Book Review: The Photographer II, The Dark Room by Barbara Steiner

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The Photographer II: The Dark Room  by Barbara Steiner is a sequel that picks up where the last book left off, and Derrick is living in a new town under an assumed name. He has opened up a photography studio and has some new tricks up his sleeve. Will he get away with murder? Typically, I find myself let down by sequels, but I have to say that Barbara Steiner out did herself because I actually ended up liking it better than the first book. It had some V.C. Andrews vibes going on, which gave it some extra oomph. Along with those vibes, it carried over some of the sci-fi elements from the original story.  I enjoyed the characters a lot better this time around and disliked Derrick even more, if that's even possible. The story was a bit more believable with the exception of the obvious sci-fi elements. If you know, you know. Five out of five stars is what I gave The Photographer II:  The Dark Room by Barbara Steiner.  Follow Us On Social Media
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Book Review: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (The Baby-Sitters Club, #2) by Ann M. Martin

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the baby-sitters club # 2The girls of The Baby-Sitters Club are no strangers to having weird things happen to them since they've started their club. However, nothing has been as weird or spooky as getting mysterious phone calls while on their jobs. Whenever they receive these calls, there is no one on the other line. Claudia, who loves reading mystery books, is determined it's the Phantom Caller who is a jewel thief operating in Stoneybrook.

In my need to reread my way through my childhood, I of course had to continue with Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (The Baby-Sitters Club, #2) by Ann M. Martin. Let me begin by saying I liked it a lot better than Kristy's Great Idea (The Baby-Sitters Club, #1) because it had a little mystery associated with it.

It did have a happy ending when they found out the prank calls were done by none other than Alan Gray. He had a crush on Kristy and wanted to ask her out to the Halloween Hop but didn't have the nerve to do so. Many people think that this particular book gives girls an unhealthy message about boys liking girls . . . that it tells girls that if a boy likes you that he'll be mean to you and tease you. I didn't have that take away from the book. Alan Gray was a nuisance to the girls ever since they were little, but it was more that they were annoyed by things he did that weren't necessarily mean. When he made a smart ass quip to the teacher about Kristy in the fifth grade, Kristy was the one to play a prank on him. That of course meant war between the two. I really wish adults would stop reading too much into something that is kids being kids in my opinion.

The main theme in Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls is responsibility. After getting several phone calls and then seeing a prowler outside the house, Claudia calls the police. The underlying theme is that in order for things to change, you must make them. Don't wait for other people to make those changes. I gave this book five out of five stars.


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