Coleen
I'd actually give this more of a 3.5, but since half stars aren't allowed I'll upgrade this to 4. Julian(the main character) has a great voice, and this is a decent coming of age story. The author wrote from a first person P.O.V. about being an average kid who sometimes makes bad decisions and mistakes. Also didn't feel as if the author was writing this as he might imagine or remember how a gifted 12 year old might, instead it did feel as if maybe Julian's character became “real and he was telling us about his little slice of life. I'm usually a sucker for coming of age stories and feel this one was pretty well done. I would definitely recommend this to children ages 10-14 who were looking for a decent realistic fiction book.
I'm very impressed by the author's skill in character building. I became so attached to Willow and the mismatched characters who come into her life that I was actually anxious for Willow to have a happy ending. Even though there were some aspects of the book I had trouble with I'd definitely recommend this to kids who are looking for an interesting and introspective book.
I was fooled into reading this by all the stellar reviews, and book jacket description. As I read the book I wondered if this would be the time I was so disgusted with a book that I would throw it. Which in my mind is something I DON'T do because I respect books too much to do that. The only thing preventing me from throwing it at a wall this time was that it was a library loan. I'm not going to talk about it much besides the fact that my loathing for this book is deep. The only reason I finished it was it was a book club choice. Otherwise it'd be on my books I despised and refuse to finish pile.
Not as suspenseful or thrilling as her other two. Actually my least favorite of all her books. I was totally not surprised when Nadine figures out that Spoiler she was sexually abused as a child by cult leader Aaron Quinn. Who is supposed to be creepy, but seemed like a cookie cutter cult leader who is supposed to be charismatic, but of course the main character had his number and felt very uncomfortable around him at a young age even before the sexual abuse started. While this isn't a bad suspense novel I just wasn't satisfied as I have been with Chevy Stevens other novels.
I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. This book is a roller coaster of emotions. Some of them dark and sad. I was really enamored with both Helen and Hanna. Their relationship reminded me many times of my own childless Great Aunt who treated loved me with her whole heart and only wanted what was best for me. I really loved Helen and Hanna. I think this might definitely be an older teen/more mature teen book because of the tough subject matter at times. However, I can do nothing but sing it's praises and put it on my list of books I loved even though they made me cry.
I hadn't read a Graham Masterson in a while and I'd really liked his previous work that I read. However, this one not so much. I know this is harsh but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it so I don't feel like anything was wasted except my time.
I've read splatterpunk and been less disturbed I think because it was based on a true story made it hard for me to stomach. It wasn't for me.
Yeah, I just had to stop. This book was hitting me over the head with a metaphorical sledgehammer in foreshadowing. I just didn't have the patience even with this small of a story that was so obvious. For all I know the foreshadowing was a red herring and it would've turned out differently. By the time the police are in the MC'd house, saying this evil child was actually his child, I'd had enough.
It was probably going to be a female empowerment story but I couldn't stomach what was happening to the main character before she gave her tormentors their just desserts.
I LOVE this book! Every time someone is looking for a funny picture book and it is available at the library I work at I suggest it! Cow on a joy ride is all sorts of fun.
I hate this book almost viscerally. To say it was not for me feels like a gross understatement.
I read this years ago and still, the hate runs through me. I needed to put my opinion out there for “all” to see. I vividly remember a lot of scenes in the book. I remember my disgusted annoyance with a reveal about the MC. It was just all sorts of wrong.
Lou is a former famous true-crime writer who has fallen off the best seller list. So when he gets to interview a killer who has refused to talk to anyone in the press he can't pass it up. You know that saying if it's too good to be true than it probably is. See the catch is he has to live in the house where the murders happened with his daughter Virginia..
At first you think oh it just a haunted house story but the descriptions make you get goosebumps. Nothing is gory but it is definitely frightening and. It is easy for you to picture the creepy ghost reflected in the washroom mirror, the creaky rooms of the old house, or the abandoned orchard. The unsettling book fills you with dread. The ending is pretty intense in my opinion. Something I've read in books or seen in some movies but well done.
Fast read; paranormal young adult gothic fairy tale/myth. The main story told from the p.o.v. of Sterling who is a loving younger sister who's older brother disappears one day into the swamp that everyone in the local town fears only to be replaced by some girl. Everyone is convinced that everything is hunky dory and this girl has been Sterling's older sister her whole life. You read this book to see if Sterling is crazy,or the swamp or something that lives in the swamp replaced her brother.
I did enjoy the fairy tale and paranormal aspect and I wasn't annoyed by the romance. The main character was just okay though. You're supposed to feel for her plight but mostly I was just interested in her journey to figure out what happened. I think this was pretty good but not great.