The Complete Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol, Leah Moore, John Reppion, Erica Awano

     I received this free from NetGalley for an honest review.

     I am so torn about this review. I love the stories of Alice, and this book sticks to those stories. Where I am torn is the artwork. I like the artwork but I do not, as well. The artwork is beautifully done. The artist does a fantastic job of capturing detail and is quite skilled. I think we each have an opinion or idea of classics and how they look in our heads. I do think that this art would appeal to so many, but for me it just does not match what I think Alice and her adventures should look like. The artwork presented is very much formal and grandiose. I would like to see it more whimsical and fantastic.

     All in all, this is a beautiful rendition of a classic story, and I do not discourage others to give it a try. Just because it is not how I think it should be does not mean that it would not appeal to others.

     I gave this 3/5 stars.

Sawbones by Melissa Lenhardt

     I received this free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

     Dr. Catherine Bennett has worked hard to earn her title, and all is left in shambles when she is accused of a murder she did not commit. Suddenly she must gather her belongings and her maid and head to the unknown, untamed West. Her adventure offers horrific violence, lost, fear, and romance. Was the move worth it or not? She may just lose her life anyway.

     I truly enjoyed this adventure. You can't help but fully support Catherine as a woman doctor that was such a rare occurrence. The opposition that she saw for her choice of career keeping true to the time. As she runs for her life she meets the unknowns of a life in an untamed land with horrors of massacres and raids. It was awful to read of the violence, but it is not the first time I have read these things as they were based on reality. It was still awful to read as the reader feels so connected with the characters in the book. There were so many things that Dr. Bennett came up against in the book, and I was cheering for her the whole way. She does find a passionate romance in the middle of so much trouble, and it is an enjoyable romance to read about.

     There will be a second book, apparently, since there was a sneak peek at the end. I read that sneak peek, and I cannot wait until August 2016 to read this continuation of Catherine's story.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Sugarland by Martha Conway

     This may seem a little familiar, but since I am participating in a blog tour to promote Sugarland I am posting again. This is a book that I do not mind posting about in duplicates. I enjoy books that take place in the wondrous Jazz Age. I find myself taken in by the music clubs and the bold girls. This book is no exception. Martha Conway gave us a world full of genuine atmospheres of the age and time. I think she did an excellent job of giving us a peek into the world of racism at this time in history. She serves all of this with a side of murder and mystery. 

      I received this for free for an honest review from Netgalley.

     Eve Riser, a jazz pianist on the circuit, is present when a man is accidentally killed.  In conspiracy with the man she was with, Eve is sent to Chicago with money and a letter to help cover up the crime. She joins up with her pregnant stepsister, Chickie, who later disappears. There is another murder that Eve witnesses, and Eve is injured in the crossfire. Eve, along with the latter murdered man's sister, Lena, set out not only to find Chickie, but to find who murdered Lena's brother. 

     This book draws the reader into a world of 1920's jazz, Prohibition, and racial tension. I did enjoy the book and its peeks of life in the 1920's for a person of color. I liked seeing behind the scenes of the clubs and glimpses of how the police cast a blind eye to alcohol to imbibe themselves. It was interesting to once again witness the racial tension of that time in novel form. I feel that the author wrote genuinely the glares and words that would have been directed at the opposite ethnicity.

     Where I found a lacking in this book lies with the mystery/mysteries. There wasn't an intense mystery and was obvious in its ending. I usually don't mind figuring out a mystery before the ending of a story, but I do not enjoy the answers to the mystery served to me on a silver platter. I want the author to give me hints and clues along the way and give me a chance to put it all together. I found with Sugarland I was given the answer instead of the clues.

     I still enjoyed this book for the setting and the characters if not for the mystery.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

MARTHA CONWAY BIO BLURB

Martha Conway is the author of Sugarland: A Jazz Age Mystery [Noontime Books], available via Amazon as of May 12, 2016. Conway’s first novel was nominated for an Edgar Award, and her second novel, Thieving Forest, won the 2014 North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction. Her short fiction has been published in The Iowa Review, The Carolina Quarterly Review, The Quarterly, The Massachusetts Review, Folio, and other journals. She teaches creative writing for Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program and UC Berkeley Extension, and is a recipient of a California Arts Council Fellowship for Creative Writing. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she is one of seven sisters. She currently lives in San Francisco.

Connect with Martha on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and her website: www.marthaconway.com

Please check out all the stops on this blog tour.

Monday 5/9: TRUE BOOK ADDICT (http://www.truebookaddict.com/) 

Tuesday 5/10: WAG THE FOX: GEF FOX’S DEN FOR DARK FICTION (http://waggingthefox.blogspot.com/) 

Wednesday 5/11: 100 PAGES A DAY… STEPHANIE’S BOOK REVIEWS (http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/)  

Thursday 5/12: WORTH GETTING IN BED FOR (https://worthgettinginbedfor.wordpress.com/) 

Friday 5/13: MYSTERY FANFARE (http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com/) 

Saturday 5/14: READING WITH WRIN (http://readingwithwrin.blogspot.com/) 

Sunday 5/15: GINGER ST. GEORGE (https://gingerstgeorge.wordpress.com/) 

Monday 5/16: BETH’S BOOK NOOK BLOG (https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/) 

Tuesday 5/17: LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK (https://lookingforagoodbook.com/) 

Wednesday 5/18: JAY WHALES BLOG (http://authorjaywhales.wix.com/mid-western-stories#!blog/zoom/mainPage/) 

Thursday 5/19: I’M HOOKED ON BOOKS (https://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com/) 

Friday 5/20: TONSANT WEADER REVIEWS (https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/) 

Monday 5/23: A WORLD UNDERNEATH (http://aworldunderneath.blogspot.com) You've made it here. :)

Tuesday 5/24: LITERARY MARIE (http://www.literarymarie.com/) 

Crimson & Cream by C.M. Skiera

     I received this free from LibraryThing for an honest review.

     Jetsam is a 13 year old orphan that loses his twin brother to a troll attack. He is then wrongfully accused of murder and that sends him on the run to escape punishment. His adventures lead him to run from a bounty hunter and straight into the arms of a not so innocent gang of a knight, wizard, and squire. After joining this unlikely crew, he begins to learn magic, has his mind controlled, meets a talking dragon, fights goblins, and meets a powerful wizard on the run.

     I really enjoyed this lighter fantasy read geared towards a younger audience. It is not bogged down with so much world building but instead focuses more on the adventures that Jetsam experiences. I enjoyed the fights that occurred with the trolls, goblins, and dragons. I feel that this book is a perfect fantasy for those not familiar with this genre or for those who already enjoy fantasy and want an easy read. I think the author did a great job of giving the reader a fantastical story that leaves room for more adventures to come in a later book.  I definitely want to read more.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

     I received this free from NetGalley for an honest review.

     In 1988, four 12 year old papergirls get caught in a very old generational conflict leading them to fight for their lives. This story includes flying dinosaurs, weird teenagers, spaceships, and futuristic laser guns.

     I really enjoyed this story line. I think that Mr. Vaughan did an excellent job creating a plot that stands alone without needing artwork. The artwork is just an incredible bonus to the story. I loved watching the girls fight for themselves against unknowns. They had to decide who is good and who is bad. We are left with a great cliff-hanger, and I can't wait to read the next volume.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

I Hate Fairyland Volume 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young

     I received this free from NetGalley for an honest review.

     A little girl named Gertrude wishes her way to Fairyland and gets stuck there for 27 years as she looks for the key to the door that will lead her home. As she ages closer to 40 years old, she hates Fairyland even more as she battles every person she meets. Gertrude hates Fairyland and Fairyland hates Gertrude.

     I completely enjoyed the artwork in this graphic novel. Beautiful landscapes, creatures, and colors were used to tell the story of Gertrude who just couldn't find the key. I have to say that the story is a little crude in nature and there is quite a bit of bloodshed (definitely not a story for young ones), but the graphics drew me in. I thought the creators were very clever with how they portrayed the different features in the book---mountains looked like old men, the wounded moon became a crescent, and so many more creative pictures. The story line was only enjoyable when paired with the hilarious and entertaining artwork.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

The Mysterious Case of the Mysterious Case by John Press

     I received this from PublishNation for free for an honest review.

     Susan Queen rolls her wheelchair up to Homes the iPad using genius dog and declares him hers. This is the start of some fun and dangerous adventures. They join forces with Susan's best friends, Di and Robbie, as well as some "talking" pigeons and a kleptomaniac cat. All of them come together to solve the hideous crime against animals that is occurring in their town. Someone is torturing and killing animals while filming it and distributing DVDs of the crimes. These sleuths use some unorthodox methods to try to catch the guilty leading the reader on a hilarious journey.

     This is a good book for younger readers. A cute mystery with "talking" animals with high intelligence. The humor in the book was absolutely fabulous! I found myself laughing out loud quite frequently. I would recommend this book to a younger audience to thoroughly enjoy it. It's definitely worth a quick read.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

Smoke by Dan Vyleta

     I was sent this for an honest review.

     This book takes place in England about a century ago. In this world, people who do or think wrong smoke from their bodies to show the wrong. The gentle class does not smoke, but the lower class is covered in black soot from the Smoke. London is a grimy, sooty place of wickedness and sin, and the upper class come into the city to indulge in the Smoke by volunteering in the city to help those less fortunate.

     Thomas and Charlie are two young boys that attend an elite boarding school and are led on a journey of their own into London. Here they search for the original source of the Smoke, witness tension between those who embrace the Smoke and those set against it, and find their own way in a Smoke filled world.

     I enjoyed this fantasy story of an alternate England. I believe Mr. Vyleta did an excellent job of creating the Smoke and its history. I found myself at a tug-of-war within quite often throughout the book. What is right? What is wrong? The different points of view given gave a richness to the story line and added depth to this alternate world. This was a fantastical adventure of right vs wrong.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Sugarland by Martha Conway

     I received this for free for an honest review from Netgalley.

     Eve Riser, a jazz pianist on the circuit, is present when a man is accidentally killed.  In conspiracy with the man she was with, Eve is sent to Chicago with money and a letter to help cover up the crime. She joins up with her pregnant stepsister, Chickie, who later disappears. There is another murder that Eve witnesses, and Eve is injured in the crossfire. Eve, along with the latter murdered man's sister, Lena, set out not only to find Chickie, but to find who murdered Lena's brother.

     This book draws the reader into a world of 1920's jazz, Prohibition, and racial tension. I did enjoy the book and its peeks of life in the 1920's for a person of color. I liked seeing behind the scenes of the clubs and glimpses of how the police cast a blind eye to alcohol to imbibe themselves. It was interesting to once again witness the racial tension of that time in novel form. I feel that the author wrote genuinely the glares and words that would have been directed at the opposite ethnicity.

     Where I found a lacking in this book lies with the mystery/mysteries. There wasn't an intense mystery and was obvious in its ending. I usually don't mind figuring out a mystery before the ending of a story, but I do not enjoy the answers to the mystery served to me on a silver platter. I want the author to give me hints and clues along the way and give me a chance to put it all together. I found with Sugarland I was given the answer instead of the clues.

     I still enjoyed this book for the setting and the characters if not for the mystery.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

Fade Out, smile by Casey Renee Kiser

     I was given this for free from LibraryThing for an honest review.
   
     This is a collection of darker themed poetry that I enjoyed except for the cuss words that seemed to stop the poetic feel. Cuss words are just not poetic to me, and when I read them in the poetry I felt like I had hit a brick wall. The cuss words just stopped the flow of the poetry. I know that poetry reflects life and life is not always pretty, but the cuss words robbed from the poems, making them feel stunted. I did enjoy the actual poetry because it did reflect the darker, realistic side of life.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

Faith Volume 1: Hollywood and Vine by Jody Houser/Francis Portella/Marguerite Sauvage

     I received this free from Netgalley for an honest review.

     I liked this book for the fact that the heroine is overweight but she can still be the superhero. Yeah! Superheroes can be any size or shape! I enjoyed the art style and the plot that was revealed. If you are looking for a lot of action this may not be your thing. There was a minimal amount of action which was completely fine with me. I enjoyed seeing "Summer's" day job and her normal life. I was confused about a few things, but I'm sure that these things would have been explained later on in this series. I do think that I would like to continue on with this series because I want to know more about Summer/Zephyr's past and what is trying to be solved in this volume.

     I rated this 3/5 stars.

The Siren by Kiera Cass

    

      Kahlen became part of the sisterhood of sirens after she watched others give their lives to the Ocean. In that tragedy, she alone cried out for life, and the Ocean gifted her life in exchange for a hundred years. A hundred years of being a siren, of being a weapon to others. Kahlen always an obedient daughter lives her life as a siren doing just as she was told until she met Akinli. "Love is a risk worth taking."

     I struggled with deciding what rating I wanted to give this book. I so loved it, but there are a couple of things that bothered me as I read it. 1. Where did they get all this money to survive. I know Miaka sells her paintings, but what about the others? 2. Kahlen did not give away that much that Akinli should have suspected that something was abnormal about her. Other than those 2 issues I fell in love with this story. I've never read anything like this and truly enjoyed the magic of it all. Getting to know Ocean was wondrous, and I would have loved to learn more. I loved learning about each girl and almost wish I could have known more about their past but that wasn't possible due to the fact that it would have essentially ruined the story. It's rare to find a book that makes you contradict yourself. I loved it!

     I rated this 5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

The Girls by Emma Cline

     I received this from Netgalley.

     Evie Boyd lived in California in the late 60's, and she was pretty content until she saw the freedom of the carefree girls in the park. One especially caught her eye, Suzanne. Her dark hair and her smile drew Evie in, and soon Evie follows Suzanne to a ranch that houses a cult. Russell, the leader of the cult, seems to draw women to him like a moth to a flame. Evie is no exception, but she eventually sees through the cracks in his facade. As Evie spends more time with this haphazard "family" she finds herself in a violence she didn't think would be found in this place.

     I feel like I have an unpopular opinion of this book. I really didn't enjoy it much. When I read the synopsis I was fascinated that it was set in the 60's about a cult turned violent, but as I read I became disenchanted. I just became bored with the plot. I felt like there was so much building up to the "event" but it was a very slow building. I grew tired of hearing about Evie's obsession with Suzanne, and I longed for something to happen. On a more positive note, it was written realistically. I did feel as if I was reading a young teenager's diary about her summer. I also enjoyed Emma Cline's descriptions and wording she chose. But the positive qualities weren't enough to redeem this book.

     I rated this 2/5 stars.

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

    

 Anna Bloom is in high school, but she doesn't really attend. More and more she stays home and becomes depressed. She thinks about killing herself, but that's all, she just thinks. Her parents have decided that she would benefit from a stay in the "loony bin." Seriously, how could they do this? All she wants to do is just stay in her room and sing along to music. What's so wrong with that?
     As Anna stays in her new "home" she finds that she can make friends, crush on a "mental" cutie, and lose weight without trying which should make her mean doctor happy. She has found a place where she can be herself and be comfortable.

     I loved this!!! I knew I would enjoy this book because I love looks into mental institutions, but this hit the spot for me. I found myself really believing the story. An interview in the back of the book says that this is the author's real story, but I wish I knew what really happened and what she added about her stay in a mental institution. Anna's voice sounded just like a teenager. Her attitude, her choice of words, and her likes and dislikes brought a genuine feel to the story. As I read I felt like maybe I would have benefited from staying there with her as a teenager! Probably would still! Hahaha!

     I rated this 5/5 and highly recommend it.

Why Happiness Makes Me Nervous by Liza Charlesworth

     

      I received this for free for review from Netgalley.
   
     This is a collection of poetry and photography that follows a journey from childhood to adulthood.
 
     I enjoyed most of the photography in this book. There was poetry that I really enjoyed, poetry that I understood personally, and poetry that I just did not understand or did not like. I did like the fact that it was set up to follow the growth from childhood to adulthood. I had to keep in mind as any time I read something that my opinions would not fully match that of the author. There were times where I felt sad for the author because of how she feels or thinks. I think that regardless of liking or loving this collection, anyone can connect with the journey.  

The Silver Strand by LJ Clarkson

    

      I received this for review from LibraryThing.
     Twelve year old Isabelle is completely embarrassed when she grows a silver strand of hair that causes her to bleed pink dust, and then a magnet sticks to the hair in the middle of class. She wishes that the hair had never grown causing it to shrivel, but later she finds out that her silver strand is the source of her new magic and if she can't save it she will lose her life as well. If she can save her hair and her life in 5 days she will be able to go to Mastermind Academy to learn how to use her magic.
     I really looked forward to reading this book because it sounds amazing. I was disappointed in the story because a silver strand that bleeds pink dust, a girl that turns into a toad, people-eating dragons, and too many conveniences occurred. I definitely believe that this is geared towards 9-12 year olds, and I would probably have liked or liked this more if I were 9 years old. I just found it to be too ridiculous, and there were many times things were just too much of a coincidence to force the story together. Maybe removing some things and adding others would have made it better. I felt like we moved so fast from one thing to the next. I had no sense of what each "world" was like. Overall, I am sad that I did not enjoy this story.
     I gave it 2/5 stars.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

    


      Cruel Beauty is based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.

     Nyx has been training her whole life to kill the Gentle Lord because her father made a bargain with the Beast for Nyx to become his wife. The Gentle Lord is a demon king, and his minions have been making people go mad for 900 years. The day has finally come when Nyx must wed the Gentle Lord and go to live with him in his castle. Can Nyx use all her training to take down the Gentle Lord or does love get in the way?

     A beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I loved the concept of Nyx being trained to assassinate the Gentle Lord and all of the back story that is exposed through the story. So much inner conflict for all characters made this especially interesting. A love bloomed where there should not have been any love at all--a classic fairy tale.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

     A thrilling dystopian about a young girl whose touch is lethal. With one touch she can kill a person, and the Reestablishment wants to use her for their own plans. Juliette may be able to kill easily but that doesn't mean that she wants to, and she fights back with an escape plan as she joins a young man from her past. A young man that she has never been able to forget about.

     I really enjoyed this book, and since I listened to the audiobook and followed along in my book it was even better than expected. I enjoyed the voice that Audible.com gave the story when they chose Kate Simses to narrate. Kate's voice fits Juliette so perfectly it made the story come alive for me. I enjoyed listening to Juliette as she shared her personal thoughts with us. Her inner tug of war was fascinating as she allowed her true feelings to seep through but would fight back with the walls that she had constructed from a life alone. We are treated to bursts of action and romance--giving us a good mix to keep our attention. There is a great ending to kindle anticipation of Juliette's next fight.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

     Two teenagers from opposites sides of town in Chicago are stuck being chemistry partners at Fairfield High School. Brittany Ellis is head cheerleader, one half of the school's Golden Couple, and perfection in most people's eyes. Alex Fuentes is a gang member, a Mexican-American, and much smarter than most people know. Does chemistry class spark some reactions that aren't expected?

     I absolutely loved this book! I was drawn in by Brittany's real life, the one that is not so perfect and Alex's life that consists of a battle within himself about what he wants and what he has to do. The way the relationship starts with these two is very realistic, and Simone Elkeles has the reader cheering this couple. I did really enjoy how she pulled the story into a nice, little package at the end.

     I rated this 5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani

     Fifteen-year-old Thea Atwell is sent away from home to a boarding school after tragedy strikes her family during the Great Depression. As Thea is adjusting to living with many girls she is also learning more about who she is and exactly what she wants.

     This is truly a book of heart-breaking family dysfunction. I am still feeling such a deep mourning for Thea in all that she lost and missed out on. Thea did make mistakes but my heart and mind goes to my own family and how we respond to mistakes and tragedy. We eventually break through the grief to a stronger bond. Thea has to come out on the other side on her own with no true support from her family. Although, she does have to walk a lonely road she matures and develops into exactly who she should be.

    I enjoyed the hopping from past to present as that gave a fuller picture of the story. Anton Disclafani did an excellent job of giving Thea a true to life voice of a child becoming a woman in the face of calamity. I'm so glad that she also kept the ending consistent with the reality of what would happen with such a family as this.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Mother of Wolves by J. Aislynn d'Merricksson

     Kalla is a young mage that is sent to find a magister. Once she has found one that she is drawn to, they are attacked by fire-breathing wyvern which sets them on a journey to fight against evil.

     I am not fully familiar with this kind of genre, but I did fully enjoy it. Because I am not used to all the strange names and places it was a little confusing at times but not to the extent that I wanted to give up. I enjoyed reading about the bond between Kalla and Aleister (her magister). Once they set out on their journey across their world to fight evil, the story picks up pace. The reader is able to get a sense of what each place was like, and this was especially true at the end of the book. The very last place they visit drew me in with its voice of mythology. I would definitely like to continue the series as it is released to follow Kalla and Aleister's journeys.

     I rated this 4/5 stars and recommend it.

A Cure For Madness by Jodi McIsaac

     Clare Campbell is living in Seattle which is on the other side of the country from her family. She has tried to distance herself from the past, but now she has to go back home. Her parents' have been murdered, and she will have to be her mentally ill brother's legal guardian. As she and her uncle are trying to set up funeral arrangements, there is an outbreak of a horrible sickness. The scariest part about this sickness? It reminds her of the schizophrenic behavior of her brother. How can that be? How can a pathogen cause someone to behave that way? Suddenly, it gets more serious and terrifying for Clare and her brother when the government decides that Wes, her brother, is someone they want to study and examine more since this pathogen outbreak. In the end, Clare has to make a huge decision. Is she going to save her brother or the world?

     I really enjoyed this story with its realistic plot and action. I found myself thinking of what would happen if this outbreak would really occur. Jodi McIsaac did a fabulous job of researching and writing this story that pulls the reader in and gets you thinking of real life. There was a fair amount of action that made the book so easy to read. I loved that Jodi McIsaac put me, as the reader, in a place where I felt like I was making life-changing decisions along with Clare. And to end it all, she gave a great, realistic ending.

     I gave this 4/5 stars, and recommend it.

   

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

     Mallory's Pastimes:
         1. Making out with her boyfriend, Jeremy
         2. Making lists
         3. Going vintage

     Mallory is a junior in high school who has been dating her boyfriend, Jeremy, for about a year. When she finds out that he has cheated on her with a girl online she decides to go off the grid. Her inspiration is a list that her grandmother made in 1962. She is going cold turkey---no cellphone, no Internet, and definitely no Jeremy. For two weeks, Mallory tries to live as if she is in 1962, but what she thought would make life simpler makes life slightly more complicated. Being a teenager is what makes being a teenager hard no matter what decade it is. Oh, yeah, add in said ex-boyfriend's hot cousin, that makes it a little harder, too.

    I went into this book expecting a light-hearted read, and that's exactly what I got. It doesn't get into anything too deep and is easy to read. I was a little worried for almost the first 100 pages since there wasn't much happening, and I thought it was going to be a book that I was going to have to force myself to finish. It started to pick up a little when Oliver, the ex-boyfriend's cousin, enters the scene. I felt like he added a little pizazz to the story and actually wish he appeared a little more, but I think this book was more about focusing on finding out what really makes you happy and that you can be OK with just yourself.

     I rated this book a 4/5 stars and recommend it.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

     Camille Preaker is a reporter for Daily Post in Chicago and has just been released from a psych hospital. She has been out for six months when her boss sends her to her hometown to report on a murder of a young girl and another missing young girl. This is not a trip that Camille wants to take. She hasn't really been close to her mother or stepsister, and she has to plan to stay with them for the duration of this investigative report. Camille immediately drowns herself in her reporting all the while learning more about her family than she ever knew. The longer she stays the more she identifies with these two young, tragic girls. Why is that?

    This book is drenched in dark themes. I had this in mind when I started this book so I wasn't really surprised by all the happenings that occurred. We are seeing through Camille's eyes that are tainted with psychological problems herself, and as she learns more of her family we see why she is a troubled young woman. I did have suspicions of what was going on, but I was actually a little deceived which is what I think Gillian Flynn was going for with her writing. All in all, by the end everything that happens isn't too surprising. It was still a really good story, and I look forward to reading more books by Gillian Flynn.

    I rated this 4/5 stars, and I recommend it.

     

The Last Girl by Joe Hart

     I received this for free thanks to my Prime Amazon account and Kindle First Reads.

     In 2016, female birthrates reduced significantly. In the following years they continue to reduce until only one female is born in 100 million births. What has caused this? No one truly knows why. It is suggested that a virus has caused the reduction in female births.
     The heart of our story starts with Zoey who is about to turn 21. Zoey has lived in a facility that houses females to keep them safe from the unknown virus. These precious females have been taught that they are helping humanity---how much is a life worth? This has been drilled into them from their beginning. Sacrifices must be made for the greater cause.
    Zoey isn't sure that what the facility's director says about where a female goes when they turn 21 is quite true. She questions many things that are the norm for herself and the others. Zoey wants to leave before she turns 21, but how is she going to escape?
   
    This story intrigued me. How does humanity survive without females? I appreciate the world that Joe Hart created--one that is realistic if this were to happen. I found the book to be full of action once it truly got started. Now after saying that, I found there to be excessive killing that did not have to happen to tell the story. Also, I had to overlook the fact that a young, sheltered girl that could not have been very strong could accomplish some of things that she did. I cannot really elaborate without spoiling the plot.
    The ending was one that allows you to know that there will be a second book which is wonderful as I want to know what happens to the characters.
    I rated this book a 4/5 stars. I had to dock a star due to some of the unbelievable feats of Zoey. I do recommend this book if you can overlook some little details.