Jill's Book Blog

Review: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Title: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Author: Stuart Turton
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

How do you stop a murder that’s already happened?

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed—again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend—but nothing and no one is quite what they seem.

Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Agatha Christie.

Review:

This is a unique mystery. It’s Groundhog Day meets Freaky Friday in an Agatha Christie novel.

I couldn’t put this book down for hours. There were loads of twists at the beginning so I had no idea where the story was heading.

I liked how the story ended. However, I didn’t like the explanation for how the main character entered the loop of living the day over and over to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder. I wish that background was either explored more in the story or simplified. It seemed like the start of a side story but it wasn’t detailed enough.

The title is confusing I’m not sure why sometimes it is the 7 deaths and other times it’s the 7 1/2 deaths. I understand what the deaths are, but not why there are two different numbers in the titles. If anyone knows, I’d love to hear it.

I loved this book! If you like a suspenseful thriller in the style of Agatha Christie, you’ll love this book.

Litjoy Unboxing – July 2018

It’s a little late but here is my Litjoy unboxing for the July 2018 box. It was awesome, as usual!

This is a pillowcase. I love it! It matches my room perfectly.

I love this tote bag with a Guardians of the Galaxy quote! I loved this scene.

Here’s the piece of art and a cute bookmark that says “Take me to your reader.”

I love Groot, I love this adorable picture holder with a picture of baby Groot. This is also a great Star Wars pin that says “Rebel Scum.”

And finally, here’s the book! It’s Sanctuary by Caryn Lix. I can’t wait to read it!

These are my favourite part… the collectible cards! This month they were pictures of Linh Cinder and Prince Kai from The Lunar Chronicles, as well as Queen Levana. I love these cards! They are such a great idea!

Did you get this box? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – September 6

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace – someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir’s eye, it’s Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: The Benefits of Being an Octopus

Title: The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Author: Ann Braden
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward.

Review:

This is a powerful story for young people.

Many important themes were explored in this story, such as poverty and abuse. Zoey takes care of her siblings while her mom works. She learns that her mother is in an abusive relationship, and Zoey tries to find a way out of it. Even though she is a child, she knows she can and must do something to help her mother.

Her friend Fuchsia faces similar problems. Her mother’s boyfriend threatens Fuchsia if she reports her mother to family services. Fuchsia feels trapped, as if she cannot tell her mother because she won’t believe her, so she is ready to accept her future. Zoey has to show her that she can stand up for herself.

Zoey is a very strong character. She stands up for many people in this book, including her siblings, her mother, and her friends. Though some parts were difficult to read about, these are real situations that happen to kids all the time. I really enjoyed this book.

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – September 5

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Damsel by Elana K. Arnold.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Valiant High

Title: Valiant High
Author: Daniel Kibblesmith
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Valiant proudly presents its first ALL-AGES escapade with a pitch-perfect entry point for new fans and longtime readers alike!

Before they became legends, the world’s most formidable heroes were roaming the halls at Valiant High – a super-powered preparatory academy where Aric “X-O Manowar” Dacia is a record-setting running back, Colin “Ninjak” King is a debonair foreign exchange student, and Coach Bloodshot is way, way too into dodgeball. Now, Amanda “Livewire” McKee and her best friend, Faith “Zephyr” Herbert, are taking it all in for the first time at the one high school where power trumps popularity!

From rising star Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Eisner Award-winning artist Derek Charm (Jughead), get ready for your first day of school inside a hilarious reimagining of Valiant’s award-winning superhero universe – one where the next world-ending cataclysm will have to wait until after prom night!

In the tradition of Archie and DC Super Hero Girls, this side-splitting adventure takes place outside of Valiant’s standard continuity…and comes packed with all-new incarnations of virtually every Valiant hero and villain! You’ve never seen the heroes of the Valiant Universe quite like this before!

Collecting VALIANT HIGH #1–4.

Review:

This story collects many characters from Valiant Entertainment comics and puts them in a high school setting.

I haven’t read many Valiant comics before, so I felt a little left out reading this story. I’m sure there were some jokes about the characters that I would have understood if I was familiar with the characters. The only one I recognized was X-O Manowar. I wish there was more to the story than just showing a variety of characters from their comics.

This comic reminded me of other series by comic book publishers that make all of their characters interact with each other. DC Comics has a few series which their super heroes in a school setting, such as DC Super Hero Girls and DC Comics: Secret Hero Society. Those series were better for me because I know the characters of DC Comics much better than Valiant entertainment.

If you’re a fan of Valiant comics, this would be a great comic for you!

Top Ten Tuesday – Binge Worthy Shows/Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Binge Worthy Shows/Movies. Here’s my list:

1. Crazy Rich Asians

2. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

3. Riverdale

4. Stranger Things

5. The Kissing Booth

6. A Series of Unfortunate Events

7. The Crown

8. Kim’s Convenience

9. Fuller House

10. Outlander

(All images taken from IMDb)

Review: Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #1)

Title: Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #1)
Author: Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Source: Library
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Being the new kid at school is tough, especially when your school is called Ducard Academy and your name is Bruce Wayne. There’s a gang of jokers roaming the halls, a muscle-headed kid named Bane wants to beat you up, and your guidance counselor Hugo Strange seems really, well, strange.

This inventive novel follows young Bruce Wayne and his friends Clark (Superman) and Diana (Wonder Woman) as they start a Junior Detective Agency to investigate their teachers and find out what’s going on behind closed doors at Ducard Academy, all before recess.

This all-new story presents a twist on the idea of junior sleuths, using comics, journal entries, and doodles to reimagine Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman as three students in the same school. They’ll try their best to solve their case, but just because you’re faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, it doesn’t mean you get to stay up past eleven.

Review:

This is a great middle grade story for fans of DC Comics.

This story takes place before the DC Comics characters became super heroes. They give hints to the superheroes that we know they will become. Bruce Wayne loves bats and working in dark spaces. Clark Kent is super secretive about where he comes from and says he knows nothing about Krypton. And there’s also the class clown Joe Kerr who is always pulling pranks in the halls.

The illustrations in this graphic novel were done in grey and white. Some of them looked like pencil sketches. There were some documents in the story, such as Bruce’s electronic journal and flyers from school. These told more of the story in an abstract way so that we can see what is happening around the students without them stating it.

I liked this graphic novel. It was a quick read, and funny too!

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 3

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and 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 that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Valiant High by Daniel Kibblesmith, Derek Charm, and David Baron.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 2

I can’t believe it’s September already! Summer is almost finished… but at least it’s Pumpkin Spice season again!

Here’s my weekly wrap up!

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein ★★★★
Beauty and Bernice ★★★
Quid Pro Quo ★★★★
City of Ghosts ★★★★★
Sheets ★★★★
Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1) ★★★★★

I did 7 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb

Goodreads Synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Ghost (Track #1) by Jason Reynolds

Small Things by Mel Tregonning

Goodreads Synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

X-O Manowar, Volume 1: By The Sword by Robert Venditti, Cary Nord

Harbinger, Volume 1: Omega Rising by Joshua Dysart, Khari Evans, and Lewis LaRosa

1. Crazy Rich Asians

2. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

3. Riverdale

4. Stranger Things

5. The Kissing Booth

6. A Series of Unfortunate Events

7. The Crown

8. Kim’s Convenience

9. Fuller House

10. Outlander

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Fort Solitude (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #2) by Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen

Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee

What I just finished:

What I’m currently reading:

What I’m reading next: