*Review* Dissonance by Barbara Burt

 

Genre: Mystery

Published: January 31, 2023

Pages: 348

What deadly conflict lurks under the posh genteel facade of a summer classical music festival in a small town on the Maine Coast? Allegra Brewster, cellist and newly minted arts administrator, finds herself torn between keeping her job with the SummerFest Symphony and her loyalty to its musicians. The tension rises to a higher level when she discovers the death of a central person in the conflict. Many people with ill feelings toward the victim are potential murder suspects, but it is her father upon whom the police focus their attention.

Set at a fictional summer music festival in coastal Maine, Dissonance explores the struggle between a nonprofit arts board and its musicians, wealthy summer people and locals, a besotted suitor and the former girlfriend he betrayed, and a young woman’s faith in her own detective skills and the obvious fact that someone close to her committed murder.

Filled with music references (and accompanied by a Spotify playlist), Dissonance brings the reader into the world of a summer orchestra, its musicians and supporters, and the small town they occupy.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This book lured me in with its cover, and for me, proved the saying that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Sadly it was a pretty big let-down for me, and not nearly as engaging as I was hoping it would be. There was a lot of focus on picking songs, for basically every activity described in the book, and they were almost always classical, which didn't feel very realistic to me, even with the main character being a cello player. I'm really supposed to believe that she never listens to the actual radio and jams out to Taylor Swift? 

Allie's relationships with the locals also felt very juvenile, which may have contributed to my disbelief about her music choices because I view classical music listeners as more sophisticated. Meanwhile Allie is breaking up with her boyfriend because her friend/surrogate mom tragically lost one of her children in a boating accident a couple years before, and it's hinted that he had some sort of involvement with that, but we never really find out what. 

It also felt like the book was almost over before the main crime even happened that led to the mystery Allie needed to solve. Which means solving the mystery felt rushed as well, and we were still focusing on picking just the right song for our thinking about whodunit. 

I really wanted to like this book, because I really want to like every book I read, but I just couldn't make it happen here unfortunately. Overall I give Dissonance 2.13 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

A musician, writer, sailor, editor, educator, nonprofit executive and board member, and long-time New Englander, Barbara Burt now lives in Georgia with her husband, two daughters, one granddaughter, and two dogs. You can reach her at barbwriter@proton.me.

*Stacking the Shelves* 18 March 2023

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Reading Reality in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. All Goodreads First Reads ebook wins unless otherwise specified.

Look Unto Me in Every Thought by Jakob R. Jones

Not Your Mama's Bible by Pasha Tay

Atom and Molly by Norma A. Katz

The Greatest Lesson by S. Alston

In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel

Unvarnished Faith by Bill Yoh

Get the Respect You Deserve by Veronica Anderson MD

The Yin and the Yang of it All by John Kim Faye

Make the Onions Cry by S.E. Bourne

In the Black by T. Dallas Smith

Thoughts From the Big Chair by Russell Haworth

Thorns by L.H. Kahn

The Ring Pack by Jordan Wells

And that's all the new books I've added to my digital shelves this past week. They were all Goodreads wins, so at least I've kept my buying in check, for now. LOL. Do any of these books look interesting to you? What books have you added to your shelves this past week? If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by and check out your new pretties. - Katie

*Book Blogger Hop* Do I Post Every Day?

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is: 

Do you post every day on your blog and/or social media? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

I sure don't, even though one of my blogging resolutions for the year was to review one children's book a day. It's the middle of March and I've already been failing at that (although it's averaging out when I make it average out around the end of each month). I'm even less consistent with posting on my blog's Facebook page because I basically suck as a human being (or maybe just as a blogger if we're being realistic and NOT melodramatic). I'm definitely working on getting more consistent, but sometimes it's hard because my office is in the basement, and most days I just don't feel like walking down the stairs (and then back up), but also I feel like I should spend some time with my husband and kids after work and before bedtime, and there's just only so many hours in the day. But maybe I'll figure out a system that works before the year is over and next year I'll be better (although I'm probably going to not try to read one kid's book a day for review next year as I should have my Netgalley percentage up to a much happier place by the end of this year). 

What about you? Do you post on your blog or social media every day? If you're stopping by from the link-up, please be sure to drop a link to your post so I can be sure to check out your answer. - Katie 

*Top Ten Tuesday* My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This week’s theme is books on my Spring TBR. Now if you've read many of my Top Ten Tuesday posts, this is the type of theme that leads to a game of Netgalley Request Roulette...but if you've been reading my Top Ten Tuesday posts, you know I've been playing request roulette a LOT lately, so I'm not doing that again right now. I'm already behind on my Netgalley requests that have been approved at this point of the year (although not as behind as I thought I'd be considering how many books I've been approved for, so that's something). But where the books I should be reading next for Netgalley have been featured here on the blog very recently already, I'm not doing that either. Instead I'm going to change things up a bit and pick ten paperback books from my shelves that I currently plan to read this year (because one of my reading goals for the year is to read 23 physical books because it's 2023). Ideally I'll get to a few of them this spring if I can get ahead on those Netgalley requests again at least. Here we go. 

When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang

(My copy has a different cover that I like much better than this one)

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

(My copy of this also has a different cover that I like much more than this one.)

River of Ink by Paul M.M. Cooper

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Diamond City by Francesca Flores

There you have it. Ten books that already exist on my bookshelves that at least for now, I want to read this year (presumably some of them this spring). Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

What books are on your spring TBR? If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below. I like to return all visits, but typically can't do so until the weekend, so those links help a ton. Kbye! - Katie 

*Review* Jasper Lizard Wants to Stay Home by Ashley Bartley

 

Genre: Children's 4-11

Published: March 20, 2023

Pages: 31

Jasper is jittery, queasy, and panicky. Must be time for school!

For weeks, he has fussed, moaned, and sometimes even refused to go to class. He has outbursts each morning, tells Mom and Dad he’s sick, and hides in his room. He uses any and every reason he can muster to stay at home, but then spends hours playing video games and watching his favorite reptile shows.

The longer Jasper stays out of school, the more anxious he gets about going back. His homework is piling up, and his parents are increasingly concerned and frustrated. They insist he go to school, and Jasper promises he will tomorrow. It’s always tomorrow. But when morning comes, he sobs and says he has to stay home for just one more day.

Missing school also means missing football practice, so Jasper isn’t allowed to play in the big game. When the team loses, he wonders if he is to blame? Everyone wants an answer for why Jasper keeps skipping out on school.

• Is there a bully on the bus?
• Is school scary?
• Is homework too hard?
• Is he really sick?
• Is it a cry for attention?

With playful rhymes and colorful characters, author Ashley Bartley explores why sometimes young kids refuse to go to school and what can give them the confidence to try school again. A special page written specifically for parents and teachers offers insightful and practical tips on helping children who suffer from separation anxiety and school-related stress.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a rhyming story about a young lizard that doesn't want to go to school. I have a little lizard that also seems to never want to go to school, and much like Jasper, she will not tell me why, but makes up stories about feeling sick. In this story, Jasper learns to enjoy school by making a friend on the school bus and getting a morning job from the teacher, and also being allowed to take a toy from home as long as he doesn't take it out in class. I was hopeful that this story might give me some ideas for what to do for my lizard, but the one thing that is actually feasible, has been forbidden by her teacher's because she didn't follow the rules. The rhymes in the story sometimes felt like a little bit of a stretch, and there wasn't much of a flow so they were actually kind of easy to miss when not looking for them. 

The illustrations were colorful and bright and perfectly showed the events of the story, even Jasper's hiding. The lines were crisp and again I suspect digital illustration may have been used for this book. Overall I give this book 3.25 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Ashley Bartley, M.Ed., NCC is a school counselor whose writing has been published in The Joyful Life Magazine and on the Kindred Mom Blog. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from The University of Virginia and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, where she grew up. She also has a diploma from The Institute of Children’s Literature and is a National Board-Certified Counselor. Ashley is the author of the popular Diamond, Opal, and Friends book series. She lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and three young boys. Learn more at www.counselorstation.com.

*Review* Vinnie the Brave by Jeff Tucker

 

Genre: Children's 4-7

Published: April 11, 2023

Pages: 31

Vinnie is fearless. He’s so fearless, everyone calls him Vinnie the Brave.

He’s not afraid to climb way up high, capture creepy crawlies with his bare hands, or stare down ghostly looking things. But this courageous kid does have one giant fear that he desperately wants to hide. It’s a terror so big, it sends a cold shiver down his spine, leaves him speechless, and makes him question just how brave he really is.

Vinnie’s great fear – speaking up in class.

When he doesn’t understand the material or the teacher goes too fast, Vinnie refuses to raise his hand. He doesn’t want the other kids to laugh at him, judge him, or say he’s clueless. He sits in silence and pretends it all makes sense. But now he’s falling behind. His grades are slipping, and something has to change.

Vinnie and his teacher come up with a secret signal he can use whenever he needs help or wants the teacher to slow down. The discreet signal involves tugging on his ears. It works perfectly until the day he tugs and tugs and tugs, but his teacher never notices. Now what?

Will Vinnie keep yanking his ears? Will he raise his hand and finally speak up? Or will he sit in silence and fall further behind?

With vibrant illustrations and a main character everyone will root for, award-winning author and school counselor Jeff Tucker explores the fears kids have about speaking up in class and being judged by their peers. A special page written specifically for parents and teachers offers practical tips on helping kids recognize the differences between helpful and harmful fears and how to manage social anxiety.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a story about a young boy who seems to not be afraid of anything, except for speaking up in class when he doesn't understand something the teacher is talking about. He doesn't want other kids to make fun of him or think that he's dumb, so he doesn't say anything. But then his grades start to suffer so the teacher pulls him aside during recess to ask what's going on. They come up with a signal for when he doesn't understand so she can still make sure he's learning, but one day she misses the signal and he has no choice but to speak up. I thought it was a good way to show kids that being brave isn't just not being afraid, but doing something even when you are afraid. 

The illustrations were really bright and crisp. They looked like they may have been created digitally, but they did a great job of showing the events of the story as they happened. Overall I give this book 4.06 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

JEFF TUCKER is a licensed professional counselor with experience providing mental health services to students of all ages. Jeff earned his Master’s in counseling from Louisiana Tech University and is pursuing his Doctorate in counselor education and supervision at Adams State University. Jeff is passionate about education, promoting mental health in children, and social justice issues. In 2020 he authored his first children’s book; My Name’s Sammy, and I’m no Snitch! Jeff has always been an avid reader and writer and believes in the power of books to help children thrive. Jeff lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with his spouse and their spoiled dog.

*Review* The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton

 

Genre: Dystopian Literary Fiction

Published: March 7, 2023

Pages: 379

It’s been more than a decade since the world has come undone, and Sasha Severn has returned to her childhood home with one goal in mind—find the mythic research her father, the infamous Last Beekeeper, hid before he was incarcerated. There, Sasha is confronted with a group of squatters who have claimed the quiet, idyllic farm as their own. While she initially feels threatened, the group soon becomes her newfound family, offering what she hasn't felt since her father was imprisoned: security and hope. Maybe it's time to forget the family secrets buried on the farm and focus on her future.

But just as she settles into her new life, Sasha witnesses the impossible. She sees a honey bee, presumed extinct. People who claim to see bees are ridiculed and silenced for reasons Sasha doesn't understand, but she can't shake the feeling that this impossible bee is connected to her father's missing research. Fighting to uncover the truth could shatter Sasha's fragile security and threaten the lives of her newfound family—or it could save them all.

Julie Carrick Dalton's The Last Beekeeper is a celebration of found family, an exploration of truth versus power, and the triumph of hope in the face of despair. It is a meditation on forgiveness and redemption and a reminder to cherish the beauty that still exists in this fragile world.

"But I'm going to miss sexing up plants with you all day."

I was peer pressured into requesting a copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher was "kind" enough to approve that request. In their defense, they didn't know there was peer pressure at play. This is my honest review. 

Although this book is dystopian, it feels very realistic. It's not hard to imagine the world ending up like it's portrayed in this book with the track we are currently on. We are destroying our planet, and the species that provide behind the scenes help in feeding us. The story is told alternating between the story's present and the past from the perspective of Sasha, and takes place almost entirely on her family's farm. There are a lot of little mysteries within the story where Sasha is trying to figure things out, especially surrounding what happened when she was 11 before her father went to jail, that I think were supposed to make me want to keep reading, but eventually just annoyed me because I just wanted the answers already, although that's also how Sasha felt, so I guess I was pretty solidly in her shoes on that. 

This book did make me kind of want to become a prepper, and like learn how to can food and garden, because if our society collapses like it's portrayed in this book, I would be absolutely screwed. I do not have skills that would help me survive post-collapse, and this book makes those skills seem so normal, because Sasha has all of them, because her dad was a prepper. Because of his job he saw the writing on the wall and knew what was coming so he prepared and taught his daughter. This isn't a case where it felt weird that the main character happened to have all the skills they needed to survive. 

I wish I'd felt more invested in this story overall, but getting annoyed about not getting answers to the mysteries pulled me out of the story and made it more of a challenge to want to read. And for that reason, I'm rating this book 3.29 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

JULIE CARRICK DALTON is a New England journalist and farmer. Her debut novel WAITING FOR THE NIGHT SONG launched in January, 2021 as a CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, Parade, and Buzzfeed Most Anticipated 2021 Book, and was an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Books of the Month. Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, BusinessWeek, The Hollywood Reporter, Electric Literature, The Chicago Review of Books, Orion Magazine, Lit Hub, and other publications. She contributes to DeadDarlings, The Writer Unboxed, and GrubStreet’s writer’s blogs. Her second novel, THE LAST BEEKEEPER, will be released in 2023.

Mom to four kids and two dogs, Julie also owns and operates a 100-acre farm. When she isn't writing or digging in the dirt, you can probably find her kayaking in New Hampshire or walking in the woods hunting for mushrooms.

*Review* Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

 

Genre: Fantasy

Published: February 26, 2017

Pages: 625

Five years ago, Corin Cadence’s brother entered the Serpent Spire — a colossal tower with ever-shifting rooms, traps, and monsters. Those who survive the spire’s trials return home with an attunement: a mark granting the bearer magical powers. According to legend, those few who reach the top of the tower will be granted a boon by the spire’s goddess.

He never returned.

Now, it’s Corin’s turn. He’s headed to the top floor, on a mission to meet the goddess.

If he can survive the trials, Corin will earn an attunement, but that won’t be sufficient to survive the dangers on the upper levels. For that, he’s going to need training, allies, and a lot of ingenuity.

The journey won’t be easy, but Corin won’t stop until he gets his brother back.

I read this book because it was one of twelve suggested by friends for me to read this year. I lucked out by finding the audiobook version available during a 2 for 1 credit sale on Audible, which is why it's the first of the 12 books I read even though it was not the first book suggested (although I never intended to read them in the order suggested necessarily because I'm a mood reader). The fact that it was recommended by my arch-nemesis's husband and he's been trying to get her to read it for a while apparently and she still hasn't was just icing on the cake for me getting to it sooner rather than later. 

This book felt like it took forever to listen to, even at 1.7 speed. I mostly only listened while cooking or washing dishes, which definitely contributed to that. I didn't feel so invested in the story that I wanted to keep listening when my hands were free to hold a book/phone to read myself, and I think that's due in part to the fact that there was a lot that Corin needed to learn, which means there was a lot we as the readers needed to learn too. In any case, the action scenes were few and far between, and the routes between them were very information heavy, and didn't have me on the edge of my figurative seat. 

It wasn't until a reveal at the end of the book that I really wanted to know what happened next, which kudos to the author because now I really do want to read the next book, but by the time I actually have time to do it, I will probably have forgotten why. There's definitely still a ton of things that can happen in the story, so seeing that this is the first book of a four book series is not surprising. Overall I give this book 4.17 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Andrew Rowe was once a professional game designer for awesome companies like Blizzard Entertainment, Cryptic Studios, and Obsidian Entertainment. Nowadays, he’s writing full time.

When he’s not crunching numbers for game balance, he runs live-action role-playing games set in the same universe as his books. In addition, he writes for pen and paper role-playing games.

Aside from game design and writing, Andrew watches a lot of anime, reads a metric ton of fantasy books, and plays every role-playing game he can get his hands on.

Interested in following Andrew’s books releases, or discussing them with other people? You can find more info, update, and discussions in a few places online:

Andrew’s Blog: https://andrewkrowe.wordpress.com/

Mailing List: https://andrewkrowe.wordpress.com/mailing-list/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Arcane-Ascension-378362729189084/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClimbersCourt/

*Stacking the Shelves* 11 March 2023

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme created by Reading Reality in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon. 

On that note, here are the books I picked up this week. All Goodreads First Reads ebook wins unless otherwise specified.

Note: God Had a Question and You Are the Answer by Eric John and Celestine Wonderlun

Adam in Taoland by Jack Tymann and Ayesha Abdul Ghaffar

Bound by Song by J.D. Williams

Lizzie by Gerald Schoenewolf

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree - I used Amazon credits that were going to expire soon to buy this book. It's one of the 12 books I'm supposed to read this year because it was recommended by a friend. 

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon - This is another book that I used Amazon credits for to make sure I used them before they expired because it was one of the 12 friend recs for the year. Mildly related side note, if you're not planning on using the rewards from the Kindle Points system immediately, just leave them as points, because once they are given the "cash" value, the expire in 30 days. 

Waking Up Alive by Jaylynn Wylie

Rumi Inspiration by Livingston Rossmoor

I Believe by Thom S. Rainer

Because of the Night by Rue L'Hommedieu

Harbinger of Paradox by Bayard West

Custody: Blood is Thicker than Water by Danial Kenneth Mason

My Faith Journey by Margaret A. Kobier

Don't Cry for Me, Aunt Tina by Steve Wrixon Russell

Santa Claus is Not Responding by Damien Vappereau

Son of Light, Son of Darkness by Bob Perrill

Magic Mines by Sandeep Singh Lotta

And that is all the books I picked up this one. I only "purchased" two and that was only because credits were expiring, although I do also need to get a move on reading those friend recs as it's already almost the middle of March and I've only read one so far. 

What new books have you added to your shelves this week? If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to pay you a visit as well. - Katie 

*Book Blogger Hop* Headphones for Audiobooks? Yay or Nay?

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is: 

Do you listen to audiobooks with earbuds or headphones? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

I do yes. I have just this week started listening to audiobooks while I'm at work because I'm no longer the primary phone answerer. I still provide backup phone answering services when they're busy, but I'm not expected to answer on the first ring anymore, so it's not causing the same issues for me it would have before. It has always been an option, but my experience in food service on headset showed me that I do not have the mental capacity to listen to a book in one ear and be effective at answering the phone with the other as I was never one of the people who could be taking an order on the headset while talking to a person at the window at the same time (some people can and they are amazing gods and goddesses). When I'm at home I usually don't bother with the earbuds because I'm not typically listening to books that I'd be worried about my kids hearing bits of, but if I was, I would use the earbuds at home as well. 

What about you? Do you listen to audiobooks with headphones? If so, why? 

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to stop by and pay you a visit when I have time. - Katie 

*Top Ten Tuesday* Bookish People I'd Like to Meet? No Thanks.

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This week’s theme is bookish people I'd like to meet. This can be authors, book characters, book bloggers, whatever as long as they have a bookish connection. But meeting new people makes me nervous and uncomfortable and I have to hype myself up a TON beforehand to do it, so I'm not even pretending to do that. Instead, we are going to discuss the next ten main characters I should be meeting to stay on top of my Netgalley requests. (To be clear, these are all going to be books I have not yet started, so they won't be the next ten books I review necessarily.) Here we go. 

Sasha Severn in The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton

Merlin in The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

Juliet Arroway in The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler

Ryne Burdette in The Broken Places by Blaine Daigle

Maria Wallner in Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

Heike in Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia

Ren Monroe in A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Winifred in Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline

Freddy Peach in Frozen Peaches by Erin Soderberg Downing

Peeraphan Rahttana in Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake

There we go, ten main characters that I should be meeting before the middle of April (YIKES) to stay caught up with my Netgalley books. This doesn't include Clytemnestra (which I'm almost finished with now) Dissonance by Barbara Burt (which I'm about 10% into) and Hitler's Aristocrats (which I'm also about 10% into) because I've already started them. Dissonance is already overdue but I grabbed it as a read now anyway, so I feel much less guilty about that at this point. 

So who are some bookish people you want to meet? If you're stopping by from the linkup, please leave a link to your post. I typically can't return visits until the weekend, so those links really help me make sure I get to your blog to check out your lists too. - Katie