 Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense Gisselle's Rating: 3/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for We Were Liars. In brief summary, there is one word that I can use to describe this book: Ouch. But the word itself carries multiple meanings for how I felt about We Were Liars, and not all of them are good. E. Lockhart's We Were Liars takes us to the tropical and beautiful Beechwood Island, a piece of land owned by her the patriarch of the Sinclair family. The Sinclairs are tight-knit and close family, spending every summer together at Beechwood Island, reuniting the Sinclair family once more as well as the Liars, a group among the children that consisted of three cousins and their friend. But something happened to Cadence (or Cady) last year on Beechwood Island, something apparently so horrible that everyone refuses to tell her. Nothing is as it seems within the Sinclair family, and by the time the story ends, you will wish you remained in the sunny bliss of Beechwood Island.
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 Title: The Witch Haven
Author: Sasha Peyton Smith Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Witchcraft, Mystery Gisselle's Rating: 3/5 I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for The Witch Haven. I'll be perfectly honest, I stopped reading this book about halfway through. As I type, it's open on my Kindle and I am planning on finishing it for sure, but I've been trying to finish this book for two weeks now. I'll come back with edits to my review once I finish it. I'll start with what I enjoyed so far. I love fantasy and magic and witches in my stories, and that's primarily what drew me into this story. I LOVE stories that focus on the gritty and grim side of magic and those that world it, and with this story's setting in early 1900s New York, there is plenty of grim and gritty to go around. Sasha Peyton Smith does a great job at illustrating the darkness in the city and in the emotions of our protagonist, Frances. The pacing of the beginning was incredibly well done, and the beginning packed a powerful punch (warning for distressing themes such as sexual assault and murder). Unfortunately, the beginning is mostly where my enjoyment of the book has been limited to thus far. As the story progresses, the pacing becomes a little more erratic and uneven in compassion to the beginning. The introduction of characters such as Maxine and Lena felt half-executed and their development did not feel complete. As a result, I didn't find myself relating to anyone or really caring for them. Additionally, it feels as though the author dances around a lot of great topics that are introduced but never fully explored. For example, the concept of feminism, especially during the early 1900s with the women's suffrage movement, is mentioned through the book in pieces, and Frances finds that even the fanatical world of magic was submissive to the world of men; she learns only what she can use to make her life as a housewife and lady easier, such as how to clean, sew, and arrange flowers with magic. Yet, for the first half of the book, that plot point felt like it was acknowledged, but never actually discussed it the confines of the characters' voices. There was even a mention of acknowledging the existence of transwomen and non-binary people in the academy, but there is no attempt at further exploration. Also, maybe it'll get better in the second half of the book, but Finn having the ability to dream-walk and the revelation that he had been visiting Frances in her dreams felt more like a violation than anything romantic to me. He felt like an Edward Cullen archetype, just Irish and with magic. I just wasn't sure of him or his motives. I'll continue reading to give this book a fair shot, but these are my thoughts after the first half of the book. The rest is still to be determined.  Title: Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston Genre(s): New Adult Fiction, LGBTQA+, Romance, Politics Gisselle's Rating: 5/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for Red, White & Royal Blue. I was a little late to the Red, White & Royal Blue hype-train, but I finally managed to read through McQuiston's debut novel after finishing One Last Stop and, let me tell you, they did not disappoint! Red, White, & Royal Blue follows the life of Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States and oldest child of the President, Ellen Claremont. After nearly a full term of living at the White House under his mother's Presidency, Alex knows how to conduct himself and what is expected of a socialite in his standing, especially when it comes to international affairs; however, he cannot seem to shake his disdain for the Prince of England, Prince Henry of Wales, someone Alex believes to be incredibly stuck-up, posh, and cold. When a photograph of Alex and Henry caught mid-confrontation at the Royal Wedding is leaked to the presses, both the United States and England are forced to execute damage control. Their solution: stage a close friendship between Alex and Henry to quell any rumors of antagonistic feelings between the two men. Yet, the more time Alex and Henry spend with one another, they closer they become, and soon both men are thrusted into the complex world of navigating a relationship out of sight of the public and their respective families.  Title: The Garden House
Author: Marcia Willett Genre(s): Adult Fiction, Grief, Family Gisselle's Rating: 3.5/5 Release Date: August 17, 2021 I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for The Garden House. The Garden House by Marcia Willett is a tale of love, grief, death, and secrets uncovered. Fresh out of university, El moves to the small town of Tavistock following the abrupt death of her father, Martin, and inherits his home in the countryside called the Pig Pen. Grappling with her new reality after her father’s death and figuring out what to pursue in life after university, El accepts the help of her stepbrother, Will, in maneuvering through her grief and sorting through Martin’s belongings. When El finds Martin’s phone and discovers coded text messages from someone called “J” within, El realizes that there was more to her father than she knew. As El and Will work to decipher the codes in the texts, they get closer to the truth, to the mysterious “J,” and to each other.  Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1)
Author: Kerri Maniscalco Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Horror, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction Gisselle's Rating: 4/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for Stalking Jack the Ripper. Victorian London has always been one of my favorite eras to visit when reading novels, and in Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first installment in a series, Kerri Maniscalco brings us the high brow, wealthy society of the upper class in London in the midst of the Jack the Ripper murders. Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a young English woman that comes from a prosperous family in the late 1880s. She is also apprenticing under her Uncle Jonathan in his forensic lab, dissecting cadavers and analyzing the manner of death, a entirely unsuitable for a young woman of her status. When a string of brutally murdered women are brought into her uncle's laboratory, Audrey Rose is wrenched into an investigation of what - or who - could have caused these vicious killings. Inspired by the real-life unsolved case of the Jack the Ripper killings, with some chapters prefaced by grim period photographs of the time, Maniscalco tells a fictional tale of who was the true monster that was Jack the Ripper and of a woman who tracked him down.  Title: And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga #1)
Author: Kiersten White Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion, Elements of LGBTQA+, Romance Gisselle's Rating: 4.5/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for And I Darken. During my undergrad studies, one of the books I enjoyed reading the most in my curriculum was Bram Stoker's Dracula, and it was especially compelling to learn that it had been inspired by a true figure in history: Vladimir the Impaler. Yet, I did not understand the intricacies of the stories involving Vladimir, or exactly what he was famous for in history. This novel, though a fictional retelling with many creative liberties taken, depicts that era and its characters, and Kiersten White does a fantastic job at bringing these historical figures back to life in such a raw and human way. White's And I Darken is the first installment in a series called The Conqueror's Saga, a trilogy which recounts a fictional retelling of Vladimir the Impaler, Mehmed the Conqueror, and other historical figureheads of the Ottoman Empire. While this is a retelling of historical accounts of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople, and other events, there are quite a few liberties that White takes in the telling of her story. For one, White makes the decision to change Vladimir the Impaler into Ladaslav the Impaler, a daughter (rather than son) of Wallachia. There are also adjustments made to the timeline in which certain events unfolded in history to better fit White's narrative, and as there isn't true historical documentation of exact conversations or encounters that these characters may have had with one another, White focuses on possible motivations that would have impacted their actions taken during their lives. Ultimately, it is important to remember that while this story has its roots set in true events, it is a fictional piece.  Title: One of Us is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense Gisselle's Rating: 4.5/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for One of Us is Lying. The first novel that I read of Karen M. McManus was One of Us is Lying, following the recommendation of my younger brother. Similarly to my response of The Cousins, McManus captured my attention from the beginning of One of Us is Lying. I was riveted by the plot and the story's concept did not allow me to truly put the book down. If I had my physical copy, I would read without pause, and when I couldn't physically be reading, I would instead turn to the audiobook. I could not help but keep myself tuned in with One of Us is Lying's story: five teenagers stuck in after-school detention... and only four emerge alive. One of Us is Lying follows the lives of teenagers Bronwyn Rojas, Nate McCauley, Addie Prentiss, and Cooper Clay as they deal with the aftermath of their classmate, Simon Kelleher's, death during detention. They don't just grapple with the sudden trauma of witnessing a classmate die, but must also abruptly adjust to scrutiny from the public eye after their images are featured in the media and in their school, labeling them as either possible suspects or unfortunate scapegoats by the local police. One thing was apparent, though: someone in that detention knew what happened to Simon, and no one is immune to the uncovering of secrets that they would rather keep buried.  Title: Kingdom of the Wicked
Author: Kerri Maniscalco Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Elements of Horror Gisselle's Rating: 5/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for Kingdom of the Wicked. If you are a fan of witches, elements of fantasy and horror, magic, and forbidden romance, this book is most certainly for you. Kerri Maniscalco's novel Kingdom of the Wicked tells the story of Emilia di Carlo, a woman living in Italy with her family. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe -- witches that live among humans, but must hide their magical abilities in order to avoid prosecution and death. After Vittoria is missing from a family dinner one night, Emilia discovers her twin has been murdered, her corpse desecrated and her heart missing. Twisted by grief, Emilia vows to find her twin's murderer. She will stop at nothing in her quest for answers, even if it means turning to dark magic, a forbidden practice that she was warned all her life to stay away from, and teaming up with Wrath, a Prince of Hell and a creature of the Wicked.  Title: One Last Stop
Author: Casey McQuiston Genre: New Adult Fiction, Romance, LGBTQA+, Science Fiction Gisselle's Rating: 5/5 Release Date: June 1, 2021 I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for One Last Stop. You know that moment when you are on public transit and you lock eyes with someone, and you are, for those few moments that you're traveling together, just a little bit in love? Maybe it's irrational and a slight bit insane, but something about their presence captivates you from the second you see them, and you can't help pitching forward in time to a possible future that involves that person, because what if they're the one? It could be their strong arms, and you imagine a set of arms like that wrapped protectively around you at night, or it could be their well-loved copy of your favorite book, and you picture deep conversations about the plot and character arcs, or it could be a dazzling twinkle in their eye as they smile when they catch you staring. Either way, the harmless fantasy ends when either of you depart at the next stop, only to start again with someone else some day. But what if that brief blip of infatuation did evolve into something deeper, and it brought a huge mystery and an adventure straight of out of science-fiction along with it? Casey McQuiston's One Last Stop tells the story of August Landry, a bi woman who just moved to New York City for a fresh start: new school, new roommates, new life (hopefully) away from her mother's obsession with solving the long-abandoned case of her missing brother. August is firmly against believing that anything like 'love at first sight' and 'magic' exists. Moving to New York, August might be right in her judgements; adult life - shifts at the local pancake diner, weird and slightly invasive roommates, and traveling the Q train for her school commute - is exhausting and not at all magical. All of that instantly changes when she meets Jane, the girl on the Q, clad in a leather jacket, red Chucks, and gentle smile that melts August's cynical heart. As the days slip by, however, August discovers that Jane is otherworldly in more ways than one: she truly is not of August's reality, having been displaced from her own time in the 1970's and has been a passenger on the Q for over 40 years. August must rely on her past life's skills to help Jane return to her own time... all while fighting a losing battle against love in the process.  Title: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus Genre(s): Young Adult Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Gisselle's Rating: 3.5/5 DISCLAIMER: This review may contain spoilers for The Cousins. In Karen M. McManus's most recent young adult suspense-thriller, three cousins - Aubrey, Millie, and Jonah Story - are mysteriously invited to the Story family's famed island resort by their grandmother, Mildred Story. After their parents had all been disinherited by Mildred years ago, this invitation brings much confusion, but also opportunity for the Story children; Mildred's invitation could allow for the cousins to ease their way back into her good graces... and find out exactly why their parents had been cut off in the first place. But nothing is what it seems; the Story family has many secrets, the cousins each have their own agendas, and all of them will be unveiled in the sunny resort of Gull Cove Island. I began reading McManus's novels only a few weeks ago, beginning with One of Us Is Lying (review coming soon) and moving quickly onto The Cousins. Getting through novels as quickly as I did with The Cousins was a relatively good sign for me. I was enraptured enough in the story to keep my focus trained on it. I would read my physical copy when I was still and listen to the audiobook while at work and driving, caged in my desire to keep reading. I flew through the pages of The Cousins, and I did find myself enjoying the story - hah! - and the thrill of unraveling complex secrets and finding answers to the question that was the Story family. I did manage to reach my own accurate conclusion of the partial reason the Story siblings had been disinherited, and although predictable through various tells and hints in the text, it did still shock me to the extent of the damage that this disinheritance caused. The biggest twist of the novel had me physically lurching forward into a sitting position from where I was laid back on my pillow, startling one of my pups with incredulous "What?" Any book that can inspire such a physical reaction from me is usually pretty good, in my book (lol, puns). Yet, as much as I enjoyed it, there are a few elements of the plot that I critiqued just as much. |
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