One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus

One of Us is Next

by Karen M. McManus
Published: Delacorte Press, 2020
Pages: 384
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
Amazon, Goodreads

Here's a little advice for the next time we play: Always pick Dare.

About the book

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.

Until now.

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.

Review

One of Us is Next is a fast-paced, thrilling follow-up to the best seller One of Us is Lying.

Like the first book, One of Us is Next follows a group of students at Bayview High School must play what ends up as a deadly game of Truth or Dare. This is similar to the plot of the first novel in which Simon's blog exposes dark secrets, but in the sequel students must decide between the Unknown Person reveling a secret or completing a dare. 

Though containing some of the same characters as the first novel, new personalities are introduced to the storyline, such as feisty Phoebe and sweet Knox. The narrators are switched between Maeve (Bronwyn’s sister), Phoebe, Addy and Knox. I feel like this structure helps in keeping the story moving along quickly while keeping it interesting. The characters and their relationships amongst each other felt real; I especially enjoyed Knox and Maeve.

The plot, which is appealing, does kind of fall towards the end as the story takes on a hint of unbelievability towards the climax. This issue is the main reason why I rated it four stars instead of five. 

I really enjoyed One of Us is Next and recommend it to those who enjoyed the first book. 

RATING (out of five puppies)

Deadly Waters by Dot Hutchison

Deadly Waters 

by Dot Hutchison
Published: Thomas & Mercer, 2020
Pages: 302
Genre: Thriller
Amazon, Goodreads

“It’s not about whether or not she did it; it’s that she could have. It makes us feel better about our snarling, seething cores of rage.”

About the book

Florida journalism undergrad Rebecca Sorley is like any other college student. She tries to keep up with her studies, her friends, and her hot-tempered roommate, Ellie, who regularly courts trouble with the law.

When a male student’s remains are found in alligator-infested waters, the university warns students to stay away from the reptiles. But then a second body shows up, and the link is undeniable. Both men belonged to the same fraternity and had a reputation for preying on and hurting women.

Ellie has previously threatened to kill men who don’t take no for an answer. Rebecca and her friends thought Ellie was kidding. But now a vigilante killer is roaming campus—someone who knows how to dispose of rapists. Someone determined to save female students from horrible crimes.

With each passing day, those who know Ellie become more convinced she’s responsible. But if she is, stopping her might not be in everyone’s best interest…

Review

Deadly Waters is just what its name suggests — a story spotlighting an important issue that also questions what constitutes appropriate punishment and how that line can quickly blur.

So what’s the book about?

Rebecca is a 20-year-old journalism student at the University of Florida who, along with her flatmates, is struggling following the after math of her friend’s brutal sexual assault.

Around her, men who have been accused of assault are finding themselves being murdered with the help of alligators. At first no one thinks anything of it… after all, college kids are known to do dumbass things. A pattern soon emerges, and Rebecca and her frustrated roommates find themselves in the middle of an investigation. The deaths also spark a movement, one that conveys the pain of sexual assault and communicates to men on campus that this behavior is NOT okay.

The topic is close to my heart and the story really spoke to me, especially because of an argument I recently had with a man who insisted that women not reporting assaults is “stupid” because if anyone ever laid a hand on him, he would have them charged to the full extent of the law. Naturally this pissed me off. I started explaining how sexual assaults leave women feeling shame and how having to explain their most shameful acts to police and in court is basically reliving the assault over and over again… but he just rolled his eyes. (Which doubly pissed me off). Deadly Waters shows how men often don’t understand sexual assault and how their behavior and thought patterns can contribute to the problem.

“We don’t report because the optimistic outcome is that we get ignored. Too often we’re punished for it, in ways they never are. Now we know someone’s listening. Someone cares. It’s so much easier to be brave when there’s the chance something good can come of it.”

However, the story also makes readers ask how perpetuators should be justly punished? Often those accused of sexual assault just get a slap on the wrist while the victims have to relive their pain everyday. Is the killer right in what she did? (It’s obvious from the beginning that the character is female). Or is it crossing that line?

What makes this story stand out is the structure of the duel points of view, the first being the first person perspective from the killer who is steadily and calmly executing young men proven to be assaulting innocent women. The other point of view is from an omnipresent narrator that follows Rebecca’s account throughout the novel. Though the author drops hints on the killer’s identity, readers are left guessing until the end.

A criticism I do have is that I guessed pretty easily at near the beginning who the killer was. Also, the constant use of pronouns left me confused quite a bit as almost every character in the story is female. Other than that, Deadly Waters is a book sure to leave readers thinking about it long after putting it down.

RATING (out of five puppies)

The Institute by Stephen King

The Institute

by Stephen King
Published: Scribner, 2019
Pages: 576
Genre: Thriller
Amazon, Goodreads

“It came to him, with the force of a revelation, that you had to have been imprisoned to fully understand what freedom was.” 

About the book

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.

Review

The Institute is another decent novels in the long line of Stephen King’s works. 

The story focuses on 12-year-old Luke, a genius with limited telekinesis powers who is kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken to a strange complex known only as The Institute. Horrifying experiments are conducted on the children in what is known as Front Half in preparation for an unspeakable purpose. 

The Institute’s storyline is at risk of being too similar to countless other works, namely YA, if not for the in-depth character development and unique personalities of the book’s characters. 

Luke being characterized as a brilliant, wise beyond his years child with quick wit is, in my opinion, the best part of the novel.

King’s writing in The Institute is similar but yet different from his early works. I haven’t read a newer novel of his in a while, so it was a bit strange for me to come across current cultural references. 

Though I did enjoy the novel, there were a few times I felt like the plot dragged on. Some scenes I felt could have been cut down to keep the pace up.

The Institute is a pretty standard Stephen King book that I’d recommend to those who enjoy his works.

RATING (out of five puppies)

Favorite reads of 2019

Goodbye 2019! I read a lot of good books in 2019 but there were a select few that I was SUPER impressed with. I've listed my favorites below (in order in which I read them). Let me know your favorites in the comments below!

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne - This was a fantastic read that I wish I had picked up earlier. It's essentially a sociopath's rise to fame and eventual downfall. With great writing and unique storytelling, it's one book I'd recommend to anyone. Click here to read my full review.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant - The book focuses on a ship that are filming a mockumentary of mermaids mysteriously disappears and several years later, a new crew is assembled. What really makes this book stand out is how the creatures in the oceans aren't just mermaids: they're blood thirsty, violent sirens. I really loved this one! Click here to read my full review.

What the Eyes Don't See by Mona Hanna-Attisha - This non-fiction work is the biographical telling of Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha's discovery of the Flint water crisis and her part in exposing the scandal. The author is one badass woman who fights for her passion: the health of Flint's children. This was a great read!

Wilder Girls by Rory Power - Wilder Girls was one debut that definitely lived up to the hype. The author's writing is creepy and fantastic; she paints divide, gross scenes wrapped in an eerie atmosphere. Click here to read my full review.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - I wasn't sure if I'd like this one. Upon first glance it seemed too romance/contemporary for my liking. However, the book focuses more on the main character's mental illness and her coming to terms with her past. I definitely recommend it. Trigger warning: mental illness, sexual abuse.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - This is probably my favorite book of the year! It's the author's first adult fiction work, and it's great! I've also read her young adult work, and her writing gets better and better. Ninth House really SHOOK me to my core. Click here to read my full review!

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - I know, I know. The hype for this book was several years ago when the HBO series came out. I just now read it, however, it was so much better than I had anticipated. It speaks volumes about human nature. Click here to read my full review!

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware - If I had to pick a second favorite book of 2019, The Turn of the Key would most likely be it. It's really creepy and has a gothic feel with a modern twist. The story is a murder mystery who-dun-it with plenty of twists and turns. It was impossible to put down. Click here to read my full review!

The Whisper Man by Alex North - I selected The Whisper Man as an add-on when I restarted my Book of the Month subscription in October. I wanted a spooky Halloween read and I was not disappointed. It was thrilling and also had a scary, paranormal feel to it. Click here to read my full review.

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys - Set in 1950s Madrid, this historical fiction is a great, character-driven novel. The writing was great and really made me feel like I was actually in that time period experiencing all the things the characters were experiencing. Click here to read my full review.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Aurora Rising

by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Published: Knopf, 2019
Pages: 473
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Amazon, Goodreads

I was born with the taste of blood in my mouth. I was born with my hands in my fist. I was born for war.

About the book

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm

A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates

A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder

An alien warrior with anger management issues

A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

Review

I was hoping Aurora Rising would be like the Illuminae Files, creative, thrilling and hard to turn away from; however, it didn’t quite make it.

What’s it about? 

At Aurora Academy, star pupil Tyler Jones is stuck with a ragtag crew and a girl woken up after being cryogenically frozen for 200 some years. He soon learns that the very girl he saved may be the catalyst that starts a war.

I’ll focus on the positive first. The characters were very distinctive and interesting. I really liked the storyline. Aurora Rising WAS similar to the Illuminae Files as they are both science fiction novels set way in the future and aboard spaceships. I also have to admit that the ending was exciting.

As for the negative, Auri really bothered me at the beginning. I mean, this girl wakes up after 200 years to discover her family is all dead and all she focuses on is how hot she thinks Tyler is. Auri seemed shallow, insubstantial and just really freaking annoying. 

Switching between multiple perspectives from first person was confusing for me.  Though the characters had striking personalities, they didn’t have distinctive voices. This could have been avoided by writing in third person.

Overall, Aurora Rising was enjoyable even though I had a few issues with it. I feel it’s worth a read for those who like YA science fiction.

RATING (out of five puppies)

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Long Bright River

by Liz Moore
Published: Penguin Group, 2020
Pages: 496
Genre: Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

All of them children, all of them gone. People with promise, people dependent and depended upon, people loving and beloved, one after another, in line, in a river, no fount and no outlet, a long bright river of departed souls.

About the book

In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don't speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.

Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey's district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit — and her sister — before it's too late.

Review

Long Bright River is a raw, unforgiving story of the strained relationship between two sisters and the ultimate cost of opioid addiction.

Addiction is a monster that doesn't discriminate. From the disadvantaged poor to the privileged rich, opioid addiction is sweeping across the United States. It's even become a problem where I live in rural Illinois.

Novels like Long Bright River show readers who may not have been touched by addiction how this disease ruins families.

The story is told from the perspective of Mickey, a 33-year-old cop in Philadelphia whose sister is a drug addict. Though their relationship is at best strained, Mickey's sister is missing and while searching for her, Mickey reflects on her difficult childhood and struggle to raise her son. There's a string of murders occurring in the area, and Micky races to find her sister and the killer before the unthinkable happens.

Author Liz Moore has a unique voice perfect for this type of storytelling. It's very much a slow-burning suspense focused on character development, rather than a whodunnit mystery.

The writing is beautiful and the characters haunting in a way that sticks with you long after finishing the novel.

I highly recommend Long Bright River.

RATING (out of five puppies)

November 2019 Wrap Up

Hi all! I can't believe it's already December and one month away from 2020! I read a lot of good books in November.

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule - A non-fiction detailing the fascinating story of Ted Bundy and how author Ann Rule discovered she was close friends with a monster, The Stranger Beside Me was shocking. My rating: ★★★★

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - Slated as a quirky, fun read, I wasn't a fan of this one. I've heard you need to be in the right mood for so maybe I wasn't. My rating: ★★

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys - I devoured this book in an entire day! It was so good! I definitely recommend it for those who enjoy historical romances. Check out my full review here! My rating: ★★★★★

Feed by Mira Grant - Feed is a zombie novel surrounding a team of blogger journalists who uncover a political scandal. I really liked this one! Click here to read my full review! My rating: ★★★★

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - This is one of my favorite - if not one of my favorite - books of the year! It was dark, enthralling and impossible to pull away from. Click here for my full review! My rating: ★★★★★

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell - A decent mystery for those looking for a rainy day read! My rating: ★★★★★

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood - I loved this unconventional love story! Check out my full review here! My rating: ★★★★★

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray - A really liked this book, though I gave it a slightly lower rating because there wasn't much character development and the love triangle was annoying. My rating: ★★★

#Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil - #Murdertrending is a thrilling horror novel about a young woman who gets sentenced in the murder of her step-sister and sent to battle live in isolation with other convicted felons. The plot is unique and interesting. Trigger warning: Violent. My rating: ★★★★★

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard - A solid mystery full of twists and turns. My rating: ★★★★★

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh - I was disappointed by this one. I loved the setting but was ultimately let down by the lack of character development. Check out my full review here! My rating: ★★★

Imaginary Friends by Stephen Chbosky - Imaginary Friends is a good book but the storyline was dragged out. I left the novel feeling frustrated. Check out my full review here! My rating: ★★★

What did you read this month?