Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday Character Freebie - Characters I fell in love with

1. Damen – Evermore by Alyson Noel
2. Ever – Evermore by Alyson Noel
3. Silas Dane – Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
4. Zen – Unremembered by Jessica Brody
5. Seraphina – Unremembered by Jessica Brody
6. Lexi – 52 Reasons by Jessica Brody
7. Seraphina – Firebird by Alice La Roux
8. Matilda – Matilda by Roald Dahl
9. Luna – Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
10. Samantha – Samantha Wolf by Tara Ellis

Review - The Secrets of Sanctuary by Tara Ellis

Title: The Secret of Sanctuary

Author: Tara Ellis

Series: The Samantha Wolf Series #11

Pages: 

Release Date: May 15th 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: The mountains of Sanctuary are hiding a secret...

A camping trip takes an unexpected turn when Sam and her friends encounter some strange things in the woods. An archeological dig near the campground starts off as intriguing, but it's soon apparent to Sam that things aren't what they seem.

With a local legend to unravel, Sam, Ally, and the rest of the gang delve into a mystery that reaches far into the past. Solving it will take more than simply revealing the truth. It'll require a tenacity that only Sam can wield and the help of her friends to see it through to the end.

My Review: This chapter in the Samantha Wolf series see’s Sam, Ally, Cassy, John, Hunter and Lisa visiting a campground in Sanctuary.

This mystery is a crossover with Ms Ellis’ Cozy Mystery series so we see characters from that series in this one also. We meet main characters Ember, Mel and Nathan.

Sam and her friends are holidaying in Sanctuary and just happen to stumble upon a mystery after meeting a Professor who is working on an archaeological dig in the campgrounds surrounding woods after he uncovered an effigy.

While visiting the dig a local shows up and tells the kids about a legend which peaks Sam’s interest but she doesn’t want to get into trouble so she tried to forget about it.

The group invited over the Professor and his students for a camp fire where Hunter reads a story from the book Sam picked up from town and Sam reads a small paragraph to Ally from an interesting chapter while everyone is discussing the effigy, the next morning Sam cannot find the book.

The next day while on a hike Cassy spots two mean ducking into the woods off a small trail so Sam follows them and confirms to Ally and Cassy that she had seen them in the town the day they arrived in Sanctuary.

Surprisingly John and Cassy encourage Sam to continue to investigate the mystery instead of telling her to drop it. Sam is happy that they are with her but she doesn’t want to get into trouble with Lisa.

While at the towns rodeo Sam see’s Malory one of the dig students and she John and Ally follow her and almost get hurt by a bucking horse luckily John pushed the girls out of the way and Ember shows up and is able to stop the horse.

While off for a shower that night the girls see Malory go into the woods so they decide to follow her and they end up on the trail that they saw the two men go down, while watching they see Malory being taken by the men and as they are about to leave to get help Rocky runs off so Sam and Ally go after Rocky while Cassy runs back to camp to get help.

Although Sam and Ally try not to get caught they end up being caught and threatened along with Malory and the local man. Luckily Nathan and the sheriff come to their rescue just in time.

I really enjoyed this crossover and I am hoping for another crossover but mainly a Cozy Mystery one instead of Samantha Wolf but with an appearance from Sam, Ally and the gang.

Currently Reading: Descent by Tara Ellis

Read in 2019: 11/30

Review - Return to Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis

Title: Return to Hollow Inn

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 104
Release Date: February 28th 2019
Source: Author
Genre: Mystery

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for.

It's been a year since best friends Sam and Ally solved their first mystery at Hollow Inn. They've always wanted to go back and their wishes are answered with another invitation from Sam's aunt and uncle.

The mountains of Montana haven't changed, but some things about Hollow Inn have. Nestled deep in the woods are more than just memories. Someone's keeping secrets. Secrets that can get people hurt and threaten the very existence of the inn.

Can Sam and Ally once again untangle the mysterious past of Hollow Inn? Or will it collide with the present in such a way that not even Samantha Wolf can stop it?

