Books

My Unfinished Series

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Hi Friends,
Let’s talk about all the book series I need to finish, and a few I might not. I am horrible at starting a series and never finishing it. I prefer standalone books, yet I can’t resist a good series.


This is a magical realism contemporary trilogy following two sisters. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this series, since this isn’t my go-to genre. Nevertheless, the story and characters captivated me. I would like to reread the first book, Caraval, before continuing on with the series. All the books have been released, so I’ll probably binge-read them all sometimes next year.

This is a set of companion novels marketed as a series. The first book is ‘My Lady Jane’, which is a historical reimagining of Lady Jane Grey. The next book follows Jane Eyre, and the last Calamity Jane. I have only read the first book, but would like to finish the series fairly soon. This author trio does have a new book out about Mary, Queen of Scots, which I’d also like to eventually read.

Truth be told, I started the series because of its stunning cover. Yep, it was a cover buy. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed by the story. The overall plot was interesting enough, but I found the book slow and boring at times. Also, the love story was a snooze. And there are 10 books in the series? Seriously? What is this ‘The Immortal Instruments’? Do I really care enough about these  characters to read nine more books? Probably not.

Sadly, another likely DNF series. If you remember the old days of Booktube and book blogging, then you have probably heard about these books. A young adult dystopian trilogy with a bachelor-type plot, sounds cool, right? Wrong. Maybe I’m strange, because I didn’t love the first book. I didn’t exactly hate it, but, eh. Also, I can’t seem to bring myself to finish the series. I fear that reading it will put me into a reading slump. On top of everything, the author released a companion duology that wasn’t well received. I’m just not sure I want to force myself to read something I have no interest in.

This series is pretty special to me. I remember getting the entire trilogy for my 15th birthday. But for some reason, I’ve never picked up the last book in the series. I remember enough of the first and second books to not have reread of them, at least. So, I just need to bite the bullet and pick up the final book. Plus, I’d like to finish the series so I can watch the HBO series adaption that I’ve heard about.

I am dying to read the next book in this YA sci-fi, dystopian trilogy. The books follow multiple characters perspectives, and the ending of the first book took me completely by surprise. I am curious to see where the author takes the story. In case you’re interested, I have a review for the first book in this trilogy, if you’d like to know my more in-depth thoughts on it.

This series gives me Sherlock Holmes energy and I am here for it. The characters, forensics aspect and slow burn romance is magnificent. I have been putting off these books, because they take me a while to read. They are mainly plot-driven and are somewhat drawn out. Still, the writing and stories are fantastic.

I am probably one of the only people in the world that hasn’t read this series in its entirety. To my surprise, I enjoyed ‘The Hunger Games’ a lot. Tried picking up ‘Catching Fire’ soon after, but wasn’t in the mood for it. But I would like to finish the series off, since I have seen mostly all the film adaptations. Can one truly be a book lover if they’ve only seen the movie, and not the book its based on. I think not!

This is a cheesy trilogy that boarders on middle grade, and follows a group of young Robin Hood-esque thieves. Sure, it isn’t a great work of fiction, and it’s a bit too much like a Nickelodeon series, but it’s a fun and easy read. Finishing this series isn’t top priority, but I do plan on continuing with it. If anything, they’ll be entertaining.

This series got me hooked on audiobooks! The books are read by Sarah Drew (April on Grey’s Anatomy), which made for a great reading experience. The story takes place in a dystopian world where love is seen as a disease. I was riding high on this book after I read it back in 2013, but my taste in books has changed and the story doesn’t interest too much anymore. Maybe too much time has past for me to continue with the series. I’m not writing it off forever, but I’m also not 100% sure I’ll ever finish the series.

I still have to finish a certain series that ‘Shall Not Be Named’, but I refuse to talk about those books on my blog. Let me know in the comments if any of these are one of your favorite series. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog, and like this post.

Until The Next Chapter,

Bunny

One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

Title: One Of Us Is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller

One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Source: Goodreads

I went into this book with low expectations, considering that the reviews aren’t the best. The book started off fairly slow, but from there, it got right into the main plot. Unlike others, I was a fan of the writing style. The characters were the typical ‘Breakfast Club’ stereotypes. However, you could see growth and development throughout the story. The author took a lot of time on their personalities and lives. They all had secrets of their own, which I will admit were pretty mediocre. Although, I was spoiled for one of the secrets, but I probably would have figured it out before it’s reveal.

Now, if you’re looking for a shocking mystery thriller, then this book probably isn’t for you. It seemed like a Lifetime original movie that was trying to be “Pretty Little Liars”. Personally, I enjoy Lifetime movies. But I can see readers being split on how the book handles certain topics, especially mental health. I struggle with mental illness myself and thought the representation was a little far fetched. Still it was an interesting take on the topic.

“Things’ll get worse before they get better.”

Most people probably won’t find the twist at the end particularly surprising. Some might even call it predictable. Maybe I am just clueless, because I thought the ending was pretty clever on the author’s part. I haven’t read too many mystery thrillers at this point in my life, so I’m judging this from a newbies perspective. I would be interested to see how I feel about the book in a few years, when I have more mystery thriller reads under my belt.

After reading the book I am excited to read Karen M. McManus other works. She could become a new favorite author of mine. This was a shorter review, but sometimes I don’t have much to say about the book. One last point, try going into it the story with an open mind. Don’t let reviews, good or bad, sway you one way or another. There are trigger warnings for this book, but unfortunately knowing them will spoil the book. If that doesn’t bother you visit Book Trigger Warning to view them all.

If you have read the book, leave me your thoughts in the comments. Please don’t leave any spoiler for the for others that haven’t read it yet. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, go ahead and subscribe to the blog to get notifications about new content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Haul // August 2021

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
In August, I went a little book buying crazy, which is pretty rare. Typically I wait to receive books as gifts and hardly buy any throughout the year. The only expectation is secondhand and discounted books. Also, I am big about not buying books I haven’t read. Nevertheless, the book lover inside me couldn’t contain themself this month. To be honest, I’m not mad about it.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
This book is giving me all those fall vibes. It has to do with witches, obviously, and a girl that has element magic. Basically, she has different powers in each season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). I haven’t seen anyone talk about it, so I am going into it pretty blind. It seems to be a underrated 2021 release.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
The first book in a YA mystery series about a boarding school, a true crime lover and an unsolved mystery. If you follow the book community than you have probably heard nothing but good things about this series. Also, who doesn’t love a good private school book. I have been on a mystery and thriller kick lately, so this one was an automatic buy.

Finale by Stephanie Garber
This is the last book in the Caraval trilogy. The first and second books were given to me as gifts a couple of years. I was very excited to see a hardback copy for under $10, so now my collection is complete.

Lucky in Love by Kase West
I believe I’ve shared before that I am a major Kasie West fan. I don’t have any of her books, so I was happy to get one at an affordable price. This is one of her releases that I have yet to read. But I did read ‘Windfall’ by Jennifer E. Smith, which has a similar plot. I didn’t care for that book, still I am hoping Kasie West doesn’t disappoint me.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
The Twisted Tale books always rope me in, which I’m not sure is a good thing. I have read Conceal, Don’t Feel and Unbirthday, and have reviews for both of them. From the title, you can probably suspect this is an Aladdin retelling. The book tales the story if Aladdin had never found the lamp. It seem like very interesting plot twist that I am looking forward in reading.

Blackout by Various Authors
I didn’t know anything about this book before buying it. But I noticed that Angie Thomas was one of the authors, so I knew it would be a awesome read. After reading the synopsis, I learned that the book is a collection of short contemporary stories that follow black teens. I am all about reading more diverse books, and YA contemporaries steal my heart. My opinion on short story collections vary , but I haven’t written them off yet.

The Girl in the Headlines by Hannah Jayne
This is young adult thriller that I have heard nothing about. It is a Lizzie Burden type story with a interesting twist. Our main character has a seemingly perfect life. But her world comes crashing down when she wakes up on the day after her eighteen birthday with no memory of what happened the night before. She learns that her parents have been brutally murdered and she’s the prime suspect. If that synopsis doesn’t intrigue then you are going to be missing out.

All the Pretty Things by Emily Arsenault
I’m not sure if this will turn out to be psychological thriller, mystery or horror. The plot follows a teenager girl, who’s best friend ends up in a psych hospital after finding a dead body. The murder has been caught, but the main character isn’t convinced they committed the crime. I perdict it to be a mystery with a lot of suspense.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This is a young adult mystery thriller series that has been recommended to me countless times. I hear that it is a great for readers new to the thriller genre. It seems to have great a rating, so I am curious to see my thoughts on it.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Yep another Kasie West book purchases. However, I have read this one and adored it. It is probably one of my favorite book from her. It is a young adult enemies-to-lovers story, which is one of my favorite tropes.

There you have my smallish book haul. I am most likely going to go on a short book buying ban. I can’t remember the books on my wishlist, and with the holidays approaching I would hate to buy a book that I might be gifted. Let me know in the comments any books you’ve recently purchased. Don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Sunkissed // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

Title: Sunkissed
Author: Kasie West
Published: 2021
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Fan favorite Kasie West is back with another unforgettable summer romance that reminds us falling in love is full of wonder, heartache, and—most of all—surprises.
Source: Goodreads

Reading six of Kasie West books has made her one of my favorite authors. I love her writing style and lighthearted young adult romances. When I heard she was releasing a summertime contemporary this year I 100% thought it would be a 5 star read. However, this book frustrated me to no end. I am going to try not to make this a rant review, but it might end up that way. Sorry.

The book is set at a summer resort where there is no cell service or internet. Are main character, Avery, and her family are staying there for a month. Right off the bat, the love interest left me with a sour taste in my mouth. He completely judged, Avery, and never truly apologized for it. Also, his whole broody musician personality was so annoying. I get it you’re dealing with a lot of shit, but so is everyone else.

“Sometimes staying in the box we’ve made for ourselves is so easy. It’s comfortable and familiar in there. And a lot of times, the people around us want us to stay in there, too, because that’s how they’ve always known us: in that box.”

Probably the biggest issue I had with the story was Avery’s personality. She was so passive it drove me insane. Honestly, she is exactly like my mom, who I love her to death, but found that I cannot read a character like her. She would let everyone walk all over her, and never stood up for herself. Her excuse was that she didn’t like conflict, but sometimes in life conflict is necessary. Another infuriating thing was how rude her so called “love interest” friends were towards her at the end of the book. At one point her “boyfriend” did stick up for her, but in my opinion it was too little, too late. I guess bros over hoes.

I did enjoy some of the resort worker we got to know, and that they welcomed Avery into their group with open arms. Avery’s sister Lauren was another one of my favorite characters. At first, Lauren comes off as self-absorbed but really she was just immature. By the end, you could tell she cared about her sister and wanted her to be happy. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and transform into a nice sisterly bond. Besides the sisterly aspect, I don’t feel like family was a major aspect of the story. It is more of a story about self-discovery and finding your passion.

I am not here to say that this book is trash. I am glad that I picked it up and it hasn’t turned me off from Kasie West. Because her writing style is still amazing. This book just didn’t give me the feels her past ones had. Hopefully her next release will redeem this book.

Let’s chat in the comments about this book. Also, like, share and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // September 2021

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
It is TBR time once again. I am shocked that we are already at September, where has the year gone. August was a great reading month for me. I ended up hitting my reading goal for the year! I have officially read 30 books in 2021. Yay, me! But that doesn’t me I plan on slowing down my reading anytime soon. I would still love to make progress on my owned tbr. I have tons of books that I haven’t read, which is overwhelming. Starting now I will be putting two books in my collection on my monthly tbr. Let’s start talking books!

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
As part of the Twisted Tales series, the book follows the story of if Aladdin never found the lamp. This is a newer edition to my book collection, but I have been wanting to read one retellings this year. I have a feeling it is going to be a good fall read.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
This is the second book from my shelves that I want to read in September. I am anticipation it to be a solid read, since I am all for an enemies-to-lovers story. And, lighthearted contemporary will never get old in my book. I haven’t read anything by this author, and I hear that I am missing out.

The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott
This is most likely a hard hitting contemporary that will give me all the feels. Rachael Lippincott is one of the writers of ‘Five Feet Apart’, which I read in August. If you want to know my thoughts on that book subscribe to the blog to get notified when my review for it goes live.

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus
In August, I read ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, and knew that I had to read the companion novel soon after. This story follows the young sister of a character from the previous story. It has to do with a dangerous game of ‘Truth or Dare’. It sound creepy, but not to scary.

The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) by Katharine McGee
I have been wanting to continue on with this series for a while, so why not now. After the events of book one, I am nervous and delighted to jump back into this story. I don’t know where the author plans to take the story, but I prefer to go into this book blind.

Tell me what’s on your September tbr in the comments below. Did you enjoy this post? Then why not like and share it. And, subscribe for all things bookish and more.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

On The Fence // Book Review

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Title: On The Fence
Author: Kasie West
Published: 2014
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

 

With three older brothers, Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, has always been more comfortable calling the shots on a basketball court than flirting with the opposite sex. So when her police officer dad demands she get a summer job to pay for the latest in a long line of speeding tickets. She’s more than a little surprised to find herself working at a chichi boutique. And going out with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game. Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with her neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. Sitting back-to-back against the fence that separates them. Braden may know her better than anyone. But there’s a secret Charlie’s keeping that even he hasn’t figured out—she’s fallen for him. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win. But if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.
Source: Google Books

If you are in the mood for a fluffy, cute YA contemporary then this is the book for you. I am slowly working my way through Kasie West books, and wanted to pick up one of her older works. The story follows a teenage girl who has always been one of the guys. She is a sports-loving tomboy. And, the only girl in a household of men. She has a close relationship with her brothers and long-time neighbor.

I enjoyed the family relationship immensely. Although, they weren’t a huge focus in the story, her brothers were a great side characters. You could see the love they had for each other. As for the romance part, this is a sweet friends-to-lovers story that I wasn’t able to put down. Charlie was a very relatable female protagonist. She was blunt, imperfect and put up strong front. But she was willing to try new things like modeling and makeup. I liked how she didn’t judge people, because they were different from her.

“Bedazzled? What the heck was a bedazzle?”

The book wasn’t all Xs and Os, but talked about loss as well. The author did a great job handling the topic of grief without making it the whole focus of the book. Charlie made mistakes weaving a web of lies. But her decision to own up to her deception showed growth and maturity. There was a slight twist in the book, while predictable it showed how we protect the ones we love from pain. The book talks a bit about mental health, bipolar in general, if I’m remembering correctly. There is no secret that this is a love story about personal growth. Still I wish that mental health struggles was discussed more.

All in all, this is the type of contemporary I adore. From the plot, to the writing style and characters, I was head-over-heels. It was a quick read for me and one of my favorite West novels. If you are a fan of YA friends-to-lover romances than you might want to give this a read. Side note, it gets bonus points for helping me get out of a reading slump.

If you love book reviews and other bookish content you should probably follow the blog. It helps me if you like and share these post. Also, it makes me smile.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Cover vs Cover // Paperback Or Hardback

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Hi Friends,
I have seen a lot of these book ‘Cover vs. Cover’ posts and videos. Basically, the reader will say which cover they like more. There are many different versions of this post, but today I will be comparing the paperback and hardback covers. Often, both editions will have separate covers. So let’s get ready to rate some book covers!

The Thousandth Floor
This was a super easy pick for me, because I loved the hardback cover. Like, so much! It is so beautiful, and tells a great story. The paperback edition looks more like a cheesy romance book. It doesn’t in the convey a message in same way as the hardback copy.

