Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: February 27, 2024

BOOK NEWS: February 27, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of February – here are some of the books releasing.

Books for Kids

Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover – Sleepy Sheepy is back, and this time he’s going on his first sleepover to his grandparents’ house.
The Wrong Book – The narrator of a book keeps getting things wrong while a bookmark tries to fix things.
Pete the Kitty and the Three Bears – Pete the Kitty visits the Three Bears.
The Case of the Poached Painting (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in the Pigeon Private Detectives series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Coyote Lost and Found – Sequel to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Coyote feels like she might finally be ready to scatter her mom’s ashes, but she accidentally sold the book that said where her mother wanted her ashes spread. Coyote and her dad hit the road again as she tries to  find the book by tracing their earlier journey. I’m looking forward to this!
Hilo: Rise of the Cat (Graphic Novel) – Book 10 of the fantastic Hilo series! Polly the cat has been sent to a magical boarding school where she finds mysterious things afoot. I adore this series – can’t wait to read this.
The Partition Project – Something new from Saadia Faruqi. When a girl’s Pakistani grandmother comes to live with them in America, she finds out about her grandmother’s experience of the Partition of India and Pakistan. And that story makes an excellent subject for a documentary assignment she has for school. This sounds FASCINATING!
Unicorn Legacy: Tangled Magic – First in a new series set in the world of The Unicorn Quest. A girl at a magical school discovering her magic for the first time tries to figure out why the unicorns are disappearing.
Unstuck – A new book from Barbara Dee. A young writer experiencing writer’s block goes to her sister for help and discovers the struggles her sister is experiencing. I have already pre-ordered this one.
Snowglobe – A book translated from the original Korean. A young woman lives in a frozen wasteland where the least live and work to provide heat to those who live in the Snowglobe. In exchange for their heated home, the residents of the Snowglobe agree to be filmed round the clock. The young woman gets the chance to move into the Snowglobe to replace one of her favorite “stars,” but she finds the life she expected is very different from reality. This sounds AMAZING!
Tender Beasts – A teen charged by her late mother to take care of her youngest brother finds herself having to defend him against charges of murder. This sounds stunning!
Till Human Voices Wake Us – First in a new trilogy. A young woman who could do without other people’s secrets starts digging into some when a friend is found dead.

Books for Adults

A Fate Inked in Blood (Hardcover) – Betrayed by her husband, Freya discovers she has magic when the man sent to kill her can’t. Instead, he becomes her keeper because his father thinks she guarantees him a throne. Spending time together, though, puts them at risk of the chemistry between then derailing everything.
The Other Valley (Hardcover) – A girl living in a town that sits between two identical towns – one that exists 20 years in the past and one that exists 20 years in the future – sees something that reveals the future. What a fascinating set up!
The Partner Plot (Trade Paperback) – High school sweethearts bump into each other in Vegas and wake up married.
Right on Cue (Trade Paperback) – A screenwriter dusts off her acting chops for a role only to find herself playing against the last man on earth she wants to see.
Star Trek Picard: Firewall (Hardcover) – A prequel story covering Seven’s journey into the Fenris Rangers.
Lost World of the Prophets (Trade Paperback) – This new addition to the Lost World series by John H. Walton is AMAZING! I’ll be posting a full review later this week.
Star Trek Picard: The Art and Making of the Series (Hardcover)
Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Dr. Nijay Gupta. This book looks at the first Christians in their context in the Roman Empire. I’m looking forward to reading this one!

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Quantum Quest by Mike Maihack

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Quantum Quest by Mike Maihack

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Spider-Man and Mark the pigeon, fresh off their last adventure, are given a new quest by the Fantastic Four. Atlantis has gone missing, as has a dolphin talisman that Spider-Man feels is familiar.

When Spider-Man and Mark go to find the talisman, they discover that heroes are going missing. They are getting pulled into the Quantum Realm.

Review

This was an absolute delight! The story is a bit thin – heroes keep disappearing. But it’s funny how they keep blipping out while talking to Spider-Man. I think it will keep kids laughing.

But the roll call of Marvel characters who show up in this book – including She-Hulk, Moon Girl, and Shang-Chi, dazzled me. I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see who showed up next. I’m not sure young readers will get all of the jokes – like She-Hulk’s “missing 4th wall” – but I loved them. There’s a bonus search and find puzzle that I thought was a brilliant way to use the Quantum Realm.

As Mike Maihack is one of my favorite illustrators/artists out there, I of course loved the artwork here. There’s one page where the heroes have “assembled” that is perfection.

This ends on something of a cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be reading book 3, Cosmic Chaos, which will release in July of 2024. Be sure to check out the whole Mighty Marvel Team-Up series. Hand this to all of the Marvel and graphic novels fans in your life.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

 

REVIEW: The Ladies Re-Write the Rules by Suzanne Allain

REVIEW: The Ladies Re-Write the Rules by Suzanne Allain

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Two unexpected gentlemen callers are widow Diana Boyle’s first clue to the registry. Someone has compiled a booklet listing the wealthy widows and spinsters around London. These are women of means. Second sons and other society men with no fortunes of their own could wed well to one of these ladies.

Maxwell Dean is one such younger son – and the author of the list. He produced it as a service to men like himself to spare them the tragedy of falling in love with a poor girl and having to break off the relationship. Frankly, he’s not really sure why Mrs. Boyle is so angry about the list.

Diana isn’t the only woman angered to find her personal information publicized in such a way. But the women do see a potential silver lining – this gives THEM the power in courting rituals and relationships. And they are going to use that power to re-write the rules their gender has been subjected to for years.

 

Review

This was a fun, low stakes story, perfect for reading on a frigid snowy day (like I did) but also on a sunny beach. I think I enjoyed the female friendships that evolved out of the discovery of the registry even more than the romantic relationship. I loved the main three women and enjoyed watching all of them find love.

There’s only one real “conflict” after the initial one around the registry is sorted out. And that is resolved in a low key, low stakes sort of way. If you are looking to lose yourself in a romantic story for awhile, and you don’t want much angst in your escape, this could be a perfect fit for you.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ – Good +

 

BOOK NEWS: February 20, 2024

BOOK NEWS: February 20, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

I hope wherever you are that February is treating you well! Here are some of the new books out this week.

Books for Kids

Wombats! Go to Wizards Wharf – Book 2 in the Wombat series. Pickles and Albert head to an amusement park – something Pickles loves and Albert doesn’t.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Myth of Monsters: Medusa – First in a new series.  After an incident, Ava and her brother are sent to a boarding school in Venice for the children of mythological monsters like Medusa.
The Someday Daughter – Even though she is eager to escape her estranged relationship with her mother, Audrey agrees to go on an anniversary book tour for the book that made her mother famous.

Books for Adults

The Bezzle (Hardcover) – A forensic accountant discovers the uber-rich are using the residents of the California Department of Corrections as their entertainment.
End of Story (Hardcover) – A dying mystery writer invites a writer to live with his family and help write his life story. But the mystery writer has lived through some real life mysteries – and a new dead body complicates things further.
Murder in Masquerade (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Lady of Letters Mystery series after Murder in Postscript. A Victorian Countess who secretly writes an advice column gets drawn into a friend’s family drama when she’s asked to dissuade a young woman from eloping.
Once Upon a Murder (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Lady Librarian Mystery series after A Novel Disguise. Tiffany stumbles across a dead body and finds herself the top suspect in the murder.
Only Hard Problems (e-book) – Book 3 in the Galactic Bonds series by Jennifer Estep. I am looking forward to digging into this scifi/fantasy series!
Remedial Magic (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in a new Course in Magic series. A librarian and a witch discover a connection, both romantic and magical. This looks so fantastic!
To Cage a God (Hardcover) – First in a new series. Sisters and living weapons join the rebellion to take down corrupt royals. Fascinating!
Battle for the Bird: Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, and the $44 Billion Fight for Twitter’s Soul (Hardcover) – The story of Twitter.
Liturgies for Wholeness: 60 Prayers to Encounter the Depth, Creativity, and Friendship of God in Ordinary Moments (Hardcover) – Contemporary liturgies.

