One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus

Began reading: 23.8.2017
Completed reading: 29.8.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

Five students walk into detention.

Only four leave alive.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad boy Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.

He dies 24 hours before he could post their deepest secrets online. Investigators conclude it's no accident. All of them are suspects.

Everyone has secrets, right?

What really matters is how far you'll go to protect them.

Trigger warning: this book contains alcoholism and drug references.

One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a contemporary young adult novel that contains mystery and thriller themes. I have been so excited to get into this book! It was pretty good, and I loved how I was hooked from the very first page. Let’s discuss this book!

Being sent to detention for something that no one was guilty of, five students from Bayview High are somehow involved in a mystery murder – one of their fellow students suffers a severe anaphylactic reaction, which later kills him. The remaining four students are thrown into an extensive investigation, especially when the police discover that each student has a secret worth killing to keep hidden. The students are forced to work together to determine how someone managed to die when no one from outside entered the room, as well as who is responsible. Tensions rise when the media gets involved and word spreads across the school, causing everyone to turn against the ‘Bayview Four’. The student will have to learn to stay strong as their secrets are laid bare for their classmates and the media to warp, but when they realise who is responsible for the murder, they will have bigger problems to worry about.

The book was well-written, in particular the pacing – it was fast, which matched the atmosphere of the plot. The various literary techniques that appeared in the book added detail to the narrative, especially the use of flashbacks, foreshadowing and point of view. There were also a couple of great quotes thrown in, including:

[…]if you say no too much, pretty soon someone else will say yes (pp. 45-46).

When the whole school’s starting to turn against you, you need somebody on your side (p. 138).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

As I briefly mentioned above, the use of point of view to increase intrigue in the novel was notable. The book was separated by different sections, but also by the points of view by the four protagonists. This enhanced the story because we got insight into how each of the characters reacted to the news of Simon’s death, as well as what they thought of their secrets being revealed. Each protagonist had unique experiences prior to the detention that involved Simon in some way. This amplified the mystery because each of the characters were set up to look guilty in some way. This aspect of the novel was executed with meticulousness, which was the main reason why I enjoyed this book.

                   

The primary reason why I read mystery novels is because their plots promise an interesting and shocking narrative. I have to know what happens and the reasons behind the mystery. Of course, the blurb of this book had me eager to read it immediately. It was intriguing, full of suspense and provided opportunities for a range of sub-plots. While the main plot remained the over-arching storyline, there were a few minor plotlines that added depth to the book. 

I’ve said it numerous times, but I was fascinated with the plot before I even purchased it. For a debut novel, I think that this novel was almost perfectly designed, with a lot of attention to detail.

I like a good surprise, and McManus didn’t disappoint – two almost-forbidden romances were something that I didn’t see coming, but did not disagree with. Although I dislike fluffy romances, this novel did not exaggerate the romance, nor did it feel out of place. There was a decent amount of romance, which suited me. I hate when romance overpowers the storyline – that makes me sound grouchy, but big romances aren’t my thing. I was worried about the good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy cliché, but it turned out fine. The relationships felt justified and realistic, which is a testament to McManus’ writing skills.

                                            

Speaking of surprise, the plot twists in this book were a mixture of predictable and unpredictable, which is what I love! I had a feeling that the ultimate plot twist (Simon’s death) was predictable, but I enjoyed being suspicious of almost every character as they were introduced – I thought it would be the teacher! Furthermore, discovering who was behind the blog posts was an unpredictable shock, but made sense in the end. Despite being able to predict some of the twists, I still enjoyed the novel.

I had only one minor issue with this book, but at the same time it felt relevant to the narrative. There were some moments in the book that felt dumb, which made the scene somewhat laughable. For example, the moment when Addy’s phone went off felt silly – it was either unrealistic or she just had sh*tty luck; I’m gonna go with the former reason. Another example was the way in which the police handled the investigation – it was definitely unrealistic and frustrating. Like I said, it was only a minor issue so it didn’t really impact on my overall rating.

My favourite character is Bronwyn because she was protective of her younger sister (just like me), ambitious, rebellious, studious and responsible. Out of all the characters in the book, I related to Bronwyn the most. I really liked how she was with Nate, and I was relieved when they decided to get together.

                              

I didn’t like how the popular group handled the situation. I wonder if it’s an accurate representation of that clique group. I thought that their behaviour helped bring the four protagonists together, so I don’t hate what they did – I just didn’t like that they turned against their friends.

My favourite part of the novel was the conclusion because it was sweet, swoon-worthy, and provided closure. I liked that it didn’t feel completely finished; instead, it left enough to the imagination.

Recommendation time! If you like The Perfectionists series by Sara Shepard, The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee, and the Wicked Games series by Sean Olin, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes How To Get Away With Murder tv series, Pretty Little Liars tv series, The Breakfast Club, and St. Elmo’s Fire.

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Dear Amy - Helen Callaghan

Began reading: 16.8.2017
Completed reading: 21.8.2017
Overall rating: 2 stars

In her guise as ‘Dear Amy’, agony aunt for a local newspaper, Margot Lewis has dealt with all sorts of letters – but never one like this…

Dear Amy,

I’ve been kidnapped by a strange man.

I don’t know where I am.

Please help me,

Bethan Avery

This must be a cruel hoax. Because Bethan Avery has been missing for nearly two decades.

But as the present-day search intensifies for another missing schoolgirl, Margot is unnerved enough to take the letter to the police, hoping they will dismiss it as a sick joke.

Instead, they let Margot in on a little secret. One that confirms her darkest fears and tangles her up in the search for the sender, which could save one girl’s life and cost Margot her own…

Trigger warning: this book contains substance abuse and sexual assault/paedophilia.

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan is a fictional novel that contains thriller and mystery themes. I was interested in reading this book since its release, but I didn’t want to purchase it. I’m glad that I didn’t because this book did not live up to my expectations AT ALL. I was so disappointed with this book, and I came close to giving it up several times.

School teacher and agony aunt for the local newspaper, Margot Lewis, has not had an easy upbringing. Being brought up by nuns, Margot had to learn independence from a young age. Her present-day life might appear to be perfect to her students, but Margot is experiencing anxiety and a divorce. When one of her students disappears, Margot receives letters from another abducted girl from twenty years ago, pleading for Margot’s help. When Margot gives the letters to the police, they inform her that it’s a joke but things quickly turn serious when the letters become increasingly detailed. While Margot struggles with her personal problems, she will also become involved with the case of the missing girls – and the closer Margot gets to solving the mystery, the higher the risk of her falling into danger herself.

The book was well-written, in terms of structure and lack of errors; however, the pace was extremely slow. Callaghan utilised a variety of literary techniques to add detail to the narrative, which helped with imagining the story in my mind. These techniques included setting, flashbacks and foreshadowing. There were some great quotes, including:

Sometimes I feel like a goldfish, with the glass walls of my bowl providing a continuous source of novel amusement each time I swim around them (p. 15).

[…]there’s plenty of evidence that reading aloud is good for kids. They have to engage with the text; even what appears to be the most colourless and stammering rendition implies choices in what to emphasise and what to play down – what to show and what to hide. It requires you to structure your language, to be fluent, to wrestle with what you are saying, to face the crowd (p. 41).

Appearances are of vital importance when you’re at that age – my personal conviction is that this is something we are all supposed to grow out of, and yet so few of us do (p. 92).

[…]telling people things about yourself is always, always a mistake – like a drug, in a way – the euphoria of communication and trust is always followed up by the regret of paranoia and suspicion (p. 180).

Things, once known, can never be unknown (p. 180).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

The range of characters is important in a story, and I believe that they should be memorable – who wants to read a book, only to forget the characters as soon as you finish it? Callaghan successfully incorporated a small variety of characters to provide individual back-stories and personalities. The character ‘voices’ weren’t too unique, but their backgrounds were interesting and added depth to the plot. The characters provided a different side to the story, and I enjoyed reading how it unfolded as we learned more about the characters.

                    

Speaking of back-stories, I thought that incorporating the different perspectives was a good choice. This might make me sound like a psychopath, but I enjoy reading about what is happening to the abducted characters in a story such as this one. I thought that reading from Katie’s perspective was insightful and intriguing because we could gain an image of how they were being treated and what they were thinking. I also felt that going inside the kidnapper’s mind was interesting. Reading about how he began to develop an interest in specific girls, the reasons behind the abductions, and how he met Bethan Avery was extremely chilling and grimly fascinating. The only I had with it was not knowing whose perspective I was reading – I think the different perspectives should be labelled so I wouldn’t have to go all the way back to the beginning of the section to realise who was speaking.

There is a fine line between good and bad plot twists – I usually don’t mind if some twists are predictable, as long as they are appropriate and can be justified. I prefer plot twists to be unpredictable, but I can roll with the punches so to speak. I found that this novel had a few predictable plot twists that seemed too obvious, which removed the suspense. This was one of the reasons why I was so close to not finishing this book – if it’s meant to be a thriller, it needs to be full of suspense; without the suspense, it’s not a thriller. Having the suspense removed from the plot through predictable plot twists killed the narrative for me.

                    

One of the major issues that I had with this book was the last section, heading towards the conclusion. A narrative should/must flow coherently, but in this case, I think it didn’t; instead, it felt choppy. I could see what Callaghan was trying to do: answer the questions by going back – similar to how a film or tv show would give closure. This novel failed in doing so, and it came across as abrupt and resembled a checklist (like: this happened here, oh but I forgot to mention that this happened before… let’s jump forward because this was important but don’t forget this important titbit that happened before the last important point). See what I mean? It was all over the place.

The protagonist is the most important aspect of a good novel, particularly thrillers because their thought process helps solves the mystery. I would have been happy to have been given more narration from Katie because she had depth – her family situation was interesting and raised so many questions. In contrast, Margot’s story felt dull and boring because there was no drama and her dialogue felt like “woe is me” the whole time. Because of this, I lost interest quickly – why should I read 344 pages with a whiny protagonist?

                                                

My favourite character was Martin because he was friendly, direct and honest.  He made Margot confront her hidden past and was there for her when she was trying to find herself.

When I read a book, I do my best to like the protagonist, so I tried to like her. Unfortunately, her constant self-pity and self-doubt really put me off her. She was a confusing character, so I wasn’t interested in discovering her secrets.

My favourite part of the novel was Bethan Avery’s abduction which was told from the kidnapper’s perspective. It demonstrated how easily trust can be broken, and how detailed a psychopath’s plan can reach. It was intense but interesting at the same time.

Recommendation time! If you like Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke, Risk by Fleur Ferris, Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher, and The Cellar series by Natasha Preston, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Call, the Taken series, Gone, and Kidnap.

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Follow Me Back - Nicci Cloke

Began reading: 6.8.2017
Completed reading: 9.8.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

There was no sign of a struggle.

She took her phone but left her laptop behind.

Apparently, she’d met someone online.

Did she leave?

Or was she taken?

The first time Aiden Kendrick hears about Lizzie Summersall’s disappearance is when the police appear at his front door. Aiden doesn’t know it yet, but with Lizzie’s disappearance his life is about to take a twisted and desperate turn.

Follow Me Back by Nicci Cloke is a contemporary young adult fiction novel that contains thriller and mystery elements. I have wanted to read this book for a while, but when I saw it at the library I hesitated. I’m glad that I finally read it, but it didn’t really stand-out from similar novels so I was a little disappointed.

Aiden Kendrick didn’t know that his classmate Lizzie Summersall had disappeared until the police showed up at his house. Through the police, Aiden learned that Lizzie had met various strangers online, and they suspected that she had been abducted. At school, the news of Lizzie’s disappearance spread like wildfire, and everyone suspects Aiden. In the year leading up to her abduction, Aiden spent much of his time with Lizzie – in person and online. Nobody knows that he and Lizzie were more than friends, except Autumn Thomas – a girl Aiden recently befriended online. As the police delve deeper into the investigation, Aiden’s interactions with Autumn continue, but is Autumn really who she says she is? Searching for who is responsible for Lizzie’s disappearance will make Aiden – and his fellow classmates – realise that not everyone you meet online are who they say they are.

This novel was well-written, especially in relation to pace. I found the book very easy to read, and I wasn’t surprised that I managed to read so much in such a short amount of time. Cloke utilised a range of literary techniques to add detail to the narrative, including suspense, metaphors and flashbacks. There were also some great quotes throughout the book, including:

[…] when you get divorced from someone there are so many little things you have to leave behind, not just that person (p. 28).

It’s all so weird, how someone can become famous just by letting a camera follow them around. How people want to watch other people just do ordinary things, how they can idolise or hate someone just for their wardrobe, their relationship, their friendships. Like somehow it sets these people apart, just putting that stuff out there. Maybe it does, I don’t know. Maybe it’s brave, opening yourself up like that (p. 77).

I push myself hard over this stretch, running at my absolute limit, and it feels good, my heart hammering against my chest even as my breathing regulates itself. I love this part of training; my body adapting, my muscles remembering this feeling, this pain. Maybe it’s a bit sadistic, but it’s a pain that’s not really a pain. It’s like proof that you’ve worked, proof that you’ve done something, that you’re getting better (p. 78).

I have noticed that in some of the books I’ve read include numerous protagonists and many have failed to create unique voices for each. Cloke managed to make each character possess an individual voice, which was great. The narrative is told primarily through Aiden’s perspective, but the sections with other characters were clearly defined by their distinct voices. In my opinion, accomplishing this aspect in a story demonstrates an author’s proficient writing skills. This directly applies to Cloke and this book because I was surprised how distinctive each voice was.

                   

I have mentioned in previous reviews that a protagonist can make or break a story. A good protagonist can assist with conveying emotion and empathy to readers. It is important that there are likeable characters in a book. In contrast, a badly-presented protagonist can be irritating for readers, as they are stuck with them for the remainder of the novel or series. Unfortunately, I didn’t like Aiden as much as I expected to. I had high hopes for him, but I found him to be confusing, judgemental, paranoid and dim-witted. I still don’t understand the plot line that explained why the police suspected Aiden – I understand that he wanted to feel closer to Lizzie, but why did it take so long for us to discover his secret? I just didn’t agree with his character, and it should have been better developed.

At the beginning of this review, I stated that I was hesitant to pick this book up. The reason for this was because I have read other novels with similar plots and I have been left a little disappointed. With that being said, I didn’t find this book’s plot to be unique or innovative. In fact, I found it was somewhat dull. There wasn’t a significant turning point in the story, nor was there a climax. The resolution provided closure, but the build up of suspense fizzled out by the time the narrative concluded. Like I said, it was similar to other thrillers associated with social media, so I found it to be monotonous and unsurprising.

Speaking of unsurprising, I found the main plot twist (who abducted Lizzie) to be predictable. When I began reading, I instantly began suspecting everyone for Lizzie’s disappearance. I had a premonition that a particular character was behind it, AND I WAS RIGHT, but that’s beside the point. The point is that predictable plot twists have the potential to ruin a book. In this case, it didn’t ruin the book but it did kill the suspense. I was confused by their motive, and that further irritated me. I was expecting the discovery to be darker, so I was disappointed.

                      

Similarly, I found the identity of ‘Autumn Thomas’ was anti-climactic. I was surprised to find out who was behind the online girl, and I believed that this twist had potential to add intrigue to the narrative. However, after we found out who ‘Autumn’ really was, nothing really happened between Aiden and this character, so I lost interest. I liked the person’s motive for creating this identity, but they should have played a bigger role in Lizzie’s disappearance. Looking back, I wonder what the point of that plot twist really was. I know why they did it, but it didn’t really contribute to the book’s novel so that was a let-down.

My favourite character was Scobie because he was the most relatable, kind, caring, talented and genuine. I thought that I would like Lizzie or Aiden, but Scobie stood out. He genuinely cared for Lizzie, which demonstrated that he was a loyal friend. While I didn’t agree with everything he did, he had good intentions which is why he’s my favourite.

There was something about almost every character that made me dislike them. Aiden was irritating, Lizzie was gullible, Kevin was weird, and so on. If I had to pick one character that I hated the most, it would be Cheska for obvious reasons. She was shallow and cold-hearted.

                                    

My favourite part of the book was Lizzie’s flashbacks because they provided an insight into her and Aiden’s past. While Aiden didn’t seem to want to admit that he had such an intimate relationship with Lizzie, she wasn’t so adamant to share. Her sections in the book provided interesting insight into her relationship with Aiden and her thoughts on the mystery guy she’d met online.

Recommendation time! If you like Fake by Beck Nichols, Destroying Avalon by Kate McCaffrey, Pretty Girl by J.C. Burke, and Risk by Fleur Ferris, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Call, Taken series, Gone, Kidnap, Gone Girl, and Catfish. 

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Black - Fleur Ferris

Began reading: 10.6.2017
Completed reading: 12.6.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

Ebony Marshall is in her final year of high school. Five months, two weeks and four days... She can't wait to leave town where she's only known as 'Black'. Because of her name, of course. But for another reason, too.

Everyone says Black Marshall is cursed.

Three of her best friends have died in tragic accidents. After Oscar, the whispers started. Now she's used to being on her own. It's easier that way.

But when her date for the formal ends up in intensive care, something in quiet little Dainsfield starts to stir. Old secrets are revealed and terrifying new dangers emerge.

If only Black could put all the pieces together, she could work out who her real enemies are. Should she run for her life, or stay and fight?

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide.

Black by Fleur Ferris is a fictional young adult novel that contains mystery and thriller elements. I have already read Risk, so I was excited to read this book. Overall, it was a rollercoaster of suspense and action which I liked. It was a surprisingly quick read, but that was just one of the reasons why I enjoyed this novel.

Black Marshall grew up in Dainsfield and knows every ghost story about the abandoned house behind Rockland Forest. The kids at school avoid Black because they fear her – three of her close friends have died, and no one wants to become the fourth. This changes when the new guy at school asks Black to be his date to the formal. Aidan was completely unaware of the alleged curse that Black is under but that doesn’t stop him from collapsing with a brain haemorrhage. While he is in intensive care, Black faces danger at home as one of the community leaders abuses his power to ‘save’ her. Black will quickly learn who she can trust in order to fight, but when the danger is coming from someone that everyone looks up to, the line between trustworthy and untrustworthy will be blurred. Is Black cursed? More importantly, is the small town of Dainsfield as safe as people think it is?

The book was well-written, with its structure and pace being on-point. The use of literary techniques to heighten emotions and add detail to the narrative was perfect. I loved the use of imagery, metaphors and setting throughout the book and I’ll go into further detail a little later. I also found a few great quotes, including:

It’s funny how some secrets are known by everyone, yet everyone pretends not to know (p. 12).

When we left Dainsfield, cloud cover was thick and bleak and ominous. But here the sun is out, shining brightly, and the world looks calm. When you’re in the thick of it you forget that not far away the sun is shining. Maybe sometimes you need to step out of the storm to see things more clearly, more rationally, and maybe, when you look back in, you realise there was no storm other than the one in your mind (p. 131).

‘Somewhere along the way, big brothers stop trying to make their little sisters cry and start looking out for them’ (p. 258).

I’m a sucker for an interesting plot, but then again, we all are, right? I don’t particularly mind if the plot is unique, but it has to hold my interest – it’s a very important part of a narrative. Ferris effectively wrote the book in a way that had me intrigued from the very first page of the last. I’ll tell you just how immersed I was: the first night that I began reading this book, I stayed up late after everyone had gone to bed. I was so invested that I was startled when fireworks went off outside. I was so focused on the plot that I freaked out at the slightest sounds! Anyway, the plot was very interesting, especially the whole thing about a girl being isolated because of an alleged curse. Being able to read of how Black felt was sad but fascinating.

The setting of the plot is another significant aspect of a book, as it gives influences the atmosphere that the character is living. For example, Black lived in a small town where everyone knew everyone. This description alone would give you certain images, feelings and thoughts of what could happen. I’ve found that Ferris’ books are easy to relate to, as they are written by a fellow Aussie and the books are set in Australian locations. It’s also easy to understand some instances, such as school systems – I don’t have to stop and translate grades like I would if the story featured an American school system. I like that things are straight forward in Ferris’ books because I know exactly what she’s talking about.

Plot twists, as I’ve said in past reviews, are a great way for authors to keep their stories interesting for readers. There needs to be a balance of predictability and unpredictability to the twist, and it also needs to leave readers wanting more. In this book, I found the main plot twist to be predictable (even though I was hoping I’d be wrong), but which boy Black ended up with was unexpected. To be honest, I have mixed feelings about the twists. I think that maybe another twist would have made things a little more interesting, but I’m not complaining.

                                                 

Now, let’s discuss love triangles. Love triangles are used to heighten tension and allow to readers to compare personalities to determine who is more suitable for the main character. I’m unsure about the triangle in this book, mainly because there wasn’t much to go on – both guys were described briefly. Aidan as a love interest was definitely rushed – it felt really strange for Black to agree to go out with him when she only met him two minutes ago. There wasn’t much competition between the two because one was in hospital for most of the book, so I found it a little dull. Speaking of, Black spent a lot of her time thinking about one guy, only to do a complete 180 and choose the other guy out of nowhere – I was confused.

                                         

I tend to enjoy a book more when it looks at a range of themes, usually done with sub-plots. In this case, the novel was pretty much focused on the one plot line which made it feel somewhat compact and constricted. I would have preferred to have maybe another little plot in there somewhere, perhaps something lighter to contrast with the darker themes. I believe that the book would have been better if the plot had branched out a little more.

My favourite character was Ed because he was sweet, protective and considerate – he seemed like the perfect boyfriend. I loved the fact that he didn’t want to pursue Black because it would make things awkward at work. Also, he didn’t pressure Black into a fling or a relationship, even when they spent the night together at the hotel. Where can I find an Ed?!

                                   

Black’s mum really confused me because she knew the danger all along. I know that there were factors that prevented her from moving away, but why did she wait so long? It really frustrates me.

My favourite part of the book was the formal, as it was cute, nostalgic and full of suspense. I can remember my formal and reading about Black’s brought back so many memories. What happened after the formal was when the suspense really kicked in, and I couldn’t put the book down until Aidan had been transported to hospital.

Recommendation time! If you like Orphans of the Carnival by Carol Birch, Destroying Avalon by Kate McCaffrey, The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub, and The Special Ones by Em Bailey, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes the Stranger Things tv show, Under the Shadow, The Amityville Horror, and May.

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Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

Began reading: 5.6.2017
Completed reading: 6.6.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

The famous Orient Express, thundering along on its three days’ journey across Europe, came to a sudden stop in the night. Snowdrifts blocked the line at a desolate spot somewhere in the Balkans. Everything was deathly silent.

“Decidedly I suffer from the nerves,” murmured Hercule Poirot, and fell asleep again. He awoke to find himself very much wanted. For in the night murder had been committed. Mr. Ratchett, an American millionaire, was found lying dead in his berth – stabbed. The untrodden snow around the train proved that the murderer was still on board.

Poirot investigates. He lies back and thinks – with his little grey cells…

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is a classic fictional mystery novel. I admit, I’m ashamed that I had never bothered to read an Agatha Christie novel before this one. The only reason why I decided to pick up this book was because I saw the trailer for the 2017 version of the movie. It made me so curious that I had to rush to my library and grab a copy so I could find out who the murderer is. I wasn’t disappointed by the story, and I’m so excited to see how this year’s adaptation will twist this classic.

A little after midnight, the Orient Express halts to a stop after being surrounded by snowdrifts. Poirot is awakened by a cry and a loud thump by his compartment door. He quickly learns that there has been a murder in the room next to his – the evil-looking Ratchett has been stabbed twelve times in his bed. After a thorough examination of the crime scene, Poirot deduces that the room had been locked and that it was impossible for the murderer to leave the train after committing the crime. This means that one of the passengers on the train is responsible for Ratchett’s death. Following interviews with each of the passengers, Poirot discovers more evidence and that nearly every person has an alibi, making things more difficult to solve. Poirot cannot rely on anything but his detective skills to solve this crime, but when too many things occur for it to be coincidence, Poirot’s skills are going to be put to the test – how can he solve a mystery when nothing seems to add up? Surely, someone saw something that helps identify the murderer!

The book was well-written, especially structured perfectly. I liked how each part of the novel was separated, based on what was happening in that particular part of the narrative. The use of literary techniques in the book was on-point, too. My favourite was the foreshadowing – Mr. Bouc’s statement about a group of strangers travelling together. Other literary techniques included tone, suspense and humour. There were also a couple of great quotes that I made a note of. There are:

‘[…]it lends itself to romance, my friend. All around us are people, of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days these people, these strangers to one another, are brought together. They sleep and eat under one roof, they cannot get away from each other. At the end of three days they part, they go their several ways, never, perhaps, to see each other again’ (pp. 29-30).

‘Show me how the impossible can be possible!’

‘It is a good phrase that,’ said Poirot.  ‘The impossible cannot have happened, therefore impossible must be possible in spite of appearances’ (p. 155).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I believe that the book had an interesting and unique plot. Keep in mind, I haven’t read any of Agatha Christie’s novels. There was something about having a group of people trapped on board of a train, unable to escape or leave, and they’re all suspects to the murder. There are similar plots out there, but this is a classic and I hadn’t come across anything like this one before. Maybe I should read more mystery novels…

                     

The range of characters is very important in a text because they are just as important as the plot. It’s important to have characters we love, as well as characters we love to hate. This book had a mixture of both. There was a great range of characters with diverse nationalities and personalities. Each character behaved in a unique way, and it was interesting to see their reactions to the murder and Poirot’s questions. They each acted in a mysterious way, making them just as suspicious as the others. I think that Christie did an awesome job of creating her characters because each of them had an element of likeability that I couldn’t ignore.

I only briefly mentioned suspense earlier, but let’s explore that a bit more now. Throughout the novel, we were trying to solve the mystery alongside Poirot, which was exciting. The suspense began when Ratchett’s body was found, but it was resolved in the end. While Poirot was conducting interviews with passengers, we considered what they said and how the behaved. When we reached the conclusion, the suspense built, as we wondered how the person responsible for the crime would react and how Poirot would deal with them. I was on my toes throughout the entire book, and I found it very difficult to put down. Any writer who can hold such power of the reader deserves a good book rating, which is why I gave the book four stars.

The conclusion of a book should leave a lasting impression on readers, and provide closure regarding the characters and the plot. This book definitely did this – it was unexpected but left me feeling satisfied. I thought that the conclusion was great for a standalone book, and made sense after everything that had gone down in the text. It is definitely a memorable scene, and I cannot wait to see how this how be portrayed in the film. Usually, I get bored when one character has a lengthy monologue; but in this case, Poirot kept me intrigued because he was not 100% sure of what had gone down, but the way he spoke captivated me. I was hooked until the final word!

                        

The only issue I had with the narrative was that it could be dull at times. I was hooked on every page of the novel, but I did find myself kind of tuning out when MacQueen or Hardman talked – not sure why. Also, I don’t speak French, so I skipped over those lines pretty quickly. When the scenes felt bland, the plot felt slow-paced. However, if I were to read the book over again, I would most likely find that the plot was decently-paced. I suppose that some things were difficult to understand or relate to, which could be why only a couple of things were boring. Overall, the book was enjoyable.

My favourite character was Mary Debenham, as she was the most mysterious, reserved, aloof, and imposing. She was introduced from the very beginning of the book, so I had more time to get to know her. Her back-story was also interesting, which is why I liked her the most. Poirot is a notable character.

Of course, each character acted suspicious at one time or another, but Count and Countess Adrenyi were the most suspicious. The Count was very aggressive and intimidating, but looking back, I understand why he behaved the way he did. While I was watching the trailer, I never suspected him but his revelation was surprising. Note: I’m not saying he’s responsible for the murder. I just found his character very interesting.

                    

My favourite part of the book was Poirot’s confrontation with Mary. It was full of tension and her refusal to answer his questions made her a serious suspect. I was dying to know what her statements at the beginning of the story meant, as Poirot did, but I knew that we weren’t going to find out in that scene. Her behaviour was cold and detached, which somehow made me like her even more.

Recommendation time! If you like In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, The Z Murders by J. Jefferson Farjeon, and Murder Underground by Mavis Doriel Hay and Stephan Booth, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Nonstop, Murder on the Orient Express (1974 version), Death on the Nile, The Lady Vanishes, and Silver Streak.

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#Static - Eric Laster

Began reading: 25.4.2017
Completed reading: 30.4.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who's been dead for a week, he's sure there's a reason - to provide the necessary evidence that will lead to the murderer's arrest.

A plausible assumption, considering the circumstances.

But Wilt claims he wasn't murdered, that his calling is part of the therapy required for the newly deceased. Where is he? A place known unofficially as the Aftermart.

"Imagine the biggest Walmart you've ever been in, except you can't find an exit," Wilt says, "and all the stuff on the shelves is junk you've only heard about either from Mom and Dad or from people even more ancient. Black and white TVs with rotary dials that were around when our supposedly wise elders were kids or even earlier. Eight-track tapes, board games."

"So you're saying...?"

"Products they don't make anymore. Dead stuff."

After detectives rule Wilt's death a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer - a plan that soon has him scheming against an unsavoury billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother's ex-girlfriend Suzy, who might be a suspect. Meantime, he has to contend with his strangely grieving mother and narcissistic father, and with being "the dead guy's brother" at high school.

Who killed Wilt? In sleuthing out the murderer, is Curtis only hastening his own death? And why is Wilt helping Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organises a massive rebellion at the Aftermart?

#Static by Eric Laster is a young adult novel that contains mystery, fantasy and paranormal themes. I was drawn to this library book because of the blurb – I mean, a guy trying to solve the mystery of who killed his brother, while falling for his brother’s ex? Yeah, that’s interesting. Overall, I thought that the book was enjoyable, if a little dull.

A week after Wilt’s death, Curtis begins to receive calls from him and assumes that this is a sign that Wilt was murdered and he must find who was responsible; however, Wilt dismisses this until the detectives reveal that Wilt’s death was a homicide. Curtis is determined to solve this mystery and see that the murderer is held accountable, but things aren’t as simple as he thinks. Who hated Wilt enough to be driven to murder him? Could it be Suzy, Wilt’s ex-girlfriend who Curtis believes schemed against Wilt for money? Wilt’s former employer, a rich but dodgy man involved in a dogfighting ring? Or could it be someone completely different, someone not even Wilt could have suspected? During his phone calls with Curtis, Wilt says that he’s in an Aftermart – a shop where dead things go: old music players, ancient weapons, pet rocks, people – and he is already over how the place is run. Wilt plans a rebellion to change the way things are managed, but how will it end?

The book was well-written, with no spelling or grammatical errors. It was well-paced, and utilised a variety of literary techniques to add depth and a touch of realism to the plot. For example, tone, humour and conflict emphasise the major themes within the novel, making the plot and characters more realistic, as well as breaking up the tension. One instance of humour that I found pretty funny was this scene:

‘[…] I’m not going there again, and Curtis can figure if it’s dogfighting by how much they call in a vegetirarian.’

Lou snotted up some of his Slurpee. ‘A what? Is that a doctor who works on sick vegetables?’ (p. 108).

Also, there were some great quotes throughout the book, including:

People are always talking at each other, talking at each other all the time, but is anybody ever listening? (p. 60).

There’s the kind of person who lets disappointment make him weak and angry, the kind who lets it beat him down to the point where he doesn’t think he deserves anything else. Then there’s the person disappointment makes stronger. He fights as hard as he can against it to get what he needs from this world. I’ve always wanted to be the second kind of person. I can’t help it if too often I feel like the first (p. 70).

I remember what I thought weren’t good times, except now I realise they kind of were because I shared them with Wilt (p. 123).

[…] just because somebody hurt you doesn’t mean you can stop caring about them, even if maybe you should (p. 328).

As I have mentioned in previous reviews, a range of primary and secondary characters are important for including numerous plot lines, providing someone for the reader to relate to, and resembling diversity in reality. This book delivered, by including two protagonists and a variety of secondary characters for them to associate with. Each character provided a new plot line, such as a romance or rivalry, which made the plot more appealing. Some of the characters also created mystery, which had me suspecting that they could be responsible of Wilt’s murder. While some books with a sizeable collection of characters might create confusion, Laster did a great job with adding just the right amount to keep things uncomplicated.

Creativity is something that I look for in every book, primarily because it makes the book standout against the rest in the same genre. With that being said, I thought that the idea behind the Aftermart was original and clever. It was easy to imagine, as opposed to trying to picture Heaven or some other abstract form of afterlife. I would love to be able to wander the aisles and see things that had gone out of style and are considered ancient. Wilt also talks about meeting the Romans, so it would be pretty awesome to meet some of the historical figures in the Aftermart. The amount of thought that had been put into this paid off because I believe that it demonstrated a fair amount of creativity.

                    

Another concept that some authors have difficulty portraying is the relationship between siblings. In my experience, I have come across such relationships that seem too unrealistic, with siblings being really generous and pleasant with each other. Yes, there are people out there who have a relationship like this but more often than not siblings are not so close and polite with each other. I get along with my brother and sister most of the time, but we do have our disagreements and tend to distance ourselves from each other until we’ve calmed down. Laster accurately portrayed such a relationship between Curtis and Wilt – Curtis mentions that he and Wilt barely talked to each other while Wilt was alive, but their phone calls after Wilt’s death resemble an authentic sibling connection. For example:

‘I think there’s something wrong with this connection,’ he said. ‘You sound like an idiot’ (p. 15).

When I’m reading a book, I like to be able to determine whether or not a big reveal was predictable or not. In other words, I don’t want to be left wondering about whether or not that big reveal or plot twist was predictable. Unfortunately, this was the case for this novel – I kind of suspected the character who turned out to be the murderer, but at the same time I was a little surprised. I just didn’t know how to react to the news, mainly because I kind of saw it coming.

As much as liked some of the components in the book, I found the plot to be dull. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting but it didn’t pick up until towards the end of the book. That’s all I have to say about that.

                                         

My favourite character was Wilt because he was a cinnamon roll, protective, humorous and relatable. Being the eldest sibling, I could definitely see a bit of myself in him, especially the way in which he talks to Curtis. Everyone else either irritated me or I didn’t have much time to form an opinion about them.

I know that Curtis’s mum was grieving, but I thought that she was downright weird. Why didn’t she just explain where the kids were coming from? Why did we have to wait until the end of the novel to find out?

                                                     

My favourite part of the book was the conclusion, in particular chapters 51 and 52. I thought that it was a great conclusion – it provided answers and closure, was slightly emotional and just plain heart-warming. Not all authors are good at producing a decent conclusion, but I think that Laster went above and beyond.

Recommendation time! If you like Sunset City by Melissa Ginsburg, The Story of Tom Brennan by J.C. Burke, and The Haunting of Emily Stone by Amy Cross, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes How to Get Away With Murder, Riverdale, Criminal Minds, and Bones.

Happy reading!

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