Review: If There's No Tomorrow

If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is the weekend before her senior year and Lena is ready. She wants to spend time with her friends, pick her college and hopefully let her best friend know that she wants to be more than friends. Then she makes a choice that changes everything and now she isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. How can Lena go on with her life after what happened? Would Sebastian be able to forgive her if he is told the truth?

If There’s No Tomorrow is a stand-alone novel that expresses a timely, yet tragic story. Lena is trying to deal with love, guilt and grief all at the same time, yet she doesn’t want to confide in her friends, just in case they would hate her afterward. Armentrout takes a very difficult situation and explores the actions and consequences that led to the tragedy. If There’s No Tomorrow is an outstanding novel that should be moved to the top of everyone’s TBR pile.


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Review: The Dire King

The Dire King by William Ritter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackaby and Abigail continue their fight against magical creatures and an evil king attempting a takeover. Even as the Dire King is wreaking havoc; these two continue to solve the mysteries that surround New Fiddleham. To top the story off, Abigail and Charlie are getting closer than ever before and Abigail’s friends think he is going to pop the question. Can this unusual team defeat the evil that is haunting their town?

The Dire King is the fourth and final book in the Jackaby series. With that being said, Ritter has left readers with an ending that will leave most readers wanting a spin off series. The adventure is high strung and will pull readers along the entire way. There is romance between Abigail and Charlie (and maybe Jackaby and Jenny), but it shouldn’t be enough to cause male readers to give up on the story. The Dire King is a great conclusion and should not be missed.

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Review: Thin Places

Thin Places by Lesley Choyce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Declan is just an average teenage boy until he starts hearing the voice of a girl inside his head. He doesn’t believe she is a figment of his imagination, though. When he closes his eyes … he sees her. Through their conversations and visions she shares, he feels the need to go to Ireland and find her. Can Declan convince his parents to let him travel to his crazy Uncle Seamus? Will he discover the mystery behind this voice in his head?

Thin Places is a stand-alone novel in verse. The book is very short, even for its format, and most readers will finish it in about an hour. Choyce gives just enough background about Ireland’s history and mysteries to pull the reader in and gives them a reason to keep going. The “thin places” are a tantalizing idea that connects Declan to his family’s ancestral Ireland. Thin Places is a very quick read and it is also enjoyable.


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Review: Black Light Express

Black Light Express by Philip Reeve
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Zen and Nova know what it is like to ride a train from one world to another, but now they have traveled through a gate that shouldn’t have been there and they can’t undo that action. Chandni has just finished a stint frozen in prison and is attempting to determine her place in a world torn apart by war. Their stories may be separate, yet they continually intersect as the Black Light Zone calls them.

Black Light Express is the second book in the Railhead series. Second books are always questionable because they usually are setting up a deeper storyline and this is no exception. Many readers will find the story a pleasant escape, yet others may prefer to wait until more books are written in order to have a fuller appreciation of where the tale will take them.


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Review: Poe: Stories and Poems: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Gareth Hinds

Poe: Stories and Poems: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Gareth Hinds by Gareth Hinds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poe: Stories and Poems is a graphic novel adaptation of seven works by Edgar Allen Poe. Most of these stories and poems will be familiar to readers, yet even as a first introduction to Poe, it is great. Hinds has added depth and details to these vivid tales and brings them to life beyond a personal imagination. The author mentions that the original narrators are not described and encourages readers to think of their own narrators while enjoying his version. A great book for readers new to Poe or experienced with his tales.

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Review: The Way It Hurts

The Way It Hurts by Patty Blount
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elijah’s band needs to make it big. If it does, then his family won’t need to put his special needs sister into a home. Once Elijah sees Kristen perform, he knows she is exactly what his band needs to be discovered. Unfortunately, an out-of-context social media comment is posted and the band is being recognized, not for its music, but for this controversy. Can Elijah and Kristen use this exposure to benefit their own purposes? What happens if the followers don’t know that there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed?

The Way It Hurts is a realistic fiction story that has controversy, music, and a little romance. Blount tells the story in the alternating voices of Kristen and Elijah, so readers will feel as if they are getting the entire story. The social media posts included throughout give variety to the text and add a third (and more) voice to the mix. The tension gets high, yet the story pulls through with a strong finish. The Way it Hurts is a great read that should be added to everyone’s TBR list.


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