Category: Book Review

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Review of The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson

Posted on by writingkat95

I’m going to start this post with a little backstory on the week that I read Maureen Johnson’s mystery trilogy conclusion, The Hand on the Wall.

This February, my house flooded. The entire bottom floor is gutted, and frankly, so am I. In between fitful nights of sleep as fans downstairs struggled to air dry the walls, I wanted to get lost in a good book.

Enter “The Hand on the Wall.”

Johnson’s magnetic writing style pulled me out of my crisis filled reality and straight into the high stakes world of Ellingham Academy and all the mysteries it holds.

Moreover, I found myself empathizing deeply with Stevie, the novel’s protagonist. Stevie has an anxiety disorder, a condition which might seem at odds with her passion for true crime and investigation.

Seeing Stevie shine as an almost Veronica Mars-esque heroine was such an empowering experience, I wish I could show this book to my teenaged self, who thought anxiety disqualified her from being the hero of any story.

Even now, as I’m slogging through one of the most stressful crises of my adult life, I needed this book. I needed to see Stevie prevail against the odds. It’s what gave me strength to push on during an absolutely unparalleled week of stress, and beyond that, it’s just a darn good book.

If you like mysteries or you just need to feel a little bit more powerful than you did yesterday, I highly recommend this book!

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

March Mystery Madness Part Four

Posted on by writingkat95

The last two books from my March marathon of mysteries are my favorites of the bunch.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand and Bone Gap by Laura Ruby are two exquisitely dark mysteries that are sure to keep you reading all night and leaving the lights on for nights to come.

Sawkill Girls is a gorgeous feminist horror novel that explores both the great violence and intense loyalty teenage girls are capable of. I found myself thoroughly engrossed before I realized how truly terrifying this book would get; one moment I was wondering if there was romantic subtext between two characters, and the next moment I was reading a line that mentioned cleaning up a dead body.

The true horror of this book is that by the end of it, the gore and violence seem casual and even commonplace, made mundane by sheer saturation. The emotional weight is carried not by the violence itself, but by the empty spaces it leaves behind, the characters killed off and then missed acutely.

On the flip side, Bone Gap was almost happy by comparison. It had moments of intense, skin crawling creepiness, that much is true. But despite being a shivery mystery shrouded in Midwestern gothic folklore, the beating heart of the story is something else entirely. It is, at it’s core, one of the best love stories I’ve ever read.

Not only does this book explore the gasps and yelps of first love, it also looks at the way we are shaped by the other great loves of our lives. Familial love, friendship love, love of a town, love of oneself, all of these play a role in the outcome of this story. The root of it pits against one another the ideas of love and possession, and it is scarcely a spoiler to say that in my opinion, love prevails.

I highly recommend both these books to anyone who has a hankering for things that go bump in the night.

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

March Mystery Madness Part 3

Posted on by writingkat95

Continuing on with my reviews of all the mystery novels I read in March, the next group of reviews feature three books I felt like captured the perils of teen life.

One of Us is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, The Cheerleaders, by Kara Thomas and Follow Me Back, by A.V. Geiger are all thoroughly enjoyable mysteries. Although nearly all the books I feature here are YA, these in particular felt as if they captured the distinct feeling of being in high school.

One of Us is Lying features a murderous version of The Breakfast Club, with new archetypes of modern teens. The characters, all of whom have secrets and fears of their own, are thrown together as suspects in the murder of their classmate, Simon. Each of them stood to gain from silencing Simon and his gossip blog, and yet each of them shines through the text as deeply believable characters one cannot help but root for. So who killed Simon? You’ll have to get to know each of the other students before you find out the answer.

The Cheerleaders is also filled with secrets, some of which may just keep you awake at night until you’ve unearthed all the answers. Tightly plotted, this mystery was so full of twists, I’m unsure how to describe it without spoilers, but I’ll try. Five years after a town tragedy, the protagonist sets out to discover what happened to the cheerleaders who died. Convinced that the series of accidents were actually a series of murders, she digs into the dark secrets in her hometown and finds out things she never expected. The high emotions and realistic portrayal of trauma really stuck with me, and I think this book is worth a read for mystery fans everywhere.

Follow Me Back may not be set in the halls of a high school, but the love story unfurling beneath the dark mystery is distinctly teen. The rush of first true love spooled together with a twisty mystery make for a cocktail of excitement. This book kept me guessing until the very end, and I’m told that I made a “tiny howling” sound when I read the last twist.

I highly recommend all these delightful, twisty mysteries.

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

March Mystery Madness Part 2

Posted on by writingkat95

In keeping with my promise to review all the mystery novels I read over the month of March, today’s review is of The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude and Broken Things by Lauren Oliver.

Fans of Nova Ren Suma’s Imaginary Girls are bound to enjoy these well crafted mysteries and their questionably reliable narrators. Fraught with high emotional stakes, these were two of the most intense books on my March reading list. Without resorting to excessive gore or gross-out scares, these stories simply captivate you with strong characters and refuse to let go until you’ve confronted the darkness within.

The reason I chose to pair these up for my second review is that they share a common element which drives the narrative in both novels. That element is the inexplicable -sometimes consuming- power of stories. In The May Queen Murders, local legends and town lore feature heavily. The lines between legend and reality start to blur as girls go missing and frightening things begin happening in the community.

In Broken Things it’s not myths that become to real, but a beloved children’s book that may have led two girls to murder their best friend. As they try to parse through what really happened the night she died, questions arise about how much of what they remember is real.

If you like artful storytelling that leans more towards suspense than terror for it’s source of tension, these are definitely the murder mysteries for you. The added factor of surreal events and questioning what is real is the icing on the cupcakes of these delicious books.

Both novels also heavily feature the power of female friendship, a theme I’ll be delving into even more in my next set of reviews for March Mystery Madness. Until then, happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

March Mystery Madness Part One

Posted on by writingkat95

For the month of March I’ve been on a mission to read as many mystery novels as I possibly could in an effort to scratch the itch left behind when I finished watching Elite on Netflix all in one sitting.

I’ve now read about 9 mystery novels (might go for ten if I can finish one this weekend) and I’m going to dish out the reviews in the next few entries. So to kick it off, I’m going to start by reviewing two books that I felt like had a lot in common thematically and in terms of narrative tone: Blood Will Out by Jo Treggiari and My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier.

These two, more so than the other books I read, felt like classic adult horror novels (despite being labelled YA) and would therefore appeal to fans of such genre giants as The Silence of the Lambs and The Bad Seed.

I’m not typically a fan of this particular style of horror, but I admit both books kept me riveted until the last page. I was almost compelled to finish them despite my growing sense of dread and the knowledge that I would surely lose sleep over these grisly tales.

Both books feature compelling characters and intensely visual narration, almost cinematic in the way they unfold. While Blood Will Out kept me guessing up til the end, My Sister Rosa created a feeling of inevitability and dread that only intensified throughout the book.

I chose these to start with because they were probably my least favorites of the group, despite being thrilling reads. I suspect my lingering animosity towards both books lies not with any failing of the writing, but rather with my own bitterness at having lost sleep.

If you have a stronger stomach and psyche than me, you may very well enjoy these books. If instead you share my general lack of fortitude, proceed with caution, and maybe take these books with a side of calming tea and be prepared to stay up all night with every light in the house on.

Happy reading!

-Kat

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Review of: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Posted on by writingkat95

If you’d like to stay up all night contemplating the nature of evil, I have the perfect book for you.

Full disclosure, I don’t usually read things that are dark and scary. I have anxiety, and I don’t like throwing up over fictional characters. However, I recently decided that Sharp Objects sounded so fascinating, it was worth risking a panic attack.

I was right.

I started reading at 8 a.m., thinking I would read for an hour before jumping into my daily tasks. I work from home, and I start many days this way, reading until my brain is awake enough to get to work.

Nine hours later, I finished the book. My back ached, and I was wobbly from skipping lunch to keep reading. Seriously, I almost passed out because I didn’t want to put the book down.

Every time I thought I had the mystery figured out, Flynn’s writing made me second guess myself, poring over the words in search of clues. This book is perfect for people who tend to pick apart whatever they read, dissecting it and figuring it all out too soon.

You just won’t be able to do that with Flynn’s work. Seriously, you’ll think you figured things out, you’ll be expecting it to be twisty because it’s Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl) and you’ll still be shocked.

Obviously, only read this book if you are prepared for the intense darkness Flynn is known for. This is a far cry from the YA I normally review (even the dark stuff is not in the same category as this). It will mess with your head, you will lose sleep.

If you can handle the fear, you’ll probably agree that it was worth it. So if you dare, grab a blanket and some snacks, and read Sharp Objects.

Happy reading!

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I Finally Started Reading Percy Jackson

Posted on by writingkat95

This is not a formal review, mostly because I’m so very late to the party.

I’ve been hearing for years that I should read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. I’ve watched as friends and aquantinces gushed over the characters, and I’ve scrolled through a wealth of fandom material on Tumblr.

Finally, I gave in and decided to read them. Oh my god, you guys.

THEY ARE SO GOOD

In all seriousness, this may be one of the the best series I’ve ever read. Some of my initial skepticism was rooted in snobbery: so many people who loved the series were reluctant readers, and I assumed, wrongly, that this was because the books were overly “easy.”

Like I said, total snobbery on my part. These books are fabulous, full of depth, and fantastically fun.

Also, the positive (and accurate) portrayal of ADHD warms my heart more than I can say. As a fellow ADHD-er, I found myself relating to Percy and feeling empowered by his successes. I can’t imagine how much of an impact this kind of representation has on kids. Rick Riordan is a hero.

If anyone out there hasn’t read these books yet, get out there and find them! You’re never too old for Camp Half-Blood, wise centaurs, and rollicking adventures.

Happy reading!

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Review of The Boneless Mercies

Posted on by writingkat95

Fans of Beowulf, Neil Gaiman, and Dragon Age, unite! Seriously if you enjoy the feeling of an epic tale, the general vibe of wonderment, this is the book for you.

At first, I feared this would only be a tale of guts and glory. While that’s absolutely a valid kind of story to tell, I was excited to find that this book had so much more.

April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a story of friendship and honor; one that bears some of her trademark otherworldliness while still feeling very distinctly within the epic storytelling tradition. I loved the characters and was thoroughly wrapped up in their quest. I wept when any of them suffered- and if you’ve read any of Tucholke’s other books, you know you’re in store for some suffering! (In the best way)

My advice: if you’re looking for a shivery, spooky epic to curl up with this holiday season, pick up a copy of The Boneless Mercies. Heck, pick up a second copy for a friend: you’ll need someone to gush with when you’re done reading it.

Happy reading, and happy holidays!

Posted in Book Review

Review of: Successor by Rae Miles

Posted on by writingkat95

Do you like fantasy, slow burn romance, and friendships that make your heart feel things? Then boy do I have a book for you.

Successor is one of those rare fantasies that manages to capture the feeling of wonder we all experienced at discovering Narnia, while still pulling off an older vibe, with high stakes and even higher romantic tension.

I had been craving a good fantasy adventure lately, and as always, I found it hard to find one that wasn’t grim and dark. Simply put, I wanted all the best of the fantasy genre conventions but without the bummer ones. And this book was exactly what I needed. It had incredibly compelling characters, who still at the end of the novel felt as though they had more left to their arcs. Hopefully this means we’ll see a sequel eventually, but even if it doesn’t, it left me with a feeling like the characters I’d grown to love still had adventures ahead of them, and I loved that.

All in all this is a stunning debut novel, and I hope you’ll check it out!

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

Review of My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane

Posted on by writingkat95

Two for one review today!

First off I want to say, I love the concept for these books. Taking famous Janes and retelling their stories in delightfully fun ways is honestly just so great.

Second, I loved how original these books felt. The voice is incredibly distinct, the narrator’s little interjections were so much fun, and the overall effect was stunning.

It’s really difficult to pull off a “voicey” voice in YA. Oftentimes it can come off as too young or can break the immersion of the story. That is not the case with these books. The authors have done an excellent job at crafting a voice that sounds at once distinct and yet a natural part of the narrative.

The plots themselves are fabulous, in both books. They’re completely bonkers and played out with a wink and a smile, and watching events unfold is thoroughly enjoyable. Jane Eyre with real ghosts? Heck yeah! Lady Jane Grey and shapeshifters with tons of snark? Bring it on!

If you want edge of your seat investment in the story and also full belly laughs, these books are for you. I also highly recommend listening to them as audiobooks, as both are incredibly well voiced. Especially if you have a commute, these books will add some grins to your day.

Happy reading!