Review: The Firefly Summer

Title: The Firefly Summer
Author: Morgan Matson
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The Penderwicks meets The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street in a story about a young girl who gets to know her mom’s side of the family and hunts for hidden treasure over the course of one chaotic summer.

For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos.

Ryanna accepts. She wants to learn about her mom. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives… so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. People who have memories of her mom from when she was Ryanna’s age, clues to her past like a treasure map. Ryanna even finds an actual, real-life treasure map!

Over the course of one unforgettable summer—filled with s’mores and swimming, adventure and fun, and even a decades-old mystery to solve—Ryanna discovers a whole new side of herself and that, sometimes, the last place you expected to be is the place where you really belong.

Review:

Eleven-year-old Ryanna Stuart has always lived with her father, and now his new wife. When she receives a letter from her grandparents, her mom’s parents who she hasn’t seen since her mother’s death eight years ago, she decides to accept their invitation to visit for the summer. She travels to their summer home, a former summer camp called Camp Vam Camp, in Pennsylvania and she’s excited to learn more about her mom’s childhood. However, she’s shocked to find a bunch of cousins, aunts, and uncles, who she didn’t know about, are staying with them too. Almost all of them have memories to share about Ryanna’s mom. While looking through her mom’s old stuff, she stumbles upon a treasure map. This might be their last summer at this camp, but if Ryanna can follow the treasure map, she may be able to save this summer home. 

This was such a fun summer read! Some parts were emotional, such as when Ryanna talked about her mom. Her mom died after being hit by a car when Ryanna was three-years-old, and after that her father kept her away from her mother’s family for a reason she doesn’t know. It was heartwarming to see Ryanna discover things about her mother’s childhood and the ways they were similar. They both loved reading mystery novels, which is what I loved at that age too. I really loved how everything came together at the end of the story, and every piece of the puzzle had a purpose. 

The Firefly Summer is a fun summer middle grade read!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Have you read The Firefly Summer? What did you think of it?

Review: Camp QUILTBAG

Title: Camp QUILTBAG
Author: Nicole Melleby and A.J. Sass
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 21, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the acclaimed authors of Hurricane Season and Ana on the Edge, an unforgettable story about the importance of and joy in finding a community, for fans of Alex Gino and Ashley Herring-Blake.

Twelve-year-old Abigail (she/her/hers) is so excited to spend her summer at Camp QUILTBAG, an inclusive retreat for queer and trans kids. She can’t wait to find a community where she can be herself—and, she hopes, admit her crush on that one hot older actress to kids who will understand.

Thirteen-year-old Kai (e/em/eir) is not as excited. E just wants to hang out with eir best friend and eir parkour team. And e definitely does not want to think about the incident that left eir arm in a sling—the incident that also made Kai’s parents determined to send em somewhere e can feel like emself.

After a bit of a rocky start at camp, Abigail and Kai make a pact: If Kai helps Abigail make new friends, Abigail will help Kai’s cabin with the all-camp competition. But as they navigate a summer full of crushes, queer identity exploration, and more, they learn what’s really important. Camp QUILTBAG is a heartfelt story full of the joy that comes from being and loving yourself.

Review:

Twelve-year-old Abigail (she/her/hers) is excited to attend Camp QUILTBAG for the first time. It’s an inclusive two-week long camp, where she can finally be herself. After her crush on her friend’s mom was discovered, she was teased by her friends. She hopes to discover some new friends with similar interests. Thirteen-year-old Kai (e/em/eir) is reluctant to attend Camp QUILTBAG. E would rather stay at home with eir best friend. After an incident at school left Kai with a dislocated shoulder, eir parents thought it would be a good idea to meet kids like em. Both kids went to the camp for different reasons, but learned to accept their true identities. 

This was such a sweet story about an LGBTQ+ inclusive camp. I didn’t realize until I began reading that the name QUILTBAG is made of many of the letters in the LGBTQ acronym, though it left out some identities. The leader of the camp acknowledged that they should come up with an even more inclusive name. I liked the gender neutral pronouns that Kai used. Those pronouns were much easier to read than the gender neutral pronoun “they,” which can be confusing to read as it gets mixed up with the plural pronoun “they.” There was a wide variety of different gender identities and sexualities represented in this story. Every child at the camp came from a different background and experience but they were all accepted at the inclusive camp. 

Camp QUILTBAG is a great LGBTQ+ middle grade story!

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book!

What to read next:

In the Role of Brie Hutchens… by Nicole Melleby

Have you read Camp QUILTBAG? What did you think of it?

Review: Junko Tabei Masters the Mountains

Title: Junko Tabei Masters the Mountains
Author: Rebel Girls
Genre: Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Children’s
Publisher: Rebel Girls
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 25, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes the historical novel based on the life of Junko Tabei, the first female climber to summit Mount Everest.

Junko is bad at athletics. Really bad. Other students laugh because they think she is small and weak. Then her teacher takes the class on a trip to a mountain. It’s bigger than any Junko’s ever seen, but she is determined to make it to the top. Ganbatte, her teacher tells her. Do your best

After that first trip, Junko becomes a mountaineer in body and spirit. She climbs snowy mountains, rocky mountains, and even faraway mountains outside of her home country of Japan. She joins clubs and befriends fellow climbers who love the mountains as much as she does. Then, Junko does something that’s never been done before… she becomes the first woman to climb the tallest mountain in the world.

Review:

Junko Tabei was the first female climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest. She wasn’t an athletic child, but when her elementary school teacher introduced her to mountain climbing, she found her passion. She spent her entire life climbing mountains and setting records. 

I always enjoy the Rebel Girls books because I learn so much from them. I had never heard of Junko Tabei before reading this book, but I’m glad to have learned about such an inspiring woman. Junko’s biography was in a narrative format, which makes it easy to read and remember. This book is appropriate for a middle grade reader, but I enjoyed it as an adult reader.

Junko Tabei Masters the Mountains is a great Rebel Girls book!

Thank you Rebel Girls for providing a digital copy of this book.

What to read next:

Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business by Rebel Girls

Have you read Junko Tabei Masters the Mountains? What did you think of it?

Review: Virtually Me

Title: Virtually Me
Author: Chad Morris, Shelly Brown
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A mysterious package. 
A new school.
A chance to be someone new.


A new virtual reality school where students get a fresh start.

The pandemic was rough on everyone, especially since school went from being a fun place where you could hang out with your friends to a bunch of heads in small rectangles all trying to talk at once. For Bradley, Edelle, Hunter, Jasper, and Keiko, that’s about to change.

A mysterious box arrives at each of their houses, and they’re invited to attend a virtual school. More than just being online, they’ll be able to create an avatar of themselves and interact with their friends and other classmates in real time using VR headsets.

For each of them, that presents an opportunity to become someone they’re not, or someone they haven’t been. For Bradley, it’s a chance to come out of a self-imposed shell. Edelle hopes everyone will see her for who she really is, not just for how she looks. Hunter is looking forward to pretending he’s still the person he was last year. Jasper wants to get over past assumptions. And for Keiko, it’ll allow her to disappear into the crowd.

For all of them, it’s a chance to see just how much they’ve assumed about each other in the past and maybe an opportunity to become friends.

Review:

The pandemic changed school, going from in person to online. At the start of the school year, some kids have decided to attend a virtual reality school. They are sent a headset and accessories to attend the school from their homes. Each student can create an avatar and name to represent themselves in the game. It can be created from real photos or made up. Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter all came from the same school to attend this virtual reality school, but they don’t realize they know each other. Bradley and Edelle both have fresh starts, using avatars that don’t look like their real selves. Meanwhile, Hunter has changed in real life, but he’s masquerading as the same person in the VR school. Though they each have a different reason for attending a virtual school, they each have to deal with different problems in this new environment. 

This is a great story about contemporary issues. The pandemic changed the way school is taught, and I think the effects of that will be felt for many years to come. There have also been new opportunities for learning such as a virtual option. This story took it a step further by having students act like they were at a real school with a virtual reality set rather than sitting in front of a screen all day. 

Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter each had different reasons for attending a virtual school. Bradley was uncomfortable with the way he looked and wanted to get away from the bullies from school. He gave himself a completely different look and persona with his avatar at the new school. Edelle got in trouble for bullying a girl at school, and her mom wanted her to learn to be less superficial. She gave her avatar a plainer look that didn’t have the beautifully styled appearance that she liked to have in real life. Hunter decided to attend virtual school because he had developed alopecia and he was uncomfortable with the way he looked. He made his avatar look like he did the year before at school. It was interesting to see how a new appearance at school made the kids behave differently. However, they still had to deal with the same school problems like bullying and peer pressure. 

Virtually Me is a great new middle grade story!

Thank you Shadow Mountain for sending me a copy of this book.

What to read next:

Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris, Shelly Brown

Have you read Virtually Me? What did you think of it?

Review: Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code

Title: Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code
Author: Corinne Purtill, Marina Muun (illustrator)
Genre: Middle Grade, Nonfiction
Publisher: Rebel Girls
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes a story based on the exciting adventures of Ada Lovelace: one of the world’s first computer programmers.

Growing up in nineteenth century London, England, Ada is curious about absolutely everything. She is obsessed with machines and with creatures that fly. She even designs her own flying laboratory!

According to her mother, Ada is a bit too wild, so she encourages Ada to study math. At first Ada thinks: Bleh! Who can get excited about a subject without pictures? But she soon falls in love with it. One day she encounters a mysterious machine, and from that moment forward Ada imagines a future full of possibility—one that will eventually inspire the digital age nearly two hundred years later.

Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code is the story of a pioneer in the computer sciences, and a testament to women’s invaluable contributions to STEM throughout history.

Includes additional text on Ada Lovelace’s lasting legacy, as well as educational activities designed to teach simple coding and mathematical concepts.

Review:

Ada Lovelace was the daughter of poet Lord Byron. She loved fairytales and had a strong imagination. Her mother encouraged her to study math, to try and keep her in control. Ada fell in love with math and sciences, and was fascinated by the creation of machines. Though she couldn’t become a scientist as a woman in the nineteenth century, she has been given credit for her studies and research nearly two centuries later. 

I didn’t know anything about Ada Lovelace before reading this story so I found it fascinating. She was quite ahead of her time in the way she thought about machines. Many of her ideas, such as machines that can create music or art, can be done today with our phones. Though she couldn’t get credit for her work during her lifetime, we now know what she was capable of creating. 

This book also has some fun codes and activities that kids will enjoy doing!

Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code is an inspiring story for children and adults!

Thank you Rebel Girls for providing a digital copy of this book.

What to read next:

Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest by Rebel Girls

Other books in the series:

Have you read Doctor Who: Origins? What did you think of it?

Review: Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business

Title: Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business
Author: Denene Millner, Salini Perera (illustrator)
Genre: Middle Grade, Nonfiction
Publisher: Rebel Girls
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes a story based on the life of Madam C.J. Walker: America’s first female self-made millionaire.

Sarah is the first person in her family who wasn’t born into slavery in Delta, Louisiana. But being free doesn’t mean that Sarah doesn’t have to work. She cooks, she cleans, she picks cotton, she does laundry, and she babysits. And when she works, she wraps up her hair.

One day, Sarah’s hair starts to fall out! It’s itchy, crunchy, patchy, and won’t grow. Instead of giving up, Sarah searches for the right products. And then she invents something better than any shampoo or hair oil she’s used before. Her hair grows and grows! That’s when she decides to rebrand herself as “Madam C.J. Walker,” and begins her business empire.

Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business is the story of a leader in the hair care industry, but it’s also an inspiring tale about the importance of empowering women to become economically independent.

Includes additional text on Madam C.J. Walker’s lasting legacy, as well as educational activities designed to teach entrepreneurship.

Review:

Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, was an entrepreneur in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who created hair care products for Black women. She is considered the first female self-made millionaire. After dealing with hair loss and dandruff, she was introduced to products that could grow her hair. When those products made her hair grow, she developed her own formula to help women across America. Madam C.J. Walker was an inspiring woman. 

I love the Rebel Girls books about women who have accomplished incredible achievements, so I was excited to try their new chapter books about specific inspiring women. Madam C.J. Walker is a huge inspiration considering she created products for Black women during a time when Black people were fighting for civil rights in America. She was turned away from the powerful Black and white men who she approached for help, so she had to achieve it all on her own. 

I can remember learning about Madam C.J. Walker in school, but I didn’t know the extent of all that she achieved throughout her lifetime. It’s quite inspiring so see someone who overcame every obstacle and became a success. I highly recommend this beautifully illustrated book!

Thank you Rebel Girls for providing a digital copy of this book.

What to read next:

Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code by Corinne Purtill, Marina Muun (illustrator)

Other books in the series:

  • Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest
  • Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code
  • Junko Tabei Masters the Mountains
  • Alicia Alonso Takes the Stage

Have you read Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business? What did you think of it?

Review: The Dead Man in the Garden (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen #3)

Title: The Dead Man in the Garden (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen #3)
Author: Marthe Jocelyn, Isabelle Follath (illustrations)
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, a spa stay becomes a lot more thrilling when TWO dead bodies are found in this third book in the Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series, inspired by the life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot.

Aspiring writer Aggie Morton is ready to enjoy an invigorating trip to a Yorkshire spa, where her widowed mother can take the waters and recover from a long mourning period. Having solved yet another murder and faced extreme peril with her best friend Hector over Christmas, Aggie’s Morbid Preoccupation is on alert when rumors abound about the spa’s recently deceased former patient . . . and then another body appears under mysterious circumstances. Together with Grannie Jane, and often in the company of George, a young patient at the spa, Aggie and Hector take a closer look at the guests and staff of the Wellspring Hotel, and venture into the intriguing world of the local undertaker. Has there been a murder–or even two? As Aggie and Hector ignite their deductive skills, their restful trip takes a sudden, dangerous turn.

Review:

Aggie Morton goes on a trip to a spa in Yorkshire with her recently widowed mother, grandmother, and friend Hector Perot so that her mother can recover from her mourning period. When they arrive, Aggie and Hector learn that a woman who was staying there died the previous week. As they start investigating that death, another client of the spa dies under mysterious circumstances. Aggie and Hector join together with their new friend George to investigate these deaths and figure out what is going on at the spa. 

This was another great Aggie Morton mystery! Aggie Morton is like a young Agatha Christie. Her friend, Hector, is similar to Christie’s character Hercule Poirot, and Aggie’s grandmother is like the Christie character Miss Marple. I love seeing these nods to her classic characters. 

This mystery kept me guessing until the end. The answer was right there the whole time, but it was someone who I didn’t suspect. I’m always pleased when the solution to a mystery surprises me. 

The Dead Man in the Garden is a great middle grade mystery! 

Thank you Tundra Books for providing me with a digital copy of this book.

What to read next:

The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn, Isabelle Follath (illustrations)

Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Dead Man in the Garden? What did you think of it?

Review: Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #3)

Title: Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #3)
Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Thomas Allen and Son
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 5, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Myrtle Hardcastle—twelve-year-old Young Lady of Quality and Victorian amateur detective—is back on the case, solving a string of bizarre murders in her hometown of Swinburne and picking up right where she left off in Premeditated Myrtle and How to Get Away with Myrtle

When the proprietor of Leighton’s Mercantile is found dead on the morning his annual Christmas shop display is to be unveiled, it’s clear a killer had revenge in mind. But who would want to kill the local dry-goods merchant? Perhaps someone who remembers the mysterious scandal that destroyed his career as a professor and archaeologist. When the killer strikes again, each time manipulating the figures in the display to foretell the crime, Myrtle finds herself racing to uncover the long-buried facts of a cold case—and the motivations of a modern murderer.

Review:

When the owner of Leighton’s Mercantile is found dead on the morning that their Christmas display is unveiled, Myrtle Hardcastle is on the case. She finds a photo of Professor Leighton with her mother near his body, so she assumes there is some connection between them. Leighton had been a professor when Myrtle’s mother was in school, but after a student went missing, his career was destroyed. Soon after, another person connected with Leighton is murdered, pointing to Myrtle’s mother’s old group of friends. Myrtle must race to find the killer before everyone involved is dead. 

This was a great whodunnit mystery! Though Myrtle is a young girl, almost all of the other characters are adults, so this series would appeal to adults as well as young readers. The mystery in this story was complex and went back generations. There were some great twists at the end, which made it hard for me to guess the killer. The story was quite fast-paced too, so I had to keep reading it.

Cold-Blooded Myrtle is a great middle grade mystery!

Thank you Thomas Allen and Son and Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book!

What to read next:

In Myrtle Peril by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

Other books in the series:

Have you read Cold-Blooded Myrtle? What did you think of it?

Review: The Last Hope in Hopetown

Title: The Last Hope in Hopetown
Author: Maria Tureaud
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, LGBT
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Audiobook
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A debut novel about one girl’s dilemma over the decision to save her vampire parents or do what’s right for the greater good.

Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue.

After Sophie’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that’s thicker than blood.

Review:

Twelve-year-old Sophie Dawes lives in Hopetown with her adoptive vampire moms. Vampires have to follow a lot of rules to keep the humans safe in their town. When one law-abiding vampire goes rogue, the entire community is put on alert. No one knows what’s causing the vampires to turn on humans like that. Then, one of Sophie’s moms goes rogue, almost killing Sophie and her other mom. Sophie is joined by her best friend Delphine, a three-hundred-year-old vampire in a twelve-year-old’s body, and they hunt for the cure before Sophie’s mom goes out of control. 

This was such a fun vampire story. The characters were so original. I loved Sophie’s moms, who were called Mama and The Duke. They were quite original and had fun stories from their long lives. Delphine was also a fun character since she had lived a long life but looked so young. She hated technology, so she wasn’t a typical twelve-year-old. 

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this story. The story was clear and concise with lots of action. It was also fast paced, so it held my attention the whole time. 

The Last Hope in Hopetown is a great middle grade vampire story!

Thank you Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this book.

What to read next:

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Have you read The Last Hope in Hopetown? What did you think of it?

Review: The Burglar’s Ball (Jane Austen Investigates #2)

Title: The Burglar’s Ball (Jane Austen Investigates #2)
Author: Julia Golding
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 22, 2021
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Nancy Drew. Enola Holmes. Sally Lockhart. Move over girls, it’s Jane’s time!

Join young budding detective Jane Austen in her second investigation to uncover a devious diamond thief at the glitziest, most scandalous ball of the year! Inspired by Sense and Sensibility.

*
‘No one who had ever seen Jane Austen in her infancy would suppose her to be born to solve crimes. From her early love of sugar plums, and cleverness in hiding her expeditions into the pantry, her mother declared her far more likely to commit them. However, as Jane would counter, there was no better person to identify the culprit than the thief turned thief-catcher.’

When the headmistress invites her past favourite pupil to attend their end of term ball, Cassandra brings her younger sister, Jane, along too. Cassandra plunges into the feverish excitement of preparing for the biggest event of the year – the dresses, the dances and the boys expected from the neighbouring school.

Feeling rather excluded, sharp-witted Jane unearths the reason for the fuss – the headteacher wants to impress a rich family returned from India as the school is at risk of going bankrupt. Jane also befriends the dancing master’s assistant, a former slave, called Brandon, who is as quick to notice things as she. At the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room and they are propelled into a race to uncover the burglar and save Brandon from gaol.

With the ever-present Austen spirit, Jane with notebook in hand, boldly overcomes the obstacles to finding the truth.

Review:

When the headmistress from their former school asks Cassandra Austen to attend their end of term hall, she brings her sister Jane along with her. They are excited to attend a fun event filled with dancing and fancy dresses. Jane befriends Brandon, the dance instructor’s assistant and a former slave. However, when a diamond necklace is stolen, Brandon is the first suspect. Jane is determined to prove Brandon’s innocence before he’s sent to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. 

The Jane Austen Investigates is a fun series because it reimagines a young Jane Austen as a detective. Jane encounters people who will later inspire her own novels. In this book, she meets Elinor and Marianne, among others, who will inspire her characters in Sense and Sensibility. 

Prejudice was an important part of this story too. Jane noticed right away that Brandon was being accused of the theft because he was Black. I don’t know how historically accurate it was for someone in Jane’s position to be able to defend someone against this kind of prejudice, but I’d like to imagine she would have done that in her real life. 

The Burglar’s Ball is a great Jane Austen Investigates mystery. 

Thank you Lion Hudson for proving a digital copy of this book.

What to read next:

The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

The Tigers in the Tower by Julia Golding

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Burglar’s Ball? What did you think of it?