Tag: family dysfunction

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

For years, Evan has used the skills the Orphan program gave him to help people in desperate need of his talents as the Nowhere Man. But the US government didn’t like that. They said he could have a pardon for all he’s done – under orders and under his own conscience – if he stopped being the Nowhere Man. But he didn’t. And they have hunted him down.

Now he has a new offer – help the President by taking out a problem and his pardon agreement will be reinstated. But X is working on his own terms – he needs to check the guy out for himself. But what he finds isn’t what he expected.

Review

I read this series for two reasons:

One, my husband loves it. I read one of the early books for a family challenge a few years ago.
Two, I love the series characters.

But these books are often dark and super violent. So they don’t always click for me. I’ve even skipped a couple along the way. This one really only worked for me about 60% of the time. Most of the scenes with the villain fell flat. He was annoying. I hated him, but not in a “he needs to pay”/someone needs justice sort of way. More in a “when can we get back to the good stuff?” way.

Honestly, EVERY OTHER THING in the book (other than the violence/gore/icky bits) was a delight – Joey, other old friends, Evan’s personal growth. Even the scenes with the governmental powers that be who were coercing Evan were brilliant. Emotionally, I felt like I was reading two different books – one laugh-out-loud-funny and smart and sharp while the other was flat, bland, and colorless. I’m not sure if the author was trying to create a sort of Moriarty character here, (which I don’t enjoy in Sherlock Holmes either – although the recent Enola Holmes movie did an amazing job with the character) but it did not work for me.

I think there’s a lot here for series fans to enjoy. I bookmarked many perfect moments as I read. Readers who really get into the villainous interchanges here will find this to be the full package. But if the villain falls flat for you too, this may be an “only okay” addition to the series. Newcomers should not start here. I think this book only has a chance of being satisfying if you’ve read enough of the previous 7 stories. Context matters here. (Language, sex, sexual references including references to sexual assault, gore, violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

REVIEW: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Astrid Parker’s design business is drying up, so she needs this job at the Everwood Inn to work. The television coverage alone will help bring in new business. But a coffee mishap on the first day leads to Astrid losing her cool and blowing up at the person who doused her in coffee – and that person turns out to not only be the carpenter on the job, but also a member of the Everwood family.

Jordan Everwood is lost and grieving. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to roll over and take whatever Astrid is dishing out. From their disastrous first meeting to Astrid’s designs that will erase the character of the one place Jordan considers “home,” Jordan will have none of it. Thankfully, the TV people seem to be enjoying the animosity between the two women. So Jordan will just keep giving them what they want.

Review

This is the second book in the Bright Falls series after Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, but the first book I have read. But I will be reading more. I really enjoyed these characters as well as the setting and the larger group around Jordan and Astrid. This is a very queer-positive series. As someone who picked this book up to get a little better feel for the queer community, that was a great bonus for me. The next book will be Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date, and I will definitely be picking that up to see what happens next for this group.

The individual journeys for Astrid and Jordan were fascinating.  I loved the peek we get into each character’s perspective on the budding relationship, but even more how they are handling the baggage they bring with them into the story. The surrounding cast is lovely, and I found the design descriptions for the Inn to be well done.  This was a great introduction to this series, and I had no issues understanding things without having read the first book, so other newcomers can definitely start here. (Language, sex. There’s also a thread on tarot cards and readings that spans the entire book.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great!

REVIEW: Better Together by Christine Riccio

REVIEW: Better Together by Christine Riccio

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Siri was certain her back injury would heal up and she’d be back to dancing by now. So when the doctor tells her she can’t dance ever again, she’s devastated. Her mom ships her off to a “Rediscover Yourself” retreat in Colorado where she’s supposed to somehow “find her way.” Like that could happen after everything has fallen apart.

Jamie’s launch to independence didn’t quite go as planned. So she’s back home with her dad and Grams. One of her dad’s conditions to her moving home is that she either go to therapy or go to a “Rediscover Yourself” yoga retreat her grandmother mentioned.

While Siri sees Jamie as an annoyance at the retreat where she doesn’t want to be anyway, Jamie is stunned to see her little sister there. It’s been 14 years. And apparently Siri has no memory of Jamie. Siri thought “Jamie” was an imaginary friend and has spent those years apart trying to not feel crazy because she was so attached to this imaginary friend. A real-life, in-her-face Jamie is unfathomable at first.

