Review: When We Go Missing

When We Go Missing by April Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Willow loves to take pictures and volunteer at Finding Home, an animal shelter.  After she finds a camera memory card with hundreds of pictures of teen girls, she takes it to the police.  They tell her there is no proof of a crime, but they will look into it.  That isn’t good enough.  Willow works with a new volunteer to determine what happened to these girls.  Both Willow and Dare have secrets that will need to be worked through as they attempt to unravel this mystery.

When We Go Missing is a stand-alone mystery that shows both the protagonist's and antagonist’s point of view.  Readers know there is a mystery early on, yet the “investigation” doesn’t start until after the halfway point, and then the resolution comes quickly.  Henry’s depiction of the thoughts of the villain enriches the story and allows the reader to make guesses on who may be the perpetrator.  This was a quick read similar to other Henry novels, yet the story was fresh and new.

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Review: Up in Smoke

Up in Smoke by Nick Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cooper and Jason are looting during a protest when shots are fired, and a person is found dead.  Cooper fled the scene to later learn that Jason was arrested for the murder.  Coop knows Jason is innocent, but he can’t come forward without discussing what they were doing.  Jason’s sister, Monique, is willing to do anything to prove her brother’s innocence.  Cooper and Monique team up to investigate what happened, but when they start uncovering deeper secrets, they learn that this is way over their heads. 

Up in Smoke is a stand-alone mystery that covers many timely topics while also entertaining the reader.  Brooks weaves together police corruption and inner-city youth trouble and includes a mysterious spin.  Although the overall storyline is plausible, I don’t consider what the teens got away with believable, but most of us don’t read to experience the believable.  Up in Smoke is a good read for most mystery fans.

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Review: Murder Between Friends

Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jake is being released from prison and everyone is thinking about what happened two years ago. One of the reasons Jake was convicted was because Grace said she saw him near the scene, but now she wonders if she saw Jake or someone wearing Jake’s jacket. Grace, Ally, and Henry (Jake’s brother) decide to rekindle their friendship and look for evidence to prove his innocence. Did Jake kill his English teacher? If he didn’t, then who did?

Murder Between Friends is a stand-alone thriller that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged the entire time. I was fully invested in the results of this investigation and waited for the conclusion as the pages almost turned themselves. Lawson created characters that were believable with an investigation that was just as plausible. Murder Between Friends would be a fun read for all thriller fans.

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Review: The Family I'm In

The Family I'm In by Sharon G. Flake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John-John has had trouble relating to his father, who he never seems to measure up to. It is the end of his junior year, and everyone wants to know who he will take to the prom and where he will work this summer. If it was up to his dad, John-John would work for him and have lots of girls in his life. That is NOT what he wants, though. His friend, Caleb, struggles to make money to help his family after his father cannot work. These teens may be dealing with issues on opposite ends of the spectrum, but they both must learn to cope with the expectations of those in their lives.

The Family I’m In is the third book in The Skin I’m In series. Although it does include characters from the first two books, this is more of a shared universe series than a direct continuation of the story. Events from the first two books are mentioned, but this story could be read as a stand-alone novel. The characters deal with hard issues (family illness, mental health, and hybrid families just to name a few) and Flake covered these issues fairly without watering them down. The Family I’m In would be great for all readers, teens and adults alike.


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Review: Give Up the Night

Give Up the Night by P.C. Cast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wren has been trying to restore her broken magick after her Moonstruck ritual was interrupted.  Unfortunately, the Elementals cannot agree; some want to complete the ritual and others want everything to stay the same.  Lee, on the other hand, is trying to figure out a way through his issues.  He believes that if Wren returns to the Academia, then everything will work itself out.  Which side will end up on top?

Give Up the Night is the second book in the Moonstruck duology.  Readers will quickly be able to remember the events from the first book with the few nudges that are included at the beginning, yet it doesn’t have that sense of the author trying to refresh our memories.  Overall the story was enjoyable, but it didn’t have a drop-everything-and-finish-this-book-now impression.  This duology had a great resolution and readers won’t finish with the feeling of something missing.  Give Up the Night is a good read for those who enjoyed the first book.

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Review: I Remember You

I Remember You by Theo Baxter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It has been two years since Aria woke up in a hospital with no idea who she was.  Luckily her husband was there to fill in some of the gaps and now she is an artist making a living selling her sculptures.  All is not calm in her life, though.  She keeps having the same nightmare and now she is starting to remember her past … or is she.  Her husband is not supportive of her trying to get her memories back.  Why?

I Remember You is a stand-alone thriller that had a lot of potential yet was extremely predictable. Without spoilers, it was easy to know where the story was going next; the only reason to read the book was to learn how the characters discovered the truth.  If you love to hate characters, then this is the book for you.  I was screaming at Aria (in my head) most of the time I was reading the book because I didn’t understand why she put up with everything.  I Remember You should be added to your TBR list if you really want a predictable read.

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Review: The Cosmos Keys

The Cosmos Keys by Glenn Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

David is an archeologist on a dig in Turkey when he uncovers a bronze device with Greek writing and a map of the world that wasn’t known when it was created.  He asks Eleni for help.  She is an expert on ancient technology and their inquiry leads them to secrets that have been hidden for centuries.  As they continue to unravel the clues, they must travel across Europe and face others who are also looking for answers.  Will David and Eleni solve this ancient puzzle?  Is the survival of the human race at stake?

The Cosmos Keys is a stand-alone thriller that will pique the interest of fans of The DaVinci Code and Indiana Jones.  No prior knowledge is necessary to enjoy this story, but it will be better for those who already love everything Greek mythology.  Cooper’s characters and conspiracies are easy to understand and relate to, which makes this story feel as if you are part of the experience.  The Cosmos Keys is a wonderful thriller with a touch of nerdy romance. 

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