Book Review: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Goodreads

Title: One of Us Is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus
Released: May 30th, 2017 (Hardcover)
Series: One of Us Is Lying
Trigger Warnings: Ableism, bullying, character death, cheating, drug us, drug addiction (parents), emotional abuse, forced outing, homophobia, mental illness, murder, partner abuse, sexual themes (mild), suicide
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Description: On a Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture -perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

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Please keep in mind this review contains spoilers for the entire book. Read with caution. If you click the “Read More”, it is under the assumption you either don’t care about spoilers or you’ve already read the book!

Book Review: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Goodreads

Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Author: Shirley Jackson
Released: September 21st, 1962 (Paperback)
Series: N/A
Trigger Warnings: Domestic abuse, agoraphobia, poisoning, fire, death of a parent
Rating: ★★★★★
Why Haven’t I Read It Before: When “The Haunting of Hill House” was released on Netflix, I had known about the original novel — but I hadn’t dug too deep into it. However, I was ignorant enough to confuse Agatha Christie and her because it felt like one wouldn’t talk about the other. But upon wanting to learn more about Shirley Jackson, I was recommended this book along with the titular novel that sparked movies and a show. But I was also told this book was better. So here I am, ready to check this out.

Description: My name is Mary Katherine Blackwood. I am eighteen years old, and I live with my sister Constance. I have often thought that with any luck at all I could have been born a werewolf, because the two middle fingers on both my hands are the same length, but I have had to be content with what I had. I dislike washing myself, and dogs, and noise, I like my sister Constant, and Richard Plantagenet, and Amanita phalloides, the death-cap mushroom. Everyone else in my family is dead…

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Please keep in mind that this review contains spoilers for the entire book. Read with caution. If you click on “Read More”, it is under the assumption you either don’t care about spoilers or you’ve already read the book.

Book Review: The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Goodreads

Title: The Secret History
Author: Donna Tartt
Released: April 13, 2004 (Paperback)
Series: N/A
Trigger Warning: Abuse (emotional/sexual), alcohol, animal cruelty, antisemitism, drug use, fatphobia (several comments), grief, homophobia, incest, murder, PTSD, racism, slut-shaming, suicide attempts, trauma, violence
Rating: ★★★★☆
Why Haven’t I Read It Before: Simply put, I wasn’t interested in dark academia until my friend Ashe talked about it to me. She’s more interested in dark academia, and while I’m still dabbling in the genre, the plot seemed interesting enough. I mean, what could go wrong?

Description: Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last – inexorably – into evil.

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Please keep in mind that this review contains spoilers for the entire book. Read with caution. If you click on “Read More”, it is under the assumption you either don’t care about spoilers or you’ve already read the book.

DNF: Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino

Goodreads

Title: Not Good for Maidens
Author: Tori Bovalino
Released: June 21, 2022 (Hardcover)
Series: N/A
Trigger Warnings: Abuse, body horror, eye horror, death, gore, trafficking, violence
Rating: DNF @ 20%

Description: Lou never believed in superstitions or magic — until her teenage aunt Neela is kidnapped to the goblin market.

The market is a place Lou has only read about — twisted streets, offerings of sweet fruits and incredible jewels. Everything — from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves — is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in.

Determined to save Neela, Lou learns songs and spells and tricks that will help her navigate this dangerous world and slip past a goblin’s defenses — but she only has three days to find Neela before the market disappears and her aunt becomes one of them forever.

If she isn’t careful, the market might just end up claiming her too.

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Please keep in mind that this review contains spoilers for the entire book. Read with caution. If you click on the “Read More”, it is under the assumption you either don’t care about spoilers or you’ve already read the book.