THE HAND ON THE WALL By Maureen Johnson

March 23, 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.

THE HAND ON THE WALL By Maureen JohnsonThe Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
Series: Truly Devious #3
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 1/21/20
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 375
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .

She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.

Short and Sweet Review

Stevie Bell has solved the crime of the century, but accidents are still plaguing Ellingham Academy and after the latest accident Ellingham is evacuated. The Hand on the Wall takes place right where the last book ended and now Stevie is just trying to figure out how the three deaths that recently occurred are connected. Stevie is so smart just watching her piece things together was amazing because just reading the book I had no idea how everything could have happened. The book still alternates between the past and the present and in this book I appreciated looking into the past more than I did in the previous books, it showed what happened in the original case and how that case became what it was. I’m glad that Stevie had friends like Janelle and Nate around I also enjoyed Hunter’s presence. When all of the other students are evacuated, Stevie and her friends decide to stay at Ellingham by hiding and they obviously get to stay because of the massive storm. During that time our dear friend David comes back… I still don’t like him I still don’t know what Stevie sees in him but that’s none of my business. In the end everything is laid out and its amazing how everything came together. This was a great trilogy and the mystery was great not once over the course of these three books did it become obvious as to who the culprit was or what was causing the accidents. I love these books and this was a great ending and I would read these books all over again. If you love mysteries and crime solving pick this trilogy up, you won’t be disappointed!


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THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO GETTING LUCKY By Mackenzi Lee

January 6, 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.

THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO GETTING LUCKY By Mackenzi LeeThe Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky by Mackenzi Lee
Series: Montague Siblings #1.5
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 11/26/19
Genres: Historical, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 128
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Monty’s epic grand tour may be over, but now that he and Percy are finally a couple, he realizes there is something more nerve-wracking than being chased across Europe: getting together with the person you love.

Will the romantic allure of Santorini make his first time with Percy magical, or will all the anticipation and build-up completely spoil the mood?

Short and Sweet Review

The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky is a novella that takes place right after the first book. Monty and Percy are a couple now but they haven’t been together romantically yet. Monty wants this to be special and the romantic setting of Santorini should help, unless the anticipation and build up end up ruining the mood. This novella was so cute I’m glad I got to see these characters again. Not only are Monty and Percy worried about being together romantically but they’re planning the rest of their lives together which also ends up making Monty nervous. Monty and Percy are a great couple. They do have their moments when they fight or disagree about something but in the end they come together to find a resolution. This novella is cute and hilarious and just made my love for these characters grow even more! If you’ve read the other books, I recommend this novella!

Filed Under: Reviews

SUGGESTED READING By Dave Connis

September 17, 2019 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.

SUGGESTED READING By Dave ConnisSuggested Reading by Dave Connis
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 9/17/19
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Clara Evans is horrified when she discovers her principal’s “prohibited media” hit list. The iconic books on the list have been pulled from the library and aren’t allowed anywhere on the school’s premises. Students caught with the contraband will be sternly punished.

Many of these stories have changed Clara’s life, so she’s not going to sit back and watch while her draconian principal abuses his power. She’s going to strike back.

So Clara starts an underground library in her locker, doing a shady trade in titles like Speak and The Chocolate War. But when one of the books she loves most is connected to a tragedy she never saw coming, Clara’s forced to face her role in it.

Will she be able to make peace with her conflicting feelings, or is fighting for this noble cause too tough for her to bear?


Short and Sweet

Clara loves books, so when she finds out that some of her favorite books become banned at school she decides to do something about it. Clara starts an underground library (unlib), but then one of the books she loans out is connected to an accident Clara starts to question if she should have even started the unlib in the first place.

Characters

Clara: Clara is our main character and she loves books, so when she learns about Principal Walsh’s prohibited media list she takes it hard. Clara is pretty brave considering that if she’s caught she could either be suspended or expelled. I like Clara she really took a stand for something she thought was important. Clara does get deterred when something happens and starts to question if what she was doing was right and if she should have been doing it in the first place.

LiQui: LiQui is Clara’s best friend and is also the student body president. LiQui is supportive of Clara’s cause and even tries to find ways to prove that having the prohibited list is wrong.

Ashton and Jack: Ashton and Jack are both kids that Clara didn’t have much interaction with until she finds herself in class with them and when they come to her book club. I liked both Ashton and Jack they’re both going through things and I thought that once Clara got to know them better she learned that she misjudged them.

Quotes

~ “Do I dare disturb the universe?” The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

My Thoughts

~ When Clara finds out that some of her favorite books have become prohibited media she takes it personal. Some of the books on the list were some that really changed her life.

~ After being influenced by a few teachers and her favorite book Clara starts the underground library from her locker, which is risky considering she could be caught.

~ I liked how Clara went through with the library but at the same time tried to get Principal Walsh to reconsider even having the list.

~ My favorite thing was seeing how the books that Clara loaned were impacting the people that read it. Before someone returned a book they would write a quote on the cover about something that affected them or what they liked from the book.

~ It was great seeing how books affected different people, it also showed us that they can have a negative impact which is what happens when a book Clara loans out is connected to a tragedy. The tragedy really shakes Clara up because she didn’t think that a book could have such a negative impact especially when books have always inspired and changed her views.

~ I thought all the characters were great and learning more about them really gave an insight on how certain books could affect them.

~ I loved how short the chapters were it made it easy for me to breeze through this book. The book also has humor which I liked, it also made me want to read some of the books mentioned!

Overall

This was such a good book! I loved the idea of the underground library and how Clara took a stand. I also like how her friends supported her and the cause and the ending was amazing! I would read this book again, I couldn’t put it down and I thought the characters and the premise was great! Check this book out you won’t regret it!

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THE SURVIVAL LIST By Courtney Sheinmel

September 16, 2019 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 SURVIVAL LIST By Courtney SheinmelThe Survival List by Courtney Sheinmel
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 9/17/19
Genres: Contemporary, Mental Health, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Sloane Weber is devastated when her older sister dies by suicide. Talley was a bright light who made everyone want to step closer. Why had she made that unthinkable choice?

The only clue Talley left behind for Sloane is a puzzle—a list of random places and names, along with the phone number of a boy named Adam, who lives in California and claims he didn’t know Talley.

Sloane heads west, enlists Adam’s help, and together they search for answers. But while Sloane is drawn to Adam, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something. Is Sloane ready to learn the truth—about Adam, her sister, or the secrets her family has been hiding for years?


Short and Sweet

After her older sister Talley dies, Sloane finds a list with random places and names that are unfamiliar to her. Sloane thinks that if she can decipher the meaning of the list she can understand why Talley did what she did. The clues on the list lead Sloane to California and once she’s there Sloane learns that maybe she didn’t know Talley as well as she thought she did.

Characters

Sloane: Sloane is our main character and she’s dealing with the loss of her sister. Sloane doesn’t understand why Talley would have killed herself so when she finds the list Talley left behind it was like Sloane could try to figure out why Talley is gone. I know that Sloane is dealing with a lot but I don’t like the way she acted people would try to comfort her and she would tell them that they don’t know what she’s going through and at one point she does talk to someone who also lost a loved one to suicide. I thought that she lashed out at people who didn’t deserve it.

Talley: We don’t know much about Talley since she’ s gone but she is Sloane’s older sister and most of the characters would describe her as fearless and brave.

Adam: Adam’s phone number was on the list that Talley had in her pocket. Adam has no idea who Talley was but Sloane and Adam connect when she comes to California. Adam drove Sloane everywhere mainly because he was trying to avoid his own problems with his parents. I thought Adam was nice and he was helpful to Sloane.

Juno: Juno is Sloane’s best friend. I really liked Juno she was there for Sloane and even got Sloane the plane ticket to California just so that Sloane could find out what the list meant. Juno was very supportive and I felt bad for her because at some point Sloane ends up putting Juno on the back burner.

My Thoughts

~ Sloane loses her older sister Talley and finds a list in Talley’s pocket and all the random names and places on the list lead Sloane to California.

~ In California Sloane meets Adam whose number was on the list and he ends up trying to help her figure out what everything on the list means. When Sloane learns more about the things on the list she also learns that she didn’t know her older sister as well as she thought she did.

~ I think the best part of the book was that Sloane got to spend time with her aunt, and she also learned more about her mother that way.

~ At one point I did get annoyed with Sloane because it was like she was ignoring Juno and it was awful. I know Sloane was invested in figuring out what everything meant, but Juno needed Sloane at that moment.

~ There’s actually not a romance in this book, which was fine with me. I thought it was nice that Sloane and Adam just stayed friends.

~ Sloane and her father also had better communication by the end of the book and it was great especially because they were both grieving differently and they weren’t seeing eye to eye on things

Overall

I thought this was an enjoyable book I liked the premise of the list and Sloane trying to figure out what everything on it meant. I also liked that Sloane learned things about Talley and her family that she didn’t know because it led to more communication with her father. I thought it was great seeing how Sloane processed everything about Talley and learned about herself in the process. I would recommend this book its a realistic fiction that does deal with the hard topic of suicide but it portrayed how the people left behind deal with the loss and their emotions.

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HELLO GIRLS By Brittany Cavallaro, Emily Henry

July 23, 2019 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.

HELLO GIRLS By Brittany Cavallaro, Emily HenryHello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro, Emily Henry
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 8/6/19
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Winona has been starving for life in the seemingly perfect home that she shares with her seemingly perfect father, celebrity weatherman Stormy Olsen. No one knows that he locks the pantry door to control her eating and leaves bruises where no one can see them.

Lucille has been suffocating beneath the needs of her mother and her drug-dealing brother, wondering if there’s more out there for her than disappearing waitress tips and a lifetime of barely getting by.

One harrowing night, Winona and Lucille realize they can’t wait until graduation to start their new lives. They need out. Now. One hour later, they’re armed with a plan that will take them from their small Michigan town to Chicago.

All they need is three grand, fast. And really, a stolen convertible can’t hurt.

Chased by the oppression, toxicity, and powerlessness that has held them down, Winona and Lucille must reclaim their strength if they are going to make their daring escape—and get away with it.


Short and Sweet

Winona and Lucille just have to make it graduation and then they can leave everything behind and start fresh in Chicago. On the outside it seems like Winona lives the perfect life with her weather man father Stormy Olsen, but nobody knows that he tries to control her eating and leaves her with bruises where no one can find them. Lucille lives with her mother and her drug dealing older brother, wondering if there’s more to life than the one she’s living. But one night both girls realize they can’t wait until graduation anymore and have to leave now, all they need is some money and a car to get them to Las Vegas.

Characters

Winona: Winona has dealt with a lot. Her father is a ticking time bomb and one wrong move could set him off. I felt bad for Winona she never knew what kind of mood her father would be in. Winona is a sweetheart and she’s fragile but in the end I think she’s had enough of the way people have been treating her and she finally takes charge of her life.

Lucille: Lucille is as tough as nails. She has a difficult life both girls do but in different ways. Lucille deals with her drug dealing brother and working her butt off as a waitress. Her mother relies on Lucille and that’s another added pressure to her life. All Lucille wants is to know that she could have a better life than the one where she’s struggling to get by.

Romance

Winona and Silas: Well this was a fling and it was short lived. I had a bad feeling about Silas and in the end I was right but I’m glad the girls found him and made things right… in a way.

My Thoughts

~ I liked Lucille and Winona’s friendship. They met outside of a police station and have been friends ever since. Lucille is like Winona’s protector and she’s always looking out for her and making sure she’s okay, in the end I think Winona is more stable when Lucille is around.

~ These girls risked it all when they left. Winona stole a car, Lucille took her brothers stash, and now they have Stormy looking for them and a drug dealer. It’s crazy how things play out.

~ I honestly think Winona and Lucille are brave and courageous. They basically winged their whole trip and just hoped that things would work out.

~ I liked their cross country trip, it wasn’t a breeze it came with hardships the whole time. I had a feeling something would happen to the girls and it did and I felt bad for them but they dealt with it like it was nothing.

~ Winona and Lucille make a dynamic duo and they don’t care what anyone thinks about them. They keep each other happy, they share real conversations, and always make each other laugh, and I’m glad they found each other at the police station.

~ I also liked the chapter titles, which gave an insight on how much money the girls had.

~ The ending was kind of sad but it was nice knowing the Winona and Lucille had each other.

Overall

I enjoyed reading Hello Girls, its not too long of a book so I breezed through it. I do think there are some flaws but they’re minor. I did like how the girls stuck together and Lucille was an amazing friend. If you want to read a book about friends who go cross country to leave their troubles and the awful men in their lives behind then this is the book for you!

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A QUESTION OF HOLMES By Brittany Cavallaro

April 1, 2019 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.

A QUESTION OF HOLMES By Brittany CavallaroA Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro
Series: Charlotte Holmes #4
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 3/5/19
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson finally have a chance to start over. With all the freedom their pre-college summer program provides and no one on their tail, the only mystery they need to solve, once and for all, is what they are to each other.

But upon their arrival at Oxford, Charlotte is immediately drawn into a new case: a series of accidents befell the theater program at Oxford last year, culminating in a young woman going missing on the night of a major performance.

The mystery has gone unsolved; the case is cold. And no one—least of all the girl’s peculiar, close-knit group of friends—is talking.

When Watson and Holmes join the theater program, the “accidents” start anew, giving them no choice but to throw themselves into the case. But as the complicated lines of friendship, love, and loyalty blur, time is running out—and tragedy waits in the wings.


Short and Sweet

Charlotte and Jamie are finally in the clear, they’ve left behind Sherringford and the Moriarty family. Now they’re both looking ahead to the future and they’ve started to take  summer classes at Oxford, but once Charlotte gets to the school she learns about accidents that have plagued the theater members, now Charlotte and Jamie have to stop the perpetrator before theres another victim.

Characters

Charlotte: Charlotte Holmes, our lovable main character, when I think about it she reminds me of Bones from the tv show Bones a little awkward socially but still smart and good at heart. I love Charlotte she’s been going to therapy and she’s trying to better herself and I like how she’s working on herself, she’s grown a lot over the series.

Jamie: Jamie Watson, I just like saying their last names. Jamie is still Jamie he cares, he’s still a little aggressive, and he’s just trying to focus on his future in this book. Where could taking summer classes take Jamie in the future? Well he wants to be a writer and I think he’d be great at it.

Romance

Charlotte and Jamie: So in this book Charlotte and Jamie are exploring and trying to figure out if a relationship would actually work. It’s cute they keep their boundaries but at the same time theres hand holding and kissing. I actually really liked this because they respected each other and never went beyond what the other was comfortable with.

My Thoughts

~ I feel like this book was a lot shorter than the other books in the series but it was still enjoyable I really liked the mystery in this book.

~ The book is told only in Charlotte’s POV which was different from all the other books, at first I was surprised but I really liked her narration.

~ I loved the new setting and I liked that these two were investigating accidents happening around the theater students. It was a good mystery because it was hard to tell who could have actually been causing the accidents.

~ I liked the banter between Charlotte and Jamie it was funny and cute and it was great.

~ By the way I think Leander should win uncle of the year. He cares so much about Charlotte and he keeps her safe and he’s amazing and I’m glad she had him around.

~ As much as I loved this book I didn’t like the epilogue, but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just leave it at that everything was great except for the epilogue.

Overall

I’m so sad that this series is over, I liked this take on Sherlock Holmes. It’s been fun following Charlotte and Jamie and the mysteries they encounter. I thought this was a great book I liked picturing what life would be like for these two in college and the future too. I love this series and you guys should read it if you like mysteries and Sherlock Holmes because who doesn’t like Sherlock?

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Filed Under: Reviews

OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS By Justin A. Reynolds

March 15, 2019 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.

OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS By Justin A. ReynoldsOpposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 3/5/19
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 451
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.

But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.

Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.

Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.


Short and Sweet

Jack meets Kate at a party and they spend all night talking and learning that they have a lot in common like their love for cereal and their favorite movies. Soon Kate is meeting Jack’s friends and is winning them over. But then Kate dies, and it may seem like that would be the end of their story but it’s not. Jack travels back in time and suddenly he’s meeting Kate again and this time he knows that he has to save her. But while time travel seems great Jack learns that each change he makes may come with a consequence.

Characters

Jack: I Love Jack King! I need to find a Jack King! Jack is so amazing, he’s caring, lovable, funny, compassionate, he’s the best! Honestly he’ll do anything for those closest to him. At first he spends a lot of time focusing on Kate and then he realizes that he also needs to focus on those closest to him.

Kate: I love Kate maybe a little less than I love Jack but only a smidge less, because I mean who can top Jack? Kate is awesome in her own right she’s smart, and she cares about people and doesn’t want them t get hurt. Kate also has sickle cell which complicates things because she doesn’t want to get close to Jack only for something to happen to her and leave him behind.

Jill: Jill is one of Jack’s best friends and is also supportive of him. I feel like she’s move of the peace maker of the group. Jill is also dealing with things in her family life such as her father leaving.

Franny: Franny and Jack have been friends since they were kids, so there’s a lot of history there. I liked Franny’s character he may be a big guy but he has a big heart. Franny has to deal with his dad being released from jail and trying to deal with the emotions surrounding that. Franny is a good friend to Jack and vice versa.

Romance

Jack and Kate: Ahh, where do I even start? We see this couple try their hand at things 4 times and each time is a little different then the last. They still have chemistry, they still have that I feel like I’ve met you before feeling, and they still make sense together. Honestly I don’t want to use the word perfect but they’re perfect for each other.

Franny and Jill: Franny and Jill have been dating for a while and these two they work together, they fit. They’re supportive of each other and I like how they let Jack third wheel with them.

Jack and Jill: Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. Just kidding! Anyway these two met during their freshman year of high school and their best friends but Jack has always had a crush on Jill but its a little awkward because Jill is dating their best friend Franny! So when these two got together during one of Jacks times in the past I wasn’t into it, these two just weren’t right together and were better off as friends.

My Thoughts

~ Jack and Kate meet at a college party and they hit things off real quick. They spend the whole night talking and getting to know each other and getting cereal.

~ So I keep saying time travel but its more like Jack goes through everything the first time he meets Kate and then she dies and he does go back to when they first met and if things don’t go right he relives the night they met. So maybe more like a Groundhog Day kind of premise.

~ In the book we see Jack get to try things over five times because you know maybe the third times not the charm.

~ I loved seeing how Jack changed things each time and how these changes affected everything else during that time. I liked seeing him realize what he should do to make things work and what things wouldn’t work.

~ Jack has a great support system around him, his parents and Franny and Jill. They all try to help him and support him with everything.

~ Each character is so well written that they’re relatable and you feel for them and the things they’re going through the highs and the lows.

Overall

This book is heartfelt and funny and it amazing! I’m so happy I picked up this book, it is now one of my favorites. I feel like the characters are so relatable and the plot was well thought out and the book was written amazingly It makes you feel for each character. The time travel aspect makes you wonder “what if?” What if I had the chance to go back? What would I change? It’s just so good and I think everyone should go get a copy now!!!

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THE VANISHING STAIR By Maureen Johnson

February 4, 2019 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.

THE VANISHING STAIR By Maureen JohnsonThe Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson
Series: Truly Devious #2
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 1/22/19
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

The Truly Devious case—an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936—has consumed Stevie for years. It’s the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate was murdered, and her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say. She must move past this obsession with crime.

Stevie’s willing to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be back with her friends, and solve the Truly Devious case. Even if it means making a deal with the despicable Senator Edward King. And when Stevie finally returns, she also returns to David: the guy she kissed, and the guy who lied about his identity—Edward King’s son.

But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? What’s the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isn’t just a piece of history—it’s a live wire into the present.


Short and Sweet

After leaving Ellingham Academy because of her parents worrying all Stevie wants is a way to go back. When Edward King offer to take her back to Ellingham Stevie knows it comes with a price but she’s willing to make a deal with him if that means she gets to go back. Now that Stevie is back she gets right back to trying to solve the Truly Devious case.

Characters

Stevie: Stevie is the same I don’t really feel like she had much character growth. Stevie is put in a hard situation she’s only back at Ellingham Academy courtesy of Edward King and he wants Stevie to keep an eye on David and make sure he doesn’t get in trouble which is easier said than done mainly because he purposely gets in trouble. Stevie is also still trying to solve the Truly Devious case while juggling everything else.

Nate: Nate is socially awkward but he’s still a likable character and a good friend to Stevie he understands her and tries to help her when he can.

Janelle: Janelle is one of Stevie’s best friends at Ellingham and I love how she is always willing to help Stevie and push her out of her comfort zone.

David: Edward King’s son, Stevie’s love interest, my least favorite character. I’m sorry but I can’t with this kid. I get it that he lost his friend but he was the worst in the first book too even before Ellie went missing. I just don’t understand what his problem is, like I said earlier its like he purposely tries to be infuriating and I can’t stand scenes with him. He makes it hard for Stevie to make sure he’s okay he just goes off and does things for who knows what reason and I’m going to stop now because if I don’t I can go on forever about how I don’t like him. If you like him I’m sorry…

amber rose whatever GIF by VH1

Romance

Stevie and David: Y’all I just looked at my review for Truly Devious to see what I wrote about Stevie and David and I said, “I didn’t like the two of them together it just didn’t feel right.” After reading this book I still don’t like them together I honestly don’t know what she sees in the kid I think he’s trash. Once he finds out how Stevie was allowed to go back to Ellingham he wasn’t the least bit understanding just because it involve his dad. I think he’s the worst and she can do better.

My Thoughts

~ I was so excited to dive back into this mystery and find out if Stevie could finally solve the Truly Devious case and I was not disappointed. She’s smart and she has a way of viewing things and looking at clues that helps her see things that others haven’t and its amazing to picture. Stevie is like a modern day Nancy Drew.

~ One of my favorite characters is Larry the security guard, he looks out for Stevie and is someone she can go to and I liked that, he’s one of the main adult figures that she often goes to for advice.

~ So not only is Stevie trying to solve the Truly Devious case, but she’s trying to find Ellie, and she starts helping an author whose interest is also in the Truly Devious case.

~ I also thought that Janelle and Nate are great friends honestly I like their group dynamic they’re all so different but it works.

~ By the way I still don’t like David honestly he’s just a menace and it’s gross. This isn’t a spoiler so I’ll just say it he likes to cause trouble and started doing screaming meditation early in the morning ugh.

Overall

I love mysteries and this is one of my favorite series and I’m kind of upset that I have to wait another year for the next book, because this one just ended on a cliffhanger and I need to know what’s going to happen! I definitely recommend this series its a good mystery and I personally don’t think its one that is predictable it always keeps me guessing I love it.

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Filed Under: Reviews

THE CASE FOR JAMIE By Brittany Cavallaro

January 28, 2019 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.

THE CASE FOR JAMIE By Brittany CavallaroThe Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro
Series: Charlotte Holmes #3
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 3/6/18
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

It’s been a year since the shocking death of August Moriarty, and Jamie and Charlotte haven’t spoken.

Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident, with a nice girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for.

Charlotte is on the run, from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the lawn in Sussex—and Charlotte wants it that way. She knows she isn’t safe to be around. She knows her Watson can’t forgive her.

Holmes and Watson may not be looking to reconcile, but when strange things start happening, it’s clear that someone wants the team back together. Someone who has been quietly observing them both. Making plans. Biding their time.

Someone who wants to see one of them suffer and the other one dead.


Short and Sweet

After everything that happened in The Last of August, Charlotte and Jamie haven’t seen each other. Jamie is going through the motions, he goes to school and he has a girlfriend. Charlotte is on the run from Lucien Moriarty and keeping a low profile. When strange things start to happen its clear that someone wants Charlotte and Jamie back together even if that’s not what they want.

Characters

Jamie: Jamie is just trying to figure himself out in this book, its his senior year and he’s just trying to finish it without any problems. Without Charlotte around Jamie does have some character growth he’s figuring things out himself and without a partner and he’s learning he’s capable of doing some things without Charlotte.

Charlotte: In this book Charlotte is still a mysterious character but we did get a lot of range from her and thats what I liked the most knowing that deep down she can express emotions. Charlotte is on the run from Lucien Moriarty but she’s still doing detective work trying to figure out what he’s up to.

Romance

Jamie and Elizabeth: Well Jamie has a girlfriend and this relationship was boring. Honestly Jamie didn’t want to be with Elizabeth and the sad thing is Elizabeth knew that, but she was still willing to help him which I liked. They work as friends but not so much as a couple.

Jamie and Charlotte: These two aren’t in a relationship but it can develop at some point but I’m glad that both of these characters know that it isn’t the right time for them.

My Thoughts

~ For a majority of the book Jamie and Charlotte are separated which I found interesting. I liked seeing them apart like I said Jamie grew a lot during this time and so did Charlotte.

~ Theres not much of a mystery in this book, everyone is just trying to figure out Lucien Moriarty’s next move.

~ Jamie is at Sherringford dealing with someone who is messing with him and is trying to frame him for things he didn’t do so he has to deal with that. Charlotte on the other hand is wearing disguises and hunting down people who know where Lucien is and what he may be doing

~ The climax takes place towards the end of the book I would say around like 60-70% through and thats when things become fast paced.

~ I loved Charlotte and Jamie’s email exchange at the end of the book I love that they’re learning how to be friends and give each other space.

~ This book was shorter than the last two and there’s really not much to say.

Overall

I enjoyed this book a lot actually. I know its weird when two characters who are always together are separated for so long but I thought it worked and I liked it when they were reunited. I’m excited to read the next book, I love mysteries and this is one of my favorite series.

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INFAMOUS By Alyson Noel

December 17, 2018 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.

INFAMOUS By Alyson NoelInfamous by Alyson Noel
Series: Beautiful Idols #3
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 4/3/18
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Club promoters Layla, Aster, and Tommy never imagined that entering the Unrivaled competition would land them in the middle of a celebrity murder investigation, but sometimes fate can be as nasty as the anonymous comments on a Hollywood gossip blog.

But Madison Brooks isn’t dead. Layla, Aster, and Tommy have been set up, and as Madison’s dirty little secrets creep closer to the light, they discover Madison will do anything to keep her past hidden—no matter who gets caught in the crossfire.


Short and Sweet Review

After everything that has happened it has finally come down to this, Madison is out there somewhere and she’s the only one who will be able to clear everyones name, if she chooses to come out of hiding. I’m going to be honest I was so excited going into this book because of everything that happened in Blacklist but this book fell short of my expectations. The first half of the book is just so slow and after that it starts to pick up but everything was answered. We learn a lot about Madison’s past, which gives us clues to who abducted her. I usually do a longer review for books like this but I felt like I didn’t need to for this book, but if you want to know more about the characters check out my review for the first book Unrivaled or Blacklist to learn about them. We did get a lot of character POVs in this book and it was easy to follow I like how they all had their own motive for trying to find Madison, and how each of them had their own clues they followed up on. I feel like Aster had the most to lose so finding Madison for her was pivotal, and I liked how the others tried to help. Over the course of the three books the characters did have some development and I will say that it was mainly due to the circumstances they were in, a group of teens who didn’t like each other had to put aside their differences and work together to figure out what was happening around them, that’s what I liked most about this book. I wasn’t surprised when I found out who kidnapped Madison but I think the motive behind it was pretty shocking. Overall I liked this book but I do think it could have been better, in all honesty I think Blacklist was the best book in this trilogy. I would recommend this book or series if you like mysteries, drama, following people live out their Hollywood dreams.

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Filed Under: Reviews