Review Date: 1/1/2013

I bought this book with the lowest of expectations and was absolutely blown away with how fascinating it was. I would tell my fellow book readers that they needed to read it, they would scoff at it, read it, and agree entirely with me.

Grahame-Smith puts a very intriguing and interesting spin on the Civil War and slavery. Lincoln is still portrayed as a true, root-for him style hero. It's my understanding that the historical perspective of the story is right on target (excluding the vampire aspect of course!) It is a very well-written and entertaining read. I highly recommend giving it a shot!

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Review Date: 6/5/2018

Sorry to say I couldn't finish this book... I really didn't even make it very far. Julia and her mom were very annoying, things weren't making any sense, and after talking to some friends who did finish the book, they said it never made sense - thus I called it quits...

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Review Date: 7/22/2016

This book was amazing! I didn't want to put it down. I loved how there was no bad language in this book - it was even mentioned by one character that cussing wasn't allowed! Fantastic! The main character, Alice, had sweet little phrases like "oh sweet heaven" when she would see Cole, the boy she had a crush on, that would make me smile. The character development was top notch, descriptive, and relatable. I think I even developed a crush on bad boy Cole! I can't wait to devour the second book!

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Review Date: 7/5/2016

I was pleasantly surprised and blown away by this book. I was in love with both Finch and Violet from the moment they met on the ledge (which was the first thing that happened!) They had such an unexpected, odd, romantic relationship. I wanted to be a part of it! But just as I was in love, I also became angry at times. Without spoiling the story, be prepared to feel everything throughout this book! Highly recommend!

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Review Date: 6/5/2018

This page-turner of a book knocked me off my seat with the ending. As we are intertwined in the currently sad, messed up life of Mary, we also catch glimpses of her traumatic past through interviews, magazine articles, book chapters, etc. that tell us the crime she is accused of - allegedly. We are taken into the sad situations of "baby jail" and group homes - which I am sure can be as described in this book, but I sure hope not. The author does a stand up job developing a character that pulls at your heart and your mind. I fell in love with Mary and was rooting for things to finally go her way. And then the ending happened! I had to read it twice to make sure I read it right - completely unexpected! Excellent debut novel by Ms. Jackson. I will definitely read her next book.

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Review Date: 3/1/2013

Wow! I never imagined how mentally disturbed this young woman was. That by no means excuses the actions of Andrea Yates who drowns her five children in the bath tub in order for them to gain their "salvation." This book offers an intriguing look into her motivations and thoughts. It makes you question her doctors, her family, and those who were around her on a daily basis to allow her the opportunity to be alone with the children. This book would drag at times and is not the best true crime book I've read, but was fascinating - and sad - nonetheless.

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Review Date: 5/31/2013

First let me say I read this book because it was made into a movie and I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie (which I haven't see yet). This book started with a bang but fizzled rather fast. The premise to the storyline, the lonely, misunderstood teenager who meets the popular, cute teenager and hook up but face problem after problem because of one teenagers special circumstances has been done, and done, and done. By the middle of the book, I was still intrigued enough that I wanted to finish but I was bored enough that I wanted it to hurry and end so I could move onto something else. The storyline was as predicable as one can be, the characters were as predictable as they could be, and the ending was as predictable as it could be. Even though I can't say that many good things about the book, I still find myself thinking I liked it - at least a little. Maybe because it didn't take a lot of brain cells to read the book, maybe because in the end I kinda like these young adult supernatural stories...I don't know. It took me a while to finish the book, and I'm glad I did, and I will finish the series, but it is definitely a teeny bopper, easy read.

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Review Date: 3/2/2019

This book is the epitome of suspenseful! Excellently written and fantastical story. You will despise Jack and root for Grace like they're your own friends. Well done B.A. Paris!

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Review Date: 6/20/2016

This is the second of Liane Moriarty's books I've read and I absolutely fell in love with this book. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I'm picky with my books and don't give very many of them 5 stars but this one deserved all 5! Ms. Moriarty has a way with story telling. Her character development is at the top of her field. Each character is beautifully revealed though out the story in an interesting, mind grabbing way. I felt like I knew each character and was drawn to each one! The biggest lie at the end completely caught me off guard and I believe I even gasped when I read it. Her unique choice to include secondary character dialogues to the detective at the end of each chapter was superb and catchy! Job well done! RECOMMEND!

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Review Date: 11/30/2015

I am a true crime fanatic. It's one of my favorite genres. This book sounded intriguing. It was quite the opposite. The author of this book touts himself as an author of fiction yet this book read like it was written by a middle schooler using a thesaurus! Very wordy at unexpected times and simplistic at unexpected times. So much so I was unable to finish the book. Character development was lacking...I cared little for any character, other than the maimed dog. Sad to say this is one of my least favorite books of all time.

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Review Date: 7/31/2012

I was greatly disappointed in this book. I am an avid true crime reader, and being from Kentucky, I had not heard of this crime and was intrigued. The writing was horrible and he made the victim and her family somewhat unsympathetic. Rather than tell the story of poor Katie Autry, the author simply quoted what I thought were probably taped conversations with the people involved in this tragedy. Not one I would recommend.

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Review Date: 10/13/2014

I am a horror movie buff and grew up with this style of horror movie. This is a must read for anyone with the same interests. It contains a first-hand account of the making of the movie. Tons of interesting (and freaky) tidbits and facts that you would not otherwise know. As soon as I finished the book, I rewatched the movie with new eyes and it was so cool. Definitely recommend!

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Review Date: 7/15/2012

Helpful Score: 1

Fantastic, fast read. I developed a connection to the main character from the first page. The theme of the story, not taking for granted the blessings you have, is one we all need to be reminded of from time to time. Recommend this one!

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Review Date: 7/16/2012

A great book by Grisham. He has an authentic way of making the reader feel the emotions that the characters are portraying - I felt the hurriedness of the moments as people were trying to save the life of a man on death row, the conflictions of the preacher, etc. I also felt heartbreak for some and disgust for others. Incredible book that makes you consider your thoughts on the justice system and the death penalty. Recommend!

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Review Date: 6/5/2018

This is the first book by Shari Lapena that I have read and I'll be reading another. I read this with a friend and we both thought at the beginning that the story could go lots of different predictable ways that would be a bit disheartening. As new things would come to light I could see each of these predictable plots playing out. And as a matter of fact, they all did happen but the way that Lapena wrapped them together made it a unique story to read. I was enraged at the characters many times because of their choices - I just couldn't figure out why they would do the things they did - but really that just added to the story line. And then the ending happened... and all I can say is what the???? Where's the sequel?

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Review Date: 7/6/2012

I had heard how fantastic this book was and couldn't wait to read it. Even though it is amazing to discover the impact the Chicago's World Fair had on America and the rest of the world, it became tedious reading about the architecture and building of the fair from start to finish. The author definitely leaves nothing out when describing the development and building of the White City. For the most part the author alternated chapters between Burnham (the architect) and Holmes (the serial murderer), and I eventually found myself starting to skim the chapters on Burnham, as they were so detailed it took a long time to move from one aspect of the fair to another. I was disappointed in the lack of facts leading to the discovery and arrest of Holmes, and his eventual execution. If you would rather learn the background of the Chicago's World Fair, then this is definitely the book for you; if you prefer the true crime aspect of the book, I suggest checking somewhere else.

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Review Date: 9/6/2012

Divergent is the first book in the Divergent Trilogy. It sounded reminiscent of the Hunger Games which is why it was on my "to read" list. Then my 12 year old wanted to read it for school so I thought I'd better get a move on and check it out. It was fantastic!

This story is another from the dystopian genre where the futuristic world is quite different from what it is today. There are five factions where people live and each faction has its own style of people - each person conforms to the personality of the society (faction) in which they live. At the age of 16, each person gets tested to see which faction he/she is best suited for but ultimately gets to choose his/her faction. The rest of his/her life is dependent upon this one choice.

Beatrice (later named Tris) is the heroine of the book and represents another strong, smart, confident protagonist (much like Katniss in the Hunger Games.) As she nears the end of initiation for her chosen faction, an uprising occurs that sends her and those she loves and hates into a fight for survival. This book is full of suspense, action, betrayal, and a touch of romance.

I highly recommend this book!

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Review Date: 4/23/2015

As soon as I saw this book I knew it was one I had to read! I couldn't wait for it to become available on PBS so I bought it! The first chapter was so cheesy that I was nervous the rest of the book would be just as bad. But when the main character Amy made it to Oz, I couldn't put it down. The characters that I've grown to know and love, were evil, and it was intriguing! The development of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion were captivating! I was pulled into the story and felt as if I was in this new, magical, corrupt Oz. It was amazing how I was rooting for the downfall of Dorothy and friends. Excellent plot concept, excellent story - I can't wait to see what happens next!!

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Review Date: 3/6/2013

I couldn't wait to finish this book. Not because I couldn't wait for the ending but because it was so boring. For a few chapters in the middle it had my attention and got interesting, otherwise I'm surprised I didn't put the book aside and start reading something else. From the outset, the characters in the book were not relatable and were very annoying (even their names were annoying). At no point throughout the book did I feel concerned for the outcome of any character or the story in general. The idea of a drifter, an invisible being put on Earth by God - neither angel nor demon - who doesn't even know the purpose of his existence - makes no sense and makes even less sense by the end. When I finished the book the first question in my head was "what was the point of this story?" I couldn't answer that question at all. I would not recommend this book at all and am leery to even try more from this author.

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Review Date: 6/29/2016

This book was not like I expected it to be. The very first page threw me for a loop because of the extensive cursing by the kids on the school bus. Luckily it toned down. After that this story was just odd. But I kinda liked it. Eleanor and Park are "weird" kids - the author's own description - who end up falling deeply and weirdly in love with each other. It really was a weird type of love. They were very strange and awkward with each other - so much so I felt sorry and awkward for them. But there was something about the story that I liked. I wanted to know what was going to happen next in their weirdness with each other. Unfortunately the ending left me feeling unresolved about their story and desperately needs a sequel.

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