Things I Oveheard While Talking to Myself by Alan Alda

I’m not typically a non-fiction reader, but I couldn't pass up the autobiography of my all-time favorite actor/director, Alan Alda! Growing up seeing him portray Hawkeye on the ever popular television series M*A*S*H, I expected this book to be a slapstick commentary full of stories from his filming and directing career. Boy was I wrong… and happily so!

Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself is an introspective and personal book. After a near-death experience and emergency surgery, Alan begins to look back on his life and tackle the big questions about what we really value and what makes a “good” life. He does this, in part, by telling personal stories about events that shaped him, and by looking back on speeches he’s given over the years—trying to find out what he was really saying in the first place.

This book is simultaneously thoughtful and witty; full of insightful ruminations that will really get you thinking about yourself as well. Additionally, Alan narrates the audio recording of this book himself, and no one can tell his stories as well as he can!

Follow Alan Alda on his journey to understand himself, and you just might discover some of the things that shape you in the process.

If you like Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, then try Alan’s first autobiography Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, or Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher.

For more great book reviews, be sure to visit VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The oldest of three daughters, Sophie has resigned herself to a dull and uninteresting future, taking over her father’s hat shop. However, when she unwittingly offends the vengeful Witch of the Waste, Sophie is punished with a curse that turns her into an old hag. The only way for her to break the spell is to find the wandering home of the Wizard Howl; a castle that literally roams the hills near her town.

Through her quest to break the curse, Sophie meets a scarecrow who is more than he seems, a fire demon locked in a secret contract with Howl, and a much hassled young apprentice trying to make sense of everything. She also learns that the mysterious Wizard Howl—rumored to be an evil wizard who eats the souls of young girls—may not be exactly what he seems.

Howl's Moving Castle is the first of three Wizard Howl books written by Diana Wynne Jones. It is an elaborately woven story full of twists and turns that may catch you by surprise! Sophie is the ideal heroine as she works to discover her own inner strength and rely on herself to do what needs to be done.

Follow Sophie on her unusual adventure as she travels in the Wizard Howl’s moving castle, tries to untangle her curse, uncovers a deep secret, and—ultimately—meets the Witch of the Waste head-on to save her entire kingdom!

If you enjoy the book, check out Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning film adaptation,Howl’s Moving Castle. Or check out The Princess Bride or Dealing With Dragons for more page-turning, fantasy adventure!

Find more book reviews at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson

Katie Wilkinson is madly in love with her boyfriend Matt, and is convinced he is the perfect man. But on the night Katie plans to share some exciting, life-changing news, he leaves her, with no real explanation. The only thing he gives her in parting is a diary, written by a woman named Suzanne.

Katie is beyond heartbroken, but she decides to read the diary, which turns out to be the writings of a young mother to her soon-to-be-born son. With growing apprehension, Katie comes to realize that Suzanne’s husband and her boyfriend are the same man! Unable to put the diary down, or throw it out Katie continues to read and learn about Suzanne and Matt, their relationship, marriage, and sheer joy in parenthood. Slowly, Katie begins to piece together the puzzle of Matt’s past and sudden departure from her life.

Just when you think you understand what’s going on in this book things change, and then change again. A gut wrenching-ly tragic, but beautifully written book, Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas paints a beautiful picture of two women whose lives are bitter-sweetly and inescapably entwined.

This book is a tear jerk-er to say the least. The ending will leave you speechless with both sadness and joy.

If you like romantic stories laced with tragedy, check out A Walk to Remember by Nicolas Sparks or Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

If you're in the mood for more book reviews, go to VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Ghosts I Have Been by Richard Peck

Blossom Culp is an outcast in her town, born on the wrong side of the tracks. Her mother has the sixth sense, as do all the women in her family; all the women, except for Blossom... as far as she knows.

After defending a classmate from school bullies, Blossom is brought (more like dragged) into the “Sunny Thoughts and Busy Fingers” club, much to the chagrin of the current members—all of whom have a much higher social standing than Blossom. After being challenged by the group, Blossom attempts to save face by telling them she has her mother’s gift. She solidifies this lie using a little cunning and wit, but soon it becomes apparent that she really has inherited second sight; she can see and talk to ghosts. And she’s not alone!

At first, Blossom uses her abilities to help local ghosts with their “unfinished business” and move on. However, things drastically change when she suddenly has a vision of the sinking of the Titanic from a year before. She views the accident like a spectator on the ship, and now she knows a terrible secret.  Instantly, Blossom is on a quest to help a frightened and abandoned young ghost find justice so he can have finally rest in peace.

Richard Peck skillfully weaves together historical facts with paranormal fiction in this stimulating page-turner. You will easily disappear into the world of Blossom Culp as you follow her adventures and her quest to right the wrongs for one young passenger of the doomed cruise liner.

Ghosts I Have Been is the second book in the Blossom Culp series, but it easily stands alone. Check it out today and discover the secrets laying at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean.

If you like spine tingling stories, try The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn, or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz.

If you love book reviews, be sure to look for more at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

Terrier dogs are small, wiry, and fearless. Bred to dig for and control rodents; once they have a scent, nothing can stop a terrier from catching its prey. This is Beka Cooper.

Beka is a new recruit in the Provost’s Guard—the local law enforcement—assigned to the Lower City. As a rookie, she has been paired with two of the best senior guards on the force, Clara Goodwin and Matthias Tunstall.

Beka proved her talents for catching criminals at the age of eight, when she tailed and reported a dangerous man who beat her mother and robbed her family. Unfortunately, Beka is shy. Incredibly and painfully shy. And that’s a problem when you’re enforcing the law on one of the toughest beats in Corus. Beka works hard to overcome her shyness, and when the chips are down she shows herself to be the terrier she really is.

But Beka’s beat is about to become even tougher. Children are being murdered; men are going missing; and it’s left to Beka to sort things out. Fortunately, she has friends on her side in both the criminal and law-enforcing worlds, and they’re willing to help however they can.

Tamora Pierce weaves yet another masterful story with a strong female protagonist with Terrier, the first book in the Beka Cooper trilogy. If you enjoy Tamora Pierce’s Terrier, try First Test from her series Protector of the Small. These series and more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Do you love book reviews? Find more at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

I am a firm believer that the reader can make or break an audio book. In this instance, she makes it and so much more! Carrie Fisher performs her own autobiography, Wishful Drinking, and life has never been funnier! Wishful Drinking is an adaptation of her one-woman stage show by the same title in which Carrie discusses life as—what she calls—the product of Hollywood in-breeding.

Fisher talks about the quirks of growing up as the child of Hollywood royalty, the drama of coming to age on the set of Star Wars, and the shock of finding out the father of her child forgot to tell her he was gay. Fisher’s dry humor and frank attitude make even the most tragic situations humorous.

I cannot begin to explain how wonderfully Fisher performs as the narrator of her audio book. No one can tell her stories quite the way that she can, and with good reason! If you have ever been curious about the girl behind the iconic hairstyle—and even if you haven’t—this read will shock, delight, and enlighten you.

If you’re looking for more honest, witty— sometimes irreverent—memoirs, check out Never Have Your Dog Stuffed by Alan Alda and Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

For more book reviews from VBPL staff, check out VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Sometimes you fall in love with the movie. Sometimes you fall in love with the book. And sometimes you are swept off your feet by both!

I first fell in love with The Princess Bride watching the movie as a child. My VHS tape wore itself out from being rewound and replayed over and over again. So when I discovered Goldman’s abridgment of S. Morgenstern’s classic, I was more than a little skeptical. How could any book live up to the wonder of my beloved film? Boy was I wrong! Not only did the book hold all the magic of my favorite movie, but it offered me more insight into my favorite characters.

The Princess Bride is the story of a peasant girl named Buttercup, who—devastated by the loss of her true love—finds herself swept up into the world of royalty when the prince of Florin chooses her to be his bride. On the brink of war, Guilder sends a gang of criminals to abduct and murder the princess. Buttercup finds herself rescued by a masked man. The same masked man who killed her true love! But nothing is as it seems and even more sinister motives are revealed as the time for Buttercup’s royal wedding approaches.

This edition takes an even deeper look at the story as William Goldman interjects with notes and anecdotes taken from his time researching this famous story. The book also harbors a brilliant literary twist… but you’ll have to read it to find out about that!

If you enjoy this classic tale of romance and adventure, try Beastly by Alex Flinn or Howls Moving Castleby Diana Wynne Jones. These books and more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Read more reviews like this one at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher

When I first stumbled across this title I thought it had to be hilarious; just the concept had me grinning! Once I finally got my hands on the book and started reading it, I was hooked. Ian Doescher has perfectly recreated the first film of the original Star Wars trilogy, all in Shakespearean style. And Ian doesn't simply retype the text; he expertly recreates the beloved films on paper through stage cues, character asides, and a chorus that explains background information, scene changes, and (what would normally be) onscreen character movements.

My favorite character in the book is little R2D2. Although his actual lines are all beeps and squeaks, the asides into his inner thoughts and motives are hilarious! His role really blooms as he becomes an instigator in the events that unfold and an affectionate antagonist to his golden counterpart, C3PO. I also really love Ian's portrayal of Darth Vader. He has a very melancholy, Hamlet-esque personality and is prone to soliloquy when left alone in corridors.

In reading this work I actually  began to understand the plot and political aspects of the film better than I ever had before. As I read I continually though, “Oh, that’s what they were doing! I’ll have to re-watch that.” (And any excuse to re-watch the original Star Wars movies is a welcome one to me.) Not only is the book amazingly well done but it is easily enjoyed by hard-core Star Wars fans and casual watchers alike as a picture perfect recreation of the film.

If you enjoy William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, finish reading the original trilogy with The Empire Striketh Back and The Jedi Doth Return. Or rekindle your love for the first three films by watching the Star Wars Trilogy. All these and more are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

For more fun and funny reviews, go to VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels

The cool days of spring are gone (not to mention those piles of snow) and it finally feels like summer! Which can only mean one thing: swim suit season. Both a beloved and dreaded time when getting the “beach bod” back into shape becomes top priority. But with our busy lives, where do we find time for lengthy workouts at the gym? Well never fear, Jillian Michaels is here!

Known for being a tough (sometimes scary) trainer on The Biggest Loser, Michaels has made her workout routines easily accessible and easy to achieve in her workout video, The 30 Day Shred! This DVD features three leveled 20-minute workout routines that only require a little floor space and some hand weights. However, don’t be fooled by the short workout time or the minimal requirements; this workout is fierce!

Level one day one I couldn't even finish the 20 minute routine. I progressively improved (although there were still some moves that I had to use the simplified methods) and was almost 100% comfortable with the routine just in time to start level two… which left me in the dust once again! The workouts are tough but you can feel the effects right away. Jillian gives constant encouragement and advice for moves throughout the routines, and if that’s not what motivates you (or if you get tired of listening to her), there’s an option to mute her and still keep the background music pumping!

All in all this DVD provides a fast, effective, in-home routine that can easily be fit into almost any busy schedule. If you’re looking for an easier start to your workout routine, try Jillian Michaels for Beginners. Or if you’re looking for the next level in fitness, try Ripped in 30. These fitness DVDs and many more are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Craving more book reviews? Check out VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse by Rick Walton

Prepositions are probably not your favorite kind of words and I bet they’re not your child’s favorites either. But they can be! Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse is a language adventure book, which means you and your child get to have fun while exploring the words that are so important to our language; in this case: prepositions.

This book is full of simple text, with big, bright pictures that perfectly illustrate what’s happening in the text.

Follow the fox as he chases the mouse into the barn, through windows, and under tractors. What will happen when the fox catches the mouse? That’s the mystery! And the twist at the end is charming enough to make any adult laugh right along with their kids.

If you enjoy exploring prepositions through this fun and colorful book, try If You Were A Preposition by Nancy Loewen. Or explore some adjectives with Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective? By Brian Cleary. These books and many more are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Looking for more quality book reviews? Visit VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days! by Connie Guttersen

Before we get into this week's review, I thought I'd tell you that the book review you're about to read was also published in our local paper in the summer of 2013. Many of you already know that these book reviews are copies of reviews I post for my library on VBPL Recommends. Well, occasionally one of those reviews is chosen to be featured in the local paper. And this one was picked! So, without further ado....

If you’re anything like me you have tried a dozen different diets trying to jump-start your weight loss goals. Most of the diet cookbooks I tried were full of tiny portions of bland food that left me still feeling hungry or huge portions of plain, raw vegetables that I just wasn't used to and couldn't make myself finish without breaking out the ranch dip. So when my mom told me to look at the Sonoma Diet I was more than a little skeptical of cracking open yet another book full of food I really didn't want. Boy, was I wrong!

The Sonoma Diet is full of delicious Mediterranean style meal plans and menus to get you on the right track towards a healthy lifestyle. The food is fresh and flavorful and the meals are easy to put together. Some of the ingredients were foreign to me, but it gave me a chance to expand my palette and find new flavors that I now love to use! However, the recipes are just a small part of what makes this book so amazing. The Sonoma Diet gives you information to make healthy eating a part of your life without having to follow their menus. The book contains plate and bowl guidelines to help you understand portion sizes, their “top 10 Sonoma Diet Power Foods” and smart food combinations to help make healthy food even more effective, and discusses the science behind the diet and what makes it so effective.

I love The Sonoma Diet! I have gone back to the original meal plans time and time again and their chicken salad has become a favorite in my house. The food is delicious and filling and I really learned a lot about how to effectively change my eating habits into healthier ones.

If you love The Sonoma Diet try more of their delicious recipes with The Sonoma Diet Cookbook or if you’re looking for healthy, filling recipes with a home-style flavor, try Flat Belly Diet! Cookbook. These and other great diet books (and cookbooks) are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

For more news-worthy reviews, check out VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Twins Jared and Simon, and their sister Mallory have been forced into moving by their parents recent divorce. The children leave everything they know and move with their mother into their institutionalized aunt’s decaying New England home. Right from the start strange things begin to happen to the family, but when Jared discovers a hidden room and uncovers the secret truth of fairies, things get much worse. One mystery uncovers another as the family is drawn deeper and deeper into a decade’s old secret there is no coming back from.

Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black work together to create an exciting and suspenseful series that shows us that the world of the fey exists right in our own backyards. These books are sprinkled with stunning illustrations from its co-author, Tony DiTerlizzi, that really bring the characters to life. There are five books in the series: The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda’s Secret, The Ironwood Tree, and TheWrath of Mulgrath. Each book is a fairly fast read and offers up just enough of the overarching story line to leave you intrigued and wanting more; so I recommend taking home the first three at least!

Once you finish the Spiderwick Chronicles try their next series Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles. This (much shorter) series follows Nick and Laurie, newly made step-siblings trying to understand each other and the mysteries of the fey of Florida. This series includes: The Nixie’s Song, A Giant Problem, and The Wyrm King. If you’re still craving more awesome fairies and amazing art, don’t forget to check out The Care and Feeding of Sprites. These books and many more can be found at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

If you want more great book reviews, visit VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The first in Douglas Adams’ hilarious series, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy follows Arthur Dent’s adventures through space (and occasionally time) with his friend, Ford Prefect, and his towel… naturally.

Arthur’s biggest concern is that his home is about to be demolished and a freeway built in its place. But when he learns that the entire planet is also about to be destroyed to make way for a much bigger, galactic freeway Arthur begins to realize that there's a whole universe issues at hand. After being swept away from utter destruction by his pal Ford, Arthur's adventures finally begin.

Full of witty dialog and comedic irony, these books are reminiscent of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and other popular British sitcoms. This book (and its follow-ups) are cleverly written and full of unusual and interesting characters, such as Marvin (a brilliant, but deeply depressed robot), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the two two-headed, three-armed, possibly insane president of the galaxy), and Veet Voojagig (a man obsessed with the disappearance of all his ballpoint pens).

I picked up this book at an airport bookstore years ago and by the time we landed I rushed out to buy the next two! This series is superbly written and utterly addicting. It had me shaking with giggles and snorting with suppressed laughter next to a number of marginally concerned airline row-mates.

If you love The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, then be sure to pick up the next book in series, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe(hint: that’s not a reference to distance, but to time). Or if you prefer fantasy over science fiction, try out Terry Pratchett’s Disc World Series with The Color of Magic. These witty reads and more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

For more reviews like these, be sure to check out VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Anya is a pretty average and she tries hard to be. Her family came to America from Russia when she was five. Since then Anya has worked hard to lose her accent, shun her heritage (including those fattening Russian foods her mom is always making), and blend in to the background. But after dropping down an abandoned well, it’s going to be a whole lot harder for Anya to act normal. Especially since the ghost she met down there hitched a ride out in her backpack. Now she wants to be Anya’s best friend and confidant… forever.

This well-paced, well-drawn graphic novel--written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol--is a great book. It’s a story about a teenage girl dealing with the usual things teenage girls deal with: boys, school, friends, social anxiety, body image, bullies, etc. Add in a creepy dead girl who won’t go away and you've got a great recipe for a book full of drama and chills!

I’m especially fond of the artistic style that Vera Brosgol employs in illustrating Anya’s life. Her use of bold, sweeping lines is graceful and visually appealing. Vera also employs a limited color pallet, which gives the story a dark look but is truly beautiful and is much less overwhelming for the reader.

If you like Anya’s Ghost and are looking for more high-school centered graphic novels, try Drama by Raina Telgemeier or Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge. Or if you want more stories about immigrant children working to fit in, check out American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. These graphic novels and many more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Check out more amazing book reviews at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman

Jacob is a little boy just like everyone else. But when Jacob plays with the dress up clothes at school, he doesn't want to be a firefighter or knight, he wants to wear the princess dress. Some of the kids in his class think he is weird and make fun of Jacob, telling him that, “Boys don’t wear dresses.” But Jacob has a strong support group of teachers and parents who help him feel confident being who he wants to be and wearing what he wants to wear.

I was so excited when I first saw Jacob’s New Dress in the library. It’s such a positive and empowering story about a child who doesn't follow conventional gender norms and the adults who support him in his decisions without forcing their opinions on him. My favorite part of the book is the father’s response when Jacob proudly shows him his new dress.

Jacob learns that what he wears on the outside doesn't change who he is on the inside and that he can be a strong person just by accepting himself the way he is. Children and parents can both learn a lot from Jacob’s positive attitude and the brave way he deals with being different.

If you like Jacob’s New Dress, check out My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis and the Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. These titles and many more are available through the Virginia Beach Public Library.

Looking for more reviews? Visit VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Black Butler directed by Toshiya Shinohara

If you’re looking for a moody, supernatural anime with memorable characters and suspenseful plot, then this is the show for you!

Black Butler revolves around Ciel Phantomhive. Ciel is the most powerful and influential boy in England. He is rich beyond measure and has the bratty attitude to prove it. But Ciel also has a dark secret; after being forced to watch his parents’ murder and being abducted and tortured, Ciel sold his soul to a demon in exchange for revenge on the people who hurt him and his family. This demon—Sebastian--now serves as Ciel’s personal butler. Sebastian works with Ciel to solve the mystery of his parents’ death and find his vengeance while simultaneously protecting his own investment until it is time for the debt to be repaid.

Each episode in this series is a new adventure for the pair and for the other members of Ciel’s staff (all of which are hiding their own dark secrets) as they encounter other demons, grim reapers, and people who aren’t all that they seem. But as the group comes closer to Ciel’s objective, the price of his revenge weighs heavily. Despite the affection Sebastian shows for Ciel, his ultimate goal is unchanged: to eat Ciel's soul.

This show is suspenseful and dark but somehow manages to maintain a lighthearted playfulness at the same time. I sat in shock as the end drew near and kept thinking to myself, “Sebastian can’t eat Ciel’s soul; He wouldn’t! Would he?”

If you love the anime check out the manga of the same name: Black Butler by Yana Toboso. Or if you’re looking for a similar story without the art, try The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (the first book ofThe Bartimaeus Trilogy). These and more great titles are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

If you like this review, find more at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

Being thin and awkward, Beauty hardly lives up to her nickname, especially when compared to her two exceptional sisters. But she is happy in her life--living with her sisters and father in their small cottage--until the day her father returns and tells them of his unfortunate journey and the promise that will take Beauty away from her family to live in an enchanted caste with a terrifying monster.

This retelling of the classic, French fairy tale is like no other. The story is filled with details and plot that have never been explored and work together to make the tale more realistic and engaging. Add to that a heroine who isn’t classically beautiful, but lets her inner beauty shine through her courage and compassion, and you have an amazing fantasy novel that stands apart from the original telling.

When I read this book I became so swept up in the story that I forgot it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast until I reached the end! The characters are incredibly engaging and the events of the book are detailed and rich without becoming dull and plodding. Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors; she has mastered the art of retold classics and has created her own stunning fairy tales. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and theBeast was her first novel and it does not disappoint! McKinley shows a quality and talent for writing like few else have.

If you love Beauty, try Robin McKinley’s Spindle’s End (a retelling of Sleeping Beauty). Or if you want something new, try Shadows, an original novel also by Robin McKinley, about an alternate world where magic is outlawed. These great titles and more are available at the Virginia Beach Public Library.

More great reviews like these can be found at VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.

Enola Holmes: the Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

Fourteen-year-old Enola Holmes is used to being alone. The much younger sister of the famous Sherlock and (less famous) Mycroft Holmes, she doesn't really know her brothers at all, or they her. Her mother named her Enola—a semi-palindrome for ‘alone’—and always told her, “You will do very well on your own.” So when her mother mysteriously vanishes, Enola is not totally unprepared. She falls into the custody of her two brothers, who know very little about teenage girls and who want to send her away to boarding school. Desperate to escape, she runs away and disguises herself—not as a boy (which, let’s face it… is very over-done in literature) but as a lady; the very last thing her brothers would ever expect her to be.

Secure in her disguise, Enola sets out to find her missing mother. Along the way she stumbles upon a number of mysteries that need solving and—just like her famous brother—it seems that she has quite a knack for investigating! Solving cases, hiding from her brothers, and searching for clues about her mother’s disappearance, Enola’s life is one close call after another!

The Case of the Missing Marquess is the first book in the Enola Holmes Series and a thoroughly exciting read! Each book introduces new ciphers and codes that the reader will be trying to solve right along with our heroine! Plus, the drama and suspense between Enola and her brothers—especially Sherlock—make for quite a rollercoaster of emotions!

Will Enola find her mother? Will her brothers catch up with her? What trouble will she run into next? You’ll have to read the books to find out!

If you like the Enola Holmes series, you may also enjoy Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, The Gideon Trilogy: the Time Travelers, or No Place Like Holmes.

For more unique book reviews, visit VBPLrecommends.blogspot.com/.