Tag Archives: contemporary

2016, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] The Girl Who Fell — Shannon M. Parker

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Book Title:       The Girl Who Fell (Standalone)
Author:           Shannon M. Parker
Number of pages:  320
Release Date:     March 1, 2016
Publisher:        Simon & Schuster / Simon Pulse
Pre-order Links:  
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo

Synopsis:

His obsession.
Her fall.

the-girl-who-fell-shannon-m-parker-book-coverHigh school senior Zephyr Doyle is swept off her feet—and into an intense relationship—by the new boy in school.

Zephyr is focused. Focused on leading her team to the field hockey state championship and leaving her small town for her dream school, Boston College.

But love has a way of changing things.

Enter the new boy in school: the hockey team’s starting goaltender, Alec. He’s cute, charming, and most important, Alec doesn’t judge Zephyr. He understands her fears and insecurities—he even shares them. Soon, their relationship becomes something bigger than Zephyr, something she can’t control, something she doesn’t want to control.

Zephyr swears it must be love. Because love is powerful, and overwhelming, and…terrifying?

But love shouldn’t make you abandon your dreams, or push your friends away. And love shouldn’t make you feel guilty—or worse, ashamed.

So when Zephyr finally begins to see Alec for who he really is, she knows it’s time to take back control of her life.

If she waits any longer, it may be too late.

(re: Goodreads @ The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker)

Author Info:

the-girl-who-fell-shannon-m-parker-author-imageShannon Parker lives on the Atlantic coast with a house full of boys. She’s traveled to over three dozen countries and has a few dozen more to go. She works in education and can usually be found rescuing dogs, chickens, old houses and wooden boats. Shannon has a weakness for chocolate chip cookies and ridiculous laughter—ideally, at the same time. The Girl Who Fell is her first novel. Find her at www.shannonmparker.com

Links: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– A standard YA contemporary opening that begins cutting open popular tropes and examines the romance in an imperfect light; a masterclass in detecting abusive and destructive relationships
– Small town vibes featuring students who are uniformly represented (no archetypes distinguishing bullies from nerds etc.)
– Complex relationships and corroding character frameworks; ensemble is rounded out with present parents and friendships that struggle at action/inaction
– Synopsis may prime the reader to dislike the antagonist and stifle that character’s depth
– Sports aspect isn’t integrative to make a difference if removed

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Initial Thoughts

I [figuratively] punched holes in many walls while reading this book.

Full disclosure: I received an e-ARC of The Girl Who Fell from Edelweiss. I extend thanks to Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse and Brittany @ Book Rambles for inviting me on this blog tour.

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Continue reading [Review] The Girl Who Fell — Shannon M. Parker →

2016, Book Review

[Review] Bird Box — Josh Malerman

15 Comments

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Book Title                  Bird Box (Standalone)
Author:                        Josh Malerman
Number of pages:  272

Synopsis:

josh malerman - bird box book coverSomething is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat–blindfolded–with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

(re: Goodreads @ Bird Box by Josh Malerman)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– I have no sales pitch. If you enjoy ambiguity, uncertainty, and if the blurb interests you, then by all means read Bird Box
– Psychological horror set in Detroit that feeds on the unknown; there is gore but it’s not over the top
– The writing is succinct and can feel choppy; displayed through past-and-present narrative
– Limited growth in a majority of the characters as they were generally dragged along by the plot

Initial Thoughts

This might be the shortest review I’ll go on record of having written.

Continue reading [Review] Bird Box — Josh Malerman →

2016, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] This Is Where It Ends — Marieke Nijkamp

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Book Title                  This Is Where It Ends
Author:                        Marieke Nijkamp
Number of pages:  292

Synopsis:

this is where it ends - marieke nijkamp - book cover10:00 a.m.: The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.: The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03 a.m.: The auditorium doors won’t open.

10:05 a.m.: Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

(re: Goodreads @ This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– A timely novel giving life to social circles shared by school shooters. However, the shooter isn’t given a voice
– Multi POV narrative; uses twitter, blog posts, flashblacks
– Set in Alabama and raises questions per the demographics and the representation of diverse inclusion of the physically disabled, LGBTQIA+, cultural (Spanish, Middle Eastern), mentally ill
– Some scenes overdramatized with cinematic flair
– Lacking motivation for the shooter and doesn’t really provide solid reasons as to why

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Initial Thoughts

This book join the ranks of most underwhelming titles I’ve read in 2015 (release is in 2016). Cover’s great, though.

Full disclosure: I received an e-ARC of This Is Where It Ends from Netgalley. I extend thanks to SourceBooks Fire for providing me the opportunity to review this book. 

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