Midnight's Secret - Intense WWII thriller

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a longtime fan of Tom Kane’s work, I approached Midnight’s Secret, the third installment in the suspenseful World War II Midnight Series, with eager anticipation. Having first discovered Kane through his Brittle Trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed the first two Midnight books, I was thrilled to return to a world where historical accuracy meets rich character development and tense suspense.

 

About the Book: Midnight's Secret 

Kane’s latest installment doesn’t disappoint. Picking up with familiar faces in a new, high-stakes setting, Midnight’s Secret offers both the comfort of continuity and the exhilaration of fresh danger. Jessie, the determined protagonist, returns to a war-weary London and is quickly plunged into one of her most harrowing missions yet. The stakes escalate when Prime Minister Winston Churchill himself assigns her the task of rooting out a mole within the British Secret Intelligence Service, one responsible for the deaths of agents in Nazi-occupied France.

The historical backdrop is vivid and immersive. As someone well-versed in the WWII history of Germany and the United States, I’m continually impressed by how Kane seamlessly incorporates British wartime perspectives and actual events into his plots. More than once, I paused my reading to look up details, only to find that, true to Kane’s style, they were historically accurate. This blend of fact and fiction enhances the novel’s authenticity and immerses readers in the peril and complexity of wartime espionage.

BookHookup Book Review 

Midnight’s Secret feels like a cozy mystery wrapped in a wartime thriller, with undercurrents of family drama and a detective-style narrative. Jessie’s evolving role, from secret agent to Churchill’s personal operative to fugitive accused of treason, keeps the pace brisk and the tension high. An assassination attempt on Churchill and the subsequent framing of Jessie is a masterstroke of suspense, forcing her to go on the run and unravel the conspiracy from the shadows.

Kane’s ability to weave layered, relatable characters into the fabric of a suspenseful, historically grounded plot is what keeps me coming back. Midnight’s Secret deepens the intrigue of the series while exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of betrayal.

Whether you’re a seasoned Kane reader or new to the Midnight Series, this book is a gripping, emotionally resonant read that stands on its own while building beautifully on what’s come before. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, espionage thrillers, and WWII dramas with heart.

Time Fixers - YA travel sci-fi, mystery, & emotional coming-of-age

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

After thoroughly enjoying Miles in Time, I had high hopes for its sequel and Time Fixers absolutely delivers. This second installment not only lives up to the original but deepens the story with a richer plot, higher emotional stakes, and continued character growth that makes it a standout in YA fiction.

 

Set once again in the small town of Frontier, Iowa, the book quickly raises the stakes when brothers Miles and Simon Hardy face their most personal mission yet: traveling back to 1999 to save their mother from a traumatic past that set her life on a tragic course. The emotional core of this story, the brothers’ fierce determination to protect their mom, gives Time Fixers its powerful heart. Their sibling bond is both believable and moving, adding real depth to the fast-paced, twisty plot.

 

Lee Mathew Goldberg expertly balances genres, blending time-travel sci-fi, mystery, and emotional coming-of-age moments into a story that feels fresh and surprisingly profound. There’s humor, danger, nostalgia, and a compelling mystery that draws you in deeper with every chapter. And while the stakes are high, the plot remains easy to follow, never bogged down by its complexity.

One of the things I appreciated most is how the characters have matured since book one. Miles, in particular, faces difficult moral choices, including where his loyalties lie and who he can trust. His developing feelings, complicated friendships, and the looming threat of their grandfather’s connection to a powerful corporation make for a layered and engaging narrative.

 Time Fixers also continues a thread introduced in the first book, with Miles exploring his romantic identity. While in Miles in Time this aspect felt briefly included, it becomes more integrated into the plot here. 

⚠️ Content note: For readers who prefer to avoid romantic subplots involving bisexual themes in YA fiction, it plays a meaningful role in character development.

That said, the romantic angle doesn’t overshadow the emotional depth or the core themes of family, sacrifice, and self-discovery. It’s handled thoughtfully and remains in balance with the rest of the story.

If you liked Miles in Time, you won’t be disappointed with Time Fixers. And if you’re new to the series, start with book one, but know that the sequel is where the story truly hits its stride.

As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from Blackberry Book Tours and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. 

 

About the Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg 

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the Anthony, Lefty, and Prix du Polar nominated author of fourteen novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, and THE GREAT GIMMELMANS along with his five-book DESIRE CARD series. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, he’s been published in multiple languages and his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline Artists, LitHub, Chicago Quarterly Review, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Jewish Book Council, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Nerd Daily, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. He is the publisher of Fringe Press, the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series, and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com

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The Giver - A classic 5-star must-read

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  

Lois Lowry’s The Giver is a deceptively simple yet deeply profound exploration of a dystopian society cloaked in the illusion of perfection. Winner of the Newbery Medal, this novel follows twelve-year-old Jonas as he begins to uncover the truth behind his community’s carefully maintained facade of harmony and order.

 

At first glance, Jonas's world appears flawless. There’s no war, no pain, no suffering. Every aspect of life is regulated: births are scheduled, roles are assigned, feelings are discussed in nightly rituals, and even language is meticulously controlled. But on page 24, a subtle and mysterious moment—the brief change in an apple—signals that all is not as it seems. That small disturbance is the first thread in a tightly woven narrative that unravels an unsettling reality.

Jonas’s appointment as the Receiver of Memory is the turning point. Through his training, he begins to experience emotions, colors, and sensations long erased from society. These memories, painful and beautiful, awaken him to the cost of a life free of conflict: a life also stripped of love, choice, and genuine human connection.

Lowry’s storytelling is sparse yet powerful, revealing the world of The Giver in gradually unfolding layers that keep the pages turning. Told from Jonas’s perspective, the narrative invites readers to question what freedom truly means and whether safety is worth the price of individuality.

Suitable for middle-grade readers and up, The Giver offers unexpected twists and a hauntingly memorable conclusion. It's both a compelling read and a thought-provoking meditation on society, conformity, and the power of memory.

A classic 5-star must-read. The Giver challenges readers of all ages to reexamine their values, their freedoms, and the meaning of being truly alive.