Beyond compelling. Well-crafted. Simply unputdownable. I could not stop reading until I found out the truth. It’s shocking that this is only the authoBeyond compelling. Well-crafted. Simply unputdownable. I could not stop reading until I found out the truth. It’s shocking that this is only the author’s debut!
Mary B. Addison allegedly killed a baby at nine years old. Mary’s mother was babysitting the three month old baby when it happened. She never said what happened, but was convicted anyway and has rarely spoken since. Did Mary do what everyone says she did?
Guess birthdays don’t mean nothing in a group home. I mean, it kind of makes sense. Hard to celebrate the day you were born when everybody seems to wish you were never born at all. Especially after you come into this world and fuck it all up.
She was in “baby jail” for six years until the state decided she wasn’t a threat and could be put in a group home where she has been for three months when our story starts. It’s awful, which is a nice way of putting it. The girls are horrible and are all there for serious crimes themselves, only they hate Mary from the beginning like most everyone she comes into contact with. Because she is a baby killer after all. Allegedly.
Eventually Mary finds out she is pregnant with another nursing home volunteer’s baby. This changes things when she comes under the realization that nobody in their right mind is going to let her keep her baby when she is in the system especially with the crime she committed. So for the first time Mary is going to fight to clear her name. What really happened to baby Alyssa?
The story is interwoven with fragments and excerpts from books, newspaper articles, depositions, police interview transcripts, magazine articles, and several other different kinds of reports. This helped to break up the story slowly revealing the details of Mary’s crime through the eyes of those involved in the case (whether police, witnesses, or even the media reporting on it). Other than these excerpts/fragments, the entire story is told from Mary’s perspective. I enjoyed her voice. She is complex and one hell of a narrator.
That joke of a bookshelf has the same crap they had in baby jail I’ve inhaled three times over and I’d kill for something - anything - new to read. But I’d never say that out loud. I’m a killer after all; they’d probably think I’d really do it. Figures of speech are luxuries convicted murderers are not allowed to have.
This book had a way of tugging at your heartstrings while also immersing you into this dark world. It was truly the perfect blend of contemporary realistic fiction and mystery/thriller. I could not get enough! I enjoyed how the criminal justice system and state foster care system played such a huge part in the story. It is a harsh reality and was depicted in a way that shows just how much research went into writing this novel. It’s phenomenal.
It’s brilliant how the author displayed the effects of sensationalization done in the media. And there’s the look at mental health and life in a group home. Not to mention the real star of the story which ended up being the increasingly convoluted relationship Mary has with her mother.
But I can’t be a fly, not today. I have to prepare. Be on high alert and focused. Because in a few hours, the most dangerous, most diabolical, most conniving woman in the world is visiting me today: My mother.
There are so many elements of Allegedly that I could rave about. That ending! The fact that it was based on the actual 2012 case in Maine where a ten year old girl was charged with manslaughter of a three month old baby while her mother was supposed to be babysitting. Diversity!! It’s dark and filled with the most compelling writing I’ve read in a while. The main point here is that you should definitely read this book. It will 100% keep you guessing leaving you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see what Jackson comes out with next....more
How did I forget how much I was enjoying this series after reading Ruined? There are too many fantasy books that replicate each other, but this one iHow did I forget how much I was enjoying this series after reading Ruined? There are too many fantasy books that replicate each other, but this one is constantly surprising me. I will find myself thinking "Okay...so when the characters get to X, obviously this will happen" and then something will happen that I did not see coming preventing whatever I thought was inevitable from ever happening.
I may have enjoyed Avenged more than it's predecessor. Now here comes the problem with reviewing sequels. I never want to give away too much of the plot, nor do I want to spoil the first book for those just learning about the series for the first time. This is a series where each book (at least so far) has had a solid ending to the story presented within the book while also leaving things open to where you need to see where the story goes next. And let me tell you..I am in NEED of the third and final book of this series. I am so curious which of the kingdoms will get what they are after because it is clear that not everyone can end up happy. And there is this one relationship that I care about above any of the others. The danger it was put in has me nervous as hell. There is a lot I dying to know actually. Too bad we have to wait until next summer :(
Filled with action, politics, bloody battles, magic, and twists-galore. The romance is still present, though a bit more in the background with all the other craziness at the forefront.
One of the fun things about Avenged is the addition of two other POVs we didn't get in the first book. It was originally just Cas and Em, but now we also get Aren and (view spoiler)[Olivia (hide spoiler)](spoiler from first book only). I really loved Aren's story in this book. He became a much bigger character, where he was almost forgettable in the first book. I dare you not to love him. Plus that other POV is everything I wanted from that character. Dark and angry and crazy. It's perfect. Oh and Em and Cas are still sweet. They aren't physically together as much, but they have their moments and are always on the other's mind.
The story definitely begins the way I was hoping it would. It picks up where Ruined left off. I easily was thrown back into this world. The writing is strong with a fast-moving plot. I had a hard time putting the book down. The one thing making it possible was knowing the sooner I finish the book, the longer I'll have to wait for the conclusion.
If you enjoy YA fantasy series filled with revenge, this is a great series for you to read! No second book syndrome here. It is every bit as exciting as book one....more
Of Fire and Stars had the potential to be good as a YA fantasy with a lesbian romance, but it all fell pretty flat. Unfortunately, the execution didn Of Fire and Stars had the potential to be good as a YA fantasy with a lesbian romance, but it all fell pretty flat. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t hold up. There’s a huge lack of world-building and character development. And the biggest problem for me was how a lot of it just didn’t make sense. The plot doesn’t add up. Plus, the adult characters are all very stupid for some odd reason.
Dennaleia, known as Denna, has been promised to the prince of Mynaria where magic is forbidden. But Denna has a secret she must keep or risk being killed. She has an affinity for fire and it seems to be harder to control since arriving in Mynaria. This should be problem enough until she forms a friendship with the prince’s sister Mare that soon grows into more.
There are political situations among the kingdoms we’re thrown into where they all differ on their views of magic causing tension. There are groups unhappy about the alliance formed by Denna’s marriage. The issue here is there is no reason given for why Mynaria hates magic. So there isn’t any ground for these plot lines to stand on. There are times when the book feels really juvenile with very little logic to it. Scenes felt forced. The characters lacked depth. Denna and Mare’s relationship was confusing how it went from complete dislike, to friendship, to oh we’re definitely only friends. Other than the prince, I just don’t understand why in a world where homosexuality is openly accepted you would try to pass something off as friendship for so long.
Alas, the execution could have been better....more
This sounded so different from your standard YA fantasy novel with the mountainous Himalayan setting being the most standout aspect. I was excited forThis sounded so different from your standard YA fantasy novel with the mountainous Himalayan setting being the most standout aspect. I was excited for the Royal Explorer to come in and pit sister against sister. Unfortunately, other than the setting, everything else was entirely forgettable. If I hadn't read this as quickly as I did, if only to get past the slow pace, I would've forgotten details needed to go on. Now after sitting on the story for a week before reviewing, I can remember the big things that happen. But I'm wondering...what happened in between? The problem is I know that nothing happened. It just was so boring and slow until the big twist happens, which is actually quite predictable.
The majority of the book is characters on a journey up the mountain with one sister traveling with the royal explorer and crew. The other sister is on her own mission up the mountain. It's a race up the trek, but Kamzin also feels the need to protect her sister.
Oh, and you can't forget the magic. There is a magical system and Kamzin is training to be a shaman. Meanwhile, her bff Tem shows a great affinity for magic. And her sister Lusha is really into astrology and reading the future in the stars. I wish this magical system was better explored.
It is unfortunate that the sister relationship wasn't used to the book's benefit. The story follows Kamzin, and leaves us not caring about Lusha at all. Lusha does a lot of off-putting things that made me wonder if she really even cared about Kamzin in the same way Kamzin did about her. It just felt like a bossy older sister who thinks she knows best, but didn't feel real beyond that.
This feels like a bit of a wasted concept. It could've been done so much better....more
Alex Marwood has officially made a fan out of me with The Darkest Secret. This book has all that you could want out of a thriller. It is so v4.5 stars
Alex Marwood has officially made a fan out of me with The Darkest Secret. This book has all that you could want out of a thriller. It is so very dark, has despicable characters, an intriguing mystery, and it all unravels in the most perfect of ways.
There isn’t much you need to know about the plot prior to reading. In fact, it is better to read knowing as little as possible. The book actually starts with an email, witness statements, and an article all alerting us to what was found out about the weekend in question. Sean Jackson’s three year old twin daughter, Coco, has gone missing leaving only Ruby and no one has a clue what happened. The story then plays out over two weekends set years apart. The first is in 2004 over Sean’s 50th Birthday weekend where various friends and family attend. This is when Coco goes missing. We are given a variety of perspectives of the guests who attended.
The second weekend is about twelve years later and takes place over the weekend of Sean’s funeral. The two storylines alternate between each other. While we are given at least seven viewpoints set in 2004, we are only following Mila’s point of view for the funeral weekend. Mila is Sean’s daughter and the older half-sister of the twins. Mila just wants to make sense of what happened and was asked by Ruby’s mother to take her to the funeral.
Pretty much every single character in this book is unlikable. They are immoral, narcissistic, vile, awful people. However, I enjoyed every second of it. The story does get very dark and has some twists along the way. I did get confused by the timeline at first because the present day chapters are not marked, but once I understood how the story is organised I was fine. The book is a complete page-turner making it impossible to put down. To top it all off, the ending is absolutely fantastic! I love an ending like this.
I highly recommend The Darkest Secret especially if you enjoy character driven psychological thrillers!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via netgalley....more
I love when a sequel is even better than the first in a series. What I realize now is Emancipated was setting things up for what was to com3.5 stars.
I love when a sequel is even better than the first in a series. What I realize now is Emancipated was setting things up for what was to come in Incriminated. Where in Emancipated, the kids were all going through that process, moving into the house on Venice Beach, and dealing with a variety of secrets they each have. In Incriminated, their secrets come to a head leading to much bigger trouble for the whole group. Let’s just say what occurs had me flying through the pages.
This book continues right where the first one left off. It’s been five months since the housemates moved to Venice Beach, all six of them getting emancipated for very different reasons. I sometimes struggle to remember all of what occurred in the previous book, but M.G. Reyes makes sure to remind us of the main developments in an organic way with Grace trying to set things right between all the housemates.
Candace is auditioning for a hot new show. Could it be her big break? Grace is still keeping her death row inmate secret. Can she keep it together with the execution date approaching? Lucy’s old rehab buddy shows up out of the blue. Could she bring more trouble than the housemates need? Maya gets busy with her app, so busy she might be failing on why she was put in the house in the first place. John-Michael is still dealing with the secret he revealed in the first book. And Paolo gets more than he bargained for in his blackmail gone wrong situation continuing from Emancipated.
This is a hard book to review because I don’t want to give away any actual developments from Emancipated. I can say this one is much more fast-paced. Things occur a lot more quickly. Some characters are dealing with the repercussions of revelations in the first book, while others end up implementing themselves in a crime no one wants on their shoulders. This could help explain why the book is titled Incriminated.
There are so many things within this series. It’s a series of secrets, friendship, and murder. This is a book filled with a race against death row, blackmail, a forbidden Hollywood romance, a mystery guest showing up uninvited, and a test of friendship. They all need one another to make it through and keep up with the lies. Will the Tyson Drew mystery ever fully be solved? We’ll find out in the third book out next year.
If you enjoy YA contemporaries filled with drama, secrets, and multiple POVS (there’s 6), this is one worth checking out....more
That was exciting! I’m looking forward to where this series is going. Ruined is a high-stakes YA fantasy about revenge.
Emelina lost everything a yearThat was exciting! I’m looking forward to where this series is going. Ruined is a high-stakes YA fantasy about revenge.
Emelina lost everything a year ago when both her parents, the King and Queen of Ruina, were killed and her sister Olivia was kidnapped. Her country is being destroyed and her people are being killed. Now all Em wants is revenge. And she will get it.
Ruina is a country where the people have these magical powers that can be deadly. If you are a Ruined with powers, you have marks on your body making it obvious. If you are a Ruined without powers, you are considered useless. Em is useless. This explains why her powerful younger sister is the rightful heir to the throne instead of herself. Also why Emelina has trained her whole life making her so badass with a sword. She is intelligent, strong, determined, and extremely skilled in a fight. She is constantly prepared in any situation always knowing the quickest way to kill the enemy and escape. It was refreshing having such a fierce heroine not afraid to kill. Yet she has a lot of layers to her as well.
Prince Casimir is next in line to take Lera’s throne. His parents have set up an arranged marriage between Cas and the Princess of a neighboring country, Vallos. He’s not all that happy about the marriage circumstances..having his parents choose his bride to be. Cas has never met Princess Mary (neither have his parents), but he understands it’s best for the kingdom.
In the kingdom of Lera, Em’s plan for revenge involves infiltrating the royal family to find out where her sister is. She’ll have to kill Princess Mary in order to be her, marry Prince Casimir, get close enough to learn where Olivia is being held captive, and then finally kill the entire royal family.
With alternating POVs, from Em and Cas, it is really enlightening to get a sense of what’s going on in each of their heads. They are both strong, well-written characters.
There’s plenty of action, a slow burn romance, great world building, some violence mixed in, and a good amount of twists. Overall, an excellent start to a series. Though there is a bit more background I hope we get later on. Ruined has a solid conclusion, while still leaving things open. I really love the direction it seems the story will take in the second book. Possibly darker? I wouldn’t put it past Amy Tintera to surprise us, but I’m hoping this series keeps getting darker like The Young Elites. I will definitely be reading the sequel.
An enjoyable start to a YA fantasy series for those who enjoy stories of revenge.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
You know that feeling when you’ve just read a completely original, exciting book that quite literally had you on the edge of your seat the entire timeYou know that feeling when you’ve just read a completely original, exciting book that quite literally had you on the edge of your seat the entire time? What about when that book is 600 pages and filled with some of the most gorgeous pages? That’s right. Not only is the story captivating, but the format is phenomenal with pages you’ll stare at in awe. That is what you get when you read Illuminae and you will love every second of it.
This is just the first of a trilogy and you can already tell that this will be one hell of a series. The entire book is made up of a dossier of hacked documents that inevitably tell a story as a whole. There are a variety of document types throughout such as interviews, Unipedia (internet) articles, maps of ships, transcriptions of IMs, medical reports, emails, military files, surveillance footage summaries, etc.
The basic premise of Illuminae is that it is the year 2575 and Kady Grant just broke up with her boyfriend, Ezra Mason. Later that day, the planet is invaded. They manage to escape on an evacuating fleet, but an enemy warship is on their tail. Kady and Ezra aren’t even really speaking. There is a deadly mutating virus on one of the ships in the fleet. The fleet’s AI is acting up. Nobody of authority seems to be giving accurate information forcing Kady to have to reach out to the ex-boyfriend she is not talking to. This is all the information I am willing to give you and that is only because it is available in the synopsis of the book.
This is one of the best YA science fiction books I have ever read. There is action, romance, and even a little bit of horror. I was pleasantly surprised by the horror aspects enjoying every bit of it. I loved the characters, especially the complexity of AIDAN. There was a great deal of world-building and character development. Plus, the cover is incredible.
I highly recommend you go out and read Illuminae if you enjoy young adult science fiction.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
And what, exactly, will they be doing? Well, in a few short days, they’ll be laying us out in a lab, fitting our heads with electrodes, and running
And what, exactly, will they be doing? Well, in a few short days, they’ll be laying us out in a lab, fitting our heads with electrodes, and running electrical currents through our brains until our insomnia is fried into extinction. They’ll be shocking us into normalcy. Yes, I’m scared. But if this is what I have to do to be able to sleep again, I’m ready to sign my life away.
I had to push myself to keep reading. This one almost ended up on the dreaded "DNF" list that I try to avoid if possible. I am happy I decided to keep reading if only for the twist at the end that becomes semi-predictable at a point, though I admit the dream sequences started to get skimmed because it was just so wtf and even bordered on repetitive as they'd fight to survive/escape. It felt like the same questions asked over and over as the characters would reiterate what we already knew. And as we get in a new dream, it starts all over.
What was refreshing was Jaime's POV (one of only three). Jaime is a premed student observing the experiment. There is also Cata and Fergus, both subjects in the experimental procedure to cure sleep disorders. Jaime's perspective gives us the opportunity to see what is going on in the lab, while the seven subjects are all comatose. While Cata and Fergus allow us to see two different perspectives within the dreamworld. The only problem with these two is their voices don't feel distinct from one another. We don't know a lot about the characters to start - only that the seven subjects have sleep disorders and fall between the ages 13-19. Through their experiences in the dreamworld and Jaime's in the lab where Jaime has access to each subject's file, we slowly learn about the characters.
There is a diverse cast. And Jaime's gender is not mentioned at all. I applaud the author on this decision. I actually hope it never gets brought up because gender shouldn't hold that importance. It is who you are as a person, not what appendage you have between your legs.
Here is the thing...I am a huge horror buff. So maybe I'm desensitized to certain horror scenes. But I didn't find myself scared one bit in this book and that's the main thing I was hoping for. It probably doesn't help that I've had some terrifying nightmares that these just don't measure up to. Younger readers may find scenes in the dream sequences to be frightening, but I wouldn't recommend going into this hoping for some scares. It might not happen for you.
While this book offers a few very wonderful things, it wasn't exactly for me up until that twist at the end making me interested in the sequel. Jaime's chapters were the most interesting for me. This wasn't quite as Nightmare on Elm Street as I was expecting....more
I’m not the biggest romance fan, but this dark spin on a young adult love story had me interested. It’s the story of Zephyr and Alec’s relationship frI’m not the biggest romance fan, but this dark spin on a young adult love story had me interested. It’s the story of Zephyr and Alec’s relationship from the moment they meet in French class to their inevitable dark end. The prologue, of sorts, is actually an excerpt from the end of the novel with Zephyr afraid in her own house, so from the beginning we are given that intensity you find in thrillers.
The novel then goes back three months earlier to show this unhealthy relationship from the beginning. This story really shows the all consuming power that love can have on a person. Zephyr has so much going for her. She has a plan for her future that she intends on following; get out of small town Sudbury and go to Boston College. Unfortunately, Zephyr believes she is falling in love with Alec. She doesn’t realize that love shouldn’t make you feel feel scared, embarrassed, guilty, or controlled and makes all sorts of bad decisions screwing up her future.
It’s very much a story where you just watch the protagonist go down the rabbit hole, yet the entire time you’re rooting for her to make the right decisions. I already feel like I’ve ventured into dangerous spoiler territory, but all of that and more is revealed in the synopsis. I’ll let you read the book for yourself. I felt like the book was reminiscent of the movie Swimfan at times. Just swap the gender roles.
For a story that is a YA contemporary dark romance, I liked this story. I think there are great lessons to be learned for high school aged girls.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
With a story involving a girl that has a rare phenomenon that causes her to see emotions as color and a strange phone call that pulls our protagonist With a story involving a girl that has a rare phenomenon that causes her to see emotions as color and a strange phone call that pulls our protagonist into a mystery deeper than she could even imagine, I knew I needed to read this book. Jennifer Brown delivers on that outstanding premise successfully setting up what could be a very thrilling suspense series.
I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in quite so quick. The prologue just pulls you in with an unnamed narrator in a pretty sketchy situation that is clearly going very wrong. She makes a phone call to the only number in her contacts, but barely gets any words out before she is forced to hang up and deal with what she got herself into. You will have to read this book to find out the details. The rest of the book is told from Nikki Kill’s perspective. Nikki was that one number in the mystery girl’s contacts. Only she has no idea who it was that called her. Nikki doesn’t have any friends. Later that night, the same number calls only it’s the hospital asking Nikki to identify the Jane Doe in critical condition who had the phone.
Jane Doe is Peyton Hollis, daughter of acclaimed producer and extremely popular. However, Nikki barely knows the girl. Someone clearly wanted her dead. Why would Peyton have called Nikki in such an extreme situation? And why would the only number in her phone be Nikki’s? What connection did they have? It’s enough to pull Nikki into the rich and powerful world of the Hollis family and try to find out what happened to Peyton.
The thing with Nikki is that she has synesthesia. It means her senses combine making her see a color where emotions, numbers, and letters are. This means she sees pink where happiness is, orange is desperation, raging red is anger, gray is lies, lust is violet, etc. Others might hear a scent or smell a shape, but for Nikki it was the colors. This added this whole layer to the story that was so interesting. It made Nikki a bit more intuitive, which was perfect for the mystery going on. Nikki is also a total badass. She has this serious attitude that only makes you root for her more.
The ending gives a conclusion to the book, while leaving doors open to where you’re excited for the sequel with some mysterious revelations. If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with a good mystery, you’ll enjoy this book.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
This felt like one of those books I have loved since middle school; Gossip Girl, Private, and pretty much anything by Sara Shepard. It had that funThis felt like one of those books I have loved since middle school; Gossip Girl, Private, and pretty much anything by Sara Shepard. It had that fun beach read sort of feel and hit that guilty pleasure part of my brain.
Unrivaled begins with a prologue that features the main mystery of our story, the disappearance of Madison Brooks. It then backtracks to a month earlier where we first meet each individual character. The story is told in third person from the perspective of each of the main characters.
Layla runs a celeb gossip blog called Beautiful Idols, but dreams of being a reporter. She hopes to make enough money from ad revenue on the blog and go to journalism school in New York.
Tommy moved from a small town in Oklahoma in hopes of becoming a musician to impress the father who doesn’t even know he exists.
Aster is a Persian girl who has always wanted to be a famous actress. She has parents with different expectations including college and marrying the Persian boy of their choosing.
All three have their reasons for wanting to compete in Ira Redman’s Unrivaled Nightlife competition. It’s a chance to promote one of Ira’s clubs on Hollywood Boulevard with plenty of cash incentives and a huge cash prize to the winner in the end. You get points based on how successful your club night is - a big point of the contest is to get huge celebrities preferably young and hot to draw in the right crowds. Leading to why Madison Brooks is a huge draw for each of the young promoters (she’s worth the most points!).
Madison is Hollywood’s it girl. Her past is full of secrets. She was determined to come to LA and make it happen. She clearly did. What I want to know is..what was she so desperate to escape? What is Madison hiding? I’m sure the series will go deeper into all of this. I found her to be the most intriguing character.
Though the book’s central mystery occurs in the prologue..it doesn’t happen in the actual story until about 65% in, which is probably why it falls on the slower side up to this point. Don’t get me wrong..I still enjoyed it. I just wish things had been more eventful in the beginning. It actually seems like the sequel has the potential to fill those expectations. Maybe this one was setting things up for what’s to come in the series.
I liked that the chapter names were all song titles (both old and new). I appreciate the diversity. Hopefully there is more character development in the sequel. If you were a fan of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, The Heiresses, Emancipated, or any of those sort of books, you’d probably enjoy Unrivaled. This is one of those books that with summer coming up..I’d say get it to read on the beach....more
I am usually a reader of thrillers, though I don’t always pick up legal thrillers or procedurals. I don’t have anything against them, but I guess I enI am usually a reader of thrillers, though I don’t always pick up legal thrillers or procedurals. I don’t have anything against them, but I guess I enjoy getting perspectives of those not investigating the crime committed. The Ex is very much a legal thriller and could even be considered a procedural. It is told from the perspective of a criminal defense lawyer as she defends her ex-fiancé. It may sound like you’ve read something similar before, but you haven’t. With our protagonist having a past with the defendant, it added additional layers to the story and made it feel less procedural-esque.
This entire story is told from one point of view following the police interview transcript for the initial arrest. We follow Olivia Randall from the moment she receives a call from Jack Harris’s daughter, Buckley. Buckley is calling to ask for Olivia’s help with her dad, Jack, who has been arrested. Jack is Olivia’s ex-fiancé. The two haven’t said a word to each other in twenty years (when Olivia ruined his life). Now, Olivia might be the only person who can save it.
Jack Harris has been accused of a mass shooting at a football field. He is a widower that lost his wife in a shooting three years earlier. Could he really have done this? Can Olivia prove his innocence? We follow Olivia through her entire process of defending Jack. This book poses the question: how well do you really know your ex?
Although I predicted the twist, this is still a quick and enjoyable read. Alafair Burke completely piqued my interest with The Ex. I am excited to explore her novels further.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
A story involving murder, revenge, and monsters..yes, please! Kali Wallace has indeed made a lasting impression on me with Shallow Graves. It is a cA story involving murder, revenge, and monsters..yes, please! Kali Wallace has indeed made a lasting impression on me with Shallow Graves. It is a completely atmospheric, tension-laced, chilling novel that I just could not put down. I needed to know how Breezy died and what happened to her. Not to mention, what is going to happen to her?
“The first time I killed a man it was an accident.”
What an opening line! I mean..seriously. You’re left immediately wondering how many times have you killed then? Has it ever not been an accident? What is with this chick? This is just the start of everything. Breezy Lin has been dead for a year and wakes up in a shallow grave (5 ft long, 18 inches deep) with no memory of her death or how she got there. But somehow she is different than she was before. Other than the fact that she is dead, I mean. Breezy can tell when someone has killed. It doesn’t matter if they were never caught for the murder, feel bad about it, didn’t mean to do it, or anything. Breezy knows. She can also heal herself and cannot die again. Breezy just wants to know how she got this way, but that only leads her down a path in a world she apparently never really knew.
There are all sorts of places the novel goes that I wasn’t quite expecting, but enjoyed more than I expected. There are numerous murderers, plenty of monsters, a creepy cult that hunts monsters, and some fantastic horror scenes where you least expect it. The horror-buff in me was psyched. With a gorgeous cover like that, you might not expect the story to be as dark as it is, but I still think those who don’t typically read horror could still enjoy this book. The writing, characters, and world building are enough to make it worth the read.
Every turn this novel made, I would get that much more excited. There is a whole world of monsters that I found just as interesting as Breezy did. I want to know if the creatures I’ve heard of are real too. Even with this story concluding nicely as a standalone, I would love it if the author wrote another set in this world. There is much more to be explored.
If you are a fan of horror, urban fantasy, magical realism, or the tv show Supernatural, I highly recommend you read Shallow Graves. You’re in for a treat!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
This is the kind of story that had a lot of potential to be good. Instead it struggled to keep my interest. I could not bring myself to care about theThis is the kind of story that had a lot of potential to be good. Instead it struggled to keep my interest. I could not bring myself to care about the characters. The ending had a lot that felt thrown together and rushed making it all a little too complicated. Overall, The May Queen Murders just didn’t work for me. I’ll go ahead and explain the plot, then go back and reiterate how I’m feeling.
Sixteen year old Ivy Templeton lives in an isolated farming community called Rowan’s Glen. The community dates back centuries meaning the Templetons and other family’s ancestors had lived there a long time. They live an old-fashioned sort of life closed off from the rest of society (with a few exceptions that I’ll get to). They also have their own traditions and folklore their people believe and follow. For the longest time, there was no electricity in Rowan’s Glen, but now they have solar panels and a hydropower mill, though the power can be spotty. The community residents get their use out of candles more than not. The community is self-sustaining with farming and the capabilities of hand-making items. They will take goods to the market in town to sell to outsiders, but beyond that..the only time Rowan’s Glen residents mix with outsiders is those who attend the public school. They used to get away with schooling in the community church basement until the state got involved.
There are stories that have been passed down through generations. Ivy’s Mamie always took it upon herself to tell the tales until her husband died and she hasn’t said a word since. Ivy is a bit superstitious as she never let herself forget the things her Mamie told her. The story of Birch Markle is the most haunting of them all because you still hear his screams in the woods. He killed a girl twenty five years ago, the night of the last May Day celebration, and disappeared in the woods. Nobody has seen him since, but the tale left behind other noticeable changes in Rowan’s Glen; the screams heard in the woods every so often, May Day was no longer celebrated, and going in the woods or staying out late both became frowned upon. Now with an increasing number of dogs going missing and other strange happenings, Rowan’s Glen thinks bringing back the celebration could bring something positive to the community.
Ivy’s cousin (and best friend), Heather, has been keeping secrets and drifting from their friendship. This brings up a lot of issues for Ivy making it a part of the central mystery..what is Heather’s big secret? Why has she made friends with outsiders? Why is she keeping things from Ivy? It becomes an even bigger issue when Heather goes missing the night of the May Day celebration. What is really going on in Rowan’s Glen?
As you can probably see, this novel had a lot of potential. The plot sounds intriguing with the mystery and setting of a secluded community. Only the idea of Rowan’s Glen before reading reminded me of The Village or The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly, but this one wasn’t quite as isolated, cult-like, or interesting in that sense. There were a few odd moments in the story that just didn’t add up. If you choose to read, you’ll probably have a “if this just happened..then how is THAT even possible right now?” moment. I’ll keep these details to myself due to spoilers. Even though I loved that the author brings diversity with a half-mexican main character, I still couldn’t bring myself to feel anything except indifference towards the characters. I didn’t care. I really almost stopped reading a few times only pushing through because it wasn’t too long of a book. The ending got extremely complicated. It wasn’t a cut and dry kind of conclusion. It was reveal after reveal..and then oh wait another reveal, which all kind of undermined the last given a page or two sooner. Some could say “ooh twists galore!” but I was so over it by that point. There may have been a few good, gruesome horror moments. It wasn’t enough for me to look past the rest of the book.
I'm still debating if I was too kind with my rating -_- I hate writing bad reviews. Sorry, guys! Ugh.
I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
B.J. Novak brings us his debut collection of short stories in One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories. It is a book full of heart. Each of the sho B.J. Novak brings us his debut collection of short stories in One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories. It is a book full of heart. Each of the short stories brings something unique and special to the table. I did think it would be more laugh out loud funny, but it was a feel good kind of book.
There are about sixty stories provided in One More Thing. They range anywhere from just a couple lines long to several pages long. But all of them do what they set out to do and entertain. A few were short and sweet and to the point such as Romance Chapter One, Kindness Among Cakes, and If You Love Something. Some had silly endings that got a literal chuckle out of me. Some of the stories were imaginative and really got me thinking like the one about what happened after the tortoise beat the hare or the story inspired by that “If I had a nickel for every time I…” phrase. A few of the short stories ended in a single discussion question provoking the reader to draw a conclusion on their own. I actually really enjoyed this aspect. In fact, there is a Discussion Questions section at the end that was almost making fun of the idea of discussion questions.
Novak really knew what he was doing when writing this book. There is something special in the way a few of the stories were connected to each other in peculiar ways. Certain characters appear within a second story - sometimes in ways that are not completely obvious. Every time I recognized someone, my heart warmed a little. This was a fun additional aspect to the book. Many of the stories included have clever lessons. Some even take it upon themselves to explain some things such as The Man Who Invented the Calendar where it explains why each month has however many days and why February has that extra ‘R’.
I always loved B.J. Novak in The Office and have loved his writing. I think because of that I expected more humour than was given, but this was still a completely entertaining, feel good book. A few of the stories affected me, though not in too deep of a way, but just enough. If you are a fan of B.J. Novak or enjoy short story collections, I recommend it....more
Wow. All The Rage is powerful, dark, and intense. It is undeniably impactful and will resonate with readers. The story examines rape culture in a verWow. All The Rage is powerful, dark, and intense. It is undeniably impactful and will resonate with readers. The story examines rape culture in a very realistic way bringing attention to victim-shaming and the silence inflicted after an act of sexual violence. The writing is sure to captivate readers with Courtney Summers’ unique prose.
The story is written in first person POV from the perspective of Romy Grey. Immediately, the story draws you in with the Now and then goes back two weeks to everything leading up to that. Romy’s voice is raw and real. I was with Romy every step of the way. My heart broke for her. A year before (written in the blurb), Romy was raped by the sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner. We never meet Kellan in the book, but this is just known from the beginning. No one believed her. All her friends abandoned her. The town practically exiled her. Romy is in high school, branded a liar, and kids are mean. This is a reality, which only makes it that much more heartbreaking. Very cruel things get done to Romy throughout this book and that is aside from the rape. This story will make you feel things. It is incredibly intense and deals with dark topics. I even was constantly reminded of things I would rather push way, way out of my mind. So consider this a trigger warning. However, I had never read a book prior to this that dealt with rape culture and victim blaming so well.
This was my first Courtney Summers book, but it most definitely will not be my last. Her writing was so powerful and beautiful at the same time. I cannot even begin to describe to you the ways in which this book affected me. It made me sad, hurt, angry, and frustrated. It made me feel all sorts of things. The title could not be more appropriate.
I am choosing to leave a lot of the plot secret in this review because it truly is best read knowing little about the extra details. It is a fast-paced, quick read. I highly recommend to fans of contemporary fiction or young adult books. Be aware of the dark topic though because it can trigger. Anyone interested in books handling rape culture should definitely get a copy. This is one great read!...more
Michelle Modesto has managed to take a young adult fantasy western and throw in so many other genres that it ends up being one of the most unique boo Michelle Modesto has managed to take a young adult fantasy western and throw in so many other genres that it ends up being one of the most unique books I have read in quite some time. There is everything - aspects of steampunk, fantasy, paranormal, action, western, a bit of romance, and everything in between. I applaud Michelle Modesto’s ability to blend all these genres into one completely entertaining story.
Rogue City is a place where creatures can live alongside humans because there is a magical dome over the city making it impossible for creatures to kill humans without giving up their own lives. This book has all kinds of creatures such as elves, dwarves, ogres, vampires, werewolves, chupacabras, etc. Most creatures keep to the wild, but some choose to live in Rogue City for a variety of reasons. If humans consume creatures, they become one of The Undying (kind of like a zombie). There are also native americans in this story. The Wintu tribe are the ones who created the dome with magic. Oh, and to top it all off..there are also cannibals, which is where I start my actual description of the plot.
Westie came to live in Rogue City with Nigel when her family was eaten by a family of cannibals and took her arm. She first lived with the Wintu tribe until Nigel adopted her, so she has a strong relationship with some of the natives. Nigel is an inventor, so he created Westie a mechanical arm that is extremely powerful. Nigel also adopted Alistair, a survivor of a different cannibal attack that left him with many scars and without a voice. I could go into all the different characters, but you should really just read this book.
Westie is hellbent on getting revenge. She has been looking for the cannibals who killed her family since she was fourteen. The past has never stopped haunting her, rightfully so. When Nigel’s latest invention is desperately in need of investors, he begs Westie to behave herself. She’s not typically the most ladylike. She is foul-mouthed with a whole lot of attitude, but is a complete badass. Unfortunately for Nigel, these things are the least of his worries. The investors show up and look exactly like the family that killed her family. How can such wealthy socialites be the cannibals Westie so seeks revenge after? Can she prove it is really them?
There is so much more I could say about the plot, world, characters, and etc. I could go on and on, but it is safer and better for you if I just say that this is a book well worth the read. I am really hoping that Michelle Modesto decides to write more stories set in this world. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up!...more
While I loved The Young Elites, Marie Lu took it a step further with The Rose Society and absolutely slayed. If you haven’t started this series yet, I suggest you go out and do that immediately because it is absolutely phenomenal. The series is every bit as intense and dark as you would want it to be. Completely addicting and unputdownable.
The Rose Society picks up shortly after where The Young Elites ended. Adelina Amouteru is hell-bent on getting her revenge against the Inquisition Axis and the Dagger Society. If there is one thing we have learned about this character, it is that you do not betray her trust or cross her in any way. She will destroy you if you do. I feel like going any further into the details of the plot would be spoiler central, but I can give some details pertaining to what was enjoyable, as well as what may be different from The Young Elites.
While many characters return from the first, there are a few new characters as well. I actually really enjoyed the new additions and loved what they added to the story. The book is told mainly from the perspective of Adelina, but we once again get chapters on additional characters (Raffaele, Teren, and Maeve). This structure works well with the series and I hope it continues. There is fantastic character development. Most clearly with Adelina which makes sense being that this series has been exploring her world as she has become sort of a villain-in-training. Adelina’s relationships with other characters are still one of the intriguing parts of the story. It was wonderful getting a lot more of Violetta, her sister, in this book. I have always enjoyed their relationship and how complex it truly is.
While The Rose Society was much darker than The Young Elites, it still had plenty of action. One of the greatest things is the ending. While it gives an actual conclusion to this book’s story, it also leaves us with a huge plot twist that makes book 3 a priority. I cannot wait to see what happens with these characters next. I couldn’t predict the plot if I tried. It is great to feel this way about a series again and to be so excited for the next book. I can only hope that other readers experience this too.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
My first young adult murder mystery book of the year! Suspenseful and dark, but so fun to read. It had a great dose of twists and surprises. 3.5 stars
My first young adult murder mystery book of the year! Suspenseful and dark, but so fun to read. It had a great dose of twists and surprises. I was convinced I knew whodunnit up to the end, but then WAM.. Emily Hainsworth got me. That’s the kind of thing you want from a good murder mystery. Red herrings are always a plus. There were shades of Twin Peaks throughout making for a unique tone and setting. It seems everyone has their secrets.
Take the Fall is about Sonia and the search for her best friend’s killer. By the end of the prologue, Sonia has escaped an attack in the woods and finds out her best friend, Gretchen Meyer, has been found dead at the bottom of the falls. At the top of the police’s suspect list is Marcus, Gretchen’s most recent ex-boyfriend. He insists his innocence and asks for Sonia’s help clearing his name. While their list of potential suspects grows, the threat of danger against Sonia grows. Will they find out who killed Gretchen before it’s too late? Are the police right about Marcus after all?
I thought the story was really intriguing at times, but was missing something to make it unputdownable. There was a good amount of character development. I really enjoyed how more layers of Gretchen were revealed slowly throughout. In ways I was reminded of Pretty Little Liars because of the friendship dynamics and town full of secrets. If you typically enjoy murder mysteries and young adult novels, this is a perfect combination of the two.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via edelweiss....more
Loading...
