A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball: A Dizzy Heights Mystery 2 by T E Kinsey

The band has gone to play at a private party.  All is going well, when the man who owns the mansion is shot dead in a locked room.  When they break in the room, it looks like suicide, but it's not.

Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

The band had previously solved a murder and they want answers for this death, too.  They are stranded there while the storm goes on, so why not?

Everybody listens to the family members and the staff to sort things out.  They also ask questions.  The more they ask, the closer they get to the truth.

But the killer isn't done yet.  He'd willingly kill more for his own safety.

So who wins?

Death on the Shelf : A Haunted Library Mystery by Allison Brook

Carrie is excited by her best friend's wedding.  She will be in it and she can't wait.  But something unfortunate happens...

Crooked Lane Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published November 9th.

As they are getting ready to cut the cake, the local doctor falls into the cake and lands on the floor dead.  He was poisoned and it's murder.

Then the woman who was getting divorced and had been a little too friendly with the doctor drives off the road and dies too.  She had a tranquilizer in her blood which also indicated murder.

Carrie is snooping around for clues and finds out who did it.  Will she survive long enough to tell someone?

Find a Moose with Me! Suzanne Buzby Hersey, Ashley Halsey (Illustrated by)

It's Oscar's first moose hunt.  He's not finding any moose but he's finding other animals.

McSea Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published November 24th.

Oscar starts counting what he sees.  He begins at ten and goes down to one.  Let your child count with him.

All he finds are moose tracks.  So they give up and head to their car.  Guess who is standing back behind their car?

Claws for Alarm : A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown - Series: Mrs. Murphy (#30)

There is a family that has been living in the same place for years.  They have a library of history.  When the current resident dies, she leaves behind two children - they don't get along.

Bantam and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 12th.

The mother was a popular person with lots of friends.  The children hated each other.  The oldest, a woman, felt her brother already got his share of the inheritance because he went through drug rehab.

When the will was read, all they had to share was debt!  The brother wants to sell the old papers but his sister doesn't.

Then two more people die.  They were murdered.  Who is the killer?

The animals in the book are the most fun.  While the humans are fighting and killing, the animals start looking for clues.

A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries by Martin Edwards (Edited by) Series: British Library Crime Classics

This is a nice set of mysteries that center around Christmas.  Some are theft, some are murder, and some are just mysterious.

Poisoned Pen Press and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 12th.

My favorite of these stories are the ones that are shorter in length and have an ironic last line.  Nothing I read here was bad.  Sometimes the perfect plan failed because the human wasn't perfect.

I like to read short stories and these take you right to Christmas where hot chocolate and lights make you feel better.

I enjoyed this read. Why don't you give it a try?

Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 3) by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Myrtle has a bad habit of finding dead people.  She's not looking for them but she runs across them anyway.

Workman and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

There was a Roman artifact found in the wrong area for it.  When Myrtle and her instructor look it over, they find it is a fake.  But those who found it are being killed over the years.  It started with a child who disappeared while in the public eye.  Then adults started dying.  

Myrtle wants to solve the mystery but her father, who is a judge, forbids her to do so.  Not that it slows her down.

They find there are tunnels in the town and the killer uses them to do their dirty work.

Myrtle's list of suspects is long but she has to find some evidence.  She searches and doesn't even realize she's in danger, too.

Will she find the killer or will the killer find her?

Blackblood: Acolyte by Phu Vuong, Isa Enriquez (Illustrated by)

Magic suddenly showed up in the Kingdom.  It had to be hid because anyone using managed was jailed.  There was good magic and bad magic.  The King just put all the mages in jail to stop it.  But now it's back again.

Little Bee Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

There is magic being used by children.  They are careful but the word gets out anyway and soon everyone is after them.

The battles are tough and some of the children get separated.  The others try to find them.

This tale is full of action with magic mixed in.  It leaves you with questions at the end so you will read the next graphic novel in the series.

It was an interesting read.

Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird, David Small (Illustrated by)

Suzy is tired of boring summers.  Then she finds out there is a retired circus performer living in her area.  She also finds that her Uncle Fred does farm tasks there, so she follows him.

Knopf Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).   It will be published October 5th.

Suzy finds Fred taking care of the horses but she's more interested in the ostriches.  She even learns to ride one.  It's not easy but she gets hints from the circus performer and she manages.  That leads to an injury and her parent's forbidding her to go there again.  But Suzy has a plan...

This story is based on actual events of the past.  It's a fun and informative story.

Would you ride a ostrich?

The Cure for What Ales You : A Sloan Krause Mystery by Ellie Alexander, Series: A Sloan Krause Mystery (#5)

Sloan is happy with her life.  She partners in a brewery, has relatives she loves, and she's developing feelings for her partner.

Minotaur Books and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

Someone has been stealing things out of hotel rooms.  They decide it must be an employee who is doing it.  Then they find a dead housekeeper in a room.  That's even more serious.

Sloan starts looking for the killer but she has more than that to worry about.  Her father has been released from jail and she's been warned that he is coming to kill her.  He already killed her mother.

There are all kinds of clues from various people.  Who can Sloan trust?

It's a busy story that moves along with secrets coming out on all sides.  The setting is in Leavenworth, which is a beautiful Bavarian town in Washington.

I wasn't sure if Sloan was going to make it.  You'll have to read to see.

The Taking of Jemima Boone : Colonial Settlers, Tribal Nations, and the Kidnap That Shaped a Nation by Matthew Pearl

This is a historical tale about Daniel Boone's daughter and the various views of all the people involved.

Harper and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

Jemima was no shrinking violet.  She loved her father and knew he would come to rescue her. She fit in the best she could with the Indians so they didn't bother her.

Her father did rescue her.  He did a lot of other things, too.  What surprised me was how many men didn't like Daniel.  He was brave but sometimes he didn't think things through long enough.  Most everything worked out but it wasn't only the Indians and British that didn't like him. 

I found this story to be eye opening and I felt bad for Daniel.  He made a lot of sacrifices and no one cared.  He even got accused of Treason.

If you like history you'll enjoy this read.  And you'll learn some things about Daniel you might not have known.

Twisted Tea Christmas by Laura Childs: Series: A Tea Shop Mystery (#23)

Theodosia is getting ready for Christmas tea parties when she finds a woman she liked dead on the floor in her building.  She's upset because she was a sweet older lady.  The person who killed took her diamond rings she was wearing.

Berkley and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

Theo calls the police but she also starts snooping herself.  Being warned off the case doesn't slow her down.  There are a lot of suspects.  She questions most of them and learns a few things.  But she's still not sure who the killer is.  She knows they stole a painting so she goes to talk to an art dealer.  Unfortunately, he's dead, too.  She sees his hand poking up from the homemade grave.

She investigates everyone.  But she has no idea who the killer is until it's almost too late for her.  It's good thing she was fostering dogs...

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo

The first time they met, they  didn't get along so well.  He didn't want to do the things she told him to do, but she was supposed to train him.

Underlined Paperbacks and Edelweiss shared this book with me for a review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

As time goes on, they find themselves becoming attracted to each other.   They both have a secret.  Lila does a book blog but doesn't identify herself.  Teddy is a rock climber that intends to compete but he hasn't told his parents or his Aunt.

As usually happens, the secrets leak and they worry about getting into trouble.  It turns into a good conversation about why they didn't tell and the parents understand.

Not only do they get to keep their dreams, they find themselves falling in love...

The Care and Keeping of Freddy by Susan Hill Long

Georgia is about to become a teenager.  Her mother left her and her dad and moved away with an old boyfriend.  She ends up marrying him and having a baby.  She gave Georgia a bearded lizard when she left.  Georgia loves Freddy.

Paula Wiseman Books and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

Georgia takes good care of Freddy.  But with a new little sister, she wants to meet the baby.

There is a lot of adjustment going on with everyone.  They work on getting along and see more of each other.  It's a bit dramatic as divorces go but they are all like that until you get things figured out.

Georgia lives with her Mom for a while.  Mom has applied for a job on a cruise ship and she gets it.  She wants to take Georgia with her but Georgia isn't sure that's what she wants.  Which way do you think she'll jump?

Stealing Home by J. Torres, David Namisato (Illustrated by)

When Pearl Harbor was bombed, all the Japanese that were living here peaceably where taken to camps which were like prisons.  Some folks hated them because of their race.

Kids Can Press and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

This is the story of a happy family that finds them being moved into a camp.  The father is in a man's ward and the mother and her two sons are rooming with another family.

They aren't happy about their arrangements.  But they love baseball and that's what gives then hope.

This is written in graphic form and it's easy to read.  By sharing this tale with your children, you'll be teaching history from long ago.  We need to learn from how we handled things in the past.

Eeny Up Above! Jane Yolen, Kathryn Brown (Illustrated by)

Eeny is a mole.  Her sisters are very happy in their home but Eeny is more adventuress.  She goes up and samples all of the seasons of the year.  Her favorite is Spring.  (It's mine, too!)

Crocodile Books and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

Eeny talks to her friends and learns about the dangers in Spring.  They even mention humans.

She actually meets up with a human.  Will she be safe?

Selected Stories: Introduction by Catriona Seth by Guy de Maupassant, Marjorie Laurie, Brian Rhys, Catriona Seth

These short stories will stay with you.  They are ironic, sad, mean,  and some are full of horror.  

Everyman's Library and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

Each story draws you in and makes you wonder what is going to happen.

My favorite story was The Necklace.  It's ironic and shows you sometimes you need to ask more questions.

Some stories are more detailed the others.  I like the short ones best.  It's amazing what an author can do with a short, short story.

This was an interesting read.  The stories are varied.  And some of them you won't forget...

All The Colors of Life by Lisa Aisato

This is a lovely book.   The illustrations are large and the text is short.  You go through a woman's life from birth to death.

Arctis and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

Some of the illustrations are breath taking.  You play in the rain, date, find a husband and have children.  With wonderful illustrations that add to the story.

I can see a child reading this often just to enjoy the artwork.  I enjoyed it.

Robin Hood - The Shadows of Sherwood Forest by Tilman Roehrig

Robin Hood stole from the rich.  Sometimes he shared with the poor.  The Sheriff wants to shut him down.

Arctis and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

Little John poaches a deer and takes it to his village to share with everyone.  The Sheriff gets there when he's off again and he kills the villagers.

This is mainly a story of war.  Not just with Robin Hood but for kingdoms and more.  The people of this time are not very nice.  They don't mind killing people.

You see how there is more than one fight going on and you learn why.  There were reasons for their actions.  Maybe not the best ones.

I was surprised by how it ended.  If you like Robin Hood, this book will interest you.

The Secret Lives of Dragons by Zoya Agnis, Alexander Utkin (Illustrated by)

Dragons have always fascinated me, so when I saw this book, I had to read it.

Nobrow and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

This is a guide to the types of dragons, where they live, and how they act.  While they fascinate me, I wouldn't want to meet one!

This is a history of dragons.  There are many facts about dragons in this book.  It even gives you clues about where they live.

It's very informative and was a very interesting book to read.  I enjoyed it.

Orca Rescue! : The True Story of an Orphaned Orca Named Springer by Donna Sandstrom, Sarah Burwash (Illustrated by)

This is a great book to teach children about orca whales.  There are a lot of facts about them.  And you get to meet Springer who is the first whale to be reunited with a pod.

Kids Can Press and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 5th.

Springer and her mother got separated from their pod.  They thought they were dead.  But Springer survived.  And she was fairly healthy and liked to play with sticks.

They wanted to return her to her pod, so they got a big group of people together and asked for donations.  It took several steps to get her well and return her near her pod.

She is the very first baby orca that got reunited with her pod.  They learned a lot from her.

Orcas need help or they are going to become extinct.  This gives you some good ideas on what you can do to help.

Miosotis Flores Never Forgets by Hilda Eunice Burgos

This is both a good tale about adopting a dog, and a bad tale about domestic abuse.  Don't share this with someone who won't understand.

Tu Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).    It will be published on October 5th.

The little sister in the family wants a dog.  Her father tells her she needs to apply herself to school and get more A's on her report card first.  She's not that fond of school but she'll work hard to earn her dog.

Her older sister is engaged to be married, so she doesn't have as much time for her little sister.  But the little sister realizes that her boyfriend has hit her.  She says he was sorry and wouldn't do it again.  Sure...

There is a lot of family interaction as well as friends trying to protect her but she's in love.  Eventually she sees what the others do and breaks her engagement - right before getting married!

The little sister has her eye on a puppy.  Will her father allow her to get it?

Revver the Speedway Squirrel by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Alex Willan (Illustrated by)

Revver is part of a pit crew in the racing world.  He can see things the men don't and he can get in small spaces to fix things.  The crew loves him.  But the boss gets mad at his messes and he threatens to throw him off the squad.

Macmillan and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 6th.

Revver has a big problem with being patient.  They are going to fly to the next event and he'll go with them instead of with the driver.  Bad weather delays their flight.  He hates sitting in the crate and a spoiled cat lets him out.

Revver has many adventures at the airport but when he finds he's too late for the flight he's devastated.  It's a good thing the birds help him.

Will he ever find his humans?  It's pretty scary but eventually he does...

Poe and Lars by Kashelle Gourley, Skylar Hogan (Illustrated by)

Poe lives alone in Arctic.  She misses having someone to talk to.  When an earthquake makes her ice house fall apart, she finds a big polar bear in front of her.

Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 5th.

He's big but she's not scared.  At least until he tries to eat her.  Then she punches him.

They make a deal.  He'll build her house again if she feeds him.  Is this going to work?

The Ugliest Monster in the World by Luis Amavisca, Erica Salcedo (Illustrated by)

This is a fun book for young readers.  Three monsters get in an argument over who is the ugliest.

NubeOcoho and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 4th.

They decide to take the blanket off the mirror and see who is the ugliest.  They do and you'll be surprised by how it affects them.

It's a cute book.  Which monster do you think is the ugliest?

A Voice for the Everglades : Marjory Stoneman by Douglas Vicki Conrad, Ibon Adarne (Illustrated by), Rachel Yew (Illustrated by) Series: She Made History

This is a nonfiction book about a woman who loved nature and wanted to save the Everglades.  She had hard work ahead of her.  She knew it was a perfect ecosystem but everyone wanted to develop it.

Albert Whitman and Company and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 1st.

The environment and the animals all work together to create a perfect environment for them.  You learn about the plants, about the animals and how it works.  It's amazing.

Marjorie did save a section of the Everglades.

I learned some interesting facts in this read.  So will your child.

Marty 2: Missing Hero: Even Bigger Adventure! by E.W. Choate Jr.

This is a very active story with lots of characters.  It's a good read.

BooksGoSocial and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has already been published and you can get a copy now.

The story starts with the cat being stolen.  The King and his men go one way and the animals go in another.  There is a lot of danger.  The animals talk, and the poor bird almost kills himself trying to keep everyone safe.

The King takes a prisoner with him to rescue the cat.  When the prisoner gets loose, he tries to kill the King.  That's not the King's only problem.  There are a bunch of witches that would like to kill him, too.

There are fights, close calls and you aren't sure who is going to win.  Reading this is not boring.

The Great Ghost Hoax by Emily Ecton

She lives in an apartment complex that allows animals.  She has several pets.  When her neighbor comes to visit, she finds out she thinks her rental apartment has a ghost.  Oh boy!  Now the animals will snoop and see what they find.

Atheneum Books for Young Readers and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 7th.

The lady whose apartment appears to be haunted hires some guys who have a TV show to get rid of the ghost.

The animals know what is going on.  The "ghost" is an octopus who escaped from the zoo.  The wailing is the cat next door singing.

The guys are scam artists and they make the person think she has ghosts and charges her quite a bit to remove them.

It's a good thing they have the animals to protect them!

Dear Mr. Dickens by Nancy Churnin, Bethany Stancliffe (Illustrated by)

This is an interesting story.  A young girl writes to Mr. Dickens and asks him not to make Jewish characters mean and wicked.

Albert Whitman and Company and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published October 1st.

I'd never heard this about Dickens but it is a fact.  The girl reading the story was Jewish and she didn't like the way he portrayed them in his stories.  She wrote to him but he wasn't impressed.  Then she wrote again and he made some changes in his writing style.

It's amazing to me that a great, busy author would listen to a young woman, but he did.

Spidernaut : Arabella, the Spider in Space by Jodie Parachini, Dragan Kordic (Illustrated by) Series: Animalographies

This is a fascinating look at spiders that went into space.  They had to adjust to no gravity and learn to weave webs differently.

Albert Whitman and Company and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 1st.

You learn about how they weave a web on earth.  You learn about their trip to space, and you watch them adjust.

It sounds like it might be dry and boring, but it's not.  It's an up close and personal look at their mission and their success.

I never knew about these spiders.  Now I do and it's incredible!

Beautiful Jim : The World's Smartest Horse by Jodie Parachini, Dragan Kordic (Illustrated by) Series: Animalographies

This was a fascinating read and it's nonfiction.  This horse was smart and so was his owner.

Albert Whitman and Company and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will publish October 1st.

A slave worked with Jim.  He loved animals and he had a lot of patience.  If Jim got the answer wrong, he just had him try again.  He didn't reprimand him.  He even gave him treats for getting it right.

He learned the alphabet, to do math, to spell words, and he was generally a sensation where ever he went.  One of the journalists called him beautiful and it stuck.

He was a grand old horse. Since the slave had been freed, they toured the country.  They made a good pair for presentation.

I wish I had seen him.  I bet he was wondrous.