Book review: Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Five Survive

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Five Survive 〰️

I've been waiting to read this book for a while. I had it pre-ordered and everything. I ended up reading Jackson's Good Girl Guide to Murder series first while waiting (loved it so much). And then I read other books in my TBR. But I finally got around to reading it, and it was well worth the wait.

I love love, loved the writing style in this book. Jackson really made it unique and fitting for Red. You could see her past trauma and PTSD over what happened to her in the past and how it still affects her to this day. I know what happened to Red happened years ago, but trauma like this never goes away. I can maybe see how some people may be annoyed with Jackson's writing style in this book, but I personally loved every second of it. (Though now that I think of it, we never did find out what the pattern was in those darn curtains, and I, as well as Red, would love to know, haha).

Because of how this was written, as well as the story premise, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. This book was a real page-turner, and I'm here for it. I never saw anything coming. (Though I'm sure other readers could have. I'm not very perceptive).

However, I will say that only one small thing bothered me. Something the characters should have done but didn't. When Red spilled her secret, and everyone was trying to decide if they should chuck her out of the van, I wondered why they didn't radio the sniper, asking if this was the correct secret and save them all the trouble. I mean, it didn't matter in the end that they didn't do this thing, but I kept screaming at the book because they did it with Oliver and Reyna's secret, and thus they didn't have to leave the van. And yes, Red was the one they were after, but like, you'd think they'd ask the sniper if it was Red who they wanted before voting whether or not to send her out to die. Again, it didn't matter in the end, as it was Red who held the answers they were looking for, but you'd think the group would want to check first before blindly sending her to her death.

Aside from that, the pacing was great, the characters worked well off each other, and I loved learning about everyone's secrets and Red's past. It was a compelling read, and I highly recommend it. I think now that I've read the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and this book and loved them all, I think Jackson will now be a new auto-buy for me.

Book Review: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat

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The Writing Retreat 〰️

Actual rating 4.5 stars

I picked up this book solely on the title alone. Well, that and I saw a friend of mine reading it on Instagram, and the cover looked interesting, and I was looking for a new read. I glanced at the blurb, and it sounded interesting enough, so I took a chance. I'm glad I did. If I didn't, I would have missed out on this gem.

As a writer, I know firsthand many of the writlery struggles the characters feel in this book. If you are a writer, you'll for sure find that part of the book very relatable. However, I found it odd that the characters were shocked to hear they'd have to write a whole novel in a month. It's doable. I've done it. NaNoWriMo is a thing. I've never taken part in it, and granted, the goal is 50k in a month (the length a book is officially considered a novel), not 80k (average novel size), but still. It's also doable. I've known people who have written their first 80k draft in a month, so this shouldn't be too daunting for the characters whose only task to do in a day is to write.

That said, there is a larger story than just writing a novel in a month during a writing retreat. This is a thriller and a damn good one. Bartz lets you know something sinister is going to happen early on, and even though you're ready for it, it still hits hard. Like, people die, and I love it when an author commits to killing off characters.

However, I will say that the villain villains are a bit too hard at some points. She was veering close to Disney villain territory. Not that that is a bad thing. But it was close to being cartoonish to me. I did love her reasoning behind her plans, however. It was interesting to see Roza kill to become a famous writer, despite never being good enough to warrant such fame.

I loved that Alex and Wren, though reconciled at the end, don't become friends again. It really subverted my expectations, and that was a nice change. Like, we all wanted them to become friends (or maybe more?) again, but I love that Alex has accepted it wasn't a good relationship for her and moved on.

All in all, this was a gripping read, with a few good ghost stories tied in between. I would recommend giving this book a shot. It may surprise you.

Book Review: The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon

The Children on the Hill

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The Children on the Hill 〰️

I would have never heard of this book if it wasn't for my friend. She told me she was reading a book about a mental hospital with kids who live there, and then one day, their grandmother just dropped a random girl in their house and basically said she's your sister; treat her as your flesh and blood with no context as to who she was before. And I was intrigued. So, thank you, friend, because, hot damn, this was one helluva good read.

This book essentially has two storylines, the past, taking place in 1978 and the present (which in this novel's case is 2019). Both past and present tell their own stories and slowly intertwine and become connected. In order to understand the present, we need the story told from the past and vice versa.

And when my friend told me she did not see the big twist coming, that it was a twist she hadn't seen pulled off so well in such a long time, she wasn't lying. Because wow. That twist! I nearly threw my book across the room in disbelief. Yet, if you really think about it, it made sense, and I love that I didn't see it coming. I knew there was a twist coming, thanks to my friend, but she didn't spoil it. So I spent the whole novel trying to guess it for myself. It's safe to say I got nowhere near guessing correctly.

I applaud McMahon for her storytelling. This was a gripping and chilling read from start to finish. The characters and their motivations felt so real that I could believe this story was based on actual events. (And really, with the way people are, who is to say it isn't in some way?)

After reading this book and the synopsis of some of McMahon's other books, it's safe to say I'm a fan. I'll be diving into McMahon's other works in the future. If they are anything like this book, they are definitely worth the read. The Children on the Hill is now a book I highly recommend.

Book Review: Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Wrong Place Wrong Time

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Wrong Place Wrong Time 〰️

Where do I begin? This book sold me from the blurb and delivered on its promise of one helluva story. The plot of solving why the MC's son stabbed someone is a good story. But that's not what made this book outstanding. It was the fact that it was all done in reverse! It was such a cool concept.

Imagine witnessing something so terrible as a murder, and done by your own son no less, only to go back in time to find out it hasn't happened yet. And then not only are you not going forward in time every time you sleep, or even repeating the same day, but you just keep going back and back. Like imagine you had to relieve your whole life again, but going backwards. It's insane! I'd worry that even if I solved the crime and uncovered all the answers I needed to know that I would still just keep going back until I was a baby, and then poof, I'm not born. That thankfully doesn't happen to Jen, our MC, but she does go back 20 years, and that's still insane.

