Middle Grade Pick: Premeditated Myrtle

Premeditated Myrtle
A Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery (Book 1)
by Elizabeth C. Bunce
AlgonquinYoung Readers
318 pages
2020
ISBN: 9781616209186

Available October 6, 2020. Book 2, How To Get Away With Myrtle, available on the same date!


Clever and captivating, Premeditated Myrtle is the best young detective story in years! Set in Victorian England in a small town, the story satisfies with historical details and quaint setting.

Twelve-year old Myrtle Hardcastle is smart and inquisitive, armed with her mother's microscope and her father's love of the law, Myrtle is incorrigible and fearless. She loves science and forensics--certainly not conventional subjects for young ladies of her era and frowned upon by society--but Myrtle throws caution to the wind and fearlessly ventures where no young lady of breeding should ever tread. Young Ladies of Quality are not supposed to go gallivanting off  OUTSIDE AFTER DARK or poke their noses into mysteries and murder, but that doesn't stop the irrepressible Myrtle! With her loving governess at her side, Myrtle sets out to solve the mystery of her elderly neighbor's death. Miss Wodehouse's death was deemed "natural causes," but Myrtle knows something is fishy.

She finds evidence that Miss Wodehouse was murdered, and her father, the town prosecutor, arrests Miss Wodehouse's grounds keeper. Myrtle suspects her father has arrested the wrong man and sets out to prove it. When Miss Wodehouse's cat goes MIA, Myrtle wonders where Peony could have gone. And why were all of the old lady's lilies  burned in the garden? Who is covering up something much more sinister? A long lost niece arrives from America, but Myrtle doesn't trust her. Soon, a nephew also arrives. Suddenly, the deceased Miss Wodehouse has all sorts of relatives coming out of the Victorian carved woodwork.

Myrtle searches for clues to free Mr. Hamm and finds that Miss Wodehouse was creating a new species of rare lily. Could she have been killed for her flowers? If so, where are these magnificent flowers? Mr. Hamm burned all of them in the garden. Was he instructed to get rid of evidence or cover up something more nefarious going on?

Thank goodness for Myrtle Hardcastle who finds all the answers and pieces together means, motive and opportunity. Think Sherlock Holmes x Agatha Christie x Harriott the Spy, and you have the most fun character in kidlit in forever! Myrtle Highcastle is a hit! Readers won't have to wait for the next book in the series, How To Get Away With Myrtle (Book 2) is available on the same date.

Definitely a book that will win awards, you MUST READ Premeditated Myrtle. A MUST HAVE for all middle grade readers. A rollicking great tale full of unexpected twists, evil criminals, double dealings, a get rich quick scheme, THE will and estate, and deceptive, quick talking cons.

Highly, highly recommended! You must not miss this book. Pre-order today!

Book Club Pick: Blackbirds

read a preview

 

Blackbirds

(book 1)

Books 2 & 3 now available

by Chuck Wendig

Saga Press

2015 (paperback edition)

276 pages

ISBN: 9781481448659

From the inside cover:
"A gleefully dark, twisted road trip for everyone who though Fight Club was too warm and fuzzy. If you enjoy this book, you're probably deeply wrong in the head. I loved it and will be seeking professional help as soon as Chuck lets me out of his basement." --James Moran, screenwriter "Doctor Who," " Torchwood," and "Blackbirds."

 

 

Once considered by Starz as a new series, this blogger wishes that one of the cable  networks will consider putting this on the screen.

My review:

 

Gritty, grimy, ghisly, grotesque, gruesome, and gory, Blackbirds roars off the page and puts up one helluva fight. Miriam Black can see how you will die. All it takes is for her to touch someone skin on skin and she can see everything. She just sees it happen once; no replays. This freakish occurrence nearly brought her to insanity until she discovered that she could follow someone (her mark) whose death was imminent and empty their pockets and wallets. Miriam is not greedy but takes only what she needs to survive. Because of this, readers will empathize with her as a character. She is cursed with a condition that forces her to see hundreds of deaths and she makes the most of it. Does she try to keep people from meeting their Maker? Yes, to terrible results. Having failed, she lives with guilt and finds a way to keep herself fed.

 

When she accepts a ride from a trucker, she gets rattled for the first time in a long time. Miriam has a vision that Louis has only a few days to live, but what's get her even more concerned is that Louis calls out the name "Miriam" just before he dies. To Miriam this means she is responsible and present for his death--and it's a grisly, terrible death.

Miriam soon has a run-in with a stranger that leaves her speechless. He's been secretly following (stalking) her, and offers her a partnership in crime. She declines; she doesn't need anyone and certainly not Ashley. What she doesn't know is that she has no choice. Someone's after Ashley and they'll stop at nothing to catch him. As Miriam tries to shake Ashley, she is pulled into the cat and mouse game. On the run from bad guys and trying to save good guy truckerLouis, Miriam and Ashley will have to learn to trust each other or die.

Breakneck speed and taut dialog make this a quick read. Gratuitous violence (think Russian mob type violence), torture sessions, vomit inducing descriptions of grisly scenes and language that would make a sailor blush, and you get the picture. Blackbirds is the best kind of raunchy--a tough bird named Mariam  kicking a** and taking names. I usually don't gravitate to this kind of violence in a book, but Mariam is an interesting character that I wanted to get to know. She is the driving force of this book and the reason I kept reading.

Recommended for readers who aren't squeamish and don't mind profanity that stings.

Recommended grade 11-up--it's pretty racy and violent.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.




 

Spy Pick: Sealed With a Lie

Sealed With a Lie
by Kat Carlton
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2014
244 pages
ISBN: 9781481400534


This second installment in Kat Carlton's "spy" books is equally as fun and flirty as the first book (Two Lies and a Spy). Steamy and dreamy Evan Kincaid makes another appearance as smooth talking flirtatious Brit boy, and Kari tries to convince herself that he doesn't make her heart race and her palms sweat. Both kids are in a school that trains the next generation of spies. They learn languages, coding, martial arts and other inspirational arts like how to pick a lock and how to "case" a building. Kari and her brother Charlie stay with the agency's top brass Rebecca.

When Charlie  is kidnapped and held for ransom, Kari decides she'll do anything to save him. Evan will not let Kari go it alone and swears he's in with her to save Charlie. The kids can't tell the authorities or Rebecca for fear that the kidnappers will harm Charlie.  The bad guys hold all the cards and they order Kari to drive to Germany and await further instructions. Computer nerd Matthis rounds out the trio as they go in search of Charlie and put together a plan to thwart the kidnappers.

Evan proves to be a worthy sidekick to Kari's superhero. In fact, he keeps saving her. While she should feel thankful, she tries to convince herself that she doesn't need him. The trio of kid spies play cat and mouse with the police and the bad guys. The fun just doesn't stop; the kids use elaborate disguises, high speed chases and sleight of hand.


Kari's parents make another appearance but readers will still be mystified as to whether they are indeed Russian spies or true American patriots "pretending" to be Russian spies. There's bound to be another book where more about the parents is to be revealed, and I can't wait.

Kari Andrews is a worthy YA female protagonist; she's tough, stubborn, smart and sexy. She's the girl every girl wants to be and Evan is certainly the guy every girl dreams about. This is a smart, romantic quick read. For any fan of romantic adventure. If you enjoyed Two Lies and a Spy, you will love Sealed With a Lie.

Recommended grade 7-up. No profanity. No sex.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

High School Pick: Trinkets

Trinkets
by Kirsten Smith
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
2013
288 pages

Surprising, stunning, and super, Trinkets is a cross between "Mean Girls," "The Breakfast Club," and "Beverly Hills, 90210." The teen set will fall in love with the three female characters: Tabitha, the beauty queen who seemingly has it all, Elodie, the shy newcomer, and Moe, a gothy free spirit.

The high school they attend is clique-ish (like every high school), so these girls would not likely cross paths, but their shared passtime has forced them into weekly Shoplifters' Anonymous meetings. All three girls steal and they're really good at it. They don't need to steal jewelry or clothing; their parents have money. They steal for the high; they steal to fill a void.

The girls decide to hold a contest; the one who outsteals--over the top---theft, wins. Through their escapades, they bond and share their secrets and vulnerable sides.

Writer Kirsten Smith has an ear for teen dialog, and her background in writing and producing ("Legally Blonde," "The House Bunny") has served her well. Ellen Page (actress, "Juno") says, "Trinkets is a beautiful creation. It is raw and full of heart, honest and open."

Older readers will likely remember fond (and not so fond) memories of their own high school years and high school readers will see glimpses of themselves or people they know on the pages of Trinkets.


Recommended grade 9 and up. Bad girl behavior, adult situations, language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Action Pick: Money Run

Money Run
by Jack Heath
Scholastic Press
2013
256 pages

Available March 2013 (the arc has the publication date March 2013, but Amazon has April 1, 2013 as the release date). I will update available date as I get more details.

Watch the book trailer here

Fasten your seat belts for a high-octane adrenaline boost of explosive non-stop action, riveting adventure, daring stunts, and "Mission Impossible" style intrique and superspy antics.

Ash and her bff Benjamin originally began stealing to help Ash out. Her father's meager salary just didn't pay for everything and Ash was just hoping to eke out enough money to get by, but then each job got more thrilling and Ash becomes addicted to the rush of almost getting caught each time.

A mysterious person or persons named The Source contacts them through Benjamin's gmail account and sends them lists of locations, dates and links and each link has something valuable that Ash and Benjamin could steal. The pair continue pulling off jobs happily along until they are offered $200 million that is located at the Hammond Buckland building. They have never done a job this big and the plan is actually no plan at all.

Ash and Benjamin enter an essay contest sponsored by the company and Benjamin's essay wins. It was written under Ash's name and she has to appear at the company's headquarters to collect the $10,000 prize. She and Benjamin plan to steal the hidden $200 million after Ash's interview.

