who is lying?

One of Us is Lying – Karen M. McManus

Mystery, detective, murder, high school, teens, young adult, fiction.

Rating 7/10

Five students are in detention for crimes they did not commit. Someone had placed phones into their backpacks and this one teacher who has a strong hatred for technology head searched them to find them. Each of them knows their innocent. An incident occurs in the parking lot causing the detention teacher to leave the room. One of them goes to drink their water when they experience a bad allergy reaction. The four other students scramble to try to save his life, but it is too late. The next day the four students are called into the principal’s office to tell them that the student died and now being investigated as a homicide. Each of them is a suspect. Who killed him?

This was alright. I felt this was too much like Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale vibe. The writing was good and organized with the various perspectives. Half way through the first quarter of the book predicted who did the crime and was right in the end. There was not much of a mystery but its very tame. For a teenager who might be wanting to start reading mystery novels this might be exciting for sure.

Advertisement

look at this photograph…

The Lucky One – Nicholas Sparks

North Carolina, romance, fiction.

Rating 10/10

Logan Thibault found a photograph of a woman in the dirt while serving in the Marines. This photograph has brought him immense luck of winning and surviving. He finds that this photo is his lucky charm. The woman on the photo is named Elizabeth and this causes him to cross the country to her. He learns that she is a divorced and mother of a young child. At first their relationship is rocky since he came out of nowhere. Elizabeth comes to love him more and more. Her son, Ben, gets along with Logan very well. Clayton, a man he met prior to venturing out to Elizabeth, is Elizabeth’s ex. Clayton threatens to tell Elizabeth the truth. Clayton reveals the truth to Elizabeth himself, telling her how Logan obtained the photograph. Elizabeth confronts Logan and Logan tells the truth. During their fight, Ben runs to his safe house in the middle of a storm. Logan and Elizabeth go hunt to find him. Afterwards, they learned that fate truly brought them together and love was the result of their fates.

I loved this novel and was the first Nicholas Sparks books I’ve read. I had read this one years ago and decided to reread and do a review because I loved this novel that much. I mean, one of my friends had recommended to me this and I ventured out to find this novel and several other Sparks books. This one was so good. I just don’t have other words to describe honestly other than one has to read for themselves. There is so much romance and enough drama to get the plot going. I couldn’t help but having to read the novel again even though I know what is going to happen, but it was worth the reread. The plot is so thick yet not too thick that the reader loses interest. There is perfect dialogue that is very natural and doesn’t feel forced as other romances I’ve read.

the final ending…

The School for Good and Evil: One True King, Book #6 – Soman Chainani

School, good, evil, Camelot, children, fiction.

Rating 10/10

There is an imposter trying to lay claim for Camelot and to proclaimed One True King with his captor, Sophie who is to be the queen. Agatha and Tedros have to figure out the tests that will prove that Tedros is the rightful heir to the throne. Once they both found out the three tests, both of them must face the challenges that lay ahead. The first test and second tests were grueling, revealing to Tedros his father’s life, and the sinister plot to lay claim to the throne through lies and deception. The third and final test reveals the conspiracy as well as the One True King.

I had waited a long time for this to come out and knew that the previous book wasn’t the final one. I’m saddened that this is the final book but glad it is. I was satisfied by the ending of this novel. The whole journey of this series had its ups and downs. I had laughed and cried through all books that are written by Soman Chainani. This series is perfect for all ages, young or old. There are so many messages for the reader to find and learn. There is good news that this book series will be adapted into a motion picture which I am so excited to know about and looking forward to watching when it comes out as well as do a review of whether the motion picture is absolutely faithful to the book or not. I know it will most likely will be faithful but still can’t wait to see these characters come to life besides my imagination. I do recommend this novel series to be read by all.

Lucky Find

The Lucky One – Nicholas Sparks

Romance, North Carolina, fiction.

Rating 8/10

Logan had hit luck when he won some poker games and its all because of a photo of a woman he had collected from his time during Iraq. His friend asks him if he knows the woman but unfortunately Logan had no clue who the woman is. He immediately begins a journey across the country to find this woman. When he did find her, he finds himself grateful and happy that he took a risk. A lucky risk.

I had read this a few years ago and the story made me tear up. I never had a book impact me so much like this novel had done. I sort of wished that there was a sequel or the book to have been longer. The idea of traveling all ends of the earth for the woman is so heartwarming. I had to pick this book off the shelves to reread this novel again. I can’t say enough words to describe how this novel makes me feel. I was recommended Nicholas Sparks to read and I plan to find more books to read by him. They are excellent. I highly recommend Nicholas Sparks to read for general fiction.

Virtual Reality Future Predictions?

Ready Player One – Ernest Cline

Young adult, science fiction, future, technology, nostalgic, gaming, virtual reality, romance, drama, action

10/10

In “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline, it is a tale of the future where all happens in a virtual world called OASIS. Wade Watts is a teenager on a mission to decipher these riddles that was proposed by the father of OASIS, James Halliday, who died and, in his wake, had left a competition to get ownership of the OASIS. Seems easy just decipher the riddles and collect the three keys. Wrong. They are hidden across the OASIS. In order to understand where Halliday hid the keys, Wade had studied James Halliday’s autobiography and history as well to possibly find the three keys. Wade isn’t the only one trying to find the keys. Everyone wants to own the OASIS. Even a money hungry corporation that threatens OASIS. With the help of his friends Aech, Shoto, Daito, and Art3mis, they successfully find all three keys.

I have to say this book is incredible and well written as well as well thought into. Very detailed and strong story line that keeps one on their toes. A real page turner at that. I continuously reread this book. Really loved how they explained in detail how society became after OASIS was integrated into daily life. Also with that thought, it gave an insight of how technology can become consuming. Even in the now, as I go out and about, I see people always on their phone. That is getting off topic but relates to the book’s theme.

I had went and seen the movie. I was gravely disappointed that they didn’t fully follow the story line of the book. However, movies tend to be that way especially if they were books at first. Damn you Steven Spielberg… We were rooting for you..

Cline, Ernest. Ready Player One: a Novel. Crown Publishers, 2011