Texas Gothic
When I read the opening line of this book "The goat was in the tree again" I knew this one was going to be fun. I just loved Texas Gothic. It wasn't anything spectacular, it wasn't super creepy like I thought it would be, and it wasn't anything new, but I enjoyed the characters, the mystery, and the setting. Plus it was just so darn funny at times. Mostly I think I loved that this book paid tribute to Nancy Drew and a little bit to Scooby-doo as well, two favorites from my childhood. I had previously read Rosemary Clement-Moore's The Splendor Falls and really liked it. It was what led me to add this book to my to-read list. At this point I'm a huge fan of hers. I really enjoy her writing style and the fact that she writes teens and Young adults as self-aware and not just immature. The kooky Goodnight family was just plain fun to read about. I enjoyed the relationship Amy and Phin had as sisters. The romance was light and didn't take over the book, and I really liked Ben a lot. This could be a stand-alone read, but it does have a companion book that centers on Amy's cousin Daisy, which I will definitely read.
