Media Matters

 Book by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. This was a fun audiobook listen! It is a solid middle grade mystery set in Britain during World War 2. It definitely leans more juvenile than the author’s other books.

 Book by James Ponti. This is a very fun middle grade mystery that had me guessing til the end! The audiobook was great, and there was no objectionable content. Would be fun for the whole family! Note: there are three books in the trilogy (Framed!, Vanished!, Trapped!) , and I have read and would recommend them all.

 Book by Kate Milford. This middle grade not very spooky mystery has lots of interesting characters and twists and turns. “It is not merely our adversaries we must investigate…. We must always work to know ourselves better, too.”

 Book by Amanda Dykes Beautifully written, dual-timeline, Christian mystery. I loved both storylines (one with nods to the prodigal son, and the other with nods to Moses) and the themes of redemption, identity, worth, being found, and being loved. The language is rich and might be difficult to parse for younger readers, but there is no objectionable content, so I would recommend this for age 12+. Some quotes: “Courage keep, and hope beget; The story is not finished yet . . .” “And isn’t that the way of miracles? Something extraordinary because of the faithful ordinary.” “It was the brokenness that caught the light.” “A person never knows how far their life might reach.” “Who are you? You are loved. You are you. You are full of good purpose. You were made for this, your time, and this, your life. There is none like you, and I see the fingerprints of a mighty and good, kind, loving God in your good, kind, loving soul. You are full of honor and goodness. There is no one in this world ...

 Mystery Book by Stuart Turton. This was a thoroughly original and engaging take on the murder mystery genre. In addition to keeping me guessing, the author managed to weave in themes of agency vs. determinism, integrity, redemption, and forgiveness.  “We are never more ourselves than when we think people aren’t watching.” “Tomorrow can be whatever I want it to be…. A chance to be braver or kinder, to make what was wrong right. To be better than I am today.” Note: there is quite a bit of violence depicted, drug and alcohol abuse, and one instance of implied casual sex. None of it is glorified and the descriptions are not gratuitous. Definitely more PG-13 than R. Recommended for ages 15+. Also of note: This is the same book as the one titled 7 1/2 Deaths instead of 7 Deaths. Same book, different titles.

 Book by Thomas Taylor. A solid middle-grade mystery with just a hint of spookiness, perfect for 9-12 yr olds. I loved the idea of the book dispensary that magically writes you a prescription for the book you need at that moment. 

 Book by Amanda Dykes. This book contained two engaging stories that intertwined by the end, and served up a hearty helping of mystery and romance. The writing was lovely, but the pacing was a tad slow for my tastes. I really appreciated having a mystery story that had nothing to do with murder, and romance that was clean and slow building. There is a sense of wonder and delight in God’s creations that comes through, as well as a theme of sacrificial love that is shown as a type of Christ.

 Book by Laura Dave. This was a quick read, a mystery with interesting twists and enough thrills to keep me invested and nervous for the characters. It’s aimed at adults, but it doesn’t include any of the violent or sexual content this genre sometimes falls into, which I really appreciated. There is a small bit of profanity, but I would feel very comfortable with teens reading this.

 Novel by Dusti Bowling. Darling book about a middle school girl who was born without arms, who moves to another state and becomes friends with a boy with Tourette's. Add in a mystery and a cheesy run down western theme park, and you might think this is the oddest book ever, but it all somehow works. I absolutely loved the characters! Clean other than a couple of references to "boobs".

 Novel by Amy Timberlake. This was a fabulous read, with an utterly likeable female protagonist. Combining elements of a murder mystery, Wild West adventure, and coming of age tale, this would be enjoyable for readers ages 10-adult.

 This is a mystery novel by Ellen Raskin. As a preteen, this book took my breath away.  I loved how the author took all the different characters and plot threads and tied them together at the end in a way I hadn't seen coming.