Friday, May 15, 2020

The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro


When James goes to visit Charlotte's family for winter break, he thinks that they will finally be able to relax after the harrowing action at school. However, when Charlotte's uncle Leander goes missing and an underground fake-art ring surfaces, they must go on a trip to Berlin to track him down and hopefully save him. They are embroiled in danger- mainly from the powerful Moriarty family. James and Charlotte must have the wits to figure this out and save themselves and Leander from the influence of the Moriarty's.

I enjoyed this book very much, but not as much as the previous novel. The characters and plot were all very well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. However, I felt that the ending was very confusing, and not much was explained. I think that people who like crime mystery novels and action would like to read this, as would readers of the first book and Sherlock Holmes. There was also plenty of teen romance/drama, which was also very well written. I would definitely recommend this book to others, but the first book should be read for it to make more sense.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library

Monday, May 11, 2020

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro


When James Watson is sent to a boarding school in America, he is excited to meet Charlotte Holmes, a descendant of the detective Sherlock Holmes himself. She is elusive and generally unwelcoming, and seems to have inherited Sherlock's genius and tendency to take opiates. Disaster strikes when multiple murders happen and they are pinned on James and Charlotte. They must clear their names and catch the murderer before the trail goes cold or they are killed themselves.

I really enjoyed A Study in Charlotte. As a fan of Conan Doyle's original stories, I was captivated by this book as well- it had a great plot and even better characters. The characters were well fleshed out and had well-written development, and overall I just enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the plot. I think that readers of mystery fiction would like this book, as the main story revolves around a framed murder. People who liked Sherlock Holmes would also love this book. All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting an enthralling book to read.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library