Tag: friendship

REVIEW: Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

REVIEW: Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Fortuna Jane Belleweather has a secret. Well, actually, she has 58 million secrets. Jane bought the sole winning lottery ticket for a prize of $58 million.

Jane’s first problem is that she’s 17 for 2 more weeks. So she can’t turn the ticket in by herself yet. And it’s stressful to leave it hidden in random places in her house.

Second, Jane’s mom is a hoarder. It seemed to start when Jane’s dad died, and it’s progressively getting worse. She should never have access to this much money.

Third, Jane lives in a small rural community in Wisconsin. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. And they all know someone bought the ticket. So everyone is obsessing over it.

The more Jane learns about her situation and about the pitfalls of winning the lottery, the more panicked she feels about it. It might be better to tear up the ticket and let the town always wonder who the winner was.

Review

Woah, this was more stressful than I expected! Every time Jane left the winning ticket somewhere, I felt the panic of what might happen. Ugh.  Jane is really in a pickle (and it only gets worse). I found it fascinating that the community would be so hateful and resentful over the unclaimed money. They seemed to feel entitled to know who won – or entitled to criticize anyone who would keep it a secret.

I was relieved by the author’s solution in the end. It was the best outcome I could have imagined – better that the solution I exclaimed out loud when things got progressively out of control.

I didn’t love any of the characters in this. I had a lot of sympathy for Jane and her mom, though. And I despised the ex. There’s a great epilogue to show the reader what happens next that was satisfying. If you like lottery stories you might also check out Windfall or Too Lucky to Live. (Language, LGBTQ+, references to sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Find/solid/good

REVIEW: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

REVIEW: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

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

Poppy always dreamed of a life and career centered around travel. She works for a hugely popular travel magazine. She designs and executes dream vacations her readers long for. But lately it all feels empty. She’s gotten everything she thought she wanted. Now, she misses wanting something. She needs a new goal. She longs to feel happy again.

The last time Poppy felt happy was two years ago on her summer vacation with Alex Nilsen.

Alex was Poppy’s best friend. They met during orientation at college when they discovered they were from the same town. They got to know each other when they shared a ride home after freshman year. Then they became inseparable from that point on, even vacationing together every summer. Until two years ago when it fell apart.

But Poppy wants to be happy again. So she reaches out to Alex, and after some texts, they plan another summer trip to coincide with Alex’s brother’s wedding. But a lot has happened in the last two years. And they’ve never worked out what happened on that last trip. They might not be able to pick up where they left off like Poppy hopes. And if not, where does that leave her?

Review

This wasn’t a great match for me. It was fine. I liked Poppy and Alex well enough, but I didn’t love them. The big mystery of what happened two years ago was drawn out through most of the book. And the back and forth through time, back to college and their previous vacations, made the book feel really long, and not in a great way.

I was committed to seeing the story through, and I’m not sad I stuck with this. I liked the college stories for Poppy and Alex, and I got a kick out of the references to and scenes with their siblings. But otherwise this one was just “okay” for me. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Fine/solid

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

REVIEW: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

On the morning of Brian’s 13th birthday, his dad disappears leaving only a cryptic note, and his mom overdoses and is rushed to the hospital. Before the day is over, Brian and his little brother are in foster care. The pressure starts mounting, Brian’s anxiety starts growing, and he starts pushing back at everyone around him. He strikes back at his bully. He runs away from his foster home.

Ezra is one of the only guys at school who treats Brian like a friend. But as Brian starts to spiral, Ezra realizes that he’s never stood up for Brian to his other friends. Lately it seems like Brian might need a buddy to lean on, and Ezra is the one person he might trust enough to help him. The complication is that Ezra has a crush on Brian. And he’s not quite sure what to do with those feelings.

Review

I adored this! Brian and Ezra will quickly become kids you want to hang out with – and hug. There are so many exceptional character pieces in this – Brian’s evolution through the story, Ezra’s fierce desire to help Brian, Gabe – my favorite character – and Brittany, Brian’s family dynamics… It’s all perfection. I quickly became attached to these characters. And I would have happily kept reading another book’s worth of pages with them.

There’s a lot of heavy content in this one – the overdose/suicide attempt, Brian’s panic attacks and social anxiety, some of Brian’s choices in the story, Ezra working through his understanding of his sexuality and the impact of it on his friendships, grief and loss – which is why this is an older middle grade story for readers 10 and up. All of the content is handled beautifully. But it’s still a lot, especially when you remember that Brian and Ezra are only 13. (The story reminds me of A List of Cages in some of the content, although more “mild” in some ways for the younger audience.)

This would be a great book for discussion with kids – both to help them process some of the more serious pieces of the story, but also because it’s such a rich and meaty story with great characters and an engaging plot. I think kids will love Brian and Ezra (and Gabe!). And the story here will leave readers with lots to think about. (LGBTQ+, TW: Panic attacks/anxiety, suicide attempt, bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

REVIEW: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sometimes, Charlie wishes she was more like her best friend, Amelia. She’s stylish, athletic, and popular. Even Charlie’s mom acts like she’d rather have Amelia as her daughter. And Charlie’s crush, Cal, can’t get enough of Amelia, even though she shuts him down, hard, all the time.

Not only does Charlie’s mom seem to like Amelia better, but she’s always on Charlie about her weight.  She gave her an activity tracker so she can track Charlie’s steps. She sells meal replacement shakes online and pushes Charlie about using them. When Charlie’s dad died and her mom focused her grief on losing weight, the dynamic between them shifted dramatically. Charlie chose self-acceptance instead of obsessing about weight, or at least she is trying to.

As Charlie negotiates her junior year, her worsening relationship with her mom, and her first boyfriend, things come to a head that leaves her on shaky ground.

Review

I adored this! It’s absolutely perfect – painful at times, sure, but so enjoyable overall. I loved Charlie! She, Amelia, and Brian made such a fantastic core group of characters. I would have loved a few more chapters with the characters at the end.

The writing and the story and the characters perfectly capture first love – and its sometimes all-consuming nature. The dynamic between Charlie and her mom also felt very real. I liked that, while progress was made, there were no instant solutions or easy answers to their issues (although, honest communication helped).

This is Charlie’s story of self-kindness, self-acceptance, and self-celebration. It’s a story *every* reader could enjoy and learn from. There were several moments where I wanted to mark the page or underline the writing – perfect little nuggets  I wanted to savor. This would make an excellent choice for a book group or discussion group. Don’t miss this one! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: fat shaming)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

REVIEW: Capturing the Earl by A. S. Fenichel

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A woman of no title or money, Mercy Heath knows she is likely to wind up a spinster. And the one man who makes her pulse race, the Earl of Castlewick, would never pursue her. She’s nowhere near his level. And she keeps telling herself that, even when he asks her to dance out of the blue, or when he pays her any bit of attention.

Mercy’s best friend, Aurora, Lady Radcliff, is widowed and has no intention of remarrying. Ever. But the Earl of Castlewick has decided to court her. She owns a parcel of land that used to belong to his family. As her husband, the land would return to his family’s holdings. That has been the driving focus of Wesley’s adult life – buying back the land his grandfather lost yeas ago.

Wesley is committed to this plan for the sake of his family and the promise he made to his father before he died. And Aurora is lovely and bright and would make a good wife. But he can’t stop thinking of Mercy and wishing she was the woman he was pursing instead.

Review

This was lovely! It’s book 3 in the Wallflowers of West Lane series. I have the first two books on my TBR, but I haven’t gotten to them yet. After enjoying this so much, I’ll be bumping them up the list. I adored all four of the Wallflowers, and I can’t wait to read the first two stories. (I had no issues jumping into this series with book 3.)

The first thing I loved about this was the quartet of friends. I didn’t have to have read the previous books – The Earl Not Taken and Misleading a Duke – in order to enjoy and understand their bond. They are like sisters in all the best ways – fiercely loyal and protective of anyone in their circle. These ladies are amazing.

I especially liked Mercy as the odd woman out in this book. No title, no money, but fully secure in who she is and in the love of her friends. It was obvious from the start that Wesley was captivated by her. But he stubbornly clung to his plan to marry Aurora, despite his feelings and her clear disinterest. I felt like a stronger case could have been made for why this land mattered to Wesley so much. (I also would have liked much stronger repercussions for something that happens later in the story.) But I liked everything else so much that I didn’t let those pieces distract me from the story.

Historical romance fans who enjoy stories with characters thwarted in their pursuit of love and with excellent, strong women, should be sure to check this book out – as well as the rest of the series. (Sex, TW: sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Shuri: The Vanished by Nic Stone

REVIEW: Shuri: The Vanished by Nic Stone

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

As Shuri digs into her studies and training in order to earn a trip to a tech conclave with her brother, King T’Challa, she starts hearing rumors of missing teen girls. First, it’s someone she met on her last adventure. Then it’s someone her best friend K’Marah knows. Then Shuri is hacked by an American girl who also has a missing friend. And those three girls are just the tip of the iceberg. Girls from around the world between 10 and 15 years old, all with major STEM skills, have gone missing. But no one seems to have noticed.

When Shuri discovers coordinates in Ethiopia where the missing girls might be, she and K’Marah scheme for an opportunity to get away and check the place out. While they feel obligated to be sure the girls are safe, two more teenage girls on a rescue mission might not be the best choice. And what they find seems to raise more questions than it answers.

Review

This was fun! I loved the premise of the book – the missing STEM teens – and Shuri’s journey to solve the mystery. There’s nice development to Shuri’s relationship with K’Marah. And there are several fun appearances of folks from the larger Marvel universe. I would love to see the wrap up of this book become something bigger that gets explored more in a future story. Shuri seems well-positioned to make a difference for other bright young minds that don’t have the resources or support that she does.

Fans of the first book should NOT miss this one. Newcomers probably don’t need to have read that one to follow the action of this one, but it’s fun to see the full arc for Shuri in order. Readers should be aware that while there are some connections to the Wakandan world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this series does not line up 100% with the movie timeline. Also, this is a prose novel, not a graphic novel.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Endless Waiting by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

REVIEW: Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Endless Waiting by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

A hungry Ben starts his day without sausages (his stomach is pretty put out about that!), but with a fortune cookie. But then he has to give the cookie away (cue angrier stomach), leaving him with just the fortune: “Good things come to those who wait.”

This seems like good advice. And Ben wants good things. So he decides to do more waiting. But it doesn’t always make things better like he thought it would. For example, he waits to claim a partner for a class project and gets stuck with Walter. They used to be friends, but now Walter is kind of an outcast. In this case, waiting might have been a bad move.

Review

This is book 2 in the illustrated Cookie Chronicles series. I have not read book one, which was not an issue for understanding this book. This is primarily a friendship story. Ben follows his fortune and it causes a fracture in his relationship with his friends at school AND it gets him “stuck” with Walter on this project. I loved watching Ben wrestle through his friendship questions both with Walter and with the other kids. He makes some mistakes along the way, but his heart is in the right place. I think readers will enjoy the scavenger hunt pieces of the story as well as the friendship pieces.

Ben and Walter are both 8-going-on-9 which pitches this young in the world of middle grade novels. Because of that, I think this would also work for younger kids reading early chapter books who are ready for longer, more nuanced stories that still don’t delve into the more mature topics tackled in some middle grade books.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Retake by Jen Calonita

REVIEW: The Retake by Jen Calonita

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Zoe gets back from her family’s summer vacation, she discovers her best friend, Laura, has moved on without her. New friends, new in-jokes, new interests. And Zoe is left to negotiate the start of 7th grade watching Laura from the sidelines.

Zoe is convinced if she was only cooler, if she did things Laura likes, then they can get back to being best friends. And a mysterious new app on her phone gives her the chance to test this theory.

The app lets Zoe go back in time to key moments in her friendship with Laura and get a do-over. And it works! But not in the ways Zoe was hoping for….

Review

This is another fun twist on the time travel/do over story. No time loop in this one, which is refreshing, but Zoe does get to do a few moments of the last year over. The set up of this story is clever and fun.

It was heartbreaking to see how much of herself Zoe is willing to sacrifice in her efforts to hang onto Laura – who was not a great friend in the first place. Zoe’s sister has Laura figured out from the start, but Zoe has to walk the journey to see those things for herself. And it was satisfying – although cringe-worthy – to watch her work through the issues and decide how she wants to move forward.

This would be terrific as a classroom read aloud or a book group selection. My review copy didn’t have discussion questions, but I think they almost write themselves. Kids could get a lot out of digging into the friendship dynamics of the kids in the book. And the discussion of moments readers might choose to do over would be fascinating. Don’t miss this friendship story with a science fiction/time travel twist from Jen Calonita.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

REVIEW: Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Amelia and Jenna became best friends on one of the worst days of Amelia’s life. Jenna’s family welcomed Amelia in as a daughter. And they gave her a sense of home. As a graduation gift, they even send the girls to a book festival in California where they have VIP tickets to see a presentation by Amelia’s favorite author, N. E. Endsley.

