BOOK #36

Some of the most entertaining books I've read last year have been from the Young Adult fiction genre. Maybe it's because the books are quick to get the reader's attention since they are aimed at a lot of kids with ADD or maybe it's because they are never more than 200 pages. Nonetheless, I am saddened that this the "Enola Holmes Mystery" series comes to an end with this sixth and final book.

The premise of the book is one Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of the infamous Sherlock Holmes. In the first book, her mysterious mother disappears and her brothers are quickened to put Enola into a boarding school. Being raised by a forward thinking mother and not wanting to become "normal", Enola eagerly steals away to London to find her own life. And at 14!

All the books in succession have been her adventures and it turns out that she's a sleuth like her brother, Sherlock, albeit a better one. I thoroughly enjoyed Enola's character - she is brave and fun and smart and forward thinking. And to place her in turn of the century England where woman had no say is quite a challenge for the author, Nancy Springer.

If I had a daughter (or even a son), I would encourage this series way before any of the Twilight bullshit or even Nancy Drew. A real reading pleasure. Her books are almost impossible to find in a physical bookstore much less a library. I hope all of you will buy the series for yourself and curl up one summer day and remember what it was like to be 12 and reading a really good book.

I sure hope Springer comes up with another entertaining series for the kids.

And me!