Dark Secrets 2 by Elizabeth Chandler

Series: Dark Secrets

 Author: Elizabeth Chandler
Page Count: 599
Published: May 4th, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3 Stars ★★★

This young adult bind-up contains books 3 and 4 of the Dark Secrets series. In "No Time to Die", we follow a girl attending a theater camp where her sister died. The mystery of her death remains unsolved, but a supernatural mystery - and a love triangle - complicate things further. In "The Deep End of Fear", Kate returns to the Westbrook Estate where her friend Ashley drowned many years before. Tutoring the young Patrick, she starts to fear the possibility of dangerous family dynamics, and even the paranormal. Will she suffer from another loss? Or will she be the one to die this time?


Both of these books are best described as enjoyable, but not particularly memorable.


The atmospheres in both stories were definitely creepy and tense, which was a major strength. Overall, the characters were interesting, likeable, and made me want to keep reading. However, the second story felt way too drawn out, and at times quite boring.


I appreciate the hint of romance in both stories, although the first story had a bit more romance than the second. I like that there was a paranormal or supernatural element to both mysteries, however it wasn't too intense or overpowering the "real life" mysteries that the characters faced. It was very balanced.


I think that the reveal of the first book's villain, and their motives, was a bit too unbelievable for me. I also found that there were some annoying cliches, such as the whole "villain explains evil plan to the hero" trope.


Overall, these books were interesting, but I'm not interested enough to keep them in my book collection. I recommend this for fans of Elizabeth Chandler's first two Dark Secrets books, and for those looking for a short mystery.


Find Dark Secrets 2 on Goodreads

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Series: N/A
Author: Ruth Ware
Page Count: 340
Published: July 19th, 2016
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press
  5 Stars ★★★★★

Lo Blacklock's had a rough few days. She's still shaken up from someone breaking and entering into her house when she is assigned to report on a new luxury cruise ship. Packing up her things, she heads over to board the Aurora, meeting with the small group of people she will be travelling with. All seems well.


That is, until she hears commotion coming from the cabin next to her one night. Alarmed, she reports to the Aurora's staff, who claim that the cabin next to her is empty. But this can't be true....Lo had previously borrowed mascara from the woman in cabin 10. It becomes clear that somebody is trying to hide a secret, and this secret may prove deadly for Lo.


So I've recently found myself drawn to mystery books, and this one seemed intriguing and frankly, frightening. Imagine being stuck on a cruise ship with a possible murderer! This book unsettled me quite a bit, and the character of Lo Blacklock was a perfect narrator for this story.


I pretty much liked Lo immediately, and the connection with her started when she experienced the break and enter. The author doesn't hesitate to commence the tension and stress, which made me want to keep reading because, despite the main plot not really starting until a short while after the beginning of the book, her experiences demanded my empathy and attention. This was a great set-up for the terrifying mystery to come! This was great because as the story progressed, I have to admit that I second-guessed Lo's sanity and wondered if maybe she had imagined the commotion from cabin 10. Even if I thought she could possibly be overreacting, I still really rooted for her.


There were some great twists and turns in this mystery. I honestly did not see them coming! This tends to be an issue for me because the genres that I usually read, mainly young adult books, have become somewhat predictable for me, so it's nice to take a break from that and truly be baffled and consumed by a mystery! For this reason I'd recommend this book to those looking for novels that offer something different than they're used to reading, especially if you're looking for something unpredictable.


Overall I really loved this book and I will be reading more of this author's work in the future!


Find The Woman in Cabin 10 on Goodreads

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

 Series: N/A
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Page Count: 709
Published: March 7th, 2000
Publisher: Pantheon Books
  4 Stars ★★★★

House of Leaves follows the story of Zampano, Johnny Truant, and Will Navidson. Told through footnotes, a text-book style narrative, and editor's notes, the tale of a house that is a bit larger on the inside than on the outside unfolds. With exhibits and appendixes to enrich the story, the fear, confusion, and mystery behind Navidson's home is explored.


Zampano, the mysterious author of the Navidson Record manuscript, passes away, leaving the manuscript behind. Johnny Truant acquires it, and finds that it changes his life. The tale of the impossible house is more than just a story, and the eeriness of the account seems to bleed into the real world. Add the fact that Zampano was blind and that The Navidson Record, the supposed documentary film that Zampano's story details, doesn't exist, and you get a world of intrigue.


I bought this book because I'm looking to get into more horror-style stories. I was surprised by the book, however I can't really say I was truly scared. There were a few moments in the book that were genuinely eerie, but the almost academic-style narrative of the Navidson Record killed any fear that I might have surrounding the whole house situation. Characters did face scary situations, but I was never simply scared overall but rather scared for them. That's really why this book lost a star.....something was missing in the scare-factor.


This book definitely gets points for uniqueness. I've never read anything like it before. There are multiple stories being told in this book, and while I worried that it could be hard to keep track of them all, it honestly wasn't tough at all. There is a lot of flipping back and forth, what with referring to the exhibits, appendixes, etc.., but everything seemed really organized.


There are points when you have to flip this book to the side, upside down, or look in a mirror (or really focus to read the backwards letters). At times I was a bit annoyed, to be perfectly honest, especially concerning some of the pages that had just a few words, but the novelty aspect of this book overshadowed any annoyance I had.


The characters were all quite interesting, with Zampano being a mystery, Johnny being a complex character with problems of his own, and of course the characters of the Navidson Record providing an intriguing narrative. I admired Will Navidson's curiosity and determination. Honestly, if my house were as freaky as his had been, I'd just get out of there! But instead he wanted to explore and to understand what was going on. I have to admit I often empathized with his partner, Karen. She was worried about him and wanted him to stop exploring, and I really understood her worries. Seeing both sides of the conflict like this really added to my experience reading this, because I couldn't decide what I wanted! So of course I kept reading, to see the outcome.


I can't say too much more, because this seems to be the kind of book that you have to really experience yourself. I could go on about the story, but this book is more than just the story. The format really affects the reader's perception of the story, which I obviously can't detail online! If you're curious about this book, I'd suggest picking it up. Just be prepared for a long read, some slower parts, flipping your book upside-down, and reading backwards.


I recommend this book to those looking for a unique mystery. If you like unusual books, this book is definitely for you.


Find House of Leaves on Goodreads

Legacy of Lies & Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler

Series: Dark Secrets
Author: Elizabeth Chandler
Page Count: 431
Published: March 8th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

In this bind-up, two suspenseful stories are told. In Legacy of Lies, Megan is being haunted while staying at her grandmother's house. She is adopted, and along with dealing with her grandmother's cold attitude towards her, she has to deal with Matt, her "almost-cousin"'s aloofness as well. The story of her late great aunt comes to light, with many mysteries surrounding her death. How did she really die? And how does her death connect to the present, to Megan and Matt? Megan may not live to find out the truth. 

In Don't Tell, Lauren has returned to Wisteria for the first time after her mother drowned there years ago. With her cousin Nora seemingly unhinged, and her cousin Holly and old friend Nick welcoming her with open arms, Lauren isn't sure if she's ready to face the dock where her mother died. Her aunt Jule doesn't have much empathy towards Lauren's remaining sadness, but more is at stake than Lauren's feelings. Nora claims to hear Lauren's mother asking for her child, and mysterious knots begin to appear, things tying up themselves. Is Lauren going to survive this trip? Or will she face the same fate that her mother did?

I gave Legacy of Lies four stars, and Don't Tell three, with this averaging out at 3.5 stars. As you can see, I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second. 

Both stories had characters with very sinister pasts, pasts that threatened to affect their present lives. I liked this connection between the past and the present, this idea that the characters couldn't outrun the past. Both stories contained suspicious deaths, deaths that may or may not have turned out to really be murders....the mystery behind what happened to Megan's great aunt and Lauren's mother were the main issue behind both stories, the events that started it all.

Legacy of Lies took place in a creepy mansion-like home, with a grandmother that I hated and an interesting paranormal component. I have to say, I did not see the twist coming at all. I was very surprised by the ending and I think it wrapped up the story very nicely. Megan was a great narrator, and I enjoyed reading about the creepy events she was experiencing, through her own eyes.

Don't Tell also had a very interesting twist that I wasn't able to guess. There was also a possible paranormal component throughout the story: I often found myself debating whether it was paranormal or simply a living person mundanely messing with Lauren. I won't give away the truth, but I think the explanation was fitting for the story. I liked this story less because I think some of the explanations were a bit hazy....most were fine, but at times I was really confused as to why people were acting the way they were. On the one hand, it made me keep reading. Yet on the other, it made some events a bit unclear. However, the story was enjoyable overall.

I recommend this bind-up to people looking for short, creepy stories. If you're a fan of Elizabeth Chandler or you want to read books about secrets affecting peoples' lives, this is a great pick for you.

Find Legacy of Lies and Don't Tell on Goodreads

Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams + Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

 Series: N/A
Author: Carolyn Lee Adams
Page Count: 256
Published: July 14th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  4 Stars ★★★★

Ruth wakes up in a pickup truck, unaware of how she got there. She soon discovers that she was taken by a man, and he's transporting her to his cabin in the woods. Her captor thinks that he has the right to kidnap and "fix" or punish girls like Ruth, girls who are "bad". Ruth soon learns that he's done this at least six times before....none of the previous girls survived. Ruth, however, is determined that she will live and bring this sick man to justice. She just has to survive against her captor's guns, unhelpful locals, and the dangers of the forest. 

So this was a great book. I really loved the majority of it! I read most of it in one sitting. This book is fairly short, however the length was perfect for the events that the author described. The pacing was well done, there was never a dull moment. 

This story is told in the present and in flashbacks from both Ruth and her captor's lives. This provided not only mystery but important context to help the reader understand the characters on a deeper level. I found myself both disgusted by Ruth's captor, but also a bit sorry for him. As for Ruth herself, she did have a history of being rude and inconsiderate, however I admired her for her determination and change of heart. 

I feel like some parts of this book were too unrealistic.... people refused to help Ruth when she was clearly in trouble. Maybe I'm naive but I have trouble believing that people would be that heartless. I also think that her captor wasn't depicted as being as cautious and thorough as I'd assume one would be in his situation.... I won't say much else because I'd spoil parts of the book, but I think that someone committing crimes as he did would be more careful. 

Overall this was a great book! If you'd like a short, thrilling book about a kidnapping, this is a great pick. 

Find Ruthless on Goodreads

~ ~ ~ 

 Series: Falling Kingdoms
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Page Count: 412
Published: December 11th, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
  4.5 Stars ★★★★

Mytica is a continent with the countries Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia. Jonas lives in Paelsia where the people live off of money earned from their wine, while Lucia and Magnus live in Limeros with the "King of Blood", and Cleo is the princess of Auranos. When Cleo's visit to Paelsia ends in tragedy, a chain of events starts that sparks a full-out war. Meanwhile, witches hide in plain sight, forbidden desires plague Magnus, and the Kindred, a set of four magic crystals, are sought after. Who will survive the coming conflict?

I loved this book so much! It was almost perfect, it only lost .5 stars because I feel like some characters rushed into things (i.e Cleo's romantic feelings... can't say much else without spoiling). Besides that, I loved it. 

I loved the different cultures in the different countries. They were so unique compared to each other, they seemed like they could be real places. Injustices suffered by the Paelsian people were heartbreaking and kept me reading on, while conflicts faced by the Limerian and Auranian characters left me conflicted and reading for hours!

I like the way that the author combined magic with medieval-style royalty and castles, along with romantic tension and violence. Yes, this book had a lot of violence, I was actually really surprised by this. However I don't mind fictional violence so I enjoyed the tensions and fear that this created. There were many emotional moments, and a lot of people died. Be prepared when you're reading this to possibly have your heart shattered!

This was a great book! I had some minor issues with it but overall it was really awesome. I recommend this to fans of fantasy books and books with many characters, violence, and multiple viewpoints. 

Find Falling Kingdoms on Goodreads

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher + Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Series: N/A
Author: Lucy Christopher
Page Count: 369
Published: October 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Chicken House
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Emily's father is accused of killing a teenage girl when he comes home with her dead body one night. Emily's "friends" turn on her, and Damon, the boyfriend of the girl who was killed, is angry at Emily and Emily's father for what happened.

A war veteran with PTSD, her father's lawyers say that he might have had a flashback, killing the girl not on purpose, but in a horrible accident. But Emily is determined to find out the truth, which takes her into the woods where the girl died.

I enjoyed Stolen by Lucy Christopher, so I was excited to see that she wrote a thriller! This book really was nothing like Stolen, but enjoyable in it's own way. However, I was slightly disappointed.

I liked the way that the issue of Emily's father suffering from PTSD was added into the narrative. It made me wonder if he truly was innocent, or if he had killed the girl, either by accident or not. It added to the mystery! I suspected many different people throughout the book, but I must say that the big reveal was truly surprising for me.

I loved the woods. The descriptions of the woods throughout the book made them sound beautiful and creepy and menacing and mysterious all at once! I found myself wanting to visit these woods. Emily's father's bunker in the woods was another interesting location, with a bit of mystery and a possibility of sinister happenings. The setting was truly the strong point of the book, in my opinion.

