Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

 Series: Untitled
Author: Linsey Miller
Page Count: 384
Published: September 5th, 2017
Publisher:Sourcebooks Fire
  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. 

Sal is a thief, living in a world complicated by politics and war. Still haunted by the 'shadows', they steal for Grell, but they're tired of it. After stealing from some nobles, Sal finds a flyer that could change their life. If they prove their worth, they can audition to be part of the Queen's Left Hand, a group of assassins that get their namesakes from the rings that the Queen wears. Opal has died, and this may be Sal's chance for a new life, and vengeance. 

The competition is deadly, and the stakes are high. With a romance blooming and drama between contestants, Sal will be lucky to survive with their heart, and their life. 

So this book was really awesome. It was close to perfect, I am so happy that I received an ARC from NetGalley! 

First off, Sal was genderfluid. I am genderfluid, and there are so few people like me in books that its incredibly exciting whenever I come across a nonbinary character! Not to mention the way that Sal's genderfluidity was incorporated into the book.... I loved it because it wasn't the focus of the plot. Sal was casually genderfluid, kinda like how most genderfluid people just wake up and live their lives like everyone else, eh? While I think stories about identity and coming out are great as well, I want to see more of this, more books with nonbinary people just existing as nonbinary individuals, not necessarily on display for their identity. I loved the casual way that Sal's pronouns were discussed, and the way that most characters just complied. It was quite optimistic and a great break from the real world where just the mention of singular "they" will spark a fight. I also loved the way that Sal described genderfluidity and I thought it was really accurate. I won't quote it since this is an ARC and the final manuscript may prove to have minor differences, but when you read the book, you'll get what passage I'm talking about. Anyways, this was an awesome aspect of the novel, I really appreciated the diversity!

Then there's Elise, the love interest. Elise is a noble of Erlend, a nation whose people haven't been kind to Sal's people. Elise is smart, assertive, and likeable! At first, Sal is a bit wary of Elise, almost using her, but I love how later in the book they realize their feelings for her! Alongside Elise is the idea that a person is not the sum of their heritage, or their nationality, and I thought that was a really great message. Sal realizes this and it adds to their growth as a person throughout the novel, in my opinion. This just made me love the book, and Sal, more. 

I also have to mention that there are some emotional scenes in this book. I can't say much without giving it away, but if you get attached to characters, get ready to potentially have your heart shattered!

I also loved the beautiful descriptions throughout the novel. Metaphors and such really added to the way I visualized Sal's world. I loved this fantasy world, I loved getting lost in the danger of the shadows and the life that Sal was escaping, and the life they were ultimately working toward. However, this book lost a star because sometimes the world-building was confusing. Maybe this is because I'm new to this type of fantasy, but I had trouble keeping up with all the political drama, national tensions, and historical events. 

Overall, this was a really awesome fantasy novel! I loved the inclusion of a genderfluid character, and I really like Elise and the messages that accompanied her character. While the world-building could use a little work, the author's descriptions were often beautiful. 

I absolutely recommend this book! If you're a fan of fantasy novels, this book is for you. If you are interested in a book featuring a genderfluid person, you'll want to pick this one up. I know that once this is released in stores, I'll be picking up a copy!

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Ward Against Death by Melanie Card

 Series: Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer
Author: Melanie Card
Page Count: 306
Published: August 2nd, 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. 

Ward is a necromancer and a physician. He also takes part in illegal surgeries, which has left him on the wanted list in many regions. When he is hired to bring a woman back to life for her family's final goodbyes, Celia insists that she has been murdered, and she and a reluctant Ward run away to the sewers. 

This is only the start of their ordeal. Now, they must avoid Celia's father's men, the local authorities, the places where Ward is wanted, and hope that Celia doesn't drop dead again in the streets. While trying to solve the mystery surrounding Celia's murder, neither she nor Ward are sure who they can trust, and they have to be wary of everyone, even each other. 

Necromancy is such an interesting topic. I've always been drawn to stories about necromancy, raising the dead, and magic, but it seems that there are few books that actually specifically feature a necromancer as a main character. One could then imagine my delight as I stumbled across this title featured on NetGalley, and my excitement when my request was approved by the publisher. 

This book had me hooked from the beginning. The action starts almost right away, as soon as Celia wakes up. Throughout the rest of the book, the action never ceased, the characters always had to face an enemy or a threat, and once I got into the story, it took a lot of effort to stop reading. Furthermore, the world that this is set within is captivating. I thought I'd get a fantasy set in the modern, contemporary world. Instead, it was set in a sort of alternative, fantasy world, where things like surgery are illegal and necromancers are a normal part of life. This made for a great world to escape to and lose myself in. The world-building was phenomenal, from the government itself all the way to the world of criminals. 

Ward is such a great character to read about. He's quite funny, often clumsy or partially clueless, and he has his own unique charm. While I don't mind a flawless hero every now and then, to have an imperfect hero like Ward, quirks and all, was very refreshing. I immediately liked Ward and hoped that all would end well for him, which just fueled my need to read and kept me reading until my eyes were tired. 

The other main character is Celia. Technically dead, she is a master manipulator, an assassin, and overall somebody you do not want to mess with. While she may be dead, she doesn't lose herself or sight of her goal: to find out who killed her. She was a complete daredevil, in my opinion. At times, she appeared reckless, but that only added to her character. She and Ward were fairly opposite each other, with Ward more timid and unsure, and Celia courageous and determined. This made for some amusing dialogue and situations, which added much-appreciated humor to this story of death and magic. 

The main issue that I had with this story was the attraction or romance between Celia and Ward. While there isn't a full-blown romance within this book, there are many references to the characters feeling attraction to each other, at the very least. These things certainly can be weaved well into an action-packed fantasy such as this one, but the author didn't balance their attraction to each other with the main issue within the story. I would think, for example, that Ward would not be considering Celia in a romantic or sensual way, as he often did, while they were in such a dire situation. It seemed out of place and somewhat forced. I think that it would have been better if the author had toned down the romantic aspects within this book and saved it for the next in the series. 

All in all, this tale of a charming, somewhat awkward necromancer and the lady that he has brought back from the dead is one that I enjoyed reading. While the romantic bits seemed a bit out of place for the situation at hand, the world-building was amazing and the action kept me turning pages for hours on end. 

I recommend this novel to fans of stories filled with magic and action. If you're interested in a new adult / mature young adult book about necromancy, or a change from the usual vampires and werewolves of the paranormal and fantasy genres, this book is for you.

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One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards

 

  Series: N/A
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Page Count: 320
Published: October 4th, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
  4 Stars ★★★★ 

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. 

In this book, Sera and some of her classmates are going on a trip and camping in the woods. When the weather turns bad, the group is separated, and she wakes up the next morning to find that her supplies have been ruined and that there is a word written on her wrist. She and the others in her group are unsure of what to think and are suspicious of each other.

It becomes obvious that something sinister is going on as they discover that they all have words written on their wrists, and Sera's word is the only positive one. Now, they not only have to deal with their own personal problems, but the threat of being hunted. With no way to communicate with the outside world, they aren't sure if they will make it out alive. 

I was really excited to be approved for this book on NetGalley! I'm a big fan of mysteries and the idea of people facing danger in the woods sounds super interesting to me. I enjoyed most of this book and I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time. I read most of it in a day. 

I like that this book starts off with the group in the woods. The plot began rolling very, very quickly and this got me hooked from the first few chapters. The relationships that the main characters had with each other were established pretty quickly, including some serious tensions and romantic histories. I feel like this foreshadowed the evolution of their relationships later in the book a little too obviously, because I knew right away who was going to end up with who. This irritated me a little bit, but I don't think it took away from the overall quality of the book.

However, I can't say the same about some of the events regarding the characters' relationships with each other that take place later on in the novel. There was too much focus on Sera's uncertainty regarding her attraction to one of the main male characters to be realistic in any way, considering their situation. If someone is fearing for their life, trapped in the woods, I don't think that they would be focusing on romance and such as much as Sera did. 

I feel like Sera was generally a likeable character, and each of the people in her group all seemed incredibly realistic and complex, like they were based off of actual living individuals. Sometimes they seemed a little over-dramatic, but overall I think that they really helped the story to move along quite well and made for an interesting cast of characters. 

Another thing that I enjoyed was the whole question of who the culprit was. I played a serious guessing game throughout this whole book, and while I was able to guess who was responsible and I ended up correct, there were many times when I doubted my suspicions and this made for a very suspenseful read. Unfortunately, I feel like the villain's motivation and reasoning behind all of their actions wasn't very believable. I have to admit that I was disappointed near the end of the book when all is revealed. 

If the romantic aspect had been handled better and the whole explanation behind the situation had been more believable, this definitely would have been a five star read. But besides those issues, I really enjoyed this book and I think it had a great creep factor with a ton of suspense! Using isolation, uncertainty and suspicion as a combination worked really well for this book, and I know that if the author writes another mystery or thriller I will definitely see if I can snag a copy. 

I recommend this book to YA readers who like mysteries. If you're interested in thrillers that take place in the woods this is a good pick for you.

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Chasing Truth by Julie Cross

 Series: Eleanor Ames
Author: Julie Cross
Page Count: 400
Published: September 27th, 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen
  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

Eleanor is dealing with a lot in her life, including her family's past as con artists and the suicide of her best friend. She believes that Simon didn't actually kill himself, and she meets Miles, the new guy at school, who believes the same thing. 

As she struggles to keep her past a secret, and to use her secret skills acquired from past ventures to get to the bottom of things, she begins to investigate people whom she never would have suspected as potential killers. But Miles might be suspecting her as well, and tensions rise. Will she be able to keep her past a secret? Will she ever find out who killed Simon?

This was definitely an impressive read. While it started out a bit slow and was occasionally hard to follow, it picked up pace very quickly and things were explained in detail later on in the book. I think my favourite part about this novel was the ending when all is revealed. I appreciate that everything ended up having a fairly believable explanation and I don't feel let down by the ending in any way.

As I've noticed with many other thrillers and mysteries, the guessing game the characters were playing during the whole book was incredibly well executed. However, this one stood out to me because it didn't feel overshadowed by romance or shrouded by paranormal events. Often I find that thrillers with paranormal happenings can get old very fast and that it can be super easy to guess what's going to happen. So finding a thriller that kept me hooked without any paranormal elements was a very welcome change. As for the romance, there was lots of romantic tension but it didn't take over the plot or seem forced.

I really liked the main character, Eleanor. I like that she wasn't squeaky-clean, that she wasn't some pure heroine or damsel in distress. While she seemed grateful to have escaped from living her life carrying out con after con, she still participated in morally questionable activities and she lied a lot, which I found added even more thrills to the story because I was always wondering if she might get caught.

Miles was a good love interest for Eleanor, in my opinion, because of how different they both were. While I can't say much without possibly spoiling some parts of the book, I will say that their families are very, very different. With Eleanor hiding her secrets from Miles and his family, this brought about some serious dilemmas for Eleanor which were interesting to read about. I thought it was great that I found myself hooked on the overall plot along with Eleanor's personal issues.

However, I find that Miles was a bit stereotypical at times. He displayed the whole 'arrogant, cocky, overconfident YA male' trope which I found annoying, especially since besides these qualities, he was actually a fairly complex character, considering his past and all. I like when characters have flaws, but these flaws didn't add to the novel or Miles's characterization at all.

I think that it's important to note that there are a few steamy scenes. I have no problem with them, including the fact that they are in a YA book, but some people might so I thought that I should mention this just in case.

Overall, this was an awesome read and I can't wait for the sequel! I'm so glad that I downloaded this book off of NetGalley. If you like YA thrillers or mysteries this is a must read!

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Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog

Series: N/A 

Author: Cyn Balog
Page Count: 288
Published: November 1st, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

  5 Stars ★★★★★

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

Victoria has anxiety, is a bit of a loner and attends St. Ann's school. As a new student, she doesn't have many friends, but she's happy to have her sweet, agoraphobic boyfriend Andrew in her life. She's fairly satisfied with her seemingly uneventful life when Zachary, called 'Z', arrives at St. Ann's and find himself in the spotlight. Everybody likes Z, and to Victoria's surprise, they become friends.

Friendship quickly turns into obsession and infatuation, eventually going sour. Manipulation and mind games accompany rumors and rising tensions, until the unthinkable happens.

This is a story about murder and obsession, which is right up my alley. When I saw this on Netgalley I requested a copy and I was thrilled to find that I had been selected to read and review this book! I'm so grateful that I was given this opportunity because this has become yet another book on my ever-growing "favourites" list.

First, there is the writing style and tone. While the first part of the book isn't exactly filled with death and darkness and all that good stuff, there is definitely a grim undertone behind every word. I could tell that things were going to get incredibly ugly later on in the book and this kept me reading because I just had to know what would happen. I haven't read many books with this kind of writing style but this one had me on the edge of my seat from the very start. Mixed within Victoria's narration are news reports, cell phone records and other clues about the murder which added to the mysterious feel of the book overall.

Then there are the characters. Victoria with her anxiety and love for her boyfriend, and later her obsession with Z, was the main character and narrator. I have mixed feelings about her, as I connected with her over her anxiety and her love for those close to her, but she did things that made me so angry! Her careless betrayals and reckless actions cost her a lot within her own relationships and negatively affected others. While I was often disappointed with her, I feel that her flaws and indiscretions were important characterization and made her more interesting as a character.

Then there was Z. He's mysterious and secretive, yet friendly, and because of this people are drawn to him. At first I didn't really understand his appeal but as I read on it was as if I felt his presence in the same way that the characters did, and that I better understood the way he was perceived by others. Along with the rumors surrounding him, it makes sense that he'd be popular and even sought after by other students at St. Ann's. He was nearly the opposite of Victoria in this way. As with Victoria, he definitely had his flaws and he often made me disappointed or even angry. However, I appreciated his flaws because, along with his secrets, it made him seem more real or believable.

Andrew, Victoria's boyfriend, was my favourite character. I liked him because he was sweet, forgiving, and because I connected with a lot of his experiences. Unfortunately he was a bit too meek and let others hurt him, which added to the emotional aspect of the novel. His relationship with Victoria was put under a lot of strain, and she treated him less than nicely a few times, but he seemed to keep it together which I found admirable. Between Victoria and Andrew, I was happy to see some representation of anxiety disorders in YA fiction.

Considering the ending, I can say that I was absolutely shocked. With other books I can often guess what's going to happen and be at least partly right, but besides knowing that there was going to be a murder, I was completely wrong with my guesses. The ending was simultaneously emotional and terrifying, and was one of the best conclusions to a YA novel I have read in a long time. I had to go back and re-read a few pages to really grasp what was going on. I feel like twist endings can sometimes be predictable themselves, but not this one.

This is a very dark book with memorable characters and an ending that tore me to pieces! I absolutely recommend it! If you prefer light-hearted books then I'd say to steer clear of this one, but if you're looking for dark YA books with emotional and shocking endings then this is a must read.



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Where No One Knows by Jo Ramsey

 

Series: N/A

Author: Jo Ramsey
Page Count: 180
Published: June 2nd, 2016

Publisher: Harmony Ink Press

  4 Stars ★★★★

 I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

Kellan is forced to flee his home after he accidentally sets fire to his stepfather's friend. Running from vengeful members of a church who disapproves of his transgender status, Kellan struggles to control his pyro-kinetic and psychic abilities. 

While he is on the run he is assisted by Shad, who also has psychic abilities and who hopes to send him to a home, for people with these abilities, safely. But with blood-thirsty men on his trail, there is danger at every turn.

I love reading books about psychic powers of all kinds, but I find pyro-kinesis an especially intriguing idea. I feel like this book executed Kellan's struggle with pyro-kinesis, along with his other powers, incredibly well and without any sort of cliches. I liked the way that the author described what it felt like for Kellan when he was close to unleashing his powers, as it made me feel like I was experiencing the build-up and struggles just as Kellan was. 

Kellan was a very, very likeable character. He exhibited many positive qualities throughout the book, particularly bravery and determination, during each part of his journey to safety. I'd say that he is a positive role model as well, doing what was right despite the consequences and refusing to return hate with hate.

It was nice to read a book featuring a transgender character without the plot being completely based on this fact. While books primarily discussing identity are important, it is nice to see representation of these characters in other situations as well, and this book did just that.

There was a lot of suspense present throughout this novel. Whenever Kellan feared being caught by his stepfather's friends, I was worrying along with him! Being sucked into the story like this made everything all the more enjoyable and believable.

It's important to note that this book didn't really contain any romance, except for a few crushes and some attraction between characters. There is also some tension between two of the characters but it doesn't affect the plot in any major way. I was surprised because most YA books I've come across use romance as a primary theme, but this one did just fine without it.

My only major issue with this book is Kellan appearing not to hate the members of the church who hurt him and his family so much, who literally tracked him down with intent to kill him. Like I mentioned, I think it's awesome that he refused to return hate with hate, but on the other hand, its a bit unrealistic considering the magnitude of what he was going through, thanks to these people. There were other little things throughout the book that irked me a little bit, but they're not significant to the overall quality of the writing or story.

I recommend this book to fans of twist endings, stories about being on the run and YA. If you're looking for a good book featuring a transgender character and psychic abilities, or something without romance as the main focus, you should check this one out!

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Dead Girls Don't by Mags Storey

Series: N/A

Author: Mags Storey

Page Count: 380
Published: March 17th, 2015
Publisher: ChiTeen

5 Stars ★★★★★

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley. 

Liv and her best friend Gabriel are watching live footage of a party when something goes terribly wrong. Brett, a member of the 'popular' group at school, is found murdered, and Adam, the boy Liv has a small crush on, finds himself to be the main suspect.

Liv develops the power to speak with the dead, and working at a funeral home, she has plenty of opportunity to use this ability. When Adam escapes custody, a girl is stabbed, and his ex-girlfriend is murdered, rumours fly that he has escaped his prison only to kill and kill again. 

He goes to Liv for help, claiming that he is innocent, asking her to help him prove it. With Liv's ability to speak to the dead, they're both hoping to get some answers. But they must face obstacles... like keeping this secret from Gabriel, Liv's status as an outcast, and their feelings for each other. 

I devoured this book quite quickly....a darkly intriguing read, I was sucked into the story from the very start.

I love how the author mixed a murder mystery with paranormal elements in a high school setting. I've never read anything like this before, and I found myself pleasantly surprised.

Everything about this book was amazing. The characters? Well developed, complex,  unique and relatable. Not all completely good or completely evil, but many fell in between. The setting? Described so thoroughly it felt like I was right there with the characters...but it wasn't too descriptive. There was a good balance. The plot? Perfectly paced, very mysterious, and super unique!

I liked how the romance sub-plot didn't steal the spotlight from the overall plot. There was a bit of a love triangle but it wasn't over-the-top.

An amazing read, I recommend this to YA readers who like their mysteries with a bit of romance, a touch of paranormal, and a dangerous killer. 

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The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

 

Series: Prisoners of Peace

Author: Erin Bow
Page Count: 384
Published: September 22nd, 2015

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

  Did Not Finish

I received a free copy of this book though Netgalley.

Did not finish, read until 45%.

This book is set in a future where Talis, a product of artifical intelligence, basically rules the world. He decides that the best way to keep world peace is to take the children of world leaders as hostages, surrendered to him by the leaders themselves. If one nation declares war on another....the hostage from that nation will be killed.

I got an email from Netgalley saying that the first 750 members that clicked on the link to read this book would get to read it right away, no waiting for a request to be approved. I was intrigued by the synopsis so I thought hey, why not?

This book had so much potential, it really did. It appeared to contain such interesting ideas and lots of great qualities....Dystopia? Check! Futuristic politics?  Check! Corruption? Check! LGBTQ themes? Check!

I was so hyped to read this. The first chapter or so pulled me into Greta, the main character's, world. It seemed so unique; artifical intelligence, hostages, a corrupted UN, and even a new kind of bible, written by Talis himself, called the 'Utterances'.

Soon after, though, I found myself reading about flat characters who often appeared to almost blend into each other. Elian arrived, stirring up trouble, and I was hoping that his arrival would be the kick to get the story really going, to set the characters apart from each other and make things a little more interesting. While things did get a bit more interesting, the characters didn't really change, and I found myself bored with Greta. I didn't connect with her at all and I didn't really care much about her either. I only really cared about Elian....he appeared to be the only one without a cookie cutter, bland personality.

Things moved incredibly slowly. There wasn't much action, it seemed like the timeline jumped around, and  really the majority of the semi-exciting parts were related to the goats the hostages kept and the punishments administered by the AI/robot authority and captors. It was sort of sad that I actually found myself hoping that the hostages would get punished.... because there was so little going on that I wanted some sort of action to occur!

I don't really recommend this book to anyone, but if you're a big fan of dystopia and you're a patient reader, this one might suit you.


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Ellery's Choice by Robin Stock

Series: N/A

Author: Robin Stock

Page Count: 66
Published: August 1st, 2014
Publisher: Silkwords, LLC

  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

Ellery's fiancé,  Matt, died a year ago. Now, she lives with his parents on their farm and she's unsure of what she wants for the future. One day, Mack Gaffney arrives at the farm to pick up a calf. Ellery finds herself attracted to Mack, but embarrasses herself during their first meeting, thus sparking a feeling of annoyance like no other. Caught between Mack and her friend Jason, Ellery must make choices regarding love, work, and home.

This book was not a 'linear' story;  you're not supposed to read from beginning to end. Instead, this book is like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure', interactive story for mature audiences. I went through several times and completed the book by selecting different choices, curious about how each of them ended. 

I was more satisfied with some endings than I was with others, and as I read through one ending, I wondered what would happen when I chose the other. I found myself excited to go back and try out the other choices and outcomes.

I had thought this book would contain more erotic scenes based on the cover, but they were surprisingly few and far between, and very short. However, I did appreciate that instead of flipping back and forth through pages to continue the story, I could just click on a link that would take me there immediately.

I recommend this to those intrigued by the idea of an interactive 'Choose Your Own Adventure' type of book, to fans of romance, and to those looking for short stories.

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Salem's Vengeance by Aaron Galvin

Series: Vengeance

Author: Aaron Galvin
Page Count: 252
Published: July 25th, 2014

Publisher: Aames & Abernathy 

  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.

In this historical fiction novel, Sarah lives with her sister, mother, and father. She discovers a group of people who dance to hypnotic music in the moonlight and who wish for her and her friends to join them. She receives a mysterious journal and reads about Thomas Putnam's experiences in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials.

When her friend Ruth becomes afflicted after coming into contact with a mysterious powder, things take a deadly turn. What appeared to be an innocent yet unusual past time turns out to be the work of a vengeful woman who goes by the name of Hecate. She leads a large group of witches out for revenge, and she herself seeks revenge against Sarah's own father.

With the help of Bishop and the mysterious Priest, she hopes to defeat these bloodthirsty witches once and for all. But will she, and those around her, live to tell the tale?

I haven't read a book quite like this one before. Historical fiction isn't a genre I read often, but when I saw this on Netgalley I thought I'd give it a try.

First of all, I was impressed with the writing style. Most of my experiences with historical fiction have included rather dry writing, but the author of Salem's Vengeance surprised me with detailed descriptions that were perfectly balanced. They weren't too extensive but provided enough information to form a clear picture of the settings and specifics of the situations which arose.

I also appreciated that I was able to connect with Sarah, the main character and narrator. I found myself understanding her decisions and feelings, and I was rooting for her survival throughout the whole book. As for Bishop, I found him an asset to the story as he brought humor to the more serious events and was an overall entertaining character. Priest was a juxtaposition of Bishop: unlike Bishop, Priest was quiet and reserved, and much more secretive. I thought this was a great way to balance the humor and mystery in the story as depending on which character was the focus, the mood shifted.

This novel also contained a lot of violence. There were attacks, sacrifices, murders, ambushes, and more. This didn't bother me personally, however I feel it is important to mention this because some readers may be offended by such content. So if you are easily upset when it comes to violence, you may want to steer clear of this book.

In conclusion, it was overall an interesting read with lots of action and a likeable main character and narrator.

I recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, those who like stories with action and violence, and to readers interested in books based on the superstitions surrounding the time of The Salem Witch Trials.

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Ugly Young Thing by Jennifer Jaynes

Series: Stranger Series

Author: Jennifer Jaynes
Page Count: 270
Published: March 3rd, 2015

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

  5 Stars ★★★★★

I received a free copy of this ebook through Netgalley. 

Allie's father walked out on her when she was young, her mother was a prostitute and a murderer when she had been alive, and her serial killer brother just committed suicide in front of her.

Alone and afraid, she runs away and sells her body, her only asset, for money. After returning to her abandoned childhood home, she is discovered by authorities and sent to live with a generous foster mother. 

Soon after she moves in, a woman is murdered near their town. Could this be the start of something awful? And who is behind the murder?

When I started this book, I had no idea what to expect. I downloaded it off of the "read now" section at Netgalley because I was intrigued by the cover, synopsis and title, and it seemed like something unique. A change from the YA romances I usually read.

I was SO right.

First of all, the level of emotion and tension in this book is INTENSE. From the first chapter, I was pulled into Allie's complicated life, and I felt what she was feeling as if I were there experiencing the events of the story with her. This only increased as the book progressed. I felt everything from empathy to anger towards her, and as a character she was very dynamic and believable. 

Secondly, the author made the right choice when she decided to tell the story from different points of view. I witnessed the events of the story through the eyes and minds of Allie, the murderer, and the foster mother. I gained insight on their views and pasts, but I was also kept wondering how exactly they were connected.

This leads to my third point: the mystery surrounding the killer. The author did an amazing job of dropping subtle clues about his identity, and she kept me guessing until the very end. 

One moment, I'm thinking that the killer must be this man.... No! This happened, so it must be the other one. Wait, it can't be!

That was my internal dialogue for the entire duration of the novel. 

I absolutely recommend this novel! If you enjoy mystery, this book is for you. If you enjoy suspense, this book was MADE for you! Those who are interested in novels that take on tough subjects may also enjoy "Ugly Young Thing." 

For those who read mostly YA books but wish to branch out a little, this book is a great start. It's fast paced with a teenage main character, but it also deals with mature subjects and contains no romance besides the mention of Allie's crush.

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