Title: The Conspiracy of Us
Author: Maggie Hall
Series/ Stand Alone: The Conspiracy of Us (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance
Pages: 330
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Year Published: 2015
Format: Audiobook
"A fast-paced international escapade, laced with adrenaline, glamour, and romance- perfect for fans of Ally Carter.
Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.
To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle- beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family-- but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with."
My Rating: 3/5
So I got this book on audio because my boyfriend was home for the week and I knew I wasn't going to have time to read physical books and that I'd be commuting a lot. I started this book feeling like it would be a quick "read" and an interesting one. I did like this book. I think that the plot was interesting, but the writing lacked some oomph. I thought that for the most part, the characters were interesting, but I definitely had a favourite right from the start. This book is definitely one to read if you're looking for a love triangle style adventure book. I will be continuing the series for the character that I do like.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Hey guys!
So this reading month. Let's talk about that. It hasn't been the best reading month for me. I knew that I would be doing a lot of travelling and life stuff. Damn being an adult. So let's get started with life changes that are going on or whatever excuses I have. I'm going to be moving from my parent's house (I moved back in after college while looking for an affordable place to rent) to a basement suite in the upcoming months. I also drove 24 hours between two weekends to pick up and drop off my boyfriend from college for his spring break. We spent some time together so I didn't really want to miss time with him to read, but that's not the point of this post soo.....
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall, damn what a ride. I really enjoyed the idea of this book. A select few families controlling the world is interesting to me though I'm not a huge believer in the New World Order conspiracy theory but it is interesting to think about. I also thought that the pacing was good for this book. That being said the writing was not my favourite style. I thought that aspects were obvious such as what was going to happen to many characters and who was going to get with who... humph damn it Jack. Now let's get into characters. Let's be honest now... I'm here for Stellan that's pretty much it at this point.
Characters (short and sweet I know):
Avery: I thought that she was too naive for being 16. At times I was like girl is 20 she's mature, she's ready. Other times I was like this loser is 13 she's stupid. So needless to say I yelled at the audiobook while driving in a completely safe manner. I think that she should be with Stellan. I love her. I'm excited to see what happens next in her story.
Jack: You're all right. I mean I felt kinda bad when you were going to die and shit, but you don't belong with Avery... so if you could just get going. that would be great.
Stellan: Unfortunate name choice I think based on his name. But he is my favourite character. I loved his accent in the book, his flirtation, his bad boy image, as well as his interior good guy. I can't wait to see the marriage aspect in the next book.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: The Ersatz Elevator
Author: Lemony Snicket
Series/Stand Alone: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Book #6)
Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade
Pages: 259
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year Published: 2001
Format: Hardback Library Copy
First Line: "The book you are holding in your two hands right now- assuming that you are, in fact, holding this book, and that you have only two hands- is one of two books in the world that will show you the difference between the word 'nervous' and the world 'anxious.'"
"Dear Reader,
If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like, the previous books in A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.
Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.
I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket."
My Rating: 3.5/5
So I'm making my way through the series slowly and surely. I'm getting there, but I've felt like slowing down the series for a while. I've just found that this one was very childish. Some of the others were getting to be a more middle grade style of writing and while there are older jokes in this one, I did find that it seemed younger than the fifth book. I think that the change of scene and the plot change is awesome, so overall I did enjoy it! I thought that it was interesting to see how the children reacted to a different scenario and seeing things that are different in their lives. I do look forward to seeing where the series goes. I do have the 7th book and am debating whether to try and cram it in this week or start something different... so I guess you'll find out based on the next review or I'll keep you guys posted when I get the chance.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: The Stranger Game
Author: Cylin Busby
Series/ Standalone: Stand Alone
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller
Pages: 288
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year Published: 2016
Format Read: Audiobook
"The Stranger Game is a dark, suspenseful, and twisty young adult novel- perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver and E. Lockhart- about fifteen-year-old Nico Walker, whose sister returns home after a four-year disappearance.
When Nico Walker's older sister mysteriously disappears, her parents, family and friends are devastated. But Nico can never admit what she herself feels: relief at finally being free of Sarah's daily cruelties.
Then the best and worst thing happens: four years later, after dozens of false leads, Sarah is found.
But this girl is much changed from the one Nico knew. She's thin and drawn, where Sarah had been golden and athletic; timid and unsure, instead of brash and competitive; and strangest of all, sweet and kind, when she had once been mean and abusive. Sarah's retrograde amnesia has caused her to forget almost everything about her life, from small things like the plots of her favorite books and her tennis game to the more critical- where she's been for the last four years, and what happened at the park on the fateful day she vanished. Despite the happy ending, the dark details of that day continue to haunt Nico, and it becomes clear that more than one person knows the true story of what happened to Sarah."
My Rating: 4/5
So after getting a new phone, I finally got around to getting my OverDrive app back and found some awesome newer releases that I'd been hearing some buzz about and wanted to get too. This was one of the first that I took out from the OverDrive library and one that I'd seen given in a book box or too in the last year. And can I say that I was glad to try this one out first. I listened to it more than I read physical books this past week. It's nice to listen to a book while driving or going to the gym.
And this story was very thrilling. If you are a fan of We Were Liars I think that you would really like this. This story has multiple perspectives that follow both Sarah and Nico throughout the story. I thought that the author did a great job of building suspense and overall I enjoyed this book. That being said, I did dock it one star as some of the twists I was able to almost call and I found that to be frustrating and a bit of a letdown. As for the audiobook itself, I think that reading the story physically might be more enjoyable as it's a short read and I found myself getting frustrated with how slowly the narrator was reading.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So I got this book on audio from OverDrive from my library after I released how much time I could be listening to a book rather than just staring out the window while I drive, workout or do dishes. So this audiobook was just over 6 hours and I was able to finish it in about five days. It definitely made my commute more interesting. I really enjoyed this book overall the plot was something interesting and I thought that the multiple perspectives really added to the book and helped readers to understand where each character was coming from. I also thought that the thrilling aspects were good, not the best but really freaking good.
Characters:
Nico: The fact that she mentions all the abusive things that Sarah did to her before her disappearance gives us a pretty good idea of how she feels about her sister, and allows us to make our own opinions about Sarah. I did guess that she might know more than she was letting on especially after hearing so many miserable things about Sarah. I do feel for Nico though, Sarah affected her with life and in the disappearance and in the end with death. I did think that it was strange how fast she felt for the new Sarah even though we later find out she's not Sarah at all, but I guess it makes sense to want a better family life.
Old Sarah: Let's be real she was a flaming bitch. I have no idea how she got to be such an ass hole but she seriously was one. She kind of deserved to go how she did... is that evil? Maybe, but I doubt she would have gotten better over time.
New Sarah: I did feel bad for Liberty, but by the end, I was a little upset with her. To put a family through that is heart-wrenching and I hope that they never find Sarah's body. I did think that her point of view was important it shows how your early years of life can shape who you are, but there are ways that that can change.
Tessa: I think that she might remind Nico of Sarah before the disappearance to an extent. Without the abuse.
Mom: I think that she knows that this isn't really Sarah but her heart just won't let her believe it. Hope is a powerful thing.
Dad: I think he is blind to whether it is Sarah or not, similar to Nico and Sarah's mom. Blind with hope and gratefulness.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
