Deathless Divide

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Deathless Divide

Author: Justina Ireland

Performers: Bahni Turpin & Jordan Cobb

Length: 14 hr, 34 min

Series: Dread Nation, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 4, 2020 by HarperAudio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Dare I say it, I might like the sequel even better than the first book. Considering how impressed I was by Dread Nation, that is high praise. I really loved the dark direction Jane’s story goes in, and we get to know Katherine on a deeper level. In the first book, I felt giving it an LGBT+ label was a bit of a stretch, but after reading this book I have amended my opinion. The romantic relationships, however, are not the focus of this story, at least not in the way you would expect. It is a story of revenge, justice, friendship and women who kick butt – both dead and alive. I personally loved it and was a little sad to learn that this is a duology, not a trilogy. It did have a satisfying ending though, so I can’t complain too much. It was a very creative combination of science fiction, history, and horror.

I highly recommend that readers listen to it in audiobook format.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 5 Stars

Contemporary · Fantasy · Fiction · Horror · Mystery · Paranormal

Ninth House

May 28, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Ninth House

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Performers: Lauren Fortgang and Michael David Axtell

Length: 16 hr, 29 min

Series: Alex Stern, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 8, 2019 by Macmillan Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Grishaverse fans beware…this is a complete departure from Bardugo’s previous work. Luckily for me, I am also a fan of the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, so there is some crossover appeal for me. This book was a little too gritty for my personal tastes, but the character development really impressed me. Alex’s character in particular is incredibly complex and multi-layered. People who enjoy stories about secret societies are especially in for a treat because Bardugo really has a knack for the intricacies of incorporating the paranormal into realistic settings. She makes it completely believable that this type of world could exist within the shadow of our own.

The dynamic between Alex and Darlington was a bit confusing to me, so I am really hoping for more page time with them in future books. I liked the readers chosen for both of their characters, so I will probably try to continue forward with the series in audiobook format.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Horror · Mystery · Young Adult

The Project

May 28, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Project

Author: Courtney Summers

Page Count: 352

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 2, 2021 by Wednesday Books

Format: eBook

Review: Looking for a cliché and utterly predictable book about cults? Look no further, because this is your next read. Don’t get me wrong, the author is not a bad writer, but if you have seen any movies/tv series/documentaries or read any books with cults as a theme, then you know exactly how this story is going to play out. I wish I could say there was even one plot twist that caught me off guard, but I can’t. I have heard really good things about the author’s book Sadie, so this was a bit of a disappointment for me.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Horror · Science Fiction · Young Adult

The Call

January 23, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Call

Author: Peadar Ó Guilín

Performer: Amy Shiels

Length: 7 hr, 25 min

Series: The Call, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 1, 2016 by Scholastic Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: What a truly disturbing read. The twisted Grey Land that Ó Guilín has created is truly horrifying, but the capacity for human cruelty he puts on display is equally so. I have read several books recently with fairies as a theme, but none of them come even close to the darkness of this book. There were times when I felt my stomach turn while reading it, and yet I couldn’t put it down because I HAD to know what would happen to Nessa when she was called.

Nessa is a character to be reckoned with. She is intelligent, brave, and resourceful – with an indomitable will to survive. It is really refreshing to see a character with such a prominent disability reject the narrative that has been shoved down her throat by society. Everyone believes her disability is a death sentence, but she works harder and smarter to defy the odds by honing her strengths.

I was a little fuzzy about the history of the Sidhe and their banishment to the Grey Lands…I would have liked more information about that as context for their cruelty. Were they always so cruel? Was there ever a time they co-existed with humans? How was the Grey Land created? Maybe some of these questions are answered in the second book.

Amy Shiels was an excellent narrator for this tale. Her characterization of the Sidhe really upped the creep factor! I think the book got an additional 1/2 star from me for her performance alone.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Horror · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Cut Off

April 6, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Cut Off

Author: Adrianne Finlay

Page Count: 384

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 11, 2020 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Format: eBook

Review: I was obsessed with the Lost series back when it was airing, so when this book was described as “Warcross meets Lost…” I knew I simply must read it. Unfortunately for me, it was just…meh. There were a couple scenes that creeped me out in the beginning, but overall it was not particularly exciting. The one thing it did have in common with Lost was that the final reveal was truly disappointing. I knew there was going to be a science fiction element to the story, but it was a bit more sci-fi-y than I was expecting. I also wanted to see more character complexity and development. The characters felt very formulaic to me: the brainiac, the deceiver, the loner, and the closed off beauty. Nobody really surprised me or made me question what I knew about them. I wasn’t really feeling the romantic angle either. In a story like this, I feel the romance should add more depth to the plot or characters, but it didn’t really serve to do so as much as I wanted. It was not a terrible read, but also not one I enjoyed enough to give a higher rating.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Horror · Young Adult

Foul is Fair

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustme2 Comments

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Title: Foul is Fair

Author: Hannah Capin

Page Count: 336

Series: Foul is Fair, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher:

Format: eBook

Review: I am shocked at the positive reviews this book has been receiving from early reviewers. All the characters, including Jade/Elle, were terrible people. I did not enjoy reading about them, and I found it very difficult to get behind the revenge story because it was so ridiculous. Although I can completely empathize with a sexual assault victim wanting justice, a murderous rampage certainly does not seem like the answer and I did not find it at all gratifying. I would be extremely hesitant to promote this book to teen readers, because it glorifies murder and manipulation through sex. None of Jade/Elle’s coping mechanisms for her assault were positive, and I personally feel this book would be very unhealthy to put in the hands of someone who has actually been sexually assaulted.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Horror · Mystery · Thriller

The Butterfly Garden

January 10, 2019January 16, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: The Butterfly Garden

Author: Dot Hutchison

Page Count: 288

Series: The Collector, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: June 1, 2016 by Thomas & Mercer

Format: Paperback

Review: Holy. Freaking. Wow…..There are some books that really stick with you, and this is one of them. From page one I was so completely engrossed that I would find myself staring longingly at the book during work, anxiously waiting for my next break. I so desperately wanted to know what would happen to the women in the story that I would be thinking about it constantly, even as I drifted off to sleep at night. The narrative is very well written, and the narrator of the story is so easy to trust and to like. The only reason I am not giving this story five stars is because there were a couple elements of the story that bothered me. For one, the FBI agents that were questioning the narrator kept insisting that she was not being forthcoming and that she was keeping secrets. I did not get this feeling at all from the narrator, and I think in a situation such as this, the victim would need to be allowed to tell the story in the way that is most comfortable to them. Secondly, they kept alluding to the fact that the narrator was hiding something, but when they had the big “reveal” at the end, it did not truly seem to fit with the rest of the narrative. To be honest I am not entirely sure why it was included in the story at all, as it didn’t really seem to add anything revelatory to the plot.

This book is what I like to call a “thinker” because it makes you reflect upon yourself and how you would respond if you were trapped in this type of situation. I would like to think that I would have the compassion of nurturing Lyonette and the strength of straightforward Maya, but to be honest I really don’t know who I would be. What really made this story intriguing was the women, and how each of them coped with the extreme trauma while still managing to carve out meaningful relationships with one another. In this sense, the story was as beautiful as it was terrifying. I highly recommend reading it.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: