Sunday, June 30, 2013

June Monthly Reading Summary

Here are the books I read in June.  Links take you to my full review.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher - 5
This first in a new Middle Grade mystery series introduces us to two seventh graders who have decided they want to work for the FBI.  They are practicing by spying on their neighbors, but the game turns serious when they see a neighbor committing a crime.  Things may not be what they seem.  Or they might be in some serious danger.

The book pulled me in with great main characters and a plot that gets very suspenseful as the book progresses.  The target audience will definitely love it, and any adult who enjoys a good mystery should pick it up, too.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.


THE TEXAS TWIST by John Vorhaus (Radar Hoverlander #3) - 5
In this book, Radar, his girlfriend, and his best friend, are all trying to help their new neighbor who they think is about to be the victim of a con.  However, the more they get involved, the more things aren't what they seem, and Radar has to figure out the end game before he comes the victim of a con himself.

The plots in these novels are more like onions than anything else I've read, yet they hold together brilliantly.  And the characters are a lot of fun for being criminals. The series is certainly a departure from my normal cozy fair, but I really enjoy it.

REVENGE ON ROUTE 66 by Kris Neri (Tracy Eaton #4) - 5
Tracy is planning to introduce her husband Drew to the pleasures that are Route 66.  But when a family friend is murdered in a small New Mexico town, they find themselves having to solve a mystery 30 years old to find out why he died now.

These books are always wacky capers, and this is no exception.  The mystery is well plotted, but Tracy's antics are a blast the entire way through.  A perfect light mystery for any road trip.

And keep an eye out for a character named Mark Baker.

ROCKETS' RED GLARE by Sue Ann Jaffarian (Holidays from Hell #4) - 5
Zelda is bringing her new boyfriend to the annual family BBQ.  What could possibly go wrong?  Wait don't ask that because the fireworks are about to get started.

It's so nice to see the Bowen family back again.  This e-short story once again crams great characters and a good story into 34 pages.  Well worth reading.

I was sent a copy of this story in exchange for my honest review.

MR. MONK HELPS HIMSELF by Hy Conrad (Monk Tie-In Novels #16) - 5
Natalie's new self-help guru commits suicide in the middle of a public event, but she's convinced it is murder.  Meanwhile, Monk is hired to find the killer of a clown, one of his top 100 phobias.  This is going to be the biggest test of their new partnership.

This is the first tie in novel not written by Lee Goldberg, but since Hy was a writer on the show, he already knows the characters.  He's picked up from where Lee left off, and fans of the show and the books will love it.  Laughs, good mysteries, and great characters.

SIDEKICKS by Dan Santat - 5
When a superhero decides to get a new sidekick, his pets want in on the act.  And that's not quite as bad an idea as it sounds.


This graphic novel is fun, and middle school students will enjoy it.  Heck, I enjoyed it, and I'm an adult.

2 comments:

  1. ok I love the Monk TV series and never realized it was a book series also. Thanks for the recommendations, I like your concise recap reviews! Visiting from Book Bloggers Do It Better Google + group.

    Nice to meet ya (I am a former accountant by trade) and a night reviewer.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad you like the mini-reviews. I've done them for years to post at various groups around the net.

      The books are tie ins to the TV show, meaning the TV show came first. But they are very fun and capture the spirit of the show while expanding things in some unexpected ways.

      Here's to accountants who are also reviewers!

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