My Review: I love this series I can't get enough of Sam and Ally.

Sam and Ally finally return to Hollow Inn for the week and almost right away they are pulled into a mystery when a little boy who is staying at the inn goes missing. A woman finds the boy, this woman is from the house next to the inn.

We meet Sam's cousin Kevin, the pair don't get along. Kevin has been sent to the inn as a punishment and is 'helping' around the inn. We also meet Tori who is the new groundskeeper while Ted is away due to family matters.

Sam and Ally soon find out that Kevin isn't helping out as much as he should be and that Tori is hiding something, she also wants to know more about this family living next door and why her aunt and uncle are having trouble with them. While Ally doesn't want to get into trouble she tries to get Sam to leave it alone so she agrees that she just wants to look into the family and she will leave it alone.

Later on Sam and Ally find Kevin hiding and he tells them that he wants the glory of being the one to find the missing Hollow landmark and when Sam and Ally tell him that they knew nothing about this until he told them they convince him to let them help him find it.

While discussing how they are going to find the missing Hollow landmark Kevin holds up a piece of paper and Sam spots that it has a map on it. After finding the map the three plan on going to it the next day so that they can see what condition it is in and if it is actually there before telling their aunt and uncle.

When the three teens find the missing Hollow landmark trouble finds them like it always does. At the end of the story Sam and Kevin seem to have a more friendly relationship and it seems like they are now going to be closer than they were before.

This is a great story with a new character and a new mystery that links to the old mystery. I enjoyed seeing Sam try and not to get into trouble more than she normally does but somehow trouble always seems to find her and Ally. I am looking forward to seeing what trouble Sam and Ally get into next.

Currently Reading: Drucilla by Melissa Frost
Read in 2019: 6/30

Review - The Mystery of Old Gully Trail by Tara Ellis

Title: The Mystery of Old Gully Trail

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 116
Release Date: November 29th 2018

Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Publisher: 
Source: Author
Format: Mobi

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: For fans of Nancy Drew & Trixie BeldonRead as a stand alone
Some trails lead to unexpected places. 

When Sam and Ally meet a young troubled girl, a family secret draws them into a mystery that reaches back generations. There's untold history wrapped up in the origins of their town of Oceanside, and a conflict that was never solved. 

With summer break fast approaching the girls embark on a quest that will lead them through the woods near their homes and into the past. But will they find the answers on Old Gully Trail? Or will the haunted memories it protects be too much for them to overcome? 

My Review: Another fantastic mystery with Sam, Ally and Cassy.

The three girls Sam, Ally and Cassy are clearing trails at Covington Ranch so that they can use them for horse rides, the girls are also getting ready for Sams 13th birthday and the towns annual celebration, but this celebration is going to be a lot different from the last 99 town celebrations, its the towns 100th anniversary and the girls are participating in the parade to promote the Ranch and they are digging up the time capsule that was buried by the towns founding fathers (one being old man Gully).

In this mystery the girls meet a young girl named Penny Gully while they are clearing trails, Penny lives in a house on Gully trail and befriends the girls and later helps them clear the trails when they agree with Penny's family to join the Old Gully Trail to a trail on Covington Ranch to make it a longer trail so that they can offer day trips. This little girl gets up to mischief just like Sam and her friends do. Sam helps Penny solve the Gully riddle which helps Penny and her family.

I love these stories and I am looking forward to see what the girls get up to on their return to Hollow Inn in book 10.

Currently Reading: A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody

Read in 2018: 30/35

Review - The Legend of Shadow Mountain by Tara Ellis

Title: The Legend of Shadow Mountain

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 159
Release Date: May 31st 2017

Genre: Fiction
Publisher:
Source: Amazon
Format: eBook

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: May be read as a stand-alone 

"An adventure for all ages!"

Spring break starts with a surprise, when Sam and her friends get an unexpected trip to the Alaskan wilderness. They're always prepared for an adventure, but not a plane crash! Plunged into the unforgiving terrain, they must rely on their instincts and each other to reach the top of Shadow Mountain and the help they desperately need.

But standing between them and their destination is more than the terrain. Giant Kodiak bears protect the sacred land and her secrets, and a local legend shrouds the mountain in mystery. As a series of events unfold, Sam suspects that the answer to both the mystery and their salvation lies at the heart of Shadow Mountain.

My Review: I love this series, I have been waiting a while for this one. I maybe 30 years old but I still like myself a good children's book every now and then.

In this adventure Sam and her brother Hunter are off to visit their father for Spring Break. Their father is still away in Alaska for his fishing job. It was supposed to be a family trip but Mrs Wolf decided that she didn't want to take the two year old twins on a long plane journey so Sam and Hunter are joined by their best friends Ally, Cassie and John.

Along with the pilot and the five children there is a young woman and her son who are also travelling to Alaska so she can visit her husband.

The journey starts off well and the pilot tells the children that there has been some issue with the fishing crews and the natives and about the Shadow Mountains that they will be flying over and some Kodiak Bears that are supposed to live in the mountains and protect the Alaskan land.

They are making good time and the weather is nice so the pilot flies off course so they can get a better view of the mountains, this though turns out to be a big mistake as the plane ends up crashing.

All 8 people on the plane end up stranded, no one is seriously injured but the pilot does need medical help, they cannot move him so the young woman and her son stay by the plane with the pilot while John takes charge using his survival skills and takes Hunter, Sam, Ally and Cassie to reach the top of Shadow Mountain to try and get the attention of any planes that are flying over so they can all be rescued.

While the children navigate their way through the mountain one of them slips over the side of the mountain and John becomes a hero saving them, then while crossing a river another one gets swept down stream.

After being swept down stream they decide to make camp for the night, the next morning Sam ventures into the woods for the bathroom and she is almost attacked by a bear when John comes and saves her life.

This story does focus mainly on the five children trying to get help but John is the main hero as he uses his survival skills to save their lives and to keep them all safe.

The story ends happily with everyone being rescued after days of being stranded and they are reunited with Mr Wolf.

I love this series, this book was different to the others as Sam and Ally did hear a legend or a tale and go off chasing it, they ended up being stranded in the middle of the legend and had to fight for survival instead of getting themselves into trouble and danger it was a nice change.

Currently Reading: Killing Kanye by Tara Ellis
Read in 2017: 28/30

Review - The Case of the Curious Canine by Tara Ellis

Title: The Case of the Curious Canine

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Series
Pages:
Release Date: December 22nd 2016

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Author
Format: eBook

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: The next best thing to owning your own dog is having a job where you get to take care of them. That’s what Sam figures when she, Ally, and Cassy all volunteer at a local animal shelter. But they don’t expect the trouble that comes along with the work.

When dogs start showing up at the shelter with odd symptoms, the director doesn’t seem concerned. However, strange coincidences start to happen and Sam doesn’t believe that they’re random.

Confronted with the hard decision of following either her heart or her nose for a good mystery, Sam faces an emotional dilemma. Sometimes, the right path is the most difficult and this is one challenge that’s going to take all of her friends to help solve.

My Review: Another amazing book in the Samantha Wolf series. In this adventure the girls are volunteering at an animal shelter where they bathe, walk and help to clean out the cages. While they are volunteering they are also still doing their charity club and are working on a bake sale to help raise money for a women's shelter and the girls are looking after Cora the  5 year old daughter of their neighbour Kendra most nights.

While at the animal shelter someone brings in a cat that they have found and asks about a dog that their neighbour has lost but the shelter haven't seen the dog that they describe, only to find out that a dog that was brought in earlier that day was the one they were looking for, this dog was sick, it had missing fur and red swollen eyes that the vet had determined was an allergic reaction to something it could possibly have eaten, the same day two more dogs with the same injuries get brought in and Sam falls in love with a poodle she names Rocky.

Sam and Ally look after 5 year old Cora one night and when Kendra comes to collect her she is wearing a lab coat and when she picks little Cora up Cora has an asthma attack and Kendra takes off the lab coat that she had forgot that she was wearing and tells Sam and Ally that Cora is allergic to some of the things she has been working with and because she was in a rush to get back to collect Cora she forgot to take it off.

One day Sam is travelling to Cassy's house by herself as Ally is babysitting again and see's a car going really slow and the driver and passenger are acting strangely, when they pass her she spots the same symbol on the side of the car as one that was on the lab coat.

On their next visit to the animal shelter someone comes in and takes one of the sick dogs away claiming that it was theirs but Sam recognizes the man as the one from the car and she believes that he is the one causing the dogs to be ill.

Later on in the story Sam notices that Kendra looks like she has been crying and after telling Ally and Cassy while they are baking with Miss Covington she ends up using Miss Covington's advice to let an adult talk to Kendra rather than talking to her herself and getting into trouble and Ally says she will get her mum to talk to her.

John and Sam go to the lab so that John can ask questions for a school project and so Sam can see if she can recognize any of the people working there as the people who took the dog and Sam ends up wandering off and as she is exploring Kendra bumps into Sam when she is exiting a room where Sam hears dogs barking.

After Mrs Parker has spoken to Kendra she agrees to take Cora to Covington Ranch so Cora can ride the horses and to see if she is allergic to them too. While they are at the Ranch Sam sits with Kendra and after some light conversation Sam gets a phone call from the shelter telling her that Rocky had been collected by his owner and this ends up getting Kendra to tell her all about what has been going on at the lab. The concoct a plan to prove that the owner of the business had no idea about what one of his employees has been up to and this causes Sam, Ally, Cassy and the boys getting caught sneaking onto the property of the lab where Kendra is being held and they get held hostage until the director of the animal shelter finds them and takes the five kids, Kendra and the dogs.

The kids parents come to the animal shelter to collect them after the incident and they get told that they don't think they will be able to help in the shelter anymore but John suggests that they stay as a part of their punishment plus it gives the shelter extra hands as they are struggling with just the three staff members.

The ending of the story is awesome, I won't spoil it but it is great.

This installment is due to be released on December 22nd so click the link above to pre-order now

Currently Reading: Hunted by Sarai Henderson
Read In 2016: 34/35

Review - A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island by Tara Ellis

Title: A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 106
Release Date: October 27th 2016

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: When Sam and Ally get a special Christmas invitation to Orcas Island, they have no idea that the small island has such big mysteries.

When their friend, Sandy, begs them to help her solve a troubling situation, they are drawn into a puzzle with layers of uncertainties. From secret meetings, to legendary ghosts, they explore the picturesque setting in an attempt to make sense of it all. 

But in the middle of their plight, a storm of the century bears down on them. Not only do they end up battling the raging storm, but also a criminal plot. Stranded and alone, can the girls come together to overcome their most harrowing adventure yet? 

My Review: Sam and Ally are visiting Sandy the posh girl from Camp Whispering Pines for a few days before Christmas, hoping to have a nice holiday with their friend Sam and Ally don't plan to get into any trouble, little did they know that they would be caught up in another dangerous mystery and saving Sandy's fathers company.

Sam and Ally hear about a mysterious ghost of a woman in red who is seen on Orcas Island, they find this interesting and hope to discover more about her, they didn't figure that this would create any trouble, little did they know that the ghost would help to solve other goings on on the Island and save Sams life.

Sandy's parents spend most of their time off the Island leaving them with the housekeepers, Sam gets strange vibes off them and when she tells Sandy about them she dismisses it because they are her friends and they are the ones who look after her when her parents are away from home.

One day while hiking on some of Sandy's property they find a small cabin run off  solar where a guy is living, Sandy is angry because he is on her families property but when they talk to him they find out that he owns the land that his home is built on.

After overhearing one of the housekeepers on the phone Sam tells Ally and Sandy what she had heard and wants to tell Sandy's parents but Sandy has another plan, she decides that she wants more prove so she suggests a picnic on the small Island just off theirs where the housekeeper was heard saying he was meeting with someone.

Eventually they discover what they have been up to unfortunately a storm hits and cuts the power so they have to use a back up generator and when they go to Sandy's bedroom they try to contact her parents who are away to tell them that the housekeepers are trying to steal her fathers work for their boss the back up generator cuts out, when they go and investigate they find that it had been tampered with and they cannot fix it themselves. This forces the girls to leave the house in the snow storm and head someplace Sandy finds safe but once they are there they find that they have no power either so they tell the owner what the housekeepers are up to and that they need to contact Sandy's parents to tell them whats going on but the housekeeper turns up and threatens the girls and injures the man who was trying to protect them.

Sam runs off out to the cabin in the woods even though the weather is horrendous to get help from the guy who lives in the cabin there but she ends up passing out from the cold thinking she is going to die, the man from the cabin saves Sam telling her that he saw her light in his reflectors and that's how he knew where she was even though Sams torch had died. Sam tells the man why she was in the woods and tells him that he needs to go and save Ally and Sandy because there being held hostage and someone is injured, he makes Sam stay in the cabin to keep warm and he leave and gets help.

When Sandy's parents finally get back to Orcas Island Sandy tells them everything and they discover that the housekeepers who took off in the storm on a boat ended up getting into trouble and caught by the police.

This story in the series was nice, it was great to revisit an old character and have her help to solve several small mysteries and a big mystery. I was an easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the series that hasn't read it yet.

Currently Reading: Puck by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Read in 2016: 31/35

Review - The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School by Tara Ellis

Title: The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 171
Release Date: May 27th 2016

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Halloween is right around the corner, and the girls find themselves in the middle of a hauntingly good mystery. 

Sam, Ally, and Cassy help form a new club at their school in order to raise money for charities. Their first mission is to save a struggling program founded by a local widow, but the benefactor has some secrets. 

It turns out that Eagle Creek Middle school has some secrets too, including a tragic story passed down for fifty years. Does a tormented ghost really roam the basement of the school? 

While creating a haunted house to raise the needed donations, the young detectives uncover the shocking truth. One that will forever change the lives of people they have come to cherish. 

My Review: In this chapter of the Samantha Wolf series we see Sam, Ally and their new friend Cassy help to set up a haunted house in the schools gym for Halloween and to help raise money for charity with Miss Covington a few other students, John and Hunter.

When Sam asks the boys to help with the haunted house they start telling ghost stories about the haunted gym boiler room, it is being haunted by the ghost of the janitor who had died down their in an accident, Sam doesn't believe the him but decides to use it for the haunted house.

Miss Covington takes the girls to see Mrs Potts the benefactor of the after school programme that they are raising money for to see what she thinks of the idea of the haunted house. Mrs Potts is not what Sam expected at first then she realizes that she is just like her grandmother. Mrs Potts tells the girls all about her late husbands death and his boat making business. After the story Mrs Potts shows Sam to the bathroom and upon leaving Sam catches a distinct smell of men's cologne and she follows the scent and eventually she spots a pair of men's work boots and a large black raincoat which are wet from the fresh rain.

The next day Sam tells Ally and Cassy about the boots and rain coat Ally believes she is imagining things and Cassy reckons that Mrs Potts has a boyfriend.

The girls meet with some of the children who are in the after school programme and find out that a guy called Mr Kingsman is looking to close the programme down. While there Sam thinks she may have discovered where Mr Pott's boat ended up after the accident and she convinces John and Hunter to take her there and they finally agree and after a hike they find a part of Mr Potts boat.

Miss Covington leaves the three girls with John and Hunter in the gym to continue with the decorating as she has chores to do and later on once they finish up for the night have to go into the boiler room to put the items away, the same place as the ghost haunts. Sam decides to wander around and she hears noises and keeps on going until she smells the same cologne she smelt in Miss Potts home but nothing is there other than a plaque for the dead janitor.

The day after the discovery in the boiler room Sam, Ally and Cassy go to see Mrs Potts where she tells the girls how the janitor really died. While there Sam takes the advantage of showing Mrs Potts some pictures that she took of the boat they found and Mrs Potts asks the girls to keep it to themselves.

The girls do some research about the accident and Mr Kingsman who is running for States Congress and this is where Sam comes to the conclusion that Mr Potts is hiding out and not really dead. They find that Mr Kingsman now owns a boat supply business where is using Mr Potts patterned boat material as his own and this makes Sam want to go on a ghost hunt in the schools boiler room.

After another night of working on the haunted house the five kids stay behind to clear up, Miss Covington leaves the boys in charge again when she leaves and the kids go exploring the boiler room and this time they find something or should I say someone.

A few days after their discovery in the boiler room the girls go back to the after school programme to give them some tickets for the children and to find some evidence on Mr Kingsman, they find an email from him tit he programmes director about only having a month to close the place, while snooping they find some information and take some pictures and as the girls are leaving Mr Kingsman shows up and scares Sam slightly making her tell Mr Potts about the email and the information they found.

Later on in the story the girls sneak to the after school programme to take pictures for the haunted house to show people where their money is going and end up getting caught by Mr Kingsman who forces them to take him and his friend to the wreckage and this time Hunter and John have to rescue the girls.

Love this story, it was nice that the boys had a main roll in this one and had the responsibility to rescue the girls and not just have to help them.

Currently Reading: A Distant Echo by Tara Meyer
Read in 2016: 30/35

Review - The Heiress of Covington Ranch by Tara Ellis

Title: The Heiress of Covington Ranch

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 220
Release Date: December 21st 2015

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Middle school presents a new kind of challenge for Sam and Ally, but also a chance to make a unique friend. When one of their teachers needs help, the three of them come together to lend her support.

Nestled in the woods that surround their homes is Covington Ranch. An abandoned estate once used to raise famous horses, a family tragedy has left it forgotten and neglected. But someone has come back.

What does their teacher, a rich stockbroker, and a stolen ruby called The Eye of Jupiter all have in common? Sam and Ally vow to find out, and in doing so, start a chain reaction. It could either have dire consequences for those involved, or bring a broken family back together again.

My Review: Another great story in the Samantha Wolf series, this Story is defiantly the best in the series.

In this story Sam and Ally are starting middle school and that's where the story starts off, the pair are on the school bus on the way to their new school after a summer filled with adventures. Both of the girls are nervous about their first day especially Sam who thinks she wont make any friends.

Before the first day is over Sam gets into trouble with Miss Covington her PE teacher and has two run ins with her locker buddy Cassy, she also ends up missing her bus home so while she is waiting for her mum to come and pick her up she takes a walk around the school and ends up in the teachers parking lot where she see's Miss Covington crying. On the way home she tells her mum what she saw and her mum makes her promise to keep it to herself.

Throughout the book Sam ad Ally attend classes ad tr to keep out of trouble and they both make friends with Cassy who seems to be having more trouble adjusting to middle school than Sam so Sam and Ally help her out.

Sam also decides she wants to help out Miss Covington so during one of their lessons Sam finishes her worksheet and takes it to her teacher who is looking at something on her computer which a waiting Sam can't help but to look at, she sees that Miss Covington is reading about a heist but Sam gets caught before she can get a proper look and her teacher isn't happy at Sam but Sam goes ahead and asks if she can be her student aid.

Later in the story Sam and Ally research about the heist that Miss Covington was looking at and discover that The Eye or Orion was stolen and is worth a lot of money but it's a cold case. While researching the girls find out that there teacher is related to a business man and that they own the Ranch not far from their homes.

Instead of asking Sam's mum about their teacher the girls decide to go and check out the Ranch and while they are their they see Miss Covington's car and they discuss the possibility of their teacher being in on the heist. The next day at school Miss Covington asks Sam and Ally if they were at her place and Sam just tells her that it was because they wanted to hike on the property, Miss Covington gives them permission and asks them if they wanted to help out with some yard work which they agree to do.

At a sleepover Cassy tells Sam and Ally that her Gram's used to tell her stories of the Covington's and she shares what she found out about their teacher.

One day while helping at the ranch the girls witness a run in with their teacher and a mystery man who turns out to be Miss Covington's uncle and she decides to tell the girls her story, she explains that she was adopted and this affected her getting her inheritance and that her boyfriend at the time had stolen a family heirloom The Eye of Orion and her uncle also blamed her believing she was in on his plan

When the girls hear this it starts off the mystery and adventure, Sam tells her friends that they need to help their teacher solve the case of the missing family heirloom and this as usual gets the girls into trouble but they do manage to solve the case as well as another mystery.

These short stories are brilliant and they do not essentially need to be read as a series as they don't follow on from each other even though they do make mentions of previous adventures. There a great read and you should definitely read them.

Currently Reading: A Distant Echo - Tara Meyers
Read in 2016: 30/35

Review - The Beach House Mystery by Tara Ellis

Title: The Beach House Mystery

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 225
Release Date: July 11th 2015

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: The fun continues in book #3 of the Samantha Wolf Mysteries! 

What should be a quiet week at the beach turns into the most challenging mystery that Sam and Ally have uncovered yet. What’s the truth behind the odd family renting the cabin next-door? Is the tale of a sea creature and haunted lighthouse just a myth? How does a missing girl, and suspicious boat tie into all of it? The girls can’t solve this puzzle on their own, so they turn to their brothers for help. 

Travel with them to the scenic Washington Coast and into the Olympic Rainforest, where the four have to work together to untangle the clues and fit the mysterious pieces together.

My Review: I loved this book it was an easy and fun read.

In The Beach House Myster Sam's dad is getting ready to leave for a big fishing job oversee so while he is overseeing some business he takes the whole family to the beach house that a friend is letting them use and Sam's parents let Sam and her older brother Hunter bring a friend with them so Sam asks Ally to go and Hunter asks his friend John to go, John is Ally's older brother, but as usuall letting Sam and Ally go on a trip together never proves to be a good thing.

When they get to the beach house the girls help look after the twins so the boys can go to the beach and when they finally get to go explore they meet their neighbours little girl who acts strangely and when Sam and Ally get caught talking to her an angry man shouts the little girl in and tells Sam and Ally to stay away from her claiming that she has problems.

The girls decide one day to go into town to see what Sam's dad is doing and once there he lets the girls go shopping telling them where to meet him for dinner, while they are shopping they see an old man who tells them a story about a sea creature who is around the lighthouse that the girls can see from their beach house and this peaks the girls curiosity and they want to ask him about how they can get to the lighthouse but the man vanishes. Before the girls leave Sam goes into a shop and buys toys for her sisters and then they go to the marina to meet Sam's dad but while looking at all the boats one of the toys Sam bought gets dropped and goes on to a boat so Sam decides to retreave the toy without asking permission and she gets caught by some nasty men.

Later on in the book Sam and Ally go on a walk up a trail they found with their brothers the trail used to lead to the light house but has long been washed away, while hiking they end up having to rescue their neighbours mum who is stuck after falling and when they get back to their beach house they get into trouble because the neighbour has complained about them.

Towards the end of the book the girls go looking for the old man to see how to get to the lighthouse because they believe that someone is stranded there, the man tells them and with the boys help the girls get to the lighthouse they get captured by some men and locked in the lighthouse with a young girl who is being held captive by the nasty men from the boat. The girl happens to be their neighbours daughter and is being held because her captors want her mum to do something bad but Sam is smart and manages to climb out of their cell and break them out.

This series keeps getting better and I can't wait to finish the next book.

Review - The Secret of Camp Whispering Pine by Tara Ellis

Title: The Secret of Camp Whispering Pine

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 216
Release Date: January 29th 2015

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: What could be better than hiking, swimming, and horseback riding? Having a mystery to solve, of course! 

When Sam and Ally embark on their next quest together, they have no idea what secrets hide in the shadows at Camp Whispering Pines. Set in the beautiful, rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, the clues are slowly revealed, and it’s up to the two girls to figure it out. 

New friendships are formed, while at the same time enemies lurk nearby. The closer they get to uncovering the truth behind the camp, the further they are pushed into danger and deceit. Can Sam and Alley put all of the pieces together before it’s too late? Follow them on another thrilling tale filled with excitement and adventure, along misty, high mountain trails and deep ravines, where the answers wait to be found! 

My Review: This book was a nice easy fun read, it is written for young children but I really enjoyed it.

Camp Whispering Pines is set just after book one but it can be read separately. The story starts off with Ally and Sam at home after solving the Mystery at Sam's Aunt and Uncles Inn, Ally's Aunt is a troop leader and she has a scholarship so that Sam can go to the Camp with Ally.

When they get to the camp they find out that they may be assigned to different cabins but luckily Ally and Sam get assigned to the same cabin which share a cabin with 3 other girls their age, Lexie who was at the camp earlier that summer at the last camp session and she seems to know everything, Becky a shy girl who seems to be scared of everything at the start but then she seems to relax and have fun and there is also Sandy who is a rich girl who doesn't want to be at camp. The girls all share the cabin with a camp counselor named Butterfingers who all the girls seem to get along with.

During their time at camp things start happening and Sam and Ally start getting the blame for it first they just get told off and have to help out in the kitchen, next they have to spend the day in isolation where they aren't allowed to join in with the camp activities and then they get told that they are being sent home the next day.

Sam and Ally get into trouble because someone puts food into their bags after being told that they cannot have food in their cabin, then Sam gets into trouble when shes on a horse trek so Lexie, Sandy and Becky decide to investigate along with Sam and Ally but Sam and Ally sneak out after curfew and get caught and they get kidnapped by the bad guys.

In the end you find out who was causing Sam and Ally to get into trouble, at first I thought it was one person but then after a while I figured out who the real troublemaker was and I was glad that Sam and Ally were both okay at the end.

Review - The Mystery of Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis

Title: The Mystery of Hollow Inn

Author: Tara Ellis
Series: Samantha Wolf Mysteries
Pages: 150
Release Date: January 1^st 2014
Publisher: Tara Ellis Publications
Source: Amazon
Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Samantha Wolf, and her best friend Ally, are excited to spend part of their summer break in the mountains of Montana. But unknown to them, Hollow Inn is bathed in mystery and legend. After arriving, they soon discover that things are not going well for Sam's Aunt and Uncle, who own the Inn. There's vandalism, ghostly sightings, and rumors of lost treasures. Determined to help, Sam and Ally embark on a challenging journey to discover the truth.

My Review: I totally loved this book, I think this is going to be my series of 2016.

Sam and her best friend Ally go to stay with her Aunt and Uncle in Montana in their new Inn, the only thing is the Inn has no guests because of the Hollow Inn legend.

According to the legend of Shawn Hollow he had a son who Shawn believed killed his beloved wife (she died in child birth) so Shawn cut him out of the will and left everything to his other four sons.

Unfortunately Shawn Hollow realised that his sons were all after the gold that he had found while working in a mine before he lost his brother to a mine collapse.

The legend attached to Hollow Inn is that there is a piece of gold still hidden on the property. So Sam and Ally read the journal that Shawn kept and Sam finds a hidden poem and a hidden passage and they go exploring to find the gold.

Once the girls find the gold they try to take it to show Sam’s Aunt and Uncle but a guy who has been causing trouble around the Inn, scaring the visitor’s away demands that Sam gives him the gold but her Uncle manages to save the girls from the crazy guy.

Once the guy is captured and Sam and Ally are safe they show the gold and give it to the guy who works as the handyman but he gives it to the Inn owners (Sam’s Aunt and Uncle) so that they can renovate and expand the Inn.