Truly Devious

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder. - excerpt from book.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson is the first of a trilogy which will absolutely be your new favourite this year. I first came across this book from Epic Reads webpage and there was a link to read the first two chapters. The summary itself was already exciting so no harm in reading that. The first chapter itself got me hooked and I cannot wait to get my hands on the book since last year. So I waited patiently until the book reaches my nearest bookstore and when I've gotten it, within 3 days I finished it and I just wanted the next book desperately.

The characters in this book are so unique with mysterious backstories. I'm totally intrigued by all of them and often want more of their history revealed. Whenever our main heroine interacts with someone I'm just on my toes, excited for the story that keeps moving forward. One would say that these characters are too good to be true but yet they have flaws that make them somewhat realistic. Their actions fit what a typical teenager would act and yet it still amazes me. Every action and reaction is unpredictable from each character which is one of the main driving points of this book.

The plot alternates between the past and present which makes it super exciting as every chapters kinda ends at a cliffhanger sort of atmosphere. You'll keep reading for more and more as the story builds up with the character's actions. There is nothing but mystery in this book as the plot thickens, twist after twist will capture your attention. This is one roller coaster ride that you can't get enough of. Even though the timeline alternates, you'll never get lost in this smooth flowing plot. 

I cannot stress how much I love a good murder mystery and this book just blew my mind. From the well written characters to the unpredictable plot, this book just ends with a jaw dropping cliffhanger (at least it is for me). I was in such a reading slump and then this wonderful book brought back my love for reading. I love the excitement of reading each chapter and trying to solve the mystery on my own but it was a tough one. Although it's not like Sherlock Holmes  as this is a modernised version but the fact that it's a mystery that is hard to solve and left hanging at the end certainly brings nostalgic emotions related to reading Sherlock. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie's work and you will not regret it, only one warning that I can give is that this book is first and the next one will be next year.

Crazy Rich Asians

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor. 

 

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers. - excerpt from book

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is the first book to the trilogy about Rachel Chu and Nicholas Young. Now these two met in New York and there they have their own life until Nicholas's best friend is getting married and Nick decided to bring Rachel to the wedding. Little did she knows that this is the biggest wedding of Asia and also meeting Nick's family for the first time. Let me tell you, when I saw this book a few years back I was not impressed with the title itself so I did not pick it up. With a movie to be out soon and having an all Asian cast and director, the hype was on and naturally I had to read to find out about the buzz.

Of course the trailer only shows you glimpses of the book which felt exciting and extravagant, but let me tell you the book is so much more detailed and I'm pretty sure it won't all be included in the movie. With 527 pages and fonts that are not too big, it's definitely one long story to be told. Rachel and Nick is the main characters but many others have stories of their own. Hence the point of views are written in everyone's that is mentioned at the start of every chapter. I find this quite fun to read but sometimes I wished there was more happening for Nick and Rachel in parallel timing. You could easily tell what personalities these characters have and there is not much growth for many of them as they are only side characters. The interactions between Rachel and everyone else is often quite intriguing because it's fun to read about how she experiences Singapore and also how others react to her presence as Nick's girlfriend.

One thing that really capture my attention from the book is the use of multiple dialects/slang that are spoken in Singapore. It truly made me feel more at home even though I only live in the neighbouring country but sometimes visit Singapore, hence being able to relate to the language is truly enjoyable. I would say that many incidents are happening at one time and there isn't enough pages to fit everyone. I'm pretty sure this could be a Singapore drama series just as easy where there are many plots the author could have expanded on. The story-line is quite smooth with many plot twists to keep you on your toes.  You'll just keep reading because you'll want to know how Rachel deals with Nick's family, how will they treat her and how is Singapore like.

I have one complain though, that everything in the book seems way way too exaggerated in terms of the wealth of these people but at the end of the day we have to remember it's all fiction, just enjoy the book as it is. With the ways things ended, the story has just begun and I'm looking forward to read about Rachel and Nick's growing relationship and the many obstacles that will soon to follow. 

Hero At The Fall

Firstly thank you so much to Times reads for sending me this copy.

This book took some time to as I was trying to complete the second book first. Continuing where the  second book left us, we jump right into action giving you much excitement but then it just goes on and on with the same pattern, exciting then long winded then back to exciting moments and etc. With this pattern I often get bored and would try to speed read where I end up skipping descriptions that were just not needed in my opinion. 

I would say that the introduction of a few characters were good but the main cast was just too scattered and with not much growth. As for our main heroine, the point of view was hers hence the readers get a full force of her actions and thoughts. Many a times I would not agree with her, shaking my head from left to right. Maybe I was too harsh or too strict of her because I wanted more from her. Although she had many conflicts and decisions to make, it did not make the situation any better for us readers because you could also see her thoughts running in circles before she truly grows as a person. As for the side characters, there was one who caught me by surprise because he did not act the way he was introduced in the second book. He definitely had the most growth in the book and his conversations were so entertaining to read. I would often be on my toes when it came to the characters that I liked but then sometimes it will just disappoint me.

This book was written a tad too long as there were many parts that I felt were draggy and some parts that needed more actions. It felt like you're reading a timeline that is quite long but in the end it's just a short span of time. Time is not clearly written hence I get lost at recalling how long the charactes were travelling in the desert. Comparing the plots to roller coasters ride that don't have loops is how I'll put it. It just goes up and down continously. I would applaud that nothing was predictable in the plots, which salvage my attention and patience in completing the book.

Overall it ended well and satisfying for me but I was not truly amazed. For a desert theme fantasy book, I think there could be more places of improvements. I am quite critique as I've been spoilt by many good fantasy writers that drives story with just strong personalities, or characters with very unique backgrounds. The characters in this book was not built to leave any memorable moments. I can tell you that even if I can't recall a book from start to end, the unique plotlines or characters are the ones that stick with me. I would recommend if you're not a picky reader on fantasy but for me I think I'll stay off arabian nights/desert themed fantasies for now.

The Conspiracy of Us

Sixteen-year-old Avery West's newfound family is part of a powerful and dangerous secret cocity known as the Circle of Twelve, and they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some of them want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.

To unravel the mystery threatening her life, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle: beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But both boys are hiding secrets of their own, and when the clues expose stunning new information, Avery realizes the conspiracy could destroy her life-if it doesn't destroy the world fist. - excerpt from book. 


The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall is first the series that is full of mystery. If you are fond of books like The Da Vinci Code or anything to do with deciphering codes and looking for treasure then this book is your cup of tea. I truly enjoyed this book as this is my first time reading this genre on the young adult side. The book started off quite well, the plot slowly thickens and then catches you by surprise. My attention is well kept for majority of the book as there were so much mystery involved. I would say that things happened in the book at a good pace, quite action packed throughout.

The characters were quite interesting, especially the male characters. There is so much to learn about them but the author only revealed a little to keep you hooked. The female protagonist is unexpected, though she started off naive but there was much growth to her in the book. Her interactions with the male characters certainly make this book an abundance of excitement. The emotions involved were captivating for me as you wonder with her about the boys.

Overall the book was a good start which I kinda felt that had a potential to be a movie. The pace was really good and the twists and turns were so unpredictable. I really loved the relationships of the characters. I'm quite excited to read the second book which I think will be good. I wonder how the relationships will further development and am really excited about the mystery behind the prophecy. I highly recommend this book to mystery lovers, treasure hunting lovers or readers who just enjoy a good adventure.

Revenge, Ice Cream and Other Things Best Served Cold

After the humiliating events on the 4th of July, Gemma's trying to grapple with the fact that Hallie knew her true identity ALL SUMMER, and that she was the one who stole Teddy from her.

Gemma vows revenge, but things immediately get more complicated than she planned. Her dad forces her to get a job, and the only one she can find involves scooping ice cream all day. Ford, Gemma's longtime crush, has arrived in the Hamptons, and he is cuter than ever. Josh is refusing to speak to her after finding out she lied to him. And to top it all off, Teddy is back in the picture, and closer to home than Gemma would like.

Gemma and Hallie find themselves locked in an escalating revenge cycle involving everything from strawberry syrup to stolen identities, But just when Gemma thinks she has the upper hand, the biggest bombshell of all is dropped. And it's one that threatens to change her life forever. - excerpt from book.

Revenge, Ice Cream and Other Things Best Served Cold by Katie Finn is the second book in the Broken Hearts and Revenge trilogy. The book immediately continues where we left off in the first book. I was really anticipating this book and hoping for it to be good which I was not disappointed at all. The plot was very smooth with many good incidents/twists happening in the book. I especially loved the last plot twist towards the end of the book. It really surprised me because I did not see it coming at all.

Rebel of the Sands

Tell me how you want your story to go, he says, and we'll write it straight across the sand.

Dustwalk is an unforgiving, dead-end town. It's not the place to be poor or orphaned or female. And yet Amani Al'Hiza must call it 'home'.

Amani wants to escape and see the world she's heard about in campfire stories.

Then a foreigner with no name turns up, and with him she has the chance to run.

But the desert plains are full of dangerous magic. The Sultan's army is on the rise and Amani is soon caught at the heart of a fearless rebellion... - excerpt from book.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton is a story about a girl trying to escape from her terrible circumstances and then find her fate in the world. This book had a good start and then a slow middle part and then a great climax. It took me sometime to read this book when I was in the middle as the plot is just okay then. When I reached about 75% of the book it started to get really good. All the excitement was kinda focused at the later parts of the book. The world built for this book was quite good as I have not often read books that are Arabic inspired.

The characters were good in this book, I liked them very much. The struggles that the main heroine has to go through kinda drives her in the story. Along with the male character of the book, things are more interesting than when she is on her own. I often look forward for their interactions and adventures together. Towards the end of the book more characters were introduced and I really love them. It was so exciting to read more about them. They truly help bring more life ans excitement into the story.

I thought that for a debut book it was not bad and the author left the ending at a good place to prepare for the next book. I can see a lot of potential for the story to evolve and become better in the second book. It was refreshing indeed reading this book as I could not expect what's to come but even though I felt that way, my attention wasn't captured long enough for me to keep reading. Towards the end of the book is where it became a book that is hard to put down. I do recommend this book to those readers who enjoy Arabic theme. I think for first in a series it had a good start so fantasy readers should try this book too, it's worth continuing on to the second book.

Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend

Hot Sun. Blue Waves. New Romances. Old Secrets.

Gemma had her summer all planned out, but it takes a sharp turn when she gets dumped and finds herself back in the Hamptons after a five-year absence.

Being there puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend (that is, before Gemma ruined her life). But people don't hold grudges forever. Do they?

Gemma intends on making amends, but a small case of mistake identity causes the people she knew years ago - including Hallie and her dreamy brother, Josh - to believe she's someone else. As though the summer wasn't complicated enough already. - excerpt from book

Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn who is also known as Morgan Matson is a first in a series call Broken Hearts & Revenge. Firstly this book is one of the longest titled book I've owned and I thought it was cute. The reason for me purchasing this book was because of Morgan Matson, I loved her "Since you've been gone" book very much. Without any regard of the rating on Goodreads, I've started the book and I loved it. I think it's because of my love for summer romance books.

The Kiss of Deception

She flees on her wedding day. She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection. She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father. She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia escapes to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive- and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink og unlocking perilous secrets- secrets that may unravel her world- even as she feels herself falling in love. - excerpt from book.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is book 1 of The Remnant Chronicles. I have not read other books from this author so this was my first. There was a lot of hype in the BookTube community but I did not pick up the book instantly, instead I waited for the floppy paperback version. So a little insight that I know before reading this book is that the both the male interests in this book are not specified and kept mysterious until the end of the book. I thought this was an interesting way of writing the book.