Book Review: The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia

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The Fair Weather Friend  by Jessie Garcia  opens with Faith Richards, a popular meteorologist in Detroit, never returning back to the news station after her dinner break. The next day, her news station releases a story that she's been found, strangled to death not far from the station. The Fair Weather Friend , as Richards is referred to by adoring fans, had some deep, dark secrets. As those skeletons come to light, other peoples' lives start to unravel, and things are not what they seem. I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Jessie Garcia's The Fair Weather Friend . A digital copy was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions of the novel are my own. There were many things I absolutely enjoyed about Jessie Garcia's sophomore novel including multiple point of views, the character development, and numerous red herrings. Overall, the story being told from a var...
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Book Review: There Are No Dragons In This Book by Donna Lambo-Weidner

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Book Review: There Are No Dragons In This Book by Donna Lambo-Weidner
NetGalley ARC of Book Review of There Are No Dragons In This Book by Donna Lambo-Weidner
There Are No Dragons In This Book by Donna Lambo-Weidner is a children’s picture book that encourages young readers to carefully examine each page to make sure there truly are no dragons hiding within the story. The expected publication date is March 5, 2024. I’d like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

Going into this book, I was curious about how the story would play with the idea of searching for dragons, especially since interactive picture books can be a lot of fun for kids. Unfortunately, I found myself a bit disappointed overall. The story didn’t fully hold my attention, and it’s not one I would personally reach for when choosing a book to read aloud to a child. The pacing and narrative just didn’t quite work for me, and I didn’t feel particularly drawn into the experience as a reader.

One aspect that stood out to me in a negative way was the fact that the book does, in fact, contain dragons despite the title insisting otherwise. While this may be intended as a playful twist, I couldn’t help but think that some children might feel misled or confused by this contradiction. Younger readers, in particular, may take the title very literally and feel frustrated when the promise of “no dragons” doesn’t quite hold true. That said, I also recognize that humor and surprise land differently for children than they do for adults, and many kids may find this element funny rather than upsetting.

On a more positive note, the illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and full of detail. The artwork gives readers plenty to look at and explore on each page, which helps maintain interest even when the story itself didn’t fully work for me. The visuals are clearly a strong point of the book and will likely appeal to children who enjoy lively, eye-catching pictures in their stories.

Overall, while There Are No Dragons In This Book by Donna Lambo-Weidner wasn’t a standout read for me personally, it may still find an appreciative audience among its intended readers. For that reason, I ultimately rated the book three out of five stars.

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