Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

REVIEW: The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

Three kids from different schools have a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship. But they are not the kids you would expect to be chosen for a scholarship contest:

  • Melissa does homework for other kids for money so she and her little brother can have lunch at school. Her teacher assumes she is copying off of others. Her guidance counselor is convinced Melissa was included by mistake and assumes she will fail spectacularly.
  • Bondi is “Mr. Personality,” a guy who uses his people skills to help out kids in need at school and get a class pet elected school president.
  • Wilf has smooth moves, able to stealthily steal tardy slips. He’s not much of a go-getter at school or at home.

The scholarship coordinator, Mr. Smith, gives each of the kids a cell phone, a driver, a debit card for expenses, and three clues to solve. The first to correctly solve them wins the $10,000. As the kids work their own angles on the puzzle, though, they start to think there’s more going on than Mr. Smith has explained

Review

This fun, clever story feels like The Westing Game (♥♥♥♥♥). The puzzles are tricky and lead to various Chicago landmarks. There are fun twists that lead the kids to the truth of what’s really going on.

I enjoyed the three kids at the center of this story. I loved Melissa. Her guidance counselor was HORRIBLE. I loved that Melissa excelled beyond whatever pathetic assumptions and expectations her school personnel had for her. Bondi has the healthiest situation. His parents were great, and his situation was pretty normal. I didn’t get as good of a feel for Wilf as the other two. His relationship with his driver and the way Wilf approaches the contest does give some hints to his life.

This is a terrific, smart, and satisfying story! It will appeal to mystery fans as well as readers who enjoy clue and puzzle stories like The Puzzling World of Winston Breen or The Westing Game. This would be a fantastic class read aloud or a book club selection. You can find other reviews of terrific middle grade mystery and puzzle stories, including The Great Pet Heist by this same author, here.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Fearless Christian University by John W. Hawthorne

REVIEW: The Fearless Christian University by John W. Hawthorne

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

The author lays out a bleak picture for Christian universities, citing the rise of the “nones” (those who claim no religious affiliation or practice) and questions of the value and cost of college among other factors. As someone working at a small Christian university, the only surprises were some of the statistics shared by the author. The realities themselves are quite familiar to me.

The tone of this can come across as antagonistic and perhaps defensive, at least at first. The author has served in a variety of Christian institutions of Higher Education and brings his personal and professional experiences with him – good and bad. But over the course of the book, the author seems less antagonistic and more prophetic, pleading with the powers that be in Christian Higher Ed to change course.

Hawthorne recommends things like:

  • keeping focus on quality education and pedagogy with a Christian identity, remembering students are being prepared to engage the world, not just to get a job
  • improving the partnership between faculty and administration, reshaping the business model away from a “church” or “factory” type to a “laboratory” type (This was my favorite chapter.)
  • targeting potential students more broadly than just white evangelicals
  • reimagining the roles of the Church and the University in relation to one another.

The book includes examples of cultural change regarding LGBTQ+ students, asserting there are many ways for schools to support their queer students without having to declare themselves “affirming” or running up against Church stances on homosexuality.

The shining stars for me in this challenging read are the imagined examples of two “fearless Christian universities” in the closing section. The descriptions were inspiring and both schools felt like places I would love to serve. There are plenty of links in the author’s citations which make this an appealing e-book read.

Overall, I felt this book was prophetic, but sadly like the prophets of the Old Testament who warned of impending exile but were largely ignored. I’m not sure many schools will have the courage to hear and respond. Still, if I had the resources, I would buy this for every member of our Board of Trustees and school administration, not to mention for faculty and staff. This would make for an excellent conversation starter for those who love Christian Higher Ed and are looking for encouragement and potential solutions. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2025

