The Secret History was recommended to me as an intriguing fall read, and it did remind me of the tight-knit yet rocky friendships of A Little Life or Dead Poets Society. However, much of the plot was less of an engaging mystery and more of a disturbing commentary on mental health in young adults. In summary, the narrator named Richard joins a small class of just five other students at a college in Vermont, and gets roped into their academic pursuits which are so similar to that of the rest of the student body, yet so different. Though the six main characters were each witty and entertaining, their bad choices eventually crosses a line to where readers couldn't support them anymore, which I wasn't sure was the author's intention. Even if it was, their behavior was a terrible influence in general, beyond what trends were acceptable in the late 1900s. Drinking, drug-consuming, and verbal abuse was relentless, and almost glorified. I felt terrible that Richard had begun to conform to the norms of his five colleagues, but there was no advancement in the story to suggest that he was even making bad choices. It's possible that I just didn't understand the moral, so I would still recommend this book; just be wary of its dark themes.
Grade 12

This book was so well written! Ivy, Mateo, and Cal all used to be friends in middle school but then grew apart. Ivy was having a bad day because she didn’t get class president, Booney did. She ends up running into her two old friends in the school parking lot and then decided to skip school. Little do they know they will be witnesses of Booney’s murder. The three have a day full of crazy events from being suspects of murder to being kidnapped. I really enjoyed this book. There were so many twists and turns that made it hard for you to know who did it. The suspense made you want to never put the book down. I really liked how this book was not predictable it kept you guessing all the way to the end. I would definitely recommend it.
11th grade

Everyone contains secrets but it is about how far you are willing to bear them and how long you want to shelter them. One of Us Is Lying is the first book in the One of Us Is Lying Trilogy and a YALSA 2018 Teens' Top Ten selection. One of Us Is Lying has the perfect mix of drama, suspense, mystery, and romance, and I haven’t read anything as unique. The book is extremely well written, perfect and extraordinary with the proper balance of words to keep anyone seated in one spot for hours at a time. The novel starts with five students sent to detention with only four leaving alive. The Brain, Bronwyn, The Beauty, Addy, The Athlete, Cooper, and The Criminal, Nate, Bayview High School’s most notable hypocrites are brought down throughout the novel to a level so low. According to investigators the death of a student during detention with the other four students, The Outcast, Simon, was not an accident. The leading characters are Cooper, Addy, Bronwyn, and Nate. They are all altogether diverse in the way they behave and their personality. I found Cooper the most interesting, but Bronwyn was the most sympathetic. Addy changed throughout the story starting as a typical high school popular girl and then ending with a more refreshing style. I enjoyed how the story was put together in the first person because the perspective was constantly varying which made it altogether more interesting. It uses multiple perspectives to provide you the point of view of not one, but all four suspects in a murder mystery with their motives, but the real marvel lies within the journey and experiences of the characters. This book is much deeper than just a murder mystery, and it has much more to it in terms of character development and diversity. You witness the characters’ vulnerable lives being picked apart and their deepest secrets being spread to their peers. This book is 5 Stars and exceeded expectations. I enjoyed this book and suggest it for the next time you want to read something as unique as this.
Reviewer 8th Grade

