Fiction – Page 8 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)

Title: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)
Author: John Peel
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Why Scaeffer, what big teeth you have!Why Bert, what big fibs you tell…”

There’s been a tornado in the Evergreen Forest! Schaeffer the sheepdog has gone wild! And there are gangsters at Cyril Sneer’s mansion!

Or maybe Bert Raccoon’s imagination is getting the better of him. Perhaps his quest to become the best (and only) news reporter in the forest means fiction sounds better than fact. It’s certainly not Sneer’s three Pig henchmen making the young Raccoon cry wolf.

Nope, no one will believe Bert’s crazy tales anymore.

But Bert really does have a the biggest thing to ever hit the Evergreen Forest. Cyril intends to pave paradise and put up a parking lot…

The classic TV series returns in these brand new storybooks!

Review:

Bert Raccoon is a reporter in the Evergreen Forest, but he wants to be the best reporter. He wants to write a front page news story, but he has trouble finding one. He thinks he sees a tornado, a wild dog, and gangsters going into a mansion, but none of those stories turn out to be what he expected. Bert doesn’t give up though, and he eventually goes undercover to find his biggest story yet.

This was such a great chapter book. It is based on Canadian 80s The Raccoons TV series. The story can be read as a stand-alone without watching the TV show first. The story was great, and there were some fun additions to the book as well. The book had 7 chapters, meant for children to read one chapter a day for a week. There were also QR codes in the book, including one in the middle of the book that leads to a cooking scene from the TV show that also appeared in the story. It was fun to see a scene played out on the TV show after reading it in the book.

Cry Wolf is a great children’s book!

Thank you Candy Jar Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The One That Got Away
Blast From the Past

Have you read Cry Wolf? What did you think of it?

Review: Meet Me at the Starlight

Title: Meet Me at the Starlight
Author: Rachel Hauck
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Bethany House Publisher
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 2, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Eighties supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to hide and heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight–a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation–who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday’s determination and resilience even protected her beloved rink from her husband’s shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday may not be able to stop it. As Matt and Harlow plot with Tuesday to save the Starlight, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck weaves a heartfelt tale of romance, perseverance, and the enduring power of community.

Review:

1932: Tuesday Knight has always loved the Starlight, a roller skating rink near her house. She is struggling to raise her sons on her own, as her husband goes away for weeks at a time to a mysterious job. One day, he gifts Tuesday with the deed to the Starlight, making it her own.

1987: Supermodel Harlow Hayes moves to a small town in north Florida to get her life together. She reunites with her former costar, Matt Knight. Matt is in town to try and help his grandmother save the Starlight from being torn down by the mayor. Harlow and Matt have to overcome a lot from their personal lives that they’ve moved to Florida to escape, while helping Tuesday save the Starlight.

This was a great multi-POV historical fiction story! The story alternated between Tuesday’s life as a young adult and Harlow’s and Matt’s current POVs in 1987. As the story went on, there was a lot of suspense created from the plot points and secrets that were left out of the narrative. By the end of the story, I didn’t want to leave this world and these characters. They felt like real people.

Meet Me at the Starlight is a great historical fiction story!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com, Bethany House Fiction, and Rachel Huack for providing a copy of this book for a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: war, death, body shaming

Have you read Meet Me at the Starlight? What did you think of it?

Review: Astra Remade

Title: Astra Remade
Author: Elizabeth Lowham
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Chanter Press LLC
Source: Author
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: May 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

How hard can it be to get one lost prince out of a fairy tower?

Astra has made a terrible wish—to be so beautiful that wealthy men propose at the sight of her. In Everspring, her magical parade of wealthy suitors quickly becomes a violent mob, and worst of all, the king himself sets his sights on her. But the king possesses dark magic of his own, and when Astra displeases him, she finds herself banished to the deadly fairy realm.

Her only refuge is another outcast more trapped and lonelier than she.

Dust was born to be the heir of Everspring, but his isolated tower in the fairy realm is the only home he’s ever known. Astra’s arrival means his first real chance at escape, if he can only trust her to help, but Dust was raised by fairies, and the first rule of fairy culture is to never trust anyone.

Dragons and depthfiends are not the worst dangers they’ll face, but if Astra and Dust can find a way to work together—to be honest with each other when they’ve never been honest with themselves—they may find true freedom and emerge from their prison remade.

Review:

Twenty-five year old Astra Acton wants to get away from her family’s struggles, so she makes a wish to be so beautiful that wealthy men propose at the sight of her. However, she quickly becomes the target of the King. When she rejects his proposal, she is banished to the fairy realm. While there, she finds a tower with no doors. Dust is living at the top of the tower. He was the heir to the throne, until an unfortunate wish landed him in the fairy realm, to be raised by the untrustworthy fairies. Astra and Dust decide to work together to find freedom from their prisons.

This was a great gender reversed retelling of Rapunzel. Dust was a Prince who was cursed to be stuck in a tower. Astra wanted to move higher in life, after her family went bankrupt years before. This book is a sequel to Beauty Reborn. It could be read as a stand-alone, but there is a spoiler for Beauty Reborn if you want to read that one first.

Astra Remade is a great fairytale retelling!

Thank you Elizabeth Lowham for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page)

Other books in the series:

Beauty Reborn

Have you read Astra Remade? What did you think of it?

Review: One Perfect Couple

Title: One Perfect Couple
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A high-tension and ingenious thriller following five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.

Review:

Lyla is a scientist who is struggling with her research. When her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, asks her if she wants to go on a reality show with him, she reluctantly agrees. They travel to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean to film the new reality show, One Perfect Couple. Lyla expects to be voted off the show first, since she doesn’t like reality shows. After a storm the first night, everything goes wrong. Their communication from the rest of the world is cut off, and they have limited supplies. Now, the couples don’t have to worry about being eliminated from the show. They must worry about surviving.

This is my new favourite Ruth Ware book! It was so creepy and intense. There was a bit of a behind the scenes look at the making of a reality show, but most of the book was about survival. I couldn’t guess what would happen next so I was really kept on the edge of my seat!

One Perfect Couple is an intense summer thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, suicide, blood, drowning, diabetes

Have you read One Perfect Couple? What did you think of it?

Review: The Lightning Circle

Title: The Lightning Circle
Author: Vikki VanSickle, Laura K. Watson (illustrations)
Genre: Young Adult, Poetry
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An intimate coming-of age novel for teens, told in verse with delicate line art, chronicling the beauty, magic and transformative power of summer camp, for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Judy Blume.

After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls’ camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora’s camp journal, including Nora’s sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

Review:

Seventeen-year-old Nora wants a break from her hometown this summer after having her heart broken, so she goes to a summer camp as a counselor in West Virginia. She meets young women, both campers and counselors, from different backgrounds with their own heartaches. Nora must learn to open herself up to new friendships to begin healing.

This was a beautiful book. It is written in verse, which suits the emotional time Nora is experiencing. Each section of the story was concise, but also evoked the teenage emotions of the story. There were also beautiful illustrations in a sketch style that accompanied the verses.

The Lightning Verse is a beautiful summer camp story.

Thank you Tundra Books and Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warning: eating disorder

Have you read The Lightning Circle? What did you think of it?

Review: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)

Title: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books US
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Scion. No safer place.

The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.

In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing.

When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal – and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy.

Review:

2059: The Republic of Scion has ruled the world for two centuries. Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant, a person with special powers who is the enemy of Scion. She holds a high rank in her underground criminal group because she is a rare dreamwalker. After a chance encounter leaves a Scion agent dead, Paige is arrested for murder. She ends up in the hands of the creators of Scion, who want to harness her special abilities. Paige must do her best to survive, which may mean trusting the enemy.

I’ve wanted to read this book for years so I was so excited to get the opportunity! When Paige uses her abilities, she gets a migraine. I’ve had chronic migraines for years, so I could relate to her pain. The magic world of this story was a little confusing at first. After I read a couple of chapters, I found out that there are two prequel short stories that have a great introduction to the world. I highly recommend checking those out along with this first book in the series.

The Bone Season is a great fantasy!

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

Content warnings: death, murder, riots, blood, death of parent, abuse

Other books in the series:

The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2)
The Song Rising (The Bone Season #3)
The Mask Falling (The Bone Season #4)

Have you read The Bone Season? What did you think of it?

Review: The Return of Ellie Black

Title: The Return of Ellie Black
Author: Emiko Jean
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective Global
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

“I stayed up late into the night turning the pages until I learned the truth of what happened to Ellie—and gasped when Jean delivered a truly jaw-dropping twist.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Review:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister disappeared and was declared dead, when they were teens, and since then she’s been looking for missing girls. Teenage Ellie Black, who disappeared two years ago, is found wandering in the woods. Chelsey questions Ellie about where she’s been, but Ellie won’t give any answers. Chelsey worries that other girls could be connected to Ellie’s disappearance so it’s crucial that she find out where she was kept as soon as possible.

This was a great fast paced mystery. It alternated between the current story in third person, and flashbacks from Ellie’s perspective where she was held captive. A lot of things that happened when Ellie was held captive were disturbing, but implied rather than described in detail. I guessed one person who was involved, but I was surprised at the whole explanation at the end.

The Return of Ellie Black is a great thriller!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Tandem Collective Global for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, divorce, cancer, rape, kidnapping

Have you read The Return of Ellie Black? What did you think of it?

Review: A Girl Named Harper

Title: A Girl Named Harper
Author: Kara Jefferies
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: 6 Dogs Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 15, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the fast-paced world of auto sales, Harper Atwood has always had to fight twice as hard to prove herself. As a woman navigating the male-dominated industry, she’s determined to overcome her dysfunctional past and the fear of judgment that has haunted her since childhood. Fresh out of a tumultuous marriage, Harper focuses on building a new life and career.

But fate has other plans when Harper discovers a stranger named Gabe in her apartment, a chance encounter that soon unravels into a twist of destiny. Little does she know, Gabe is not just a random face – he’s her new co-worker. Charming, outgoing, and adored by everyone, Gabe is the polar opposite of Harper, who guards her privacy with fierce determination, trusting only her cousin and one close friend.

In this compelling romance novel, join Harper on her journey of self-discovery and healing as she grapples with her past, navigates the complexities of workplace relationships, and discovers that, sometimes, the heart knows what the mind refuses to admit. Will Harper finally let go of her fears and open herself up to the possibility of love, or will the shadows of her past continue to dictate her future?

Review:

Harper Atwood has had to overcome a tough childhood and a troubled marriage to become the woman she is today. When she moves into her first apartment on her own, she’s rescued by Gabe after falling asleep in her car. This unusual meet cute is disrupted when Harper gets mad at Gabe for staying in her apartment. Then she starts a new job at a car dealership, and discovers Gabe works there too. Harper can’t escape him, as they keep ending up in the same places. Gabe wants to be with Harper, but she’s reluctant to let anyone inside her life. Harper must overcome her fears to open herself up to a potential love story with Gabe.

This story was so fast paced. It was a quick read, at under 200 pages. The romance felt like a whirlwind. A lot of this book was emotional, when Harper talked about her struggles throughout her childhood. There were also a couple of spicy scenes. I liked that the epilogue showed Harper and Gabe many years in the future, so we can see how their lives turned out.

A Girl Named Harper is an emotional romance.

Thank you Kara Jefferies and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: alcoholism (off page), abuse (off page), infidelity (off page)

Have you read A Girl Named Harper? What did you think of it?

Review: Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

Title: Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
Author: Catherine Mack
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies . . . one trip to die for.

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series―is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life―the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life―Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker―and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly―theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the irresistible and hilarious series debut from Catherine Mack, introducing bestselling fictional author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate the world in her books.

Review:

Eleanor Dash is a famous author of nine mystery books in the Vacation Mystery series. Her series features the detective Connor Smith, who is based on her ex-boyfriend. When Connor found out she wrote a novel about him ten years ago, he blackmailed her into giving him some of the royalties. Now, Eleanor is ready to kill off Connor. Her character. When she goes on a ten day book tour in Italy, including five other authors and the real Connor, Eleanor begins plotting her character’s death for her next book. However, someone is trying to kill the real Connor. Eleanor has to solve the real mystery of who is targeting Connor and herself, before real life turns into one of her murder mysteries.

This was one of those books that I didn’t want to end! As a writer, I loved seeing Eleanor’s life as a bestselling author. Her comments on the publishing industry were funny and accurate. This story was told from Eleanor’s perspective and she broke the fourth wall often by addressing the reader. She included many footnotes that were funny comments about the story. I’m so excited that this is the first book in a series because Eleanor’s voice was so entertaining!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is an awesome first book in the series!

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

Content warnings: death of parents (off page), robbery, mugging, poisoning, gun violence

Have you read Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies? What did you think of it?

Review: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel

Title: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel
Author: Paula Danziger, Victoria Ying
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Even when her best friend is moving away, Amber Brown is always bold, bright, and colorful. #Amber Brown is out now on Apple TV+

Amber Brown and Justin Daniels are best friends. They’ve known each other for practically forever, sit next to each other in class, help each other with homework, and always stick up for each other. Justin never says things like, “Amber Brown is not a crayon.” Amber never says, “You’re Justin Time.” They’re a great team—until disaster strikes. Justin has to move away, and now the best friends are fighting. Will they be able to work it out before it’s too late?

Along with the ups and downs of shared custody, the Amber Brown chapter books are beloved for tackling relatable dilemmas with thoughtfulness, humor, and plenty of puns.

Review:

Amber Brown and Justin Daniels are best friends and neighbours. They sit beside each other in class and do everything together. When Justin’s parents put their house up for sale, Amber and Justin start fighting. Amber feels like she’s lost her best friend before he’s even moved away. They must try to make up before Amber loses her best friend forever.

I loved the Amber Brown books when I was a kid, so I was excited to read this graphic novel. These stories show kids dealing with relatable problems, like parents divorcing, friends moving away, and bullying. I really enjoyed this graphic novel!

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon is a great children’s graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book!

Content warnings: parents divorce, bullying

Have you read Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel? What did you think of it?