When Ash begins her search of the offices, she realizes that she's not the only one who wants that money. There's an evil hit man prowling the building and now he's after her. She'll not only have to outsmart security guards, cameras, and heat sensors, but she'll have to do it while outrunning an armed assassin!

The police arrive when a body is discovered in the alley and someone has called in the Terrorism Risk Assessment team. They cordon off the block and won't allow anyone enter or leave the perimeter. This is a problem for Ash--even if she escapes the psycho-hit man assassin and finds the money, she can't leave the building undetected.

Ash is a super cool action heroine with moxie and Benjamin is the voice on the other end of her earbuds. Ben is at home and runs the operation from his computer. The two are a dynamic duo and are unstoppable as teen uber-thieves.

I LOVED this book! I raced through each chapter wondering what would happen next and as each obstacle appeared in front of Ash, I wondered how she would ever overcome it. Benjamin is her hilarious tongue-in-cheek computer geek sidekick. The ending sets up flawlessly for a sequel. Jack Heath is at the top of his game and the best YA action writer out there. Money Run has it all: adept storytelling, hold your breath action, dead on dialog, non-stop tension and unrelenting pace. This slam bang yarn will captivate teen readers looking for adventure.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. No language. No mature subject matter. Younger readers who are fans of James Bond-like action books may be able to tackle this one.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

High School Pick: This One Time With Julia

This One Time With Julia
by David Lampson
Razorbill
2012
256 pages

Available February 2, 2012

Poignant, puzzling, and sometimes disturbingly painful, This One Time With Julia tells the sad tale of Joe, twin brother of Alvin and younger brother of Marcus. Joe is the slow brother and Alvin has always preferred him that way. The boys were orphaned young and older brother Marcus found a long lost uncle who would sign the proper papers and become their guardian. The boys basically parented themselves with Alvin acting as Joe's "parent." He loves the fact that Joe will believe anything that you tell him and that he accepts everything at face value. If Alvin tells him only to eat hamburgers, he does. In fact, Joe only eats hamburgers and guacamole his whole life.

Alvin shows up out of the blue--he had run off to Tennessee with a hot new girlfriend but now he's back in L.A. He asks Joe to meet him at a restaurant. He shows Joe a bag of money he has and tells him that he wants to disappear and sail around the world. He asks Joe to check the motel parking lot and to tell him if anyone is around. Joe spots a man sitting in a car, but forgets to tell Alvin. The next day, Joe is disappointed that Alvin has vanished and left to sail around the world without him. The hotel manager tells Joe to get rid of the girl who is hanging out waiting for Alvin. Enter Julia, the girlfriend from Tennessee.

Joe makes Julia laugh and he begins falling in love with her; of course, Joe is gullible, has no background in relationships, and is naive; Julia seems to actually like Joe's company and she takes him back home to meet her brother Houston who offers him a job. Joe stays in Tennessee working for Houston and living with Julia; he meets their strange mother who tells him all sorts of deep, dark, demented family secrets: that Julia's father is a criminal, that Houston is their adopted son, that Houston is in love with his sister Julia.

Joe begins to realize that his brother Alvin didn't run away to sail around the world; he remembers seeing the man in the car at the motel, and realizes that he should have told Alvin about him. As the mystery unravels, Joe comes to the conclusion that Julia is not in love with him and that Houston is using him to keep tabs on him. Where is Alvin anyway?

A shocking and explosive ending leaves the reader wondering what will happen to Joe--he is abandoned, alone, and penniless. This is not a "feel good" ending.

Recommended grades 9-up. The publisher says ages 12 and up, grades 7-up, but Julia and Joe are sleeping together, there are at least two murders, and terrible family secrets; I say high school only.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

High School Pick

Num8ers
by Rachel Ward
Chicken House/Scholastic, 2010.
325 pages.

In this gritty debut novel, Ward leads readers into the underbelly of the London slums. These are the mean streets, and the author doesn't sugar coat anything. Jem is 15 and being raised in foster care. When she was 8, Jem discovered her mother's lifeless body, a needle nearby. Since then, Jem has avoided people. She doesn't want to get close to anyone because one thing she knows for sure--all people die. Her mother's death is not the worst thing that has ever happened to Jem. The living nightmare that is her every waking hour happens when Jem looks at a person's face and sees a number--the number of their death date.

Jem soon finds a friend in loner Spider. A dysfunctional childhood causes Spider to seek out trouble, and he usually finds it. When Jem and Spider have to flee London, they are forced into terrible perils. Teen readers will like Jem and root for Spider. This novel is not a "feel good" read. It is gritty and grimy and ugly. Ward paints London in harsh colors--not the pretty, well-maintained streets with a "bobby" on every corner, but a dark London with alleys full of trash and drug dealers and creeps. Readers who like a story that is compelling and rough will probably like this novel.


Some sex, though not graphic, langauge, adult situations. Recommended for YA collections grade 8 and up.