Book Review: Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood #2)

Release Date: April 24, 2018
Author: Becky Albertalli
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Length: 352 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

    

Review:

Protagonist: While we didn't really get a lot of Leah in Simon vs. the Homo Sapien's Agenda, well, now she has her own books and she freaking kills it! I love Leah so much as a character, I mean she was great for the odd sarcastic and snarky retort or comment in Simon, but I love getting to see a more vulnerable side to her in this book, it's that vulnerability that I very quickly related to, I mean nearly everything she goes through in this book felt extremely relatable, the vulnerabilities about her weight, bisexuality, and art were the things I related to the most, although instead of drawings substitute stories, but they're very similar feelings. In the end, Leah's really this giant ball of insecurities and vulnerabilities with a hard badass shell. I loved learning more about her character, seeing the trials and tribulations she goes through in her Senior Year of High School, and I seriously couldn't get enough of her.

Romance: So, the biggest mystery for me going into this book was, who will be Leah's love interest, and I have to say I didn't really see it coming, at all. Obviously I'm not going to give it away, as just like with Simon the love interest is a mystery for much of the book, well actually that's not quite true, after a certain point it becomes obvious who Leah will gravitate more towards, but for a good while there, there were a lot of prospects, or at least they were prospects in my head, and I liked seeing this array of posibilities for Leah, I mean for a second there I thought that Leah and Taylor might eventually be a thing, they aren't but it was an interesting ship for a page or two. Though I'm glad it wasn't Taylor as I ship Leah and her Love Interest so freaking hard in this book, I mean I was seriously surprised at how much I adored them together and I really wish the book was longer just so that I could have more of them together.

World Building: When I first saw this book being described as a "sequel" to Simon vs. the Homo Sapien's Agenda, I was kind of like "Eh, it's more of a companion, but whatever, I'm not complaining." however, this book, in so many ways, feels like a sequel to Simon, even if there's a new narrator. We're back at Creekwood High and nearly everyone from the first book is back and their lives are about to get so, so complicated as they navigate prom, college tours, college acceptances, (or lack thereof) and of what the world will bring them after they've left high school. Things are getting real and tensions rise as reality crashes down hard. While it was painful seeing some of these characters go through some real and shitty struggles, I had to remind myself that characters struggling is a good thing, as not only is it more realistic, but it's those struggles that make everything worth it, I mean a story with no struggle is frankly just boring. Oh, and if anyone's wondering, there are references made to the characters of The Upside of Unrequited, though unlike this book being a sequel for Simon, there isn't the same, or really any, level of "sequel" for that installment, or at least I don't think so, I haven't read it yet and honestly don't feel like anything was spoiled, in fact I want to read it even more now.

Predictability: So, as I said, the main mystery of this book, at least for me, was who Leah's primary love interest would be, and like I said, I didn't see it coming. I mean, there's plenty of foreshadowing that hints at it, even early on, but I didn't take it seriously for quite a while. As for everything else in this book, well it's a little on the predictable side, but at the same time, it never felt like the author was trying to shock or surprise readers. There are some really funny twists, such as where the gang goes for dinner before prom, and how a certain prom-posal goes down. In conclusion, this isn't a twisty shocking book, it's a fun and sometimes devastatingly realistic journey and while there a few surprises here and there, there's nothing too shocking in this story.

Ending: As I said before, I really didn't want this book to end, and there were quite a few reasons for that, one is that there wasn't really a final climax to this book, or well there is but it comes so late in the book that there were certain things I wished to see explored before the book finished. The final climax was really emotional and I loved every minute and every word of it, but I do still wish that we got the see how certain characters reacted to everything before tying the book up. The final chapter acts as an epilogue taking place in the near future and tying nearly everything up and it's just freaking adorable and I loved that as well as it really highlights just how far Leah has come since the beginning of this book.

Rating:

Is it any surprise that I gave this book 5 stars!? I mean, I love Simon so much and this book has a very similar feel, obviously, and in some ways, I feel that I love it even more than Simon, and if we don't get a "Love, Leah" move or whatever, I'm seriously going to be bummed.

Book Review: Attack of the Fiend (The Last Apprentice #4)

Release Date: February 26, 2008
Author: Joseph Delaney
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Length: 546 pages
Source: Purchased Book

"I see your future clearly. Your master will be dead, and you will be alone. It would be better if you had never been born."

Thomas Ward is the apprentice for the local Spook, who banishes boggarts and drives away ghosts. But now a new danger is threatening Tom's world. The witches are rising and the three most powerful clans are uniting in order to conjure an unimaginable evil.

Tom and the Spook set out to stop the witches before they unleash the demon. But when Tom finds himself on his own, he wonders if he has the courage and cunning to defeat the most powerful enemy he has ever encountered.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Tom, Alice, and the Spook have many trials ahead of themselves when they travel to Pendle to take care of a very serious problem there. Tom also has another reason to go as his family's gone missing and it seems as if Pendle witches are to blame. In an earlier installment I thought I might have just been reading too much into things when I thought Tom was being a bit too prideful and while he may be the Spook's best apprentice he still has a lot to learn, but I felt there was no real pay off or even confirmation that Tom's pride was a bad thing, however it's brought up here and since things are getting much more dangerous Tom needs to learn now more than ever to not get cocky. Again, I love Tom's character and his growth throughout the series so far, and while I know a lot of what happens later on, I can't wait to see him grow even more.

Romance: Wow, haven't seen this section in a review for this book in a while, well that's because it's finally time. As this series progresses Tom will get older, and thus want to find companionship with someone. Now while Alice is the obvious choice for Tom's inevitable love interest, seeing as she's the only girl around his age that we've seen in this world ths far, there is someone else who becomes attracted to Tom. Now, the romance in this installment is very light. It more just begins to introduce the idea of Tom being romantically attached.

World Building: The Dark is growing and for some reason I don't seem to realize that there's an entire story before the final climax because in my previous review for this series I said that things would really start to kick up, and they do, but that's not til much later in this tale. No, this story serves as a fantastic way to explore more of Tom's family, particularly his Mam, though another of his brothers does appear in this book. Tom's Mam is a bit of an enigma and while I want to say here's where we get all our answers about her, I can't, we learn SO much more though and it's done is such a spectacular way. We also learn more abot witches in this installment as well as learn what they're up to and who the Big Bad of this series is. Finally, we meet my all time favorite character of this series, but beware, her scissors are sharp.

Foreshadowing: Much like with the previous installments in this series I cannot comment on the predictability of this book as it's a reread, but there is foreshadowing galore to be found within this book. There are so many things that relate to future installments as well as this one. Looking back I don't think much of it was that obvios though. There were a few things, which I probably shouldn't mention because they're pretty obvious.

Ending: Gah, the ending is fantastic! It's full of tension and anticipation. I can't give too much away but while it isn't something that's scary in the traditional sense and while there are more books in this series narrated by Tom I knew he wasn't going to die yet, but I forgot just how narrowly he escapes danger in this series sometimes. The final climax is fairly different than others I've seen in most books. It's hard to explain bt it's very emotional and tense in the moment. Anyway, once again we are also treated to an epilogue from Tom setting the stage for the next book, the world is changing, the Dark is rising, what's next?

Rating:

I'll be the first to admit my ratings are this series might be a little skewed as I've reread a few Middle Grade favorites and they haven't held up all that well, but this series does. It's by no means the best series ever but the story is fantastic and the characters are amazing and I love traveling through this story again.

Book Review: Say You'll Remember Me

Release Date: January 30, 2018
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 452 pages
Source: Purchased Book

When Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve.

    

Review:

Protagonists: After serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, Drix is just trying to get back to a normal life, but being the face of the governor’s new Second Chance program isn’t exactly life as normal for him. He can’t stop thinking of the night of the robbery, why he was there, and who could have committed the crime he paid for. Elle is the governor’s daughter, she’s lived a sheltered life of privilege, however as Elle tries to pursue her passions, she realizes that her charmed life has been controlled by her parents. I love these characters so much and watching them find their place in the world. Their struggles to find themselves and figure out what they want out of life was so inspiring to read. Much like all of Katie McGarry’s books, while the character development of these two characters is connected to their interactions and romance with each other, their development is influenced by so much more such as friends, family, and their own life experiences.

Romance: The relationship between these two characters is fantastic. While their connection with each other is immediate, the chasm between them due to their circumstances feels endless. Because of that, even though their feelings for each other are obvious, they are sort of pushed apart. However, they won't let the world tell them how they should feel about each other and while there is a fair share of angst and self-destructive behavior on at least one of their parts, their romance is something to root for and I loved watching their story unfold. There are many times in this book that while I had a good idea how everything would turn out, I knew that these characters weren't going to be together without causing some collateral damage as they have just so many barricades in the way of their romance and while the end of this book isn't super idealistic, I was surprised at how many barricades they were able to get over, even if they ended up smashing a couple.

World Building: First off, I really liked seeing the story from not only a guy who has been convicted of a crime and while he took a plea deal to get a lighter sentence, he's affected by those choices he made, even though he never actually committed that crime, but we also see a character whose father is a governor, who is probably even more controlled by her parents than Breanna in Walk the Edge, who has had to deal with playing the part of the perfect daughter, and while she believes in her father and his goals, has to figure out who she is. These are two backgrounds that we haven't really seen McGarry tackle in the past, though there are a few tell-tale hallmarks of this author such as the male protagonist having an extended family of friends to watch his back. I really enjoyed McGarry's commentary on the School to Prison Pipeline in this book (which plays a prominent role in the story) and thought that it was handled perfectly.

Predictability: So with most books by this author, there are a few mysteries sprinkled throughout the story, whether they're larger mysteries like who really committed the crime that Drix took the fall for or smaller ones like someone who's been leaking things about Elle and a family friend making them seem like a couple. I do have to say that when it came to all the mysteries I had a pretty good idea what would happen, but there was always a wrinkle in there somewhere that would catch me off guard. As I said in the romance section, I wasn't sure how everything in this story would end, especially when it came to the romance, but that small bit of doubt really helped propel me through the story.

Ending: As I said before, the ending to this story isn't idyllic. This isn't a contemporary where every small little loose end is tied up perfectly with next to no all out for our heroes. There are consequences that our characters have to deal with. The final climax is fraught with tension and after everything comes to a head, I was about ready to explode myself. There are a few dangling threads left at the end of this book, nothing too terrible, as the main components of this story are all tied up pretty securely, but there is a part of me that is sad that even though Drix has a rather large extended family and friends, that this is truly a standalone for now, and a book focusing on one of his "family" members isn't that likely.

Rating:

As someone who tends to love books by this author, I'm not surprised that I loved it. I feel what McGarry can do so well is to write characters with such depth that they come alive on the page, and that's definitely true of this book, I loved the characters and the story and I'm a little sad that this doesn't appear to be a new series as I want to know more about the side characters that we tragically didn't see enough of.

Book Review: The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2)

Release Date: April 26, 2016
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Length: 416 pages
Source: Purchased Book

The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

    

Review:

Protagonist: After the devastation in Rey, Shazi has fled with her childhood love, Tariq, to take care of her family. The problem, Tariq vows revenge against the boy-king of Khorasan for taking not only his cousin but also his love, from him. As Shazi navigates, for lack of a better term, awkward waters, Khalid is setting about fixing up his destroyed city and mourning the fact that he doesn't know where his wife is. In the camp, Shazi wishes to find a way to break her husband's curse and discovers she has enemies of her own. I love both of these characters so much, and honestly, we get to see from the view of a good number of characters in this story and each and every one were a blessing to read from. Each character nearly jumps off the pages and even Tariq gets a good amount of character development in this story.

Romance: Looking back on this story there isn't a lot of romantic development between Shazi and, well anyone really but mostly Khalid. There's no need to worry about a love triangle anymore as Shazi has already made her choice. While the romance comes into play in the actions of both Shazi and Khalid, and has a large presence in the story for that reason, Shazi and Khalid's love doesn't exactly continue to blossom, it more strengthens its resolve. There is romance in other facets of this story as well, the romance between Despina and Jalal is still yet to be resolved and there are some interesting developments in store for fans of that couple. Also, Shazi's sister Irsa even has a bit of a romance in this story.

World Building: THIS is what I wanted from the first book. In the first installment, everything felt so isolated to the Khorasan palace and while we got to see beyond its borders occasionally, we didn't really get to see the grand scope of the world. In this story, while we mostly spend our time in Khorasan, the world feels far more expansive and the world really comes to life both in its scope and the detail in the author's writing. While I wouldn't say there are a lot more characters in this story, the importance of certain characters change and so it really feels like we're getting to know a lot of great minor characters from the first book, Rahim, Irsa, even Khalid's old teacher that we meet for a bit in the first installment, but that does come at a cost of not seeing as much of previous secondary characters such as Despina and Jalal unfortunately. For me, I was pretty okay with this since everything does get tied up by the end and I got the opportunity to learn more about the characters that intrigued me from the first book.

Predictability: For the most part this story is pretty unpredictable. Of course, there were a few things that I was able to pick up on throughout the story, but on the grand scheme of things this tale definitely went places I wasn't expecting and that really added a thrill to the story. I kept wanting to read to see where things would wind up and what unexpected thing would happen next. There were quite a few times that I disturbed people with how loud I gasped.

Ending: Normally I'm not a fan of duologies. Part of it is because most of the time the author isn't planning for a duology and when they end up with one, the second installment usually seems like books 2 and 3 crammed together which really messes with the story structure, and secondly I feel like every story should have a beginning, middle, and end and with duologies it's just a beginning and an ending. With all that out of the way, I loved this duology. I love how it was presented and how it felt like a truly planned duology. I was surprised with how everything gets resolved in this story, it felt very organic to the characters participating and I appreciate how the author didn't force things to a more conventional ending. There's an epilogue that takes place a little ways down the road and it was just a perfect way to end this story. Would I like another installment in this series, or just in this world, of course, but I'm still very happy with the series we got!

Rating:

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Don't get me wrong, it's not the best thing I've ever read, but it was still excellent! I laughed, I cried, I gasped, and I was left breathless at times. Even though it took me a while to read these books I'm so happy I did!

Book Review: Quests for Glory (The School for Good and Evil #4)

Release Date: September 19, 2017
Author: Soman Chainani
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 496 pages
Source: Purchased Book

With every end comes a new beginning in the fourth installment of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling School for Good and Evil series, Quests for Glory. Join Sophie, Agatha, Tedros, and the other students as they begin a new era in the Endless Woods—The Camelot Years—where Evers and Nevers alike must move beyond the bounds of school and into the biggest, boldest adventures of their lives.

The students at the School for Good and Evil thought they had found their final Ever After when they vanquished the malevolent School Master. Now, on their required fourth-year quests, the students face obstacles both dangerous and unpredictable, and the stakes are high: success brings eternal adoration, and failure means obscurity forever.

For their quests, Agatha and Tedros are trying to return Camelot to its former splendor as queen and king. For her quest, Dean Sophie seeks to mold Evil in her own image. But soon they all feel themselves growing more isolated and alone. When their classmates’ quests plunge into chaos, however, someone must lead the charge to save them...

    

Review:

Protagonists: After defeating the wicked School Master, our heroes went on to what was supposed to be their last Ever After, a happy one this time, for all involved, but when one story closes another begins. While Agatha and Sophie do feature heavily in this story, as well as everyone's favorite Coven of witches, this is very much Tedros's story. As Tedros becomes King of Camelot, the head that wears the crown is heavy indeed as Camelot is far from its Golden Age and is practically in shambles. Being king isn't quite what Tedros expected and when a new evil surfaces and seems to be gunning for Tedros and his friends, things become even more complicated. I love these characters so much, even Sophie most of the time, and this book doesn't exactly treat them too kindly. However, I sort of wouldn't want it any other way, these characters have to go through challenges and trials otherwise their (presumed) victory at the end of the series wouldn't feel earned and neither would their character development. The first trilogy really only dealt with certain flaws that these characters have, usually one or two per person, but people don't usually only have one or two flaws and so more character development is necessary for this new trilogy, Tedros's impulsiveness and over protectiveness, Agatha's need to control things, and Sophie's hubris and jealousy, okay Sophie's flaws aren't that new, but they weren't really resolved in the last trilogy either.

Romance: Much like the previous books in this series there isn't a TON of romance in this book, at least not compared to most YA books, but the for the amount there is, it sure makes an impact. With the annoying and aggravating love triangle finally, once and for all, behind them Agatha and Tedros are engaged and planning their wedding, however, royal duties and a new evil sort of stall that for the time being. Agatha and Tedros's romance has really only existed in times of war and when they're at peace, there can be some bumps in the road. I will say never once in this story did I doubt their love or even entertain the notion that by the end of this series they won't be together, but there are still some rough patches that they have to overcome, both personally and together, and while it's hard to watch them not be happy 100% of the time, I'm sure that by the end of this series they'll be all the stronger for it.

World Building: Even though this was my MOST anticipated book for the year, I was a bit apprehensive toward it. In this age of reboots, revivals, and spin-offs, it's hard to know if a new or continued series in the same universe is what the author wants, what the publisher wants, what the readers want, or a combination of all three. I've read some series continuations that just feel like the author is dragging out the series for no good reason, luckily this isn't the case with this story. I wouldn't call it a continuation exactly, the original trilogy can stand by itself very easily, and this new trilogy has a very different vibe to the first one. It's darker and it goes places that the first trilogy didn't, that being said, while it feels more like a YA fantasy series, I do think it's still appropriate for the same age range as the first series, things are just more serious than they were before. We get to see more of the world, our characters have even greater responsibilities, and the villain they face is more cunning and manipulative than they've faced before.

Predictability: I didn't know that much about this book going in, I didn't know who the new evil was, what it was after, I didn't even know what to expect in regards to the heroes that we saw seemingly having their Happily Ever Afters at the end of the previous book, because of that this book was pretty jarring. Unlike some people that I had seen that was excited about this book, I held no illusions that this would be a fluff book full of sunshine and rainbows, and yet I was still shocked at how dark this book got and how bleak it seemed at times. While most of this book was fairly unpredictable, there was one twist that I had theories about and being the ever inquisitive person I am, I sort of read the ending to see if I was right, I was FYI, and since that moment, every bit of foreshadowing felt like another log added to the fire and while I can't comment on how predictable this twist is, I will warn you against reading ahead. NO GOOD COMES FROM READING AHEAD!

Ending: I'm not talking about the ending to this book. I can't, everytime I try to I ruin the ending, or at the very least I can see someone seeing through my vague words to the truth within. I'm just going to say this, the ending is intense, things happen, and I can't wait for book 5.

Rating:

This was my most anticipated book of the year, and it did not disappoint. Sure, it broke me, it chewed me up and spit me out and left me desperate for the next installment, but I can see why the author guided the story in the way that he did, on the one hand, I respect him for taking this story in such a bold direction, and on the other hand I'm cursing his name with every fiber of my being... no joke.

Blog Tour Book Review: One of Us Is Lying + Giveaway!

Release Date: May 30, 2017
Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Length: 370 pages
Source: Review Copy for Blog Tour.