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

Bat and the Business of Ferrets – Book 4 in the Bat series. As Bat tries to adjust to the changes that come with a new grade, new classroom, and new teacher, he hopes to convince his teacher – and a classmate – that a class Ferret would be a good idea.
HiLo: The Great Space Iguana (Graphic Novel) – HiLo and his friends try to help a giant space iguana get home.
Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the Lighthouse AND Murder at the Museum – A young sleuth pretending to be a famous detective solves mysteries including a murder at a museum (Book 1) and one at a lighthouse (Book 2).
Unicorn Book Club (Graphic Novel) – Book 21 in the delightful Phoebe and her Unicorn series. Marigold and Phoebe create a book club. Yes, please!
Wicked Darlings – An aspiring journalist investigates her sister’s death

Books for Adults

Celebrity Crush (Trade Paperback) – An author suggests a fake dating scheme to the actor staring in the adaptation of her book to give them both some important positive PR.
Change of Heart (Trade Paperback) – A cynical lawyer is transported to a Hallmark channel-esque small town where she has to complete three tasks in order to get back to her real life.
Death at the Shipshape Bookshop (Trade Paperback) – An Alaskan bookstore owner becomes a part time sleuth after her bookshop is ransacked and someone is murdered in her back room.
Get Lost With You (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Rock Bottom Love series. A single mom takes a second chance at love.
A Girl Like Us (Hardcover) – A party girl turned heiress investigates the family she married into looking for answers to questions that have already left someone dead.
The Last Hamilton (Trade Paperback) – When the last heir of Alexander Hamilton dies, her best friend and her husband team up to find out what happened. This sounds excellent!
The Launch Date (Trade Paperback) – Two rivals must team up to create first date scenarios as they compete for the same job at their dating app company.
The Perfect Rom-Com (Trade Paperback) – An aspiring writer becomes a ghostwriter in a trade off as she tries to sell her own novel. Yes, please!
Queens of Crime (Hardcover) – The five greatest women crime writers team up to solve a real life murder in 1930. This sounds so amazing.
A Victim at Valentine’s (ebook) – Book 5 in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series from Ellie Alexander. A bookshop owner tries to help local law enforcement solve a murder connected her her shop.
You Are Fatally Invited (Hardcover) – Mila is an aspiring writer hired by thriller master J.R. Alastor to help him host a thriller writer’s retreat which gives her an opportunity to plan a murder of her own. But then someone else is murdered and she’s drawn into solving the case. Another fantastic sounding story!
The Fearless Christian University (Trade Paperback, February 13) – A form professor and administrator in Christian Higher Ed explores the state of Christian Higher Ed and strategies to survive into the future.

REVIEW: The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman

REVIEW: The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

In the community of St. Polonius-by-the-Fjord, the annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver is the highlight of the year. Every citizen 12 or older eats a bit of the bear liver to commemorate the winter long ago when “saints” put the citizens into a winter-long sleep to survive the season.

This is the year for Jean to do her first bear tasting. But the liver makes her sick. Her parents hustle her home telling her not to give it another thought. Then they both fall asleep.

Jean and her little brother Micah, do what they can to help their folks, but it turns out all of the adults and teens have fallen asleep. Jean and one other boy are the only ones who were to be in the tasting who aren’t asleep. The mayor’s son assigns everyone jobs to keep the town running until the adults wake up But Jean is determined to get help rather than wait. But then she discovers some clues that this Great Hibernation is no accident. Jean may be in over her head.

Review

This was terrific! There’s a slight dystopian feel as the “mayor” and “police” start working their own agendas on the town and the kids. There’s lots of suspense as Jean works against them to try to save the day. And there’s a little math, science, politics, and law thrown in.

The team of kids that work with Jean made a great ensemble. Each brought something special to the team and to the plan to save the day. I would have loved another chapter or two at the end in order to see the schemers get their comeuppance. But I can imagine my own satisfying wrap up to everything that transpires.