I feel like sometimes the characters did not act realistically. For example, Emily's "friends" turning on her after her father is suspected of the murder. It's not like she was going around defending murder! She was just hopeful that her father was innocent...wouldn't anyone be? Yet those she trusted became nasty towards her. It seemed very out of place, like an extreme reaction, especially since I'd consider a friend in that predicament as a friends in need of love more than ever. Maybe I'm just too nice or naive.... but that's how I interpreted the characters' actions. Unrealistic.

I also wish that this book had a bit more creepiness in it. There definitely was some, especially with the setting of the woods. But there should have been more clues adding to the mystery. I would have liked more big reveals! More twists and turns!

This was an enjoyable book. However, something was missing.... the characters seemed a bit off, and I wish the author had added a big more creepiness to the story. However, the setting was marvelous.

Find The Killing Woods on Goodreads

~~~~~

Series: Low Red Moon
Author: Ivy Devlin
Page Count: 244
Published: September 14th, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
  2.5 Stars ★★

Avery's parents were murdered. She doesn't remember much about that fateful night, except that she was covered in their blood, and she saw a flash of silver. Leaving her house in the woods to go live with her grandmother, she is haunted by her parents' deaths. 

Ben is a new boy at school. Despite her being called "cursed" due to the blood-red pieces that appeared in her hair, he is drawn to her, and her to him. Soon, Avery learns that the legends of wolves, who are more than merely wolves, are true, and that something evil is after her. 

So this book had a few good things. First off, the mystery of who murdered Avery's parents. Really, that's the main thing that kept me reading. I also felt some empathy towards Avery's character as she struggled through the difficult time after their deaths, trying to untangle her memories and remember her childhood home in a more positive light. 

The rest of the book wasn't all that great. Ben was just a pretty face. Literally. I had no clue who he was as a person besides pretty and caring about Avery. He needed wayyyyyyy more character development. 

Then there's the romance between Avery and Ben. While their attraction is more of a paranormal or supernatural nature, it still bothered me how Avery literally falls for Ben after her parents are barely dead. And it's not a slow, building attraction. No, and a slight spoiler alert here, but she kisses him after visiting her childhood home in the middle of the night! And he's there with no explanation! I feel like the traumatic memories of her dead parents would probably overshadow her crush on this pretty boy but I guess not....

This book had a lot of potential. If it had been longer, it may have been a lot better. The author needed to develop the character a lot more, and the romance needed more development as well. Not to mention, the ending....very unsatisfying, in my opinion. 

I'd also like to mention that the sequel, Moonrise, doesn't appear to be available anywhere so...if you wanted to read the sequel, you've run out of luck. 

Overall, disappointing. I liked the murder mystery and Avery's struggles with coping with her parents' deaths, but the book was too short and the romance was not at all believable.

Find Low Red Moon on Goodreads

My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews

 Series: Audrina
Author: V.C. Andrews
Page Count: 403
Published: September 15th, 1990
Publisher: Pocket Books
  3 Stars ★★★

Audrina isn't the first Audrina. No, she's the second and worst Audrina. Her father wants her to be like the first and best Audrina, sitting in a rocking chair to capture her "gifts". Staying home with her mother and aunt, it seems that she can't remember before a certain point in her life. Time passes by quickly, and she has to deal with her mean cousin Vera, who gets to go to school.

The first Audrina is dead, and her family often visits the girl's grave. They warn the second Audrina never to go in the woods, because that's where their first daughter was attacked and murdered. As she's tormented by Vera, and as time passes by, it becomes obvious that there's something that she doesn't know, and whatever it is could change her life forever.

Ok, so this book was really, really, really weird. I have never read anything like it before in my life.

There were some great things, and some not so great things. First, the great things. The author did a good job of capturing a fairly creepy atmosphere throughout the book. Audrina's home is big and fancy, yet it seems to hold frightening secrets. Descriptions of everything from the windows to the wind chimes added to the unsettling feel of the novel.

Audrina's confusion was also well represented. I found myself just as confused as her at times, what with the strange rituals her family performed (teatime, anyone?), and the passing of time, and her memory issues. I think the author's intention was to clue the reader in that something was wrong with Audrina, and that definitely worked.

I also found the family extremely creepy and unlikeable. Now, this didn't take away from the book at all, rather it added to the distinctly disturbing atmosphere. The way that her family phrased things was at times inappropriate for the occasion and shocking, and her father was a frightening mix of loving yet abusive. Her aunt was also quite abusive and obviously had many unsolved personal issues, and her mother seemed off to me. Vera, her cousin, was a horrible bully, making life harder for poor Audrina.

