the fantastic Bookish Boyfriends series I have adored since the beginning. Book 4, Get a Clue, releases later this month. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

8. Cast in Firelight – This amazing YA fantasy story will release later this month. It was originally supposed to release in November, so I read it and prepared my review only to discover the release date had been pushed back. This is well worth the wait. Do NOT miss this one! My full review will post in a couple weeks.

 

 

7. Chasing Vines – The second nonfiction book of this year’s list is a fascinating exploration of vines and vineyards and vine growers, both from scripture and from the author’s experience in Italy. Don’t miss this one! You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

6. Gina, the Girl Who Broke the World – This is the second 2021 release on my 2020 favorites list. This one doesn’t release until February. But I adored the first six-book story arc so much, I read this one the second I was approved for the review copy. All of my favorite characters are back, adjusting to the fallout from the earlier books. But this launches everyone right into a new, harrowing adventure with a MAJOR cliffhanger. The only downside to reading this so soon is that I have to wait that much longer for the next book. Put this one on your February list and watch for my review.

 

5. Polaris Rising – It’s probably unfair to include old favorites in the list, but I re-read this one, and the sequel, Aurora Blazing, to get ready to read book three, Chaos Reigning. And it really stands up well to re-reading. I just love it. The perfect mix of science fiction and romance with tons of sass. When I have time, I want to re-read the whole series. This was my most favorite book of 2019. You can read my full review here.

 

 

4. Crush the King – This is the final book in the outstanding Crown of Shards series after Kill the Queen (my most favorite book of 2018) and Protect the Prince. This series was excellent. The spin off series, Gargoyle Queen, launches with Capture the Crown this summer. You can read my full review here.

 

 

3. The Princess Knight – This is book 2 in the Scarred Earth Saga after The Blacksmith Queen, the book that tied with Polaris Rising for my most favorite of 2019.  Both are fantastic (but violent). You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

2. The Blacksmith Queen – My second most-favorite book of 2019 (after a tie with Polaris Rising), and my most favorite re-read on the list. This series is often shelved with romance, but for me it is a straight-up fantasy series, far more violent than what I usually read, but truly fantastic in humor and in storytelling. I have never posted a full review of this one to the blog, but you can see my Goodreads review here.

 

 

1. Crownchasers – Even while I was in the process of reading this book, I knew it had the potential to be my most favorite book of 2020. This was the perfect fit for me as a reader, and I am eager to re-read it as I wait for the sequel. Out of the 340+ books I read this year, this one has consistently stuck in my memory, and in my heart, as exceptional. You can read my full review here.

 

 

 

Honorable Mention

For honorable mention here are some other favorites by category:

Most Favorite Picture Books

Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite – This delight will not release until June 1, but you will want to put it on your list.
Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog

 

Most Favorite Middle Grade (that have been released so you can enjoy them now!)

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor
Hilo: All the Pieces Fit – The final book in the original story arc.
Tune It Out – This is targeted to older middle grade readers between 10 and 14.
Primer