The Long Game (The Fixer #2)
   by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: Political Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical copy received via the publisher in exchange for  a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 368 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.

 For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Ally Carter, the second book in this thrilling series will leave readers breathless.

 

 

After reading and LOVING The Fixer, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Long Game! I never would have thought I would enjoy political thrillers, but man, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has sold me! There are so many twists and turns that I did NOT see coming! I was seriously floored! I love books that take me by surprise like that!

 

I will keep my thoughts brief, as I do not want to include any spoilers from The Fixer, as there are plenty of twists and turns in that one as well! Tess has become known as a fixer at her school and while she doesn't really relish the job, she still ends up doing it. She doesn't like seeing her classmates treated unjustly and no matter how much she says she's not going to, she always finds her way into the middle of the fray! Her relationship with Ivy is definitely strained after things came to light in the previous book, but I really like the way Barnes developed that relationship. It's realistic and raw and I just love it. I also love Adam too and am still holding out for him and Ivy to get together!

 

The gang is all back in this one and there's a hint of a romance! I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but I was totally on board! However, things get... complicated. That's a good word for it. :) And that's all you'll get from me.

 

Action, adventure, intrigue, secrets, betrayal... it's all here in this second book in the series! I am really hoping Barnes gets contracted for a third novel because oh my goodness I need closure and answers! I highly recommend these books- they are so much fun and they read so fast!

 

The Leaving Season
     by: Cat Jordan

Publication Date: Mar. 1, 2016
Publisher: Harper Teen
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 352 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season—the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.

It happens every late August, but this year Middie’s boyfriend, Nate, is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America.

And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.

But when tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is…except for Nate’s best friend Lee.

Middie and Lee have never gotten along. She’s always known that she was destined for great things, and Lee acts like he’s never cared about anything a day in his life. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.

Cat Jordan’s heartbreaking story proves that no matter the season, no matter the obstacles, love can help you find yourself in the most unexpected of places.

 

 

I wasn't sure how this one would go when I originally dove in, but I have to say I really ended up enjoying it.

 

"How could I write about an experience that defined me when I had no idea who I was?"

 

I thought Meredith (Middie) was such a relatable character and she's far from perfect. She makes mistakes. She acts immaturely at times. I liked seeing that though. She's young, she's figuring life out, and most of all she's searching for her identity. For so long she has been defined by her role as Nate's girlfriend. She knows what the two of them wanted together, but now that she's on her own, she starts to rethink her future. Nate's absence really made Middie reexamine her life and if she wanted what they once had planned.

 

One of the biggest factors in this is Nate's best friend, Lee. I liked Lee a lot and I wish we had gotten a bit more development from him. Middie doesn't have to pretend with Lee. He doesn't pretty things up for her and pity her. He's real and he's unashamed of who he is. I really liked that. Middie and Lee were quite the surprise because Lee has some pretty hostile feelings toward her at first, calling her Yoko, and making her feel that she kept Nate from spending time with his friend. Lee is a wild card and he challenges and pushes Middie to be herself.

 

Middie doesn't handle things in the best way with Lee, but I understand her actions, even though they sucked. When your entire world is shaken up and thrown into chaos, it's natural to freak out. You want nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were, even though it might not be possible. Middie does this. She clings to the familiar and while she wants to go back to the way things were before, it's too late. She's been changed and she's finally figuring out who she is... as an individual.

 

I am a huge advocate for books where teens are trying to figure their lives out. Let's be honest. It's rare that they have their lives figured out at 17-18 years old. They make mistakes and they learn from them. Seeing them find their own path is an experience that I love reading about.

 

 

 

A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes #1)
   by: Brittany Cavallaro

Publication Date: March 1, 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Genre: Mystery
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 336 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars

The last thing sixteen-year-old Jamie Watson–writer and great-great-grandson of the John Watson–wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s enigmatic, fiercely independent great-great-granddaughter, who’s inherited not just his genius but also his vices, volatile temperament, and expertly hidden vulnerability. Charlotte has been the object of his fascination for as long as he can remember–but from the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else.

Then a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Holmes stories, and Jamie and Charlotte become the prime suspects. Convinced they’re being framed, they must race against the police to conduct their own investigation. As danger mounts, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe and the only people they can trust are each other.

Equal parts tender, thrilling, and hilarious, A Study in Charlotte is the first in a trilogy brimming with wit and edge-of-the-seat suspense.

