Brooke

Author: Ronie Kendig

Series: The Metcalfes #4

Publisher: Task Force Press

Release Date: February 6, 2023

Another gritty, hard-hitting story from Ronie Kendig that tackles a hard topic and is written so beautifully.

Brooke Metcalfe Mulroney has worked so hard and sacrificed family and other relationships to get to where she is in life. But after an unexpected visitor shows up in her life, things change drastically. She ends up deep in the world of human trafficking causing Cord Taggart to try and track her down and involve her brothers. Cord has had a thing for Brooke for a long time and when she is missing he puts all aside to try and find her before it is too late.

The Metcalf series by Ronie Kendig is a hard-hitting set of books that tackle very hard topics that might be hard for some readers to take in, but Kendig handles the topic very smoothly. These books are classified as romantic suspense and for me they are the best kind of romantic suspense, way more suspense than gushy romance. I was hooked from page one with this story; I didn’t think she could top Willow but sure enough I think Brooke is my favorite from the series. The topic is a hard one but the way it is written with high tension and stakes at all the right times makes the story fly and makes readers connect with characters on a deep level.

I always say suspense is my favorite genre, but honestly, I just want a well-written story that keeps me engaged with the characters and story. This series is just that and so much more. I recommend this to readers that enjoy a fast paced romantic suspense read that will keep them up far past their bedtime.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

I Funny

Author: James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein

Series: I Funny #1

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: January 26, 2015

James Patterson crafts a wildly funny and enjoyable children’s book that readers of all ages will love!

Jamie Grimm is not your ordinary middle schooler; no matter how much he wants to be normal. He lives with his aunt, uncle and their son Stevie after his parents and sister die in a car accident that left Jamie in a wheelchair. He loves to make others laugh, mainly to keep his mind off his own difficulties. When his uncle tells him about an upcoming contest to find the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic, he is a little afraid but knows he has to enter the contest.

James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author for a reason. The books that he writes have a way of connecting with readers young and old alike. These are the types of books that don’t take a lot of thinking, you can just sit back and enjoy a story. There is not a ton of depth to I Funny but it is a perfect book for younger readers that have a hard time looking forward to reading. Jamie is a fun main character that young readers will connect with and be pulled into the story. This is a super-fast read that I read to see if it would be a good fit for my son and I know he will love it.

A Mark of Grace

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Series: Secrets of the Canyon #3

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Anyone that has read a Kimberley Woodhouse book knows they are in for a great read and will not be disappointed with A Mark of Grace!

After surviving an injury that would have put anyone else out of commission, Ruth Anniston has come away alive but angry with God. Being scarred makes it hard for her to work anywhere but behind the scenes as a supervisor at the El Tovar Hotel. By being hidden away from the eyes of others, it keeps her chances of romance and finding love slimmer and slimmer. The hotel she works discovers money disappearing and Ruth ends up as one of the suspects. Frank Henderson works as the head chef of the hotel and wants to help prove Ruth’s innocence as the thefts continue. As the tensions mounts, their feelings for one another rise and they try to save the hotel and each other.

Kimberley Woodhouse is a staple among Historical Christian Romance and for good reason. Her novels have a way of transporting readers to a time and place once forgotten making readers feel right in the moment with these characters. Ruth and Frank have a great chemistry with each other and move the story along at a great pace. The writing is crisp and clean that left out all the fluff that can bring down a story. Lots of adventure throughout this story with lots of wonderful inspirational moments that readers looking for spiritual moments in their books will enjoy. This is the perfect mix of romance, adventure and tension that will leave readers smiling by the turning of the last page.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Left Handed Lady

Author: Nancy Springer

Series: Enola Holmes Mystery #2

Publisher: Philonnel Books

Release Date: May 15, 2008

The second book in the Enola Holmes series picks up where the last left off and is another smart and funny read!

Enola Holmes may have helped solve one case, but now if she can’t keep herself from being found by the famous Sherlock Holmes, her brother, all might be lost. As she tries to stay safe and away from her brothers, she comes across another mystery that she feels the need to solve. Lady Cecily has disappeared from home and her mother reaches out to Enola, without knowing who she is, to try and find her daughter. In order to find Lady Cecily and keep her identity a secret, she is going to have to do all she can to solve her biggest mystery yet.

