Holly Jackson

The Reappearance Of Rachel Price // Book Review

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About The Book
Eighteen-year-old Bel has lived in the shadow of her mother Rachel’s mysterious disappearance 16 years ago, of which she has no memory. Rachel, presumed dead, resurfaces during a true crime documentary, claiming an unbelievable tale. Unsure of its truth, Bel questions Rachel’s motives and the potential danger she poses. With cameras rolling, Bel embarks on a quest to uncover why Rachel returned and the secrets she may harbor.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Rtgz89

My Rating

This book had me hooked from start to finish. The complex plot and unexpected twists kept me intrigued until the very end. Imagine your mom showing up after sixteen years – would you trust her? That’s the dilemma facing Bel, the main character, as she navigates who to believe and trust. It’s a gripping story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

One thing I loved about this book is how it keeps you guessing the whole time. Every chapter brings new surprises, making me wonder what’s going to happen next. I did get a bit frustrated with Bel since she always has her guard up and finds it hard to trust others, but the story is so gripping that it kept me interested with its compelling mystery.

The fact that there’s a documentary being made about Rachel’s disappearance and sudden return adds a really interesting twist to the story. It gives a whole new perspective on what’s happening, and I found it super captivating. Some might think it’s not needed, but for me, it made the mystery even more exciting.

“Making people leave her before they chose to go anyway. Same result in the end, because everybody left eventually, but it hurt less. That was what life was, choosing the way that hurt less.”

The book includes a bit of romance, but it’s mostly about Bel growing and learning to connect with someone. It’s not the main focus, so it doesn’t dominate the plot. However, it does add depth to her character and makes the story more meaningful. Personally, I enjoyed Bel’s love interest, Ash, even though he’s not the main character. Their differences made their relationship really enjoyable.

Jackson’s talent as a writer truly stands out in this book, with plenty of unexpected twists and a jaw-dropping ending that left me—and will surely leave other readers—stunned. While it might not surpass her earlier works, this book is a thrilling mystery that showcases Jackson’s knack for crafting engaging and emotionally resonant stories.

Overall, there were times when the story slowed down and the pacing wasn’t quite right, but the book ends with a deeply satisfying and intense conclusion. It has all the elements I look for in a great YA thriller – mystery, suspense, and plenty of emotionally powerful moments. If you love books that keep you captivated until the very last page, this one is definitely worth picking up.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. Don’t forget that you can like and share this post with other readers. Show your support for my blog by giving it a follow.

Until the next chapter,
Bunny

Kill Joy // Book Review

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About The Book
Pip is not in the mood for her friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920’s fancy dress and pretending that their town is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42vb4sg

My Rating

This is a prequel to Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. If you are a regular reader of the blog, then you know that I have a love/hate relationship with that series, and Holly Jackson’s books in general.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

In this book, we follow Pip, as she is a guest at a murder mystery party. I absolutely loved the concept of the book. It was such an easy and fun read. It felt like a true murder mystery game among friends.

The book might have not had all the suspenseful twists and turns as the other three books in the series, but I didn’t mind. The mystery was very straightforward and simple.
Related Post: Good Girl, Bad Blood // Book Review

I loved being inside Pip’s mind as she tries to put all the pieces of the murder together. Honestly, she’s every competitive person playing a game. Also, it was nice to see her in a more light hearted situation.

“It was almost like the town itself was defined by the murder of Andie Bell, both usually uttered in the same breath, inextricable from the other.”

The ending had a nice small twist that I found so realistic when it comes to the logical aspects of a game. Now I don’t know if I wouldn’t consider this a cozy mystery but I do think for some readers it could fall somewhere along those lines.

My favorite thing about this book is all the foreshadowing of the main trilogy. We got to see Pippa realize what her final year project should be. We saw characters from all the other books, and it was just a very full circle moment.
Related Post: As Good As Dead // Book Review

Overall, the book wasn’t anything spectacular, or the best story I’ve ever read. Yet, it is wonderfully written, and a fast-paced, good read. If you are looking for a mystery story that doesn’t require a lot of brain power, then I’d pick this one up.

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Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Five Survive // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


About The Book
Red and her friends are on a road trip. When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ZN2zI9

My Rating

Honestly, I had such high hopes for this book after reading the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy (even though I wasn’t a fan of the last book). But, I thought this would be a fast-paced thriller. However, I didn’t find it to be engaging. I’d even say it was a bit boring.

I didn’t like any of the characters, and I hate when authors try to make us feel sympathy for the main character. I kept hoping that the plot would pick up, but I was sadly disappointed.

It didn’t feel like a mystery/thriller at all. I wasn’t excited to pick it up, but I’m not disappointed that I finished it. Although, I would have been better off DNFing it.

I didn’t like being in the main character’s mind at all. She was such a plain, boring, and depressing character. And, I wondered why any of the characters were even friends. I personally wouldn’t have been friends with any of them. Especially Oliver, whom I despised.

“This is turning into Lord of the Fucking Flies. We’re going to end up killing each other, forget about the sniper.”

There were a few twists in the book. Some I saw coming, and others I didn’t. But, the twists weren’t enough to make up for the slow and uninteresting plot. In my opinion, there has to be more to a story than a few good twists.

The book reminded me a lot of ‘The Woods Are Always Watching’ by Stephanie Perkins, which I did DNF. Truthfully, I finished for the author. But sadly, the writing just wasn’t on the same level as her previous trilogy.

I did hear that the author wrote this book in somewhere between 6-8 weeks, and it shows. Perhaps if it wasn’t so rushed and she took more time, the book would have been more developed. However, I’m not sure if more time would have help make the plot more interesting, or the characters more likable.

Overall, if you are looking for an interesting mystery/thriller, look somewhere else. Better yet, just pick up Holly Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ books, because they better showcase the authors talent.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

In the comments, please tell me I’m not alone in my distaste for this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and hit the follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Good Girl, Bad Blood // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


Synopsis
Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh. The police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?

The first book in this trilogy was fantastic, so I was eager to jump into second book. Unfortunately, I had forgotten a lot of the characters from the first book, so it made this book a bit of a challenging read. However, I did find an overview of ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ at Recaptains.

Unlike the first book, I wasn’t captivated from the start. I wasn’t sure about the whole friend’s missing brother plot. A missing persons case is very different from a murder/mystery. Still, Pippa is a fearless protagonist with a curious personality. Even with her reservations about taking on another potentially dangerous case, she can’t say no. It’s like they say: “A tiger can’t change it’s stripes”.

Although, the mystery was interesting, and I was enjoying all the twists, the plot wasn’t as thrilling as the previous book. But as the plot progressed, the pace picked up, and the story continued to get better. For me, a part of the reason I wasn’t as engaged as I thought I’d be, is that I felt like Pippa had changed since the first book. But, that is to be expected, given the life and death situation that she went through.

In this book, Pippa and Ravi are in a relationship, but I am unsure of how I feel about them being together. They had cute moments, but I didn’t sense a ton of chemistry between them. That aside, I do think they work well together. Ravi is very supportive of Pip’s inquisitive nature, while still being protective of her.

There was this new podcast element, and a lot more social media references. There are mentions of Instagram and Tinder. Authors tend to love throwing in bits of the real world like that, Maybe to connect with their readers more?

By the halfway point, I couldn’t put the book down. I felt like Pip. Trying to piece everything together, and my suspicions were even right a few times. And, when everything unfolded at the end, I was shocked, but not surprised at where the story went.

“I think we all get to decide what good and bad and right and wrong mean to us, not what we’re told to accept. You did nothing wrong. Don’t beat yourself up for other people’s mistakes.”

There was a lot of talk about the justice system, and how it fails more often than not. I think the justice system isn’t always so black and white. The way this book handles right and wrong is very powerful. It is an interesting take on justice and makes you take a closer look at your own beliefs.

The ending was incredibly sad, and begs the topics of what makes a victim. Should the sins of our parents become ours as well? By the end of the book, I sympathized with both the killer and victim. The ending was done so well, and was very thought provoking. In fact, the entire book will leave you with a lot to think about.

This book does show how much hypocrites people can be. It is always interesting to see just how easily people can turn on others. This is a real life thing, and makes you wonder why the world is full of so many judgmental individuals. Do genuine friends even exist?

Overall, I found it to be a great sequel. The storyline didn’t disappoint me one bit, and my reading experience was a positive one. Give this post a quick like and a share before you go. Also, did you know you could follow my blog? That really does help it grow, and reassures me that you like my content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3XGxtnJ

My Rating

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in a YA mystery, thriller trilogy. These books are highly popular and seen as great introductory books to the YA thriller genre. In this book, we follow Pippa, a high-school senior, working on her capstone project. Her topic is a murder that happened five years prior. The case went cold when the prime suspect killed themselves. Pippa believes the wrong person was accused of the murder, and wants to uncover the truth.

I can completely see why other readers would suggest the book to thriller newbies, or even people that don’t particularly fancy the horror and thriller genre. It read more like a contemporary than a traditional thriller, which was a nice. Especially for someone, like myself, that primarily read YA contemporaries. However, if you are looking for a dark, suspense-filled thriller than this probably isn’t the book for you. I found the plot to be fairly tame and not too nail-biting.

Pippa was a solid enough female-lead with some stereotypical aspects. She boarders the ‘smart girl’ and ‘I’m not like other girls’ personality cliches. The other characters weren’t very prominent in the story, so I am in different to them. I don’t love them or hate them.

“I’m not sure I’m the good girl I once thought I was . I’ve lost her along the way”

There were times when this book gave me ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ vibes. I can’t explain why, because they aren’t similar at all. The only comparison I can come up with is that both have twists when it comes to the killer. You think that you know who the murderer is, but at the last minute you realize you were completely wrong.

Overall, I don’t have a lot of cons, but I did find there to be one too many suspects. Perhaps the author wanted to keep us reader on their toes, since you don’t know who to trust. But I found it hard to keep track of all the suspects. Still, it did keep me guessing, which kept me interested. Everyone was suspicious making the case not so cut and dry.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy quick reads, especially when it comes to the thriller genre. I think mysteries, horrors and thrillers should have fast-paced stories. A thriller should be engaging with a lot of story development, and rarely any pointless chapters. Although, this mystery does take while to piece together, their wasn’t much downtime within the story.

I will be continuing on with the series, and excited to see what Pippa tackles next. If you want a list of all the trigger warnings that this book contains please visit Book Trigger Warning. Feel free to comment on your thoughts below. Share, like and follow so you can show your support for my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Book Haul // August 2021

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
In August, I went a little book buying crazy, which is pretty rare. Typically I wait to receive books as gifts and hardly buy any throughout the year. The only expectation is secondhand and discounted books. Also, I am big about not buying books I haven’t read. Nevertheless, the book lover inside me couldn’t contain themself this month. To be honest, I’m not mad about it.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
This book is giving me all those fall vibes. It has to do with witches, obviously, and a girl that has element magic. Basically, she has different powers in each season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). I haven’t seen anyone talk about it, so I am going into it pretty blind. It seems to be a underrated 2021 release.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
The first book in a YA mystery series about a boarding school, a true crime lover and an unsolved mystery. If you follow the book community than you have probably heard nothing but good things about this series. Also, who doesn’t love a good private school book. I have been on a mystery and thriller kick lately, so this one was an automatic buy.

Finale by Stephanie Garber
This is the last book in the Caraval trilogy. The first and second books were given to me as gifts a couple of years. I was very excited to see a hardback copy for under $10, so now my collection is complete.

Lucky in Love by Kase West
I believe I’ve shared before that I am a major Kasie West fan. I don’t have any of her books, so I was happy to get one at an affordable price. This is one of her releases that I have yet to read. But I did read ‘Windfall’ by Jennifer E. Smith, which has a similar plot. I didn’t care for that book, still I am hoping Kasie West doesn’t disappoint me.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
The Twisted Tale books always rope me in, which I’m not sure is a good thing. I have read Conceal, Don’t Feel and Unbirthday, and have reviews for both of them. From the title, you can probably suspect this is an Aladdin retelling. The book tales the story if Aladdin had never found the lamp. It seem like very interesting plot twist that I am looking forward in reading.

Blackout by Various Authors
I didn’t know anything about this book before buying it. But I noticed that Angie Thomas was one of the authors, so I knew it would be a awesome read. After reading the synopsis, I learned that the book is a collection of short contemporary stories that follow black teens. I am all about reading more diverse books, and YA contemporaries steal my heart. My opinion on short story collections vary , but I haven’t written them off yet.

The Girl in the Headlines by Hannah Jayne
This is young adult thriller that I have heard nothing about. It is a Lizzie Burden type story with a interesting twist. Our main character has a seemingly perfect life. But her world comes crashing down when she wakes up on the day after her eighteen birthday with no memory of what happened the night before. She learns that her parents have been brutally murdered and she’s the prime suspect. If that synopsis doesn’t intrigue then you are going to be missing out.

All the Pretty Things by Emily Arsenault
I’m not sure if this will turn out to be psychological thriller, mystery or horror. The plot follows a teenager girl, who’s best friend ends up in a psych hospital after finding a dead body. The murder has been caught, but the main character isn’t convinced they committed the crime. I perdict it to be a mystery with a lot of suspense.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This is a young adult mystery thriller series that has been recommended to me countless times. I hear that it is a great for readers new to the thriller genre. It seems to have great a rating, so I am curious to see my thoughts on it.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Yep another Kasie West book purchases. However, I have read this one and adored it. It is probably one of my favorite book from her. It is a young adult enemies-to-lovers story, which is one of my favorite tropes.

There you have my smallish book haul. I am most likely going to go on a short book buying ban. I can’t remember the books on my wishlist, and with the holidays approaching I would hate to buy a book that I might be gifted. Let me know in the comments any books you’ve recently purchased. Don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny