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 Mark of Athena: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 3

The Greek and Roman demigods are together. They (barely) manage not to kill each other. They also survive competing love interests. They need to go on quests. One takes them to an aquarium in Atlanta holding a lot of mythical creatures. They barely manage to survive (even as one turns into a goldfish to save himself.) There is plenty of adventure and comedic relief as they discover more about what is going on, the weird condition of the gods and the differences between similar Greek and Roman deities. 

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

It is nice to be able to enjoy some Percy Jackson books where the stakes are not so high. Sure, there is the risk of death from monsters. But, "forgetting kiss anniversary" is more important than saving the world. The stories range among a number of topics. Some provide backstory for characters in the novels. My favorite was just a fun romp. Hermes asked Percy to retrieve his staff. They battle a giant to get it back. However, the giant is not familiar with how to use it and is just as likely to send out credit card receipts as he is to use a laser gun. The snakes also provide some comic relief. And in the end Percy resolves the "dating" issue with Annabeth. 

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, Book 2)

The first book in the Heroes series had Jason with the Greeks. This one has Percy Jackson hanging out with the Romans in San Francisco. He has some memory loss, but it was not as bad as Jason's in the first book. He teams with some Roman demigods (including a reluctant son of Mars) to go on a quest. They are treated as relative outcasts by the Romans who are already into their bureaucratic ways. They manage some trickery of luring a giant out of Alaska so as to defeat him outside his home turf. Like usual, there is plenty of action and end-of-the-world situations.

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.