Review: The Case of the Stolen Sixpence by Holly Webb, Marion Lindsay

Book: The Case of the Stolen Sixpence by Holly Webb, Marion Lindsay
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 176
Genre/s: Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: Publisher via Netgalley

When George, the butcher's boy, is fired for stealing coins from the till, Maisie knows in her heart he is innocent. With her little dog Eddie as the Watson to her Sherlock Holmes, Maisie uses her budding detective skills to solve the mystery of the stolen sixpence, vindicate her old friend, and even help a new friend in need. The first book in a series! - (source)

I've been meaning to read a book in which I could simply lose myself in, and The Case of the Stolen Sixpence came at just the right time. Who would've thought that this observant girl who sweep floors in her Granny's apartment and hates shopping (unless it's an excuse for sleuthing) would whisked me straight to Victorian London?

The huge grin on my face didn't vanish at all from the moment I started reading until I turned the last page. It's like I've tapped into a whimsical story I could see myself enjoying back when I was younger and even now. The illustrations added to the book's engrossment factor and it would surely entice even those kids who are reluctant to open a book.

Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Maisie is very good at spotting things. But having detecting skills are not enough, you need cases to solve and maybe a detective paraphernalia or two to look the part. Can you see the dilemma our aspiring detective is in?

Needless to say, Maisie is a charming character and she has moxie others can only dream of having. As a curious kid, she and Nancy Drew might just become great pals and even Sherlock Holmes would find her greatly amusing. Maisie is a joy to read and her faithful dog assistant is just as cute.

The Case of the Stolen Sixpence is a Middle Grade mystery novel that will tickle the imagination of young ones as well as those who are still in touch with their youthful spirit. It's a delightful, quick read filled with adorable characters I'd surely love to get to know more in future installments.

Cupid's Verdict:

4 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Read (July 30 - August 1, 2014)

Book: The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publication Date: August 7, 2014
Publisher: Orchard Books
Number of Pages: 256
Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Paranormal
Source: Copy provided by publisher via Netgalley

A haunting mystery, romance in the vein of The Lovely Bones by New York Times bestselling author.

"The yard of this house is a graveyard of moments and everything left behind is a clue. And I am here to dig."

There's a ghost haunting 208 Water Street. She doesn't know who she was, or why she's still here. She does know that she is drawn to Maggie, the new girl in town, and her friends - beautiful, carefree Pauline and Liam, the boy who loves her.

But the ghost isn't all that's lurking in Gill Creek... Someone is killing young girls all across the county. Can the ghost keep these three friends safe? Or does she have another purpose? - (source)

I came into The Moment Collector, also known as The Vanishing Season, knowing that it's subpar compared to Tiger Lily, so it really surprised me how much I ended up loving this novel. Tiger Lily will always be my favorite book from Anderson but The Moment Collector is definitely beautiful in its own right. 

“This is what I think the world is showing me. We are souls at a common cause. We are only here to love. That was my great story all along. We are here to take chances, and fail, and keep trying.”

Words are failing me right now. I don't think my review will give this book the justice it deserves, but I'll try my best, and I will start with what everybody should know by now: Anderson is a wonderful writer. I've always loved her writing. It has a languid quality to it that will enfold you and ease you right into the story. I am so glad this book came at the right moment, right when I'm looking for a novel that will leave me an emotional wreck.

The Moment Collector introduces us to Maggie, Liam, Pauline, and the lonely ghost that watches over them. These characters had somehow managed to steal pieces of my heart right under my nose. It seemed impossible at the beginning but something clicked along the way, and I was swept up by the three of them and if I only knew what was coming, I would have kept my heart heavily guarded.

This is not a ghost story nor it is a mystery novel and many will grumble and find themselves disappointed that this novel is marketed as such. If anything, the seemingly misleading blurb became a diversion, cleverly blinding the readers' eyes from the bigger picture. I was intrigued all throughout, trying to find scraps of clues that never came, only to be blindsided by something that never even entered my mind in the first place. The Moment Collector is a character-driven story. It depicts real characters in real situations with real relationships. I am aware that this would not appeal to all readers, but when it does find its rightful reader, it will resonate and leave a mark. I know, because it did for me.

“We're like two angels floating over heaven. It's our perfect moment, and it never disappears. Even now, I can see us, even long after the moment is gone. Love can't be taken back once it's given.”

I'm actually crying as I'm writing this review, something I haven't done in a long while and I am at a loss as to what to do first: Should I clutch my heart to help ease the pain or should I wipe my tears away because it's blurring my vision? The Door County became my home. Hesitantly at first, but just like Maggie, I felt like I lost something in the end. For a short while, Maggie, Liam and Pauline became my persons and I just know I will read this again, maybe tomorrow, next week, a year after today, and I'd willingly get my heart broken once more.

Nothing ever really happens in The Moment Collector but this could be the best book I will read all year. Without any doubt, Jodi Lynn Anderson has earned a special place in my heart as one of my most favorite authors.

Cupid's Verdict:

4 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor

August 2 - 3, 2013

Book: Prep School Confidential (Prep School Confidential #1) by Kara Taylor
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Number of Pages: 310
Genre/s: Young Adult, Mystery
Source: ARC provided by publisher 

In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.

Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.

When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder. - (source)

I would've been ecstatic to learn that I'd be sent to a boarding school, as my only punishment for becoming an accidental arsonist, but Anne Dowling was less than thrilled.

I go into this type of book with little to no expectation. There's just so much that could go wrong about a boarding-school-mystery-thriller story, it's not fair to even expect to have the time of your life while reading one. Clichés are almost inevitable and will possibly happen, if the author suddenly run out of creative juices, and just decided to end the story with a cop-out move.

I am pleased to say that Prep School Confidential while not void of clichés, definitely came through and splendidly worked all of it and more in its favor.

Anne Dowling, our protagonist, is a likeable character. She's a rich Queen Bee who got expelled by accidentally setting her old school on fire. In a nutshell, I know I wouldn't like her character, but Anne proved to be smart, charming and caring. I liked her voice and I found myself wanting to know every move she will make, which made this read quite unputdownable.

The mystery aspect of the novel was as absorbing as its main protagonist, and I felt myself being transported to my Nancy Drew reading days. As the plot thickened, I really hoped Prep School Confidential would be a series of books and I'm glad that it is. It's been a long time since I read a mystery series that I can see myself investing in.

One minor problem I had with the book was the romance. I really do believe a book can survive without it, and I don't want to read about a half-baked one. I also hate love triangle with a passion. I would like to clarify that this didn't ruin the story, I just think the book would be better without it or if it was, at least, a slow-burning romance that would slowly progressed over the course of the series, then sign me up.

Despite my minor qualm, I definitely enjoyed Taylor's debut novel. Prep School Confidential is perfect for fans of Carolyn Keene and Ally Carter, and if Taylor continues this kind of quality in her future Anne Dowling's books, I might have just found my permanent replacement fix for my never been satisfied Nancy Drew cravings.

Cupid's Verdict:

4 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost via Netgalley 
in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Read from July 2 to July 3, 2014

Book: Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Publication Date: July 22, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Number of Pages: 368
Genre/s: Young Adult, Horror, Mystery/Thriller
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

What’s your worst nightmare?

For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.

And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.

By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run. - (source)

The moment I started reading Welcome to the Dark House, I just knew I was going to like it. I could say that this novel has the strongest beginning chapter among all the books I've read this year. The only question in my mind was: Can Welcome to the Dark House sustain this promising start? 

The answer is it did, for the most part. We have multiple POVs that might seem seriously daunting if not properly handled, but it worked surprisingly well and it kept things interesting. I admire that Stolarz was able to create several characters with distinct personalities and voices. The only thing I find challenging at the start was remembering the characters' names.

Personally, what I loved most about Welcome to the Dark House were the characters' backstories. All of them are coping from their horrifying pasts, and for some of them, entering and winning the contest is an opportunity of a lifetime and a way to move forward with their lives. Although sometimes it feels that there's not enough time to get into a character's head or that it seems quite a short novel for such a diverse cast, I feel that these backstories were substantial enough so the readers could connect to them in some way.

Even though I enjoyed reading Welcome to the Dark House, this novel is not without flaws. At times, I was slightly annoyed because the narrative give the impression that we're supposed to take things at face value. For instance, I find it hard to believe that a contest this big could be kept under wraps and that they wouldn't bother to at least confirm if it's legit or not, before entering. Plot-wise, I think Stolarz could have raised the stakes higher to make the situation more unsettling and frightening. Also, not much horror happens until the latter part of the book. But I mostly didn't mind this, considering that I'm horrified as it is with the characters' backgrounds.

I believe there's a good chance that there'd be a sequel for this novel, and I'm excited to find out what will happen next. I'd definitely recommend Welcome to the Dark House for fans of light horror and R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series.

Cupid's Verdict:

3.5 Cupids

A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost via Netgalley
in exchange for an honest review.