ARC Review: Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

Author: William Ritter

Genre: YA, historical, paranormal

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Publication Date: August 23, 2016

352 pages, hardcover (340 ARC)

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

NOTE: Thank you to Algonquin YR for providing an ARC of Ghostly Echoes at BEA!

Ghostly Echoes was one of the top books I was hoping to get at BEA. I LOVED Jackaby and Beastly Bones, and I could not wait to dive back into New Fiddleham with these characters. I was not disappointed. (And I got to meet William Ritter, which was awesome!)

I absolutely adore these characters and this world so so much. Everything about these books is just…charming. But I think the best part of Ghostly Echoes is that it’s a bit darker than the other two books in the series so far.

The third book in the Jackaby series focuses a lot on Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly owner and resident of 926 Augur Lane, and finding out what happened to her all those years ago. She becomes a huge player in this books, and I loved seeing her strong spirit (no pun intended) and attitude. The way that Jenny’s murder, and all of the characters’ pasts play into and connect to the plot really helps you feel drawn into this one.

And, as always, I loved Abigail’s personality and drive. I especially enjoyed learning more about Jackaby’s past, and I’m excited to see more of that in the fourth book – thank goodness for book four!

It’s kind of hard to review this one without any spoilers, especially because it’s book three in the series, so I’ll just say that I could talk about how much I love this series all day, and you should probably just go ahead and read them all.

The bottom line: This is a quick, fun read full of adventure, folklore, mythology, people and creatures, ghosts and possession. Ghostly Echoes –might– have been my favorite Jackaby book, but we’ll have to wait for book four to be sure.

Rating: 9 – practically perfect

ARC Review: The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

Author: Kerry Kletter

Genre: Young adult, contemporary

Publisher: Philomel Books

Publication Date: March 15, 2016

352 pages, hardcover

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

I’ve been finding it difficult to write this review. For several reasons, I suppose. It’s so lovely, and I know no matter how I say it, my words will never be able to properly describe just how beautiful Kerry’s prose is. And don’t you find it difficult to talk about books that seemed to have crawled into your heart to live?

So I’ll start with what I said on Goodreads immediately after finishing the book:
Wow. Compelling, emotional, raw, and real with some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read.

Let’s talk about that prose, okay? It’s so real and enthralling and gorgeous. I love all of the allusions and metaphors for the ocean and water throughout the book, and you can really feel that in the ebb and flow of Kerry’s prose. It pulls you in the way your feet sink into the sand right at the water’s edge. I was sucked in from the very beginning; all you’d have to do is read the prologue and you’ll be pulled in immediately.

This book is the perfect one to recommend to those adults who think YA books aren’t for them. It’s the definition of a crossover book. TFTSD is intelligent and sensitive, emotionally mature and sophisticated. This book is difficult but realistic, heavy and serious but needed. It’s about the way we see ourselves and how those around us can change that. There are some seriously difficult themes but there is also hope and I think that was my favorite part of all.

The bottom line: An emotionally difficult and serious book that deals with those things in some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read.

Shout out to Brittany from Brittany’s Book Rambles who was kind enough to get me an ARC!

ARC Review: Persuasion by Martina Boone

Author:  Martina Boone
Genre: Young adult, paranormal
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
464 pages, hardcover

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

NOTE: I was provided with an e-ARC of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Simon Pulse for letting me read this!

I read and loved the first book in this series, Compulsion, earlier this year. I really enjoyed the southern gothic feel, the mythology, and Watson’s landing. All of which were things I still loved in this sequel.

One of my favorite things in Persuasion was the new magic that Barrie discovers once she comes back to Watson’s Landing. She meets a man named Obadiah who may or may not be strictly human. He wants her to find something that will let him break the Colesworth curse, but because he threatens to take away her ability if she doesn’t find it, she must go behind everyone’s back and lie to those closest to her in order to do so. Even though I really liked Obadiah and thought he was that perfect kind of magical, creepy character, he created the biggest problem I had with this book.

Barrie lies in this book. A lot. She “has” to because she thinks it’ll save those closest to her and not get them involved with whatever Obadiah will do should he not be satisfied. But because of this, her relationship with Eight was a lot of “I love you, but I want to protect you, so I’m going to push you away” but then she’d be right back in his arms making out. Then arguing with him and pushing him away. Then making out. UGH. It felt very toxic and not as adorable as they were in the first book. In addition to this, I also was a bit bored in the middle – partly because of that back and forth I mentioned above but partly because it was just a bit too long. There was a lot of history and…these flashbacks that were a bit overwhelming.

However, I really loved the voodoo magic and the ghosts and the southern charm and the mystery. I think Boone is really skilled at creating a magical-feeling world with a lot of mystery. The magic, the voodoo, the curses, and all that is what really makes these books shine, and I was not disappointed in the slightest on that aspect of Persuasion.

The bottom line: Despite the fact that I wasn’t quite as impressed with this one as Compulsion, I’m still excited for the next one. Here’s hoping Barrie and Eight’s relationship gets better. That cliffhanger at the end gave me the grabby hands though.

Rating: 6 – good, but not great

ARC Review: Don’t Fail Me Now by Una LaMarche

Author:  Una LaMarche
Genre: YA, contemporary
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
288 pages, hardcover (273 ARC)

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

NOTE: I was provided with an ARC of this book through the Decatur Book Festival as Una was on one of the panels I moderated. This does not influence my review.

Don’t Fail Me Now is a unique, diverse, moving road-trip novel chock full of interesting characters and all the feels. Forced into a terrible situation by their absentee mother, Michelle, Cass, and Denny (three African American children surviving on Michelle’s part time job at Taco Bell) join forces with their newly found half-sister Leah and her stepbrother Tim (white, middle-class, and taken care of) on a cross-country road trip to meet Buck, their dying father who left them years ago. Nothing goes as planned and the hardships the group faces both brings them closer together and pushes them farther apart. Michelle is a strong character who takes care of her family; she’s been through a lot in her short life and doesn’t let it get to her. I think this shows what an incredible, hardworking character she is, but I also appreciated the scenes where it is very obvious that she is only human.

I think my main issue was that, while race and white-privilege are brought up, they aren’t as well-addressed as I would have liked. I think the story could have gone a little deeper into these issues. My other complaint was the middle part of the book, which dragged a bit to me, especially considering the strong beginning.

The bottom line: Diversity; road-trip; strong main character; hardships and persistence. If any of those things sound like something you’d like, pick this one up.

Rating: 6.5 – between good, but not great and pretty good