Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Title: Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Pub. Date: May 18th 2011
Source: Goodwill


Book Description:

To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating--a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

Review:

★★★★★

Four and a half stars, rounded up.

I'm not quite sure how to review this book. It seems wrong to say that I liked it, given that it's about rape and abduction. But, it was so hauntingly and beautifully written, that it was enjoyable to read, even with the dark (and it is DARK) subject matter.

I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was going to be written from the perspective of the five year old son, Jack, who has been held captive in the "room" his entire life. It was shocking, but it works so well as a literary tool. He doesn't understand life, not like you or me. Because there is no life outside of "room". He doesn't understand why his mom gets sad, or angry, or tired with him. He doesn't understand that she was raped and enslaved and kidnapped. But as an adult reading through his eyes, you can see between the lines, and see how much fight the mom has in her, and how she copes with this horrible life she's been dealt, and how much she does for her son so that he can try to have happiness, even in personal little hell.

The emotions are high and tense because children feel so deeply. Each cutting word, each sigh, each scream, it's all vivid and it's all felt. You grow to care for Jack and his mother, hoping that they will be safe, that they will live, that they will get free. Jack is written as so brave but so frightened at the same time. When outside of Room, he has to learn things that I would have never thought about, like how to climb stairs. It's heartbreaking but hopeful.

The room is written in such vivid detail that I feel like I could envision every part of it, from the worn floors to the ceiling window. The characters are well described too, Donoghue is very good at showing instead of telling, and it visualizes very well. It's no wonder that someone read this and thought it would make a good movie. It's very dramatic and cinematic, and while I have not seen the movie (and I'm not quite sure I want to), I can totally imagine it on screen.

This book covers so many hard to swallow topics: child abuse, rape, kidnapping, enslavement, suicide, depression, miscarriage, overdose, the "need to know all the gory details" coverage of the media. And Emma Donoghue navigates them expertly. This is a raw, emotional, powerful, and often times painful story, measured with hope, perseverance, and love. It's not an easy book to get through, but it's a book that I'm very glad that I read.

If you are a fan of things like true crime and ID channel, than this book might be something you want to read. If you have any aversion to any of the topics that I've mentioned here, than I don't recommend it, because you will probably find it incredibly troubling and upsetting.

Review: I'm Not Missing by Carrie Fountain

Title: I'm Not Missing: A Novel
Author: Carrie Fountain
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: July 10th 2018
Source: Goodreads First Reads


Book Description:

When Miranda Black’s mother abandoned her, she took everything—the sun, moon, and stars—and Miranda found shelter in her friendship with Syd, who wore her own motherlessness like a badge of honor: Our mothers abandoned us. We won’t go begging for scraps.

When Syd runs away suddenly and inexplicably in the middle of their senior year, Miranda is abandoned once again, left to untangle the questions of why Syd left, where she is—and if she’s even a friend worth saving. Her only clue is Syd’s discarded pink leopard print cell phone and a single text contained there from the mysterious HIM. Along the way, forced to step out from Syd’s enormous shadow, Miranda finds herself stumbling into first love with Nick Allison of all people and learning what it means to be truly seen, to be finally not missing in her own life.

Review:

★★★★★

I was absolutely blown away by this book. I was shocked to learn that this is Carrie Fountain's first novel. It's beautiful, haunting, and just straight up well written.

However, I definitely wasn't surprised to learn that her first two publications are books of poetry. It's clear that Fountain has a way with words. The way that the writing flows is beautiful. It's a bit slow paced, but I liked that. This book is set in the desert area of the US, so for me the tempo of the writing matched the slow, low heat of the setting that the author drew me into.

I like that all of the characters were multi-faceted and had depth to them. You learn who Miranda is both at the side of her best friend Syd, and rediscover her along the way when Syd is no longer there. You learn who Nick is both through the eyes of Syd, who hates his guts, and through Miranda, who yearns for him even after he makes some questionable decisions. Even her father, who isn't really a main character, you learn to see the fatherly, put together side that Miranda sees and the scientific genius version that the rest of the world sees.

I like that Miranda was a little weird, and that she's relatable. She's flawed, like all of us. She respects prayer because of her family roots, but she isn't into the praying thing herself. So when she needs to sleep, she recites a historical speech to herself aloud instead. She breaks a romantic tension moment by laughing. She struggles with friendship and loss in a way that I think is just so human.

And then there's the case of the missing friend. Well, "not missing" friend. I actually wasn't sure where this plot arch was going, in a sort of a "who done it" type mystery style. I won't give spoilers, but I will say that I did not see the book taking the twists that it did, and it took me by surprise. But in a good way.

My only real criticism of this book has to do with the ending. I felt like there was still a few loose ends left frayed by the time the book was over. I'm a little disappointed that Miranda's mother wasn't a bigger part of the plot line. I would have really liked to have followed that path to learn more about what happened and why.

This book is gritty and emotional, but also full of twists and even quite a few laughs. Reading the slow paced, flowing language made it very relaxing and soothing to read, despite all of the drama and issues that are presented in the book. Be warned, there's some hard to swallow for some topics, like sex, abuse, and abandonment.

I hope this isn't the last novel by Carrie Fountain, and I recommend this to anyone who likes realistic fiction with a darker, problematic side to it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

Review: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Title: Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Author: Piper Kerman
Format: Paperback, 314 pages
Pub. Date: March 8th 2011
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187–424—one of the millions of people who disappear “down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman’s story offers a rare look into the lives of women in prison—why it is we lock so many away and what happens to them when they’re there.

Review:

★★

It's worth saying up front that, yes, I do watch the Netflix series of the same name. However, I understand that the real life and the fictional life are two different things, so I will try my best not to compare the two: they are very different experiences.

This book is alright. It was a very slow read for me. I expected it to be faster paced, knowing that Piper has a history as a traveler and having been shipped around the prison system. But not much really happened.

There are so many different characters in the book, that it's really hard to keep everyone straight. Aside from a few reoccurring characters like Pop (Red) and Nora (Alex), not much depth is given to a lot of these girls. You don't get to know them very well as a whole. I also wasn't a fan of how she describes people. She often finds a way to insult them. Like, yeah she's pretty but she's super dumb, or she's ugly but she's so sweet. It was off-putting.

There was a lot of inner dialogue and not so much talking between characters. I think this is part of why it felt like nothing was happening. Her thoughts were sometimes interesting and almost always understandable. Questions like what is my fiance doing right now? Will I make it out of here? How did I end up here? But I was surprised by the lack of acknowledgement of her crimes. Towards the end she makes one flippant comment about how she committed a crime, but throughout the book there's definitely the implication of "I don't deserve to be here, I'm not like these people". There's no real growth or evolution. Although, she is on a women's prison board now, so some positivity has coming from it (not to mention those Netflix checks- genuinely, good for her on that front!).

That said, I do appreciate that she acknowledges her privilege often. While it does get annoying to hear about how much she has compared to others, I'm glad that she at least realized it. She had a job waiting for her on the outside. She received tons of mail and books and had a great lawyer. I do think that it's odd that no one seemed to care that she went to prison. By her own detail, she is waspy and she went to Smith. Yet her family and friends were just like "oh, okay, see you when you're out". It's great that they were so supportive.... Just seems odd for such an upper class family to not be appalled. Just an interesting observation.

The most interesting part of the book to me was the end section, which tells about her brief time in the Cook County jail system. She was held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, Illinois during her testimony for court. I'm from Cook County, and as she detailed how terrible the conditions were, I couldn't help but to feel like "yeah, that sounds right" based off of our news... And that's a damn shame.

I think what made this an odd read for me is that it reads sort of like a college application essay. A lot of it is personal, first hand experience. Who am I to say her stay was boring? It's her life, and I'm sure it was terrifying and awful. I certainly wouldn't want to be in her position. But there's strangely inserted facts and percentages and things that make it almost seem like it's a research paper. The two different writing styles don't mesh together very well, and makes the book seem rather disorganized, and interrupts the flow of the narrative.

I do appreciate that she includes a list of resources for jails, prisons, and the family/friends of those who are incarcerated in the back of the book. I hope I never need them, but I think it's a great thing to include.

And one brief comparison to the show: you can mostly tell which characters are based on who, even though the names have been changed. I did think it was cool that some quotes from the show were taken verbatim from the text.

Ultimately, I'm not mad at this book. I'm not sorry I read it. But I don't think that I'll have any urge to read it again, and I don't think I'd recommend it to a friend. Perhaps if you're more affluent than I am, or if you've done time (or are facing it presently), maybe you'll have more to gain from this book than I did. It's not a bad book, it just could have been done better.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Review: The Cellar by Natasha Preston

Title: The Cellar
Series: The Cellar #1
Author: Natasha Preston
Format: Paperback, 347 pages
Pub. Date: March 1st 2014
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe – that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation can track her down. Spending months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin’s abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family…his perfect, pure flowers. But flowers can’t survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out….

Review:

★★★★

Note: I didn't read it while it was on wattpad, so I will have no comparisons.

I'm really pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I was sucked into the story from the beginning, and it held my interest until the end. I did have some issues with it, but overall I'm glad that I read it.

I'll start with the positives. It was creepy. It wasn't very realistic feeling, but it was still a creepy story. The life described in the cellar was unsettling to say the least, and the fact that Clover (the captor) was so non-chalant and kind of white bread was what made him creepier to me. He could just be some guy. Anyone on the street. And that's worse.

I'm not generally a fan of when books split into alternate POVs, but it served its purpose well in this book. It rotates between three characters. The first is Summer/Lily, who is the main character and the girl who is kidnapped. The second is Lewis, her boyfriend. And the third is Clover/Collin, the captor. It's interesting to see how each person is reacting to this event, and I think the voices were distinguished well from one another.

The story telling was pretty good. Preston kept me interested in the story with some mild twists and turns along the way, and the cellar and the other girls who are in there just get more disturbing the longer she's in there. The book feels haunting and hollow.

But there's some negatives. My biggest issue was the main character, Summer. She has what I call "Piper Syndrome"- that is, she's the least interesting character in the cast, despite the fact that she's the main character. I wanted so much more about Clover. I wanted more about the cellar and the other girls and the hows and the whys. She's just kind of blah in comparison to all the other things going on in the story.

I didn't care for her personality much either. She's kinda dumb. She does things even though she knows she shouldn't, and then is surprised that there's consequences. You walk alone at night even though people told you not you and bad things happened. The girls in the cellar said "he'll be pissed if you do that", she does the thing, and then is surprised when he is in fact pissed. There's also a lot of crying. A lot of it. I was sympathetic for a while (I mean hello, I'd cry if I were locked in a weird murder chamber too), but it was mentioned tooooo much and it grated on my nerves.

Her boyfriend really annoyed me at times too. Keep in mind that these characters are all teenagers. He gets angry at her parents and her brother and the police for not doing enough, that he can do it himself, he can find her. I understand feeling angry and out of control, but if some teenage dude hinted that he cared more about my daughter/sister missing than I did, I'd be furious and he'd no longer be in my house.

The ending was also a bit of a let down. It all kind of fell flat *insert sad trombone music*. I just learned from reading book info on here that apparently there's a part two to the story, maybe it gets cleared up there.

The Cellar isn't my favorite story about locking girls in a room. (Is that a weird sentence? I feel like that's a weird sentence.) But, it was an entertaining enough read that kept me wondering what was going on until the end.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Review: Be Careful What You Witch For by Dawn Eastman

Title: Be Careful What You Witch For
Series: A Family Fortune Mystery #2
Author: Dawn Eastman
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Pub. Date: July 1st 2014
Source: Won on a blog


Book Description:

Leaving a traumatic police career behind, Clyde Fortune has returned to her seemingly quiet hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan. In spite of the psychic powers of its residents, there’s no telling what trouble is brewing in this burg…

The highlight of this year's fall festival in Crystal Haven is a bonfire with a witch’s cauldron resting over it. Clyde’s best friend, Diana, leads a ritual to divine the future, but it seems no one foresees that one of their own will drop dead—or that Diana will be a prime suspect.

Clyde already has her hands full with her eccentric family, runaway nephew, and burgeoning secret romance with a hunky homicide detective. But after another coven member is attacked, Clyde suspects there’s a witch hunt afoot and focuses her psychic and sleuthing skills to clear her friend’s name and catch a killer.

Review:

★★★

Well, I'll start this by saying that I did not read Pall in the Family, the first book in the series.

I didn't think that this would be an issue, but it was. There were a lot of callbacks to things and references and scenes and personality traits that I was expected to know, and I did not. The first part of the book was messy to get through as I sorted through this.

I didn't care much for the characters. I understand that they're supposed to be eccentric/quirky, but it got into annoyingly campy territory. To the point that I didn't have much investment in the characters and the tribulations that they were going through. I was just sort of over it.

I also expected it to be more "Halloween-y" based on the title and the cover, which was a bit of a let down.

But there were some good things about this book. I really liked the setting, for example. Crystal Haven seems like a charming little weird place that I would love to visit.

It was a pretty standard cozy mystery. Some twists, some turns. Some were more predictable than others. It's a quick read.

I think if you read the first one, you'll enjoy this one more. But, I did not. Based off of my lukewarm experience with this one, I won't be reading the first one, or the subsequent ones. If you've read book one, or if you're a big cozy mystery fan, I hope you enjoy it.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Freeks by Amanda Hocking!

Title: Freeks

Author: Amanda Hocking

Release date: January 3rd 2017

Summary:

Welcome to Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, where necromancy, magical visions, and pyrokinesis are more than just part of the act…

Mara has always longed for a normal life in a normal town where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. Instead, she roams from place to place, cleaning the tiger cage while her friends perform supernatural feats every night.

When the struggling sideshow is miraculously offered the money they need if they set up camp in Caudry, Louisiana, Mara meets local-boy Gabe…and a normal life has never been more appealing.

But before long, performers begin disappearing and bodies are found mauled by an invisible beast. Mara realizes that there’s a sinister presence lurking in the town with its sights set on getting rid of the sideshow freeks. In order to unravel the truth before the attacker kills everyone Mara holds dear, she has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she was capable of—one that could change her future forever.

Bestselling author Amanda Hocking draws readers inside the dark and mysterious world of Freeks.

Review:

★★★★

I was so excited to get a chance to read this book, thanks to St. Martin's Press. I've read Amanda Hocking's work before, and loved it. I'm happy to say that Freeks didn't disappoint!

One reason that I really enjoyed this book is because the plot centers around a sideshow. One way to ensure that I read a book is to make it feature a side show, carnival, or circus. I have no idea why, but it's one of my absolute favorite settings to have for a novel. Naturally, this is what lured me into reading Freeks. I wish there would have been a little more focus on the actual traveling show, but that's nitpicking a bit.

It's also pretty dark and creepy, which is a huge plus. Hocking is great at getting that unsettling undertone into her writing, so that you're not exactly sure where the twists of the story will take you, but you know you should brace yourself for when it happens. Hocking also demonstrates her writing skills when it comes to the depth of her characters. They're the ones who sell this book, and by the end of the adventure you'll definitely have some feelings and connections to Mara and Gabe.

Speaking of Mara and Gabe, this book also features a romance. This was a little shaky for me. It wasn't bad, necessarily. I actually can't really explain why the romance didn't work perfectly for me. The timing seemed off somehow. It's okay, but there were some spots in their story where I was left raising a brow.

All in all, I am not sorry that I read Freeks. It is a paranormal young adult romance set in the 1980s that has the dark, southern charm of Louisiana mixed with a traveling side show and a super cool cast of characters. It's like Cirque du Freak grew up into a teen and got itself a boyfriend. If you like supernatural talents, mysteries, romance, or circuses and freak shows, I recommend Freeks for sure.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Get it Here:

Amazon | Macmillan | BN | BAM

Find the Author:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Pinterest

Giveaway:

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, who offered up one hardcover copy of Freeks for a US reader!

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Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Title: This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Format: eARC
Pub. Date: January 5th 2016
Source: Sourcebooks Fire


Book Description:

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Review:

★★★

This book gave me a case of the feelings.

I finished this book awhile ago now, but I had to let it stew around in my brain for awhile before I could properly and professionally write out my thoughts about it. There are some things that this book does very well, and other things that it does rather poorly, and so in the end I ended up giving it a neutral three out of five stars.

This is a tough book to read, not in its grammar or lexicon, but because of the overall plot. School shootings are tough stuff, scary stuff. Stuff that we unfortunately see every day on the news, and that some of us have personally been affected by, in some form or another. In my case, fortunately, no one was injured despite shots being fired. But even that is something that has stayed with me. It's a rough call to reality that it could happen at any school, to anybody, and that's terrifying. And yet, in its terror, this book is mesmerizing. I read it in one go, because I couldn't put it down. Thankfully I was on a train for 8 hours, so I had time to spare.

It took awhile to get used to the format of this book. It's comprised of four distinct, separated points of view. I'm not overtly fond of switching POVs, especially when it's four of them. That said, I think Nijkamp handled it fairly well. After a while it became easy to switch gears and decipher whose chapter was whose. I was disappointed that in these four points of view, the shooter wasn't given a voice. That's the voice I most wanted to read about, and I was left a bit sad that I didn't get that opportunity.

I appreciated that in addition to the separate points of view, the author also had mixed media strewn throughout the book. There is prose, as is standard in a novel, but also snippets of text messages, tweets, and blog posts. It brings the story into this decade and makes it feel more realistic. I think teens will relate to it more because of this incorporation of technology.

I do think that this book pulls out every single card in its literary deck, though, and it seemed like it was just for the purpose of saying the book included them. Different races? Check. Gay characters? Yup. Deaths of students, deaths of parents, rape, abuse, mental illness? Yup, all present. That's not a bad thing. I'm all for diverse characters and plots. I also know that everyone has their own story. But when it feels like it's all just plopped into the book for the sake of being plopped, it turns me off a bit. It also left me a bit confused. Part of one of the subplots of this story is that the town is a rather small and judgmental one, which is why so many people have so many secrets. This makes it hard to come out of the closet as being LGBT, because it is not a welcoming place. I was confused then why the quarterback who is so esteemed was a black character? Again, nothing wrong with having a black character. YA needs more of them. But when it's being drummed into the plot how small-minded the town is, this part doesn't seem to fit well. Maybe I'm just reading too much into things. It wouldn't be the first time.

I also wasn't happy with the ending, for a few reasons. I'll refrain from spoilers. Plot wise, I feel that it was kind of a cop out. The end chapters felt super rushed and I knew where it was going, and I didn't want it to go there. And when it ended it just felt like you had been running at an okay pace, sped up, and then hit a wall. It was just over. I'm not a fan of that at all. I also feel like the writing was a bit insensitive. I've lost friends to suicides and murders, and I promise you, I would never describe the loss of a beautiful human life as being able to see "brain" everywhere. It's crude, it's crass, and it's ultimately juvenile. It turned me off for sure, especially when mixed with this anger-inducing ending.

Unrelated to the content of the book, I absolutely love the cover. I think it sums up the plot well, and really makes a rather stunning point. I honestly forgot the title of this book at one point, but I remembered "the one with the broken chalk". It's a cover to be remembered.

I'm not sorry I read this, and I'll likely even read it again in the future. Like I said, there's high points and low points. It sucks you in and makes you confront life in a way that can be hard to swallow. There's some issues in it, but I would still recommend giving it a read. If you are a young adult reader who likes intense, emotionally driven books then this book might be for you.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. Thank you.

Review: Secrets in the Cellar by John Glatt

Title: Secrets in the Cellar

Author: John Glatt

Format: Hardcover, 248 pages

Pub. Date: January 1st 2009

Source: Purchased from Goodwill.



Book Description via Goodreads:

Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family--though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been "lost" to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth's children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls' doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth's disappearance…

For twenty-seven years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with sound-proof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef's children. One died in infancy--and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day.

Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth's children became seriously ill, and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the nineteen-year-old girl had ever gone outside--and soon, the truth about her background, her family's captivity, and Josef's unspeakable crimes would come to light.

John Glatt's Secrets in the Cellar is the true story of a crime that shocked the world.

Review:

★★

So, I'll be the first to confess that I was swept up in this case when it was first brought to the public eye. It's morbid, yes, but it's also fascinating. I had done research online to find out all that had happened, and learned that there were some books on the subject. Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this one at a thrift store and I couldn't resist picking it up. Unfortunately, it wasn't that great of a book.

This is a part of the True Crime book series, that is, a series of factual books that examine real life crime cases. True crime. So it really bothered me that the author used fictionalizations on the people in this book who are real people, and not characters. More than once, things like this were said: "He must have known he was evil" or "she must have been scared". The author doesn't know that. Stick to the facts, and quit trying to make an already horrible story more dramatic. This extends to the passages about Josef's personal life, where the prostitutes talked about how rough and violent he was, so that only a few of them would let him be a client anymore. He makes himself look evil- we don't need to look at his BDSM lifestyle to make him even more villainous. The prostitutes did take him as a client, and did their job. While it might be morally wrong since he had a wife, this seemed like an unnecessary add on to a guy who could already be a Batman villain. He doesn't need puffing up, he's horrid on his own.

The book as a whole also wasn't written very well. It was really repetitive. You could tell when the author was really proud of a phrase or a thought, because it would show up multiple times throughout the book. There were sentences that were awkward and ended with prepositions. There's also misuse of the word "irony". It feels rushed and it probably was, as everyone was quick to make a buck off of someone else's tragedy.

Personally, I also didn't really learn that much more from this book. I knew most of this from previously reading articles online. If you've never heard of this case or only know the rough story of what happened, I'm sure that you'd find it more interesting and engrossing than I did.

That said, the case is fascinating, so the book isn't a total loss. I appreciated the fact that in the middle of the hardcover edition, there's a few pages of photographs. I did think it weird though that the author vividly describes some photographs that are not included in these pages. I thought for sure it would be included, since he was so detailed, but nope.

I'm not sorry I read this book, but I'm not holding onto it either. It's the kind of book you only need once. If you're interested in crimes, nonfiction, or this case in particular, I'd recommend at least flipping through it, but maybe get it from a library instead of running out to the store to buy it.

Review: Little Peach by Peggy Kern

Title: Little Peggy

Author: Peggy Kern

Format: ARC

Pub. Date: March 10th 2015

Source: Traded



Book Description via Goodreads:

What do you do if you're in trouble?

When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.

Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.

But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.

This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.

Review:

★★★

This is one of those rare instances where I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. I think it is definitely worth reading, but I can't say that I loved it, and I probably won't read it again. I'm left a bit disappointed, because this is one of my most anticipated reads of 2015. Overall, it was okay.

I will give this book one thing: it's incredibly gritty. The writing feels realistic. Even when the events happening to Michelle are unpleasant (which is a LOT), it feels realistic and not too dramatic. The characters and the settings are all well detailed, and it is easy, albeit unsettling, to place yourself in the main character's shoes. The characters were well written and were easily distinguishable from one another, but I felt they were missing a bit of depth. Honestly, I never really connected to Michelle. Considering this book has the difficult topic of child trafficking/prostitution, I felt I was missing some of that emotional attachment to her, and I felt I wasn't as impacted as I should have been.

A note about the writing that was neither positive nor negative really, but it was a bit hard to read this at times because the characters speak like they would in real life. That is, there is poor English and slang, like "I ain't gonna", etc. While I totally see why the author did this, and it definitely adds to that grit I mentioned before, from a reader standpoint, it wasn't all too pleasant. It doesn't effect my rating, but it was rough in parts.

I also didn't realize that this book is about gangs. It again doesn't really matter, in regards to a review. But when all of a sudden the Bloods were mentioned, I was taken aback. It totally adds a different layer to the story.

I feel like the book was a bit rushed, to be honest. I think that's part of the "missed connection" to Michelle. The story moved so fast that I didn't really have time to grow fond of any of the characters, or even to hate others like her "Daddy". I wish the book had been a little longer, and a little slower of a pace, or at least a more in depth pace.

This topic is an important one. Child trafficking is a huge problem that happens where most of us won't realize it. I appreciate the research that went into this book, and the light the author tried to shine on it. I think that this is a book that will have a lot of people raving and talking: which is good. We need to talk about it. But for me, it's a book worth reading once, but probably not more than that.

I got this ARC through a book trade, in exchange for an honest review.

Review:The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Denise Mina

Title: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author: Denise Mina, Andrea Mutti, Leonardo Manco

Format: egalley

Pub. Date: July 28 2015

Source: Vertigo



Book Description via Goodreads:

In this final graphic novel adaptation of Stieg Larsson's international bestseller, Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She's fighting for her life in more ways than one: If and when she recovers, she'll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge - against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that nearly destroyed her life.

Written by novelist Denise Mina (The Field of Blood) and illustrated by Andrea Mutti and Antonio Fusso, this epic graphic novel concludes Vertigo's critically acclaimed adaptation of The Millenium Trilogy.

Review:

★★★★

Before I even talk about the actual book, let's take a moment to look at that cover. I know that's not how I'm supposed to judge a book but I mean look at it! It's gorgeous. I want a print of it for my wall. It's so eye-catching and is a good representative of the story.

I'm a big fan of The Millennium Trilogy. Lisbeth Salander is one of my absolute favorite book characters. So, when I saw the graphic novel versions of this hit series, I knew I had to have them. I've reviewed a few in the past and really enjoyed them, and I'm happy to say that The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is a great addition to the rest of the series.

The illustrations are gorgeous. There's a really nice variety of bright colors and dark dreary panels, dependent on what the text is saying alongside it. They're gritty and super detailed. It honestly took me a while to get through this one. It wasn't complex or confusing to read, but I took forever to look at all the effort put into each drawing. I loved them.

As I've mentioned in previous discussions about this book, I recommend this as a supplement to the novels, and not a replacement. If you've read the novels, you know the full story, so the comic text is easier to follow because you can fill in the blanks. If you haven't read the books, you can definitely still understand this book, but you're getting an (understandably) more watered down version of a great story. The text does a pretty good job of giving you the novel in a nutshell. It's well paced and easily understood.

This particular book is an adaptation of the third and final book in this trilogy, so I'd recommend reading its predecessors, whether it is the full novels or the graphic novels. I think fans of the series will eat it up, and fans of good artwork will too.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: Take the Heat by Skye Warren

Title: Take the Heat
Editor: Skye Warren
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 9th 2014
Source: Netgalley Invitation & Aspendawn Books

Description via Goodreads:

The ultimate bad boys, criminals capture our attention and awaken our darkest desires. Celebrate the illicit in this romantic suspense anthology, where handcuffs are used for more than play. These stories are shocking, sexy, and thought-provoking.

In New York Times Bestselling Author Skye Warren’s Magnolia Hotel, meet the heroine who pays her brother’s debt to a loan shark—who happens to be her childhood crush. Find out if the jury made the right decision in Acquitted by award-winning author Giselle Renarde. Explore a dark and sensual psychology with New York Times Bestselling Author Pam Godwin in Unlawful Seduction.

Ride the edge of desire and see if you can TAKE THE HEAT…

Skye Warren – Magnolia Hotel
Cynthia Richards – Captivated
Pam Godwin – Unlawful Seduction
Sheri Savill – Slipknot
Shoshanna Evers – This Might Hurt A Bit
Candy Quinn – The Bombshell
Tamsin Flowers – Playing with Fire
Elizabeth Coldwell – Disposing of Donnie
Audrey Lusk – Surprise Witness
Trent Evans – Last Day
Giselle Renarde – Acquitted

★★★

Because this is a collection of short stories, this will be a short overview/review to match.

I was impressed by how many different styles of short stories were put together in this anthology. There's ones that are more of a thriller/suspense vibe, ones that lean towards the kinkier/BDSM side of things. I will say that each story stood out from the others and brought something unique to the table, so to speak. The unifying theme of this collection of short stories is crime and criminals, and the overall tone of this entire set is dark. I was surprised but not unpleasantly so.

This book falls in the middle of the road for me because like almost every other anthology, there were stories that I really, really enjoyed, and then stories that I didn't care for very much at all. That being said, I do think that it is worth reading overall. The good outweighs the bad, and the bright side is that the bad will only last ten pages or so. That's not to say that these stories were badly written, per se, but some felt rushed or had kinks or themes that I'm just personally not into.

This is a solid collection for readers who enjoy dark romance, erotica, BDSM, short stories, and their bad boys in the form of criminals. Thanks to Netgalley and Aspendawn Books for my copy in exchange for my 100% honest review.

Review: Yours for Eternity: A Love Story on Death Row by Damien Echols & Lorri Davis

Title: Yours for Eternity: A Love Story on Death Row
Author: Damien Echols, Lorri Davis
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: June 17th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Blue Rider Press

★★★

Three and a Half Stars.

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Yours for Eternity is a book written primarily through letters between Lorri Davis and Damien Echols. Echols is one of the men charged as the West Memphis Three, accused of killing three eight year old boys in the early nineties, even though there was no DNA evidence that linked him to the crime. He was on death row until as recently as 2011.

