Review: Rogue

Rogue by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars





These types of missions usually go one of two ways: without a hitch, or spectacularly wrong." - Riley

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Review: Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars





From the get-go, this cast is a tad big for me. Especially when listening. However, the individual interrogations/interviews helped a lot.
Can old women be cozy? Cause if they can, Mrs. Hubbard is cozy.A cozy busybody, but nonetheless. I understand why they all got so sick of hearing about her daughter. I don't think I could let Ratchett get by without telling me anything. I'm not McQueen. I'm nosy. lol Really enjoyed the valet on the audio. He sounded exactly like Snape somehow. Man, Princesses and Colonels and Counts and Countesses all aboard one train. Fancy.
(view spoiler)[And to think they're all killers. Well, and accomplices. I don't blame them at all. Any man who has 12 unrelated people willing to kill him in cold blood probably did something- even if Poirot didn't explain what he did. (hide spoiler)]


I mean, if Ratchett already had the letter, why wait to get someone to investigate? Just to chance meeting Poirot on the train and then chance him taking the case? Ummm, I doubt it. Here's the thing about this plot. After Ratchett is killed, nothing actually happens. Interviews and that's it. No real action. And yet..., somehow I was rapt. I hung on every word from these people and just guessed (much like Poirot himself) what was going to be exposed next. (view spoiler)[ Gotta say I wasn't expecting that. The entire book I was trying to pinpoint which two people would have worked together. I love how at the end, they all agree to let it go and get away with the whole thing, and with Poirot backing them, the police wouldn't ask questions. It appears the key to a successful murder is to collect enough people who want someone dead in one place. (hide spoiler)]


Poirot just straight up said, Yeah not gonna take your case cause I don't like your face. Big oof
Women are like that. They have great strength when they are enraged. Man, he's just trying to shift some blame. Tsktsk
Use the little grey matter of the mind.
He uses curling tongs on his moustache. I just can't. hahaha

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Review: The Hidden Staircase

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Kingdom of the Cursed

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Inkheart

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: Reflection

Reflection by Elizabeth Lim
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: Takedown Twenty

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars




These plots are just getting more and more wild. And redundant. How is that possible?
Redundancy:
⬥︎ Stephanie and Grandma are in trouble i.e. kidnapped, almost killed, etc. --The cement was new. At least she wasn't blown up.
⬥︎ Ranger and Morelli to the rescue.
⬥︎ Stephanie threatens to/gets another job, but we all know she'll go back to bail bonds. -- Hey, Steph, it's okay. I couldn't be a butcher either. That cow tongue.

⬥︎ Back and forth romance with Morelli.
⬥︎ Almost Sex with Ranger.
⬥︎ Cars get blown up/stolen.
⬥︎ Grandma is out wildin'.
⬥︎ Mrs. Plum trying to get Stephanie to get married and quit her job.

Wild:
⬥︎ Well, a giraffe. Seriously? I mean, it's like Evanovich has to include a wild animal in every story now.


By now, everyone knows who the characters are. Do we need to go over how hot Ranger is and what is job is? Do we need to constantly be reminded every other chapter of every book that Lula was a hoe? Maybe these characters hit their peak? Maybe they just don't have anything else to do? Maybe that's why Stephanie tries out new jobs? Because she's plateaued as a bounty hunter? Maybe?


☞︎ Ranger in spandex, though??

☞︎ "You can stop ironing. I don't have cancer. I'm not pregnant. Grandma isn't spending her social security check on online Bingo."
"There's always tomorrow."


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Review: Once Upon a Broken Heart

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Still reading. Stay tuned for updates



Excuse me, while I just dive right into a fairy tale.


I already absolutely adore this writing! Whimsical and fun and I just love it. Oh, and I'm on page 4. :)


First, the Bell. Is the Bell considered a character? If not, it should be. Sniffing out shifty dudes from page 1.


All stories are made of both truth and lies. What matters is the way we believe in them.

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Review: Born at Midnight

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Still reading. Stay tuned for updates.



Ya know, I thought maybe this time, Kylie would be less annoying, but no. Well, maybe a little. Her judge-y attitude is still too much for me. Everyone but her is a monster, freak, slut, whatever. However, she does grow out of this by the end of the book. I mean, it kind of has to be beaten over her head, but it happens. I appreciate that kind of character development. Her 'donating' blood to Della helped me like her so much more. It was a turning point for her.
I want to like Derek but that whole 'make you jealous' thing was just plain bad. Was it supposed to be romantic? Because fail. At least the other girl didn't mind. Eh. Definitely Team Lucas. He's sweet and thoughtful and was the 'bad guy' for the beginning, but is totally redeemed. Mostly because he didn't actually do anything wrong. But whatever. I like him.


By the half-way point, still drawn out. Let's get on with this soldier guy already...


⧫︎ Yeah, Mr. Pepper deserved more than just a mental hospital. Jail for him, for sure. Dirty old pervert.
⧫︎ So, Derek is better than Lucas because Lucas chose to leave to make everything easier for everyone and the camp not be shut down???



