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One Of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
Release Date: 05/30/17 | 361 Pages | Contemporary | Delacorte Press
This breakout novel has been dominating the bestsellers list since it came out and it’s popularity is really interesting because you rarely see a debut author without a massive social media following or platform hang on the list this long. I think some of it’s popularity may have to do with it’s elevator pitch. Five high school students walk into detention; the nerdy girl, the criminal bad boy, the homecoming princess, the jock and the outcast—and only five come out alive.
I…I think I may be the black sheep when it comes to this book. It just wasn’t what I expected. I thought it was going to be crime solving teens but the characters don’t actively come together to try to solve the crime they’re accused of until about 80% into the book. For most of the story they’re just like “yeah, that thing was weird” and keep on keepin’ on with their lives and personal drama while off screen lawyers handle the intricate details of the case. This story is more about the characters deepest secrets being revealed than solving a murder.
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Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey
357 pages | 4/28/15 | Delacorte Press
I finally decided to grab Girl at Midnight because it’s been a minute since I’ve listened to some YA for fun. I see this book pop up all the time as a read-a-like for the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. Girl at Midnight is a worthy comp it features; hidden worlds, mystical creatures, a centuries old war, er… cross-species love interests and a girl with a destiny.
As a child, Echo was a runaway living in a library until she is taken in by the Avicen, a fantastical race of feathered people who live in the in-betweens of our world. One day Echo stumbles upon a locket that could unlock the Firebird, a legend that could to stop the cold war between the Avicen and the their enemies the Dracain.
Along the way she unwittingly teams up with Caius the recently ousted Dracain Prince and his beautiful blue eyed BFF who is also the head of his guard, who is of course secretly in love with Caius. Together they begin a somewhat short journey to follow the clues and unleash the weapon.
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Book Review : The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
- Release Date: March 4th 2014
- Genre: Historical/ AU
- Pages: 355
- Publisher: Farrar Strauss & Giroux
Synopsis : As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
For 10 years the Valorians have ruled the Herrani, a race of people enslaved in their own land. At a slave auction Kestrel, a member of the Valorian upper class, wins the Herrani of her choice and in that moment of winning she will also lose everything and she doesn’t even know it.
The story follows Krestel as she makes her way through high society and how it often clashes with her candor and affinity for music and art. She is also at war with her growing feelings for Arin the Herrani slave and the truth he is making her see.
Honestly, I think Krestel had a bit too much going on conflict wise. She’s at a crossroads she can either get married or become a solider but wants to do neither, she likes music but that is not thought highly of by her people. She struggles with what how to treat Arin in addition to feuds with fellow Valorians. I think I would have preferred to focus on one of these conflicts.
The big winner in this book has to be the forbidden romance that forms between Kestrel and Arin , overall that was what kept me reading during the somewhat slow build in the novel. I don’t want to give to much away about Arin, but his character development in the book was one I enjoyed reading. I wish that the novel focused more on him.…