Book Review - The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos

 

 

 

The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos is about a high school “nerd” who falls for the popular girl at his school. Cameron Carson is a proud member of the Geeks and Nerds United (GANU) club. He proudly lets his geek flag fly until he catches the attention of Karla Ortega. Karla is the revered student council president, cheerleader, theater kid, and the most popular girl at their school.

The unlikely duo meet one summer while working together at a local coffee shop. They kept a respectable distance from each other at first, until they realized that they had a lot more in common with each other than they initially thought. Cameron finds himself falling head over heels for Karla.  Their summer romance starts to bloom and grow. However, Karla isn’t interested in taking their relationship public and acknowledging his presence at school.

The reader is then introduced to Mackenzie Briggs, the fourth and newest member of the GANU club. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She doesn’t care what other people say about her, nor is she afraid to express herself.  When Mackenzie first joined the club, she and Cameron had always bickered back and forth. Cameron realizes that Mackenzie has a lot in common with him and he feels that he is able to be his true self when he is around her. After Cameron repeatedly gets ignored at school by Karla, he finds himself drawn to Mackenzie. How will this love triangle end?

The book is an easy and quick read. The novel is littered with Japanese anime and manga along with other pop culture references. I was familiar with the majority of the references but they could be overwhelming at times and hard to follow especially if you are not familiar with them. I felt that at times the dialogue and writing didn’t flow as smoothly. At times, the dialogue felt forced.  Then at times the book included a lot of unnecessary details and it felt choppy.  

The story was predictable and had no unexpected twists. I felt that there weren't any antagonists nor any protagonist I was rooting for.  Instead the story just seemed to be about young adults who are trying to find their place in the world while exploring intimate and romantic relationships with other people. The only unique aspect of this novel was perhaps the anime and manga references.While I thought the book was an okay read, I felt like it had already been done before, and there was nothing in this book that hasn’t already been explored in other teenage love triangle novels.  I felt that the book was missing something to make it memorable.

 

Book Review - Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

 

 

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks is about three teenage boys of color accused of murdering their principal.  The Urban Promise Prep School’s goal is to turn disadvantaged youth into men with bright futures. The school utilizes strict rules and rigid disciplinary guidelines, and expects their students to adhere to its policies if they want to continue to have a place there. Principal Moore has changed the trajectory of many students’ lives for the better over the years.

When Principal Moore turns up dead in his office, the police believe they have their suspects. Three students, J.B., Ramón, and Trey, each had their own disagreement with the principal hours before he was murdered.  The three students know of each other but they have never interacted much.  They’re not sure if one of them is hiding something, as the three of them were the closest to the murder scene and each of them has a motive. However, they each maintain that they are innocent and didn’t kill anyone. The trio decides to put their suspicions aside of each other and work together to figure out who might be behind the murder. As they go through the events that occur the day of the crime, they realize someone might be keeping a secret and knows more than they are letting on. Will the boys be able to figure out the mastermind behind the murder before their futures are ruined?

The book is told from multiple points of views along with multiple timeframes.  At first, it was a lot to keep track of the different character testimonials and what happened before and after the murder. However, as the story progressed most of the events started overlapping, and a few details did differ depending on who was narrating. As a reader, I had to decide if one character was lying or if another was lying. It was interesting trying to guess who was telling the truth and who might be the culprit.

The story weaved themes of social injustice, racism, and gang violence. It also highlighted the dreams and hopes of the young men and how they wanted to rise above the life and circumstances they were given. One of the characters wanted to break free from the gang life that his cousin is deeply embedded with, and instead own a restaurant. Another character wanted to prove that he could be something more than a street thug, but he was always afraid to ask for help because of the judgements people made about him due to how he looked.

The mystery behind the murder was predictable but it was fun trying to guess who was being deceitful. I thought the book was a good read as it portrayed the power and influence educators have over their young charges. The book also imparted a few important lessons to readers such as not making judgements based on a person’s looks as well as having empathy. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - The Hermes Protocol by Chris M. Arnone

 

 

The Hermes Protocol by Chris M. Arnone is set in a futuristic world and time, and is about an Intel agent who is assigned a standard heist operation, but it turns out to be much bigger than she could have ever imagined. Elise Corto-Intel is an intelligence agent for the Corto Corporation. Her job is to break into highly classified and secured areas and retrieve items for her handlers. Elise is assigned a new heist which should have been a routine job for her. When Elise breaks into the safe and opens the package she sees a tiny microchip. She doesn’t think anything of it until a mysterious voice greets her on her private communication network.

