King Coyote

by

Rachael Meyers Jones

Exciting summertime adventures paired with a hard-won coming-of-age story.

King Coyote by Rachael Meyers Jones is a wonderful and exciting summertime coming-of-age story as a pre-teen navigates his parents' impending divorce, loneliness, and a fish-out-of-water stay in rural Vermont. King is twelve years old when he is dropped off for the summer at his cousin's house in Northeast Vermont, while his parents work through the process of separating and setting up two households back home in Boston. When he and Nat were much younger, they had been inseparable: their families even shared a duplex. But when their grandfather had died, Nat's parents had relocated to the family farmstead in Vermont, and the two had not seen each other since. This summer, the cousins are thrust back together and finally have their comfortable relationship restored enough to work through the really big feelings they've both kept tamped down. 

King is the engaging main character whose hurt radiates from every pore. It will take the summer and a lot of adventure for him to realize he can't fix the change in his parents' feelings for each other. While reuniting with Nat gives him the sounding board he needs, it is his feeling of responsibility for the small, scraggly coyote he names Coal that eventually pulls him out of his sadness and allows him to gain some perspective. 

Intruding on his healing are the awkward encounters with the few white people in the area, who see him as someone to fear because of the color of his skin. His cousin knows what's going on but chooses to look the other way, at first. Nat, the only child of mixed ancestry at her school, had found their attitudes isolating, with most people choosing to ignore her, only seeing her white heritage, while others rudely overstepped basic common boundaries and personal space: a confusing and painful situation for her that her Black father tried to help her understand and overcome. While no answers are found on the teens' adventure into the wilderness, they come away from the experience with more confidence in themselves to handle whatever comes their way in the future. 

The description of the Vermont setting and the kids' summertime activities on the mountain are, for the most part, vivid, glorious, and idyllic. Their freedom to roam and relax without cellphones, videogames, and streaming services is a renewal, especially for King, who had much more access to this back in Boston. They gain knowledge, self-reliance, trust, and build resilience from their experiences, but still realize the toll their unexpected and impulsive absence had on their frantic parents. 

I recommend KING COYOTE to readers of middle-grade fiction and adventure stories, especially those who enjoy a natural or wilderness setting. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.

Wonder in the Garden

by Talia Aikens-Nuñez

Illustrated by Irena Freitas

Light-hearted and colorful children’s picture book with a fun story that introduces basic Spanish vocabulary.

Wonder in the Garden is a light-hearted and colorful new children’s picture book by veteran children’s author Talia Aikens-Nuñez about a day in the life of a girl and her dog, Nube, as they help with the home garden. Besides the fun story, readers are introduced to some basic Spanish vocabulary useful in daily life. 

A young girl, her extended family, and her pet dog live together with a large, productive garden and orchard on their property. As she and Nube frolic through the fruit and vegetables, the Spanish equivalents of simple sentences, reactions, and observations of what they encounter are provided. The narrative is fun and full of life. Young readers and listeners will smile over the joyous play of the girl and her rascally dog. It is a fun way to see and hear simple Spanish words and sentences in a relatable context. 

This story is vividly illustrated with colorful scenes by artist Irena Freitas. With clear visuals, little readers and listeners will have fun discovering all the wonderful details included on every page. 

I recommend WONDER IN THE GARDEN as a wonderful option for use at home or in the classroom with single-language or bilingual speakers and readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Arson, Old Lace, and Murder

Charlie Kingsley Mystery, #8

by

Michele Pariza Wacek

Charlie is drawn into a deadly case of arson, murder, and revenge.

Arson, Old Lace, and Murder is the eighth book in author Michele Pariza Wacek's always-intriguing Charlie Kingsley Mystery series, where a deadly case of arson draws Charlie into the affairs of the clannish 1888ers, the direct descendants of the children left behind when every adult in Redemption mysteriously disappeared in a single night. While Charlie is delivering a tea order to her one client who lives in a part of town almost exclusively inhabited by 1888ers, she discovers a local business ablaze, with a young woman trapped inside. After rescuing her and hearing that a man was still in the building, Charlie returns to make another attempt, but it's too late. In the meantime, though, the survivor, who is well along in pregnancy, disappears with Charlie's coat and the money from her wallet. Shockingly, the police officer on the scene is completely uninterested in locating the young mother-to-be, or in investigating what is obviously a case of arson. The following day, after the local paper reports Charlie's actions at the fire, the wife of the man who perished comes to hire her to investigate his murder. 

Once again, Charlie Kingsley is at the center of a baffling crime that Officer Brandon Wyle doesn't want her investigating. However, this story is unique in that even her friends are adamantly opposed to her involvement, except for pseudo-detective and retired high school English teacher, Mildred Schmidt, who is eager to assist. 

Charlie hits a brick wall with every clue she pursues, and even the young woman who had pulled the disappearing act is unwilling to tell what she knows. In an interesting twist, Wyle is warned off asking questions about the case by his superiors and is forced to encourage Charlie to dig up something so concrete that the case can no longer be swept under the rug. The barriers to the official investigation into anything related to the 1888ers are unknown, but whatever they are, they are closely guarded secrets. 

Charlie and Wyle's relationship is off-kilter and uneasy, and I'm becoming less and less an advocate of their pairing as time goes on. I don't feel like he supports her or truly respects her as a smart and capable adult. It's time she explores other options. 

The story maintains a brisk pace as Charlie does her best to pry information from anyone who might shed light on the secrets of the 1888ers and an even more insular group, The Forgotten. The resolution was surprising, but it made sense. 

While this book is the eighth in the series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, for the best experience, read a couple of the previous books in this or the related series by the author. I recommend ARSON, OLD LACE, AND MURDER to readers of cozy mysteries, especially those who enjoy paranormal elements in their stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Relatively Normal Secrets

The Falinnheim Chronicles, #1

by

C.W. Allen

Fast-paced and full of surprises, with engaging main child characters

Relatively Normal Secrets is the first book in author C.W. Allen’s delightful middle-grade fantasy series, The Falinnheim Chronicles, and features two precocious and curious siblings, Zed and Tuesday Furst. Obsessed with their parents’ shadowy pasts that no amount of questioning seems to shed any light on, Zed and Tuesday decide to take the opportunity to search their house for clues when their parents leave for a short business trip. Instructed to head directly to a trusted neighbor’s home after school, the brother and sister decide to detour to their own home instead to put their plan in action. 

Before they can even make a cursory look, two large, menacing men show up at the house and try to grab them and their pet dog, Nyx. With Nyx’s intervention, they escape through the woods behind the house, where they are magically transported to another land called Falinnheim. Suspecting the evil men will soon be on their trail, they travel to the nearest town in hopes of finding a way to return home and reunite with their parents. 

The two Furst siblings are fun, smart kids with engaging personalities and a talent for getting into trouble. Their questions about their parents’ pasts are relatable, and their parents’ deft deflection very mysterious. The various conspiracy theories and possible alternate lives the kids dream up to explain their parents’ reactions were wild and fun, and I loved how the two siblings worked together to find answers throughout the story. 

The plot is fast-paced and full of surprises, with magical elements, bandits, an evil, tyrannical leader, and a dangerous resistance group in hiding. The children find direction in mysterious, altered nursery rhymes left for them along the path of their journey, and Nyx proves to be more than just a pet dog. The exciting cliffhanger ending left me anxious for the next book. 

Ivy Tara Blair ably narrates the audiobook and creates distinct voices for each character. I appreciated the clarity of her delivery and the variety and vocal nuances she used to create the impression of different speakers. I would be happy to listen to more of her narrations. 

I recommend RELATIVELY NORMAL SECRETS to fans of middle-grade fantasy books.

For this and other reviews, visit by blog - Boys' Mom Reads!

Wired for Magic

by

Janet Roberts

Fun mix of magic, high-tech, and suspense!

Wired For Magic by Janet Roberts is a fun mix of magic, high-tech, and suspense, making for an interesting and unique tale as a former supermodel deals with a billionaire stalker after her and her magical abilities. Rowan Campbell is tired of running from the thugs hired by high-tech mogul Jarrod Marrone. What started as an obsession with her beauty and presence has evolved to a determination to possess her and her, as yet untapped, magical abilities, which were passed down to her through her maternal line. 

The story begins with Rowan on the run once again, narrowly escaping being snatched by two of Jarrod’s large minions in a London tube station. This time, however, Rowan has a plan to evade Marrone’s goons long enough to go to her Aunt Maya in Wales to finally learn about the magic she’s ignored all her life. From the context, it appears there is a lot of backstory to catch up on regarding Jarrod’s attempt to secure Rowan, so much so that I often felt like I was reading the second book in a series. Still, as the book progresses, bits and pieces are revealed to create a picture of obsession and a man with too much time on his hands and plenty of money to spend on unscrupulous plans. 

The plot is chock-full of fun and interesting twists and coincidental connections. I liked how several of the women Rowan met on her journey continued to work on her behalf, even as literal strangers. The Welsh setting lent the story a fresh look and feel while still tapping into the ancient Celtic mythology that is usually associated with Ireland. The places Rowan visits are varied and vividly described, giving one the impression of having been there in person. I also enjoyed the Pittsburgh locations stateside, a big and vibrant city full of history, but not as overused as New York and others. 

I recommend WIRED FOR MAGIC to readers who enjoy contemporary and suspense-filled fantasies. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.