The Book Was Better

Darius and his family have recently moved from Boston to a small Pacific Northwest town and he’s itching for a mystery to solve — just like his Hardy Boys heroes. When he overhears some other kids talking about an abandoned house, he think he might have found his answer, but Darius and his new friends might have bitten off more than they can chew. Their investigation takes some dark turns and reveals much more than just a spooky house.   The premise drew me in: Kids exploring a haunted house and stumbling upon their very own mystery. Unfortunately, the execution left a lot to be desired. While technically sound, with great use of sensory language, the plot was Swiss cheese and the characters were sorely underdeveloped. Once I sifted my way through all of the “D” names, I wanted a lot more depth, a lot less telling, and a lot more showing.   Great writing uses the setting (both place and time) as almost another character. As a teacher, I often ask, “If this were set somewhere/...

If When Harry Met Sally taught us anything, it's that men and women cannot just be friends. But Poppy and Alex can, of course. Best friends since college, and living in different cities, their diverging personalities unite every summer for The Summer Trip . From Canadian communes, to the mountains of Colorado and the beaches of Florida, Poppy and Alex make their own adventures with the people they meet along the way. But their last trip has changed all that. After a two-year hiatus, Poppy is determined to win back her best friend -- and she has less than a week to convince Alex.  I typically don't read "trending" books. Usually, I find that they don't live up to the hype and I'm just disappointed. There was NOTHING disappointing about this read. The past and present narration kept the story moving and the tension building. Poppy and Alex were both equally flawed and endearing, and real . The vacation adventures were fun without being over-the-top. The dynami...

Our band of homespun heroes and heroines is at it again, but this time on a film set. When a film crew tasked with creating a patriotic propaganda piece arrives in Crofter's Green, Evie, Harry, and the gang hope that the most hazardous things they'll have to manage are entitlement and disruption. But, could the film's cast and crew have something more sinister planned?  This edition gave new meaning to "divide and conquer". While Evie and Harry tag-team to investigate a local burglary attempt, Nigel is on a special assignment, and it's left to the rest of the crew to pick up the pieces. I loved that everyone was actively involved in thwarting this plot, from growing-more-courageous Dorothy to heavily pregnant Katherine.  The first half of this book seemed to drag in uncharacteristic fashion, and I found the film cast and crew a little hard to keep track of. But the action seemed to pick up in part two and it was heartening to see even Harry getting to roll aro...