We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is probably one of my least favorite books I have read in a while. The story attempts to paint trauma and mental illness in the eyes of a teenager. It tries to be relatable to the reader, and while I believe that this could have been achieved, the main character of the novel is quite frankly a horrible character.
The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer is a mystery novel with complex twists and turns. Abby Goodwin has always been the overprotective sister. Saving her sister, Maya, was almost like a part-time job for her. Unfortunately, as they grew up and matured, they started drifting apart. One day, Abby finds Jefferson Andrews, the popular, the smart, and the “perfect” boy at their high school dead. As she slowly unravels and follows the trails of clues, everything points to Maya and everyone suspects Maya.
Sixth grader Josie, her sister, and her mother both moved to their grandmother's house. Even though Josie does not like the town, she has to adjust to it. Weird things happen once her grandmother starts giving off warnings and rules. Then, one day at school, Josie meets a new girl named Vanessa. They become best friends. Suddenly, people from her school start to disappear. What or who is behind the disappearance?
Rebecca is the first wife of Maxim De Winter. He lost his first wife due to a tragic incident. Maxim married another woman. When she enters Manderlery, she notices that Rebecca is everywhere. She fears that everyone loves Rebecca and hates her. But, one she realizes and learns things about the true Rebecca, her intentions and feelings change. Both Maxim and his new wife realize that Rebecca is haunting their memories.
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte is captivating, dynamic, and contains numerous twists and turns. This fantasy fiction book consists of murder mystery and hints of romance and sci-fi. Perplexing characters with complex motives and a fascinating fantasy world elevated this book to another level. The novel is centered around Keralie Corrington, a seventeen-year-old girl who steals, lies, and deceives for a living. Mackiel, her childhood friend and employer tasks her with stealing a case.
Daniel, and his seven-year-old sister, Erica, move to an abandoned house in West Virginia. The house used to belong to a girl named Selene Estes. Rumor has it that fifty years ago, Selene was taken by Old Auntie. People tried to find her, but no one could. After Daniel’s family moves into the house, he starts to hear someone calling him. One fine day, Erica goes missing; she was taken by Old Auntie. It is up to Daniel to save his little sister, but can he save her in time?
Ali and her cousin, Emma, visit their mothers’ childhood home. On their vacation, Emma decides to make friends with people. Both the girls go looking around Maine for a child around Emma’s age. One day, they meet a girl named Sissy. She spoils Emma and scares her by telling her about a murder. Even though the girls are frightened, they ask their aunt more about the story. As the story goes on, Ali and Emma realize that Sissy is not who she says she is.
One of Using Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, is a Mystery/Thriller novel. The story unfolds around four teens after their classmate, Simon Kellhelro, dies. Brownyn, Nate, Addy, and Cooper become suspects in the murder. The four suspects each had a motive to kill Simon. Slowly by slowly, the supposed murder reveals the secrets of the four students. The four suspects become closer and vouch for each other.
After being invited to the most fun party ever, Meg and Minnie both decide to sneak out of their houses and go to the party. What they do not know is that their night is about to become terrifying. One by one, people start to die. Meg and her crush, TJ, investigate the area. The killer will go to any extent to kill off the teens. But, at the end, Meg is shocked. She did not expect the killer to be who they are.
Jamie Watson and Charlotte Homes, the teenage descendants of Sherlock and John, get off to a rocky start when they first meet at boarding school. But when they’re both accused of the same crime, they must team up to investigate a murder, clear their names, and, perhaps, become friends.
Fans of mystery interspersed with humor will enjoy this book, the first installment of Brittany Cavallaro’s series. The central case takes time to develop, but the fast-paced story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
