Mystery

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

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Rating: 4/5

“All the money, all the power—none of it compares to a good book. A book gives you everything. It gives you a window into other souls, other worlds.” 

The Plot:

While Stevie Bell may have solved the murder of her classmate, she now finds herself into a new brew of trouble as strange things keep occurring and before she can investigate, her parents pull her out of the academy for her own safety. They want her to move on from this obsession and focus on other things but Stevie feels isolated, disconnected, and alone. To add insult to injury, she finds herself thinking of David, the boy she kissed but also the boy who lied to her. Stevie doesn’t want to ever seen him again but when David’s father, Edward King makes a visit and wants Stevie to come back to the school to make nice with David. He tells her that he’s in the middle of a campaign and can’t afford for David to cause any trouble. If Stevie is there, he will make nice.

The prospect of returning to Ellington Academy is to exciting to turn down as Stevie knows she’s close to solving the murder. But, the path to truth is much more dangerous than before and Stevie must be careful or she could be next.

This novel takes a very unexpected turn that I didn’t see coming, I nearly gasped and threw my book but I loved it at the same time. The plot is what I love the most as it’s unique, entertaining and keeps you guessing what will happen next.

The characters:

So much growth for Stevie, I really enjoy her as a protagonist. She’s very real and relatable and I loved seeing her grown as a character. I felt for her when she was back home and feeling disconnected from everything as that can be really difficult and in addition to that, she felt hurt by David. I can’t say that I blame her for being hurt that he lied to her as I would feel the same. I already had a feeling that she would seen David soon and while David does improve and grow, I still can’t like him as much I liked Stevie. I did enjoy their banter and the dynamics that they have in this telling but I don’t buy the romance, it’s awkward and feels forced.

The writing:

Johnson’s writing is what I love the most. She knows how to write unexpected twists and turns in a way that you don’t even seen coming until it happens. I really enjoy how she’s able to create an atmosphere that’s so real and she does a great job with the dynamics between the characters. Overall, a very entertaining, edge of your seat thriller that keeps you wanting more!

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

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Rating: 4/5

“Being loved is one thing, being hated is another, but there is nothing worse than being ignored.” 

The Plot:

For Your Own Good is a wild, campy, vindictive, and murderous tale that follows the lives of students, teachers, and other professionals at the prestigious, famed, wealthiest Belmont Academy. Teddy Crutcher is a dedicated, hard working, by the books and willing to do anything to help out his students even if they don’t ask him to do it. Soon, the school is thrown into a tailspin when a parent is found murdered. While this would cause concern for any rational person, Teddy isn’t too bothered by nosy students. He’s more concerned with helping his students tap into their potential and wishing that his fellow staff, administrators, and other school personnel started treating him like the gift that he is and stayed out of his way.

The Characters:

Teddy is an unbelievably entertaining main character with flaws and all that make you love and hate him at the same time. His teaching methods are less than conventional but he is willing to do whatever it takes to get the best out of his students even if that means going a little too far. While Teddy is the main focus on the book, there are other characters who you hate and love at the same time. The way the characters are written adds to the devious and dark plot and also makes you question them but Teddy is the person you question the most. He’s so bad but you can’t help but love him.

The Writing:

This the first book by Downing that I’ve read so I didn’t know what to expect but she’s very good at describing the atmosphere and setting the tone. While I did like the different POV’s, I wanted to know more about Teddy and why he was the way that he was and also felt like there way too many chapters. Some of the chapters could be condensed because I felt like I was never going to finish it. So, it took away from my excitement by the end of the book and I didn’t feel as gratified as I wanted to feel. Downing also excels with keeping you on your toes with the twists and turns that you read throughout the book and that’s always a plus in particular for me. I get bored with predictable twists and turns and lose interest but the way they are written is very well done.

Final Thoughts:

Even with the unnecessary chapters, this is a fun, wild, and entertaining ride that will you leaving you wanting more. It’s dark, devious, hysterical, and will to make you second guess the twists and turns. It will also make you wonder who will win at the air as the way Downing writes it leaves it up in the air.

Book Of The Week: Truly Devious

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I have decided to do more than book reviews on this blog and I’m excited to start a book of the week meme. Every Sunday, I will pick a book that I’ve recently read and stood out to me and I will share what’s it’s about, what I liked and didn’t like, the characters, quotes, and who I think would enjoy it.

The Plot:

So I’m delighted to share the pick for this. Truly Devious is a young adult mystery series by Maureen Johnson. The series is made up of four books with the last book being released this year. It follows Stevie Bell, a true crime enthusiast starting her first year at famed and exclusive Ellington Academy where she is determined to solve the mysterious disappearances of the wife and child of founder, Albert Ellington. The only clue that was left was a dubious mocking riddle signed by Truly Devious, the case would go down as one of the greatest unsolved crime in history. But solving the case isn’t the only thing Stevie struggles with, she’s also dealing with the rigorous new school life and find common ground with her roommates.

As she gets adjusted to that new life, strange things begin happening and Truly Devious has made them their return as a classmate of Stevie is found murdered. Although cautioned to stay safe, Stevie throws herself into the investigation and must rely on her survival skills or she could be the next victim.

The characters:

One of the pros of the book are the characters as they were well written, unique, and the dynamics between them felt very real. Stevie is a fun and quirky protagonist and I found myself relating to her throughout the book especially with her true crime obsession. But, she was also self-aware, competent, and had a great attitude and head on her shoulders. Her best friends, Janelle and Nate were pretty great as well and I loved the dynamics between the three. I wasn’t too crazy about David, he was kinda annoying and while I guess you could call him the love interest, this isn’t a heavy romance story. I couldn’t really feel out his character and if he truly liked Stevie or he was using her.

The writing:

While I did enjoy the pace of the writing, there were parts where it was slow. But, for the most part I felt like the writing fit the scene. Sometimes I struggle with dual timeline books but the way the scenes from 1938 were written didn’t take away from the present day scenes and I think added depth to the story. What I truly loved about the writing is how Johnson cracks up the heat and you don’t notice it until it’s too late. I felt like the twists and turns were done really well and kept me on the edge of my seat. You also can’t tell if the the killer from the 1930’s has returned or if it’s someone else and that was also suspenseful and kept me wanting more.

Overall, Truly Devious is a fantastic murder mystery with well written and complex characters, an interesting plot that will keep you wanting more, and set you up to anticipate book two with delight. I’m glad that I finally got the chance to read this book and I have already finished book 2 so hopefully before the end of the month, I will have read them all. Check it out!

August TBR

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OMG! How is it almost fall? This is so crazy but I am so ready fit!! I’m even more excited about my tbr for this month cause it’s going to b great! Reading more books this month or I’m gonna try for a fun readathon for the Goodreads discord server I’m in! So here are my picks!!

A Court of Honey & Ash by Shannon Meyer and Kelly St. Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, YA

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, YA

Amelia Unbridged by Ashley Schumacher
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fiction

Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

Catch & Cradle by Katia Rose
Genre: Romance, LGBT, New Adult

The Dead And The Dark by Courtney Gould
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, YA

Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Girls At The Edge Of The World by Laura Brooke Robson
Genre: LGBT, Fantasy, YA

How Hard Can Love Be? By Holly Bourne
Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary

Foretold by Violet Lumani
Genre: LGBT, Fantasy, Romance

Forget This Ever Happened by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Poetry

Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, YA

Lyrics & Curses by Candace Robinson
Genre: Fantasy, YA

One Year Of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Romance

Outrun The Wind by Elizabeth Tammi
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Romance

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan
Genre: LGBT, Contemporary, Romance

Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin
Genre: LGBT, YA, Romance

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Genre: Mystery, YA, Contemporary

What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Fiction

We Regret To Inform You by Ariel Kaplan
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Genre: Fantasy, YA

What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson
Genre: YA, Thriller, Mystery

Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall
Genre: LGBT, YA, Romance


The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

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Rating: 3/5

“After all, everyone’s entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. Even though I’m not. I’m the villain.”

Mariana Andros is a troubled but brilliant therapist trying to heal herself from the death of her husband while living living in London. She becomes fixated on The Maidens, an all female secret society and the man they adore Edward Fosca. The professor is adored by the students and staff alike but Mariana is convinced that he’s no good and her suspicions are heightened when a member of The Maidens, is murdered. Not only was she a member of the group but also a friend of her niece, Zoe. Mariana is determined to find out the truth but soon she finds herself in more trouble than she bargained for.

I will admit that I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to and it’s a shame. I was first introduced to Michaelides when a friend recommended The Silent Paitent and I loved it so I started following him. When I first heard about this book, I was excited and intrigued cause it sounded like it was right up my alley. First, the plot was super interesting and intriguing and I liked how it was setting up but then it took a dive that I didn’t see coming in later chapters that didn’t make a lot of sense. I lost interest but was able to finish the book but did enjoy the plot twist but wish the other stuff was executed better. But that’s sometimes how it goes!

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

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Rating: 4/5

“Kindness is something that seems small, Daunis, but it’s like tossing a pebble into a pond and the ripples reach further than you thought.” 

Firekeeper’s Daughter tells the story Darius Fontaine, a young woman who has felt like she’s never fit in not only with her tribe but in her hometown. The young woman dreams of studying medicine but those plans are put on hold when tragedy strikes and Darius must put her dreams on hold in order to care for her mother. As she struggles with her own insecurities and being an outsider, she does start to find one bright spot through it all, Jaime a handsome and charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team. But, while she battles with her feelings for Jaime, she stars to wonder if he’s hiding something as things aren’t adding up and she begins to question does she really know at him at all? Before she can get to the bottom of it, she witnesses a shocking murder putting her at the center a of a murder investigation. Reluctantly, she finds herself going undercover in order to find out what happened and hopefully solve the investigation but the more she digs, the more that people keep dying and she has more questions than answers.

I can’t believe this was a debut! I really enjoyed this book as it wasn’t what I expected it to be and I couldn’t put it down. It was a beautifully well written thriller from start to end with interesting characters, both main and side. I thought Darius was a relatable character especially with figuring out what she wants out of her life while also accepting her flaws and all. It is really a story of a young woman who wants to feel as she belongs to not only her tribe but to others around her. I thought Boulley did a great job at intertwining the two so that the reader has a better understanding of Darius’s struggle.

The only drawback of the book is the slower pacing which can deter some readers as pacing of a book can make a reader not finish it. But, I do feel like in the case of this book that he pacing does help seeing as it is a thriller but if you’re into fast paced mysteries/thrillers, this may not be your cup of tea. Being a thriller/mystery, I thought Boulley did a nice job with the build up and keeping it suspenseful throughout the book as it helped keep me interested, surprised, and engaged not only with the character but the plot.

All in all, this is a beautifully written suspenseful debut while also intertwining Native American culture which was great to see. So check it out if you want!

May Wrap-Up

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Wow, I can’t believe May is nearly done. This has been a wild and crazy month but I did manage to do a lot of reading and instead of sharing what I read with you, I’m going to share my favorites.

Divine Blood by Beck Michaels
Genre – Fantasy, Romance, YA
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

Champion by Marie Lu
Genre – Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Romance, YA
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Genre – Contemporary, Fiction, Mental Health
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

From Blood And Ash #1 by Jennifer Armentrout
Genre – Fantasy, Romance, NA
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

Shattered Kingdom by Angelina Steffort
Genre – Fantasy, Romance, YA
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Genre – Mystery, Thriller
Full Review – Here

Rating: 4/5

House of Hollow

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Rating: 4/5

Trigger Warnings: blood, gore, violence, murder, attempted murder, death, death of a loved one, self-harm, suicide, body horror, attempted sexual assault.

My sisters. My blood. My skin. What a gruesome bond we shared.

Well, at first glance I thought this was going to be a typical mystery-thriller and I couldn’t have been more wrong. The book was incredibly unsettling at times but I managed to pull through mostly due to Sutherland’s use of imagery in her writing. The story follows Iris Hollow who is trying to run from her past but when her oldest sister mysteriously disappears, Iris finds herself on a journey to uncover what truly happened that night with the clues her sister left her. Will she able to put the pieces together and will she never find peace?

So let’s unpack all of this cause this book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions that I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect this to be as dark as it was but like I mentioned, Sutherland’s writing and use of imagery made me glued to the book. One thing that I did struggle with throughout the book is that I felt like I wasn’t fully invested in the characters since it was more plot driven, but I do that think that was intentional and it worked for this story. But with that said, the Iris and her sisters all have unique and different characteristics and out of the three, I connected to Iris the most who was empathetic, kind, observant and quiet.

The plot is what really held this book together for me because I found it very well written with Sutherland’s prose and with connecting the character’s psychological backstory into had me turning the page with angst and fear. This plot was anything but predictable with so many twists and turns that had me in shock.

Even with the graphic descriptions and unsettling themes, this book did hold my attention and I found myself unwilling to put it down. This book may not be for everyone which is why I wanted to include the trigger warnings for those who plan or thinking about reading it. But, if you like dark fantasy or even if you like fantasy and you’re willing to give it a go, I do hope you enjoy it.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

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Rating: 4/5

Not only do I love a good mystery, I love the surprises that come along the way and this book was definitely packed with them. I didn’t intend to read this book until I heard others talking about how good it was so I decided to check it out. I couldn’t put it down once I started! I was totally spooked by the island and wouldn’t want to be on a island like this anytime soon.

At first, I didn’t know if I was gonna finish it because of how many different characters came into play and not many of them were like-able. But, once I got deeper into the book, the more invested I became more invested. I believe a lot of that has to do with Foley’s writing as I actually felt like I knew the people even if they weren’t very like-able. Hannah and Olivia were my favorites because they were the most like-able out of everyone.

By the end of the book, I was so invested that I didn’t want it to end. This was one of the most satisfying mystery books that I’ve read and I understand why the Goodreads Award as it deserved that. So if you’re looking for a good mystery then I would definitely check this book out.