lisaluvsliterature's Reviews (4.19k)

I’ve been a big fan of this author from one of her YA series, and have enjoyed her last adult novel and this one was pretty good too! It had a lot of different ideas in it, just like the last one did. I loved the idea of the mysterious cult like 90s children’s tv show. I also liked all the social media or people speculating about it online and how anything about it online seemed to disappear shortly after being put up. Although in my e-galley certain things in that ended up being one letter per line and I had to try to read that which was difficult, I assume it won’t be like that in the finished copies.

The whole forgetting and not having any idea exactly what she and her father were hiding from aspect of Val’s life was perfect because it meant we didn’t know either. It meant I had to keep reading and turning the pages to see just what might have actually happened. Even the other characters weren’t straight about who or what they wanted. And the little bits in between main chapters when we got letters or emails between people supposedly wanting the show back weren’t clear in what exactly they wanted about the show.

When we finally learn kind of what is going on with the characters and Mister Magic himself, who he “really” is, some of the answers are still kind of vague, and while it was a little irritating for me as someone who wants to know all of the reasons, it made sense and made the story complete the way it was.

Definitely another good read from Kiersten White and I look forward to more of her horror stories in the future!

Just wasn't working for me. Too many people to keep track of.

 This was a late addition to the Gateway committee list and we didn’t get copies of this from the publisher. But it was voted high enough by those who did read it that it got added to the final 25 narrow down list that I needed to still read by January. This was one that definitely sounded good and I was not disappointed! I loved the way it had elements that made me think of shows like The Walking Dead, and other end of the world shows. While this didn’t have zombies, it did have the problems with the other people left alive. I loved how it all worked out and how even if you thought one thing was sorted it might not be. And if it seemed that all was lost and why bother, there was a reason to keep going. But it was a hard trip for the boys and totally worth it in the end. 

Now, I haven’t read The Point series by Crownover, I think I tried the first one on audio but couldn’t get into it, I need to go back and try reading it. But her Marked Men series is one of my all time favorite series, some of my favorite characters I wish were real so I could hang out with them. And getting this second generation has been so wonderful with the first two books, and this one did not disappoint either! It also made me more likely to go back and pick up her other series so that I know more about the characters we met, or I met for the first time in this book.

This story of course got dark because of its crossover/connection with The Point series compared to even some of the darker parts of other Marked Men books. Campbell definitely had that dark edge, one he kept hidden. But he also was loyal to those he loved and respected. He was able to go to the dark place for those who wished at times they could go there. He and Daire had a good connection from the start, for him that was something he hadn’t really felt before, and so it was a great story following him through that.

I was a bit frustrated with Daire’s mom though. I mean, how did she not see that the way she was telling Daire to stay away from Campbell and not giving him a chance was exactly the way both her parents, and even Rule’s parents had tried to warn her away from him? I liked how we got a bit with what was going on in her life though even, with her career and where she was at in her life. Especially tying back to Ry’s accident from his book and how it led to where Daire felt at the beginning of the book.

Daire was such a great character too. The way she met and accepted or kind of even just fit in with not only the more dangerous people in Campbell’s life, but I loved seeing her with his family as well. And YAY for the fact that Campbell’s brothers and sister lived with a former football player in my hometown of Kansas City! My KC Chiefs loving self was thrilled reading about that and imagining if only these were real people in my town.

I loved this next generation as I mentioned before. I understand how the author worries that these aren’t getting quite the same amount of support as the original series. I wonder how much that even though these are standalones, those of us who love the characters and are so invested are needing to do more promoting and getting these into the hands other readers out there who maybe have not read her books, because I hope to get as many more as she wants to write!

For some reason I was thinking we got the male POV in the other books I’ve read by the author this summer, but this time we did not. That’s okay, it probably made for some of the stuff that got to be slowly revealed, but I would have enjoyed it for sure. We did get to spend some time with characters from the other books though too. I liked the whole enemies to lovers type of story for Samantha and Travis, although that kind of got us past quickly. Then there was the whole how would they be able to overcome the distance since her job was in NYC, and he didn’t plan to leave his hometown because he needed to be there for his mom. Plus he was the mayor now, and seemed to be pretty happy there anyway, even if he did miss things about the city.

I enjoyed all of how their relationship developed, their banter again was good, as well as a lot of fun situations they got themselves into. There was a goat that seemed to want to help Samantha when she was doing her pilates on the porch, I’m surprised she didn’t pull the goat into some goat yoga, lol. The cat was fun as well, and I liked what happened with the animals at the end of the book.

There were a few slow spots for me as I read, but they were quickly overcome by the banter or fun situations. It is closed door bedroom scenes, although we get the kissing and leading up to that and it isn’t left completely off page, so that was a little more my style too. There was also the sheriff who called Travis a weird nickname, Vis-Vis? That was just kind of out there for me.

I really like how they came up with the solution in the end, and the drama for drama’s sake didn’t really occur because they figured out what to fix together, and so that made the ending one I really liked! Another winner from Camilla Isley!

I am really enjoying the books in this series, this one had so many things that had me laughing and loving the characters! Now I really do not care for man-buns, in fact what pops into my head when I think of that is not an attractive guy at all. And I hate to say that the clothes he wore probably would have been a turn-off for me as well. However, in this story, I totally fell in love with River and I choose to think that he looked like Brock O’Hurn with maybe blonder hair.

Anyway, on with my review of the story, lol. As I mentioned, I loved River. He was so funny and so perfect! And then I did like Jade a lot too. While I think she was crazy to let Connor actually kind of string her along like that for so long, it made sense why she did. The banter between Jade and Connor was perfect and had me giggling so many different times, even while I was sitting eating lunch at work and reading. There was so much fun in this book, the sibling relationship between River and Hollyn who I got to meet in the book He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. And the other characters from other books by this author were in the story as well. I loved the parrot that Jade had, his commentary was perfect, and I loved how she used him to help her finally do what needed to be done with Connor at the end of the book. Then there was the crazy cheeseburger eating debacle and how Jade stayed with River to help him get through the sickness caused by that. All the crazy stories the two, or should I say that River shared with Jade, so many things had me laughing and loving this story.

I really did love this story and hope to go back and read any other books by this author that I’ve missed, and read what she writes in the future! 

It was just too much like The Handmaid's Tale that I wasn't finding it original enough for me to keep going. But I think students would like it, so I will be ordering it for my school library.

Read enough to get the gist to nominate for the library committee.

Wasn't really enjoying it.

Got the gist enough to know if it was good to recommend for the library committee I'm on.