Posts Tagged 'best friends'

The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman

Genre: Mystery

Amy and her best friend, Sarah, have been looking forward to senior year (and more specifically) the week prior to the rest of the students coming where they get to set up their room, go to parties, etc. Things don’t go as planned, however, when Amy wakes up to find Sarah and her boyfriend stabbed to death in Sarah’s room. Quickly, things spiral out of control as Amy must account for how she could have slept through such terrible murders while she was in the same suite. Meanwhile, Liz, the outcast newspaper editor wants to be the first to break the story, but finds herself blocked everywhere she turns. She has never felt more like the scholarship kid/outsider than she does as she watches everyone close ranks around these terrible events. Eventually, Amy and Liz decide to try to work together in order to find out what truly happened that fateful night. Can they find out the truth? Will they ever find anyone who can truly be trusted? How well did Amy really know her best friend?

This mystery story is fast paced and exciting all the way through. The setup is described well so it is believable how this could have happened while Amy was so close by. The motivations of all the characters are also understandable and it is easy to see why it takes so long for all of the pertinent facts to come out. Senior year carries a lot of the stresses, insecurities, and questions about the future no matter if you go to a local public school or a fancy boarding school and this book does a nice job of showcasing that. The final reveal is very satisfying and exciting which will leave mystery lovers wanting to see more from this author. Recommended for those who enjoy April Henry or liked The Counselors by the same author.

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury


Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  25

RAC Book:  Yes

Chris and his best friend, Win, decide to go on a cross country bike ride the summer after graduation.  In the fall, only Chris returns to begin college.  Win’s parents enlist the FBI to find out what happened to their son.  Chris claims he has no idea, but worries he may have to face the events of that summer one way or another once the FBI starts threatening his family.  Can Chris face the events that led up to their separation?

This book delves into best friend relationships, parental relationships, growing up, and even choosing future goals.  The story is told in alternating chapters between Chris in the present getting harassed by the FBI and Chris and Win’s adventures on that summer trip.  Readers will become engaged in the story from the beginning and will want to know where Win is.  The story is fast paced and the characters are well-written.  Highly recommended.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 263 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Jane and Allison have been best friends for many years. Jane is the brainy girl who will say and do what she wants, even if that means she is not very popular. Allison, on the other hand, wants to be popular so bad it is painful to watch. After a particularly embarassing day, Jane is surprised to find Allison transformed into a trendy, articulate beauty. When she tries to find out the cause of Allison’s newfound confidence she is met with resistance. Jane soon meets a young man named Owen who claims he can explain what has happened to Allison. Jane finds his explanation hard to believe, but eventually realizes that it is the only explanation. The only question is why would Allison sell her soul to the devil? And more importantly, can Jane save her?

This unique story is engaging from the very beginning. Allison is so desperate to fit in that you can’t help but root for her, but when it becomes clear that she has indeed made a deal with the devil the story begins to get more complicated. The resolution seems rushed, under explained, and confusing. Since the beginning was so interesting and descriptive, it was a disappointment to have such a meager climax.


Archives


Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started