#BookReview: There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

Receiving books free in exchange for reviews will never sway the outcome of my reviews. All my reviews are own my personal thoughts and opinions whether they for review or bought. While I may feel a certain way, others may feel differently. So sit back and relax and check out my thoughts on this book. Don't forget to share your thoughts (no spoilers) on the books or reviews on this blog in comments.

Title: There's Someone Inside Your House

Format: ebook

Pages: 306

Published: 26th Sept 2017

Publisher: Macmillan's Children's Books

Source: Bought

Genre: YA Horror, Mystery

Shelfability:  Borrow

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Over a year after her parents sent her away from Hawaii to live with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska, Makani Young is still adjusting to her new life. She's made a small group of close friends and even flirted with romance, but her past in Hawaii is still hard to forget. 

And then . . . one by one the students of her new high school begin to die in a series of gruesome murders. Makani doesn't know who's next on the list. Between this, and a secret scorching relationship with the school weirdo, this school year may turn out to be one to die for . . . literally. 

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins will have you swooning with fear and romance, and is the perfect page-turner for fans of Scream Queens and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

I am a bit rusty on writing reviews so please bare with me. It's been a while since I even attempted writing one as you can see from the lack of blog posts. However, here goes nothing!!

There's Someone Inside Your House is a YA horror novel about teenager Makani. Who is forced to go live with her grandmother in Nebraska. She has a dark secret that she thought no one would have to find out. However, when her fellow classmates start getting murdered, will she be able to keep hiding her secret? And will she be safe from the killer?

Having read some of the author's work before I was familiar with her style of writing. The story itself is really quick read and you can easily get lost in it. There is no denying that the author knows how to write. However, it was the plot itself that I struggled with. It was an ok read don't get me wrong. I read it in a day. I just didn't love the story.

I was expecting it to be a really good YA slasher book. I am a big baby when comes to horror movies and books. So it doesn't take much to freak me out. Sadly this one didn't have that scare factor that I was looking for. The mystery aspect of the killer was interesting at first. You want to know who and why. Sadly, the killer is revealed way too early for my liking and the motive just felt a bit................meh.

Now the characters themselves, they didn't really stand out for me. Usually when reading a book you can connect with at least one character. I couldn't with any of them. Maybe Ollie a little for his pink hair because I used to have pink hair but that's about it. Makani is the main character with a dark secret. Now when you are teased with this from the beginning of the book you are wanting something dark, something juicy right? Makani made a mistake. Was it super dark? Not really. I was really disappointed with the big reveal. A huge let down.

As I said the story is a fast paced read. It's a good book just to escape into a for while. Just for me personally it didn't have the fear factor a good horror should have.

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#BookReview: Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson

Do you know how hard is it to review this book without spoilers?!?! It's SOOOOOOOO hard!!! I want to talk about it. Really talk about and I can't! Just read the book!!!

GO, read the book.

NO! Wait!!

Not yet silly!

Stay and read my review first. Lol.

Title: Allegedly

Format: eBook

Pages: 400

Published: 24th Jan 2017

Publisher: Katherine

Source: Bought

Genre: YA, Mystery, Contemporary

Shelfability:  COVET

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Book Depository

About The Book

Orange Is the New Black meets Walter Dean Myer's Monster in this gritty, twisty, and haunting debut by Tiffany D. Jackson about a girl convicted of murder seeking the truth while surviving life in a group home. Mary B. Addison killed a baby. Allegedly. She didn't say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: a white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? There wasn't a point to setting the record straight before, but now she's got Ted-and their unborn child-to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary's fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?

To say that "Allegedly" was an easy read probably isn't the best word to use. But it was. It was a very easy read. It was easy to get lost in. It was easy to stay up until the wee hours to finish the book. It was easy to get into the characters minds. The plot itself was not easy. Gripping would be the best word I could use. Gripping, gritty and with some major plot twists!!!

Nine year old Mary Killed a baby. Allegedly. She didn't really say much when she was questioned. However, now she is fifteen with her own unborn baby to think about she is now determined to set the record straight about what happened that tragic night. Will the truth come out about what really happen to little Alyssa?

Get it? Hooked? *chuckles*

I was completely hooked onto this books from the moment I read the blurb I just knew it was going to be a book that would really get you thinking and it was. It's full of twists and turns that I honestly did not see coming. I thought I knew exactly where the story was going than BAM!!! The author would flip the story and take it somewhere completely different.

Now the characters in the story aren't exactly easy to like. And I think that's a very important part of the story telling. You aren't meant to like them. You are meant to hate them and fear them. Just like Mary does. However, you do see little parts of the each girl that live in that house that aren't too bad and you get understand them a little better.  Mary herself is a tough one. My feelings on her changed so much as the story progressed. She goes through so much between what happens to her in the house at the hands of the other girls. From her Momma to her boyfriend Ted. You do feel sympathy for her.

Allegedly is without a doubt an outstanding novel by Tiffany D Jackson. She has took a story that is so uncomfortable and heartbreaking and makes into a stunning debut that is will stay with you for a while after finishing it because the ending of this haunting story will leave you shocked.

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#BookReview: The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke

Title:The Lost and the Found

Format:Kindle Ebook

Pages:448

Published: 2nd July 2015

Publisher: Quercus Children's Books

Source:Bought

Genre:YA Thriller, Mystery

Shelfability: Acquire

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Book Depository

About The Book

LOST. 

When six-year-old Laurel Logan was abducted, the only witness was her younger sister. Faith's childhood was dominated by Laurel's disappearance - from her parents' broken marriage and the constant media attention to dealing with so-called friends who only ever wanted to talk about her sister. 

FOUND. 

Thirteen years later, a young woman is found in the garden of the Logans' old house, disorientated and clutching the teddy bear Laurel was last seen with. Laurel is home at last, safe and sound. Faith always dreamed of getting her sister back, without ever truly believing it would happen. But a disturbing series of events leaves Faith increasingly isolated and paranoid, and before long she begins to wonder if everything that's lost can be found again...

Opening Line:  "She knows, she definitely knows."

I bought this on a whim, mainly due to the fact it was only 99p on kindle. However, after reading the blurb I was intrigued. I have never read a book by Cat Clarke before and I don't know why but it sure won't be my last. The Lost and the Found was a really good mystery/thriller read. It was a little bit of a slow burner for me but once I got into the story I really thought it was wonderful and emotional. 

Six year old Laurel is kidnapped from her garden. Her little sister Faith is the only witness. Faith never got to have a normal childhood because of this tragic incident. However, thirteen years later Laurel comes home and Faith wonders if they can really be family again? And is everything really as it seems? 

As I mentioned above I did find this to be a slow burner. It took me a few chapters to really get into the swing of the story. That may be because this isn't my usual type of novel. However, once I got into it, I devoured it. Another of one of those staying up until nearly 3am type of reads. I found myself really invested in these characters lives and needing to more about Laurel. I liked the chemistry between Faith and Laurel even though at times it felt forced but given the context of this story it felt right. 

The way the author tells this story really feels like a teenager is writing it. You get right into the characters mindset. You can feel for them and understand the emotional turmoil purely from the authors writing style. Not many authors can do that. You can tell it's an "adult" writing from a teenager's point of view. However, with Cat she really has a special voice. If her other novels are written like this I will be checking them out soon. 

My only downside of this story was I found it just a little bit predictable. I was hoping for a story filled with mystery and suspense but I sort figured everything out from early on. Although, saying that I still found myself enjoying the story. And there is one part (I won't say where and I won't say what) that broke me! I was sobbing mess. I actually gasped and then broke down into a tearful-snot-filled mess.

I do recommend this one. It's a really good YA story with a hint of mystery. And why not go grab it quick while it is still only 99p from the kindle store, the link is at the top of this review. 

Favourite Quote: Guilt is never faraway in this house. It lurks under the floorboards and behind the walls. You can hear it whispering late at night if you listen closely.

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*Blog Tour* Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

Missing Pieces Soundtrack

"Missing Pieces is the story of one woman’s search for the truth. Everything that Sarah Quinlan believed about her marriage to her husband of twenty years turns out to be a lie. The soundtrack to Missing Pieces is filled with songs that reflect Sarah’s anguish in learning that her husband may be involved in a decades old murder. Sarah will stop at nothing to find out the truth in hopes of saving her marriage and her life." - Heather Gudankauf

 “Trust in Me” – Etta James

 “The Truth” – Dr. Dog

 “I’m Not Calling You A Liar” – Florence & the Machine

 “Does He Love Me” – Mary Wells

 “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Otis Redding

“Pretty Girls Make Graves” – The Smiths

 “You Don’t Know Me at All” – Ben Folds & Regina Spector

 “Don’t Lie” – Vampire Weekend

 “There’s No Home For You Here” – The White Stripes

 “Dead and Gone” – The Black Keys

 “You Know I’m No Good” – Amy Winehouse

 “You Don’t Fool Me” – Queen

 “Cold Shoulder” – Adele

 “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)” – Bob Dylan

 “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye

 “You Really Got Me” – The Kinks

 “9 Crimes” – Damien Rice

What a fantastic soundtrack to Missing Pieces. I don't know about you all but I am now planning on creating a playlist on my iphone of all these songs. Quite a few I haven't before and one of my favourite songs ever is on it, 9 crimes. I love this song so much. Hope you all enjoyed the soundtrack as much as I did and check out the book below.- Wee Shubba!

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*Book Review* Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell

Reviewed By: Siobhán

Format: eGalley

Pages: 336

Published: 8th Oct 2014

Publisher: Flux

Source: Netgalley

Genre: YA, Mystery, Paranormal

Shelfability: Acquire/Covet

Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US I Book Depository

Description:

Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But try as she might, she can’t come up with a logical explanation for the recurring dreams that have always haunted her. Dark dreams. Dreams of a long-ago place filled with people she shouldn’t know…but does.

When her family moves to a New Orleans plantation, Lucy’s dreams become more intense, and her search for answers draws her reluctantly into the old city’s world of Voodoo and mysticism. There, Lucy finds Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever. Lucy knows Alex is hiding something, and her rational side doesn’t want to be drawn to him. But she is.

As she tries to uncover Alex’s secrets, a killer strikes close to home, and Lucy finds herself ensnared in a century-old vendetta. With the lives of everyone she loves in danger, Lucy will have to unravel the mystery of her dreams before it all comes to a deadly finish.

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Waiting on Wednesday #25

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted  by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title:The Body in the Woods

Series: Point Last Seen #1

Author: April Henry

Genre: YA, Mystery

Published: 17th June 2014

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

 In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series is full of riveting suspense, putting readers in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations

What are you waiting on??

Like Totally Bookalicious??

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Book Review: Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock

Reviewed by: Siobhán
Format: eArc
Pages: 400
Published: 8th May 2012 (us)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: edelweiss
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US I Book Depository UK* I Book Depostory INT*
*Currently Unavailble in UK

Description:

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered. Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf. Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control. Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

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Truth or Dare..(Creepover #1) by PJ Night

Reviewed by: Siobhán
Format: Paperback
Pages: 142
Published:  5th April (UK)
Publisher:  Atom
Source:  Publisher for Review
Genre: Children's Horror, Mystery
Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US I Book Depository UK I Book Depostory INT

Description:

During a round of Truth or Dare, Abby Miller confesses her crush on Jake Chilson. The only people who know her secret are her friends at the sleepover - and whoever sent her a text message in the middle of the night warning her to stay away from Jake...or else! But Abby isn't going to stay away from Jake, especially not after he asks her to the school dance. As the night of the dance comes closer, some very creepy things start happening to Abby. Someone definitely wants to keep her away from Jake. Is it a jealous classmate or, as Abby begins to suspect, could it be a ghost?

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Night School (Night School #1) by CJ Daugherty

Reviewed by: Siobhán
Format: Paperback
Pages: 454
Published: 5th Jan 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Atom
Source: Publisher for Review
Genre: YA Mystery, Thriller
Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US* I Book Depository
*US: Kindle ONLY

Description:

Sometimes school can be murder...Allie Sheridan's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested. Again. This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers. But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch. When Allie is attacked one night the incident sets off a chain of events leading to the violent death of a girl at the summer ball. As the school begins to seem like a very dangerous place, Allie must learn who she can trust. And what's really going on at Cimmeria Academy.

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Seizure (Virals #2) by Kathy Reichs

MAY BE SPOILERY IF YOU HAVEN'T READ VIRALS

Reviewed by: Siobhán
Format: Hardback
Pages:  491
Published: 5th Jan 2012
Publisher: Arrow Young
Source: Publisher for Review
Genre: YA Adventure, Mystery, SciFi
Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US I Book Depository

Description

Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now the very place that brought them together - the Loggerhead Island Research Institute - is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!

