Saturday, August 26, 2023

Book Review - Somebody's Daughter by David Bell

 


Somebody's Daughter by David Bell is about a man who is roped in to save a child that may be his. Michael Frazier was having an enjoyable dinner with his wife, Angela, and the last thing he expected was his ex-wife, Erica, showing up. He hasn’t seen or talked to her in the last ten years  since they divorced.

Erica is desperate for Michael’s help. Her ten-year-old daughter, Felicity, is missing and Erica claims Michael is the father. Michael is unsure because Erica never mentioned anything about a child and he feels that she is lying to him so he feels obligated to help her.

Michael is hesitant to follow Erica into the dark of the night but he is unwilling to turn his back to a child who might be in danger.  As Michael follows Erica into the darkness of the night, he realizes that there are secrets and lies from the past decade unraveling that might put his new family in danger. He doesn’t know who he can trust and who else is hiding secrets from him.

The book was narrated from multiple perspectives: Michael; Angela; and one of the detectives on the case, Detective Griffin. The book was fast paced and had a lot of twists and turns. However, I felt the book left a lot to be desired and seemed a bit clunky, in that the book introduces a lot of twists and side stories about secrets from the last decade but none of them are really fleshed out. One of the side stories questions the paternity of the missing girl but even in the end, they never really tell us who the father is. There is another subplot where Erica stole the baby but nothing comes from that and the two characters just faded out. I felt like that the author just threw a bunch of random possibilities to keep the reader guessing but failed to say this is what really happened.

I questioned a lot of the characters’ intelligence because they did things that I wonder why they thought they were good ideas. When Michael left Angela at home, she was going crazy thinking of the different things that could go wrong. Her mother in law, Gail, offers to come over and keep her company. Angela had seen a strange man stalking their house and they both ended up inviting that stranger into their house. The stranger was aggressive and then started searching their house and taking their phones hostage. Eventually, Angela leaves with this person willingly even though she is terrified and her husband doesn’t know where she is. I don’t know if any rational person would let a stranger into my house when their spouse’s supposed child went missing and then that person takes my phone.

I felt like the book was a slow build with the short chapters that were alternating narratives between the characters. It did make the story seem like it was fast paced but sometimes I wanted to read more about what was going on in the current arc for a particular chapter. I felt the ending came out of nowhere and it wasn’t something I expected. I felt like the author could have edited the book and made it a bit more focused and I’d have enjoyed the book a lot more. If you like suspenseful thrillers with twists and turns, you might enjoy this book.

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Book Review - Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

 

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon is about a grandmother, mother, and granddaughter trio who decide to solve a murder.  Lana Rubicon is known for her killer business skills. She’d caused many people to tremble in their shoes when they knew she was coming. She is proud of the L.A. real estate empire she has built with her keen business intuition and taste.

After having a health scare, she decides to move 300 miles north of the city to a small coastal town where her daughter, Beth lives with her teenage granddaughter, Jack. Lana isn’t used to the easygoing sleepy town vibes. She tries to get used to the slower pace of life instead of fast paced life in LA but it’s a hard adjustment spending her days doing nothing. Lana feels that the boredom might kill her before the cancer does and that she needs something to do to make her feel relevant again.

Jack is independent and loves the slough near their house. She works as a kayak tour guide and wants to save up enough money for a boat to go sailing by herself. While on a tour, one of the kayakers finds a dead body. Jack brings in the group and reports the body to the police. Jack becomes a suspect because she finds the body but she was also out in the slough the day before with another tour group. Beth and Lana are worried that the police will just blame Jack for the murder without actually investigating the crime. Beth wants her mother to focus on getting better while finding Jack a lawyer instead of Lana sticking her nose into the investigation. However, Lana decides that she can’t sit still while her granddaughter is accused of something she didn’t do. Lana will stop at nothing to protect her family while proving that she is still useful. Will Lana be able to find out the truth behind the murder?

The book was a fun and quick read. The characters were quirky with some laughable moments. I liked reading about Lana and her amateur sleuthing journey. I like that the author showed us how Lana was piecing together the clues and her thought pattern behind her deductions. The murderer was easy to guess but their motivation was slightly different than I was expecting.

The murder aspect does play a role but the story also focuses on repairing and strengthening the bonds between the three women. Lana cares about her daughter and granddaughter but didn’t spend any time with them. She has to learn how to bridge the gap that has widened over the years. While Beth is trying to let go control of her daughter and giving her own space and independence.  Beth finds it difficult since it has only been the two of them for years. It was interesting seeing how the characters were trying to navigate the relationships with each other while trying to figure out their needs and the murderer. If you are looking for a murder mystery with a bit of heart, then you might enjoy this book.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Book Review - All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen

 


All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen is about two Black male students who struggle to gain acceptance and equality in the prestigious schools they attend. In April 1968, Kevin was a student at Princeton and lived through the day when Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated. He and his fellow students decide to join a protest to protect the neighboring community from losing their homes as Columbia University gobbles up more real estate to expand their institution to build a new gym. Kevin and his fellow students are disappointed in the college because those homes belong to low income people of color who won’t have anywhere else to go. The school made it seem that it cares about the community and its students of color but the move made the students think otherwise. Kevin is unsure where he falls in the spectrum because his family has afforded him more privileges in comparison to other Black students. At times, he questions if he should be pushing hard for equality or should be grateful for his opportunities and keep quiet.

In September 1995, Gibran attended a prestigious private prep school. He and his fellow Black male students want to attend the Million Man March to show support of their culture. When they try to convince the school to allow them to attend, they face backlash which might lead to several consequences for Gibran if he doesn’t get in line with the policies at school. Gibran feels that even though the school has a Black principal, his and his fellow classmates' needs are not being met. They are expected to conform to their White classmates and other faculty’s perspectives of them. Gibran is quick to anger and he feels with every injustice that he consecutively faces, that his fuse gets smaller and smaller. The people around him worry about him and for him, especially when he seems to be ready to explode at any given moment. 

The two students are connected and their struggles overlap in many different ways. They both want to emphasize the struggles and inequalities that Black people face on a daily basis. Both Gibran and Kevin came from families that were able to provide them with opportunities that other people of color might not have. They want to protest the quality of treatment Black people receive but, calling attention to the cause might cause them both to lose their opportunities that their parents worked hard to provide them with. Will Kevin and Gibran be able to discover who they want to be instead of accepting who society tells them they are?

I thought the book was an emotional read. It spoke of two turbulent times in history where racial tensions were high. I never knew about the Columbia gym fiasco and that was interesting to read and learn about. The book was narrated by Gibran and Kevin who were born decades apart but had similar struggles. It was interesting seeing how they both navigated what society and their respective families wanted for them and how they wanted the world to perceive them. Both character arcs were well developed and coincide with historical events to add more depth to their stories.

The book showcases how different people experience different things. In Gibran’s chapters, he talks about how he and his fellow Black students had to watch a talent show in which white students were mimicking their culture and how disrespectful it felt to them. When he tried to explain how it made them feel, he was expected to show them respect about their thoughts and feelings but he  didn’t get the same respect back. It was hard to read that because we are taught to show respect but I can relate to how he was feeling of not being seen and respected. I feel like these chapters might be hard to digest for some readers but it is important to understand other people’s feelings and culture and treat them respectfully. 

I thought the book was thought provoking and had many important heartfelt moments. However, I was surprised at the language the book had included for young readers. Personally, I wish the author didn’t include this but, I can understand if they felt that it made the characters more authentic. This was the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more books by the author.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Book Review - Holly Horror by Michelle Jabès Corpora

 


Holly Horror by Michelle Jabès Corpora is about a young girl who moved into a new house following her parents’ divorce. Evie Archer, her brother, Stan, and her mother move from NYC to Ravenglass, Massachusetts for a fresh start. Evie is excited for a new start and to blend in with everyone. She quickly learns that the house she moves into has a dark history and all the locals know about it. 

