Search Results for: andy carpenter

BOOK NEWS: October 13, 2020

BOOK NEWS: October 13, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Let’s take a look at the new books releasing this week – including several Christmas titles!

Books for Kids

  

If Winter Comes, Tell It I’m Not Here – A boy’s sister tells him to enjoy all of his summer fun because winter will come and be awful. But he discovers he likes it. (I am vibing the title of this one!)
I Am Anne Frank AND I Am Benjamin Franklin – The latest picture book biographies from Brad Meltzer and the Ordinary People Change the World series.
I Am George Washington Carver AND I Am Eleanor Roosevelt – The latest book tie-ins from the Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. (George Washington Carver is a favorite at our house!)
Cat Ninja – First in a new graphic novel series from the author of the fantastic middle grade Supers of Noble’s Green series. By day, Claude is a pampered house cat. But when trouble arises, he becomes Cat Ninja, the city’s secret protector.
Itty Bitty Princess Kitty: The Cloud Race – Book 5 in the Itty Bitty Princess Kitty series. Itty Bitty Princess Kitty and her friends are finally old enough to enter the Cloud Race, but she overhears another racer talk about cheating.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Time Castaways: Forbidden Lock – The third and final book in the Time Castaways series from the author of the Fairly True Tales series (Rump – ♥♥♥♥♥).  The villain, Captain Vincent is now able to change time, and his goal is to wipe out the Hudson family all together. But the kids get help from an unexpected source. This series sounds so fun!
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World – Book 3 in this story collection series. This is a gorgeous book with brief biographies of influential women along side beautiful illustrations. Terrific addition to home and classroom libraries.
Daughters of Jubilation – In the Jim Crow South, Evalene comes into her magic – what her family calls Jubilation, the magic Black women have used for years to help them survive.
A Golden Fury – A young alchemist is on the run after she watches her mother destroy their work on the Philosopher’s Stone in a fit of madness, a curse on those who would try to create the Stone.
In the Study with the Wrench – Book 2 in the Clue Mystery series based on the board game.  In the aftermath of Headmaster Boddy’s murder, half the student body have chosen to stay home. Among those who returned are “the Murder Crew.” When another staff member is found dead and the Crew is threatened, secrets begin to come to light.
Lightbringer – The third and final book of the Empirium Trilogy after Furyborn and Kingsbane. The queens at the center of this dual timeline book reach the climax of their story. I have this series on my TBR list.
Long Way Down (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the novel in verse which tells the story of Will, whose older brother has been shot, and his trip down an elevator where each floor puts him face to face with folks who speak into the situation and Will’s quest for revenge. (Long Way Down – ♥♥♥♥)
Swamp Thing: Twin Branches (Graphic Novel) – Alec and Walker Holland are staying with extended family. The new school and rural setting push the boys further apart into their own interests – Walker’s interest in the local social scene and Alec’s interest in his scientific experimentation. I’ll be reviewing this soon.
This Is All Your Fault (LGBTQ+) – Three teens show up for their shift at Wild Nights Bookstore expecting the same old shift. But when they hear that the store will be closing, their day at work becomes something no one expected.
The Truth Project – This story, told in emails and text messages and poems, focuses on a teen completing what should be a simple senior project about her ancestry. But when her DNA test shows that the man who raised her is not her biological father, everything she thought she knew about herself comes into question. This sounds fantastic!

Books for Adults

Jingle All the Way (Hardcover) – The latest Christmas novel from Debbie Macomber. A workaholic is given the month of December off to get a break and some perspective. But her vengeful assistant books her on a cruise of the Amazon rather than the beach vacation she was supposed to be on. But the unexpected trip might be exactly what she needs.
Joy to the World (Trade Paperback) – Three Regency Christmas romance novellas.
On the Run (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Guardian series. Nolan, a new Guardian, is charged with protecting a journalist who stumbled across a deadly conspiracy.  (I have book 1, Failsafe, on my TBR!)
A Princess by Christmas (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Royal Wedding series by Julia London (Book 1 is The Princess Plan). After three years of mourning and working to develop her late husband’s gossip gazette, Hollis decides she wants to pursue real investigative reporting. And she’s going to start with a rumored coup and a mysterious stranger.
A Princess for Christmas (Trade Paperback) – A New York cab driver raising his younger sister comes to the aid of a real-life princess like he’s living in some sort of Hallmark movie. You can read my full review here.
Silent Bite (Hardcover) – Book 22 in the fabulous Andy Carpenter Mystery series. Fresh off of a vacation he didn’t want to take, Andy finds himself defending a friend of a friend who has been accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Simmer Down (Trade Paperback) – A food truck rivalry in Maui leads to a winner-takes-all wager with a side of romantic sizzle.
Star Trek Voyager: To Lose the Earth (Trade Paperback) – A follow up to Star Trek Voyager: Architects of Infinity. Admiral Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the Full Circle Fleet search for a lost ship and discover new revelations about Species 001.
The Twelve Dates of Christmas (Trade Paperback) – Kate signs up for a dating event where she will be matched with 12 dates in the weeks leading up to Christmas. You can read my full review here.
Billions of Besties: A Celebration of Fascinating and Simply Exceptional Friendships (Hardcover) – Highlights 100 real and fictional friendships. The artwork in this is outstanding!
A Path to Redeeming Love: A 40 Day Devotional (Hardcover) – A 40-day devotional based on the novel Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
Pieometry: Modern Tart Art and Pie Design for the Eye and the Palate (Hardcover) – I don’t know that I have the patience for these recipes, but the photos and descriptions make this read like an art book! The sample pages I’ve seen are beautiful.
Quiet Times with God Devotional (Hardcover) – A year-long devotional from Joyce Meyer.
Reindeer Food: 85 Festive Sweets and Treats to Make a Magical Christmas (Hardcover) – Part of the Whimsical Treats series with Unicorn Food, Mermaid Food, and Fairy Food. I don’t know how many of these recipes I would actually try, but I would pick these books up – all of them – just for the photos. This new Christmas book looks like the best of the bunch to me. Amazing!!

