The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Title: The Fortune Seller

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Expected publication date: February 13, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

When Rosie returns from time abroad to realize that a new girl has made a position in her friend group, she's a little uneasy. She doesn't know anything about Annelise. And now she has to share a room with her. What's even more strange is that the girls in her friend group don't know much about her either. She's a great equestrian. She fits right in on the team. But where did she come from? How does she afford Yale tuition and the lifestyle that comes with being friends with rich girls? Who is Annelise?

In a classic tale of class and ambition, Rosie has to figure out what everybody in her friend group is after, and which of them will stop at nothing to get it.

--

I loved everything about this novel. The way that Kapelke-Dale engrosses readers in atmospheres and how well she develops relationships has never disappointed me, and it didn't let me down here. Just like in The Ballerinas and The Ingenue, I felt completely engrossed in the story unfolding in my mind.

I love the way that her writing captures complicated female relationships and I love the way the tension and pressure builds until it all boils over in a stunning climax. I loved the quiet ending. The way that through everything that happens, there is also space for moving on. How there has to be space for moving on, if you want to keep growing into the person that you are meant to be.

I think as long as Kapelke-Dale is writing anything, I'll be a fan of it. I would probably read her grocery list if it was all I could get my hands on, and as always, even though this novel isn't even published yet, I will be eagerly awaiting her next release. 

Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood

Title: Confessions of a Christmasholic

Author: Joss Wood

Publisher: HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Publication date: October 19, 2023

Intro

Drunk, broke, and unemployed, Sutton comes into Gus' life like a tornado. Gus doesn't really have the time to deal with a drunk stranger, but recognizing that Sutton is the victim of some unfortunate circumstances, Gus welcomes her into his home for the holidays as his nanny. He has his hands full with his twins at the best of times, but nicknamed Mr. Christmas, he is especially busy during the holidays and he could definitely use some help.

Falling for each other is not the goal, but it doesn't take long for sparks to start flying.

My thoughts

This was definitely a cute, easy read, and if you're looking for a quick holiday Hallmark-esque book set in a small town that is reminiscent to that of Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls, to get you into the holiday spirit, this could be the book for you! It's adorable overall and easy to read in just a few hours if you're looking to cozy up with a book on a chilly afternoon.

However, if you're looking for anything deeper than just a cute holiday romance, this may not be the book for you. It was very fast paced, and while the relationship between Gus and Sutton was cute, it felt very superficial. When they were having thoughts about falling in love, or having thoughts about already being in love, I found it very hard to believe because they had very little under their belt in terms of meaningful interactions that would lend themselves to falling in love. So if you can't get behind insta-love, or at least, close to insta-love, you might not love this story.

I also wish that the backstories of Gus and Sutton were developed more. It is mentioned multiple times that Sutton had to grow up fast because it was up to her to raise her siblings, and Gus was having marital issues before his wife passed away. Both of these things were mentioned multiple times but the author didn't provide much more details than that. I feel like if those backstories were developed into deeper, I would have felt more connected to the characters.

Lastly, I feel like the ending came about a little abruptly and because of that, I would have loved to see an epilogue. I would have loved to see how Sutton and Gus handled everything a couple months down the road from where the proper story left off.

Despite my small gripes, I enjoyed the novel for exactly what it was. I was on the look out for a cute holiday read and that's exactly what was delivered.

Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects by Harold Schechter

Title: Murderabilia: A History of Crimes in 100 Objects

Author: Harold Schechter

Publisher: Workman Publishing Company

Publication date: September 26, 2023

Told through items surrounding brutal crimes, Murderabilia delivers their stories, and those of the deranged criminals behind them, in bite sized passages. Each crime and criminal is summarized in just a few pages each.

I think that this is the perfect book for those who are just getting started in the genre of true crime, because readers get a taste of 100 different crimes, each of which are covered in about 1-3 pages. With the gist of each crime covered briefly, readers can then choose the crimes that fascinate them the most and tumble down the rabbit hole that is true crime media to delve deeper.

Although the crimes and their criminals are covered in just a few pages, the content is well researched and no important detail is forgotten.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It covers the well known killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and the lesser known ones, spanning back 100 years. with this wide range, I think there's cases featured here that both new and veteran true crime fans will enjoy. 

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology

Title: All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology

Authors: Kalynn Bayron; Ashia Monet; Liselle Sambury; Sami Ellis; Joel Rochester; Joelle Wellington; Brent C. Lambert; Donyae Coles; Ryan Douglass

Publisher: Amberjack

Expected publication date: October 17, 2023

Goodreads synopsis 

Welcome to the Dark.

We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a lot of what they fear—through a twisted blend of horror lenses, from the thoughtful to the terrifying.

From haunted, hungry Victorian mansions, temporal monster–infested asylums, and ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners and cursed patriarchs in search of Black Excellence, All These Sunken Souls features the chilling creations of acclaimed bestsellers and hot new talents, with stories from Kalynn Bayron, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Sami Ellis, Brent Lambert, Ashia Monet, Circe Moskowitz, Joel Rochester, Liselle Sambury, and Joelle Wellington.

My thoughts

This was a great anthology. The wide range of themes covered means that there is something for everyone. Are you into haunted mansions? Bloody Mary-esque legends? Zombies? Insidious lovers? You'll find it in here. The wide range of themes here makes it perfect for new and old horror fans alike, and as someone who has consumed her fair share of horror media, I really enjoyed all of the stories, they were unsettling in exactly the way that I hope horror stories will be. 

If you were a fan of the horror anthology Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight, and would like to keep delving into the world of horror anthologies especially while we approach the Halloween season, I think this book would be a perfect one for you.

Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding

Title: Speak of the Devil

Author: Rose Wilding

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication date: June 13, 2023

A group of women are connected by their hatred for one man. On New Years Eve, 1999, they gather in a hotel for an emergency meeting. In the center of the hotel room, sits Jamie's head. The man they all have a reason to hate has been beheaded, and nobody knows which one of them is the one who swung the axe.

Told in the alternating POVs of all the women who had their own motives for murder, plus the detective trying to put the pieces together, this is a very character driven novel. Because there are so many POVs to keep track of, it took me a second to get each character straight, but as more of the story unravels it becomes easier to keep each character separate.

I liked all the characters, which actually came as a surprise to me because usually when I read books with multiple POVs, there usually one that seems to drag for me, but that didn't happen at all for me here.

The only gripe I had is that the ending felt very abrupt. After finding out everything that Jamie did to each of the women, the killer is revealed right after and the story is wrapped up, I want to say within about ten pages. I didn't feel like their were any breadcrumbs or any sort of build up to the reveal. The abrupt ending was a little bit disappointing.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It reminded me a little of Rachel Kapelke-Dale's writing, so if you enjoyed The Ballerinas or The Ingenue, or if you're looking for a fast paced, character driven thriller, I would give this one a try.

The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra

Title: The Rumor Game

Authors: Dhonielle Clayton & Sona Charaipotra

Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide

Expected publication date: March 1, 2022

*Review copy received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

 Introduction

Bryn, Georgie and Cora are three high school seniors about to find out just how quick rumors spread and spiral out of control, especially in the age of social media.

Bryn made a mistake last summer, and she wants her old life back. It's hard to find her footing again.

Georgie lost weight, and she wants to try on a new personality like she's been trying on new clothes.

Cora thought she had a great relationship, and a great boyfriend, but as rumors fly, is she sure?

Through the good and bad, someone is spreading rumors online about all three of the girls, but who exactly is behind it? Can they figure it out and stop it before all of the girls settle into infamy?

Writing and Characters

I liked all three of the girls and I loved that the authors chose to switch POVs between all three of the girls to make sure that we got a clear view of the interweaving storylines and the rumors surrounding them.

Plot/Pacing

This book moved at a great pace, and there were lots of distinct plot points hit across the way. Also, the authors were great at choosing when to switch POVs so that one side of the story never ran dry.

Social Media/Mixed Media Aspect

I adore when books include other media as storytelling devices. With this book being so social media-centric, the use of screenshots. comments, posts, and emails was extremely effective and made me feel even more immersed in the story than I already would have been.

Themes

There are mature themes in this book, including that of sexual assault, so if that is triggering for you, this novel may not be for you.

Mystery-ish aspect

The discovery of who was feeding the rumor mill new ideas was well done. I didn't figure out who is was absurdly early  and everything was tied up and answered by the last page, so I was satisfied.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed this book! I think if you are a fan of books such as One Of Us Is Lying or Revenge of the Sluts by Natalie Walton, I think you would definitely be a fan of this one. Look out for it's release on March 1, 2022 and add it to your  Goodreads TBR here!

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Title: The Ballerinas

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Expected publication date:  December 7, 2020

Publishing company: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 302

*This is an adult novel and contains explicit scenes

Introduction

Told in dual timelines, The Ballerinas is a story about three girls-- ballerinas Delphine, Margaux, and Lindsay--and the people they were as students in the fictional Paris Opera Ballet, and the women they have become, without even realizing they were becoming them.

"You start out as potential energy and then you fall."

"You start out as perfect and you become something else."

Cover

This cover is stunning. Every time I look at it I can't help but think about how beautiful it is.

Writing

I loved the writing. It flowed beautifully for me and I could see the scenes that the author was painting vividly in my head. It's been a long time since I felt like I could see a book and all its scenes play like a movie in my mind but from beginning to end, this one unfolded so easily in my mind like a film.

I also want to say that I did not see the plot twists coming, I only just barely realized what was going to happen in the end a few pages before it really happened, so I'd say that the twists thrown in to surprise the reader were very successful.

Dual Timeline

I think the dual timeline between the past and the present was executed perfectly. It was the perfect way to see a great deal of character development in all three of the ballerinas without having to trudge fully through all the events that shaped them, which I sometimes feel bogs down the flow of books. I think the author did a great job of knowing when to switch back to the past/present to keep the reader interested in both of the timelines all the time. Neither of the timelines ever ran dry or felt forced or boring to read. 

Characters

I loved all the characters so much. They were so fleshed out and developed and so deeply flawed in all the right ways. I couldn't get enough of them.

Conclusion

I loved this book so much. The writing, the characters, the plot, it was all phenomenal. It has been a long time since I've been as engrossed in a book as much as I was with this one, and I can confidentially say that this has been my favourite read of 2021. I haven't read any other works of this author but if they're anywhere near as enchanting as this, I'm ready to devour anything that she's ever written.

As the official Goodreads synopsis says, fans Dare Me, Black Swan, and Luckiest Girl Alive will most likely enjoy this book. I also think that if you enjoyed Tiny Pretty Things, this could be the book for you.

Mini Review: Friday the Sixteenth by Peter Coombs

Title: Friday the Sixteenth

Author: Peter Coombs

Pages: 190

Expected publication date: August 28, 2021

Goodreads synopsis

He stumbled across a web of lies. His conscience wouldn't let him walk away.

Andrew Packford, newly established as an antiques dealer, is enjoying life very much. He has a career that suits his laid back nature, a passion for antiques and business is booming.

Then, as is often the case, fate comes calling. While restoring an item of furniture he finds an old newspaper article together with a photograph of four people. Two men two women. He has no idea just how much these four strangers will change his life.

One of them kills people.

One of them turns a blind eye.

The other two might just be Andrew’s salvation.

The discovery opens a Pandora’s box and while a lesser man might have walked away, that is not his way. If he didn’t stand up for what he thought was right who would? Friday the Sixteenth is a gripping read with a memorable character at its heart.

Quick thoughts

I liked this book, although it was a little bit different than I thought it was going to be. From the synopsis I thought it would be a bit more of a mystey/suspense/thriller, and that's not what it is. So, if by chance, that's the type of book you're looking for, this book might not be for you right now. This book has more of a fighting for justice arc. That being said, I'm not taking away any points because the story wasn't what I thought it would be, because those expectations are entirely on me. I especially don't want to take off any points because the story as it was, was good! The justice that was being fought for was intriguing to read about and I admire the strong will of all the characters as well as seeing their stories intertwine through the multiple POV format. Overall, very enjoyable.

Red Magnolia by Lucy Holden

Title: Red Magnolia

Author: Lucy Holden

Series: The Nightgarden Saga (#1)

Publisher: Fehu Press

Expected Publication Date: September 15, 2021

Introduction

Looking for a fresh start, Harper and her brother Connor move into an old, run down mansion that seems to harbor history of curses, not to mention that something weird seems to be going on in the old cemented-up cellar. Nobody seems willing to let this history go, especially not Antoine, a mysterious man who seems hellbent on getting Harper and her brother out of that mansion, no matter what the cost.

Pace

This book, in epub. format, at least, is less than 200 pages, making this a very quick and fast-paced story.

Characters & Relationships

Generally, I liked all of the characters, but I have a few small gripes about Harper's friend, Avery, her interest in Harper's brother, Connor, and Harper's, in my opinion, weird acceptance of it. It seemed like the only reason Avery ever came around was to ogle at Connor, and she hardly actually seemed interested in being Harper's friend just for friendship's sake. Given that Harper just moved to town, it's fair to assume that she would take friendship with anybody, but it's hard to believe that she would just let Avery come around so often when she's obviously just interested in Connor, and I can see that becoming a conflict in later books (which I'm excited to see play out, if that happens.)

Vampire Element

The vampire history and origin story of the vampires in this book is pretty on par with other YA vampire books that I've read. I like that the vampires here have to drink human blood as opposed to going the "vegetarian" route with animal blood or other substitutes. I've grown used to reading about vampires that don't drink human blood because They're Good Vampires and Hate The Curse and Would Never Harm Anybody because that's Not Who They Are so I liked this more classic route.

Twilight Vibes (Slight Spoilers)

There are STRONG Twilight vibes in this novel. The party scene where Antione swoops in to save Harper from a bunch of scary men is stunningly similar to the the scene in Twilight where Edward does the same for Bella.

Even more similar was the way that Antoine made Harper say that he was a vampire instead of saying the words himself, just like Edward.

I'm definitely not saying that these similarities are a bad thing, I just think it's worth mentioning that they are there, so if you love Twilight, this book might be for you.

Conclusion

I liked this book. It was a very quick read and good for scratching a vampire story itch. I think depending on if you enjoyed Twilight might gauge how you feel about this book because as I mentioned, there are a lot of similarities. I shamelessly enjoyed Twilight, so this was a good book for me, and the similarities were welcome. I would like to continue with this saga and will be looking out for more from this author.

Mini Review: True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson

Title: True Loaf

Author: L. Austen Johnson

Format: Audiobook

Narrator: Penny-Scott Andrews

Duration: 16 minutes 3 seconds

Publisher: Lore and Lyre

Release date: July 27, 2021

Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

A fun and enchanting modern fairytale.

When a strange man puts in a strange request at the bakery where she works, Riley must go on a mini-adventure to find one unusual ingredient. Along the way, she realizes that things are not always what they seem and that fae might just be real.

Quick Thoughts

This was short and sweet--well, maybe short and spooky--It was perfect for my morning rainy walk and perfect for starting to warm up the Halloween vibes I always want to feel as we draw deeper into August. I would definitely recommend this for someone who just wants a quick story and likes darker, slightly spooky fairytales.

*If you're interested, Netagalley has it in the Listen Now section!

The Dead And The Dark by Courtney Gould

Title: The Dead And The Dark

Author: Courtney Gould 

Publishing Date: August 3, 2021

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 352

Introduction

Something isn't quite right about the town of Snakebite, Oregon, and when now-paranormal-investigators go back to their roots to investigate the town, things get weirder. A teen disappears, and then teens start getting killed. People are holding on to old anger, and old secrets. Is something stranger than just a few missing teens going on in this sleepy town in the middle of nowhere? Something stranger? Something darker?

Cover

You're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I will say that this cover is so gorgeous and it definitely grabbed my attention when I was browsing through Netgalley.

Tone

I loved the consistent slightly "off" vibe that runs through the whole story. Small town weird vibes are my favourite and this book delivered.

The Dark

I love the concept of The Dark being an entity of it's own. It reminds me of the "The Forest" element in We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu (review of that book here!) 

Alternating POVs

I loved the alternating POVs of Ashley and Logan and The Dark. Usually when I read a book that switches POVs I find myself being less interested in one of them, and eagerly waiting for the story to switch back to the POV I like better, but that didn't happen at all with this book, and that feels so refreshing for me.

Conclusion

I loved this book. I believe the editor described it "like Riverdale, but good," and I agree. With the small town vibes with an undertone of something strange going on, the shoe fits. Because of the general spookiness of the novel I would also recommend this book to fans of After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel, and, of course, We Were Restless Things. I will definitely be looking our for more from this author.

Mini-Review: Everyone Dies Famous In A Small Town by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock

Title: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

Author: Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Publication Date: April 20, 2021

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 208

Goodreads Synopsis

A lyrical and heartfelt collection by an award-winning writer that connects the lives of young people from small towns in Alaska and the American west. Each story is unique, yet universal.

In this book, the impact of wildfire, a wayward priest, or a mysterious disappearance ricochet across communities, threading through stories. Here, ordinary actions such as ice skating or going to church reveal hidden truths. One choice threatens a lifelong friendship. Siblings save each other. Rescue and second chances are possible, and so is revenge.

On the surface, it seems that nothing ever happens in these towns. But Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock shows that underneath that surface, teenagers' lives blaze with fury, with secrets, and with love so strong it burns a path to the future.

Quick Thoughts

I loved this book. If you're looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump, I think this book might be the one to go to. Being a collection of short stories, I think there's something for everybody in here. I love how the author intertwined the stories in the end while still keeping them largely independent of each other. The writing was beautiful and I feel that the author was very successful in creating different plots and atmospheres to immerse the reader into. 

Revenge of the Sluts by Natalie Walton

Title: Revenge of the Sluts

Author: Natalie Walton

Expected Publication Date: February 2, 2021

Publisher: Wattpad Books

Pages: 320

Introduction

As a student journalist at her high school, Eden has covered lots of stories, none of them very interesting. She's covered the basic things, like the school's theatre shows and athlete profiles. Nothing big ever hits the Warrior Weekly.

Until something does.

The nude photos of seven students were anonymously sent in an email to the entire school. Eden is determined to get to the bottom of the email. She wants to know who would be so vindictive that they would expose multiple girls, at the risk of getting caught. But her motive is more than just uncovering the story for an article. She wants to uncover the truth and give the girls who were effected a voice, and together, they'll challenge the double standard, no matter what it takes and what rules that they have to break. Justice must be served, no matter what the cost.

Characters

I absolutely loved all the characters. The author did a great job in giving them each their own distinct personality. This is especially evident in the characters of the seven girls who had their nudes leaked. They each have their own separate reactions and ways that they want to handle the situation. They each process the situation differently and I think that's what makes the book so powerful to me. Their reactions feel so real and different from each other, it's almost impossible to not see a little bit of yourself in each of these girls. 

St. Joe's Opposition

I loved that there was an opposition from the school about Eden publishing an article about the leak. I obviously disagree from a personal standpoint, but the opposition was perfectly written. If there was no opposition, I think it would have been unrealistic, so I'm glad that it was included as a conflict.

Eden's Investigation

I usually try to stay away from books that involve a lot of teen detective work, so I will admit that I was a little wary going into this book, but I am so glad I did. Eden's work trying to discover who leaked the nudes didn't feel cheesy, over-the-top, or unrealistic, which I think is my problem with most teen investigations, regardless of the context. But Eden's work felt authentic and something that a real teen would do, and I loved that she had a genuine interest in getting to the bottom of the situation for the sake of the girls involved, not just for an article in a high school newspaper.

Ending

I didn't see the ending coming. I had not thought that the person behind the email could have been the person that it was revealed to be, but the explanation and reveal of the person behind the email made sense, and I was pleased with the ending. For that reason, I am labelling the mystery of the anonymous email a successful one.

I also liked that an epilogue was included, because it provided many details that helped enhance the story and I was satisfied with the way it wrapped everything up.

Conclusion

I loved this book. I loved absolutely everything about it. I loved watching the girls come together. I loved the raw and open emotion. In other reviews, I saw people call this book nothing short of a revolution and I
agree with them. The messages and themes are extremely relevant, and I couldn't get enough of it. I think this book stands a chance of being the best book I have read so far in 2020, and I will definitely be on the lookout of future releases from this author. 

The Castle School (For Troubled Girls) by Alyssa B. Sheimel

Title: Castle School (For Troubled Girls)

Author: Alyssa B. Sheimel

Expected Publication Date: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 283

Introduction

       Ever since her best friend died, Moira hasn't been the easiest for her parents to handle. When her parents send her to Castle School, Moira knows her parents are at their wits end with her and feels that she is being punished for her bad behavior.

       Whatever her parents reasoning, she finds herself with 11 other "troubled" girls. Each of them weighed down with their own struggles, just as Moira is weighed down with her own grief. Together, and with the help of therapy, the girls work to feel better than they had to feel to land themselves at the strange place that is Castle School.

Setting

       The setting, a mostly secluded castle in Maine, was a great atmosphere. It's a little dreary, and it appears to hold its own secrets. It was perfect for adding mood to the story.

Themes

       This book handles a lot of heavy themes; grief, self harm, disordered eating, etc. and I think the author achieved a perfect balance between heavy scenes where the girl's struggles are discussed, and lighter scenes where you see the girls becoming friends.

Moira

       Moira's grief felt very authentic, and her growth throughout her time at the Castle School, with managing and moving forward from her loss, felt perfectly paced. I also liked that the progress was made little by little, it wasn't all crammed into the end to prove that she had grown. You could see the change happen gradually, in small ways, like the way that she was thinking, and in her interactions with the other students. I think that was a very realistic way of showing growth. It doesn't happen completely in revelations, and sometimes, the only way to understand how much you've grown is to look back at the person you were before, and I think this is true for Moira's story.

Romance

       There is a small amount of a cutesy romance in this book, but I love that it's not a central plot point. That being said, I love Moira and Randy, both as individual characters and together.

        I loved that they would care for each other regardless if things turned romantic, the blooming feelings they have for each other seem to be extra to them, not necessary, and I think that's great.

POVs of the Other Girls

Every few chapters, there is a small excerpt, maybe about a page, that is in the POV of one of the other students at Castle School. These excerpts quickly detail the story of what happened to land each girl at Castle School. I really enjoyed these passages and thought they were the perfect length to give a little personal window into the lives of the other "troubled" girls.

Synopsis

The Goodreads synopsis is a little bit misleading. To me, it sounded like where the music was coming from would be more mysterious, but there is no mystery in the book at all, everything is rationally explained right away.

Conclusion

I loved everything about this book. From beginning to end, everything was perfect to me. I finished this book in two days and I already wish there were more of it to read. I came in to this book with high hopes and it was so much better than expected. I would recommend this book to fans of The School For Dangerous Girls. As long as you can handle heavy themes, this book is fantastic. 

We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu

Title: We Were Restless Things

Author: Cole Nagamatsu

Expected Publication: October 6, 2020

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 400

Introduction

One summer after the death of teen Link Miller, his friends are left coping with the loss. Coping with the loss of a close friend is hard enough when the passing comes under normal circumstances, but the details surrounding Link's are anything but normal. Link's death was ruled a strange accident, as it was discovered that he had managed to drown in a forest miles away from the nearest body of water.

His friend, Noemi, is the only one that knows the truth. Link drowned in a lake in the forest that only she can find. With this knowledge, coupled with the fact that recently, she's started to receive text messages from a number claiming to be Link, Noemi is finding moving passed her friend's death to be a difficult process.

With the help of her friends, they begin to unravel the mystery surrounding Link's death and in doing so, attempt to move forward together.

Pace

This is a very quiet, and at times, successfully eerie book. It isn't told like a typical teen mystery. There is no dramatic sleuthing. The story is told slowly, and the answer to all the books questions seem to creep up on you, mostly without any over the top dramatic reveals.

This story is told through the points of view of four characters. Three that were Link's friends prior to his death, and one labelled "unknown" I like books that are told through multiple different POVs, but because the story is told through four different ones, the chapters were very short and at times, the change of POV felt unnecessary. 

Characters

I didn't particularly like or dislike any of the characters. Although, sometimes they felt flat and difficult to relate to.

Noemi was an especially difficult character for me to like. She is overbearingly controlling of her friends, and she also had a very quick-tempered attitude that was difficult to get passed. Obviously every character needs to have flaws to feel realistic, but being as controlling and as quick-tempered as she is, I had a hard time believing that she would be able to keep many friends, (Spoiler! I also had a hard time believing that, just based on her attitude alone, all three of the male characters would show romantic interest in her).  

There was some good representation of different sexualities throughout the story, Noemi is asexual, and Amberlyn and Lyle share a few romantic moments together.

I thought that Lyle and Amberlyn were adorable together and I wish that that relationship had played a larger part in the book. In my opinion they were much more interesting than the central relationship in the book.

The Forest (Big spoilers!)

I enjoyed the concept of "the forest" as a character/being/entity. It was a very interesting aspect to read, although I wish it had been developed a little further. By the time the main characters get to truly speak to "the forest," I believe that there is only 30 or so more pages left. In my opinion, having the characters speak to "the forest" was the most interesting part of the whole book, so I wish that it could have somehow played a larger part. Squishing all of the true interaction to the end of the book felt a little rushed and I was a slightly disappointed.

Conclusion

This book was pretty good, there were some aspects that missed the mark for me but other parts that made the book worth reading. As a warning, there are brief sexual themes, so I would recommend this book to teens who are a little older and who are looking for a read that is a little contemporary while having some mysterious and eerie moods intertwined in it.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Date Published: December 7th 2007
Publisher: Razor Bill
Pages: 288

Introduction 

       Clay Jenson knows that Hannah Baker is dead, which makes it very eerie when he gets a package of cassette tapes, with Hannah Baker's voice on them, telling stories, revealing secrets. He doesn't want anything to do with the tapes, but her voice tells him that he is the topic of one of the tapes

       Hannah committed suicide, but before she did, she recorded seven tapes. On them are thirteen reasons why.

       Clay is one of the reasons.

Cover

       The cover is very simple and very monochromatic, but I like it.

Story-telling

       Essentially, when you read Thirteen Reasons Why, you're getting two stories. You hear Hannah's through Clay's earphones, and Clay's reaction to the tapes as he wanders through his town listening to them. It's a very suspenseful story, as you wait for Clay's turn to come around, to hear why someone like him ended up the center of one of Hannah's tapes.

        As a warning to people who might be considering picking up this book, I just want to mention that you may find some of the stories Hannah tells a little boring, as they aren't all super excited, but rather realistic, and we all know that not everything we do in out lives is super exciting.

Characters

       I loved all of the characters. They were all very honestly written, they seemed like people who genuinely exist especially the two protagonists.

Clay's tape (spoilers, highlight between the brackets to reveal)

       (Clay's tape, as I expected came late in the novel. Obviously, it wouldn't be much of a suspense novel if Clay was the first person mentioned. I think the author did a great job of placing where Clay's tape comes up. It wasn't too soon, or too late. Either of those options probably would have lowered my opinion of the book. Too soon, and the desire to finish the book would have drastically dropped. There wouldn't have been much to look forward too. Too late, and as well as struggling to get through the book, the ending may have been too abrupt and not talked about enough. Anyway, as I was saying, I think the placing Clay as the ninth reason on the tapes was perfect!)

       As for the reason Clay is on the tapes, I think it worked nicely, even if I think it was slightly predictable, and when I say that, I mean, very slightly predictable because most of me was expecting a huge twist, because Clay is written to be pretty likeable. I was mostly expecting Clay to turn out to be a horrible person so, well played, Jay Asher. I'm very happy with the way that it turned out,, I didn't feel let down at all.)

Conclusion

       I loved this book, and I can't believe it took me this long finally read it. (I'm pretty sure it's been on my shelf since about 2013.) Although I mentioned that some people may find some of the stories a little boring, I loved all of them. This book had me turning pages, not just to find out why Clay is one of Hannah's thirteen reasons, but just to simply unfold Hannah's story, and no part of it disappointed me. I became attached to Hannah and truly felt for her, I felt Clay's uneasiness, Overall, this story was wonderfully written.

        I recommend that all teens read this at some point. Although watch out, this book is a giant Not-suitable-for-family-viewing-viewer-discretion-advised stamp, as the theme of the book is suicide, and it deals with a few sexual themes. So, yes. I think that all teens should read this book, maybe wait until you're slightly older than thirteen or fourteen, This book is valuable, because while raising the issue of suicide and other issues that greatly affect adolescents, it teaches how easily we can impact peo
ple in large ways, even when doing small things.

       Anyway, basically what I'm trying to say in this review can be summed up in about four words: This book. Read it.

Kiss Cam by Kiara London

Author: Kiara London
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Expected Publication: October 18, 2016
Pages: 201

Introduction

       Juniper, Jasper and Lenny make up the popular vlogging channel WereVloggingHere on the vlogging site VlogIt. With as many subscribers as they have, they are constantly getting "shipped" together. The most popular ship being Juniper and Jasper or "Jasiper" as the fans like to call it. After years of the fans begging to see some concrete Jasiper action, they give in, and kiss once on a dare. The fans go crazy, and soon the Kiss Cam is born, where they surprise each other with kisses, or they plan them out. The only catch is that it can only continue if there are no feelings involved.

       What's a little harmless kissing between friends?

Cover

       The cover is very cute. I like all the contrasting colors going on. The white titles stand out nicely against the black background and the bright colors of the lips against the black almost makes it look like the lipstick kisses are glowing.

Brief Review

       This was a pretty short book, one of only 201 pages, so I think I can fit everything I need to say into a paragraph or two without sectioning it off like I usually do.

         I had no problem with any of the characters, they were all what I expected them to be. This entire book was pretty much what I expected it to be, cute and quick and fun.

       The plot moved pretty quickly which is pretty much a given due to the length of the book, there isn't a lot of room for build up.

       This book goes with the cliche of two best friends falling for each other trope, so if that's not what you want to read about, then I wouldn't bother if I were you, because that's all this is. I enjoyed it though, it is exactly what I wanted it to be.

One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards

Author: Natalie D. Richards
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Expected publication: October 4 2016
Pages: 320

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.* 


Introduction

       Nobody is happy when rain falls during a mandatory senior hiking trip. Everybody is even less impressed when a flash flood cuts the group in half, each stuck on one side of the overflowing river.
   
       They all thought the rain was the largest of their worries, until Luke, Jude, Emily, and Sera wake up groggy and confused with words etched on the skin of their wrists. Luke got the word Dangerous. Jude got the word Deceptive. Emily got the word Damaged. Sera got the word Darling. They have no idea what these words mean, why they were drugged enough to sleep through the day, why their teacher won't wake up, or why all of their stuff is destroyed. What they do know is that they need to get out of the woods, although somebody in the forest with seems determined that they don't get out alive.

Cover

        Interesting cover, different from what I usually see with Natalie D. Richards' covers.

Sera (and Luke, kind of)

       I liked Sera mostly. I wasn't a huge fan of the backstory between her and Luke, or how she kept resisting everything because of her past with her mother. I'm struggling to explain what I mean, but I feel like if Sera was going to blame a lot of her trust issues on her mother, than more story should have been written in with the relationship between her and mother, instead of just continually mentioning that falling for someone like Luke is exactly what her mother would do.

Jude and Emily

       I liked these characters a lot individually, but the close friendship/relationship seemed to develop really fast and abruptly I wasn't very much into it.

Mystery

       I had my suspicions about who the psychopath was before the ending revealed it, but it was still very enjoyable to read, and the way that you are lead off course of the real person behind it was believable. Even though I say that I had my suspicions, I wasn't entirely sure, as I don't think it was that obvious, especially when thinking of the motive
Story progress

       The story takes a while to really get going, but in the book's defense it was written to be a suspenseful thriller, so there is supposed to be a lot of buildup, and it's completely understandable for the style.

Conclusion

       I had a few gripes with the relationships in this book, but nothing horrible or earth shattering. I enjoyed reading this book a lot. I would definitely read this book again. One Was Lost reminds me once again why Natalie D. Richards is my favourite author, and as always, I can not wait to read more from her.

     

The Assassin Game by Kristy McKay

Author: Kristy Mckay
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Expected publication: August 1 2016
Pages: 336

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* 

Introduction

       At Umfraville boarding school, there is a game that everybody want to be a part of, even if they're just in the sidelines, watching it all unfold. Killer gets played once a year, for the players of this prestigious game, the goal is to not get "killed." Meaning, do not fall victim to the pranks set out to end your life in the game. Killer has been played for years at Umfraville, and as long as the game remains relatively harmless, it goes on uninterrupted. When the "kills" go from pranks with fake blood, to actual deaths, suddenly the prestigious game of Killer is anything but harmless.

Cover

       I am in love with this cover. It gives off such eerie and sinister vibes and I honestly never want to stop looking at it.

Story progress

       The events of this book took a long time to get going, so because of the very slow story progress, I struggled to maintain my interest in the novel for a long time. I had to keep forcing myself to read a few pages at a time, but do not fear! The novel takes off eventually and it's worth the wait.

Cate

       I liked Cate. I admire her ability to deal with unpleasant situations mostly in a responsible way. I also thoroughly enjoyed that she thought about what she was doing before she did it, more often than not.

Marcia

        I have gripes with Marcia. To get straight to the point, I think she's a crappy friend to Cate, and not in a way that has anything to do with romantic interests. She is pretty much never there for Cate, always disappearing and not paying attention to the things that Cate has to say. I, personally, would have given up on maintaining friendships with her.

Daniel

       I believe that Daniel accomplished what he was written in to do, to make me angry and frustrated at the things he does (but in a good frustrating way!) I honestly think that Cate was much too kind to him, after the things that he has done.

Vaughn

       I didn't find Vaughn that interesting. I thought he was kind of two dimensional. However, I do wish that the author had delved into his backstory a little more, as we end up with two different versions of why he ended up at Umfraville.

Romance

       Romance takes a backseat in this book, which I didn't mind at all. I think if the romance had taken up more of a role in the book. that it would have distracted from the main point if the story; that people are dying. Plus because the romance wasn't a huge element of the bool, it made the romantic moments all the more sweet.

Mystery

       There's two things you are trying to figure out throughout reading. The first is: Who is the game's killer? The next is: Who is actually causing people to die? Is it the same person?
       I'll admit, it took me a bit to answer these questions, correctly, anyway. This mystery had me, just because there were so many outcomes and so many reasons to
believe them. Even when the big climatic reveal comes along, I was so surprised. I honestly had no idea it was going to play out the way that it did, and for the reasons it did. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out mysteries before the reveal, and I absolutely loved that I wasn't spot on about this one. It kept me guessing, just like a mystery should.

Conclusion

       Overall, I had a few gripes, but nothing deal-breaking. The mystery was great and kept me guessing, which was refreshing. I'm open to reading this book again when I get the chance, as well as more from Kristy McKay. I would recommend this book to any teen boy or girl, looking for a good mystery to keep them interested.

Did I Mention I Love you? by Estelle Maskame

Introduction

       Eden isn't the happiest person regarding the fact that she has to spend the summer with her father, the same one that walked out on her and her mom three years ago. For the record, she doesn't plan on spending too much time with her father, she plans on working on her tan in the LA sun and doing all the tourist like things the Golden State has to offer. What she doesn't plan on, is having 3 new step brothers. Jamie, Chase and the oldest brother, Tyler. Another thing she really doesn't plan on is making friends and breaking rules, but the last thing I think she ever thought would happen was that she would end up falling for Tyler, the one person she knows she can never go for.

Cover

       The cover is cute, standard for a contemporary romance.

Eden

       Eden wasn't really anything super specatacular. She wasn't a bad character and I didn't dislike her, she just doesn't have anything about her that stands out to me.

Tyler

       Tyler was a cool character. I kind of expected the bomb that dropped near the end when it is revealed as to why he has his guard up all the time and hides behind his infamous distractions, but I did enjoy reading about the roller coaster that is his life.

Love story

       I'm not going to say anything about the love that Tyler and Eden have for each other because I don't really think it would mean anything. The point of the story is basically that the love they have is forbidden regardless of the fact that they aren't related. All that aside, I think it was a well written love story.

Ending

       I do, however, have a problem with the ending. I find the author kind of copped out of really dealing with everything that should have been dealt with, but from what I understand, Did I Mention I Love you is part of a trilogy so Maskame has plenty of time to make up for it.

Conclusion

       This book was pretty good. I think once I really sat down, I read it in about 2 days. It's a good book if you're looking for a more serious contemporary romance, and I am interested enough in the characters and plot to read the second book when I can.