Tag: Young Adult

Book Reviews

Book Review: A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you my book review for A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson.

I will be giving star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers.

I hope you enjoy my book review!

A Very Lively Murder Plot:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Very Lively Murder is the second book in the Three Dahlias series by Katy Watson. This book follows Posy Starling, Caro Hooper and Rosalind King as they once again must team up to solve a murder mystery. In this book they are on the set of the new Dahlia Lively film, of which Posy is playing the leading lady, when it becomes clear that Rosalind is receiving death threats and then someone gets murdered.

I loved this book. I enjoyed the first one, The Three Dahlias, but I liked the second one more because I already felt as though I knew the characters and also their relationships with each other were already established too. We, as readers, were able to get stuck straight in to the murder itself. It is hard to say a lot about this book’s plot without revealing any spoilers but what I can say is that there are so many twists even I didn’t solve the mystery before the end, and that is unusual.

A Very Lively Murder Characters:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

As in the first book, the main character we follow is Posy Starling. She is an actress who wants to get the press back on her side after a difficult time as a child star. I like Posy, she is young and vibrant and it is fun to follow a character as they are finding out who they are themselves and we get to go on that journey with them. In this first book Posy felt like a leader but for me, in this second book Rosalind felt like a stronger character. More of the plot was focused around her and her backstory and I loved that we got to see more of her life.

A Very Lively Murder Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Very Lively Murder Overall:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book was definitely a five star read for me, I am already excited for any future books from this author.

Blurb/Synopsis:

One murder mystery movie. Three Dahlias. And a whole cast of suspects…

Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role – Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing – with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There’s something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective – which means it’s time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.

In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best – surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star…

But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it’s up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks… before another victim is claimed.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today! I am bringing you my thoughts on the book The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell, which I read in August.

For this book review I will be giving a star rating to four different categories and writing a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers in this book review.

The Good Thieves Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Good Thieves follows Vita, a young girl who sets out to reclaim her Grandfather’s property that has been stolen, to do this she recruits three others to join her heist.

I was very excited to read this novel, after enjoying some of Katherine Rundell’s other books earlier in the year, and ‘heists’ are a favourite topic of mine to read about. I enjoyed how this book focused on the build up with a much energy as it had for the actual heist part. This novel wraps you in it’s atmosphere from the very first chapter, with the sensory descriptions and well researched setting.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did her other book, Rooftoppers, but I still enjoyed it and I would recommend it as a nice, light read.

The Good Thieves Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Vita is the main character in this novel. Although she is young she is motivated by family loyalty, it is obvious from early in the story that Vita would do anything for her family. Driven with a sense of justice and her headstrong personality she shows her intelligence, creativity and bravery by creating a plan to steal back what was taken from her family.

The Good Thieves Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I knew already that I liked Katherine Rundell’s writing style but I especially like how the writing doesn’t feel young, it is just as complex a plot as it would be in an older age bracket.

The Good Thieves Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars.

Blurb/Synopsis:

From award-winning author Katherine Rundell comes a fast-paced and utterly thrilling adventure driven by the loyalty and love between a grandfather and his granddaughter.

When Vita’s grandfather’s mansion is taken from him by a powerful real estate tycoon, Vita knows it’s up to her to make things right.

With the help of a pickpocket and her new circus friends, Vita creates the plan : Break into the mansion. Steal back what’s rightfully her grandfather’s. Expose the real estate tycoon for the crook he truly is.

But 1920s Manhattan is ever-changing and full of secrets. It might take more than Vita’s ragtag gang of misfits to outsmart the city that never sleeps.

Award-winning author Katherine Rundell has created an utterly gripping tour de-force about loyalty, trust, and the lengths to which we’ll go for the ones we love.

Monthly TBRs

September TBR

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I barely read anything in August but I’m hoping September will be much better.

Here are the books on my September TBR!

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout

Well met by Jen De Luca

Finale by Stephanie Garber

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

A Far Wilder Magic by Alison Saft

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Murder Most Royal by S J Bennett

What are you all hoping to read in September?

Monthly Wrap Ups, Uncategorized

August Wrap Up!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I can’t believe how quickly the summer has gone by this year. I had a long list of things I wanted to get done over the holidays and now they are ending I have barely done anything from my list. Is anyone else like that?

One item on my list was read a lot more and well.. that did not happen. I read a bit but I definitely didn’t stick to my TBR. Oops.

Let’s get into the wrap up!

  • A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read
  • Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read, I wasn’t feeling a romance book this month.
  • Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody – I did not read this book
  • The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson – I did not read
  • Lady Macbethad – I was so excited to start reading this but I didn’t get around to it this month
  • A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry – I did not read
  • Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd Robinson – I did not read this
  • The Agathas – I started to read this book and I did not enjoy the part that I read, I’m not sure yet if I will go back and try and read this again at another point or if I will find someone else to have it
  • A Gathering of Shadows by V E Schwab – I did not read
  • The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton – I did not read

So.. I only read part of one book from my TBR but I did read two books from outside my TBR which were: Winterhouse by Ben Gutterson and Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials by Marion Gibson.

What did you read in August? and what did you think of it?

Monthly TBRs

August TBR

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Happy Friday Bookish people! Today I am bringing you the ten books I want to read in the month of August.

Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey

Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

Lady Macbethad

A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry

Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd Robinson

The Agathas

Gathering of Shadows by V E Schwab

The Secret Society of Tea and Treason by India Holton

Monthly TBRs

July TBR!

