Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is both fun and mysterious, especially with a self-aware narrator. It's full of riddles, creepy villains, and is very humorous. It's perfect for fans of mysteries that aren't too serious but still deliver a nice adventure.
I have recently been revisiting childhood books that I remember liking but, for one reason or another, I never continued with. Maybe it was just as I was falling out of reading or maybe something distracted me at the time but for whatever reason I didn’t continue reading the rest of the series. And while for some I now see with my adult brain why I may have not continued with certain books, after rereading this one I am shocked that my younger self was able to put this down.
This book is meant for middle schoolers (and the simplistic puzzles do very much show that) yet this also contains genuinely funny moments, an actually intriguing mystery, and really lovable compelling characters (the sheer ridiculousness of Max-Earnest parents was phenomenal and I so desperately want Cass and Max-Earnest to succeed.) Add to that this book ever omnipresent narrator voice brings so much life to this story! Honestly one of the best examples of what a good character voice can do for a story.
The book is definitely meant for younger readers and that can be a turn off for some (I pretty much speed through it in a day) but, if you can enjoy these types of stories then this is well worth your time.
Can wholeheartedly recommend!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a very middle grade book that I loved as a kid and am rereading for the nostalgia factor as I have been struggling with a pretty bad reading slump. It has all the flaws you would expect when revisiting something for a profoundly different (younger) audience - the plot is predictable, the story that once challenged and excited you now feels spoon-fed, there are some phrases that don't age well because the world has changed a lot since 2007. BUT I can so easily see why I loved this book series when I was around the age of the kids in the book! It is perfect for late elementary school early middle school kids who are interested in darker themes (murder, secret societies, cults, etc.) in a way that is still age appropriate. It also has the plus of incorporating a lot of second person (where the author talks to you, and "censors" parts of the story to deepen the feeling of mystery and realness) and ergodic elements (footnotes and back of the book appendices which constituted the first time those had been incorporated into my reading experience as a kid) that are fairly unique in middle grade fiction. If you are 9-12 years old I think you should give this series a try, and if you're the older sibling, parent, aunt/uncle, teacher, etc. of kids those age this is a great option!
The secret series is wonderful.The writing style is praiseworthy.
The author is very funny and entertaining.Must read for young readers.
The author is very funny and entertaining.Must read for young readers.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Absolutely LOVED it, I liked the way the author talked to you during the book and how you could imagine the setting and the characters your own way. I will most likely read the rest of the seres. I recommend this book to people who are looking for a fast-paced, adventurous book.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed the storyline and plot. However, I do think that the writing style was a bit irritating, almost like the author was trying to infantilize the reader, which is weird even for a middle grade book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death of parent
I read this book aloud to my 12 year old soon, chapter by chapter as his "reward" for reading his own book for his book club. This one is not an award-winning book the type of which his local library's book club would pick. This is a fun romp with a very intrusive and often hilarious narrator which reminded us of the Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events series of books. This was longer than any of the 13 books in that series and took a while to get going with the plot, though the narrative voice was funny enough to keep us trucking.
The appropriately named Cassandra and Max-Ernest lead us on quite an adventure the likes of which I'd like to tell you about, but I'm not allowed, because this book is Secret!
We've got the next book ready to start as soon as my son makes more progress on his book club book. Hurry up, kiddo.
The appropriately named Cassandra and Max-Ernest lead us on quite an adventure the likes of which I'd like to tell you about, but I'm not allowed, because this book is Secret!
We've got the next book ready to start as soon as my son makes more progress on his book club book. Hurry up, kiddo.