As someone who’s never seen a horror film in her life and cringes away from Halloween decorations, None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney was an experiment. Mysteries, specifically thriller mysteries are not high on my list, but this book surprised and intrigued me. While I don’t have much background to judge and make comparisons, I thought the plot was unique and the characters interesting.

The FBI recruit two teenagers—one of which is a previous serial kill survivor, Emma Lewis, and the other a US Marshall candidate, Travis Bell—to interview juvenile killers in hopes of gaining insight for cold cases. But with a new serial killer, The Butcher, on the loose, Emma and Travis become increasingly tangled within an active case. While Emma grapples with her survivor’s guilt and contact with notorious killer, Simon Gutmunsson, a game emerges between two killers and Emma isn’t sure who she wants to win.

The writing and pace of the novel are perfect for what a psychological thriller should be. Marney provides just enough information and suspense to keep the pages turning. While the content was at times extremely disturbing—as it should be in a novel focused on serial killers—Marney does a good job of sprinkling in peaceful and hopeful scenes that balance the disgust we feel at the gruesome murders.

Overall I’d recommend this book to anyone who appreciates psychological thrillers. The story is good, the characters well-fleshed out, and the book well-written. However, I’d also extend a hand to those (like me) who are looking to experiment with a new genre. Psychological thriller is not a genre that frequents my bookshelf, but after reading this book I might need to reexamine. – Kira Kaplan

Cute, funny, light, and happy, Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter is everything a romantic comedy should be, and more. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough with this book, every chapter bringing a grin to my face.

Liz Buxbaum’s most prized possession just might be the stack of rom-coms left behind from her mother’s passing. She seems to have inherited the same extreme love and passion for rom-coms as her mom, which might be why she assumes she can create her own when the nearly perfect Michael Young moves back to town. In order to execute her perfect movie ending, she must team forces with her annoying neighbor, Wes Bennet, a torture to her since second grade. But as time goes on, she realizes that her picture of Wes might be entirely wrong. How had she missed the funny, cute, and kind boy just across the street? Struggling with her newfound feelings for the boy next door and the absence of her mother at the most important milestones, her life doesn’t feel like a rom-come at all.

I’ll give Lynn Painter props for knowing exactly how to write a good rom-com. The storyline itself, albeit a classic, is fun and full of interesting twists and turns. The characters are easily loveable and swoon worthy, the dialogue between them often hilarious and squeal-worthy. The “boy-next-door” and “enemy to lover” tropes are often overused, but Painter has managed to put her own twist on it to create a really good read.

This is definitely a book I’d read again when searching for an adorable romance or in need of a little fun. I’d recommend to anyone who loves romantic comedies, and even those who don’t! – Kira Kaplan

When I read Master of One, it had been quite some time since I’d had the thought, ‘Just one more chapter, and then I’ll turn out the light.’ But Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett’s most recent collaboration, starring a disparate cast struggling against magical servitude to a ruthless monarch, ably held my attention. Its young heroes (who include disillusioned nobles, fledgling revolutionaries, a fae prince in an unfamiliar world, and a thief trying futilely not to care about any of them) are drawn together on a quest to track down six relics that will give each of them new power. But if they can’t manage an escape before all six are found, that power will be in the hands of the queen they hate. 

The book’s setting tends somewhat darker than the average fantasy world, and one of its greatest charms is the bonds the protagonists form around their common purpose despite the mistrust that lingers between some of them. These emotional ties help to ground and enrich the fantasy elements (including a few telepathic metal creatures that I believe may appeal to fans of Jones and Bennett’s previous work). As in any novel, there are moments that could be improved; in this case, moments where the characterization would benefit from a bit more subtlety. Overall, however, I very much enjoyed seeing the story unfold and I look forward to reading more from these authors.

The book Cruella Hello, Cruel Heart by Maureen Johnson is a fascinating explanation into Cruella De Vil’s life before she became Cruella De Vil. The book is about Estella, a poor teenage girl, just trying to survive with her friends Horace and Jasper. They live in an abandoned building that was bombed during the war and was never rebuilt. Estella, an aspiring fashion icon, pickpockets to get money or things she can sell to survive. Everything is fine for her and her friends, until she meets Magda and Richard, who are filthy rich and obsessed with Estella’s clothes. After being introduced to a life of luxury, wanting for nothing, Estella finally feels like she can make something of herself in the fashion world. She even meets Peter, the brains behind a hugely successful band, and finds something in him she didn’t know she needed. After deserting Horace and Jasper, Estella quickly finds out that her rich “friends” may not actually care, and the luxury may not be all that luxurious. This abrupt realization is one of the key points that leads Estella to become Cruella. 

I really liked Horace and Jasper because even after Estella was horrible to them and basically abandoned them, they still welcomed her back when she was having a hard time. They forgave her for leaving them and were not mad at her for it. That shows how loyal they are to Estella and how they’re a family, and rely on each other. I would recommend this book to any fan of 101 Dalmatians, the origins of villains, or just villains in general. 

*see our other review here

Ravage the Dark, part of the Scavenge the Stars duology, by Tara Sim was a nice completion to the gender-switched version of “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The novel continues following the protagonist, Amaya, after her time on a debtor ship after her seven year sentence. Her hope was to meet her mother in her hometown of Moray. However, her plans change when she meets Boon. Boon offers Amaya a life of opulence and comfort in exchange for her help. The first book in the series left readers on a cliffhanger as Amaya is betrayed and forced to flee Moray to go to the Rain Empire—an enemy nation. She travels to the Rain Empire with her friends, but also a foe. Additionally, Amaya’s friends have their own dark pasts that creates conflict and distrust throughout the novel. 

One positive aspect of this story was the immense POC and LGBTQ+ representation. As an individual coming from Amaya’s hinted culture, which was never officially stated but could be inferred, I believe Tara Sim represented the culture well; she wasn’t overbearing about it and did not force it to make it seem like she was ticking a box. It was integrated in the story beautifully. As for the LGBTQ+ representation, a couple of the main characters and a few main characters were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Sim did a great job of weaving the representation into the story without it seeming forced. 

Another positive aspect to the story is the relatability during times like right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout both books in the duology, there’s an epidemic that affects all territories in their world called the Ash Fever. In the first novel, Ash Fever plays a huge role in determining one of the main character’s motives and in the second book, this character is forced to make difficult decisions because of the hardships this disease caused. The first book in the duology was published in early 2020, before COVID-19 became as prominent as it is now, which is also intriguing. I think Sim was smart to continue with this idea and show how an illness can bring unity and division even in a fantasy world. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this duology and I think it is a quick read that everyone should pick up! I look forward to reading Sim’s other works.

The romance in this book is what really hooked me, because the chemistry between the main characters was quite lovely. I had a difficult time putting this story down because I simply needed a satisfactory conclusion (or, more accurately, I needed the romance to fully develop). The plot was also creative and intriguing, bringing a neat yet emotionally resonant end to the series. The author really did a nice job explaining Ren’s (the protagonist’s) emotions throughout the book. That being said, I would have liked to see a little bit more of her character growth towards the end of the book. Throughout both Incendiary and Illusionary Ren runs from group to group, always feeling like she doesn’t belong. Instead of confronting this problem, at the end of the book she tries to run away again, which to me felt unsatisfactory. 

The book is also a bit intense at times, with scenes of violence and torture, so I recommend readers take that into account. That being said, I really did enjoy Incendiary, and would recommend it to anyone who loves YA fantasy and romance novels.