Elise is bewildered and confused because no one should have access to her private network. It turns out the microchip she was assigned to steal housed an artificial intelligence being, named Bastion. In Elise’s world artificial intelligence is banned and considered a threat. Elise could be in serious trouble just knowing that Bastion exists; having the AI could bring graver consequences.

Elise is torn on whether or not to let her team know that she has the chip and its contents. She decides to turn the chip in against her better judgment. She thought she would be able to wash her hands clean of the situation until their vault was compromised and the microchip was stolen. Elise becomes the prime suspect as she is the last person to leave their secured vault. Elise is desperate to figure out who is behind the theft and clear her name before she loses everything she holds dearly.

This was my first time reading a novel in the cyberpunk science fiction genre. I am on the fence because the book was an okay read but I felt like it missed the mark a few times. The story felt repetitive because Elise mentioned every single time how her mechanical body parts were superior to her biological body parts. I feel like that was stating the obvious since the world was more technologically advanced than our present times. If the author had felt the need to reinforce the fact I felt it would have been fine once or twice but not more than that.

The author gets repetitive for other things as well. He explains basic common concepts over and over again. Some of the ideas could have been easily understood given previous context and didn’t need the additional time explaining it. I felt like the time would have been better spent world building.

Elise was a complicated protagonist. At times I thought she was clever and acted quickly on her feet. Then there are times where she gets beaten so badly that you can’t help but wonder why she is an intelligence agent and not a punching bag. I felt like most of the battles she loses on physical prowess but she comes up with a clever solution to get out of the situation. The book ends with a possibility for more books in the future but I don’t think this book made a strong case to read more books in the series.  

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Critical Threat (Extreme Measures #3) by Lynette Eason

 

In Critical Threat by Lynette Eason, an FBI agent will need to team up with the son of a serial killer to stop the recent string of murders. FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley is a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst who focuses on tracking serial killers and getting them off the streets. Sam Monroe is a prison psychiatrist who works with violent criminals on a daily basis. He knows that just because someone is in prison doesn’t mean that person isn’t a threat anymore. Sam’s father, Peter, is a notorious serial killer who is serving multiple life sentences in prison. Even while behind bars, Peter is still actively trying to get involved in Sam’s life. However, Sam wants nothing to do with his father and wishes that he can rid himself of Peter.

When a rash of dead bodies start to show up with a similar M.O. to Peter’s, Sam and Grace are asked to consult on the case together. Grace is hesitant to work with Sam because they have met before and things didn’t work out. They went on a date after meeting at a conference and Grace thought they hit it off, except Sam ghosted her after the date. Grace tries to put her feelings aside as they work together but she can’t help but feel that there is something between the two of them.

This book is the third book in the series but can be read as standalone. I read the first book in the series and a few of the characters from the earlier works make an appearance in this book, but they are minor characters and the reader does not need to know their backstory. I thought the book was an okay read. The mastermind was an unexpected twist but a few of the other twists were predictable. I do like that the book has a lot of action and thrills to keep the reader guessing.

Like the first book, I also didn’t really care for the characters in this book. I felt that the characters were one dimensional and wooden. The interaction between the two protagonists felt dull and forced. I felt like there wasn’t any chemistry between all the characters. There wasn’t a single character that I found believable or likable. The drama with Sam and his ex-wife was cliché. Grace and her family also deal with their own familial issues that I felt like didn’t add much to the story. I felt that while the author woven these family dramas to give readers a glimpse into Sam’s and Grace’s lives to help readers build an understanding about them, I could have done without these details. Even the interaction with minor characters didn’t seem plausible. I find it hard to believe a teenage boy who doesn’t want to hang out with his younger sister and calls her a munchkin, then has intellectual conversations about how isolated and afraid his sister might feel (without prompting!).

I also didn’t like that Grace continuously kept putting herself in danger because she assumed that backup was right behind her. I also don’t understand how the killer managed to get her so many times. I do commend her bravery but, after the first three times of her being captured and then needing to be saved, it got boring and repetitive.

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion** 

Book Review - Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon

 

Emerson, Massachusetts is a small suburb town. It's a quiet place where people keep to themselves and follow the rules. When a young women is found dead in the posh part of town, the residents put their guards up and will stop at nothing to protect their own.

When Eden Perry is found dead, investigators feel that the three teenagers she was partying with that night is hiding something. Jack is the son of a prominent lawyer and is from a well liked family. Hannah, Jack's girlfriend, is shy and sweet. Christopher is a newcomer and desperate to fit in with the group. Their parents are desperate to protect them from the investigation and start to complicate matters when they try to push the blame on someone else.

