Jill's Book Blog

Title: S.T.A.G.S.
Author: M.A. Bennett
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Greer, a scholarship girl at a prestigious private school, St Aidan the Great School (known as STAGS), soon realizes that the school is full of snobs and spoilt rich brats, many of whom come from aristocratic families who have attended the institute throughout the centuries. She’s immediately ignored by her classmates. All the teachers are referred to as Friars (even the female ones), but the real driving force behind the school is a group of prefects known as the Medievals, whose leader, Henry de Warlencourt, Greer finds both strangely intriguing as well as attractive. The Medievals are all good-looking, clever and everyone wants to be among their circle of friends. Greer is therefore surprised when she receives an invitation from Henry to spend a long weekend with him and his friends at his family house in the Lake District, especially when she learns that two other “outsiders” have also been invited: Shafeen and Chanel. As the weekend unfolds, Greer comes to the chilling realization that she and two other “losers” were invited only because they were chosen to become prey in a mad game of manhunt.

Review:

I’ve wanted to read this book since it originally came out in the U.K. in the summer. It was definitely worth the hype.

From the beginning of the story, we know how it will end. Greer will somehow kill someone at her weekend away. The whole story was building up to this ending, which was already revealed. But we don’t know how it happens. It was very well done. I was excited to read the whole thing and find out what happened. And the ending didn’t disappoint.

Tradition is a major theme in this story. When I went to England, I loved that everything was very traditional. There are large families in the story who trace their origins back more than a thousand years. The school STAGS also has historical origins.

The death occurred well before the end of the story, so I was surprised that there was so much left to happen. I thought the story was finished when they showed the death, but it continues right to the last page. I really liked the ending.

After I started reading this story, I read that it might be made into a movie. That’s so exciting and I’d love to see this story on the big screen!

Title: Wicked Charm
Author: Amber Hart
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Nothing good comes from living in the Devil’s swamp.

Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn’t half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.

Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.

Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell—the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.

But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there’s something else that draws Willow to him.

When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they’re leading to her own death.

Review:

This was a very suspenseful story.

It is a great mystery. Girls who dated Beau go missing and are murdered near his home. It seems like Willow will be next. I didn’t guess who did it, but the solution makes sense if you look back on the story.

I didn’t feel a connection with Willow or Beau. I felt like they were only focused on the murders, and didn’t talk about anything else. Of course, the murders were concerning since Beau was a suspect, but I think they should have done some other things to build their relationship and develop their characters.

This was a great suspenseful story. If you’re looking for a creepy teen story, you should check this one out!

About the Author:

Title: Dear Martin
Author: Nic Stone
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Release Date: October 17, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

Review:

This story is amazing. It’s very moving.

The issues that Justyce faced are familiar to anyone who watches the news. He was wrongfully arrested because of his skin colour. He was trying to do the right thing and ended up in trouble. After that, everything spirals out of control because Justyce wants to face this social injustice head on.

The plot of the story was very fast paced. I read the whole book in just a couple of hours. I couldn’t put it down! When the big twist happens halfway through the book, when the shots were fired, I was shocked.

I loved the irony in the way Justyce’s mom behaved. She wanted her son to have a good life and have opportunities so she sent him to a private boarding school. She didn’t want him to be judged by his skin colour. However, she refused to let him date a white girl, just because she has white skin. Even if the girl loved Justyce and was good for him, she still wouldn’t accept her just because of her skin. This ridiculous prejudice just shows how no one should be judged solely by the way they look. People from all different races and backgrounds are both good and bad. Appearance doesn’t define the way you behave.

It’s a great story for it’s entertainment value as well as it’s teachable moments. I highly recommend this book to everyone!