Not going to lie, I read Caroline Kepnes YOU because I loved the Netflix adaptation. I feel weird using the show as a point of comparison (I have librNot going to lie, I read Caroline Kepnes YOU because I loved the Netflix adaptation. I feel weird using the show as a point of comparison (I have librarian guilt), but here goes nuthin.'
YOU follows Joe, a young bookstore manager, who becomes obsessed with customer, Beck. What differentiates YOU from a typical thriller is Joe's unreliable narrator. I love an unreliable narrator and Joe is the epitome of that literary device. His complete confidence that Beck feels and is a certain type of person--one that's wholly in Joe's mind, btw--is fascinating. Reading between the lines and figuring out the "truth" of the situation proves to be both entertaining and suspenseful.
As for comparisons to the Netflix series, I was impressed with how true to the book it was. Obviously there are differences. In the show, events are condensed, characters are both present and absent, and certain details are modified. However, the spirit remains true. Joe is definitely more dehumanized in the book, which I found to be a mistake. Part of why the series YOU is disturbing is because on the exterior, Joe seems like a normal guy. He's not a complete monster. And that normal, occasionally kind, Joe Schmo (hehe) persona makes him that much more dangerous.
Oh, and I know it's hard to believe, but Beck is even worse in the book. Like she is the. worst.
And as much as I despise Beck, I'd love a sequel from her POV. Just because she is sooooo fucked up.
She’s dead is the reason I’m still alive. She’s dead is the reason I’m going to kill a man.
Here’s another book that’s received epic levels of hype, SShe’s dead is the reason I’m still alive. She’s dead is the reason I’m going to kill a man.
Here’s another book that’s received epic levels of hype, SADIE by Courtney Summers, but I Just. Don’t. Get. It. You guessed it: it’s unpopular opinion time.
But first, the schtick: After her (surrogate) granddaughter, Sadie, goes missing, May Beth Foster approaches famous producer West McCray. The police are dismissing Sadie as a runaway and all leads have dried up. McCray and his serialized Dateline x Making a Murderer mashup are May Beth’s only hope. Sadie’s younger sister Mattie was brutally murdered.Sadie plans to kill the man she holds responsible for her sister’s death--even if she loses her own life in the process.
It’s not about finding peace. There will never be peace.
SADIE has a unique set-up. West McCray’s serialized podcast alternates with chapters from Sadie’s point-of-view. This narrative structure provides an Like McCray’s listeners, you want a happy ending. You want Sadie found. You want answers. But as every page (and episode) passes, you become both excited, but also increasingly apprehensive.
Even in the dark, Montgomery is beautiful. I have no choice but to hate it.
Sadie’s character is one of the highlights of the story. She’s a lady on a mission. Vengeance is her middle name. Like the final girl in a horror movie. She’s Laurie Strode seeking out her Michael Myers. But not only is she kickass, she’s also take-no-prisoners snarky. Really, my dream heroine.
So why am do I feel meh about this book? First let me say: good chunks of the story are riveting. SADIE is incredibly unique and well-conceived. It just tends to get tedious in parts. And given the plot line and low page count, tedious is a Bad. Thing. In any mystery, tedious is like the death knell.
Summary: Meh, but potentially worth a try for the few shining moments....more
Where do you look for someone who’s never really there? Always on a staircase, but never on a stair.
Craving a nostalgic mystery complete with crafty pWhere do you look for someone who’s never really there? Always on a staircase, but never on a stair.
Craving a nostalgic mystery complete with crafty plots and a strong female detective? Look no further: Maureen Johnson’s TRULY DEVIOUS has all the Agatha Christie your heart could possibly desire.
TRULY DEVIOUS opens in 1930s Vermont where magnate Arthur Ellingham owns a (free) exclusive private school. However soon after opening, Arthur receives a threatening riddle signed “truly devious.” Later, his wife, daughter, and a student go missing. The wife and student are found murdered, but daughter, Alice, is never found. Flashforward to present day: Stevie, a true crime fanatic, is attending Ellingham Academy in hopes of solving the now cold case. No sooner does Stevie settle into her new school when a classmate is murdered. It seems Truly Devious is back--with a vengeance.
Games are no fun when you don’t know you’re playing.
As an Agatha Christie/Dorothy Sayers/MC Beaton fan I absolutely LOVED this book. The beginning is a little slow as our cast of characters (suspects?) is introduced. However once the murder occurs, it’s a hurtling, roller coaster ride to the end. Just remember, patience is your friend. And besides, Maureen Johnson is such a brilliant writer you’ll want to indulge in her talent.
Stevie said, "I don’t get to stay because of me. I get to stay because of you….I get to stay because there’s some guy."
One of Maureen Johnson’s cardinal skills is character creation. Stevie, our main character, is precocious, bright, and underappreciated.Like Veronica Mars on Xanax. She’s very much a parallel to mystery lover (and murdered student) Dottie. Stevie’s anxiety increases her relatability and makes her Holmesian powers of deduction less ridiculous, and more understandable.
SUMMARY: If you’re a mystery fan, definitely read this book. The sequel (the second in a planned trilogy) will be released in late January....more
Searching for answers felt like grasping around in the dark. At some point, you have to choose to live in the light.
I’ve loved Kara Thomas’ previous Searching for answers felt like grasping around in the dark. At some point, you have to choose to live in the light.
I’ve loved Kara Thomas’ previous two books. Her bleak, desolate settings emphasize the darkness contained within the plot. And boy, is Kara Thomas DARK. However, THE CHEERLEADERS just didn’t work for me.
Here’s the premise: years ago in the town of Sunnybrook, five popular cheerleaders died in suspicious circumstances--all within the same month. Prompted by the discovery of mysterious items in her stepfather’s desk, Monica, younger sister of one of the dead cheerleaders, begins a quest to uncover the truth. Problem is: “if you look hard enough, you’ll probably find something that makes you wish you hadn’t.”
Here’s the thing: THE CHEERLEADERS definitely has a catchy plot. No doubt. But that’s my exact problem with the story. It’s too gimmicky. I love Kara Thomas books for their gritty realism. THE CHEERLEADERS’ plot is outlandish which removes any sense of authenticity. It feels like Mean Girls meets Silence of the Lambs. Bubble gum pop with a hint of murder thrown in. And big shock: that combo just doesn’t work.
What’s worse, THE CHEERLEADERS is billed as a mystery/detective story. But with such a preposterous plot, it more closely resembles horror. Now that’s not necessarily bad. I love good horror and really, horror has permission to be slightly ridiculous. I mean, an immortal Michael Myers? Not exactly down-to-earth. But when you’re going for the mystery/detective genre, I expect a semblance of validity.
As for Monica, our heroine, she’s just not that interesting. Unlike Kara Thomas’ other, more hardscrabble characters, Monica is all-american, cherry pie. Just ….meh. I like my characters with shades of gray and depth and there’s just nothing there. It’s difficult to invest in her quest when I just don’t care about her. Her amateur sleuth schtick isn’t Veronica Mars savvy, it’s pretty damn gullible. Honestly, luck is all she has going for her.
Summary: A meh installment, but I still plan to read Kara Thomas’ future endeavors.
People Like Us by Dana Mele….oh, what to say about this book that could ever do it justice?! Seriously, words faPeople trust people who are like them.
People Like Us by Dana Mele….oh, what to say about this book that could ever do it justice?! Seriously, words fail me. I just fucking LOVE this novel. LOVE. IT. Like buy-every-copy-available-and-force-all-my-friends-to-read-it LOVE. Can my review just end here? No? Well, I guess I should tell you what it’s about….
Actually, the premise isn’t my fave. There’s my one criticism about this book. The blurb just doesn’t fully convey the story’s brilliance. But here you go, the premise as written on the inner flap: Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. The dead girl has left Kay a computer-coded scavenger hunt, which, as it unravels, begins to implicate suspect after suspect, until Kay herself is in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. But if Kay's finally backed into a corner, she'll do what it takes to survive. Because at Bates Academy, the truth is something you make...not something that happened.
So People Like Us sounds like a Pretty Little Liars knockoff. It’s not. Well, it is if Pretty Little Liars were written by Donna Tartt or Tana French. Basically, it’s what Pretty Little Liars *should* have been. A snarky, spot-on commentary of adolescence in the internet age. The computer-coded scavenger hunt is actually a revenge website set-up by the dead girl to take down Kay’s inner circle. Like a cyber-version of A. Kay is forced to reveal her friend’s most intimate details or her own secret shame will be revealed. To the entire school. Essentially, it’s kill or be killed and Kay’s a born predator.
Now, you may say that the above description may sound like standard mystery fare. But oh, how wrong you would be.People Like Us is so much more than a mystery. It’s more than just another Mean Girls redux. It’s a savage dissection of high school in the 21st century. Of what it’s like to be a teenager when your entire life can be dismantled by the click of a mouse or the tap of a finger.People Like Us is just…. GENIUS. Dialogue is razor sharp, characters exquisitely crafted, writing on point. But what makes People Like Us so much better than the average bear are the universal truths it exposes:
Hands are the biggest obstacle. There’s nothing for them to do. It was the hardest part of picking up soccer. My reflex was to grab at the ball, protect my face, flail. Hands are too much a part of us. They give us away.
People Like Usreaches into the recesses of your brain, picks out your innermost thoughts, and records them for posterity. The musings that are so accurate to life, but never verbalized. Because of this, the elite prep school setting and Gucci-clad characters, become relatable. A feat that many books with similarly exclusive surroundings fail to do.
There are self-preserving lies and there are anesthetic lies.
Characters are further made accessible by their complexity. Stereotypical villains are rendered sympathetic. “Nice” characters aren’t always so nice. Sexuality is fluid. In other words, People Like Usfeatures HUMANS. People with foibles, quirks, and intricacies. Teenagers in all their bright, shiny hormone-laden glory. And those characters elevate People Like Us from Pretty Little Liars knock-off to perhaps one of the best books written about teenagers this decade.
Summary: If you haven’t already surmised: READ. THIS. BOOK. But give yourself a good window of time because you won’t want to put it down. Actually you won’t be able to. It’s that compelling. ...more
The carpet is beige. The door will squeak as I push it open. The air will be hotter or colder than the rest of the house, depending on the time of yeaThe carpet is beige. The door will squeak as I push it open. The air will be hotter or colder than the rest of the house, depending on the time of year. All these things I know by heart. None of this prepares me.
I love Megan Miranda’s adult books. Never does she forsake character development for ridiculous plot twists. And that fact holds true for her YA novels, including her most recent: Fragments of the Lost.Characters are fleshed out, relationships explored yet the mystery remains compelling.
Like most Megan Miranda books, Fragments of the Lost, has a unique hook. Jessa, our teenaged protagonist, has been tasked with cleaning out her dead boyfriend, Caleb’s, room. As she wades through the detritus of his life, each object evokes a different memory of their year-long relationship. But as Jessa digs deeper, she uncovers pieces that just don’t add up. A bus ticket to another state? A scrap of a love letter? An email password that was changed two days after Caleb died? These cryptic “fragments” (hehe) drive Jessa to uncover the truth behind Caleb’s accident. But that truth might place Jessa in more danger than she could ever imagine.
Megan Miranda is a master of characterization. As Jessa sorts through Caleb’s belongings, the narrative shifts back and forth in time. These seamless transitions reveal the story of first love with complete authenticity. As I became immersed in their history, it was almost like their relationship became mine. I was invested in their romance in a way that rarely happens to me. Jessa and Caleb just felt...real .
While the characterization is remarkable, the drawback to Fragments of the Lost, lies in its length. Megan Miranda is usually fantastic at creating tense, taught mysteries. Here, unfortunately, the reminiscing becomes too protracted. Editing was needed. Don’t get me wrong, the gradual unveiling of Jessa and Caleb’s past is necessary. It just becomes too gradual. By page 200, it's like 'can we get to the point, already?' The mystery really doesn’t pick up until the last quarter of the book. And with such a drawn-out beginning, the narrative thread becomes lost.
Summary: Despite its (minor) problems, Fragments of the Lost is still a worthwhile read. Just know that it requires patience. ...more
RIP Eliza Hart by Alyssa Sheinmel is one of those strange books that’s compelling, yet ultimately unsatisfying.
When the titular Eliza Hart is found RIP Eliza Hart by Alyssa Sheinmel is one of those strange books that’s compelling, yet ultimately unsatisfying.
When the titular Eliza Hart is found dead, Ellie Sokoloff is obsessed with solving the mystery of her ex-bestie’s death. Was it murder? A tragic accident? I mean, it couldn’t possibly be suicide. Eliza Hart had it all. Looks, money, popularity. The teenage hat trick. But as Ellie unravels the details of Eliza’s life, somehow the truth slips further from her grasp. For example, Eliza’s mysterious boyfriend wasn’t the college guy her friends assumed. But a local surfer involved in a tree theft operation. And Mean Girl Eliza apparently was scared….of Ellie? To her classmates, “Stalker Ellie” is suspect numero uno. If she’s going to clear her name, Ellie must discover the truth behind Eliza’s lies. Before it’s too late.
As with most mysteries, the why of it all drives the story. Eliza is a fascinating, albeit puzzling character. And the desire to figure her out provides the central narrative thread. However, just because a story is unputdownable doesn’t make it good or worthwhile. With the exception of Eliza, characters are dull, irritating or one-dimensional. Ellie suffers from severe claustrophobia. But instead of it being one aspect of Ellie’s character, it defines her entire persona. Now maybe that’s reality for phobics. That whatever scares them becomes their entire existence. However that doesn’t make for an interesting book character. Characters need shades of gray and layers to be compelling. And Ellie’s overwhelming focus on her disorder removes that.
Like Ellie, her roommate Sam, is similarly underdeveloped. Yes, he’s given a tragic backstory. But that backstory does nothing but furnish detail. It has no bearing on his actual character. Instead Sam is reduced to a sidekick. The Watson to Ellie’s Holmes. Her Gal Friday. Sam jokes that he’s Ellie’s chauffeur, but here’s the rub: that’s pretty much what he is. Sam lives to serve Ellie and has no existence beyond that. He’s there to be Ellie’s sounding board and spout comforting platitudes. He has no real personality or motivation. Sam’s just kinda….there.
So yeah, by the end I just felt vaguely empty. Like when you’re on a diet and dying for chocolate, so eat fat-free, carob, chocolate-like substitute. You ate it. You’re full. But disappointment lingers and your craving remains.
Summary: Read this if you’re a mystery lover, but don’t expect any deeper connection.
Basically a watered-down version of the Talented Mr. Ripley. Kinda like fat-free cookies. It gives you a brief taste of greatness, but you're ultimateBasically a watered-down version of the Talented Mr. Ripley. Kinda like fat-free cookies. It gives you a brief taste of greatness, but you're ultimately left unsatisfied....more
I LOVED this book. Absolutely adored. And that’s HUGE because E. Lockhart is kinda hit or miss with me.We Were Liars was my favorite YA novel of 2014I LOVED this book. Absolutely adored. And that’s HUGE because E. Lockhart is kinda hit or miss with me.We Were Liars was my favorite YA novel of 2014. But….unpopular opinion here…..I hated, like kill-it-with-fire DESPISED, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks. For this reason, coming into E. Lockhart’s latest work, Genuine Fraud, I was nervous. And the description really didn’t help matters:
Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat. Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete. An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two. A bad romance, or maybe three. Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains. A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her. A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.
WTF?! That’s just a list of rando words and phrases. I can do that too…..woods, hot chocolate, {whispers} WRITE A BLOODY DESCRIPTION {whispers}, snow, daughter….. See? Not descriptive…..AT. ALL. Nevertheless, I plowed forth. And holy mackerel, it was worth it.
But before I begin telling you WHY I loved this book, here’s some background. An actual description. Crazy concept, right?! The story opens in a luxurious mexican resort where our main character Jule is hiding out. Jule, with a cool $8 mil. to her name, has left a trail of intrigue, lies, and one dead bestie in her wake. When a police detective catches up with our elusive protagonist, a twisted tale of friendship begins. What really happened to best friend Imogen? How did an orphaned, penniless teen become an overnight multimillionaire? And the biggest question of all: WHO. IS. JULE?
Calling Genuine Fraud a nailbiter is the understatement of the year. I started this story while seated in a doctor’s waiting room and lemme tell you: my husband had to force me out the door. I was ready to sit ‘til the end. Plastic chairs, be darned. Needless to say, I finished the book in one day. Genuine Fraud is basically the Pringles of books. Once you pop, you just can’t stop. The reverse chronological format, while somewhat gimmicky, dramatically heightens the suspense. As the story traces back a year, tiny breadcrumbs are methodically dropped. And once you reach the shocking end--those breadcrumbs make one heck of a loaf. Translation: when you’re done the book, you will want to re-read the entire thing. More than once. Layers, y’all. For MILES.
Genuine Fraud is basically a The Talented Mr. Ripley--Single White Female mash-up. Seriously, there’s one scene (#nospoilers) that is practically lifted from The Talented Mr. Ripley’s eerily dark pages. But never fear….all comparisons are purposeful. E. Lockhart explicitly states that Genuine Fraud is intended as an homage to Patricia Highsmith’s crime classic. Now if you’re a Ripley fan, you may be asking yourself: “why would I want to read a story that’s simply a rework?” But trust: it’s worth it. Besides gender, there are multiple points of departure that prove fascinating. Like Tom Ripley, Jule is the ultimate chameleon. A survivor in the truest sense of the word. But her circumstances, background, and thought-process are completely her own.
To sum up:Genuine Fraud is a must-read. Its breakneck pace is both exhilarating and refreshing. But be warned: once you start, it’s impossible to stop. Plan to sit. For a LONG while. ...more
I wasn’t sure which was worse--to know you’re a liar or to believe your own bullshit.
For years, Eileen Cook has been my go-to for YA thrillers. Her sI wasn’t sure which was worse--to know you’re a liar or to believe your own bullshit.
For years, Eileen Cook has been my go-to for YA thrillers. Her stories are decidedly dark and unsettling, yet approachable.The Hanging Girl, Eileen Cook’s latest edition, is no exception. It’s a compelling mixture of nail-biting suspense and teen angst. Richly woven, it’ll keep you guessing to the very last page. Literally.
Candi Thorn, better known as Skye, has spent her entire life resenting both her ridiculous name and the kooky mother who bestowed it. Desperate to escape small-town Michigan, Skye has long-planned to move to NYC with her bestie the second the ink dries on her diploma. Problem is: graduation’s fast approaching and Skye’s about 30 cents shy of a quarter. Slinging fast-food and giving out occasional tarot card readings ain’t cutting it. There enters Code-Named Pluto. Pluto proposes a deal. S/he’ll kidnap Paige-- the wild, popular, teenaged daughter of a local judge. In exchange, Skye simply has to use her “psychic” abilities to help police solve the case. Ransom money will be evenly divided with Skye earning a cool $12,000. The Big Apple’s lights look a tad brighter already. Complications arise, however, when Paige’s father refuses to cough up the dough. And shit really hits the fan when Paige turns up…... DEAD.
The Hanging Girl’s success is due in no small part to the shrewd, snarky Skye. Forced to live with an irresponsible mother who chats with dead people on the reg, Skye spends her days conning cheerleaders for cash with fake tarot card readings. Cynical Skye is very much a reaction to her eccentric mother. A mother who would rather spend time analyzing auras than paying bills. And it’s their relationship that’s a highlight of the story. Their odd-couple dynamic makes Skye’s personality both realistic and understandable. And her deadpan humor brings spark to an otherwise DARK story.The girl makes bad-decision an artform, yet remains surprisingly likable. No small feat.
Reminiscent of a teen Gone Girl, Eileen Cook’s latest creation is riveting and INTENSE.Twists abound and just when you *think* you have everything figured out, the script is FLIPPED. And the ending? More than a smidge fucked up. Oh Eileen, you never fail to disappoint. ...more
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