EXCUSE ME WHILE I UGLY CRY By Joya Goffney

April 30, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

EXCUSE ME WHILE I UGLY CRY By Joya GoffneyExcuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney
Published by HarperTeen on 5/4/21
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 362
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud” and all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing . . .

Then an anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

Short and Sweet

Quinn has a journal that she writes lists that consists of general things to a list of boys she’d like to kiss. But when her journal is misplaced and an anonymous account is blackmailing her Quinn has no choice but to face her fears and complete the items on her things to do before graduation list otherwise her whole journal could be posted online. Quinn teams up with Carter the last person known to have her journal and together they try to track the blackmailer and help Quinn face some of her fears.

Characters

Quinn: Quinn is our main character and she’s in high school. Quinn is filled with hope and fear and she places most of those in her journal. The journal is basically her life, it’s almost as if she doesn’t know who to be without her journal to guide her. Quinn had a lot of growth over the course of the book she began to face her fears and break out of her comfort zone. I loved seeing her become more comfortable and I appreciated the people she started to surround herself with because they brought out the best in her.

Romance

Quinn and Carter: Quinn has had a crush on Carter since he moved to Austin, but after there first group study session she’s put off. After the whole journal debacle Quinn reluctantly teams up with Carter to find who has her journal. After all the time they spent together we can see that they do care for each other. I like how protective Carter is over Quinn and how much he genuinely cares about her feelings and takes her concerns seriously although sometimes he has to make her think logically.

Quotes

~ “I’m so mad. And when I get this mad, I cry. And if I let it get too far, I ugly cry.”

~ “That’s what the journal’s all about: getting all my feelings out so I never have to talk about them.”

My Thoughts

Quinn’s journal holds everything that’s important to her. Once her journal goes missing she feels like she’s lost a part of herself and understandably she’s freaking out. Quinn teams up with Carter the last person known to have her journal and together they begin to tackle things on Quinn’s list of things to do before graduation. Quinn is fearful but with the help of Carter, Auden, and Olivia she begins to cross things off her list. I love that Quinn made new friends, especially Olivia. Olivia is one of those ride or die friends. We follow Quinn as she figures out who she truly is and realizes she never needed the journal to tell her. I also loved seeing all the lists Quinn would write.

Overall

This book is heartfelt and funny and tackles a lot of issues. In the end I was just so happy with how much Quinn grew and how much she learned to face her fears and have more confidence in herself. This was a book I couldn’t put down I loved the characters and the journey of self discovery!

Filed Under: Reviews

WITCHES STEEPED IN GOLD By Ciannon Smart

April 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

WITCHES STEEPED IN GOLD By Ciannon SmartWitches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
Series: Witches Steeped in Gold #1
Published by HarperTeen on 4/20/21
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 549
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Divided by their order. United by their vengeance.

Iraya has spent her life in a cell, but every day brings her closer to freedom—and vengeance.

Jazmyne is the Queen’s daughter, but unlike her sister before her, she has no intention of dying to strengthen her mother’s power.

Sworn enemies, these two witches enter a precarious alliance to take down a mutual threat. But power is intoxicating, revenge is a bloody pursuit, and nothing is certain—except the lengths they will go to win this game.

Jazmyne is the Queen’s daughter and she’s tired of the way her mother runs things, which is why she has aligned herself with a group willing to kill her mother so that Jazmyne can take the throne. Iraya has been living in a cell and spends her days thinking about how she’s going to exact revenge on the Queen who killed her family to ascend the throne.

We get both of the girl’s POVs and I personally thought Iraya was a stronger character. Even though both girls wanted the Queen out of the picture Iraya was willing to do anything while we see that Jazmyne would sometimes hesitate. I will say that Jazmyne would be the more logical one while Iraya was rash in her decision making.

The world building felt incomplete and sometimes didn’t make sense to me. I will say the pacing of the book was slow. It was hard to get through this book because I felt that there wasn’t a lot happening and sometimes the POVs sounded alike and it just wasn’t working for me. The synopsis mentions that the two main characters team up but they butt heads on everything and don’t really talk about working together until halfway through the book. I also didn’t feel like there were a lot of witch elements in the book.

Overall I’m not sure if I would pick up the second book. I was looking forward to reading Witches Steeped in Gold and unfortunately it was a let down.

Filed Under: Reviews

PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION By Tirzah Price

April 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION By Tirzah PricePride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
Series: Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1
Published by HarperTeen on 4/6/21
Genres: Historical, Mystery & Detective, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.

Short and Sweet

Lizzie Bennet wants to be a lawyer at her fathers firm, so when a murder takes place in London’s high society Lizzie knows this is her chance to prove herself. The only thing that’s standing in her way is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a solicitor that works for a firm that rivals her fathers. Lizzie is convinced that the wrong person is being blamed for murder and she’s determined to find the actual culprit.

Characters

Lizzie: Lizzie prefers to spend her time at her fathers firm than with her mother and her sister doing social calls. Lizzie was a good main character. I just loved her! Lizzie wasn’t perfect but it was easy to relate to her. In the time that this book takes place in women aren’t seen in the law and order scene. But Lizzie is good at what she does on the down low she looks into some cases for her dad, and she just wants to prove herself and eventually get a position at their firm, Longbourn and Sons. Lizzie is determined, smart, and good at putting the pieces together.

Darcy: Darcy works for his father at their prestigious firm Pemberley Associates. Darcy is a solicitor and was formally hired by the accused. Darcy is determined to prove his clients innocence and he thinks that Lizzie is just getting in his way. Darcy comes off as cold but he takes his job seriously and is also trying to prove that he’s good at his job.

Romance

Lizzie and Darcy: There’s some tension her mainly because Darcy was actually hired and Lizzie is kind of consulting, but Darcy feels like he doesn’t need Lizzie interfering with the case. I liked these two they had good banter between them and when they actually put their heads together they made a good team. Perhaps a great crime solving duo in the future?

Lizzie and Wickham: I’m not really sure if I saw a relationship between these two looking back. I think maybe they were better as friends but there was some flirtation going on. Wickham is a runner that Lizzie meets after she gets caught for “breaking and entering” but is it really breaking and entering when someone lets you in? Anyway after that encounter Wickham and Lizzie follow some leads together and they get along great.

Lizzie and Collins: Collins works at Longbourn and Sons, and is expected to get the firm if and when Mr. Bennet dies. Lizzie absolutely despises Collins. Collins thinks that he’s better than everyone and honestly he’s not that great at his job. Collins is also expected to propose to Lizzie but Lizzie can’t stand the thought of being married to him.

My Thoughts

Lizzie wants to be a solicitor at her father’s firm so when he asks her to prove herself she decides to take on a murder case. Mr. Charles Bingley is accused of killing his brother in law, but he maintains his innocence. Lizzie decides to offer her expertise, but is stopped short when she finds out that Bingley is to be represented by Mr. Darcy. But Bingley likes Lizzie so much that he accepts her help also. Lizzie realizes that solving this case would give her the chance to be hired by her father and maybe inherit Longbourn and Sons. Lizzie had more of an investigative way of going about things while Darcy thought that Mr. Bingley’s good reputation would save him. I loved following Lizzie around London and seeing how she would follow leads. I also liked how she was friends with Fred, someone who would get information for her. While Lizzie is out and about she’s avoiding her mother and sisters while they go on social calls. Lizzie’s mother is trying to marry her and her sisters off but Lizzie can think of better ways to spend her time. Lizzie did a great job following her gut and piecing things together, though some of her leads did get her into some trouble. I loved Lizzies relationships with her sister Jane, her father, and her friend Charlotte. This was a good mystery I wasn’t sure who the murderer actually was. The ending was great and just leaves you wanting more!

Overall

This was a book I could not put down! I found the characters funny, there was a great plot, and I honestly did not mind following Lizzie around. Lizzie is such a determined character but she also has her faults, its hard not to root for her! The ending just made me want more and I can’t wait to see what Lizzie’s next adventure has in store!