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! by Mike Maihack

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! by Mike Maihack

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Spider-Man hears there’s a supervillain in Central Park, he’s eager to get in on the action. But one by one, the Avengers show up, asking him to pet sit for them so THEY can go to Central Park to fight the villain.

Review

Mike Maihack’s art style is EXACTLY what I love. So I’ve been a fan since his Cleopatra in Space graphic novel series (middle grade – check them out!). He shares cartoons online, and his Batgirl and Supergirl series is a delight every time. I’m a serious fan.

So when he started talking about his new early reader graphic novel series for Marvel, I was eager to check it out. Just after Christmas last year I took a week off social media to focus on reading, and this was the first book I read.

It’s fantastic! I’m sad I’m not teaching any more or hanging around a lot of first and second grade kiddos because I would LOVE to share these with kids. The art work is exactly as amazing as I expected it to be. But I was equally delighted by the story!

The story is “simple” in that young kids will easily follow it. Spider-Man gets left holding the pets while the Avengers get to go fight a villain. He’s dedicated to his assignment, but he’s also disappointed. In the end, it all works out happily – and along the way are some laugh-out-loud moments. I would absolutely read this again. It would be a hoot to read with a kiddo. And any new characters in the book that kids might not know open the door to other books and comics they might enjoy.

This is geared toward readers 7-10. I think it would also appeal to younger kids who might be reading independently as well as those who are looking for some “read together”/lap reading options with superheroes. I HIGHLY recommend this series. Book 2 is out now, Quantum Quest, and I’ll be reviewing that next week. Book 3, Cosmic Chaos, releases this summer. Do not miss the Mighty Marvel Team-Up series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: Suburban Dicks by Fabian Nicieza

REVIEW: Suburban Dicks by Fabian Nicieza

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Showing up at the site of a murder was a mistake. Her kid needed a bathroom. The rookie cops hadn’t secured the scene well. But after just a few moments, Andrea Stern had theories about the crime. It was an instinct she had used to help the FBI catch a serial killer. Before.

Kenny starts covering the murder for the local paper. It’s a constant blow to his ego to be working at such a rag. He used to be a “real” reporter. He had won a Pulitzer for heaven’s sake. Before.

Andrea and Kenny knew each other as teens. They left home and found success and notoriety. And then lost it all – the dream careers, the respect, the potential futures. But maybe they each could revisit the lives they left behind – if they can work together to solve this murder.

 

Review

Maybe I should have picked a romance to review for Valentine’s Day, but this was next up on my list, so today’s the day to talk about it! Wow. This is fantastic!

I picked this up because I came across the sequel in the bookstore – The Self-Made Widow. And I rarely start a series in the middle. So I bought this, and it sat on my TBR for ages. But I was in  the mood for a mystery, so I picked this up to try.

For the first quarter of the book, I was absolutely captivated by Andrea and Kenny. They don’t feel like the usual protagonists for a story like this. Andrea’s profiling and observational skills are spooky good. And she and Kenny are both in this “How did I get here”/”Is this my life now?” emotional space, wondering if they’ve left their best days behind them. And that angle to their characters grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

Then, once the mystery developed, I couldn’t put the book down. I had to see how all the pieces would come together. I enjoyed the twists and layers of this. It’s all brilliant. Mystery fans should not miss this one – I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to dig into book 2.

I would list a trigger warning for marginalized people. There’s racism and homophobia displayed by some of the characters, and it’s ugly at times. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

 

BOOK NEWS: February 13, 2024

BOOK NEWS: February 13, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

For those who celebrate, Happy Valentine’s Day this week – or Happy Black Wednesday. Whichever you prefer. Here are a few of the new books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Pearl – Part of the Gossie & Friends series. A little duckling who LOVES to sing loses her voice.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Averil Offline (Older Middle Grade) – Something new from Amy Noelle Parks. Two kids find a way to ditch their intrusive parents in order to find the creator of the app their parents use to monitor everything in their lives. I’m fascinated by this idea!
Eowulf: Of Monsters and Middle School (MG Graphic Novel) – Spin off from the Nico Bravo series. After enjoying an adventure with Nico Bravo, Eowulf returns home to a humdrum existence. Until a villain shows up and she has to team up with the last person she’d choose. I have GOT to catch up with this series.
The Princess Protection Program (Middle Grade) – A princess flees her story and finds herself at the Home Educational Academy and the Princess Protection Program. Yes, please!
Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear (YA) – A typical teen experiencing typical things (friendship issues, romantic rejection) finds herself in a situation anything BUT typical when one of the Guardians of the magical fault lines in her town is murdered and all manner of magical creature begins to escape.

