Today's read... Sherlock Holmes—The Final Problem adapted by Hannes Binder

I'm a bit late with today's read...which wasn't scheduled to be today's read...but hey, who said life was predictable? (And whoever did say that must be fantasizing.) I had some schedule shuffling due to shipping issues...and then, I had chicken coop issues. Lots of chicken issues. For those who aren't on the up-and-up when it comes to raising chickens, it's always bad to have more than one rooster. My last batch of chicks (from June) held 4 chickens and 8 roosters, and yesterday evening, the roosters decided to go all Halloweeny-horror on the poor chickens. (I'm just going to call it that because...well, if I were a chicken, I have no doubt I'd see it as living through a bloody, painful, horrible, awful nightmare).

Let's just say chickens are evil.

Anyway, all of that's taken care of now, and I finally had time to brew myself a nice, calming tea and dive into a bit of mystery. This read doesn't come out until April, which gives Sherlock Holmes and mystery fans plenty of time to get excited. 

SHERLOCK HOLMES

The Final Problem

adapted by Hannes Binder

by Arthur Conan Doyle

NorthSouth Books

Middle Grade / YA Mystery

56 pages

ages 10 and up

COMING...

APRIL 4, 2023!!!

Sherlock Holmes' most famous adventure, in a striking graphic novel format.

Hunting hat, smoking pipe, coat collar turned up— that's how we know Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective of all time. He usually investigates from London's Baker Street. But Holmes' most spectacular case leads him in a fast-paced chase from the metropolis of London across the continent to the Swiss Alps. At the roaring Reichenbach Falls there is a showdown between Holmes and his archenemy Professor Moriarty. Who will triumph in this battle between good and evil?

Black and white line drawings on scratchboard are Hannes Binder's trademark. The Zurich illustrator has created dramatic images of the Swiss landscape for this epic story, the pull of which is hard to resist. An exciting graphic novel for beginners and seasoned Holmes fans alike.

GOODREADS :    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61272615-sherlock-holmes-the-final-problem

MY TIDBITS

This is an interesting twist on Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty. While sticking to the every-loved Holmes atmosphere, this one dives a bit deeper into the man himself, giving away more of his personality. The aloof air, as found in the original works, isn't as strong, and, instead, this carries a little more of a thriller feel. 

It's a quick read and keeps the tension high. Of course, the mystery is well laid...although the wonderfully clever thought process didn't come across quite as strong as usual. Instead, there was more suspense, which works well, too.

The illustrations are very well done and take a mix between wonderful scenes and artistic imagery. These alone make this worth picking up and diving into. Although...this doesn't really take the usual graphic novel format. Instead, it reminds me of a highly illustrated read. I see upper middle graders as well as young adults enjoying this one...oh, and adults too.

Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles adapted by Stephanie Baudet

 Happy Sunday!  Today's review swings around a new set of books, which brings classic stories down to a middle grade level. These are rewritten, shortened, and...my favorite part...illustrated, too. I'm a fan of The Hound of the Baskervilles and was excited to pick this one up to see how it was done. But I'm not saying what I thought of it, yet (because that would defeat the purpose of my review, right?)

Out of curiosity, are there any classics which you loved and think should be adapted so middle graders enjoy them and get to know them, too?

SHERLOCK HOLMES 

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Adapted by Stephanie Baudet

Illustrated by Arianna Bellucci

Sweet Cherry Publishing

Middle Grade Mystery

112 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

OCTOBER 12th!!!

An illustrated adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes adventure - at an easy-to-read level for readers of all ages!

With a deadly phantom hound on the loose and a mysterious man living on the moors, Devon is a dangerous place to be. But Holmes and Watson must put their fears aside. The country's favourite crime-fighting duo need to unravel the strange case of Sir Charles Baskerville's murder before his nephew meets the same fate.

About the Sweet Cherry Easy Classics series:
Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into illustrated stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation. (All titles in the series are leveled for classroom use.)

GOODREADS   /    B&N    /    AMAZON    /    BOOK DEPOSITORY    /    KOBO

MY TIDBITS

I loved the idea of an adaptation of this story for middle graders and was more than curious to see how well it was done. I was not disappointed.

This tale follows the original from Arthur Conan Doyle very tightly, and really does simply try to bring it down to a level which is easier for middle graders to enjoy and understand. I very much appreciated that this didn't mean 'dumbing' it down, either. The writer keeps the same tone of the loftier (historical?) language, makes it understandable, and manages to weave it in a way which won't soar over the audience's head. So, hats off to her for that! That also means that this one is suitable for adults, who enjoy the tales but struggle (or don't have the patience) to deal with the original Sherlock Holmes novels. Also, the style makes it perfect for a classroom situation, since it keeps the atmosphere of the original tale and opens the door to classics, in general.

While sticking to the same atmosphere of the original tale, this book never grows boring thanks to a few extras. Firstly, there are a few (very few) explanations thrown in for those things readers will not recognize or understand. I, personally, would have liked to have seen more of these, but that's my own personal thing. I did enjoy the illustrations quite a bit and found that they helped to lighten things up wonderfully. They are well done, dribbled in at just the right rate, and make it even approachable by slightly more reluctant readers. The illustrations (along with the larger font), also did make this one a very quick read...I was surprised how fast I soared through this one.

I was impressed at how well this adaptation captured the original tale and am looking forward to see what other works are underway.

Review: Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus by Paula Berinstein

AMANDA LESTER AND THE RED SPIDER RUMPUS

Amanda Lester, Detective Book 5

by Paula Berinstein

The Writing Show

Upper MG/Lower YA Mystery

ages 10+

338 pages

It only takes a moment to spill a secret. 

The detectives have managed to keep Legatum Continuatum's secrets safe for more than a hundred years, but that could soon change. Amanda and her friends have discovered that the red spiders of Ambleside have a talent that could expose everything. 

Unfortunately, Amanda's new stepfather knows about them too, and his plans are deadly. The kids try to get to the spiders first, but their attempt to save them just complicates matters. Then Amanda disappears and it falls to her friends to save the day. If they fail, she could die. The situation has never been more critical. The problem is that only one person knows how to find her, and they don't trust him. 

MY TIDBITS

Packed with twists and turns, and even more surprises, this 5th book in the Amanda Lester Detective series grabs from the first page and doesn't let go until the end.

Now, stuck with the school in hiding, Amanda and her friends run across a new threat: a secret which could destroy their entire detective world. The group of young detectives discovers that the Legatum Continuatum has existed much longer than they first expected. And that the secrets surrounding it run deeper than thought. When they discover that red spiders could disclose it all and the bad guys are on the verge of getting this information, Amanda and her friends are up against the clock to save them all.

This is my favorite middle grade series this year, so I was looking forward to see which mystery would hook in Amanda and her friends next. Amanda and her friends are growing (maturing), and this book reflects that. Although it's packed with adventure, more time is spent on the mystery itself in this book. There's a little more depth and history behind the Legatum Continuatum. Also the character relations are deepening as well. It's a slow coming-of-age in many ways as the characters approach the problems with a tiny bit more calmness and thought than before--but then, this isn't exactly their first, big mystery.

I love the way the book grabs tidbits from the previous mysteries and integrates them into the on-going tale. This isn't a series which can easily be broken down into stand-alones. The characters and story build on the past experiences, making it difficult to dive in somewhere in the middle.

Amanda is a character, which often discovers more about herself as she ingeniously battles through the mystery. She tends to be head-strong and spontaneous, which gets her into trouble. The weaving in of her family problems and the difficulties of balancing the very different personalities of her friends, brings the entire thing home. She's a very real girl in a crazy situation and handles things as best she can, but without her friends, she couldn't do it. There's even some romance going on--kept very cute and sweet--but as with all teens, this isn't a clear cut, smooth ride either.

But the most important thing about this is the mystery. And it's a good one. It's hard to see where the whole thing is headed, and the detectives run across exciting bumps and stumbles along the way. The slight addition of magic gives the story a nice touch of could be's and imagination, allowing the reader to keep hold on to the illogical even when it's logic which guides the detectives through the mysteries.

In other words, I can't wait to see where Amanda and her friends go next.


All about the author. . .

Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one. You can find and contact Paula here:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Paula's blog on Goodreads - The Writing Show podcasts - Newsletter

Guest Post: Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein Giveaway

This is my stop during the book blitz for the audiobook for Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein. The audiobook is narrated by Allan Corduner. Allan Corduner has narrated multiple books, one of them being The Book Thief and he does the voice of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter videogames. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 24 till 30 October. Every day there will be a different guest post in which Paula talks about the process of making the audiobook. You can view the blitz schedule here.

  AMANDA LESTER AND THE PINK SUGAR CONSPIRACY

Amanda Lester, Detective #1

 Written by Paula Berinstein Narrated by Allan Corduner Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins MG Mystery/ Detective 

September 27, 2016

A reluctant detective, a criminal mastermind, and sugar? Amanda Lester wouldn't be caught dead going into the family business. Her ancestor, Sherlock Holmes's colleague Inspector G. Lestrade, is a twit. Nevertheless her parents refuse to see his flaws, and she's going to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives whether she likes it or not. When Amanda arrives at the dreaded school, she considers running away - until she and her new friends discover blood and weird pink substances in odd places. At first they're not sure whether these oddities mean anything, but when Amanda's father disappears and the cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, they're certain that crimes are taking place. Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes's nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn't like nosy little girls interfering in his business.

You can find Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy on Goodreads You can buy the audiobook of Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy here: - Audible - Amazon - iTunes Listen to a sample of the audiobook here on Soundcloud

Get the e-copy for free! 

The e-copy of Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy is free now on all vendor sites! Grab your free copy here:

 Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - Smashwords

GUEST POST

So You Want to Make an Audiobook, Post 6: Post-production

The Amanda Lester, Detective Odyssey with Paula Berinstein

Recording an audiobook doesn’t end on the last day in the studio. You have to edit and check listen, both detailed and time-consuming jobs.

In order to comply with ACX’s technical requirements, you must submit each chapter as a separate file. You also have to create files for the opening and closing credits and provide a sample of up to five minutes, all governed by requirements such as decibel range, compression, and so on. It’s fiddly stuff! Add to that the fact that it’s easy for the actor to misread something or the editor to forget to chop out a cough and there’s a lot to do.

As the team was going through the files, they discovered a few problems. Chris told me that Allan would have to come back into the studio and re-record some stuff. He was scheduled to return for another project in a few weeks. Did I want him to come in specially for my project or could I wait? I could wait.

About three weeks later Allan rerecorded the passages and David Griffiths, the editor (who did an amazing job!), took over. The next thing I knew I had thirty-something audio files (actually sixty-something if you count both the .wav and .mp3 files) in my Dropbox folder. I was scared to death. My shiny new audiobook was waiting for me and I was afraid to listen.

I needn’t have worried. Allan had worked such magic on Amanda that I barreled through the whole thing, stopping only to exclaim, “OMG, that is brilliant!” about a thousand times. I found only one problem: he had repeated a line. I asked Strathmore to fix it (easy peasy), and then it was time to upload my files to ACX, where I’d established a DIY account.  

I logged into my account and started the uploads. Ugh, what a dummy. I was in such a hurry I started the upload for every file at the same time! A few of them actually completed and then the whole thing froze. Well of course it did. I had overloaded the system. I cancelled everything that hadn’t completed and uploaded thirty-something files one by one. Then I uploaded the beautiful cover Anna Mogileva had completed a few months before and sat back to wait up to three week for a verdict.

I was lucky: I heard back in about a week. By that time the book was already listed on Audible. It popped up on Amazon and iTunes a couple of days later. There was a bit of an issue with the age range in the target audience categories, but we got that resolved quickly. (Audible had put it in the five- to seven-year-olds section. You can now find it in the 11-13-year-olds section, which they consider teens).

I just found out that you can also get the audio Whispersynced to your ebook (which means you can switch between the text and the audio without losing your place), and that that version of the audiobook costs waaaaaaay less than the standalone one. I mean like $3.47 as opposed to $24.95! You can get that on Audible and Amazon but not on iTunes. I guess that makes sense since Audible and Amazon are so well integrated.  

Please join me tomorrow for my thoughts on the audiobook as art.

And here she is. . .

PAULA BERINSTEIN!!!

Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one. You can find and contact Paula here:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads - Paula's blog on Goodreads - The Writing Show podcasts - Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!!!