This is an excellent middle grade story that would work for upper elementary readers as well as middle schoolers. The plot is intricate and fun. I also loved the author’s previous books, All Four Stars (♥♥♥♥♥)  as well as The Stars of Summer (♥♥♥♥♥). Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ + I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: This Changes Everything by Tyler Merritt

REVIEW: This Changes Everything by Tyler Merritt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Actor, writer, and speaker Tyler Merritt shares his cancer story and a conversation about lament and mortality in his newest book – and it is excellent. This book is both funny and searing. From Tyler’s story of his cancer diagnosis to the story of Emmitt Till, with Where the Red Fern Grows thrown in for good measure, you are on a beautifully crafted emotional rollercoaster.

Intermixed with Merritt’s cancer story and related health complications, he shares stories of WWII, George Floyd, John Lewis, and illustrations about pets and sharks to weave a treatise about suffering and perseverance, resilience and lament. Quoting David Brooks, he also looks at “resumé virtues” vs. “eulogy virtues” which was my favorite illustration of the whole book. It explores how living with cancer can lead a person to examine how they live life with others. And Jen Hatmaker fans will get a few teasers about their relationship in the book (another favorite part of the book for me).

This is more serious overall than Tyler’s previous book, I Take My Coffee Black (♥♥♥♥). But I also walked away from this one with more introspection about how his experience calls readers (me!) to consider what we do with our time on earth. Fans of his other work – his books, his viral videos – should absolutely pick this up. If you are new to Tyler’s work, I recommend checking this out. Readers should note that some sections of the book cover medical and health discussions in some detail. Take a look at other content warnings before diving in. (Language. Content warnings: racism, cancer, death/grief, details about medical procedures and outcomes)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BOOK NEWS: February 4, 2025

BOOK NEWS: February 4, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Books for Kids

Cranky Chicken: The Cranky-verse – Three new stories starring Cranky Chicken and Speedy.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults

The Secret of Moonrise Manor – Raven and her friends investigate a mummy found in a haunted hotel to see if it can answer her questions about her late mother’s death.
What Is the Story of Cinderella? – Explore the history of the story of Cinderella.
All Better Now – A new YA novel from the author of Scythe. A world-wide virus leaves survivors living with unprecedented contentment – and there are those who see their careers and livelihood at risk if they can’t capitalize on the old ways of anger and jealousy. I can’t wait to check this out!
The Liar’s Club – First in a new YA series about taking on the “king of campus.”

Books for Adults

The Bones Beneath My Skin (Hardcover) – A standalone novel from the author of the Cerulean Chronicles and the Green Creek series. A man who has lost everything heads to his family’s summer cabin to reassess his life and finds people living there. And one is a very special little girl – and someone’s out to find her.
Deep End (Trade Paperback) – A new standalone novel from the author of Bride. A diver and a champion swimmer who should have nothing in common but the water start a fling that threatens to upend their lives.
Dream Girl Drama (Trade Paperback) – A hockey player falls for a woman after an unexpected encounter, but then he discovers she’s his soon-to-be step-sister.
Eleven Numbers (e-book short story, February 1) – From the author of the Jack Reacher series. A math professor is summoned to the White House to help with cryptic Russian equations.

REVIEW: The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz

REVIEW: The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Ember the dragon is a bit too small to amass a hoard of gold, but he finds his own way to create a different sort of golden hoard.

This is darling! I loved little Ember and the baker who gave him a warm, dry place in a storm – and also a new skill he could share with his dragon friends. The community that is eventually formed between the dragons and the townspeople made for a lovely ending! Pick this up for a cozy read this winter.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

REVIEW: The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

This past summer I took a deep dive into the Bible for Normal People podcast. I’m generally not a podcast person, but there is a sub-set of episodes called “Pete Ruins ____” that are a deep dive into a particular book of the Bible. And I adore them. I listen while I get ready for work in the morning, and I look forward to that time that’s just for me.

So one night when I was looking for a new nonfiction book to read, I pulled this off the shelf and discovered it’s like my podcast experience in book form.