But Endsley cancels his session. Amelia is devastated.

To make matters worse, Jenna explains that she met Endsley. The immensely private author was having a panic attack. And Jenna told him to be true to himself and do what was necessary to care for himself, so he left. Amelia was incensed. Jenna met him? And made him leave? The fight after that was probably the first of their friendship.

And the last.

Jenna is killed in a car accident not long after. And Amelia is lost and adrift. Then a special edition book by N. E. Endsley arrives from a bookstore in Michigan. Amelia can’t imagine how it found its way to her, but she is certain it has something to do with Jenna. So she takes a trip to Michigan to see what Jenna might be trying to tell her.

Review

I don’t know that I have the words to do this justice. I was captivated from the first page. Just reading through the summary above makes me want to pick the book up again and dive in. I thought I knew roughly how the story would play out, but I was surprised time and time again in so many perfect ways. If I had to choose an exemplary “perfect” book for me, this would be one example. Characters, setting, heart, story – every piece was a perfect fit for me.

I loved Amelia and the main characters of the story. The book store in Michigan sounds like a place I could get lost in for days. The author’s descriptions – of the Orman books, of Amelia’s pictures, of her connection to her closest friends – drew me in. Sometimes a book’s prose will capture my attention, pulling me out of the story with lovely turns of phrase. Instead, in this book, the writing was so fantastic it pulled me further into the story. I lost track of the reading experience and just lived in the story for awhile. It was magical.

Every piece, every page, every bit. Lovely. Perfect. Exceptional. This will be one of the 2021 books that will stick with me for years to come. (Language, TW: grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

*♥♥♥♥♥+++ = Best of the best

REVIEW: Get a Clue by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: Get a Clue by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Huck’s intentions were good. He can’t help his highly observational nature. With so few people in the class, it was obvious the instructor was refusing to call on girls in the class. Huck offered to speak up, but the instructor’s primary target said no. So Huck took the video as proof to share with his friends from his old school.

He never meant to post it.
He never meant for it to go viral.
He never meant for a picture of one of his classmates to be turned into a slew of unflattering memes.

So Huck is learning from his mistake. He’s keeping his mouth closed and his observations mostly to himself. He’s doing extra work with Ms. Gregoire and also reading Sherlock Holmes. And he’s pining for his crush, Win, who goes to another school. Any excuse he can find to hang out with Win’s older brother Curtis, Huck takes so he can maybe see Win.

Huck’s observational skills get a workout with Win’s family. There are a lot of unspoken things in the family that are practically screaming at Huck. He saw what happened last time he tried to fix something.

But when Huck discovers someone is pulling a smear campaign on Win that is costing him friends, the trust of his family, and a chance to transfer to Huck’s school, he promises Win he’s going to figure out the mystery. Just like Holmes would. Although that means Huck needs to stay objective about the case. No dating Win until the mystery is solved.

Review

I was devastated to read this would be the last of the Bookish Boyfriends series, “at least for now” according to the author. I have adored this series from the first book. Each new book is my “series fave” – until the next book is released. Books 2 and 3 were in my most favorite of favorites lists for the years when I read them. I adore the premise of the series, the characters, the humor, the charm, the books, and the romances.

Huck feels like a young Shawn Spencer (from the show Psych) although with more emotional insight and self-awareness. His observational skills are (usually) brilliant and on target. He’s also charming like Shawn (and unlike Sherlock Holmes), so he’s adorable, someone you are cheering for from the beginning.

I loved the mystery in this. It was a pretty intense situation for such a fun and funny series. It made for a lovely contrast. And the severity really highlights some of the issues Win is dealing with. Huck learns some good lessons about boundaries as he wrestles with the best course of action to both solve the mystery and protect Win.

The emotional and relational pieces of the story are excellent as always. All of my favorite series characters are here. The interplay is great; the chemistry between Win and Huck is delightful. And I loved watching what it meant to Win to have someone who really sees him and believes him in his corner, fighting with and for him.

If every teenager named in this book was given a story of their own, I would buy every last one. This series is such a breath of fresh air for me. It always makes me laugh and always leaves me with warm feelings about the main couple. These are perfect examples of comfort books – the ones you go back to time and time again because you know they will provide the perfect escape. Do not miss the fourth book in this incredible series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding