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
Entwined by Heather Dixon Fantasy Romance Supernatural Suspense Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) A retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” fairy tale, but with more romance and suspense. It is about twelve princesses who are trying to find a place to dance after their father, the king, tells them they’re not allowed to. They find their way into a magical garden and discover the mysterious man, “Keeper,” who lives there. … Read more
Fever The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2 by Lauren DeStefano Dystopian Science Fiction Suspense Thriller Teen * * * Stars (Pretty good) Rhine and Gabriel made their triumphant escape in the previous book, but they didn’t bother to plan much further than that. Now, if they want to find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, they’ll have to make their way to New York somehow, and there are plenty of dangers in between. When they do finally reach … Read more
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey Science Fiction Suspense Thriller Older teen/adult * * * * Stars (Great!) Melanie attends classes with a number of other little kids, but she’s special. They all are in some respects, but Melanie’s intelligence, determination, and self-control set her apart. As the story unfolds, told from different characters’ perspectives, readers discover that the children are different in other ways, too, ways that require them to be … Read more
The Obsession by Jesse Q. Squanto Realistic Fiction Suspense Thriller Teen * * * Stars (Pretty good) Logan is a stalker. Delilah is the object of his obsession. Both attend an exclusive boarding school, though Delilah is a day student. When Logan sets up a camera outside her house to keep an eye on Delilah, he captures some unexpected footage, which he later uses to blackmail Delilah into being his girlfriend. But Delilah is sick … Read more