Bookish suspense...

An innocent sleepover takes a horrifying turn when three 12-year-old girls sneak out of the house in the middle of the night in search of a dark and deadly urban legend. The investigation that follows will tear up the small town of Pitch, Iowa. What really happened that night? What part did the three girls play in it? And who is Joseph Withers?


My thoughts:  Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf is a riveting psychological thriller that's hard to put down. It's told in several different voices and styles, which I actually liked. Cora's journal entries from before the sleepover were my favorite and really helped build the suspense. The other two girls, Jordyn and Violet, were seen more through the eyes of their parents and the police. And their online conversations. I really liked how Gudenkauf wove the separate narratives together. It's very compelling the way the bits and pieces of this mystery come together. The ending did feel a bit abrupt, but I'd still give this one 4 stars. I'll definitely be checking out Gudenkauf's other novels. If my library ever reopens.

Happy Reading!

Lost Creed by Alex Kava...

Ryder Creed's sister, Brodie, disappeared sixteen years ago, taken from an interstate truck stop while her dad and brother waited for her in the car. She was eleven years old. Now, every time Ryder goes out with his dogs on a search-and-rescue mission, he thinks about her, wondering if his sister, or her body, will ever be found. Then he gets a call from FBI Agent Maggie O'Dell. In a human trafficking raid in the middle of Nebraska, Maggie finds Brodie's picture. And she thinks that Eli Dunn, the man at the center of the raid, might know what happened to her. But Eli's playing his own game with the FBI, leading Maggie and Ryder (and his Jack Russell terrier, Gracie) on a macabre scavenger hunt.

(In a side story, Ryder's associate, Jason, and his black lab, Scout, go on their first search-and-rescue assignment alone where things don't quite go as planned. Moral of this secondary story: Trust your dog!)

My thoughts:  Lost Creed is a fast-paced and well-written read. I like all the characters in this book, both the people...and the dogs! It's fun to see Jason's role grow. And Gracie and Scout are awesome. Every book makes me like Ryder more and more. (In this one we even get to meet his mom.) And the mystery surrounding Dunn and all the missing kids was both compelling and suspenseful. Though I find the fact that human trafficking of minors continues in our country today completely heartbreaking! Overall, this is a great book. I couldn't put it down. In fact, I think this just might be my favorite Ryder Creed novel yet!

Happy Reading!

Previous Creed read:  

Breaking Creed

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

"...the twelve twelve-year-olds who write the best essays on 'Why I'm Excited About the New Public Library' will get to go to the library lock-in this Friday night. The winners will spend the night in the new library before anybody else even gets to see the place!"

I needed an easy and entertaining read this weekend and Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein fit the bill perfectly. The dialogue is snappy; the kids are funny. Plus, it's a book that combines four of my favorite things: books, libraries, puzzles, and games. Luigi Lemoncello, the world's most famous game maker, donated the money for and helped design and build Alexandriaville's new public library. He also designed a contest where the game board is the library itself. Kyle Keeley and his friends have 24 hours to decipher the clues, solve the riddles and find the secret way out of the library. The first kid out wins the prize. Cool, huh? I thought it was a very clever plot. I mean, who wouldn't want to have an overnight adventure in a library like Mr. Lemoncello's? This is a fast-paced and fun mystery that readers of any age will enjoy. I know I did!

Happy Reading!