11 February 2017

Review: The Last of August

Charlotte Holmes: The Last of August | Brittany Cavallaro
Published by: Katherine Tegen, February 14th 2017
Genre: YA, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 336
Format: Ebook
Source: Katherine Tegen, via Edelweiss

In the second brilliant, action-packed book in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy, Jamie and Charlotte are in a chase across Europe to untangle a web of shocking truths about the Holmes and Moriarty families.

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson’s growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte’s beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring—the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers.

So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other.
 
Oh yeah, the last of August. REAL FUNNY TITLE THERE. 

Aside from tricking me into thinking August was safe and tricking me into liking him, this book is pretty great. Not as good as the first book, but I like how it takes place away from the school. I thought they'd all be set in the school so it was fun to mix it up with Europe.

The plot is interesting, and has a tonne of different elements, but I didn't connect with it in a way I did the first book. It didn't really feel urgent, or important, even with Leander being in danger and Charlotte's mum poisoned. But I liked the relationships between everyone, and it had enough of that Charlotte Holmes spark (genuis and inventive and destructive all at once) that I read it quickly, and it didn't bore me once. Plus it wraps up nicely and cleverly and feels a lot like the ending of a Sherlock Holmes story.

Just as smart and thoughtful and moving as book one - I just didn't love it quite as much. Still can't wait to see what happens to Charlotte and Jamie next! Just hope it involves less emotional turmoil!

Characters 

Setting/world 
Writing 

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