Another New Post!

Hi, Smart Girl here! Guess what I've got for you today. Yep, you got it, a new post! Today I'm going to review G.K. Chesterton's The Innocence of Father Brown, so let's get started!

First, the synopsis. This is a collection of short stories, all featuring Father Brown, a small Roman Catholic priest who solves crimes. In Father Brown, there is only one repeating criminal, Flambeau. He commits quite a few crimes, but in the end, Father Brown always catches him. The Innocence of Father Brown is the first set of Father Brown stories Chesterton wrote.

Now, my opinion. I LOVE THIS BOOK! It is the best collection of Father Brown stories that Chesterton wrote. To spark your imaginations, those of you who haven't read it, let me give you some of the titles of the stories. Do The Invisible Man, The Queer Feet, and The Eye of Apollo sound good to you? If so, you are awesome. Those are my three favorite Father Brown stories I've read. Now, you might be thinking, well, those sound kind of scary. They aren't. That's why I love Father Brown so much. He's never in real danger, because nobody ever tries to kill him or anything similar. There are other collections of Father Brown, like The Wisdom of Father Brown. A good version of The Innocence and The Wisdom is the Barnes and Noble Library of Essential Reading. Now, before I wrap this up, let me tell you something. After you finish reading this post, go to a bookstore and buy some version of this book.

Best Read by Ages:Anyone who likes good, mild mysteries
Official Smart Girl Grade: A+

Before I go, I would like to note that I love Chesterton. Also, I'll just be doing random things, not like long series. That's all for now, Smart Girl.

A New Post!

Hi, Smart Girl here. First, before I get started with this post, I would like to thank all of you for giving great suggestions, I'll be using them for quite a while. Now, out of all of your comments, the next thing I'm going to review is ..... The Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the first, and so far only, Sherlock Holmes story I've ever read. Now, on with the show!

First, the synopsis. In this story, there is a woman who asks Sherlock Holmes for help. (What a surprise!) Sherlock Holmes accepts, (Another surprise!) and the woman tells her story. I won't give all the details, but basically her sister died and her dying words were "The speckled band!" (I wonder why the story's called The Speckled Band?) In the end, Sherlock Holmes figures out the mystery. (Amazing!)

Next, my opinion. Before I state my opinion, I want to say that this is my personal opinion, and nobody has to agree with me. I'm going to be straight with you. I HATE this book. When I read it, it gave me nightmares. I woke up in the middle of the night a bunch of times. If you like this book, I don't have a problem with you, but I completely disagree with you. That's pretty much it, I just plain hate it.

Best Read by Ages: Nobody, unless you like scaring yourself silly.
Official Smart Girl Grade: F-
Both of those are my opinion, so you can read it if you want.

Now, before I go, I have two more audio book recommendations for you. First, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, or The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. That's all for now, Smart Girl.

An Important Message from your Friendly Neighborhood Smart Girl

Hello, Smart Girl here. I am going to need some help from the commentators, because I do not know what I want to review next. So, if you have an idea, please post a comment on Smart Girl's Guide To Books under this post. However, I do not guarantee that your ideas will be used. A note about visitors (like Smart Guy) I am not telling them, or giving suggestions about what they review. So, they will review whatever they want, so don't blame me if you don't like their post. Now, about your audio book question, I personally very strongly recommend any of the Harry Potter series read by Stephen Fry. They are great to listen to, because they aren't dull and monotonous. I believe he read all of them, not sure, so get your favorite one! I hope that you have a nice visit with your relatives in Virginia.

So long, Smart Girl.

A review by Smart Guy

Hello, Smart Guy here, today I will be (you guessed it!) reviewing a book. Namely the ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. This is a (you guessed it again!) murder mystery. In this book people are getting murdered like so: person named say, Billy Bob is killed with a random weapon in a town starting with "B". Of course it starts with "A". So our heroes: Hercule Poirot (main character) and Captain Hastings (narrator) have to solve the mystery.
Now, my opinion: this is a good book which I failed to figure out. (Wrong person for the WHOLE book.) So it will be rather gripping.
Age Recommendation: Don't ask me, I'm not a good judge of these things.
Official Smart Guy rating: An "A" or a "B" or a "C" [Ha Ha Ha!]

Smart guy, signing off!

The Deathly Hallows

Now we are just about to finish our second Smart Girl series review, so let's get this show on the road!

First, the synopsis. In this one, Harry spends roughly the first half of the book wandering around destroying horcruxes (if you haven't read the Half-Blood Prince, or seen the movie, you will probably not understand that sentence at all, but horcruxes are important) and gathering information on the Deathly Hallows (also important.) In the later parts, however, we start seeing some major action. This means that basically, in the first half, they're not at Hogwarts, and in the second part they get closer and closer until they're there.

Next, my opinion. I think this is a decent book. I don't like it mostly because, first, they don't even go to Hogwarts, so they aren't complaining about homework or their classes, so they seem different, plus, I like Hogwarts. Also, it seems a little slow, because they spend the first half basically wandering around, and they're acting almost like outlaws. Otherwise, this is a good book, except when certain people die, (not saying who, though!) My personal favorite part is the Epilogue.

Best Read by Ages: 8 and up
Official Smart Girl Grade: A

That's all, folks! Ciao! See you next time!

The Half Blood Prince

Now we're close to the end of the series, the sixth book. Just this one, and then we'll be done with the longest series I've rated so far.

First, the synopsis. In this one, two shocking things happen. First, we get a new potions master, Horace Slughorn, and second, Severus Snape gets the job he's wanted for, as far as we know, roughly five years. Yes, that's right, this year the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is .... Severus Snape. The man who we've learned to hate is the teacher of Harry's favorite subject. Anyway, moving on, in Harry's least favorite subject, Harry has a book that belongs to the "Half Blood Prince" and it has some very interesting tips, which make Harry even better than Hermione at Potions. Not surprisingly, Hermione is suspicious about Harry's book. So, being Hermione, she naturally goes to the library and looks up the "Half Blood Prince."

Next, after that long synopsis, my opinion. I think that this book is very sad at the end, and not quite like the others, sort of like the seventh book. Although, this isn't a bad book, it doesn't distinguish itself in my eyes. I just think it's sort of a filler book to get ready for the seventh.

Best Read by Ages: 8 and up
Official Smart Girl Grade: A-

As one last note before I go, I think we might have a visitor soon. That's all for now, Smart Girl.