The Great Mogul Diamond (The Doppleganger Chronicles)

by G. P. Taylor

From the Back Cover
Everything was going so well for a change. . . . Sadie and Saskia Dopple, those troublesome twins, have been adopted by their loyal friend, the writer Muzz Elliott. And their friend Erik Morrissey Ganger is finally on his way to becoming a full-fledged detective. But when an anonymous note threatening Muzz Elliott arrives, the twins suddenly find themselves on an express train to danger. Awhirl in a series of crimes stolen right off the pages of Muzz Elliott’s own mystery novels, the twins need to figure out who’s behind this twisted plot, or Muzz Elliott will be framed for her own greatest literary invention: the theft of the Great Mogul Diamond. Meanwhile, Erik speeds through the countryside in a lightning-fast convertible with private eye Dorcas Potts, racing the clock to find the twins and outwit a gang of robbers. At the end of the road (if he ever gets there), he and the twins will have to get their hands on the diamond first . . . even though Erik, the former thief, has sworn never to steal again. What do you do when you aren’t sure what’s right? Sadie, Saskia, and Erik face this question head-on in the third installment of The Dopple Ganger Chronicles, by New York Times bestselling author G. P. Taylor.

My Review
My 11 year old read this book and I have as well. It is written for ages 9-12 but it is a fun read for anyone. The book is part 3 of a series involving 3 young detectives – Sadie, Saskai and their friend, Eric. They have uncovered a great mystery and the adventure takes them and the reader on a journey of discovery involving what to do when you aren’t sure what’s right. The style of writing grabs the reader’s attention immediately. There are fast car rides, train rides, escapes from scary situations. There are wonderful illustrations and photos within the book as well as pages that are black pages with white writing. Children seem to like that today – like Diary of a Whimpy Kid 

Several other reviewers have stated that G. P. Taylor’s style of writing reminds me of C. S. Lewis and I wholeheartedly agree. They both write stores that kids love to read while teaching them Christian values at the same time. In this book you come to realize the spiritual message in the book on your versus the author spelling it out – again like C. S. Lewis.

This book is a good book for both boys and girls, young and old. If you’re looking for a fun read that is also a quick read – this is the book for you.

I received this book from Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

3 Things Thursday.......I'm Back!!

1. School Times - school has started and it's finally in full swing. Online grades are up, girls are doing great, carpool has settled down, afternoon bus deliver has sped up (not in a bad way) and we are in the groove. Those who know me well know I hate school buses - the drivers I've seen are too fast and it scares me that there are no seat belts. But Ms. Veronica who drives our bus is great. She loves the kids and takes good care of them. The girls are doing well in school and both have adjusted well to being in new schools. I also love the fact that going home to the babysitter allows them to relax, have a snack and finish homework before I even get home. It makes our evenings much less stressful. This is going to be a GREAT year - I can just feel it.

2. No Patience - As I've aged (and I'm still YOUNG), I find that I have lost patience with ignorance, stupidity, fake people and just pure laziness. That covers a lot of things, a lot of issues and certainly a lot of people. It seems as if people are losing their will to do good, to do well and to just be nice. I see rudeness at school (children learn what they live with), driving down the road, at work, shopping - everywhere. It makes me so sad that some people just trudge through life with no ambition, no desire to do better for themselves or their fellow man and absolutely no clue as to what is really going on around them. Needless to say - I pray a lot and at the top of my prayer list is a prayer for myself and my own patience and control of tongue :-)

3. The Help - I've been to see The Help and I highly recommend it. I am still reading the book and it is as good as the movie. The movie is PG-13 because they chose to heighten the amount foul language in it - particularly in regards to The Jackson Journal newspaper editor. He was a little over the top in more ways than one :-) But the movie is very thought provoking. It will make you laugh, cry and feel more emotions in a 2 1/2 hour span that you've felt all year. It is actually a very educational movie - and it deserves any Oscar nomination that it gets. Emma Stone (Skeeter), Octavia Spencer (Minny), Bryce Dallas Howard (Hilly / Ron Howard's daughter in real life) and Viola Davis (Aibileen)all gave outstanding performances. The cast could not have been better chosen. If you haven't been to see it, take the time to do so before it leaves your local movie theater!

Restless In Carolina

By Tamara Leigh

Product Description
She’s all about going green. Could he be her white knight—or will he make her see red?

Tree-huggin’, animal-lovin’ Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is on a mission. Well, two. First she has to come to terms with being a widow at thirty-three. After all, it’s been four years and even her five-year-old niece and nephew think it’s time she shed her widow’s weeds. Second, she needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate—a Biltmore-inspired mansion surrounded by hundreds of acres of unspoiled forestland. With family obligations forcing the sale, Bridget is determined to find an eco-friendly developer to buy the land, someone who won’t turn it into single-family homes or a cheesy theme park.

Enter J. C. Dirk, a high-energy developer from Atlanta whose green property developments have earned him national acclaim. When he doesn’t return her calls, Bridget decides a personal visit is in order. Unfortunately, J. C. Dirk is neither amused nor interested when she interrupts his meeting—until she mentions her family name. In short order, he finds himself in North Carolina, and Bridget has her white knight—in more ways than one. But there are things Bridget doesn’t know about J. C., and it could mean the end of everything she’s worked for…and break her heart.

My Review
Tamara Leigh has done it again. I don't read conventional romances - only religious romance fiction. I wondered about this book because of the "swooning" review comment on the back of it but I absolutely loved it. The story is told from Bridget's point of view and the character depth is very good. You empathize with her because she is still willingly mourning her loss and she blames God and herself. She has to learn to forgive in order to learn to love again. You will probably figure out the J C's secret before it's actually written but you want to read each and every page to see how these two lost individuals come to terms with their pasts so that they can be free. This book is a fun, quick summer read and I finished it in three days (and I work full time and have two children). You will love this book!!

I received this book free from Waterbook Multnmah Publishing Group book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.