The book started off interesting and then became boring. The book would progress with nothing being added to the story. The story was told from multiple point of views and at first, it was interesting but, then it felt like filler as, none of them actually really knew what happened that night. One of the characters had no purpose and I am not sure why they were included in the story and I had no reaction to their demise other than thinking it was entire pointless. All of the characters were unlikable and frustrating. The ending was disappointing and left me feeling unsettled. I am not sure that I would read another book by the author.

Book Review - Flight by Lynn Steger Strong

 

Flight by Lynn Steger Strong is about three siblings, Henry, Kate, and Martin, dealing with the aftermath of their elderly mother’s recent death. The three siblings and their young families decide to spend the Christmas break together at Henry’s house in upstate New York. This is the siblings' first Christmas without their beloved matriarch. They decide to use the time to bond with each other and to decide on what to do with their late mother’s house.

Over the three day gathering, the siblings find themselves squabbling with each other and past resentments bubble to the surface. Each of the siblings want a different outcome for their mother’s house. Kate wants to keep the house, Tess (Martin’s wife) wants to sell the house and split the profits, and Henry wants to donate the land for conservation purposes. They try to perform the same traditions they used to when their mother was alive but the dilemma of the house is hanging above them like a dark cloud.

As tensions rise and tempers flare between the siblings, a local mother, Quinn, reaches out to the group for help. Quinn is a single mother and she is struggling to provide for her young daughter, Maddie. When Maddie goes missing during a brutally cold night, Quinn is desperate to find someone to help her find her daughter. The siblings will need to put their differences aside and help the young woman find a missing child.

The story is told from multiple points of view and the points of view change often enough that it was hard to keep track of who was narrating. The book also had a lot of characters and it was hard trying to remember the family structure, as some of the siblings had multiple kids.

It was interesting seeing how each of the siblings was trying to adapt to the new family dynamics while trying to keep the memories of their mother and her traditions alive. I enjoyed reading how the characters were struggling to find their own identity especially since they were so close to their mother and so different from each other. During the novel, we saw the  siblings’ struggle to connect with each other and move forward after their loss.

The book was mostly narrated by the women including Henry and Martin’s wives. I thought it was interesting how the wives had complicated feelings over their deceased mother in law. However, I felt like the book felt one sided or incomplete as we never got to see the point of views from the male characters.  Also, I felt the book was sparse on character development.

I felt the subplot of Maddie being missing and her relationship with her mother detracted from the main story line. I feel like the book should have focused on the siblings healing and resolving some of their conflicts. The book ended with some conflicts being left to interpretation and I felt like I would have enjoyed the book more if the ending was spelled out and the characters were developed more. If you like character driven family stories that slowly unfold, then you might enjoy this book.   

 

Book Review - Rockstars: The Complete Series by Joe Harris

 

Jackie Mayer is die hard rock fan but, he has a secret ability. He is able to connect the music industry with secrets and mysteries. He knows that people who chase fame and fortune, like musicians, are easy targets for dark forces.

A decades old murder is familiar to the recent string of murders that are occurring. No one else seems to notice the pattern but, Jackie. He is determined to solve the mystery behind the murders before another body drops.

I was excited to read the graphic novel but, I abandoned it half way through. The graphic novel was incredibly boring and the story was confusing to follow. I thought if I read more that the story would start to make more sense but, it doesn't. Characters appear and disappear without any real explanation. The story had so much potential but failed execution wise.

Book Review - Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta

  

Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta is about an assistant high school principal who feels stuck and unacknowledged at her job and in life. Tracy works tirelessly at her job and feels that she should be further along at this stage in her life. When she hears that the current principal, Jack Weede, is retiring, Tracy’s sullen moods are lifted and energized by the news, as she expects to be promoted to his position. She feels that the promotion is long overdue because she has acted as a temporary principal when Jack was on medical leave. Tracy throws herself into her work hoping that she can convince the School Board and faculty that she is well qualified for the job. However, as Tracy tries to focus her attention on getting promoted, she feels herself being pulled in different directions away from her goal. Tracy’s 10 year old daughter wants to spend more time with her father than with her; Tracy’s “boyfriend” is needy and wants Tracy to make a decision about their relationship; and Tracy has a non-existent social life and is in desperate need of a true friend.

Tracy tries to juggle all of life’s demands flawlessly but that doesn’t seem to help because nothing goes her way. Her male colleagues are determined to undermine her goals and progress to further their own interests.  One of the demands of her role involves a new initiative by the school board to honor past students with an award. As time progresses and Tracy and the board try to work through the different candidates, she notices that something feels off. She knows she has a proven track record but she feels that something is going on behind her back.

This is the second novel by the author featuring Tracy Flick as the protagonist.  I was able to read the novel as a standalone. However, I feel like I didn’t really get to know Tracy as a character in this book. She just seemed like an ambitious person who had to settle in life after one too many obstacles were thrown at her. For example, it seems that her non-existent relationship with her daughter bugs her. Tracy constantly laments that she had a great relationship with her mother and that she doesn’t understand why she doesn’t connect with her own daughter. Tracy seems like she is just going through the emotions being with her daughter instead of making an actual effort to bond with her.

Perhaps it’s because the book is narrated by several different characters with only a few pages dedicated to each person at a time, I feel like the characters were never really fully fleshed out and each character only progressed the story a tiny bit. After a while, it was confusing to keep track of the different characters and what role they played in the story. I felt that 90% of the book was rather pointless and had no story progression and purpose.  The last 10% of the book is when the story wraps up and the link between all the characters is revealed in a rather lackluster way. The book is a quick read with its short chapters but it's boring with no story or purpose page after page.

 

Book Review - Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization by Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

 

 

Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspective on Civilization by Neil deGrasse Tyson is an examination of different topics based on facts and observations along with personal commentary. Tyson examines hot button topics that could unite and divide us as a country. He states each side of a topic and then dismantles both sides by stating empirical scientific evidence to provide why that stance is incorrect based on evidence. Tyson tackles a variety of topics including race, space exploration, political parties and many more. Tyson states that there is a difference between believing in something because it’s what you think is correct and what is actually true based on irrefutable scientific evidence.

While Tyson investigates the different topics he provides witty commentary and facts. I found this enjoyable to read and chuckle every so often. I found some of Tyson’s points to be profound and thought provoking and caused me to reevaluate a few of my own thought patterns. While Tyson does have his own biases and at times and also pokes fun at his own mistakes, he points out the logical reasoning behind different ideas. For example, he examines a few of his tweets that he based on facts when he wrote it.  The tweets emotionally caused a big commotion because of how someone felt about the topic regardless of whether the facts prove that they are wrong.

There were some topics that I felt didn’t need a whole entire chapter dedicated to. More specifically, the chapters dedicated to race, being a vegetarian, and what constitutes a disability. I felt like while they were important topics to be discussed, it seemed like Tyson was missing the point or the grander scheme of things. For example, while the merits of being a vegetarian/vegans are praiseworthy, Tyson pointed out that vegans are still killing plants and that plants are living things. While I understand what he is trying to say, no matter what type of eater you are, you are still killing something to survive. However, I feel like Tyson glossed over the fact that a lot of people become vegetarians/vegans to help combat global warming because of the toll animal husbandry has taken on our planet. I feel like some of the topics Tyson provided one or two main thoughts but failed to go into greater detail as to why it’s important.

I did enjoy the book but I wasn’t entirely sure what the purpose of the book was. Is it a call to action to help fight climate change? Was it a plea to spend more money on space exploration? Or is it a thought piece to unite people? Perhaps it was an appeal to remind readers that you can still base your decision on emotion even after you analyzed all the facts and statistics and that’s okay too.

 

Book Review - Always Be My Duchess (Taming of the Dukes, #1) by Amalie Howard

 

 

  

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard is a tale of two opposite people who are brought together by a mutual interest in accomplishing their goals. Lord Lysander Blackstone is the Duke of Montcroix, and he only has one goal and interest on his mind. He singularly cares to increase his already considerable fortune in order to surpass his late father’s legacy, and has no interest in finding a “duchess”. After a series of betrayals and broken promises, he finds it easier to keep his emotions in check if he focuses on growing his empire. However, a piece of real estate that he needs for his budding railroad empire is blocked by the eccentric owner of the property. The owner is only willing to sell the property to someone who believes in love and who wants to build and raise a family on the land. Lysander is devastated and annoyed that his cold personality and lack of a love life could jeopardize his business plans. He starts to lose hope for being a candidate the owner will sell to until he crosses paths with the alluring Miss Geneviève Valery.

Geneviève “Nève” Valery once had a promising ballet dancer career and her entire life ahead of her. However, her dreams and career were destroyed when Nève refused to become the mistress of a wealthy patron. Nève is out of work and desperate to find a new job but her scorned lover makes it impossible for her to land any roles. 