The “voice” is Pete, complete with funny and sarcastic asides. (Not all of his books are like this – there are others with a bit more academic, formal voice – equally as terrific, but just a different tone.) The content is easy to follow while still being challenging. This is not an approach to the Bible that I’ve found in the “pew” on Sunday mornings, but it’s absolutely where God has been meeting me over the last year, starting with Wisdom for Faithful Reading and then in The Lost World of the Prophets, and finally in these podcasts and this book.

My “elevator pitch” of this approach would be “a faithful approach to reading the Bible, not as a rule book to follow but a collection of writings centered around historical people of faith and their experiences with God.” The book addresses questions I have been asking for a few years now – and it affirms the FAITHFULNESS of asking those questions and seeking the answers. I loved the reading experience; it has meant so much to me in my spiritual growth and development over the last year. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2025

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2025

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Adults

Beast of the North Woods (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Monster Hunter Mystery series. Morgan investigates the death of an ice fisherman when his death is blamed on the Hodag. I loved book one, but haven’t read book 2 yet because the opening chapter was super violent. My husband read it and said the whole book isn’t that way, so I need to pick it up soon because I MUST read this Hodag story!
Here Beside the Rising Tide (Trade Paperback) – A writer and her family go back to the island she visited as a kid where her missing childhood friend seems to come out of the water, still 10 years old, telling her he’s trying to save the world.
If Tomorrow Never Comes (Trade Paperback) – A sick young woman waiting for a stem cell transplant and uncertain about her future throws caution to the wind and has a romantic moment with a stranger. A year later, when she’s healthy and connecting with her stem cell donor she discovers the woman’s boyfriend is the stranger she kissed a year ago.
A Lady Would Know Better (Trade Paperback) – An English Lord finds a woman on his property, freezing in the snow, with no memory of her name or her life.
Out of the Woods (Trade Paperback) – A couple facing a crisis-point 17 years into their marriage decide to go on an intense couples hiking trip to see if they can save their relationship.
The Outcast Mage (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Shattered Lands series about a mage who is trying to learn to use her magic before it destroys her.
Wedding Dashers (Trade Paperback) – Two travelers stranded in London while on the way to Ireland discover they are trying to get to the same wedding and face a series of travel disasters.
Enneagram in Real Life: Find Your Type, Understand Who You Are, and Take Steps Toward Growth (Hardcover) – A new Enneagram resource.
The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between (Hardcover) – Therapist and Enneagram practitioner Ian Morgan Cron brings this book – and a workbook – about the Twelve Steps to everyone to show how anyone can benefit from following the Steps.

REVIEW: Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce

REVIEW: Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

While Quinn is somewhat relieved to have a fresh start after the friend drama at her old school, being the new girl at school in February is lonely. But she hears about a D&D group that is open to adding a new player. After everything imploded with her last group, Quinn has longed to get back to a regular campaign.

Logan Weber is the cute guy who helped Quinn out on her first day. And they seem to have real chemistry whenever they run into each other. But he is NOT interested in having Quinn join their D&D group. They livestream their high-energy campaigns, and they are trying to build a following. He thinks Quinn is too quiet and too easily intimidated for their style of D&D.

It’s soon apparent that Logan’s real problem is that he likes Quinn – but their D&D group has a STRICT no-dating policy. And that’s something Quinn can get behind after what happened before. But she and Logan can’t seem to shake the sparks between them.

Review

This was so sweet! I loved the D&D group in this book. These teens are exactly what Quinn needs to heal from what happened before.

Fans of book 1, Dungeons and Drama, should absolutely pick this up. The stories stand alone, so these could be read in any order. And for newcomers, you don’t have to play D&D to follow the story. The emphasis is more on the group dynamic and the dilemma for Quinn and Logan. That said, the D&D scenes are fun, and I would have happily read more of them. And I loved how the livestream led to other characters getting interested in trying D&D. (The epilogue is fantastic!)

If you are in the market for a fun and swoony YA romance, be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.