Carol

This book was a hard one to get into. That being said, the topic is quite eye-catching. It's not something you read or hear about every day in the novel industry. There were little bits of the suspect's trial to start out with. This gives it a different kind of perspective. Almost leaves the reader wondering if they have the right person or not. There was so little given about the victims, so identifying or empathizing was nearly impossible. After being introduced to and learning about Kathie, I felt I knew her very well until things took a turn for the worst. There are two sides to every person. One side shimmers about in the daytime and reveals everything you want to know about a person. The other side merely hides in the dark of the night as if it were a chapter no one should read. I could not help but feel I had met another person when learning about Kathie's dark side, which led to prostitution just to survive. The thought of anyone having to beg and belittle themselves just to make it in this world is unbearable. The title of this book describes perfectly the feeling I got when I discovered the details of the mad serial killer and exactly what he had done. For me, sadly, this book seems to miss its full potential. For it to only have kept my attention, the last part of the story was such a shame. The book was not terrible, but once I was done reading, I did not feel anything except the accomplishment of finishing another book.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I did The Passage. There were times near the last 100 pages where I began to get irritated with the style of writing. It seemed to change. I was grateful I was able to feel more at peace in terms of the characters Amy, Brad, and Lila. It seemed to become a trend that once I began to come around to a character, they were dead or disappeared somehow. One part that made me feel how the characters felt is when they tried to get to a safe space (hardbox), but it ended up not being safe at all. Another point, looking in the eyes of a viral to feel and hear a human, is awing and sad. I felt this book would be more freeing for the characters, but it seems more lonely somehow.

Favorite quote: “It's the end, not the means”

I liked the synopsis of this book but as I was reading there were parts that were completely predictable. Marianne was annoying to me, especially through the viewpoint of Darby. In the end, she ended up being okay. I admired what Darby was trying to do at Holly Jolly Land and the story did begin to grow on me. The entire situation with Roy was, again, predictable and so much so I nearly eyerolled. I like how Calvin made Darby feel and how it was almost an “enemies to lovers” trope, but with as a younger age version. Darby's actions and her thoughts about her father and Marianne quickly reminded me of the age category.

Favorite quote: “SHUT UP, LOSERS! This is a private conversation!” - Jane

As I began reading, I wasn't sure what to think of Bex. He seemed nice enough, but the whole teacher-student relationship was throwing me off. The more I read, the more Bex seemed suspicious. My stomach started churning any time he was mentioned. I found myself starting to defend Marin in my mind and wonder why Chloe wasn't being . . . well. . . best-friend-like. It drove me insane! I started to favor Gray and found myself liking the idea of him and Marin together. That being said, I feel what happened between them happened so fast. Chloe's attitude had me suspicious of her throughout the entire book, and I couldn't defend her lack of being a better friend, that is, until it all made sense. I had theories that encouraged me to read on. The rage that filled my soul when Marin spoke to Mr. DioGuardi was indescribable! It went away for a bit but came right back tenfold when Marin spoke with Kalina. After about seventy-five percent of the way through the book, I felt everything was rushed, and I found myself wanting to know just a bit more. Overall, it's a good read! I'm glad I was able to add two new to me authors to my TBR.

Favorite quote: “Everybody needs to behave, or I'll turn this volleyball game around et cetera” - Gray.

I began reading this book with absolutely no idea what it was about. Three pages. That is all it took for me to fall for this book hook, line, and sinker. I am an active reader, so I tend to get caught up in the books I read. I was not prepared for the emotional impact this book was going to have for me. I found myself not wanting to put the book down. Again, I get emotional when reading, but I cannot stress the powerful delivery of these emotions. This book made me feel exactly as it was portraying. There were times the outcome of a situation was one hundred percent the opposite of what I envisioned, and I loved that! E. Lockhart's writing not only grabbed at me, but it took me on a behind the scenes tour of everything that happened. I started out with two favorite books. I ended with three.