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genieinanovel's Reviews (752)
I’m still relatively new to Agatha Christie’s books, but I already know this is my top favorite of hers and will probably stay that way no matter how many of hers I read. I also have no doubt that she is truly the Queen of Mystery.
The story hooks you right from the beginning, wondering why these people are selected to go to the mysterious Soldier Island, and stay in the lavish mansion that was built there. After all, if there’s such a mystery about the owner of the island, how would these ten people know him? What’s their connection to him? The ten even wonder themselves how they each got the attention of the owner, when they themselves are unsure of who he is.
While trying to figure out that mystery, then you have the first death, and each that follows, so now you also try to figure out who the murderer is. The group collectively suspects each other, given their supposedly questionable pasts and the fact that none of them really know each other. What they definitely figure out is that the deaths are occurring in line with the nursery rhyme that’s displayed and framed in each of their rooms, but they cannot figure out how exactly they’ll happen or who is next.
As for the characters, there’s no way to really like any of them. They’re all unreliable, for one thing; some of the men are either pretentious or just blatant jerks, Vera is too high strong and shrill, and Emily is a self-righteous snot who thinks she can do no wrong (i.e. the type of Christian that gives bad names to Christians). It’s easy to see how some of them could be capable of being behind the murders, it’s trying to figure out who that’s the fun part of reading this.
This book is such a page turner… it kept me hooked all the way through the story. There are no dull moments and nothing drags on. The deaths happen quickly, and each time I thought I figured out who was behind it, I turned out to be wrong. And the ending is freaking brilliant as the killer reveals themselves. The ending is the entire reason why this book is now one of my favorite mystery novels. I still can’t get over it. Brilliant.
I probably don’t even need to say that I recommend this book to anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but I’m going to anyway. If you love mysteries, and haven’t read this yet, you really need to!
The story hooks you right from the beginning, wondering why these people are selected to go to the mysterious Soldier Island, and stay in the lavish mansion that was built there. After all, if there’s such a mystery about the owner of the island, how would these ten people know him? What’s their connection to him? The ten even wonder themselves how they each got the attention of the owner, when they themselves are unsure of who he is.
While trying to figure out that mystery, then you have the first death, and each that follows, so now you also try to figure out who the murderer is. The group collectively suspects each other, given their supposedly questionable pasts and the fact that none of them really know each other. What they definitely figure out is that the deaths are occurring in line with the nursery rhyme that’s displayed and framed in each of their rooms, but they cannot figure out how exactly they’ll happen or who is next.
As for the characters, there’s no way to really like any of them. They’re all unreliable, for one thing; some of the men are either pretentious or just blatant jerks, Vera is too high strong and shrill, and Emily is a self-righteous snot who thinks she can do no wrong (i.e. the type of Christian that gives bad names to Christians). It’s easy to see how some of them could be capable of being behind the murders, it’s trying to figure out who that’s the fun part of reading this.
This book is such a page turner… it kept me hooked all the way through the story. There are no dull moments and nothing drags on. The deaths happen quickly, and each time I thought I figured out who was behind it, I turned out to be wrong. And the ending is freaking brilliant as the killer reveals themselves. The ending is the entire reason why this book is now one of my favorite mystery novels. I still can’t get over it. Brilliant.
I probably don’t even need to say that I recommend this book to anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but I’m going to anyway. If you love mysteries, and haven’t read this yet, you really need to!
Let me start off by saying… WHAT. A. BOOK.
I was captivated by Lily’s narration and how her inner thoughts, the monsters, would just jump in when they wanted to. There were words that she wanted to say to her family and friends, but wouldn’t and instead of just thinking them, they’d be off to the side with a strikeout through them to indicate she was scared to reveal how she really felt. The use of poetry in the book was perfect to show her struggle with anxiety and trying to not let the monsters win.
All the characters were great in this, even the ones I hated (*cough*Damon*cough*), as they were real, raw, and a perfect portrayal of how people function in real life. You have those who are outwardly struggling with mental health, like Alice and Micah, those who try to help them, the girls’ dad, step-mom, and youngest sister, those who are silently suffering, Lily, and those who are insensitive to mental health, Damon and other students. I obviously wanted to punch characters like Damon and Kali, who were complete jerks about knowing Micah had been a patient at Fairview, but sadly, there are people like them in the real world.
I really felt for Lily in this book. Not only is she struggling to deal with her sister’s attempted suicide months after the incident, but now feels like she needs to be the one in the family to keep herself together. Except, she’s kind of losing it. Ever since finding Alice that night, the monsters in her head have only gotten worse. Telling her to be more perfect, yet also that she’s not enough, and that she failed Alice when Alice needed her the most. I can see how other readers found Lily annoying – she did repeat herself a lot – but I think that goes in with her anxiety disorder. I know from my own anxiety that I can fixate on something and be repetitive about it until it’s perfect, or until I fix it.
The thoughts about how other perceive her are very relatable as well. Not in just the normal “I don’t want to look like a weirdo in front of everyone” thoughts, but the ones that are stuck on repeat and convince you that someone hates you (when, in fact, they don’t). So yes, Lily’s thoughts could be repetitive, self-centered, and annoying, but that’s life with an anxiety disorder. Trust me, I know. I annoy myself with my thoughts, but sometimes you just can’t make them stop.
Micah, what can I say about him? He was a delightful angel who was battling his own demons. Since we meet him when he’s out of Fairview, we only learn a little of his past and struggle with depression, but enough to want to hug him and make it all better. He used his own knowledge of fighting monsters to recognize it in Lily before she was ready to admit it, and helped to give her strength to start fighting them. His way of fighting his demons is through art, but he’s able to use that to help Lily find her inner muse to write poetry.
Note: give me a brooding, male artist with a troubled past any day and I’ll love him to bits, and that’s exactly what I did with Micah.
This book beautifully tackles multiple mental health disorders and the stigma against them. It also tackles the aftermath of a suicide attempt and how it affects those close to the person in a real way that deals with the trials and errors of helping that person after. It’s just a great book that I didn’t want to put down, and one that I highly recommend, especially if you loved books like All the Bright Places or Girl in Pieces.
I 1000% will be buying this when it comes out on March 15th!
*I received a free e-galley from NetGalley of this in exchange for an honest review*
I was captivated by Lily’s narration and how her inner thoughts, the monsters, would just jump in when they wanted to. There were words that she wanted to say to her family and friends, but wouldn’t and instead of just thinking them, they’d be off to the side with a strikeout through them to indicate she was scared to reveal how she really felt. The use of poetry in the book was perfect to show her struggle with anxiety and trying to not let the monsters win.
All the characters were great in this, even the ones I hated (*cough*Damon*cough*), as they were real, raw, and a perfect portrayal of how people function in real life. You have those who are outwardly struggling with mental health, like Alice and Micah, those who try to help them, the girls’ dad, step-mom, and youngest sister, those who are silently suffering, Lily, and those who are insensitive to mental health, Damon and other students. I obviously wanted to punch characters like Damon and Kali, who were complete jerks about knowing Micah had been a patient at Fairview, but sadly, there are people like them in the real world.
I really felt for Lily in this book. Not only is she struggling to deal with her sister’s attempted suicide months after the incident, but now feels like she needs to be the one in the family to keep herself together. Except, she’s kind of losing it. Ever since finding Alice that night, the monsters in her head have only gotten worse. Telling her to be more perfect, yet also that she’s not enough, and that she failed Alice when Alice needed her the most. I can see how other readers found Lily annoying – she did repeat herself a lot – but I think that goes in with her anxiety disorder. I know from my own anxiety that I can fixate on something and be repetitive about it until it’s perfect, or until I fix it.
The thoughts about how other perceive her are very relatable as well. Not in just the normal “I don’t want to look like a weirdo in front of everyone” thoughts, but the ones that are stuck on repeat and convince you that someone hates you (when, in fact, they don’t). So yes, Lily’s thoughts could be repetitive, self-centered, and annoying, but that’s life with an anxiety disorder. Trust me, I know. I annoy myself with my thoughts, but sometimes you just can’t make them stop.
Micah, what can I say about him? He was a delightful angel who was battling his own demons. Since we meet him when he’s out of Fairview, we only learn a little of his past and struggle with depression, but enough to want to hug him and make it all better. He used his own knowledge of fighting monsters to recognize it in Lily before she was ready to admit it, and helped to give her strength to start fighting them. His way of fighting his demons is through art, but he’s able to use that to help Lily find her inner muse to write poetry.
Note: give me a brooding, male artist with a troubled past any day and I’ll love him to bits, and that’s exactly what I did with Micah.
This book beautifully tackles multiple mental health disorders and the stigma against them. It also tackles the aftermath of a suicide attempt and how it affects those close to the person in a real way that deals with the trials and errors of helping that person after. It’s just a great book that I didn’t want to put down, and one that I highly recommend, especially if you loved books like All the Bright Places or Girl in Pieces.
I 1000% will be buying this when it comes out on March 15th!
*I received a free e-galley from NetGalley of this in exchange for an honest review*
Liv Rodinsky is Windor Prep’s star softball player. But when a girl from a rival team makes a hateful comment during the semi-final game, Liv loses her temper and punches the girl right out… and then loses her scholarship. Now at a new school, she finds herself at the mercy of the coach of that rival team to be able to play the next season, and she has to join a fall sport to show that she can be a team player. So when Grey, the quarterback of the Northland football team, makes her an offer she can’t refuse, Liv finds herself as a quarterback filling in until Grey is cleared to be back on the field.
I was so into the story that I probably could’ve read it in one sitting if I’d had the time. I’m glad I didn’t though, as I was able to enjoy it in pieces as I found time to read, and when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about getting back to the book. Through the entire book I was rooting for Liv because I was also a softball player in a past life, and football is my favorite sport to watch. I give the author kudos for making me feel like I was watching Liv’s games as opposed to reading them. That might not be the case for those who aren’t as big on football, but you can still get the gist of what’s happening.
Of course, not everything goes smoothly for Liv on the team. First of all, her ex-boyfriend, Jake, is the star running back and isn’t too happy about her being on the team at first. Then there’s the obvious issue that there are going to be boys who weight 100 pounds more than her coming at her full-force. But Liv is determined to see this through since it’s her only possible way to get on the softball team in the spring.
As for the characters in this book, I liked all of them but that one girl, Stacey, who made the comment to Liv in the first chapter. Liv seemed like she could be temperamental, as seen by her fist-throwing, but she does learn from her mistake and learns to face circumstances head-on when they’re stacked against her. Her growth makes her a better team player and to even be a friend to her enemies when she know it’s the right thing to do.
Grey was adorable with Liv right from the start, in that fun way where he banters with her and they have an instant connection. He wasn’t he arrogant kind of star quarterback that you usually see portrayed on TV, and he was instantly likable. Grey was the perfect guide for Liv as she navigated playing a new, and rough, sport; most of all being her number one cheerleader from the bench. He makes some mistakes himself, but he’s another character that learns from them, and learning pays off in the end. For both Liv and Grey.
Again, there was a great cast of characters in this book, including Liv’s family, her best friend, Addie, and the boys on the football team. I could go on about them all, but that would take too long. Just know that they’re all great for the most part.
Overall, this book was such an adorable yet badass read. It was definitely the best sports young-adult book that I’ve read in my life, and not just because it showed that girls can kick ass at boys’ sports. If you like YA romance and/or sports fiction, or just a book with a strong female character this will be a great book for you!
Rating: 5 stars
I was so into the story that I probably could’ve read it in one sitting if I’d had the time. I’m glad I didn’t though, as I was able to enjoy it in pieces as I found time to read, and when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about getting back to the book. Through the entire book I was rooting for Liv because I was also a softball player in a past life, and football is my favorite sport to watch. I give the author kudos for making me feel like I was watching Liv’s games as opposed to reading them. That might not be the case for those who aren’t as big on football, but you can still get the gist of what’s happening.
Of course, not everything goes smoothly for Liv on the team. First of all, her ex-boyfriend, Jake, is the star running back and isn’t too happy about her being on the team at first. Then there’s the obvious issue that there are going to be boys who weight 100 pounds more than her coming at her full-force. But Liv is determined to see this through since it’s her only possible way to get on the softball team in the spring.
As for the characters in this book, I liked all of them but that one girl, Stacey, who made the comment to Liv in the first chapter. Liv seemed like she could be temperamental, as seen by her fist-throwing, but she does learn from her mistake and learns to face circumstances head-on when they’re stacked against her. Her growth makes her a better team player and to even be a friend to her enemies when she know it’s the right thing to do.
Grey was adorable with Liv right from the start, in that fun way where he banters with her and they have an instant connection. He wasn’t he arrogant kind of star quarterback that you usually see portrayed on TV, and he was instantly likable. Grey was the perfect guide for Liv as she navigated playing a new, and rough, sport; most of all being her number one cheerleader from the bench. He makes some mistakes himself, but he’s another character that learns from them, and learning pays off in the end. For both Liv and Grey.
Again, there was a great cast of characters in this book, including Liv’s family, her best friend, Addie, and the boys on the football team. I could go on about them all, but that would take too long. Just know that they’re all great for the most part.
Overall, this book was such an adorable yet badass read. It was definitely the best sports young-adult book that I’ve read in my life, and not just because it showed that girls can kick ass at boys’ sports. If you like YA romance and/or sports fiction, or just a book with a strong female character this will be a great book for you!
Rating: 5 stars
I was gripped right from the start of this book, which opens with Claire waking up on the mountain and no memory of how she got there or where her friends are. Most of the book is in Claire’s point of view, including a few chapters that flashback to that weekend and up until what Claire remembers before she and her friends go camping. Then later, it switches to Kat’s point of view before and during that weekend, so we get to see some of what Claire doesn’t remember from their trip. Every word written just kept me hooked and wanting to know exactly what happened and why.
The book makes a time jump that I was not expecting at all to see how Claire is coping months after her friends disappeared. The jump really surprised me. I literally was like, “WHAT?!” and flipped back to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s little surprises like that that end up making me love a book even more because it’s just so unexpected (as long as it works, anyway).
I really felt for Claire during the entire story because I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like that, and most of all not knowing what happened to even try to get the answers. I thought her character was written well because we even see that Claire isn’t perfect either, not that she has anything to do with her friends’ disappearance, but that there are some things she’s kept from them before that weekend happened. I admired her tenacity to figure out what happened and to get her memory back because some people would just give up.
As for Kat, once we get to her chapters of her side of the story before and during prom weekend, we get to learn the secrets that she kept from her best friend. I felt for her with how her family was and what she went through, but at the same time she sounded a little whiny and some of her decisions where just… I don’t know. And Jesse, I still don’t even know how I feel about him at the end because it’s just… yikes. I’m still reeling from the major plot twist of the story and I even texted my friend who told me to read this saying “what the hell did I just read???”
So, overall, this is an amazing book. There are twists that are totally unexpected which just made me love the book, despite how shocking the twists actually are. If you’ve never read a Kara Thomas book before (like me until this one) then I suggest reading this one first.
The book makes a time jump that I was not expecting at all to see how Claire is coping months after her friends disappeared. The jump really surprised me. I literally was like, “WHAT?!” and flipped back to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s little surprises like that that end up making me love a book even more because it’s just so unexpected (as long as it works, anyway).
I really felt for Claire during the entire story because I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like that, and most of all not knowing what happened to even try to get the answers. I thought her character was written well because we even see that Claire isn’t perfect either, not that she has anything to do with her friends’ disappearance, but that there are some things she’s kept from them before that weekend happened. I admired her tenacity to figure out what happened and to get her memory back because some people would just give up.
As for Kat, once we get to her chapters of her side of the story before and during prom weekend, we get to learn the secrets that she kept from her best friend. I felt for her with how her family was and what she went through, but at the same time she sounded a little whiny and some of her decisions where just… I don’t know. And Jesse, I still don’t even know how I feel about him at the end because it’s just… yikes. I’m still reeling from the major plot twist of the story and I even texted my friend who told me to read this saying “what the hell did I just read???”
So, overall, this is an amazing book. There are twists that are totally unexpected which just made me love the book, despite how shocking the twists actually are. If you’ve never read a Kara Thomas book before (like me until this one) then I suggest reading this one first.
4.5 stars
Three months ago, Jackie lost her mom, dad, and older sister in a car accident. Now, after living with her uncle temporarily, she is off to live with her mom's best friend in Colorado. What she doesn't know until the plane ride is that she has twelve kids, and eleven of them are boys. And after a very hostile welcome from the boys, she soon finds a way to connect with each one and earn a few new friends.
Obviously, there's a love triangle in this book, which is an overdone trope, but it kind of works with this book because if a cute girl is surrounded by that many boys, it's bound to happen. It doesn't help that Alex and Cole were already on the outs (as we learn later on) to bring out jealousy in both of them as they fight for Jackie's affections. And of course you have that one boy, Isaac, who flirts with Jackie in a semi-joking way because he's the "bad boy" of the Walters.
For the most part, I loved this book. I kept looking forward to picking it back up and reading. More so for the characters than the plot. Most of them anyway. I honestly couldn't stand Cole. He was a jerk, plain and simple, and I'm a little annoyed that Jackie ended up choosing him. Then again, Alex was kind of shallow toward the end anyway. In all honesty, I think Jackie should've ended up with Danny. Danny was such a sweetheart once Jackie broke through his shell and they got to know each other. Plus, he was a theater nerd and adorable.
The rest of the boys and Parker were all great as well. Nathan was the first to bond with Jackie, and his accident later on makes it that much more emotional for Jackie. The twins, Jack and Jordan, were funny (and a little annoying) with their need to film everything. Isaac and Lee were harsh at first, but you learn to love them later on, and of course the youngest twins, Zack and Benny, were the cutest little things. Parker, the only girl, is a tomboy and likes to play rough with her brothers, but a little time with Jackie helps her to learn that she doesn't need to be just like her brothers to be accepted by them.
I feel like there was more to be explored in this book, especially with Jackie's grief over her family. I don't think that was touched on as much as it should've been. As well as more bonding or trouble with the boys, since there were so many of them. Again, I don't think she should've ended up with Cole at all (well, the open possibility of it at the end) but it is what it is. I'd still recommend this book because of the characters alone.
Three months ago, Jackie lost her mom, dad, and older sister in a car accident. Now, after living with her uncle temporarily, she is off to live with her mom's best friend in Colorado. What she doesn't know until the plane ride is that she has twelve kids, and eleven of them are boys. And after a very hostile welcome from the boys, she soon finds a way to connect with each one and earn a few new friends.
Obviously, there's a love triangle in this book, which is an overdone trope, but it kind of works with this book because if a cute girl is surrounded by that many boys, it's bound to happen. It doesn't help that Alex and Cole were already on the outs (as we learn later on) to bring out jealousy in both of them as they fight for Jackie's affections. And of course you have that one boy, Isaac, who flirts with Jackie in a semi-joking way because he's the "bad boy" of the Walters.
For the most part, I loved this book. I kept looking forward to picking it back up and reading. More so for the characters than the plot. Most of them anyway. I honestly couldn't stand Cole. He was a jerk, plain and simple, and I'm a little annoyed that Jackie ended up choosing him. Then again, Alex was kind of shallow toward the end anyway. In all honesty, I think Jackie should've ended up with Danny. Danny was such a sweetheart once Jackie broke through his shell and they got to know each other. Plus, he was a theater nerd and adorable.
The rest of the boys and Parker were all great as well. Nathan was the first to bond with Jackie, and his accident later on makes it that much more emotional for Jackie. The twins, Jack and Jordan, were funny (and a little annoying) with their need to film everything. Isaac and Lee were harsh at first, but you learn to love them later on, and of course the youngest twins, Zack and Benny, were the cutest little things. Parker, the only girl, is a tomboy and likes to play rough with her brothers, but a little time with Jackie helps her to learn that she doesn't need to be just like her brothers to be accepted by them.
I feel like there was more to be explored in this book, especially with Jackie's grief over her family. I don't think that was touched on as much as it should've been. As well as more bonding or trouble with the boys, since there were so many of them. Again, I don't think she should've ended up with Cole at all (well, the open possibility of it at the end) but it is what it is. I'd still recommend this book because of the characters alone.
Picking up where the previous book, A World Without Princes, left off, Agatha and Sophie are now separated in their new Ever Afters, assuming that their story is finally over. Only, it's not. The Storian knows this and neither girl is sure why. They have their princes, though something is telling them that there's still a missing piece. And now they have to figure it out before the School Master destroys the fairy-tale land for good.
I was more drawn to this story than the previous two books, mainly because I was trying to figure out what had to happen for these girls to save their world. Agatha and Tedros figure out that neither of them will be happy if Sophie isn't a part of their lives, as she's their best friend. So they go on a mission, aided by older fairy-tale heroes and the legendary Merlin, to bring her from the School Master's hold and convince her that she belongs with them for their Ever After. Sophie, meanwhile, is trying to convince herself that she's found her true love, yet still misses Agatha and Tedros, so she tries to figure out what that means for her.
The book goes in parts. The first half of the book is spent following Agatha and Tedros on their rescue mission and Sophie's integration as a teacher and soon-to-be Queen of Evil. In that time we learn there are spies and that not even the Nevers are happy with the School for Good and Evil being just an Evil school - because without Good what does Evil have to stand for? I was pleased to figure out who the spies were for Good before they were revealed, but it was also pretty easy to guess. Then, the second half of the book follows what happens after Sophie is with Agatha and Tedros and their mission to stop the School Master once and for all.
There was so much about this book that I loved and can't go into detail about because I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read it. Just know that you see a lot of great characters, new and old, and there are several plot twists that happen (and most I was able to guess right!). In my opinion, this was the best book of the series so far.
I was more drawn to this story than the previous two books, mainly because I was trying to figure out what had to happen for these girls to save their world. Agatha and Tedros figure out that neither of them will be happy if Sophie isn't a part of their lives, as she's their best friend. So they go on a mission, aided by older fairy-tale heroes and the legendary Merlin, to bring her from the School Master's hold and convince her that she belongs with them for their Ever After. Sophie, meanwhile, is trying to convince herself that she's found her true love, yet still misses Agatha and Tedros, so she tries to figure out what that means for her.
The book goes in parts. The first half of the book is spent following Agatha and Tedros on their rescue mission and Sophie's integration as a teacher and soon-to-be Queen of Evil. In that time we learn there are spies and that not even the Nevers are happy with the School for Good and Evil being just an Evil school - because without Good what does Evil have to stand for? I was pleased to figure out who the spies were for Good before they were revealed, but it was also pretty easy to guess. Then, the second half of the book follows what happens after Sophie is with Agatha and Tedros and their mission to stop the School Master once and for all.
There was so much about this book that I loved and can't go into detail about because I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read it. Just know that you see a lot of great characters, new and old, and there are several plot twists that happen (and most I was able to guess right!). In my opinion, this was the best book of the series so far.
Initial reaction: Wow, wow, wow! It's been a while since I've read an entire book in one sitting!
I found this book by accident at work (perks of being a librarian) and it was while I was reading Vincent and Theo, so I had to pick it up! It was one of those books that I knew I'd enjoy, but I underestimated how much I would! I read it in one day - that's how good the book is!
Art, or at least that's what he thinks his name is, is found at Washington DC's National Gallery with no memory of how he got there or why he's there, so he's placed temporarily with a foster parent. The only thing he really knows is that he knows all about art history. So when the little family - the foster mother, her daughter, and Art - go back to the gallery in hopes to trigger his memories, he finds himself on the run from a group of agents... and he has no idea why.
This book had a very Spy Kids/Home Alone feel to it, what with it focusing on Art and Camille and their adventure to outsmart the bad guys and solve the mystery of Art himself. The kids were able to take out agents that were the best at what they do, leaving the man behind the heist completely baffled as to what was going on. I liked that you got to see multiple perspectives, not just of Art and Camille, but also the people behind the art heist and the cops trying to find the kids. It made for the book to be a real page-turner and kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next.
What was the coolest part of this book though, was the QR codes hidden throughout the book that, when scanned, led you to websites with the art pieces talked about in the book. Classic pieces of art that are definitely worth tons of money and also highly appreciated by art lovers. I'm not an art lover, but I thought it was very cool to see the pieces that were talked about in the book and thought it was a genius feature to interact with the story.
So without a doubt, I recommend this book if you're looking for something that will keep you wanting to know what will happen next. It's fast-paced, but leaves out no details which makes for a great art-heist story!
I found this book by accident at work (perks of being a librarian) and it was while I was reading Vincent and Theo, so I had to pick it up! It was one of those books that I knew I'd enjoy, but I underestimated how much I would! I read it in one day - that's how good the book is!
Art, or at least that's what he thinks his name is, is found at Washington DC's National Gallery with no memory of how he got there or why he's there, so he's placed temporarily with a foster parent. The only thing he really knows is that he knows all about art history. So when the little family - the foster mother, her daughter, and Art - go back to the gallery in hopes to trigger his memories, he finds himself on the run from a group of agents... and he has no idea why.
This book had a very Spy Kids/Home Alone feel to it, what with it focusing on Art and Camille and their adventure to outsmart the bad guys and solve the mystery of Art himself. The kids were able to take out agents that were the best at what they do, leaving the man behind the heist completely baffled as to what was going on. I liked that you got to see multiple perspectives, not just of Art and Camille, but also the people behind the art heist and the cops trying to find the kids. It made for the book to be a real page-turner and kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next.
What was the coolest part of this book though, was the QR codes hidden throughout the book that, when scanned, led you to websites with the art pieces talked about in the book. Classic pieces of art that are definitely worth tons of money and also highly appreciated by art lovers. I'm not an art lover, but I thought it was very cool to see the pieces that were talked about in the book and thought it was a genius feature to interact with the story.
So without a doubt, I recommend this book if you're looking for something that will keep you wanting to know what will happen next. It's fast-paced, but leaves out no details which makes for a great art-heist story!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Recently I’ve been loving books with dual timelines, where two possibilities of a choice can be explored, because if we look at our own lives, don’t we sometimes wonder what the other outcome would’ve been if we had made a choice differently? Would things still end up the same or would our lives be on an entirely different track? So in this book, the author takes us on both possibilities and shows us what happens when the coin lands on heads as well as tails.
For the first half of the story, where Drew wins the toss and gets to ask Stevie out, I felt like their insta-love was too instant. I mean, I get attraction right away, but to feel deep feelings for someone right off the bat the way these two do is kind of like, “whoa, what?” Maybe that’s just me though. And since the book fits in two timelines, I get that there were some time jumps to move things a little faster. Drew was a hardened character due to his dad’s absence and habit of breaking promises to Drew, but sometimes Drew doesn’t appreciate what he has in his life. There was just something about him that made me not care for him as much as I did Stevie and Shane.
Stevie, the girl coming between these two boys, has moved around her whole life because of her dad’s job. She’s understanding to how Drew feels about his own dad, but is also tired of not feeling like she has a true home or true friends. However, she does have walls that she puts up to prevent hurt when she eventually has to leave again, along with the fact that her dad is an NFL coach, so she never knows if people are friends with her because they want to be or just to get something out of it. It’s interesting to see how her life is affected by the result of the coin toss, not only with her relationships with Drew and Shane, but even her family and old and new friends.
Shane, on the other hand, was my favorite character in this book. In both universes, where he loses and wins the toss, he falls for Stevie slowly and he’s just so sweet about it. He always wants to do the right thing, and in both cases that means telling Stevie about the coin toss because he doesn’t believe that it’s fair to her. He never wanted to do it in the first place. I loved his hesitancy in the alternate of him winning the toss because he doesn’t ask her out right away and just gets to know Stevie before the romance happens between them.
Both universes have a similar event that leaves a bit of a tragedy in the midst of this romantic book that makes the characters really reflect on themselves and their actions. It was interesting to see that even by making different choices, this event still happened either way, though the ultimate ending of that event had its differences. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t. There was also a great ending that again, I won’t spoil, that was both satisfying and frustrating at the same time.
Overall, a great book and even though it was a little “ehh” at the beginning, it turned out to be a great read!
Recently I’ve been loving books with dual timelines, where two possibilities of a choice can be explored, because if we look at our own lives, don’t we sometimes wonder what the other outcome would’ve been if we had made a choice differently? Would things still end up the same or would our lives be on an entirely different track? So in this book, the author takes us on both possibilities and shows us what happens when the coin lands on heads as well as tails.
For the first half of the story, where Drew wins the toss and gets to ask Stevie out, I felt like their insta-love was too instant. I mean, I get attraction right away, but to feel deep feelings for someone right off the bat the way these two do is kind of like, “whoa, what?” Maybe that’s just me though. And since the book fits in two timelines, I get that there were some time jumps to move things a little faster. Drew was a hardened character due to his dad’s absence and habit of breaking promises to Drew, but sometimes Drew doesn’t appreciate what he has in his life. There was just something about him that made me not care for him as much as I did Stevie and Shane.
Stevie, the girl coming between these two boys, has moved around her whole life because of her dad’s job. She’s understanding to how Drew feels about his own dad, but is also tired of not feeling like she has a true home or true friends. However, she does have walls that she puts up to prevent hurt when she eventually has to leave again, along with the fact that her dad is an NFL coach, so she never knows if people are friends with her because they want to be or just to get something out of it. It’s interesting to see how her life is affected by the result of the coin toss, not only with her relationships with Drew and Shane, but even her family and old and new friends.
Shane, on the other hand, was my favorite character in this book. In both universes, where he loses and wins the toss, he falls for Stevie slowly and he’s just so sweet about it. He always wants to do the right thing, and in both cases that means telling Stevie about the coin toss because he doesn’t believe that it’s fair to her. He never wanted to do it in the first place. I loved his hesitancy in the alternate of him winning the toss because he doesn’t ask her out right away and just gets to know Stevie before the romance happens between them.
Both universes have a similar event that leaves a bit of a tragedy in the midst of this romantic book that makes the characters really reflect on themselves and their actions. It was interesting to see that even by making different choices, this event still happened either way, though the ultimate ending of that event had its differences. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t. There was also a great ending that again, I won’t spoil, that was both satisfying and frustrating at the same time.
Overall, a great book and even though it was a little “ehh” at the beginning, it turned out to be a great read!