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[quote]Thirteen-year-old Bina has a long summer ahead of her. She and her best friend, Austin, usually do everything together, but he’s off to soccer camp for a month, and he’s been acting kind of weird lately anyway. So it’s up to Bina to see how much fun she can have on her own. At first it’s a lot of guitar playing, boredom, and bad TV, but things look up when she finds an unlikely companion in Austin’s older sister, who enjoys music just as much as Bina. But then Austin comes home from camp, and he’s acting even weirder than when he left. How Bina and Austin rise above their growing pains and reestablish their friendship and respect for their differences makes for a touching and funny coming-of-age story.[/quote]
[note note_color=”#BFD1D1″ text_color=”#ffffff”]I received this book for free from First Second (Macmillan) for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.[/note]
Summer vacation is around the corner! What kind of adventures did you go on or will be going on? For Bina, her Summer isn’t gonna be spent doing the Summer Fun Index with her best friend Austin like the past few years. Nope, this Summer is gonna suck because she won’t have Austin this summer. :(
Currently Reading will act as my check-in, letting you guys know what I’m forever reading at the moment, and what I’m enjoying about it. I’m not gonna discuss books that are on my priority October TBR list. Instead, I’m gonna talk about the books I picked up on a whim this month.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.”
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.
True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.
Why did I want to read Truly Devious? Truly Devious has things I love reading in books: private schools, True Crime, and early twentieth century. When you give me all three, I’m immediately on this train. I thought the story was intriguing; who isn’t fascinated by unsolved crimes?
What do I like about it so far? I love how mysterious it is. Maureen Johnson does a beautiful job setting us in this book where you feel this gloom as you read. I just want to learn more about this Truly Devious character and what made Ellingham Academy dangerous.
In this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Compass South, Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock once again create an outstanding seafaring adventure.[/quote]
[note note_color=”#DC143C” text_color=”#ffffff”]DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL YOU’VE READ COMPASS SOUTH.[/note]
How would you fare in 1860 with a father who disappeared suddenly, a Gang who’s chasing you for squealin’ to the cops, or a dangerous pirate crew after your prized possessions? Can you survive? Can you outwit them?
