Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee is a unique retelling of the classic Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. There are multiple perspectives and a lot of drama in this book that explores whether true love exists. Keep reading to learn more about the book and read my interview with the author of Anna K., Jenny Lee. Continue reading
Mr. DIckens and His Carol by Samantha Silva is a perfect holiday read for the season. This fictionalized tale of how Charles Dickens came to write his infamous novel, A Christmas Carol, is so delightful. Dickens is a fascinating character who is flawed and enjoyable to read about. While the story is a work of fiction, is is a fun look into the life of an author during the Victorian era. Continue reading
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough! If you love a great YA thriller, this is one book to check out. Keep reading to learn more about the book and find out what is on my playlist and dream cast for the book.
Title: 13 Minutes
Natasha’s sure that her friends love her. But does that mean they didn’t try to kill her?
Natasha is the most popular girl in school. So why was she pulled out of a freezing river after being dead for thirteen minutes? She doesn’t remember how she ended up in the icy water that night, but she does know this—it wasn’t an accident, and she wasn’t suicidal.
Now Natasha’s two closest friends, who are usually her loyal sidekicks, are acting strangely. Natasha turns to Becca, the best friend she dumped years before, to help her figure out the mystery.
At first Becca isn’t sure that she even wants to help Natasha. But as she is drawn back into Natasha’s orbit, Becca starts putting the pieces together. As an outsider, Becca believes she may be the only one who can uncover the truth…which is far more twisted than she ever imagined.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
If you love a fast-paced, shocking thriller, then 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough is sure to fit the bill. The storytelling is perfect for this type of novel and keeps the reader involved right up until the end. What makes this book particularly exciting, however, are the characters who are relatable and all too recognizable in your typical high school.
When a book moves quickly, it is usually hard to set down, making it the perfect nail-biter. 13 Minutes is definitely one that will keep you page-fipping as the story moves in different directions. Pinborough definitely knows how to engage a reader and keep the plot moving.
The way in which the book is laid out is essentially what turns a suspenseful book into something that the reader can feel involved in. 13 Minutes is told in multiple POVs, journal entries, and newspaper clippings. It feels as though the reader is helping to piece the puzzle together along with the characters.
The realistic nature of this thriller is what will absolutely send shivers up your spine. The cliques, the mean girls, the bullies, and the victims are all present and accounted for in this high school murder mystery. Natasha is one of those dislikable mean girls, while Becca is an old cast-away friend of Natasha’s. Pinborough seems to get into the mindset of these girls, making their actions even more chilling with their relatability.
Fans of the thriller genre are sure to enjoy 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough. Although it is a YA novel, some of the content is definitely geared to a more mature audience. I would recommend it to those who enjoy an edgy high school thriller that will keep you on your toes.
Sarah Pinborough is the NYT bestselling and Sunday Times #1 Bestselling author of 'Behind Her Eyes' which has sold in over 25 territories thus far and will be shown as a six part drama on Netflix in 2020 and the Sunday Times Bestseller, 'Cross Her Heart'. She has also written books across a variety of genres including the YA thriller 13 Minutes (in development with Netflix). Her next novel 'Dead To Her' comes out from William Morrow in the US in feb 2020 and HarperFiction in the UK in August 2020. It is already in development for US television.
Title: Caraval (Caraval #1)
Remember, it’s only a game…
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Caraval by Stephanie Garber is one of the best books of 2017. The concept is so original and the main character is so clever. I adored the world of Caraval and how beautifully described everything is. This book is a must-read! Continue reading
Title: To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Set against the construction of the Eiffel Tower, this novel charts the relationship between a young widow and an engineer who, despite constraints of class and wealth, fall in love.
In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Émile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris--a moment of pure possibility. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata become clear. Cait is a widow who because of her precarious financial situation is forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Émile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family's business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, the subject of extreme controversy and a symbol of the future, Cait and Émile must decide what their love is worth.
Seamlessly weaving historical detail and vivid invention, Beatrice Colin evokes the revolutionary time in which Cait and Émile live--one of corsets and secret trysts, duels and Bohemian independence, strict tradition and Impressionist experimentation. To Capture What We Cannot Keep, stylish, provocative, and shimmering, raises probing questions about a woman's place in that world, the overarching reach of class distinctions, and the sacrifices love requires of us all.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin is glamorous and intriguing. It is a unique and interesting story surrounding the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. There are also beautiful passages and gorgeous descriptions of the fashion and lifestyle during the time period. However, the main character, Cait, goes through so many personality changes that I had a hard time liking her as a character towards the end of the novel. Continue reading