Category Archives: Reason: Grim Readers

May 22, 2023 · 9:49 am

Nothing But the Truth by Avi

Nothing But the Truth by Avi

Nothing But the Truth is set up as if it is a book documentary telling a true story entirely through transcripts of conversations and excerpts of diary entries, news articles, memos, and speeches. It very effectively demonstrates that there are multiple sides to every story and shows how errors show up as that story is passed around, even something as simple as a news reporter’s mistake that a student is in tenth grade instead of ninth. It’s a quick read at less than 200 pages. It’s a bit dated simply because it was written over three decades ago, though the lessons are still completely applicable today. I recommend this book to middle schoolers and up.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 60
Pages Read in 2023: 18,989

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May 20, 2023 · 11:16 am

Clone 3 by Patti Larsen

Clone 3 by Patti Larsen

I’m glad I didn’t pay anything for Clone 3. It just wasn’t very good. There were too many variations of the Sick so keeping track of what they each did was difficult and, quite honestly, I didn’t really care to after a while. I found Clone 3/Trio to be kind of annoying and the dog storyline to be rather ridiculous considering how far past the sickness killing people off the book is set. There were too many factions of kids and too many constantly changing alliances. The ease with which opposing factions could break into other groups’ food stores but never had done it before Trio showed up made zero sense. No matter where Trio went bad things ended up happening to the point it was over the top ridiculous. I considered putting this book down permanently so many times. There were occasional interesting/enjoyable parts, but not many. I mostly just wanted it to end. I kind of felt like the author only has a vague idea of how to write a good dystopian world. The premise is not bad and in the hands of another writer this could’ve been a good book. There are three books in the series but I will definitely not be reading the other two. I don’t recommend this book to anyone.

2 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 59
Pages Read in 2023: 18,812

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Filed under Dystopian, Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers

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May 6, 2023 · 8:03 am

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute is such a cute book. It’s an enemies to lovers trope, which is one of my favorites, with the added twist of them having been childhood best friends before they became enemies. The ending is exactly how I wanted it to be, but the path to getting there was pretty convoluted and steeped in a common worry that the other just doesn’t feel the same way. I recommend this book to teens and up who enjoy a sweet, clean romance.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 51
Pages Read in 2023: 16,757

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Filed under Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers, Young Adult

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April 30, 2023 · 6:39 pm

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

From Twinkle, With Love is a super cute story with a perfect ending. It really shows how friendships change as you grow up and how your words affect others. At times I was so frustrated with the main character, but she realized when she did wrong and tried to fix it. I really cared about what happened to the characters. It’s written mostly in journal entry format which is somewhat unique and worked quite well. I recommend this book to teens and up.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 50
Pages Read in 2023: 16,451

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Filed under Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers, Reason: Owlcrate, Young Adult

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April 24, 2023 · 6:22 pm

Xamnesia by Lizzie Harwood

Xamnesia by Lizzie Harwood

Xamnesia is one crazy memoir. The author spent a few years working for the ultrarich in an undisclosed Middle Eastern country. And it was a seriously crazy time with seriously crazy things happening. The whole thing is written with an incredible sense of humor so even when she’s describing appalling things you can’t help but laugh at least a little bit. I recommend this book to adults who enjoy memoirs.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 47
Pages Read in 2023: 15,549

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Filed under Memoir, Reason: Alphabet Soup Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers

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April 19, 2023 · 8:39 pm

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski

Darling Girl is a unique take on the Peter Pan story. It focuses on Wendy’s granddaughter and great-grandson and great-granddaughter. I really had no idea where the book was going through most of the time, but really enjoyed piecing the clues together as I read. While I could easily put it down, I always looked forward to picking it back up again to continue the story. I recommend it to adults who like the world of Neverland.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 46
Pages Read in 2023: 15,352

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Filed under Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Book of the Month, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers

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April 13, 2023 · 10:33 am

Dead Line by RJ Patterson

Dead Line by RJ Patterson

While there are some minor plot holes in Dead Line, overall it’s an exciting thriller. It reads super fast. The idea that the FBI would ask a small time sports writer to help them/be used as bait just because he happened to see something is kind of crazy and totally unlikely, but as long as you can suspend that disbelief the book is great. I recommend it to adults who enjoy thrillers.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 43
Pages Read in 2023: 13,952

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Filed under Reason: Alphabet Soup Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers, Thriller

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April 10, 2023 · 1:11 pm

One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

The Bayview Four have graduated and are moving on from the drama of their final year of high school. But now a copycat has started a truth or dare game leading to secrets being revealed and the death of another student. One of Us Is Next is the perfect follow up to One of Us Is Lying. Some of the characters are new, some were in the first book. As always, the author is a master at making you guess (usually wrong) who the culprit is. I figured out who did it about five pages before it was revealed and gasped because I was so surprised and yet it made perfect sense. But then with like two pages to go there was a twist I didn’t see coming at all. This book is very well written and sucks you in totally and completely. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys young adult mysteries. You don’t absolutely have to read One of Us Is Lying first, but it will definitely make One of Us Is Next more interesting and understandable.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 42
Pages Read in 2023: 13,692

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Filed under Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers, Reason: I Like the Author, Reason: I Like the Series, Young Adult

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March 23, 2023 · 7:56 pm

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

They aren’t kidding when they say the stories in You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey are crazy. They are absolutely unbelievable (in the way that is completely believable but so crazy you say to yourself wow that is completely insane). Amber and Lacey have a way of writing that is utterly hilarious. They make these really not funny when you think about them stories sound so, so funny (if they didn’t you’d just spend the entire book crying). Ultimately it was a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book to everyone.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 39
Pages Read in 2023: 12,516

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Filed under Humor, Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers

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March 22, 2023 · 1:53 pm

Twelfth by Janet Key

Twelfth by Janet Key

Twelfth is perfect for any theater nerd. There’s a mystery wrapped up in lines from a Shakespeare play set on the backdrop of a middle school theater summer camp. It’s a fun book with lots of representation. Sometimes it had my heart pumping fast with worry for the characters as they solved the clues and got into increasingly dangerous situations. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of working in the theater.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2023: 38
Pages Read in 2023: 12,516

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Filed under Middle Grades, Reason: B&N Book Challenge, Reason: Flourish & Blotts Reading Challenge, Reason: Grim Readers, Reason: Owlcrate

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