★★★★

1. The Naturals

Started at work under the whim of escapism, finished next day in a rush of interest.

Light 'Criminal Minds' or 'Lie to Me' style teen mystery, with the delicious torn-between-two-hot-boys romance (why doesn't this happen in real life?), and some very cool and interesting profiler/special skills details.

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message 15: by Valissa (last edited Mar 30, 2016 12:46PM) (new)

Mar 30, 2016 12:44PM

★★★

2. Sunny Side Up

Read for kiddo, but was impressed with scope and handling of drug issues and the introduction to comic books.

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message 16: by Valissa (new)

Mar 30, 2016 12:47PM

★★★

3. Armada

I really liked it, I did, and if it were the first Cline I had read I would have LOVED it.

But the sophomore effort was a little rushed, a little too desktop, and a little too blase.

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message 17: by Valissa (new)

Mar 30, 2016 12:50PM

Killer Instinct (The Naturals, #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

★★★★

4. Killer Instinct

Ok. I liked the first one. So I (cough) ran across the 2nd and thought, what the heck, I will skim the first few pages.

24 hours later and I am trying very hard not to pick up the 3rd. Le sigh.

The profiling/special criminal skills continue (and go right along with my binge watching of 'Criminal Minds'), and the romance drama increases (and why, oh, why, can't she just kiss both of them?). Makes me want to reread Clockwork Angel again.

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message 18: by Valissa (new)

Mar 30, 2016 12:50PM

The Isle of the Lost (Descendants, #1) by Melissa de la Cruz

★★★

5. The Isle of the Lost

well, I enjoyed this, after a hesitant start. Perhaps the most annoying aspect is the fact that it is a prequel to a TV show . . . that I will never watch. I like the characters in my head a lot better than those tweens (probably actually in their 20s, gods, I am old) playing them. Don't match at all.

So now . . . I am left with a story I want to follow that doesn't exist. Boooo

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message 19: by Valissa (last edited Mar 30, 2016 12:55PM) (new)

Mar 30, 2016 12:55PM

★★★

6. The Cellar

Walters has always impressed me with her deeply psychological development of characters. Often flawed and damaged, they still come across as real and devastatingly relatable. And then there are the mysteries, which are horrifying and penetrate into the subconscious in ways I cannot define.

This is a quick read, brief and sad and vindictive. I was drawn in and then torn between cheering the protagonist and desperately wanting to run away from the situation. Well done, Walters, for filling me with dread and the need to read something precious, like Joe Hill or Jason Blum.

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message 20: by Valissa (new)

Mar 30, 2016 01:09PM

7. The Dinosaur Feather

I read this, but almost (almost) wish I hadn't.

It is entertaining, mostly about the people on the secondary ring of a murder, and quite in depth on their history, personality, and dreams. And while they were worth attention (except that main female, wtf, she is horrible, no pity for her), I was endlessly annoyed that the mystery was well down the list of subjects being written about.

Great book for people interested in ornithology, or the connection between dinosaurs and birds, or any passing interest in the scientific community and their feuds.

For mystery lovers though, beware.

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Books mentioned in this topic

The Sword Vol. 3: Earth (other topics)
Wayward, Vol. 2: Ties That Bind (other topics)
Thief of Thieves, Vol. 2, "Help Me" (other topics)
I Am Princess X (other topics)
I Funny: A Middle School Story (other topics)
More...

Authors mentioned in this topic

Joe Hill (other topics)
Jason Blum (other topics)