Hollowmen by Amanda Hocking

Title: Hollowmen (The Hollows #2)

Author: Amanda Hocking

Publisher: Createspace 2011

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 363

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

After six months in the quarantine, Remy finds out things are much worse than she feared. Her plans to escape come with a heavy cost, and she realizes that zombies aren't the worst of her problems.

I snatched up this ebook after finishing the first book earlier this month. And I was disappointed… I was hoping for good zombie romp with a fun and strong heroine. Instead, we get one too many coincidences and little zombie action. I just didn’t like Remy at all in this book. And Max was a wet blanket. And argh! I hated the deaths in this book. It just didn’t bring me much joy to read this one at all.

The Hollows

#1 Hollowland
#2 Hollowmen

Next up on the TBR pile:

Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Title: Asylum (Asylum #1)

Author: Madeleine Roux

Publisher: HarperCollins 2013

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 321

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 365; UnRead Shelf Project

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline Dorm—formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start exploring Brookline's twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum's dark past. Because Brookline was no ordinary mental hospital, and there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

That was a quick and enjoyable read. I sped through this creepy young adult horror book in just a few hours. I love a good asylum-based horror novel and this one really did hit the spot. We get some likable characters to follow as they uncover secrets about Brookline and about themselves. The plot is a slow build. We don’t get a ton of action until the last 100 pages, but the tension builds consistently through the first 2/3 of the book. I really fell into the creepy setting and kept want the characters to revisit the basement. Enjoyable read for this week. I will definitely be continuing to read the series.

Asylum:

#0.5 Escape from Asylum
#1 Asylum
#1.5 The Scarlets
#2 Sanctum
#2.5 The Bone Artists
#3 Catacomb
#3.5 The Warden

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Sever (The Chemical Garden #3)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2013

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 386

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

With time ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed, and she takes refuge in his dilapidated house. However, the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and on the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

While I really enjoyed the first book in this series, the second and third books just didn’t really land for me. I was disappointed that the relationship between Rhine and Gabriel went really no where in this volume. In fact, he doesn’t even appear in the book until the last section. Instead, we get more focus back on Linden and Cecily and I was just bored with those characters. The ending was incredibly weak and I just didn’t buy the conclusion. Meh. Just another book off my list I guess.

The Chemical Garden

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Title: Hollowland (The Hollows #1)

Author: Amanda Hocking

Publisher: Createspace 2010

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 330

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; TBR Random

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

This was a pretty fun zombie book. The plot sped through at breakneck pace following Remy as she tries to reach quarantine and, more importantly, her brother. Along the way we get many zombie encounters plus those involving not-so-great humans. There’s not a ton to this book, but I really enjoyed this romp. I will definitely be reading the sequel. This one ended in a doozy of a cliffhanger.

The Hollows

#1 Hollowland
#2 Hollowmen

Next up on the TBR pile:

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Title: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1)

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Publisher: HarperTeen 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 518

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - April

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

I have been looking forward to this book for months. I finally fit it into my reading month and was very disappointed. Lou is a great character and I really loved Ansel and Coco. I think the concept of white and red witches. And that’s where the positives ended for me. The readers are constantly reminded that this isn’t our world, but it sure looks a lot like 18th century France complete with the constant use of French words and phrases and that really looks like the Catholic Church. But apparently it’s not our world. I would have liked this better as an alternate history where witches are real. Instead, I kept having to remind myself that this was supposed to be a fantasy world. Second, I quickly grew tired of the constant misogyny present in all the characters. The author could have established that in the beginning and then just dropped it. Instead, we are constantly reminded of how women in this society are worthless at best and evil to the core at worst. I was so tired of reading it over and over. And having Reid keep reminding us was extra annoying. To that end, I totally didn’t buy his love for Lou in the end. Someone doesn’t completely change their entire perspective on life that quickly. Unrealistic… And finally that sex scene between Lou and Reid was a bit much for a young adult novel. We are supposed to believe that Lou is 18 and Reid is 22. It was a bit creepy to read their graphic sex scene (and this is coming from someone who occasionally reads erotica). We really could have done with that. I don’t think I will be reading the sequel when it is released.

Serpent & Dove

#1 Serpent & Dove
#2 Blood & Honey

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss #1)

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Speak 2010

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 382

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen, NPR Romance, 365 Days of YA; Ebook

Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

I absolutely devoured this book in a day and a half. This is such a great young adult romance. We get that initial meet-cute. We get the complications. We get a ton of will they or won’t they. And we finally get to see the two main characters come together. Even though there were some more serious parts, this was the light-hearted read that I needed for this week. I definitely was rooting for Anna and Etienne throughout the book. I loved the pretty straight-forward plotline propelling the romance. I loved the side characters, especially Rashmi and Josh. All of the characters act like late teens. Often in YA, we get 17 year olds acting either like 13 year olds or 25 year olds. It was nice to see appropriate teen behavior and though patterns. I finished the last page of the book and just sighed with a smile on my face. Lovely little book. I will definitely be reading the two companion books (not quite sequels, but involving some of the side characters).

Anna and the French Kiss

#1 Anna and the French Kiss
#2 Lola and the Boy Next Door
#3 Isla and the Happily Ever After

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden #2)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2012

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again…or worse.

The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

Mixed feelings about this one… I definitely wanted to continue reading this series after enjoying the first book. I was concerned about where the second book was going, but thankfully most of the book was good. I really liked being able to change setting from the mansion and explore a bit more of the world. The plot moved at a pretty good pace keeping the action. I really enjoyed that bit. My only issue is with Rhine. She can be very annoying at times and I really wanted her to own up to some things at times. Plus I really wanted to see more her relationship with Gabriel. Guess I might need to read the last book to see how everything ends.

The Chemical Garden

#1 Wither
#2 Fever
#3 Sever

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2011

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Monthly Theme January

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years—leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement; her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next; and Rhine has no way to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive.

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

This one has been on my list for years at this point. I finally dove in and read this story in just a few days. I wouldn’t say that I absolutely loved this book, but it was a solid young adult science fiction book. Rhine is a decent heroine put in an impossible situation. Even though I like Rhine, I loved Jenna and Cecily. They are great side characters. Linden is a wet blanket, but I guess that’s his role in the story. I just wished that Gabriel was a more compelling character and love interest for Rhine. Maybe in book two? I think I’ll continue the series, but I’m not going to rush out right now.

The Chemical Garden

#1 Wither
#2 Fever
#3 Sever

Next up on the TBR pile:

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Title: Challenger Deep

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: HarperTeen 2016

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - 365 Days of YA; Popsugar - “Pop, Sugar, Challenge”

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.
Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.
Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images.
Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.
Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.
Caden Bosch is torn.

This is a very rough, but compelling accurate portrayal of mental illness in a teen. I didn’t quite know what to expect when I picked this one up. I quickly dove into the abyss within Caden’s mind. As in many YA novels, the writing isn’t dense but it took me many days to finish this one as I had to take so many breaks. The subject is just so incredibly heavy. I couldn’t read more than 25 pages in one sitting. However, I found the characters so compelling. I had to keep at it to see where the story led. I’m glad I stuck with it until the end.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane

Title: The Upside of Falling Down

Author: Rebekah Crane

Publisher: Skyscrape 2018

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 247

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her mission.

They tell her she’s the lone survivor of a plane crash. They tell her she’s lucky to be alive. But she doesn’t feel lucky. She feels…lost.

With the relentless Irish press bearing down on her, and a father she may not even recognize on his way from America to take her home, Clementine assumes a new identity and enlists a blue-eyed Irish stranger, Kieran O’Connell, to help her escape her forgotten life…and start a new one.

Hiding out in the sleepy town of Waterville, Ireland, Clementine discovers there’s an upside to a life that’s fallen apart. But as her lies grow, so does her affection for Kieran, and the truth about her identity becomes harder and harder to reveal, forcing Clementine to decide: Can she leave her past behind for a new love she’ll never forget?

Random Prime Reading selection from Amazon that I finally started and finished all in about 36 hours. It’s a sweet romance couched in a finding yourself novel with an outrageous beginning. I really enjoyed Clementine’s search for self and the colorful characters she meets along the way. I was fully on board the story all the way until the last 20 pages or so. I even forgave a lot of the YA cliches. It’s a sweet YA story, I’m okay with some cheesy lines here and there. The way-too-coincidental ending and reveal knocked it down a star for me. Just no… Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2019

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 464

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.

Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas begin their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've encountered before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him---and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device---is another.

Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end---together and in love---or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?

Am I mad that I called the villain and the ending at about page 150? Nope, because I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and especially these characters. The series is the right blend of adventure and horror. I love all the real historical references mixed in with our fictional story. The plot constantly twists and turns but not in a ridiculously annoying way. I enjoyed the roller coaster. But my favorite part of these book and ultimately the series is the relationship between Audrey Rose and Thomas. Oh so incredibly sweet! I am sad to reach the end of their story, but it was a great journey.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine

Title: Sword and Pen (Great Library #5)

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Motif; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Steampunk

The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain. Jess Brightwell and his friends must come together as never before, to forge a new future for the Great Library...or see everything it stood for crumble.

And we finally reach the end of The Great Library saga! It was a crazy whirlwind of action and adventure. I loved every page of it. Every chapter was narrated from a different character helping the reader see multiple areas of Alexandria throughout the timelime of the book. I loved getting more from Morgan and Khalila. Such great characters! Over the course of the series, each of the main characters have grown so much. I feel like we have seen them evolve to embrace their individual identities. I didn’t quite want the series to end, but it was nice to get a proper conclusion.

The Great Library

Next up on the TBR pile:

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Title: They Both Die at the End

Author: Adam Silvera

Publisher: HarperTeen 2017

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Set in a single day

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

This one was quite the disappointment for me. I had heard great things, but many of the characters really fell flat. The insta-love was problematic. And the story dragged in many places. I just didn’t connect with the emotional weight of the story or really any of the characters. I’m sure many other people would love this book. I am not one of them.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Title: Wil Grayson, Will Grayson

Author: John Green and David Levithan

Publisher: Dutton Books 2010

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen; MMD - Same Author

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

My last big John Green novel that I hadn’t read. I dove in and I wasn’t as enthralled by it as I have been by other books. The writing style switch between the two Wills was quite jarring. The first few times it switched, I really had to take a minute to adjust. Once I got further into the book, I found I was much more involved in the storyline and the two Wills. But ultimately, I just wasn’t that interested or connected to the characters. A lot of the story really fell flat for me. I definitely liked John Green’s later books much more.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

Title: Hope and Other Punch Lines

Author: Julie Buxbaum

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2019

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Literary Escapes - NJ

Abbi Hope Goldstein is like every other teenager, with a few smallish exceptions: her famous alter ego, Baby Hope, is the subject of internet memes, she has asthma, and sometimes people spontaneously burst into tears when they recognize her. Abbi has lived almost her entire life in the shadow of the terrorist attacks of September 11. On that fateful day, she was captured in what became an iconic photograph: in the picture, Abbi (aka "Baby Hope") wears a birthday crown and grasps a red balloon; just behind her, the South Tower of the World Trade Center is collapsing.

Now, fifteen years later, Abbi is desperate for anonymity and decides to spend the summer before her seventeenth birthday incognito as a counselor at Knights Day Camp two towns away. She's psyched for eight weeks in the company of four-year-olds, none of whom have ever heard of Baby Hope.

Too bad Noah Stern, whose own world was irrevocably shattered on that terrible day, has a similar summer plan. Noah believes his meeting Baby Hope is fate. Abbi is sure it's a disaster. Soon, though, the two team up to ask difficult questions about the history behind the Baby Hope photo. But is either of them ready to hear the answers?

Not sure what I was expecting when I picked this one up. Well, that’s not true. I was thinking this would be a very typical young adult romance. Instead, we get a very powerful story of teens dealing with perceptions, growing up, and identity. I loved following Abbi as she navigates an identity that was thrust upon her in infancy. She attempts to explain to others how this identity feels, but often the other characters put their own ideas and feelings onto her. I love that the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book. Sure Abbi and Noah end up together. I don’t think that is really a spoiler. But that storyline feels very third tier in the grand scope of the book. I’ll admit that this book had me tearing up in multiple spots. It was a lot more hard-hitting than I was expecting. This book may not make it onto my Top 10 for the year (seriously, I’ve read way too much this year already), but I may have to put it in my Top 25.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer Smith

Title: Field Notes on Love

Author: Jennifer Smith

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2019

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Women Authors; Romance

It's the perfect idea for a romantic week together: traveling across America by train.

But then Hugo's girlfriend dumps him. Her parting gift: the tickets for their long-planned last-hurrah-before-uni trip. Only, it's been booked under her name. Nontransferable, no exceptions.

Mae is still reeling from being rejected from USC's film school. When she stumbles across Hugo's ad for a replacement Margaret Campbell (her full name!), she's certain it's exactly the adventure she needs to shake off her disappointment and jump-start her next film.

A cross-country train trip with a complete stranger might not seem like the best idea. But to Mae and Hugo, both eager to escape their regular lives, it makes perfect sense. What starts as a convenient arrangement soon turns into something more. But when life outside the train catches up to them, can they find a way to keep their feelings for each other from getting derailed?

I picked this one up on the recommendation from Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs. Darcy. And thankfully, this was a delight! I loved this story of two just graduated teens falling in love and finding themselves on a cross-country train. At times, I wanted a more sophisticated relationship, but then remembered that they are only 18. Readjusting my perspective and expectations, I sped through this story really enjoying every page. Lovely contemporary romance to fill my week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Prince Charming (Royals) by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Prince Charming (Royals #1)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: 2018

Genre: YA

Pages: 297

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Women Authors; Monthly Motif - One Sitting Reads; Romance

Meet Daisy Winters. She's an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who's nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince's roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown--and the intriguing Miles--might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

This novel was originally published as Royals, which is the copy I borrowed from the library. I went into this book with extremely low expectations. It’s just that I don’t usually read contemporary romance and definitely not Young Adult contemporary romance. But apparently, I’ve been on a streak lately. This story ended up being a delight romp through the royals of Scotland from the perspective an average American. I loved Daisy from page 1 and kept rooting for her throughout the story. I would have liked to have seen a bit more between Daisy and and Ellie, but did enjoy her interactions with all of the Royal Wreckers. Light and fun. Just what I needed. And I put the second book, Her Royal Highness, on hold at the library.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2018

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Finishing the Series; Alphabet Soup - M

Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow more and more bizarre. It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation before more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?

Still really enjoying this series. I loved the setting of a carnival on a cruise ship. Perfect to create a very creepy atmosphere. And I absolutely loved the inclusion of the tarot cards and various carnival acts. And I still love Audrey Rose and Thomas’s relationship. But I would have liked to see more of a focus on their relationship. The murders were just the right amount of gruesome and disturbing to be a follow up to the Ripper murders and the Dracula murders. But I must say that the ending of this book peeved me a little. I had hoped for a better conclusion. Oh well. I’ll still read the next book.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

#1 Stalking Jack the Ripper
#2 Hunting Prince Dracula
#3 Escaping from Houdini
#4 Capturing the Devil

Next up on the TBR pile:

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Title: Turtles All the Way Down

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton 2017

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 286

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Key Word: All; Modern Mrs. Darcy - Same Author; Literary Escapes - Indiana

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

I had heard that the main character suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, but wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this book. John Green perfectly describes anxiety and specifically thought spirals. I was uncomfortable in my many parts of this book as Aza’s experiences are very similar to mine at times. I really felt for Aza and her daily struggles. I loved hearing her inner thoughts on a variety of topics but specifically her thoughts on the self. I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked from chapter one. The plot was okay and the mystery of Russell Pickett’s disappearance kept the book moving, but I was here for the characters. I loved the relationship and ultimately the honesty between Aza and Daisy. I really put myself in Aza’s mom’s shoes in many places through the story. I finished the book and am left with a feeling of understanding. There are others that struggle with anxiety just like me. (Logically I know this, but sometimes my depression brain tells me that I’m the only one.) Most definitely an amazing book and one that I really want to put in many specific people’s hands.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2017

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 418

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR Pile; Finishing the Series; Horror

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

Another fun and horrifying romp through murders and anatomical pursuits. I just love the pairing of Audrey Rose and Thomas. Their back and forth flirting and figuring out clues brings me life. I just love how the dialogue is written. Such fun! And the mystery and murders in this book were sufficiently horrifying. I loved the play on Prince Dracula and Elisabeth Bathory. Great folklore and setting. And we get to see the furthering of Audrey Rose’s academic pursuits. I can’t wait see what happens as they travel to America.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

#1 Stalking Jack the Ripper
#2 Hunting Prince Dracula
#3 Escaping from Houdini

Next up on the TBR pile: