James Ponti does it again in his new series

 

The Sherlock Society
Sherlock Society #1
By James Ponti
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication date: September 3, 2024
Print length: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1665932530
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3 - 7

 Publisher’s Blurb:

Siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock take their last name as inspiration when choosing a summer job. After all, starting a detective agency has to be better than babysitting (boring), lawn mowing (sweaty), or cleaning out the attic (boring and sweaty). Their friends Lina, an avid bookworm, and Yadi, an aspiring cinematographer, join the enterprise, and Alex and Zoe’s retired reporter grandfather offers up his sweet aquamarine Cadillac convertible and storage unit full of cold cases.

The group’s first target is the long-lost treasure supposedly hidden near their hometown Miami. Their investigation into the local doings of famed gangster Al Capone leads them to a remote island in the middle of the Everglades where they find alarming evidence hinting at corporate corruption.

Together with Grandpa’s know-how and the kids’ intelligence—plus some really slick gadgets—can the Sherlock Society root out the conspiracy?

 My Thoughts:

With the last name of “Sherlock” starting your own detective agency is kind of a no-brainer. Of course, if you’re in middle school, you’ll need a driver. No problem if your 70-something former-journalist grandfather has an ultra-cool vintage Cadillac convertible!

 All four of the kids in the Sherlock Society have a desire to earn some summer money. When Alex and Zoe’s attorney mom shuts them down from taking cases from strangers, Grandpa introduces them to his files of notes from an illustrious journalism career and invites them to choose an unsolved mystery. While searching for Al Capone’s lost treasure, they stumble across—and solve—a real mystery, though not without getting in a little trouble with the Department of the Treasury.

 James Ponti is a master of writing suspenseful stories for the middle-grade audience. The wonderful thing is that I find his work equally entertaining for me—very, very removed from middle grades. Although he’s a bit far from middle school as well, he has a great grasp of the emotional and intellectual lives of the age group. There’s a reason I don’t teach middle school—it’s a really difficult age for the kids and for the adults around them. Ponti handles the questions of self-worth and friendship in a consistently realistic manner.

 Any time someone is asking for book recommendations for middle schoolers, I say “anything by James Ponti.” This book is no exception. This one has some fun callouts to classic children’s literature, and a very cute “Who’s on First”-type scene.

 Possible objectionable material:

The kids deceive their parents a little bit. Some interpersonal struggles with very mild, indirect bullying. Perilous situations, including an explosion. Some minor deception of other adults. Discussion of a Sasquatch-type creature. Mentions of segregation.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #Biblioquacious #BookReview #SherlockSociety #JamesPonti #MiddleGrades #Mystery

 

Hurricane Heist
Sherlock Society #2
By James Ponti
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication date: September 2, 2025
Print length: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1665932561
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3 - 7

 Publisher’s Blurb:

When a category three hurricane hits Miami Beach, it uncovers a body buried at the renowned Moroccan Hotel. The body is identified as the man who served as the hotel’s bell captain sixty years ago…and the presumed culprit of the million-dollar jewel heist that took place just before his disappearance.

Since the bell captain clearly didn’t take off with the goods as had been long believed, the Sherlock Society sets their sights on uncovering the real culprit of the theft. But when the thief may also be implicated in the bell captain’s murder, even sixty years later, there are people who want the truth to stay buried.

 My Thoughts:

 This book picks up almost immediately after the previous book. The Society is still disappointed about not finding Al Capone’s treasure. School is about to start, but first they have to get through a hurricane. Wyoming transplant Lina is quite nervous about her first hurricane. There’s also a flashback to 1964, when Grandpa Pete was a youngster going through a similar hurricane.

 And now the scene is set for a new mystery, one that’s very personal to Grandpa.

 I love watching the kids learn to research and form hypothesis, then work on proving them. It’s a wonderful process to watch. Grandpa is such a patient teacher, knowing when to lead and when to get out of the kids’ way.

 The kids themselves complement each other in their abilities and personalities. It’s especially interesting watching Zoe balance between her popular friends and her enjoyment of solving mysteries.

 Ponti has created vibrant personalities and given them interesting challenges. As always, Ponti brings us another winner.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Dangerous situations, a possible murder (in the past), mention of the Cuban Revolution, climate change, and segregation. Perilous situations.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #Biblioquacious #BookReview #SherlockSociety #JamesPonti #MiddleGrades #Mystery

Bon Appetit

 

Julia
By Heather B. Moore
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date: September 2, 2025
Print length: 384 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639934256

 Publisher’s Blurb:

Before she stepped into the spotlight as a master of French cooking, Julia Child navigated the shadows as a WWII intelligence officer.

 On the sunny shores of California, Julia McWilliams is poised to embrace a life of comfort and financial security, with a marriage proposal from a wealthy man to consider. But as World War II erupts in the US, her patriotic fervor compels her to abandon her secure future. Trading country clubs for covert codes, Julia joins the Office of Strategic Services, where her sharp mind aids the Allied cause in the shadowy realm of espionage.

 Amid strategic missions in Ceylon and China, Julia crosses paths with Paul Child, a fellow OSS officer whose delight in art, culture, and cuisine awakens a new hunger within her. Their chance meetings ignite a spark that blossoms into romance, leading to a proposal that Julia eagerly accepts. Together they embark on a new chapter in postwar Paris.

 In the City of Light, Julia grapples with a different kind of challenge: She refuses to be confined by the societal expectations of a married woman. Drawn to the tantalizing world of French gastronomy—a pursuit her peers deem superfluous—she enrolls at the famed Le Cordon Bleu, and with Paul’s unwavering support, Julia immerses herself in her new passion.

 Facing skepticism and prejudice in the male-dominated kitchens of Paris, Julia’s resolve never falters. Her relentless pursuit of culinary mastery not only transforms her own life but also introduces a revolutionary change in kitchens throughout America. From intelligence officer to beloved chef, this is Julia’s extraordinary journey.

 My Thoughts:

While this is not a straight-up biography, it is an exceedingly well-researched book.

 I had heard that Child was a “spy” during WWII, which is a bit of an exaggeration. She did work in intelligence, and had a gift for pulling together information and drawing conclusions from it.

 More importantly for all of us, Julia loved food. From a privileged family, she only knew how to cook a few things. But when she met Paul Child through her work, he opened her eyes to the beauties of the cuisines of the various countries they were stationed in. He praised French food and, fortunately, after their marriage, Paul was stationed in France. Julia fell in love with the cuisine. She was also frustrated by her inability to cooks, so she started to teach herself from one of the famous cookbooks of her day. She then progressed to a course at the famed Cordon Bleu school, then eventually linked up with a couple of French women as their American contributor to a comprehensive French cookbook.

 It would be a cheat to say “and the rest is history.” There were a LOT of struggles, both personal and professional, along the way, and the book details them. But Julia’s positive and personable attitude takes her far, all the way into the new realm of television. The book ends with the beginning of Julia’s first Public Broadcasting series, covering about 20 years of her life in all.

 Because this book straddles the line between fiction and non-fiction, it’s not a super exciting read. It doesn’t pull you along, excited every moment to see what’s next. That’s not to say it’s not a pleasant read, it’s just a different way of reading. There are a LOT of names dropped, and occasionally it’s difficult to keep all these people straight, especially as they keep popping up in different countries. The relationship between Julia and her husband, Paul, is so sweet and supportive, despite their trials. Relationship goals!

 Possible objectionable material:

There’s a vague indication that a man might be gay (he’s not). Drinking wine. Infertility. Paul has a romantic past; Julia has not. Unmarried men and women live together. Smoking. Mention of women who “sell themselves.”

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#NetGalley #Biblioquacious #BookReview #HistoricalNovel #Julia #ShadowMountain #HeatherBMoore

Slipping Through Time

 

The Tides of Time
Storm Tide #1
By Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: March 4, 2025
Print length: 368 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639933815

 Publisher’s Blurb:

In 1793, a storm propels Lili forward through time, kindling a love that transcends the ages.

Fleeing the clutches of Robespierre’s revolutionary Tribunal in France, Lili Minet makes a desperate escape on a ship headed to England, but her dangerous flight takes an unexpected turn when a violent storm catapults her off the ship and eighty years into the future, leaving her stranded in the unfamiliar world of 1873 England.

When lighthouse keeper Armitage Pierce rescues a woman from the tumultuous sea, he does not anticipate her silent, cold response to his gallant efforts. Though he is wary of this woman and her odd behaviors, he finds she is just as wary of him. And he can sense that she is not telling him something of great import to her. Only Armitage’s grandfather, a man seasoned by the mysteries of the sea, can seem to penetrate Lili’s defenses to offer her support. But as Lili heals from the physical and emotional wounds of her ordeal and Armitage continues to offer light and safety to her, a tender friendship blossoms between the two.

Yet the shadow of danger looms as the threat that chased Lili from France all those years ago reemerges in her new present. Together Lili and Armitage must navigate the challenges of a love that defies the boundaries of time and the perils that reach across the decades to ensnare Lili. As the storm clouds gather, Lili and Armitage face the ultimate test—whether their bond is strong enough to rewrite the pages of history itself to save them and their love.

My thoughts:

Time travel gives me a headache. There are so many opportunities for paradoxes. It’s been a staple of science fiction for decades.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed this “time slip” novel.

Imagine being abruptly placed 80 years into the future, where you don’t understand how things work. Magnify that by ending up in a new country, with a new language, as well.

That is the situation Lili finds herself in after bravely trying to help aristocrats escape from the violence of the French Revolution. Rescued by quiet lighthouse keeper Armitage Pierce, at first she believes that all the strange things around her are the result of being in England rather than France.

But the water off Loftstone Island is known for its sudden storms, and the flashes of green lightning that open the door to other times.

Lili is drawn to Armitage’s quiet patience as she learns to navigate in this new place and time, and as they both slowly figure out what happened. The problem is, Lili isn’t the only one for whom a portal in time opened. Her brother and enemy, Geraud, has also arrived at Loftstone, and is determined to take her back for retribution.

The resolution of the story is well-done, although it stretches belief just a little bit that random portals in time could put all of the important players exactly when they need to be. Clearly, there is some power behind it all.

As with anything by Sarah M. Eden, the time and place are meticulously researched and the characters, whether major or minor, ring true. 

Possible objectionable material:

Kissing. Mild violence. Time travel. Mention of people being sent to the guillotine.

Who might like this book:

Those interested in time travel or the French Revolution. Those who like historical romance in general.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #BookReview #Biblioquacious #JSarahMEden  #TimeSlip #ProperRomance #TheTidesOfTime

  

Echoes of the Sea
Storm Tide #2
By Sarah M. Eden
 
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date: September 2, 2025
Print length: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1639934249

 Publisher’s Blurb:

For Kipling Summerfield, the glamour of Hollywood is becoming a distant memory. After losing the role of a lifetime, he’s forced to take a lesser job as a historical reenactor on England’s Guilford Island. But a sudden storm changes everything, casting him into the ocean—and into the care of a mysterious lighthouse keeper. Kip assumes everyone he meets and the island’s historical setting are just an elaborate performance—until he meets the captivating Amelia Archibald, whose quiet strength feels too real, making him question everything about Guilford.

Amelia has spent her life as an unimportant poor relation and is now trapped by her late grandfather’s will on an island she loathes because of her great fear of the sea. When Kip stumbles into her world, his strange ideas and warm presence are both a disruption and an unexpected light.

As Kip and Amelia work to save Guilford Island, an undeniable connection blooms between them. But when Kip uncovers the truth about where—or when—he is, he must make an impossible choice: rise to meet the expectations of Amelia’s world and build a life worthy of her station or walk away from the love that has redefined his very existence.

 My thoughts:

This time it’s modern-day American ex-pat actor Kipling Summerfield who is taken by the waters near Loftstone Island. The irony is that he’s expecting to work for the summer at a historical reenactment site. He things they take historical accuracy super seriously, so it takes a while for him to realize what has actually happened. Seeing the locals—who know what may happen there—watch him and think he’s an idiot for not getting it is kind of fun.

 Amelia has grit. She’s been traumatized by the sea, but when her late and unlamented grandfather insists that she live in one of his properties surrounded by the sea for six months in order to gain her inheritance, she is determined to win her freedom. It’s hard, but with Kipling’s help, it becomes more and more possible. And, of course, they fall in love on the way.

 Once again, Eden handles the vernacular language of the time and place with ease. The characters, from the leads to the minor characters, are well-written and feel like real people. The resolution is satisfying, though not without some bumps along the way as both of our protagonists question whether they could ever have enough worth for the other.

 Possible objectionable material:

Minor violence. Kissing. Some threats.

 Who might like this book:

Historical romance fans and those who can suspend disbelief and wrap their minds around time travel.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 #NetGalley #BookReview #Biblioquacious #JSarahMEden  #TimeSlip #ProperRomance #EchoesOfTheSea