The Murder Game: Carrie Doyle

 

Title: The Murder Game
Author: Carrie Doyle
Publish Date: April 6th, 2021
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Huge thank you to Raincoast Books for providing me with an ARC for review!!

What if your best friend and roommate killed a teacher at your prep school? Or what if he didn’t do it, but he’s being framed, and you’re the only person who can save him?

Luke Chase didn’t mean to get caught up solving the mystery of Mrs. Heckler’s murder. He just wanted to spend alone time with the new British girl at their boarding school.

But little did he know someone would end up dead right next to their rendezvous spot in the woods, and his best friend and roommate Oscar Weymouth would be the one to take the blame. With suspects aplenty and a past that’s anything but innocent, Luke Chase reluctantly calls on his famous survival skills to solve the mystery and find the true killer.

Penelope's Review

This was such a fun mystery to read! I don't normally gravitate to these types of books but something about this one gave me pause, and I decided to give it a go. I'm so happy I did because it was a whirlwind adventure! Every time I thought I'd figured it out, the story veered and there was a new lead to consider!

The books follows Luke Chase, who feels determined to clear his best friend's name after sneaking out with him and 2 girls the night of a murder. Luke slowly works through suspect after suspect, sometimes considering multiple at a time. I really liked trying to figure this murder out, and while I am definitely not an expert on this particular genre, I felt that it was in line with what can be expected from a teenage murder mystery. 

There were quite a few loose ends so I am assuming another book is coming. There were a few aspects that I was hoping would be wrapped up in this book, but I guess I'll just have to wait! I found the ending happened quite rapidly. One minute I had no idea who the killer was and then boom the book was solved and over. It didn't take away from the rest of the book, it just felt rather abrupt. Regardless, I really liked this and am looking forward to what comes next!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Hi everybody! Spring is in the air :) My final exam is on Wednesday and then that's it! I'm officially done school for the summer which is so exciting! I actually haven't had a school-free summer in three years so I plan on filling my days (outside of work) with books!! It's going to be fantastic 😊 I hope everyone has a great week!

What I Read Last Week:

The Nature of Witches: Rachel Griffin

Legend of the Lakes: Clara O'Connor

 

What I Am Currently Reading: 

A Duke in Time: Janna MacGregor

What I Am Reading Next: 

The Lost Apothecary: Sarah Penner

The Ones We're Meant to Find: Joan He

 

Title: The Ones We're Meant to Find
Author: Joan He
Publish Date: May 4th, 2021
Publisher: Roaring Brook 
Source: Huge thank you to Raincoast Books and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review! 

One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars meets Black Mirror, with a dash of Studio Ghibli.

Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay. Determined to find her, Cee devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland, doing everything in her power to survive until the day she gets off the island and reunites with her sister.

In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara is also living a life of isolation. The eco-city she calls home is one of eight levitating around the world, built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.

Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But as the public decries her stance, she starts to second guess herself and decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.

Penelope's Review

Wow what a fantastic novel! Great storyline, with really great elements of real world issues woven in to create the perfect balance between fiction and not. I am truly surprised at the direction this book took, something that hasn't happened to me in a long time reading a book. The way Joan He writes, the twists that her story took, the perfect merge between two seemingly separate story lines... it was a testament to her tremendous skill as a writer. 

The book follows Cee who has been on an abandoned island for three years, and Kasey the sister who was left behind. I enjoyed getting to know each character and journeying through their lives with them as they uncovered truths and discovered themselves. The plot itself is widely based on the world "ending" in a way due to the environmental strain that humans placed on the Earth for so long. The author's world of cities in the sky with holograms and stasis pods was masterfully created. The book didn't end the way I expected or thought I wanted, and yet it fit the story perfectly. 

Overall, I recommend everyone give this book a try regardless of age or favorite genre. I think it has something for everyone - lovers of mystery, romance, thriller, fiction, fantasy, etc. Go in with an open mind... don't try to guess where it's going because you'll be wrong every time lol. Just read and enjoy. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Devils

Book Blogger Hop

 

This is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer! Hop over to their page to grab a button and join in the fun!

This Week's Question:

How many different weekly memes do you participate in besides the Book Blogger Hop?

(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

Well normally I participate in It's Monday! What Are You Reading, Can't Wait Wednesday, and Stacking the Shelves/The Sunday Post! Given that I finally have my laptop back, I will be getting back to my full schedule! :) 

Stacking the Shelves/The Sunday Post #6

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Hello everyone! Ugh laptop is still out of commission but HOPEFULLY back in my hands early this week! I haven't really been able to blog much - there always seems to be someone on the family computer lol! But once I get it back, I'll be back in business! 

This coming week, I plan on posting Monday's book meme at least, and hopefully 2-3 reviews but we'll see how it goes! 

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

From NetGalley:

Physical ARC's in my mailbox: