Search This Blog







2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (2)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (4)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (3)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (2)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (2)
- Wyoming(1)
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Canada (2)
- England (21)
- Fiji (1)
- France (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Mexico (1)
- New Zealand (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Bahamas (1)
- Vatican City (1)





2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge








Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo



2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge





Thursday, June 25, 2015
Ruins An Exciting, Satisfying Finale to Partials Series
7:24 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Ruins, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Partials books. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
As the tension between humans and Partials reaches a deadly breaking point, Kira Walker knows it's up to her to bring the two sides together. Half human, half Partial, the 17-year-old wants nothing more than peace between the two species. It won't be easy to stop the killing, the hate, the prejudice that is driving the two sides to war. Especially when both have weapons capable of annihilating the other. Even with the help of friends from both species, the outcome for Kira—as well at the world at large—looks pretty bleak. If she gives everything she has, everything she can, will it be enough? Or is this the end of it all?
Like the first two books in the Partials trilogy by Dan Wells, Ruins offers a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled apocalyptic survival story. Laced with humor, romance, and a whole lot of blood, it's engrossing for sure. In this finale, all the story's loose ends are wrapped up neatly—probably too neatly—making for a satisfying end to an exciting series. Still, I have the same complaints about Ruins that I did about Partials and Fragments—the characters remain pretty flat and the prose is more tell than show. Overall, then, I liked Ruins, but didn't love it. Same with the series as a whole. It's entertaining, just not my favorite.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence/gore, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Ruins from the generous folks at HarperCollins as part of my work as a judge for the Association for Mormon Letters Awards. Thank you!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Holmberg's Magical World Not Developed Enough to Enthrall
7:18 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
All through her years at Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony Twill has dreamed of becoming a Smelter. Manipulating metal is important work. She longs to learn all the secrets of the intriguing, exciting craft. Since graduates are allowed to choose the medium (metal, plastic, rubber, or glass) to which they will bond themselves, 19-year-old Ceony has no reason to believe she will not get her wish. Until she doesn't. Thanks to an anonymous donor, she will be apprenticed to a paper magician, of all things. Ceony cannot think of anything more useless and dull than paper magic. And now she's stuck with it. For life.
As Ceony gets to know her new teacher—30-year-old Emery Thane—she begins to understand that there is more to paper magic than meets the eye. She'd still rather be working with metal, but her assigned medium does have its surprises and wonders. The same is true of the enigmatic Thane. Before Ceony has time to learn much at all from him, however, his evil ex-wife rips out his heart. Left with a dying teacher, Ceony must use all her new skills to save him. Does she have even a fraction of the knowledge and talent she needs to triumph against a powerful practitioner of the dark arts? Or will her education in paper magic end (tragically) before it's begun?
YA fantasy is such a saturated genre that it's always refreshing to find a book that stands out from the norm a little. The Paper Magician, the first novel in Charlie N. Holmberg's new trilogy, certainly does that. While the magical world she creates is imaginative and different, it's also confusing. Its rules were never very clear to me. Likewise, the characters (especially Ceony and Emery) aren't developed enough at the outset to make me really care about what happens to them throughout the rest of the novel. As far as plot goes, there's some action to liven things up, but much of the story is told through memories and flashbacks, meaning the tale has little momentum to keep it moving forward. In the end, while I appreciated the fresh aspects of Holmberg's story, I was disappointed by its weak world-building, flat characters and lackadaisical plot. There just wasn't enough to The Paper Magician to enthrall me. Too bad, because I really, really, really wanted to love this one.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a teensy bit of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence/gore, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-copy of The Paper Magician from the generous folks at Amazon Publishing because of my position as a judge for the Association for Mormon Letters Awards. Thank you!
Friday, June 19, 2015
Crooked House Sometimes Sluggish, Sometimes Surprising
7:15 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Crooked House, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Erica Coleman mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
When Megan Kemp calls Erica Coleman with a plea for help, Erica responds immediately. She can't leave her best friend's daughter in the lurch, no matter how crazy Megan's story sounds. And it does sound a little loony. Megan, a sophomore at Delaware State University, is convinced someone is trying to kill her roommate, Liz Johnson. After the deaths of her parents, Liz inherited a ramshackle old mansion aptly named Crooked House. The recent victim of several "accidents," the young home owner seems to have become a target for someone with deadly intentions. But why? Has Liz's failure to restore her historic home finally pushed her impassioned neighbor over the top? Is an angry ex-boyfriend out for revenge? Or is Megan reading too much into a few unlucky mishaps?
As a former police officer and current private eye, Erica is in a unique position to help Megan and her roommates get to the bottom of Liz's recent misfortunes. Leaving her police officer husband in charge of the kids at their home in Farmington, Utah, Erica moves in with the college girls at Crooked House. Living with the roommates (while spoiling them with her scrumptious baking and obsessive cleaning rituals) gives Erica a chance to observe their goings-on firsthand. Something fishy is definitely going on. As Liz's "accidents" escalate in severity, Erica knows she must find out who's responsible for them—and quickly. One person has already died. Any one of the women at Crooked House could be next.
While I'm not huge on cozy mysteries, I do appreciate a story that's both entertaining and clean. So, when I read the plot summary for Crooked House, a new mystery by Marlene Bateman (Sullivan), I thought, why not? Not realizing it's actually the third book in a series, I dove right in. Maybe it's because I "met" Erica Coleman mid-series, but I didn't feel much of a connection to the obsessive-compulsive private investigator. She struck me as a pushy, overbearing, annoying know-it-all. I just didn't like her that much. Plot-wise, Crooked House moves along fairly quickly, offering a few surprises here and there. Prose-wise, however, the storytelling feels sluggish because of Bateman's over-reliance on telling rather than showing. The inclusion of LDS doctrine in the story gives it a unique slant. Although it's dropped in rather abruptly at times, the religious aspect never gets preachy, keeping the novel accessible to non-LDS readers. Another fun element is the recipes included in the book; they sound different and delicious. A winning combination, for sure. Overall, then, I found Crooked House entertaining, if not wholly satisfying. While I appreciated its PG-ness, its uncommon setting (not many novels are set in Delaware), and its yummy-sounding recipes, I would have liked tighter plotting, more dynamic writing, and a warmer, more likable heroine. Crooked House can definitely be read as a stand-alone, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I started with the first book in the series.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of the Sadie Hoffmiller culinary mysteries by Josi S. Kilpack [Lemon Tart; Pumpkin Roll; English Trifle; etc.])
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and very mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-copy of Crooked House from the generous (and patient!) Marlene Bateman. Thank you!
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Readin'
11:08 AM
Even though I live in a place where it's pretty much summer all year round, I'm not much for warm weather. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, on the shores of the Columbia River—my natural habitat involves cloudy skies, blustery winds, and a constant drizzle. I'm a fish out of water in this hot, dry desert. Needless to say, I don't look forward to Arizona summers. The scorching temperatures keep me inside, air conditioning and ceiling fans on full blast. I'm lucky to have a sparkling swimming pool in my backyard for quick dips, so I guess you don't have to feel too sorry for me :)
Anyway, while summer is not my favorite, it does inspire some fun reading material. I'm not one of those people who only reads light, fluffy beach novels during these warmest of months, but I do think my summer reading choices tend to be a little frothier. Maybe? I'll let you be the judge, as this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is the ten books on my summer TBR list. I'd love to see your list as well, so why don't you join in the fun? All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish and follow the instructions. Easy, peasy.
Alright, here we go with the Top Ten Books on my TBR Pile for Summer 2015:
1. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler—I've never read anything by Ockler, but this contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid looks fun. I especially love that its heroine is a young woman of color.
2. Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge—Forget light and fluffy, this thriller about a deadly game orchestrated by a sadistic fiend is described as dark and twisted. Perfect summer reading?
3. Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt—I'm in the middle of this thriller about a mother with severe post-partum depression who wakes up one morning to find her baby missing. Suffering from traumatic memory loss, she has no idea what's happened to the infant; she can't help but wonder if the police are correct in naming her as the prime suspect ...
4. The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin—I just received an ARC of this historical adventure/espionage novel, which looks excellent.
