Sunday, November 30, 2014

Ruby Redfort: Take Your Last Breath

15841901Childs, Lauren. Ruby Redfort: Take Your Last Breath
May 14th 2013 by Candlewick Press

Ruby is back, and this time her parents are going on a yacht and leaving her with Mrs. Digby. This is good, because there are odd things afoot in Twinsford. Cargo shipments being sent by sea are being rerouted, and the sea life seems to be having problems. There's also an odd whispering sound, and when students from Ruby's school attempt a swim-a-thon, there are more dangers than expected. When Ruby's parents' yacht is beset by pirates, the two are thrown overboard, and at one point, Ruby believes they may be dead. She perseveres with her investigation with the assistance of Clarence and Hitch, and eventually realizes that the problems can be tied to her old nemesis, as well as a generations old lullaby that her mother sings to her. There are a good number of puzzles for readers to work out, including a musical one.
Strengths: There is always a need for mysteries, and many students prefer ones in a series.
Weaknesses: I could not get into this one at all. At all. It went back and forth between Ruby calmly going to school and eating doughnuts, and nearly drowning in the ocean. Her parents seemed like horrible people; I was surprised that Ruby even cared when they were missing, because once they came back, they continued to ignore her. I didn't care much for the first one, and only read this because I ended up with a free hard copy. Sometimes, certain books just don't vibrate with me personally.

Plenty of people DO like this series (there is a third book out, Ruby Redfort: Catch Your Death); I usually like the same things that Katie at Secrets and Sharing Soda likes, so maybe I just read this on the wrong day!

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