Month: February 2020

Review: The Body Under the Piano

Title: The Body Under the Piano (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen #1)
Author: Marthe Jocelyn
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A smart and charming middle-grade mystery series starring young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, inspired by the imagined life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot. For fans of Lemony Snicket and The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency.

Aggie Morton lives in a small town on the coast of England in 1902. Adventurous and imaginative but deeply shy, Aggie hasn’t got much to do since the death of her beloved father . . . until the fateful day when she crosses paths with twelve-year-old Belgian immigrant Hector Perot and discovers a dead body on the floor of the Mermaid Dance Room! As the number of suspects grows and the murder threatens to tear the town apart, Aggie and her new friend will need every tool at their disposal — including their insatiable curiosity, deductive skills and not a little help from their friends — to solve the case before Aggie’s beloved dance instructor is charged with a crime Aggie is sure she didn’t commit.

Filled with mystery, adventure, an unforgettable heroine and several helpings of tea and sweets, The Body Under the Piano is the clever debut of a new series for middle-grade readers and Christie and Poirot fans everywhere, from a Governor General’s Award–nominated author of historical fiction for children.

Review:

This story imagines what Agatha Christie would have been like as a child solving mysteries. Along with her new friend from Belgium, Hector Perot, she investigates a body found under the piano at her dance studio.

This mystery was suspenseful and unpredictable. I couldn’t figure out who was the murderer, so I was surprised at the end. One of the most important clues was saved until right before the end, so there wasn’t any way to figure it out until then, but I was still surprised.

I wish this book was around when I was a kid. I loved Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew mysteries. This book combines them, with a young detective, who is also an inspiring writer.

I loved this first book in the Aggie Morton series. I’m excited to read the next one!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) by Lemony Snicket

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis

Have you read The Body Under the Stairs? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Love in the Title

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is a Love Freebie, so I decided to do Books with Love in the Title. Here’s my list:

1. Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz

2. Harley Quinn: Mad Love by Paul Dini and Pat Cadigan

3. A Love Hate Thing by Witney D. Grandison

4. Frankly in Love by David Yoon

5. The Love Solution by Ashley Croft

6. Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite

7. Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

8. Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker

9. Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali

10. Love and Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Special Announcement: Once Upon a Book Club VIP (Very Important Page-Turner)

Hello everyone!

Today I have a special announcement: I have been accepted into the Once Upon a Book Club VIP program!

If you don’t know about the Once Upon a Book Club subscription box, here is the history of it, taken from their website:

Once Upon a Book Club was created by the owner/designer Michelle Wolett of Chick Lit Designs and Once Upon a BookCase. Always being an avid reader, and an entrepreneur, Michelle finds herself inspired by books.

Once Upon a Book Club was dreamed up after recently reading “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah. She found herself in a different world when reading the book and once it was over she immediately became inspired. What if we could create something that makes you feel like you were physically a part of that world? You become so engrossed by your book and then open a package to find an item that was just mentioned in the book. It would feel like the reader is really there! Michelle’s mind started brainstorming and she came up with the Once Upon a Book Club.

It not only allows readers to fully integrate into the story but also gives them a “Book Club” community. Where they can log onto Instagram and discuss the book with other members each month. There is something magical about turning words of a book into an actual physical object. It’s like bringing the book to life.

https://www.onceuponabookclub.com/about

I have received these boxes in the past, and they are great! They provide a unique reading experience, because you get items in your box that come directly from the book.

Since I am now a VIP, I will be sharing information about these boxes.

I also have a special discount code for my subscribers. Use the code JEMMETT10 to get a discount on your box!

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoy this box as much as I do!

Review: Kate: The Future Queen

Title: Kate: The Future Queen
Author: Katie Nicholl
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Hachette Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 31, 2015 (originally January 1, 2013)
Rating: ★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of William and Harry and renowned Royal Family news correspondent Katie Nicholl, comes the first in-depth biography of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.

Katie Nicholl, bestselling author and royal correspondent for The Mail on Sunday, gives an inside look into the life of the future Queen of England, Kate Middleton. Since becoming Duchess Catherine of Cambridge in 2011, Middleton has captivated royals fans around the world and now, Nicholl delivers the story of her early life, first romances, and love with Prince William. Nicholl will reveal new details on Middleton’s initiation into royal life and, of course, her first pregnancy.