Now, there are the things that I didn't like. The first half of the book was way too slow. I understand that the author wanted to build tension and convey the confusion that Audrina felt, but she didn't have to take two hundred pages to do that. Some scenes felt drawn out and unnecessary. This book could have done with a hundred less pages, and still been just as unsettling.

I also found the explanation behind what was going on to be anti-climactic. I had guessed it from near the beginning, but I was thinking that this couldn't be the case, it was too predictable and actually didn't even make much sense.....how would Audrina's family achieve this? The explanation was not very believable. That was disappointing.

Overall, this book had a very unsettling atmosphere and characters that thoroughly creeped me out. However, the conclusion fell short of my expectations, and the first half of the book dragged on for way too long.

I recommend this book to those looking for a creepy mystery. If you're interested in books with characters who clearly have issues, with plots that span over many years, and with an unsettling atmosphere, this book is for you.

Find My Sweet Audrina on Goodreads

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: N/A
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Page Count: 400
Published: October 7th, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  4.5 Stars ★★★★

Britt is going on a trip with her friend, planning to backpack in the surrounding nature, and maybe even impress her ex-boyfriend, who dumped her unexpectedly months before. When she and her friend drive into a blizzard, she has to seek shelter in a nearby cabin inhabited by two men, Shaun and Mason. At first they seem friendly, but it soon becomes clear that something just isn't right. 

These men are on the run from the law, and they demand that Britt lead them off the mountain, taking her hostage. Britt soon finds that she is not the only girl who has run into trouble on this mountain, and as tensions rise, she doesn't know who she can trust. Will she survive? Or will she die at the hands of her kidnappers, or the blizzard?

I'm a fan of Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series, so when I saw that she had written a contemporary, young adult thriller, I was super excited. The idea of being trapped in a blizzard on a mountain, uncovering gruesome mysteries and fighting for survival, simultaneously terrifies and intrigues me, so naturally, I had to get this book. 

To be perfectly honest, I found the beginning a bit hard to get into. This wasn't due to the pacing, I think the pacing was actually really well done, but rather the characters. It took me a while to actually like Britt, the main character, and as for her best friend and ex-boyfriend, I never really liked them at all. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't like Britt at first, I think it was a mix of her narration and her fixation on her ex-boyfriend, but thankfully as I got further into the book, she became much more likeable. 

Her kidnappers, Shaun and Mason, brought an interesting dynamic to the story. Shaun, once revealed as a criminal, is completely unlikable in every way, and it isn't necessarily because of his criminal actions. As a person, he was deceptive and impulsive, and as a villain, he truly unnerved me. The idea that there are people like Shaun, real people, actually out there in the world.... Then there's Mason, who isn't really like Shaun at all, though Britt remains suspicious of him throughout the novel. Mason was written as a mysterious character, somebody with secret intentions, and I appreciated the little mystery of who exactly Mason was that was weaved into this story. 

I did have a bit of a problem with Mason's character at times, and this ties into some of my issues with Britt, as well. There was a bit of romance, or infatuation, in this book, but it just seemed out of place. I've read lots of books with kidnapping, mystery, and romance all mixed together nicely, but the romance in this book made me roll my eyes. I won't explain too much, as I don't want to spoil this for anyone, but I really believe that the romantic aspect could have been handled in a much, much better way.

One thing that I really did enjoy about this book was these memories or flashbacks of Britt's life that the reader gets every now and then. It helped me to understand Britt a little bit better, and it helped me to change my mind about disliking her. I feel that without these memories or flashbacks, this book wouldn't have been as enjoyable. 

The thing that made me truly appreciate this book was the twist at the end. While Britt and the reader are playing a guessing game throughout the whole book, the ending made me believe that one theory was true, and then the next page, it was like all the evidence just shattered and pointed to a completely different conclusion. Those last few chapters were a serious roller-coaster, and I had to stop myself from speed-reading through them to find out how it was all going to end. As for the actual ending, I think that it was a nice way to end the book, and while it played with some of the things that I had issues with earlier on in the novel, it wrapped things up nicely. 

Altogether, this was an awesome read. Thrilling and filled with mystery, I was not disappointed. While there were a few issues throughout the book, the twist ending certainly made up for it.

I recommend this to fans of young adult thrillers. If you like books that make you keep reading late into the night, play a guessing game with your mind, and offer devastating twists and turns, this book is for you.

Find Black Ice on Goodreads

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Series: N/A
Author: Emma Carlson Berne
Page Count: 212
Published: December 20th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Hannah has planned a secret trip to her boyfriend's family's lake house. She's hoping that having time alone with him will give her the courage to say that she loves him, and that they can spend some romantic time together before he leaves for college. But her boyfriend, Colin's, reaction to her surprise is less than enthusiastic. He starts to act uncomfortable and unsure, and Hannah becomes more and more worried as they drive to the mysterious lake house. 

When they arrive, it doesn't take long for Colin to start acting like another person entirely. Surrounded by eerie wilderness, with the nearest town almost a ghost town, Hannah wonders if she should fear for her safety. One thing's for certain... this trip is not turning out as she had planned. 

I love creepy books! The synopsis of this story made it seem similar to some kind of horror movie, with the haunted cabin in the woods, or the crazy murderer hiding in an abandoned building, waiting for naive teens to come along and act as prey. I made little theories on what would happen before I even opened the book. My theories didn't really come close to the actual conclusion of the book, which to be perfectly honest, I found a little bit disappointing. 

So first, a few good things about this book. I liked the characters. I liked Hannah, and while she wasn't the smartest at times, I thought she made the book seem a bit more realistic. In such a scary situation, nobody is going to be absolutely at their best, their minds are going to be running wild, they're going to be panicking. So, when she screwed up or made a less-than-stellar choice, I actually liked it because it made her seem more real, more like a person I could meet walking down the street than a super-intelligent, always prepared, basically fantasy-based person, that I read about in a lot of other books. 

I also think that the author did an amazing job with the descriptions. Descriptions of the settings, in particular, were very well done. The creepy atmosphere was conveyed effectively and added to the mysterious and sinister feel of the book, including descriptions of the almost ghost town near the lake house, the forest, and the lake house itself. 

I did have some problems with the book. First of all, the whole ghost town thing? While I thought it was interesting, it didn't really serve much of a purpose in the book other than to provide a creepy atmosphere. I kept waiting to find out how the town would connect to the story overall, but there didn't seem to be a truly important connection. This was kind of disappointing. 

I also had issues with the explanation behind Colin's behavior. I can't say much without spoiling it, but I will say that the way that past events had been covered up seemed a bit convenient, almost too easy. Colin's condition was explained way too easily in the end, and the idea that things could go back to normal, or what seemed like normal, so quickly just didn't make sense to me. 

Altogether, this was a story with a creepy atmosphere and an interesting mystery. While I had some issues with the ending and the importance of some of the settings, I liked that the main character seemed realistic and I enjoyed the descriptions of the settings. 

I recommend this to those looking for young adult thrillers. If you're interested in a short book with a creepy atmosphere, this book is for you.

Find Still Waters on Goodreads

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

 Series: N/A
Author: April Henry
Page Count: 213
Published: June 11th, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
  5 Stars ★★★★★

She wakes up to two men arguing over whether or not to end her life. She doesn't know her name, she doesn't know where she is, and she doesn't know why one of her fingernails has been pried off of her hand. 

She manages to escape, but her ordeal is far from over. As she investigates herself, who she is, and what is going on, she gets help from an acquaintance who is determined to solve this mystery with her. Only one thing is for certain...danger is around every corner. 

It's hard to write a synopsis of this book without giving anything away. The complete mystery of what is going on made this book truly a five-star read, and as my second five-star April Henry novel, I know that I'll be reading her books again. 

The main character's fear was absolutely palpable from start to finish. I love that the author started the story off with the two men discussing whether or not to murder her, this absolutely drew my attention in and it didn't let me go until I turned to the last page. The little touches, like the main character's injured finger (ouch!) really gave the book an eerie vibe and built suspense. 

The characters themselves, from the main girl, to the boy who helps her figure out what is going on, worked well with the story, and I think that all of their personalities, relationships, and affiliations contributed to the awesome quality of this novel. As I mentioned, it's hard to say much without giving important pieces of the plot away, so trust me when I say that the explanations behind the characters' motives and situations were far from disappointing. 

There truly isn't much else that I can say, except that if you like mysteries, you should read this book! I can't say much more because I worry that I'll spoil it somehow!

I recommend this to those who like mysteries and thrillers where a lot is at stake. If you're into suspenseful young adult books, this one is for you.

Find The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die on Goodreads