Tag: five star plus

REVIEW: The Boy Next Story by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: The Boy Next Story by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Rory and her older sister, Merrilee, got into Hero High, it was supposed to be this “great opportunity.” Their oldest sister, Lilly, was marrying into a senator’s family, and the senator used her influence to get the girls into Reginald R. Hero High. Nevermind that her influence led to some resentment by some students and administrators about the girls skirting the rules and procedures. While Merrilee had negotiated a lot of that, and emerged triumphant, Rory was dealing with her own struggles.

Rory’s early weeks at Hero were not filled with a lot of academic success. It’s hard to be the little sister to someone as brilliant – and as personable – as Merri. And the one place that should have been a safe haven for Rory – the art room – was a bigger minefield than any of her academic classes. In Advanced Art, the freshman and “new girl” stuck out. And the resentment of the older students meant her easel was always under “accidental” assault. Her projects were “lost” or “destroyed” constantly. School was one disaster after another for Rory.

Even her life outside school was filled with complications. Her forever-crush, Toby, was her next door neighbor. There was no avoiding him. That meant she also couldn’t avoid seeing how he looked at Merri. Toby’s affection for Merri was at war with his hurt at seeing her fall for someone else. It was painful for Rory to watch while her own feelings of longing were obviously never going to be returned.

Two reading assignments for the mysterious Ms. Gregoire stir up a lot of questions and feelings for Rory as she considers her school woes, her family relationships, and her crush. She’s embarking on a life and literature adventure she won’t ever forget.

Review

When book 1, Bookish Boyfriends: A Date with Darcy released last year, there was no way I wasn’t going to read it. Books, romance and a possibly magical teacher pulling strings to use literature to instruct her students on life? SIGN ME UP! And book one was a DELIGHT in all ways – characters, story, heart. And I re-read it before starting this one so all the story details would be fresh for me.

That re-read actually made me a little nervous about reading this book. I loved Merri in book 1.  Her voice is a huge part of why I enjoyed that first story. Since this is Rory’s story, I was concerned I wouldn’t connect with her like I did with Merri.

Rory’s voice and story is EVEN BETTER!

I almost don’t have words for how much I adored this book. I think chapter 3 was when I started crying and fell in love with Rory. All the sharp, snarky attitude and behavior in book 1 suddenly made complete sense. I could see all the ways Rory developed to protect herself – from feeling “not enough” or left out or “settled for.” And this is a young woman who should never feel like she is second fiddle to anyone – no one should. I bookmarked more than 40 spots that were just magical for me in this story. Actually, I wasn’t even 1/4 through the review copy when I set it aside to pre-order my own copy. I am a fanatic for this story!

Just like with Merri’s story, Rory works through two books with Ms. Gregoire – The Great Gatsby and Little Women. As with book 1, I’ve only read one of those books, but I was completely able to follow the action here anyway. I almost felt like I was reading two whole books because of the depth of Rory’s story related to both of these classic novels. The author does not skimp through the arc of the first to get to the second. Both were important – to the story and to Rory’s growth.

I gushed at the author on social media because I just could not contain how much I was adoring this story. (It was too early to talk about it online because it wasn’t going to release for another month or two.) She told me book three will be Talk Nerdy to Me (2020), and she’s already at work on book 4. This series is now firmly on my “must buy” list. The richness in the characters and the stories are not to be missed. At every page turn, my heart sang, “I LOVE this book!” I could not have asked for a more perfect book for me.

I feel like there’s a lot for readers to learn here from Rory – what happens for her when she speaks her truth, how her feelings have driven her behavior, what role she should play when she’s unhappy in a relationships, etc. You do NOT want to miss this book – be sure to check out A Date with Darcy and then scoop up The Boy Next Story too. Perfect for summer reading. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

REVIEW: The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Kira was five, Cady found her, alone, in a forest. Wild. Feral. Cady took her in, fostered her, adopted her, and raised her with her own son, Jude. Jude, Kira, and their best friend, Free, call themselves the Miscreants. Always together, always ready to find or stir up trouble.

Together, Cady and the teens raise and train search and rescue dogs. Padawan is their young star, a gifted golden retriever. Silver is the older German Shepherd who is an emotional anchor for Kira when the trauma of her past threatens to pull her under. NATO and the Duchess are the bloodhounds. And Saskia is the temperamental husky whose own traumas make her a perfect partner for Kira. They understand each other in a special way.

Cady’s estranged father calls her in for a search and rescue in her home town. A 9-year-old girl has gone missing in the mountains. Cady, the teens and the dogs join the search process. And while Kira is determined to do for the girl what she herself needed at one time, she is not ready for what the case will stir up for her – and for her whole family.

Review

This was excellent! Classic Jennifer Lynn Barnes awesomeness. I was laughing on the first page, and in love with Jude by page 2. He’s a lot like the character Asher from The Fixer series – another character I adored. You can read my review of her other series here and here. From there, I quickly connected with Kira and the dogs, and I had to see how the story would play out.

You can see Barnes’ background in psychology with the development of Kira. Her reactions to childhood trauma and the emotional repercussions now felt completely on target. I felt like Kira had done some extensive work on her trauma issues even while there is obviously more work to be done.  And the writing of the dogs was terrific. I loved Silver and Saskia’s interactions with Kira especially.

If this had just been a psychological piece about Kira, I’d have been enthralled and happy to keep reading. But this is also a mystery/suspense story involving Cady’s family history, the missing girl, and some stunning and twisty developments. Outstanding!

This book is a perfect example of why Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a must read-author for me. She always delivers! This book is the full package – rich, fascinating characters; an engrossing plot; lots of snark and humor; and a story you don’t want to put down. I highly recommend this book to fans of suspense books, dog stories, and the author’s other books. (Trigger Warning – hints of abuse stories throughout could be triggering for some readers, although I thought the descriptions were pretty subtle for general readers.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Murder Once Removed by S. C. Perkins

REVIEW: Murder Once Removed by S. C. Perkins

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

Gus Halloran hired Lucy Lancaster of Ancestry Investigations to look into his family history. One of the most significant pieces of his family lore was a story about the death of his great-great-grandfather Seth. Lucy found proof that Seth had been murdered rather than accidentally trampled by horses. And she even found out a few facts about who planned the murder – a man with initials C. A. involved in Texas politics at the time. She narrowed the suspects to a couple men, but Gus latched onto one name – Caleb Applewhite. Caleb’s descendant, Daniel, is a U. S. Senator. And Gus’s son, Pearce, is running against him.

Lucy still wants to do some digging and find out for sure who ordered Seth’s death. But journals about the incident and the community where it happened are stolen in a burglary. And then the photographic evidence of the crime is taken – and a friend of Lucy’s is killed. Now Lucy is racing against a murderer to see who can get to the truth first.

Review

This was outstanding! The characters, the setting, the mystery, the writing. All of it was perfect!

I loved Lucy, but the whole cast is terrific. It’s big enough for some fun, interesting interactions, but not so large you can’t keep track of everyone. I enjoyed the diversity and the culture pieces with the Mexican restaurant and Lucy’s community. And the work set up with her friends – and their interesting jobs – was unique and I loved it. I never felt like I was reading something I’ve read a hundred times before. I read a lot of cozy mysteries – and this one stands out from the crowd.

The mysteries were fantastic. You have the 150 year old murder and then the contemporary one. Both were fascinating. I loved how all the pieces came together! Any nuanced genealogical tidbit was clearly explained without long technical details. And the cases twisted in on themselves in fantastic, clever ways.

The voice of this is a delight. Lucy is funny! Her banter with the FBI agent who’s driving her crazy was so fun. Several fun details – like the cat NPH – added to the overall enjoyment of a truly great story. I can’t recommend this highly enough!!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

  • Jason, The Nobody
  • Lilith, The Drama Queen
  • Wes, The Flirt
  • Ally, The Athlete
  • Rex, The Rebel

Five teens spend their last free Saturday before starting high school at the Northbrook Retirement Village. This is their penance. Because of their choices at the end of eighth grade, they have “detention.” This day of service will be their punishment and will hopefully teach them something so that they make better choices in the future.

The kids may have gone to the same middle school, but that doesn’t mean they are friends. Jason rarely strings a whole sentence together, but his sketch book tells a lot of stories. Lilith is hoping to redeem the day by developing character ideas from some of the elderly folks at the Village. Wes turns on the charm and has everyone eating out of his hand. Ally has her father’s words ringing in her ears – complaints that this is a lost day of practice, and admonishments to make up for it wherever she can. Rex is the one they all know. Her anger is legendary around the school.

What will happen when these five students come together for a day of service and senior citizens?

Review

This is The Breakfast Club meets The Golden Girls. And it’s outstanding! I loved everything about this – the characters, the humor and the heart. A slam dunk from start to finish.

The kids take turns telling the story, like a Rob Buyea novel (Saving Mr. Terupt, The Perfect Score, etc.), which is a structure I love in middle grade novels. It allows the reader to be in the head of a variety of characters and personalities. But the students in this weren’t the only great characters. The elderly folks at Northbrook were so fun! Agnes was my absolute favorite, although there were several close seconds. And the dynamic between the facility manager and the kids’ principal was a hoot!

