Review: Underneath Everything by Marcy Beller Paul

Summary:

Underneath Everything is a seductive, gorgeously written debut about two girls bound by an obsessive and toxic friendship, perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver and Courtney Summers.

Mattie shouldn't be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason. But now Mattie is a senior, and she's sick of missing things. So here she is. And there's Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know—she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson.

But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can't figure out where Jolene's life ends and hers begins. Because there's something Mattie hasn't told anyone: She walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left.

Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Underneath Everything was an interesting story about toxic female friendships. Specifically, the book focused on the dynamic between a quieter, passive friend and the dominant, outgoing friend. Jolene and Mattie had been best friends until their friendship dissolved over a boy named Hudson.

The book is very character-driven since not much happens in terms of the actual plot. I found the secondary characters interesting, especially Jolene, but I couldn’t really muster much enthusiasm for Mattie. Her personality was sort of blah and the only trait I could really remember about her most of the time was her odd obsession with maps.

I liked the author’s writing style and I was curious about what happened the night Mattie and Jolene’s friendship imploded. The flashbacks were also a highlight of the book and I liked how ambiguous the author kept Jolene and Mattie’s relationship. I kept wondering if they were just friends or something more.

I think at the core of the novel is a girl struggling to find her identity separate from her “soulmate.” Although I wasn’t totally blown away by the story, I did think it painted an honest depiction of how complicated female friendships can become.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler

Summary:

The party last Saturday night is a bit of a blur.

Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.

But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details, and begins to ask questions.

What really happened at the party after she left?

Who was still there?

What did they see?

When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question:

Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?

This story—inspired by real events—from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time.


Publication Date: September 22, 2015

What We Saw is a must read for every high school and college age girl. I guarantee this novel will haunt you long after you shut the book because there’s so much brutal honesty between the pages. This is probably one of the best YA novels I’ve read this year and I love the powerful message the author delivered with using a ripped from the headlines premise.

I thought the author made a smart decision by having the story told by everygirl Kate instead of the rape victim Stacey. Kate was stuck in the middle of the controversy and provided insight into both sides. Kate has loyalty to the accused basketball players because of her newfound romantic relationship with one of the team’s star players Ben, but she was also a friend to Stacey years ago in middle school.

What We Saw tells the story of just how accepted our society is of slut shaming and sexism. From the second, charges are brought against the male students, there is a general consensus among the students and faculty that Stacey is just a slut who is trying to ruin the boys’ futures. There is never any concern about the victim or what type of PTSD she must be suffering after being assaulted and having the damning images spread online.

Kate’s feelings and actions were very authentic in the novel. She’s not a trailblazing feminist by any means, but I appreciated how despite her boyfriend and friends warning her to stay out of the controversy, she made it a point of digging around for the truth about what happened at the party.

This book will bring you to tears as you realize that there are so many women and men out there who think a rape victim “asked for it.” The ending is far from a HEA, but very realistic and honest like the rest of the novel. 

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

Summary:

Eighteen-year-old Arcadia wants adventure. Living in a tiny Florida town with her dad and four-year-old brother, Cadie spends most of her time working, going to school, and taking care of her family. So when she meets two handsome cousins at a campfire party, she finally has a chance for fun. They invite her and friend to join them on a road trip, and it's just the risk she's been craving-the opportunity to escape. But what starts out as a fun, sexy journey quickly becomes dangerous when she discovers that one of them is not at all who he claims to be. One of them has deadly intentions.

A road trip fling turns terrifying in this contemporary story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

The Devil You Know was a good YA suspense read that kind of reminded me of the premise of “The Last House on the Left.” I almost felt like the subtitle should have been “This Is What Happens to Good Girls Who Make One Bad Choice.” Cadie makes some questionable decisions and ends up paying for them tremendously.

Cadie was likable and I felt for her a lot. She’s had a lot of responsibility thrown on her since her mom died and she’s been kept from having any kind of social life. She decides to go out to a party one night and ends up meeting two handsome cousins. Because she’s so desperate for adventure, she makes the impulsive decision to accompany the two on a road trip.

The beginning was a little slow going, but I was finding the book to be such an easy read, I didn’t feel dreadfully bored and screaming “When will something happen already?!” I think the plot was also moved on by the incredible chemistry between Cadie and Noah.

The book became a nail biter by the halfway point, but this was also the point when Cadie went from being reckless to just plain stupid. But in her defense, she is still a teen and I think some of her rash decisions were her way to finally rebel after having so many responsibilities thrust on her. I wanted to shake her from time to time, but I never stopped liking her as a character.

I probably would have given the book 4.5 or 5 stars if the whodunit part was stronger. I thought it was pretty obvious who the killer was and guessed very early on before the reveal. There was no jaw dropping moment in the conclusion that made the book a home run for me.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!  

Guest Review: The Guilty One by Sophie Littlefield

Summary:

From the award-winning author of The Missing Place—in which “Littlefield’s writing shines" (The Boston Globe)—another gripping exploration of the damage people can do to each other, and the resilience they find in themselves.

A man stands on the Golden Gate Bridge, poised to jump…if a woman on the other end of the phone tells him to.

Maris’s safe suburban world was shattered the day her daughter was found murdered, presumably at the hands of the young woman’s boyfriend. Her marriage crumbling, her routine shattered, Maris walks away from her pampered life as a Bay Area mom the day she receives a call from Ron, father of her daughter’s killer. Wracked with guilt over his son’s actions (and his own possible contribution to them), he asks Maris a single question: should he jump?

With a man’s life in her hands, Maris must decide, perhaps for the first time, what she truly wants. Retribution? Forgiveness? Or something more? Having lost everything, she’s finally free to recreate herself without the confining labels of “wife,” “mother,” or “mourner.” But will this shocking offer free her, or destroy her?

Publication Date: August 11, 2015

About Guest Reviewer Joanna:

Joanna Franklin Bell is a writer living outside Baltimore, MD. Her articles can be read in "Baltimore Magazine" and various Patch.com sites; her award-winning short story can be found on the "Single Dad Laughing" blog; and her books can be found on Amazon. "Muse: A Cat's Story" is her children's chapter book, "Mrs. Just-So" is her children's picture book, and "Take a Load Off, Mona Jamborski" and "That Birds Would Sing" are her novels. Her third novel, "See No Demons, Hear No Demons" will be released in 2016. Catch up with Joanna on Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/JoannaFranklinBell

Joanna's Review:

"The Guilty One" really wanted to be a five star book. It sure started out that way. It hooked me instantly without any cheap "in medias res" scenes, invested me in the main character, and had me ask questions. I went from dreading reading it (I always somehow end up getting the stupid romances) to realizing within one page that this was truly something different.

Then, I said, "Okay. This lady can write, but I've read this story before. This is a mash-up of two of Anne Tyler's books, and I remember these plot lines…" Oops, I was wrong. Right when I thought I had identified an overused, overdone, overplayed fiction device, I discovered I was wrong within sentences. I'd never read this story before. This was unique.

A few pages later, I said, "Ohhhh, now I get it, this is just like that movie where Jennifer Aniston wears fake scars and doesn't have on any make-up after an accident…" Nope, wrong again. As before, the slight similarity in a single element of the story was there, but absolutely nothing else. Again, this was unique.

Go Sophie Littlefield! I'd never heard of her, but I realized I'd met a new writer I respected. I picked up the book more and more, loving it more and more. I loved Maris, I loved Ron, I was thinking I was going to get to know Deb, and Pet, and Norris, and George... Calla's beautiful name was straight from its lily, Karl was complex and so far believable. I found some inconsistent paragraphs, some wrongly-described timelines, some errors of setting, but I was reading an uncorrected proof copy (which I was given by the publisher in exchange for this review). Maybe the editor will have caught those. I barely cared, continuing to read and read…

…and it got better. Right when I thought I knew everything, there was another surprise. And then right when I thought there were no more surprises, there was another one. This book was an eternal pleasure with every paragraph, aside from the fact that it's about a LOT of rotten stuff, namely loss and grief and, as the title would suggest, guilt. It's not an easy read, emotionally. But it's a TRUE read, a REAL read.

