The Enola Holmes series reaches its conclusion in the sixth novel, The Case of the Gypsy Good-bye. While I’m kind of sad to see the series come to a close (I read the last five novels in a summer binge), I have amazing respect for an author who knows when and how to end a […]
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan
July 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The fourth Enola Holmes novel, The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan, may be my favorite so far. Enola sees Lady Cecily, the titular character of The Case of the Left-Handed Lady. She’s in the “care” of two very controlling women, but she manages to send Enola a clue by leaving her pink fan behind. […]
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
July 16, 2014 by 2 Comments
Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft. In her second novel, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, things get kind of dark for the 14 year old who is living on her own. London is a dirty and dangerous city, full of destitute and desperate people. Enola is struggling to make […]
Flipping Out!
July 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Flipping Out! is the 14th book in the My Sister the Vampire series. I managed to get this one through Amazon without jumping through any hoops, but interestingly it’s the British version! (You can tell by the extras U’s.) This novel is a welcome return to form as both sisters are back together, getting used […]
It’s NOT Just a Dog
June 27, 2014 by 1 Comment
It’s NOT Just A Dog! continues the story of Madison and Cooper which began in When Dogs Blog. You don’t necessarily need to read When Dogs Blog first, but I’ll assume you’ve at least read the review. The school year, during which Madison and Cooper shut down a puppy mill, is over. Cooper is living […]
Aurius
June 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Full disclosure: As I write this review, I’m sitting at a game convention. I spent the last week helping my daughter put the finishing touches on a couple of costumes she’ll be wearing here. I may have actually been the worst possible audience for Aurius. Aurius tells the story of Jacob, a 15 year old […]
The Tiger Rising
May 23, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Tiger Rising is quite short, just over 100 pages with chapters of 3-4 pages each. However, there’s a lot contained in this slim volume. It has “Literature Circle Questions” at the end because it was pretty much designed for that kind of situation—short enough for everyone to read, with enough metaphor to fuel tons […]
Stick Dog
May 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
When I told my son I wasn’t a huge fan of Potterwookiee, he said that if I want books that look like they’re written by middle schoolers, I should totally read Stick Dog. So I did, and he was right. The cover looks like one of those school notebooks with the sewn binding and a […]
Zeely
May 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Zeely is the story of the summer that Elizabeth and her younger brother John spend at their uncle’s farm. Elizabeth, determined to have an eventful summer, decides that the way to start is for her and John to take on new names—they become Geeder and Toeboy for the rest of the summer. When Geeder spots Zeely, the […]
The Road to Paris
May 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Road to Paris is a picture of a short period in the life of nine year old Paris, a girl in foster care. She’s been in some really horrible situations, but now she’s with the Lincolns in a more stable and loving home, learning who she is, how to cope, and what she wants […]
