My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Firefly Summer was the perfect middle grade read for the last week of August with this book’s warm, feel-good vibes and immersive summer life. My summer was wrapping up. I had saved this book for when the weather was about to change. When I was yearning for one…
Tag: mystery
My Reading List 2024
I can already tell you one of my new year’s resolutions for 2025 because it’s something I didn’t do in 2024 — I didn’t keep track of the books I read! I resolve in 2025 to keep an ongoing list. But for now, I will cobble together a list, knowing I will forget some books….
Book Spotlight: The Firebreather’s Curse by Katy Metzger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Firebreather’s Curse is another epic adventure in this urban fantasy series which has me hooked! This is the second book in the Talismans of Teregrin series. It brings us in shortly after the first book left off with the two MC’s – Oliver and Gemma – and their…
Book Spotlight: Karma Moon: Ghost Hunter by Melissa Savage
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Karma Moon: Ghost Hunter is an engaging middle grade read filled with quirky characters and hilarious banter between Karma and her best friend, Mags. When Karma’s dad lands the job of lifetime – a documentary series with Netflix – he and Karma have to pack up for spring break…
Book Spotlight: The Multiplying Mysteries of Mount Ten by Krista Van Dolzer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars The premise for The Multiplying Mysteries of Mount Ten is both intriguing and humorous – what if you are heading to an art summer camp but end up at a math summer camp instead? A rainstorm lands Esther and her stepdad, Toby, at summer camp full of math nerds,…
Book Spotlight: The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the third book I’ve read by the talented Adrianna Cuevas. The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and Cuba in my Pocket were very different books from The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, but they each capture the genuine struggles of preteens and their very real challenges with changing…
Book Spotlight: Flip Turns by Catherine Arguelles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars What an engaging read and well-crafted story! This was a fun book from beginning to end with an intriguing mystery and a little middle grade romance. But this book also handles some sensitive topics for middle grade kids like anxiety, parental pressure, alopecia, and boy harassment. Maddie, 13, is…
Book Spotlight: Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur T. Bradley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Daybreak on Raven Island is perfect for mystery lovers and for those who enjoy spooky ghost encounters. I was super intrigued by the clever premise of this book – 3 kids end up stuck for the night on a haunted island that used to hold an active prison. It’s…
Book Spotlight: Simone LaFray and the Red Wolves of London by S.P. O’Farrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars A brilliant, must-read sequel to Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball! Sometimes I’m a fan of sequels but many times, I’m disappointed because they fail to capture the energy and ingenuity of the original. Simone LaFray and the Red Wolves of London is the exception because it takes all…
Book Spotlight: Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball by S.P. O’Farrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars As a fan of mysteries, chocolate, and Paris, I knew this book was a must-read. Simone LaFray is a 12-year-old secret agent whose current assignment to stop an art thief becomes personal when her family is targeted. S.P. O’Farrell expertly immerses us in both beautiful Paris and the family…
Christine Letizia 