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bookslucyking's review
4.0
The scheme was very similar to the first book. It would be better if changed a bit. However, I still enjoyed it a lot. I love Colophon + Julian duo. And Case was a cool help, as well. The treasure hunt was interesting, all the clues and places and I liked the end, even though, I would prefer a more epic finale. Not sure if this is the last in the series. The epilogue made it seem there could be more but I don´t see more books here. I would not complain if the author would continue the series, though :) just please don´t use the same scheme.
crey18's review
3.0
This book was not as captivating as the first one. I enjoyed the climax and resolution, but the build-up to those points felt more frustrating than enjoyable.
lynnietakalele's review
4.0
Love this series! The clues are fun and interesting. I like the main character and would be friends with her!
amandabock's review
4.0
I enjoyed the first two books in this series. It strains credulity a bit, but there's a lot to like in spite of that, and I don't think kids will mind much. I would be interested to hear the opinion of a reader who is not familiar with Shakespeare's life and work. I think the action and mystery will keep readers engaged, even if they don't know (or care) about the actual history.
karenchase's review
4.0
This was a remarkably quick read, the narrative as brisk as its predecessor. Once again Colophon Letterford finds herself in a life or death struggle for the ownership of her family's publishing company, the only identity she has ever known. She works against tricky foes who use technology and treachery to foil her masterful pursuit of the (somewhat contrived) breadcrumb trail of clues left by her ancestor Miles. This engaging plot is appealing to me as a lover of literature, history, and precocious teenage girls.
the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
We discovered this author, Deron R. Hicks, last year after reading his latest book, and put his other two, slightly older mysteries on hold at the library.
They were great reads! In the first, the main characters, Colophon and her older brother, Case, work to discover the original copy of a Shakespeare play in a last-ditch effort to save her family's publishing business from a hostile takeover.
At the end of that book, we learn the play is NOT the real object of the hunt -- the villain is still hunting a "treasure," and in the second book, it's a race for Colophon and Case to follow the clues and find it first!
The suspense is heightened with multiple points-of-view, giving the reader a glimpse into information that Colophon and Case don't have -- but it also reveals what the villain doesn't know. A great writing technique for increasing tension.
For teachers, there are excellent references to Shakespeare's plays at the back of each book, with the second book featuring entire passages to help younger readers understand the contextual references.
Excellent reads, both.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
They were great reads! In the first, the main characters, Colophon and her older brother, Case, work to discover the original copy of a Shakespeare play in a last-ditch effort to save her family's publishing business from a hostile takeover.
At the end of that book, we learn the play is NOT the real object of the hunt -- the villain is still hunting a "treasure," and in the second book, it's a race for Colophon and Case to follow the clues and find it first!
The suspense is heightened with multiple points-of-view, giving the reader a glimpse into information that Colophon and Case don't have -- but it also reveals what the villain doesn't know. A great writing technique for increasing tension.
For teachers, there are excellent references to Shakespeare's plays at the back of each book, with the second book featuring entire passages to help younger readers understand the contextual references.
Excellent reads, both.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
A little more suspenseful than the 1st book and just as entertaining.
divine529's review against another edition
Another brilliant installment. As much as I loved the first book, I might've loved this one even more.
I won't give too much of a summary of this book since it's a later book in a series, but this picks up a little while after the first book finishes. Colophon and her family thought they and the company were safe after they found the manuscripts, but there seems to be more to the story and more obstacles for them around the corner. This book follows the "what happens next" and all of the shenanigans that ensue.
As with the first book, the writing of this was fun and generally well-paced. The issue with throwing large paragraphs in that adults would get, but the target audience wouldn't was a lot less this time around. Also this book was a lot more suspenseful than the last and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Similar to the first book there were portions in the States and portions in England. This time around it was more heavily focused on England which I loved. Getting to go to both Cambridge and Oxford was delightful and the time spent in the Bodelian was wonderful and brought me back to my trip to England and experience in the library. Also sewers...I've been in one too, in a different city, but still I know that experience a bit.
The plot was a lot of fun and as I mentioned before, quite a bit suspenseful which was so much fun. I loved all the historical aspects and the tie ins to both Shakespeare and Marlowe. The plot of this book felt a lot stronger to the last in some ways and I loved it.
Finally, the characters. I loved being back with Colophon and Julian and I still love them and all of the crazy things they get up to. Case also really grew on me and I absolutely love to hate Treemont, the bad guy in all of this. Just delightful all round.
Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time reading this and if there's another book in this series, I can't wait to read it and follow more adventures with this family.
TW/CW: Mild injury, poisoning.
I won't give too much of a summary of this book since it's a later book in a series, but this picks up a little while after the first book finishes. Colophon and her family thought they and the company were safe after they found the manuscripts, but there seems to be more to the story and more obstacles for them around the corner. This book follows the "what happens next" and all of the shenanigans that ensue.
As with the first book, the writing of this was fun and generally well-paced. The issue with throwing large paragraphs in that adults would get, but the target audience wouldn't was a lot less this time around. Also this book was a lot more suspenseful than the last and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Similar to the first book there were portions in the States and portions in England. This time around it was more heavily focused on England which I loved. Getting to go to both Cambridge and Oxford was delightful and the time spent in the Bodelian was wonderful and brought me back to my trip to England and experience in the library. Also sewers...I've been in one too, in a different city, but still I know that experience a bit.
The plot was a lot of fun and as I mentioned before, quite a bit suspenseful which was so much fun. I loved all the historical aspects and the tie ins to both Shakespeare and Marlowe. The plot of this book felt a lot stronger to the last in some ways and I loved it.
Finally, the characters. I loved being back with Colophon and Julian and I still love them and all of the crazy things they get up to. Case also really grew on me and I absolutely love to hate Treemont, the bad guy in all of this. Just delightful all round.
Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time reading this and if there's another book in this series, I can't wait to read it and follow more adventures with this family.
TW/CW: Mild injury, poisoning.
natep's review against another edition
4.0
Great sequel. More dramatic and scary. Love the different point of views. Wish Treemont's motive was explained more in depth but liked the Christopher Marlowe angle
aseaoftomes's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Another brilliant installment. As much as I loved the first book, I might've loved this one even more.
I won't give too much of a summary of this book since it's a later book in a series, but this picks up a little while after the first book finishes. Colophon and her family thought they and the company were safe after they found the manuscripts, but there seems to be more to the story and more obstacles for them around the corner. This book follows the "what happens next" and all of the shenanigans that ensue.
As with the first book, the writing of this was fun and generally well-paced. The issue with throwing large paragraphs in that adults would get, but the target audience wouldn't was a lot less this time around. Also this book was a lot more suspenseful than the last and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Similar to the first book there were portions in the States and portions in England. This time around it was more heavily focused on England which I loved. Getting to go to both Cambridge and Oxford was delightful and the time spent in the Bodelian was wonderful and brought me back to my trip to England and experience in the library. Also sewers...I've been in one too, in a different city, but still I know that experience a bit.
The plot was a lot of fun and as I mentioned before, quite a bit suspenseful which was so much fun. I loved all the historical aspects and the tie ins to both Shakespeare and Marlowe. The plot of this book felt a lot stronger to the last in some ways and I loved it.
Finally, the characters. I loved being back with Colophon and Julian and I still love them and all of the crazy things they get up to. Case also really grew on me and I absolutely love to hate Treemont, the bad guy in all of this. Just delightful all round.
Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time reading this and if there's another book in this series, I can't wait to read it and follow more adventures with this family.
TW/CW: Mild injury, poisoning.
I won't give too much of a summary of this book since it's a later book in a series, but this picks up a little while after the first book finishes. Colophon and her family thought they and the company were safe after they found the manuscripts, but there seems to be more to the story and more obstacles for them around the corner. This book follows the "what happens next" and all of the shenanigans that ensue.
As with the first book, the writing of this was fun and generally well-paced. The issue with throwing large paragraphs in that adults would get, but the target audience wouldn't was a lot less this time around. Also this book was a lot more suspenseful than the last and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Similar to the first book there were portions in the States and portions in England. This time around it was more heavily focused on England which I loved. Getting to go to both Cambridge and Oxford was delightful and the time spent in the Bodelian was wonderful and brought me back to my trip to England and experience in the library. Also sewers...I've been in one too, in a different city, but still I know that experience a bit.
The plot was a lot of fun and as I mentioned before, quite a bit suspenseful which was so much fun. I loved all the historical aspects and the tie ins to both Shakespeare and Marlowe. The plot of this book felt a lot stronger to the last in some ways and I loved it.
Finally, the characters. I loved being back with Colophon and Julian and I still love them and all of the crazy things they get up to. Case also really grew on me and I absolutely love to hate Treemont, the bad guy in all of this. Just delightful all round.
Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time reading this and if there's another book in this series, I can't wait to read it and follow more adventures with this family.
TW/CW: Mild injury, poisoning.
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