As the two try to make sense of their past as well as their present reality, they decide they want to switch places after the retreat so they can get some closure on the mess their parents have made of things. They figure they will pretend to be one another – they look enough alike to be twins – and then bamboozle their parents into a big meet up. What could go wrong?

How about a magic glitter bomb that somehow causes the girls to switch bodies?

Review

So, I wanted to like this. I stuck with this one FAR longer than I usually do for a book I’m just not feeling. I was intrigued by the whole “How could Siri’s mom lie to her so egregiously like that?” plot line. But in the end, I gave up at about 65%. I didn’t like Siri or Jamie, although Siri was more tolerable once she got to California. The girls were both abrasive and hard to like. Siri’s weird not-swearing thing got old really fast. (Instead of “S***” she says “Excrement,” for example – you can imagine what she does with the f-word.) The most likeable character, Dawn, is a side character who doesn’t get much development because she is not the focus. But I would have liked either more of her, or a more direct story about the imaginary friend lie. The fact that both girls have grandparents who went along with this ridiculous thing is, I guess, something that should have bothered me more in the original Parent Trap. But the “twins” were so endearing in those movies, I didn’t stop to ask. The magical switching complicated this rather than making it more fun. (I’ve read complaints online not unlike the ones for Wonder Woman 1984 about what right a person has to use someone else’s body/face for their own purposes.)

If you are super into the whole premise, or you have a higher tolerance for abrasive characters than I do, or if you like the author’s other work, you might give this a try. But it was a bad fit for me.

Rating: ♥

*♥ = Problematic, did not finish.

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sonali is stressed as the new semester starts at school. She is in a drama class she’s not sure about, her best friend seems enamored with a new friend, and the tension between her parents at home seems to be rising. If she lived in the Bollywood films she loves, everyone would sing their feelings – from her best friend Zara’s excitement about all things drama to her brother’s frequent tears and her parent’s anger. But Sonali swore off feelings – and sharing them – years ago.

As a younger kid, Sonali had made a project all about her parent’s arguments and how it made her feel. But rather than changing anything at home, she was laughed at and yelled at. She learned quickly to keep everything she thought and felt to herself.

But when her parents announce their separation, everything changes for Sonali. First, she wakes up in a bedroom that is a cross between her regular room and what you might find in a Bollywood film. Then she has a soundtrack wherever she goes. And everyone says this is perfectly normal. Before she knows it, Sonali is breaking into song and dance routines while she watches her whole world shift into something out of her favorite movies. And she’s not sure how she’s going to get back to her own reality.

Review

This is a clever kids story along the lines of a Groundhog Day or Freaky Friday adaptation where the main character is in an alternate world and has to dig deep to unravel the mysteries that are keeping them from returning to their normal world. I love that sort of story, and this is a great twist on that idea. While I am not well-versed in Bollywood, the author does a great job of describing Sonali’s alternate world for readers with less context.

As an adult, it was easy to see the solution to Sonali’s problem. I’m curious to see if the intended audience catches on as quickly or if they have to walk the journey with Sonali. Either way, there’s a ton of rich emotional storytelling here that would make this great for a read-aloud or a discussion group. This is a beautiful way to engage kids in the concepts of emotional expression and health.

Kids who love Bollywood as well as those who enjoy musical theater and drama will find a lot to love here. But any kid who has struggled with emotional regulation and expression, family conflict, divorce, or grief/loss may also see themselves reflected in this story. Be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In middle school, Sarah is starting to notice how her body is changing as she gets older. Nothing feels “normal” or “right.” And she feels like it is impacting how she plays basketball. And basketball means everything to Sarah.

So she starts thinking about what she can do to change things. Maybe like eating less and following the “rules” about food would help. Health class gives her some ideas. Her mom has a lot of food rules, too. In fact, there are times when Sarah’s mom forgets to go shopping, leaving nothing in the house for dinner or breakfast. Sarah’s dad travels for work, so he eats on the run a lot of the time. But Sarah’s a kid – she can’t just pick something up for herself.

And on top of all the other food drama – and basketball drama, and friend drama – Sarah starts cooking with her crush so they can try out for a kids cooking show. But so much of what they are cooking is against Sarah’s new rules.

When Sarah’s friends start to comment on how little she is eating, and it starts to negatively impact her on the court, everything comes to a tipping point.

Review

I really felt for Sarah in this! The author does an excellent job conveying Sarah’s thinking about food (and other topics) and showing how that impacts what Sarah thinks about herself. There’s a lot of conflicting information – and misinterpreted information. And then there’s the role Sarah’s parents play in the bigger picture of Sarah’s eating and food-related issues. I enjoyed the hopeful, supportive, yet direct way Sarah’s situation is handled.

Food and disordered eating is a huge piece of the story. And it could be overwhelming or triggering for some readers (TW). But that’s not the only thread in the story. There are some great basketball moments and some meaty friendship pieces to the book as well. The author does a great job here, as well, showing Sarah taking what she is learning in counseling and applying it to other areas of her life. I loved the positive messages in the book about therapy, too.

Obviously there’s a lot here for kids to sink their teeth into – the friendship issues, the cooking and cooking show pieces, the basketball, and the food/eating parts. This would be an excellent choice for a read-aloud or for book groups. I highly recommend this one! Some other great middle grade books that deal with disordered eating include Goodbye, Mr. Terupt, Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½), and Still a Work in Progress (♥♥♥♥♥). (TW: Disordered eating/thinking about food)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BLOG TOUR: Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

BLOG TOUR: Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Posted on by Jaymie

I am so pleased to be part of the BLOG TOUR for DIAL A FOR AUNTIES this week, described by the publisher as:

What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?  You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue! 

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

Summary

Meddelin has been roped into the family business – weddings – thanks to the family curse. The men always leave. Her father, all of her uncles – even her male cousins all went to colleges on the East Coast to get away. But Meddy was the good daughter who went to UCLA, and came back home to live with her mother after she graduated. And because she is the dutiful daughter, she agrees to be the photographer for the wedding business.

Working with her mom and aunts isn’t all bad, but Meddy longs to be independent and pursue her own passions. But for now, she’s focused on the next big event – a wedding joining two spectacularly wealthy families which is taking place at a new island resort.

To complicate her life even more, Meddy’s mother has set her up on a blind date with the owner of the hotel where the wedding will be. Well, it’s a blind date to Meddy. Jake thinks they’ve been chatting and texting for weeks. Her mother posed as her on the dating site. But when Jake thinks those chats entitle him to more than Meddy is willing to give, she tases him.

And he dies.

Meddy’s mom and aunts come to her rescue, but they have a huge wedding to work that weekend. They just need to stash the body until after the wedding. But then it accidentally gets transported to the island with their wedding supplies.

Review

What. A. Hoot! This is a crazy comedy of errors twisting around unrequited love and secrets and lies. To me it felt like Finlay Donovan Is Killing It meets Weekend at Bernie’s. I kept telling my husband each subsequent crazy thing because the chaos – and humor – begs to be shared.

I enjoyed the characters here, especially the strong family ties for Meddy. The pros and cons of that closeness added a nice layer to the chaos caused by the dead body. But it never crossed the line into annoying or boundry-less interactions that I steer clear of in books. This was just the right amount of intrusion to make for a funny and interesting story.

The author makes good use of a few flashback chapters to round out part of the story. And some of the developments in the book were laugh-out-loud hilarious. Some of the moments were farcically over the top, but at the same time, I was completely committed to seeing Meddy through this with fingers crossed that it would all work out in the end.

This is unusual and funny and engaging – a not-to-be-missed story! (Language, LGBTQ+, alcohol/drug use, TW: attempted assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

REVIEW: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Ten years ago, Liam destroyed Daisy’s fragile teenage heart when he stood her up for the prom and disappeared from her life. Good riddance!

But now he’s back. Just when her family is pressuring her with yet another fix up. And her ex is still hooking up with her ex-boss. Introducting Liam as her fiancé, in the heat of the moment, was… temporary insanity.

If Liam wants the chance to inherit the business that has been in his family for generations, he has two months to get married. If not, his brother will raze it to the ground. Even though Daisy hates him, maybe she’d be willing to take this pretend engagement to the next level.

Liam and Daisy are both getting something out of this fake relationship. Thanks to their upbringing, each of them has significant relationship baggage that keeps them from making a real commitment to anyone. And they both are perfectly fine keeping this fake relationship purely business. But what happens when their feelings about each other become all too real?

Review

This was fun! I thoroughly enjoyed the main characters, both alone and together. Their work, their families, and their history were fascinating. And I was absolutely invested in seeing how they pulled things off. But I would have liked a little more time spent on dealing with the last “secret” Liam was keeping. (It was pretty obvious in the reading, but I expected it to have a bigger punch in the reveal.) After waiting so long for it to be revealed, I wanted a meatier scene or response for it. The ending, though, was supremely satisfying.

