Book Review - The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology by Nita A. Farahany

 

The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology by Nita Farahany is a plea for countries to update their laws to protect people against the advancement of neurotechnologies. Imagine a world where someone can determine what you are thinking by your brain waves or figure out your political beliefs by analyzing your thought patterns. Or your thoughts being used as evidence for a crime you didn’t commit but thought about. In the near future, your own thoughts and feelings might be used against you.

On the flip side, a person suffering from epilepsy can receive an alert before a seizure. Students can consume drugs that can help them perform and remember better on exams. A person who is experiencing a traumatizing event can take a pill to help them navigate their circumstances better. Doctors can help people fight their addictions and live a better and fulfilling life. 

Neuroscience has made a lot of these things possible already. Neurotechnology will pave the way for humans to greatly benefit from our interactions with technology.  While it can be beneficial, it can also threaten our personal freedom if safeguards are not put in place. 

The book is a dense and informative read. The author spends time giving a brief description of current technology and how it is being currently used. She then explains why we would need to have safeguards in place for each particular tech. I like that the author also illustrates the impact of not having any laws in place for that tech and how it could adversely impact our lives.

I found the book to be an educational read. I learned a lot about the different tech and the advancements that companies and scientists were making in the field. I thought the author brought up a lot of good points and she made a strong case on why laws protecting our brain activity/thoughts are important. I agree with the majority of her points that these technologies would help advance us but can be detrimental if there is no limit on how the information is used— especially if a person’s information is used against them.

Book Review - Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

 

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is about a young woman who experiences love for the first time. Adelaide Williams is a twenty six year old American living in London. She and her friends love the city but they need to find permanent jobs to secure a visa in order to stay longer.  Adelaide has a passion for publishing but takes on a high paying tech job to be able to stay in London. Adelaide is in love with the city and her life but she still thinks there’s something missing: companionship. She decides that she wants to start dating and downloads a dating app.

After a string of meaningless one night stands that taper out, Adelaide feels that maybe she isn’t meant to be loved. All that changes when she crosses paths with Rory Hughes, who feels like a breath of fresh air. He looks like a Disney prince and looks exactly like what Adelaide would consider her dream guy to be.

As Adelaide and Rory start spending time together, she feels that something is missing from their relationship. She realizes that he isn’t attentive to her, he doesn’t honor their plans, he doesn’t make advance plans, he doesn’t always respond to texts, and he makes her sleep in a separate bed.  However, when they do meet up and do spend time together, Rory is a bright light that chases all the darkness from her life. Adelaide is convinced that deep down in his heart, Rory feels the same way about her as she does about him. He just has a hard time displaying his love for her.

An unexpected tragedy occurs that rocks both of their worlds. Rory seems to be drifting and unable to cope with life and how things are going. As Adelaide tries to be a pillar for Rory and to be a shining light in his life, she stops at nothing to cheer him up even if it means losing herself in the process.

The novel started off with Adelaide checking into a hospital because she has suicidal thoughts after a breakup. The novel is broken into past and present with Adelaide narrating most of the story. We did occasionally get a sneak peek into Rory’s life.

The novel started off interesting. I tried to understand why Adelaide was feeling suicidal as in the beginning her life seems like it was going great. However, it quickly becomes clear when we read about her and Rory’s relationship. The book goes on for pages after pages of Adelaide staying in a relationship in which she isn’t treasured. She is so desperate to be loved that she is willing to put up with being in a relationship with a  guy who clearly doesn’t love her and she even admits to knowing he would never love her.

I like romantic novels as much as any other person but, there was only so much of Adelaide’s flawed relationship I could read. I am not sure why she kept putting up with Rory’s inattentiveness and harsh behavior. It was like seeing a friend constantly  being used as a punching bag, after a while you feel upset and annoyed at your friend for not sticking up for themselves. The book goes on like that for a while and then the author explains why Adelaide stays with Rory. It does explain why she stayed with him but, it doesn’t erase the annoyance of having her basically hanging by a thread before she seeks help. 

The book also goes into so much detail about random things that just seemed pointless. I felt like the book could have been shorter with less mini plotlines.  Unless you want to read a book where a young woman ignores every single red flag and read about every single tedious detail about her life, then skip this book.

Book Review - The Swallowtail Legacy 2: Betrayal by the Book by Michael D. Beil

 

Betrayal By the Book by Michael D. Beil is about a young girl who tries to solve a murder. Twelve year old Lark is excited about the upcoming writer’s conference. For a week, Swallowtail Island hosts the Swallowtales Writers Conference that brings writers, publishers, agents, and fellow book lovers together for exclusive book related content.

Lark is ecstatic when she is assigned to be a page for her favorite author, Ann E. Keyhart. Lark  has devoured and re-read Ann’s book several times and Lark considers the book to be one of her favorites. Ann arrives on the island after agreeing at the last minute to do the conference. She brings her bubbly assistant, Didi, with her. However, Lark quickly learns what the saying means about never meeting your idols.

Lark tries to do her job as a page for Ann professionally but Lark can see why many people don’t like her. Ann is pushy, aggressive, and mean to everyone and always needs to get her way. Thus when Didi needs help finding a place on the island, Lark jumps at the chance to help Didi, while Ann gets ready to attend the conference. At least this way, Lark can get a small break from the author.

Didi takes Lark to a special place on the island where Didi decided she wanted to be a writer. The duo bond before Lark takes off to prepare for the conference. Later in the day, Lark is devastated to learn that Didi ends up dead. When the cause of her death is disclosed, Lark feels like something doesn’t add up.

Lark feels that someone else might have been the target instead. As Lark digs deeper into the case, a few things stand out to her, like Ann has tons of enemies and Didi’s computer vanishes from the hotel suite she was staying in. She also finds out that Didi had a glass bird that is very similar to the one Lark’s late mother had. Will Lark be able to figure out what happened to Didi?

This middle grade level book is the second in the series and can be read as a standalone. There is a wider mystery that connects the two books in the series, though. I found the book to be an entertaining read and it was fun trying to guess who was behind the murder and their motive. It was a bit predictable but I enjoyed reading along with Lark and her adventures.

However, the one thing I didn’t like was that the entire book had a lot of coincidences. For example, it just so happens the person that Lark was searching for was in the right area at the right time. Then Didi’s roommate, Suzy, just so happened to performing in the same location that Didi was. It would be fun if it happens once or so but, it was just too many coincidences for it to be realistic. If you liked the first book, then you would enjoy the next book in the series.

Book Review - The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

 

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is about two lovers who were caught in the middle of World War II, and a daughter's search for the truth.  In Weimar, Germany in 1929, a group of young intellectuals gathered at a party to celebrate life. At the party, two artists meet and find themselves drawn  to each other.

Max Ehrlick is a skilled Austrian Jewish architect and Bettina Vogel is a celebrated avant-garde painter. After meeting at the party, Max and Bettina find themselves spending every moment in each others’ presence. Months later, they feel that their relationship starts to be threatened by the rising threat of the Nazis. As Bettina is a German woman and Max is a Jewish man, they are unable to marry, and have to keep their relationship under wraps. They move to Berlin hoping that they are far enough away to keep Max safe.

They moved to Dachau as life in Berlin had gotten too expensive and they were not able to afford their lifestyle any longer. They figured that Bettina would move back home with her mother and brother and Max would work at the porcelain factory to help save money. They decided that the Nazi regime’s influence had gotten too big and that they needed to escape before it became too late.

The pair decided that they saved enough money after Bettina sold some of her artwork and Max had been putting aside his wages from the factory. They agree to meet at the train station to plan their escape. Bettina patiently waits for him until late at night but Max never shows up. She finds out later that he was arrested by someone close to Bettina and was sent to a concentration camp.

As luck would have it, Max gets reassigned to work back in the factory where he was caught. Max is thankful for his stroke of luck as he managed to befriend someone in charge of the factory. He spends his day toiling away at creating elegant porcelain figures. The people in the Nazi regime love these porcelain figurines and they buy them to show loyalty to the Nazis.  Max knows that his talent is the only thing keeping him from certain death, or hard labor in the camps.

Bettina is desperate to find Max and reconnect with him. She meets with someone from their past and the pair together tries to find out where Max is. She decides to cook up a desperate plan when she finds out where Max is. Bettina is willing to risk everything to find Max and escape Germany with him.

In 1993 in America, Clara, Bettina’s daughter, travels across the country to search for the truth about her father. Her mother has kept her father’s identity a secret from Clara. Clara was never sure why Bettina thought it was important to hide her father’s identity but Clara didn’t want to upset Bettina by demanding that she tell her the truth. The only piece of the puzzle Clara has is a collection of small figurines that her mother treasured. As Clara digs further into  her mother’s past, she realizes that there is more there than her mother  was letting on.

The novel is a love story that spans across continents and decades between lovers that were torn from each other because of World War II. The book is told from alternating points of view: from Bettina in the past and Clara in the present. In the beginning, it was confusing to distinguish the change in time periods and narratives. When Clara was remembering a moment in the past with her mother, it then switched to another moment from the past and it was confusing to me. The story had mentioned conflicting information but I was also reading the uncorrected draft of the novel and perhaps this was fixed when the book is going to be published. 

It was an interesting and emotional read at times. I like reading the dual timelines and trying to figure out who Clara’s father was. Also, I  liked reading about Bettina’s and Max’s romance blossoming and then withering under the Nazi regime. I enjoyed Clara’s portion as she tries to be a dutiful daughter and respect her mother’s wishes but she wants to find out about her own past. I felt for Clara and at times, I wished she pushed Bettina a bit harder to find out the truth as I felt that it could have been a moment for the two of them to bond. I feel that the two women had a fractured relationship. Clara always seemed to be walking on eggshells around her mother and this secret was a missed opportunity to heal past trauma.  If you love epic love stories with a hint of mystery and history, then you might enjoy this book.

Book Review - The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

 

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton is about a young girl, Ella Durand, who gets to attend a magical school. Eleven year old Ella will be the first Conjuror to attend the Arancum Training Institute. The Arcanum is a magical school that is located in the clouds were Marvellers, people who can use magic, attend to learn and practice their magic.  There are a lot of different types of magic, like blending Indian spices to create elixirs, bartering with mischievous Irish pixies, and even knitting that can see into the future.

Ella is excited to be accepted into the school. However, she knows that being the first for anything isn’t always easy and a lot of people are not accepting of change. She tries her best to fit in but she is met with hostility by students and teachers alike. Ella eventually finds kindred spirits with two fellow students and her mentor, Masterji Thakur. Her roommate, Brigit, is a girl who hates magic and doesn’t want to be at school. She would rather be back in NYC with her guardian. Jason was assigned to be Ella’s guide around school and he likes being around magical creatures.

Just when Ella finally finds a community that is supportive of her, the unthinkable happens. A dangerous criminal, the Ace of Anarchy, escapes from her prison. It looks like she was able to escape with the help of a Conjuror. Everyone is worried what the Ace is up to and Ella becomes a person of interest. Ella’s support system crumbles when Masterji Thakur unexpectedly goes on vacation and isn’t available. She decides that she will have to rely on her friends and her growing powers, if she is to clear her name and find Masterji Thakur.

I thought that the book was an interesting read. I like that the author included characters and food from various cultures. I thought this was going to be a Harry Potter novel copy but it had a lot of good things going for it but the execution could have been better. The author did create an extraordinary sounding world. It seemed like a magical and amazing place. However, I wish the author went into more details about certain things. The author would use world specific terms or talk about something, without going into much detail about it. I felt like a lot of things were left unexplained, such as: why does that elevator appear for Ella? Do the people who lose their powers gain it back? Why were the conjurors left out? I am hoping that the author goes into more detail about it in the next novel.

At times, the book moved very slowly and nothing would happen. Towards the end of the novel, the plot starts to pick up but the interaction with the villain lasts like a blink of an eye. It did seem a bit random because the villain and Ella didn’t know each other. I wish the author went into more detail or provided more action packed scenes. While the characters were interesting and diverse, sometimes I had a hard time liking Ella. She was unnecessarily mean to Jason when he was trying to show her around the school. Then  another time she got mad and jealous over the attention Bridgit got when she won the mini planet toy. I would have liked it if Ella spent some time explaining why she felt certain ways. I am curious to read more about Ella and her classmates' newest adventure.

Book Review - Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

 

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall is about a young woman named Linden James, who is trying to find out the truth about her strange disappearance experience last year. 

The rural Caball Hollow is surrounded by the vast National Forest. It is home to the James family who own a farm and local eatery, the Harvest Moon Diner, in the area. 

The family is well known in the area for their delicious food and it’s an open secret that they’re witches. However, that isn’t the only “secret” they are keeping, this one not so open. Linden and every female in her family tree, is born with an unusual ability. Linden can taste what other people are feeling.

Linden usually loves her gift until it costs her her relationship with Cole Spencer to sour one night. The pair grew up together and then their relationship blossomed into a romantic one. Everything was going great between the two of them, until Linden did something she was told by her family she should never do. She decided to tell an outsider more about her secret ability. She thought Cole would be excited but she tasted his confused and fearful emotions instead. Then he started pushing her away and told her to go back home.

Linden was upset from her interaction with Cole and left him to go back home. She later decides that she shouldn’t let Cole get in the way of her plans. She decides to join her friends in the depth of the forest for a party. Everything was going well, until she woke up hours later in the woods with no memories of what happened that night. All Linden can recall are hazy bits that suggest that a lot more happened to her that night than she can remember.

A few months pass and now, it’s another hot day in summer and one of the hottest summers so far. Things seem to be going well, until another girl, Dahlia, goes missing in the forest. It seems to be very similar to Linden’s experience last year except this time, the missing girl is found dead. When her body is found, it is clear that the girl was murdered.

Linden knew Dahlia and Linden was also the one who found the body. She is determined to find out what happened to her friend. However, as she begins digging, it becomes clear that someone is trying to keep the past buried and they will do anything to keep it that way. Will Linden be able to find out the truth about her friend’s murder and her disappearance last year, and if there’s a connection?

The book was an interesting read and had some vivid imagery. It had some spooky and paranormal elements. However, I felt that the book was dragging some of the time and it took a while before the author got into the meat of the story. At times, there was a lot going on and it was hard to keep track of who was speaking and what was going on and how it related to the story.

The romance between Cole and Linden could have been fleshed out more. It seemed to me that they were once pretty close but then they had a falling out. It seems obvious that they both liked each other and Cole was always still friendly and nice to her even though they didn’t talk. Linden seemed to have feelings for Cole as well. I also didn’t understand why Cole pushed her away that night. If he knew “something”, it seemed that they had a strong relationship and they both trusted each other— It just seems weird that he wouldn’t tell her especially when she was so open with him.

I love the relationships and the scenes with Linden and her sisters and family. The dynamics were fun and most of the time, Linden was open and honest with her sisters. They did things together and they didn’t keep any secrets from each other. I do wish that the sisters had more of a role when Linden was searching for the killer. I did like side plots with Rowan’s and Hadrian’s cat and mouse antics with each other. They seemed like a cute couple and I liked their scenes together.  I also liked the scenes with Linden’s aunt, Sissy, I thought she was a fun character. I wished to learn more about her backstory and why she decided to come back home. The James family are portrayed as strong and powerful witches but they rarely showcased their abilities and didn’t help Linden with her quest to find answers.

I thought I would have been able to guess who the killer was and I was able to guess it towards the end. However, I didn’t get the motivation and that was surprising to me. I wished the author spent more time explaining the ending and certain loose ends.

Book Spotlight - Looking Up by Stephan Pastis

 

About the Books:

Title: LOOKING UP

Author: Stephan Pastis

Pub. Date: October 10, 2023

Publisher: Aladdin

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 240

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/LOOKING-UP

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Timmy Failure series comes a quirky and heartwarming middle grade novel about a girl struggling with loneliness and the curveballs of life—featuring black and white illustrations throughout!

Living alone with her mother in a poorer part of town, Saint—a girl drawn to medieval knights, lost causes, and the protection of birthday piñatas—sees the neighborhood she has always known and loved disappearing around her: old homes being torn down and replaced by fancy condos and coffee shops. But when her favorite creaky old toy store is demolished, she knows she must act.

Enlisting the help of Daniel “Chance” McGibbons, a quiet, round-faced boy who lives across the street (and whose house also faces the wrecking ball), Saint hatches a plan to save what is left of her beloved hometown.

 

PRAISE FOR LOOKING UP

“Will delight readers. The story is generously illustrated with Pastis’ characteristic black-and-white cartoon line drawings … Pastis fills this deceptively simple first-person account with humor, puns, turns, and twists—and the final twist gives this friendship tale its surprising depth. Words and art combine to create a moving story.” – Kirkus Reviews 

 

“Deceptively funny illustrated novel about loneliness and grief …Pastis’s distinctive, heavily lined b&w illustrations effectively convey the protagonists’ depth of emotion via amiable faces composed of two dots for eyes and a curve nose, while prose contains his signature absurd humor, which lightens this meditation on mourning.”– Publishers Weekly 

 

“Readers will rally around Daniel, Saint, and elderly toy store owner Muffins, while seeing the dilemmas faced by Saint’s mom and Daniel’s uncle, who are struggling to make ends meet and care for their children. With this hilarious book and its comical black-and-white illustrations throughout, Pastis once again reaches out to reluctant readers with a multilayered tale of loss, grief, and growing up. With an imaginative ending that will make readers think, there is more than meets the eye in this funny gem.”– School Library Journal

 

“A fabulous chapter book that, to an extent, doubles as an all-age graphic novel too. There’s so much to love about Looking Up that you won’t be sure what your favorite aspect of the book is. The humor fires on all cylinders. The heart of the book sneaks up on readers and provides a story on dealing with the ups and downs of life, as well as the invaluable worth of a great friend. If you’re in middle elementary school or middle school, you will love this book. It provides those ages something to learn, but it’s wrapped alongside so much humor and fun that it will be irresistible to all ages eight and up.” – Daddy Mojo  

 

About Stephan Pastis:

Stephan Pastis is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pearls Before Swine, which appears in over 800 newspapers. He is also the creator of the Timmy Failure book series and the cowriter of the Disney+ movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two kids. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LOOKING UP, US ONLY.

Ends October 10^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/25/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
9/25/2023	@hodophile_z	IG Post
9/26/2023	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
9/26/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
9/27/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Blog Spotlight
9/27/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
9/28/2023	Gryffindorbookishnerd	IG Review
9/28/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
9/29/2023	@dharashahauthor	IG Post
9/29/2023	avainbookland	IG Review

Week Two:

10/2/2023	Get outside and read	IG Post
10/2/2023	@evergirl200	IG Review
10/3/2023	The Momma Spot	Review
10/3/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
10/4/2023	FUONLYKNEW	Review
10/4/2023	@pagesforpaige	IG Review
10/5/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
10/5/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
10/6/2023	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
10/6/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review

 

 

 

STEPHAN PASTIS’ BOOK TOUR

 Monday, October 9, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Rakestraw Books

3 Railroad Avenue

Danville, CA 94526

 

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 7:30pm ET

In-store event at The Bookmark Shoppe

8415 3rd Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11209

 

Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

In-store event at Chicago Comics

3244 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60657

 

Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 12:00pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Source Booksellers

Detroit Public Library

5201 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48202

 

Sunday, October 15, 2023 at 12:00pm ET

In-store event at Barnes & Noble

4015 Medina Road

Akron, OH 44333

 

Monday, October 16, 2023 at 7:00pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Politics and Prose Bookstore

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue

Takoma Park, MD 20912

 

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 5:30pm ET

In-store event at The Writer’s Block Bookstore

316 N. Park Avenue

Winter Park, FL 32789

 

Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 6:30pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Brave + Kind Bookshop

Atlanta-Fulton Central Library

1 Margaret Mitchell Square

Atlanta, GA 30303

 

Friday, October 20, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

Off-site event hosted by Left Bank Books

St. Louis Public Library – Schlafly Library

225 N. Euclid Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63108

 

Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

In-store event at novel.

387 Perkins Extd

Memphis, TN 38117

 

Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 3:00pm CT

In-store event at Garden District Book Shop

2727 Prytania Street, Unit 14

New Orleans, LA 70130

 

Monday, October 23, 2023 at 7:00pm CT

In-store event at Blue Willow Bookshop

14532 Memorial Drive

Houston, TX 77079

 

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 6:30pm MT

Off-site event hosted by The Bookies

Teller Elementary School

1150 Garfield Street

Denver, CO 80206

 

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 6:30pm MT

In-store event at Changing Hands Bookstore

6428 S. McClintock Drive

Tempe, AZ 85283

 

Friday, October 27, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

3555 Rosencrans Street, Suite 107

San Diego, CA 92110

 

Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 6:30pm PT

In-store event at Barnes & Noble

Creekside Town Center

1256 Galleria Boulevard

Roseville, CA 95678

 

Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 3:00pm PT

In-store event at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hill Crossing

3415 SW Cedar Hills Boulevard

Beaverton, OR 97005

 

Monday, October 30, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Third Place Books

17171 Bothell Way NE #A101

Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

Book Review - The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

 

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan is about two teenagers surviving a mass murder at a summer camp. Sloan was excited to start her new summer job as a counselor at a local summer camp. It was her chance to get away from her overbearing adoptive mother. At the camp, she meets another counselor there, Cherry. Cherry has everything going for her and is the center of attention at camp. Sloan finds herself drawn to the electric Cherry.

The pair find themselves bonding and are drawn to each other from the first few days of meeting. A few days into the camp session, a group of masked men stormed the summer camp and murdered everyone except for Cherry and Sloan. Months later, the Cherry and Sloan lean on each other as they process their traumatic experience.

Sloan is working with a professional to help her cope with the experience. Sloan’s mind has repressed the traumatic event and she doesn’t remember much from the night, other than what Cherry has told her. As Sloan begins her sessions in hopes of getting answers to what happened, she feels that there is something missing from her newly surfaced memory and that Cherry is keeping a secret from her. Sloan fears that Cherry might have been involved with the murders and isn’t just a survivor like she claims to be. Cherry claims that she doesn’t have any idea what Sloan is referring to and that she (Cherry) was lucky to have gotten out of the camp alive. Will Sloan be able to remember the events from that fateful night?

I was very excited to read the book when I saw the cover. It’s always the perfect time for a good horror or thriller. However, this book was an utter disappointment. The characters were all dull and boring. Even when Sloan found evidence that Cherry might be lying, she still went back to her. She kept acting like a defenseless child and would run into the arms of someone who might actually end up hurting her. The book goes on like this for a while and then the ending comes out of nowhere. The ending in itself was very confusing and I had a hard time understanding what was going on. I felt like the author didn’t know exactly how to end the book. It left so many unresolved questions and I felt like I read an incomplete book. I thought this was going to be a thriller or murder mystery but it was more about two teenagers dealing with trauma. The book could have been executed a bit better.