Nève crosses paths with the Duke when she saves him from a group of unsavory men when he was in a vulnerable state. He makes her an offer that is hard to resist. Nève is skeptical if the Duke will act honorably given her last encounter with the ton, in which the Duke is a prominent member. After hitting a dead end in job prospects, Nève decides to take up the Duke on his offer to be his fake fiancée. The plan is to help convince the eccentric seller to sell Lysander the property he desires, and Nève would be well compensated if the deal goes through. Nève and Lysander are both only focused on getting their side of the deal, until they realize that they might get more than they bargained for!

Nève and Lysander are both strong characters who are determined to keep their feelings in check but find themselves instantly drawn to each other. It was interesting and fun seeing how the duo tried to ignore their budding feelings for each other but kept finding themselves in compromising situations. The novel was set in the Victorian era but it could have taken place in any era with minor edits to the story. The elements of the Victorian era (other than the class issues) did not really come into play. There were no facts of the era or the time period to build the world in the mind of the reader. It just seemed to be chosen by the author for the romantic aspect of this time period.

I enjoyed the first half of the novel as it showed the pair maneuvering their relationship from two parties with a business arrangement while being romantically attracted to each other. However, towards the middle it got repetitive. Lysander kept making the same mistake of doing something nice but not taking into consideration Nève’s feelings, even though she told him how she felt. This could have been due to ignorance because of his social standing and privilege.  Nève also ran hot and cold. She was not consistent – she was either a fiery firecracker or a damsel in distress. 

The book was mildly reminiscent of “Pretty Woman” but it's not a remake of the story. The novel is a predictable read with no unexpected twists. The ending does leave an opening for another character to get their “happy ending” in the next book in the series. The book had adult content and language, and isn’t for readers who prefer clean romances.

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - I Walk With Monsters: The Complete Series by Paul Cornell

 

Jacey is searching for her brother. Years ago, an "important man" took her brother away from her and that was the last she had seen of both of them until recently. 

Jacey and her friend, David, work together to find people who prey and hurt the weak and vulnerable. David is able to transform and control a terrifying blood lust monster.  When Jacey recognizes the "important man", she and David decide to see if they can find her brother.

The artwork was amazing and brilliantly done. The story started off strong and interesting but then fell apart. The story would switch back and forth between the present and the past without any clear indication. The story was vague and confusing when explaining Jacey's past, David's ability, and why the "important man" was. I felt like the story needed to be fleshed out a bit more and not jump around from past and present so often.

Book Review - Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado

 

 

Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado is the first book in the trilogy. The compelling international bestseller was recently translated for English readers.  It is also slated to become a major television series in the near future.

Our protagonist Antonia Scott has a brilliant mind. She is the daughter of a prominent British diplomat.  She is able to remember everything she has read and can reconstruct crimes in her mind.  She is able to predict and solve cases before most people can even register the clues in front of them. She isn’t a member of the police force, and most people don’t even know that she exists.  However, she is a member of a secret organization, and is known as the Red Queen. She is well renowned in her field of problem solving and has assisted the police in several high caliber cases without the public knowing. She and her abilities are a well-guarded secret.

Jon Gutierrez is a disgraced detective in Bilbao facing suspension and criminal charges. A mysterious man appears and offers him a clean slate and a chance to save his career if Jon does him a simple favor. Jon needs to convince Antonia to come out of her self-imposed exile after tragedy keeps her isolated. Jon can’t believe his luck and jumps at the chance to save his career. However, Antonia refuses to leave her apartment after witnessing an attack that left her traumatized. Will Jon be able to persuade Antonio to leave her apartment and solve a murder where a body was found without a single drop of blood left in it?

I found Antonia and Jon to be interesting and complex characters. I like that the author gave little snippets of the characters’ history and background as the story progressed. I liked that Jon is a gay police officer and he doesn’t fit into a stereotype. Instead, he and Antonia are well developed characters who struggle with certain situations and try to do their best to solve the case.

I thought the book was a captivating read but I felt that there were some nuances that I may have missed because I am not familiar with Spain’s culture and idioms. For example, it seems that the way the police force is set up, that some branches have more power but, I was confused when Antonia showed them a national police badge and they were not cooperative even though she was a police officer from a higher branch. I am not familiar with all police processes but, what I gathered from watching US based police shows and reading English mystery books, that there are different levels of police but, if a “higher” branch of police comes into play, that the local police give up some control. I do understand that people do have egos with “chips on their shoulders” but, I found it confusing that Antonia and Jon had to almost beg to be included in the investigation. Perhaps, it would have been helpful to include a section/footnote to go into more detail to help readers understand certain nuances.

I didn’t care for the derogatory remarks that were said to Jon because he was gay and/or fat. I thought that repeated use of insults was uncalled for as Jon was a caring and thoughtful detective. Out of all the characters, he was consistent in his behaviors and feelings. I had a hard time connecting with Antonia during certain parts of the book. I felt that her character was a bit inconsistent. She was upset and distant with her father because of something he did in the past but she does the same thing with her son. When she realizes that her son doesn’t like her very much, she gets annoyed by it, instead of working towards a better relationship with him. I hope in the later books that the author addresses these familial relationships in more detail.

The book was filled with action and twists. The book ends with a teaser to the second book to entice readers with something to look forward to. The author included a note in the end explaining his inspiration behind the book. It was a bit sparse but it was a great inclusion. I thought this a great beginning of a thrilling trilogy and I can’t wait to read about Jon’s and Antonia’s next mystery.

 

Book Review - Girl, Forgotten (Andrea Oliver, #2) by Karin Slaughter

 

Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter is the second book in the Andrea Oliver series.  The book has a dual timeline with a murder connecting two characters together. In 1892, Longbill Beach, Emily Vaughn was a high school senior who was getting ready for prom.  She is described as beautiful and was well-liked by peers and by her conservative community, until the unthinkable happened. When it becomes evident that she is having a baby out of wed-lock, the community closes ranks and tries to protect its respected members, because they are afraid that Emily may claim that one of their own is the father. 

Emily tries to navigate her life from being a beloved member of the community to an ostracized high school student. She has a few secrets that she is keeping from her friends and family, including who the father is of her baby. Someone is desperate to keep Emily from telling her secrets and they want to silence her. When Emily leaves prom, someone is following her and they will stop at nothing to keep Emily quiet… 

Forty years later, Emily’s murder is still unsolved and no progress has been made. Her close friends keep to themselves and her family has tried to move on. 

Newly minted U.S. Marshal Andrea Oliver arrives at Longbill Beach with her first assignment. She and her partner, Bible, are to protect a judge who is getting death threats. Andrea knows she should be focusing on her assignment, but she feels a special connection to Emily. She is determined to find what happened to Emily forty years ago. As Andrea digs into the death of Emily, she realizes that not everyone in Longbill Beach is as friendly and forthcoming as they pretend to be. When a new body is discovered and it is eerily similar to Emily, will Andrea be able to figure out who the killer is before they strike again?

The novel is the second book in the series but it can be read as a standalone. However, I do recommend reading the books in order as it will help explain Andrea’s relationship with her mother, and also will give context to her motives for wanting to solve Emily’s murder. I felt that Andrea has grown so much from the first novel. She went from being a useless character who came across like a fish out of water to a strong and smart Marshal.  She progressed into a surer version of herself and she was able to stand on her own two feet. Her keen instincts allowed her to piece together clues before others even more senior to her.

The book was a highly engaging read and kept me on my toes. There were a few unexpected twists that were delightful, but also a few predictable ones. The characters were well developed and complex. The character dialogues were realistic and immersive as Bible and Andrea were trying to put together the clues.  I enjoyed following the dual timelines and trying to figure out how Emily’s story interplayed with the present murder.  I found the book to be an engrossing read and I can’t wait to read more books by the author. I would recommend the novel to any crime or thriller fans.

Book Review - Direwood by Catherine Yu

 

 

 

In Catherine Yu’s debut novel Direwood, the novel takes place in a small idyllic town in the 1990s. Aja is a sixteen year old Asian girl who feels different and out of place in her community. She is unable to connect with others as easily as her older sister, Fiona. Everything changes when her beloved sister goes missing the day after her birthday party. Days before Fiona disappears, Aja has a foreboding feeling that something bad is going to happen. She sees signs of malice in everyday occurrences such as trees being infected by caterpillars and the rain being the color of blood.

Aja is desperate to find her sister. She receives the answer to her prayers when a vampire, Padraic, shows up to her window one night. Padraic is a chance for Aja to find her sister along with providing her with the opportunity for freedom from her overbearing community. Aja is enthralled with Padraic as he tells her that she is pretty and special, things Aja yearns to hear.  

Aja decides to go with Padraic to his nest deep in the forest with the condition that she can leave whenever she wants. However, Aja isn’t planning to leave without her idolized sister. As Aja spends time with Padraic in the dilapidated church that is surrounded by a deadly fog and bloodsucking butterflies, Aja realizes that Padraic has secrets that he is keeping from her as well. Will Aja be able to find her sister and escape Padraic’s hold on her?

The book had tons of eerie gothic themes that were spellbinding and alluring to read. The author used lush descriptions to describe the scenery and Aja’s inner turmoil. Aja was stuck between being enraptured by Padraic and having a sense of being wanted and belonging with her need to find her sister. It was interesting reading about how Aja was struggling with choosing the best course of action.

Aja was an interesting character. I commiserate with her need of being the odd duck but, at times, her character felt one-dimensional. She came across as selfish, in that she stated that she wanted to rescue her sister, but made little progress in her actual goal. I felt that she was hard on her friend when they were trying to help her. Aja seemed self-absorbed and stuck in her world failing to realize the danger that was around her. When the time came for action, she seemed like a deer caught in headlights. I also didn’t like that she consistently claimed others were ruining her chances to make her escape.

The author created a descriptive and atmospheric read but the novel lacked a strong story line. The days would progress and there would be little to no development in the story. At times, it felt boring and repetitive after reading various inner thoughts of how Aja thought Padraic was hot. I wished there was more world building and explanations.  Some concepts were introduced, such as the caterpillars and butterflies, but were never fully developed. If you like slow burn horror novels, then you might enjoy this book, otherwise I would skip it.

 

Book Review - We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds

 

We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds is a debut novel about a young girl and her mother trying to connect with their dying estranged grandmother. Avery Anderson is a seventeen year old girl who was looking forward to spending her senior year with her friends and touring colleges.  Instead, her parents take her out of school and move down to the deep South (Georgia) to spend time with her grandmother. Avery tries to connect with her grandmother, Mama Letty, but it’s hard when Avery’s mother and Mama Letty are always down each other’s throats. Avery tries to dig deeper and connect with the two women to figure out what drove the two of them apart.

When tempers flare and tantrums are thrown by her avoidant family, Avery is desperate to escape and find her own place to belong. Avery connects with the girl next door, Simone Cole, and also Jade Oliver, the daughter of a prominent family. The trio connect over their own grief and sadness while quickly forming a bond with each other that Avery never had with anyone else. Simone is dealing with the unexpected death of her brother and her sister leaving her family behind. Simone feels trapped because her mother has no one else but her. Jade’s mother was brutally murdered and the case has remained unsolved. 

As Simone and Avery start to spend more time with each other clandestinely, they feel that their friendship is blossoming into something more. However, not everyone in the small Georgia town is open and friendly as Avery wants to believe. The small town of Bardell, Georgia is steep and tainted with a dark history of racism that still ripples through the community.

The novel was a tearjerker read on how people with broken pieces are trying to find a way to amend the damage done by time and hatred. The book was filled with well-developed and flawed characters who were trying their best to navigate life with the cards they were dealt with. However, there were times I felt that Avery was being unreasonable. When she found out the reason behind her family’s disagreement, she took out her anger on her friend without even trying to apologize for lashing out at them. I understand that she was feeling hurt and betrayed but her friend didn’t do anything to her personally and her friend constantly went out of her way to help Avery.

Mama Letty was a vibrant character but I found it hard to like her at times. As she is nearing the end of her life, she still refuses to acknowledge some of the pain and trauma she has caused others until the very last moment. She, like Avery, were both filled with hate about things that were done to their family and instead of moving forward, they lashed out and hurt others which continues the vicious cycle of pain. The novel does have a redemption part but, will the characters be able to heal from the trauma or will it stick to their soul?

I felt that the story dragged on for a while without any plot progression. The story hinted that someone Avery knew might have murdered Jade’s mother but it was hinted at and left to the readers to infer who the killer was. The murderer was never really ousted and it didn’t really have an impact on any of the characters or the story.  I felt like this arc was just thrown in there to try and tie up loose ends, while it could have been developed more. This young adult novel does have LGBT characters and if you love reading about dysfunctional families with past trauma, you might enjoy this slow burn novel.

February 2023 Empties!

 

I can't believe January has already come and passed. I feel like the year has blown away so quickly.  I did manage to finish a few things this month. I was hoping to finish a few more things but, I am proud that I made progress. I also feel like its a good thing about keeping track of things I have used will help me to realize what I need to use more of and what I have tons of. For example, I have really dry skin and I only finished one bottle of body lotion. For someone who has dry and itchy skin, I should have finished more than one bottle.

I finished three bars of soap which is surprising because I haven't really been leaving the house lately and have been limiting my showering to once a day. The two new soaps I did try were nice and creamy and had a pleasant scents. They were Sunaroma in Eucaltypus  and Sylan Art Cedar Citrus soap. They both had pleasant scents and were creamy. Both brands were new to me and I would get them again.

I finished a few serums that I enjoyed using. The Lancome Renergie H.C.E Serum was amazing. I mean the serum cost a pretty penny but after a few nights of consistent use I saw a visible change in the texture of my skin. It was kind of cool that the serum was made of up three different types of serum.  The Herbivore Nova Brightening Serum had a pretty minimalist packaging. It had a strong turmeric scent and it was very creamy and hydrating. My skin felt so soft and I felt that my skin looked brighter. The only thing I didn't like is that there was some product left on the bottom of the bottle that I couldn't get out. I tried putting the container upside but some was still stuck.

The Han Skin Refining Serum was a bit interesting. It had no noticeable scent. I wasn't sure if there was supposed to be an exfoliating serum or hydrating serum. According to the instruction it has some mild exfoliating action and it leaves skin hydrated. I felt that it barely made a difference to my skin. My skin didn't really feel different after using the product consistently at night. I upped my product usage to twice a day and still didn't notice anything.

Book Review - The Autumnal by Daniel Kraus

 

Kat Somerville and her daughter, Sybil, goes to Comfort Notch, New Hampshire after the death of her estranged mother. Upon arriving the idyllic and quaint town, Kat forgets how beautiful her childhood home was. The small town offers Kat and Sybil a loving home and environment than the tough and difficult situation they were in Chicago. However, under the beautiful facade, the town is hiding a dark and insidious secret.

The graphic novel is a dark and horror filled read. The graphic novel was beautifully drawn and nicely detailed. The book was an entertaining read but, at times I struggled with the pace and Kat as a character. The story moved along very slowly and felt choppy at times. I believe this occurred when the issue had ended and the next issue starts but, it didn't feel like a smooth transition. Kat was aggressive at times and  was hard to like as a person. As the story progressed, she did find her voice and work on her bond with her daughter and acknowledging her past. If you are a fan of dark horror graphic novels, you might enjoy this one.

Book Review - Bleed Them Dry by Eliot Rahal

 

In the year 3333, the Earth is still recovering from being taken over by immortal vampires. Humans and vampires cohabit peaceful among each other until someone is murdering vampires. Harper Halloway is a detective who is in charge of finding the killer.

While Harper investigates the murders, she stumbles on a dark secret and she starts to question everything she believes in. She crosses paths with a ninja vampire hunter, Toyo, who is on a mission to save Earth from the vampires. Will Harper and the vampire hunter be able to work together to find the truth behind the vampires?

The graphic novel was an entertaining read filled with gore and action. However, I felt that the story was underdeveloped. The story hinted that there might be two murderers but, they never went anywhere with that nor did they ever explain the motives of the vampire hunter's antagonist.  I am also not sure who the bad guy is or which character I am supposed to be rooting for. If I was reading the graphic novel for just the action and graphics, this was a solid graphic novel. If you are looking for a graphic novel with a story line, I would look somewhere else.

Book Review - Shadow Service Vol. 2: Mission Infernal by Cavan Scott

 

In the second graphic novel of the series, Gina joins the supernatural government agency. However, she decides to betray them and she is on the run. Will Gina be able to outrun her colleagues?

The second book in the series was just as entertaining and fun to read as the first. The book does end on a thrilling cliff hanger but, I can't wait to read more. I liked that the author went into some details about each of the characters and their motivation. I felt that it gave you a well rounded idea of each character. I also like that majority of the questions were answered and not dragged out. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Book Review - Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks

 

Beverly and her six year old son, Tommie, flee their home during the middle of the night. Beverly is determined to start a new life after leaving her abusive husband behind. She has to be on guard in case, her husband finds her and takes them back home. Beverly becomes on edge when Tommie insists that he is hearing someone call his name and when a mysterious truck keeps parking in her driveway, Beverly will need to act quick if she is planning to escape again.

Colby Mills gave up his career as a musician to run his family's small farm in North Carolina. He decides to take a working vacation and head to St. Pete Beach, Florida to play at a local bar. While playing at the bar, he crosses paths with Morgan Lee and he finds himself falling for her.

Morgan is from an affluent family of doctors from Chicago. She graduated from a prestigious music program and wants to head to Nashville and break into the industry. When she meets Colby, she finds herself falling for him. However, is she willing to give up her dream to be with him?

This was my first time reading a book by the author. I can see why people enjoy his writing but, this book wasn't for me. The book moved so slowly and the surprise ending was predictable. The book dragged on forever until the ending where everything is tied up nicely. I did enjoy reading Beverly's story line but, felt that Colby's and Morgan's was boring. I don't think I will be in a rush to read any of his other books after reading this dud.