Storm Break follows Harry Dresden, the only wizard-for-hire in the country, as he investigates a grisly murder that could only be done by dark magic. Along the way, he'll have to juggle the case of an abandoned wife, the demands of his only friend in the force, the pressures of a sentient skull, and the condemnation of a council that wants to end him once and for all.
I didn't give this book three stars because it's a decent book. I gave this book three stars because it does some things really, really well and some things really, really badly. Throughout my reading, my internal rating jumped between one and four stars, so I stuck with three because it was mostly a good book and two stars should be reserved for boring books. And this definitely wasn't boring.
On the good side, I enjoyed the world building. It remains typical enough to the urban fantasy realm to seem cozy without being boring. Every magical creature has the exciting things we're used to, with some extra thrown in for fun, and lots of personality to make up for any stereotypical writing. The creatures and world building sell the danger of the world, making the stakes very high in the first book, something I appreciate. I like the main character, Harry Dresden, because he's a funny guy. I mean funny in that he cracks actually funny jokes, as well as funny as in he doesn't ever think things through and the outcome is always hilarious. I also like how the Harry has a "sad hidden backstory", but its not really hidden or sad because he talks about it so matter-of-factly that you forget how messed up it is in context. I loved the mystery of the novel, even if some twists threw me for a loop. The writing could also be surprisingly emotional for whats meant to be a cynical cop novel, in a way that really makes you sympathize with the twisted situation the protagonist is in, as well as the innocent people wrapped up in it. The ending was very satisfying and climactic and well bought, and really kept me invested until the end. Basically, its a very good urban fantasy novel with a fascinating protagonist and a thrilling story!
Now for the really, really bad stuff. Or just one really, really bad thing. In short: the author of this story has no idea how to write women. Or, he knows how to write women, and he just chooses to do it in the worst way possible. Every single woman in this book is one of three things: desperate for help from the dashing protagonist, incredibly attractive for no reason and really into the protagonist, or a token "strong independent woman" who devolves into one of the other two types within chapters. And I cannot stress how jarring this was. The author can write witty dialogue and fantastical creatures and heart wrenching emotion, but he can't write a single female character without sexualizing or demeaning her in some way. It's like walking through a local art gallery full of beautiful landscapes and self portraits, and then out of the blue there's a two-year-old's finger painting. I could go on for hours about how bad it was, and I really want to, but basically: about half of the women in this book are prostitutes, about half of the women die horribly and helplessly, most of them hit on Dresden and he always assumes its to seduce him for nefarious purposes, and not a single one of them has more than a shred of autonomy, character, or soul. All of that had to go into the main character, who is amazing alone, but whenever he's around woman he feels like a gross power fantasy that I can't sympathize with until about ten pages after he shares a conversation with a female character.
All in all, this book is a frustration. I want to enjoy the world building and fun characters and funny moments and good plot, but every so often a woman is introduced and I have to resist the urge to track the author down and throw the book at his face. If you can suffer through that, there is some great writing to be found! If you can't, I don't blame you.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of the best books I have ever read! It is an amazing book for tweens and older, with a slight romantic touch to add to the book that mixes very well with the mysterious game the characters play. Inheritance Games is about a teenage girl, Avery Grambs, who grew up with very little money to her name. Soon she learns that she has inherited most of the multi-billionaire, Tobias Hawthorne's wealth and land, and has no connection to the family entirely. At first, her incredible luck might seem extremely fortunate but to keep her newfound wealth she must live with Tobias's remaining complex and tricky family, while solving one last riddle left by Tobias Hawthorne himself, to figure out why she, not the other Hawthorne's, inherited his riches. You will get hooked on this game of affection and jealousy as the elaborate characters figure out what they value more; money or friendship.
I wholeheartedly adored this book! It had so many plot twists and turns so you can never guess what might happen next and it was full of intricate clues and riddles that are soo entertaining and surprised you every time. I picked this book because I wanted a mystery that was more centered around the teenage crowd than the adult theme of missing persons or other crimes and this book did not disappoint! It was so well written and devised, that I truly felt as if I was in the book with Avery and the Hawthorne brothers. I enjoyed the mystery because it was written so well that every time I reread this book I see so many new aspects and clues in the story. It is one of the best mysteries I have read before and it was filled with surprises. The author wrote the book so well and every character was relatable and had so many ups and downs like real people. The emotions and feelings that were put into the characters and the book were interesting and engaging until the end. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone because it will be a great read!

In this book, you follow four childhood friends (shown from the perspective of Isa Wilde) as the secrets of their past actions come back to haunt them.
I was intrigued by the premise of the story, but for the most part, the story was pretty boring and predictable. The concept of a lying game in the past was interesting and I was excited to see how would play into the story. The secret about what happened almost 20 years earlier seemed really overplayed to me. What actually happened didn't really seem as much of a big reveal as I thought it would be. The final twist at the end of the book wasn't anything special and I figured it out pretty quickly compared to other stories. The ending was anti-climactic; by the end of the story, I wasn't invested. The characters were fine: originally, they seemed relatable and human for the most part, but as the story progressed, I grew to dislike a couple of the main characters. Their actions seemed abnormal and irritating, and even within the context of the story, I still couldn't get over it. This could have been a better book, but the payoff wasn't there.
Reviewer's Grade: 11

The average reviews for this book are lower than usual, but it really surprised me. The story felt like a true story and dystopian and fiction all at once, not to mention the plot twist. The setting of an isolated vacation island set the background for a unique storyline between a few families with dark secrets. I enjoyed the main characters' personalities too, though there were some comments they made about homophobia and racism that were kind of weird and sounded like the author didn't do much research about the LGBTQ+ and POC communities. It was very entertaining still, and I would recommend it if you need a suspenseful story to read quickly.
Grade 11

And Then There Were None is one of the best that I have ever read. I loved watching the characters, especially because of the incredible detail that Agatha Christie used to describe them and their unique personalities. They all seem real to me. The book itself was ingenious, incorporating suspense and making every character a plausible suspect and a possible victim. I found myself turning back pages to get the facts again and again, without having a clue as to who was the murderer. I recommend this book for ages 13+ as all of the details and situations can be extremely hard to process.

When You Reach Me is one of my favorite books of all time. It is such a compelling mystery from the perspective of a sixth-grader who is wise for her age. Miranda contemplates theories of time travel and the effect of the past on the future in a light-hearted manner that makes this story impossible to put down. I love every character and reading their dialogue always gets me to think about the importance of kindness and our relationships as humans during such a short time on Earth. If you love a philosophical mystery or are just looking to get out of a reading slump, give this book a try!

As an avid Stephanie Perkins reader, this book is not her best work but still worth your time to read. There was ample suspense as Makani Young navigated the unfolding of an active serial killer's crimes in a small town, with a fast pace to not bore readers. Similar to thrillers like One of Us is Lying, I was constantly changing my mind as to who the killer could be. Do we pay attention to Ollie, the typical loner, or even one of Makani's own friends? Unfortunately, the movie adaptation did not do this story justice. Do not waver from trying it out if you stumbled across the movie first! It's not the darkest thriller I've read, but still disturbing enough to introduce a passion for the genre and keep you up at night.
Grade 11

Songbirds is about the disappearance of domestic workers in Cyprus--women who had no choice but to leave their families in Sri Lanka or Vietnam or the Philippines and find work as maids in the homes of Cyprus's wealthy class. Nisha, whom the story centers on, is a Sri Lankan woman who has faced much loss. She comes to Cyprus, leaving her daughter behind, and becomes a mother figure for Aliki, the daughter of a somber, grieving widow named Petra. Though Nisha has such an impact on the people around her, especially Petra and Aliki, she is merely seen as a maid, overlooked, taken for granted. In a parallel plot line, Yiannis is a poacher who hunts songbirds for a living. He and Nisha have a secret relationship, which would jeopardize everything if discovered by Petra, and when he finally tells Nisha about the poaching, she is deeply disappointed in him, though Yiannis doesn't stop his senseless killing of songbirds. One night, Nisha goes missing. What ensues is a long, agonizing search in which the police refuse to do anything and Petra begins to realize that she relied on Nisha for nearly everything and didn't appreciate her while she was there. Petra and Yiannis team up, determined to find out what happened.
In my opinion, this story could've been told so much better. The metaphor of the songbirds was far too loud and became redundant and irritating. Lefteri could've more effectively woven together the plot lines of Petra and Yiannis without being so blunt with her metaphor. However, I did find it very interesting--and saddening--to learn about the missing domestic workers of Cyprus. Just as in The Beekeeper of Aleppo, Lefteri brings to light real issues that go beyond news coverage and should be talked about but somehow aren't. These maids are just as human as anyone, having sacrificed lives in their home countries for the benefit of their families. I would have enjoyed this novel more if the pacing had been faster and the plot hadn't been so repetitive; the characters also weren't the most likable.
I wouldn't necessary recommend this book, but the premise is worth knowing.

This book is the sequal to One of us is lying. In this book, there is a person who would like to continue Simon's legacy. A boy who framed 4 teenagers in detention on his death. But, it's a game of Truth or Dare. You do a crazy dare, like kiss someone or get one of your deepest secrets exposed. It turns out, this is just based on a revenge plan from 2 people, looking to ruin someone's life based off of past incidents.
This book is AMAZING. It was just a good as the first book, if not better. It has a great story line and plot and truly does keep you intrigued the whole time. I loved this book and would rate it a 10/10.

This book is about 4 highschool students who are in the classroom when another student dies. Since they are the only ones in the room, they are the ones who have to fight to prove that they are innocent and try to get their normal lives back. Throughout the book, each person gets framed at least once, with new evidence. You get a point of view of each person and others on who did it, and why.
This book was AMAZING! It kept me engaged the whole entire time and had me gasping at every plot twist. I know that alot of people have been posting about this book, but it is definitely worth the read. There is also a sequal, called One of us is next. I would rate this book a 10/10.

In the second installment to the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, this time we follow Audrey and Thomas to Romania, mainly to escape the grief and memories that London contains, but also to attend one of the best schools of forensic medicine. However, Audrey and Thomas are once again thrown into another murder mystery, this time facing Vlad the Impaler.
Even though the plot of this novel seemed interesting enough, like the first book of this series, I still couldn't find myself connecting to Audrey or Thomas at all. Both of them just seemed like the stereotypical cookie-cutter fantasy romance interests, with no dimension and no personality. While I enjoyed some of the interesting cultural legends and information about Romania, I felt like the novel was going way too slow. I couldn't find myself getting into it, and none of the characters really interested me and kept me focused on the novel. Once I practically forced myself to finish the book, I didn't find myself thinking about the book ever again. There was nothing interesting or unique about the novel and all the characters just seemed like the same characters that I've read about over and over again in the fantasy genre. The murder was also pretty generic and simple to solve, so there wasn't much suspense or build-up. Overall, I could see why some people would like this book, but it wasn't for me.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Spy Camp is the 2nd book in the Spy School series. During the summer, Ben Ripley is called to Spy Camp, with is basically the same thing as Spy School, but outdoors. While he is there, an evil organization called SPYDER offers him a deal. Join them, or be killed. Ben now has his life at stake. So he refuses. He now has to be on his every move. If SPYDER finds him, he knows the consequences. Will Ben be able to outsmart SPYDER again? Or will his vacation end in disaster.

Lightning Strike is an excellent thriller. Cork O’Connor lives in his hometown of Aurora. Everything is normal and is going smoothly, until Cork discovers a dead man in the forest. It is deemed as a suicide. But Cork and his father have their own suspicions. Can they uncover the truth before it’s too late? I liked the setting and enjoyed the suspense. I chose this book because the book jacket captured my attention, and I wanted to find out what happens next. Cork O’Connor is curious about what took place, and also is great young sleuth. I appreciate Cork’s determination to solve the mystery. Lightning Strike was a great read and I would highly recommend it.
Grade 12

Spy school is about a 12 year old boy named Ben Ripley who has been recruited by the CIA to train to be a spy. The plot (without spoilers) takes place at the CIA Academy of Espionage. Ben can't tell anyone that he is a spy, including his parents. While he is there, he finds out that there is a mole lurking in the shadows of the school. Ben just got his first unofficial mission. Find the mole, find who they're working for, and to try no to be captured. If he succeeds, he will earn the trust of everyone at the academy. If he doesn't, he'll find himself in big trouble.

Last Girl Ghosted was a great read. A young woman named Wren frequently does online dating. She meets a charming young man named Adam. Wren thinks Adam is the perfect match, until he completely goes cold turkey. Wren is baffled and completely heartbroken, until she finds out Adam has done the same exact thing to other women. And not just that, but Adam has a long history of being with women who later go missing. Can Wren quickly find out who Adam really is before it is too late? I chose this book because it’s a thriller and the plot seemed interesting. This book is full of surprises and will keep the reader interested throughout the whole book. Last Girl Ghosted goes in depth about the darkside of online dating and the Internet. I really liked the suspense and the countless cliffhangers. I would highly recommend reading this book.

Confessions on the 7:45 was an excellent read. Selena barely makes the 745 train home, when she sits next to a strange woman whom she she makes an instant connection. This is when Selena confessed that her husband is having an affair with the nanny. And the strange woman listens and relates to Selena’s confession. Shortly after this train ride home the nanny goes missing. And a police investigation is launched. Was Selena’s husband involved? Or did does change woman have anything to do with? This book is a gripping novel that focuses on marriage and revenge. I picked this book because the book jacket seemed interesting. Confessions on the 745 is full of plot twists and will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I really enjoyed the plot twists and the in depth descriptions of the character’s personality’s. I would highly recommend this book.

Grade 12

To start off, I would say that I can see why many people enjoy this novel. Following a young woman during the Victorian era in London who studies anatomy and enjoys dissecting cadavers, I can see why this would be interesting to read about, especially since during this era, it was a bit taboo to hear of a woman studying anatomy, much less, dissecting dead bodies. I have to admit that the plot of this novel did intrigue me, especially when I read that somehow, Audrey Rose Wadsworth-- the said woman who has a knack for dissecting, would find herself involved in the case of infamous murderer, Jack the Ripper. However, the characters really made this story fall flat for me. Audrey was pretty much your typical "not like other girls" protagonist, and the author seemed very insistent in enunciating that Audrey was definitely NOT like other girls. This pretty much came in the form of having Audrey being intelligent, snarky, bold, and disliking typical "girlish" topics such as boys and dances and the such. While Audrey may have been a promising character, I really didn't like how the author made traits such as being intelligent or bold seem so unique, as if "other girls" did not carry any of these completely normal characteristics. Even more so, the author made pretty much every other female character in this story (with maybe the exception of one), seem very ditzy and typically "girly" and feminine, utilizing these other girls to make Audrey look better. While Audrey wasn't a character I particularly hated, I didn't really enjoy the way she was written. Adding on, the love interest in this story, Thomas Cresswell, was also boringly generic. Other than helping Audrey solve the murders of Jack the Ripper, Thomas didn't really add much to the story. His character was just as cliche as Audrey's, him being sarcastic, mysterious, and handsome-- not to mention the token tortured backstory he had, which seems very prevalent in many male love interests. I'll also add that Thomas wasn't a character I hated either, he was just a very flat one, and pretty boring to read about. While I've read some novels that also contain love interests with traits like Thomas and liked them, I'll have to say that Thomas was definitely not one of these. I wish the author, while also writing about how snarky and mysterious Thomas is supposed to be, gave him more dimension. Audrey and Thomas both felt like very token characters, ones that we've seen and heard of before, making both of them not really seem like people, and more like a walking stereotype. Overall, while this novel had a intriguing plot, the generic characters made the story fall flat for me.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Inheritance Games is about a 17 year old named Avery who mysteriously is put into someones will and inherits billions of dollars. But, she has to live in the owner of the will's house for a year with his four grandsons. Within the year, Avery goes through a series of riddles to figure out why she was the random person chosen to inherit this mans fortunes. He could have chosen any of his family members, but he chose her. Battling some hate and jealousy, Avery works with the boys to figure why it was Avery and not the family.

I loved this book! It was such an amazing book! The mystery of what would happen next kept me intrigued the whole time. I could not put down the book! I reccomend this book to anyone and everyone who can read!

There's Someone Inside Your House follows Makani Young as she tries to escape her past and create a new life in small-town Nebraska with her grandma and two best friends. She also is developing a crush on town outcast, Ollie. Suddenly, members of her small high school are found viciously murdered, one after another, and her and her friends will have to scramble to find the killer before they become their next victim.
I originally read this book because of the movie coming out under the same name, based on the book. In the trailer, the story seems to follow a serial killer who kills his high school victims while wearing a mask of the victims face, while seemingly holding them accountable for their past digressions. Obviously, this sounds amazing to read, so I read this book. The result was somewhat disappointing. For one, the actual murder mystery at the center of the story is no where near as interesting as the one the film outlines. In fact, despite the pretty good terror the book can get across, its pretty typical. When the murderer is revealed, both them and their motive are pretty disappointing. Other mysteries also turn out to be pretty disappointing, like some of the characters pasts or motives. Furthermore, the murder mystery isn't really the center of the story. More time seems to be devoted to what is meant to be a romantic subplot, but quickly becomes the main plot, leaving the vicious massacres on the side. Now, on the good side, the romantic subplot is pretty good, even if it takes up way too much time. As I said, the murder scenes have a lot of good tension and gore, all told from the victims perspective. The trauma the characters go through is pretty well explored, and the characters themselves are pretty well rounded, well characterized, and pretty funny. And even if the story was basic murder mystery, it was still a fun murder mystery.
All in all, while I found this book pretty disappointing, I do think its a fun ride. This would be a great read for fans of mystery, thrillers, pretty cool gore, and emotional love stories!

All These Bodies follows the country wide mystery of the Bloodless Murders, murders that leave every victim sucked dry without signs of struggle or bloodstains. Michael Jensen, the son of the sheriff who has followed the mystery as a hopeful journalist, one day witnesses the aftermath of the final murder in his hometown: the Carleson's family is found dead, with every ounce of their blood found drenched on one Marie Catherine Hale. As the nations whips itself into a frenzy over a fifteen-year-old murderess, Michael scrambles to, with Marie's help, solve the mystery of the Bloodless Murders, no matter how fantastical the answer may be.
I really wanted to like this book. See, I bought it impulsively about a month ago, hoping for a classic "How evil is the child that has done evil things?" that has been done so well in the past (None Shall Sleep, House on the Cerulean Sea, Good Omens, etc.). I was looking for some fun prose, debates on nature versus nurture, and a good thriller mystery. This book, sadly, did not live up to my expectations. For one, the writing is surprisingly prosaic for Kendare Blake, who's written other books I love. One could see this as an attempt to show that a teenager is telling the story, as the jist is that Michael is writing this story, so it makes sense that the writing is very to the point. However, even if this was intentional, it doesn't change the fact that the writing isn't very fun to read. There are some well written scenes that get across the small town vibe and deep horror of the book, but most of it was very simple. For another thing, I don't really like the way Marie was characterized. She's introduced as this worldly, weary teenager that has seen and committed many horrors. But despite this powerful image, for most of this book Marie seems very powerless and apathetic. This could be seen as accurate regarding her trauma, but it makes her much less of her own character and more a thing for Michael to protect and the world to judge. Finally, while some scenes were very scary, many of them simply described a maybe scary thing and didn't drive home the terror of the moment. Again, this could be accurate since many of these moments weren't necessarily scary out of context, but again, less interesting. The general theme of this book seems to prioritize the realistic over the dramatic, which is to be commended, but does decrease certain people's, including my, general enjoyment. Still, this book had a good ending, solid characterization, some good discussions on the public court, and accurately depicting the suffocating small town aesthetic.
All in all, this book could still be enjoyed in someone likes realistic writing, the 1900s aesthetic, discussions on justice, and nebulous mysteries, and I recommend anyone to read Kendare Blake's other works!

One of Us is Lying is about four high school stereotypes: the Smart Girl, the Jock, the Homecoming Queen, and the Bad Boy. One day, all four of them, plus the Class Gossip, wind up in detention. When the Class Gossip dies, it soon becomes evident that foul play was involved, and that the Class Gossip knew a secret each of them is desperate to hide. As the rumors fly and reporters circle, all four will have to figure out what happened before they become convicted, caught out, or killed.
At this surface, the book has a wildly simple premise. It's almost like a clue game: a group of simplistic characters with a simple defining theme rushing to find a shadowy murderer while they all hold their own secrets. And this is fine for a mystery. If I'm being quite honest, I've read about five hundred different iterations of this plot, with a high school murder and a killer on the loose and the main characters with secrets and suspicions. The song and dance is familiar and comforting, but, excluding the mystery itself, lacking in individuality and flavor. However, this book makes a few key deviations that make the plot feel new and exciting without diverting from the familiar high school murder plot. For one, the characters each have adequate and interesting development, specifically tailored to bring them out of the labels the book put them in itself. And the development isn't token, like a pretty girl learning to love the joys of football or the jock getting into baking or the usual clichés. The development is relevant to the modern era, like the crushing need for perfectionism in the college application process, or the way mental health struggles can wreck a family, or the superficial weight our society assigns to looks. In a lot of ways, its not the characters learning to overcome their stereotype, since each of them feels they don't live up to their's perfectly. It's about how society at large forced them into that stereotype. It's actually really impressive that the author managed to pull of five substantial character arcs! On that note, the book creates a far more realistic high school environment than most YA books. There's no really token "popular group" that is played up too much and taken too seriously. School is a genuine issue, and there are struggles with maintaining grades. There are more named characters than the main cast, and you get a sense other people have an actual life outside the central plot. Also, the book is just paced really well, letting you see the lives of each character while moving the plot along at a steady and fascinating pace. It can be funny or heartbreaking at times, and the mystery itself is satisfying and interesting upon reread.
All in all, this was in no way a groundbreaking novel. The plot is predictable mystery, with the usual twists and turns and not much beyond it. However, the deviations this book makes to the usual mystery formula make it a worthwhile and fun ride!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is a YA mystery novel following high schooler Pippa Fitz-Amobi. What first started as a school project, Pippa begins to dig into the murder of high schooler Andie Bell, a case that occurred five years ago, in her small town. The case is apparently closed. Everyone, including the police and jury, ruled Sal Singh, Andie's boyfriend at the time, to have murdered the young girl. Of course, with Sal Singh also pronounced deceased by suicide, there was no way for him to plead guilty or otherwise.
When Pippa begins to research this closed case, she's not so sure that Sal Singh is the killer. So, enlisting Sal's younger brother Ravi Singh, the two investigate this murder mystery together, determined to bring Sal to justice. However, their small town, desperately holding onto their long-shared belief that Sal Singh is a murderer, may not be so easy to convince. But if Sal isn't the killer, who is?
This book was really well written. Written through interviews, articles, and reports, the story truly feels like your solving the murder just as much as Pippa and Ravi are. I loved how intricately the plot was crafted, and whenever new details the public didn't know about the case popped up, I was just as excited and shocked as Pippa and Ravi were. Throughout the book, many questions arose as I read along. Who is the real killer? Could Andie be alive? Did Sal actually do it?
I loved the plot twists and suspense the story put me through, and the fact that the true killer could be someone amongst their town, or someone close to Ravi or Pippa, made the plot all the more exciting. Additionally, I enjoyed the dynamic between Ravi and Pippa. While Ravi is easygoing and calm, Pippa is technical and daring. I enjoyed the balance between the two, especially some of the banter that we got to see between them.
The story also brought up some other important topics such as racial discrimination, unhealthy family relationships, drug use, and sexual assault, which I found was explained in an insightful and realistic way.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I was surprised by how thoughtfully it was written.

Reviewer Grade: 11

One of Us Is Lying follows four high schoolers who all fit into different social circles. Bronwyn is the staple "nerd," she's smart, ambitious, and a model student. Addy is the queen bee. She's pretty, popular, and the typical girl that everyone likes. Nate is the rule-breaker. Dealing with illegal substances, and being on probation for drug dealing, he fits the mold of a "bad boy." And then there's Cooper. The golden boy, a star baseball player, and high up on the social rungs, he's adored by many.
The interesting factor about this though, is that all four of these students are being suspected for the murder of a fellow student named Simon. Simon is an outcast, the creator of a popular, yet infamous gossip app that airs out the dirty secrets of fellow Bayview High students.
So when all five of these students are called into detention one day, what happens when Simon is the only one who doesn't leave the room alive? Which one of these four students is a murderer?
A very interesting plot, McManus builds up a fair deal of suspense, giving us POV chapters from each of the four suspects, allowing us to take a look into their lives and sympathize with them. I enjoyed that the author forced us to relate to the suspects, making it all the more difficult to pick out who the killer would be. However, although the plot twists were interesting, there was something generally lukewarm about this novel. Maybe it was because each of the four characters are all walking stereotypes, or because some things seemed a little too cliche, the novel, although having its good moments, fell flat at points as well.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good YA novel or a teen fiction story, but the stereotyping and cliches that were indulged by this novel, such as a "bad boy and good girl" relationship, or how Cooper, the typical golden boy, even has a Southern accent to enunciate his supposedly Southern boyish charm (??) made the story feel like it was at times targeted for a much younger audience than advertised to.
Overall, One of Us Is Lying isn't a terrible book, but also isn't super amazing.
Reviewer Grade: 11

The Westing Game is a fun, murder-mystery that follows 16 unlikely people working together to solve a mystery of "who-dunnit?". To sum it all up, this book is about a deceased man named Sam Westing, who planned a gathering for all of his distant relatives at his hotel to play a game that will uncover who murdered him. Sam Westing had said in his will that the very person who murdered him is one of the 16, and whoever had figured out who did it, would win the game and be the heir to his fortune. I liked this book because it was very fun trying to solve the mystery along with our characters and to see all of the different perspectives and thought processes of each of them. I did often find some of the characters frustrating to deal with, however, because they didn't try to work together and only tried to solve it for themselves. If I were to give this book a grade out of 10, I would give it a 7.

The Little Friend is a story about family, loss, remembrance, and childhood. It all rotates around a mysterious tragedy in the Dufresnes family, where the youngest boy, Robin, was found strangled and hung in a tree out back. Years later, his precocious younger sister Harriet is determined to find the killer. In her quest, she tangles with snakes and water towers and drugs and family trauma, all shown through the eyes of a bright and, for now, innocent child.
The reason this book gets a three is not because it is a so-so book, mediocre in all avenues but largely strung together enough to earn the title "Pretty Good". This book was fantastic. And bad. And thrilling. And boring. And gloriously written. And horribly structured. I read this because Donna Tartt wrote it, and I love her writing style. This style came alive in her book undoubtedly, but any future readers should be warned that the writing, and the characters, are the only things of substance in this story. The writing is prosaic and setting appropriate and beautiful and heart wrenching and perfect. The characters are so fleshed out and developed that when you're reading you can hear them breath. But that is it. The plot is nearly insubstantial, or at least insignificant. On one hand, I read this whole book and found no story of relevance. On the other hand, through the writing and the characters and the subtle morals and stories along the way, I was pulled through an entire book where I found no story of relevance. Would I recommend this? It all depends on you. If you want a story that all ties up loosely and leaves you happy and fulfilled at the end, I would say no. But if you want a tale that is so realistic and magical that you can't take your hands off the strange, wonderful pages, then I would say go for it. All in all, this book earns three stars for being nearly incomprehensible, and yet, one of the most meaningful books I've ever read. I loved it, and I will never read it again.
Reviewer grade: 11

Truly Devious is about a girl, Stevie, who goes to a school that is for genius students. At this school, two murders have happened. One from 1936 and one from when Stevie was there. Throughout the book, Stevie attempts to solve both murders. With her parents concerned about her safety, and her friends concerned about her sanity, Stevie digs into the deep and dirty details of the murders.
I loved this book! It kept me intrigued and I couldn't put the book down. The chapters were packed with detail and it was like I was solving the mystery as well. There is also a sequal, called the Vanishing Stairs, which is just as good!

The Mysterious Benedict Society is by far one of my best reads. Orphaned children are put to a series of tests by adults and a 'caretaker'. After the long and slightly dragged out beginning, you really begin to grasp the story. The Antagonist of the story chooses to use orphaned children because they have no roots or family. He trains them to never be afraid of their biggest fears . Although this book is slightly long and drawn out, it is still packed with lots of suspense. I would highly recommend for kids 12-14.