Hello my fellow readers. Today I am catching up on some book reviews of the last month. As you saw from my April wrap-up that I had a brilliant reading month in terms of range of genres and the quality of the story.
So I’m excited to share my short reviews of a unique and twisty YA supernatural thriller and a beautiful and poignant YA Historical Romance written in verse.
One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain Published by HarperCollins UK on March 14, 2024
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age, Young Adult Fiction / Magical Realism, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction / Thrillers & Suspense / General
Amazon | Waterstones
The New York Times bestselling author of Dark & Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance and mystery.
Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things: freshwater springs, ideal for free divers, and the gruesome cold case murder of best friends, Bailey and Celeste, twenty years ago.
Tru has always lived in the shadow of Bailey’s and Celeste's murders; they cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. But now those unsolved murders invade her every thought. It’s only when she’s deep underwater that she feels free.
Then a stranger called Rio rolls into town. And as the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio...along with their other-worldy connection to Bailey and Celeste. But then someone begins stalking them. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red.
One Last Breath is a really unique YA thriller. It reminds me of the books by Michelle Hodkins, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, does anyone remember those? This particular book goes beyond a typical thriller; it has a n element of past lives and the supernatural that I found particularly intriguing. One Last Breath follows Trulee and the small town of Mount Orange. Two girls, Celeste and Bailey were found dead in suspicious circumstances and the murder was never found. Their murder rocked the town and now it is now the Twenty Year anniversary of their deaths. With memorials upcoming and a new wave of true crime writers and podcasters, they feel that something sinister is about to happen.
Tru has never been able to let their murder go, she’s been fascinated by them but she doesn’t know why until she feels a mysterious new girl, Rio. Rio, no family, no home, but she has this fascination and almost obsession with the girls that were murdered but also a connection to Tru that neither of them are able to understand. Their connection to each other and to the murders goes deeper than they know. Tru loves to free dive, she loves the freedom and peace of diving deep even more so since her sister died. This was also where Celeste and Bailey were murdered.
How one’s memories aren’t their own but someone else’s is eerie. Unearthing and uncovering a twenty year old murder with a new perspective kept me hooked all throughout the whole book. It was fast paced and I loved the character dynamic and connection between Tru and Rio really brought the storyline to life. Some parts really sent shivers down your spine. I will always say this, but if I was fooled to the end, then you have a talented writer. It’s very cleverly done. This is Genny’s second book and I really enjoyed it. I will pick up Dark and Shallow Lies. I would highly recommend adding this to your TBR.
Thank you Electric Monkey for sending my a copy for a honest review.
Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan Published by Bloomsbury YA on March 14, 2024
Genres: Historical, Romance, UKYA, Young Adult
Amazon | Waterstones
Goodreads
Ireland, 1846 Nell is working as a scullery maid in the kitchen of the Big House. Once she loved school and books and dreaming. But there's not much choice of work when the land grows food that rots in the earth. Now she is scrubbing, peeling, washing, sweeping for Sir Philip Wicken, the man who owns her home, her family's land, their crops, everything. His dogs are always well fed, even as famine sets in.
Upstairs in the Big House, where Nell is forbidden to enter, is Johnny Browning, newly arrived from England: the young nephew who will one day inherit it all. And as hunger and disease run rampant all around them, a spark of life and hope catches light when Nell and Johnny find each other.
This is a love story, and the story of a people being torn apart. This is a powerful and unforgettable novel from the phenomenally talented Sarah Crossan.
The outstanding novel from the Carnegie Medal-winning, former Laureate na nÓg Sarah Crossan; thought-provoking and incredibly moving, it explores love and family during The Great Hunger
Where the Heart Should Be is my second book I’ve read by Sarah Crossan. Her YA books are most known for being beautiful and moving storylines written in verse. Sarah is a very unique writer and really brings her stories to life.
Where the Heart Should Be is an impactful and emotional love story set in the time and tragedy of the Irish famine. It gives hope in a time that wasn’t there through our main character, Nell. She is light at the end of a dark tunnel. Her family relies on her work at the big house to protect her family, fed, and watered with the start of the Great Famine. Her friends are moving as the rent is too high, collectors are coming as their stock is rotten and unable to be sold. Feuds are breaking out across the village and they blame their landlord which is whom Nell works for. With the arrival of the landlord’s nephew – John, an unlikely relationship, friendship blossoms. John is a man, who will inherit this estate however he disagrees with the way his uncle is running it. Together both Nell and Johnny discover that some desires have to be torn apart in order to survive.
Sarah’s writing is lyrical, heartfelt but most touching. You can tell Sarah’s writing and the language is with care, accuracy and love over such a hard and gruelling time period for Ireland. Reading verse books is like a whole new perspective on storytelling, you can be immersed in one sitting. It will change your reading experience completely. The art of creating a story and evoking these emotions in so little words is truly mesmerising and inspiring. If you haven’t read a verse novel then I would highly recommend Sarah Crossan’s as your starting point.
Thank you to Bloomsbury YA/ The Pitch Agency for sending me a copy in exchange foor a review.
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