Not gonna lie. The idea of this camp is a tad cheesy, but I'm hooked. :)


__________________________________________________
If I take out the main character's whininess, the slut-shaming, the hypocrisy, and the protagonist's constant over-exaggerating, I may be tempted to like this book more.

Seriously, there is no middle ground with sex? Virgin or whore?

And the judgment here is ridiculous.

And oh, no. Daddy didn't call!

Grow up!

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Review: Dance Upon the Air

Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Trigger warning: Physical/Domestic Abuse



Thoughts:
I want to be Mia when I grow up.
Pretty accurate depiction of PTSD

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Review: The Maple Murders

The Maple Murders by Micol Ostow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: White Cat

White Cat by Holly Black
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Still reading. Stay tuned for updates


"Let me just steal your tongue real quick here."

Random Thoughts:
- Glad this isn't my family.
- Um, yeah, this testing doesn't sound ethical at all. Kind of reminds me of X-Men.
- Bullying someone "because they like to be bullied," is a bit too much like gaslighting to me.

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Review: The Program

The Program by Suzanne Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Trigger Warning: Suicide



I am having all the feelings right now.
Anger. Betrayal (is that a feeling?). Confusion. I mean, I could go through the alphabet.

But first, who even is Realm? A good guy? A bad guy? A little of this and a little of that guy? I don't know! He was so sweet. Like so sweet to Sloane when she arrived. I thought for sure it was going to have a ALERT: Love Triangle! but no. I mean, there was sort of, but not really. Even Realm knew that <3Sloane&James<3 are endgame here. Still, he gave it a valiant effort. But ugh, Sloane and James-so cute. Codependent, for sure, but cute nonetheless. They were so devoted to each other- even more than themselves. Normally, at their age, this would bother me. But given their situation and environment, I think it's okay. Maybe other teens need something like that.
Of course, that brings us to the main main topic: why are these teens going suicide crazy? I mean, sure the world sucks, but there is nothing written anywhere in the book about it getting worse. There was mention of antidepressants and vaccines. Perhaps because every bit of emotion has been banned, their depression is amplified by the guilt of simply feeling? Idk. Maybe.
Very eager to read more about these rebels and how Sloane and James will fit into that. And who will take the orange pill???

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Review: Get Out of Town

Get Out of Town by Micol Ostow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Archie is going through it, man.


...and mini crossover


I knew that living in squalor would have a benefit at some point. I'm glad I finally found it. - Jughead Jones
A serpent never sheds its skin.- The Southside Serpents


Takes place after season 1.
Title: Get Out of Town
Author: Micol Ostow
Series: Riverdale
Source: Scribd
Format: Audio


First and foremost any book that covers the rules of Surviving a Serial Killer per Scream gets points from me. **Geeking out that FP is played by Skeet Ulrich who was in Scream and fourth wall and whatnot.**Loving all the spooky fun in this one. Locked in the Lodge Lodge - yep, the Lodge Lodge - Archie, Ronnie, Betty, and Jug are hilarious. Grabbing each other's ankles, survival rules (thanks, Juggie), power outages. It's the perfect scary environment. :) The ending wrapped up so tidily. Normally, that would annoy me, but with Riverdale it makes sense. Of course, Hiram knows everything that happens, especially with Veronica involved.


I could say the melodrama -I mean, Archie stressing Ronnie and Reggie hooking up- while he is in prison like he has zero priorities, but honestly, that's Riverdale.

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Review: For the Wolf

For the Wolf by Hannah F. Whitten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



What I'm telling myself the Wilderwood looks like:

What looks like Little Red Riding Hood is a haunting Beauty & the Beast

"We've both been monsters. I'll love him, whatever he is."


"The Wolf and the Wilderwood twine together so, the weakness of one is the weakness of the other."



Title: For the Wolf
Author: Hannah F. Whitten
Format: Kindle & Overdrive Audio
Series: Wilderwood (1)
Recommended to fans of:


Points for no instalove! Insta-chemistry, sure. But this one is a slow burn and yes! So much tension between Red and Eammon. And when she becomes Lady Wolf, yeah, I don't know why that got to me so much. Oh, and the tension between them when she is about to leave tells me everything about how they feel despite him and his sense of duty. *Insert eyeroll*
However, I think there is more tension with the people Red left behind. Neve, Raffe (the voice of reason), and Arick are a hot mess. I did feel for Neve. The betrayal of knowing that she went through so much to get her sister back, Red had chosen to stay with the Wolf rather than coming back would have been a slap in the face. Adding that to her absence during the death of their mother, regardless of their personal relationships, only compounds that hurt.



The story does get a tad slow at times. And by a bit slow, I wish I could have skipped chapters altogether. Really wish Solmir would have made an earlier appearance. I think that would have made up for some of the lull moments of back and forth between Eammon and Red. Arick is just dumb. What a dumb move. A sweet, sacrificing, thoughtful, yet thoughtless move. *Sigh*

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