Blog Tour & Book Sketch: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

THE CHEERLEADERS
By: Kara Thomas
Published By: Delacorte Press
Release Date: July 31, 2018
Series: None
Pages: 384
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.

That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.

There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.

First Thought After Finishing: I've missed reading mystery/thriller stories!

I tend to read a lot of fantasy, but sometimes it's nice to explore other genres. I really enjoyed Kara Thomas's book Little Monsters last year, so I was excited to see what happened in this story. As it turns out, I flew through the pages of this book, eager to unravel the mystery.

Monica can't escape being Jen Rayburn's sister. She has good friends and her high school dance team, but in her small town, she's still the girl whose sister died. And something about Jen's death--and all of her friends' deaths--has never seemed quite right to Monica. When she discovers a possible trail of clues, she knows that she cannot rest until she has uncovered the truth. And if the investigation five years ago was wrong, that means there might just be a killer on the loose.

A good mystery story keeps you turning page after page and always questioning your guesses, and that is just what The Cheerleaders did. Kara Thomas definitely has a knack for mysteries, weaving strong friendship and strained family relationships into the story. From the beginning, the clues leave more questions than answers, and Monica dives right in to solving them. Each time she figures out one piece of the puzzle, she finds something else to challenge the accepted story or casts suspicion back on everyone. Monica's present-day sleuthing is interspersed with flashbacks of Jen's life five years ago, which made for compelling reading, and I found myself trying to guess the real killer's identity right along with Monica. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that I was expecting just a bit more from the final reveal, but the ending does fit the book.

Beyond the mystery, there is a lot of character development. Monica has a lot of pressure on her shoulders after Jen's death. She desperately wants her mother's approval but worries that she will never do anything that is good enough. As she is pulled deeper into unraveling the mystery, she also has to confront her role in her family. Additionally, she doesn't work on the case alone. Monica befriends Ginny Cordero, who turns out to be a great friend. She is a quiet realist with a knack for bringing clarity to a situation, and I enjoyed learning more about her throughout the book. Finally, Monica has to sort through her feelings on a romantic situation. I appreciated the fact that romance was alluded to but definitely did not take over the story. Instead, Monica's character development is a great journey for any reader, teenager or teen at heart.

Most Memorable Aspect: The way the mystery has strong subplots and realistic characters.

~ ~ ~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ ~ ~

Kara Thomas is a true crime addict and the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, LITTLE MONSTERS, and THE CHEERLEADERS, all published by Delacorte Press. You can find her on Twitter (@karatwrites), Instagram (@kara__thomas), or at http://www.kara-thomas.com.

Find Her Online:
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

~ SEE THE FULL TOUR SCHEDULE ~
Week One:
7/23/18 - The Heart of a Book Blogger - Review
7/24/18 - A Dream Within a Dream - Review
7/25/18 - Portrait of a Book - Review
7/26/18 - Here's to Happy Endings - Review
7/27/18 - Books and Ladders - Review

Week Two:
7/30/18 - The Clever Reader - Review
7/31/18 - Diary of an Avid Reader - Review
8/1/18 - Never Too Many to Read - Review
8/2/18 - Confessions of a YA Reader - Review
8/3/18 - Adventures of a Book Junkie - Review

Week Three:
8/6/18 - Laura's Bookish Corner - Review
8/7/18 - The Phantom Paragrapher - Review
8/8/18 - Mama Reads Blog - Review
8/9/18 - To Be Read - Review
8/10/18 - Savings in Seconds - Review

Week Four: 8/13/18 - The Young Folks - Review
8/14/18 - Bookhounds YA - Interview
8/15/18 - Simply Daniel Radcliffe - Review
8/16/18 - Moonlight Rendezvous - Review
8/17/18 - Two Points of Interest - Review


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Blog Tour & Book Sketch: Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

LITTLE MONSTERS
By: Kara Thomas
Published By: Delacorte Press
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: For fans of Pretty Little Liars, Little Monsters is a new psychological thriller, from the author of The Darkest Corners, about appearances versus reality and the power of manipulation amongst teenage girls.

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

First Thought After Finishing: How in the world…?

A well-written mystery/thriller can be just the right palate cleanser after thick fantasy books. Little Monsters was exactly that, full of dark, twisted characters that made it impossible to look away.

Kacey Young is the new girl in Broken Falls. Escaping a tumultuous relationship with her mother, Kacey moves in with her father and falls into a brand-new family. She also makes new friends, shows promise in art, and has the opportunity to have a job. But when one of her new best friends goes missing, the semblance of normalcy that she’s created starts to unravel. Suddenly she doesn’t know who she can trust, and as she begins to piece together the clues of Bailey’s disappearance, she begins to realize that knowing the truth might be the scariest thing of all.

I’m not sure that any review could do the level of creepiness in this book justice. That is not to say that this book was scary in the conventional sense—though there certainly was a local ghost story that played a role here. No, what was the most frightening here was the portrayal of just how far emotions can go and what they can become warped into. Removed from the story, it seems nearly impossible to be believable, and yet…we all know what the world is like today.

At first, it was hard to connect with Kacey. Despite the fact that she enjoys staying in more than going out, she always seems to be hiding something. Snippets of her past are revealed throughout the book, but the picture never seems quite complete. Still, over time, I felt like I knew her better, and I wanted to reach through the pages and give her a hug. As much as I wanted to know all of the details of Bailey’s disappearance, I wanted to know that she would be okay.

The rest of the characters also have that unique quality of making you want to know them while also making you suspicious. It was hard to know who to trust, and there are definite twists to the story that make it difficult to fit all of the puzzle pieces together until the very end of the book. There is so much more I would like to say, but for the sake of spoilers, I will only leave you with a few words: Intriguing. Demented. Psedu-psychotic. And gripping.

Most Memorable Aspect: The levels of depravity reached by some of the characters.

~ ~ ~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ ~ ~

Kara is the author of the critically acclaimed THE DARKEST CORNERS. Her new book, LITTLE MONSTERS, is coming July 25th from Random House/Delacorte. She’s written for everything from her high school newspaper to Warner Brothers Television.

Find Her Online: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

~ SEE THE FULL TOUR SCHEDULE ~
Week One:
8/14/2017 - YA and Wine - Interview
8/15/2017 - The Best Books Ever - Review
8/16/2017 - BookHounds YA - Guest Post
8/17/2017 - Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Review
8/18/2017 - Adventures of a Book Junkie - Interview

Week Two:
8/21/2017 - Portrait of a Book - Review
8/22/2017 - Such a Novel Idea - Guest Post
8/23/2017 - YA Books Central - Interview
8/24/2017 - Feed Your Fiction Addiction - Review
8/25/2017 - Home of a Book Lover - Review


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Review and Giveaway: Notes from Ghost Town by Kate Ellison

NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN
By: Kate Ellison
Published By: Egmont USA
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: Mystery / Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publicist
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: They say first love never dies...

From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it’s only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There’s a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there’s a good chance she’s losing her mind completely—just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn’t really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It’s the only way she can save herself.



I really enjoyed Kate Ellison's first novel, The Butterfly Clues. It was a mystery that really revolved around the characters, and that was the case in Notes from Ghost Town as well. Even though the mystery was present, it was Olivia's journey that made the book memorable.

"I thought that all my mourning and pining for Stern meant that there was no room for another person. But maybe the heart is an organ on constant-ready, always waiting to try again, always open to the next best thing."

Olivia Tithe never expected to lose her best friend and first love. But she did. In the aftermath of everything, Olivia fears that she's losing her mind, just like her mother did. She's going colorblind, finding herself trapped in the "Gray Space" her mother always talked about, and she's powerless to stop it, powerless to bring Stern back, powerless to help her mother. Until Stern's ghost appears to her and says that the police have the wrong killer. As Olivia works to uncover the true person behind the murder, she finds herself caught up in emotional struggles she wasn't prepared for - trying to come to terms with her father's new marriage, trying to hold on to Stern, trying to move forward like everyone tells her to, all while trying to stay sane. Time is running out, and if she isn't careful, Olivia could end up losing everything - even herself.

"I stare up with him at that same blackness, the bigness of it spinning all sorts of strange philosophies through my head. All the usual, corny stuff about how small we all are and how far the ocean goes and how getting swallowed up in the unendingness of it all is both the loneliest sensation in the world and also the most comforting."

Notes from Ghost Town left me with mixed feelings. I already knew that I enjoyed Kate Ellison's writing, and the opening of the book was so striking, that I expected to love it. However, I kept finding myself pulled out of the story by little things, even though I wanted to be engrossed in it. It was fairly easy to guess the actual murderer early on, and although I had been excited to see the ghost element incorporated, it somehow didn't turn out to be what I hoped for. Her losing her sight and her seeing Stern never seemed to be connected, and I wish that those could have been integrated more.

Beyond the mystery element, however, the story was very emotional. Olivia had an overwhelming amount of change to deal with, and I sympathized with her through everything, especially her fighting her lingering feelings for Stern with her growing crush on Austin as well as her colorblindness impacting her ability to do art. Yet Olivia was stronger than she gave herself credit for, and I appreciated this. Even though she was struggling, and even though she was tempted to push everyone away, she still wanted to help her mother when everyone said she could no longer be helped, and despite the issues she had with her stepmother-to-be, she always loved Wynn, her future stepsister. But what really made this book was the writing, the inner monologue and insights that Olivia had. When I felt myself being pulled out of the story, the more introspective moments would pull me back in again. Everything else aside, these moments alone would make the book worth reading.

"You remember that it is important to be alive because there is love, even if you cannot touch it with your hands or your lips. There is love."

Although it is a paranormal mystery, Notes from Ghost Town is, at its heart, a book about the power of love - the strength it has, the strength it gives, and the importance of giving, receiving, and allowing love into your life. Kate Ellison certainly has a memorable way with words, and I'll look forward to seeing what she writes next.






~GIVEAWAY~
I am very excited to have one hardcover copy of Notes from Ghost Town and one paperback copy of Kate Ellison's previous book, The Butterfly Clues, to give away! Please note that the book will be coming directly from the publisher; please allow ample time for the book to arrive if you win.

The contest is open to residents of the US and Canada only. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

This contest will close on Friday, March 15 at 12:01 AM.

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Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

THE DEAD AND BURIED
By: Kim Harrington
Published By: Scholastic Point
Release Date: Jan. 11, 2013
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon


Goodreads Summary: A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?



I really enjoyed Kim Harrington's first two books, Clarity and Perception. Her books are fun, quick reads that draw you into the mystery and keep you hooked until you've solved it, and The Dead and Buried was no exception.

Jade has always wanted to move to a big city and escape her small town. When her dad and stepmother tell her that they're finally moving, she's thrilled. She even likes their new house - until she learns it's haunted. Her little brother sees a strange girl in his room, and it doesn't take Jade long to learn that it was a girl from her new high school who died last year. Jade is charged with finding her murderer, but the task isn't easy. Many people had motive, and it's hard for her to concentrate with one guy drawing her attention and another trying to draw it away. But the longer Jade takes, the more things there are at stake. Can she figure out who murdered Kayla and keep her house, her family, and her new life safe?

The Dead and Buried is one of those books that hooks you right away. I liked Jade from the beginning, both from seeing how she took such good care of her brother and from watching her defy social conventions when she started her new high school. She befriends one of the unpopular girls, catches the eye of the most popular guy, and finds herself drawn to Donovan, the shy artist who is clearly hiding something. Donovan was a character that I wanted to know more about, and one that I couldn't help but sympathize with. Then there was Kayla. Even though I liked seeing her diary entries to know what was going on inside her head, I have to say that it's a shame there wasn't much of anything redeemable about her, either as a human or a ghost. However, in a way her calculating nature made her intriguing.

There was another aspect to this book, and that was Jade's collection of gems. I really enjoyed learning what all of the different gemstones and what they meant. Beyond that, the mystery of the book was fairly easy to solve, but there were so many other aspects to the story that I was never bored. In fact, I wish the book could have lasted longer just to spend more time with the characters.

If you're looking for a mystery with depth to the characters, look no farther than The Dead and Buried. I'll look forward to seeing what Kim Harrington writes next! Also, if you've read the book already, or if you want a better idea of the characters, check out this fantasy casting post.

Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

TEN
By: Gretchen McNeil
Published By: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: Sept. 18, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery/Horror
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?



I don't often read a lot of murder mysteries or horror stories, but this modernization of an Agatha Christie play was impossible to pass up. Ten was the perfect book to read on a dark, stormy night for full effect (or during a bright, sunny day if murder mysteries aren't your thing).

What happens when ten teens are isolated on an island during a terrible thunderstorm? Like every horror movie expert knows: Murder. What Meg thought would be a fun - or at least possibly fun - weekend with her best friend Minnie and other local teens turns deadly after they watch a DVD with a murderous message. With each minute that passes, it seems more and more likely that the killer responsible for a recent murder has made it to the island and is now after everyone inside. With no chance of outside aide, Meg knows that it's up to her to find the killer...or risk being the one who's killed next.

First things first: Ten might be a murder mystery, but there is much more to the story. Gretchen McNeil brings a fresh voice to the YA market with a bit of snark that brought the characters to life. Within the context of the mystery we get to know all of the characters, especially Meg and T.J. Meg has always been a loyal best friend to Minnie and often in her shadow, but throughout the novel Meg really comes into her own. Minnie might have a crush on T.J., but as Meg and T.J. are thrown together in trying to solve the mystery, it becomes clear that they have a connection. Yes, somehow Gretchen McNeil manages to develop a really sweet romance in the midst of a suspenseful mystery, and it makes the story all the more enjoyable.

Ten is a book that you can't put down. Even before the murders begin there is never a dull moment, and after the first body is found the suspense builds right until the end. I loved the way that everything was tied together and how there weren't holes in the plot. The book will certainly keep you guessing right along with Meg about who the murderer really is.

If you enjoy murder mysteries, you will definitely want to add Ten to your reading lists. I know that I will look forward to reading more from Gretchen McNeil!

Review: Perception by Kim Harrington

PERCEPTION
By: Kim Harrington
Published By: Scholastic Point
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Series: Clarity (#2)
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery / Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

This summary may contain spoilers if you have not read the previous titles in the series. You can find my review of Clarity here.

Goodreads Summary: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.



I have been looking forward to Perception since Clarity proved to be such a great read last year. Although Perception doesn't have quite the same angle as Clarity, the story certainly doesn't disappoint.

Perception begins a bit after Clarity ends. Clare has returned to school and is trying to adjust to her newfound popularity. Instead of just bringing new friends, however, this popularity brings something else - a secret admirer who might also have a dangerous edge. As Clare tries to unravel her mystery, her brother struggles with one of his own. A spirit is trying to give him a message, but he doesn't know what it means. Clare wants to use her gifts not only to help determine her secret admirer but also to help police in the case of the missing girl in town, but would using her abilities really help or only put her in more danger? And as if Clare didn't have enough to deal with, there is still the matter of choosing between Gabriel and Justin...

As I began Perception, I was excited to return to Clare's small coastal town brought to life with vibrant descriptions and sometimes quirky but always memorable characters. Clare's life may have changed over the summer in Clarity, but she is still the same sharp-witted girl as before. However, she comes to grow even more over the course of this book. She develops a friendship with Mallory, a girl whom Clare previously overlooked in school. While I appreciated that Clare wasn't on her own in this book as much as the last one, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the constant reminders that this was Clare's first true experience of female friendship. We also see a different side to Perry in this book; his thread of the story is almost as important as Clare's and certainly one in which I was invested. And as for Gabriel and Justin...it is impossible to truly dislike either of them, despite some of their actions, and the connections that Clare has with both of them are very fully felt.

Like Clarity, Perception is a well-crafted mystery and quite a page-turner. Kim Harrington has once again skillfully woven false trails and surprises throughout the novel despite the inclusion of some obvious (but incorrect) conclusions. I loved how everything came together in the end, even if it the story was over before I was ready to say goodbye.

Perception is a perfect sequel to Clarity and one that still left me wanting more of the world and of these characters. I will look forward to seeing even more from Kim Harrington!

Review: The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

THE BUTTERFLY CLUES
By: Kate Ellison
Published By: Egmont USA
Release Date: Feb. 14, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dad's consulting job means she's grown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place--possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home.

But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire"--a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind.

As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagined--a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death.



I'll admit it - I first wanted to read this book because of the cover alone. In a sea of books with covers full of pretty girls in elegant dresses, this book stood out. (In fact, I did a whole feature on this book because of its cover - you can see that here.) However, once I started reading, it became clear that this book stood out for many more reasons, including great writing and an engrossing story.

If Penelope "Lo" Marin had to be described in one word, it would be this: obsessive. She collects beautiful trinkets, stealing them when she has to, and arranging them all just so in her room. She suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and feels an urge to tap and whisper to herself (in multiples of three, of course) to make everything alright. And finally, when she learns that a young girl named Sapphire has been murdered when it was almost her instead, Lo won't rest until she finds out who the murderer is. However, finding the murderer takes Lo to a new world, an area of the city known as Neverland. There Lo meets Flynt, a street artist who has the possibility of becoming so much more than just a tour guide. Even with Flynt's help, tracking a murderer isn't easy, despite her clues. But these clues could reveal more to her than she ever imagined...

I know what you're thinking - another murder mystery that can be easily solved. Think again. The Butterfly Clues might be a mystery, but it is more than that: It is truly a story of the characters. Almost everyone that we meet has their own story to tell, and I love that we get to learn them all through Lo's memory and investigation even if we don't meet them directly. Lo herself is such a memorable character. Not only is she forced to deal with constant relocation and the death of a sibling, but also she suffers from OCD; I'm sure I will remember her constant "tap, tap, tap, banana" for a long time. Because Lo is on her own and an outcast, she views the world differently, and this was refreshing to read. I also loved getting to know Sapphire. Her journal entries added so much to the story, making my heart break for her and for her life cut short. Finally there is Flynt...but I think I will leave you to find out for yourself about him.

Even though Lo's OCD habits took some adjusting to and the mystery could be predicted, there were definitely still surprises. Beyond that, though, the story was very well-written with both wonderful descriptions and insights. The dark, seedy world of this book came to life and made me fear for Lo's safety, and yet the characters and their stories were still moving. The mystery might be solved, but the characters' lives weren't, and I would have loved to know what the future had in store for them.

The Butterfly Clues was a fantastic debut novel from Kate Ellison, providing just what you would want in a murder mystery and more. I'll look forward to reading more from this author!

Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

THE NAME OF THE STAR
By: Maureen Johnson
Published By: Putnam
Release Date: Sept. 29, 2011
Series: Shades of London (#1)
Pages: 370
Genre: Paranormal / Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.



We've all heard stories about Jack the Ripper or other serial killers and wondered how people could do such things. In this day and age, with all of the technology we have, it seems like it would be nearly impossible to recreate these events. But when Rory Deveaux moves to London, that's exactly what starts happening...

When Rory's parents told her that she could pick where she went to school for her senior year, she chose a boarding school in London. It's a hard enough adjustment for her to get used to a new city, a more advanced school, and living with a roommate. If that's not bad enough, someone has started recreating the murders of Jack the Ripper, and Rory's boarding school is in the area near the crime scenes. And then things really get strange. Rory sees a man that nobody else seems tobe able to see, not even her roommate who was with her. Then she gets a second roommate who never seems to do any schoolwork. Finally, there's a mysterious boy who always seems to be hanging out in the library. As Rippermania continues to sweep the city, life becomes increasingly more complicated for Rory. Could it be that she's the murderer's next target? And if she is...why?

First of all, I love books set in foreign cities. I've only spent a few days in London, so it was great to explore more of this city in this book. I really enjoyed the history that was incorporated in this book. This book revolved around Jack the Ripper's infamous murders, and we were not spared any of the details. Although this book is from Rory's point of view, occasionally an outside perspective would be introduced that added to the heightened sense of Rippermania, which I found very effective. I also appreciated how the mystery is not as cut and dry as it first appears. There is more to the murderer than just his elusive qualities. There is, in fact, an entire world of ghosts and secret police hidden in London into which Rory finds herself inducted. This added paranormal element really made the book intriguing.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and learning more of their backstories. When the action seemed stalled, the interaction among the characters balanced this. I did have one complaint about this interaction, however, and that was the romance between Rory and Jerome. It seemed almost out of place; I would have liked to have seen it developed more. I was also slightly disappointed with the murderer's reasoning behind his actions. While there is some closure at the end of this book, there is also an unexpected twist that should be interesting to watch play out in the next book.

Complete with interesting characters, unexpected plot twists, and a little bit of history, The Name of the Star will keep you guessing and keep you reading right until the very end. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER
By: Michelle Hodkin
Published By: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: Sept. 27, 2011
Series: Mara Dyer (#1)
Pages: 450
Genre: Paranomal / Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: BEA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.



This has to be one of the most hyped books of the year, as well as one of the most controversial. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to read it. Once I started it, if I could have read this book straight through, I would have. It's that engrossing, and when I was reading, all I cared about was figuring out the question we've all seen: Who is Mara Dyer?

After surviving a horrible accident, Mara wakes up in the hospital with no memories of how she got there. Once her parents tell her that her best friends all died while she survived, she begs to move away. The family moves to Miami, where Mara and her older brother Daniel attend private school. There Mara meets Jamie, the token best friend, and the beautiful and intriguing Noah Shaw. And then strange things start happening. Mara is eager for her memory to return, hoping that she will start to understand everything, but each piece of the puzzle only leaves her more confused. Not only does she have to fight to stay relatively sane, but also she has to fight her growing attraction for Noah, about whom she has been warned. But Noah seems different to her, and he could just be her key to unlocking the mystery surrounding her.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a perfect blend of mystery and romance, with a dash of the paranormal. But even without the "great mystery," as it were, I think this book would still be incredibly good. Michelle Hodkin definitely has a way with words. The quality of writing and the depth of the story made me forget about everything else. The characters were so intriguing that I didn't mind reading about their day-to-day activities. They each had their own baggage and their own stories to tell, which in some books can be overkill, but here it only made me care about them all more. And Noah Shaw...he is swoon-worthy. It's almost impossible not to fall in love with him. Learning about him was just as exciting as learning about Mara. These are two characters that actually complement each other very well.

If you've read other reviews of this book, then what I'm about to say will come as no surprise. About three quarters of the way through the book, things start changing. I'll say it: Things get downright weird. There were times I was confused. My questions weren't answered by the end of the book. BUT. This book is a mystery. It's told in first person, so we only know what Mara knows. Mara doesn't understand everything, so how could we? I definitely wanted more explanations, but I believe that they will come in the next book. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy speculating what else Michelle has in store for us in this highly inventive, obviously very complex story.

This is a book that deserves its hype and then some. The overall mystery is so intricately weaved, and with the addition of unforgettable characters, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a fabulous debut novel. I am already eagerly awaiting the sequel!

Review: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

TEXAS GOTHIC
By: Rosemary Clement-Moore
Published By: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 416
Genre: Paranormal / Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.



I used to love ghost stories as a child, especially ones that were somehow rooted in truth or legend. When I saw that this book was a ghost story that added in witches and was set in Texas, I knew I had to read it. And by "had to," I mean that I stayed awake until after 2am one night so that I could finish it.

Amy Goodnight would like to be normal, but unfortunately for her, that's impossible. Her family has magic, and she has learned to be careful around their spells and her own tendencies toward witchcraft, even going so far as to be the buffer between the world and her family. When she offers to take care of her aunt's ranch for the summer, she thinks that her ghost hunting days are over. But life has other ideas. Amy suspects that something is amiss when long-buried bodies are discovered on the neighboring ranch. Then there is a ghost who seems to be haunting her. And finally, it seems like someone doesn't want these bodies disturbed. In a small town, gossip flies, suspicions run high, and there's no escaping your family. Can Amy figure out what the ghost wants and help him, all while staying safe? More importantly, can she do it with the devastatingly handsome distraction of her neighbor?

This book has everything you could want in a ghost story: mystery and suspense are woven with magic and folklore, and to top everything off, there is a dash of romance. At times it almost seems as though there are two mysteries unfolding at the same time, and the story kept me guessing at the truth until close to the end. The characters really made this novel; in fact, Amy is probably one of my favorite characters that I've read this year. She's not afraid to speak her mind, and what she says is often snarky but usually incredibly amusing. All of the dialogue was great, from the debates between Amy and her sister Phin (think female version of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but a witch) and the constant banter between Amy and Ben, the charming (or not, depending on the day) neighbor. I loved the way that the relationship between Ben and Amy grew; the tension and frustration finally led to understanding and attachment. There are also references to other books as well as pop culture that I enjoyed seeing interspersed in here.

I also loved the vivid descriptions and the setting of this book. The story truly came to life, and it was that along with the mystery that kept me awake and reading late into the night. Even though this is a stand-alone book, I would still love to see these characters again and know if any other unusual things happened to them.

Texas Gothic is a perfect summer ghost story, complete with a refreshing voice and a captivating tale. I will certainly be picking up more of Clement-Moore's books!

Review: Clarity by Kim Harrington

CLARITY
By: Kim Harrington
Published By: Scholastic Point
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Series: Clarity (#1)
Pages: 242
Genre: Paranormal / Mystery
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her.

It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?



What do you get when you combine a family with psychic abilities, a small tourist town, and an unsolved murder? Add a little romance to the mix and you have Clarity, a captivating debut novel by Kim Harrington.

Clare Fern is biding her time until she can go away to college. Raised in a family of psychics, she has always been the outcast at school and relied on her brother and his friend for company. Things seemed to change when she dated the mayor's son, but when that relationship ended, so did her respite from the teasing. But this summer, things might change. When a tourist is found murdered over the July 4 weekend, the town's new detective is expected to solve the case. But Clare's ex-boyfriend Justin knows what she can do and wants to enlist her help. Clare soon finds herself not only having to work with Justin but also with Gabriel, the detective's attractive son, to try and solve the murder. But as they get deeper into their investigation, the stakes get higher, and soon nobody is safe. Will Clare be able to see the investigation through in one piece...and with her heart intact?

Clarity was a great blend of mystery and paranormal elements. As much as I enjoyed watching the Fern family use their psychic abilities, I really loved following Clare, Justin, and Gabriel as they worked to solve the murder. The story was fast-paced with one surprise after another; I started reading it one morning and didn't put it down until a couple of hours later when I finished it. The chain of suspects as well as the unexpected events during the investigation kept me guessing who the murderer was right along with Clare. In addition, everything from the setting to Clare's emotions were very vivid. It was easy to identify with her, from her desire to protect those she loved to her internal struggle about how to balance the feelings that never quite disappeared for Justin with her growing attraction to Gabriel. The book continued to be a roller coaster (in a good way) until the end.

I wish that this book had been longer, because I definitely wanted more. I have to admit that the ending seemed a bit rushed and the explanation was not completely believable. However, I did enjoy the role that one of the smaller characters played in the outcome. Also, even though the murder was solved, things were left open between Clare, Justin, and Gabriel. I'm curious to see what Clare decides to do in Perception, the sequel.

Clarity has a world and cast of characters that it's easy to fall in love with. This was a fabulous debut novel, and I can't wait for the next book!