Review: The Headmaster's List

The Headmaster's List by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Spencer has survived a terrible accident that ended with the death of a fellow student.  She has only spotty memories of the events before the accident and none of the accident itself.  Her ex, Ethan, has been charged with the death of Chris, a passenger in the car.  Spencer doesn’t believe Ethan is at fault.  She doesn’t know why, so she starts to investigate what happened that night.  Is it weird that everyone involved is on the Headmaster’s List?  What truths will Spencer uncover?  Will she ever get her memories back?

The Headmaster’s List is a stand-alone mystery that has standard narrative sections with podcast transcripts throughout.  De la Cruz has taken a gander at a different genre and it is a success.  I did have an inkling of the twist at the end, but I did not expect the second and third twists.  This is not a very long read, so many readers will find themselves finished before they realize it.  A fun mystery for fans of the genre. 

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Review: Rapunzels and Powers

Rapunzels and Powers by Christina Bauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grayson and Dex are visited by … Grayson.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Grayson’s six-year-old self opened a portal into her future and cast a prophecy for herself.  One of the fascinating parts of this short novel is the knowledge of Dex and Grayson when younger.  Readers will learn more about who they are by reading about what they went through.  There are twists and turns throughout, yet their storyline is wrapped up neatly.  Dex and Grayson’s story has ended in this tenth book in the Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series yet this world is so complex, I can predict there will be more books set in this world.

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Review: The Island

The Island by Natasha Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Six teen influencers have been invited to a private island for a preview of an exclusive amusement park for the very rich.  They have millions of followers, yet each has a different niche.  The plan: to make posts and videos on their platforms to work up hype about the park.  The weekend starts out perfect.  The rooms are better than expected, the rides are more intense, and everyone is having a blast … until the first person goes missing.  Now they are trying to stay alive.  Who will get off the island?

The Island is a stand-alone mystery that is a very short read and many will want to set aside time to read it in a weekend.  The action moves quickly from scene to scene and the quirks of the characters are revealed just before that quirk is relevant.  Readers will deduce alongside the characters, but be aware that not everything is as it seems and there are many twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.  A great mystery that fans of the genre will enjoy.

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Review: Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory by Nic Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Andy sends a text while drunk and it is received by a stranger.  He decides a stranger will do and they text back and forth.  When he is at school a few days later, his wallet is returned by the new girl, Shelbi.  She tells him she found it at the crash site and wanted to return it.  Shelbi has a few secrets.  One, she has episodes of depression, and two, she is the stranger Andy has been texting.  When these truths are discovered, a friendship is established … with rules.  Will these two teens with their own problems help or hinder each other?

Chaos Theory is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that hits some hard topics with grace.  There is a trigger warning at the beginning for those who may suffer from a psychological disorder and as someone who doesn’t deal with these issues, I can’t say much on that aspect.  Both teens are running away from things, even if they don’t want to admit it to others and readers may see themselves or people they love in the characters portrayed.  A very serious read that is worth the time spent.

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Review: The Cradle of Ice

The Cradle of Ice by James Rollins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The story continues with an apocalypse destined to occur.    An unlikely group has been thrown together and they don’t know what awaits them in this constantly changing world.  There are new forces as well as old foes causing trouble from all sides.  What losses will they need to overcome?  Will they be able to continue their quest once they are forced to separate?

The Cradle of Ice is the second book in the Moonfall series.    This fantasy adventure was long and rambling and I found myself wondering why I was still in the pages.  I didn’t see an easy dividing section, but this book would have been better if it was split into two.  Goodreads doesn’t have a third book listed (yet), but the ending leaves readers knowing that there is more to come.  I don’t recommend everyone rush to this book; probably wait and see what the next volume holds.

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