This is the first book I have read by the author even though this is the second book in the series. I don’t feel like I was missing anything having not read the first book. I do have book 3, The Singles Table, on my wish list though. It sounds fantastic!

This was fun and funny and sexy with a happy ending – everything a reader could want from a romcom. I love fake relationship stories, and this is a great example of the trope. Don’t miss this one! (Language, sex TW: domestic violence, child abuse/neglect, abandonment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

The Nowhere Man, Evan Smoak, is retired from government work  and from being a vigilante fixer. He expects that to mean the Nowhere Man phone will stop ringing. But that is not the case. Even more surprising? The latest caller insists that she’s his birth mother.

The woman asks Evan to help a man named Andrew Duran. Andrew witnessed a murder and was set up to take the fall. He’s on the run, and Evan is curious enough about the whole thing to try to find him.

But this case, that can’t be a case because Evan is retired and could lose his pardon, is going to bring Evan face to face with his childhood. And even though he knows his own Commandment Four by heart, this case is definitely personal.

Review

Wow!! There is a LOT going on here. The core of the book is the trouble Andrew Duran is in and how Evan plans to help him. And just when I think Hurwitz has hit the peak of his bad guy plots, he writes another one that takes things to a whole new level. The story in this book will literally chase Evan to the final page. Fans of this suspense series will find all the usual series pieces they love in this book. But there’s so much more.

My husband is a HUGE fan of this series. He gave me book one, Orphan X, to read early last year (♥♥♥♥), and then challenged me to read book 3, Hellbent, last summer (♥♥♥♥½) because he thought I might enjoy the series a little more with the addition of Evan’s teen protégé, Joey. I also read book 4, Out of the Dark (♥♥♥♥), but did not enjoy the start of book 5, so I skipped it. I have also read the three short stories with mixed reviews (“The List,” Joey’s story, was outstanding! – ♥♥♥♥♥).  All that to say, I show up to this series for Joey, frankly, and for the relationship between her and Evan. I like Evan well enough, and his cases are pretty interesting. But the violence can be a bit much for me at times, and the missions drag in the middle for me. That’s not a knock on this series. I feel the same way about other suspense thrillers. I completely skip the Baldaccis my husband loves for this reason. But Joey and Even keep me returning to this one. Every scene with Joey is a delight. I love her on her own, but I absolutely adore what her presence does for Evan.

Then, in Prodigal Son, Hurwitz adds a new interpersonal wrinkle – the supposed birth mother. Her call forces Evan to look at his childhood, and his current relationships, in new ways. (The book includes scenes from Evan’s childhood in foster care which were fascinating.) I especially enjoyed watching how this mom issue shifted Evan’s relationship with Joey. This whole aspect of the story was brilliant. It added a fantastic new layer to Evan.

The ending will leave readers gasping – and grasping for the next volume. I have book 7, which hasn’t even been announced yet, on my mental wish list. I have to see what will happen next! Series fans will NOT want to miss this.

While I think you could probably read this without the rest of the series, I think it would be frustrating to not understand the interplay between characters, and Evan’s full history. So if you are new to the Orphan X series, start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. (I have skipped book 2 and 80% of book 5 without issue. I don’t think the short stories are essential reading, but “The List” is my favorite of the three.) This is one of the best books in the series, and thriller fans should not miss it. (Language, violence, alcohol addiction, vaping, sexual references, TW: rape and sexual assault, child abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan

BONUS REVIEW: Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Griffin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Everly’s 30th birthday starts with finding her boyfriend in the middle of cheating on her, it’s just another in a string of awful birthdays and disappointing life moments. But when the story accidentally gets broadcast at her job on the radio, she realizes it’s time for some changes in her life. Her friend Stacey helps her come up with the Ten Rules for Faking It – ways to push herself out of her comfort zone and build the life she wants.

Chris is Everly’s boss, so his intense attraction to her has to be kept in check. With his dad’s ultimatum about Chris’s future with the company, and the key role the radio station plays, he can’t afford any distractions. He has to push the station to a new, more profitable level.

