Month: December 2022

Fiction, Romance, Young Adult

Call It What You Want, by Brigid Kemmerer

Kristie

Another fantastic read by Brigid Kemmerer. My goodness, I love how this woman writes!

No one wants to be defined by their mistakes. Especially as a teenager. Especially when the mistakes aren’t even his. But that is exactly what happened to Rob Lachlan, Jr. Why? Because after swindling half the townspeople (teachers, the librarian, and parents of Rob Jr.’s friends,) Robert Lachlan Sr. put a gun to his head, pulled the trigger, and failed his objective. Now he is a mumbling, drooling shell of a man who takes his meals through a tube. Meanwhile, Rob Jr.–once a high school alpha male and lacrosse champion–is the new face of a crime that left families in ruins. A crime he didn’t commit. A crime that, by proxy, took away his social status and made him an outcast. Life is pretty much in the toilet right now.

No one wants to be defined by their choices either. Unfortunately, overachiever Maegan made a bad one. Really, really bad. Tired of playing second fiddle to her golden older sister, Maegan cheated on her SATs, which caused a ripple effect to all the other test takers that day. Thank you for playing, Maegan. Here’s your new outcast badge.

But what makes these teens stand out? They are smart. Very, very smart. Not always socially smart, but definitely book smart, which is the hallmark of Brigid Kemmerer’s Young Adult characters. So when two very smart (and lonely) outcasts are rejected by everyone else to partner up for an Honors Calculus project, they have no choice but to work together.

And thus begins the story of two basically good teenagers who just want to reclaim some normality in their lives. But it’s a journey, one that involves testing boundaries of friendship, rules, and one’s own morals.

I’m leaving out a lot, but I will say that the one word that comes to mind when I read a book by Kemmerer is “brave.” This is brave writing. It’s layered. It alternates points of view, showing us the emotions and motives of both main characters. And what characters they are–brave writing calls for brave characters. Rob and Maegan have rock solid cores, refusing to let circumstances and choices beat them down, despite the detours along the way.

This is a terrific book. I highly recommend it. It’s marketed as a Young Adult novel, but I would say it is more for mature and older teens.

9.5/10 Stars

FYI: This is a book with multiple cover designs.
Cozy Mysteries, Mystery, Series & Collections

Theme: Strong Women in Mysteries

Kristie

I admit it. I LOVE books and shows with highly intelligent, strong, capable women. I especially love it when those women stay true to their femininity, acting as worthy representatives of girly girls everywhere. Girls (ahem, WOMEN) with the hearts of a lioness.

This got me thinking about books I’ve read recently. Little by little I’ve been making my way through The Country Club Murder series, by Julie Mulhern. This series, and its heroine, Ellison Russell, have shot (pun intended) to the top of my list of favorite mystery series. (Just barely edging out the Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen. Also great!)

It’s the 1970s. Ellison Russell is a Kansas City artist, socialite, mother, trophy wife…and widow. Cars are sleeker, women are drooling over James Garner in The Rockford Files, and the world continues to modernize. Kansas City, a place that dwells in most of our blind spots, is home to a very elite crowd of men and women. A crowd who holds fiercely to their traditions. They run charities, attend large social functions, golf, play bridge and still manage to have a hierarchy within the hierarchy. They also have their own set of rules. Ellison plays by these rules. She is, after all, the wife of a prominent banker and daughter of a very wealthy couple. But she is also observant to the plights of the underprivileged. And…she has the unfortunate penchant for finding dead bodies. Her mother is not amused.

Ellison is the beating heart of these books (16 in total, I’ve read 8.) She is classy, sharp, unwavering, and very compassionate. She holds her own with her teenage daughter, Grace. She remains unruffled to her mother’s toxic barbs and stoic in the face of stubborn male misogyny. And, at her side throughout these adventures is a dashing homicide detective–the unconventionally named Anarchy Jones. This series is a prickly joy and never boring. We get so invested in Ellison as she juggles one murder after another, along with motherhood, society’s expectations, her mercurial parents, and a budding relationship with Anarchy. It’s superb!

9.5/10 Stars for the series (So far, #7–Shadow Dancing— is my favorite. But it’s best to read them in order.)

  1. The Deep End
  2. Guaranteed to Bleed
  3. Clouds in My Coffee (Yes, Ellison has a special love for the steady male in her life–her Mr. Coffee)
  4. Send in the Clowns
  5. Watching the Detectives
  6. Cold As Ice
  7. Shadow Dancing
  8. Back Stabbers (hereby ending the ones I’ve read so far at the time I write this review)
  9. Telephone Line (finished on 12/30/22)
  10. Stayin’ Alive
  11. Killer Queen (I love this title. Queen fans represented!)
  12. Night Moves
  13. Lyin’ Eyes
  14. Evil Woman
  15. Big Shot
  16. Fire and Rain (out in April 2023)

So, if I’ve only read half of the Country Club Murder series, WHY am I comparing it to Killers of a Certain Age?

Because Killers was a bummer of a certain book. But it took some thinking for me to figure out why I disliked it so much. Highly intelligent, strong, capable women? Check. Adventure? Check. Multiple things happening at once? Check.

Again, it is the 1970’s. Billie, Helen, Natalie, and Mary Alice are all plucked from obscurity to be part of an elect group of highly-trained assassins. Evolving from WWII Nazi hunters, Resistance members, and Monuments Men, this organization is so secret that its name is never mentioned. And these four women will be its first all-female team. It’s quite an honor. Even assembling them took years. They are multi-lingual, quick thinking, highly physical, and seductive. And, because they are women, they are always underestimated.

Fast forward forty years. The quartet has aged into their sixties and are approaching retirement. Only now, instead of being the hunters, they are the hunted. They need to find out who and why.

It’s a great premise. I had been looking forward to reading this book. It was a Book of the Month selection and a Goodreads awards nominee. But after spending so much time with Ellison Russell in the Country Club series, I had become accustomed to a heroine who had both class and sass. These four lacked class in a big way, hammering continual dents into their likability. They are vulgar and arrogant. They are also interchangeable carbon copies of each other. I didn’t care about any of them. And if I don’t care about any of the main characters, the plot–no matter how clever–becomes superfluous. A huge disappointment.

5/10 Stars

Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Scrooge and the Girls Next Door, by Melanie Jacobson

Kristie

I’ve discovered a handful of new authors lately whose books I really enjoy. You’re going to start seeing more of them on this blog. One of them is Melanie Jacobson, known for her clean romances that mix humor and heart.

Scrooge and the Girls Next Door is a book I expected to read and forget–yes, I judged a book by its cover, don’t repeat my mistake–and instead, I was treated to a book that made me both laugh out loud and clutch my chest with emotion. Any book that has me feeling all the feels deserves a shout-out on this blog.

While using the “enemies to friends” plot line, this delightful story explores how the Christmas season can be difficult for some people, the importance of community, and how a generous spirit can melt a frosty attitude. It all begins when single mom, Paige Redmond, buys her first home–a raggedy fixer upper–and moves in with her daughter, Evie, next door to stodgy college professor, Henry Hill. While they navigate their differences and often disagree, there is a lot of self-exploration and reevaluation. Sometimes it takes the right person or people to motivate change. There is also a secondary “found family” story line that is very sweet. A reminder that the word “family” can have many interpretations.

I’ve read several Christmas-themed books this month and I have to say that this is my favorite. The characters have depth and feel realistic. The romance is slow and not corny or forced. Both main characters take turns sharing their points of view, which gives a fun and interesting perspective.

This book is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription and is a great way to relax during the busy holiday season. I recommend it!

9/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction

So Long, Chester Wheeler, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Kristie
Available tomorrow! December 6, 2022

Author Catherine Ryan Hyde continues to impress me with her unique pairing of old and young characters! This time, however, the younger of the two is also the wiser. A lot wiser.

If you’ve seen the film As Good As it Gets, with Jack Nicholson and Greg Kinnear, you have the ideal casting for the cantankerous Chester Wheeler and his gay neighbor/caretaker, Lewis Madigan.

Chester Wheeler has no social filter and he’s dying. He’s managed to run off every possible person to attend to his needs. Lewis is a twenty-four year old software developer who just lost everything stable in his life. He needs a job and he’s desperate. (It would take someone desperate to put up with Chester.) Fortunately for Lewis, he’s employed by Chester’s daughter, Ellie, who is supportive of any means Lewis uses to get Chester to cooperate. Or yield. Or surrender. Semantics.

As we get to know Chester–despite his terrible moods, passive aggression, and name calling–a profound truth surfaces: Hurt people…hurt people. Does that make his behavior OK? Absolutely not. But knowing the why helps, just as it does in any difficult relationship. And Lewis is great with Chester–he’s patient without allowing himself to be victimized.

When Chester presents Lewis with a dying wish, the real adventure begins. It’s one that brings self-discovery, closure, and hope. This book is the definition of character-driven and you really do care for both of these men, one at the end of his life and one whose life is just beginning. It’s a grand story from start to finish.

9/10 Stars

Christian Fiction, Fiction

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, by Sara Brunsvold

Kristie

Clara Kip, a 79 year old widow with a recent cancer diagnosis, is going into hospice. Aidyn Kelley, a 24 year old journalist doomed to work on minor stories, is hoping to have her dreams and potential realized. Two women in different stages of life. Two women with different kinds of journeys ahead whose lives will briefly intersect, affecting them both.

In the oddest of ways, Aidyn’s editor reprimands her for a mishap by assigning her to write Clara Kip’s obituary. An obituary for a woman who hasn’t died, but has certainly lived, although not at all like she initially planned. Over just a few meetings, the women come to mean a great deal to each other. Questions are answered, lessons are learned, heartfelt philosophies are shared. Most importantly–just love and be kind.

Never let it be said that anyone leads a boring life. That is the crux of this book: everyone has a story. Everyone also has gifts to share with others, whether it be finding the right words, companionship, or thinking outside the box.

Also never let it be said that one must be a certain age to have wisdom. Aidyn, although young, has plenty. She and Mrs. Kip make a terrific team, despite their brief time together.

I happened upon this book by accident yesterday (available to borrow on Hoopla) and flew through it, continually uplifted with every visit. Though not a Christmas story, it has a Christian aspect, with themes that feel very appropriate this time of year. I recommend reading it during the holiday rush when you need a quiet moment of heartfelt refreshment.

9/10 Stars