The Innocence Treatment by Ari Goelman Dystopian Mystery Science Fiction Suspense Thriller * * * Stars (Pretty good) Lauren Fielding has always been extremely trusting, generous, good natured, and friendly – so much so that her condition is viewed as a disability, because she can’t tell when people are trying to take advantage of her. She has to be supervised outside of her home and at school and has aides assigned to her to keep … Read more
Upgrade by Blake Crouch Dystopian Science Fiction Suspense Thriller * * * * Stars (Great!) After a near apocalyptic event, the world really cracks down on any sort of genetics research and technology. Logan Ramsay, whose mother (renowned scientist) was ultimately responsible for the Great Starvation, has become an agent committed to stomping out the illegal genetics black market. During a sting, he’s caught in a blast and infected with a gene-altering virus that essentially … Read more
I Am Not a Serial Killer John Cleaver #1 by Dan Wells Horror Mystery Supernatural Suspense Thriller * * * Stars (Pretty good) 15 year old John Wayne Cleaver is a sociopath and he is obsessed with serial killers. While he finds them fascinating, he’s also concerned that he might become one, so he comes up with rules he has to follow in order to keep that part of himself locked away. When a series … Read more
All These Bodies by Kendare Blake Historical Fiction Mystery Supernatural Suspense Thriller * * * * Stars (Great!) It’s 1958 and Michael Jensen, aspiring teen journalist, gets the opportunity to interview the prime suspect in a string of unusual murders, 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale, where the victims have been found exsanguinated (drained of all their blood). She’s caught red-handed (and red everything else as she’s covered in the blood of the dead when she’s arrested), … Read more
Sadie by Courtney Summers Mystery Suspense Thriller * * * Stars (Pretty good) Sadie has always looked after her little sister Mattie, but when their mother leaves them on their own, Mattie falls into a deep depression that only lifts when she finds out where their mother went. She becomes obsessed with finding her and going to her and it causes a lot of friction between her and Sadie. When Mattie attempts to hitchhike after … Read more
The Hawthorne Legacy Inheritance Games, book #2 by Jennifer Lynne Barnes Mystery Romance Suspense Thriller * * * * Stars (Great!) In her search to discover why billionaire Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to her, Avery Grambs uncovers a number of interesting leads and family secrets that put her in danger. She may have discovered a link between herself and the Hawthorne family that actually makes sense, but confirming it involves tracking down a … Read more
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book #1 by Holly Jackson Mystery Suspense Thriller * * * * Stars (Great!) Pippa Fitz-Amobi (Pip) decides to reopen a local murder/suicide case for her high school senior capstone project. Her teachers allow her to proceed with the warning that she is not to cross any ethical lines – something she does pretty much immediately when she reaches out to the alleged murderer’s brother Ravi to tell him … Read more
Verity by Colleen Hoover Horror Mystery Romance Suspense Thriller Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Verity is a very famous writer who happens to be in a serious condition preventing her from writing. Lowen is a very introverted writer who is presented with the opportunity to write as a co-author to finish Verity’s books. When she goes to Verity’s home to gather research on the book series, she finds herself falling for Verity’s … Read more
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel Realistic Fiction Romance Suspense * * * Stars (Pretty good) Zurika’s older sister has pulled out all the stops and is about to be married Bollywood style – a big, fat, Indian wedding, with singing, dancing, and all of the traditional trappings. Zurika is happy for her, don’t get her wrong, but she’s hoping to get into a prestigious musical program/college where she can develop her … Read more
Alone by Megan E. Freeman Novel in Verse Realistic Fiction Survival Suspense Tween (grades 6+) * * * Stars (Pretty good) Maddie and her friends plan a sleepover at her grandmother’s apartment while grandma is away. Everyone is supposed to lie to their parents about where they’ll be, so Maddie’s parents, who are divorced, each think she is staying with the other one. Their plans fall through, so Maddie winds up being the only one … Read more