Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

 
Summary from Goodreads:

Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.

Review:

I love these books. I honestly think Maureen Johnson is becoming the new Agatha Christie. There is something so compelling about Stevie, the teenage sleuth with panic attacks. I loved having the chance to watch her solve a British mystery this time. It was like stepping into a PBS show with some of my favorite characters. Thanks, Maureen Johnson.

This British mystery was also soooooooo good. I had to know what happened in 1995. I knew right away it wasn’t some random burglar. And when the aunt character disappears….I was hooked. The murder mystery was a good one. That being said, this book had a lot of other things going on too.

The kids are all at that dramatic age where they have to figure out what comes next. Where do they go after Ellingham? And while it’s sometimes hard for me to remember they are all kids because of how brilliant they all are, Johnson doesn’t let you forget it in this book. Colleges are on their minds and so are the inevitable separations of the group. And while I can see this being a pain for some readers, and I guess I found some of it painfully dramatic too…thinking about it now, it makes it all more believable and real.

There was also one point where I got so mad at Stevie that I literally had to stop reading….I put the book down for a while…I guess this is a sign that you know and love characters? You feel like you know them so well you can get upset at them. Of course I forgave her, and so did everyone else. I had to know what happened too.

There were moments where it felt like I was in London, or in a country estate finding clues. It’s not just the mystery that’s good and the characters you feel like you know. You physically get transported to these places in these books. Maureen Johnson is a skilled master at storytelling.

This latest installment (and yes there has to be more after this one…) was not my favorite book in the series so far. Some of the drama was a little much for me. I also wish there was more time with some of Stevie’s other friends. However, even my least favorite in this series ranks higher in the scheme of things than a lot of other books I’ve read just because of how skilled of a writer this author is. All in all, this gets a 9/10.

Twelfth Grade Night by Molly Horton booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, and Jamie Green

Summary from Goodreads:

he course of true love never did run smooth . . . and neither does high school in this new graphic novel series for fans of Heartstopper and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

Vi came to Arden High for a fresh start and a chance to wear beanies and button-ups instead of uniform skirts. And though doing it without her twin feels like being split in half, Vi finds her stride when she stumbles (literally!) into broody and beautiful poet-slash-influencer, Orsino. Soon Vi gets roped into helping plan the school’s Twelfth Grade Night dance, and she can’t stop dreaming about slow dancing with Orsino under the fairy lights in the gym.

The problem? All Vi’s new friends assume she’s not even into guys. And before Vi can ask Orsino to the dance, he recruits Vi to help woo his crush, Olivia. Who has a crush of her own . . . on Vi.

Star-crossed love abounds in this hilarious and romantic story of self-discovery, mistaken identities, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to something new.

Review:

This was a really sweet graphic novel about crushes, dances, and growing up. The artwork and premise reminded me a little of the Heartstopper books by Alice Oseman. Though, these have a bit of fantastical element. And the character development for me was never quite as strong as it needed to be. I never loved the characters like I love everyone in the Heartstopper books.

Right away, there’s a lot going on here. I love Shakespeare. I love twin stories. I love stories about false misconceptions. I think maybe there was too much going on, so not enough time was focused on the things that mattered. I was a a little confused  by the presence of the fairies. At first I was like, are we supposed to think they they are real? Are fairies and magic real in this world? Why is nothing else magical if that is the case? And it kept taking me out of the plot whenever the fairy characters came to play….

The other thing I kept doing was trying to relate the story to the Shakespeare story it’s named for…but, I don’t think I was supposed to do that. There’s not too many connections besides the obvious ones. And then there are the fairies from a Midsummer’s Night Dream. Again, this took me out of the story…. I guess this could have been fixed if the book was just called something else. Maybe Shakespeare High was taken?

This all being said, I loved the idea for the book and the art was top level. It’s really stunning to look at. The crush story about going to the dance and the twins finding their way away from each other was nice on its own, but there’s just so much other stuff going, it got a little much for me. All in all, I give this one a 7/10.

The Killing Code by Ellie Marney

Summary from Goodreads:

A historical mystery about a girl who risks everything to track down a vicious serial killer, for fans of The Enigma Game and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Virginia, 1943: World War II is raging in Europe and on the Pacific front when Kit Sutherland is recruited to help the war effort as a codebreaker at Arlington Hall, a former girls’ college now serving as the site of a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia. But Kit is soon involved in another kind of fight: Government girls are being brutally murdered in Washington DC, and when Kit stumbles onto a bloody homicide scene, she is drawn into the hunt for the killer.
 
To find the man responsible for the gruesome murders and bring him to justice, Kit joins forces with other female codebreakers at Arlington Hall—gossip queen Dottie Crockford, sharp-tongued intelligence maven Moya Kershaw, and cleverly resourceful Violet DuLac from the segregated codebreaking unit. But as the girls begin to work together and develop friendships—and romance—that they never expected, two things begin to come clear: the murderer they’re hunting is closing in on them…and Kit is hiding a dangerous secret.

Review:

What a way to start 2023! I remember really liking the mysteries this author wrote before, but none of them come close to comparing to how compelling this book was. One of my “Drop everything” books came out while I was reading this book, but I did not drop this book…I couldn’t. This book is so good, any favorite author could have released a book and I would not have stopped reading. That in itself is a big statement for me.

(Side note: this review is taking me forever to write…I have a dog that interrupts every sentence for me to throw a ball for her….)

If the spies, the feminism, the LGBT love story, the serial killer, the friendship story and the girls trying to solve the murder mystery isn’t enough, then add in some racial conflict, secret codes, actual quotes from female codebreakers from World War II, and fun nights out at night clubs and political social functions in DC. When I say this book is un-put-down-able I’m not kidding. I was up way too late reading, knowing full well I’d be exhausted the next day at work. These are the best kinds of books and there are so few of these any more for me.

The other shocking thing for me was I did not guess who the murderer was immediately. I was pleasantly surprised a few times throughout the story. Mystery readers, suspense readers, and historical fiction readers will all enjoy this one. It does go a bit dark; it involves a serial killer after all…and racism, and antisemitism. But, that makes the mystery that much more intense and interesting. The setting is very unique too. It takes place at at a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia for women. And the characters are fascinating! The main character has a secret that absolutely cannot get out.

I read this book remarkably fast. It’s the kind of book that kept me up late, and I sincerely hope this author keeps writing. I give it a 10/10.

Fangirl the graphic novel, Vol 2 by Rainbow Rowell and adapted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam

Summary from Goodreads:

Cath just wants to hang out with her twin sister and write fanfiction. But now that they’re at college, her sister doesn’t have time for her. And life keeps pulling Cath further and further out of her shell. For the first time ever, Cath has her own social circle. There’s Nick, her handsome classmate who wants her to write short stories with him… And then Levi, who keeps showing up when she isn’t looking for him … Actually … maybe Cath’s circle is more of a triangle?

Review:

Sometimes you hate when stories are revisited in new formats and you just want the original version to remain in it’s perfect form in your brain forever. And sometimes, stories feel like they are made to be retold over and over. Fangirl, a story that literally talks about writing fanfic, is one such story, one that can be told again and again. Sometimes it’s okay to not let stories go. I feel like the story of Simon and Baz, and of Cath works so well in graphic novel/manga format. They’d be great in movie format. In Netflix format. In any format. I’m okay not letting this story go. It’s a story that would make great fanfic.

The only sad thing is it ends in the middle! It’s like a manga installment or a fanfic…And who knows how long it will be until the next one comes out. I guess I don’t really know if anyone reads fanfic any more though. Is this something that teens still do? Or is this a dated thing that teens today will read about and go that’s so early 2000’s….?

Regardless, anyone can relate to Cath and her fears of branching out and trying new things. She’s just so relatable. But, also she’s who you are afraid to be. Hopefully, we will all leave our rooms and do more than read books, particularly in our formative years (that aren’t in the midst of pandemics). Also all the little Simon/Baz story fragments are probably the best translated into manga form. Baz is serious designed for visual effect. Also, why has no one bought the movie rights yet?

It’s also nice getting a college story. I really feel like this is a time period we don’t see enough of in fiction. So much happens in college. So much growth away from parents. You’d think it would be a goldmine for books, but instead I find myself getting super excited any time I see one. Any way, both a lot happens happens for Cath in this installment and not a lot. She branches out and she doesn’t. She starts to fall for a guy, and she has her heart stomped on a little bit. She has some more falling out with her twin. And you know the big stuff is still to come. I cannot wait. I give this a 9/10.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Summary from Goodreads:

The brand new unmissable crime thriller from Holly Jackson, best-selling, award-winning author of the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy.

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.

Review:

I was obsessed with the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy. When I learned of the new book by Holly Jackson, I jumped at the chance to read it. I find myself enjoying more and more mysteries and less fantasy novels lately in YA. Though, I still really like books with good character development and intelligent main characters, no matter the genre.

I have to say I almost didn’t finish the book. I was not feeling the mystery or the character development in this book until the last third or so of the story. And honestly, the only reason I kept reading is because of how much love and respect the other books by this author. If I had not already read those book (that are not connected in any way) I would not have completed this novel. The first 2/3 of the book reads more like a teen horror movie/slasher flick that a psychological mystery. That’s not really my thing at all. If you loved “I know what you did last summer,” then this is for you.

It was more a survival story. And it’s literally called Five Survive, so you’d think I’d pick up on that….but, I was still hoping for the thriller/mystery of before. 6 teens have to survive one terrible night with a killer on the loose. There’s blackmail, murder, secrets, affairs, snipers, and so much more. You’d think I wouldn’t be able to put it down. I couldn’t keep all the characters straight at the beginning for one thing. They all kind of blended together. Not enough character development. There was no mystery besides figuring out what character had the BIG secret that the killer wanted. And it turns out they all had things they were hiding…

The book did move really fast. It had to because it all took place over one night. And once I got to the last third of the book, I could not put it down. I had to know how it would all resolve. Not necessarily because I cared too much about any of the characters (that again weren’t too fleshed out), but because I wanted to know if all my guesses were true.

It turned out all the biggest secrets were things I guessed right away…And this also disappointed me. I guess I hoped after sticking  with it the whole time, I’d at least be shocked by something. And the ending was almost too easy…Like there were some convenient endings when I think it would have been more believable if weren’t so easy.  

All in all, I wish I the characters were more developed and that I didn’t call all the big twists. But, it’s not the book’s fault that I was hoping for something that it wasn’t even marketed as. I think the right reader (particularly those into teen horror movies) would love this book. I’ll keep my eyes open for more psychological thrillers by the author. It reads really quickly and involves a lot of violence. I give it a 7/10.

The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman

Summary from Goodreads:

The full-colour Heartstopper Yearbook is packed full of exclusive content from the Heartstopper universe - including never-before-seen illustrations, an exclusive mini-comic, a look back at Alice's Heartstopper artwork over the years, character profiles, trivia, and insights into her creative process - all narrated by a cartoon version of Alice herself.

By the winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

'The queer graphic novel we wished we had at high school.' Gay Times

Review:

So, I wasn’t even sure I was going to read this…It’s not the next volume in the Heartstopper series, but one of those types of side books that I usually think of as extra money-makers for the publishing companies. However,  I ordered it for the library and it looked super cute, and I figured why not? If I hated it, I’d put it down and just keep waiting for the next volume.

I did not hate it. I actually read the whole thing cover to cover in one sitting, unexpectedly. It was actually really nice to get a little back story to everything. I was not with these books from the very beginning, so I actually didn’t know their whole origin story. I learned Nick and Charlie actually first appeared as a couple in a YA novel, and then the author wanted to give them their own story. I learned more about how the author got into creating graphic novels. I learned a lot, generally about how everything came to be in this universe, and it was nice learning this.

Plus, there’s all these bonus comics and illustrations of things I wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise, like the characters dressed up for Halloween, or celebrating Pride. There’s a few short bonus stories in there too. And everything is in color! Basically, it’s one happy, colorful, enlightening read designed to put a smile on your face.

Would I feel the need to buy it? Probably not. But, am I glad I picked it up and read it? Certainly. It, along with all the Heartstopper books are just a delight to read, and I cannot wait for more. I give this an 8/10.

Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell

Summary from Goodreads:

Rainbow Rowell has won fans all over the world by writing about love and life in a way that feels true.

In her first collection, she gives us nine beautifully crafted love stories. Girl meets boy camping outside a movie theater. Best friends debate the merits of high school dances. A prince romances a troll. A girl romances an imaginary boy. And Simon Snow himself returns for a holiday adventure.

It’s a feast of irresistible characters, hilarious dialogue, and masterful storytelling—in short, everything you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell book.

Review:

Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors. She is hands down, one of the all time best at writing characters who you just feel like you know. I have loved everything she has written. I think there are just some writers out there that speak to readers’ souls. Like they can write what we cannot. If we can put words to exactly what we wanted to say, this is what it would be. She (along with maybe 2-3 others only) speak to me on this level. And this book was no exception.

I guess the disappointing thing for me about this book was that sometimes I wished for more. For the new stories, not connected to longer works,  I almost always wanted more. Some of the stories were better than others. Some were connected to longer fiction that I haven’t read in so many years that I failed to recognize the character they were connected to….And now I want to re-read those older works. I keep thinking about the one Covid Christmas story, and I can’t get it out of my head. I had so many feelings about it. Maybe because it was so familiar and relatable.

I also can’t get the last story out of my head. It deals with the story writing process. And while I’ve seen things like this before, Rowell does it in such a fun, romantic way. It reminded me a bit of the show “The Good Place,” which I also love. And it’s no surprise that most of her story about writing stories is all about characters. How do characters develop? What happens to them before they are fully fleshed out?

This is the kind of book I wanted to read slowly and savor because that’s how deeply Rowell speaks to me. But, it’s hard to read something you love slowly. You just want to dive in and enjoy it. And I did. The first story was one I think I’ve read before. I’m enough of a fan that I think I’ve read a story or two of the author’s online, but it’s been so many years that reading it again felt fresh and new. And it felt like it belonged here in this book.

All in all, this was a treat. I will continue to read anything Rowell writes and  hope she writes a lot more. I give this a 10/10.