Time for some mini-reviews! What are mini-reviews, you ask? As the title suggests, these are short reviews, consisting of one paragraph tops, about a book. It’s a way to catch up on the books I’ve read a while ago, but never got around to reviewing.
One Moment
Title: One Moment
Author: Kristina McBride
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Following on the heels of her “must read” debut novel (New York Times best-selling author Jay Asher) One Moment is perfect for fans of Sara Zarr and Gayle Forman .
This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.
Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below–dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.
Review: One of the most heart-wrenching but beautiful books I’ve ever read. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much while reading a book. The mystery is suspenseful as well, and I had to read this in one sitting – I couldn’t stop.
Fatal Incision
Title: Fatal Incision
Author: W.R. Park
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Ghastly ‘Jack the Ripper’ murders of five mutilated women in the Whitechapel district of London in 1888 ended without an arrest-although suspects were plentiful. Two young Scotland Yard detectives, armed with only a hunch, voyage across the Atlantic to New York City to assist in investigating a string of similar murders. Did ‘Jack’ slip away to America? And is now applying his macabre trade as ‘The Manhattan Ripper?’ Their dangerous search propels them from the city’s mean streets, seediest of taverns-to the underground caverns beneath those streets, home to a society of outcast mole people.
Review: I requested this book because it mentioned “Jack the Ripper” and similar murders. In this story, a new set of detectives goes to investigate the case. The mystery was easily solved for me, and the romances didn’t add much to the plot. However, on the whole, it was an entertaining read.
Silver
Title: Silver (Bandia #1)
Author: Talia Vance
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
“As I step into the room, a silver flash blurs my vision. Before I can take a breath, the world falls away.”
Brianna has always felt invisible. People stare right past her, including the one boy she can’t resist, Blake Williams. But everything changes at a house party where Brianna’s charm bracelet slips off and time stands still. In that one frozen, silver moment, Blake not only sees her, he recognizes something deep inside her she’s been hiding even from herself.
Discovering she is descended from Danu, the legendary Bandia of Celtic myth, Brianna finds herself questioning the truth of who she is. And when she accidentally binds her soul to Blake, their mutual attraction becomes undeniable.
But Blake has his own secret, one that could prove deadly for them both.
Bound together by forbidden magic, Brianna and Blake find themselves at the heart of an ancient feud that threatens to destroy their lives and their love.
Review: The most intriguing part about this book was, at least for me, the celtic mythology. There’s also the whole forbidden romance thing, which adds bonus points. Ultimately, it offers an original spin on the YA paranormal genre, and an intriguing cast of characters. Brianna was easily my favorite, though.
[…] Mini-Review: One Moment, Fatal Incision, Silver […]