I think this is the best one so far in this series. I like the historical characters and events.

I liked this mystery and it kept my attention, but it wasn't anything super special. A great book to read on a wintery night curled up in bed, but not amazing literature.

Kathryn and Charles are solving mysteries again, this time at the Epsom horse races. A conspiracy to dope the horses has resulted in a bookie being murdered, and of course, Charles is called in to investigate with Kate making her own inquiries in the background.

As always, I love the perfect understanding and love between Charles and Kate. Those two are a delight to read about!
The mystery itself kept me interested, but there were too many supporting characters for me to really feel invested in them all.

I enjoyed reading this book, and of course, I will be reading the rest of the series!

I love this author, but I didn't realize this book would have creepy voodoo ceremonies and junk. Good writing as always, but I didn't like the creepiness.

Just as good as the first time I read it!

Jake and Kady's parents were archaeologists, lost and presumed dead in the jungles while they studied ancient Mayan pyramids. When Jake and Kady use an artifact their parents found, they are transported to a mysterious world of dinosaurs and lost tribes of people. They've barely had time to explore and make a few friends, when the lost civilization comes under attack from the evil Skull King. Jake and Kady must choose between searching for a way home, and defending the strange world they've been dropped into.

Magic crystals, strange alchemy, ancient tribes and traditions, extinct animals, and archaic festivals; this adventure has such a beautifully imaginative world! I love how the whole alchemy/magic system works and plays such a large part in the plot.
Action and intrigue and plot twists abound in this story, with barely a moment's rest. It really keeps you reading and reading!

Jake is a beautifully complex main character. We get to see deep into his motivations as he takes each step forward in the plot. He remembers the lessons his father taught him, so he makes the hard decision. He reacts from the pain of losing his parents, so he holds back when he should have been honest. He holds onto his sister emotionally, even though she makes him completely exasperated, because family is important, even though sometimes it hurts. Both Jake and Kady are incredibly realistic and flawed characters, and I loved reading about them!

I wish the series was finished already, but it's been years and years, and no sign of a third book yet. Disappointment! Give me more!

When Koda picks up an ancient Native American arrowhead, he is endowed with the power of the Life Charmer, and is able to control the life force of animals. He can carve a wooden totem or likeness and summon the spirit of a living animal into the wood. But because of these god-like powers, Koda is being hunted by monsters of Native American myth and legend, and he must find allies in unlikely places among the tribes if he is to defeat his enemies and prove himself to the gods. The tribal council of elders sends Koda on a quest to prove his worth, and while Koda is still learning about his abilities, he will need the help of his new friends to stay alive.

This book reminds me strongly of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Koda is sarcastic and funny, and he surrounds himself with a variety of delightfully weird characters. The book mixes the modern-day world with ancient myth and magic. And of course, there is nothing quite like a heroic quest against monsters!

Oh my goodness, I adore Koda! He is a wonderful main character, with just the right mix of being scared and being brave to make you feel like you are in his shoes. He's completely hilarious, and I love his snarky commentary on everything going on. He has a strong will, and I love how assertive he is when he feels something isn't right. He really is a complex character, full of both doubt and confidence at the same time.
I was intrigued by his quiet and trusting relationship with his father. I want to know more about those two in future books.

One of my favorite parts of this book was when Koda tried to drive. He's just a kid, but he has to drive this big van across half the country, and it was so hilarious!!

It was wonderful seeing Koda dealing with this new world of magic, and trying to get a grip on his own magical powers. We discover the world of Native American myth just as Koda does, seeing everything through his eyes- the racism, the elitism, the unspoken rules, the superstitions, and the camaraderie. It's all in there together.

The world-building is consistent and well-developed, but I want more! I want to know everything! I hope there will be more and more insight into the legends and gods as the books go on. The really great thing about this world of magic is that it exists side by side with the regular modern world, and that has its advantages and its own problems for the characters. They have to navigate through both worlds without losing their heads!

I was a little iffy about some of the side characters at first, but then I grew to love them! Seeing their relationships develop was interesting, and getting to know each of the characters individually was entertaining. I can't wait to read more about them!

Since I'm a character-driven reader, I didn't mind that the plot, while imaginative, is not actually surprising. I saw the plot twists coming a mile away, knew all along who the secret bad guy was, and had nearly everything figured out before Koda did. But I don't care! I love the characters, and that's all that matters to me.

When I read an ARC of this book, there were some grammar problems, typos, and spelling errors, but I think they have probably been corrected by now.

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Yet another book in this series that broke my heart! Such beautiful writing!

Nita gets the terrible news that her mother is dying of cancer. In between hospital visits, Nita searches for a dangerous and elusive wizardry that will cure her mother, but the price may be more than she can pay. She and her wizarding work partner, Kit, have suffered a misunderstanding that keeps them apart. Determined to find a cure on her own, Nita falls prey to the evil Lone One, not realizing that Kit might have stumbled on the answer to all their problems, if only they can reconcile in time!

As in all the other books, I adore the camaraderie and complete trust between Kit and Nita. Their friendship is so special, and seeing it fall apart in this book was heartbreaking. But even through their argument, I loved seeing these characters grow and change, and their friendship ultimately grows and changes along with them. All friendships have some rocky spots, a few bumps in the road, and I was so happy to see how both these characters overcome the obstacles in their way, and it makes them better people, and makes their friendship stronger!

The magic system, as always, is beautifully complex, and yet simple to understand. I appreciate how the magic spells and wizardly doings fit in perfectly with the world, and with the spiritual powers of the books as well. The weird magical extras change in every book, and all the strange alien side characters that come in are so imaginative and different. The whole world-building is seamless and delightful!

This book deals with Death, and so the spiritual undertones, which are present in all the books of the series, are really brought to the forefront in this book, even going so far as to quote several Scripture verses. The age-old battle between light and dark, between good and evil, is a major theme in all the books, but in this one it becomes much more personal to the characters, as they face the darkness inside themselves. All the books have very definite Christian and spiritual themes, and I loved seeing that even more clearly in this book!

Nita has to make a decision about what she is willing to do to save her mother's life, and of course, there is the temptation to do evil in order to accomplish a "good." Do the ends really justify the means? Are you really doing it with purely unselfish motives, to benefit someone else? Or are you doing it for yourself, because YOU are afraid to lose someone?

All these questions are dealt with in a graceful and accessible way that was a pleasure to read. Not at all preachy! And of course, seeing Nita going through this terrible difficulty, brought my own thoughts into alignment with these questions and made me contemplate some things as well. I love a book that makes you think, but also tells an engaging story!

There are many deep and emotional themes in these books, but it's also balanced with many light-hearted and even silly moments of fun! The different plots lines all converge perfectly at exactly the right times and in the right ways. Brilliant writing!