The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser! This translated book begins with Amy and her mom, Alexis, packing for a trip to a Scottish Island for a well deserved break. Alexis is from this island and her mother lives there and that’s where they will be staying. Amy’s family has a special gift that her mother has kept a secret until now. The Lennox family, along with the neighboring family that also inhabits the island, are book jumpers. Book jumping is both of their family’s legacy and responsibility. They book jump to keep the stories and characters in line and to keep the plots from going astray. Amy, Betsy and Will book jump to solve the mystery of why stories have all of a sudden become unpredictable. They discover that the ideas are being stolen from several different stories, but they don’t know why or by whom. I enjoyed how the author brought literary classics into the story with the details readers know and love and also used these stories as the main point of the mystery. The Book Jumper is a refreshing read with characters to love and characters to hate, as well as an imaginative plot, some romance and suspense – 4.5 stars!

Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano! Wow! The story jumps right into the action and mystery by opening with a girl waking up in a gully, with no memories of the past year or where she is or how she got there. Little by little, she learns what has taken place as her memories trickle back. The human trafficking in this book reminds me a bit of the Liam Neeson movie, Taken, with plenty of mystery and action all on its own. Rachel has a strength unmatched by others and she has to rely on that strength to get her through her current struggles. As her memories resurface, Rachel realizes that many teenagers- male and female – are in danger and she will do whatever it takes to help them. Banter between Rachel and her brother Kyle, alleviate some of the teen angst and dark struggles in this story. A bit of hopeful romance adds charm that lightens the mood also. This is unpredictable and a unique take on young adult mystery and I rate it 4 stars! I appreciate the author adding runaway, suicide, teen safety and teen health and wellness hotline information at the end of the book. As is often the case, when someone suffers it is difficult to ask people we know for help, so this hotline information is a wonderful resource.

Textrovert by Lindsey Summers

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read and review Textrovert by Lindsey Summers! Keeley is a procrastinator and an introvert, while her twin is the opposite; Zach get his homework done and he’s a natural leader. Keeley misplaces her phone and mistakenly switches with a stranger, Talon. The plot twists as secrets are revealed and relationships change. The Peeps are my favorite part of the story because of the strong connection Talon has with his grandfather. I would like to see a Peeps diorama for the book cover. I believe it would be eye-catching and charming and draw readers to the book [speaking as a young adult librarian;)]. I give this book 5 stars for complicated characters and writing that makes the characters realistic!

Waking in Time by Angie Stanton

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review Waking in Time by Angie Stanton! Abbi has recently lost her grandma to cancer and now Abbi is determined to attend her grandma’s Alma-mater in Madison, Wisconsin, even though her mother will be left alone in Ohio. Abbi receives a package from her mother that contains notes and photographs of her grandma’s. One of the photos shows someone who looks just like Abbi standing next to her young grandma. Abbi drinks at a party with her friends and the next morning, she wakes up in her dorm room but the year is 1983! Next, she wakes up in 1970! Each morning, she awakens in a different time. In 1970, she finally meets someone who knows what she’s going through, Professor Smith, her physics professor. She doesn’t get any helpful information and a few days later she wakes up in 1961! In 1961, Abbi meets Will, a fellow time traveler. But where Abbi is traveling to the past, Will travels to the future. Will knows Abbi well and apparently they have a close, romantic relationship. When she wakes up in 1951, her young grandma happens to be her roommate. Next, Abbi wakes up in 1930. Will and Abbi meet and fall in love. They try to conquer the time travel issue so they can stay together, but it seems that no matter what they do, time travel is inevitable for the both of them.
I especially like the author’s information about historical facts contained in the story and the personal connection that the author based the story on. Complex and suspenseful – 4 stars!

House of Silence by Sarah Barthel

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review House of Silence by Sarah Barthel! Isabelle is happily engaged to Gregory after spending the required year of mourning after her father’s death. Then she witnesses Gregory committing a fatal act, but he creates a believable story that makes him look like a hero, so no one believes Isabelle when she tries to convince them that Gregory is a murderer. Out of desperation and for her own safety, she is sent to Bellevue Sanitarium where she befriends Abraham Lincoln’s widow and gains allies in her fight against Gregory. A historical fiction mystery that takes place in the late 1800’s. I enjoyed the characterization and the deception of the antagonist along with the suspense – 4 stars!

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland drew me in with the beautiful cover and my interest built with the synopsis. The mysterious Grace and the non-mysterious Henry are chosen to be the senior editors of the school newspaper. Grace flat out says no! The intrigue of Grace and the nonchalance of Henry pulled me into the story immediately. Complicated characters, complex lives and an emotional roller coaster make this book therapeutic. This young adult story is charming and endearing, romantic and humorous, and tragic, all at the same time. Wow! What a read! 5 stars for cleverness and un-put-down-ability! The author’s reference page is charming also. Highly recommended!

 

Botanical Beauty by Aubre Andrus

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review Botanical Beauty: 80 Essential Recipes for Natural Spa Products by Aubre Andrus! This book contains abundant information categorized into different sections of the body: hands and feet, full body, face and hair. Each section contains recipes to pamper and beautify. The recipes go beyond commonly seen to ingenious creations and ideas. The lotion bar is the first recipe I want to make once I get my own copy of this book because, yes, I pre-ordered it! The helpful, natural and easy to follow recipes and instructions are accompanied by detailed photographs and this book includes descriptions of ingredients, container ideas and where to purchase them, thorough directions and it even has diy nail art and nail wraps, which I wasn’t expecting. The do-it-yourself ideas include the chemical (nail serum to toothpaste) and also material (creaseless hair ties to spa wraps)! Botanical Beauty earns a 5 star review from me while I patiently wait for publication and my copy to arrive!

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read and review Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant! I was hooked just by reading the synopsis and I really like the book cover! Eva, pronounced like “ever” without the “r” on the end, has a unique ability to feel people’s memories and the emotions that go with them by touching the person or their belongings. Eva avoids touching anyone or their things because the feeling scribbles or fractals, as she now calls them, come at her like a storm. I relate to Eva in the way she analyzes and keeps her ideas to herself. Eva tutors math students and this is how she meets Zenn. The tutoring turns into more and their relationship is charming in many ways. I laughed out loud when Eva calls Zenn ‘The Rugrat Whisperer’ when he helps with her three-year-old quadruplet siblings. I love Eva, her logic and bravery and also how she doesn’t avoid what’s bothering her and tries to face any problem head-on, with caution. This book is full of charm, interesting and dynamic characters, complex relationships, romance and the hope of what the future holds. A really big 5 stars for this endearing romance!

I See You by Clare Mackintosh

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review I See You by Clare Mackintosh! This mystery thriller has three points of view that switch on and off throughout the book. Kelly (a police officer), Zoe ( a nervous citizen) and the person behind the stalking and other awful acts that are occurring to random women that have somehow had their photos secretly taken without their knowledge or permission and posted onto a dating chatline. I was interested in the mystery and tried to figure out the guilty party, but it is very unpredictable and every time I thought I had it, I found out I was wrong. The twists and turns, the unpredictability and the ending that is creepy to the core make this murder-mystery a must read for suspense lovers; 4 stars!

Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts! This realistic fiction story introduces Trina and Slade. Two teenagers that seem to be polar opposites. Slade’s mother has set up a babysitting job for Slade in which he will be team-nannying with Trina. Slade’s mother feels that he needs help with his life-organization, goals and motivation, and she believes that Trina can accomplish these things. Trina seems on the verge of a nervous breakdown, especially when her schedule doesn’t work out exactly as planned. Slade seems a bit arrogant when he’s talking to his best friend Alex, but mellow at other times. About one-third of the way through the book, Trina starts opening up about her past and her worries, which helps with understanding her reasoning and intentions. Slade warms up to her and tries to become her friend. The book becomes more complicated and interesting the more it’s read. Trina and Slade are both stubborn and get so angry that they almost lose their relationship. The supporting characters add a lot of realism to the story and help pull the story together. 4 stars for the romantic fun!