Book Review - Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson

 

 

Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson is about a young girl, Sadie Cooper, who is killed at a barn party.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie Cooper is excited to attend a party at the McClain family farm. The parties are known for being epic, alcohol-fueled ragers. However, something goes horribly wrong, and by the end of the night, two bodies are found in the barn.

Sadie is found murdered by her classmate, Mason Vreeland, who was a loner. The murder is witnessed by Sadie’s twin sister, Jayne, and Sadie dies in her arms. Mason is then killed by Sadie’s boyfriend, Ben, in an attempt to save Sadie and in self-defense. The police determine that it should be an open-and-shut case. However, someone is not telling the truth. As the little details stop adding up, will the police be able to uncover the truth before it’s too late?

The book is split into three acts, with the first two narrated by Ben, Jayne, and Sadie’s best friend, Liz. Each character recounts the events before and after the tragic incident. In the final act, we finally get Sadie’s point of view.

The book was well written with a lot of twists and turns. I was surprised by the ending. I was able to guess who the culprit was, but I was on the fence about their motive because I felt like we didn’t really get to know the different characters well enough. While the ending does provide some clarity, I would have liked to see more consequences for the guilty parties. I really thought we were going to get all the answers, with everything wrapped up in a nice bow, especially after the local police were taken off the case.

I did enjoy the book, and I would be open to reading more books by the author. If you enjoy young adult murder mysteries, I think this is an entertaining read.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author. 

 

July 2026 Empties!

 

Since the weather has been slowly melting me alive, I have not had the energy or willpower to do anything. I did manage to finish a few things, though.

 I finished the Umm Body Butter. The body butter had a pleasant sandalwood and jasmine scent. It smelled more like sandalwood than jasmine though. The body butter was very thick and creamy. It does leave a bit of a heavy residue on my skin even when I used a tiny bit. 

The Nue Skin Filter Serum was meh. It had a watery consistency and left a bit of a tacky residue. It had no scent and it didn't leave any sensitivities on my skin. However, I didn't notice a difference while using it.  I felt the same way with the OFIR drops. They leave a tacky feeling on my hands and face that I could have done without.

 

 

 

Book Review – Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

 

 Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake is about two women, Iris and Stefania, who decide to enter into a fake relationship.

Everyone Iris knows is in love and coupled up with their perfect partners. Even her siblings and parents are blissfully married. Iris is happy for her friends and family, but she doesn’t want to settle down. She’d rather have commitment-free hookups. All her loved ones want to see her settled down and find someone, somehow, no matter how insistent Iris is about not dating, even though she is a romance writer. Iris might have to cave since she is facing writer’s block, her second book is almost due, and she has no idea what to write.

Iris decides she needs a break and goes to a bar with her friend, looking to blow off steam and meet someone for a one-night stand. There she meets Stefania, and a night of dancing and making out turns into one of the worst one-night stands Iris ever had.

To get her mind off things, she decides to change tactics and join a local play, a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing. Iris ends up meeting Stefania’s friends, who goes by Stevie. Stevie’s friends do not know that Iris and Stevie’s one-night together ended disastrously, and Stevie asks Iris to pretend to be her girlfriend until the end of the play. Iris consents to Stevie’s plan, as she realizes she might get some much-needed inspiration and romantic content for her book. As the duo play their roles, lines start to blur and feelings are at stake. Will Iris and Stevie find what they are looking for?

The novel is the third book in the series. However, I was able to read the book as a standalone. The two previous books were about Iris’s friends, so there were character relationships and nuances I might have missed.

I thought the book was an okay read. It didn’t have any unexpected twists and turns. The book did have a lot of side characters, and it was hard to keep track of how they related to their main characters and their side stories. The book did have some steamy moments for readers who are looking for a steamy sapphic read.

 

Book Review – Brace for Impact (Zara Sheridan #1) by Anthony J. Tata

 

  

Brace for Impact (Zara Sheridan #1) by Anthony J. Tata is about a shadow organization attempting to hijack a plane carrying top-secret military intelligence.

Zara Sheridan has recently been appointed as an air marshal and is about to embark on her very first assignment. A former military police NCO, Zara misses the excitement of her previous career but appreciates the stability of her new role. However, her first flight quickly turns into anything but routine.

The hijackers are among the last passengers to board the plane. The three men are in their twenties, have close-cropped military haircuts, carry small duffel bags, and appear to be wearing tactical gear. Another passenger also catches Zara's attention, a sharply dressed Chinese businessman who seems just as suspicious as the others.

