The Book Review Club (June 2016)

Welcome to the June 2016 edition of The Book Review Club. This will be the last "meeting" before our annual summer hiatus. Which doesn't mean we won't be reading over the summer. We will! All to return with September 7th book reviews that'll knock your socks off! As for post and links to fellow reviewers? We have books to recommend for your summer reading! Thanks for checking us out today! Below my post are links to reviews

WITH MALICE 
by Eileen Cook (young adult, contemp psychological thriller)

I once shared a room with Eileen Cook. That was BEFORE I read WITH MALICE! Ha!

From the book itself: 

The Record Eagle Paper
School Trip Ends In Tragedy
May 3

Two local girls, Jill Charron and Simone McIvory were involved in an automobile accident in Tuscany Italy while on a school trip. Ms. McIvory was declared dead at the scene. Ms. Charron sustained significant injuries, including a brain injury that has impacted her memory of events. She’s been flown home for further care.

So....what do we have? An 18 year old girl wakes up in an Italian hospital following a car accident. Jill can't remember the last six wks of her life, including what happened in the car accident that killed her best friend. What role did Jill play? Was it indeed an accident? Was Simone truly her best friend? What kind of person is Jill really? Simone? And where does the not-so-nice Italian guy fit in? How about the new best friend, Anna, from the rehab hospital? And the feuding families? And the online brouhaha? (Ya gotta love a review that can work in "brouhaha"!!) And then there's the ending....

Toss in Eileen's tight writing, devious plotting, strong sassy voice, chapter hooks...and you've got a book that keeps you up at night. (Luckily, my family loves me tired and cranky.)

A little extra something else that really grabbed me: The story is told through a variety of mediums: police statements, newspaper articles, travel guidebook entries, social media posts, yearbook entries, regular narrative. All this keeps the twisty-turny plot moving smartly along. And keeps the reader so spellbound, she doesn't accomplish a single thing on her to-do list!

In conclusion: Go read the book, but don't complain to me when you get behind in life along with losing your beauty sleep. WITH MALICE is superbly written and perfectly creepy. It can be enjoyed by both young adults and adults. This book hits shelves on June 7.

(Dear FCC: I read everything Eileen Cook writes. (I'd read her shopping lists, if she'd share them with me.) I read an ARC of WITH MALICE. I only review books I like. I reviewed this book. Put it all together... Go buy yourself a copy of this great book. Enjoy life a little. )

And now....onto the rest of our reviews. Please click through. You won't want to miss a single one!

YOUNG ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Sarah Laurence: THE LIE TREE by Frances Hardinge (YA)

Scott Parker: DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE by Kenneth Robeson (1933 version,
                                                                                                crossover YA to adult, action/adventure)
Stacy Nyikos: HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosoff (YA)


ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Alyssa Goodnight: DYING BY DESIGN by Renee Patrick (mystery)

Ellen Booraem: SLADE HOUSE by David Mitchell (supernatural mystery)

Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: GREEK MYTHIC HISTORY by Spencer Clevenger (mythology)

Linda McLaughlin: LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase  (historical romance)

Lucy Sartain of Ranting and Raving: NEW YORK DEAD by Stuart Woods (mystery)

Patti Abbott:  NIGHTINGALES by Kristin Hannah (historical)

Stacy of the Cat's Meow: THE TEA ROSE trilogy by Jennifer Donnelly (historical)


NONFICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: BEYOND THERAPY by Erving Polster (self-help)J

Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: NO TIME TO CRY by Vera Lienvebers (autobiography)

Ray Potthoff: THE GAMBLE by Thomas Ricks (military history)


Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. Thank you so much for your reviews!