CURSED CROWNS By Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

April 21, 2023 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.

CURSED CROWNS By Catherine Doyle and Katherine WebberCursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle, Katherine Webber
Series: Twin Crowns #2
Published by Balzer + Bray on 5/9/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 512
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Twin queens Wren and Rose have claimed their crowns…but not everyone is happy about witches sitting on Eana’s throne.

Coolheaded Rose plans a royal tour to establish goodwill throughout the kingdom. But Wren balks—how can they gallivant around Eana when their grandmother Banba is imprisoned in Gevra?

Impatient Wren steals away on a ship to the icy north, where King Alarik offers a deadly magical bargain in exchange for Banba’s freedom. Desperate, Wren agrees. But her spell has unexpected consequences….

Meanwhile, when Rose's royal tour is interrupted by a mysterious stranger claiming to be from the long-lost Sunkissed Kingdom, the strands of destiny pull her south to the ancient Amarach Towers, where only the Seers of Eana know why the Restless Sands are erupting—and why Shen-Lo himself might hold the key.

But back in Anadawn, rebellion is brewing. And if Eana is to stand a chance at peace, the sisters will need to reunite once more and convince their people to forsake old loyalties for new ones.

Short and Sweet Review

In Anadawn, Wren and Rose are the twin queens, but not everyone is happy about having witches on the throne. Rose thinks the best course of action is going on a tour to show people that there is nothing to fear. There’s a group calling themselves the Arrows who are trying to stop Rose and Wren from having a successful reign and will even go as far as going to war with the kingdom. While Rose is thinking about the tour, Wren is thinking about Banba who is being held prisoner in the kingdom of Gerva. We see the twins go their separate ways trying to solve the problems plaguing Eana, but they’ll learn they’re stronger together than when they’re apart.

This book was so exciting and full of action. Rose is on a tour that Wren was supposed to join her on but instead Wren went to Gerva to try to rescue Banba. On the tour Rose and Shen are met by a stranger who turns out to be Shens cousin from the lost Sunkissed kingdom. The trio travel to Amarach Towers where they meet seers who help them figure out where the kingdom is. It turns out that Shen is the lost heir and when Rose learns this she gets hopeful that maybe the Sunkissed kingdom can help the Anadawn kingdom fight off the rebellion that is brewing, but Shen has other ideas about what his people should be doing. Wren on the other hand is face to face with King Alarik trying to bargain for Banbas life. Wren ends up having to use forbidden magic to bring Ansel back to life and she faces steep consequences.

Rose had more character development in this book, she was more mature. Wren on the other hand was reckless and she knows right from wrong but she’s blinded by her own desires. Rose and Shen still have a relationship which was cute based on the bond they built in the first book. Wren has a love triangle which was not something I liked because I was looking forward to her just being with Tor. Even though the sisters are separated they were able to talk to each other through a magic mirror and offer each other advice which I liked seeing because even though they had others around they to offer words of advice sometimes you just need your sister. I also loved the setting Rose is basically in the desert and Wren is in the ice kingdom it was interesting seeing how different their circumstances were. There was a big twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and was left unresolved and I’m excited to see how it will be handled in the next book.

Cursed Crowns was a great sequel, I couldn’t put it down and I’m ready to see what the next installment will bring!

Filed Under: Reviews

IMOGEN, OBVIOUSLY By Becky Albertalli

April 17, 2023 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.

IMOGEN, OBVIOUSLY By Becky AlbertalliImogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli
Published by Balzer + Bray on 5/2/23
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 412
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Imogen Scott may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.

She's never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. She knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends. There's Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, who helps keep Imogen's biases in check. And then there's Lili—newly out and newly thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.

Imogen's thrilled for Lili. Any ally would be. And now that she's finally visiting Lili on campus, she's bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen's all in.

Even if that means bending the truth, just a little.

Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she's told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.

Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .

Short and Sweet Review

Imogen is very straight but she’s all for being an ally, her younger sister is queer, her best friend Gretchen is bi, and her other best friend Lili is newly out and living her best life at college with her group of queer friends. Imogen is finally visiting Lili at college and she gets to experience all the great things Lili has been talking about. One thing that Imogen wasn’t expecting was to find out that Lili told her friends that Imogen is her ex-girlfriend, but Imogen goes with it because she’s a good friend. Imogen also meets Tessa and it makes her question her identity.

