The Book Was Better

Marianne is sent across the country from Virginia, where her lineage means everything, to Versailles Prep in California where her name is just a whisper. Her mission is clear: facilitate a merger with the Beaumont family and become Versailles royalty; make a brand, not friends. Marianne generates a statement from the start and the imitators wrack up as quickly as the frenemies. But when she makes a questionable decision to keep her crown, the guillotine comes down quickly. She has to decide if her failure will become her legacy or if she can somehow find herself in the rubble.  This Marie-Antoinette-inspired debut was eloquently written, but suffered from a bit of purple prose—beautifully composed, but sometimes unnecessarily elaborate and difficult to decipher. I found the dialogue to be inauthentic at times, and I fear that the exchanges may have been a bit too elevated for the intended YA audience. I remain unclear on why Marianne was given her task in the first place, why Leo h...

In this installment, we find our favorite sleuths on the case of another traitor, and still on the hunt for the elusive Beckett. In a nearby coastal harbor hides a "ghost fleet" -- a fleet of fake ships made from wood and canvas that are designed to make the British naval assets appear more plentiful than they actually are. But when a lookout is murdered and photographic evidence of the ghost fleet goes missing, the Crofter's Green crew must simultaneously solve the murder and stop the photographs from falling into the wrong hands.  Homefront Sleuths feels like coming home. This was a terrific edition featuring the characters I've come to know and love. I really enjoyed the teamwork and suspense, and this tale felt a little less convoluted than some of the recent stories. It seems that Harry is taking on more of a leadership role, and often seems more local-copper than Nigel. I'm pleased that Mr. Brown has recognized that Evie and Nigel work best as a team, and th...

Reeling from loss and struggling with her next steps, Emily decides to take a gap year in Europe before heading off to college. But not just any gap year: She plans to recreate her once-famous grandmother's iconic European tour when she was part of the Flower Sisters duo. Along the way, she finds friends who become family and family secrets. Most importantly, she find herself and who she can be when she lets go and follows her heart.  This was a cute coming of age tale, but fell short when it came to conflict. The plot seemed to follow more of a straight line, with short-lived blips, rather than a typical plot mountain. The journey was fun, but read more like a travel guide than a novel. By the end, I can't really say I felt like I knew the characters all that well, especially not with any depth. There was a lot of crying, forced dialogue, and cliche tropes.  Traveling by book is a favorite past time of mine, but I had hoped for better out of this trip.  I really apprecia...