Reviews written by Joanne Mumley

What grabbed me first, I hate to admit, is the incredibly cool cover. The Museum of Heartbreak is the perfect book to throw in with your towel and sunscreen as you head down to the ocean. It is a quick light read that also deals with...

I always love a Blue Balliett story and Pieces and Players does not disappoint. Calder, Petra, and Tommy are once again needed to solve an art mystery but this time they have the help of Zoomy and Early. Reading Pieces and Players is like meeting...

This series keeps getting better! The Palace of Glass puts us right back on track, beginning with Alice’s newfound resolve to do something about her situation. What to do with her Uncle? After all, he cannot be trusted. Now is the time for her to plot her...

It is officially summertime and I always love a little mystery and drama when I am on the beach. Well, not personal drama, but the ones I can read in a good book! Reminiscent of Gossip Girls and Pretty Little Liars, the mystery, intrigue, and betrayal and backstabbing are...

Local Girl Swept away is a typical Coming of age mystery. The book’s premise and storyline does not go into great depth. Even with the plot twists and turns at times the storyline can be predictable. But during this time of the year, it helps make it the perfect...

Full disclaimer: I am a huge fan of Milton and Paradise Lost ever since college. So this was a big pull for me with this novel. Anne Blankman wows once again. I fell in love with her debut duology Prisoner of Night and Fog and Traitor Angels...

Time Zero takes a new spin on futuristic novels. One of the many issues that makes this one hit close to the heart is the fact that every rule Mina has to follow can be found somewhere in the world right now. The injustices can be found from...

When I was younger I was amazed with Anne Frank’s Diary. I couldn’t help but wonder how a girl my age could go through so much while in hiding. Hidden Like Anne Frank includes 14 stories of children surviving the most horrific events of history. ...

Written from the shared perspectives of Holly Robinson Peete, Ryan Peete and RJ Peete, SAME BUT DIFFERENT details the struggles and joys of a family touched by autism. Although the Peete family deals with autism on a daily basis, the story is a fictional account, told through the eyes of...

Lowell says it best when she writes that Jane Eyre is the “collective imagination of a million teenage girls.” I fell in love with the Brontës and Austen in high school. I hate to admit that I went through the phase where I read everything cover to...

Take a journey into Wonderland; its whimsical, a little bit crazy, a tad bit dark. But what else would you expect from the future Queen of Hearts? What could have turned a girl into a fiendish and crazy ruler? The world building of Wonderland is awe-inspiring. As...

In this book, most everything is made and owned Blackstone Technologies. It would be if Google or Apple owned and controlled everything including the weather. Infinity is the daughter of the reclusive man who owns Blackstone. Although she was home schooled for most of her early childhood, she...

If you a Rick Riordan fan, you will simply fall in love with The Legend of Sam Miracle. N.D Wilson creates a gripping story about time travel and the Old West. The book is filled with magical, time travel, and evil villains. Sam isn’t your typical...

In the second book to The Wurtherington Diary, Tammy gets to travel through time to make sure the signing of the Declaration of Independence happens before history is changed forever! While reading about Tammy’s adventures you get to meet all the important people that were a part of creating...

Reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, the reader is transported to wonderful lands and adventures. The Wutherington Diary series is great for a variety of age levels. It makes a wonderful read aloud for younger children and a fantastic "classic storybook feeling" read for older YA readers as well. ...