Review:

This book is a biography of Catherine Middleton. It talks about her life from when she was a child to after she had her first son, Prince George.

I love reading about the royal family. There were some interesting facts about Catherine’s life, such as what she was like as a student. There were also some times where her life crossed with Prince Williams, before they officially met in university.

A lot of the stories are from old friends or anonymous sources. There were also parts that described things that Catherine said in private, or things that she thought, so I questioned the accuracy of those parts.

This is a good biography of Catherine Middleton, the future Queen of England.

What to read next:

Game of Crowns: Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the Throne by Christopher Andersen

Meghan: A Hollywood Princess by Andrew Morton

Have you read Kate: The Future Queen? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – February 10

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Kate: The Future Queen by Katie Nicholl.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading The Body Under the Piano (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen #1) by Marthe Jocelyn.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Foul is Fair (Foul is Fair #1) by Hannah Capin.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – February 9

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 8 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… Kate: The Future Queen

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading Kate: The Future Queen by Katie Nicholl.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of William and Harry and renowned Royal Family news correspondent Katie Nicholl, comes the first in-depth biography of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.

Katie Nicholl, bestselling author and royal correspondent for The Mail on Sunday, gives an inside look into the life of the future Queen of England, Kate Middleton. Since becoming Duchess Catherine of Cambridge in 2011, Middleton has captivated royals fans around the world and now, Nicholl delivers the story of her early life, first romances, and love with Prince William. Nicholl will reveal new details on Middleton’s initiation into royal life and, of course, her first pregnancy.

What book are you in bed with today?

Six for Sunday – Reasons I Love Blogging

This meme is hosted by Steph at A little but a lot. The weekly prompts for 2019 can be found here.

This week’s prompt is Reasons I Love Blogging. Here’s my list:

1. My love of reading

2. Receiving ARCs of books

3. Making contacts in the publishing world

4. Meeting authors

5. Developing my writing skills

6. Meeting other book bloggers

(All book cover images from Goodreads)

Did you write a #SixforSunday post? What was your list of Reasons You Love Blogging?

Review: The Whispers of War

Title: The Whispers of War
Author: Julia Kelly
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 14, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The start of World War II looms over three friends who struggle to remain loyal as one of them is threatened with internment by the British government, from the author of the “sweeping, stirring” (Kristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amélie ) The Light Over London. 

In August of 1939, as Britain watches the headlines in fear of another devastating war with Germany, three childhood friends must choose between friendship or country. Erstwhile socialite Nora is determined to find her place in the Home Office’s Air Raid Precautions Department, matchmaker Hazel tries to mask two closely guarded secrets with irrepressible optimism, and German expat Marie worries that she and her family might face imprisonment in an internment camp if war is declared. When Germany invades Poland and tensions on the home front rise, Marie is labeled an enemy alien, and the three friends find themselves fighting together to keep her free at any cost.

Featuring Julia Kelly’s signature “intricate, tender, and convincing” (Publishers Weekly) prose, TheWhispers of War is a moving and unforgettable tale of the power of friendship and womanhood in the midst of conflict.

Review:

I really enjoyed this historical novel set during World War II.

This story had alternating narratives. Samantha was in the present, where her grandmother has just died. She travels to London to meet her grandmother’s 103-year-old childhood friend to learn more about her. The other narratives followed Marie, Samantha’s grandmother, and her friends Nora and Hazel during World War II.

I don’t usually like novels set during World War II, but I couldn’t put this one down. The story was quite suspenseful, because Marie was a German girl living in England in the 1930s. She was terrified of the war starting. Even though I knew that the war would happen and that Marie would be in danger, the story was still suspenseful.

The three friends had very different stories, even though they had grown up together. They had different backgrounds and completely different life experiences after school, yet their friendship kept them together. They each had their strengths which help one another. Their stories also overlap in unusual ways.

This is a great new novel!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson

The Daughter’s Tale by Armando Lucas Correa

Have you read The Whispers of War? What did you think of it?

Stacking the Shelves – February 8

This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I received three books from Penguin Random House Canada:

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

Safe House by Jo Jakeman

Indelicacy by Amina Cain

I was approved for a book on NetGalley from Capstone:

Catkwondo by Lisl H Detlefsen, Erin Hunting

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Capstone for this book!

What books did you get this week?