The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

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I could not put this book down!

Hazel feels like a loner in her school. She’s placed with Becca and her popular friends for a group homework assignment. They decide to research the local condemned school for troubled teens that closed about thirty years ago when it caught on fire; the school is supposedly haunted. Becca, Amber and Simon play a prank on Hazel and then she falls off a roof and breaks her arm. Before she fell, she heard whispers and followed them out onto the roof. Once Hazel is home, she feels different and notices that she’s acting strangely and doesn’t like the same colors or foods that she did before the visit to the school. She also feels angry all the time. Hazel decides to investigate the history of the school and what she finds shakes her to the core.

Likes/dislikes: I was pulled right into the story and didn’t want to put it down. I love the character development and Hazel’s, Quint’s, and Deidre’s stories. Hazel’s life is hopeful, Quint deals with abuse from his family and Deidre’s life is tragic. I appreciate the content warnings the author put in the front of the book. I enjoyed the added supernatural elements tremendously. The author provides her research notes about the real schools for troubled teens that she based this story on.
Mature content: PG for kissing.
Language: R for 40 swears, no f-words.
Violence: R for physical and emotional abuse by parent and at the school for troubled teens. Death
Ethnicity: Hazel is from Puerto Rican and Polish descent, Becca and Quint are white. Amber is half Thai and half white. Simon is half Jewish and half Afro Latino. Varying ethnicities were at the school for troubled teens.

The Party by Natasha Preston

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Who’s next?

A group of teens plan a weekend adventure at the family castle of twins, Allegra and Fergus. They keep it a secret from their parents because it’s meant to be a party with no chaperones. Protestors want the development to stop in the area and seem to have vandalized the castle but not all of the graffiti seems to be about the development. The teens are excited to have a weekend without supervision. When one of them gets hurt, they try to blow it off. When more violent things happen, they can’t ignore the fact that they’re in danger and they wish they had help to save them from the party.

Likes/dislikes: The author did a good job of creating an ominous setting in the castle. I enjoyed the twists and the mystery. The last sentence of the book is a great ending!
Mature content: PG-13 for kissing and teen drinking
Language: R for 155 swears, 6 f-words.
Violence: R for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: mixed

The House of Quiet by Kiersten White

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Balance must be maintained…

Birdie was only ten when she left her sister Magpie and their parents years ago. Birdie set out to work as a housemaid, so she could earn money and help her parents pay for Magpie’s procedure. She hasn’t seen them in eight years. Birdie has manipulated her way from house to house, finally being sent to the House of Quiet, hoping to find her sister. When Birdie arrives, she finds more questions than answers.

Likes/dislikes: I didn’t really understand the concept of the House of Quiet and its purpose or the procedure that kept being referred to. I liked the characters Birdie and Forest and the strength they showed. I also liked the cute crush they have on each other. I would like to know more of what the houses were like that Birdie previously worked at and more of her experiences there.
Mature content: PG for kissing.
Language: G for 0 swears, no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody wounds
Ethnicity: mentions brown skin, light brown skin, and pale skin.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Extremely interesting and unique story!

Dia Gannon is applying for an internship at Darkly, once a game making enterprise, now lies dormant after the owner died thirty-nine years ago. Dia is suspicious of the internship announcement because there’s no hidden clue, message or riddle, which is nothing like the owner Louisiana Veda who did everything mysteriously.
Dia receives a letter announcing that she is one of the seven internship winners that have been chosen from across the globe and will be flying to London for the summer to complete the internship with the others. Dia meets Poe, the 17yo French winner, on the flight to London; Poe has a Darkly game inside a briefcase cuffed to his wrist. They meet the five other interns when they arrive at the boat that will take them to the Louisiana Veda factory near Thornwood, England. Dia feels deceptive vibes and she’s worried about what she’s gotten herself into.

Likes/dislikes: I was immediately immersed in the story due to the voice of the main character, Dia. Dia is quirky, smart, and tough. The book was extremely interesting and unique and I couldn’t stop reading once I started.
Mature content: G for kissing.
Language: R for 16 swears and 2 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death by shooting.
Ethnicity: The ethnicity is mixed with characters from around the world.

The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Reality can be harsh…

Bella is fifteen and she tells herself she needs alcohol to handle her arguing, demanding parents, school stress and her recent breakup. Her friends see her going downhill and her best friend Amber tries everything she can think of to help Bella. Bella has a job, works hard in school and helps her parents with pretty much everything and the breakup has pushed her over the edge. She tells herself that she just needs this drink to get through the day but one drink ends up being many and when Bella is dropped off and left for dead (overdosed) at 2 AM by people she was at a party with, the addiction comes out in the open. The nurse tells her she’s damaged her liver and that she fell on her porch cracking her cheekbone. Bella is in pain, on an IV and being prepared for rehab. She has a struggle ahead of her and she has to deal with it on her own.

Likes/dislikes: The author’s note and resources, at the end of the book, are insightful and helpful. This story helped me to understand what addicts go through, especially when they’re truly trying to recover and make a better life for themselves. I grew to love Bella and my heart broke for her and opened up to her as the story was told. Other characters’ experiences broadened the scope of addiction and included how their caregivers treated them which helped Bella realize that she can ask for help because we can’t get through struggles all alone. She also learned that she has to protect herself because no one else will be there to do it for her, as we all need to know.
Mature content: PG-13 for drug use and underage drinking.
Language: R for 190 swears and 28 f-words.
Violence: PG for fighting.
Ethnicity: falls to white.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

Posted on by lynndellwatson

I enjoyed every page!

Hazel is the thirteenth child in her family and treated like she’s not wanted by anyone except her brother Bertie who is one year older. When Hazel is twelve, her godfather takes her so she can train to become a great healer while Bertie is sold to a temple to pay off their father’s debts. Hazel learns that her duties as a healer also include helping people pass onto their deaths as gently as possible. She feels that this is a curse and not a blessing. When she’s nineteen, Hazel has become the healer of the royal family after she saved the king’s life from a plague; she was supposed to move him onto death but didn’t want his children to be orphans. Now that the king feels well, he is becoming an unpredictable, angry tyrant and Hazel knows she made the wrong choice by healing him. Will she be able to make this right before he destroys the kingdom?

Likes/dislikes: I loved every bit of this story! Amazing character development and wonderful world building. Hazel is strong and kindhearted.
Mature content: PG-13 for fondling (only two sentences out of the 512 page book).
Language: PG-13 for 14 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Hazel and her family are white. Merrick, Hazel’s godfather is obsidian skinned. Hazel’s friend Kieron has chestnut skin.

Such Charming Liars by Karen McManus

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Mystery loaded with con artists!

Kat and her grandmother Gem are in disguise at a posh store scouting items that Gem can make at fractions of the cost with cubic zirconia. Little does Kat know but Gem steals a diamond ring. Liam halts a con that his father is on by setting up a fake lunch date and explaining what his father is up to. Kat’s mom is furious about Gem involving Kat in theft, so she decides to travel to Maine for a job away from Gem. Liam’s dad and Kat’s mom are con artists who were married for two days twelve years ago. They haven’t seen each other since, until they both end up at the very same place in Maine. They’re both furious and are worried that the other one is going to ruin their plans. Unbeknownst to them, other crimes and cons are being committed in secret and these cons will change their lives forever.

Likes/dislikes: I enjoyed the humor and sarcasm of Augustus. The layers of mystery are interesting and fun to see unravel. Kat, Liam and Augustus are great characters.
Mature content: PG for kiss.
Language: R for 172 swears and 26 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: Ethnicity falls to white.

Royal Scandal by Aimee Carter

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Just as good as Royal Blood; the first book of the series!

18yo Evan is in the United Kingdom with her family, royal and not royal. She’s recovering from the assault by Jasper and has great support from her boyfriend Kit and her family. Evan is starting to feel more at ease with her royal surroundings until a shooter misses her and hits Kit as he protects her. Evan receives secret anonymous threats and she starts to hear voices that are threatening her also. Her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and she’s worried she’s hallucinating since no one else sees or hears the threats. Each day the threats and danger build until Evan is terrified she will lose her life and the people she loves.

Likes/dislikes: I love Evan and Kit and their relationship. The royal premise adds heightened intrigue to the mystery. This second book of the series is just as good as the first.
Mature Content: G for holding hands and hugging.
Language: R for 41 swears and 0 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: The ethnicity is predominantly white.

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna

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Stop the goddesses from destroying the world!

In Otera, 17yo Deka and her group of Alaki women warriors, set out to free Melanis who is the Light of the Alaki. They find her being burned in the temple. Once freed, male warriors enter the temple to stop her escape and to kill the alaki that helped her. As soon as Melanis is freed from the fire, her body begins to heal and her wings sprout just in time to save everyone from the vicious warriors but then they resurrect and fight again. The alaki can’t fathom how they’re coming back to life but the Goddesses tell them it’s the power of the golden throne, the Angoro. Deka will face the unknown and discover more about herself than she has ever imagined as they search for the mysterious Angoro.

Likes/dislikes: I feel that the story is drawn out. I do like the ending. The characters are a nice variety of personalities.
Mature Content: G for kiss.
Language: PG for 6 swears, no f-words.
Violence: R for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Deka is dark skinned, Brita is pale skinned and the following are all mentioned:
copper skin, midnight dark skin, reddish brown skin, bluish purple skin, and bluish black skin.

Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Sibling loyalty!

17yo Amir is accused of murder and his 16yo brother Marcel is determined to prove Amir’s innocence. One of their classmates was murdered in her home and Amir has been placed under house arrest under suspicious circumstances. Living in New Orleans, Amir and Marcel both attend a private school because their family wants the best for them. Being Black, they’re a minority in their mostly white, rich high school. When the girl is murdered, the white community immediately blames Amir but when horrible secrets are revealed, the tables turn.

Likes/dislikes: The bad grammar representing the local community in the book is annoying but necessary to setting the story. I like the strong loyalty between the brothers, Marcel and Amir. The mystery was enjoyable to read.
Mature Content: PG-13 for drugs, underage drinking, talk of hooking up.
Language: R for 154 swears and 64 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death and violence.
Ethnicity: White and Black community.