Paper Towns

Paper Towns has been on my to read list for ages and when I saw it had no wait at the library I quickly checked it out. The start quickly drew me but I lost interest right around part two. Since I wanted to know the answer to the mystery I did keep reading. 

Quentin has always loved the girl next door, Margo may have liked him at one time but ever since they found a deceased person their relationship as friends disintegrated. Now the most popular girl in high school Quentin watches Margo from a distance until one night she shows up at his window demanding his help. After a wild night of supposedly random occurrences Margo disappears. Determined to find his friend Quentin goes on a journey to piece together the clues left behind.


The writing was alright, part of it just dragged and seemed to go in circles which drove me crazy. Overall I just did not care for the story and was highly disappointed. Guess it was not my style of book. 

Castle in the Air

Castle in the Air is the second book in the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy. It took me a long time to even start reading the story but once I read a couple chapters I was hooked. For several chapters I was confused on how the story tied into Howl's story but I was glad when things finally came together.

Abdullah is a carpet seller who was disliked by his later father. Unable to inherit his family business Abudllah makes his own way and is fairly successful with his carpet business. All that changes when a mysterious stranger shows up and offers to sell Abudllah a magic carpet. Unable to believe his good luck after a quick test of the carpets power Abudllah barters for the carpet. Little does he know the carpet will be the start of a great adventure for him. 

I like how parts of the story seemed familiar but with a new twist. I did have several moments of shock and other moments of I figured that was what was happening. The third book, House of Many Ways is check out from the library but I am on the waiting list.  

Starbreak

Strabreak is the second book in the duologoy of Starglass. I did not really like Starglass but I wanted to know how things ended.

Terra is heading to the planet to hopefully save her sister in law and meet the boy that haunts her dreams. Escaping the riots happening in the dome Terra rounds up a handful of people and convinces them to head down to the planet with her.

It is so hard to write reviews for books I am not overly fond of. The story did not move very quickly and it focused more on an intimate relationship between Terra and an alien. I found myself skimming large parts of the story where it felt repetitive and just boring. With average writing and flat characters I will not find myself searching for more of Phoebe North's work.

The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala

The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala is the third book in the Book Club Mystery series and I am not sure if it is the last. It did come out in 2016 and no word of any other in the series coming out since.

Amy-Faye with her party planning company is back for another mystery. Having arranged a charity auction and costume party with famous authors Amy is happy all is going well until an unknown man turns up dead in an office that was suppose to be off limits to the party goers. In the middle of another mystery Amy is determined to find out what happened, who the man is, why he was killed, and avoid the deadly killer who seems determined to get away no matter the cost.

I really could not connect to the murder. The last one was so personal for Amy when her brother was charged and this one just seemed to affirm to people that Amy attracts dead bodies. I am not sure what I will read next but I think I am burnt out on mysteries for a bit since I struggled to stay interested throughout the whole story.

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle is the second book in the Book Club mystery series. I have been meaning to read it for some time.

Once again Amy-Faye is in the middle of a mystery but this time it involves her brother, Derek. With the grand opening of Derek's pub a huge success until Derek's partner Gordon is murdered Amy-Faye thinks noting else can get worse. Wrong Derek is arrested for the murder of Gordon. Knowing her brother is not capable of murder Amy-Faye decides to investigate and find the truth behind the murder.

I will admit it has been years since I read the first book. I vaguely recall loving the first story in the Book Club mystery series but this one did not catch my attention as much. While I am not 100% sure I believe the series is only three books and I do have The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala already downloaded on my tablet. 

The Life She Was Given

The Life She Was Given did not turn out like I expected at all. I thought it would be the story of a girl adjusting to living in the outside world after having been a captive all her life along with some information about early circuses. It was nothing like that.

Lilly's parents have kept her in the attic all her life ashamed of how she looks. Determined not to let that bother her Lilly lives the best life she can in the tiny room using her imagination to make the long hours pass until one day mother tells her to get dressed and come with her. Freedom at last but it is nothing like Lilly expects instead of being accepted by her family for who she is Lilly is sold to the circus to be an act in the freak side show. Terrified, uncertain of what to do, and fearing people around her will hurt her Lilly continues to fight back all her life.

Julia has never had a good relationship with her parents and as soon as she turned eighteen she was gone. Stuck in an abusive relationship with a job that does not pay nearly enough Julia is shocked when she learns she has inherited her parent's estate. Unable to do anything but go home Julia starts digging into the secrets of the manor each discovery becomes more horrifying then the last.

I am not a huge fan of stories that switch between points of view and time periods. I feel it throws my reading pace off too much. I did prefer Lilly's story to Julia's story. At parts it seemed like Julia's story was repeating the same events while Lilly's showed some growth and development. I am horribly at figuring out mysteries I always have been but I figured out this one so I am guessing most people will figure out the mystery easily. This was not a lighthearted read either, it goes into a lot issues such as abuse, animal cruelty, and slavery to name a few.

The Rise of Magicks

The Rise of Magicks is the third book in the Chronicles of the One trilogy. Honestly I only read it to see how the trilogy ended and I ended up skimming the parts that were too long out and boring in my opinion.

I have never really seen a trilogy that worked the way The Chronicles of the One did. Year One starts out with Lana and how a virus is rapidly killing people. I thought that would be the focus but no instead people start developing powers and fighting back, some people suddenly become elves, other fairies, and some turn dark. Then Of Blood and Bone takes a different turn and introduces Lana's daughter Fallon as the savior of the whole world.

Fallon is a hard character to like she is perfect in all she does, everyone instantly loves her, and she never seems to make a big mistake that causes problem. I saw almost no growth in Fallon and kept hoping something horrible would happen to see how she would react. At the end everything just seemed too convenient. Maybe Nora Roberts just does not have a writing style I like but I will not actively seek out her book again.