Filed Under: Reviews

WITH YOU ALL THE WAY By Cynthia Hand

March 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

WITH YOU ALL THE WAY By Cynthia HandWith You All the Way by Cynthia Hand
Published by HarperTeen on 3/30/21
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 329
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Ada’s life is a mess. She just caught her boyfriend cheating on her after a humiliating attempt at losing her virginity, and she’s had it up to here with her gorgeous older sister’s unsolicited advice.

But things really hit the fan during a family vacation in Hawaii, where Ada discovers her own mother is having an affair. Apparently, everyone is falling into bed with people they shouldn’t. Everyone except Ada. But when Ada decides she’s going to stop trying and start doing—sex, that is—her best laid plan overlooks an inconvenient truth:

Feelings, romantic or not, always get in the way.

Short and Sweet Review

Ada’s a sixteen year old and in her mind her life is a mess. She was about to go all the way with her boyfriend but changed her mind and then regretted changing her mind so she decides to surprise him. While going to surprise him Ada finds him with another girl. On the bright side her family is going to Hawaii for her mother’s work conference. But what should be a fun time turns into a nightmare when Ada finds her mom having an affair. Now Ada thinks that she should just forget her plans and go with the flow.

So the book starts off with Ada and her boyfriend Leo about to have sex, but Ada realizes that she’s not ready and Leo was understanding. After getting some advice from her older sister, Afton, Ada decides she’s ready to try again but she ends up finding Leo inviting another girl to his house. Ada doesn’t have too much time to dwell on it because she finds out her family is going to Hawaii, actually it’s just her mom, and her sisters Afton and Abby while her stepdad stays behind. Afton and Ada had a fight so they have some awful tension throughout the whole trip (but we’ll get into that later). The rest of the book consists of fun activities that Ada does while on the trip, dinners with her moms colleagues, Ada finding a rebound, and Ada trying to figure out how her mother could be having an affair.

I felt for Ada because she loves her family so finding out her mother is having an affair was like a shot to the heart. But that’s the only time I felt for Ada because over the course of the book I realized that Ada is not a likable character she lashed out, she’s dramatic, and she was always doing the most. Afton and Ada fighting throughout the whole book didn’t make things any better, at one point they would forgive each other and then the next they were fighting again. I honestly found it ridiculous and would roll my eyes every time they would have an interaction.

As for the romance aspect I don’t think there was much. During the trip Ada hangs out with Nick and decides that he’s the one she wants to have sex with, it was out of nowhere and I don’t think she knew what she actually wanted. Nick and Ada were better off being friends.

When I read the synopsis I thought, “Wow this is going to be a good book, and it’ll be deep and heartwarming.” I felt none of that while reading this book. It was just too much fighting between everyone, a main character I couldn’t relate to or stand, and a main character who was obsessed with trying to lose her virginity that she decides she’s going to bang a cute guy that she sees at the conference. I liked Abby and Pops but other than that there is nothing that is special about this book.

Filed Under: Reviews

REAPER OF SOULS By Rena Barron

February 9, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

REAPER OF SOULS By Rena BarronReaper of Souls by Rena Barron
Series: Kingdom of Souls #2
Published by HarperTeen on 2/16/21
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 448
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

After so many years yearning for the gift of magic, Arrah has the one thing she’s always wanted—but it came at too steep a price. Now the last surviving witchdoctor, she’s been left to pick up the shattered pieces of a family that betrayed her, a kingdom plunged into chaos, and a love that can never be.

While Arrah returns to the tribal lands to search for survivors of the demons’ attack, her beloved Rudjek hunts down the remnants of the demon army—and uncovers a plot that would destroy what’s left of their world.

The Demon King wants Arrah, and if she and Rudjek can’t unravel his schemes, he will destroy everything, and everyone, standing in his way.

Short and Sweet

Arrah has always wanted magic, and now she has it. Arrah is the last surviving witchdoctor but she’s powerful especially with the magic she received from the chieftains. Arrah knows that she has to pick up the pieces of what’s been ruined by demon king, so she sets off with her friends to search for survivors of the demon attack. Rudjek on the other hand is hunting down the demon army, and when he realizes that there’s a bigger scheme at hand he knows he has to try to put a stop to it or everything will be destroyed.

Characters

Arrah: Arrah is our main character. Arrah is always trying to do what is right, sometimes she doesn’t she makes mistakes, but who doesn’t? Arrah tries her best to try to make up for what her mother and sister did but sometimes she wonders if she’s just as bad as them. Arrah is pretty powerful, and some don’t think that she should be trusted with all of that magic.

Rudjek: Rudjek is learning how to use his new magic and getting used to his new role as a leader. Rudjek has also been hunting demons. I liked Rudjek he was just trying to keep his people safe.

Romance

Arrah and Rudjek: So this relationship is more complicated this time around. Arrah has magic and Rudjek has anti magic and it isn’t one of those things where opposites attract this literally makes them repel. Arrah and Rudjek deeply care for each other and want to find a way to make things work despite the anti magic being in their way.

My Thoughts

Reaper of Souls takes place right where Kingdom of Souls left off. Arrah’s sister and the demon king are gone for now, and now Arrah’s focus is on the aftermath of the battle and finding survivors. Arrah carries a lot of guilt with her, she thinks that if she could have done things differently there would have been less destruction. We also see Rudjek come to in his new position and learn how to use his new powers.

The demon king is still making his presence known with all of the demons that have been around, and Rudjek plans on trying to figure out what they want. Arrah is also being plagued by having memories of the unnamed Orisha (Dimma) in her head and also the voice of Daho.

There’s a lot of choices the characters have to make and most of them aren’t easy. I like how they keep pushing on, Arrah especially because she knows she can’t give up and that some of the tribal people are counting on her.

The chapters from the unnamed orisha really give us an insight on how we got to where we are and why the Gods and the Demon King have been in battle for centuries.

Overall

I thought this sequel was amazing even better than the first book mainly because there wasn’t so much world building going on so the pacing wasn’t slow. We really learn more about the characters in this book and I love it. Theres a few twists in the plot that I wasn’t ready for but they really set up the big things that were going to happen. I’m excited to see what the next book has in store! Definitely check out the first two books it does get better and keeps you mesmerized!

Filed Under: Reviews

TAKEN By Erin Bowman

January 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

TAKEN By Erin BowmanTaken by Erin Bowman
Series: Taken #1
Published by HarperTeen on 4/16/13
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy & Magic, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Gray Weathersby has grown up expecting to disappear at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. They call it the Heist—and it happens to every boy in Claysoot. His only chance at escape is to climb the Wall that surrounds Claysoot. A climb no one has ever survived . . .

On the eve of a boy’s 18th birthday he will be heisted, this happens to every boy in Claysoot. Gray knows that his time will come soon but after he learns some information that not everything is as it seems he takes a chance and climbs the wall that surrounds Claysoot to see what is outside of a place he’s called home.

Gray is our main character and his brother Blaine is heisted. After Blaine is heisted Gray learns that he should have been heisted too but he wasn’t. Gray decides that the only way he’s going to find out the truth is if he climbs the wall and leaves Claysoot. Emma, Gray’s love interest decides to follow him. When they make it to the other side of the wall Gray and Emma learn that Claysoot was an experiment and that there are two sides AmEast and AmWest and they are at war with each other. Gray and Emma don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into but they learn that they’re going to have to pick a side and fast.

This was a good book, I liked the pace and the characters. The plot twists were great and kept me reading. Gray is a headstrong character and he worries more about the people he cares about than his own safety. I did like the relationship between Gray and Emma, it was sweet, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the whole love triangle.

I’m excited to continue with this series. Its a fun, fast paced dystopian novel and the twists will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Filed Under: Reviews

TINY PRETTY THINGS By Sona Charaipotra, Dhonielle Clayton

December 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

TINY PRETTY THINGS By Sona Charaipotra, Dhonielle ClaytonTiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton, Sona Charaipotra
Series: Tiny Pretty Things #1
Published by HarperTeen on 7/12/16
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet-star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever.

When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

Short and Sweet Review

At the American Ballet Company our main characters Gigi, Bette, and June just want to be Prima Ballerina, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get to the top even if it includes sabotage and backstabbing.

In this book we get the POVs of each girl and there wasn’t one I liked more than the other. I can honestly say I wasn’t attached to any of the characters. Gigi is a sweet girl and during the course of this book she gets most of the lead roles. Roles that Bette thinks belong to her. Bette is known as the top ballerina and is somewhat of a bully. Bette will do a lot of things to make people question themselves and want to quit. June on the other hand is basically an understudy she doesn’t get lead roles or solos. June doesn’t have a lot of friends and she pushes people away.

Each of these girls has problems, Gigi with her health, Bette with her pill popping, and June with her bulimia. We learn more about each girl when we read from their POVs, but the only one I felt sorry for was Gigi. A lot of messed up things were happening to Gigi and she really is a sweet girl and at some point this stuff does take a toll on her and she does have a few breakdowns. I’m not even going to get into the romance because I found it irrelevant.

I felt like some of the things that were happening were just too much but I will read the next book just to see what will happen.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE LOVE CURSE OF MELODY MCINTYRE By Robin Talley

December 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE LOVE CURSE OF MELODY MCINTYRE By Robin TalleyThe Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley
Published by HarperTeen on 12/1/2020
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Melody McIntyre, stage manager extraordinaire, has a plan for everything.

What she doesn’t have? Success with love. Every time she falls for someone during a school performance, both the romance and the show end in catastrophe. So, Mel swears off any entanglements until their upcoming production of Les Mis is over.

Of course, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, rising star in the acting world, auditioning for the spring performance. And she definitely didn’t expect Odile to be sweet and funny, and care as much about the play’s success as Mel.

Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love.

Short and Sweet

Melody is the stage manager for her high school. Melody is great at being a stage manager, what she’s not so great at is finding love. When her crew comes to her and suggest she puts off dating for the next show she’s willing to try it, what she didn’t expect was to fall for actress Odile Rose.

Characters

Melody: Melody is our main character and she’s the stage manager. Melody is on it as stage manager she’s organized she has a plan for everything. Things start to get more challenging for Melody during this play and she doesn’t know if its just a coincidence or if it’s because of the curse.

Odile: Odile is an actress and she’s not at school much because she’s off filming but when she is at school she usually lands the lead role in the plays. Odile is actually really nice people assume that she’s stuck up but she’s willing to help everyone and really get to know them.

Dom: Dom is one of Melody’s friends, he’s been a stage tech but this year he decided to try his hand at acting. Dom usually takes Melody’s side but this year there was a bit of tension between the two.

Gabby: Gabby is Melody’s assistant stage manager. Gabby is good at her job and is Melody’s right hand woman. Gabby looks up to Melody and considers her a close friend.

Romance

Melody and Odile: Melody and Odile haven’t had many interactions but this year changes everything. Melody meets Odile during the auditions for Odile and they have a few more encounters where things between them start to heat up. Melody keeps her romance with Odile a secret because she’s afraid that the crew will blame her for things going wrong on set because of the curse. Odile eventually gets tired of hiding their relationship and is hurt when Melody doesn’t tell everyone the truth.

My Thoughts

This years play: Les Mis. Every year the crew comes up with a curse and this years curse means that Melody can’t fall in love otherwise the show will be ruined. Melody is okay with agreeing but that’s before she met Odile. Odile and Melody hit it off and end up spending a lot of time together. Most of the book is just talking about the play and the romance between Melody and Odile. There are some incidents that happen to cast members and at the theater and the cast and crew think it’s the curse. While these things are happening Melody has been seeing Odile behind everyones backs, so is it really Melody’s fault that these things are happening or is it a coincidence? I liked the book and thought it was cool that they would show the cast list and the tasks the crew had to complete. The one thing that put me off was how everyone reacted to Melody and Odile being together. The crew would give Melody dirty looks and it went too far when they started to blame her for everything. I get that Melody was hiding her relationship from them but they were supposed to be her friends and they made her feel bad. I agreed with Odile when she said that the crew crossed the line with this curse.

Overall

This was a fun book to read. I don’t think I’ve read a book revolving around a stage crew getting ready to put on a play. I liked the format a lot and was looking forward to seeing what was at the end of the chapters. The ending was cute but I was still upset with everyone’s behavior.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE GOOD GIRLS By Claire Eliza Bartlett

December 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE GOOD GIRLS By Claire Eliza BartlettThe Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Published by HarperTeen on 12/1/20
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

The troublemaker. The overachiever. The cheer captain. The dead girl. Like every high school in America, Jefferson-Lorne High contains all of the above.

After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the would-be valedictorian.

But appearances are never what they seem. And the truth behind what really happened to Emma may just be lying in plain sight. As long buried secrets come to light, the clock is ticking to find Emma's killer—before another good girl goes down.

Short and Sweet

Emma Baines was murdered and all fingers are pointing at her three classmates, Avery, Gwen, and Claude. The truth behind what happened to Emma is in plain sight but the secrets that her three classmates are hiding need to come out in order to find the killer.

Characters

Claude: Claude is our small town trouble maker. Claude is known around town to be easy. She has a tough exterior but I think its because she now plays a character of what everyone expects of her. Claude isn’t afraid to do risky things if she thinks they’re the right decision.

Avery: Avery is our head cheerleader and of the three girls she was actually friends with Emma. Avery is more than willing to help the police figure out what happened to Emma, but Avery is also hiding some secrets she hopes the police don’t find.

Gwen: Gwen is our smart girl. Gwen seems like the most likely suspect because she was in competition with Emma for a scholarship. Emma’s death isn’t the first one Gwen has had to deal with, a couple of years ago Gwen’s sister committed suicide, and Gwen is still dealing with that.

My Thoughts

We get all three girls POVs, I don’t think there was one I preferred more than the other. I found it interesting that they all knew more than they led on and in the end it all came together. During the police interviews we see that each girl is hiding something. I did feel like at some points the book felt a bit scattered and some things just didn’t make sense. Especially when we find out what happened to Emma, mainly because it kept jumping from present day to the past.

We do get to see Emma’s diary entries and we learn more about her life which isn’t the best. I also liked that each of the girls actually had a closer relationship to Emma than they wanted to admit. Gwen and Emma have the most tumultuous relationship, because of how closer Emma was to Gwen’s older sister.

Overall

I think the synopsis was better than the actually book. The ending of the book left me unsatisfied. I understood why each of the girls did what they did but I feel like it went too far, like they could have let someone know what was happening but they decided to take it into their own hands. I liked some aspects of the book but it felt slow and I just wanted it to be over.

Filed Under: Reviews

HOW TO PACK FOR THE END OF THE WORLD By Michelle Falkoff

November 10, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

HOW TO PACK FOR THE END OF THE WORLD By Michelle FalkoffHow to Pack for the End of the World by Michelle Falkoff
Published by HarperTeen on 11/10/20
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

If you knew the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do?

This is the question that haunts Amina as she watches new and horrible stories of discord and crisis flash across the news every day.

But when she starts at prestigious Gardner Academy, Amina finds a group of like-minded peers to join forces with—fast friends who dedicate their year to learning survival skills from each other, before it’s too late.

Still, as their prepper knowledge multiplies, so do their regular high school problems, from relationship drama to family issues to friend blow-ups. Juggling the two parts of their lives forces Amina to ask another vital question: Is it worth living in the hypothetical future if it’s at the expense of your actual present?

Short and Sweet Review

Amina often thinks about the end of the world and what she would do if it was happening. As a new student at Gardner Academy, Amina meets some like minded students and they make a club focused on survival strategies. Someone is pulling pranks and causing trouble and targeting members of the group.

Amina is our main character and she has anxiety which is caused by thinking about disasters that could happen. During her first night at Gardner she goes to game night which is where she meets the members of the soon to be club Eucalyptus Society. Chloe is a fashionista is afraid of nuclear disasters, Hunter is an environmental activist, Jo is a tough girl and she’s very secretive. Wyatt is the one who started the club and he was raised in commune where they prepared for doomsday.

The group decides that they can each learn something from each other so when they meet each group member comes up with a game or activity that shows how to survive a certain situation. We learn a lot about each of the characters and not only their fears but more about them.

This book was not only about survival but friendship. I enjoyed seeing the characters come up with their activities and seeing them bond over something like surviving different situations. I wish there was more to the plot and ending though.

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