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genieinanovel's Reviews (752)
Three months after they stopped what would've been the greatest art fraud of all time, Art and Camille are once again on the trail of another mystery involving famous paintings for a new exhibit that Art's dad is partly in charge of. They believe that the paintings are going to be stolen, thanks to a mysterious woman that takes the same walk throughout the museum at the same time every day. And Art believes it's in connection to an art theft that happened almost exactly 30 years previous, and the same famous artists are being targeted.
This book isn't quite as action packed as its predecessor, but it's still good. It has more of a lowkey spy feel to it, and the stakes don't seem to be as high (at least, no one is out to kill Art and Camille this time). There's some good twists to the mystery that were well played. However, this time there weren't many chapters with the other side of what was happening (aka: the thieves) which was something I enjoyed in the previous book. Though I suppose it does add more to the mystery of it all.
What's cute in this story is you see how close Art and Camille have gotten since Art and his dad settled in D.C. They both look out for each other and even when they risk getting into trouble, decide to help the other because of their friendship. After all, once you escape a bunch of bad guys trying to kill you once, you're bonded for life.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though I wasn't as wrapped up in the mystery like the previous one. The reason for that was the fact that we know who Art is this time and he does too. The amnesia in the first novel was definitely the hook of that story. Still, this was a great follow up and I can't wait to see what mystery Art and Camille unravel next!
This book isn't quite as action packed as its predecessor, but it's still good. It has more of a lowkey spy feel to it, and the stakes don't seem to be as high (at least, no one is out to kill Art and Camille this time). There's some good twists to the mystery that were well played. However, this time there weren't many chapters with the other side of what was happening (aka: the thieves) which was something I enjoyed in the previous book. Though I suppose it does add more to the mystery of it all.
What's cute in this story is you see how close Art and Camille have gotten since Art and his dad settled in D.C. They both look out for each other and even when they risk getting into trouble, decide to help the other because of their friendship. After all, once you escape a bunch of bad guys trying to kill you once, you're bonded for life.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though I wasn't as wrapped up in the mystery like the previous one. The reason for that was the fact that we know who Art is this time and he does too. The amnesia in the first novel was definitely the hook of that story. Still, this was a great follow up and I can't wait to see what mystery Art and Camille unravel next!
Paige has a hard time making decisions, even small ones that seem insignificant to other people. Why? Because every decision you make might determine what happens later on in life. Whether you end up with your true love or settle for someone else. Whether you live a life of happiness or regret. So yeah, she gets paralyzed when it comes to making choices because what if this is the decision she makes that ruins the rest of her life?
So you can imagine the turmoil she’s in when she has to choose between going on vacation with her best friend (and longtime crush), Fitz, or finally go to New York City with her mom for Christmas. But when she slips on a wet floor in a store and hits her head, her world is split into to alternate realities where she can live out either decision and find out if she’ll still get her happy ending with Fitz, or not.
What drew me into this book first was how Paige’s character was described because she’s basically me. I have a hard time with making decisions and sometimes feel that paralyzing fear of “what if this is the wrong choice and I screw my life up?” I obviously realized right away that Paige suffered an anxiety disorder because, oh yeah, so do I. So I found Paige to be a very relatable character throughout the entire length of the story… even the crushing on your guy best friend because, been there, done that (and never again).
The alternate reality aspect of the book told in alternating chapters was fantastic. I loved seeing how both realities would play out. It’s not the first time I’ve read something like this, I actually read a fantastic Recess fanfiction with parallel timelines showing how one thing can set some things off course and other things are inevitable. So that was something else that really drew me into this book. It makes you wonder how our lives would be different and the same if we made a different decision at one point in our lives.
Other than Paige, I loved both male characters in this, especially Harrison. He was aloof at first, but turns out to be this loveable dork underneath the snark. Meanwhile Fitz is that adorable puppy that everyone seems to love, though there were some times I was like, “ugh, Paige, get over him already.” So both males in this were great characters. I wasn’t so fond of Paige’s best friend, and I have no idea why, but I just felt “meh” about her.
A great takeaway from this book is that big decisions don’t have to be as scary as they seem. I mean, that definitely sounds easier than it is, but it’s good to remember. Some things that happen in life are going to happen no matter what you do or don’t do, and that’s what we need to embrace (I’m mostly talking to me here, but just in case anyone is in the same boat). I mean, we can’t get upset over things we can’t control, right?
Overall, this was a great book and it was a refreshing twist on YA romance!
So you can imagine the turmoil she’s in when she has to choose between going on vacation with her best friend (and longtime crush), Fitz, or finally go to New York City with her mom for Christmas. But when she slips on a wet floor in a store and hits her head, her world is split into to alternate realities where she can live out either decision and find out if she’ll still get her happy ending with Fitz, or not.
What drew me into this book first was how Paige’s character was described because she’s basically me. I have a hard time with making decisions and sometimes feel that paralyzing fear of “what if this is the wrong choice and I screw my life up?” I obviously realized right away that Paige suffered an anxiety disorder because, oh yeah, so do I. So I found Paige to be a very relatable character throughout the entire length of the story… even the crushing on your guy best friend because, been there, done that (and never again).
The alternate reality aspect of the book told in alternating chapters was fantastic. I loved seeing how both realities would play out. It’s not the first time I’ve read something like this, I actually read a fantastic Recess fanfiction with parallel timelines showing how one thing can set some things off course and other things are inevitable. So that was something else that really drew me into this book. It makes you wonder how our lives would be different and the same if we made a different decision at one point in our lives.
Other than Paige, I loved both male characters in this, especially Harrison. He was aloof at first, but turns out to be this loveable dork underneath the snark. Meanwhile Fitz is that adorable puppy that everyone seems to love, though there were some times I was like, “ugh, Paige, get over him already.” So both males in this were great characters. I wasn’t so fond of Paige’s best friend, and I have no idea why, but I just felt “meh” about her.
A great takeaway from this book is that big decisions don’t have to be as scary as they seem. I mean, that definitely sounds easier than it is, but it’s good to remember. Some things that happen in life are going to happen no matter what you do or don’t do, and that’s what we need to embrace (I’m mostly talking to me here, but just in case anyone is in the same boat). I mean, we can’t get upset over things we can’t control, right?
Overall, this was a great book and it was a refreshing twist on YA romance!
Five years after being whisked out of Beauty and moving around for five years, Josie and her mom are finally returning to run the family bookshop while her grandmother is away. And all Josie wants is to make it through junior and senior year while working on her portfolio so she can go to Los Angeles to apprentice for her world famous photographer of a dad. However, things change for her when she does something reckless and her former childhood best friend, Lucky, takes the blame.
This story of reunited childhood friends was adorable, and it happens to be one of my favorite tropes. People can change so much over time, so when you’re away from someone you were close to for years, it’s interesting to see how they’ve changed (not not). In this case, Lucky has changed a lot from the nerdy boy that Josie grew up with, looking more like a bad boy and having rumors floating all over town about him. But Josie has a feeling that’s exactly what they are – rumors – and her nerdy best friend is still underneath that leather jacket exterior.
In all honesty, Lucky was a swoonable character (yes, I’m making that a word). Almost right away you can tell he’s actually a teddy bear more than a real bad-boy, and his care for Josie never really went away. Especially considering he’s so willing to take the fall for something he didn’t do. It’s doubtful he’d do that for just anyone. Josie was a likable character as well, though she wasn’t my favorite. I did like her relationship with her cousin, Evie, and how it was sister-like. It reminded me of my relationship with a few of my cousins growing up. I did also love Josie’s use of “for Pete’s sake” because it’s not something used much in young-adult books, and it made me smile.
What Josie learns from her talks and prying into Lucky’s life is that it’s always best to be honest and communication is important. She and her mom keep stuff from one another, and it’s strained their relationship. Yes, they get along, but there are some topics that they stay away from because they don’t feel like the other can handle the truth of it. For instance, Josie’s plan to go to LA after graduation is one she keeps from her mother because her mom’s plan is to end up in Florida, but Josie doesn’t trust that they’d stay permanently. She’s sick of moving and running from her mother’s mistakes, but she doesn’t want to tell her mom that. By the end of the story though, Josie and her family learn this and begin to work through their issues.
Though I found this story to be adorable, I felt like there was something missing. I can’t explain what, but just something. I’m not sure if maybe more backstory for the characters would’ve helped, or seeing more of the cousin relationship with Josie and Evie… but I guess something of that nature.
Overall though, it was a good story and I did enjoy it. I would also definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good young-adult contemporary book that tugs your heartstrings, but is mostly lighthearted at the same time.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This story of reunited childhood friends was adorable, and it happens to be one of my favorite tropes. People can change so much over time, so when you’re away from someone you were close to for years, it’s interesting to see how they’ve changed (not not). In this case, Lucky has changed a lot from the nerdy boy that Josie grew up with, looking more like a bad boy and having rumors floating all over town about him. But Josie has a feeling that’s exactly what they are – rumors – and her nerdy best friend is still underneath that leather jacket exterior.
