Posted on by Maureen

This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

41iu42b0bynlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed young adult books. Even though I am past the target audience, I still enjoy browsing at the bookstore or checking out the new release shelf at the library. As soon as I read the summary of This is Where It Ends, I knew that I wanted to read it.

This is Where It Ends is the debut novel of author Marieke Nijkamp. It is the story of a school shooting at Opportunity High School in Opportunity, Alabama. The entire story takes place in less than an hour, methodically broken up into chunks of a few minutes at a time. There are four different narrators, each of whom has a connection to Tyler, the lone shooter. Claire dated Tyler briefly the year before. Autumn is Tyler’s sister. Sylv is Autumn’s girlfriend. Tomas is Sylv’s brother. Some of these narrators are in the auditorium when the shooting begins, and some are not. Each of these characters has experienced setbacks, even devastating losses. These incidents have affected them profoundly, and shaped their personalities and their hopes and dreams for the future. But none of that matters when Tyler storms into the high school auditorium and starts shooting. All that they can do is hope and pray that they will survive the onslaught, as Tyler exacts his revenge methodically and without any remorse. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My oldest daughter is eight years old, and her little sisters are six. They love reading books, and when I received the opportunity to read When Mischief Came to Town, I knew that they would like it as well. We read a chapter or two every night for a couple of weeks, and they were absolutely enthralled.

When Mischief Came to Town was written by Katrina Nannestad. This is the story of a little girl named Inge Maria, who leaves her life in Copenhagen behind to travel to the island of Bornholm to live with her grandmother following the death of her mother. Inge Maria is a spirited girl, who looks for whimsical moments in her everyday life. This is a stark contrast to the quiet and predictable routine that her grandmother is used to, and at first, it doesn’t seem like Inge and her grandmother are a good match for each other. But as Inge adjusts to life on Bornholm, her joie de vivre proves to be contagious and affects everyone she encounters. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum

51oscmk57clI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading Gregory Funaro’s Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read the sequel- Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum. Before I begin, I’d like to mention that you should really read the first book in the series before reading Aquaticum. Funaro does an excellent job with exposition at the beginning of the book, so the savvy reader can glean the basics of what happened in Odditorium. But the plot twists and big revelations in Aquaticum are so much more meaningful if you have read Odditorium. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

81zio183rclI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I am many years beyond the target demographic, but I am a big fan of YA literature. Maybe it’s the engaging writing style, or maybe it’s the melodramatic plots. Maybe it’s both. I can remember giggling over Judy Blume’s Forever as a teen. Granted, it was already outdated when I first read it in the mid-1990s: going to Planned Parenthood for a diaphragm… but this is the book that started my fascination with the genre.

There have been many young adult novels since Forever that have tackled the delicate balance between sex and love and teenagers, and Laurie Elizabeth Flynn’s Firsts offers a new perspective on the genre. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior by Jennifer McQuiston

514z8rcwvmlThe Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior was an impulse purchase. I have some of author Jennifer McQuiston’s other books on my Kindle, but I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. I also enjoy following her on Facebook. I was at the grocery store- of all places- when I spied The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior on an endcap with some other new release books. Well, much to my surprise, the book just hopped right into the cart!

This is the second entry in the Seduction Diaries series, and features Lucy, the younger sister of the protagonist from Diary of an Accidental Wallflower. As the story begins in 1853, Lucy receives her late Aunt E’s diary. But wait, there’s more- she also receives the key to Aunt E’s home. Lucy’s first season is approaching, and she wants no part of the endless social obligations. She sees the cottage as an opportunity to live the life that she wants to live; one that does not revolve around finding a husband with a title.

Lord Thomas Branston is prepared to buy the cottage from Lucy. Her father assures Thomas that there will not be any problems, and that there will be a quick and uncomplicated sale. There’s one unexpected catch: Lucy was not consulted about this, and insists on seeing the house for herself before agreeing to sell it. Read more