Summer camp should be fun, right?

June 24, 2020 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

After reading Riley Sager’s book “Lock Every Door” last year and LOVING the intensity and the craziness of it, I was really looking forward to reading his other books. Especially after reading reviews for “Lock Every Door” where people said that it was the worst out of all of his books. Damn, if that’s the worst and it was THAT GOOD, I can’t wait to read what the BEST is.

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

This book begins in the present day – where our protagonist Emma Davis is at her opening night for her first gallery. Her paintings consists of scenes from a forest – with trees, leaves, and branches. Each of the paintings holds a secret inside – 3 girls are buried underneath the foliage and trunks. At the gallery’s opening one of the patrons is someone she never expected to see, someone she knew from 15 years ago – Franny Harris-White, the owner of Camp Nightingale. Who comes to invite Emma back.

The book jumps back and forth from the past (15 years ago) when Emma first attended Camp Nightingale to the present where she goes back to Camp Nightingale to find closure. We learn about what information she unfurls that could possibly lead her to what happened to her friends.

Review:

This book honestly did not start getting exciting to me until about 50% of the way in. I understand that it is important to really set up all of the information but it took me awhile to get into it. Whereas with “Lock Every Door” I felt like I was enthralled from the beginning but it only got BETTER as it neared the end.

There was a good twist at the end of this book I will admit and this book gave me shivers a couple of times. If you’re looking for a creepy book then it is pretty good. But to me, I preferred “Lock Every Door” more than this one.

What are your opinions? Have you read this book? Have you read Riley Sager’s other books? Let me know in the comments below!

Wild at Heart Review and Discussion

March 10, 2020 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

I finally had the opportunity to read one of my most anticipated reads this year!

**WARNING: There are DEFINITELY spoilers from the 1st book – The Simple Wild and this book**

Wild at Heart (2 The Simple Wild) by K. A. Tucker
⭐️⭐️⭐️

After reading all of the reviews on goodreads claiming that this sequel was everything they wished for after the first book, I was really eager to read it. I loved the first book – with the whirlwind of Calla reconnecting with her father and falling for Jonah.

This book is a continued with Calla moving to Alaska to start her life with Jonah. It starts off on the wrong foot with her flight to Bangor from Anchorage getting cancelled and having to spend a night in a hotel that was owned by a taxidermist.

While I enjoyed the story and being in Calla and Jonah’s world again – I was really bothered by how the communication and understanding in their relationship seemed very immature.

The people who gawk at that photo and read my loving, playful caption don’t know any of this. They have no idea that there’s an inexplicably odd, hollow feeling blossoming in the pit of my stomach as of late; I’m trying my best to be understanding and supportive, but I’m struggling because I like having him around, because I miss him so damn much when he’s not here.
Page 253, Wild at Heart

Jonah and Calla’s disconnect starts when they are looking for places to live. Calla’s parents encourage her to rent with Jonah first because you never know what may happen in a new relationship while Jonah is adamant on buying. Previously Jonah said that if she moved to Alaska, then he would look into moving closer to Anchorage to compromise. So – Calla is looking at places around Anchorage and Jonah isn’t into it. This already showed me that they have a communication problem and they aren’t able to voice their opinions and concerns with each other – so Jonah just brings her to a cabin that his acquaintance is selling as a SURPRISE – this is where I want to live in the middle of nowhere with my airstrip!

Yet throughout the story, Jonah and Calla both continually say they their relationship is so perfect and life is so perfect right now on one page, then on the next they are in another argument again. This happened multiple times throughout the book.

Also, Calla experienced quite a bit of jealousy about Marie this book and honestly, that is not a good look for her. Despite Calla continually saying “I don’t trust Marie but I trust Jonah” – I think all of the scenes of her jealousy show that she doesn’t trust either of them. Especially after she caught Jonah talking to her in the barn. If Calla was more mature, she should have had a civil talk to Marie instead of just embarrassing her at the bar.

Despite these shortcomings with Jonah and Calla’s relationship, there were some really cute moments between them. I also liked following their lives, moving into their new house, and developing relationships with the other people in town.

What would have made this book better was truly seeing Calla find her niche in Alaska. She kind of did with gardening but we didn’t really see her passion. Maybe if there is a third book this is what will be focused on? Regardless, I would still continue with this series if another book is released.

“Probably not.” Jonah likes to ride this thing at full throttle. As with everything he does in life, it seems. But that’s who he is. He’ll always be wild at heart, and there is no way to tame or change him
Page 417, Wild at Heart

Did you have the opportunity to read this sequel? What were your opinions on it?

REVIEW: The Selection by Kiera Cass // Who will be chosen to be the next queen?

September 3, 2019September 2, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

WARNING: Spoilers

The Selection by Kiera Cass
**Duration:** 336 pages
**Format:** ebook
**Genre:** YA, Romance
**Rating: ⭐️**⭐️⭐️⭐️

“But no matter what, I want you to be loved. You deserve to be loved. And I hope you get to marry for love and not a number.”
Page 26, The Selection

Synopsis

Against all odds, America Singer was chosen out of all of the applicants from where she lived to participate in the selection – a competition for the possibility to be Prince Maxon‘s queen. When America sent in her application, she had no intention of participating because her heart was with a man named Aspen – who was in the caste below her.

When America arrives at the airport, she already gets a taste of how the other girls in the competition will be. She immediately got along with Marlee – a bubbly, kind girl who introduced herself by hugging America instead of shaking her hand. The rest of the girls were not as kind but still formal.

After arriving, America was overwhelmed with all the rules in the palace – not being able to go outside, wear comfortable clothes, and less communication with her family. The first night she tried to get to the backyard but the guards stopped her. This caused her to faint when suddenly Prince Maxon showed up and walked her outside.

As the competition continues, the true colors of the contestants are revealed as the pool gets smaller and smaller.

Review

Cover: All of the covers in this series are beautiful with the elegant gowns – I think that is what made so many YA reading girls drawn towards the series.

Plot: I like the idea of this plot – seeing 35 girls compete for the chance to be the next queen. To have better opportunities for their families and to live a better life. My only problem is, just by reading the official synopsis, you can guess pretty much the whole book. It’s too obvious – you can infer that the main character will be the girl Prince Maxon likes the most and so she will still be around by the end of the book (or else there wouldn’t be so many other books!). I can already guess in the future – she will be the one who wins. There was maybe 1 twist I didn’t see coming, but everything else was too easy. I have heard that the other books get more intense so I am hoping there will be more exciting events.

Writing: The writing was simple and enjoyable to read. It was the aspect of the book that made be not able to put it down.

Characters: I love the relationship between Prince Maxon & America in the beginning with America being his confidant/spy among the contestants. Slowly, America realizes she is falling for him and starts to get upset when he is going on other dates with girls and when she hears about him kissing other girls. I understand America’s anger, but it is also unfair because she was the one who pushed him away originally. Aspen (America’s boyfriend from back home) also drives me crazy when he becomes a guard at the palace because when he spends time with America, she could get in huge trouble if they are found. The other competitors being cutthroat keeps the competition interesting.

Overall: I really enjoyed the easy reading of this book so I will definitely be continuing the rest of the series. Despite the book being completely predictable, I am exciting to read what happens next.

“No, I’m not choosing him or you. I’m choosing me.”
Page 253, The Selection

REVIEW: Across the Universe // A journey to a new life

September 2, 2019September 2, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) by Beth Revis
**Duration:** 399 pages
**Format:** audiobook
**Genre:** YA, Sci-Fi
**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WARNING: Some spoilers

Synopsis

This book starts with Amy and her parents being frozen in cryochambers in the hope to help cultivate a new planet to life. They are put on a spaceship called Godspeed to spend 300 years traveling through space to this new place.

There has been several generations on the ship – made up of a race of people who all have similar characteristics. Everything is orderly – generations are born at the same time and the generations all live and die together. The leader of the ship is named Eldest and his next-in-line is named Elder.

Elder was talking to someone else on the ship who had a suspicion that there was a hidden level on the ship. So, Elder took it upon himself to check it out. This is when he found all of the frozen bodies in cryochambers.

Soon after one of the bodies was found to be thawing. Luckily, Elder and the Doctor were able to get her out of the liquid and she completely thawed and lived. Amy was the one who came back alive about 50 years too early. She is starkly different form the population on the ship with bright red hair and green eyes. She is in shock to find out that she was thawed early and her parents are still in their cryochambers. Eldest doesn’t make it any easier for her by telling the whole ship that she is crazy.

The rest of the story is focused on finding out who is thawing the bodies? And why are they doing that? Will they really make it to the new planet in 50 years?

Review

Cover: The cover is definitely eye-catching with the beauty of space, Amy, and Elder. In the story there is some romance between them but it is confusing for both of them. I hope there is more in the future books!

Plot: The premise of this story is really interesting. At first I was drawn to what it was like being in a cryochamber. I always assumed you were just asleep – kind of like when you are sedated for surgery. But, with Amy it seemed that her mind was pretty lively for all of those years despite being frozen. Then when you experience Eldest training Elder and telling him how they were able to prevent war with each other – I found that fascinating too. This story is very different from anything I have read before.

Characters: The characters in this story definitely keep things interesting. Even seeing how the “normal” people in Godspeed act by having no emotions and mating at certain times is fascinating. You can feel Amy’s frustration when she finds out that she’s not at the planet yet but she somehow kind of comes to turn with it. The dynamics between Eldest and. Elder are interesting too – especially how Eldest can make everyone on the ship essentially worship him.

Overall: I really enjoyed listening to this book and look forward to reading more in the future! It was a really unique plot with enjoyable characters throughout the story. The twists and turns kept the story interesting and enjoyable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWWW Wednesday 5

August 30, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

This meme is hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

What I am currently reading

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles 2) by Marissa Meyer
I just finished the first book in the series called Cinder. I really enjoyed it and so I rented the 2nd book from Libby as an audiobook!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
After reading The Nightingale, I knew Kristin Hannah would be one of those authors I would continuously read. A classmate recommend I check out this book by here and I am glad I have started it!

What I recently finished

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles 1) by Marissa Meyer

This book is definitely not your average princess story re-telling. This book takes you to a completely different place that makes it seem like an entirely different story except for some subtle similarities.

Uglies (Uglies 1) by Scott Westerfield

I was not sure if I read this book when I was younger but I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to the rest of the series!

What I am reading next

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
After being disappointed by Marked, I hope this vampire series will be more enjoyable!

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
I know I said I was going to read this last week but my hold was kind of suspended and I got involved with other books. Hopefully I will get to it because I love this series!

REVIEW: The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019 Lindsay Short1 Comment

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen
**Duration:** 440 pages
**Genre:** YA, Contemporary, Fiction
**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Life is a journey, wouldn’t you rather be the person behind the wheel than the one just being carried along?”
Page 154, The Rest of the Story

Synopsis

Emma Saylor has her summer planned out –
✓Dad getting married
✓ New house being remodeled
✓ Staying at her friends house and crushing on boys while her Dad and Step-Mother go on their honeymoon
The plan gets disrupted when her friend has a family emergency and is unable to let Emma stay over. She has no other options except her grandmother from her mother’s side that she hasn’t seen since she was 3 years old. Since her mother passed when Emma was 10 years old, she hasn’t even thought about this side of the family. When she arrives, North Lake seems like a distant memory to her. During the 3 weeks she gets to spend there, it shows her getting to know this part of her family that becomes near and dear to her heart.

Review

Sarah Dessen has been one of my favorite authors for over 10 years. She has such a unique way of writing relaxing stories that make you immersed in the story and invested in the characters.

Plot – It’s kind of funny that I reread one of Sarah’s old books – Keeping the Moon – just last month. This book was really reminiscent of Keeping the Moon except updated for the current times. Both books deal with the main character going to stay with an aunt during the summer while meeting people they become close with and falling in love. The way that Sarah updated this story to make it more relevant with the circumstances Emma’s mom passed from (opioid abuse) and delving into how Emma deals with her anxiety. Even though the plots had similarities, they had quite different feels based on their settings.

Characters – I enjoyed Emma’s resilience. When she first arrived to North Lake her cousins thought she was the spoiled rich kid who just got to laze around. She proved them wrong by helping them work at her aunts motel and by knowing her struggles with her mother and anxiety, you know she is a strong girl. I loved the feel of the relationships between everyone at North Lake – how you know that they all grew up together and they have that loving friends-like-family type vibe.

Writing – Sarah Dessen has a very simplistic way of writing that feels so laidback and enjoyable. When she described North Lake it made me crave to be by a lake this summer – swimming, barbecuing, lighting sparklers, etc. Even though the writing isn’t incredibly detailed, it is done in such a way that you want to continue reading.

Overall – I was very happy with Sarah Dessen’s new book. I really enjoyed that she made it relevant to current issues while still keeping her simplistic summer relaxation vibe.

“You can make your life, or life can make you. Was it really that simple of a choice?”
Page 181, The Rest of the Story

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you read this book or any of Sarah Dessen’s other books? What did you think about it?

REVIEW: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

August 22, 2019August 20, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
**Duration:** 384 pages
**Genre:** Thriller, Mystery
**Rating:**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Jules Larson was struggling after losing her job and her boyfriend within the same day. Desperate for a new job while living off of her friends couch, she finds a job that seems too good to be true – an apartment sitter at the most prestigious apartment building in NYC that pays really well. She would be a fool not to take it. The first day she moved in she met another apartment sitter named Ingrid who tells her that she’s starting to feel uneasy and terrified at night. What could possibly going on at the Bartholomew?

Review

I loved this book from start to finish. It drew me in with the grandeur of living at the Bartholomew and how this girl with hardships got an opportunity of a lifetime. Then when things started to get creepy and unsettling – I couldn’t put the book down. Especially near the end when you discover what is actually going on there – I was in absolute shock. I could not have guessed about what was going on. I cannot wait to read Riley’s other books – which I heard are all fantastic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWW Wednesday 4

August 22, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

I’m a little late to writing this post BUT – this is one of my favorite posts to write so I still wanted to do it anyways!

What I am currently reading

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
For a book battle I needed to read a book about space. One of my teammates suggested this book. I just started the audiobook a couple days ago and it’s pretty interesting! It’s about a family who gets frozen so they can travel 301 years to somewhere in space to get more natural resources for Earth.

The Selection by Kiera Cass
I have been hesitating to read this book for awhile. What was holding me back was the main characters name – **America Singer.** I thought it sounded *lame*. BUT I’m really enjoying this book (and I couldn’t put it down enough last night to write this post).

What I recently finished

Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberly

I thought this book looked intriguing based on how beautiful the cover is. I enjoyed some parts of it but I also think I’m too old when I read a YA book with a main character who complains a lot.

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

I thought this book was fascinating and well written to keep the reader involved in learning more. It’s like hearing all the juicy gossip without being a part of it – which is the best of both worlds.

What I am reading next

What I am currently watching

Nigeru was Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (JP)
I haven’t watched many dramas this year, but this one has to be my favorite one thus far! It’s funny seeing how awkward Hiramasa is. I like that Japanese dramas are fairly short – they don’t drag it out as much as Kdramas

What I recently finished

Toumei na Yurikago (JP)
I enjoyed this drama throughout. I loved seeing the babies and experiencing the joy of life and the sorrow of loss throughout the show. Definitely recommend!

What I am watching next

Shoplifters (JP)
Not sure which drama I want to start next, but definitely want to watch this movie!

REVIEW: The Last Mrs. Parrish

August 21, 2019 Lindsay ShortLeave a comment

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
**Duration:** 560 pages
**Genre:** Thriller, Mystery
**Format:** ebook
**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Amber Patterson moved to Bishops Harbor with one goal in mind – to get close to Daphne Parrish and eventually, her husband.

Review

Plot – This book made me feel like I was in a “The Real Housewives” show but with even more deceit and jaw dropping moments. I liked how the author built up the story with Amber and Daphne’s friendship and showed how Amber worked her way into their family. Then when it switched to Daphne’s POV, I enjoyed learning about the beginning of their relationship and everything that went on behind closed doors.

Writing – The first part of the book is from Ambers perspective of when she meets Daphne. The middle is Daphne’s perspective starting from when she met her husband, Jackson Parrish, throughout to when she met Amber. The last portion of the book goes between POVs. The best aspect of thrillers is thinking the story is going one way, until it goes in the complete opposite direction. By writing the story this way, the reader can appreciate the protagonists perspectives on the situation and the truth behind it.

Characters – I thought that the characters were very well played. Going along with what I said above, being able to see the different POVs really made me understand and appreciate the characters more. When I was reading reviews on this book that had lower ratings, I noticed a lot of people saying Jackson was misogynistic. He definitely was, but I think that is the point the author is trying to convey. The author is trying to paint this portrait as to how a family could look so perfect and put together, but terrible things can be happening behind closed doors. I understand that part can make women uncomfortable, but I think it was really to elaborate on making the story more heart wrenching and to understand Daphne’s motives more.

This has been the year of thrillers for me. I really liked this book – it had me in disbelief while I was listening to it. I couldn’t believe some of what was going on. Nonetheless, I definitely don’t think this book is for everyone. You need to be comfortable with reading about misogyny and with understanding that this isn’t necessarily a happy book. If you like other thrillers like Verity, I think you would enjoy this book as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you read this book? What did you think?

REVIEW: Marked by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast

August 18, 2019 Lindsay Short1 Comment

Marked (Marked #1) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
**Format:** audiobook
**Duration:** 306 pages
**Genre:** YA, Fantasy
**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Marked begins with Zoey going to school like any other normal day – except when she arrives, she gets marked with a crescent moon on her forehead by a vampire tracker. She knows what happens if you are marked and don’t go to the house of night – you’ll keep getting sicker and sicker and eventually die. She brings it up to her mother, hoping for some understanding, but since her mother remarried she obeys her new husband instead of sticking up for her daughter. Her husband freaks out and wants to have and intervention call with the church to bless Zoey. Zoey ends up sneaking out and visiting her grandmother who is understanding and helps her get to the house of night.

At the house of night we meet the other students who soon become Zoeys best friends and confidants, as well as an elite club called the Dark Daughters. This book follows Zoey’s journey in the house of night, the changes she endures while becoming a vampire, and figuring out what makes her different from everyone else?

Review

Plot – If you’ve been on my blog for one second you know that I’ve been enjoying the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, which is about faeries. So, I thought a book about vampires would be similar enough to hook by interest but different enough to be unique in it’s own way. To be honest, I felt like not a lot of exciting events happened in this book. The events felt mundane to me and didn’t pull me in a way where I felt like I had to keep listening. The most interesting parts were when Zoey was trying to come to terms with the changes being a vampire entails.

Characters – Zoey is a strong character and you can appreciate her growth and development throughout the book. She started out as a frightened high school girl and evolved into someone who doesn’t take bullying at all. Her friends all have their own individual personalities that all mix together into a coherent, amusing friend group. It made me wish I was sitting with that group during my school lunches. I loved how they all supported Zoey right from the start and stood by her until the very end.

Overall – I was disappointed since I felt like this book was bland and a weak start to the series. I’ve heard a lot of praise about this series and to be frank, I just don’t see it. It was an easy read but nothing that really drew me in and made me beg for the next book. Part of me is hesitant to continue the series. Friends on goodreads have told me it does get better but I am still on the fence about it. I may try a different vampire series instead!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you read this series? Do you think it’s worth it to continue if I felt like the 1st book was only okay? Are there any other Vampire book series you recommend?