Review: The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines - Blog Tour

Title: The Girl Is Murder
Series: Debut!
Author: Kathryn Miller Haines | Website
Available: Now
Genre: Mystery/Historical
Reading Level: YA












Description from Goodreads:


Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business. 


My thoughts:

As a fan of both historical fiction and Nancy Drew, I knew The Girl Is Murder was a must read. Iris Anderson is a wonderful main character that does an amazing job of giving us a glimpse into life of a 15-year-old girl living in 1942. She is dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s suicide and her long absent father’s return from Pearl Harbor (minus one leg). With money tight, Iris finds herself leaving her fancy private school and life on the Upper East Side behind for a life as a public school student and a new home in the less desirable Lower East Side. When she discovers her father is late with the rent and having difficulty fulfilling his job as a private investigator, Iris decides to help him. He asks her to stop, but Iris quickly learns how much she likes the role of investigator and it leads her into all kinds of sticky situations over the course of the story.

I enjoyed the mystery aspects of The Girl Is Murder very much. The author did a fantastic job of walking us through the steps of solving the whodunit without making the pending outcome predictable. Iris was also a narrator I adored. I loved watching her transformation from beginning to end. By the end of her story she has a certain sense of the world she wasn’t privy to at the start. I also enjoyed watching the way the relationship between Iris and her father developed. At the beginning he was almost a stranger to her. After living most of his military career away he suddenly becomes her soul parent. Iris had so many changes and adjustments in such a short period of time. I felt these molded and shaped her character in quite a positive way.

The Girl Is Murder is a highly enjoyable read that I most definitely recommend. I’m so excited this is a series debut and look forward to more adventures with Iris Anderson.

My Rating:

ARC Review: The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip

Title: The Opposite of Amber
Author: Gillian Philip | Author Website
Available: 4/18/2011
Reading Level: YA














Description from Goodreads:


They found the fifth girl right after the snow melted ...the place where he left her was winter water, crazed with ice-feathers and dusted with snow. The traces from her body were gone, the ones that said his name, but she had an extra skin of ice that protected her and she looked perfect, like Snow White'. Ruby and her older sister Jinn live together on their own, just about making ends meet. Jinn is beautiful, with glittering blonde hair, and makes it her business to look after Ruby. They are horrified by, but try to ignore, the local newspaper stories of prostitutes who are murdered, their bodies eventually discovered underwater. Then the no-good Nathan Baird turns up on the scene - again - and Jinn starts to change. First Nathan moves in with Jinn and Ruby, making Ruby feel an outsider, and then Jinn and Nathan move out, leaving Ruby alone. Jinn no longer has time to look after Ruby. And it seems to Ruby that Jinn herself needs looking after. Her beautiful glittering hair starts to lose its shine. And then Jinn disappears. A deeply moving, chilling, and incredibly powerful thriller that celebrates the love two sisters have for each other and mourns the events beyond their control that will conspire to drive them apart.


My thoughts:


With Young Adult very much dominated by supernatural creatures and tales of romantic angst, The Opposite of Amber is a book guaranteed to stand out among its companions on the shelves of bookstores. As if the synopsis and stunning cover aren’t enough to make readers flock, once you delve between the pages main character Ruby is guaranteed to take hold of your attention and emotions. She is unlike any protagonist I’ve ever encountered. Her quirkiness was utterly endearing and made for the perfect narrator of the turmoil her family faced, and the brutal crimes rocking her community. 


The Opposite of Amber is made up of so many layers, and writing that flows just beautifully. Not an action packed read by any means, but a pacing that keeps readers interested because of the characters you can’t help but to care about. Packed full of such a unique cast, and a maze of twists and turns from start to finish. I started reading expecting a murder mystery (which I did get), and found this book contained so much more. I loved the bond between sisters Ruby and Jinn, and was heartbroken as I watched it dissolve when the troubled Nathan entered the scene. Readers experience the dynamics of many different relationships, and how things happening around them causes them to bend and change. I almost felt like I was getting a fascinating lesson in human dynamics. I was worried that the author would veer off the plot path with so many things happening, but they all intersect in a precisely executed ending.



This is a book that will make readers feel, and leave its impression long after you’ve finished reading! A must read for anyone craving strong character driven writing. The author did a stellar job of bringing something fresh to the Young Adult scene!

My Rating:

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Review: The Secret of the Scarlet Stone by T.L Clarke

Title: The Secret of the Scarlet Stone
Series: Gabby Girls Adventures #1
Author: T. L Clarke | Author’s Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: MG/YA
Genre: Fantasy












Description from Goodreads:


Can You Help the Gabby Girls Solve the Clues? The Gabby Girls Adventure begins at the Vineswell Academy a very formal and strict elite all-girls school located just outside of upstate New York. The Gabby Girls, Gabrielle who is street-smart and very opinionated, Zora who is super-smart, Jessica who is painfully shy and a bit clumsy; and Rosalinda who is a diva and daddy's little-girl. They are drawn together by the only thing that they have in common, which is the mysterious scarlet pendant they each possess. But things seem even stranger when they find a clue that tempts them with the answer to the question they have longed to know. This unlikely bunch struggle to navigate through solving clue-after-clue. Each clue brings them closer to the key to unlocking their future and the answer to the mysterious deaths of their mothers. After all, Gabby Girls always stick together and everyday is an.........Gabby Girls Adventure! 


My thoughts:


The Secret of the Scarlet Stone introduces us to four brand new students at the prestigious girls school, Vineswell Academy. The four girls who happen to be roomed together quickly learn they have some very interesting things in common. When they discover a mysterious clue they begin an adventure that will change them all forever.


This is a book the tween and younger teen set will just devour. I love that the characters include four girls from greatly differing backgrounds and cultures. Two cheers for racial diversity! This leaves room for all readers to easily relate and bond with their favorites. The book begins by being told from Gabrielle’s POV. Her in your face attitude might be a little much for some readers, while others will admire her sass. Zora is the brains of the group, and seemed to provide a certain healthy balance the Gabby Girls needed. Rosalinda is beautiful and spoiled, but out of all the girls her character seemed to change the most over the course of the book. Last but not least is Jessica. She is timid and shy, but I have hope as the series progresses she will come out of her shell.


The author provided any clues waiting to be discovered at the beginning of the chapter. This gives it a very interactive feeling by allowing readers to figure out the mystery alongside the Gabby Girls. This is really a great little book especially for the middle grade crowd. Younger fans of fantasy and mysteries will have so much fun with this book. I’ll definitely recommend this series to my girls when they are older, and my friends with daughters in the 4th grade and up age group.

My rating:

Books in this series:

Source: Received from the author in exchange for my honest review