Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde // BOOK REVIEW

“Living long is a gift denied to many, and so it comes with a responsibility to make the most of it. At very least to appreciate it. People gripe about growing older—their aches and pains, how much harder everything is—as if they had forgotten that the alternative is dying young.”

“We just made the mistake of putting it off. We thought we would lose nothing by putting it off. We thought we had plenty of time. I guess that was our key mistake, right? We thought there would always be more time. Why do we do that? I mean, not just Luis and me. Everybody. Why does everybody do that? Think we'll have more time?”

Book: Have You Seen Luis Velez?

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary

Synopsis: Raymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast. After his best friend moves away, Raymond has only two real connections: to the feral cat he's tamed and to a blind ninety-two-year-old woman in his building who's introduced herself with a curious question: Have you seen Luis Velez?

Mildred Gutermann, a German Jew who narrowly escaped the Holocaust, has been alone since her caretaker disappeared. She turns to Raymond for help, and as he tries to track Luis down, a deep and unexpected friendship blossoms between the two.

Despondent at the loss of Luis, Mildred isolates herself further from a neighborhood devolving into bigotry and fear. Determined not to let her give up, Raymond helps her see that for every terrible act the world delivers, there is a mirror image of deep kindness, and Mildred helps Raymond see that there's hope if you have someone to hold on to.

What I think about it...

This book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming for me.

Heartbreaking because, even though I know its fiction, I know there really are children / kids who feel out of place inside their own home – that one place where they should feel they are loved and wanted. It is so saddening to see that the person who’s most suffering in the separation of a husband and a wife is their child. I felt so sad for Raymond for being in that situation. I was kinda happy, though, that at least his Dad cares for him but I also don’t think that he has some balls to stand up for his own son.

But it is so heartwarming for me because Raymond found his family in Mrs. G and in other Luis Velezes. It’s just so ironic that sometimes people who are not related to you are the ones who make you feel like you’re family. I’m tearing up just by recalling how wonderful this book is.

The Ending

Wow. I thought I was not really gonna enjoy what’s gonna happen in the end but you know, Catherine Ryan Hyde didn’t really promised anything in the end and that made it more realistic. It is so realistic that it may be happening to someone right now. It’s just so amazing and it’s really not the kind of ending I was hoping but it’s as good as it gets. There are so many things that’s gonna happen in the future and who knows what’s in there until we get there, right? We just have to be positive and hope for the best.

My Verdict

Amazing. Must-read. Most recommended.

There are so many great takeaways here that I kept highlighting here and there. Guys, if you’re looking for a book that will give you the feels… This. Is. It.

It taught me that we can’t really change the world, alone, especially for the people we care about for them to like it better or for them to not feel any more pain/hardships. But what we can do is to let them go through whatever it is they have to go through and just be there for them.

“The world is terrible and wonderful at the same time. One doesn’t negate the other, but the wonderful keeps us in the game. It keeps us moving forward.” 

MY RATING

★★★★★

The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz // BOOK REVIEW

“If someone is not treating you with love and respect, it is a gift if they walk away from you. If that person doesn't walk away, you will surely endure many years of suffering with him or her. Walking away may hurt for a while, but your heart will eventually heal. Then you can choose what you really want. You will find that you don't need to trust others as much as you need to trust yourself to make the right choices.”

Book: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

Author: Miguel Ruiz

Genre: Self Help, Non-fiction, Spirituality, Philosophy

Synopsis: In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.

What I think about it...

This book has given me great insights that I will definitely treasure. I finished reading it and I will read it again and again until it’s imprinted in my mind. There are so many takeaways from this book and I’ve read serious accusations against the author but personally, I can’t comment/respond to what Miguel Ruiz did or did not do. The teachings I’ve found in this book are so powerful and inspiring. This book talks about the four agreements that we need to adopt to transform our lives:

• Be impeccable with your word

• Don’t take anything personally

• Don’t make assumptions

• Always do your best

This is a must-read book for everyone. And if you’ve read this already, what agreement coincides with you the most?

MY RATING

★★★★★

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (Love & Gelato #2) // BOOK REVIEW

“Do you know what I love most about humans, pet? It’s our utter dogged stupidity. When it comes to love we never learn. Ever. Even when we know the risks. Even when it makes much more sense to relocate to individualized climate-controlled caves, where our hearts have at least a fighting chance at remaining intact. We know the risks of opening our hearts up. And yet we keep doing it anyway. We keep falling in love and having babies and buying shoes that look incredible but feel like death. We keep adopting puppies and making friends and buying white sofas that we know we’re going to drop a slice of pizza facedown on. We just keep doing it. Is it ignorance? Amnesia? Or is it something else? Something braver?”

Book: Love & Luck (Love & Gelato #2)
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

Synopsis: Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

What I think about it...

The writing / story

This book is written in Addie's point of view and at the end of each chapters there are excerpts from Ireland for the Heartbroken: An Unconventional Guide to the Emerald Isle, third edition that Addie is reading. And I enjoyed reading it more than I did with reading Addie's story. I think the whole book is written nicely (but not nice enough to hold my attention). It was a lighthearted story and a quick read.

The Characters

Oh God I admire Addie's brothers! They are so hilarious that I always look forward to their parts in Addie's stories. There was a cameo of Lina and Ren as well, in the end. On the other hand, I don't know what to feel about Rowan. He was just like a background character although he was always there. He didn't give me the feels Ren gave me during the first book. He was there but was kinda not there. 

And Addie, oh Addie... is very annoying and childish and a pushover. I was really annoyed with her that I think if I have a younger sister like her, that complains every single time, I will definitely slap her to sanity.

Oops, I think I'm being too violent. But Addie is annoying. Like there was a part where she, her three brothers and her mom was inside the car and they were talking about the fight Addie and Ian had during their Aunt's wedding, she just won't shut up. It felt like I was inside the car with them.

Why it didn't work for me...

I thought I'm gonna like it, at least, because I lurve Love & Gelato but this was utterly disappointing. I just kept skipping everything. I did not enjoy this story at all. And Addie is just so stupid. 

Like why she didn't think of the consequences of her actions?

Her brother warned her and yet she continued whatever it is she's doing.

And then she messed up.

Serves her right for being so hard headed!

She wanna be more than just the little sister of her three superstar-athlete brothers but if that is her way to be more than just the little sister, she really is bound to get doomed. Also there was a part where Miriam asked her to go on the stage and shout, "I am the hero of my own story," and I thought it was overboard, shallow and absurd. 

I don't find the significance of this scene in the whole story just like how I don't get the point of the whole story.

My Verdict

I don't like this at all. And this has a lot of positive comments on Goodreads but I just can't seem to like it.

I don't like it at all.

Addie ruined this for me.

And the only thing that gave me emotions in this book are her brothers and Lina. Her brothers made me laugh and Lina made me cry. And Addie, well, she irritates me. So, no, this book is...

But wait, just to be fair (after all I've said above, I wanna be fair LOL), I started reading this at the same time I started reading Everlost but Love & Luck didn't catch my attention as much as Everlost did so I finished the trilogy first then I decided to finish this. I binged-read that trilogy and started this but I found my focus still not in this book. Maybe if I was in a different mood, I might have enjoyed this. Maybe.

MY RATING

★☆☆☆☆

Everfound by Neal Shusterman (Skinjacker #3) // BOOK REVIEW

“We can lie to ourselves, saying we believe one thing, and sometimes we convince other's it's true, with the hope that by convincing others, we can convince ourselves. Wars are often waged not because of what we believe, but because of the things we want others to believe.”

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Book: Everfound (Skinjacker #3)
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction

Synopsis: While Mary lies in a glass coffin aboard a ghost train heading west, her minions are awaiting her re-awakening by bringing lots of new souls into Everlost to serve her. Meanwhile Jackin’ Jill has met Jix, a fur-jacker—a skin jacker who can take over the bodies of animals, most notably jaguars. Jix serves a Mayan god who collects Everlost coins, and has his own agenda. In the concluding volume of The Skinjacker Trilogy, Neal Shusterman reveals new sides of the characters of Everlost, who are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth.

What I thought about it...

This one is painful. I have to bid goodbye to my newfound friends.

Though I've only met them a few days ago, I felt like I know them all and ending this series, I kind of felt sad and happy. 

Sad because for that short amount of time I felt like they became a part of my family and being away from them made me feel incomplete.

But happy because finally, they're going to the light. They're going somewhere they need to go.

So I'll try not to be selfish and let them all go.

Anyways, back to the story. As I've said in my Everwild review, this is kind of depressing. It bothers me that kids are dying and I tried so hard to convince myself that this is just a fiction, not real and I don't have to fret. But it felt so real, I just can't help it.