  

 

 

I will confess that I am not really a Sherlock Holmes fan, so I have to wonder if that was part of my problem with this book. I was really intrigued by the premise and I am always up for a good mystery. However, I struggled to relate with the characters, especially Charlotte. I did eventually warm up to her by the end though. There were times I felt bored as well and wanted the mystery to ramp up.

 

I did like how Jamie was with Charlotte though. The two made a good pair and when Charlotte would actually let him in, it really worked.

 

I did feel the last 1/4 of the book was really well done and I really enjoyed how the book hit the conflict and resolution. I wasn't able to figure out exactly who was at fault, but I did have my suspicions.

 

This one just felt lackluster to me and I honestly don't really have much more to say about it. It wasn't a very memorable read for me.

 

He Will Be My Ruin
   by: K.A Tucker

Publication Date: Feb. 2, 2016
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Age Group: Adult
Source: e-ARC received via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 352 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her romantic thriller debut with this heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.

Twenty-eight-year-old Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a bottle of Xanax and a handle of Maker’s Mark, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers secrets in the childhood lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man who Celine herself claimed would be her ruin.

On the hunt for answers that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

 

 

Having read many of K.A.'s books, I was excited to dive into this one, as it was something different than her contemporary romances! I knew she could do mystery and suspense, because we have seen those elements already in her previous novels. I was definitely intrigued and I love books where I suspect everyone. And I mean, I suspected EVERYONE. I kept creating different scenarios in my head about who could have done it and why, which is always fun. And I was quite excited to see that my gut was right. But Tucker kept me on my toes because just when I thought someone was cleared, she made me doubt myself again!

 

I liked Maggie's character overall. Does she make some bad choices? Of course she does. Did I worry about her safety? Several times. I can't imagine how difficult it was to lose her best friend. Not only that, but she doesn't agree that her death was a suicide. Maggie wants to get to the bottom of everything and she gets thrown into a world where she finds out that she didn't know her best friend quite as well as she thought she did. Reading some of Celine's journals definitely made me hurt for Maggie, because Celine does not censor her feelings about Maggie's wealth and how she even resents her for it at times. I definitely felt that the two had grown apart over the years and that even though she considered Celine her best friend, it made me sad how much Maggie didn't know about Celine and her life.

 

There's not much more I can say because I definitely don't want to ruin anything, but I loved how the book started. I am always a fan of getting the present day situation first and then going back to how we reached that point. There was a small amount of romance in this one, but I don't know that you could really call it that because I didn't really see feelings develop. The two were friendly enough and they liked one another, but I saw it more as a casual thing than a long term one.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I don't read much mystery and suspense, but I do like when my brain is challenged and trying to figure out how the puzzle pieces all fit!

The Fixer (The Fixer #1)
   by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 384 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This thriller YA is Scandal meets Veronica Mars.

Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for this compelling teen drama with a political twist.

 

 

Oh wow. This book completely blew me away! I loved every minute of it! That comparison to Scandal and Veronica Mars is on point too. I loved meeting Tess and seeing her inadvertently get immersed in the political world and all the power hungry, scandalous individuals that come with it. I was sad we didn't get any romance in this book, but surprisingly, it didn't bother me too much. The plot has so much action, twists, turns, and invokes so many questions that I was completely engaged by those things alone.

 

I liked Tess as the main character. She is uprooted from her life in Montana and brought to Washington D.C. to live with her sister, as her grandfather is ailing from Alzheimer's. Tess isn't happy with this because Tess believes her sister abandoned her and she really carries some hurt feelings over this. There is a lot more to this story than meets the eye and I confess I guessed the truth pretty early on.

 

Tess's new school is known for being the one a lot of political kids attend, so everyone seems to know who Tess is by her association with her sister Ivy. Ivy is well known for her ability to fix things and make problems disappear, and it looks like Tess may share that attribute with her sister. However, Tess ends up getting involved in quite the mess, just by who she associates with at school.

 

Ivy and Tess's relationship drove me a little crazy because Ivy doesn't want Tess to get wrapped up in any part of what she does for a living and she doesn't tell Tess ANYTHING. I get Ivy's wanting to protect Tess, but if Ivy were a bit more open about certain things, maybe Tess wouldn't have gone searching for answers of her own. Ok. She totally would have. LOL.

