Posts Tagged: YA

Monday, June 01, 2015

Review: Blood Will Tell by April Henry

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I received this book for free from Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Blood Will Tell by April HenryBlood Will Tell by April Henry
Series: Point Last Seen #2
Published by Macmillan Children's Books on June 16th 2015
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, YA
Source: Henry Holt and Co.
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three-stars

When a woman’s body is found in a Portland park, suspicion falls on an awkward kid who lives only a hundred feet away, a teen who collects knives, loves first-person shooter video games, and obsessively doodles violent scenes in his school notebooks. Nick Walker goes from being a member of Portland’s Search and Rescue team to the prime suspect in a murder, his very interest in SAR seen as proof of his fascination with violence. How is this even possible? And can Alexis and Ruby find a way to help clear Nick's name before it's too late?

April Henry weaves another page-turning, high stakes mystery in Book 2 of the Point Last Seen series.

I love a good mystery, and I did enjoy the first book in this series. I guess it’s not really a series as much as companion novels, but whatever. This was actually a really cool one since you actually know rather quickly who the killer is, but all evidence points to the wrong person. So instead of trying to figure out who did it, you are trying to find out how it all points to someone who is innocent. Much like the first book, this is told in numerous POV’s, which took me a bit away from the story, but it also gives you a full picture of what is going on. I have to say, I had no clue how in the world the evidence could be possible until it is actually revealed, so win for that. It was also a short book, so I was able to read it all in one sitting and that made it easy to enjoy.

The main character in this one is Nick. If you have read the first book, then you know that he volunteers for Search and Rescue and has a big heart. Not to mention, he wants to save people. So how could anyone think he could just murder someone right? Well, that’s exactly what happens. He has no clue how or why, but he is the sole suspect in the case, and as far as evidence goes, they have solid proof. He is a smart kid, and has great friends though, and they are all determined to prove his innocence. Except, add a huge bombshell of a secret to things, and it starts to slowly break him down. I really like him, and it sucked to see him going through all of it.

If you are a mystery/thriller fan like me, I think that you will find this enjoyable. I liked that everything fit together and made sense, even if I was too dumb to catch on until it was being waved in front of me. I’m normally so good at mysteries too. The many different POV’s weren’t really my thing, but it made sense to the story, so I tried to ignore my irritation when it switched from chapter to chapter. Overall this was a good book that was fast to read and kept me wanting to know how it would all turn out. I am not sure if the author is writing more of the Point Last Seen Series books, but I will definitely read them if she does.

three-stars

3 Hot Espressos

Review: Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

Review: Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

Posted by on 05/25/2015 • 5 Comments

I really enjoyed this book. Yeah, the MC’s fall for each other rather quickly, but I thought it was a great read. I liked that it covers addiction, insecurities, and being true to yourself. There is a lot of depth to this book underneath all the craziness of it. It’s a harsh world where people are constantly being judged for how they look. This book shows us that. Laurel is okay being a bit curvy and not all skin and bones, but her friend has always been insecure about her weight. Boy TV star Tom used to be chubby and had an embarrassing public break up. He’s there to work, Laurel is there for her friend. They both don’t take Solu, and find quickly that it’s a good thing. They…

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Posted by on 05/21/2015 • 7 Comments

This book was quite fun. I loved the whole Genie idea, but having them live in the real world among others. I thought that the twist on how wishes work and how their powers worked was really cool. This is not your typical Aladdin type tale. It’s got all sorts of secrets, teen romances, drama, and fun. I really liked getting to know the characters and the history of the Jinn. It wasn’t my favorite book ever, but it was definitely one that I enjoyed and am excited for the rest of the series.

Azra was a character that I liked getting to know. She has never embraced her destiny as the other Jinn do. In fact, she just wants to be normal, even though that will never happen. She…

Review: Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

Review: Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

Posted by on 05/18/2015 • 13 Comments

So far it’s 2 for 2 for this author. I read and fell in love with The Beginning of Everything last year, and even having high hopes for this one I was not one bit disappointed.

This time we’re taken to Latham House, a place where the sick are sent to try and get better. A place that is pretty much like a very morbid summer camp. Told in alternating point of views, we first meet Lane who’s on the road to achieving his goal of going to an Ivy League school. He’s a straight A student who’d rather study than have to deal with TB. Getting sent to Latham means losing the perfect GPA that he’s been working so hard for. In a way it was incredibly sad…

Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

Posted by on 05/15/2015 • 9 Comments

Another contemporary that covers stereotyping. I love these types of books. This one happens to have a forbidden type romance as well. I really liked the characters a lot. Especially Arden. He was fantastic and totally not what you are initially expecting. I really liked the story to this too. It’s much deeper than the town sheriff’s kid falling for the poor “Mexican” girl, which by the way, she was born and raised in the US, not that it matters either way. Also, it focuses on the pressure that are put on kids. They are sometimes forced to grow up way too quickly or to follow what is expected instead of finding what they want out of life. I thought it was well done with some extra messed up stuff…

Carly’s Favorite Meal: Guest Post by Anna Banks

Carly’s Favorite Meal: Guest Post by Anna Banks

Posted by on 05/12/2015 • 4 Comments

Today I’ve got the lovely Anna Banks on the blog talking about food to make everyone hungry! 🙂 Let’s take a look at her latest release, first:

Guest Post by Anna Banks

Carly’s Favorite Meal—Southern Fried Chicken & Waffles

So as you may already know, Carly is a Mexican American dealing with some pretty deep issues in JOYRIDE. While she loves and misses the comforting, authentic Mexican food that her mother used to cook—the dishes which her brother Julio now bludgeons in his efforts to feed them—she’s grown to appreciate some of the specialties of the south. Arden’s adoration of a certain dish rubbed off on her, as did a lot of Arden’s qualities, and now her favorite comfort food is Southern Fried Chicken &…

Review: Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton

Review: Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton

Posted by on 05/08/2015 • 13 Comments

You know when you read a book and it’s pleasant and you enjoy it, but have no feeling towards either way? This is one of those. It was a good read, but it didn’t really do much for me. It didn’t bring out my emotions, and I didn’t really feel connected to the character or the story, but it was still enjoyable to read. I have to say though, it did make me want to try my hand at knitting again, but I know it’s a lost cause. Anyways, I did enjoy Ben’s obsession with knitting, and what led him to it in the first place. It was an interesting story for sure, but a little too neat and tidy for me for the most part.

Ben is a good…

Review: Nil Unlocked by Lynne Matson

Review: Nil Unlocked by Lynne Matson

Posted by on 05/07/2015 • 3 Comments

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was really looking forward to the second book. I really enjoyed this one. Maybe a bit more than the first, though I can’t really remember my reading experience with the first one. In this one things are more complicated. Many secrets are discovered, and the stakes are higher. Not only are they on a ticking clock the moment they arrive, but there are other threats in Nil. The island seems more restless. It was nice to see some old characters, and to get to know new ones. I really liked the cast in this. This was an exciting read that is full of suspense and of course adventure. I loved discovering more of the island secrets along with everyone…