Until it isn't.

So apparently someone pushed Sophie Littlefield off the same bridge she saves one of her characters from, because someone who might be Soppy Evensmallerfield took over. What were subtle characters became totally bland and one-dimensional and simply walked around speaking lines randomly with no believability whatsoever. Even a few throwaways were introduced, and I have no idea why. There is no earthly reason for a few of the characters to exist, but it's like they were even more bored by the story they were in, so they wandered to this one, looking for the party. They were disappointed here too. EVERYONE DISSOLVED INTO STEREOTYPE and even that's almost a compliment, since they weren't even interesting enough to BE a stereotype anymore.

Everything started to suck. And I, yes me, yes your judgmental reviewer, I DOCKED A STAR.

Take that, Soppy Evensmallerfield! That's what you get for hijacking a good writer's story! It was actually GOING somewhere, VALIDATING life's hardest emotions, CREATING worlds in my head, and then it fell off the rails. And not even in a grand, light-em-up kind of way, like how all of Stephen King's books can be good until he decides he hasn't quite shocked you enough, so he has the bad guy wrenching off his protagonist's breast with a can opener (totally happened – read "Lisey's Story") and you're like REALLY?! No, this just kind of fell asleep at the wheel and drifted gently and disappointingly into a field, where it ended. The characters stood around like wooden marionettes while the off-stage lighting crew hollered their lines unconvincingly, yanked a few strings to make the limbs move in an approximation of lifelike-ness, then went to the bar for a drink since no one was in the audience anymore.

It's enough to make me dock lots of stars, but I have to remember how much I loved it going in.

My recommendation? Read it or don't read it? That's a good question. I say:

Read it, get to the point where they're at the gala, close it, then email me and ask how it ends. I'll tell you in a single sentence, and you can save yourself the disappointment of limping your way towards it yourself.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Stacking the Shelves #131

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

For Review:

Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Wedding Date for Hire by Jennifer Shirk

Bastard by J.L. Perry

The Engagement Game by Jenny Holiday

Shade Me by Jennifer Brown

Review: The Escape by Hannah Jayne

Summary:

When two boys walk into the woods, and one comes out covered in blood, what would you believe?

Fletcher and Adam venture into the woods for an afternoon hike, but when day turns into night and neither boy returns, their town is thrown into turmoil. Avery, the detective's daughter, is the one to find Fletcher—dishelved, disoriented, and covered in blood. He has no memory of what happened, but Avery can't shake the feeling that something's off. When Adam's body is finally found, Avery is determined to uncover the truth. But if she stands by her gut, and Fletcher, is she standing by a friend, or a murderer? The answer might cost her her life.

Publication Date: July 7, 2015

This was a very okay read for me. I didn’t particularly love the book, nor did I despite it. There was a solid mystery to figure out and the suspense was well done, but I didn’t particularly like the conclusion. Also, the character development didn’t always mesh well for me.

I thought the beginning of the book started off with a bang. The scenes in the woods were expertly written and I loved the descriptive language the author used. I felt like I was right alongside the characters as they fought for their lives. I had hundreds of theories over what could have happened to the boys from them witnessing a drug deal gone bad to a supernatural attack by a Big Foot creature. Suffice it to say I was wrong on both accounts and what actually happened left me annoyed over the red herrings placed in the book.

Avery was an okay character and I actually liked her more in the beginning of the book than in the latter chapters. Instead of insta-love, she has a case of insta-friendship with Fletcher that didn’t make much sense. There isn’t a romance, but I couldn’t understand why she was so set on believing his innocence when she barely knew him. Fletcher had his ups and downs for me in the book, but I at least could make sense of most of his actions.

The pacing was well done until the conclusion. It felt very rushed and I didn’t feel as much resolution as I had hoped. I also didn’t feel as much suspense as I had in the opening chapters.

Overall, a good, quick teen thriller that is a perfect rainy day read.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy for review!

Guest Review: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

I'd like to introduce you to my newest guest reviewer Lauren (insert big round of applause)! Lauren is a voracious reader and she'll be helping out on my blog from time to time.

Summary:

A chance encounter sparks an unrelenting web of lies in this stunning new psychological thriller from national bestselling author Mary Kubica

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.

Publication Date: July 28, 2015

Lauren's Review:

4.5 stars! No spoilers per se, but some details revealed below.

So, briefly: Our bleeding-heart-brakes-for-animals Heidi sees a bedraggled young lady while waiting for the L during a particularly rainy time of year. Chicago, go figure. As sad of a sight this is, Heidi can't help but fly to the rescue after noticing the little baby tucked in her too thin jacket. Heidi brings Willow (ze girl) and Ruby (ze bebe) into her home, much to the chagrin of her workaholic husband, Chris and her attitude ridden daughter, Zoe. Cut to a few very awkward dinners and lots of eye rolling.

This was my very first Kubica experience, having missed The Good Girl (a mistake I plan to remedy ASAP) and I am just so pleased with her! I mean that less in the pat-on-the-head-we're-so-shocked-and-proud-of-you way but more in the YASSSS QUEEEEN kinda way. After a string of novels I felt like I was TRUUUDGING THROUUUGHHH, Pretty Baby was so refreshingly exciting. SQUEEEE!

What starts out as a story that seems to reek more of a disgruntled marriage than any other conflict slowly, so slowly unravels into something much darker. Disclaimer about me as a reader: I don't guess. I don't mentally read ahead. I prefer to take in exactly what's in front of me, so I am constantly shocked and surprised. Maybe I'm just a simpleton. In fact, I don't think it was until this passage, more than halfway through the book that I even realized something was LEGIT AMISS: "

There is a clock in this room, as well, red digital numbers that drift from 2:21 to 4:18 a.m., all in the blink of an eye as I hover, there, at the foot of the sofa bed...

"
Kubica had such a skilled way of building to her conclusion. And I loved her take on chapters. I know she is not the first author to use the POV of multiple characters to break up the novel but it was the perfect way to execute the story. We were able to see what made Willow the way she was without Heidi or Chris having any of this knowledge. We watched Heidi unravel. And with Chris, we witnessed an inconvenienced husband have his reality BROKEN because he stopped looking at his wife long ago.

Sidebar: Zoe, the 12 year old daughter is awful. I don't care. She's awful. Granted her mother is a little intense, but Zoe needs Jesus and boarding school. Sry. Bye.

And then there's Willow. Where to even start. We can blame her for everything coming unhinged if we want, but that's not the right move. We can judge her for keeping little Ruby when it was so wildly clear that she was not fit, equipped, prepared to take care of a child...but that doesn't feel so good either. As her story goes on not only do we learn about her tragedies, we learn about her spirit. She has so much of it. After her parents died and her younger sister was adopted, Willow was forced to spend her formative years with a foster family that sexually, physically and mentally abused her. There is one scene later on in the novel when one of her foster brothers (we like him) sneaks her out of the house and she realizes she hasn't had to wear shoes in six years...because SHE HASN'T LEFT THAT HOUSE IN SIX YEARS. That. Is. Just. And the girl survived it all. Guyz, like, I have a meltdown if I have to put pants on for more than three days in a row.

Pretty Baby ain't fun but it's so readable I can hardly stand it. The pages fly by and the story progresses at such a subtle speed that you, the reader, don't even realize you've been accelerating this whole time and suddenly you're CAREENING towards the conclusion. Insert awesome rollercoaster metaphor here!

If I may say about the ending, the readers are left with an idea of how Willow was doing but we really don't know what is going to happen to Heidi, and her family. Good. They were all outstandingly selfish in their own right, so it's nice to just leave them be, to let them sort themselves out. But Willow, we needed to know how she turns out, that finally she's in the a place where people are nice to her. She's safe, the baby is safe and we can finally put this book down and fall asleep.

Also! I was given a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. NEATO!

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars