The Secret of the Scarlet Stone by TL Clarke

From Goodreads:

Can You Help the Gabby Girls Solve the Clues?The Gabby Girls Adventure begins at the Vineswell Academy a very formal and strict elite all-girls school located just outside of upstate New York. The Gabby Girls, Gabrielle who is street-smart and very opinionated, Zora who is super-smart, Jessica who is painfully shy and a bit clumsy; and Rosalinda who is a diva and daddy's little-girl. They are drawn together by the only thing that they have in common, which is the mysterious scarlet pendant they each possess. But things seem even stranger when they find a clue that tempts them with the answer to the question they have longed to know. This unlikely bunch struggle to navigate through solving clue-after-clue. Each clue brings them closer to the key to unlocking their future and the answer to the mysterious deaths of their mothers. After all, Gabby Girls always stick together and everyday is an.........Gabby Girls Adventure! 

This book is a cute book that I'd have to say is more for the middle grade than YA set. Within this book you meet 4 girls who all seem to have things in common. All have lost their mothers, have "gifts" and have been passed down a pendant with a secret. Within this book you help the girls find adventure and solve clues as the adventure they find themselves on brings the group closer together. The questions become; can you help them solve the clues? What does the adventure reveal? What is the purpose to the adventure? It's a story kids will have fun solving while learning with the girls.

My main criticism is with Gabrielle (the leader) and Rosalinda. Both got on my nerves quite a bit. In fact, I was hoping that Zora would take total control of the group and become leader. I really enjoyed Zora and she seemed the most grounded and level-headed of the group. This is part of a series of adventures for kids and perhaps Zora will have her turn in the limelight as time goes on. On the positive side, the clues were interesting and not totally obvious. So there is some thinking that must happen to solve the clues. Just because it's a kids book doesn't mean that kids are simple and the author seems to know that very well.

I give this book 3 stars and recommend it for those that have young kids. I think they will enjoy the adventure.

I'd like to thank the author TL Clarke for providing the ebook for review. No compensation was given for my review.