While Chris’ dad sees the debacle of Everly’s birthday story going out on the air as grounds to fire Everly and Stacey both, Chris sees things differently. First, he doesn’t want to fire either of the women. Aside from his feelings for Everly, both women are great at their jobs. Plus, the “debacle” has turned into ratings and social media gold for the station. This isn’t a crisis, but an opportunity. They can leverage the attention Everly’s birthday disaster has garnered to boost ratings and ad revenue.

Chris develops a plan to build a Bachelorette-style segment for Everly based on listener feedback. She chooses some dates, writes social media posts about how they go, and the public gets to vote on who Everly should see again. It’s a good idea – for the show and for Stacey’s and Everly’s careers. But Everly is going to need every one of her new Rules for Faking It to get through it.

Review

This was so fun! I loved Everly from the start. Her relationship with Stacey is lovely, despite the rocky birthday situation. And her chemistry with Chris is excellent.

The Bachelorette dates were a smaller part of the story than I expected. I’ve read similar plots before, and the dates are usually a bigger factor. I loved that they weren’t here. It was obvious from the start that Chris and Everly belonged together. The question was how they would pull that off or if Everly would settle for someone else rather than push through the obstacles in her relationship with Chris. So the focus is more on Everly and her list and her personal growth, and that was just right for me.

There’s an inside joke in “Romancelandia” that readers latch onto any and every secondary character, demanding they all get their own book. This story is a perfect example of that. Whether it’s Stacey, or Chris’ siblings, or the friend with the  bakery, if the author decides to turn this into a series with these characters, I am here for every single spin-off book!

Romance fans should not miss this one. It’s a terrific slow-burn with excellent characters and a story that kept me turning pages almost from start to finish. (Language, sexual references, TW: anxiety, panic attack)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Talk Nerdy to Me by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: Talk Nerdy to Me by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Eliza’s best friend, Merrilee Campbell (A Date with Darcy), is convinced their English teacher, Ms. Gregoire, is magic. But science-minded Eliza knows that is not remotely possible. Merrilee and her sister, Rory (The Boy Next Story), believe Ms. Gregoire gives students books that magically come true in their lives. But that’s ridiculous.

Not willing to take any chances, though, Eliza chooses Frankenstein as her free reading choice for class. Ms. Gregoire is reluctant to let Eliza go with that book, but Eliza is confident that its lack of romance and its emphasis on science make it the perfect choice.

As Eliza digs into the assignment, she’s also trying to keep up on her parents’ ever-increasing demands. They are world-famous scientists currently working at the South Pole. They monitor Eliza through exacting logs, a personal tracker, and the grad student they have watching her at the house. Her 89% on a recent math test has them concerned. They want her to beef up her study habits as well as add an extracurricular – from three choices they feel would be appropriate. She chooses Quiz Bowl team, not expecting to find Curtis there.

Curtis is the sophomore class’s Class Clown. He always has a joke or zinger at the ready. How is HE on the Quiz Bowl team?

Soon Eliza’s assumptions – about her English assignment, her parents’ expectations, and even Curtis – are going to be challenged in ways she can’t begin to imagine.

Review

I have been crazy for the Bookish Boyfriends series since I first heard the plot of book 1!  And this book is no exception. I’ve been eager to read Eliza’s story since Merrilee’s book. Her parents’ controlling behavior is stunning. I wanted to know more about why they were like that and why Eliza put up with it. She’s also been putting up with Curtis since the first book. So this was my chance to see that relationship explored. It was so satisfying!

Curtis and his siblings are my favorite characters from this book, although I also love the whole ensemble. But Curtis is a perfect contrast for Eliza’s controlled and controlling life. He’s fun and sweet and endearing. He’s also confident enough to ask for what he wants and stand up for his right to be treated with kindness, courtesy, and honesty. This is my favorite pair in the series – at least for today. I think I say it every time I finish a book in the series!

There is no element of anyone trying to figure out how Ms. Gregoire does what she does. And I’m loving that. They accept it as part of life and just watch to see what happens. Each book in the series so far explores two pieces of literature. The second book in this one is Anne of Green Gables.

We already know where book four – Get a Clue – is headed. I am looking forward to seeing what happens when Huck and Curtis’ brother, Win, team up to solve a mystery à la Sherlock Holmes. That is currently scheduled to release in January 2021. I already have it sitting in my online shopping cart. These are characters I already love. And a new book gives me the perfect excuse to go back and re-read the whole series over Christmas.

Fans of YA romance, especially with a lot of book love and a touch of magic, should not miss this series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥= Outstanding, Fantastic