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"The Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy has everything needed to make a young girl into a perfect bride: lessons, exercise, and superb instructions on manners. However, they are missing one crucial element: men for them to consider marrying. Located in the middle of nowhere, there are few opportunities for the ladies to secure a husband but in their case, they have plenty to keep them happy." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=55761
"Now that Bianca is off the island and seemingly away from her kidnapper, she has to figure out what really happened and why before the company she cares for is gone forever. Just when she thinks she's safe, new threats start appearing, and she discovers that she can no longer trust anyone." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=55829
Olivia lives in a small town where the children are assumed to take after their parents. For Olivia, this means the town treats her like her mother’s suicide is contagious, and Olivia will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Everyone is shocked when Olivia and her three friends are instead involved in a homicide after Olivia’s best friend, Jamie, is attacked by his abusive father. Now on the run, their group has to figure out what happens next and how to keep everyone safe.
Drowning is Inevitable is a stunning, magnificent book that should be on readers’ immediate buy lists. Shalanda Stanley’s writing is beautiful and consuming. There is a strange sense of both melancholy and hope throughout the story, and hearts will break over and over as Olivia discovers how she and her mother fit together, what sacrifice means, and how far she will go for a friend. The sentences have a way of sinking their weight in slowly and calmly, almost leaving it up to the reader to decide how much weight s/he can bear.
This is hands down the best book I have read that captures and embraces the idea of platonic soulmates. The person that can mean the world to you, the one you would literally go to the ends of the Earth for, is not always the person you are romantically involved with. The author harnesses that friendship dynamic and creates a simply beautiful relationship. The interactions with Olivia’s boyfriend, Max, are also nailed to perfection. This is far from any kind of romantic love triangle, but the author brings in natural emotions that come from having to decide what path to go on when they all cannot go the same way. Each character, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie, are all distinctive and complex, and it is pure joy to read about their group.
With a plot that never lets up, more realism than a heart can handle sometimes, and a genius examination of the ties between a group of people and a town, Drowning is Inevitable is a story to stay in hearts forever and on the bookshelf for as long as humanly possible. Shalanda Stanley crafted what is bound to beloved by many, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18652-drowning-is-inevitable
Drowning is Inevitable is a stunning, magnificent book that should be on readers’ immediate buy lists. Shalanda Stanley’s writing is beautiful and consuming. There is a strange sense of both melancholy and hope throughout the story, and hearts will break over and over as Olivia discovers how she and her mother fit together, what sacrifice means, and how far she will go for a friend. The sentences have a way of sinking their weight in slowly and calmly, almost leaving it up to the reader to decide how much weight s/he can bear.
This is hands down the best book I have read that captures and embraces the idea of platonic soulmates. The person that can mean the world to you, the one you would literally go to the ends of the Earth for, is not always the person you are romantically involved with. The author harnesses that friendship dynamic and creates a simply beautiful relationship. The interactions with Olivia’s boyfriend, Max, are also nailed to perfection. This is far from any kind of romantic love triangle, but the author brings in natural emotions that come from having to decide what path to go on when they all cannot go the same way. Each character, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie, are all distinctive and complex, and it is pure joy to read about their group.
With a plot that never lets up, more realism than a heart can handle sometimes, and a genius examination of the ties between a group of people and a town, Drowning is Inevitable is a story to stay in hearts forever and on the bookshelf for as long as humanly possible. Shalanda Stanley crafted what is bound to beloved by many, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18652-drowning-is-inevitable
Michael is happy with his girlfriend, Pepper, but when mysterious Lizzy shows up, he feels a strong pull towards her…almost a frightening one. As events around them start becoming stranger and stranger, including the presence of a guy who is supposed to be dead, Michael becomes more suspicious, but he still can’t seem to stay away. Will he be able to solve a mystery that is over 60 years old?
What I Loved:
R.L. Stine once again shows his mastery over horror in this latest installment in the relaunched Fear Street books. The reader first gets the story of Beth, a girl who witnesses the horrific death of her father and barely escapes herself. Her introduction is nicely done and sets up a complex dynamic for Michael’s present time. Stine mixes in a strong creep factor with some light gore, creating a story that will definitely keep readers up long into the night, both trying to finish the story and because they are too scared to sleep.
What Left Me Wanting More:
While I love the plot as a whole, parts of the big twist at the end aren’t developed as well as they could be. They didn’t quite fit with the rest of the story. However, this is very minor and doesn’t detract from the heart pounding conclusion at all.
Michael’s characterization is nice, but Pepper’s falls a little. There are several times where she is presented as a stereotypical jealous girlfriend instead of being a more three-dimensional person. However, she still has several great moments as a character that make her an enjoyable addition.
Final Verdict:
R.L. Stine fans will devour this latest installment. The Lost Girl is creepy in all the best ways, a quick and highly entertaining read, and it will leave the reader with just enough spook to want to keep the nightlight on a little longer.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18633-the-lost-girl-fear-street-relaunch-3
What I Loved:
R.L. Stine once again shows his mastery over horror in this latest installment in the relaunched Fear Street books. The reader first gets the story of Beth, a girl who witnesses the horrific death of her father and barely escapes herself. Her introduction is nicely done and sets up a complex dynamic for Michael’s present time. Stine mixes in a strong creep factor with some light gore, creating a story that will definitely keep readers up long into the night, both trying to finish the story and because they are too scared to sleep.
What Left Me Wanting More:
While I love the plot as a whole, parts of the big twist at the end aren’t developed as well as they could be. They didn’t quite fit with the rest of the story. However, this is very minor and doesn’t detract from the heart pounding conclusion at all.
Michael’s characterization is nice, but Pepper’s falls a little. There are several times where she is presented as a stereotypical jealous girlfriend instead of being a more three-dimensional person. However, she still has several great moments as a character that make her an enjoyable addition.
Final Verdict:
R.L. Stine fans will devour this latest installment. The Lost Girl is creepy in all the best ways, a quick and highly entertaining read, and it will leave the reader with just enough spook to want to keep the nightlight on a little longer.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18633-the-lost-girl-fear-street-relaunch-3
Short and Sweet:
I really enjoyed this time-bendy romance, perfect for fans of Doctor Who and Outlander!
To Elaborate…
Katherine and Matthew have been in love for several lifetimes. They meet in different circumstances, communicate through various mediums, and they always seem to be near danger. They rarely get time together before they are wrenched apart. What keeps causing their return to each other, and will they ever have a long life ahead of them?
There are many time-crossed lovers in the YA world, but The Next Together does an incredible job of giving an original spin on it. The story follows 3 timelines with glimpses of a 4th, and the author does a great job of making each timeline distinct and clearly labeled. I love how the reader gets a mixture of historical and futuristic settings.
Katherine and Matthew have hilarious, sweet, and sexy personalities. Their banter in every timeline is so great, and it’s easy to root for them. They remind me of a mixture between Amy and Rory from Doctor Who and Claire and Jamie from Outlander (both couples I love). In each timeline, the two characters are never quite the same version of themselves since they are in different circumstances (ex. in one timeline, Katherine lived in poverty and was malnourished; in another, she is raised with some money and Matthew is her servant). It’s great seeing what parts of a person might last in every scenario and what parts truly are dependent on the environment.
The only part that left me wanting more is the ending. It does give an answer to everything, but it feels rushed and lacking information. There are some nice twists, but it still feels like more is left to be said and explained.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this for fans of high emotion relationships, twisty time bending, and solid dialogue.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2015/09/blog-tour-the-next-together-by-lauren-james/
I really enjoyed this time-bendy romance, perfect for fans of Doctor Who and Outlander!
To Elaborate…
Katherine and Matthew have been in love for several lifetimes. They meet in different circumstances, communicate through various mediums, and they always seem to be near danger. They rarely get time together before they are wrenched apart. What keeps causing their return to each other, and will they ever have a long life ahead of them?
There are many time-crossed lovers in the YA world, but The Next Together does an incredible job of giving an original spin on it. The story follows 3 timelines with glimpses of a 4th, and the author does a great job of making each timeline distinct and clearly labeled. I love how the reader gets a mixture of historical and futuristic settings.
Katherine and Matthew have hilarious, sweet, and sexy personalities. Their banter in every timeline is so great, and it’s easy to root for them. They remind me of a mixture between Amy and Rory from Doctor Who and Claire and Jamie from Outlander (both couples I love). In each timeline, the two characters are never quite the same version of themselves since they are in different circumstances (ex. in one timeline, Katherine lived in poverty and was malnourished; in another, she is raised with some money and Matthew is her servant). It’s great seeing what parts of a person might last in every scenario and what parts truly are dependent on the environment.
The only part that left me wanting more is the ending. It does give an answer to everything, but it feels rushed and lacking information. There are some nice twists, but it still feels like more is left to be said and explained.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this for fans of high emotion relationships, twisty time bending, and solid dialogue.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2015/09/blog-tour-the-next-together-by-lauren-james/
"Mal wants to be exactly like her villain mother, Maleficent - dark, powerful, and strong. When Mal discovers that Maleficent's scepter, the Dragon's Eye, has awakened on the island they were all banished to without magic, Mal sees her chance to prove herself. With the help of the Evil Queen's daughter, Jafar's son, and Cruella de Vil's son, they might find something along the way to the scepter that they never imagined." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=55981