A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa Sheinmel

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I had grabbed this one from the BN Book Haul Sale not really knowing what it was about other than the fact that it addressed mental health. A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa Sheinmel is a YA contemporary that follows Hannah after her friend Agnes had a terrible accident. Obvious trigger warnings are needed for mental illness, including psychosis, depression, and eating disorders.

When Hannah's roommate Agnes falls from their second story window and suffers severe injuries, Hannah finds herself in a mental institution. She sees on her file that she is "a danger to herself and others," but how can she be? Agnes was her best friend. She would never do anything to hurt her. This must all be a big misunderstanding. But as days pass Hannah realizes she might be in there much longer than she anticipates. That's when Hannah gets a roommate, Lucy. And Lucy might be just the person to help her through this ordeal.

There was a pretty good twist in this, and it was a very fast read. Parts of this were incredibly intense and I was really invested in what was going to happen. I don't think Hannah was a likable character, but I don't think she was supposed to be. I also heavily disliked her parents, especially towards the end, but again they were clearly supposed to be disliked.

While I've never been in a mental institution, I don't think the one in the book was very representative of real life. The way that Hannah was isolated, was never able to get clean until she was granted privileges to do so, had to do her business in a bed pan because they hardly ever let her out to use the restroom, and was only given fresh clothes every few days screamed patient neglect. There is an authors note in the back that said the author took liberties with some of these things, but I think it's important to portray all aspects of mental health accurately, so I wasn't a fan of this.

I was also not a big fan of the ending. If it had ended a little sooner in the story, it would have been fine and I would have been satisfied. If it had gone on a little longer, it would have been fine. But where it did stop felt jarring and unfinished, like the author didn't want to let go but didn't have anything else of substance to write.

I liked this book enough, but it definitely wasn't as good as it could have been, and taking liberties with something as serious as mental health really rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib

Cover Art Courtesy of St. Martin's Press

I have not read a book this captivating in a long time. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib is a haunting tale of eating disorders that follows Anna, a 26-year-old woman with anorexia. 

About the Book:

Yara Zgheib’s poetic and poignant debut novel is a haunting portrait of a young woman’s struggle with anorexia on an intimate journey to reclaim her life.  

The chocolate went first, then the cheese, the fries, the ice cream. The bread was more difficult, but if she could just lose a little more weight, perhaps she would make the soloists’ list. Perhaps if she were lighter, danced better, tried harder, she would be good enough. Perhaps if she just ran for one more mile, lost just one more pound.

Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, alone with her biggest fears – imperfection, failure, loneliness – she spirals down anorexia and depression till she weighs a mere eighty-eight pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, a peach pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Women like Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; Julia, always hungry. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day.

Every bite causes anxiety.  Every flavor induces guilt. And every step Anna takes toward recovery will require strength, endurance, and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street.

My Review:

This book was so engrossing that I just couldn't put it down. Told in present day mixed with flashbacks and patient medical reports, the story was hauntingly beautiful. It told the real story of anorexia, and really showed how eating disorders impact the families and loved ones of those that have them.

I absolutely LOVED that this read tackled eating disorders in grown women. So much fiction surrounding eating disorders focuses on teenagers/young adults, and while that population is definitely the most at-risk, adults do still experience eating disorders. It also did not at all glamorize eating disorders, as I've seen some fiction tend to do.

I flew through this story. I absolutely devoured every word of Anna's journey, and became so invested in not only her recovery, but the recoveries of all the girls at 17 Swann Street. It takes a lot for a book to make me emotional, but this one really did. I experienced a full range of emotions while reading, from compassion and understanding, to excitement and hope, to utter despair depending on what was happening. I do suspect this book could be very triggering for someone that is currently dealing with or has dealt with an eating disorder in the past. I will put a trigger warning on it for suicide as well.

Photo Courtesy of St. Martin's Press

About the Author:

Yara Zgheib is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a PhD in International Affairs in Diplomacy from Centre D'études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques in Paris. She is fluent in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish. Yara is a writer for several US and European magazines, including The Huffington Post, The Four Seasons Magazine, A Woman’s Paris, The Idea List, and Holiday Magazine. She writes on culture, art, travel, and philosophy on her blog, "Aristotle at Afternoon Tea" (http://www.aristotleatafternoontea.com/).

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this beautifully haunting read and for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib is out TODAY, February 5th, so be sure to pick up a copy! You can purchase the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indie Bound, or Powell's. 

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Ok guys, this book hit me, and hit me hard. It took me a while to get around to reading it (to the point that I actually had three copies in my possession at once), but now that I have I am so upset at myself for not making it a priority earlier. 

Huge trigger warning on this book for domestic violence, so keep that in mind.

In Yellow Springs, a few neighborhood women get together one night for some drinks around the fire. The next morning, one of them and her children are missing. What happened to Kristen? Did her soon to be ex-husband have anything to do with it? Are her and her twins even alive?

This was absolutely a slow burn book, which usually bothers me, but with this one I was hooked. I loved the two different points of view of Clara and Izzy, interspersed with a third that we can rightly assume is Kristen's. Izzy's radio show segment "Second Date Update" is so similar to one I listen to on the radio every morning! I could really see myself in Izzy's shoes as well, and she reminded me of myself back when I was in my early twenties-sort of just drifting through life, lonely but not really willing to admit it, and struggling in a job she didn't like.

It was pretty clear from the beginning what was happening, and I think it was supposed to be, but there was still a reveal at the end that actually made me drop the book. 

The importance of this book is not to be overlooked, as it really shines a light on domestic violence and the struggles a woman must go through to escape an abusive husband. The story, the characters, and the message were all powerful, and were the perfect level of entertaining while still tackling an important issue facing many women today.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much for St. Martin's Press for a finished copy of this read! Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser is out in paperback now, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Lost Soul, Be At Peace by Maggie Thrash

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

This is the first graphic novel ARC I've ever received, and the black and white threw me a little bit. I had to keep reminding myself that the final version would be in color, and keep trying to imagine what the color palette would be. Lost Soul, Be At Peace by Maggie Thrash is a graphic novel that acts as a pseudo-memoir and follows Maggie as the main character. When Maggie's cat Tommi goes missing in their own home, Maggie goes in search of her, only to find a ghost boy instead. Who is he, and what does he want? 

This book touched on a lot, and I mean a lot, of hard hitting subjects, including eating disorders, physical abuse, and sexual assault. It also focuses very heavily on Maggie's relationship with her parents. There was some LGBTQ+ representation, which I did enjoy, but overall this story seemed like a hodge-podge of topics thrown together. 

Unfortunately I did not like this story. It made no sense, and aside from maybe 10 panels, I didn't really see the point. I also did not like the art style, because like the story, it seemed rushed and thrown together. There was also a scene that seemed to make fun of a Chinese accent and that really rubbed me the wrong way.

I have not read Maggie's other book, Honor Girl, so I don't know if it's like this one or not. Personally, I don't understand the point of calling a book a memoir then saying at the end that only parts of it were accurate representation. Luckily this was a quick read, so I didn't waste too much time on it.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Thanks to Candlewick Press for sending me an ARC of this read! Lost Soul, Be At Peace by Maggie Thrash is out now!

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

This is definitely a read where the beauty of the writing inside is worthy of the beauty of the cover outside. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan is a gorgeously written fantasy steeped in Malaysian influence. 

This story follows Lei, a member of the Paper caste, the lowest caste in the kingdom. When royal guards come to take her away from her small village to become a Paper Girl, she is completely distraught. Paper Girls are the carefully selected courtesans of the Demon King himself, a man Lei deems responsible for her mother being taken away 10 years ago. The plot is all about Lei refusing to simply accept what has happened to her and her family and rebelling against what is expected of her, and maybe even finding love along the way in the most unexpected of places. 

I absolutely adored this read! I didn't really get into it for a few chapters, but once I did I was completely hooked! Ngan's writing is beautiful and completely envelops you in the culture of Ikhara. I loved all the characters, especially Lei, as they all responded to their fate differently. I loved the LGBTQ+ and Asian representation in this story. I loved the female empowerment and overall theme of girls taking their fate in their own hands. I do want to put a trigger warning on it for sexual abuse and violence, as this can get pretty heavy at times. There is also a pretty disturbing pet death. 

I am so excited that this is going to be a trilogy and am already desperate for more after that ending. This read has action, romance, intrigue, and so much more. I can't go into too much more detail without spoiling things, but I will just say that you definitely need to give this one a read! 

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Little Brown/Jimmy Patterson Books for an advanced copy of this beautiful read. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan is out TOMORROW, November 6th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

The Chaos of Now by Erin Jade Lange

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The Chaos of Now by Erin Jade Lange is a YA contemporary that follows Eli, a high school student obsessed with computers and coding. The book starts one year after one of Eli's classmates, Jordan Bishop, committed suicide by lighting himself on fire in the middle of the cafeteria, with bullying as the cause. There is definitely a trigger warning on this book for bullying and suicide.

Eli himself is a victim of bulling, having most recently been beaten up in the bathroom. But immediately following his beating, Eli is left a code in a computer language very few can understand. The code leads him to some new friends and a slot in a team for a major coding competition. But when the team's competition project turns into a vehicle for revenge on Jordan's death, Eli isn't sure he wants to stay a part of it, especially when his own secrets are at stake.

I really enjoyed this read! I liked all of the characters, and thought the plot was fast paced and engaging. This was definitely focused on the harm that bullying can do, but had a great techie aspect to it as well. I did think that some parts were a little bit unrealistic, both some actions and some repercussions. I absolutely appreciated that the love interest was not at all the center of this story.

Fans of books like Warcross, and those interested in computers, technology, and coding, would definitely enjoy this read!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Bloomsbury for an advanced copy of this read! The Chaos of Now by Erin Jade Lange is out TOMORROW, Oct. 2nd, so be sure to pick up a copy!

People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins was intense, there's no way around that. Focusing on gun violence, and touching on abusive relationships, the sexual abuse of children, white supremacy, and racism, this YA contemporary needs almost every trigger warning possible. Following six different teenagers, this book builds reasons why any one of them may pick up a gun and pull the trigger. It is clear from the beginning that someone will pull that trigger and someone will die, but who? Interspersed with poetry from the point of view of the gun itself, it places you into the shoes of each of these teenagers as you learn their hopes and their fears, and why each of them might be drawn to the weapon.

Writing an actual review of this book is difficult, because it punched me in the gut in so many ways that I don't really know what words are even appropriate. Everything from the point of view of the gun itself was chilling. Even though there were six main characters, their stories never got confusing.

The ending was incredibly sad, and an all too true reality. I've never read anything else by this author before, but it seems like she is known for hard-hitting reads. This book is incredibly important and relevant, but it's best to know going into it that it will make you disgusted, appalled, shocked, confused, and furious. One thing I didn't like was that the book made the argument that guns don't kill people, people kill people, and guns just make it easier. This is an argument typically used against strengthening gun laws. As someone who definitely advocates for stricter gun laws, that argument does not sit well with me.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster for a finished copy of this haunting read. People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins is out now, so be sure to pick up a copy if hard-hitting contemporaries are your thing!

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Synopsis

Cover Art Courtesy of Wednesday Books

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

"The fresh, nuanced, and fast-moving narrative will appeal to a range of YA and new adult readers, and serves as a larger examination on the way society interacts with true crime...It's impossible to not be drawn into this haunting thriller of a book. A heartrending must-have."

—School Library Journal, STARRED Review

My Review

My bookshelves are full of thrillers, both adult and YA, and this one is fully deserving of a spot on those shelves. Sadie by Courtney Summers is a YA thriller about one dead girl and another missing one. This story completely sucked me in from the beginning, and I flew through it in a few short hours.  It is told in two perspectives, the first being a radio podcast detailing the story of the girls, and the other from Sadie herself, the girl who has gone missing. I loved the podcast aspect, and found this to be a unique and thorough way to tell perspectives other than Sadie's and provide additional details. 

I really admired Sadie as a strong, motivated character who would stop at nothing to follow through with her mission. Her love for her sister spoke volumes, and she constantly put Mattie above herself, growing up way too early to ensure that her little sister was provided for (even when that sister acted spoiled and ungrateful). I also appreciated that she had a stutter, since this is a disability that many people have yet is underrepresented in literature. I would have loved to have seen more of Mattie, but that just wasn't the nature of this book.

The writing in this story was so descriptive and enveloping, I felt transported right into the scenes, watching Sadie pull her knife or question someone. This book was raw and gritty and real, both disturbing and beautiful all at once.

I do want to put a trigger warning on this book for child molestation and child pornography. This was dealt with in a tasteful manner, and it is important to bring these issues to light. Far too many children experience what the characters in this book go through every day.

Overall I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book, as twisted as it was, and it will be one that sticks with me for quite a while.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

About the Author

Artist Photograph Courtesy of
Wednesday Books

Courtney Summers lives and writes in Canada. She is the author of What Goes Around, This is Not a Test, Fall for Anything, Some Girls Are, Cracked Up to Be, Please Remain Calm, and All the Rage.

Twitter // Website // Instagram

A huge thanks to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press for a digital advanced copy of this read and for allowing me to take part in this blog tour! This superb thriller is out TOMORROW, September 4th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

This was definitely a unique and interesting read. Told in 100 chapters with 100 words each, What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee is a breath of fresh air in a sea of similarity. Small and mighty, this story, although short, packs a powerful punch. I do want to place a trigger warning on this book for rape and suicide before I jump into the review.

This story follows Will, a teenage boy who loves to walk. After his father's suicide, he started walking and hasn't stopped since. He walks to work through problems, to think about things, and to observe. He walks to his job at Dollar Only, and he walks to deliver presents to friends and neighbors. Will is very observant, and this story reveals his thoughts about things ranging from his boss to his family to the little boy down the street that waits for butterflies. When his childhood friend Playa is raped, Will walks to work though his feelings, deciding to deliver presents to her every day to cheer her up, and he walks to think though his father's suicide. Throughout the story, Will is also set on replicating his father's perfect cornbread recipe, but learns at the end that it was never really about the cornbread at all.

I really like the way this story was told, because although it was a short and fast read, the message of positive thinking was powerful and important. Will is such a kind character, always thinking of others. Considering everything Will has been through, I admire his positivity and his desire to cheer up those around him. I love the way that Will references music and song lyrics (especially Bowie!), and how he holds fast and true to the sayings his father left him with, no matter how cliché they may be.

Reading this, I felt an overwhelming desire to be more positive, to look on the bright side, and to appreciate everything around me. Will could have easily sunken into himself, but he instead focused on observing the beauty and people around him and appreciating them any way he knew how.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for sending me a finished copy of this read! What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee releases TODAY, May 15th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

The Elizas by Sara Shepard

Cover Art Courtesy of Atria Books

As a Pretty Little Liars superfan, I'm always drawn to Sara Shepard's books. The mystery and intrigue in all her plotlines always have me hooked, and her new adult thriller The Elizas was no different. I want to put a trigger warning for mental illness and suicide on this book before I jump into the review.

When Eliza Fontaine is pulled from a pool, her parents and doctors think it's a suicide attempt after an evening of drinking too much. She does have a history of them, after all, both evenings of excessive drinking and suicide attempts. But Eliza swears someone pushed her in. When no one takes her seriously, Eliza decides to investigate her case herself, set on proving that this was not a suicide attempt. But other things are happening to Eliza as well. She's zoning out, not remembering major life details, and acting erratic. Her first novel is set to be published soon, but when her family finds out about it and reads the story, they plead Eliza to stop the publication. But why?

This book is half Eliza plot, and half excerpts from Eliza's novel, The Dots, so this almost seems like two stories in one. The Dots follows Dot, a young girl plagued with seizures, and her aunt Dorothy. When The Dots starts to turn dark, Eliza begins to uncover some of that missing information in her life that may connect the fictional Dot and Eliza herself more than she initially thought.

This may be one of the hardest book reviews I've ever had to write, simply because the book was such a trip! Also, the way the two plots paralleled it's hard to say too much without spoiling anything. There are a lot of WAIT WHAT moments, in both the Eliza and Dot storylines. It read very quickly, as you bounce between The Dots excerpts and Eliza's own narrative. I absolutely adored Eliza as a character. Her penchant for the morbid and curious reminded me a lot of myself. Her chaotic thoughts were so well written that it was impossible not to get into Eliza's head and feel the same panic and paranoia she experienced.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Atria Books for a digital ARC of this great book! The Elizas by Sara Shepard releases TOMORROW, April 17th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner

Cover Art Courtesy of St. Martin's Press

I don't cry at books, I just don't. I get sad and do feel emotion for whatever is happening, but I don't ever shed physical tears. BUT HOLY WATERWORKS. This book got me. In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner melted my icy heart and sent tears streaming down my cheeks in droves. This story follows Klee (pronounced Clay), a teen struggling with his father's suicide, who in a moment of weakness hurts himself and ends up in a mental hospital (more fondly known as the Ape Can). It's then that he's forced to reconcile everything that's happened...with his dead father, with his mother, and most importantly with himself.

This book is 100% character driven, which is good because the characters were fantastic. Sister Agnes Theresa was such a joy! While at first she was a completely random character with her board games and snack delivery, she ended up being one of the biggest supporters of Klee.  I also absolutely adored Dr. Alvarez. I thought she was supportive and nurturing in all the right ways, letting Klee take his time with things and pushing just enough to let progress blossom on its own. Between what Klee did for her at the end and what she revealed about herself to him, I just couldn't hold myself together. I really didn't like Sarah, but I don't think I was meant to. She's the typical manic pixie dream girl who takes what she wants without giving anything back, and even at the end she just left a bad taste in my mouth. Klee's mother was a difficult character to crack, but the more the story developed, the more you start to understand why the "Ice Queen" is the way she is.

And Klee himself, I have so much to say about Klee (but I can't without spoiling too much). From his love of Van Gogh to his fierce loyalty to his father, Klee is emotionally complex and raw. I loved seeing him open up to everyone in the Ape Can, and you could tell that no matter how much he was struggling, he really wanted to understand what was happening and get better.

I loved all the stories and flashbacks with Klee and his father, and the tales he told Klee to teach him about life. The whole thing was beautifully written and like I said before, it takes a lot to touch me enough to make me cry, and this story succeeded. Trigger warnings for suicide and self harm are definitely needed, but the subject was touched on in a sensitive and tender way. This book was deep and emotional, and one that will definitely stick with me for a while.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A huge thanks to St. Martin's Press for sending me an early finished copy of this beauty. In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner is out TODAY so be sure to pick up a copy of this beautiful emotional roller coaster.

Honor Code by Kiersi Burkhart

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

***Let me start off this review by saying that it may be the most disorganized review I've ever written, and give a huge trigger warning for rape/sexual assault. I'm writing this not caring about grammar, or flowy writing, or anything else, because I walked away from this book so rage-y that I can't really put into appropriate words all the things I felt. Also my reviews usually do not contain spoilers, but this one does because it's the only way to accurately express my full range of emotions. If it turns out you love this format of review, let me know because this is different than what I normally do but I'm happy to change up my style if that's what you guys like reading!***

Honor Code by Kiersi Burkhart follows Sam, a fifteen-year-old girl who gets into an elite private school, where behind closed doors she learns and experiences things she never expected. From having to line up naked and be ranked by upperclassmen, to being forced to join a sports team, Sam isn't sure she's ready to handle what's in store for her, but her desire to earn a scholarship to college keeps her motivated to tough it out. When she gets matched with the hot upperclassman she's been drooling over for the school mixer, she thinks that she's finally fitting in, until that upperclassman takes advantage of her attraction to him and her naivety and rapes her when she went to him for help with schoolwork. Wanting to keep the school honor code sacred, Sam seemingly tries hard to avoid exposing the incident or identifying herself or the prosecutor, but she still fights in her own way to seek justice.

My thoughts through the first 2/3 or so of this book were all positive. We need more books about rape culture to bring the issue to light. This showed why girls don't come forward when they've been sexually assaulted, and details all the fallout that happens when they finally do. YAASSS, I thought, this book is everything. Until the plot twist happened that had me raging until the very last page (and I'm still raging, as evidenced by this review).

SAM DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET RAPED. It was her roommate Gracie that went through that traumatic incident, and Sam in some deranged quest to help her decided to make the story her own and go public with it. Yes, the boy who raped Gracie attempted to rape Sam too, but she was able to escape before anything happened. THIS MADE ME SO ANGRY. DO NOT TAKE SOMEONE'S SEXUAL ASSAULT EXPERIENCE AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN. I don't care if you want to help them. I don't care if you're trying to expose someone and make them seek justice. Rape is such a terrible and deeply personal occurrence that if the person who experienced it doesn't want to pursue reporting/exposing it or do anything about it, THAT IS THEIR DECISION, not yours. Please, come forward with your own experience of how he attempted to rape you, and make him face justice for that, but DO NOT MASQUERADE. 

Now I do think this book had some great themes. Exposing corruption in private schools, showing how girls are treated cruelly after coming forward with this type of information, and how rich white male privilege is unfortunately alive and well today are all things that it is important to address, and it did all these things extremely well. That being said, I just couldn't wrap my head around what Sam did and why this is ok. I'm not sure if it was her fifteen-year-old mind and care for her friend that made her think this was a good idea, or if she just wanted the spotlight, but this just does not sit right with me. And judging by the Goodreads reviews, I'm the only one that thinks this.

I've struggled a lot with my rating for this book because while the false rape report really set me off, I think it tried and succeeded to shine light on the overall rape culture issues our society faces today. I originally wanted to rate it as 2 stars, but I think I'm going to bump it up because despite the problematic plot twist, the message was good and the writing was fantastic, and I did really enjoy reading it.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Thanks to Lerner Publishing Group for allowing me early digital access to this book. Honor Code by Kiersi Burkhart releases on March 1st!

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Cover Art Courtesy of  Goodreads

The thriller kick I've been on lately is going strong! This book sounded right up my alley so I knew I had to give it a try. Unfortunately it left something to be desired. The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel follows Lane, who moves back to Kansas to live with her grandparents after her mother's suicide. What she doesn't know about is all the family secrets lurking within the walls of Roanoke, her family's home for generations. While at first she truly feels at home, as she gets older she soon realizes she needs to run, only coming back years later after her cousin Allegra's disappearance.

A huge trigger warning for incest is necessary here, although that's not why I didn't really like this book. The first half was great, really building to what I thought would be an epic finish, but the ending left something to be desired and kind of just fell off the thrill wagon. While I liked Lane, I didn't particularly like Allegra, and I thought there was too much Tommy and not enough Cooper in the story. And I won't even get started on how twisted the grandparents are, because that's half the plot right there.

This was a quick read with easy to follow writing, told in present day and flashbacks with occasional snippets from other Roanoke Girls from years past mixed in. It wasn't great, but it definitely wasn't bad, and I'm still glad I read it even if it was a bit of a disappointment at the end.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

This book was sent to me by Blogging for Books for an honest review.