The Party by Robyn Harding

Hannah is turning sweet sixteen and has invited a few friends over for a night of celebration but things take a turn for the worse and tragedy strikes.

The party is to be low key and quiet but the girls have other things in mind. Things get out of control and Kim is awoken by Hannah with blood on her hand. One of the girls has been badly hurt. Fingers are pointed, Hannah's parents are sued and the school is divided.

Secrets spill off the pages because like any good mystery books, secrets are the key and no one event is responsible for the outcome but a series of events.

The story is told in 3rd person and from the point of view of 4 of the 5 characters. The story is revealed over six months focusing on different perspectives. Expect an easy and fast read.
This is one of those rare books in which it's difficult to like any of the characters  and the ending wasn't what I wanted or expected. Wasn't exactly sure if , I wanted to toss the book across the room or just stew in the moment of an ending that wasn't justified.

See All the Stars Aug 14, 2018 by Kit Frick

See All the Stars by Kit Frick

Hits bookstores August 14, 2018   

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

See All the Stars will draw you in and have you hooked from page one. 

There is a host of characters but our main character, Ellory is our storyteller. 

Her story flips back and forth between her, Junior and Senior year in, High School.

You are aware that an incident has occurred because the close knit group of friends, suddenly becomes torn apart, with Ellory becoming ostracized. Frick captures the mean girl, herd mentality relationships that happen among teen girls and how secrets and lies tear apart the foundation of relationships, regardless of how tightly knit the appear to be. 

The story line is well thought out and the characters are well developed. The words leap off the pages and keep you mesmerized. This is a stunning debut, with twists and turns. One of them is very predictable but the other one keeps you in the dark and when it is revealed everything falls into place, wrapping this book up with perfection. 

If you love, Pretty Little Liars, you will love, See all the Stars! 

  

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

Julia is a first generation, Mexican-American teen girl living in, Chicago. Her older, "perfect" sister is dead. Her relationship with her parents is strained at best. She will never live up to the expectations her mother has set for  her, she will never be Olga. Her father ignores her. Her parents are hardworking, strict and want, Julia to be a different version of who she really is.

Julia has realistic relationships with her friends, teachers and family. She is angry, brash and emotional all very common and understanding emotions from someone so young who is going through a tough time, later in the book her character undergoes an event that makes you understand her character at a deeper level and her character undergoes a change.

Julia  uncovers a secret(s) that her sister, Olga had and as they unravel, she realizes that, Olga isn't this perfect version, that she is very much human and she yearns for a different relationship with her sister. Wishing they had known one another better, been closer ....

This book is raw, gripping and grief fueled. There is, Spanish thrown in and it was very natural for me, as I often forgot I was reading passages in español. 

I am a first generation, Mexican-American and I connected with, Julia on so many levels. There are so many expectations and weight put on the shoulders of the generation of 1st born, Americans. We have to navigate both worlds, that of our parents and family and that of our own. We have to learn how to fit into both worlds and we often find ourselves slipping through the cracks. The struggles is real.

We are judged, we struggle, we overcome but we lose a bit of ourselves along the way. We are embarrassed and learn pride later on, our voice is seldom heard but yet we persevere. We are,  American and we are Americans. Julia is all of these things and more.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things By Iain Reid

Ever read a book and think to yourself, "What the fuck did, I just read?" because that just happened to me. It took me a while to actually unravel it all in my head and come up with my own theory/conclusion, which is what the writer wants you to do.

Here is the basics: We have our main character, Jake, who is an unreliable narrator. He is peculiar to say the least but very intelligent. He and his girlfriend embark on a trip to meet his parents. She uses this time to reflect in her mind if she should or shouldn't stay with, Jake. The visit to his parents house could be described as creepy and odd at best. After spending a short time there and having dinner they head back. It's a dark, snowy night and they are traveling the roads of a rural area when, Jake decides to make a stop at a school.

Right here.. this stop at the school is the unraveling of Jake and the creepy notch factor goes up. This is when things get out right confusing and you're scrambling to figure it all out.  I found myself re reading passages (something I seldom do) as I was certain I was missing something vital but I also wanted to finish the damn book as I was becoming increasingly irritated with it. Then it ends and you are left at WTF!

I suppose this might be one of those books that if you re read you would catch things and feel different about the entire thing but I don't want to reread it as I didn't care for it much in the first place. The characters and the story didn't deliver and I would suggest you pass on this one or read it if you don't have anything else in you to be read pile.

Bring Her Home by David Bell

Two teenage girls go missing and then their badly beaten bodies are found in the city park. One is dead and the other is clinging to life. 

Bill Price the father of Summer (the girl who is still alive) runs to his daughters side. Life can't seem to give him a break. He lost his wife a few years ago to an accident and now his daughter is in a coma.  Bill makes it his mission to find out who harmed his daughter and killed her friend, Haley, however things make a turn for the worst when he finds out the girl laying in the bed in a coma is Haley and not his daughter Summer.

Bill pushes himself further into the investigation intent on finding out who is responsible but he might just end up with more than he bargained for as the unraveling of secrets proves how little we really know about the people we love.

I found this book entertaining enough but was slightly disappointed because the mystery element of the story, wasn't suspenseful as it is loosely based on the true life story of  Laura van Ryn and Whitney Cerak. If you aren't familiar with their story you can find it HERE.

There is a lot of drama, a lot of weird things are happening and it's fairly predictable but it is an easy read as Bell knows how to tie things together and simplify them.