What's cool about this concept is that Jen keeps learning things that will help her understand the future, but with each new day, she's like a new person. She's got all this information that she will technically have only learnt in the future, but the people in Jen's life haven't yet revealed it to her. It's just mind-boggling how things are solved in reverse and how far back the mysteries go.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I'll be thinking about it for days. The plot is so fascinating; the characters somehow get well developed, even though we see them as a before rather than a later self (if that makes sense). And somehow, Jen even changed the present while still being able to live the life she had before. This book is for you if you want a fantastic read filled with unique twists and excellent writing. I'd rate it higher if I could.

Book Review: The Ivies by Alexa Donne

The Ivies

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The Ivies 〰️

This book held a lot of promise when I read the premise, and for the most part, it held true. I recently read a series where the plot was similar (keyword 'almost'). Where a murder happens, and a journalism student tries to solve it. Many plot points were the same, but make no mistake, the series and this book are still vastly different.

As much as I loved Oliva and her drive to solve the case, the more that I read, the more I wondered why she was in the Ivies in the first place. Sure, she admitted to some of the Ivies traits, but she was basically nothing like them. (As she clearly states herself multiple times). Though, in the end, she does admit a bit more about why she was an Ivie, it felt like she only became one just out of necessity and not because she admired them or wanted to be their friends. But this is the only negative. Well, there is one more, but I'll touch on that in a bit.

As mentioned, I loved Olivia's detective work. Her random uses of 'big words' plus her crime-solving helped us as a reader see how she got into Harvard.

As a Canadian, I found it fascinating to read what the pressure of getting into an Ivy League school in America was like. I've heard stories about the SATs, and I'm thankful I never had to take anything like that to get into school.

The last thing I will say, however, is that Tyler had real motivation for killing Emma but, in the end, did it because he wanted to write a better admissions essay? That felt a little off.

All in all, this was a delightful read with twists all over the place. I kept trying to guess who the killer was, but I never saw Tyler coming. Donne really nailed it there. A short read, but a great one nonetheless.

Book Review: As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

As Good As Dead

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As Good As Dead 〰️

What a thrilling end to this fantastic trilogy. I was slightly on the fence about book two, but this third one, there is no doubt. This one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I love how Pip's PTSD is handled. I love how we watch her slowly fall apart as she gets involved with a new case. I was floored when she was abducted, and if it wasn't for the fact that there was half a book left, I was sure she was done for. Her abduction to escape had me gripping the book so tight it left an impression. Then when Pip does the unthinkable, wow. We all wanted it to happen, but could we do the same? And cover it up so perfectly as she had done? I've always wondered if people who research a lot into true crime could actually get away with murder. Well, theoretically, at least in this book, they can.

I'm not usually into mystery/thriller books. But this series was so well written, so well thought out, that I couldn't put it down. Jackson truly knows her craft, and she delivers it with a punch to the gut. (Also, that ending!)

If you are looking for a new read, may I suggest this Good Girl series? (Though your definition of "good" may be warped in the end). Jackson is sure to be an author to look out for. I'll be keeping an eye on her future publications.

May Pip and Ravi find a wonderful life together.

Book Review: Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Good Girl, Bad Blood

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Good Girl, Bad Blood 〰️

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I for sure enjoyed reading it. But it almost felt like it was written because the first one was successful. Was it a story that needed to be continued? I'm unsure. But I will say I did love it. I also love that we got an explanation for the title of the first book in the form of the podcast. It felt odd having it be explained in book 2, but it was a friendly call back to the first book.

Good Girl, Bad Blood cover

I won't lie. The book was a little slow for me at the start. But when it picked up, it picked up hard. For me, anyway. I love the detail of every mystery and how Pip (and co.) solve the crimes that the police don't.

I will say, however, that Pip is highly knowledgeable about how the justice system and police work are done, which is fine. People have their hobbies, and she must have done a lot of research, most of which we saw in the first book. But it feels as though Pip should be more than just an eighteen-year-old girl solving crimes far beyond her years.

Is this book a worthy sequel? I think it is. I'm curious to see how the third book will play out. Something tells me it will be a continuation of the "Child Brunswick" storyline. The first book works as a standalone, and while this one has a fresh story, albiet similar to the first novel, it can also stand alone. But the ending also leaves a bit of ambiguity to continue. (Which is confirmed as it's a trilogy). I'm interested to see how it all plays out.

I don't think it's as strong as the first book until midway through the story, but this is still a worthy read.

Book Review: Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

Surrender Your Sons

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Surrender Your Sons 〰️

This book is powerful in more ways than one. Many queer novels are about romance, which is excellent, (and this one has a bit of it as well), but Surrender Your Sons isn't just about being in love. It's so much more.

This dark YA is about conversion therapy, (which, in my mind, 100% never works, and the staff are always "ex-gays," aka still gay but pretending they aren't in order to "fit into society"). It's also a murder mystery thriller, and I'm here for it.

Stories about new love, coming out, and found family are great, but reading a story about what could happen if you came out to your zealot mother and it goes terribly wrong, well, I think it's just as important to read. This novel brings up many serious topics, and I believe Sass handled them very well.

I was hooked right from the first page to the last, and I secretly hope for a sequel, considering how it ended. I can't stress how much I loved this book and that I think it's an essential read with an excellent story. Sass knew how to make me (and I'm sure many more) feel all the feels.

If you are looking for an exciting read with a dash of romance, this is the book for you. 10/10. I highly recommend it.

Surrender Your Sons

by Adam Sass