You Have to Stop This: The Secret Series, Book 5

You Have to Stop This: The Secret Series, Book 5 by Pseudonymous Bosch

In this Secret book, they finally find the secret, but... it is a joke. The school gets to visit a mummy exhibit. However, they accidentally break off a finger. Later the mummy disappears, and they are accused of stealing it - but they discover it walked away. They stow away in boxes and hope to be shipped away to the mummy. They wake up and think they are in Egypt, but discover they are in the recreation in Las Vegas. There, the leader of bad guys, Lord Pharaoh is putting on a magic show. He tries to get a key artifact from them. However, they are able to foil him and get everything back in order. And at the end, Max-Earnest gives a middle school graduation speech. This nicely wraps up the secret series in zaniness.

This Isn't What It Looks Like: Secret Series, Book 4

This Isn't What It Looks Like: Secret Series, Book 4 by Pseudonymous Bosch

Cass is in a coma. She tried to consume chocolate to travel back in time to find the secret. Max-Ernest's parents are now in love again, so much so that they ignore him and are expecting a second child. Max-Ernest is trying to figure out a way to get to her mind as well as deal with other challenges in the world. There is a renaissance fair (both "real" and modern.) There are also Junior High kids being junior high kids. People look in the minds and in the past. It is time travel, but is it? The book also has random commercial interjections, including an "if you liked this, you would also like" section. There was double monocle that gave each bearer special powers. (It may include mind reading or x-ray.)  Owen appears in a weird disguise - again. At times I got lost figuring out what the goal of the characters was, but the way it was carried out made it fun. 

The Name Of This Book Is Secret

The Name of this Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

The characters in this first book of the Secret series are just barely normal enough to be believable. One more step and they would be in the realm of fantasy. They are weird, but believable. Max Ernest and Cass are friends, except when they are not. They try to solve riddles and problems. There is something to do with people with synesthesia. Smells, colors and words all get associated. They uncover some bad guys and their alchemy that lets them live to extremely old age. However, there is some human sacrifice involved. They meet Owen who is stuttering attendant. Or maybe he's spy with an Irish accent. Or maybe just somebody that is good with accents that can help at times. Max Ernst has two names because his parents could not agree on the proper name. All his hairs are the same length. He is great at solving puzzles. He has some condition, but nobody knows what it is. Cass is a survivalist. She has a mom and "two grandpas". She does not know about her dad. The audiobook narration is great, with various effects and accents to go with the story. 

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (Secret, Book 2)

With sound as the subject of the second "secret" book, listening to the audiobook seems to be the way to go. The audiobook production did not disappoint. Music and sound effects are added perfectly to bring about the theme of the book. Cass and Max-Ernest are two weird kids that seem to just as easily fall victim to the plots of the evil Midnight Sun as they are to follow the terces society. They also meet up with a new kid, a guitar playing Japanese student, who helps them on their way.
The author does a great job of making sure the kids are really kids. They make lots of mistakes and let emotions make them do stupid things. They need to be rescued at times. They are themselves, with all of the weirdness it entails.
The "author" of the book is constantly breaking through the wall to interact with the readers/listeners. The chapters are also numbered in countdown fashion, with chapter one being the last chapter. It all helps you to fell you are part of the action, rather than just a passive participant.
As for the plot? Well, there was an alchemist that created a living homunculus and found great secrets. He treated his creation poorly. A court jester talked to the homunculus, fed him and befriended him. The homunculus eventually turned on his master, burying him and his notes. He was not able to destroy the notes, but he hid them with the grave and did not want anybody to find out. The midnight sun wanted this knowledge. They used other girls and a pop band (Skeleton Sisters) to help get them. The good kids have to save the day, if they can convince their parents to not ground them anymore. The kids also find out more about their life and parents.

This Book is Not Good For You

A Tuning "Fork" that can make anything taste delicious. Chocolate that can transform a boy into a Samurai warrior. A secret chocolate plantation hidden in a theme park. It all comes together to make zany, entertaining children's novel.

The plot centers around three kids: Cass, Yo-Yoji, and Max-Ernest. They are a member of a secret society and protectors of the secret (though they do not know the secret.) Cass accidentally lets something slip about the tuning fork when they during a cooking class. It turns out the supposedly blind chef is actually a member of the bad guy society. A few things happen, and Cass's mother gets kidnapped. They demand the tuning fork to get it back. It turns out the principal has it. The kids get it, but the mother is not released. They eventually infiltrate a wild animal theme park to get it.

The story is quite good. However, the deliver is even better. There are asides, random factoids thrown in and even interjections by "the bad guys" to plead there case. It all makes for a great book for young and old alike.