Jill's Book Blog

Review: Not Like Other Girls

Title: Not Like Other Girls
Author: Meredith Adamo
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A girl risks everything to find her former best friend in this powerful debut mystery about trauma, girlhood, and what we deserve.

When Jo-Lynn Kirby’s former best friend—pretty, nice Maddie Price—comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it’s some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked—and since everyone decided she deserved it. There’s no way Maddie would actually come to her for help.

But then Maddie is gone.

Everyone is quick to write off Maddie as a runaway, but Jo can’t shake the feeling there’s more to the story. To find out the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the people who left her behind—and the only way back in is through Hudson Harper-Moore. An old fling of Jo’s with his own reasons for wanting to find Maddie, Hudson hatches a fake dating scheme to get Jo back into their clique. But being back on the inside means Jo must confront everything she’d rather forget: the boys who betrayed her, the whispers that she had it coming, and the secrets that tore her and Maddie apart. As Jo digs deeper into Maddie’s disappearance, she’s left to wonder who she’s really searching for: Maddie, or the girl she used to be.

Not Like Other Girls is a stunning debut that takes a hard look at how we treat young women and their trauma, through the lens of a missing girl and a girl trying to find herself again.

Review:

Jo-Lynn Kirby is a seventeen-year-old junior in high school. Her former best friend, Maddie Price, disappears after asking Jo for help. Jo has been an outcast ever since her private photos were leaked, so she doesn’t know why Maddie would go to her for help. The police decide that Maddie has just run away on her own, but Jo suspects there’s more to her disappearance. She joins together with her former fling, Hudson, to figure out what happened to Maddie, but she ends uncovering her own secrets as well.

This was such an intense YA thriller. It was so hard to put down. I think readers who love awesome thriller writers like Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson will love this debut thriller!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: sexual assault, rape, gaslighting

Have you read Not Like Other Girls? What did you think of it?

Review: The Drop of a Hat (Hat Trick #1)

Title: The Drop of a Hat (Hat Trick #1)
Author: Luke Chmilenko, G.D. Penman
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Paperback
Release Date: December 5, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A powerful wizard and a lowly kobold experience a magical meeting of the minds in the first book of this comedic fantasy-adventure series.

Absalom Scryne, the greatest wizard of his generation, has been murdered. There’s no other explanation for why his consciousness now resides in his well-worn but perfectly pointed hat.Well, he isn’t going to take that lying down . . . or hanging from a branch, as the case may be. Instead, he’ll hop on the head of the first foul-smelling kobold that comes along and convince it that it’s in everyone’s best interests for them to undertake the epic journey through the Badlands—past horny necromancers, rustic werewolves, and rampaging ogres—back to the shining city of magic at the heart of civilization, where he will promptly kick the backside of whoever it was that finally managed to stab him in the back.Assuming, that is, he can teach a kobold how to use magic, survive all the roaming adventurers who consider a kobold to be a very minor payday, and prevent anyone else from claiming the wealth of arcane knowledge that is now bound within the rather handsome piece of haberdashery that he has become.

Review:

The Drop of a Hat is about a kobold names Ig. He’s a simple creature whose only daily activities are eating and sleeping. One day he finds a hat in a tree and puts it on. The hat holds the consciousness of the great wizard Absalom Scryne, who has been murdered. Absalom wants to go back to the big city and find out what happened to his body, so he convinces Ig to leave his home and travel through the Badlands. They join a group of fighters on their adventure, and they encounter werewolves, ogres, and a necromancer.

The Drop of a Hat was a very funny adventure story! I loved the way Ig grew and developed as a character throughout their journey. This story reminded me of World of Warcraft, which is one of my favourite games, so it would be a great read for fans of fantasy role playing games.

The Drop of a Hat is the first book in the Hat Trick series. The second book Hat’s Entertainment is available now.

Thank you Luke Chmilenko, G.D. Penman, and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

This is a sponsored post.

Content warnings: death, fighting, knives

Other books in the series:

Hat’s Entertainment

Have you read The Drop of a Hat? What did you think of it?

Review: Fangirl Down (Big Shots #1)

Title: Fangirl Down (Big Shots #1)
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance series with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan…

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Review:

Josephine Doyle is Wells Whitaker’s number one fan. She’s nicknamed herself “Wells’s Belle” and cheers him on at the PGA Tour, despite his promising career taking a nosedive. Wells is ready to give up on his golfing dreams, but then he realizes he’s made a mistake. He shows up on Josephine’s doorstep with a proposal for her to be his caddy for a share of his tour winnings. Josephine needs the money to pay for her health insurance for her diabetes and to fix up her family’s golf shop, so she agrees. They get closer as Wells starts winning again with his new good luck charm, but they also have to deal with the way their exciting new partnership draws media attention that isn’t always positive.

This is my first Tessa Bailey novel and I loved it! Wells and Josephine were the perfect “grumpy/sunshine” pairing. Even though Wells was grumpy, he still had a likeable quality to him. I liked the inclusion of Josephine’s diabetes. I’ve learned a lot about diabetes over the last year since my dog was diagnosed with it, so it was interesting to see the way Josephine had to manage it in her own life. There were some quite spicy scenes in this romance too!

Fangirl Down is a great golf romance!

Content warnings: diabetes, hurricane

Have you read Fangirl Down? What did you think of it?

Review: The Only Lonely Fairy

Title: The Only Lonely Fairy
Author: Lana Button, Peggy Collins
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Pajama Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 5, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Make-believe + melodrama = comedy as one dramatic little girl learns the new skill of finding a friend Leah is looking for a friend to play fairies. But when her invitation fails to sway her classmates, Leah is left all…ALONE. Poor Lonely Leah! Will she always be the only one standing alone in line? The only one reading fairy tales in the book corner? The AGONY of her SUFFERING is so overpowering that she almost misses the quiet voice trying to get her attention… From the creators of Percy’s Perfect Friend comes an entertaining new journey into social-emotional growth. Author Lana Button is an early childhood educator who has seen firsthand the struggles many kids experience learning to navigate social situations and conflict—especially if pandemic lockdowns were part of their early lives. In The Only Lonely Fairy , she tells a relatable story of someone trying to make friends and missing the mark, while Peggy Collins brings lively humor to the illustrations, letting readers know what Leah doesn’t that she isn’t alone after all.

Review:

Leah wants to find someone to play fairies, but none of her classmates want to play with her. She gives up on asking and gets upset that she’s the only lonely fairy with no one to play with, but she doesn’t notice that there is one girl who does want to play with her.

This is a great picture book about making friends. It can feel so devastating when you’re a kid and can’t find someone to play with. This book captures that feeling. The illustrations are beautiful. I liked that the children in the images were diverse, including children of different races and abilities.

The Only Lonely Fairy is a beautiful picture book.

Thank you Pajama Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read The Only Lonely Fairy? What did you think of it?

Review: Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)

Title: Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 2, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Pip is not a detective anymore.

With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

The police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?

Review:

Following the success of her podcast about the murder of Andie Bell, Pip is continuing to share episodes about the trial. Pip says she won’t investigate any crimes again, but when her best friend Connor asks for her help in finding Jamie, his missing brother, Pip agrees to help find him. The police won’t look for Jamie because he’s an adult, but Pip knows his disappearance is suspicious. With the help of her friends, Pip begins recording season 2 of her podcast, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, to get the public’s help in finding Jamie.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat. I really couldn’t put it down. There were so many twists and clues that I couldn’t predict where the story would end. The ending was a little complicated with multiple people involved. I don’t think you could solve the entire thing with the clues given throughout the story, but I was very surprised at who was involved in Jamie’s disappearance.

Good Girl, Bad Blood is a great sequel! I can’t wait to read the next book!

Content warnings: death, death of parent (off page), child abuse (off page), child death (off page), knife violence, gun violence, fire

Other books in the series:

Kill Joy (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1)
As Good as Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)

Have you read Good Girl, Bad Blood? What did you think of it?

Happy Pub Day – April 2

Happy Pub Day to these authors!

Made Glorious by Lindsay Eagar

Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Trouble at the Tangerine by Gillian McDunn

A Spartan’s Sorrow by Hannah Lynn

Lightingborn by Julie Kagawa

Young Rich Widows by Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, Vanessa Lillie

Thank you Candlewick, Wednesday Books, Bloomsbury US, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Disney Hyperion for providing copies of these books!

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: A Study in Drowning

Title: A Study in Drowning
Author: Ava Reid
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Gothic
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 19, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Review:

Effie Sayre is the only girl in her university architecture program. She wasn’t allowed to attend the literature program because girls aren’t allowed in. Her favourite book is Angharad, the famous book by Emrys Myrddin about a girl who falls in love with the Fairy King and then destroys him. When Myrddin’s son creates a contest for an architecture student to redesign the late Myrddin’s home, Effie enters and wins. She goes to the estate, where she meets Preston, a literature student who is researching Myrddin’s documents to prove he was a fraud. That goes against everything Effie has always believed about her favourite author, but she can see some truth in it. Effie and Preston have to discreetly look for evidence to prove Myrddin was a fraud, while his estate crumbles around them.

This was such a powerful story about women finding their voice. Effie had experienced so much sexism and misogyny at school. She wasn’t believed at home or school because she was a girl. I liked the theme of history repeating itself. Effie’s story was universal, because at some point in every woman’s life they have heard comments like this or experienced horrible acts simply because of their gender. This story also addresses what happens when the author of your favourite book, that you’ve always believed in, betrays you. It’s very difficult when someone you’ve admired for your whole life turns out not to be the person you thought you were, but unfortunately that happens.

A Study in Drowning is a thought-provoking story!

Thank you Frenzy Books for providing a digital copy of this book.

Content warnings: sexual assault, misogyny, sexism, drowning, death of parent (off page)

Have you read A Study in Drowning? What did you think of it?

Review: Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author

Title: Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author
Author: Lucinda Halpern
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: Hay House
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A step-by-step guide from a New York literary agent that will show you how to create a winning concept, craft an irresistible pitch, and land your dream book deal.

In this practical, immediately actionable guide, Lucinda Halpern , founder of the prestigious New York agency Lucinda Literary, divulges what agents look for in authors and the shortcuts they use to get book deals but have never revealed—until now.

Lucinda has personally witnessed how dramatically writers’ lives can change when they publish their first book. But the path to literary success begins with knowing the answers to questions

With her unique 6-step method, Lucinda provides the tools and concrete strategies

Packed with interviews from best-selling authors, leading book editors from Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and more, Get Signed is the indispensable roadmap you need right now to get noticed and become a published author.

Review:

This book is a step-by-step guide to how to sign with a literary agent. There are great tips on things that agents look for as well as examples of real query letters.

I’ve been querying my manuscript for four months without any luck. When I heard about this book on the Happy Writer podcast with Marissa Meyer, I had to get it. I’m definitely going to implement some of these tips in my query letter!

Get Signed is a great book for querying writers!

Have you read Get Signed? What did you think of it?

Happy Pub Day – March 26

Happy Pub Day to these authors!

A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril by Manda Collins

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang

Cover Story by Rachel Lacey

Thank you Forever, Berkley Romance, HarperCollins Canada, and Firefly Books Distributed Lines for providing copies of these books!

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: Cinderella Is Dead

Title: Cinderella Is Dead
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew . . .

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Review:

It’s been 200 years since Cinderella met her Prince Charming. To honour her, the kingdom holds an annual ball for teen girls to find a match. If they don’t find a match, though, the girls are never seen or heard from again. Sophia is in love with her best friend, and would rather marry her, but she must follow the kingdom’s rules and go to the ball. However, after a fight at the ball, Sophia escapes and finds herself at Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, who is descended from Cinderella’s stepsister. They decide to bring down the King and end his cycle of tormenting girls and women.

This is a great adaptation of the Cinderella story. There are many flaws in the original tale, including how the Prince knew he was in love with Cinderella but couldn’t remember her face. This story shows that the story that is told and the history that’s remembered, may be different from the actual truth to suit the people in charge. This kind of revisionist history happens all the time, and it’s important to remember the truth from all sides of the story.

Cinderella Is Dead is a great Cinderella retelling!

Content warnings: death of parent (mentioned), death of animal, stabbing, poisoning, misogyny

Have you read Cinderella Is Dead? What did you think of it?