Month: December 2023

How She Died, How I Lived tells the story of Jaimie Strand’s brutal murder and the aftermath of the events as seen by the 4 other potential victims. One night Kyle Paxton reaches out to five girls asking to meet him but only one goes. She is brutally murdered and the other girls are left wondering why they were targeted and what would have happened if they had replied to Kyle’s text. The story follows a nameless narrator who is one of the five girls as she navigates high school after the tragedy and heads towards the trial where she will once again have to face Kyle. As the trial looms closer, each girl is left with seemingly innocent and harmless gifts. As the story continues the girls have to figure out what these mysterious gifts mean, and what this has to do with the upcoming trial. If the messages they are receiving are true, that Kyle has a way out.

I always enjoy dark mystery books with endless twists and a shocking ending however, this book was too predictable with the actual mystery while the actions of the narrator were so wild and unpredictable that it was hard to follow. I enjoyed the idea for the plot of this book however it seemed as though the author could have done a better job with how it was executed. Teenagers are known to make unpredictable choices but Crockett took that a little too far because there seemed to be no thought or reason behind any action of the characters in the story.

The author weaved in many elements of typical mystery into the story as well as adding a large portion of romance to the plot. As much as I enjoy a good murder mystery romance I felt as though there was very little chemistry between the protagonist and the main love interest and their connection seemed forced.

The plot of this book was very original and I enjoyed the concept quite a lot however a lot of the book seemed to drag on just for the sake of having a longer book. I feel as though what is done in roughly 500 pages could be told in a much more concise manner. Crocket touches on many teen issues and trends such as partying, drinking, substance abuse, and mental health issues however, they are only touched on or used as minor background details. I wish the author had gone more in-depth into these themes because I think for what the story was it would have carried a much stronger message.

Overall the story was very intriguing and had a very well thought out ending. This book definitely is written for a mature audience. This book is a good fit for people who enjoy mysteries, murder mysteries, romance, and dark fiction.

Four-Four-Two is a historical fiction dating back to 1941, World War II. Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor, America had declared war on them, Adolf Hitler is causing terror with the jews, and had declared war on America. Yuki, an AJA (Americans of Japanese Ancestries) was conflicted. After the Bombing of Pearl Harbor America did not trust the AJA or as they like to call them “Japs.” Yuki wanted to prove that he is American, that his loyalty is to the country. He and his best friends, Shig, signed up to fight in the name of America, along with other AJA, since Americans did not want to fight along side them. In their journey they have encountered new friends, bloodshed, and tears. They fought, along with their fellow AJA war mates, gun fires, bombs, and losses. Yuki is fighting for his country, but also his recognition. And even the heartbreak, and fear did not hold him back, for in his sights were not death, but the honor in the end.

This book was an amusing book to read. I’ve never read much of historical fiction, but this one stood out. when I read the summary I was amazes at how absorbed I was. This book got me thinking of all the people who sacrificed their lives for America, and how those survived never had a normal life again. Yuki made me realize that fighting for something can be worth it. And what I enjoyed the most in this book was the friendships that were bonded. It really shows that in the darkest hour a friend is all you need to look in the bright side. Also, even if Yuki was fighting a war he still manages to keep in touch with his loved once, especially a girl that she loved dearly. On the other hand there are some things I either didn’t like, or didn’t understand. Sometimes I did not keep up with all the characters. There were characters that were in for one part, then disappeared. Especially when Japan calls people with their last name sometimes, it’s hard to keep track. Another addition is that the characters that were Japanese Hawaiian talked in a language I did not understand most of the time. But other than that I enjoyed it.

A book such as this requires focus to know what’s going on and terms such as “battalion or “company” or “platoon.” It took me a while to get the hang on things too. I recommend this book to people who love war stories, and Historical Fiction. But also to people that just want to learn something new, because the characters may be fiction, but the information is not.

The Book of Three is the first book in the The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. It is a light hearted adventure steeped in mythology that takes place in a fantasy realm called Prydain. The story follows a young Assistant Pig-Keeper named Taran. He was raised by an old sorcerer named Dallben, and a bald, retired hero named Coll. Taran’s duties consist of tending to the only oracular pig in Prydain, named Hen Wen.

When Hen Wen runs away Taran is forced to go after her, even after learning of the growing evils in the form of an evil warlord called The Horned King. Along the way Taran meets several new friends, such as the warlord Gwydion, the princess Eilonwy, and the retired King and failed bard, Fflewddur Fflam. He learns how vast the evils at work truly are and must expand his mission to more than just finding Hen Wen, He must warn the Sons Of Don of the growing evils. 

The balance of the characters and how they play off each other adds the perfect level of humor and allows this book, that subtly hints at dark themes, to remain fun and easy going. This book has many themes presented in a fun and easy way, but if the reader is willing to do a little thinking it can lead you down a winding rabbit hole of social issues having to do with our place in the natural world. In that way it is suitable for all ages. It discussed how you matter as a person even, possibly even especially, if you make mistakes, and that sometimes looking for an answer is more rewarding than finding it, and how there is a piece of everyone in everyone else. It talks about how even if you don’t do everything perfectly it doesn’t matter, you never do anything alone in life, and you share everything you do with others.

The Book of Three is a brilliantly humorous and fun story suitable for anyone who is a fan of fantasy and doesn’t mind taking a break from the dark intensity of so many other novels. It is lighter than some readers may want, and it is written with a slightly younger audience in mind, but I firmly believe it has the ability to be enjoyed by the right people of any age. It is the kind of book that you can appreciate on another level if you understand the mythology it is based on. As my dad said when he went back and read it as an adult, after loving it as a kid he found new parts to appreciate, specifically the parallels with Welsh mythology. It may be a hard book for some readers to get into without the nostalgia of reading it as a kid, but it is still truly a solid pillar in the fantasy genre. It was written in the old style Tolkien loved and expanded on. Each of the characters have relatable aspects for the modern reader, yet they maintain their folkloric charm.

BOOK REWIEW

“Game Changer” of Tommy Greenwald

This book is very adrenaline-pumping and exciting. 

You often feel the need to have to read it to understand how the story will end and to figure out the ending.

It is not written in the tradition written in prose but the dialogues and thoughts of the protagonists are described in the first person. In addition, the author, in certain cases decides to write and show the text of certain conversations, for example on phone chats or social media posts.

I really liked this change in the way the text is written because it makes the text smoother and more exciting to read.

It tells the story of a boy named Ted Youngblood, during the preparatory phase of the early soccer season, is severely injured in the head, going into a coma for the next few days.

Initially thought to have been a purely accidental and unfortunate incident, in fact the whole school sympathizes with the family’s grief and several classmates create a Facebook social in support of the boy.

However, the behavior of certain people, especially Ethan,ted’s best friend, suggest that the truth behind the tragic accident is a little deeper.

In fact, right on the social profile, an anonymous nickname begins to somment under posts suggesting that there are motives behind the accident.

It will eventually be Ethan who confesses that on that day, the Senior boys incited the Freschmen boys to clash as hard as they could through tough contrasts, to prove that they are good players and not afraid of anything. Ethan himself, encouraged by the crowd of boys (including even the coaches) and Ted himself, hits his friend with full force, subsequently causing him to suffer a head injury.

The story ends with Ethan confessing the story to Ted’s parents, who just then miraculously wakes up saying, “I remember.”

It is a book that succeeds in drawing you into the story, and I recommend it for all readers who like mystery or stories with an ending to be discovered