#2021reads

[musicallisto]

books i read in 2021 [5/?] — “catching fire”, by suzanne collins

“𝐀𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝.𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭.”

[moonlightsreader]

books read in 2021: shadow and bone by leigh bardugo

[rrrhysand]

books I read in 2021: The Bridge Kingdom, Danielle L. Jensen

“Fear and bravery are often one and the same. It either makes you a warrior or a coward. The only difference is the person it resides inside.”  

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[hessabookishgirl]

They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

rating⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Jessica Goodman does it again. I was blown away by her first book, They Wish They Were Us, and had such high hopes and was not disappointed at all. This book had me hooked from the start. Both Ellie and Stella were compelling protagonists, who I loved. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a few hours. Every time I thought I knew who the killer was, another twist was thrown our way. I am excited to see what else is in store for Jessica and her next book. ~Hessabookishgirl on GoodReads

More in depth review under the keep read, will contained spoilers

As stated above, Jessica Goodman is an amazing author and I love every book she has released. This one was no different and had me from the the start. The characters, the plot, the pacing, and the twist were everything I wanted in a book and more.

The main characters are Stella and Ellie Steckler, sisters on the cross-country time that are trying to outdo each other and get into college. Both girls are relatable and easy to imagine yourself as. 

At the start they are both coming off summer. Stella is returning home as the black sheep of the town, and Ellie had some personal issues that sets her whole goal for the sister.

I adore them both, of course I had a favorite of the two, Stella, but they both were amazing. I want to applaud Jessica for writing a main character that was lesbian, without making it her whole identity. 

I have a theory, that when reading a murder mystery within the first 60 pages, you have met the killer. So I made a mental list of all the characters and who could do the murder. Of course there hadn’t been any current murders yet in the story, just the ones from a decade ago, and I was still thinking it was the same person, so I was a bit stumped.

But on page 93, Ellie tells Noah that she told Mila, their secret. Which is they been sleeping together during the summer, Ellie got pregnant and had an abortion. 

To me that gave him Motive. The means, I would say yes, and had yet to have an opportunity, though it would be easy, considering they go to school together and on the same team, he could give her a ride or something.

By the time that Mila goes missing, I was grinning, knowing it had to be Noah, though when they find her phone, I was a bit stumped, but still confident. Maybe he has help from either his girlfriend and friends. He was trying to frame Stella since he was around when the Id fell out of her locker.

Ellie behavior with Nate, farther confirmed it for me, and Ellie was his accomplice, though I didn’t understand why she was helping her sister when she could let her take the fall, but that would have been out character for her.

But everything was falling into place. Ellie was the girl in the photo with Mila the day of her death. Nate and her looks, their talk in the forest. It was all adding up. When Noah attacks Ellie in her room, I was positive I had got it right. Ellie told Stella what happened and it made sense.

And then it didn’t. Like Stella, I notices somethings didn’t add up, like the phone and Id. Plus Noah and Ellie never went into the pit, so why was here shoe not with her body and missing the laces. Why did she had broken ribs and head trauma when she only had a broken ankle when they left her.

I was stumped, when they get to the lodge and Julia ask Tamara to call the police and she says no. I though, HA, it’s her, and yet still I was wrong. Raven being the killer was something I thought at one point during the first 60 pages, just because she was already introduce, but dismissed it early one.

But in the end, it was Raven. Her motive was heartbreaking, and in the end I did feel for her, though I didn’t like her trying to frame my homegirl Stella.

The thing about Jessica Goodman books is that the killer motives are the most terrifying because they are so comment and relatable. We have all bee jealous and wished to one up someone. Wished they would go away so we could shine.

The truth that any of us could turn into a Raven is what makes the story so haunting.

[onlythedarkestreads]

review - slewfoot

5/5 Stars Pub Date: Sep 14, 2021 Goodreads Goal: 84/150

Do you get emotional when you read? I always think it's a sign of a really good book when you have an extreme visceral reaction.

I loved this book but it also made me furious. Body shaking, needing to put the book down and calm the fuck down furious.

Coming from a long line of cunning women, Abitha is struggling to fit into Puritan society. Sutton Village isn't receptive to newcomers, especially when they're an outspoken woman who peddles simple charms and remedies. The devils works.

The move from England to the States was hard. Her new husband Edward is king, but shy, and easily bullied by his older brother Wallace.

When Edward dies suddenly Abitha is left alone. Working as hard as she can to pay off a debt of Wallace's making. Abitha is struggling. That's when she meets Father.

But who is Father? Demon or angel? Slayer or maker? Will he help save Abitha or bring her to ruin?

A beautiful story of magic and revenge, of fear and friendship.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an ARC. I need to get myself a physical copy to see the beautiful illustrations.

[omgreadingonceuponatime]

What I read in May.

[ireadingbooks]

or maybe we are free the moment we’re born. maybe everything we’ve ever done is by our own hands.

- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021) -

[thereginamonologues-blog]

review - we play ourselves

4/5 Stars Pub Date: Feb 9, 2021 2021 Goodreads Goal: 22/150

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced review copy.

After an incident in New York expels her from the theatre world, Cass is ready to reset in LA. A late night drink with a magnetic neighbour gives her an opportunity to become someone else, Cath. 

As Cath she gets to be a gentler version of herself, working on a film deemed “a feminist Fight Club for girls.” She uses this new mask to shield and rebuild herself without the baggage of the disaster she’s left behind. Is this her opportunity to get her career back?

Nothing is what it seems and her self-indulgences and self-involvement ultimately leaves her naïve to what is happening on the periphery of her existence. We’re all depressed and broken and fucked up in our own ways.

I think ultimately this is a story of redemption and compassion and I enjoyed it very much.