Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Book Review - Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi by Susan Hendricks

 

Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi by Susan Hendricks is a nonfiction book about the murders of two young girls in Delphi, Indiana. On February 13, 2017, it was a day that began like all others in the Williams and Germans household. Thirteen year old Abby Williams and fourteen year old Libby German are best friends and decided to spend their day off from school together.

After spending some time together, they decided to explore the popular hiking trails near the Monon High Bridge that is a few minutes drive from Libby’s home. Libby asked her older sister, Kelsi, to drop them off before heading out for her day. Kelsi drops them off at the beginning of the trail and waved before driving off. Little did she know that was the last time Kelsi would see them alive again.

Little less than 24 hours later, the bodies of the two teenagers are found together near the north bank of Deer Creek. It was nearly a mile away from where they were last seen together.  The police have very littles clues to go on and the physical evidence is limited. The investigators did have snippets of a visual and audio encounter with a stranger that occurred just hours before their disappearance. The encounter was unsettling enough to the girls that they made a recording on Libby’s cellphone as it unfolded. It has been years since the murders occurred, and the audio and video recordings have been released to the public. The police released two different composite sketches of the suspect. There were no definite leads until finally in October 2022, a suspect was identified, arrested, and a trial date was set.

The book talks about the impact of the crime on the families, neighbors, and community. It was an interesting read to learn the details but also reading about the reactions of the family and how they were dealing with each development. The book was a quick and easy read but I wish it had gone into details about the trial. The trial was scheduled to take place after the book was published but I would have preferred if they had waited to include details from the trial. It felt a bit incomplete to hear all the facts and read about the community’s reaction but not read about the outcome of the trial.  

There were times that the author talked to experts and went in a different direction than the previous chapters or talked about her personal feelings and life. I felt like she was trying to add more depth to the crime but, at times it seemed like fluff that was irrelevant to the actual story about the two young victims.  In one chapter she spoke to different experts to get their opinion on the arrest but it just seemed like a recap of what was discussed earlier. If you are a true crime fan or have an interest in the case, I think you might enjoy this book.

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Book Review - Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

 


Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban is about a young woman who tries to escape her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend who betrayed her. Jade is looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime. She will get to visit 11 countries in 4 months aboard a luxurious cruise ship.  She couldn’t wait to move on and experience all that the cruise has to offer, only to find out that the people she is trying to escape are also on the trip with her. 

Her obsession with the couple begins to grow as she spends every moment trying to analyze what went wrong in the relationships. She tries to analyze what went wrong with her relationships with her ex and ex-best friend. Her obsession becomes an issue when someone ends up murdered. Then more of her friends are dying and Jade has become the prime suspect. She will have to figure out who is behind these crimes before anyone else ends up in a body bag.

This young adult novel is a closed room thriller with a few twists and turns. I thought Jade was an annoying main character. She was too stubborn and stuck in her own head. When she wanted to find out the truth over her relationship, she was basically stalking the couple. To me, her character seemed stereotypical: The sweet and caring character that everyone seems to love. She always tried to see the best in people even when there were so many clues pointing to them being the bad guy. When she realized that one character could have prevented another from dying if they spoke up earlier, she still tried helping that character instead of having them face any consequences.

Some of the dialogue and characters seemed one dimensional and juvenile. They seemed to make silly mistakes that I would assume someone younger would do. I was also surprised that a scene in the book mentioned the characters doing meth. I feel like that seems out of place for college students.  The book did reel me in the beginning but then it started petering out towards the end because it seemed unbelievable and far fetched.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

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.


Friday, January 13, 2023

Book Review - The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

 

Gabe and Pippa has bought their dream home in a small coastal town. Their house is right near a cliff. The cliff is infamous for people who go there to kill themselves. Gabe is famous for talking people off the ledge until one day, he fails and someone falls to their death. When it is discovered that Gabe knew the victim, Pippa questions how much she really knows Gabe.

The book started off interesting and it kept me hook until the half way point. The constant point of view switching became boring and dull because there was barely any movement to the story. I felt like the story dragged and dragged with nothing keeping the readers hooked. I can't say that I really liked any of the characters and I found Pippa annoying. She kept sticking up for Gabe when it was hard to see what he bought to the table other than him being good looking and charismatic. While this book was a bit disappointing, I will still continue reading other books by the author.


Monday, December 26, 2022

Book Review - Fox Creek (Cork O’Connor #19) by William Kent Krueger

 

Henry Meloux is an old Ojibwe healer and he has recently been having visions of his death. He walks the Northwoods in solitude to prepare himself for the end of his long life.  However, he doesn't know if his vision are tied to the hunters who are seeking a woman named Dolores Morriseau. Dolores is a stranger who came to seek guidance and shelter from Henry about her marriage.

Henry, Dolores, and his great niece, Rainy, must escape deep into the Boundary Waters to escape the deadly mercenaries. Henry knows that they will stop at nothing to get what they want but, he fears that this might be his last journey on his beloved land.

Cork is trying to identify the hunters and why they are pursuing Dolores. Cork begins tracking the hunters when he fears that they might harm Rainy, his wife, and Henry. As he tracks the hunters in the wilderness, Cork gets hit with a late season snowstorm. He fears with each passing minute, time is running out for his people.

This is book is a part of a series but, I was able to read it as a standalone and follow along. I thought the book started off as good but, got slow towards the middle and started picking up again towards the end. The book was straightforward and didn't really have any twists or unexpected turns.  I felt like the book was an easy and straightforward read.

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Book Review - The Getaway by Lamar Giles

 


Karloff Country is a well known world class resort. Jay is living within the property with his family and friends. Jay loves Karloff Country and he likes working his after school job at the park. Life isn't great for other people outside of the Karloff Country so, when people come to the theme park, they want to leave it all behind.

Jay's life takes a tailspin when trouble arrives at Karloff. His friend, Connie and her entire family disappears in the middle of the night and no one knows where they went and why. Then a new set of wealthy and powerful families start arriving but, they do not leave after the park closes. Karloff Country has been offering a sanctuary to the wealthy and offered them the best of the best service and lifestyle. To ensure the guest spends the end of days in comfort, the staff will be available at the wealthy clientele's beck and call, whether they like it or not.
 
I thought the book was an interesting read. The book had nonstop twists and gruesome secrets. The characters were well fleshed out and fun to read their interactions with each other. I thought the book was going to be a horror book but, it was more like a thriller and mystery with some "scary" twists. A few times, I didn't know where the book was heading but, it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Friday, November 4, 2022

Book Review - Dragon Mountain by Katie Tsang

 

Billy Chan doesn't know what to expect from his culture summer camp that his parents are sending him to. The camp is in the middle-of-nowhere China and Billy doesn't know anyone there. When he arrives, he meets his fellow campers and is assigned to a group to work together during the summer. Dylan, Charlotte, Billy, and Ling-Fei, come across a mountain that has four powerful warrior dragons hidden behind the camp. The dragons need the help of the children to help defeat the Dragon of Death before it can unleash evil on the earth. The campers will need to travel to the Dragon Realm to help save the dragons. Can the team work together to help the dragons?

At first I thought the book was going great but, then it went downhill. The writing felt clinical and boring. It felt like the author was in a rush to get the book done and the writing became very straightforward. There was almost no time spent on building the friendships between the characters. They went from strangers to best friends who are willing to die for each other. There was almost no humor and somehow, every single time someone knew exactly what was needed at the right moment.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Book Review - Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins

 

Emerson, Georgia, and Marley became best friends when they met at a weight-loss camp as teens. Emerson unexpectedly passes away and leaves one final wish for her friends. She wants them to complete a list they made as teens.

Emerson's wish for them means something different for each of them. Marley is trying to overcome her survivor's guilt that she had since her twin sister died. She is also trying to find romance and love with someone who wants to be with her. Georgia is struggling to learn how to stop trying to live up to her family's expectation of her and learn to accept the love from her ex-husband.

I thought the book was a fun and interesting read. I love reading Emerson's journal entries as they felt so raw and realistic. I love reading how Georgia and Marley work through their list while learning how to love themselves. I would be interested in reading other books by the author.

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Book Review - The Haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates

 

Leigh Harker considers her suburban home to be her sanctuary for more than a decade, until she starts to notice things. Things around her house keeps moving around and then there is a dark figure looming around in the dark. The figure is watching her sleep at night. Leigh refuses to abandoned her home to the mysterious figure even if she unable to sleep or feel comfortable in her own home. As Leigh tries to investigate the dark figure, she realizes that she is trapped within the walls of her home.

I usually love reading Darcy Coates' novels but, this one was a huge disappointment. The entire first half of the novel was boring, repetitive, and felt disjointed. It felt like the author spent majority of time building the mood and ambience. The entire novel was so boring and just dragged on. It was only towards the end did the novel pick up but, the ending seemed so unbelievable and far-fetched to me. After reading this lackluster book, I think I might take a break from the author's books for awhile.

Monday, September 5, 2022

Book Review - Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly

 

For most people. life is what you make of it. For Dixie Wheeler, her story was chosen for her when her father murdered her family before taking slashing a knife across his own throat. Dixie was the only one spared from the family massacre. She became infamously known as Baby Blue because of the song that was left playing during the aftermath of the murders.

Twenty-five years later, Dixie yearns for a connection with the family she can't remember. When Dixie sees that her childhood home goes on sale, Dixie feels herself drawn to the house. When Dixie moves in against her better judgment, she sees the ghosts of her family taken up residence in the house too. Dixie begins to question her sanity as strange things start happening. She wonders if her father is haunting her or if its an demon of her own making.

Dixie decides to reach out to the original detective who investigated the murders to unravel the truth. As she investigates the murders she realizes that someone else might have committed the murders. Dixie will need to find  a way to prove the truth behind her family's murder and save her loved ones before it's too late.

I thought the premise of the book was interest but, towards the middle of the book I lost interesting. I felt like the story was plodding along. I felt like the story was very unrealistic and the writing was chopping. I didn't find any of the characters and didn't really care what happened to any of them. It was an okay book but, I won't be in a rush to read anymore books by the author.

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Book Review - I Want to Be a Vase by Julio Torres + Giveaway

 


The cute children book illustrates one object's need to live their lives beyond their predestined/predefined roles. A plunger wishes to change his job and become a vase instead. As he begins is his journey to be a vase, he realizes other things want to change their roles too. He also faces some naysayers who believe he should stay a plunger. The book was interesting and funny at times. I thought it was a fun read to show that sometimes we want to live a little and be other things.

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

 

About The Book:

Title: I WANT TO BE A VASE

Author: Julio Torres & Julian Glander (Illustrations)

Pub. Date: June 7, 2022

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 48

Find it: GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, KoboTBD, Bookshop.org

Former SNL writer and comedic rising star Julio Torres takes readers on a journey through the lives and intimate dramas of some of the unsung shapes of our time in this picture book inspired by his HBO special My Favorite Shapes.

Shapes. You’ve heard of them. You might have even interacted with a few. But do you really know them? From plucky Plunger, who wishes to defy his shape and become a beautiful vase, to other household objects with dreams of a life beyond their predestined roles, I Want to Be a Vase takes readers on an essential and visually stunning journey through the lives and intimate dramas of often-overlooked household appliances.

Reviews:

“I love this strange and brilliant book, which made me identify with a toilet plunger.”

Mindy Kaling, #1 New York Times bestselling author

 

“This book is such a delicious feast for the eyes. It makes me want to be a refrigerator so I can store the leftovers!”

Bowen Yang, actor, Saturday Night Live

 

“I’m deeply jealous of all the children who get to read this book. This is my villainous origin.”

Aidy Bryant, actor, Saturday Night Live and Shrill

 

 

 

INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!

 

About Julio Torres:

Julio Torres is a comedian, the creator of the HBO special My Favorite Shapes, and has written for Saturday Night Live. He’s also one of the masterminds behind Los Espookys, HBO’s Spanish-language comedy about a group of horror enthusiasts. Visit him on Instagram @SpacePrinceJulio.

 

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 





About Julian Glander:

Julian Glander is a 3D animator, designer, and illustrator. Mostly self-taught, he has created work for Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Adult Swim, and the New York Times. He is also the creator of the video game Art Sqool and the squishy comics collection 3D Sweeties. Visit him at Glander.co.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTokGoodreads

 

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of I WANT TO BE A VASE, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/30/2022

Ya Books Central

Excerpt

5/30/2022

pickagoodbook

Excerpt/IG Post

5/31/2022

onemoreexclamation

Review/IG Post

5/31/2022

Little Red Reads

Review/IG Post

6/1/2022

Jazzy Book Reviews

Review/IG Post

6/1/2022

Nonbinary Knight Reads

Review/IG Post

6/2/2022

The Momma Spot

Review/IG Post

6/2/2022

Two Points of Interest

Review/IG Post

6/3/2022

onemused

IG Post

6/3/2022

BookHounds YA

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

6/6/2022

@just_another_mother_with_books

IG Review

6/6/2022

Jenguerdy

Review/IG Post

6/7/2022

@coffeesipsandreads

Review/IG Post

6/7/2022

Nerdophiles

Review/IG Post

6/8/2022

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

6/8/2022

Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Review/IG Post

6/9/2022

More Books Please blog

Review/IG Post

6/9/2022

Lady Hawkeye

Excerpt/IG Post

6/10/2022

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt

6/10/2022

@jaimerockstarbooktours

IG Post

6/10/2022

@froggyreadteach

IG Review/FB Post


Saturday, April 23, 2022

Book Review - Kiara Fights Back by Marilyn Kaye

 

Kiara is known for speaking what's on her mind. She doesn't hesitate to let other people know what she is thinking. She is happy that she became friends with the girls of the Spyglass Sisterhood who appreciate her observations and judgment. 

When Kiara finds out that a fellow classmate is getting bullied online, she decides to take action. She is determined to find out who is behind the bullying and bring them to justice. She needs to rely on her friends and the magical spyglass to help solve the mystery.

I thought the book was an okay read. I personally got confused with the characters when I first read the book and had trouble keep track of the different girls and their personalities. I can't say I enjoyed Kiara, I found some of her inner commentary to be blunt and sometimes, mean. It made me wonder if she even likes her friends. However, I feel that the book did teach an important lesson about bullying, having empathy, and the importance of words. It also highlights the proper usage of social media along with standing up for others and for standing up and defending for your beliefs.

Monday, March 7, 2022

Book Review - Loveless by Alice Oseman + Giveaway

 


Georgia is struggling to understand why she is different from her friends. She doesn't crush on anyone and nor does she have any interest in kissing and making out like her friends do. She feels trapped in the current narrative that dating and sex means that you are in love. 

When she enters college she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and she starts to understand more about herself. She decides to disrupt the narrative and choose her own path instead of the one decided at birth. As Georgia learns to discover herself, she makes mistakes along the way but, it opens her up to new people and experiences.

I thought this would be a funny and interesting book to read. I did find Georgia to be relatable but, maybe because I been out of college for a few years but, I found the story a bit boring. I found that it just moved slowly along. While I didn't particularly care for the story, I did like that it was different from other romantic novels and had a different point of views. I feel that young readers/adults on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum or have an interest in it, will enjoy this book more than I did.

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

 

About The Book:

Title: LOVELESS

Author: Alice Oseman

Pub. Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 432

Find it: GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, AudibleB&NiBooks, KoboTBD, Bookshop.org

For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance.

From the marvelous author of Heartstopper comes an exceptional YA novel about discovering that it's okay if you don't have sexual or romantic feelings for anyone . . . since there are plenty of other ways to find love and connection.

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn't understand why she can't crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She's surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It's not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum -- coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she's been told since birth isn't easy -- there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia's determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends. 

 

About Alice Oseman:

Alice Oseman was born in 1994 in Kent, England. She graduated from Durham University and is the author of YA contemporaries Solitaire, Radio Silence, and I Was Born for This. Visit Alice online at aliceoseman.com or on Twitter @AliceOseman.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 





Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of LOVELESS, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/28/2022

Nonbinary Knight Reads

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

2/28/2022

BookHounds YA

Excerpt

2/28/2022

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

3/1/2022

@badlandsbooks_

Review

3/1/2022

Nerdophiles

Review

3/1/2022

@booksaremagictoo

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/1/2022

Kait Plus Books

Excerpt

3/2/2022

Dana's Book Garden

Review

3/2/2022

Reading Wordsmith

Review/IG Post

3/2/2022

@thebookishfoxwitch

Review

3/3/2022

popthebutterfly

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/3/2022

Emelie's Books

Review

3/3/2022

patrickfromperks

TikTok Review or Spotlight

3/4/2022

@emmreadsbooks

Review/IG Post

3/4/2022

onemused

Review/IG Post

3/4/2022

A Bookish Dream

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

3/7/2022

Midnightbooklover

Review

3/7/2022

Eli to the nth

Review

3/7/2022

The Bookwyrm's Den

Review

3/8/2022

YABooksCentral

Excerpt

3/8/2022

Utopia State of Mind

Review/IG Post

3/8/2022

Two Points of Interest

Review

3/9/2022

Not In Jersey

Review/IG Post

3/9/2022

More Books Please blog

Review/IG Post

3/9/2022

@drewsim12

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/10/2022

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

3/10/2022

Celia's Reads-blog

Review/IG Post

3/10/2022

@coffeesipsandreads

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/11/2022

Zainey Laney in all 3

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/11/2022

My Fictional Oasis

Review