As Zara scrambles to identify the suspicious passengers, she tries to contact her regional office but instead receives a disturbing alert. An experimental fighter jet, the Hyperion X, has crashed just a few miles from her home. As she pieces together the identities of those onboard the flight, Zara realizes that several passengers are connected in ways that can't possibly be a coincidence.

This is the first book in the series, and I thought it was an okay read. The novel uses a lot of technical military terminology, and I found myself glazing over some of those sections because I wasn't familiar with the jargon. The plot was straightforward and didn't have many unexpected twists.

I was also confused by a few aspects of the story, particularly how a teenage boy was able to outsmart highly trained tactical soldiers and how an experienced operative repeatedly ignored obvious warning signs and trusted complete strangers. The pacing dragged in a few places, and at times it felt like the story had too many things happening at once. If you enjoy military or espionage thrillers, you may appreciate this book more than I did.

 

Book Review – If a Poem Could Live and Breathe by Mary Calvi

 

If a Poem Could Live and Breathe by Mary Calvi is about young Theodore Roosevelt’s first love, Alice Lee, and their love story. 

In 1878, during the Gilded Age, Alice Lee, in Cambridge, is determined to break the norms of her mother’s generation. Women are fighting for educational opportunities and personal freedom. When Alice hears that Harvard might open an annex for women, she is determined to get in.

Teddy Roosevelt is a Harvard student and a native New Yorker. He is on his own journey of self-discovery. He takes a trip to visit a classmate and is introduced to Alice Lee. Little does he know that their meeting will change the trajectory of both of their lives.

The novel is based on love letters between Teddy and Alice. I was very excited to read the book because I was familiar with their relationship but had limited knowledge of it. I was curious to see how his relationship with Alice shaped him into the man he became.

The book started off interesting, but it eventually got boring and repetitive. I felt like nothing really happened, and it was so dry and one-dimensional. I did not feel connected to the characters at all. I really wish that, while the author was inspired by the personal letters, she had added her own spins to the characters to make their love story feel epic instead of lackluster, as it felt to me.

Book Review - The Christmas Village by Annie Rains

 

The Christmas Village by Annie Rains follows Lucy Hannigan, a woman who inherits her beloved childhood home only to face unexpected financial troubles, leading her to rent out part of the house to her ex-fiancé, the man who broke her heart.

After her mother passes away, Lucy inherits both her childhood home, a charming pink house on Gingerbread Lane, and her mother’s bulldog, Bell. Lucy’s parents had always won the neighborhood’s annual holiday lights competition, but with her grief still fresh, Lucy isn’t sure she has the energy to continue the tradition. However, when unexpected financial news forces her to reassess her priorities, she has to make some difficult decisions.

Miles Bruno, meanwhile, is suddenly forced out of his rental just weeks before the holidays and has nowhere to go. When he reconnects with Lucy and learns she has an available apartment, he’s relieved. He knows Lucy isn’t thrilled about the arrangement, especially since he was the one who ended their engagement, but he still has feelings for her and is determined to prove that he’s changed. The question is: will it be enough for Lucy to forgive him?

I thought the book was an okay read, though it felt a bit slow at times. It didn’t have many surprises or unexpected twists. While it’s the second book in a series, it can still be read as a standalone. The characters were fine overall, though Lucy could be frustrating at times. There’s also a small mystery involving holiday pranks, which added a fun element to the story. Overall, it’s a clean, cozy romance that can help get readers into the holiday spirit.

Book Review – Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz

  

 Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz is a graphic novel about three young refugees searching for safety and freedom and the invisible thread that connects them.

Josef is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany with his family. When his father is captured and released from a concentration camp, the family decides they need to leave the country. They find safe passage and board a ship to Cuba on the other side of the world.

Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. The country is plagued by riots and political unrest. She and her family set out on a raft after her father was beaten for participating in a political demonstration. They hope to find safety in America.

Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015, and his homeland is being destroyed by violence and war. After a missile destroys their home and nearly kills them, he and his family decide to emigrate to Europe.

The graphic novel is beautifully written and illustrated. It alternates among each child’s point of view. The author and illustrator do a great job showing their emotional and harrowing journey, filled with dangers. It is an informative and timely read that helps young readers develop empathy and understanding for others.

 

Book Review – The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

  

 The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts follows the unlikely friendship between two women, Delilah Evans and Emma Mullet, as they try to heal after the deaths of their children.

Delilah is the wife of an African American preacher. After the loss of her young son, Carver, her family moves from Montgomery, Alabama, to Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania, in search of a fresh start. Consumed by grief and despair, Delilah has little interest in connecting with others, especially her neighbor, Emma, a reclusive Amish woman.

Emma is burdened by her own struggles. She feels estranged from her tight-knit Amish community due to the secrets she carries and is deeply isolated in her grief. However, her trauma and regrets ultimately create a bridge between her and Delilah, allowing an unexpected friendship to form.

Meanwhile, Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, believes she is responsible for her younger brother’s death and is overwhelmed with guilt. When the tension at home becomes unbearable, she turns to Emma for comfort. Emma grows fond of Sparrow and begins to see her as the daughter she always wanted. But Sparrow is also keeping secrets, ones that could threaten to unravel everything.

This book can be a heartbreaking read at times, but it is also filled with themes of love, forgiveness, and friendship. The writing is beautiful and evocative. I did feel conflicted while reading, though. While I liked many of the characters, I struggled to empathize with Delilah. She was often quick to blame others for her son’s death and seemed unwilling to extend forgiveness or understanding. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall, I would still be open to reading more from this author.

Book Review –Maysoon Zayid, the Girl Who Can Can by Seema Yasmin

 

Maysoon Zayid, the Girl Who Can Can by Seema Yasmin is about Maysoon Zayid, a woman with cerebral palsy who dreamed of becoming a dancer.

Maysoon Zayid was born in New Jersey and grew up with three older sisters. She often felt like she lived in their shadow, but she had big dreams of making a name for herself. She wanted to become a comedian, dancer, and actress.

Achieving those goals was not easy. As a Palestinian Muslim girl born with cerebral palsy, Maysoon faced many challenges and obstacles. Despite the opposition she encountered, she refused to give up. Instead, she followed her passions and eventually became one of America's first Muslim women comedians, as well as an actress on one of her favorite television shows.

The book is a short, quick read with cute black-and-white illustrations. I found it interesting and well written. I especially liked that it focused on a woman of color with a disability, as those stories are not always widely represented. I think this book would be a great choice for young readers because it is both inspirational and encouraging. It highlights the importance of following your dreams, even when they seem impossible, while also teaching readers not to judge or treat people differently based on their appearance or abilities.

One thing I noticed was that the book mentions Maysoon being Muslim, but it doesn't really discuss how she practices her faith or how it influenced her journey. I'm not sure whether that was intentional or simply outside the scope of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am curious to see who will be featured next in the series.

Book Review – The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

 

  

The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff is about a young girl, Penelope Weaver, who is excited to attend Anaximander’s Academy, a school where students discover who they are meant to be.

Penelope has spent her entire life looking forward to the day she can finally attend Anaximander’s Academy. The school teaches students about Greek mythology and helps them discover which Greek god’s principles they embody most strongly. Through their studies, students learn who they are meant to become and are guided toward serving as patrons of their chosen god.

Penelope is certain that her patron god will be Athena, just like the rest of her family. She is intelligent, practical, and always follows the rules. However, when Penelope and her twin brother, Paris, arrive at the academy, things do not go as planned.

Instead of being placed with Athena, Penelope is assigned to Aphrodite, whose students have a reputation for partying and carefree behavior. Her experience only becomes more frustrating when her assigned muse is rarely around to help, and the task she is given seems impossible to complete. What was supposed to be the experience of a lifetime quickly becomes overwhelming, and Penelope finds herself wishing she could leave. As she struggles to adapt, an unexpected event sets off a chain of dangerous consequences. Will Penelope be able to rise to the occasion and save the day before it’s too late?

I was torn on this book. I really liked the premise, but I wasn’t a fan of the execution. It felt like there was always something happening to Penelope, and every time she had a moment to breathe, another crisis immediately appeared. I also felt like the book introduced a lot of interesting ideas without fully explaining them. Strange or unusual events would happen, and the characters would acknowledge them with an “Oh, that’s interesting,” but then there would be little to no follow-up or explanation.

I also didn’t like how quickly problems were resolved before the story rushed on to the next urgent situation. As a result, many plot points felt underdeveloped. I thought it was weird that her family were Athenas, but they barely made time for the first day of school, nor did they prepare for it. When something went wrong and they were rushing, their excuse was, "we thought it would be a nice surprise." That seems contrary to the Athena's ethos. 

Another issue I had was the lack of worldbuilding. I wanted to know more about the school, its history, the people who attended it, and how the gods fit into this world. The book had a lot of potential, but it often felt like the author introduced too many half-developed ideas and hoped something would stick.

While I was initially interested in continuing the series, I’m hesitant to pick up the second book because I’m worried it will suffer from the same issues and rely on another half-baked premise.