You Won’t Believe Me by Cyn Balog

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Interesting ending!
17yo Willow wakes up chained to a bed in a house she doesn’t recognize. She doesn’t understand her circumstances or surroundings but her memories come back a little at a time. Her captor tells her the pandemic has gotten worse and created zombies and the only way they can stay safe is to stay away from the rest of civilization, if there’s anyone else alive. Willow goes along with it all until things don’t seem to be adding up. When Willow makes a few discoveries of her own, she becomes determined and desperate to escape.
Likes/dislikes: I enjoyed the details about the Everglades. This is a quick read book. The storyline is interesting, especially the ending.
Language: R for 62 swears and 1 f-word.
Mature Content: PG for kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for abduction, gaslighting, catfishing, bloody deaths, electric shock.

Borrow My Heart by Kasie West

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Pets, D&D, and real life!
17yo Wren is waiting for her friend Kamala to finish her shift at the coffee shop when Asher and Dale arrive to meet a girl that Dale assumes is catfishing Asher. Dale wants to document Asher’s disappointment when the girl doesn’t show up but Wren steps in and pretends she’s the girl that Asher is waiting for, in hopes of sparing him the humiliation. Wren and Asher hit it off and she actually starts to like him. He shows up later at the animal shelter where she works and the dog that hates everyone except Wren ends up liking Asher too. The charade keeps going until Wren is afraid to tell Asher the truth because she likes him and it’s mutual.
Likes/dislikes: An absolute delightfully fun read. I like how Wren had to deal with real life issues because of her mom abandoning them when she was ten and having to work with trust issues by learning to set up healthy, realistic boundaries. Bean is the funniest dog.
Language: G for no swears.
Mature Content: PG for kissing.
Violence: none
Ethnicity: Asher is white, Kamala is Indian, Wren is white.

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

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A mystery that is fun to untangle!

20yo Jade is taking a cruise across eleven countries in four months with the Campus on Board college program. Her ex-best friend Lainey and ex-boyfriend Silas are joining the cruise too and they’re treating Jade like she’s a toxic, horrible person. Jade can’t figure out why or what they think she’s done to be treated that way. When a blood trail is found leading from Lainey’s room to overboard the railing of the ship, many passengers believe Jade is guilty. Jade jumps into action to find evidence that will find the killer and prove her innocence.

Likes/dislikes: The mystery was fun to untangle. Jade is kind and has true, sincere compassion for others. I enjoyed the college on board a cruise setting.
Language: R for 134 swears and no f-words.
Mature Content: PG-13 for implied sex (no details), passionate kissing, underage drinking, and drug use
Violence: PG-13 for bloody mess in room and bloody trail to ship railing, possible suicide by hanging.
Ethnicity: predominantly white, Divya and Navya, who are twins and Jade’s cabin mates, have golden brown skin.

We’ll Never Tell by Wendy Heard

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Mystery Explorers!

Eddie and Jacob, both 18, and Zoe and Casey, 17, have created a popular show about Los Angeles buildings that are sealed off or partly sealed off to the public. The show is called “We’ll Never Tell” and the teenagers keep their true identities secret as they investigate, search and record what they discover. One of these places is known as the Murder House where a couple died fifty years ago. After they’ve broken into the Murder House and are searching, Jacob is stabbed. The other three freak out and the mystery pulls the police into a twisted investigation that will change everything.

Likes/dislikes: The mystery is interesting. I enjoyed the variety of character personalities. I like how the mystery was revealed.
Language: R for 61 swears and 1 f-word.
Mature Content: PG-13 for implied sex with no details, detailed kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody stabbing, breaking and entering, bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Jacob is white, Eddie is Chinese American, Zoe is Philippine American and Casey is white.

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Posted on by lynndellwatson

True integrity and a kind soul!

Imogen is a people pleaser through and through. She goes with the flow and agrees with whatever others want. Her best friend Lily is attending college and Imogen visits her over a weekend and falls right into place with the group. She also begins to question herself and her intentions when she starts having feelings for Tessa who is part of Lily’s college friend group. A sweet, humorous story about accepting yourself.

Likes/dislikes: I like Imogen, the main character. She has true integrity and a kind soul. I appreciate the author and how she represents all people and how no one should feel like they have to label themselves or others.
Language: R for 101 swears and 58 f-words.
Mature Content: PG for kissing with no details, implied sex, and sexual innuendo.
Violence: G for none.
Ethnicity: Imogen is white, Kayla has deep brown skin, and Lily has Brazilian relatives.

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Impeccable character development!

Danger surrounds Zoya, Nikolai and 19yo Nina as they fight to make their own paths and live with what has been dealt to them. Zoya is trying to figure out her powers and her place next to Nikolai. Nikolai is determined to conquer his beast and help his kingdom with Zoya alongside him. Nina is working to free the pregnant, enslaved, and drugged young Grisha, stop the evil ruler of Fjerda and create a new life without Matthias. Will they be able to stop war between Fjerda and Ravka or will evil conquer all?
Likes/dislikes: I love the author’s writing. The character development is impeccable. I love the perseverance of the characters.
Language: R for 36 swears and no f-words.
Mature Content: PG-13 for passionate kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: The ethnicity is mixed with the following: bronze skinned, tawny skinned, light brown skin, Zoya is Suli (similar to Indian) and Nikolai, Genya, and Nina are white.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo!

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Nina, Zoya and Nikolai share the telling of this tale!

King Nikolai is fighting the monster within him that seems to be appearing more often while he’s asleep, and it’s causing greater harm and damage at an alarming rate. Zoya is helping Nikolai hide this problem by steadfastly standing by his side as Ravka’s Commander, chaining him to his bed at night and searching for him when he escapes. Nina is traveling to Fjerda to take Matthias to his final resting place and she’s with Adrik and Leoni. They find the perfect spot for Matthias and as she’s burying him, Nina hears cries for justice from the many dead and buried women nearby and what she finds rattles her to her core. Each group is heading into danger that’s beyond anything they’ve ever seen before and it’s going to take their knowledge, loyalty, and strength to overcome what lies ahead.
Likes/dislikes: I love the humor and banter from the characters. The mystery surrounding the strange occurrences throughout the kingdom was interesting to me. I enjoyed the vastness that the characters reached in their world.
Language: PG-13 for 26 swears and no f-words.
Mature Content: PG-13 for forced drug use on imprisoned young pregnant women.
Violence: PG for non bloody death (bone shard, birds pecking at chained bodies), mention of scalping.
Ethnicity: King Nikolai is white, Zoya, blue eyes and is of Suli descent which is similar to Indian,
and Nina is white. Leoni has dark brown skin and the twins have deep bronze skin.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

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More from Kaz and his Crows!

17yo Kaz and his crew are working together to get Inej back after she was kidnapped to be used as a trade for the young scientist who knows how to make the drug parem that increases Grisha power. This drug has become a highly sought after commodity because of its incredible strength but it has dire consequences for severe addiction. Nina is fighting that addiction after she took parem just one time so she could save the crew. The group is staying steadfast by her side and helping her fight the need for the drug. Another problem has cropped up involving Jesper’s father; he has been used as bait to lure Jesper and the Crows out of hiding so now Kaz is taking care of him too and helping get the money to save his family farm. Wylan finds out the truth about his mom that supposedly died when he was eight and how his father placed her in an insane asylum and divorced her to claim her money. All these situations intertwine to create another book full of complex schemes masterminded by Kaz Brekker, leader of the Crows.

Likes/dislikes: I love the humor. The cleverness and complex schemes kept me on my toes. The loyalty is priceless.
Language: R for 68 swears and 1 f-word.
Mature Content: PG-13 for passionate kiss.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody shot, explosion, bloody fights, and a fatal fall.
Ethnicity: Jesper is brown and his Dad is Kaelish-dark red hair and salt-white skin; Kaz is white, Inej is Suli (a Grisha heritage), and Nina is white.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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Den of thieves, con artists and Grisha!

17yo Kaz leads a group of thieves in Ketterdam. He has built himself up from solitude, poverty and despair since he was nine years old and his brother died. Kaz wants revenge on the man who took everything from him and his brother by swindling them and he’s gaining power for this purpose. Kaz and his mismatched crew are attempting the biggest and craziest heist ever to gain more leverage and to get control of the person who has created a drug to make Grisha even more powerful. Kaz is good at keeping secrets and information quiet and it just might drive his crew apart.

Likes/dislikes: I love the intensity of the characters and the story itself. The background building of each character is fantastic. The danger and suspense make it a fun read!
Language: R for 34 swears and one f-word.
Mature content: PG-13 for implied sex.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody stab wounds, and dead bodies impaled on pikes.
Ethnicity: The ethnicities included are the following: Kaz is white, Inej is bronze skinned and Suli descent, dark skin Jesper, Nina from Ravka with green eyes and white, Matthias is also white.

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard

Posted on by lynndellwatson

Riveting mystery!

32yo Summer and 22yo Leo are con artists and thieves who prey on rich people and they’re very good at it. Summer comes from a hippie lifestyle and her mom never gave her a last name and she doesn’t have a clue who her father is or where her mom has been for the last fifteen years after she left so Summer could “spread her wings”. Leo left her desolate family after her sister died because everyone was so depressed and when her parents looked at her they became sad all over again because Leo looks so much like her deceased sister Amber. When Leo doesn’t keep in contact with Summer for a day, she assumes Leo is missing. She’s determined to find her and make sure she’s alright but when the guy Leo was with denies being with her still, Summer worries that the worst has happened. Riveting mystery! 5 stars!

Likes/dislikes: The story kept my attention and I didn’t want to put it down. I liked learning the backstory of Summer and Leo and the mystery was nicely intertwined. I don’t appreciate the book being promoted as young adult because it is written for adults as the characters are full-fledged adults.
Language: R for 100 swears and 24 f-words.
Mature content: R for somewhat detailed sex and gaslighting.
Violence: PG-13 for strangulation and shooting.
Ethnicity: White and olive skin main characters and mixed races present in side characters.