REVIEW--Daughter of Deep Silence

My friend Emily at The Gnoming Librarian beat me to a review on Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan, so go check her review out!

Emily and I listened to this book together on our way down to YallFest.  We wanted to listen to books by YallFest authors, and I indeed got to meet Carrie Ryan!

However...I wasn't a fan of this book.  Let's discuss.

 

• Standalone novel
• Mystery/Realistic

The Gist:
A cruise ship called Persephone doesn't make it to its destination, and all but three passengers survive the devastation.  Survivor Frances Mace knows that the ship was attacked by armed men, but the other two survivors--a wealthy politician and his son--lie to the media and say the ship was capsized by a rogue wave.  Frances is now out for revenge and will stop at nothing to avenger her family and best friend's death.

What I Loved:

• I loved the concept of the book--a girl seeking revenge without fully knowing the truth behind the cruise ship's destruction.
• I love the TV show Revenge, so it's fun to see the tricks Frances has up her sleeve when trying to uncover the secrets.

What I Didn't Love:

• The cover.  Don't get me wrong--the cover is GORGEOUS--but it doesn't fit the book.  It makes the book look historical and romantic...and it's not.
• This book is really a copy of the TV show Revenge.  Which is disappointing since I thought Ryan's book The Forest of Hands and Teeth was awfully similar to the movie The Village. So it just seemed like a copycat.  There's even a character named Grayson, which is a major name on the TV show.
• Frances fell HARD for Grayson when they were on the cruise ship for ONE WEEK.  And he fell for her too.  So a few years later they're still pining for each other?  Really?  And maybe it's because I listened to this book on audio, but she sure talked about her love for him A LOT.
• There were so many plot holes here.  It just wouldn't work.  Frances takes her friend's identity--and successfully fools people--and the media doesn't go crazy when they discover her as a survivor.  I just kept coming across things that wouldn't work in the real world.  Which made the whole book fall apart.

So this one was a blah book for me.  Only 2 stars for me.

What are some recommendations that you have for me?

REVIEW: We Were Liars

I'm so glad that I am reviewing this book in June, because summer is the PERFECT time to read this book!

Today's review is on We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.  I'm impressed if you haven't heard of this book--it had SO MUCH buzz about it when it was first released.  But to be honest, the less you've heard the better...

• Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:

Cadence Sinclair Easton comes from old money, and this definitely shows every summer when her grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins stay on their private island off of Cape Cod.  And Cady LOVES being with her fellow "Liars"--her cousins Mirren and Johnny and her friend Gat.  But when Cady suffers a mysterious accident, she suffers with depression, amnesia, and migraines, and life just isn't the same.  She struggles to find her place with the Liars and her family, and she certainly isn't prepared for the revelations that come to light by the end of the summer.

What I Loved:

• The setting and the premise were unique and captivating.  They sucked me in and kept me wondering.
• E. Lockhart's writing is lyrical and beautiful.  Her writing truly makes the book.
• This book has you thinking even when it's over; what's extra impressive about this is that the book is a standalone and a rather short one at that.
• The cover is pretty great.

What I Didn't Love:

• Because this book had so much buzz about it, I went into it just looking for the "mystery" surrounding it.  And I pretty much figured it out.  I was expected to be blown away in surprise, and I just wasn't.
• The characters weren't very likable.  I found myself just not caring for Cady.  

A mysterious, (kind-of) suspenseful summer read...just don't read too much about it ahead of time!

An outfit coming up based on the Liars!

REVIEW--The Killing Woods

Good morning, readers and fashionistas!

This month, I picked up Lucy Christopher's newest book, The Killing Woods.  It was just published in January, so I was excited to get my hands on it early (I think I was the first from my library, actually, to check it out!).  I think the gloomy weather here in Indiana has had me in a murder mystery mood, so this was a good choice...let's get started!

• Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:
Emily's father recently returned from serving in the army.  But he's not the same.  While serving overseas, he accidentally shot and killed a civilian whom he thought was an opposing soldier.  Devastated and traumatized, he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and often lives in flashbacks.  When he returns home one night carrying Ashlee, a classmate of Emily's who is now dead, everyone assumes that he killed her during a flashback.  He now sits in jail and says very little, which makes Emily even more determined to prove his innocence.  But Damon, Ashlee's boyfriend, wants to prove his guilt more than ever and soon finds himself crossing paths with Emily.

What I Liked:

• The double point of view.  The chapters alternate between Emily and Damon, so readers get to see both sides of the "case."  I found myself preferring Damon's side of the story since he is trying to uncover memories he's lost about the night Ashlee died.
• The premise of the book.  A dad with PTSD, a murder mystery--it had me very intrigued.

What I Didn't Love:

• This book had very little action.  It was so much thought--Emily thinking about her dad's innocence, Damon thinking about his lost memories...but VERY little action.  I wanted clue-hunting, high anxiety scenes, light-bulb moments.  Nope.  A lot of thinking.
• Emily introduces some of her school friends (well, not really friends anymore now that they think her dad is a murderer) in the first chapter or so, but then they disappear and never appear again.  I wanted more drama between them (that would have provided more action!).
• The whole premise of The Game (a game that Damon and his friends play) was just bizarre to me, and the fact that Emily's dad could have witnessed it so intimately seemed far-fetched.
• Emily's mom was just another weak adult character in a YA book.
• I guessed the ending ahead of time (not every detail, but most).

My favorite quote: "I want to hate her...but if I hate Mum too, I'm running out of people to love."
 
This book actually took me a few weeks to get through, so I'm afraid I have to give it a low rating...eek!...1 star.

I'll be back with an outfit based on Ashlee and The Game...stay tuned to see it!

REVIEW--Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Happy Wednesday, readers and fashionistas!  Today I'm revieweing Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield.  My students often joke with me because I read so many murder mysteries--well, here's another one!  I think I just like a good challenge of guessing a murderer (although I'm usually wrong!).  So let's get started!

•  Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:
Becca just graduated from high school as salutatorian.  She's always thought that she is ready to get out of her hometown and never look back...that is, until a girl (Amelia Anne) is discovered dead on the side of the road.  Even though Becca knows nothing about Amelia Anne, she is completely shaken up by her murder and just isn't sure of anything anymore.  But she may have reason to be shaken up, because there may be people from her life who are more involved than she realizes.

What I Loved:

• This book had a double point of view.  Becca often tells the story, but every so often Amelia Anne is the highlight.  I really liked this, especially reading about Amelia Anne since I knew she would end up dead.
• There are similarities between Becca and Amelia Anne that kept the story interesting, like them both feeling trapped in their lives.
• Richly written, just beautiful prose. 
• The cover--so creepy and yet so beautiful!

 What I Didn't Love:

• Becca really hung out with a rough crowd...and I found this hard to believe for a salutatorian (hey, I know that's stereotypical, but I work in a school and I still believe it).
• I really didn't know much about Becca except that she was obsessed with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, James.  I was just over her.
• Some intense, climactic scenes were a little muddled, and I was a little confused at some of the worst times.  I hate having to re-read because I didn't fully understand something, but I had to a few times.
• I wanted to see more action--the police, their investigation, etc.  I felt so trapped inside Becca's depressed mind.
• A lot of sex in this book...a little too much!

My favorite quote: "When you made plans, the saboteurs came out to play."

Well, as you can see, I struggled with this one and had a lot of issues with it.  So it's just two stars for me...

I'm designing an outfit based off of Amelia Anne tomorrow, though!  Come back and check it out!

REVIEW--The Night She Disappeared

Ahhh, I love a good murder mystery.  I think it started with Agatha Christie; she had me hooked from my first Poirot book and now I love reading mysteries.  And I never seem to guess the murderer!  Maybe that's why I love it so much...?

Today's review is on The Night She Disappeared by April Henry.  It is a through-and-through mystery with a pretty creepy concept.  So let's get right into it!

 

• Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:

Gabie works at Pete's Pizza and frequently delivers pizzas for the store  in her Mini Cooper.  One evening, a male customer calls and asks for the girl with the Mini Cooper to deliver his pizzas.  Gabie isn't working that night, so Kayla, her replacement, delivers the pizzas instead.  She never returns to Pete's.  It is soon obvious that Kayla was kidnapped and Gabie was the intended target.  Gabie has a feeling that Kayla is alive and joins with Drew (the boy who took the phone call) to find her.

What I Loved:

• This book was told from multiple points of view and it worked really well, especially getting the victim's and kidnapper's points of view.
• The book had a very creepy undertone throughout and a CRAZY creepy villain.

What I Didn't Love:

• It wasn't a nail biter and wasn't super scary like I was hoping.
• The police investigation seemed pretty weak; they just seemed to give up after awhile.
• The supervision at Pete's Pizza after the kidnapping also seemed weak.  If I were the owner, I would have wanted to be more present with the working teens. 

 My favorite quote: "Drew's mom came into Pete's a couple of weeks ago...I didn't know it was his mom.  He and I went to elementary schools, which is about the last time you see people's parents."

Overall an enjoyable read but maybe a little weak on the scary factor.  

 I'll be back soon with a "Who Wore It Best" cover edition for this book and another recent read (can you guess which one?!).  And then tomorrow I'll have an outfit based off of Gabie herself!

REVIEW--The Madness Underneath

Whew!  Sorry my post is coming a little late today!  I just got back from an amazing two-day library conference and I've been scrambling to catch up all day!  But it was totally worth it--the conference was fantastic.

Today's review is on the book The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson; this is the second in the Shades of London series.  I have really fallen in love with this series for the unexpected action, supernatural characters, and quirky narrator.

 

• 2nd in the Shakes of London series
• Supernatural/Mystery

The Gist:

Following the attack by "The Ripper," Rory is living in Bristol with her parents.  Out of nowhere, Rory's therapist suggest she return to Wexford Academy, and Rory soon learns that this was planned by the secret ghost agency in London.  Now that she is a terminus and able to defeat ghosts, the agency knows they may need her expertise in getting rid of some dangerous characters.  And Rory's about to learn how dangerous these ghosts are and how close they are to Wexford.  But defeating them while trying to stay on top of her Wexford schedule may be more than she can handle.

What I Loved: 

• Sometimes I find sequels lack the excitement of the first in the series, but this book had a very cool concept and some major thrills!  The last third of the book had me turning the pages quickly.
• This book is just as spooky and mysterious as the first--some gruesome deaths, an insane asylum, and surprise attacks.
• I liked that this book demonstrated Rory's difficulty in re-entering Wexford and that Wexford held her accountable for that.  She didn't have it easy in catching up on work (totally understandable) but had to be held responsible for that.
• Rory is just as snarky and sarcastic as I remember...and this is such a hoot!
• I loved the cliffhanger ending, because it left me wanting more.  I don't remember the first having such an ending, so this will get me to check out the third book as soon as it comes out.
• I LOVE the title--so clever!

What I Didn't Love:

• Just like the first book in the series, I felt like the parents were super weak.  They NEVER call to check on Rory--hello, your daughter almost died?!  And the fact that they send her back to Wexford is pretty laughable.
• Some of my favorite characters from the first book--Jazza and Jerome--are very minor in this sequel.  I missed Jazza!!!
• Even though the end was very exciting, it all came on pretty suddenly.  Rory's interactions with Jane and Stephen were thrown in so unexpectedly that I wasn't ready for it.

My favorite quote: "Also, for the record, if someone is called a Romantic, it should mean some sexy times, I think.  Instead, what it really means is people in puffy shirts who probably had a lot of real-life sexytimes, but produced almost exclusively pictures of hillsides or people in dramatic poses, like pretending to be Ophelia dead in a swamp.  I definitely call shenanigans on this."

A fun and mysterious read--I can't wait for the sequel! 

 

Yeah, this probably won't mean anything until you read the book!

 

I'll see you here tomorrow for an outfit inspired by the book!

REVIEW--The Name of the Star

Needing a spooky read for October?  I have a great series for you to try out!  Today's review is on The Name of the Star, the first in Maureen Johnson's Shades of London series.  A great choice as we gear up for Halloween!

A creepy but beautiful cover!

• Book 1 in the Shades of London series
• Supernatural/Mystery/Thriller

The Gist:

Rory, a Louisiana native, is attending boarding school in London while her parents work overseas.  Almost immediately following her arrival, a series of murders in London starts occurring, and every murder seems to mimic Jack the Ripper.  Because of a near death experience, Rory finds herself connected to the murders--and Jack the Ripper himself--in more ways than expected.  A mystery thriller with major supernatural twists thrown in!

What I Loved:

• Rory, the narrator, is very quippy and sarcastic.  I loved her voice!  A great example of this is my favorite quote down below.
• I loved the various points of view that were given throughout the book of the random people connected to the murders.  A spooky way of starting various chapters!
• Johnson does a great job of connecting the past and present in this book.  She really brought the history alive for me!
• The murders are pretty horrifying; perfect for October!  And do you know much about Jack the Ripper?  Horrifying murders to say the least!
• The characters are realistic--they're jealous, have crushes, etc.  

What I Didn't Love:

• Rory's parents...they're pretty much nonexistant.  They don't even help Rory with her school orientation.
• Rory's near death experience that allows her to connect with the supernatural--really?  It was a cheesy near death experience and seemed pretty minor.

My favorite quote:  "It didn't take a great deal of insight to know that Jazza was not going to want to go to a crime scene that evening.  She was, to use the vernacular, a normal person."

 

Overall a great read, and the sequel is just as creepy and fun!  I'll be reviewing it on Thursday!  Check back here Wednesday for an outfit inspired by this book!

REVIEW--Anna Dressed In Blood

Happy Labor Day!  I hope you get to enjoy today with some fun and relaxation!

And Happy September!  Whenever September hits, I'm immediately in Autumn mode.  I'm ready for all things Fall--the warm weather, deep colors, pumpkin and cinnamon scents, and spooky celebrations.  So I decided to start off this month with some creepier, fall-appropriate reads.  Today's review is Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake.

• First book in the Anna series
• Supernatural, horror, mystery

Summary provided by Goodreads:

Cas Lowood, armed with his late father's athame knife, kills ghosts. In Thunder Bay, Anna, forever 16, drips blood on her white dress from throat slit in 1958, and rips apart anyone who enters her house - except Cas. He makes new friends - high school queen Carmel, jock Will, admiring nerd Thomas and Tom's voodoo grandpa Morfran - to fight this demon.

The Gist

Cas Lowood's father was a ghosthunter.  But he was murdered by a ghost, and now Cas has taken his father's knife and legacy to fight ghosts.  All of Cas's hunts are basically training sessions for him, because he's really on the hunt to kill his father's murderer.  He and his mother (a witch and online occult supplier) get called to Canada to find and kill Anna, a ghost who was murdered in the 1950s on her way to a school dance.  Anna murders anyone who enters the house in which she once lived--that is, until Cas walks in the front door.

What I Loved

• Cas is an awesome protagonist!  He is funny and sarcastic and has some fantastic one-liners.
• And as great as Cas is as the protagonist, Anna is a GREAT villain.  She is definitely to be feared; however, she has a story that adds even more depth to her character.
• There are some great villain twists, like with the Obeahman.  I love a good twist!
• The opening scene in the book with Cas and a hitchhiker ghost is awesome!  A great way to open the book with its spooky undertones!
• An unpredictable story for sure!
• I liked the love story that evolved within the book...it's not creepy like I would have expected.
• The cover of the book is gorgeous!  And the text in the book is red--a fun addition to the book!

What I Didn't Love

• The book is pretty gory (I'm not a huge horror fan), but I wasn't overly scared at any point.  
• I had a hard time believing Thomas and Carmel's blooming relationship (especially on Carmel's end of it).
• So Cas enrolls in the local high school but basically skips every day with no consequences???  It must be the educator in me but this bothered me the whole way through the book!

My favorite quote--"Thomas is absolutely not naturally brave.  Which makes his bravery all the more impressive."

Check back here on Wednesday for an outfit inspired by the spooky, unpredictable Anna!

And want to know what I thought about the sequel in this series?  My review of Girl of Nightmares will be up on Thursday!