Now, this review might seem like it goes outside of the ordinary, in regards to what I usually review. However, you'd probably be surprised to learn that I have an extreme interest in things that are crime and prison related. Add in a romance component and make it nonfiction? Perfect.

I had heard of the West Memphis Three when I requested this book, but my background knowledge didn't really go far beyond "these three guys killed some kids." It was a crime that had enough attention to be topical, but it happened "before my time" so to speak, so I didn't really know details. I'm disappointed that this book didn't really help me gain any information about it. I feel like this book was expecting me to have been researched on the subject, when I am not. A background preface or a synopsis, nutshell version of the crime would have been nice, at the least. There's also a lot of reference to the documentary made about this case, Paradise Lost. While it did spark an interest in me (I will definitely watch this film), I hadn't seen that either.

With that little rant out of the way, I will say that this was an extremely interesting perspective and story that not many people can tell and still have it be based on real life. Lorri wrote letters to Echols for years, and was with him through it all. It's both beautiful and insane to me that one can maintain feelings and a relationship, whether it be friendly or more, with someone on death row, especially in such a talked about case. It was cool, for lack of a better word, to watch it all play out.

I hate to say this about real letters, but at times I felt it dragged on a bit too long. I really did enjoy reading these letters, but sometimes I felt myself just wishing for more. This book held my attention enough for me to finish the book and take away some things, and learn some things slowly but surely, but it's not a fast paced book.

Overall, this was a solid read that takes a fascinating real life circumstance and gives the reader a rare insight into life behind bars and those in their lives who continually correspond with them. If you are interested in things like crime and jails, or are familiar with the West Memphis Three case. It's worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blue Rider Press for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: Vampsov 1938

Title: Vampsov 1938
Author: Daniel Ribot
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: June 7th 2013
Source: Author

★★★★

Four stars.

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Vampsov 1938 is a book that I think I was overdue for. It's a historically set vampire book that features murder, spies, and action in the Stalin-era Soviet Union. These vampires aren't like the ones that have been trending lately- no over-romanticizing or brooding here. The vampires in Ribot's novel are heartless, coldblooded killers out for blood. This book is rather gory, but all of the killings and action sequences are well written. It was a nice change to read about vampires kicking ass in a World War Two setting. I openly admit that I am not a typical fan of spy/historical books with a few exceptions, but I found it well paced and intriguing.

I would suggest having a basic ground knowledge of this era before you give this a read: If you're unfamiliar with WW2, it won't be the easiest of reads. I also had trouble once in a while keeping all the names straight, but to be fair that's something that I have with other books too.

I also have to comment on the title art. I love it, and I would totally hang a poster of this up on my wall.

Fans of war, vampire, spy, and crime novels would benefit from picking up a copy of Vampsov 1939. Thanks so much for the author for my chance to read it.

Review: The Geneva Decision

Title: The Geneva Decision (Pia Sabel #1)
Author: Seeley James
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: December 1st 2012
Source: Author

★★★★

Four Stars

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The Geneva Decision follows protagonist Pia Sabel and her transition from professional soccer player to a key player in her father's private security company. When she witnesses a murder, she's on the prowl. Mistaken for a spoiled rich girl, her opponents have another thing coming: her sharp wit, killer instincts, and athletic prowess make her one hell of a threat.

I have to say, I really liked the character Pia Sabel. She was headstrong, sometimes to the point of frustration. She holds her own and proves that girls can play just as hard as the boys. I like that she was given a bit of unique insight as a professional athlete- it added a nice component as to why she's quite the bad ass.

This book had scarcely a dull moment. There's a lot of nonstop action that make the reader follow the story from exotic locales like Cameroon and European places like Switzerland. The twists and turns and sequences of suspense engross the reader for sure, and the settings only add to the charm. Seeley James does a great job of describing the surroundings, making it easy to become involved with the chases.

The prose was a bit choppy in places, but it wasn't enough to hinder my reading too much. The plot and dialogue made up for it, in my humble opinion.

I also really like the cover. I know that's not how you should judge a book, but it would look snazzy on a display or a shelf. Don't you think?

I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy strong female lead characters, mystery, thrillers, or crime novels. Thank you so much to the author who gave me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Psycho Inside Me

Title: Psycho Inside Me
Author: Bonnie R. Paulson
Release Date: November 30 2013
Publisher: Captiva Publishing
Purchase: Amazon

Blurb:

I killed my first victim at thirteen years old – my age, not his. He was going to rape me, him and a couple of his friends. And so, I killed him. And then… I killed again. And again.
At seventeen, I’m killing four to six times a year – maybe more. Don’t stress out. I only go after the pedophiles and rapists. There are more out there than I could cover in a lifetime.
Saying I did this on my own would be selfish. Enforcing justice holds a glory all its own. But now, my lifelong friend and backup, Deegan, has been arrested. I have to decide if I want to give myself up and take his place or leave him with all the damning evidence. I don’t want to stop killing. But if I let him take the fall, I can’t kill anymore. And I need to keep doing that.
But the worst part of it all? I love him.

*Click here to go to the Goodreads page!*

My review:

★★★

Three stars.

Being a fan of the show Dexter, when I saw that Psycho Inside me was about a teenage girl who killed those who "deserve" it, I couldn't resist taking the chance to read it for myself.

First of all, the cover is gorgeous. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its artwork but... Look at it. I'd definitely pick this up off a shelf if I saw it. Wouldn't you?

And then of course there's the story itself, which held my attention from the beginning. There's a creepy feel to this book, in the best way possible, that lets the reader wonder what lurch forward the book is going to take next. It's also a pretty quick, short read that spans through a large chunk of time (ages 13-17). I also related to the main character, despite the fact that she's a killer. I was hooked onto her story, and kept wanting to know what happened next.

This book contains adult themes like murder and rape, and young readers should be aware of that. Despite the book having such serious themes take place, I found that the speech and writing at times felt a bit juvenile. I'm not really sure who the best age group for this book is.

That being said, I enjoyed this read, and I'd definitely check it out if you're a fan of thriller and murder with a sprinkling of teen angst and romance.

About the Author:

There are people who know a lot about a little, we’ll call them experts. Then there are people, like Bonnie, who don’t specialize, but rather gather information like pebbles in their pockets and drop them like Hansel & Gretel in the stories they write.
The question is, do you want to follow them back?
Certified as a Radiologic Technologist, Bonnie prefers a touch of medical in her storylines. Don’t be surprised if romance somehow runs through a hospital or comes in contact with a paramedic. It’s just how she rolls. And you know there's nothing more romantic than an 18 gauge needle poking your vein!
She and her Hubs delight in dirt biking, snowboarding, fishing, cooking, eating, spending time together and more with their adorable children.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Graphic Novel Roundup

Title: The Crow: Curare
Author: James O'Barr, Antoine Dode
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: January 21st 2014
Source: Netgalley & IDW Publishing

★★★★

Four Stars.

When a little girl is brutally murdered, a retired policeman makes it his life's goal to track down whoever was responsible for her death and bring them to justice, making him lose things, and possibly his mind, along the way as he travels further and further into a pit of obsession.

When I saw that there was a graphic novel of The Crow available on Netgalley, I knew that I had to have it. I simply adore The Crow, as well as the work of James O'Barr (not to brag, but I have a signed lunch tin. Just saying). I'm happy to say that this book did not at all disappoint.

It has the grit and darkness that any fan of The Crow would come to expect. The story was well paced, and the artwork was haunting enough to pull me in and to focus on closer details of the story. This is a must have for fans of crime and mystery books, fans of a darker kind of graphic novel, and for any one who is as big of a fan of The Crow series as I am.


Title: Star Trek Volume 6: After Darkness
Author: Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott, Erfan Fajar, Claudia Balboni
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: November 26th 2013
Source: Netgalley & IDW Publishing

★★★

Three Stars

Star Trek Volume Six is a graphic novel that tells the story of the newest revamp of the Star Trek series. There is trouble brewing on the ship, and it is up to the crew that we've all grown to love so much to fix it before it becomes far to late to do so.

I requested this particular graphic novel title because I adore the new imagining of the Star Trek series. My girlfriend (and her whole family...) are all die hard Trekkies from the olden days, but it took me a little bit more convincing to become a fan of this science fiction chronicle (read as: I require the man candy of Christopher Pine and Zachary Quinto). A fan of graphic novels myself, when I saw the two colliding, I knew I needed to read it.

The artwork was nice and well done. I like the coloring and I felt that each panel rightly captured the moment of the story that the authors were trying to convey. Unfortunately, the story itself fell flat for me. I was a bit bored by it, and I found myself not really caring if the problems were fixed or not.

This is a graphic novel worth a read to any die hard Star Trek fan, or even those who are newer fans to the series like me. However, don't expect the story to go too far in depth, or you'll be a bit disappointed.


Title: Signal to Noise
Author: Neil Gaiman), Dave McKean
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: December 10th 2013
Source: Netgalley & Dark Horse Comics

★★★

Three stars

Signal to Noise is a graphic novel that left me much divided on how to rate it, and how to feel. On one hand, the story is brilliantly told. Signal to Noise narrates the struggle of a filmmaker with cancer, whose final masterpiece will go on unseen- except by those of us reading the story. It was a powerful journey, and the window into the director's head was a fascinating one. It was well worth the read, though it is a bit of a slow one.

I wasn't a huge fan of the artwork, however. It wasn't bad, by any means, but I found it to be not to my tastes. It is however filled with great detail, so it's easy to immerse yourself in the setting of the story. But for me, the real art was in the words and the story themselves.

Review: Joyland by Stephen King

Title: Joyland
Author: Stephen King
Format: Paperback, 283 pages
Pub. Date: June 4th 2013
Source: Gift

★★★★

Four stars.

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Devin Jones needed to get away from it all for a little while. The girl he loved more than anything broke his heart, and he needed to take some time to himself to remember what life without her is like. When he gets a summer job at a small town amusement park, he starts to feel at home... At first. When he started to uncover the oddities surrounding the park: a ghost story, tales of murder, and even a hokey psychic who may not be lying after all, he discovered that this summer would change his life completely.... That is, if he survives it.


I was really excited when my girlfriend's mother surprised me with a copy of this book. I'm a big fan of King's, and had fallen in love with the cover. I'm a sucker for stories set in a carnival/circus setting, and I knew I needed to read this one. It definitely didn't disappoint.

The thing that I loved most about this book was, you guessed it, the setting. This crime tale takes place in a Coney Island-like amusement park on the east coast. I loved all of the "Talk" that the carnies used, that is, the slang among them. Whether it's accurate or not, it was really cool to see life at one of these attractions after hours, and from the employee's point of view. The way King writes made it sound like a place I'd want to visit, and a place of sleepy summer life. I felt like I was at the park, from start to finish.

I also really liked the combination of genres in this book. It has supernatural elements, crime, murder, and a good old fashioned whodunnit. I didn't see the puzzle being pieced together until the very end, and then I got irrationally angry at the results. That's a good sign, because it means that King wrote characters that I cared about and really connected to.

The book jumps around a bit in time, but they're easy transitions, and I was at no point in the novel confused by the changes.

This book put me in mind of R.L. Stine's Fear Park series, but for the older crowd. This book contains profanity and sex, but it's a Stephen King book, so you probably guessed as much. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good murder case with a bit of a haunted twist.

Thanks again for the book, Lisa.

Review: Mentality by Ceet the Author

Title: Mentality
Author: Ceet The Author
Format: Kindle Edition, 190 pages
Pub. Date: December 8th 2011
Source: Ceet the Author

★★★

3.5 stars.

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I have to go on the record saying that this book is definitely not in my normal genre. However, I was intrigued enough by the premise of this book to read it, when the author asked me for my honest review. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn't have a half-star option, because I think this book deserves a 3.5.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the women of this book were written. Normally, men who write women (to me) are hit or miss, either completely accurate or way off base. Mentality is definitely the former. The characters seemed gritty and real, and though I didn't connect with them as much as I'd have liked, I appreciate what the author conveyed through them.

This book is also really fast paced. It's easy to read in one sitting, and it keeps you hooked throughout the text. For me, it seemed a bit too rushed in parts, but overall it works at a good pace, and is clear to understand.

That being said, I found the fight scenes extremely well done. I'm really picky when it comes to fight scenes, because I easily lose track of who is doing what, and who's winning, and things of that nature, but I didn't have a problem keeping up with this part of the story.

I had a love/hate relationship with the writing style itself. On the one hand, I appreciate the urban, well, Mentality of the prose within this text. It ads a layer of realism and heart to both the characters and the story. But at the same time, my inner grammarian couldn't help but to notice each flaw in the language. I think this book could easily get a four out of five with the help of an editor to tweak some parts.

Over all, I think that anyone with an interest in a very "real" story that addresses racial issues, drug issues, and love and lust, this might be a book for you- just be ready to read in slang. Reader beware that this contains sex, drugs, and violence.

Thank you to Ceet the Author for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Made of Stars

Title: Made of Stars
Author: Kelley York
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 1st 2013
Source: Netgalley and Entangled Teen

★★★★★

Five shining stars.

Chance is a constant in the lives of half-siblings Ashlin and Hunter. For as long as they can remember, their quirky friend has been by their sides. They're a perfect group of three. The siblings are ecstatic when they come to their Dad's house for the first time in years, knowing that things will pick up where they left off. But they're older now, and Chance's lies don't quite add up. Hunter and Ash start to question why Chance hides so much from them when they're so close..... And then his mother is found dead. Can Ashlin and Hunter protect the boy they love forever, can they make his life okay for the first time?

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Wow. I just finished this, and I'm speechless. I need to finish this review while everything is still fresh in my mind and while I'm still emotionally traumatized. This book is incredible, from cover to cover.

Actually, I'd like to mention that first. Look at how beautiful the cover of this book is. It lures you in, effectively, but inside it is a barrage of heartbreak and feelings. So many feelings. You betray me, peaceful cover.

I had never read a book of Kelley York's before, but I know I will be reading them again in the future. Her writing is beautiful. Throughout this story, there's this underlying tone of sadness and false tranquility, of impending mental and emotional shattering. I knew from only a few pages in that this book would leave a scar on me, and I was correct. Yet, despite all this sadness, this book illustrates such beautiful love. Between friends, between siblings, between lovers. Part of what makes the love of these characters so real is the alternating perspectives of both Ash and Hunter. It was executed perfectly in this novel, and gave a better insight into the siblings' feelings towards Chance.

Oh god, Chance. The characters in this book were all likable in their own way, but Chance is by far my favorite. Possibly ever. He's so odd and quirky and broken and lovable and UGH I just want to give him a hug and feed him sandwiches. (Yes, I know he's fictional. Shut up.) His flaws added to his charm, and when he's together with Hunter? They're perfect. In a messed up, imperfect way. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's the great thing about love, isn't it? It doesn't have to make sense. It just IS.

I honestly thought my review copy was missing pages off the end. I wasn't expecting so abrupt of an ending, and that made my pain so much worse. I have not been so emotionally damaged by the end of a book since Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma.

A large part of why I liked this book is that love seems to have no boundaries. True, this book features a romance between two male characters. But that isn't the point of the book. There's no coming out scene, no hate. Ashlin loves Chance. Hunter loves Chance. Chance loves Hunter. It's just pure and simple love between humans.

I recommend this book to everyone, unless male/male romance is something that you're completely against. If not, this book is stunning. I really have no other words, and I hope that this review ends up being coherent. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go eat some chocolate and process and maybe watch something to brighten my mood.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Teen for the chance to read this.

Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Title: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
Author: Katie Alender
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 24th 2013
Source: Netgalley and Scholastic Press

★★

Two stars.

Colette is a junior in high school, and this school trip to Paris is just what she needs after her dad leaves her mother and family behind. She'll be there with her popular girl friends, and knows that she'll have a blast. That is, until murders start popping up all over Paris. Colette keeps spying a costumed woman who resembles the title royalty, and she, alongside a boy that she meets, must try to halt the danger.

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I was so excited when I received this title through Netgalley, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed.

-I didn't like any of the female characters. Not one. From the beginning few chapters, I was already against the protagonist, which is never a good thing in a book. She's obsessed with what her friends think about her, and actually gauges herself on a scale- she's prettier than one friend but not the other, and skinnier than one but not the other, so that she's the perfect addition to the trio. Never mind that they should judge on personality, just making sure that a friend doesn't out-hot you. The fact that she is acutely aware of this, and knows that the queen bee she's "friends" with could "unfriend" her at any point but continues to hang with her anyway is both discouraging and sad. She also thinks that people are only nice to others because they want something out of it, instead of just genuinely wanting to do good. I didn't enjoy reading about her.

-It wasn't scary. Mind you, I am aware of the fact that this is a young adult title. But based on the blurb, as well as the fact that serial killer is right in the title, I expected at least a shiver or an aloud, "Oh that's creepy." But none came. It wasn't all too creative, which surprised me because I really liked this concept for a story.

+ I am a sucker for a French backdrop, and this is no exception. It just sounds like such a pretty place, even when there are almost comical headless serial killer ghosts running around murdering people. It's probably by setting and the romantic interest alone that I finished this book.

+I do like the cover. Don't be fooled by it, but I do think that it's very catching and I openly admit that it's what drew me in at first.

All in all, this seems immature to me, even for a young adult book. The characters were cookie cutter and the killer was not scary, but the French setting and the romantic interest in this story help the plot plunk along. If you like paranormal stories that aren't scary, pretty French scenery, or books with a "Mean Girls" type cast, then maybe you'll like this more than I did.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic Press for my copy.