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Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all doing so far this year? I can’t believe it is July already. Over halfway through the year. I am really looking forward to the chances I have to read this month, I will be travelling a bit so lots of time for these books!

Way of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell

Arsenic for Tea by Robin Stevens

Library of the Dead

London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Mrs Death Misses Death

Your Turn to Die

Murder of Graham Catton by Katie Lowe

People of Abandoned Character

NIghtshade by E S Thompson

The Art of the Dying by Ambrose Parry

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourne

The Good Thieves

blog tours, Uncategorized

The Dreams That Bind Us Book Spotlight

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am here today doing a book spotlight for The Dreams That Bind Us by Maximillian Lopez as part of @BreakevenBooks book tour.

Synopsis:

This sci-fi thriller explores the possibility that when we dream, we’re merely glimpsing into an alternate reality. Three strangers bound together by a shared dream fight against the current of fate. Can they come to terms with the truth? Are we the only versions of ourselves? Are you the best version of you to exist? They must find each other without losing themselves. Two universes hang in the balance as external forces vie for control of their ability to peer into an alternate reality. Will Corey, Selene, and Joseph find answers to the mystery placed before them? Or will the search for an answer lead them toward a darker fate?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-That-Bind-Us-Etherium-ebook/dp/B09PGTPRHB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1660245232&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dreams-that-bind-us-maximilian-lopez/1140832794?ean=9798201820398

Apple store: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1602841625

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DCVXEAAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Dreams-That-Bind-Us-Audiobook/B0B8476YN8?asin=B0B8476YN8

Author Bio:

Maximilian Lopez

Max grew up dreaming impossible dreams of an alternate life other than the one he had in a small town outside of San Antonio, Texas. Shortly after high school, he joined the Marine Corps where he traveled to Foreign Lands. Throughout his budding Marine Corps career, he studied military radar technology and decided to leave the Marine Corps after a memorable eight years to work in the civilian Radar Technical Community at Saab Defense Inc. in Syracuse, NY. During the following eight years, he met his beautiful and intelligent wife, Shirley. Eventually, Max and his growing family wanted to move away from the snow so he accepted a position working as a Government civilian for the US Navy specifying in emerging naval radar technology. Currently, Max resides with his wife, two handsome boys, and a small white Lhasa Apso named Tesla in Virginia Beach, Va.

If you would like to see more content from other bookish people about The Dreams That Bind Us check out this timetable:

B.A. Bellec Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTeYZEBPBWScWXkqBnZrQQ June 18th, 2023
Shawn Blog: https://treatyoshelf.blog/ June 19th, 2023
Elizabeth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/ June 20th, 2023
Infinity’s Bookshelf Blog: https://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/ June 21st, 2023
The Shaggy Sheppard Blog: https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/ June 22nd, 2023
The Blind Scribe Blog: https://theblindscribe.com/ June 23rd, 2023
Amanda Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheReadingandWritingLife June 23rd, 2023
Mel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crazyforbooksandcoffee/ June 24th, 2023
S.Anny Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_obstinate_owlbear/ June 24th, 2023

Book Reviews

Northranger Book Review

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today!

Today I am bringing you a book review for Northranger, a graphic novel by Rey Terciero and illustrated by Bre Indigo. I do not usually review graphic novels so, usually I give star ratings to four categories but instead I am going to write a little bit about my overall thoughts.

First, thank you to Harper 360 for sending me a copy of this graphic novel, I enjoyed pushing myself out of my comfort zone to read this in May. It is something I never would have bought for myself.

Northranger is a graphic novel about a young man who goes with his father to work on a farm/ranch for the summer and they realise that things might not be quite as they seem, the family there have a lot of secrets. It also has LGBTQ+ representation.

Firstly, I thought the illustrations in this graphic novel were gorgeous and captured all the expressions that were needed for the story to feel very real. In terms of the plot, I was hooked in by the mystery aspect and without saying too much and spoiling everything I will say I was overall disappointed with the way the mystery panned out, it could have been more and I just think there was something, I am not entirely sure what, missing.

Blurb/Synopsis:

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary–but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas–real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there–in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get… complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

Book Tags

Summer book recommendations!

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Happy Friday bookish people! Today I thought it would be fun to share with you some of the books I have read that I would recommend that gives me the feeling of summer, let me know if you agree or disagree with this books!

Death and Croissants by Ian Moore

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Lying About Last Summer by Sue Wallman

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

The Maid by Nita Prose

Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Book Tags

Fae book tag!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today.

today I am doing the Fae book tag that I found on metaphors and moonlight.com but was created by Jordan Reads.

A faerie bargain: pick a book in which a character makes a bad deal or is blackmailed – I instantly thought of Throne of Glass for this answer, the competition is definitely a bad deal.

changeling: pick a book in which a character is dropped into a new world- pages and co by Anna James, I would love to be dropped into a bookish world like the characters in this series.

Wings or magic: pick one or the other and lost three books with that trait – wings! Just so I could choose Good Omens and Crescent city.

animal companions: pick a book in which there is a talking animal – spellslinger by Sebastian de castell

fated mates: pick a book in which there is a mating bind or true love – once upon a broken heart by Stephanie Garber

the spring court: pick a book in which plants feature in a large role – the stardust series by Tanya landman

the summer court: pick a book in which the ocean features a large role – a fatal crossing by Tom hindle

the autumn court: pick a book in which fire plays a large role- set fire to the gods

the winter court: pick a book in which a character almost freezes to death- what an interesting question, I literally can’t think of any book I have read that features this.

that’s it for this book tag, I hope you all enjoyed it, what would you have answered for the questions?