MG Review: The Dark Lady (Sherlock, Lupin & Me #1)

Title: The Dark Lady (Sherlock, Lupin & Me #1)

Author: Irene Adler

# of Pages: 240

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

Publication Date: February 1st 2014

Source: NetGalley

Level: Middle Grade

Rating: 2 Hearts

Synopsis

While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock’s friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.

My Verdict

I stumbled across this book when searching through NetGalley's available titles looking for something quite different. I've recently become obsessed with the BBC drama Sherlock and was very interested in this middle-grade mystery about a young Sherlock Holmes.

While this book is just being released in the US this February, it was originally an Italian title and part of a series that already has four books. The book is told from Irene Adler's point of view as she looks back at her childhood and the time her and Sherlock first met, one summer in the beach-side town of Saint-Malo. Unfortunately, the book lost my interest very early on. The "big" mystery was very slow paced which took away any potential suspense.

I wasn't impressed by the writing, it felt narrated rather than seen through the eyes of our protagonist, Irene. There was also an extreme over use of exclamation marks. It was as if everything that came out of Irene's mouth was super important! I began imaging that she didn't just speak, but rather yelled everything.

For a book about Sherlock Holmes I felt we hardly got to know him at all. He was quiet and mysterious, which I know are some of his famous character traits. I just wish he wasn't such a stranger to the reader.

Hopefully the target audience enjoys this book better than I did. As for me, I won't be carrying on with the series. 

YA Review: Find Me by Romily Bernard

Title: Find Me

Author: Romily Bernard

# of Pages: 307

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: September 24th 2013

Source: ARC from Goodreads

Level: Young Adult

Rating: 4 Hearts

Synopsis

“Find Me.”

These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.

Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.

But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.

Because it just got personal.

My Verdict

I picked this up with the intention of just reading a few chapters before bed but once I started I couldn't put it down!! The story hooks you right away with a tension filled opening scene that keeps you flipping pages, honestly, until the very end.

I liked Wick, she had been through so much and was so fragile on the inside yet tough as nails on the outside. She keeps a lot of secrets thinking that she needs to deal with everything alone. That is, until Griffin. Griffin is really the only person Wick lets into her life, letting him see the good and the bad. He's also the only person Wick will ask for help. 

I thought their relationship was really cute. They have been sort of friends for awhile but Wick is always hiding who she really is. It's not until circumstances bring them together that they start falling for each other. Plus their witty banter was great. 

A lot of reviews I read beforehand said how predictable this book was and how they guessed the bad guy right from the start but I don't see how. The author did such a great job of making you doubt everyone, even those who didn't match what little evidence Wick did have. Yes, I may have guessed who it was at one point but my opinion was constantly changing.

What an intense ending! I love when books finish with a bang! I was sitting in bed at 1:45am tearing through the last few chapters. My heart started pounding out of my chest when the culprit was finally revealed and didn't stop until the book was over. 

One thing's for sure, Romily Bernard definitely left a mark on the YA suspense scene. I can't wait to see how the characters continue to develop, especially Wick & Griffins relationship in book 2, Remember Me! 

YA Review: This is W.A.R by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Title: This Is W.A.R.
Author: Lisa & Laura Roecker
# of Pages: 288
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publication Date: July 2nd 2013
Source: Edelweiss
Level: Young Adult
Rating: 1 Hearts

Synopsis

(From Goodreads)

This is W.A.R. begins with a victim who can no longer speak for herself, and whose murder blossoms into a call-to-arms. Enter four very different girls, four very different motives to avenge Willa Ames-Rowan, and only one rule to start: Destroy James Gregory and his family at any cost. Willa's initials spell the secret rallying cry that spurs the foursome to pool their considerable resources and deliver their particular brand of vigilante justice. Innocence is lost, battles are won—and the pursuit of the truth ultimately threatens to destroy them all.

My Verdict

The main reason I wanted to read this book was because I really enjoyed the Roecker's first book, The Liar Society. (They also write really hilarious blog posts, just FYI). I knew very little about the story but thought I would enjoy anything the two wrote. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

The story begins with Willa's thoughts on death right before she drowns. The book is then divided into five parts, each told from the perspective of one of Willa's friends who have banned together to take down her killer. 

The Setting-  Hawthorne Lake Country Club, a place where the rich can basically do whatever they want to whomever they want, no questions asked, no consequences. This was the first thing that bothered me. Money is not everything. You can't just throw money at people to make things go away. Especially when that "thing" is murder. The fact that all the characters were so easily paid off to keep quiet was beyond frustrating. Does no one at this club have any morals? Apparently not. 

The Characters-  The story is broken up into five parts each focusing on a different one of Willa's friends, their secrets, and memories of the night she died. Neither Rose, Lina, Sloane or Madge were likable characters. They were all spoiled rich brats, disillusioned about the real world and very stereotypical. The worst was Sloane a.k.a. "the dumb one" whom often got annoyed with herself for being so dumb. Her part was definitely the hardest to tolerate. None of the girls had any self respect, which was hard to take. 

There isn't even a strong enough word to describe my disgust of the Gregory brothers, who were basically club royalty. Alcoholic, drug dealer, rapist, murderer, all of these words apply to at least one of the Gregory boys. Trip Gregory treated girls like objects, drugging them to "relax" them (practically knock them unconscious) and have sex. I wanted to vomit!! The thing is, most of the girls were dumb enough that they took the pill no questions asked! Seriously?!? 

I feel bad writing such a negative review, but I honestly didn't enjoy a single aspect of this story. If the points mentioned above don't make you want rip your hair out or throw up then go ahead and give it a try.  I'm sure some people will like it. I'm also sure a lot of people won't. 

Book Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Title: Hysteria

Author: Megan Miranda

# Of Pages: 336

Publisher: Walker Children’s

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Source: NetGalley

Level: Young Adult

Rating: 5 Hearts

Synopsis

(From Goodreads)

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear . . .

When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

My Verdict

Fracture, Megan’s Miranda’s first book was one of my favorite reads of 2012. Needless to say I was pretty flipping excited to get my hands on a copy of Hysteria before it’s release thanks to NetGalley! I know one thing for sure, Megan definitely knows how to write a psychological thriller!

I recommend setting aside a large chunk of time to read this book because once you start you’re not gonna want to stop. The book pulls you in from the very first chapter and never lets you go. Every moment I wasn’t reading this book I was thinking about it. All morning at work I thought about what had happened, what was going to happen, and wishing I was reading at that moment.

At first I didn’t think it was really all that suspenseful, but don’t worry, it gets there! Boy does it get there. I had so many scenerios swirling around in my head as I tried to put all the missing pieces together.

I think I’ve said before how much I love books that are set at boarding schools, they just hold so much potential. This one takes place at Monroe Prep, a boarding school set in the New Hampshire wilderness. I liked the setting, thinking back there wasn’t anything special about it but it fit the story perfectly, which is all that really matters.

A quick peek at the characters and relationships:

• Mallory was a likable main character, you sympathized with her from the very beginning and wanted to see her happy.

• Colleen, Mallory’s best friend, there was just something about her I didn’t like. There relationship was a little weird at times but okay for the most part.

• Time to talk about the love interest. Sigh…. Reid is officially one of my favorite book boyfriends of all time. He is so sweet, caring, protective, genuine, and trusting you couldn’t help but fall in love with him! 

As for objectionable content there was a decent number of F words used throughout the book. For some reason they surprised me every time. Something about the way they were used just didn’t seem to fit the characters or situation.

Overall, this was a heart-pounding, mind-twisting book that I thoroughly enjoyed!  

Book Review: The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Title: The Liar Society

Author: Lisa & Laura Roecker

# Of Pages: 368

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: March 1, 2011

Rating: 4 Hearts

Synopsis

(From Amazon.com)

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry’s best friend Grace died a year ago. Se when she gets an email from her. Kate’s more than a little confused.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu

From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu

Subject: (no subject)

Kate,

I’m here… sort of.

Find Cameron. He knows.

I shouldn’t be writing.

Don’t tell. They’ll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights- in- (not so)- shining armor- the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her love-struck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder…

My Verdict

Have I mentioned how much I love a good mystery?!? This book is full of complex characters, and great mysteries that will draw you in from the very first page.

  
Kate Lowry is a brave, sassy, and complex main character. I didn’t always agree with the decisions she made but I could understand where she was coming from when she made them. Seth, it was impossible not to like him, even if he was a little weird (carrying pickles in his pocket for a snack. Ew!) But he was always there for Kate without fail, to help her break into school property, steal student files, or drive her places in the middle of the night. When she needed him, he was there, even if she didn’t deserve it.  He was a very loyal friend and just an all around great guy. Liam, I wasn’t sure what to think about him at first, and it took me over half of the book to decide whether I trusted him or not (I did).

   
The plotline of this book was very well thought out and perfectly executed. I loved that it wasn’t easily predictable. The reader is constantly kept guessing, and whenever I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong.

   
Great characters and great plotlines= a great read! I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye out for the next book in this set.