Also, that ending. I know just because it's not the kind of ending that I want doesn't mean it's a bad book. I was actually kind of torn with the ending. It's still beautiful though. I was kinda teary-eyed when Mikey bid Allie goodbye and I was even more emotional when Allie said her goodbye to Nick. I don't ship them anymore, but I admire the kind of bond they have. As Allie said, Nick is like her ghostly twin and Mikey is her soul mate. It warms my heart that Nick will always be in her heart. And with that I'd like to share that ending between them...

     "I remember the first time I saw you," Allie said.

     "I thought you smelled me first."

    "Right," said Allie. "The chocolate. But then I saw you as I sat up in the dead forest, thinking I knew you. At the time, I thought I must have seen you through the windshield when our cars crashed... But that wasn't it. I think, way back then, I was seeing you as you are now. Isn't that funny?"

     "Not as funny as the way I always complained, and the way you always bossed me around!"

They embraced and held each other for a long time.

    "Don't forget me," Nick said. "No matter where your life goes, no matter how old you get. And if you ever get the feeling that someone is looking over your shoulder, but there's nobody there, maybe it'll be me."

    "I'll write to you," said Allie, and Nick laughed. "No really. I'll write the letter then burn it, and if I care just enough, it will cross into Everlost."

I'm also sad that Nick was left there, not totally alone, but all his friends either sunk in the bottom of the earth, gone into the light in the tunnel or gone back to the living world. He was left there and it is very uncomforting to think why can't he cross that tunnel? Although I know he still have his mission, but still...

Again I felt bad that I was kinda sad that Allie chose to come back to the living world and not be with Mikey. But maybe they'll see each other again at the end of the tunnel. So I was kind of hoping that Neal Shusterman will write at least something about the Afterlights' life beyond that tunnel? In the light?

My Verdict

I like this series. Amazing. Creative. Very, very good.

I was just so happy I finished a trilogy in less than a week!

MY RATING

★★★★☆

Everwild by Neal Shusterman (Skinjacker #2) // BOOK REVIEW

“...And perhaps you can sense, in some small twisting loop of your gut, the convergence of the wrong, of the right, and of the woefully misguided. If you do, then pay sharp attention to the moment you wake, and the moment you fall asleep...For maybe then you will know, without a shadow of a doubt, which is which.”

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Book: Everwild (Skinjacker #2)

Author: Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction

Synopsis: Everlost, the limbo land of dead children, is at war. Nick the “Chocolate Ogre” wants to help the children of Everlost reach the light at the end of the tunnel. Mary Hightower, self-proclaimed queen of lost children and dangerous fanatic, is determined to keep Everlost’s children trapped within its limbo for all eternity. Traveling in the memory of the Hindenburg, Mary is spreading her propaganda and attracting Afterlights to her cause at a frightening speed.

Meanwhile, Allie the Outcast travels home to seek out her parents, along with Mikey, who was once the terrifying monster the McGill. Allie is tempted by the seductive thrill of skinjacking the living, until she discovers the shocking truth about skinjackers.

What I thought about it...

Whenever I read fantasy books, the gears in my head started turning looking for plot holes...

And I become suspicious...

But this book or series is different. Maybe it has plot holes. I don't know or I'm not sure because I don't mind.

Because...

The Characters

Many characters were introduced here like Jackin' Jill, Milos, Moose and Squirrel to name a few. I dreaded that I have to keep up with a lot of names every time I read something in the fantasy genre but I find it not a problem in reading this book.

Also, I like the character progression of each leads but can I just add that it sadden me to see Lief go. And now I felt bad for seeing someone go somewhere they need to be just because it doesn't make me happy. Goodbyes are difficult when you get attached to people... be it in real life or in fiction.

Back to the character progression...

Nick became the Chocolate Ogre and it's saddening. Like he really became a mud of chocolate in the end. 

Can I also add that I shipped him with Allie in book one til the second half of this book. But then Mikey McGill appeared and he now became my most favorite character (with Nick closely behind). I was so brokenhearted, though, with what he saw between Allie and Milos. And with that I hated Allie. I thought she is so insensitive and that she deserved it when Mikey left her.

My Verdict

I read Everwild as soon as I finished Everlost because I was afraid that boredom will get the best of me. I enjoyed Everlost but I felt like it was just okay even if I don't finish the series. But good Lord, I picked up Everwild and I can't put it down. I didn't regret one bit.

But this series is kinda depressing. It was like survival of the fittest. The living world is in danger with Afterlights - beings that they cannot see. And it scared me because, really, what if there really is another world out there?

Anyways, I recommend this book. Oh my gosh, it's good.

MY RATING

★★★★☆

Everlost by Neal Shusterman (Skinjacker #1) // BOOK REVIEW

“But we can't choose what we forget. The more we try to forget something, the more we end up remembering it.”

Book: Everlost (Skinjacker #1)

Author: Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction

Synopsis: Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident...

...but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to get either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.

When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost kids, Nick feels like he he's found a home, but Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.

What I thought about it…

The Writing

I thought the plot is so clever and creative. Wow, just wow. It is so beautifully written though it was kinda depressing. I’d like to commend Neal Shusterman for he was not afraid to make a plot this sinister and I thought he executed it perfectly. There are books with promising plot but failed in the execution but Everlost is not that kind of book. It is kind of refreshing and very different because it is not your typical demon, werewolves, vampire, witches fantasy novel. It opens my eyes to another world. This is the second young adult / fantasy that captured my imagination (next to Uglies Series).

The Characters

I love them all. I was a little indifferent with Allie, at first, but I started to like her eventually. I didn’t like Nick’s character too, in the beginning ‘cos I thought he was kinda petty but it turned out he was my most favourite character in this book. And with Lief, I felt like I found another little brother in his character. I like that Allie cares about them. Actually, I like how thoughtful the main leads are towards each other. They are mature and responsible for their age and I admire it.

What I liked less…

Mary. The moment she appeared in the book, I already knew there was something odd about her. I like, though, how motherly she is to the other kids and even taking them under her wings. But I don’t like her for reasons I can’t explain. Later on I realized why... my intuition never fail me.

Also, I don’t like what happened to Nick, though it didn’t affect how I rated this book, I don’t see how it is necessary for his character but the next two books was so amazing it makes up for everything.

My Verdict

Finishing this book one made me feeling...

It is a gem.

Trying yet another young adult / fantasy is kinda dreadful for me since the Clockwork Angel failed me in so many ways. But upon seeing that this is in my To Read shelf for three months now, I thought I’d give it a try. And I was not disappointed.

MY RATING

★★★☆☆

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness // BOOK REVIEW

"You be as angry as you need to be," she said. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not your grandma, not your dad, no one. And if you need to break things, then by God, you break them good and hard."

Book: A Monster Calls

Author: Patrick Ness

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Young Adult

Synopsis: Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.

               

What I thought about it...

The Storyline / Writing

It is a quick read but you know, it pierced through the heart. I’ve read short books before but it never captured my heart and attention like this one did. It amazes me how Patrick Ness made it just 237 pages and yet it is both magical and emotional. There was never a chapter that I don’t like and this is one of those books that I didn’t lose my focus and emotions on. There is something about books about kids (whatever genre it may be, but especially Fantasy genre) that captures my heart and soul like this one and like Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane did. I ugly cried after reading both these books.

The Characters

Conor felt like a little brother to me. I was so sad and broken hearted for him. I don’t know what he’s feeling or how much he’s hurting but all I know is that it hurts so much. Losing your parent at that young age, I can’t imagine.

And there’s that yew tree that made me cry when I watched the trailer of the movie adaptation of this book.

My Verdict

I loved it. I can’t say anything much about books that I love aside from the fact that I love them. There are books that stay with me for a few days or months but this one will definitely stay tucked in the corner of my heart, forever.

MY RATING

★★★★★

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen // BOOK REVIEW

"I wished I understood better back then; I felt abandoned, but now I know some pain is too fierce to battle. You can only duck for cover and I hope the sandstorm passes."

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Book: The Wife Between Us

Author: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis: When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.

You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.

You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.

Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

               

What I thought about it...

The Storyline / Writing

One helluva confusing book. I think the authors just kept throwing plot after plot just to make it appear intriguing and didn’t care about the substance of the story.

Like... What?

Really?

The book is divided into three parts and alternates between Nellie’s (third person POV) and Vanessa’s (first person POV) stories. The first twist, after Part I, is that Vanessa and Nellie is one and the same person. Nellie’s chapters narrate what happened in the past before her marriage to Richard and Nellie is a nickname given to her by Richard when they first met. On the other hand, Vanessa’s chapters are of the present and the girl she was stalking – she’s referring to that girl as her replacement – is actually Emma, the daughter of Daniel (her former professor that she had an affair with years ago), but they made it appear like it is Nellie she was referring to and I think that the authors also made it appear like Vanessa was crazy or something. It is really confusing that I have to back read after Part I just to make sure I’ve understand everything.

The Characters

Vanessa / Nellie – again, they’re the same person. What I don’t understand here is if Vanessa was really angry at Richard for abusing her during their marriage, why does it seemed like she still loves him, misses him and she appeared hurt when she knew that Richard is already engaged at Part I? I. Don’t. Get. It.

Richard – was the control freak, abusive husband. As soon as I’ve read that he’s having an affair with Emma even when he’s still married to Vanessa, I already know that the problem is him. That’s why no matter how sick or twisted the plot twist is, I was not surprised at all. And it doesn't help that he and my cheating ex-boyfriend have the same name, so yeah, my hate for him doubled (lol, kidding).

Emma – is the daughter of Daniel, Vanessa’s professor that she had an affair with. Vanessa became pregnant with Daniel’s child and she decided to come to his home and confront him, but Emma witnessed everything that happened during that night. Vanessa didn’t know that Daniel already has a family – wife and children. So years later, Emma came to avenge what Vanessa did to her family. She came to Vanessa's husband to get even with her but what she didn't know is that Vanessa set that affair in motion. Also Vanessa didn't know that Emma is Daniel's daughter.

Maureen – is Richard’s sister. I don’t get what’s wrong with her especially with that ending. I don’t know what’s the deal with her. She’s in love with her brother or what?

What went wrong in the end…

Again, the substance of the plot twists are lacking. And I thought that after Part I nothing really remarkable happened. It is sooooo slow. Anyway, I knew from the very beginning that it’s the husband and I actually sympathized with Vanessa. But after knowing that Vanessa and Nellie is the same person, I felt indifferent like I don’t wanna continue reading because I don’t know what to feel. All my sympathy for Vanessa vanished and all that’s left is irritation because she kept getting on Richard’s way – the husband she claimed she was afraid of – I mean, she's gonna get hurt real bad if she continues with her plan. I understand she wanna save Emma – because she used Emma to be free of Richard (gosh, I don’t wanna explain further because it already is confusing so I’ll leave it at that) but when she tried to tell Emma and Emma didn’t believe her, she should’ve run because she already did her part and it’s up to Emma now. And that epilogue, what the fudge, it’s so unnecessary so why put it there.

MY VERDICT

So...

Like...

But... fine.

The story is just okay. I would recommend it to someone just so I can have someone to discuss how confusing this book is.

So my question is, the title The Wife Between Us is for who? The wife between Maureen and Richard? It fits, ‘cause there’s always a wife between the siblings.

MY RATING

★★☆☆☆

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus // BOOK REVIEW

"When you come into the world with another person, they’re as much a part of you as your heartbeat."

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Book: Two Can Keep a Secret

Author: Karen M. McManus

Genre: Mystery, Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis: Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

What I thought about it...

The Storyline / Writing

Well-written, I would say.

The story alternates between Ellery and Malcolm’s POV. It was a mediocre story for me – not so bad and not so, so good, too. I would not say though, that it intrigues me or that I’m excited with what’s gonna happen in the next chapters. The ending I did not expect because I didn’t expect anything much at all. But what kinda puts me on edge is that this small town has a lot of stuffs to deal with, huh. And that’s what confused me, actually. But it’s good that all the confusion died down in the end cos everything was well-explained there.

The Characters

I like all of them especially Nana – Ellery’s grandma. I think Sadie (Ellery’s Mom) is kinda cool, too. Ezra, the twin brother, is fine by me and I would like to have a friend like him. I can’t comment on other background characters though cos they don’t have enough exposure but I hate Katrin (Malcolm’s stepsister) and Viv (the school’s journalist) that I think they deserve far worse ending than that ending. I wanna see them catch up with their karmas, I guess.

I love Malcolm though. I was so drawn to his character because I think he is so reserved and well-mannered and I like that in a guy. Ellery, on the other hand, I felt indifferent with her. I don’t like that she’s making assumptions and putting her nose on things that are not her business. I actually thought that if, in the end, she’s gonna be right about all her crazy theories, I will throw this book to the ground and say goodbye cos the police can’t solve this crime and she can? What? But well, she’s not right… so here I am.

Also, is it weird that I kinda like to know more about the town’s drunkard Vance Puckett?

MY VERDICT

I find this book really problematic because of a lot of crimes involved – Sarah’s disappearance from more than two decades ago, the hit and run, the vandals all over town, the death of the Homecoming Queen five years ago, the disappearance and the eventual death of another girl who’s one of the Homecoming court and the twin’s father. But overall, a fairly pleasant read and again, I got all the answers to my questions in the end. So, great.

MY RATING

★★★☆☆