One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

    

Review:

Protagonists: This is a story told from four first person points of view. Each of the main characters is a suspect in a murder of the resident and very public gossip monger that, at the time, seemed to be the perfect crime. Bronwyn, arguably the main character of this novel, is your typical intelligent rule follower who puts pressure on herself to be perfect to compensate for what happened with her sister. Cooper is the star athlete, his father has high hopes for his professional future, and Cooper would do anything to keep his father's adoration. Addy is always the princess and never the queen and her mother makes sure she knows that her relationship with popular and successful Jake is the best thing in her life. Finally, there's Nate, the kid from the wrong side of the tracks who sells drugs, weed and painkillers only, to make ends meet and does anything he can to stay away from his incessantly passed out drunk father. I was completely blown away at how the author was able to, very successfully, in my opinion, juggle real character development for these four characters and do so in such an entertaining and addicting way. I don't want to get too specific on each character since I could be here all day and there are other topics in this book to discuss, but I have to say my favorite one, even though it was an incredibly close race, would have to be Addy since her character development is the most pronounced and dramatic.

Romance: There was more romance in this story than I had anticipated going in, granted these are four high school students and the juiciest romantic drama seems to come out of high school so it shouldn't have shocked me. While each character had a romantic storyline, and all of them were pretty phenomenal, I really want to talk about the two characters who have a romance with each other. Part of me wants to keep who they are a secret because even though it's heavily foreshadowed early on enough in the book that I wouldn't call it a spoiler, I would want to keep it a bit of a surprise. The thing I love most about this couple is that the romance doesn't feel overdramatized for the reader. It doesn't feel like these characters are being pushed together, or even cleverly puppet mastered into falling for each other. Each interaction leading up to them getting together feels real like if two identical people were thrust into a similar or the same, situation it would turn out the same way. This couple has fantastic chemistry and is such an easy couple to root for.

World Building: I've honestly considered throwing this section out. I mean, this story takes place in a very typical school, it's very character driven, and the murder mystery aspect should probably be saved for the next section of this review, but I have to say that the author did a wonderful job of incorporating this gossip app Simon developed, About That, into a high school community and how that sort of freedom of information lack of privacy can lead to a very toxic environment. I mean, this book was like Gossip Girl if everyone knew who was posting people's secrets and finally did something about it. At first, I thought this high school was a bit over dramatic and too cliche, but it hit me that if something like this existed in my high school, as accepting and anti-clique as it was, it would be perceived in pretty much the same way. If everyone had to look over their shoulder when doing anything and agonize nearly every second of the day whether that mistake they made might be made public, I could easily see it spinning out of control. Though I do have to say that the police in this book were the very definition of incompetent, and honestly, mixed in with everything else, it somehow made the book better.

Predictability: So, who killed Simon? Well, I won't tell. The thing is the entire time I was reading this book, nearly up until the big, twisted reveal I still had doubts as to the innocence of the four main characters. As much as I loved them and didn't want any of them to be a murderer, I've read books with more out of the blue, yet perfectly believable, twists before, and the fact that it was told in the first person didn't matter to me, this book is called One of Us Is Lying after all. The funny thing is though, all of these characters are lying about something or another. Each of them a feature on Simon's next big gossip bomb and so they all had a reason to kill him. These secrets they had are pretty juicy too, and it doesn't take long to either figure them out entirely or at least get some pretty heavy foreshadowing as to what those secrets could be.

Ending: The ending to this book was pretty much everything to me. The thing is since this story is heavily character driven, the end for me wasn't the answer to the whodunit mystery this story has, though that was sure something exciting, let me tell you. The killer isn't revealed all at once either, it's something that spans quite a few POV changes and when we get the equivalent of a parlor room scene, where the killer's full plan finally comes out it's definitely a plot to remember. The final climax is really a testament to how far some of these characters have come and while it was a bit painful to read at times, it was still epic. Then there's the cooldown where I was pleasantly surprised to see that this story doesn't end in an overly idealistic way. When something like this story's main plot happens it's not something that can be tossed aside so easily and have everything be perfect, and that's not even taking into account the superb subplots. I liked that this story kept a realistic feel until the very end.

Rating:

Yeah, like this rating is much of a surprise, I pretty much gushed about this book all the way through my review. It really was fantastic. If you like a juicy and exciting murder mystery with fantastic and realistic characters, I would HIGHLY recommend this book! P.S. If the author wrote a book about the side character Vanessa where she dies and no one cares, it would be short and possibly boring, but I would read the story with delight.

About the Author:

As a kid I used to write books when I was supposed to be playing outside, and not much has changed. I'm a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA.

When not writing or working I love to travel, and along with my nine-year old son I've ridden horses in Colombia and bicycles through Paris. A member of SCBWI, I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which I have never, ever used professionally.

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Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)

Release Date: May 3, 2016
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Length: 626 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Feyre survived her ordeal with Amarantha, well... more or less. Now she's High Fae, but she still feels and hurts for what happened Under the Mountain, the things she had to do to free the land of Prythian from Amarantha's clutches. She also has new and strange powers to learn to control and discover for herself. Feyre's development throughout this story is stunning. I mean, she's almost a completely different person by the end. The development still feels realistic, but since this book is so long there's plenty of time for her to grow and develop by the end. I loved Feyre's development so much she really comes into her own in this story and this story is really a defining chapter for Feyre.

Romance: I want to talk about this romance, but I'm not sure what would be too spoilery and honestly since it's such a long book I could really only talk in detail about the very beginning. Let's just say there's a lot of romantic drama in this book. A love triangle of sorts does form, though by the end it's obvious what's become of that love triangle. I will say one thing though. The romance for this book did hit an overkill moment where I sort of felt like the author was trying too hard to sell me on the romance and it all felt very unnecessary and honestly sort of undercut some moments that happened in the past that were better without that extensive knowledge.

World Building: The world building in this story is also fantastic. I feel like we got to see so much more of the world than we did in the first book. We learn the secrets of the Night Court as Feyre's bargain with Rhysand is called in and the Night Court is very interesting. I don't want to give too much away but the Night Court is a finely tangled web. We also get to see other parts of this world, though I can't talk about that too much since, spoilers, but we do get to see other Courts, and the main focus of this series truly comes into view. There's so much that we get to explore in this world and there are so many questions I had about this world in the first book, and while not all of them were answered, quite a few were.

Predictability: I went into this story knowing a lot more about this story than I think I was meant to. First off, I watched a few booktubers' thoughts on the book and I knew where the romance was going and when I went to go pre-order my copy of ACOWAR, my gaze slipped and I knew where things, on a broad scale were going to end up, though I only read the first line so I didn't know that much. Still, I went into this book feeling like there wasn't a whole lot that could surprise me. Boy, did I get that wrong. The twists in this book were everything, I mean some of them there was foreshadowing for, but most of those were connected to what I already knew. No, it was the ones that came completely out of the blue that rocked me to my very core. The adrenaline running through my system isn't quite gone yet and I finished this book nearly an hour ago.

Ending: This ending utterly destroyed me. I mean, I've said that before and while I still stand by that, this is another level entirely. I'm so happy I waited until like right before ACOWAR releases to read this book. As of writing this, it's after midnight on the first of May, so I still have to wait for a day to get the next book and even that feels like too long. There are quite a few twists in the end of this book and while I was able to call, maybe one, the rest blew me away and helped set up what the next book will entail. There's a horrible, shame-on-the-author cliffhanger ending that I think I would still be mad over even if ACOWAR was sitting right next to me.

Rating:

Look, this book isn't PERFECTION or anything, there are some things I felt it did wrong, but the rest of it is so deliciously addicting that it's a definite 5 stars for me! I NEED A Court of Wings and Ruin in my hands this second!

Book Review: Four Weeks, Five People

Release Date: May 2, 2017
Author: Jennifer Yu
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 384 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher

They're more than their problems

Obsessive-compulsive teen Clarissa wants to get better, if only so her mother will stop asking her if she's okay.

Andrew wants to overcome his eating disorder so he can get back to his band and their dreams of becoming famous.

Film aficionado Ben would rather live in the movies than in reality.

Gorgeous and overly confident Mason thinks everyone is an idiot.

And Stella just doesn't want to be back for her second summer of wilderness therapy.

As the five teens get to know one another and work to overcome the various disorders that have affected their lives, they find themselves forming bonds they never thought they would, discovering new truths about themselves and actually looking forward to the future.

     

Review:

Protagonists: This story has five first person POVs, which on its own is a serious challenge, but it really works in this story. While there is a central plot of sorts that these characters all participate in they each have their own trials and struggles and add serious depth to this story. It's funny but since this is a standalone novel, for some reason, I expected that the development of these characters would have been more dramatic and that by the end they'd be, well maybe not "cured," but better, but that's not how mental health works, and I appreciated that the author didn't provide an idyllic view of mental health, but, from what I could tell, a very real one. I can't say I necessarily loved all the characters because Mason could be severely insufferable, and Ben could be overly dramatic at times, even though I think I identified with Ben the most. I loved Stella's sardonic and sarcastic personality, though she does soften a bit as the story goes on. Clarissa feels like this sweet and innocent creature you want to protect from the world, but also hope she can find a way to stand on her own to feet. Andrew, who is probably my favorite character, but ironically it's more for his interactions with Stella than who he is as a character, though he is a pretty great character who adds a lot of comic relief to this story.

Romance: I don't know why but I went into this book expecting a romance, but I was unprepared for the romance that actually formed in this story. I don't want to say too much about it because I fear if I say too much it will shatter your experience of this romance. I will say though that I really respect how the author handled this romance. It's tricky to write a realistic story where people dealing with mental health issues are attracted to each other, but they still have to deal and work to overcome their own issues. I really liked the way the romance unfolded and how it added another element to the overall story and where these characters end up by the end of the book.

World Building: For those who do not know, I suffer from clinical depression as well as anxiety, so I feel I can only really comment on how well those aspects are portrayed in this story. I feel as though those aspects were portrayed in an extremely realistic way. There was a moment when a character has a complete breakdown and I could very easily relate to how he was feeling and it kind of scared me just how connected I felt to that character in that moment, even though the rational side of my brain was telling me he was being completely unreasonable. As for the other mental health issues addressed in this story, while I don't have first-hand experience with them, from what I understand about them the author did a great job of showing off these characters' struggles.

Predictability: Since the author takes such a realistic stance with this story it's not as if everything fits in that YA fiction formula, and instead there are twists that happen with no warning at all, or things that don't happen because this isn't some cheesy YA contemporary where everyone pairs off or discovers some hidden truth about the world. Instead, there is a bit of foreshadowing if you know where t look for it, and there are secrets that these characters keep that over the course of the story and as we get to know them, slowly come to light.

Ending: I feel a bit like this book tricked me. When I first received it I wrote it off as one of those deep, heavy, books that focus on serious topics and while they may be amazing, they really drain a lot out of you. However, I decided to read the first chapter and found there was a levity to the story and some humor to break up moments that could be very draining, and that pattern continued for quite a while. However, as the story got closer and closer to ending, those fluffy moments or those moments filled with comedy spread out more and things got pretty heavy. The ending to this book deals with some pretty intense stuff and while there are still moments of serenity or humor to break it up, I did feel pretty drained by the end of the book. It is a standalone story so I expected a wrapped up, but it's also a realistic story and while I'm not completely dying for another installment, there are still some things left up in the air.

Rating:

This book drained me good. I loved it so much and while I still have a few questions about some of the characters, I'm fine with this being a standalone, but I can't wait to see what this author will write next.