• Book Reviews,  Featured,  L,  Li, Grace D.

    Portrait of a Thief Book Review

    From Goodreads: History is told by the conquerors. Across the Western world, museums display the spoils of war, of conquest, of colonialism: priceless pieces of art looted from other countries, kept even now. Will Chen plans to steal them back. A senior at Harvard, Will fits comfortably in his carefully curated roles: a perfect student, an art history major and sometimes artist, the eldest son who has always been his parents’ American Dream. But when a mysterious Chinese benefactor reaches out with an impossible—and illegal—job offer, Will finds himself something else as well: the leader of a heist to steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures, looted from Beijing centuries ago. His…

  • Book Reviews,  J,  Jackson, Holly

    A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Book Review

    A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson From Goodreads: The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth? This book has been on…

  • Book Reviews,  J,  Johnson, Maureen

    Truly Devious Book Review

    Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson From Goodreads: Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.” Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.  True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham…

  • B,  Bennett, M.A.,  Book Reviews

    The Island Book Review

      The Island by M.A. Bennett From Goodreads: Link is a fish out of water. Newly arrived from America, he is finding it hard to settle into the venerable and prestigious Osney School. Who knew there could be so many strange traditions to understand? And what kind of school ranks its students by how fast they can run round the school quad – however ancient that quad may be? When Link runs the slowest time in years, he immediately becomes the butt of every school joke. And some students are determined to make his life more miserable than others . . .  When a school summer trip is offered, Link can think…

  • Book Reviews,  K,  Klehfoth, Elizabeth

    All These Beautiful Strangers Book Review

      All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth From Goodreads: In the last day of summer, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Allister Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions. Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New Englandschool she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd. Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well…

  • Book Reviews,  P,  Penaflor, Lydia Day

    All of This is True Book Review

      All of This is True by Lygia Day Penaflor From Goodreads: Miri Tan loved the book Undertow like it was a living being. So when she and her friends went to a book signing to meet the author, Fatima Ro, they concocted a plan to get close to her, even if her friends won’t admit it now. As for Jonah, well—Miri knows none of that was Fatima’s fault. Soleil Johnston wanted to be a writer herself one day. When she and her friends started hanging out with her favorite author, Fatima Ro, she couldn’t believe their luck—especially when Jonah Nicholls started hanging out with them, too. Now, looking back, Soleil can’t…

  • Book Reviews,  T,  Terry, Teri

    Contagion Book Review

    Contagion by Teri Terry Callie is missing. Her brother Kai is trying everything he can to bring her home again, continuing the investigation even after the police have given up. Just when he’s about to admit defeat, he meets Shay, a girl who spoke to Callie on the day she disappeared. After speaking to Shay, he begins to hope again that he might be reunited with his little sister. Shay becomes entangled in the search, but they soon realize that Callie’s disappearance is only the beginning. There’s a terrifying epidemic sweeping across the UK, killing almost everyone it contaminates, and the mystery of Callie going missing seems to be at the…

  • Book Reviews,  K,  Killeen, Matt

    Orphan Monster Spy Review

    Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen A lonely orphan with a dangerous secret. Not just another blonde-haired, blue-eyed little monster. Trapped inside a world full of lies, when does a schoolgirl become a spy.  Set against the high-tension, pressure-cooker backdrop of Germany in the late 1930’s, Orphan Monster Spy follows Sarah, a young Jewish girl, who is forced to flee following the brutal death of her mother as they try to escape persecution. Trained in the art of the theatre by her mother, Sarah is cunning and quick, sly and intelligent. And she soon attracts the attention of a British spy. Her mission is simple, but it will turn her into the thing she…