Books for Adults

At First Spite (Trade Paperback) – From Olivia Dade. After a break up, Athena has to move into the “Spite House” smack in the middle of her ex and the brother who talked him into breaking off their engagement. If she’s going to live in the Spite House, she might as well live up to the name. I already have this one preordered!
The Briar Book of the Dead (Trade Paperback) – When a non-witch steps into her witchy family’s “business” protecting their town boarders, she discovers the ability to speak to the dead which exposes her to old secrets and schemes and leaves her wondering who she can actually trust.
The Catch (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Influencer series. An influencer is mistaken for a grumpy Canadian’s fiancée when he is injured, so she agrees to a one week fake engagement for his family’s sake in exchange for his help with her social media.
Fangirl Down (Trade Paperback) – A down-on-his-luck golfer hires his one fangirl to be his caddy and help him get his game back and win the big tournament.
Fatal First Edition (Hardcover) – Book 14 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series. Lindsey and Sully are murder suspects when a priceless first edition is stolen, the conference director who had it is murdered, and the murderer leaves the missing book in their train compartment.
Fish Out of Water (Trade Paperback) – When her sister goes missing on a hike, Dahlia convinces the grumpy local survivalist to help her trek into the mountains to find her.
The Frame-Up (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Gwenda Bond. Dani needs to convince her mother and her mother’s magical art heist crew to help her on one job even though she was the one who turned her mother in to the FBI 10 years ago.
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (Hardcover, LGBBTQ+) – Book 2 in the Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series. Mossa and Pleiti team up again on a case when 17 people go missing and no one seems to notice. I have the first book on my TBR – I’m excited to check this series out.
Ready or Not (Trade Paperback) – An unexpected pregnancy upends everything in a young woman’s “steady, no surprises” life.
Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Dog of War (Graphic Novel) – An Earth Corgi comes to DS9 in one of Quark’s infamous deals. But the dog comes with a surprise. I am looking forward to this one!
The Summer Book Club (Hardcover) – Three women in a book club are looking for inspiration to make their own lives more fulfilling while reading books that are an escape from their real lives.
Untangle Your Emotions: Naming What You Feel and Knowing What to Do About It (Hardcover Nonfiction) – Jeannie Allen bring scientific information and biblical insight to the subject of emotions.

REVIEW: The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

REVIEW: The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Olive is surprised when her parents’ latest business trip lands her at a boarding school called RASCH. Usually they treat her like she’s invisible. But her grandmother used to watch her, and now that she’s gone, they seem to have noticed that Olive has to go somewhere.

RASCH is more than it appears to outsiders, though. Olive discovers that it is secretly training kid operatives to help with secret missions. Olive and her new friends are going to track down a jewel thief called the Bling King.

But some bungled missions leave RASCH at risk of closure and Olive wondering if there’s any way to save a place that was starting to feel like home.

 

Review

I loved this journey for Olive! Reading how invisible she felt at home and at her original school was painful. I loved seeing her find her place – and her people –  at RASCH.

There’s something of a sub-genre of middle grade novels about kid spies – Gallagher Girls, Spy School, Charlie Thorne, Kid Normal, etc.. I really enjoy stories like this.  This one made me think strongly of Michael Buckley’s NERDS series from when my son was a kid. This has a similar vibe in both the gadgets and in the way the team comes together.

Dan Santat provides illustrations and cover art for the book. Final illustrations weren’t available in my review copy, but I don’t think you can go wrong with Dan Santat when it comes to art. I expect the illustrations will add a lot to this. Kids who enjoy mysteries and/or kid-spy stories will enjoy this series starter. Between the author, the illustrator, and the spy angle, this will be a staple for school classrooms and community libraries.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

 

 

Reviews and Boycotts

Reviews and Boycotts

Posted on by Jaymie

I was all set to post a review today of a book I enjoyed, but it was published by Minotaur, which is a division of St. Martin’s Press. And there is currently a reviewer boycott of SMP because of employee remarks that have – to my knowledge – not been addressed by the company.

I often don’t pay attention to publishers, except when it comes to Advance Reader Copies, so if I have published a review of a SMP title during the boycott, I apologize. But as I was preparing today’s review, the publisher was staring me in the face. So no review today. And I’ve been pulling SMP titles from my Book News posts starting at the first of 2024.

I am so disappointed to have to do this. I read SMP titles ALL THE TIME. And I will continue to read them for the authors’ sakes. But I will be making every effort not to review a title from SMP until this boycott is resolved. Come on, St. Martin’s Press!

I hope to be able to pick today’s review up once the boycott has been resolved.

BOOK NEWS: February 6, 2024

BOOK NEWS: February 6, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy February! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Lucky Duck (Picture Book) – Every time something unlucky happens to Susan the duck, Wolf shows up with something she’s won. Isn’t that lucky?
The Fix-Its: Nail Needs Help (Early Reader Graphic Novel) – Hammer and Nail are best friends, but when Nail needs help, Hammer might not be the right helper.
The Inside Scouts Help the Kind Lion (Chapter Book) – First book in a new Acorn chapter book series. Viv and Sanjay can shrink really small to help animals. This time they help a lion with a leaky heart.
The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn (Picture Book) – A small unicorn who doesn’t feel like he fits in runs away. I am looking forward to reading this one!
Zips & Eeloo Make Hummus (Early Reader Graphic Novel) – Two aliens who have been on Earth six whole days believe they know all things about being human. And to show that. they are going to teach readers to make hummus. I have to see this in person.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Art Club (Graphic Novel) – An art-loving kid tries to convince his family and his school that art matters by starting an art club.
City Spies: Mission Manhattan (Middle Grade) – Book 5 in the City Spies series from James Ponti. The City Spies head to NYC to protect a teen climate activist.
Drawing Deena (Middle Grade) – A girl with anxiety tries to use her art to help her family through a difficult time.
Liar’s Society (Middle Grade) – A new book from Alyson Gerber focuses on two kids hiding personal secrets at their exclusive school when they are invited to help solve the mystery of what happened to the money for their school trip.
Not the Worst Friend in the World (Middle Grade) – A girl experiencing friendship trouble at school is asked to help out a new girl who says she’s been kidnapped. This sounds fascinating.
Sunny Makes her Case (Graphic Novel) – Book 5 in this graphic novel series by Jennifer L. Holm. Sunny and a friend start a debate club.
Be More Wednesday (Older Middle Grade) – A guide to being more goth, like Wednesday Adams.
What Is a Solar Eclipse? (Middle Grade Nonfiction) – The folks at Who HQ take on solar eclipses like the one happening in April this year.
I Hope This Doesn’t Find You (YA) – A girl who channels all of her anger and frustration into scathing email drafts has to face her true feelings when the drafts are accidentally sent. Sounds amazing.

Books for Adults

Bride (Trade Paperback) – Something different from author Ali Hazelwood. The daughter of a powerful vampyre and an alpha werewolf are thrown together in an arranged marriage.
Just Stab Me Now (ebook) – A romance writer struggles to get her main character to behave. And she can’t reach out to her editor for help  because he might realize that the story’s villain is based on him. Yes, please! I have already pre-ordered this one.
The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck (Trade Paperback) – Lilah Goodluck saves the life of a mysterious woman and in return is given 5 predictions – including winning lottery numbers and a statement that she is days away from her death. Yeah, I couldn’t hit the preorder button fast enough on this one, either.
To Woo and to Wed (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Regency Vows series. A widow reaches out to her former betrothed to help her stage a fake relationship so her sister will move forward with her own happy ending. Looking forward to checking this one out.