The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti (368 Pages)

Summary: 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 a slick gadget or two—can the Sherlock Society root out the conspiracy?

Opinion: This is a mystery and Mark Twain award nominee (2026-2027) juvenile chapter book. It starts off a bit slow in my opinion then picks up, especially around 2/3rds of the way in. I really enjoyed how the twists in each case lead to another case and then eventually they all were connected in a round about way to solve the final, big case. I also loved seeing Zoe's character development, particularly her friendship with Lina. This the first of a three book series, and while I enjoyed this book, I'm not sure I will continue with the series. 

Mr. Lonelyhearts by Clay McLeod Chapman

 

Mr. Lonelyhearts by Clay McLeod Chapman - 368 pages

What if the man of your dreams turns out to be a nightmare?

The past really can haunt you in this killer supernatural slasher by Clay McLeod Chapman, perfect for fans of Grady Hendrix, CJ Leede, and Stephen Graham Jones.

When Jenn first sees Mr. Lonelyhearts, he’s just a CPR dummy in her 7th grade health class. She and her best friends―the Cöven―smuggle him to a sleepover and pour their adolescent fantasies into his open, willing vessel. Then they grow up, get real boyfriends, and forget about him. But he never forgot about them. And now, decades later, after a traumatic break-up leaves Jenn shattered, Mr. Lonelyhearts reappears in her life to pick up the pieces.

But once Jenn begins to suspect that there’s something very wrong about her Mr. Right, it might be too late. Will she survive this situationship, or does Mr. Lonelyhearts have darker plans for them?

I honestly don't know what I expected but dang this was an odd read. Jenn seems to be spiraling into her own little world with just Mr. Lonelyhearts as company, he completely consumes her life. I was drawn to this book not only because of the author but because of the eccentric plot line. Mr. Lonelyhearts is a bit sinister and I did like how this book played out, but I guess I expected a little more horror. This book was hard to put down though, I was all about Jenn's decent into madness.

A Court of Splintered Harmony

 A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas 336 pages

Synopsis: What was broken will be remade.
Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.
To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.
But to defeat Koschei's creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.

My Thoughts: I am ecstatic that this first movement is finally out! Since this is a very popular book, I don't want to give anything away, but I enjoyed it so much, the rifts between all the characters, the stress, the "omg what did I just read" moments. I am excited for the 2nd and 3rd movement to come out soon and then the last installment to be out sometime! My favorite series of hers will always be Throne of Glass, but all of her series are worth the read!

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews | 470 pages | 2026

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel. Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. 

But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Killer on the Road by Stephen Graham Jones

Killer on the Road by Stephen Graham Jones, 248 pages 

From the MARC: "Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don't realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who's been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard."

​One of the things I love about Jones' work is how uncomfortable it makes me. He dances on the knife edge of too much all the while making everything seem ridiculously, unflinchingly real, even things that should be impossible. Killer on the Road had moments so brutal I had to put the book down before I could continue.  The ending of this story is horrific but satisfying.

 

The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones

The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones, 212 pages

From the MARC: "When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying [...] But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter's worse nightmare has come true: they're not alone in the house.."

​I enjoyed the journey of this book, even as it repulsed me. Often I found myself devouring the story to find out what comes next while simultaneously dreading each moment. The body horror in The Babysitter Lives is unwavering. I'm torn about the ending, but I can't say too much about it without (possibly) spoiling the whole ride. 

 

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley, 295 pages

The Grand Alpine Hotel has it all: skiing, a spa, rich hot chocolate, and murder.  As bodies continue to drop and the rumor of Nazi gold swirls, Miss Marple must 

I really enjoyed this book. I was huge into Agatha Christie as a kid, and Miss Marple was always my favorite. I've never read Lucy Foley, but she did a remarkable job of honoring Christie's style without feeling like rote duplication. The novel is a thrilling read, even if I was vaguely disatisfied at the whodunit reveal.