 

I did love Ivy's friends, Bodie and Adam. They were both great and I liked how easily they accepted and got along with Tess. I am totally shipping Ivy with Adam and I hope that happens because I really liked him and how caring he was of both girls. Bodie was also a lot of fun and I like that he realized Tess wasn't easily dissuaded just by telling her to leave well enough alone. He got that and so he expected her questions and really understood her plight.

 

As I said, there's not a romance in this one, but I could see one potentially form between her and Henry. Henry is a pretty stoic kid, which makes sense as he has just endured a tragedy, but because of his dislike of Ivy, he and Tess don't really get off on the right foot. So I could see something spark there between them. There is another guy in this one, Asher, but I don't know that I would consider him for Tess. He's a complete goofball and a flirt- and he just didn't give off that vibe like Henry does.

 

Even though I figured out one of the big plot twists, I could not figure out the whodunit aspect. The book resolves a lot of the current questions raised, but not all. I am definitely excited to read the sequel to see how Tess and Ivy will handle what's happened at the end of the book. I forsee more manipulation, more twists and turns, and definitely more action in the sequel's future!

 

Liars, Inc.
    by: Paula Stokes

Publication Date: Mar. 24, 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 368 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

For fans of Gone Girl, I Hunt Killers, and TV's How to Get Away with Murder.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? In a story that Kirkus Reviews called "Captivating to the very end," Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

 

 

I don't read many mysteries and thrillers which is mainly due to not having come across the right ones. Thankfully, I've heard great things about Paula Stokes before so I decided to give Liars, Inc. a shot. I am so very glad I did. I really liked this one. Paula's writing style was engaging and I liked that this was from a male's POV.

 

I liked Max's character a lot. He's not the popular kid at school, instead he's just kind of there with his star football playing best friend Preston, and his also popular girlfriend Parvati. Most kids don't pay much attention to him, but he's not this social outcast either. After Max takes the blame for a girl's ringing cell phone to land himself in detention so that he can spend a few hours with Parvati on Saturday, the girl pays him for her gratitude. Word gets around and soon Max, Preston, and Parvati find a lucrative business on their hands. Lying for their classmates as a means to make money. I thought this part of the storyline would be more of the focus of this story. Instead, the focus remains on Preston going missing after skipping out to meet up with a girl. Camping with Max is his cover story, so when Preston goes missing, Max is directly in the line of fire for questioning. Preston just isn't any old kid- he happens to be a Senator's son, so naturally the FBI ends up getting involved.

 

It was really neat to see how Stokes broke up the story into 3 different parts. She starts with the present, which is full of action and intrigue, and then backtracks to how it all started and then catches up to the present. It felt like a tv show in that sense, where we see the bad stuff going down, and then it goes back in time so we can see how everything culminates to that point.

 

I wasn't really crazy about him and Parvati because it didn't seem like they had that much of a connection together. There was one scene in particular where Parvati was talking about something related to the newspaper club and Max wasn't even remotely interested by it, instead wanting to move forward to the more physical nature of their relationship. I also felt unsure of Parvati and I didn't completely trust her not to hurt Max.

 

There's not a whole lot more I can say without spoiling the plot, so I will just say that I really enjoyed this one. Even though I wasn't crazy about the romance, it wasn't enough to make me dislike the book by any means. While important, it didn't overshadow the main action and suspense that was occurring as Max tries to find out what happened to Preston and manage to clear his name at the same time. I definitely didn't see Stokes taking the direction she did, so that was awesome because I love being surprised by suspenseful plot twists.

All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1)
   by: Ally Carter

Publication Date: Jan. 20, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Mystery/Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from Library
Page Count: 320 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars

A new series of global proportions -- from master of intrigue, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter.

This exciting new series from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter focuses on Grace, who can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world, and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay--in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved.

 

 

Upon hearing the premise of this one, I knew I had to give it a read. I am glad I did, even though it was just an okay read for me. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the idea behind Embassy Row. It's cool to think of a little place where you are isolated from everyone else in the world, except for the countries that surround you. This world is all about political alliances and making sure reputations are upheld and rules are followed.

