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 Bizarre Bouquets
July 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Continuing my summer binge of Enola Holmes, next we get the third novel, The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets. Dr. Watson, who Enola views from a distance as a father figure, has gone missing. No one has any clues. Enola disguises herself and befriends Mrs. Watson, gaining entrance to the Watson residence. There she sees the […]
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 […]
When Dogs Blog
June 26, 2014 by 1 Comment
Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog is the story of Madison who loves dogs and wants nothing more than a dog of her own. When she finally convinces her stepfather to get her a dog, he bring home Lilly, a small rescued dog. Lilly isn’t at all what Madison imagined, but as she learns about the […]
Shades of Milk and Honey
May 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I was interested in Shades of Milk and Honey as soon as I heard it described as Jane Austen “if she lived in a world where magic worked.” It’s a thoroughly enjoyable novel for those who enjoy costume dramas (which means me and most of my family). Although not explicitly a book for younger readers, […]
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 Wants a Hot Dog
May 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog is the second book in the Stick Dog series. It’s useful but not necessary to read the first one before reading this one, but I’ll assume you read my review of the first one. The tone and approach are similar, with the narrator asking the reader not to give […]
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 […]