The second book in the Enola Holmes series is another fun and smart read that is good but not great. I read through this very quickly but there wasn’t much memorable about it. Once again it is a case of the movie being better than the book. The second movie came out and is not much like the book. I enjoyed the movies but found the books lacking and not living up to my expectations. They are a good read that young readers will enjoy and be able to work through the mystery without much of a problem. I recommend to readers that want a mystery that is clean and fun and can be a quick read.

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess

Author: Nancy Springer

Series: Enola Holmes Mystery #1

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Edition Release: August 4, 2020

After watching the movie on Netflix, I decided to check out this series and had fun at the beginning!

Enola Holmes is the younger sister of the great detective, Sherlock Holmes. When her mother disappears, she decides to take matters into her own hands and solve the mystery before her brother. Her search takes her into London and becomes involved in the search for a kidnapped marquess. Enola is not only trying to find the young boy but also her mother and avoid her older brothers who are trying to find her. Along the way, she finds clues left by her mother and does her best to fit in with the society she has been thrust into.

After I watched the first Enola Holmes movie on Netflix, I was intrigued and investigated the book series. While the movie was fast paced, funny and had all the right feels at all the right times, the book here fell flat at times. It was a quick read, but I think I had my hopes set too high after watching the movie. It’s not often a movie is better than the book, but I think having the actors that they did made the movie that much better. This is a book that kids can read and enjoy as a fast fun read. I love that I’ve been able to recommend it as a good clean to friends. I do recommend this book to those that love a fun clean mystery.

What Happens Next

Author: Christina Suzann Nelson

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 17, 2023

A little different that what I’ve come to expect from Nelson, but I like it!

Recently divorced Faith Byrne has taken her past career as an investigative reporter and shifted to performing a podcast that focus on redemptive stories of people who have experience traumatic events. When her ex-husband gets permission to take their two daughters to Hawaii for the entire summer, Faith isn’t sure what to do with herself until she receives an unexpected letter from one of her childhood friend’s sister. Faith had always wondered what she had done for her summer of 1987 friend to never respond to her letters, but she finds out that she went missing after school started that year, but her family never told her. Heather’s sister, Brooke, solicits Faith’s help on her podcast to bring her missing sister’s story to light so that her family might finally find closure. But as Faith digs into the story, what she finds is anything that she expected.

I love Christina Suzann Nelson’s contemporary stories and look forward to her newest book every year. This one was a little different than anything she has written in the past, but I loved it! It was interesting to see how everything played out and if the reader could follow the clues to discover the truth before Faith did. Nelson did a great job of balancing mystery and intrigue with hope and healing for Heather’s family. Showing how grief support groups can help families heal and not store grief for years is something that needs to be shown more throughout our society. If you love a good mystery, this will be a good story for you to pick up on!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Final Gambit

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series: Inheritance Games #3

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: August 30, 2022

The final book in The Inheritance Games series is good but not quite as good as the first two. A fantastic addition to one of my new favorite series.

Avery Kylie Grambs only has to survive a few more weeks living at the Hawthorne mansion in order to inherit billions. She has survived several attempts on her life and those she loves being targets as well. After a rough start, Avery has finally connected with the Hawthorne brothers and feels at home at Hawthorne House. As the day of her inheriting more money than any teenager has ever had approaches, more trouble pops up as a stranger arrives at the house in need of help. With each passing day, the danger increases, and Avery comes closer to losing all she is about to gain.

This book was really good; the problem was it followed the second in the series which was fantastic. The Hawthorne Legacy was so amazing that anything that followed it had zero to little chance of being anywhere close to as good. There isn’t much I can pinpoint that I didn’t care for in this book but nothing stood out as making it extraordinary. I thought the relationships were just a little dulled and the tension didn’t pull me in as much as the last. It is a great addition to the series and the ending is left open for more to come which is great fun for me as I loved the intricate nature of this series. The way that little moments from the beginning were brought full circle by the end of this book brought a smile to my face and showed me that Jennifer Lynn Barnes is an author that knows what she is doing. I would recommend this book to anyone that has read the first two in the series and wants to see what comes next.

The Hawthorne Legacy

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series: Inheritance Games #2

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: August 2, 2022

It’s not often a second book in a series is better than the first, especially when the first was amazing! The Hawthorne Legacy is a fantastic addition to The Inheritance Games.

After the bombshell ending of The Inheritance Games, Avery Grambs is ready to pick up the pieces and find the man everyone thinks is dead, Tobias Hawthorne the second. DNA tests have been run that show she is not related to the Hawthorne family but now she and two of the Hawthorne grandsons are on the hunt to figure out the clues left by their grandfather. Avery continues to be threatened and those that want what has been left to Avery are ready to do whatever it takes to get her out of the picture.

I can’t remember the last time I read a book that the second in the series was better than the first, and I loved the first in the series. The tension in this book was more intense and pulled me in tighter making me unable to put the book down and I read this in a single day. The story was intriguing and made me want to keep turning the pages. Avery is a special kind of protagonist: relatable, witty, and not afraid to play the games with the boys. There wasn’t much at all that I didn’t like about this book including the dangerous situations she found herself in, the mystery, and settings all had me pulled deep into the story. I love a book like this that is hard to put down and keeps me from wanting to do anything else. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy mystery and action, but make sure to read the first in the series before starting this one.

The Inheritance Games

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series: Inheritance Games #1

Publisher: Little Brown

Release Date: July 27, 2021

I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner! Such a fun and engaging book; I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Avery Grambs wants nothing more than to survive high school, get a scholarship to collage and leave. She lives with her sister after her mother died and her father wants nothing to do with them. All that changes when Avery finds out she is suddenly a billionaire when Tobias Hawthorne died and left his entire fortune to her. The problem is Avery has no idea who Tobias Hawthorne is. To claim the money, she must move into the Hawthorne mansion and live for a year with the rest of the Hawthorne family. Tobias had four grandsons who are as equally smart and have a love for puzzles just like their grandfather did. All the Hawthorne men believe Avery is up to something to get their money and Avery is going to have to play along with the game that Tobias set up to survive the craziness that is her life now.

I had heard about The Inheritance Games a good bit over the last year and knew it was one I wanted to read. This book was so much fun to read; I read it in less than two days. The way the writing was done with short chapters and lots of cliff hangers made it hard to put down. I loved all the action, mystery drama and fantastic storyline. Avery is a wonderful protagonist with a storyline that makes her relatable and fun to read about; all her actions seemed exactly like the character would act and never once made me question her actions, or any of the other characters for that matter. This series makes me think of The Hunger Games and Divergent, those types of books are some of my favorites and make me enjoy reading. I ended last year in a bit of a slump not enjoying any of the books I had been reading. Being able to start the year of with a series like this is reminding me of the joy I get from reading and escaping into a great story. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy a fun mystery that is action packed and full of great characters and a fun start to what is shaping up to be a great series.

Treasure Hunters

Author: James Patterson and Chris Brabenstein

Series: Treasure Hunters #1

Publisher: Little Brown/Jimmy Patterson

Release Date: May 5, 2015

A fantastic fun series for young readers that kids and parents can enjoy together.

When their parents are both gone from them, the Kidd children have to grow up quickly and try to solve the puzzle left for them by their father. Their mother is being held hostage and their father has gone overboard in a massive storm at sea. Now, they work together on the biggest treasure hunt they have ever been on against pirates and other rivals that want what they are trying to find.

My two boys are getting to the age of reading books by authors I have known for a long time, such as James Patterson. Patterson is one of the best authors in the world and I’m finding that his books for kids are just perfect. His writing is simple but fun, it’s not something if you are looking for a complex mystery but a good story that young readers will greatly enjoy. That’s the perfect thing about Treasure Hunters, it is a great book for young readers looking for books to get them into the great world of fiction.

So many kids hate reading because they haven’t found books that are fun to read. I love being at the stage of life where I can read books and recommend them to my kids and be able to talk about with them and help them discover a love for reading. There are a lot of mediocre books out there, but Treasure Hunters is a great book with fun adventure for kids to enjoy reading. I love the fun adventure and the pictures make the story even more enjoyable. I recommend this book to middle grade readers that are looking for a fun adventure.