Reviews: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett, and Ghostland

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
Author: Chelsea Sedoti
Genre: Young Adult/Psychological/Mystery
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Recommend If You Like: young adult with a side of angst and hope, some mystery with your musings, psychological ponderings

The Book:

Hawthorn is a teenager who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, and who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. So when popular Lizzie Lovett goes missing, Hawthorn sees it as an opportunity to finally live out a great adventure and solve a mystery Inserting herself in the life Lizzie has left behind, a life Hawthorn thought she so desperately wanted, she ends up learning about her own self on her quest for answers.

What I Liked:

First of all, the mystery is really intriguing. I wanted to know what happened to Lizzie right along with Hawthorn. Sedoti does an excellent job with the build up and resolution to the central puzzle.

Sedoti also does a really good job of getting inside her characters' heads. No one comes across as a stereotype. From "mean girl" to "jock" to "loner", Sedoti makes each character three-dimensional and complex.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I almost didn't get past the first few pages of this book, because I had a really hard time liking Hawthorn. But once I pushed past the initial chapter, and Hawthorn became much more of a complex character, I found myself beginning to get sucked in. Hawthorn did still irritate me at times, but she really grew on me as the story progressed.

So...?

I would recommend this book. Just give it time, and don't get discouraged. To me, at least, it was well-worth the read.

Title: Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places

Author: Colin Dickey

Genre: Non-Fiction/Paranormal

Publication Date: October 4, 2016

Recommend If You Like: haunted history, ghost stories, psychological musings, American history

The Book:

Dickey explores places in America that are considered haunted, from abandoned asylums to spooky hotels. Along the way, he examines the role of ghost stories in culture and country.

What I Liked:

This book was right in my wheelhouse! I am fascinated by ghosts, and haunted places, and the stories that surround them. Dickey has clearly done his research, and it has made for a great read.

I also really appreciated Dickey's analysis of what ghost stories have meant to places and people, and how they have served as an attempt to explain or justify historical events.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I just wanted more! I would happily have kept reading more and more stories in this book. I would love it if Dickey wrote more books on this subject.

So...?

I highly recommend this book! It's well-written and really fascinating. 

Review: The Twilight Wife

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: The Twilight Wife

Author: A.J. Banner

Publication Date: December 27, 2016

Genre: Psychological Suspense/Thriller

Recommended If You Like: Before I Go to Sleep, psychological tales, secrets reemerging, learning along with the character

The Book:

Kyra is a marine biologist who was in a terrible diving accident, and has lost many of her memories. She now lives on an isolated island with her husband, Jacob, who takes care of her and acts as her protector when she cannot call up the past.

But as flashes of Kyra's memory start to return, she begins to fear that all may not be as it seems.

What I Liked:

This was a suspenseful read! Banner does an excellent job of having the readers learn things right along with Kyra, so I felt that surprise and shock and disquiet right along with the main character. As I got to the last few chapters, I could not put the book down. I had to know what was the truth, and what was going to happen. There's a scene with a computer...no spoilers here, I promise, but once you hit that spot with Kyra, be prepared to devote the next few hours to finishing this book, because you will have to know what happens next.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I did find that being very familiar with Before I Go to Sleep (it's one of my favorite reads in this genre) did perhaps make it easier to guess what was going to happen next in some parts of the book. But because I loved the plot twists of Before I Go to Sleep, this didn't really bother me.

So...?

Read this book! It's an excellent addition to the psychological suspense genre, and really well-written. You will be hooked.

Reviews: The Ageless Agatha Christie, and Bad Girls Throughout History

This is a must read for all Agatha Christie fans. It's so rare to find any critical analysis of Agatha Christie, my all-time favorite author, so this book was such a treat. As an English major (many years ago), this felt like a warm blanket, and still so accessible.

Different aspects of Christie's works are covered, from the role of women, to her influence on later mystery writers, to aspects of information gathering and recall. There is also a very interesting essay on the movie Agatha, and the controversy and difficulties surrounding it.

I made this my before-bed book, because it required my absolute focus (so I couldn't let my brain drift to any worries or stress), and because, to me, it was a soothing and fascinating read. You can read just one essay at a time, but I would bet you'll get sucked in and find yourself unable to put this book down.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book, or my review itself.

First of all, the illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous. I was captivated by the visual portraits right from the start.

The mini-biographies about each woman are great as well. There were a lot of famous women I had already heard of, but quite a few I knew very little about. With some of the bios I wanted more, but in this case I think that's a good thing. This book has inspired me to go out and learn more about these women and their incredible lives.

What We're Reading Wednesday: December 21, 2016

This one has been on my shelf for a while, and I'm trying to get my last few books in for the Mount TBR challenge. I really enjoy this coffeehouse cozy mystery series, and just a few chapters in it's already getting exciting.

These are my current Kindle reads, and both are really good. I'm about 3/4 of the way done with The Big Book of Jack the Ripper, and it's such a great omnibus. The Twilight Wife is a super intriguing psychological suspense read, in the vein of Before I Go to Sleep.

What are you reading this week?

Review: Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down
Author: Anne Valente
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Genre: Fiction
Recommended If You Like: beautifully written reads on really difficult subjects

The Book:

Four survivors of a school shooting struggle to find a way to memorialize all that has happened, while fires rip through the homes of the fallen's families.

What I Liked:

This is an absolutely beautifully written book. Valente has a gorgeous grasp of language. The book is almost surreal at times, due to Valente's unique writing style, and she really gets at the heart of how different people react during times of tragedy and terror. There is also an overarching mystery that is really intriguing.

Anything I Didn't Like?

This is also a very difficult read. School shootings are always a subject I struggle with reading about, perhaps because they are one of my biggest fears, and still feel so immediate. Valente's grasp of language and writing style also make everything she writes about feel so graphic. I had to put the book down and read lighter fare in between. I started this book in time to have it done before its publication date, but it took me over two months to actually finish reading it.

So...?

I was originally drawn to this book because of the mystery behind it, of who was setting the fires and why. Had I realized just how gut wrenching some of the pages would be, I most likely not have requested a copy. But I would have missed out on a really well-written, emotional, deep read. The ending is not one that I think everyone will necessary be satisfied with, but I was really surprised by how much I thought it really fit.

Reviews: Mind Games, and The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: Mind Games

Author: Heather W. Petty

Publication Date: December 6, 2016

Genre: Mystery

Recommended If You Like: Sherlock Holmes, young adult reads, unique twists on the Sherlock Holmes' canon

The Book:

Picking up where the first book in the series left off (I'm going to avoid spoilers in this review), Mori is reeling from the revelations, and trying to put her life back together. But a new mystery has sprung up, one that directly involves her, her family, and Sherlock Holmes.

What I Liked:

I love what Petty has done with Lock and Mori. They are complex characters that I have come to care deeply about, and to root for.

The mystery is another good one, lots of twists and turns, lots of unexpected revelations. That cliffhanger at the end is amazing!! 

Anything I Didn't Like?

I have a hard time finding anything not to like about this series. If anything, the ending felt a little rushed.

So...?

Thanks to that crazy cliffhanger at the end, I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Title: The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call

Author: Robin Hathaway

Publication Date: January 24, 2000

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Recommended If You Like: creative and fast-paced cozy mysteries

The Book:

A physician gets involved in solving a series of murders that are all accompanied by exact replicas of the crime scenes in an elaborate dollhouse.

What I Liked:

I love how fast-paced this cozy mystery is! Things start happening right away, and don't let up. But Hathaway still manages to create interesting characters, and a mystery with good clues and a clever resolution.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I felt when the doctor's possible paramour came into play, things slowed down a little. Her addition didn't really seem necessary--the doctor was already a humanized and likable character.

So...

This has been sitting on my shelf for a while, and I'm really glad I finally picked it up. This is a clever, fun mystery that manages to never really drag.

Top Ten Tuesday, and Rebecca's Tale

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful The Broke and The Bookish!

This Top Ten Tuesday is Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in the First Half of 2017!

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Title: Rebecca's Tale

Author: Sally Beauman

Publication Date: January 30, 2007

Genre: Gothic/Mystery

Recommend If You Like: Rebecca, Wide Sargasso Sea, continuations of literary classics

The Book:

Everyone thinks they know Rebecca's story. But when a mysterious person starts sending Rebecca's notebooks to her old friend, the cracks in the tale begin to show.

What I Liked:

I am automatically intrigued by a book that promises a continuation on a story I really enjoyed, and Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a great Gothic classic.

Beauman puts an intriguing spin on the mystery behind what truly happened to Rebecca all those years ago, and utilizes some excellent and surprising twists to keep this an intriguing mystery.

Anything I Didn't Like?

The book feels too long. I love a good, epic tale, but Rebecca's Tale felt like it contained too much filler.

So...?

I wouldn't say drop everything and read this book, but if you liked Rebecca, I would recommend giving Rebecca's Tale a chance.