In all honesty, Lucky was a swoonable character (yes, I’m making that a word). Almost right away you can tell he’s actually a teddy bear more than a real bad-boy, and his care for Josie never really went away. Especially considering he’s so willing to take the fall for something he didn’t do. It’s doubtful he’d do that for just anyone. Josie was a likable character as well, though she wasn’t my favorite. I did like her relationship with her cousin, Evie, and how it was sister-like. It reminded me of my relationship with a few of my cousins growing up. I did also love Josie’s use of “for Pete’s sake” because it’s not something used much in young-adult books, and it made me smile.
What Josie learns from her talks and prying into Lucky’s life is that it’s always best to be honest and communication is important. She and her mom keep stuff from one another, and it’s strained their relationship. Yes, they get along, but there are some topics that they stay away from because they don’t feel like the other can handle the truth of it. For instance, Josie’s plan to go to LA after graduation is one she keeps from her mother because her mom’s plan is to end up in Florida, but Josie doesn’t trust that they’d stay permanently. She’s sick of moving and running from her mother’s mistakes, but she doesn’t want to tell her mom that. By the end of the story though, Josie and her family learn this and begin to work through their issues.
Though I found this story to be adorable, I felt like there was something missing. I can’t explain what, but just something. I’m not sure if maybe more backstory for the characters would’ve helped, or seeing more of the cousin relationship with Josie and Evie… but I guess something of that nature.
Overall though, it was a good story and I did enjoy it. I would also definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good young-adult contemporary book that tugs your heartstrings, but is mostly lighthearted at the same time.
Rating: 3.5 stars
The story picks up where Gone With the Wind left off, after Melly's death, and we are reintroduced to Scarlett at her sister-in-law's funeral. After accidentally making a spectacle of herself, Scarlett is blackballed in Atlanta. Given that, plus Rhett's departure from her, Scarlett decides to go back home to Tara for comfort. However, she's only lead to more heartbreak there when she finds out her beloved Mammy is sick.
Scarlett soon begins a series of adventures for herself. First, going to stay with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Butler, in part of trying to win Rhett back. She begins to immerse herself in Charleston culture, which is very different than what she's used to. After several failed attempts to win Rhett back - even after the two survived their boating disaster and later were intimate on the beach - Scarlett decides to leave with her aunts to visit her grandfather in Savannah. There she runs into her O'Hara family, and is soon off to Ireland for a vacation that turns into more than that.
While I mostly enjoyed this book due to wanting to see if Scarlett would win Rhett back or not, I wasn't as into this book as I wanted to be. Of course, I loved most scenes with Rhett in them, and I wish there had been more of him in the book. I still hated Scarlett throughout the book, as she was pretty much the same as in the original book. I did like her getting to know her father's family though, and how they contrasted to her mother's side. It definitely made me appreciate the Irish people and my own Irish heritage.
As this book was by a different author and written in an entirely different time period, the language and flow of the book was different than Gone With the Wind. Not in a bad way, it's just noticeably different. However, Ripley's portrayal of the characters created by Margaret Mitchell was spot on! There is no difference in the characters and their mannerisms or attitudes. There might be a tiny bit of character growth in some of them, but that's bound to happen in most books.
Overall, it's a good sequel done by an entirely different author to continue the lives of these characters. There were times I personally got bored, but I'm also not big on reading historical fiction, so that might just be me. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to read more of Scarlett and Rhett, though be warned, it's nearly as long as the original!
Scarlett soon begins a series of adventures for herself. First, going to stay with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Butler, in part of trying to win Rhett back. She begins to immerse herself in Charleston culture, which is very different than what she's used to. After several failed attempts to win Rhett back - even after the two survived their boating disaster and later were intimate on the beach - Scarlett decides to leave with her aunts to visit her grandfather in Savannah. There she runs into her O'Hara family, and is soon off to Ireland for a vacation that turns into more than that.
While I mostly enjoyed this book due to wanting to see if Scarlett would win Rhett back or not, I wasn't as into this book as I wanted to be. Of course, I loved most scenes with Rhett in them, and I wish there had been more of him in the book. I still hated Scarlett throughout the book, as she was pretty much the same as in the original book. I did like her getting to know her father's family though, and how they contrasted to her mother's side. It definitely made me appreciate the Irish people and my own Irish heritage.
As this book was by a different author and written in an entirely different time period, the language and flow of the book was different than Gone With the Wind. Not in a bad way, it's just noticeably different. However, Ripley's portrayal of the characters created by Margaret Mitchell was spot on! There is no difference in the characters and their mannerisms or attitudes. There might be a tiny bit of character growth in some of them, but that's bound to happen in most books.
Overall, it's a good sequel done by an entirely different author to continue the lives of these characters. There were times I personally got bored, but I'm also not big on reading historical fiction, so that might just be me. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to read more of Scarlett and Rhett, though be warned, it's nearly as long as the original!
