Month: May 2025

REVIEW: The Most Magnificent Team by Ashley Spires

REVIEW: The Most Magnificent Team by Ashley Spires

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The maker girl from the Most Magnificent series finds another maker in her usual work space. And at first that seems amazing – kindred spirits. They can make something together! But working with others can mean changes – and conflicts. Will they quit or find a way forward together?

Review

This was all I hoped it would be! I have been an Ashley Spires fan from the get go – Binky the Space Cat (♥♥♥♥♥), Larf (♥♥♥♥), The Most Magnificent Thing (♥♥♥♥♥), Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite. Her artwork calls to me from across the bookstore or library. I can’t resist her work. And as I already love the other books in this series, I was eager to see how this new story fit.

I loved this completely realistic look at the conflict – and magnificence – that can come from working with others. Both girls love building and creating – but they have different approaches and ideas.

This is a great model for kids when it comes to both friendships and group work. This could be a fantastic read aloud before kicking off group projects in the classroom, pre-teaching how to incorporate different gifts and work styles and how to solve conflicts. Ashley Spires fans should not miss this new story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Big Fix by Holly James

REVIEW: The Big Fix by Holly James

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

Penny had let her sister Libby talk her into visiting the estate sale. Libby’s grumpy neighbor had died, and she wanted to finally get a look inside his house. But when Penny meets the grumpy neighbor’s gorgeous nephew, Anthony, she realizes her sister has set her up.

When the dead body falls out of the closet, though, Penny forgets to be annoyed about the fix up.

And when she realizes she actually recognizes the dead man, she starts to panic.

Anthony is hiding things. And there are people watching him. And those people have this crazy idea that Penny is his girlfriend, and therefore “leverage.” So when it all goes wrong, she’s completely caught up in the chaos.

Review

This was so fun! I was sold from the first chapter. I enjoyed the characters, and the writing is terrific. Before I knew it, I was completely caught up in the story. The main characters are great, and I enjoyed the mystery/adventure. There were even laugh-out-loud moments. Every time I set this down, I looked forward to picking it up again.

If you love a mystery/light suspense/adventure story with a side of romance and some laughs, you should absolutely pick this up and give it a try. It’s a fun ride from start to finish. If you are looking for something fun to take along on your summer vacation, this would be a great choice. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BOOK NEWS: May 27, 2025

BOOK NEWS: May 27, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Murdle Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose – First in a new mystery series for kids based on the Murdle word/logic puzzle series. A young detective, her sidekick, and the school bully team up to find out what happened to the missing school librarian.
Murdle Jr. Puzzle Mysteries – Book 2 of Murdle puzzles for kids and teens.
Come As You Are – Everette “Evie” Riley is mistakenly assigned to a guys dorm at her new school with no option but to live there.

Books for Adults

Bodies and Battlements (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Ravensea Castle mystery series. When a guest at the new B&B in the Ravensea Castle is murdered, the owner is the primary suspect. She’ll need help from her sister and the Castle ghost to find the real killer.
Busybody Book Club (Trade Paperback) – The new bookclub at the Community Center is shaping up to be a disaster when the five members can’t agree on anything and money is stolen during one of their meetings, putting the Center’s future at risk. When a club member disappears and a body is discovered, the club members are determined to solve the case. This sounds like a blast!
A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains & Vines (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Cyclist’s Guide Mystery series. The Silver Spinners bike tour of France crosses paths with a murderer.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Dark Lord Davi series. Davi is now the Dark Lord, but now she needs to focus on breaking the time loop that’s trapped her. I have GOT to catch up on book 1 so I can get to this!!
Grimoire Grammar School PTA (Trade Paperback) – When their kindergartener is bitten by a werewolf, a family has to negotiate magical schools and prophecies they are not prepared for. YES, PLEASE!
It’s a Love Story (Trade Paperback) – A teen star turned Hollywood studio exec has to deliver on a rash promise based on her first kiss in order to keep her credibility. Yes, this one too!
Much Ado About Hating You (Trade Paperback) – All I had to read was “Shakespeare fan fic” and I was sold!
Murder Mystery & Mothers (ebook, May 29) – A mystery author discovers a real life mystery to solve.
Problematic Summer Romance (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ali Hazelwood! A grad student (23) pursues a problematic fling with her long-time crush (38).

REVIEW: J vs K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft

REVIEW: J vs K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

J is an amazing young artist who doesn’t like to read.
K is an amazing young writer who couldn’t draw a straight line if his life depended on it.
And they are both entering their school’s annual creative storytelling contest. And that makes them rivals.

J’s confidence wavers when he sees how his friends respond to K’s writing. What if he can’t deliver on a good enough story to compete? J’s friends loved his latest comic, though, which leaves K feeling flustered.

When J tries to subtly get some writing tips from K, K deliberately gives him terrible advice. And J tricks K into using his equally terrible “drawing secrets.” So they both create terrible stories that leave all of the other kids stunned.

Then a game of 2-on-2 basketball shows them what they can accomplish when they team up. What might happen if they tried that for the storytelling contest?

Review

This was fun, and I think kids will enjoy it. The illustrations weren’t 100% complete in my review copy, but what I saw was fun. The tone of the book is sassy, keeping with the rivalry of the two main characters – and the two authors. There are also great moments celebrating art, words, stories, and family. There’s a lot here for readers to enjoy.

There are tons of asides throughout the book from the two authors, Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft. Those could become a distraction for some readers as they break the flow of J and K’s story. Other readers will likely enjoy the banter. I found them distracting, but they did keep the “rivalry” theme up throughout the book.

This would be a great mentor text for readers who love art, writing, and storytelling. And many classroom libraries would be well served by having a couple of copies of this on hand!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Wisdom of Your Body by Dr. Hillary L. McBride

REVIEW: The Wisdom of Your Body by Dr. Hillary L. McBride

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

I had heard of this author on some podcasts, and the book had come highly recommended. So I picked up a copy and started reading.

In June of 2024.

Ten months later I finished my very slow and deliberate crawl through the material. And it was fruitful and impactful. I read and took notes and journaled my way through the chapters – on topics like disembodiment, emotions, image, oppression, and trauma. And I would – and likely will – read it again. I feel like I absorbed what I could this first time through. I examined “level 1” sorts of observations and revelations. And I’m still learning from and incorporating those observations. Maybe later I’ll be ready for “level 2,” and I’ll dive in again!

If you are interested in embodiment, in learning to love your body and/or listen to your body, in healing from feeling like you are in a war with your body, I highly recommend this resource!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: May 20, 2025

BOOK NEWS: May 20, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Gus and Glory – A girl who loves mysteries encounters her biggest one – why did her mom leave?
Let Them Stare (LGBTQ+) – A gender non-conforming fashion student loses their internship but finds a vintage bag they might be able to sell to fund their trip to the big city. They also find a ghost of a drag performer looking for answers as to how he died.  The fact that this was written by JVN and Julie Murphy made this a huge “Yes, please!” for me.

Books for Adults

Behooved (Trade Paperback)- A noblewoman’s betrothed is, at first aloof and uninterested and then he’s magically turned into a horse. And the noblewoman is framed for his “murder.”
The Love Haters (Hardcover) – A video producer tells a couple of lies as she dives head first into a career-making gig in the newest book from Katherine Center.

REVIEW: Hilo: The Great Space Iguana by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Hilo: The Great Space Iguana by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

DJ, Gina, and Hilo are together again for an adventure involving space dinosaurs, space pirates, and a very important space iguana. And several alien armies who want that important space iguana!

It’s a good thing DJ has been getting in shape and Gina has been doing magic for “years.” (It’s a time travel thing.) And Hilo of course has all sorts of super gifts.

That space iguana seems to know things about DJ and about Hilo that none of them know. Sadly, they aren’t going to get to dig into those mysteries until they resolve the interstellar war.

Review

This is a WACKY story! All of my favorite characters from the series are back, and I loved the space adventure. But this also feels like a transitional story. Not much “progress” is made, and nothing much is revealed. Gina is told she has to pass a test so she can go home for good, but that’s not even resolved by the end. And the next book in the series is going to be a holiday special. While I am ecstatic about getting a fun holiday story, that means we have to wait even longer for the story arc here to move forward.

Series fans will enjoy spending time with their favorite charactes. But readers hoping to see the current arc advance could be a bit disappointed. On the plus side, this story might be random enough to work for newcomers who can enjoy the wacky story and then go back to book 1 and learn more about these characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: Fan Service by Rosie Danan

REVIEW: Fan Service by Rosie Danan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

As a teen, Alex Lawson found solace in the show The Arcane Files about a werewolf detective. She even got to meet the show’s star, Devin Ashwood, at a con. Only to have it turn into a “never meet your heroes” cautionary tale. Seventeen years later, Devin is a pop culture punchline as security video catches him faking a public “werewolf transformation” like on his old show.

Only, it’s not fake.

Devin seems to have been affected – in real life – by the same sort of full moon that turned his TV character into a werewolf. And the only person he thinks could help him is the mod who put together the show’s extensive wiki – Alex.

Review

Let me start by saying I really liked this! The premise is creative and clever. And the author does a couple of brilliant things in the storytelling that took this somewhere different in the best sort of ways.

That said, I struggled to like the characters. I got there by the end for sure, but I normally would have given up on a book like this because I just didn’t click with the two leads early on. I hung with this longer than usual because the premise was captivating, and I’m glad I did because it came together so well in the end.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance but craving a little variation on the world building, I would recommend giving this a try. I really liked this take on the werewolf genre. If you like enemies to lovers, know going in that this is light on the enemies. Enough time has passed for Alex to come across as more disinterested than angry. And the disance that comes from “hating” a TV star adds to the “cooling” on any strong feelings she might have had as a teen. And if you like your romance books spicy, this one delivers romantic heat even if the emotional “heat” is subdued.

I really got a kick out of this and would recommend it on the creative storytelling alone. But if these other features appeal to you as well, you should give this a try. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great. Might re-read.

 

BOOK NEWS: May 13, 2025

BOOK NEWS: May 13, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

The Rainbow Sheep – In a herd that prizes conformity above everything, a new sheep in the pen shakes things up.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Creature Clinic – A doctor in training at the Creature Clinic tries to hide the fact that she helped a human in need – something that is strictly forbidden.
The Shadow of the World-Famous Nine – Book 2 in the World-Famous Nine series about a 19-story skyscraper and a couple of kids who have to fight the forces of evil trying to destroy it.
Home Has No Borders – A collection of South-Asian stories.
The Romance Rivalry – A young book reviewer tries to use romance tropes to help her find love during her freshman year of college, but the trope that might take her down is fake dating a rival reviewer. Yes, please!
The Singular Life of Aria Patel – A practical young scientist finds herself tumbling from one parallel universe to another as she fights to find her way home.
When Love Gives You Lemons (LGBTQ+) – A year after their break up, a young man prepares to see his first love at a wedding where he hopes they can rekindle their relationship.

Books for Adults

Anji Kills a King (Trade Paperback) – First in the Rising Tide series. A woman is hounded by bounty hunters after she murders the king.
Crossing Paths (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Beneath the Wild Sky series. The tech-minded sister in a family of bounty hunters looks for help building up her hand-to-hand combat skills because she’s tired of their targets always thinking she’s the weak link.
Don’t Swipe Right (Trade Paperback) A lonely woman looking for love on a dating app discovers that a series of recent deaths are tied to her – they’re all guys she has dated. And the police think SHE is the serial killer. Wow! (Looks like this might have previously been released as Swiped.)
Dream On, Ramona Riley (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in a new Clover Lake series. A woman with dreams of being a Hollywood costume designer encounters an old flame when a big budget movie films in her small town – but the woman who was her first kiss doesn’t seem to remember her.
Maine Characters (Trade Paperback) – Half-sisters show up at their father’s cabin after his death and try to work through their surprise and other complicated feelings while living there, together, for the summer.
No One Was Supposed to Die at this Wedding (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Vacation Mysteries series about a mystery author who keeps encountering murder in real life.
Riding the High (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Silver Pines Ranch series. A drunken marriage becomes their biggest secret as both members of the “couple” try to wait out some major events before they can quietly divorce.

REVIEW: The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers by Jami Gigot

REVIEW: The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers by Jami Gigot

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (and Other Mysterious Creatures) is two stories in one. The story told by the text is the Field Guide – guidelines for Bigfoots to understand the dangers of encountering campers and how to deal with them. The story told by the illustrations (crayon-coloring style great for the Field Guide feel of this) is the first-hand experience of one Bigfoot with a camper. The layout of this is darling, and the two-story setup is so clever. I enjoyed this friendship story.

This could be a fun mentor text to use while having students make their own field guide. Teachers could pair this with the Alex’s Field Guide series, which I love.

This could also be a mentor text to use with students to see what it is like to tell one story with text and another with pictures. Teachers could pair this with books like Silly Doggy! or Naughty Kitty! (♥♥♥♥).

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +