Mini Review: The Lost Girl of Astor Street

Review: The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

Lydia has vanished.

Lydia, who’s never broken any rules, except falling in love with the wrong boy. Lydia, who’s been Piper’s best friend since they were children. Lydia, who never even said good-bye.

Convinced the police are looking in all the wrong places, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail begins her own investigation in an attempt to solve the mystery of Lydia’s disappearance. With the reluctant help of a handsome young detective, Piper goes searching for answers in the dark underbelly of 1924 Chicago, determined to find Lydia at any cost.

When Piper discovers those answers might stem from the corruption strangling the city—and quite possibly lead back to the doors of her affluent neighborhood—she must decide how deep she’s willing to dig, how much she should reveal, and if she’s willing to risk her life of privilege for the sake of the truth.

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: I loved this book! The characters were great, and the mystery was interesting. Piper was a good main character, and I loved Mariano! The ending was excellent, too. I haven't heard of a sequel being planned right now, but I would love to read more books about these characters! I highly recommend to any historical fiction fan!

I checked this book out from my library.

Mini Review: Cute As An Axolotl

Review: Cute As An Axolotl by Jess Keating

"Cats of Instagram" meets National Geographic in this hilarious picture book about nature's cutest weirdos from the author of Pink Is for Blobfish !

The Internet pretty much runs on cute animal photos, but "cute" is so much more than clickbait kittens and insta-pups. Cute is for feathery-gilled axolotls (pronounced: ax-uh-LOT-ulz), shy pygmy hippos, poisonous blue dragons, and armored pangolins. All of these animals are cute, but they've also adapted remarkable ways to survive in their unique environments.
With her signature blend of humor and zoological know-how, Pink Is for Blobfish author Jess Keating shows how cute animals can be more than just a pretty face in this latest installment of the World of Weird Animals.

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Review: This is a very cute book! My Mom and I both read it, and really enjoyed it! We already read and love the first two books in The World of Weird Animals series of non-fiction picture books, and this new addition to the series was great. I've always loved reading about animals, and this book let me learn about a lot of cute ones! My favorites were probably the fairy penguin, the pom-pom crab, and the fennec fox. Highly recommend these books to anyone of any age who loves animals! :)

I checked this book out from my library.

Review: Case Closed: Mystery in the Mansion

Review: Cased Closed: Mystery on the Mansion by Lauren Magaziner

Carlos Serrano has never solved a mystery in his life. And he’s counting on you to solve his first one.

On the morning of a big investigation that would save her failing detective agency, Carlos’s mom gets sick with a nasty flu. But Las Pistas Detective Agency can’t afford to lose this case, or they will close down for sure. That’s where Carlos—and you—come in.

With the help of his best friend Eliza and her wild little brother Frank, Carlos takes over the investigation. The mystery involves an eccentric local millionaire, who starts receiving death threats. It appears someone wants to get their hands on a buried fortune. However, their search for the culprit is complicated by tricky riddles, cagey suspects, hidden secrets, and dozens of impossible choices. They need your help!

In this hilarious, interactive, and puzzle-filled adventure, YOU pick which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow. Can you help Carlos and his friends figure out who’s sending the death threats, find a lost treasure, and save Las Pistas Detective Agency? Or will it be case closed? You pick the path, you crack the case!
-summary and cover via Goodreads

Review: I loved this book! I've always enjoyed reading choose your own adventure books, and I love puzzles and mysteries, so I knew I was going to enjoy this book. And I was right! I had to start over more times than I am willing to admit, but that was part of the fun! The puzzles were neat! And this is a Lauren Magaziner book, so of course there were funny parts, too! Looking forward to the next book! And I definitely recommend this MG book! :)

I checked this book out from my library.

Mini Review: Apple Pie Promises

Review: Apple Pie Promises by Hillary Homzie

Lily has lived with her mom since her parents got divorced several years ago, and her dad has recently remarried to a woman with a daughter her age named Hannah. But now, Lily's mom has gotten a once-in-a-lifetime work opportunity in Africa and she'll be gone for a year, so Lily is moving in with her dad—and new stepmom and new stepsister. It'll be as easy as apple pie, right?

Wrong. Lily promises her dad that she'll try to get along with everyone, but she is not happy about it. Her stepmom is nice, but she's no replacement for her real mom, and Lily feels like she barely gets any one-on-one time with her dad anymore.

The real problem, though, is Hannah. What starts out as tension between the new stepsisters becomes a full-on war, both at home and at school. Harmless pranks turn into total sabotage. Can Lily survive the year—or is her family fractured beyond repair?
-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: This was a cute book! I liked all the characters in it, from the main character, Lily, to her family and friends. I also liked the ending! This was a perfect book for Fall! And I think the cover is fun! If you're looking for a good Middle Grade book, definitely try this one! :)

I read an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.