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee—I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the July 14th release date of this novel about a grown-up Jean Louise Finch.
6. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi—Although Ship Breaker is one of my favorite watery dystopian novels, I've yet to read anything else by Bacigalupi. His newest, The Water Knife, looks promising. Set in the American Southwest, it highlights a very real and timely threat to man's survival—severe drought.
7. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler—This quirky family saga about a mysterious book and a drowned circus mermaid looks intriguing.
8. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark—I've loved Clark since I first read her as a teenager. Although the quality of her writing has declined, I still enjoy her quick, clean mysteries.
9. The Leveller by Julia Durango—I love the premise of this YA novel. The MC is a bounty hunter who is hired by parents to go into the virtual reality gaming world and retrieve their missing children. Sounds like a fun sci fi thriller.
10. The Lost Daughter by Lucretia Grindle—This mystery about an American high school student who goes missing in Italy sounds like a good summer read.
So, what do you think? Have you read any of these? What great stories will you be digging into this summer? I'd love to know. Leave a comment/link to your list and I'll be sure to stop by.
Happy summer reading!
Anyway, while summer is not my favorite, it does inspire some fun reading material. I'm not one of those people who only reads light, fluffy beach novels during these warmest of months, but I do think my summer reading choices tend to be a little frothier. Maybe? I'll let you be the judge, as this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is the ten books on my summer TBR list. I'd love to see your list as well, so why don't you join in the fun? All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish and follow the instructions. Easy, peasy.
Alright, here we go with the Top Ten Books on my TBR Pile for Summer 2015:
1. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler—I've never read anything by Ockler, but this contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid looks fun. I especially love that its heroine is a young woman of color.
2. Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge—Forget light and fluffy, this thriller about a deadly game orchestrated by a sadistic fiend is described as dark and twisted. Perfect summer reading?
3. Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt—I'm in the middle of this thriller about a mother with severe post-partum depression who wakes up one morning to find her baby missing. Suffering from traumatic memory loss, she has no idea what's happened to the infant; she can't help but wonder if the police are correct in naming her as the prime suspect ...
4. The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin—I just received an ARC of this historical adventure/espionage novel, which looks excellent.
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee—I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the July 14th release date of this novel about a grown-up Jean Louise Finch.
6. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi—Although Ship Breaker is one of my favorite watery dystopian novels, I've yet to read anything else by Bacigalupi. His newest, The Water Knife, looks promising. Set in the American Southwest, it highlights a very real and timely threat to man's survival—severe drought.
7. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler—This quirky family saga about a mysterious book and a drowned circus mermaid looks intriguing.
8. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark—I've loved Clark since I first read her as a teenager. Although the quality of her writing has declined, I still enjoy her quick, clean mysteries.
9. The Leveller by Julia Durango—I love the premise of this YA novel. The MC is a bounty hunter who is hired by parents to go into the virtual reality gaming world and retrieve their missing children. Sounds like a fun sci fi thriller.
10. The Lost Daughter by Lucretia Grindle—This mystery about an American high school student who goes missing in Italy sounds like a good summer read.
So, what do you think? Have you read any of these? What great stories will you be digging into this summer? I'd love to know. Leave a comment/link to your list and I'll be sure to stop by.
Happy summer reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)

Readin'
Whiteout by Carola Lovering
Listenin'
A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
55. The Future of Us13 hours ago
-
-
July 2026 Reading Check In15 hours ago
-
Time Travel Thursday18 hours ago
-
Earth 7 by Deb Olin Unferth22 hours ago
-
(re)Viewing Last Month: July 202622 hours ago
-
#ThrowbackThursday. August 20261 day ago
-
-
-
A Review of Ava1 day ago
-
-
July 2026 Monthly Wrap-Up1 day ago
-
-
-
WIP Wrap-up for July 20261 day ago
-
-
A Lark’s Gambit by Lynn Messina2 days ago
-
-
First Light: Sailing Solo but Not Alone2 days ago
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday3 days ago
-
-
Our Perfect Storm4 days ago
-
-
-
August TBR5 days ago
-
Books read in July5 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney6 months ago
-
-
Sunday Post #5681 year ago
-
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus2 years ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?2 years ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra3 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?3 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction








