Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated City Spies in Books
Jun 7, 2020
I saw this new series debut recommended by another author I love, and I’m so glad I did. This middle grade book is fast paced. We get plenty of set up, but everything is introduced as part of the story, so it never slows things down. Once the mission begins, the pace picks up even more, and I couldn’t put the book down. Some of the elements are a little over the top, but I just reminded myself this is a spy story and got right back into the book. We don’t get to know all the characters well yet, but we definitely saw some growth in Sara and a few others, and what we saw of them is great. There are some truly heartwarming moments as well as moments that made me laugh. This is a fantastic middle grade book for readers of all ages.
A Column of Fire
9.0
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The saga that has enthralled the millions of readers of The Pillars of the Earth and World Without...
Fiction
The Scientist and the Spy: A True Story of China, the FBI, and Industrial Espionage
7.0
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In September 2011, sheriff's deputies in Iowa encountered three ethnic Chinese men near a field...
Cunning Women
9.0
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When it is no longer safe to be a witch, they call themselves cunning. 1620s Lancashire. Away...
Historical fiction Witches Witchcraft Gothic 17th century England
The Lost Girls of Paris
7.0
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From the author of the runaway bestseller The Orphan’s Tale comes a remarkable story of friendship...
Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope Mystery, #1)
8.5
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London, 1940. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Footprints Under the Window in Books
Oct 21, 2021 (Updated Oct 21, 2021)
Even as a kid, I recognized the absurdity of the Hardys heading to South America at one point to follow a few leads, but even as an adult, it’s hard not to get caught up in the action and mystery. While things do make sense at the end, I feel like there were a few too many plot threads for them to untangle. One or two less would have helped. Still, even as an adult, I got caught up in the story. As always, the character are thin, and the story is dated. Very dated, in this case. But as long as today’s kids realize this is something from the 1960’s, they’ll be okay. I’ve got to admit, nostalgia is playing a bit in my rating since I loved this one as a kid.
Kindle
Secret of Magic: Rebels & Spies ( Academy of Falling Kingdom book 2)
By Marisa Mills and Drake Mason
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The good news: I miraculously survived a would-be fatal fall.
The bad news: A demon helped me do it.
The worst news: Prince Alexander saw everything.
Reverie is supposed to be paradise -- but the power holding the floating city aloft isn't holy; it's demonic. Now demons are attacking my classmates -- and I think they're targeting me. If we can't find the source behind the attacks, the entire kingdom could be in danger of falling from the sky.
And Alexander knows I'm a fraud.
I came to Reverie to steal something. Now I need Alexander to steal something, too. Because he has one thing I never will; the trust of the king.
But can I convince him to exploit his father's trust to save his people? Or will Alexander tell the world who I really am?
The Secret of Magic is a young adult fantasy adventure full of monsters, murder and romantic intrigue. Fans who enjoyed Rachel Carter’s Black Mage series and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy will love this sprawling magic academy!
I loved it! From surviving the fall to the very last chapter I found it interesting and just wanted to keep reading. I knew her true identity it was kind of obvious I was just willing it along until Wynter found out too! Looking forward to seeing where they all go from here.
A Peculiar Combination
10.0
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The first in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, set in England...