 

Enter Grace who is a notorious wild child and rule breaker. She is still reeling from her mother's death and being back in the Embassy is not easy for her. Having witnessed her mother's murder, Grace is frustrated no one seems to believe her and want to help her uncover the truth. Grace's character was a hard one for me to like. She is impulsive and reckless and comes across as a bit of a whiny child. Some of her snark just didn't work for me. I also didn't like how she constantly kept brushing Alexei off. What may start as a favor to her older brother, certainly turns into more and I found myself wanting to shake Grace for ignoring his well-meaning wishes.

 

The romance is pretty subtle in this one and I'm not sure if you can even call it that. As I said, things with her and Alexei are rather sticky, as Grace only believes he's hanging around as a favor to her brother. Alexei eventually makes it clear that he likes her because of her and not her brother though, but Carter still doesn't cross into a relationship territory in this book. I am hoping there will not be a love triangle, as I feel Grace's new friend Noah is better off as just that: a friend.

 

One thing I did really enjoy in this one were Carter's secondary characters. I loved Megan, Rosie, and Noah. They were a great addition to the story and most of all they proved to Grace that she didn't have to do everything alone.

 

This was a pretty fast paced book, but I did have trouble keeping up toward the end. I wasn't sure what was real anymore or who was on what side and Carter made me wonder what was really going on underneath all the layers. I am looking forward to seeing the direction she takes in the next book. While I enjoyed this one, it just didn't wow me. I struggle to write this review, as I am finding myself having trouble remembering the details and the emotions I felt as I read. Unraveling the mystery of this one is what really kept me going and I'm glad Carter kept me on my toes while reading.

 

The Naturals (The Naturals #1)
    by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: Nov. 5, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC won from the publisher
Page Count: 308 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

 

 

I won this book last year in a Twitter giveaway and just never quite found the time to read it... until now! Our school has started up a book club and they are doing a different genre every month and then meet to discuss what books they read! Being a teacher I was afraid they would say it was only for students, but they were happy to let me join in the fun! This month's genre was mystery, so naturally I thought of this book! I'm not a huge mystery fan, but I really did enjoy reading The Naturals. It was very CSI for Young Adult, which definitely captured my interest!

 

While I enjoyed this book, I did expect a bit more action and suspense. Instead, a lot of the book revolves around our main character Cassie getting acquainted to the program and learning to hone her skills as a profiler. This was important to see, but I felt it went on a bit too long for my taste. I did love the thriller element to this one though. Barnes incorporates a very creepy 'extra' that we see throughout the book before certain chapters. It is critical to the storyline and I loved trying to figure out what it meant! The action really ramped up towards the last 1/4 of the book, and I have to say- I was NOT able to predict the end of this one!

 

Cassie is a bit of a loner. She is surrounded by family, but still feels out of place. When she is approached by the FBI for her ability to profile people, she jumps at the chance to leave and head for Washington. She is not the only one to have enhanced abilities though. In the program, there are 4 other teens her age who are also helping the FBI crack cold cases. Michael can read emotions and is quite good at masking his own. Cassie really struggles to get a read on him and finds herself wondering who the real Michael is. He comes across as snarky and confident, but I liked him. I especially liked what he said to her at the end of the book! Dean is another profiler like Cassie, but he is determined to keep her at arm's length. He doesn't have any interest in befriending her, but as they are both profilers, they find themselves working together quite frequently. Dean is still a bit of a mystery, but as we learn more about his past, it makes sense as to why he is the way he is. Lia and Sloane round out the group. Sloane is Cassie's roommate and is a bit socially awkward. She thinks in patterns and numbers and is very type A. Lia, on the other hand, is a bit of a wild child and likes to be the center of attention. She could really grate on my nerves at times, but I don't think she's a bad person. I was afraid she'd be a bit too mean girl for my tastes, but she wasn't that bad. 

 

I wish I could have gotten a bit more on Cassie. She's not a bad heroine, but I didn't really connect to her at all. I felt like we saw way more personality in Lia than anyone else and she's not who the book is focused on.

 

I wasn't crazy about the impending love triangle either. I honestly didn't feel Cassie had a spark with either Michael or Dean to be honest. I prefer Michael, as he actually is forthcoming in his want to date her, where Dean doesn't show any outward affection towards her. He offers her comfort and a quiet strength when she discovers some things that connect to her past. However, Michael had something going on with Lia at one point in time and it's clear she still wants him, so of course this complicates matters.

