Tag Archives: contemporary
Wicked Charm
Entangled Teen
January 30, 2018
Paperback
304
Nothing good comes from living in the Devil's swamp.
Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn't half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.
Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.
Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell―the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.
But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there's something else that draws Willow to him.
When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they're leading to her own death.
Review:
“Wicked Charm” is standard young adult mystery and romance fare. It’s enjoyable and an extremely quick read, making it a good choice for a beach read. It just isn’t memorable.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
Layover
Young Adult Fiction
Crown Books For Young Readers
2018
272
From two screenwriters who worked on the Step Up film franchise comes their debut novel--a road trip romance that begins with an unplanned flight layover in L.A. and turns into a wild adventure.
Review:
“Layover” is a family drama that tugs at the heartstrings and features a sweet romance. While the plot is somewhat implausible, the family dynamics are something many of us can identify with on at least some level. Recommended for the romance lovers out there looking for a story with bite.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4
Juvenile Fiction
Harper Collins
August 14, 2003
272
Adrian Mole's first love, Pandora, has left him; a neighbor, Mr. Lucas, appears to be seducing his mother (and what does that mean for his father?); the BBC refuses to publish his poetry; and his dog swallowed the tree off the Christmas cake. "Why" indeed.
Review:
While it made me laugh out loud on occasion, this book was just not for me. I know Adrian is supposed to be clueless but he’s also obnoxious and most of the time I wanted to reach through the pages to choke him. His situation is not a good one, but I get the feeling he would be just as annoying even in the perfect home. I suppose the humor is just not my style.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations
The Sweetest Kind of Fate (Windy City Magic #2)
The Sweetest Kind of Fate
Windy City Magic, Book 2
Disney-Hyperion
March 6, 2018
Hardcover
320
GREAT. I've somehow found myself tangled up with a siren, a mermaid, and a homicidal wicked witch who once tried to strangle me to death. Way to go, Amber!
Amber Sand, legendary matchmaker, couldn't be more surprised when her archnemesis, Ivy, asks for her help. Ivy's sister, Iris, is getting married, and Ivy wants to prove her sister is making a huge mistake. But as Amber looks into Iris's eyes, there doesn't seem to be a problem-Iris has clearly found her match.
It seems happily-ever-after is in the cards, but when Iris seeks out a dangerous, life-altering spell, it's up to Amber and Ivy to set aside their rivalry and save the day.
As Iris puts everything on the line for love, Amber continues to wrestle with her own romantic future. Her boyfriend, Charlie, is still destined for another, and no matter how hard she clings to him, fear over their inevitable breakup shakes her belief system to the core.
Because the Fates are never wrong-right?
Review:
“The Sweetest Kind of Fate” is a fun follow-up to the original “Windy City Magic.” It is a quick and light read perfect for fans of magical realism. While there are some intense scenes in terms of magical creatures, there are very few curse words or sexual situations of any kind, making it a good choice for younger readers of the ya genre.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Violence
The Hazel Wood
Young Adult Fiction
January 30, 2018
368
Welcome to the Hazel Wood—the fiercely stunning contemporary fantasy everyone is raving about: Four starred reviews! “Thoroughly, creepily captivating.” —Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling and Jane, Unlimited “Will be your next obsession.” —Stephanie Garber, author of Caraval “Destined to be a classic.” —Kami Garcia, author of The Lovely Reckless “Breathtaking.” —Seanan McGuire, author of Every Heart a Doorway “Mesmerizing.” —Karen McManus, author of One of Us Is Lying “One of the best books I’ve read in years.” —Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away—by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began—and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.
Review:
I’ve seen mixed reviews on “The Hazel Wood,” but I am in the loved it camp.
Don’t go into it expecting some happy fairytale retelling. This is dark. Original Grimm’s Fairy Tales dark. Alice, the main character, is spunky and not always likable. In this case it is a trait that works well. The stories within the story are wonderful and creepy and vividly painted in words. I’d love for there to be both a sequel and a companion book filled with only the stories.
Highly recommended for those who love the dark side of things!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Minor Sexual Situations, Violence, Disturbing Imagery
S.T.A.G.S.
S.T.A.G.S.
Delacorte Press
January 30, 2018
Hardcover
304
Greer MacDonald has just started as a scholarship student at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as STAGS. STAGS is a place where new things--and new people--are to be avoided. And in her first days there, Greer is ignored at best and mocked at worst by the school's most admired circle of friends, the Medievals.
So, naturally, Greer is taken by surprise when the Medievals send her an invitation to a sought-after weekend retreat at the private family estate of their unofficial leader, Henry de Warlencourt. It's billed as a weekend of "huntin' shootin' fishin'."
As the weekend begins to take shape, it becomes apparent that beyond the luxurious trappings, predators are lurking, and they're out for blood.
OPTIONED FOR FILM BY FOX 2000 AND CHERNIN ENTERTAINMENT--WITH HUNGER GAMES CO-WRITER TO ADAPT!
Review:
It took me about a third of the book to get into the story, but once I did, I found it to be quite a good thriller and a clever commentary on current events. It’s best read on a rainy night, which is what I did. Be prepared for some strange nightmares! I wish I could say more but anything other than what’s already in the blurb would be a spoiler.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Minor Sexual Situations, Violence, Animal Deaths
The Visitors
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
September 26, 2017
304
“Once you start Catherine Burns's dark, disturbing, and enthralling debut novel, it's hard to stop. The Visitors is bizarrely unsettling, yet compulsively readable.” —Iain Reid, internationally bestselling author of I’m Thinking of Ending Things With the smart suspense of Emma Donoghue’s Room and the atmospheric claustrophobia of Grey Gardens, Catherine Burns’s debut novel explores the complex truths we are able to keep hidden from ourselves and the twisted realities that can lurk beneath even the most serene of surfaces. Marion Zetland lives with her domineering older brother John in a crumbling mansion on the edge of a northern seaside resort. A timid spinster in her fifties who still sleeps with teddy bears, Marion does her best to live by John’s rules, even if it means turning a blind eye to the noises she hears coming from behind the cellar door...and turning a blind eye to the women’s laundry in the hamper that isn’t hers. For years, she’s buried the signs of John’s devastating secret into the deep recesses of her mind—until the day John is crippled by a heart attack, and Marion becomes the only one whose shoulders are fit to bear his secret. Forced to go down to the cellar and face what her brother has kept hidden, Marion discovers more about herself than she ever thought possible. As the truth is slowly unraveled, we finally begin to understand: maybe John isn’t the only one with a dark side....
Review:
Had I written this review as soon as I finished “The Visitors,” it would have been three stars. I’m glad I waited, because this is the sort of book that sticks with you and chills you to the bone whenever you think about it.
It isn’t fast-paced, and honestly some of the scariest moments come when you identify with the loneliness of Marion. Quite a bit of it is simply a slice of life type story with bits of the macabre tossed in. I really don’t want to spoil anything. If you are up for a slow-burn horror/ thriller, this is highly recommended.
Caution: There are some animal deaths, though none particularly graphic.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Before I Let Go
Young Adult Fiction
Sourcebooks Fire
January 23, 2018
368
From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller This Is Where It Ends! Days before Corey is to return home to the snow and ice of Lost Creek, Alaska, to visit her best friend, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated—and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town's lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger. Corey knows something is wrong. Lost is keeping secrets—chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter...
Review:
All three stars that I have given “Before I Let Go” are because of the beautiful writing. That being said, I didn’t like this book at all. The story sounds good in the blurb but fell flat all the way around for me. It did not help that I didn’t like any of the characters, so I wasn’t even invested in finding out what happened to them. It was a chore to read. “One of us. One of us. One of us,” ran through my mind the entire time. I know that Marieke Nijkamp is capable of much better storytelling and still look forward to her next book.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Minor Sexual Situations, Violence
My New Crush Gave to Me
Young Adult Fiction
Swoon Reads
October 31, 2017
288
Eager for a date to the holiday season "Lover's Ball," school newspaper editor Charlie rigs the school's Secret Santa exchange to woo the boy of her dreams.
Review:
“My New Crush Gave to Me” would have been much better as a short story. As a book, it’s cute and a quick read, but there is a lot of filler in there. Once it finally picked up around the middle I enjoyed it, though I could never spend much time in real life around the main character, Charlie!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Mild Sexual Situations
The Hanging Girl
Hmh Books for Young Readers
October 3, 2017
320
Another unputdownable, twisty, cat-and-mouse thriller by the author of With Malice about a girl who claims to have a psychic vision that could help find a missing teenager.
Review:
“The Hanging Girl” is a good read for someone in the mood for a quick and fun young adult mystery. The plot is entertaining and would come in handy for someone needing a break during the holiday season by escaping for a while. The only problem I had with it is the main character, Skye. No matter how much her character’s deeper history was revealed I just could not bring myself to like her. Recommended for a light read!
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
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