For 80% of the story, the reader is learning the characters, watching them warm up to each other and then push each other away. The reader is putting the various puzzles together. And just when you have a good feel for everyone, the author hits you with the heart. All the build up pays off. I was surrounded by a pile of tissues for the ending. It was perfect. I was sad to see the story come to an end. I would love to spend more time with these characters – both the elderly ones and the teens. There are several nods to The Breakfast Club, but they are subtle and clever and fit right in without being a distraction.

This is my new favorite middle grade for 2018. It’s been a great year for middle grade, and this is a terrific addition to the collection.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller

REVIEW: Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller

Posted on by Jaymie

[Profuse thanks to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the priviledge of reading an electronic review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Jane is a “blend into the background” sort of kid by choice. She keeps her head down. She avoids attention. Her grades are good enough to get by. And that is her focus – to get by.

But something is very different at school that January. Some kid is walking around dressed as a superhero, calling herself Captain Superlative. Who does that?! Kids will think she’s weird. They’ll call her a freak!

Captain Superlative catches Janey’s imagination, though. She watches the Captain help kids all around the school. She opens doors for the kid in a wheelchair and makes a study guide for the whole seventh grade to help with a tough test. And she stands up to the Queen Bee, Dagmar, when she bullies her favorite target.

Before she really knows what’s happening, Janey finds a little bit of the heart of a hero in herself. She steps out of the shadows and joins Captain Superlative as she tries to make a difference in the lives of every single person in the school. But when things turn rocky, Janey will have to decide if she’s going to run back to the shadows again or if she is brave enough to stand alone in the spotlight.

Review

If I could give more than five stars to this, I would! (In fact, I looked back and one other time I gave a book a 5+ rating. I think I have to do that again for this book.) This was spectacular! In fact, just before I read this, I read a book I thought would surely be a favorite for 2018, and after reading this book, I can barely remember what I liked about the last one. This one has just consumed me since I finished it. This book has everything I love – a fascinating story, amazing characters and tons of heart. But this went one step farther with a hint of a “message.” It’s subtle, and it is woven into the entire fabric of the book. And it is perfect.

Oh, how I love Janey. She exemplifies everything I love about middle school students. She’s full of heart and strength and fear. She’s trying to make her way through difficult situations and do the right thing. Sometimes she fails. But you understand her heart. You know where her choices are coming from. I wanted to hug her. A lot. She’s a delight.

This was an emotional one for me – at least a six-tissue read. It would be hard for me to read this out loud without crying. But this begs to be read out loud – to be experienced “together.” It’s a bullying story on one small level. But it is so much more! It’s about a culture of kindness, about finding your voice, and about then using it to help others. It’s about family and friendship and legacy and character. And it’s wholly superlative.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm

REVIEW: Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

It’s hard for Dylan to live in her sister, Dusty’s, shadow. Dusty is tall and gorgeous and popular and confident. She was Miss Mississippi. And now she is marrying Ronan, a Scottish lord-to-be that she met on the Bachelor-style reality show Prince in Disguise. Next to Dusty, Dylan feels geeky and awkward and out of place.

This is especially true when she finds herself at Ronan’s Scottish castle for their Christmas Eve wedding. First, the best man leaves her standing in the cold for almost an hour, waiting for a ride to the castle. She’s rescued by another groomsman, Jamie. At least he’s her age, smart and funny. But at the castle, she feels the cameras all around her. Dusty may be fine with all the TV attention, but Dylan wants no part of it.

The wedding-prep days include a lot of surprises for Dylan – things she’d like to keep off camera and to herself. Not the least of which are her feelings about Jamie. But she may find there are more important things than protecting her own privacy.

Review

I’m not sure I have words big enough for how much I loved this book! It was outstanding! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book like I did this one. It’s SO funny! It’s romantic. Sweet and fun and fiesty! I wanted it to go on and on. I loved the characters and wanted to spend even more time with them. This will definitely be a re-read for me! If the author decides to write a sequel, I will be the first in line to buy it!

Everything worked for me in this. The reality TV plot was terrific. It forced characters to decide what was for public consumption and what wasn’t. And how they would handle the difference. The family relationships changed and developed in the story in great, realistic ways. The chemistry between Dylan and Jamie was endearing. I loved them together. There were some fun surprises and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. This could easily be my favorite book of 2017.

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this spectacular book in exchange for an honest review. I honestly adored it. I read another book by Stephanie Kate Strohm earlier this year – It’s Not Me, It’s You– and I loved it too. That book made it onto my Holiday Hint List for 2017 – and if I had read this before I published the list, Prince in Disguise would have been on there, too.  Hand both of these books to the teens in your life – especially the ones who might not want books with the language and mature content found in some other books for teens and young adults.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++