 

I'm huge on character development in a novel and I just felt this one was lacking in that department. I really liked the premise though, so that is what would encourage me to continue this series. I've also heard fantastic thing about the second book, Killer Instincts, so I'm definitely going to give it a try.

 

Next month's BHS Book Club genre is romance! YAY! This will be an easy one for me to do, because pretty much every book I read has romance in it!

Don't Look Back
    by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: ARC borrowed from Vi!
Page Count: 372 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

 

We all know how awesome Jennifer Armentrout is. The woman can WRITE and she is just so versatile! She can rock so many different genres and while thrillers and mysteries are not typically my favorites, I adored this one. Even though this is a mystery, she still provides just enough romance to make my heart flutter. I loved the way she unraveled this one even though I had my suspect pegged from the beginning.

Pacing: I was immediately pulled in. Jennifer's writing just does that to me though. I am always instantly engaged and find myself devouring her books in a short time span.

Storyline: I really enjoyed the storyline behind this one. Not only do we have a thriller/mystery on our hands, but I like that it is in a young adult setting. Sam is still in high school and that really plays a big role in this story. She cannot remember anything about her life. While that is scary- it actually ends up being a bit of a godsend. Sam was not the nicest person before- ok, she was downright awful to others, but this gave her a second chance at life and discovering who she really was. Things that were once important to her no longer are- she now looks at the bigger picture instead of an egocentric one. So many expectations were placed on her about who she was and who she was supposed to be. Naturally her boyfriend and friends are not happy about the fact that the old Sam is gone and in her place is a girl who is just trying to figure out what happened to her and her best friend Cassie. I also liked how the story unraveled and how Sam is trying to put the fragmented pieces of her memory back together. She needs answers and she can't help but examine and question everything she's told about her former life.

Characters: I liked Sam. I thought she was a great main character, even though I wish she would have cut ties to certain people way sooner than she did. I realize she's still searching for answers and that she feels like cutting those ties would be wrong, considering what she's being told, but still. I wanted her to go with her gut feelings. I liked seeing her embrace her new self. She really does get a clean slate and even though people still harbor hurt feelings over some of her old actions and words, she does feel genuinely sorry about how she treated people. Reality is a cold slap in the face for Sam, as she realizes that her life wasn't as great as certain people made it out to be.

I really loved Carson. Carson is a good friend and fellow teammate of Sam's brother Scott. Carson and Sam used to be inseparable as kids, but once Cassie entered the picture, she really dropped Carson and let their friendship deteriorate and dissolve. You can tell Carson still harbors hurt feelings over that rejection and he is not very friendly to her when she first gets back. Carson is a genuine, good guy and I do love those. He really cares for Sam and wants to be there for her. He doesn't brush her off as crazy, but instead listens to her and I really liked that about him.

I also really liked Sam's brother Scott and his girlfriend Julie. Julie and Sam also used to be friends, but stopped hanging out shortly after Julie and Scott started dating. It's nice to see them rekindle their friendship, as Sam really needs some people in her corner right now.

Sam's so-called 'friends' were absolutely awful. Veronica and Candy were the worst and it's hard to believe Sam used to act the same way they did. They are vapid and shallow and really took the whole mean girls to the extreme. Sam's boyfriend Del wasn't much better. He acts sweet and loving, but you can tell right off he's hiding things.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed Don't Look Back. I loved that it had some romance incorporated in it because the chemistry between Carson and Sam is off the charts. The mystery/thriller aspect of it was engaging and while I figured out who was to blame early on, it still didn't detract from the twists and turns that Armentrout included. I also liked seeing Sam transform into a different person. She is nowhere near the shallow, vapid girl she once was, but now she's gathering the courage to be who she wants and that is really inspiring. I highly recommend picking this one up- Armentrout will captivate you and keep you glued to the pages in anticipation of what's to come.

 

Find Me (Find Me #1)
   by: Romily Bernard

Publication Date: Sept. 24, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 307 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

“Find Me.”

These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.

Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.

But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.

Because it just got personal.

 

 

I don't read a whole lot of mystery/thriller books but I have to say I did enjoy Find Me. I started reading and it wasn't very long before I was actually starting to get a little creeped out! I was first drawn to this book by the cover. The digital image of the girl made of the words Find Me was crazy awesome!

 

The cover goes so perfectly with the premise of the story. Our protagonist, Wick, is a computer hacker who, despite her sister Lily's protests, does what she must in order to earn extra cash. Both girls have lost their mother and their father is a felon who they are to be kept away from. Wick has not felt a sense of stability in so long- even living with her new foster parents, she won't be found left without anything. I felt bad for Wick. She's gone through way more than a teenager ever should and now she finds herself with a former friend's diary. The only problem? Her former friend Tessa, has been found dead. It is up to Wick to find out what really happened, however, someone does NOT want her digging around where she shouldn't be. Now on this mysterious person's radar, Wick finds the person most dear to her at risk.

 

Wick is a really tough character, as I stated earlier- she hasn't had a choice in that matter. Her experiences have hardened her and she will not let some crazy person one-up her in the hacking game. She ends up obtaining the help of a boy in her computer class at school- Griff. I wasn't crazy about him to be honest. He was quite sketchy to me at first. The one thing you learn about reading these kinds of books is: trust NO ONE. So, I didn't. I suspected every one.

 

The most suspicious was the detective that kept hanging around outside of Wick's house. I had a bad feeling about him from the beginning. What kind of detective creeps around outside at 2AM? He just seemed off. Not to mention- he was horrible to Wick, calling her trash and everything else. That is NOT ok.

 

Back to Griff, however. It turns out he has a lot more in common with Wick that we could have thought. He is determined to help her once he finds out exactly what is going on. Their relationship felt a bit off to me though. I didn't really buy into the fact that they really liked each other. Sure, he was there to help her and she felt strange around him- which led her to believe maybe she did have feelings for him. Unfortunately the romance just didn't work for me.

 

Thankfully, the romance was a small part of the story, so I was still intrigued and drawn in. I really liked Lily and Wick's relationship and I wish we had seen more of them two together. This was probably my biggest problem of the book. I wanted more development than I got and I didn't feel emotionally invested in my characters.

 

Overall, if you're looking for a good, action story and not having an attachment to the characters doesn't bother you, then by all means check this one out. Some people have said it was predictable, but I honestly didn't see it coming. The end of the book literally left me breathless- the action just kept going and going!

 

Thirty and a Half Excuses (Rose Gardner Mystery #3)

by Denise Grover Swank

Adult Mystery

Release Date: Fall 2013

 

Life in Henryetta, Arkansas is turned upside down with the arrival of a televangelist, but it’s the death of a little old lady on Rose’s street that catches her attention. The Henryetta police deem her death natural causes, but Rose suspects foul play and so does an unlikely supporter– the president of the Busy Body Club, her eighty-two year old neighbor Mildred.

But Rose is in the middle of opening her nursery with her sister Violet, who’s separated from her husband Mike, as well as stalling her boyfriend Joe’s family, rich socialites who are determined to meet her. Along with her multiple encounters with Fenton County’s new assistant DA, Mason Deveraux III, it’s just another day in the life of Rose Gardner– chaos.

 

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes (Rose Gardner Mystery #1)

by Denise Grover Swank

Adult Mystery

Released: July 2011

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She's had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone's toilet's overflowed, but she's never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.

Rose realizes she's wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She's well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won't help with number fifteen-- do more with a man. Joe's new to town, but it doesn't take a vision for Rose to realize he's got plenty secrets of his own.

Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they'll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn't her biggest worry after all.

Winner of The Beacon 2010 Unpublished Division, Mainstream Category

 

 

 Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons (Rose Gardner Mystery #2)

by Denise Grover Swank

Adult Mystery

Released: June 2012

 

When Rose reports for Fenton County jury duty she figures she's lucky to get out of a morning working at the DMV. Instead, despite a disastrous encounter with the new assistant district attorney, Mason Deveraux, she's picked as a juror on a murder case. As the trial progresses, she realizes an ominous vision she had in the men's restroom proves the defendant is innocent. And there's not a cotton picking thing she can do about it. Or is there? As if things weren't bad enough, Rose's older sister Violet is going through a mid-life crisis. Violet insists that Rose stop seeing her sexy new boyfriend, Arkansas state detective Joe Simmons, and date other men. Rose is done letting people boss her around, but she can't commit to Joe either. Still, Rose isn't about to let the best thing in her life slip away.

 

 

About Denise Grover Swank:

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period.  Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.)  Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks.  She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

You can find out more about Denise and her other books at: www.denisegroverswank.com.

 

Blog  Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads