The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin is about a puzzle solving maniac named Winston.  His interest in  solving complicated puzzles has always been a fun past time for Winston.  He could never have predicted it would come to serve him well in a real-life treasure hunt!  It all started when Winston bought a neat little keepsake box for his sister at his favorite antiques/curiosities shop.  When she opened it on her birthday, Kate found a hidden compartment with a puzzle clue.  This clue brought him to the town's librarian, the sister of the previous owner of that box.  Violet, Kate, Winston, and two professional treasure hunters embark on the hunt of their lives, in search of a fancy ring worth a lot of money.  Plagued by mysterious burglar, the group works through a series of clues only to find they didn't actually possess everything they needed to make it to the final destination... and the one who ends up with the final piece of the clue will shock and surprise you!

This was a really fun read!  The entire book is filled with a variety of different kinds of puzzles to solve, in addition to the clues that lead to the treasure.  As a reader, I enjoyed stopping to try to figure them all out.  They were challenging enough to take a while to solve, but not so hard as to make them impossible (although, I did have to peek at the answers on a few!).  I would recommend this book to mystery lovers as well as anyone who likes a fun read.

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill is set in the future, well after Earth colonized Mars and ceased to exist. Durango is a Regulator (mercenary) who has been disgraced. His only follower now is Vienne, who suffered the same disgrace when they refused to commit suicide after their former leader was defeated. Durango is also accompanied by an Artificial Intelligence Implant who is able to scan the environment and keep Durango safe. Durango and Vienne are offered an opportunity to help a colony of miners escape the dreaded draeu, a cannibalistic group of insane beings who seem intent of discovering a mysterious "treasure" the miners have. Along with some other Regulator misfits, the two begin trying to make the miners safe. This turns out to be nearly impossible, however, when Durango learns some secrets about the miners, the draeu, and the queen that is leading them to attack.

This was an amazing book! It was full of action and adventure. It reminded me a little of the TV series Firefly that used to be on Fox. I would definitely recommend this book to more mature readers, however, because of the violence and content. This is one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read!

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson is about Ellsworth Smith, one of the youngest heirs to John Matthew and Elizabeth Smith's last treasures. John and Elizabeth had 13 children in the mid-1800s and their biggest dream was for their family to always be together. They even built special houses for the family around a square block, each facing the "Sward" in the center where a beautiful pond and oak and pine trees stood. Through a series of events through the years, many of the children (and the children's children) moved away and the Square started to decline... the remaining family members had to close up some of the houses and even sell some of Elizabeth's lovely paintings to have enough money to live! Before he died, John Matthew hid treasure in each of three houses on the south side of the Square. Up to now, only two of the treasures had been found. The one remaining in "Richard's" house (one of the John Matthew and Elizabeth's children) was still a mystery. Desperate to solve the mystery and hopefully earn some money to keep the Square in decent shape, Elizabeth writes a letter to Ellsworth (Zee) inviting him to come and stay with her. His father, Ben Robert, was initially against the idea because he was holding a grudge against his father (who still lives on the Square) as a result of his father's feelings about Ellsworth's mother. He finally gives in, though, and Zee arrives at the Square. He and his cousin Jess are certain they can find the treasure in Richard's house if they can just get into the mind of John Matthew. When the solve the mystery and figure out the secret of the final treasure, they realize just how important keeping the family together really is.

This was a great mystery! I was so glad the author included a map and a family tree in the beginning of the book. At times I was a little confused about who each of the characters were and how they were related, but it all made sense in the end. I really liked the message behind the mystery and they way the search for the treasure came together at the end.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm takes place during 1935 when jobs are hard to come by and and money is even scarcer. Turtle is an 11 year old girl who's life is turned upside down when her mother takes a job as a housekeeper for a woman who refuses to have children in her home. Turtle is sent to live in Key West, Florida with her aunt and cousins who she barely knows. Turtle, like her namesake, has a hard shell and makes do in just about any situation... even when she finds a mysterious treasure map leading to Black Caesar's pirate gold. A series of strange events eventually lead up to Turtle's mother returning, a sudden knowledge of who her long-lost father really is, and a happiness no one thought imaginable during such tough times.

This was a really cute story. I found myself really admiring Turtle's resiliency through the various situations and predicaments she gets into. The story revolves around several real events, including the hurricane of 1935, chasing Black Caesar's treasure, rum runners, and even Little Orphan Annie and Shirley Temple!