Imogen is used to living her life as a supporter an ally to her queer friends and family. I loved seeing her journey and her character develop throughout the story and seeing her come to grips that she may not just be an ally but she may actually be bi. My favorite thing about this book was seeing Imogen spend a few days on the college campus and expand her horizons, the group of friends that Lili has are so nice and inviting. Tessa and Imogen immediately hit it off, and this is when Imogen discovers she may have a crush on a girl and doesn’t really know how to process everything. Unfortunately for Imogen, her friend Gretchen thinks she knows it all and reassures Imogen that she is most definitely straight. I’m glad that Imogen had other supporters in her circle. Over the course of nine days we see Imogen have fun at the college and then go back home and try to think about everything that has happened. There was a lot of great dialogue and fun characters in this book that really made you wish you were apart of the group.

Imogen, Obviously is a personal one to the author and a statement. I loved Imogen and she’s just someone that readers can relate to and you can’t help but to root for her and hope she has a happy ending. This book was so cute and I enjoyed following Imogen’s story and see her discover who she really is. I would obviously recommend this book!

Filed Under: Reviews

MY FLAWLESS LIFE By Yvonne Woon

April 14, 2023 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.

MY FLAWLESS LIFE By Yvonne WoonMy Flawless Life by Yvonne Woon
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 2/14/23
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 345
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

At the most elite private school in Washington, DC., whenever anyone has a problem that they need to go away, they hire Hana Yang Lerner.

Hana is a fixer. She knows who to call, what to say, and how to make sure secrets stay where they belong—buried. She can fix anything. Except her own life, which was destroyed when her father, senator Skip Lerner, was arrested for an accident that left one woman nearly dead.

Now Hana’s reputation is ruined and her friends are gone. So when she gets a job from an anonymous client called “Three” to follow her former best friend, Luce Herrera, Hana realizes this might be her way of getting back her old life.

But the dangerous thing about digging is that you never know what you’ll unearth. As Hana uncovers a dark truth about her supposedly flawless classmates, she’s forced to face a secret of her own.

Short and Sweet Review

When students at Hana’s elite private school in Washington D.C need a problem to go away they hire her, she’s a fixer. She can fix most of her classmates problems, the one thing she’s having trouble fixing is her own life. After her Senator father was arrested for an accident that nearly left a woman dead, Hana’s reputation was ruined and all her friends left her side. When someone contacts Hana for a job that includes following her former best friend, Luce, she takes it hoping this could help her get her old life back. The more Hana tries to figure out with Luce the more she has to dig into her own past and face everything that has happened.

It took my a while to get into this book, but once I did it really held my attention. I liked seeing how Hana used her contacts to fix problems. We get to see how the events of Hana’s father has affected her life, and how she’s dealing with everything or trying to avoid it. The case that she’s currently working on concerning Luce also involves Hana’s past and Hana knows she has to confront her past in order to solve this case. The plot was interesting and the pacing was great. Hana had a lot of character development and she realized that its never too late to fix your mistakes. Hana also teamed up with James, a friend from childhood and I liked the teamwork between them and seeing them reconnect. It was fun seeing Hana talk to other classmates and following leads, the life of a fixer is very interesting although it seems like a lot of work. I will say that the book went back and forth between the past and present and sometimes it was hard to tell what time period I was reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Seeing Hana take this case that’s really about her and she didn’t even know it was great. There were some things that surprised me but these elements were beneficial to the story and really worked. Hana was a good character and someone to relate to she wasn’t perfect, she had her flaws, but she was willing to work on it. This book was engaging and I would recommend it.


Filed Under: Reviews

LIAR’S BEACH By Katie Cotugno

April 12, 2023 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.

LIAR’S BEACH By Katie CotugnoLiar's Beach by Katie Cotugno
Published by Delacorte Press on 5/2/23
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Michael Linden—or just Linden to his preppy boarding school pals—doesn’t belong in wealthy, storied Martha’s Vineyard. But when his roommate Jasper invites him to spend the end of summer at his massive beachfront home, August House, Linden tries his best to fit in. Linden wouldn’t call it lying, exactly. Though it turns out August House is full of liars.

Then someone is found unconscious in Jasper’s pool, and everyone has something to hide—Jasper, his beautiful sister Eliza, their older brother Wells, and their friends. The accident is written off as just that—an accident—but Linden begins to wonder...

Enter: Holiday Proctor. Linden’s childhood friend, and the one person on the island who knows the truth about Linden. There’s nothing Holiday loves more than a good old-fashioned mystery and she’s convinced there's a potential killer on the Vineyard. The only question is…who?

Short and Sweet Review

Michael Linden isn’t wealthy, but he tries to keep up appearances for his boarding school friends. Linden is invited to Martha’s Vineyard by his roommate Jasper, which is where he meets, Wells and Eliza, Jasper’s siblings. After a party one night someone is found unconscious in the pool and it is written off as just an accident but Linden begins to wonder if there’s more to what happened than what’s being said. Holiday is one of Linden’s childhood friends and just happens to be staying at Martha’s Vineyard too and has a love for a good mystery. Together they’ll try to figure out if this was an accident or intentional.

Liar’s Beach was a good mystery it’s a new take on the novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The plot was engaging and we’re introduced to most of the characters in the first few chapters. After the person is found in the pool we see Holiday and Linden go around the island looking for clues and try to find leads but there wasn’t much for them to find so their theories were mainly speculation. I didn’t like Lindens character, he was too busy trying to fit in that he didn’t realize how awful he treated those around him. Linden was also more concerned about getting with Eliza to realize that she wasn’t exactly perfect. I would have preferred that Holiday was the narrator instead she just seemed more likable and wasn’t quick to jump the gun like Linden. The ending was okay I guessed who the culprit was mainly from the process of elimination but also there was a bit of a cliffhanger. I think it would be interesting to see these characters in another book and hopefully Linden has some more character development.

Overall this was a good beach mystery and it’s great for summer. There were a lot of good elements and some things that didn’t work but I would still recommend it and I’d be interested in seeing a sequel.

Filed Under: Reviews

FOUR FOUND DEAD By Natalie D. Richards

April 10, 2023 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.

FOUR FOUND DEAD By Natalie D. RichardsFour Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on 5/2/23
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 282
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Tonight, Riverview Theaters is closing forever, the last remaining business in a defunct shopping mall. The moviegoers have left, and Jo and her six coworkers have the final shift, a shift that quickly takes a dark turn.

First a stranger arrives with a chilling accusation. Then the power goes out and their manager disappears, along with the keys to the lobby doors and the theater safe, where the crew's phones are locked each shift. The crew's tension turns to terror when Jo discovers the dead body of one of her co-workers.

Now their only chance to escape the murderer in their midst is through the dark, shuttered mall. With its boarded-up exits and disabled fire alarms, the complex is filled with hiding places for both pursuer and pursued. In order to survive this night, Jo and her friends must trust one another, navigate the sprawling ruins of the mall, and outwit a killer before he kills them all.

Short and Sweet Review

The Riverview Theaters is closing forever, it’s the last business that is open in a now closed shopping mall. All of the customers are gone and now it’s time for Jo and her six coworkers to clean and lock everything up. Their manager is the only one with the keys but once the lights go out he’s nowhere to be found and one of Jo’s coworkers is found dead. Now Jo and the rest of her coworkers need to find a way out and the only way is through a mall that is getting ready to be demolished.

The premise of this book is what got my attention, but I think the execution fell short. Everyone is locked in this mall and they know the only way to survive is to leave the theater and go into the mall. I thought there’d be more of a mystery as to who was trying to kill the group but the killer is revealed at the beginning. The motive for why this person was chasing the group down wasn’t revealed until the last couple of chapters. Jo our main character wants to be a doctor so we see her trying to help those who end up getting injured, she also has ptsd from an incident that happened when she was younger which is why she froze when she saw the killer’s gun. I like the idea of running through an abandoned mall and its dark and you have to find your way out but this was just overkill, the killer was just deranged and the reasoning was not all there. I didn’t remember most of the characters I thought there were too many and I was really waiting for the death toll to get up to four. I think the best part of this book was the little snippets of news articles and emails from people close to the victims. I think the book could have been better if we didn’t know who the suspect was so early on or maybe someone snuck in and did it.

Four Found Dead, had an interesting synopsis that draws you in, but the execution of the book just falls short. I thought I’d be a fan of this book but it just didn’t happen.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE LAKE HOUSE By Sarah Beth Durst

April 7, 2023 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 LAKE HOUSE By Sarah Beth DurstThe Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by HarperTeen on 4/25/23
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired—her worst-case scenarios never actually come true.

Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge—and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana.

When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, something, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows.

Something that refuses to let them leave.

Short and Sweet Review

Claire has a lot of fears and to deal with them she’ll go through a checklist in her head. Claire is sure her worst case scenario won’t come true but she’ll be ready in case it does. When Claire and two other girls, Mariana and Reyva arrive to the summer camp they’re supposed to be staying at and see the lake house burned to the ground and find the director dead, they know they’re in trouble. The girls are stuck on this island, where they have no contact with the outside world, a killer running loose, and even some mysterious force that doesn’t want them to leave.

The Lake House is a survival, horror, mystery and I’m glad that the way the book was described is actually what the book was like. Claire, Reyva, and Mariana are the last campers to arrive and what they end up seeing is not what they expect. The girls have no choice but to figure out how to survive on the island especially because they don’t know when or even if help is coming. All the girls know for sure is that there’s a murderer on the island and they have to stay vigilante. The first half of the book is mainly survival and trying to avoid who they think is the murderer and trying to get off the island. The second half deals with the same thing except now we have the supernatural element involved and the girls were trying to avoid the consequences of getting stuck on the island with (I’m not even sure what to call it. A ghost? A spirit?). Anyway the girls also see their boat driver, Jack come back, and he’s around their age and he seems shocked about the things going on but he knows more than he lets on. I did like the bond that the girls formed, they’ve only known each other for a few hours before they’re thrown into something they really weren’t prepared for. The girls were resourceful and put their heads together to make sure that they would at least be able to survive. I will say some parts of the books confused me, mainly with what ever weird force was at work. I wish that part was explained more. The ending was okay, I’m not sure why all three girls had a memory lapse.

This was a good book and I enjoyed seeing the girls form a bond and truly try to find a way to make it out alive. I would still want some explaination about the paranormal parts and the ending could have been better, but other than that if you’re looking for a creepy and suspenseful book check this one out.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE CHERISHED By Patricia Ward

April 5, 2023 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 CHERISHED By Patricia WardThe Cherished by Patricia Ward
Published by HarperTeen on 4/18/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Jo never expected to be placed in her absent grandmother’s will—let alone be left her house, her land, and a letter with mysterious demands.

Upon arriving at the inherited property, things are even more strange.

The tenants mentioned in the letter are odd, just slightly…off. Jo feels something dark and decrepit in the old shack behind the house. And the things that her father used to talk about, his delusions… Why is Jo starting to believe they might be real?

But what Jo fears most is the letter from her grandmother. Because if it’s true, then Jo belongs here, in this strange place. And she has no choice but to stay.

Short and Sweet Review

When Jo’s estranged grandmother dies and leave’s her property to her Jo doesn’t fully understand why and it doesn’t help that the letter her grandmother left for her doesn’t entirely make sense. Jo and her mom travel to the house and find that there are tenants who aren’t completely normal, and something feels off with the house. The longer Jo stays in the house the more she thinks the delusions her father used to talk about were true, and her grandmother’s letter was right and she belongs in this house.

The Cherished was a hot mess, it was offensive and the way the author tackled mental health and talking about how people looked was not okay. Jo and her mother don’t have the best relationship and so their conversations are mostly filled with snark and snappy comebacks. Abigail (Jo’s mom) was an insufferable character, she thought she was above everybody else and was constantly complaining. I didn’t like that Abigail already had it in her head that she was going to sell the house and tries to get rid of the tenants that Maureen (the grandma) wanted to stay there. Jo and Abigail come and start rocking the boat and were inconsiderate of the people around them. It wasn’t until 50% through the book when we realize what’s actually going on. There’s fairies and they like to kidnap children. Jo is responsible for keeping the fairies at bay which is why Maureen gave her the house.

I didn’t like the attitudes that Jo and Abigail came into town with, like they were better than everyone and that what they want to happen was going to happen. The book was slow and the ending was rushed. The whole thing about the fairies would have been better if they were introduced earlier. There are issues with this book and I don’t think the execution was great. The characters were entitled, the plot was slow and the ending was too easily fixed, especially when Jo really didn’t know what she was doing. I personally wouldn’t recommend this book.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE SHARP EDGE OF SILENCE By Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

March 31, 2023 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 SHARP EDGE OF SILENCE By Cameron Kelly RosenblumThe Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
Published by Quill Tree Books on 4/11/23
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 492
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

WHO WILL YOU BE AT LYCROFT PHELPS?

This is the question all Lycroft applicants want to be asked. It means they’ve been accepted to one of the most prestigious private high schools in the nation.

Over 150 years is plenty of time for traditions to bake into the campus’s bricks and ivy. Ceremonies. Athletic rivalries. Secret societies. Pranks taken too far. But navigating it all will make Charlotte (perfect, straight-A student), Max (scholarship kid and STEM whiz), and Quinn (artist, dreamer, Lycroft legacy) question all they thought they knew about themselves…and the school.

Especially when Quinn’s sexual assault becomes public and implicates one of the top-tier athletes on campus.

Short and Sweet Review

To be accepted into Lycroft Phelps is a great accomplishment as it’s one of the most prestigious private schools in the nation. Charlotte is an Straight A student and a dancer, Max is a scholarship kid who excels at STEM, and Quinn is a Lycroft Legacy, and an artist. Each of these three think highly of Lycroft Phelps until the news of Quinn’s sexual assault at the hands of a popular athlete becomes public and makes them rethink everything they thought they knew.

The book is told in all three characters POVs and we see how they’re all entangled in each others lives. Quinn obviously has PTSD after what happened during summer send off, she tries avoiding her friends and she plans on getting revenge on Colin by doing things she thinks will bother him, and trying to anonymously spread the word about him. Charlotte is dating Seb which is one of Colins best friends, she knows somethings up with Seb and his group of friends but she can’t really put her finger on it. Max on the other hand becomes friends with the group of guys after he gets on the rowing team and he sees how awful their behavior is.

I will say that the synopsis is a little misleading, it isn’t until almost 60% through the book when Charlotte finds out about the sexual assault and almost 90% when Max finds out, so before than this is something Quinn has been dealing with on the down low. Even though this is about Quinn, Max and Charlotte added a lot to the book we see from their POVs how everything just comes together. Charlotte was determined to reconnect with Quinn even before she knew what was happening and was a big reason why Quinn was okay with coming forward. Max does something the guys encourage him to do and it gets the ball rolling. I did like the encouragement Quinn received from a few girls who were close to her and even teachers who were cheering her on from the sidelines without her knowledge. The ending was good and I just enjoyed seeing the support that she had around her.

This book has some tough content, but I think it was written in a way in which you can get through it and fully understand what the characters are going through. I would recommend this book.

Filed Under: Reviews

GREYMIST FAIR By Francesca Zappia

March 14, 2023 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.

GREYMIST FAIR By Francesca ZappiaGreymist Fair by Francesca Zappia
Published by Greenwillow Books on 3/28/23
Genres: Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 310
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, the village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.

When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a body on the road, she goes looking for who is responsible. But her quest only leads to more strange happenings around Greymist Fair.

Inspired by the original, bloody, lesser-known fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, acclaimed author Francesca Zappia crafts an enthralling murder-mystery that will keep readers turning the pages. Told from multiple points of view, with each narrative building on the crime discovered by Heike, Greymist Fair examines the themes of childhood fears, growing into adult responsibilities, and finding a place to call home amid the trials of life and death.

Short and Sweet Review

Greymist Fair is a village hidden in the trees. There’s only two roads that led into Greymist and the villagers know that leaving will only cause trouble. Heike, one of the villagers finds a body on the road and she decides to find out who is responsible, but on her quest she learns that there are other strange things happening in Greymist.

Greymist Fair is one interesting book. There are seven Grimm fairytales that are being retold and each story is told as a short story and they are all interwoven. Even though all of the stories connect I still felt like this book was disjointed. Heike is a character that is shown throughout the whole book and her story is the first one told, but she finds the solution to her mystery pretty quickly. If I’m going to be honest I think the rest of the stories are there just to show the other people who are in Greymist Fair and how it got to be the way it is. The other stories do tend to have different timelines than the one we originally started off in. I liked that the book was retelling lesser known Grimm fairy tales and I think that’s where the book shines, in its telling of short stories, but the way it was all supposed to come together it just fell short of what I think the author was trying to achieve.

Overall, Greymist Fair was an easy book to breeze through and I love how Zappia made the fairytales her own. The book would have been more successful if the stories came together in a better way, otherwise I think it would have been better if it wasn’t short stories but just one story and some of the characters had their own POVs. I would still recommend this book, I would just suggest going into it with a very open mind.

Filed Under: Reviews

A LONG STRETCH OF BAD DAYS By Mindy McGinnis

March 6, 2023 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.

A LONG STRETCH OF BAD DAYS By Mindy McGinnisA Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 3/14/23
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 366
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

A lifetime of hard work has put Lydia Chass on track to attend a prestigious journalism program and leave Henley behind—until a school error leaves her a credit short of graduating.

Bristal Jamison has a bad reputation and a foul mouth, but she also needs one more credit to graduate. An unexpected partnership forms as the two remake Lydia’s town history podcast to investigate the Long Stretch of Bad Days—a week when Henley was hit by a tornado, a flash food, as well as its first, only, and unsolved murder.

As their investigation unearths buried secrets, some don’t want them to see the light. When the threats escalate, the girls have to uncover the truth before the dark history of Henley catches up with them.

Short and Sweet Review

Lydia Cass has worked hard her whole life to be able to get into a prestigious journalism program and leave her small town of Henley behind, but that plan comes to a halt when an error at the school leaves Lydia one credit short of graduating. The school offers Lydia a chance to do a project and she decides to use this as a chance to cover the Long Stretch of Bad Days, which was a time in Henley where there was a tornado, a flash flood, and the town’s only murder. Lydia knows she needs to jazz up her regularly straight laced podcast so she recruits Bristal Jamison to help her especially since Bristal is in the same predicament as Lydia. The more Bristal and Lydia dig the more they realize the town has dark secrets that they don’t want coming out and maybe some things are better left swept under the rug.

This book works and I think it was the characters that really brought it to another level, Lydia and Bristal are polar opposites, but the more we read we see that Lydia is more like Bristal than she would like to admit. Lydia is a rule follower and likes things to be a certain way so when she decides to do the podcast in a way that could upset the town her parents are worried. It doesn’t help that her dad is a defense lawyer who just took on a case people are pretty upset about, so when the threats start rolling in they don’t know if they’re for Lydia or her dad. Bristal is a Jamison and they have quite the reputation in town. Bristal is rough around the edges but she honestly has a good heart and I loved her dialogue because she was mostly the comedic relief. When Bristal and Lydia team up they start doing some research and find out that during that time of the tornado not all of the missing people were found and this is what really gets the wheels turning. So now we have a missing person, a murder, and maybe some treasure. The girls are good at finding people in town who would remember important things about that time, but they also have to be careful not to ruffle any feathers. This is a small town and like most towns this one has its far share of dark secrets and watching them get revealed was so satisfying. I did appreciate the clips of the podcast that we got to read and see what exactly the girls were saying to piss everyone in town off. I will say the ending made my jaw drop but it was so well executed.

A Long Stretch of Bad Days was amazing, its probably one of my favorites for the year of 2023. The way Lydia and Bristal were able to bounce off of each other and have such an easy way of conversing, I loved it. The plot was captivating and will really keep you reading from the first page until the very end. Definitely pick this book up and enter the town of Henley where the Long Stretch of Bad Days was actually more than anyone bargained for.

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