The Hobbie House is also known as the Horror House after a young girl around Evie’s age named Holly Hobbie, goes missing from the home. Her body was never found and no one knows how she disappeared as she vanished from her bedroom without a trace.

As Evie begins to investigate the house’s past, she realizes there is more to the story. She learns that before Holly went missing another young girl disappeared in an eerily similar way. Evie wonders if the two cases are connected. As she investigates, she realizes that something insidious is in the house and it’s slowly encroaching on Evie’s life. Evie is starting to have a hard time differentiating what is real and what isn’t. Will Evie find out what happened to Holly or will she suffer a similar fate?

The young adult novel was a quick and entertaining read. The author slowly builds up the suspense and creepiness factor to set the mood. The book is told from Evie’s perspective and her character is well fleshed out. However, the author did not do as great a job developing the other supporting characters in my view. I wish we got to learn more about her mother, Stan, and Evie’s romantic interest, Desmond. The story hints that something happened with her father but, it was much later did we get some idea of what occurred. I hoped the reader got more detail about familial relationships earlier on especially when Evie was struggling at Hobbie House. It would have helped shine some light on Evie’s mental state.

While the book is billed as a horror novel, I didn’t find it scary or spooky. I found that the story was a bit slow to build up and it was very predictable. The romantic element was a bit fast, especially the intensity. It seemed that Evie liked Desmond but then didn’t always keep him in the loop and they went from talking about their sewing class to being madly in love. It seems that a lot of the characters said that Evie was spiraling out of control but didn’t do much to ensure she was okay or vice versa. Her friend, Tina, who got Evie interested in the history of Hobbie House didn’t really play much of a role. I was surprised that the book was going to be a part of the series as I felt like it could be a standalone. I felt like the book took forever to build up and when it finally got to the end, it happened so quickly. However, I would be open to reading more books from the series. If you like young adult horror series, then you might enjoy this book.

Friday, August 18, 2023

Book Spotlight - Light Comes to Shadow Mountain by Toni Buzzeo + Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: LIGHT COMES TO SHADOW MOUNTAIN

Author: Toni Buzzeo

Pub. Date: July 11, 2023

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 272

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/LIGHT-COMES-TO-SHADOW-MOUNTAIN

Cora Mae Tipton is determined to light up her Appalachian community in this historical fiction novel from an award-winning author and former librarian.

It’s 1937 and the government is pushing to bring electricity to the mountains of southeastern Kentucky. It’s all Cora can think of; radios with news from around the world, machines that keep food cold, lightbulbs by which to read at night! Cora figures she can help spread the word by starting a school newspaper and convincing her neighbors to support the Rural Electrification Act.

But resistance to change isn’t easy to overcome, especially when it starts at home. Cora’s mother is a fierce opponent of electrification. She argues that protecting the landscape of the holler—the trees, the streams, the land that provides for their way of life—is their responsibility. But Cora just can’t let go of wanting more.

Lyrical, literary, and deeply heartfelt, this debut novel from an award-winning author-librarian speaks to family, friendship, and loss through the spirited perspective of a girl eager for an electrified existence, but most of all, the light of her mother’s love and acceptance.

Back matter includes an Author’s Note; further information on the Rural Electrification Act, the herbs and plants of Appalachia, the Pack Horse Library Project, and more; and a “Quick Questions” historical trivia section for readers.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

About Taylor Tyng:

Toni Buzzeo is a New York Times bestselling children’s author. She has published twenty-nine picture books for kids as well as eleven books for teachers and librarians. A former librarian and college and high school writing teacher, Toni and her books have won many awards, including a Caldecott Honor for One Cool Friend, illustrated by David Small. Endlessly enthusiastic, Toni draws on her career experiences as an elementary school librarian in crafting her books and speaking with audiences of children in schools and libraries. Toni lives in Arlington, Massachusetts.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 


Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LIGHT COMES TO SHADOW MOUNTAIN, US Only.

Ends August 22nd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/7/2023

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Excerpt/IG Post

8/7/2023

YA Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

8/8/2023

Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

8/8/2023

Paws.Read.Repeat

Review/IG Post

8/9/2023

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

8/9/2023

Gryffindorbookishnerd

IG Review

8/10/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

8/10/2023

avainbookland

Review/IG Post

8/11/2023

Lifestyle of Me

Review/IG Post

8/11/2023

Review Thick And Thin

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

8/14/2023

@get.outside.and.read

IG Review

8/14/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

8/15/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

8/15/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

8/16/2023

@jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review/TikTok Post

8/16/2023

enthuse_reader

IG Review/TikTok Post

8/17/2023

gsreadingspree

IG Review

8/17/2023

Two Points of Interest

Review

8/18/2023

@dharashahauthor

IG Review/TikTok Post

8/18/2023

popthebutterfly

Review/IG Post


Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Book Spotlight - Clara Poole and the Long Way Round by Taylor Tyng + Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: CLARA POOLE AND THE LONG WAY ROUND

Author: Taylor Tyng

Pub. Date: July 4, 2023

Publisher: Pixel+Ink

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 384

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/CLARA-POOLE-AND-THE-LONG-WAY-ROUND

Mr. Lemoncello meets the Amazing Race in this quirky high-octane balloon-racing middle grade around-the-world adventure.

When an unintended flight over Michigan in her class science project—a lawn chair held aloft by balloons—brings her instant celebrity, Clara Poole is invited to be the spokesperson for a round-the-world adventure race. But when her overprotective father refuses, Clara forges his signature in a moment of defiance and runs away to Paris to take her place in the skies. If only she’d read the fine print first.

Partnered with a veteran aeronaut who wants nothing to do with her, Clara faces down ten treacherous stages in a race around the world—capturing flags in the perilous mountains of Nepal; being a guest of honor at a maybe-wedding in the Saharan desert; flying through rings of fire in Hong Kong—all while learning the ropes alongside a colorful cast of international competitors.

But there are more dangers ahead. Someone is trying to sabotage the competition. And surviving this race means Clara must come to terms with the tragedy that set her fleeing to the skies in the first place, and accepting that forgiving herself isn’t a process she has to undertake alone.

Gorgeous prose and winning characters combine in this quirky, often-hilarious, sometimes heart-breaking, and thoroughly captivating middle grade adventure series starter from an incredible new talent.

Book Trailer:


 About Taylor Tyng:


Taylor Tyng has worked as a designer, animator, film editor, and software CEO. He finds endless

joy in writing for middle-grade readers, who are no longer children but not quite adults. He lives

in Massachusetts with his family. Visit him online at TaylorTyng.com.

https://linktr.ee/taylortyng

 



Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of CLARA POOLE AND THE LONG WAY ROUND, US Only.

Ends August 22nd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/7/2023

YA Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

8/7/2023

Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

8/8/2023

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

8/8/2023

@allyluvsbooksalatte

IG Review/TikTok Post

8/9/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

8/9/2023

Destiny's Path

Review/IG Post

8/10/2023

Lifestyle of Me

Review/IG Post

8/10/2023

Review Thick And Thin

Review/IG Post

8/11/2023

enthuse_reader

IG Review/TikTok Post

8/11/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

8/14/2023

Two Points of Interest

Review

8/14/2023

@katherinebichler

TikTok Post

8/15/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

8/15/2023

Gryffindorbookishnerd

IG Review

8/16/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

8/16/2023

@get.outside.and.read

IG Review

8/17/2023

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

8/17/2023

popthebutterfly

Review/IG Post

8/18/2023

@pagesforpaige

Review/IG Post

8/18/2023

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post