REVIEW: Muzzled by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Muzzled by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Beth Morris finds owners of lost pets. When someone in her network – say, Andy Carpenter’s Tara Foundation – finds a stray dog, Beth uses her skills and her contacts to find the owners. Sometimes the owners don’t want the dog, and it’s then freed up for adoption. Other times it’s been lost and she gets to reunite the family with their beloved pet.

Lucy is one such dog. And Beth has determined that Lucy’s owner is one of the men who recently died in a suspicious boat explosion.

Then Beth gets a call from someone else who knows all about Lucy. Has Beth made a mistake in her research? Or has a dead man come looking for his dog?

Beth immediately brings the case to Andy. Despite his protests that he’s “retired,” there’s something about this case that grabs his attention.

Review

I know that’s not much of a summary, but I don’t want to give too much away about what Andy and his team discover as they work on this case. Andy is in top form in this twisty mystery! The clues are doled out slowly, so I was guessing all the way to the end. There were some great courtroom moments, as well as tons of sarcasm, and at least one jaw-dropping surprise. These are the things that keep me coming back to this series.

The characters in this series are top notch. There’s less time with Andy’s legal team in this one, but an increased focus on the K-Team which was a great trade off.

Fans of the series should pick this one up right away. It’s terrific. Newcomers should be able to jump in anywhere. I started this series with book 15 – The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (♥♥♥♥♥) – and then read all of the backlist. I haven’t missed a book since. Rosenfelt does a good job of keeping new readers clued in without doing an annoying backstory dump. Reading the books out of order has never been an issue for me.

Mystery fans, especially those who enjoy courtroom dramas, should be sure to check out this series! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: July 7, 2020

BOOK NEWS: July 7, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy July! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids – Board Books and Picture Books

My Little Super Hero Word Book (Board Book) – This darling board book introduces little “readers” to DC heroes and words that describe them like smart, strong and fast.
Beware the Flerken! – This hilarious new picture book stars Goose the Flerken from Captain Marvel. I can not wait to read the whole thing – the sample pages I have seen are fantastic!
Finding François: A Story of the Healing Power of Friendship – Alice, a piglet, in need of a friend, puts a message in a bottle which finds François, a dog. Over time, the friends correspond through bottle messages, but after a big life change, Alice can’t bring herself to send François another message. I want to see this in person to read about what happens to Alice.
I Got the School Spirit – From the author of I Got the Rhythm and I Got the Christmas Spirit comes a book about a girl who is ready to start a new school year.
Princess Power – On the first day at a new school, a girl thinks, “What would a princess do?”
Star Trek Alphabet Book – The latest Star Trek book from Little Golden Books.
Superhero vs. School – A young superhero tackles the fears that come with the first day of school.
We Will Rock Our Classmates – A sequel to the outstanding We Don’t Eat Our Classmates (♥♥♥♥♥). This time, Penelope the dinosaur is participating in the school talent show. This is at the top of my wish list for this week.
Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist – The story of Mary Anning’s dinosaur find. This looks amazing!
How to Write a Story – The sequel to How to Read a Story by super-author Kate Messner. Covers the steps for writing a story, from coming up with an idea to creating conflict for your character. A terrific addition to elementary classrooms and writing spaces.
If You Want a Friend in Washington: Wacky, Wild & Wonderful Presidential Pets – Picture book exploring the pets who have resided in the White House.

Books for Kids – Early Readers and Early Chapter Books

Batman: Harley at Bat! – A new Early Reader starring Harley Quinn. Includes stickers.
Wonder Woman: Three Big Bullies! – Wonder Woman goes up against Giganta and other big villains in this new Early Reader with stickers.
WW84: Destined for Greatness – A new Early Reader tied to the new Wonder Woman movie coming out… eventually. Includes pictures from the movie. Young Diana competes for the first time in the Amazon Games.
13th Street: Battle of the Bad Breath Bats AND The Fire- Breathing Ferret Fiasco AND Clash of the Cackling Cougars – The first three books in a new Early Chapter Book series about three cousins who find a street populated by dangerous beasts.
Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s Roller Skates (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in this graphic novel spin-off series. Karen is excited to use her new skates, but she falls and breaks her wrist.
The Bad Guys: Dawn of the Underlord – Book 11 in the Bad Guys series – The guys are about to celebrate a recent victory when they make a discovery.
The Binder of Doom: Hydrant-Hydra – Binder of Doom, book 4. The kids think they are teaming up against a hot monster, but it’s a water monster instead.
Diary of a Pug: Paws for a Cause – Diary of a Pug, book 3, from Scholastic BRANCHES.  Bub and his human hold a fundraiser to buy toys for the animal shelter – a pet wash!
Dragon’s Halloween – Dragon is getting ready for Halloween in this new book from Scholastic ACORN.
Magic Tree House: Late Lunch with Llamas – Book 34 in the newly-renumbered Magic Tree House series. Jack and Annie climb Machu Picchu to rescue a stolen baby llama.
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Llamas and the Andes – The nonfiction companion book to Late Lunch with Llamas.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

After the Worst Thing Happens – When Army’s dog dies, she knows it’s an accident, but she also knows it was her fault. She takes her grief and turns it into action by watching out for a new kid in the neighborhood.
Dress Coded (Older Middle Grade) – An eighth grader starts a podcast to protest an unfair dress code at her school that targets girls for things that are outside their control. This is also at the top of my wish list for this week.
Elements of Genius: Nikki Tesla and the Traitors of the Lost Spark – Book 3 in the Elements of Genius series. I got such a kick out of the first book! In this book, Genius Academy is under attack, and Nikki and her friends need to clear their names in order to get their school back when they take the blame for an international incident. I am a book behind, but I’m looking forward to getting caught up on Nikki’s adventures.
Seekers of the Wild Realm – First of two books about two kids who secretly care for a baby dragon while an enemy stirs up trouble for their village.
Upside Down Magic: Hide and Seek – Book 7 in the Upside Down Magic series. This time, Nory and her friends have to leave their magic school because of flooding and go instead to her dad’s magic school – the one she wasn’t good enough to attend. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day USA – This is a gorgeous book of biographies of Black figures in history including Egyptian pharaohs and African tribal leaders as well as modern scientists and athletes. The layout is an illustrated picture on the left and the biography on the right. The sample pages are beautiful. At the time of this writing, this book is available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. This one is on my list for this week, too.
History Smashers: The Mayflower AND Women’s Right to Vote – Even more books by Kate Messner are on our list this week! The History Smashers series kicks off this week with two books about the Mayflower and Women’s Suffrage. There will be a third book out this fall on Pearl Harbor.
I Am Not a Label: 34 Artists, Thinkers, Athletes and Activists with Disabilities from Past and Present – Another biography collection, although I haven’t yet seen any pages to tell you how the book is laid out. I love the idea of this. This would be a great addition to classroom libraries looking to add diversity to the shelves as well as to conversations about history and historical figures.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Accidental – A teen discovers her role in the death of her mother, something she had always been told was a car accident.
Cinderella Is Dead (LGBTQ+) – Two hundred years after Cinderella had her magical night at the ball, the kingdom’s young women must appear at a similar event where they are ogled and selected by the men of the kingdom. The girls who go unchosen are never seen again. One young woman flees from the ball and meets the last descendant of Cinderella’s family, and together they hatch a plot to bring down the king once and for all. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Daphne and Velma: The Dark Deception – Book 2 in the Daphne and Velma series based on characters from Scooby-Doo. This time the girls are looking into what happened to the original settlers of Crystal Cove.
Faith Taking Flight – From the author of Dumplin‘. An origin story of Faith Herbert/Zephyr, a character from Valiant Entertainment comics.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn – A princess cursed to be poisonous to touch looks for answers from a demon in the palace dungeon and for love from a young man who isn’t afraid of her.
Love, Jacaranda – A foster kid with a mother in jail gets the chance at a new life when a video of her singing goes viral.
Not Another Love Song – A high school senior enters a songwriting contest for her idol, but when a new guy shows up at school, she might have to choose between her musical dreams and a chance at love.
A Peculiar Peril – First in a new series. A teen who inherits a mansion discovers a path to an alternate Earth called Aurora.  As the teen discovers his place in a society tasked with keeping Earth and Aurora separate, evil comes for him and his friends.
The Princess Will Save You – When the stable-boy she loves is kidnapped to force her into a political marriage, a princess fights back. This is on my list for this week.
The Voting Booth – When a teen passionate about voting and civil engagement sees another teen turned away at the polls, she drops everything to help him get his vote counted.
Into the Streets: A Young Person’s Visual History of Protest in the United States – A survey of historical protests in the life of the United States.

Books for Adults

The Backpacking Bride (July 10 – e-book) – Book 3 in the Backpacking Housewife series. When her fiancé dies during the final moments of their wedding ceremony, Maya’s life is upended. She responds by setting off on the honeymoon he planned for them. I have this on my list for this week, too.
Boyfriend Material (Trade Paperback – LGBTQ+) – Two young men in need of dates – one who actually needs a whole new reputation – agree to pretend to date to deal with their individual issues. But spending all that time together in a fake relationship has a way of starting to feel real after awhile.
Christmas in Bayberry (Trade Paperback) – From Hallmark Publishing. A guy sent to check out a small candle company in his home town for his job runs into his old crush, whose family runs the struggling candle company.
Haunted Heroine (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Heroine Complex series. Evie and Aveda go undercover to investigate a series of “hauntings” at a local women’s college. It gives Evie, who has mixed feelings about her pregnancy, a chance to see what her life might have been like if she had stayed in grad school instead of becoming a demon-fighting superhero.
The Heir Affair (Hardcover) – Sequel to The Royal We. Bex and Prince Nicholas are in self-imposed exile after their disastrous wedding ceremony. Everyone is furious with them and the paparazzi can’t wait to see what disaster happens next. A crisis calls the new couple back home where they must deal with not only the new issues, but also with the fall out they left behind the first time.
Muzzled (Hardcover) – Book 21 in the terrific Andy Carpenter series. Andy receives a call for help from a friend who is contacted by a dead man looking for his dog. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Not Like the Movies (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Waiting for Tom Hanks series. (Waiting for Tom Hanks: ♥♥♥♥) Annie used her best friend Chloe and Chloe’s boss, Nick, as inspiration for her movie which is about to release. But Chloe isn’t certain her real life will have a happy ending like the one in the movie. You can read my full review here.
Of Mutts and Men (Hardcover) – Book 10 in the Chet & Bernie Mystery series. Chet and Bernie find a potential new client dead before they can find out why the man wanted to meet. Even though they aren’t being paid, they start to investigate the murder.
One to Watch (Trade Paperback) – A plus-size fashion blogger gets a call to star in the next season of her favorite reality dating show. She agrees with the stipulation that she will not be falling in love. She is doing this to advance her career and show that you don’t have to be a size 0 to find love on television. But the swoony suitors and the emotional highs and lows of the show could push her to give love a chance. This is on my list, too.
You Again (Hardcover) – A married woman with a career and kids is haunted by sightings of her younger self which leaves her questioning her choices as her life barrels towards a crossroads.
The Book of Isaiah 12- Week Study Guide (Trade Paperback) – Part of the Passionate Life Bible Study series. Discover God’s love through the book of Isaiah. I haven’t yet seen how this is structured, but looking at the structure of the study of the book of John shows thought questions even for the introductory material like authorship and themes. The study of John looks very thorough. I have this one on my list for the future.
Say It Louder!: Black Voters, White Narratives, and Saving Our Democracy (Hardcover) – Look at the impact of Black voters on the 2018 midterm elections as well as historical moments of Black impact as well as efforts to shut down Black voters.

BONUS REVIEW: The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

BONUS REVIEW: The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Mason “Mace” Reid trains cadaver dogs. And Elvira is his latest trainee. She survived a rough beginning to her life and has become a great HRD – Human Remains Detection dog. She’s bright, and she picked up the tasks quickly. It helps that Mace treats the training like games for his “kids,” the pups.

On Vira’s first real case, she finds the body in less than 2 minutes. And while she and Mace wait to make an official statement to the police, Vira zeroes in on a guy in the watching crowd – and she attacks. The guy is hospitalized for his injuries. And Vera is supposed to be put down. But Mace believes in her and believes there might be more to the guy she attacked. Mace has to investigate in order to save her life. That’s what she means to him. He’d sacrifice anything for her.

That’s what puts Mace on Everyman’s radar. He’d been loosely connected to that other case. He’d been almost mentoring the young sociopath involved. And when Mace ruins that situation, Everyman turns his attention to Mace – and his dogs – instead.

Review

I received an offer of a review copy of this book because of my love for the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt, another dog-related mystery/suspense series.  This felt darker, thanks to the serial killer angle, but there were similarities, too.

The dogs in this book are excellent. And the investigative work is as well. Vira is a more active part of the story here than Rosenfelt’s dogs tend to be, at least in the Andy Carpenter series. I got a kick out of the questions about Vira’s special skills. She’s pretty amazing!

The mystery here, while dark, was well executed (pardon the unintentional pun). There were a couple interesting twists to this, plus a side case to show off Vira’s gifts that was very clever. I would definitely read more books in this series to see what happens with Vira and Mace in the future.

Thriller fans, especially those who enjoy stories with dogs and/or law enforcement, should be sure to check this out. You could hand this to other Rosenfelt fans as well as fans of books like A Borrowing of Bones with other working/law enforcement dogs. (Language, including one use of the word “retarded.”)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The K Team by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: The K Team by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Corey Douglas is a former-cop-turned-private-investigator. His business partners are Laurie Collins (wife of much-loathed defense attorney Andy Carpenter), Marcus Clark, and Simon Garfunkel, Corey’s German shepherd. Corey and Simon worked together at the police department before retiring.

Their first case as a team is for local judge Henry “Hatchet” Henderson. He’s a tough, by-the-book judge who is being blackmailed for something he didn’t do. He’s been set up thoroughly. And if he doesn’t do what the black mailers want – something that is still a mystery – they’ll expose him with their fake evidence.

The “evidence” against the judge wasn’t thrown together on a whim. The planning goes back at least 18 months. And there’s a ton of money behind it, too. Who could have been targeting him for all this time? And why? What’s their endgame?

That’s what the K-Team has to figure out.

Review

I’ve been looking forward to this since I read Dachshund Through the Snow last year when readers first met Corey and Simon. And I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the new point of view character and seeing all of my favorites from the Andy Carpenter series.

The mystery here is fantastic! Tons of twists – some I saw coming and others that caught me completely by surprise. One even made me exclaim out loud. There were a lot of things to unwind in this case. It goes to the very last page, too. In fact, for awhile I thought the case might carry over to the next book, but it all gets settled in the end.

I would have loved more with Simon the German shepherd in this one. He doesn’t have a very big role in this case due to the nature of what was being investigated, but I still wanted more. I also wanted more development of Corey’s character. There were a few spots that felt either repetitive or over-explained. We got a lot of Corey waffling over his dating relationship and his concerns about some of the less-than-legal aspects of the investigation. Each of those pieces was a great part of showing us who Corey is, but they were covered often throughout the story.

If you enjoy top notch mysteries with law enforcement/legal system characters (and some great dogs), don’t miss this spin off – or the source material in the Andy Carpenter series. The author has two Andy Carpenter books releasing later this year – Muzzled (currently scheduled for a July release) and Silent Bite, a Christmas story (scheduled to release in October), and I will absolutely be reading both of them!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: March 24, 2020

BOOK NEWS: March 24, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Spring! It’s finally official, no matter what our weather might look like from day to day. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to celebrate SPRING! How about a new book or two to help us ring in the new season? Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Bad Brows – A boy wakes up to discover his eyebrows have gone rogue.
Home Base: A Mother-Daughter Story – Mother’s and daughter’s stories are told side by side as the girl steps onto the pitcher’s mound and the mom pursues a new project as a brick layer.
When the Babies Came to Stay – A librarian takes home the four babies who arrived at the island, raising them around the library and turning them into a family. This looks lovely!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Derby Daredevils: Kenzie Kickstarts a Team (LGBTQ+) – Two girls who love roller derby have a chance to play in the junior league if they can convince three others to join them.
Disney Princess: Friends, Family, Fantastic – A collection of princess stories in comics format. The art work for these three stories looks fantastic!
The Only Living Girl: Beneath the Unseen City – Book 2 in the Only Living Girl graphic novel series starring one of the last human survivors of a cosmic disaster. In this book, Zee and her friends are looking for answers and a cure when people in the city are poisoned.
Tyrannosaurus Wrecks – Book 6 in the FunJungle/Teddy Fitzroy series. Teddy is drawn into a series of mysteries including a missing T-Rex skull from a secret excavation site and a black market on reptiles.
The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents – Just think – there are at least 10 future Presidents of the United States alive today! What might they be doing? Some might be kids like you. I’ll say it again – you can’t go wrong with a book by Kate Messner!

Books for Adults

Bag of Bones (e-book, March 28) – Book 5 in the Press Pass Mysteries series, starring a secondary character from the first four books and her teenage daughter. When sixteen-year-old Maisey is taking down the Christmas decorations at her mall job, she discovers a bag of human bones. In order to keep her job – and help her mom keep hers as Media Relations Director for the mall – the two start investigating. This sound like a fun series.
The Honey Don’t List (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Christina Lauren. Melissa and Rusty Tripp are America’s home remodeling and design gurus. They’re about to go on a book tour together, but behind the scenes they can’t stand each other. Two assistants in the Tripp’s empire are tasked with going on the book tour with the couple to keep things on the rails. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
If I Never Met You (Trade Paperback) – Two co-workers stuck in an elevator hatch a plan for a fake relationship that will give the office something else to gossip about (besides her ex and his newly pregnant girlfriend) and give him a “respectable” relationship to impress the bosses. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The K-Team (Hardcover) – A spin-off from the fantastic Andy Carpenter series! Andy’s wife, Laurie, and her investigation partner Marcus, team up with some characters from Dachshund Through the Snow to form an investigative team. Their first case is to help a judge who is being blackmailed. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal (e-book) – Book 10 in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. This one focuses on a murder at a local diner.
The Enneagram and You: Understand Your Personality Type and How It Can Transform Your Relationships (Hardcover) – If you’ve spent any time around here in the last couple years you have probably seen me review other books on the Enneagram. I love learning more about it, and I’ll be reviewing this new resource soon.
The Everyday Life – Psalms and Proverbs (Leather) – Psalms and Proverbs with commentary from Joyce Meyer.

BONUS REVIEW: Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt

BONUS REVIEW: Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Fourteen years ago, Kristen McNeil was killed. She was a young woman – 18 – and her body was found by a rundown stadium. While she had DNA under her fingernails, the police couldn’t find a match. Until now.

Andy Carpenter’s wife, Laurie, is a huge fan of Christmas. One of her favorite parts is claiming Christmas wishes for families in their community and using Andy’s considerable wealth to meet them. This year she pulls a tag for a boy named Danny. Laurie is happy to provide everything he asks for – a coat for his mom, and a sweater for his dachshund, Murphy. But Danny also asks Santa to bring his dad home. As an investigator, Laurie’s the perfect person to find Noah Traynor. Except Danny’s mom acts like she doesn’t want him found.

Noah Traynor has been hiding in a motel, but it’s only a matter of time until the police find him. His brother just had to do one of those DNA kits. Once the results are uploaded, they are fair game for law enforcement. While Noah didn’t kill Kristen, he knows his DNA would have been at the scene because he had been there with her that night.

Once Noah is arrested, Andy’s on the case. Danny’s Christmas wish is to have his dad home – and Laurie’s going to make sure they do everything they can to make that happen!

Review

This was delightful! My favorite characters, a holiday story, an excellent mystery, and several adorable dogs. What’s not to love?!

Andy is in great form in this book. The dry humor was excellent. The author even gets a mention in the book, which was a hoot. The legal support team plays a smaller role in this book, but they all get equal time compared to one another, except of course for Laurie. There are a couple new characters who figured prominently in this one – not the Traynors, but other characters – that I loved! Those characters and their role in this book sets the stage for Rosenfelt’s spin-off series/book, The K Team, coming in 2020.

The mystery in this was fantastic. There was no organized crime angle like in many of the previous books, so this felt fresh. And my guess for the solution was off base all the way to the end. The wrap up was clever, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns.

It was a Christmas book that introduced me to the Andy Carpenter series three years ago (The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥), and they are among my favorites in the series. If you haven’t read an Andy Carpenter book before, give this one a try. It’s book 20 in the series, but the Christmas books seem especially new-reader-friendly to me. I don’t think a newcomer would have any trouble following the main action of this book. Of course, series fans should definitely not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2019

BOOK NEWS: October 1, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

I think publishers load a lot of new releases into September and October so there’s a nice selection for the holidays, because we have another HUGE week of releases to look at. Here you go:

Books for Kids – Board Books

Frozen II: Forever Friends (October 4) – A die-cut board book with flaps starring the characters from Frozen and Frozen II.
Marvel Flying Super Heroes – Interactive die-cut board book with spinning characters.

Books for Kids – Picture Books

Anna, Elsa and the Secret River (October 4) – An original picture book that ties into the story of Frozen II.
Frozen II (Little Golden Book – October 4) – Tells the story of the November 2019 film.
The Most Wonderful Gift in the World (October 3) – A bear and a girl find a Christmas present under the tree, but it’s not for either of them. So they go in search of the recipient.
Star Wars: Creatures Big and Small – Picture book of the creatures in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars: We Are the Resistance (Little Golden Book – October 4) – A look at the resistance fighters from the most recent Star Wars movies.
The Tooth Fairy vs. Santa – A wanna-be tooth fairy shows up for his final test to pick up a tooth on Christmas Eve, but Santa doesn’t want to share the holiday.
Vegetables in Holiday Underwear – Pea is excited that December is finally time for holiday-activity underwear.

Books for Kids – Leveled Readers and Chapter Books

Elsa’s Epic Journey (October 4) – This leveled reader with stickers ties into the Frozen II movie out this November.
Fly Guy Presents Monster Trucks – A non-fiction leveled reader about monster trucks.
Journey to Star Wars: Age of Skywalker Resistance Heroes (October 4) – A leveled reader introducing kids to the heroes of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.
Who Is the Mystery Reader? – The latest from Mo Willems and book 2 in the Unlimited Squirrels series.
Friends Rock – Book 3 in the Unicorn and Yeti series from ACORN. This includes stories about sharing.
Frozen II: The Enchanted Forest (October 4) – An early chapter book based on the new movie.
Gotta Warn the Unicorns – Book 7 in the Princess Pulverizer series. The next step in the Princess’ quest is to unite the unicorns.
Pug Blasts Off – First in a new series from BRANCHES. Bub the Pug accidentally destroys his human’s project for the Inventor’s Challenge.
The Secret of Shadow Lake – Book 1 in a new early chapter book series called Creature Campers about a human boy, a bigfoot, a jackalope, and a fairy at summer camp. This looks darling!
Tabby Takes the Crown – Book 4 in the Kitten Kingdom series where Tabby is trying once again to save her kingdom.
Dog Man Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D – An activity book that includes step-by-step instructions for drawing Dog Man characters and making your own comic characters.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Alien Superstar – First in a new series from the authors of Hank Zipzer. A real alien strolling around a Universal lot gets cast in a TV show and becomes an overnight sensation.
The Bootlace Magician – Sequel to Circus Mirandus with the magical circus, Micah, and his guardian, the Lightbender.
A Christmas Carol (Geronimo Stilton) – A retelling of the classic holiday story.
The Dark Lord Clementine – The sole heir of the Dark Lord Elithor, Clementine finds herself having to take on her father’s responsibilities when he is cursed and to find a way to break the curse. And through it all, she starts to wonder if she really agrees with her father’s ideas of “good” and “evil.”
Dear Sweet Pea – From the author of Dumplin’. A girl recovering from her parents’ life changing divorce agrees to help her neighbor who is on vacation. While Sweet Pea is supposed to be forwarding the neighbor’s advice column letters, she recognizes the writing on one of them. Sweet Pea’s choices about that letter set off a chain reaction.
Ember and the Ice Dragons – Ember used to be a dragon, but her accident-prone adoptive father magically changed her into a girl. Her dragon-like behaviors – like bursting into flames – gets her sent to Antarctica where she learns about a contest to hunt ice dragons. So Ember decides to join the hunt and disrupt it from within. This sounds terrific!
Field Trip Disaster – Book 5 in the DC Secret Hero Society series. This time, Wonder Woman gets to narrate the action as the trio is transported to the 31st century.
Frozen II: Forest of Shadows – An original novel spanning the time between the first Frozen movie and the second.
Geeks and the Holy Grail – Book 2 in the Camelot Code series. This time the kids are called in to help when Merlin’s apprentice turns the Holy Grail into a dragon. I posted my full review of this last week.
The Great Brain Robbery (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Train to Impossible Places series. Suzy is back on the Impossible Postal Express to delivery packages and investigate a series of tremors in Trollville.
The Math Kids: An Unusual Pattern – Book 3 in the series. This time the kids will use their math skills on a cryptic poem written by a dying bank robber.
Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over reacting or should be flattered. This was OUTSTANDING. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Outlaws – Book 2 in the Royal Academy Rebels series, after Misfits. Devin and her friends are kicked out of school and labeled “outlaws,” but she’s determined to expose the truth about the headmistress and save the other kids at the Academy. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
Roll With It (Older Middle Grade) –  A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school.
Sam Saves the Night – Book 1 in the SleepWakers series. A girl fighting exhaustion thanks to nightly sleepwalking where she actually leaves her house and wanders around town goes to a sketchy sleep specialist and wakes up with new powers. She wakes up outside her sleeping body and discovers there are others who can do this too. Some use their powers to learn new things for school while others use theirs to torment other kids. This sounds fascinating!!
Sunny Rolls the Dice – Book 3 in the graphic novel series about Sunny. Sunny is in middle school now and negotiating the changing interests of her friends. While her best friend wants to talk about boys and fashion, Sunny would rather play Dungeons and Dragons with her new friends.
Spark of the Resistance (Journey to Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker – October 4) – Rey, Poe and Rose answer a distress call and fight a weapon that could change the course of the war.
A Tale of Magic – Kicks off a new series set in the Land of Stories universe. Thanks to a book, a girl discovers she is a fairy capable of magic, but magic and women reading are both outlawed in the Southern Kingdom, so she is arrested. A mysterious woman rescues her and sends her to an academy for magic, but then the woman disappears. This sounds fun.
A Time Traveler’s Theory of Relativity (Older Middle Grade) – A boy who lost his sister and whose mother disappeared fights his feelings of abandonment with the concrete facts in his physics books. But his grandmother tells him the women in his family are time travelers, and his mother has left him a portal so he can rescue her.
The Tornado (Older Middle Grade) – A fantastic bullying story from Jake Burt that asks what responsibility the formerly-bullied have when their bully chooses a new target. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Weird Little Robots – An illustrated middle grade novel about a girl in a new town, looking for new friends, who makes robots who might be coming to life.
White Bird: A Wonder Story (Graphic Novel) – Grandmère, a character in Palacio’s Auggie & Me, gets to tell her story of being a Jewish girl in hiding in Nazi-occupied France.
Wings of Fire: Jade Mountain Prophecy set – The second story arc for Wings of Fire, the Jade Mountain Prophecy books, are now available in one book set. This includes books 6 through 10 in the larger series. Now that Christmas is coming, I am seeing more book sets on sale. They make great gifts.
Words on Fire – The latest from Jennifer A. Nielsen. In Lithuania in 1893 Audra’s parents tell her to flee and take a secret package with her when the Cossack soldiers arrive at their door.
Awesome Minds: Comic Book Creators – This nonfiction book introduces kids to the people who originally created the comic book heroes who are such an every day staple today.
Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel about 6 young people who survived the Holocaust.
Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon – Biography of Neil Armstrong
Who Was Mister Rogers?

Books for Teens/Young Adults

10 Blind Dates – A fantastic romantic comedy about a teen who breaks up with her boyfriend and her extended family set her up on 10 blind dates over Christmas break. I’ll be posting a full review next week.
Batman Nightwalker GN – The graphic novel based on the DC Icons book Batman Nightwalker. You can read my review of the original book here.
Conceal, Don’t Feel – The latest in the Twisted Tales collection asks what would happen if Princess Elsa (Frozen) didn’t have Anna as a little sister. I have this on the top of my wishlist for this week.
Cursed – A new series coming to Netflix. A twist on the legend of King Arthur where Nimue the druid – the Lady of the Lake – is the hero.
The End and Other Beginnings – A collection of science fiction novellas from the author of Divergent.
The Good Luck Girls – Five girls sold to a “welcome house” in a dystopian world have a chance to escape the life that’s been chosen for them when one of them accidentally kills a man giving them a chance for freedom. A fantasy Western adventure. I have already requested this one from the library.
The Memory Thief – A teen desperate to save her mother from a corrupt ruler who wants to sell off her mother’s memories before she is killed joins a band of rebels she once swore off and agrees to steal a map for a prison called The Maze.
Now Entering Addamsville – A teen wrongfully accused of arson and murder tries to weed through the rumors and the ghost stories that surround her town in order to find the true culprit.
Rebel – Book 4 in the Legend series. The grand finale of the Legend series.
Scars Like Wings – A girl who lost everything in a fire and bears the physical scars returns to school a year after the tragedy, afraid she will always be alone because no one wants to be friends with “the Burned Girl.”
The Depression Workbook for Teens: Tools to Improve Your Mood, Build Self-Esteem and Stay Motivated – Contains information about depression, worksheets, and exercises for teens. This is currently free through the Kindle Unlimited program.
Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia – An historical account of Cold War spies.

Books for Adults – Fiction

 

Aurora Blazing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Consortium Rebellion series, sequel to the fantastic Polaris Rising. This book focuses on Ada’s sister, Bianca, as she leaves the safety of home to find her missing brother, chased by her father’s head of security, a man who once broke her heart. I pre-ordered this months ago. I will drop everything and read this one when it arrives this week.
Beyond a Reasonable Stout (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Sloan Krause mystery series. As a brewer of signature craft beers, Sloan’s business – and that of many of her friends – is in danger when a local politician starts pushing for the town to go “dry.”
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Exotic Pet-Sitter mystery series. Belinda knows “pet-sitting” some wolves will be an unusual job, but she’s not ready for the dead body she discovers in the wolf enclosure.
The Christmas Boutique (Hardcover) – Book 21 in the Elm Creek Quilts series. When the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique charity fundraiser is damaged by weather, Sylvia agrees to host it at Elm Creek Manor. Each of the Elm Creek Quilters helping with the event are facing personal struggles and looking for a Christmas miracle while they work to serve their community
The Christmas Wish List (e-book – October 3) – A woman who lost her job right before Christmas and has a huge decision to make about her future goes with a friend to celebrate Christmas. She makes a Christmas wish list of things she wants to do to try to find her Christmas spirit.
Cilka’s Journey (Hardcover) – From the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. A teen who is brought to Auschwitz in 1942 catches the eye of the commandant, and she does what she has to do in order to survive. When the camp is later liberated, she is not set free, but is held as a collaborator. When she is sent to a camp in Siberia, she will have to wrestle with her choices at Auschwitz as well as with what her future might hold.
Dachshund Through the Snow (Hardcover) – Book 20 in the fantastic Andy Carpenter mystery series. When Laurie starts her holiday charitable giving, she discovers a wishlist from a boy who wants his missing father to come home. When the father is arrested for a murder he says he didn’t commit, Andy is reluctantly on the case. The Christmas books in this series are my favorites, and this one is just as delightful as the rest. I’ll be reviewing this next week.
The Library of the Unwritten (Trade Paperback) – First in the Novel from Hell’s Library series. Books that go unfinished end up in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell. The Librarian is charged with finding any characters that try to break away from their unfinished stories. On one such hunt, though, the Librarian is accused of holding a powerful weapon in the battle between Heaven and Hell. I am intrigued by this one and will be checking it out.
A Merry Murder (Trade Paperback) – Book 10 in the Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery series. There’s been another murder at the Pennyfoot. Apparently their Christmas curse is in full swing. And this particular culprit may be craftier than most.
Mistaken Reality (Trade Paperback) – First her boyfriend invites her to a fancy hotel dinner, and then breaks up with her. Then an FBI agent busts into her pity party in the bathroom to tell her she has to evacuate the hotel. Then the hotel blows up. That should be plenty to fill her quota of disaster, but really, it’s only the beginning. I can not wait to read this one!!
Royal Holiday (Hardcover) – A woman tagging along on her daughter’s work trip to Britain doesn’t expect to enjoy a British fling with the Queen’s private secretary.
The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club series based on horror classics. In this book, Mary Jekyll and the Athena Club try to find one of their own who has been kidnapped – as has Sherlock Holmes. I have this series on my wish list.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

7 Days of Christmas: A Season of Generosity (Hardcover) – From the author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, Jen Hatmaker. This book uses the original for inspiration as readers are challenged to generosity and restraint during the holiday season.
Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving, Gospel-Centered Marriage (Trade Paperback) – I have been so impressed by Beth McCord’s work with the Enneagram. I can’t wait to dig into this new resource. (She is also releasing books for each of the types this December. I have already pre-ordered two of them!)
Bible and Breakfast: 31 Mornings with Jesus – Feeding Our Bodies and Souls Together (Hardcover) – Thirty-one devotions and 31 breakfast recipes. Includes both “snack” devotions and “feast” devotions depending on the time you have each day. Recipes are marked for which are freezer-friendly and which are gluten free, etc. I love the sample pages I have seen of this – it’s a clever layout and Bible study idea!
The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience (Hardcover) – Gutsy women who inspire.
Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament (Paperback Workbook) – Book 3 in this Creative Devotional series. A twelve week Bible study with material for 5 days each week. Includes side-bars, small illustrations you can color, Bible study questions to answer, etc.
Eat Happy Too: 160+ New Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made From Real Foods for a Joyful Life (Hardcover)  – Sequel to Eat Happy. I’ve read a few pages of the introductions to both books, and I like what I see. The recipes look a little fussy for the way we cook, but I’d still like to page through them in person.
Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity (Trade Paperback) – Tips, tricks and exercises for unleashing creativity.
The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less (Hardcover)  – Reject the pressure to do more and be more and instead focus on what is important to YOU.
The Marvel Book (Hardcover) – An overview of the full Marvel universe.
Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose (Hardcover)  – Helping readers trade stress for peace.
She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God (Trade Paperback) – Grow in your prayer life with God through this resource.
When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People (Hardcover) – Jeannie Gaffigan shares the story of her journey with a pear-shaped brain tumor. This is at the top of my list for this week, too.
Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through Storytelling (Trade Paperback) – Creative expression through writing. Includes a writing prompt with each chapter.

REVIEW: Bark of Night by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Bark of Night by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It all starts with a trip to the vet.

Tara, Andy Carpenter’s beloved golden retriever, is getting something checked out, and her vet, Dr. Dowling, tells Andy about a weird situation in which he finds himself.

A man brought in a French Bulldog named Buster and asked to have the dog euthanized. He doesn’t give a reason, but he filled out the forms and paid almost $200 in cash and left a sweet, perfectly healthy dog behind to die.

When the vet tries to follow up with the man to see if he can rehome the dog instead, he discovers the contact information is false. When he checks the dog, he finds a chip that says the dog’s name is Truman. His real owner is a man named James Haley. And James Haley was just found dead.

A local kid is arrested for the crime, and Andy gets drawn into his defense as he starts to dig into the guy who tried to have Truman killed and his possible connection to the death of James Haley.

Review

This is a pretty standard Andy Carpenter mystery. Andy’s usual team works on the case. They get help from local and federal law enforcement. There’s a possible organized crime component. And the threads Andy keeps pulling are hard to connect and even harder to get admitted into his court case.

Everything I enjoy about this series is present here – Andy’s sass and sarcasm, his quirky yet efficient team, great dogs and a twisty court case. The resolution to the mystery was as satisfying as always. And I especially loved how things were resolved for Andy’s client.

If you’ve read a couple of these, you can read the rest in any order in my opinion. I recommend starting with some of the early books just to establish Andy’s team, but the books stand well on their own. (Personally, I started with book 15 and it was never an issue.) If you like mysteries, mysteries with animals, or legal/lawyer-centered mysteries, don’t miss this series! It’s a must-read for me. This is book 19, and book 20 comes out in a few months – Dachshund Through the Snow. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: July 16, 2019

BOOK NEWS: July 16, 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

July is half over, and I can already hear the call of school supply lists. Maybe a new book is just what you need to help you savor the final weeks of summer!

Books for Kids

 

Bad Kitty Does NOT Like Thanksgiving – No, she doesn’t like it, she LOVES it. And she will do anything to get her paws on some turkey.
A Boy Like You – Boys are encouraged to lean into all the ways they are unique, to embrace their stories and to listen to the stories of others.
Ultrabot’s First Playdate – The professor is planning a playdate for Ultrabot with the girl next door.
A Royal Ride: Catherine the Great’s Great Invention – Catherine the Great of Russia longs to enjoy the fun of winter ice slides year round. The sample pages I have seen of this look outstanding! And I adore the illustrations.
Dinosaurs: By the Numbers – Kicks off a new nonfiction series of Infographic readers by Steve Jenkins
Llamas – Leveled Reader
Mia Mayhem Breaks Down Walls – Book 4 of the Mia Mayhem series. When Mia’s super strength gets away from her, she’ll have to figure out how to make things right again.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

A Pinch of Phoenix – Series finale for the Mystic Cooking Chronicles series. In a war between elves and scientists. a young master chef is caught in the middle.
Survivor Girl – A girl whose father is a reality-tv survival show star finds herself in a real-life quest for survival.
SW Adventures: Flight of the Falcon (graphic novel) – A First Order spy is on the hunt for the Millennium Falcon.
Where Is the Serengeti?
My Ideal Boyfriend Is a Croissant – When a plus-sized teen on a doctor-ordered diet encounters a personal tragedy, losing weight is the last thing on her mind. But her food diary becomes a place to record her thoughts and feelings about what is happening with her family. I have requested this from the library.
The Infographic Guide to American Government – If you are looking for a way to get a better grasp on American Government – no matter what your age – check out this visual guide. Covers the Revolutionary War and the set up of our government as well as the branches of government, elections and voting, and state and local government.
They Called Us Enemy – A new autobiographical graphic novel from George Takei about World War II.

Books for Adults

Bark of Night (Hardcover) – Book 19 in the terrific Andy Carpenter series. Andy gets pulled into a murder trial when a dog is surrendered to his vet to be euthanized. I’ll be reviewing this next week.
The Body in Griffith Park (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Anna Blanc historical mystery series. An ex-heiress is employed by the L.A.police department to work with delinquent kids and women in jail, but she really wants to find criminals – including the one who murdered the guy she found in the park. This sounds like a fun series! Book 1 is The Secret Life of Anna Blanc.
Desire and the Deep Blue Sea (e-book) – Book 1 in the new Love Unscripted series. A research librarian finds himself in luck when the girl of his dreams needs a stand in boyfriend for an episode of a tv show. I pre-ordered this weeks ago. I adore the fake-relationship trope in romance books.
A Genuine Fix (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Allie Cobb literary agent mystery series. Allie is the prime suspect when the guy who stood her up for prom is killed. I have book one on my wish list.
The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets (Trade Paperback) – Estranged sisters are drawn together when their mother needs help recovering from a stroke. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe (Hardcover) – A women returns to the town her mother fled in order to bury her grandmother. But while she plans to leave as soon as possible, she is drawn to the town. I picked up a free teaser for the book online, but I haven’t gotten to read it yet.
The Pawful Truth (Hardcover) – Book 11 in the delightful Cat in the Stacks mystery series. This time, Charlie is drawn into a mystery surrounding a history class he is auditing at the college. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week, too.
Sophia Princess Among Beasts (Hardcover) – The latest from James Patterson. A beloved princess fights to protect her kingdom from mythical creatures and an invading army. I don’t read much from Patterson, but I might give this one a shot.
The Wedding Party (Trade Paperback) – The latest from romance author Jasmine Guillory, book 3 in the Wedding Date series. Enemies in the wedding party (both best friends of the bride) spend the night together and then can’t stop thinking about one another. They try to keep up their abrasive banter, but they keep sneaking off when the bride isn’t looking. They are certain the relationship will dissolve once the wedding is over – but what if they don’t want it to?
The Church of Us vs. Them: Freedom From a Faith that Feeds on Making Enemies (Hardcover) – I was recently accused of being divisive by posting an article critical to the current presidential administration. Shouldn’t Christians be able to just get along?  I am eager to read this author’s take on the issue of our conflicted culture and the followers of Christ caught in the middle.
Ferocious Warrior: Dismantle Your Enemy and Rise (Hardcover) – Learn to fight through personal battles like grief, depression, and insecurity by thinking like a warrior. I am eager to check this one out, too. That cover is amazing!