Friday Reads: October 19, 2018

Happy Friday! Last week I was reading The Phoenix Empress and Lethal White. Unfortunately, I have decided to put both books down for the moment. Reading two large books (well over 500 pages each) that deal quite prominently with PTSD and the cause of that trauma is explored constantly can be a bit tough to keep up with emotionally. That being said, I picked out three new books with a bit more fun and adventure in place for this weekend!

Check them out below and happy reading!

Title: Meddling Kids
Author: Edgar Cantero
Page Count: 322
Progress: 35
Format Read: Paperback
Genre: Mystery
Keywords: Scooby Doo, Friends, Falsely Accused
Kid Appropriate: No

Synopsis from Goodreads:

1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in the Zoinx River Valley in Oregon) are all grown up and haven't seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977. Andy, the tomboy, is twenty-five and on the run, wanted in at least two states. Kerri, one-time kid genius and budding biologist, is bartending in New York, working on a serious drinking problem. At least she's got Tim, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team. Nate, the horror nerd, has spent the last thirteen years in and out of mental health institutions, and currently resides in an asylum in Arhkam, Massachusetts. The only friend he still sees is Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star. The problem is, Peter's been dead for years.

The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began in 1977. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting.

Thoughts so far:

I love the similarities to the classic Scooby-Doo but I have some issues with a scene that happens early on between Andy and Kerri. Many readers would probably hesitate about the correctness of the situation observed.

I am hoping that this continues to be a good mystery with supernatural elements in it. This has far more darker elements in terms of horror than I was expecting but it isn't a bad thing by any means

Title: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Page Count: 362
Progress: 51
Format Read: Hardcover
Genre: Middle Grade 
Keywords: Misfits, Family, Demons
Kid Appropriate: Yes

Synopsis from Goodreads:

I would say it's a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness.

Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history — that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made — and then broke — a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose — to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his future without a side of eternal servitude, thanks.

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night, and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host.

Thoughts so far:

This was exactly what I was looking for. It is quirky, fun, fast paced, and has the great humor that I associated with the Middle Grade genre. This is a fun read and definitely great for the Halloween season for kiddos looking for a spooky read too. Especially for fans of Rick Riordan's writing style.

Title: Escaping from Houdini
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Page Count: 449
Progress: 53
Format Read: Barnes & Noble Exclusive Hardcover
Genre: YA Mystery
Keywords: Magic, Ship, Love
Kid Appropriate: Tweens and older

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this third installment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. .

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea. It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?

Thoughts so far:

Of course I am enjoying this delightful mix of YA angst and forensic science! It has one of my favorite YA couples as well as one of my favorite mystery tropes: a scene that cannot be escaped. One thing that surprised me is how far the romance is going in this book. I don't quite remember it being this advanced in the first two books, but I did listen to those on audiobook (highly recommend) and I could have missed it.