Book Review: Fake Plastic Girl, by Zara Lisbon

Fake Plastic Girl really isn't my type of book, and I'm not sure why the description appealed to me, but I flew through it and was not disappointed.

Justine is mostly an average teen, although some emotional issues are alluded to. Her psychologist mother and artist father are getting a divorce. Her mother leaves Justine with her aunt over the summer, but Justine bribes her aunt and ends up going home to stay by herself.

A new neighbor has move in across the street, and it is Eva-Kate Kelly, an ex-child star. Eva-Kate pulls Justine into her circle, and a wild summer begins, full of drinking, partying, and drugs. It all ends in tragedy, which is foreshadowed at the beginning of the book.

First, some issues. It is really far-fetched that Justine doesn't get caught by her parents or her aunt. Really? No one is checking on her, given her history? Actually, it is pretty far-fetched that her mother would even leave her to begin with. Although, her problems are left very vague. We know she spent time at Bellevue, and she's on medication. We don't really get a clear picture of what Justine's issues are. Also, everything Justine is doing is all over social media and no adults find out? But without suspending our disbelief, there is no story. And teens, who are much more the target audience than I am, usually have an easier time of doing so.

There is tragedy at the end, and then that is it. Except for the assurance that the story will continue in March, 2020. I hate cliffhangers like this. 'Nuff said.

But, in Fake Plastic Girl's favor, the story moves very quickly and is easy to read. Great for starstruck reluctant readers. I think younger, mature teens (who can handle the drug and alcohol references) would be the target audience.

Published by Henry Holt & Co. (BYR), March 26, 2019
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
288 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

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Book Review: Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward @_Annie_Ward ‏ #BeautifulBad

If you are a fan of the psychological thriller genre, of which there seem to be a plethora of options, Beautiful Bad is a worthy candidate for your list.

There has been a killing. We know that because one of the time/perspectives is of the police officer responding to a 911 call. We also get Maddie's perspective starting from several weeks before the killing, and also from the early 2000s, when she lived in Bulgaria and often visited her friend Jo in Macedonia. On one of these trips, she meets Ian, a British bodyguard. Eventually, we get some of Ian's perspective too.

We know that Ian and Maddie end up married. They have a son, Charlie. But the road to how they got together and how "The day of the Killing" turned out, well, that's quite the story. Ward does a masterful job telling it, as we weave through all these time periods.

It becomes very obvious that Ian has issues -- PTSD being one of them. But...Maddie is pretty messed up herself. Along with being married to a man with PTSD, she has also been physically damaged by a couple of earlier accidents that I won't go into.

That's really about all I want to say.  It is interesting that you don't even know who the victim is until the last part of Beautiful Bad. And even after you know that...well, you still don't know everything.

Beautiful Bad is well written, well-paced, and the characters are such that you really don't know who to root for. The ending is sooo twisted, and I really can't imagining anyone realizing what is going on until they read it. If you figure it out...well, you are as twisted as Annie Ward!

I loved Beautiful Bad. Read it.

Published by Park Row, March 5, 2019
eARC obtained from NetGalley and Edelweiss
368 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Audio Book Review: The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

I enjoyed the somewhat slow but twisty psychological thriller, The Woman in the Window.

Anna, a psychologist herself, lives alone in her home in New York City.  She is agoraphobic--she can't leave her home--and the reason, at first, isn't clear.  It soon becomes apparent that almost a year ago there was some sort of accident, and since then Anna has not been able to leave her house.  Her husband and daughter are gone also, so she is alone.

She watches, through her telephoto camera lens, all the happenings around the neighborhood.  She has regular visits from her psychiatrist and a physical therapist.  When new neighbors move across the park, she is surprised when she is visited by the lady of the house, as well as the teenage son.

When she witnesses a scene through her camera lens of a violent act on the woman, she desperately tries to seek justice.  Thus begins a long road, in which there are many inconsistencies, but Anna herself becomes unsure of what she actually saw.

Throughout the book, we are also learning about the accident that Anna was in, and why it caused so much trauma.

I like the way the book was written.  The information is doled out at a pace that makes it difficult to put down. Anna is definitely sympathetic, but unreliable, given she drinks heavily while on all her many medications (which she doesn't take as prescribed.) There is depth to the story, too much to describe here.  The actual violent event doesn't happen until almost halfway through the book, but the buildup is crucial for the rest of the story to play out. I did suspect the "big twist" in the middle of the book, but only very close to when it was actually revealed. The twisted ending caught me totally by surprise. :)

The audiobook narrator, Ann Marie Lee, does an excellent job.  I particularly liked when she was narrating an especially harrowing event -- she does a great job inciting fear.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers, and there seems to be a lot of good ones out there now, The Woman in the Window is worth your time.  Teens who are interested in this genre will enjoy this one too, although it moves at a slower pace than many novels of this type.

Published by William Morrow, January 2, 2018, HarperAudio
Audiobook obtained from the library
448 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Book Review: Sometimes I Lie, by Alice Feeney @alicewriterland ‏

When you hear a novel described as "twisted," you can't help but try to figure out the twists as you are reading.  Sometimes I Lie is "twisted" in every sense of the word.  You got me, Ms. Feeney!

Amber is in a coma after a car accident, but she can hear and is aware of some of the things going on around her as she fades in and out. The reader gets three perspectives:  "Before" tells us the story of Amber's childhood from diary entries.  "Then" tells us the events in the week before she had her accident.  And "Now" gives us Amber's perspective as she lies in a hospital bed trying to remember what has happened to her and why.

Alice is OCD.  She has a sister named Claire.  Alice believes that her parents didn't love her, and they loved Claire more. Her husband, Paul, was once a successful writer but has not been able to produce anything recently.  Their marriage is strained. Possibly because of this strain, Alice has met with an old boyfriend a few times. The diary talks about a needy kind of childhood friendship with Taylor.

Sometimes I Lie is one of those books where I can't really say anything else.  The title is definitely appropriate. And, not only does Feeney tell a good story, she's a good writer.  Her descriptions and characterizations are excellent.

Sometimes I Lie is an adult book, and I would only recommend it to very mature teens.  It's not that it is that inappropriate, it's just deep. Highly recommended!

Published by Flatiron, March 13, 2018
eARC obtained from NetGalley
272 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: 13 Minutes, by Sarah Pinborough

13 Minutes isn't an ordinary story.  Don't think you have it figured out -- well, at least not a first.

Tasha ends up in the freezing river and is clinically dead for 13 Minutes. She wakes up not remembering anything of the entire 24 hours before she ended up there.

Tasha is the most popular girl at school, and along with her two friends, Jenny and Hayley, are called The Barbies. Becca used to be Tasha's best friend, along with Hayley, but when Jenny showed up, Tasha was quick to discard Becca.

Now, after Tasha's accident, Becca decides to visit her in the hospital.  After Tasha recovers she reconciles with Becca and they start to build a new friendship.  Hayley and Jenny don't like this. And they are acting very weird about Tasha's accident.

So begins Tasha's and Becca's attempt to figure out what really happened to Tasha and what did Jenny and Hayley have to do with it?

That's really all I want to say about the plot. It seems like the ending--like we all know what happens--at about 60% of the book. I must say, I almost got a bit bored prior to this point.  There was a little bit of a drop in pace, but that makes the rest of the book even better! So how can the wrap-up be over 100 pages long? Like I said, you haven't figured it out--yet.

13 Minutes is a well-crafted page-turner that you won't be able to stop thinking about. It is very entertaining, if tragic, to see how everything unfolds.  Pinborough carries the reader along as all is revealed, and it's a juicy ride, fraught with betrayal, romance, back-stabbing, and lies!

Give 13 Minutes to your teens who love twisted, exciting mysteries that will easily keep their attention. I think 13 Minutes would be a great option for reluctant readers.  It grabs you, and it reads fast. Enjoy!

Published by Flatiron, October 3, 2017
Copy obtained from the library
343 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Book Review: Sunday Silence, by Nicci French

Sunday Silence is, I believe, the fifth novel in the Frieda Klein series.  Even though I've not read any other books by French, I enjoyed this one very much.

A decomposing body has been found under the floor in Frieda's house. Freida knows this is a message from Dean Reeve, even though everyone else thinks Dean died over seven years ago.  The case goes cold until violent acts against people close to Freida begin to occur.  But is this the work of Reeve?

The tension mounts nicely as Frieda and the police scramble to figure out what is going on.  And of course, the police don't always agree with Frieda. At about the halfway point the reader finds out who the perpetrator is, and at about 2/3 of the way, Frieda figures out who it is.  But that doesn't take away from the suspense.  And finding the necessary proof won't be easy.

I didn't know Frieda, and if I had read some earlier books, I'm sure I would have related to the characters a bit more easily.  She's a psychologist who has assisted police investigations in the past, with mixed reviews. Prior cases are mentioned, and several may be related to this case.  But I did get to know Frieda and the other characters well enough while reading Sunday Silence. These stories are British, and I enjoy that aspect also. I think you might as well start with the first one, and I'd like to do that someday.

French writes suspense well. Sunday Silence moves quickly and easily held my interest.  I was a bit confused by the ending -- not quite sure what happened there. But it seems like Frieda is going to be back. I would recommend this author and this series if you like a suspense-filled crime drama.

Published by William Morrow, January 9, 2018
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
416 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audio Book Review: The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

The Truth and Other Lies is such a twisted book.  The story is interesting, but the way it is told makes it even better. Arango has a way with words!

Henry Haydon is a happily married successful author.  Or is he? I really don't what to say too much about The Truth and Other Lies, because you need to experience each revelation as it is presented in the text. Let's just say Henry is a psychopath.

Henry gets himself in a bind when his mistress gets pregnant.  The solution he comes up with is fitting for the psycho that he is, however, he makes a huge mistake and now finds himself scrambling to save himself.  In order to accomplish this, he gets deeper and deeper into trouble.  Can he manage to get himself out?

It's not a mystery or a detective story.  We watch Henry do these things and know he's the culprit.  It's a matter of whether he's going to get caught and the lengths to which he will go to avoid capture. Arango's story is woven between the past and the present, has several colorful side characters, some surprising twists, and as morbid as it is, you will find yourself chuckling.

Corey Brill is the reader and he is excellent.  I don't really remember anything about his voice, and that just means he did a good job. It's hard to describe why I loved The Truth and Other Lies so much, but I did.

Published by Atria, 2015, Simon & Schuster Audio
Audiobook obtained from the library
256 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: Bang, by Barry Lyga

Lyga writes pretty edgy novels but somehow makes them relatable.  Bang is no exception.

Sebastian is fourteen years old but still suffers the trauma of an event that happened ten years ago.  When he was four, he shot and killed his 4-month-old baby sister with his dad's gun.

Needless to say, this has torn the family apart.  His father is gone.  His mother can't talk about that event.  Sebastian has been to therapy for years but isn't doing well.  As a matter of fact, he knows it's only a matter of time before he commits suicide.

Everyone in town and at school knows Sebastian's past, so when a new girl, Aneesa, moves in down the road, Sebastian finds comfort and companionship with someone who doesn't know him.  He realizes that at the end of the summer when she starts school she will inevitably find out, but he's going to enjoy his time with her until then.

Aneesa has her own issues, coming from a mixed racial marriage.  Her father is Muslim, so that causes her to be ridiculed by many.

They build a strong friendship and work together to create a unique business. Sebastian can't help but fall for Aneesa, and those voices telling him to end his life become quieter. The expected blow up occurs, and that's all I'll say about the plot.

I was happy that the book doesn't preach about gun control. The father made a huge mistake, and that's obvious, but really the rest is left for the reader to decide.

Bang is easy to read and relate to the characters. The pace moves and the secondary characters have a lot of depth. It will be easy to recommend this to my contemporary novel fans.

Published by Little Brown BFYR, April 18. 2017
eARC obtained from NetGalley
304 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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