So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate, Anne Bonney, whose fortune was never found, she can't believe her luck - buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead! Trouble is, she and her friends aren't the only ones looking for it. And this time, the Virals' special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble . .

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Borrowing Abby Grace (The Shadow #1) by Kelly Green

Format: ebook/PDF
Pages: 58
Published: 17th Oct 2011
Publisher: Backlit
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Mystery
Buy: Amazon UKI Amazon US


Description:
When Abby Grace wakes up in the back of a van, she has no idea who she is, how she got there, or why anyone would want to kidnap her. After escaping her masked captors, she hurries home, only to discover that she unknowingly left her younger brother behind in the van. Unable to answer the police’s questions with her memories gone, she retreats to the safety of her bedroom where she tries to reconstruct her life. Just as she is settling into the belief that things will one day return to normal, she looks in the mirror—and sees a stranger’s face. As Abby learns next, she has become a Shadow, sent to inhabit the lives of strangers in trouble. With nothing to go on except the vague hints of her cute but maddening Guardian, a 19th century ghostly teenager named Will, Abby sets out to rescue the missing brother. But she will need all of her intelligence, fearlessness, and wit, because if she fails to find him in time, she will remain trapped in this unfamiliar body forever.

Review:
First I just want to thank Kelly and her publishers for contacting me to review this. I would never have found this little series and I am really excited to follow it.

Borrowing Abby Grace is Episode 1 in The Shadow series. It a short story about Abby, who wakes up in a van and has no idea how she got there. After she escapes she discovers Will, a ghost who tell her she a shadow sent to help people solve their problems. Now is a forced to play Brook, the body she is in and go and find Brook's brother before her time runs out or she will be stuck in Brook's body forever.

What a fun, quick read this book was. I think I read it within about 30 minutes. I really liked Abby, she is confused about what is happening but she knows what she has to do and just tackles the problem straight on. She has a lot of courage. I really liked the chemistry between her and Will, I hope something develops there as Will comes across very nice and just wants to help Abby.

As this is only a short story, there isn't really any world building or even that much character development but the plot is very good and this is the perfect starter to the series. It's really fast, never boring and with a great twist at the end when we find out who the kidnappers are.

Overall, if you want a quick and fun read please give this new series a try you won't be disappointed!

 Rate: 3/5

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Deadly Cool (Deadly Cool #1) by Gemma Halliday

Format: Kindle
Pages: 320
Published: 11th Oct 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA Mystery
Buy: Amazon UKAmazon US



Description:
Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

Review:
I had been wanting this book for so long mainly because of the stunning cover. I didn't not to actually read any reviews on this before hand so I had no idea what to expect and let me tell you I was so surprise. It was not what I was expecting but in a very good way.

Deadly Cool follows Hartley after she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her the Chastity Queen at her school. When she goes to confront him at his house Hartley soon finds a nasty surprise and is soon on a mission to clear her ex boyfriend of murder.

As I mentioned I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. I kind of thought it was going to be a serious YA Mystery and it was but it was so much more. Hartley our main characters brings a fresh and funny attitude in the story. She is witty and even though her boyfriend cheated on her she is dead set on proving him innocent of murder. However, she did annoy me just a little bit. I did like her as a character she is real with flaws but sometimes when she was dealing with her ex she comes across a little bit of a push over. That's just my opinion. Along with Hartley is her best friend Sam and the Bad boy Chase, all three completely different characters but together they form this great team.

The plot. even with a serious subject matter it doesn't focus to much on the murder it more about the investigation that Hartley and her friends go on trying to find the real killer. I found that around the middle the story slowed down a little but it was only for a chapter or two then it was backed to a easy flowing read. I found myself getting really engrossed in the Whodunit mystery of it all. And Rooting for the characters to find the killer, who BTW I didn't expect in the slightest until the very last mintue lol.

One of the big things I actually loved about the book is that the cover image actually has meaning in the story. Not alot of cover images have anything to do with actualy story but this one does.


So overall, if you like a quick and fun whodunit style teen mystery then pick this up you won't be disappointed.

NOTE: Sorry if this review is rubbish, having a little reviewers block just now 

Rate: 4/5

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