The Summer I Turned Pretty
I am not a fan of people on the book cover, since it never seems original enough. I enjoy the fun, pretty, and unique covers that have thought put into them. Long story short, (no pun intended), the paperback cover is 100 times better than the hardback cover. I love the bright colors and font choice. It also gives me definite summer contemporary vibes.

Windfall
I had a hard time picking between these two. They’re different, yet similar. But, I have to contradict my earlier statement about people on the cover and choose the paperback version. I think, mostly, because my favorite color is pink. Also, I found the hardback cover to be kind of busy, and distracting from the text. Unpopular opinion, maybe.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
I hadn’t seen the paperback edition until writing this post, and all I can say is, stunning. I want to point out that this is the 2018 edition paperback. The original was the same as the hardback cover. There is also another, more recent version of the paperback, which features the cast of the movie adaption. Anyhow, I always thought that the hardback cover was too minimalist. It didn’t reflect the book at all. I kind of enjoy the chaos of the paperback cover. The background writing is a simple change, but great touch.

13 Reasons Why
This is the simplest cover versus cover, because they are practically the same. I’m reasonably certain that it’s the same photo with a different color profile. But between the two, I would say the hardback version is my favorite. However, I do see the reasoning behind the paperback cover. It is grey and dark, so you know this is a serious book. However, I like how lively the hardback is, while still keeping a somber tone.

Undead Girl Gang

Did they even try with the paperback cover? It looks disorganized and underwhelming. This might be another case of me just not liking real people on a book cover, but you have to admit that this cover is lame. I don’t really care too much for the hardback cover, either, but it’s at least marginally better than the paperback edition. I hope that eventually, the author completely revamps these covers. Let’s get, maybe, a cartoon drawing of some zombie girls on the cover.

As always, like, subscribe, et cetera. You all know this speech by now. But seriously, it helps me, it helps the blog, and you get cool notifications whenever I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

There’s Someone Inside Your House // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

Title: There’s Someone Inside Your House
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller

2.5/5 Stars


Makani Young thought she’d left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She’s found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn’t far behind. Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.
Source: Goodreads

I was a fan of Stephanie Perkins’ contemporary books, so I was interested to see her take on a thriller. I had heard that it was reminiscent of ‘Scream’, which I loved. This book follows a high schooler, Makani, who has moved from Hawaii to Nebraska to live with her grandmother. But Makani has a dark secret that she is hiding. Now this wasn’t the most captivating book, and it dragged at times. I enjoyed that last half of the book, but that is about it. It was very romance heavy, which is strange for a thriller. The romance was very instant lovey and based on physical attraction. However, I didn’t feel like there was much chemistry between the characters.

Her friends were barely a factor in the book at all. When we did seem them, they were always throwing shade at her boyfriend. She even mentioned countless times how she felt like the third wheel in her friendship, which seemed pretty toxic to me. Ollie, the love interest, was probably my favorite character. He had a tragic past, but a dark sense of humor as well.

As for Makani’s dark past, it was pretty underwhelming. For a teenager it might have seemed life shattering, but it wasn’t all that horrible. I didn’t understand the reasoning behind her selfish, absent parents. It seemed as though the author added that so we could empathize with the main character. I would have enjoyed it better if she had told her parents off, because her mother was a witch with a B.

“Everybody has at least one moment they deeply regret, but that one moment…it doesn’t define all of you.”

Now the thing that ticked me off the most was the killer reveal and motive. Without giving too much away. The killer was so random and the reveal wasn’t shocking at all. There were times when I thought I knew who the killer was going to be, which kept me interested in the plot. However, I was completely disappointed in the identity of the killer. The motive was on a whole other level of annoyance. Totally ridiculous. I understand that people kill for all different reasons, but I thought it was altogether a terrible ending. It seemed as those the author didn’t know where she was going with the story, and threw a motive together at the last minute.

The best part of the book was the killer’s last attack. This character fought like hell, and wasn’t going to let some serial killer take her life. She was pretty bad ass. I am not disappointed by the book, but I was hoping for more from the story. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to readers unless you are a die-hard Stephanie Perkins fan. Once thing that I wanted to note was that the killing scenes where somewhat graphic, so keep that in mind before you pick it up.

As always, like and share this review with others, and remember to follow the blog to get notified whenever I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Coffee Break // Audiobooks Aren’t Real Reading

- Bunny 2 Comments


Hi Friends,
I have wanted to do this post for a while now, because it is something I am extremely passionate about. Is listening to audiobooks ‘reading’? I used to be the type of person that would hate on audiobook readers. I would think it was cheating, and not real reading. However, fast forward 10 years and 100% of my reading is done via audiobooks. Zero regrets. I completely understand people that cannot get behind audiobooks, and have to physically read. Just like anything else, audiobooks aren’t for everyone, and it does take some getting used to. I know that a lot of people believe that you aren’t truly ‘reading’ if you go the audiobook route. But I don’t think that’s really true.

I watched a lot of videos on this topic, and one of them put it very well. In the video, by EmmmaBooks, she posed a question – that if someone drives themself to work, but their co-worker takes the bus, did one of them cheat? Or take the easy way out? The person that drove themself isn’t going to call out their co-worker for taking the bus. They both got the same results, but took different paths to get there. In the debate of audiobooks versus physically reading, you are both consuming the same work, just in different forms.

I am a multi-tasker with serious ADD, which makes audiobooks perfect for me. I can accomplish other things while reading. Also, it is like TV in my head. Oh, the days of radio shows. Best-sellling author Stephen King even did a short video, declaring that “audiobooks are terrific”. They are especially great for people who have learning disabilities, that would otherwise struggle with reading. I am forunate enough to be able to read well, but I do still get frustrated when there isn’t an audiobook version available. Authors that only release physical books are missing out on sharing their work with a whole new dynamic of people.

In my opinion, the whole point of reading is to open your mind to a new world and a new group of people, to bring the story to life. You can do that regardless of whether you listen to the audiobook or read it in print. I would certainly never think less of the people who choose to listen to audiobooks, and I love the fact that all readers are different. but can still come together and share a love for books. I will always advocate for audiobooks, and if that makes me not a real reader, then so be it. Remember – you do you, and enjoy reading any way you please.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

They Wish They Were Us // Book Review

- Bunny 4 Comments


Title: They Wish They Were Us
Author: Jessica Goodman
Published: 2020
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery


Freshman year Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on. Now, it’s Jill’s senior year and she’s determined to make it her best yet. After all, she’s a senior and a Player–a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill’s year. She’s sure of it. But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham’s innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn’t kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.
Source: Goodreads


This was one of my first introductions into YA mystery. I figured since I love thriller movies, then thriller books should be right up my alley. I had been anticipating reading this book for a while, but had seen some mixed reviews on it. I’ll start off with the negative aspects of the book, so we can end on a good note. I wasn’t a fan of the slow moving plot. I felt as though nothing had happened, but I was already at the 1/3 mark.

Another problem was that I could instantly tell who the killer was going to be. I feel that a thriller is more interesting when there are a lot of suspects, and you don’t know who to trust. I found all the characters to be fairly shallow, and only cared about their social status. I never went to high-school, so I don’t have any frame of reference on how other teenagers act. But I hope they aren’t as bratty as they were portrayed in this book.

My biggest problem was the female lead’s indecisiveness. For the majority of the book, she bounced back-and-forth between helping or just staying out of it. Even though she had many doubts about her friend’s killer, she tried to talk herself out of helping an innocent person go free. There’s not wanting to get involved, and then there’s just turning a blind eye. Now, moving on to happier things! I enjoyed Goodman’s writing style tremendously. I could see her writing some amazing, lighthearted contemporaries in the future.

I thought that the killer’s motive was done very well. I didn’t expect it at all. One of the most redeeming points is that I find this to be a great first step into the YA thriller, murder mystery genre. It is on the tamer side, but has solid writing and plot. Don’t be afraid to give me some YA thriller and horror recommendations in the comments. Subscribe via email to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny