Book Review #531 - The Notebook (The Notebook #1) by Nicholas Sparks

Set amid the austere beauty of the North Carolina coast, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner recently returned form the Second World War. Noah is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.

Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. It is a story of miracles and emotions that will stay with you forever.

My Rating: 3/5

This was my first Nicholas Sparks novel. This book was completely different to what I had expected. I thought it was going to be sappy and over the top instead it too smart for that. 

The realness of the characters is what really propels this story. Noah was my favourite character as I felt like I understood him from the very start. Ali however, at times annoyed me as I felt like she thought she was too good for Noah. 

Overall, the romance didn't really bother me. If they hadn't have ended up together at the end of the book I don't think it would have bothered me at all but the character development was truly phenomenal and I am definitely going to be reading more of Nicholas Sparks. 

I know there is a sequel to this book, The Wedding. I will probably read it at some point in the future but as I am okay with how the book ended I'm not too bothered if I never read it. 

Book Review #530 - Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) by Janet Evanovich

Hard Up

Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum has a big problem on her hands: Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared. Evelyn's estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. Finding a kidnapped child is not an assignment for a bounty hunter. But Evelyn's grandmother lives next door to Stephanie's parents, so Stephanie follows the trail left by Annie and Evelyn-and finds a lot more than she bargained for.

Hard Risk

Steven Soder is somehow linked with a very scary Eddie Abruzzi. Trenton cop and on-again, off-again fiancé Joe Morelli and Stephanie's mentor and tormentor, Ranger, warn Stephanie about Abruzzi, but it's Abruzzi's eyes and mannerisms that frighten Stephanie most. Stephanie needs Ranger's savvy and expertise, and she's willing to accept his help to find Annie even though it might mean getting too involved with Ranger. Stephanie, Ranger, Lula (who's not going to miss riding with Ranger), and Evelyn's lawyer/Laundromat manager set out to find Annie. The search turns out to be a race among Stephanie's posse, the True Blue Bonds' agent-a Rangerette known as Jeanne Ellen Burrows-and the Abruzzi crew. Plus, there's a killer rabbit on the loose!

Hard Eight

Strap on your helmet and get ready for the ride of your life! Hard Eight. The world of Stephanie Plum has never been wilder.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I found myself in a bit of a reading slump and having fallen behind in my reading challenge (I read this book in late December) at the worst possible time I decided to pick up this book because it seemed like the perfect time to read it. 

I recommend this series whenever you find yourselves in a reading slump as these books are fast, easy to read and not to mention hilarious reads. 

For those who don't know much about this series, it's an adult crime series that follows protagonist Stephanie Plum, a woman who upon losing her job sets out to become possibly the world's worst bounty hunter in history. 

These books never fail to make me laugh with its weird characters, awkward moments and Stephanie's inability to look after her car. 

The love triangle element in this series went in the opposite direction for the first time. I am not too interested in the romance on either side of the triangle. 

Book Review #528 - The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.


Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.


All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.


So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.


Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.


The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

My Rating: 3.5/5

I had mixed expectations about this book. On the one hand the fact that it was written by one of my favourite authors (Clare) and one of the authors high on my TBR pile (Black)  made me intrigued. 

On the other hand however, the amount of reviews I had read referring how similar it was to Harry Potter really threw me off. 

This book really surprised me by how unlike Harry Potter it was. The protagonist, Callum Hunt reminded me of a mixture of Percy Jackson and Hiccup (from How to Train Your Dragon). 

The Magisterium (the school) was a gothic version of Hogwarts, and the tunnels that Call and his friends (Aaron and Tamara) constantly got lost in reminded me of the Chamber of Secrets. 

The magic element in this story is where it really sets itself apart from Harry Potter. In Harry Potter they obviously use wands whereas in this book it is more elemental. 

The ending had numerous plot twists - the main one of which I predicted fairly early in the book. 

Book Review #527 - Emma Hearts LA (Heart Series #2) by Keris Stainton

Emma's not sure that LA's for her, but when she accompanies her sister Bex to an audition, a chance meeting with a teen TV star starts to change her new sunshine lifestyle for the better... But what about Oscar, so far her only friend in LA, who's turning out NOT to be the idiot she thought he was?

Soon Emma begins to find herself torn between two boys and reconsidering her entire future.

Maybe LA's not that bad after all.

My Rating: 3/5

This is the sequel/companion to Jessie Hearts New York which I read just over 2 years ago. 

My main reason for reading Jessie Hearts New York was simply because it was a tourist story about a city I have wanted to visit just about all my life. 

For that reason, I always had expected to not like this one as much as the first, but I was wrong. 

Whilst this book didn't do as good a job at showcasing the city in which it is set like the first one, I thought it made up for it with the more interesting characters. 

Oscar, the main male character reminded me of Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door and I would have liked more of him as I found him the most intriguing out of all of the characters. 

The plot, although basic was light and fun and would make an ideal summer/beach read. 

Book Review #526 - Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It's quiet and peaceful. You can't get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere's museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe's psychiatric practice.

Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver's license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she's dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn't want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?

This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

My Rating: 4/5

This is the most unique and original book I have read in a really long time. 

Death and the afterlife is a very grey area which made it a very interesting subject. 

The ability to talk to dogs was something that I enjoyed as I am very much a dog person. 

I feel like the magnitude not only of the plot but also the setting interfered with the character development as even though I didn't hate any of the characters, I didn't really care for them that much either. 

The whole love aspect didn't blend in well with the overall feel of the book and when introduced, it took the story a completely different direction from where I wanted and expected it to go. 

I really loved the whole idea of this kind of afterlife and probably would happily read a book just about the mechanisms surrounding it.  

Book Review #525 - The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events #12) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.

Probably the next-to-last thing you would like to read about are a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing alon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, and an unsavory curry.

Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such a s the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the last book you will read.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

My Rating: 3/5

This is the second last book in this series and so things are finally starting to wrap up. A lot of the characters (especially the villains) from the previous 11 books made an appearance which was really interesting and humerous. 

I liked how there were some sentences written in a mirrored type format as for a children's book it is important to be fresh and unique. 

The setting of the hotel was interesting and it had a very Hogwarts feel to it at times. 

Book Review #524 - The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

In the end, all that’s left is an echo.

Before, Violet's morbid ability to sense the dead led her to uncover dark murders and long-buried secrets in her small town. Now that she's working with a special investigative team, Violet hopes she can help even more people - whether by saving a life or catching a killer.

Although she's relieved to finally be honest about what she can do, her instant connection with her mysterious partner, Rafe, is both confusing and unsettling, and their unique bond creates tension with her boyfriend, Jay. When she discovers the body of a college student murdered by "the collector," Violet refuses to give up on the case. With her own relationship on the line, Violet doesn't realize that the serial killer is looking to add to his collection and that she may have caught his eye. Will the life Violet has to save be her own?

My Rating: 3.5/5

This book is the sequel to The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead. 

I liked this book significantly less than the first two. It just felt like an entirely different book altogether. 

In the first two books, Violet's ability was used by chance and was the sole focus of both books. In this book however, Violet actively uses her ability and the focus is more on the special unit within the police force which Violet is the newest member of. 

The special unit that Violet joins reminded me of The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong. 

I liked that new characters such as Rafe and the others Violet works with had more development but I didn't like how others such as Jay and Chelsea were almost non-existent. 

The chapters from the collector's perspective were my favourite part of the book as I found it really chilling. 

The ending was suspenseful and I wasn't able to put the book down during that portion. 

I am looking forward to reading the last book now given the consequences of the way this book ended, however, I did not like how this book eluded to the possibility of a love triangle. 

Book Review #523 - Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found. Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally, she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

My Rating: 4/5.5

This book is the sequel to The Body Finder which I read just under 3 months ago. 

I don't think I liked this book as much as the first but I definitely still enjoyed it. 

I loved the inclusion of new characters who were able to immediately involve themselves in the plot and were also able to blend well with the existing characters. 

Jay annoyed me for the first portion of the book. I didn't like how he would treat Violet like she was more his sister or friend rather than his girlfriend and then get angry when she wasn't able to communicate with him. 

Because the beginning of the book mainly deals with Jay and Violet's relationship, the whole mystery and key plot elements were a little slow to arise. 

Chelsea is such a loud and dominant character. She is definitely my favourite of all of the other secondary characters. I would love to have a chapter or anything really from her perspective. 

This book perfectly sets up the third book, The Last Echo with Violet thinking of releasing her life long secret with the knowledge of others with similar secrets. 

Book Review #516 - Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

My Rating: 4/5

This is the second Aimee Carter book that I have read after I read The Goddess Test around 3 years ago. 

I really loved the dystopian setting with this book. I have heard the ranking system is similar to one used in the Legend Trilogy but as I have yet to read that series it was entirely unique to me. 

I found however that this book spent too much time outlining the basic premise and so the ending was a little rushed. 

Whilst nothing about this book really stood out I would definitely say that this was above average as I really loved the political aspects in the Hart family. 

The characters, especially the Hart family were all interesting people. I found that I never knew which of them were trustworthy and found that my opinions about certain characters changed numerous times throughout the book. 

The romantic aspect was a lot weaker than I think had been intended. It wasn't that I didn't care for Kitty's relationship with Benjy it was that I felt like it wasn't that much in focus at anytime throughout and also the book starts with them already in a relationship which I didn't like. 

The sequel to this book, Captive is to be published sometime this month and I cannot wait to read it as this one ended on a huge cliffhanger. 

Book Review #514 - Knocked Out by My Nunga-nungas (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #3) by Louise Rennison

Georgia Nicolson is now the girlfriend of the Sex God (aka Robbie), and things are wonderful. Except her loony parents are dragging her off to Och Aye land (aka Scotland), and the Sex God's band's chance at a record contract has left her something of a "pop widow."

Then up rears temptation in the form of old flame Dave the Laugh. Is Georgia about to become a shameless vixen?

My Rating: 3/5

I didn't particularly enjoy this book, at least not as much as I remember enjoying the first two. 

This book was just one long conversation. That's all the book seemed to be about. 

For a third book in a series the lack of development is bothering me. These seem to be more stand alone books that happen to contain the same characters. 

Robbie is always depicted as too perfect but to me he seems very boring. The way Georgia talks to Jas and her overall attitude in this book annoyed me endlessly. 

I will probably end up reading the rest of this series but it probably won't be for a while. 

Book Review #512 - The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Piorot #1) by Agatha Christie

The famous case that launched the career of Hercule Poirot. When a wealthy heiress is murdered, Poirot steps out of retirement to find the killer. As the master detective makes his way through the list of suspects, he finds the solution in an elaborately planned scheme almost impossible to believe.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I finally decided to read an Agatha Christie book. I have been wanting to read more mystery books and thought Agatha Christie was the perfect place to start. 

I was a little surprised at first to discover that Hercule Piorot, having the series named after him wasn't the narrator of the book although I was later glad this was the case as I didn't particularly like him. 

Piorot constantly talked down to other characters, Hastings the narrator in particular and I overall just found him quite arrogant and condescending. 

The mystery aspect on its own was amazing. It was a little slow paced but this enabled me to fully grasp what was happening and get a real understanding of the broad diversity of characters. 

I am really looking forward to reading the rest of this series and hope the mysteries are all as unpredictable as this one. 

Book Review #510 - The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events #11) by Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater.

In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing.

As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

My Rating: 4/5

I was actually surprised by how much I loved this book. I haven't been the biggest fan of this series so far but with this book I actually started to understand why these books are as popular as they are.

I felt like I had to finish this series because the companion series All the Wrong Questions has started referencing this series a lot and I didn't want to get confused. 

This book was very adventurous, action packed and fast paced. It was also filled with the trademark Lemony Snicket wittiness of course. 

In this book the Baudelaires end up on a submarine and learn a lesson about distinguishing friends from foes. 

I am looking forward to reading the remaining 2 books in this series as I found that I am liking each book more than the one before it. 

Book Review #508 - Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. 

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

My Rating: 4/5

This book is the sequel to Beautiful Disaster which I read a few months ago and absolutely loved it. 

The first book is told from Abby's perspective whereas this book is told from Travis'. Because this is more or less the same story, just with a different narrator I was surprised by how different that made the story. 

There were a few holes in the story which could be filled in by having read Beautiful Disaster so I would recommend reading the books in order to save confusion. 

I was really interested in reading this book from Travis' perspective because he is such a diverse and dynamic character whilst also being somewhat of an enigma. 

The large majority of contemporary books are stand-alones with either split narration or single narration so I love how these books broke away from that and did something unique. 

I was a little surprised by the epilogue because I know there are other book in this series (from Travis' brothers point-of-views) and so didn't expect the epilogue to be set so far into the future. 

Book Review #504 - Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror by Various Authors

Don't turn out the lights. Don't go out alone. And whatever you do, don't let down your guard. Because your neighbors might seem normal, but why do they collect knives and eat their steaks so bloody? And when the boy of your dreams finally asks you out, why is there something so . . . lupine . . . about him? And if your brother's fear of the dark is so childish, how do you explain those shadows creeping out of your closet? In thirteen blood-chilling stories from true masters of suspense, including five New York Times bestselling authors and four Edgar Award nominees, nothing is what it seems, and no one is safe.......

My Rating: 3/5

This is an anthology of short stories all which were more suspenseful than horror. I will do a mini-review of each story below:


Welcome to the Club by R.L. Stine - This one had way too many twists at the end that left me feeling flat. 


She's Different Tonight by Heather Graham - This story was practically about nothing and the big reveal at the end was entirely predictable. 


Suckers by Suzanne Weyn - With just about every anthology I have read there is always one story that I find I wished was a full length novel. This was the story for me in this book. The concept was interesting but the lack of development killed it which could have been addressed in a full length book. 


The Perfects by Jennifer Allison - This story was the first to have a female protagonist which was refreshing. This story had the potential to be suspenseful but the constant foreboding made it entirely predictable. 


Shadow Children by Heather Brewer - This was one of the more unique stories in this anthology. It was a little too over descriptive which slowed it down. 


The Poison Ring by Peg Kehret - This was my favourite story in the book. It was engaging, suspenseful and action packed. 


Dragonfly Eyes by Alane Ferguson - This was by far the shortest story as it was around 8 pages long but it was very haunting, thrilling and suspenseful. The characters were very stereotyped. 


Jeepers Peepers by Ryan Brown - This story was very atmospheric and it had a very cinematic feel to it. I found it very suspenseful but it fell apart towards the end. 


Piney Power by F. Paul Wilson - This was a very exciting and thrilling read however there were too many characters for such a short story. 


The Night Hunter by Meg Cabot - This was a very thrilling and enthralling read which definitely had the Meg Cabot quality about it. 


Tuition by Walter Sorrells - This story was gripping from the first sentence until the very last. 


Tagger by James Rollins - This was my least favourite story in the book. It seemed to drag on and was longer than it needed to be. 


Ray Gun by Tim Maleeny - This story was a great combination of suspense, sci-fi and action.    

Book Review #503 - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children #1) by Ransom Riggs

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Based on the cover of this book I had expected it to be more in the horror genre than the mystery/fantasy that it was. 

I also found this book extremely slow paced which impacted my overall enjoyment of it. I really enjoyed the concept though but it just needed a bit more with the execution. 

I really loved the picture aspect of the book. I loved how they were actually in relation to the story and weren't just random like I had thought they were going to be. 

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters and for this reason I would have liked more character development. 

I will definitely be reading the sequel as I really enjoyed the fantasy aspect and want to see how that develops. 

Book Review #501 - The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the 16 year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend, she is more disturbed by her 'power' to sense dead bodies - or at least those that have been murdered.

My Rating: 4.5/5

The basic premise of this book reminded me of the adult fiction book I read a few years ago Grave Sight. I liked how this book put its own unique twist on this though.

The first half of the book mainly deals with Violet's apparent unrequited feelings towards her childhood friend Jay.The only part of this that irritated me was the unrealistic nature of just about every girl in their school throwing themselves at him.

I loved this book though. It wasn't overly suspenseful but it did blend the small amounts of suspense with the romance really well.

The secondary characters weren't that memorable. For example, apart from Chelsea I cannot remember any of Violet's other friends' names.

The romance in this book was more believable and realistic than in most other YA books.

I would have liked more character development of the serial killer. I think this could have added some suspense to the story.

Book Review #500 - Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks

Tuesday McGillycuddy loves stories - and her mother is a writer. A very famous writer, who has locked herself away in her writing room to finish the final book in her best-selling series for children. But when Tuesday knocks on her door, she discovers her mother is missing!

In search of Serendipity, Tuesday and her faithful dog Baxterr soon find themselves on a very dangerous mission. They enter the magical world where stories come from, a mysterious and unpredictable world, full of real danger and heart-stopping adventure.

With the help of pint-sized heroine Vivienne Small, Tuesday will need all her wit, courage, perseverance and imagination in order to get to The End and be reunited with the people she loves.

My Rating: 3/5

This was an enchanting, adventurous read and I really would have loved this book had I read it as a child. I am really glad I judged this book based on the cover otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up.

This book was similar to Between the Lines but focused more on the adventure rather that the romance.

This book was written by two authors under one pen name which I never would have guessed as the writing is seamless and fluid.

This book was just what I needed after reading a few heavier books. It was a light, fun read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves writing as it show an interesting portrayal of the process of writing a book.