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz for Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy. These are the prizes you can win: - 2 audiobook copies of Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy - 2 amazon gift cards of 15$ For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter givea
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Cover Reveal: Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus with Giveaway

Today is the cover reveal for Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus by Paula Berinstein. This cover is designed by Anna Mogileva. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus 

Amanda Lester, Detective #5

By Paula Berinstein

YA/Upper MG Mystery/ Detective

COMING. . .

NOVEMBER 1st, 2016!

It only takes a moment to spill a secret.

The detectives have managed to keep Legatum Continuatum's secrets safe for more than a hundred years, but that could soon change. Amanda and her friends have discovered that the red spiders of Ambleside possess a talent that could expose everything.

Unfortunately, Amanda's new stepfather knows about them too, and his plans are deadly. The kids try to get to the spiders first, but their attempt to save them just complicates matters. Then Amanda disappears and it falls to her friends to save the day. If they fail, she could die. The situation has never been more critical. The problem is that only one person knows how to find her, and they don't trust him.

You can find Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus on Goodreads

You can pre-order Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus here:
- Amazon

Get the first Amanda Lester book for free!
Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy is free! Get your copy of the first Amanda Lester book here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords


About the Author:
Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one.

You can find and contact Paula here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Paula's blog on Goodreads
- The Writing Show podcasts
- Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!!!

There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus. One winner will win a 30$ amazon gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis by Paula Berinstein

AMANDA LESTER AND THE ORANGE CRYSTAL CRISIS

Amanda Lester, Detective Volume 2

by Paula Berinstein

The Writing Show

YA/MG Mystery

ages 10 +

424 pages

If only Sherlock Holmes's great-great-grandson weren't such a dork . . .

There’s a new student at the Legatum Continuatum School for the Descendants of Famous Detectives and Amanda is supposed to work with him. Scapulus Holmes is a descendant of the great Sherlock and he’s crazy about her. Unfortunately she thinks he’s a dork and would rather die than have anything to do with him.

But when the kids discover a dead body encrusted with strange living crystals, Amanda realizes she needs Holmes’s help. If the crystals fall into the wrong hands they could be used for nefarious purposes, and only he knows how to protect them.

Can the detectives keep the bad guys from learning the crystals' secrets? It would help if they could figure out who the dead body is too. Only if Amanda and Holmes can find a way to work together can they prevent a disaster, and it isn’t looking good.

MY TIDBITS

I have already read the first book in this series, and although I'd recommend starting with book one, it's no problem to dive into Amanda Lester's adventures with book two. In other words, this can be read as a stand alone.

The first pages already had me smiling. In the beginning scene, Amanda finds out that there might again be trouble at the Legatum Continuatum School for the Descendants of Famous Detectives, and her first thought--instead of jumping excitedly into another mystery--is to run away. I don't blame her, and this reaction alone shows how human and realistic she can be.

Amanda is not the average detective. She might have a knack for it, but it's not her favorite thing in the world. And this slightly negative attitude sets the stone for her delicious personality which is sometimes sweet, sometimes kind but full of prickly faults too. She's out-spoken, opinionated, a little dramatic and simply goes over board at times. It's exactly these things which make her so much fun and easy to relate to. I appreciated the fact that although she believed to have over-come some of her faults in book one, suddenly finds herself battling with the same problems all over again. It was great to see that things don't change that easily.

There isn't a character in the book which lacks personality, though. Although there are many friends, enemies, classmates, teachers and others involved in Amanda's life, none of them is like the other and each has obvious flaws and oddities. It makes each one stick out in their own way and adds a lot of color to the story, not to mention that it makes it that much easier to remember who was who. . .something which is always important in a mystery, especially one with multi-layers.

The plot  is not a simple one and neither are the secrets Amanda faces. Clues are hard to sort out and nothing is necessarily as it seems, which makes finding out the true facts behind the mystery as difficult as sorting out a bowl of sticky spaghetti. To add more depth, Amanda must take on other problems from all directions of life--sub-plots upon sub-plots. At one point in the book, she admits that there's more going on than she can handle, and this reflected my own feelings at times. I was very captured by this story and found myself drawn in, but after about three-quarters the way through, I simply had to take a break as everything began to feel a little mumble-jumbled. When I picked the book back up, I was completely drawn in again.

