Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage – A Preteen Murder Mystery

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You may think that a murder mystery might not be the ideal subject matter for a novel geared towards kids 10 and older. But Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage is a great introduction to this genre for preteens.

Three Times Lucky tells the story of sixth grader Mo LoBeau. Mo is an orphan who washed ashore after a hurricane as a newborn. She lives with her guardians, Miss Lana and the Colonel. Her family is about the most unusual thing in the small North Carolina town that they live in, until a policeman comes to town, looking for clues for about a murder. The Colonel, who found Mo as a baby and has no memory before that time, comes under scrutiny from the lawman. Because of this, Mo and her friend Dale start investigating as well and find themselves swept into the mystery.

This book is a great introduction to the murder mystery genre. All the parts, such as the murders, that could be gory are done “off camera” and none of the kids in the book are exposed to it. Even as an adult, I enjoyed Three Times Lucky a great deal, in part because it is set in my home state of North Carolina.

Three Times Lucky is currently available in hardcover, for the Kindle and for the Nook.

Tokyo Heist – A YA Mystery

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Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn is a young adult novel that follows sixteen-year-old Violet, who finds herself in the middle of an art heist. Violet is swept to Japan and attempts to unravel the mystery of a missing and previously unknown Van Gogh painting. In the meantime, she must evade the Japanese mafia and her artist father out of danger.

Anime and manga are a big part of the story, as Violet is a big fan of  both. A budding artist, she writes and draws her own manga, Kimono Girl, throughout the book. When I was younger, I was a huge fan of anime which I think helped me enjoy this book even more.  While Tokyo Heist is mainly a mystery, it does highlight the strained relationship Violet has with her father.

The relationship grows and changes as the book goes on, which adds another level of complexity to this highly engaging novel.

Tokyo Heist is recommended for ages twelve and up. As an adult, I did enjoy watching the mystery unfold. I would recommend this book to any reader who loves mysteries, art, anime or manga. Tokyo Heist is available in hardcover, Kindle and Nook versions.

Note: I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

Book Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

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What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty is the story of Alice who loses ten years of memory after she a head injury during a spin class. The last thing she can remember is being happy married to her husband Nick as well as being pregnant with her first child. She now finds herself to be in the midst of a divorce as well as the mother of three kids. Alice embarks to remember her missing years as well as try to reconcile with the man she loves so much.

This book was one that I found hard to put down. I felt a lot of sympathy for Alice as she tried to piece together what had happened to cause her marriage to break down to the point that it was ending. I felt like I had a lot in common with young Alice, partly because I lost two days a few years ago that I still don’t remember. What Alice Forgot also made me think a lot about my past and how my future is going as I wondered what my marriage and I would be like in ten years.

I would recommend What Alice Forgot to anyone. It is an engaging book with interesting characters and an intriguing premise.

Note: I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

Dragons Love Tacos – A Children’s Book

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In literature, dragons are fierce beasts that don’t seem to be very picky about what or who they eat. But in the children's book, Dragons Love Tacos, written by Adam Rubin, we find that dragons actually have some specific tastes when it comes to food.

Dragons Love Tacos is an adorable book that tells how dragons love tacos and parties, but how they hate spicy salsa. This book is one of Emily's favorites. We've read it so much that she can 'read' it on her own now. The story is perfect for younger kids and matches well with the great illustrations by Daniel Salmieri.

I would recommend Dragons Love Tacos highly for any child because of the cute story about kind dragons who just want to eat tacos. Dragons Love Tacos is available in hardcover.

Note: I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

Wicked as They Come – A Steampunk, Vampire Novel

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Steampunk and vampires may not seem like things that would go together well. But in Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson, these two things are mixed with wonderful results.

When I first heard about Wicked as They Come, I was interested in reading it. But when I found out that it was also a “person from our world goes to a strange, new world” story, I knew I was going to love it. I love those kinds of stories and Wicked as They Come was no exception.

The story follows Tish Everett, a nurse and recent divorcee, as she finds herself in the world of Sang, which is a steampunk version of Victorian England. She meets Criminy Stain, who is a Bludman, which is like a vampire but with some differences. He tells Tish says that he called her to his world because she is his true love. Tish is propelled on a journey to heal from her former abusive relationship, find herself and to discover who is killing the Bludmen and women of Sang.

The world is very interesting and well explained. Bludmen aren’t the only vampiric creatures that lurk around. Just about any animal you can think of had a blud equivalent. The one that freaked me out and interested me the most was the bludbunnies, because they are cute, fluffy and want to suck your blood.

This book was a lot of fun to read with the interesting setting of Sang as well as the well-rounded characters. Even though the story focuses on Tish and Criminy, we do get to meet many of the inhabitants of Sang which includes Criminy’s carnival full of strange folks. I’d recommend Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson to anyone who enjoys steampunk, vampire as well as a little paranormal romance.

Wicked as They Come is available in paperback as well as for Kindle and Nook.

Note: I received a copy of this book for review purposes.