There's never a boring moment as Amanda is pulled from one situation into the next. Her relationship with Holmes was sweet and complicated. His personality isn't any simpler than her own, and I'm looking forward to seeing much more of him in the books to come.


Although this series is deemed for young adults, the writing and content feels more like an upper middle grade/tween mystery to me. The characters are on the younger side, and even their behavior and reactions hits this slightly younger group nicely. The logic behind a large point, the crystals, leans heavily toward fantasy, which would be more appreciated by younger audience. However, even as an adult, I was caught up and enjoyed the story completely.

At over 400 pages, this isn't a novel for lazy readers, but the plot definitely needs the length. As said, there is a lot going on and even with the larger word amount, the last big scene as well as the ending seemed to be wrapped up a little too rushed and neatly to me. Still, the ending was surprising, and I can't wait to dive into the next book to see what happens with Amanda and her friends next.

Summed up, this is a mystery packed full of so many good things. The characters are a sheer delight and there are unexpected surprised at every turn. I highly recommend this to readers ages 10 and up who love mystery, adventure and a lot of fun mixed in.

Review: Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein

AMANDA LESTER

and the 

PINK SUGAR CONSPIRACY

Amanda Lester Detective Series, Book 1

by Paula Berinstein

The Writing Show

Middle Grade/Tween Mystery

386 pages

A reluctant detective, a criminal mastermind, and . . . sugar?

Amanda Lester wouldn’t be caught dead going into the family business. Her ancestor, Sherlock Holmes’s colleague Inspector G. Lestrade, is a twit. Nevertheless her parents refuse to see his flaws, and she’s going to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives whether she likes it or not.  

When Amanda arrives at the dreaded school, she considers running away—until she and her new friends discover blood and weird pink substances in odd places. At first they’re not sure whether these seeming clues mean anything, but when Amanda’s father disappears and the cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, they’re certain that crimes are taking place. 

Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes’s nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn’t like nosy little girls interfering in his business.


Available for purchase at:

Amazon paperback / Amazon Kindle / Barnes and Noble / Powell's / Goodreads

MY TIDBITS

The first paragraph already made me an Amanda Lester fan. I have a soft spot for Sherlock Holmes (always have had), and the idea that one of Detective Lestrade's (a police detective who had close ties with Mr. Holmes) descendants would be a girl, who wants nothing to do with her ancestry had me smiling right away. Especially when she calls Sherlock Holmes 'Mr. La-di-da boring detective, whoop-de-doo.'

Another huge bonus is the added information at the front of the book. There are maps, floor plans, a glossary and other goodies which allow a reader to visually get everything laid out before the mystery begins--and also as a great aide once the story gets underway. And at the end of the book, there is a list with descriptions of other great detectives, questions to help with class discussions and a nice author interview.

Amanda is a girl with lots of spunk, tenacity, and won't take no for an answer. . .unless it's her parents. Even when she's forbidden to follow her hobby (film-making) and shipped off to some detective school in the UK, she manages to make it all shift in her direction. She's easily distracted and, at times, a little bit scattered brained, but it makes her that much more lovable.

I really enjoyed the fact that the mystery takes place in a 'detective' school. In some ways, it reminded me of the famous Hogwarts (4 different houses, unexpected things around every corner), which made the story that much more endearing. There's lots of fun little details here and there, but there's never an overload on descriptions either. It's just enough at the right times.

As to the story itself, it's a wonderful mystery which is perfect for kids around ten to fourteen years old. Amanda and her friends aren't out to find trouble, but rather notice that something is up bit by bit. This allows the tension to build, while the layers of secrets slowly come to light. It's unpredictable, full of surprises and seasoned with just the right amount of humor.

Summed up, this is a great story which is sure to catch young mystery lovers' attention, and I can only recommend it.




And here she is. . .

PAULA BERINSTEIN!!!

Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one.

You can find more about her at. . .

Paula's blog on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/969582.Paula_Berinstein/blog
Paula's Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/969582.Paula_Berinstein Amanda Lester's Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLesterDetective
Paula's Twitter account: @pberinstein
The Amanda Lester, Detective Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLesterDetective
Website: http://amandalester.net/