The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter

The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The story had an excellent start and I liked that it was told in first person.
Unfortunately, my expectations were a little too high and ended in a DNF.

What worked:

– I liked that we dive right into the story from the get-go. A lot happens, which is also its ultimate downfall for me.

What didn’t work:

-The timelines move back and forth at warp speed making it confusing. It was like listening to someone with a million thoughts speaking a mile a minute. You had to keep up to follow.

– Because there’s so much going on with alternating timelines, the story doesn’t properly unfold. Before one portion of the story finishes, the next one begins.

The final straw for me was when the story takes place in the mortal world. The narration went from classic fairytale to contemporary YA. It was like I was reading an entirely different story.

There others who enjoyed it, I just wasn’t one of them..sorry..

Thank you Netgalley & Harlequin teen for my ARC.

View all my reviews

Advertisements

Spring & Easter Round Up @MacKidsBooks #KidLit

My Easter Basket Tab Book by Roger Priddy

Munchkin Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If your little ones like hunting for eggs or searching, this one is perfect for them!

The Nature Girls by Aki

Munchkin Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Are you a fan of Madeline?

This is a fun story about a group of girls that explore different parts of the world.

Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising True Of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord, John Bald & Hazel Mitchell

Munchkin Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a great introduction on raising rabbits, making it perfect for a wide range of ages.

It’s a bit of a longer read, so I’d treat it more like a teaching tool since it’s a non-fiction kids book.

[#BookReview] The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

I had to sit and really think about how I felt with this one! In all honesty, the Prologue and last 30% of the book were the best parts.

After reading the first 20% I almost wanted to give up! There’s a lot of background story on Theo, which made for a slower read and had me thinking at one point whether there was even a point to all this. I assure you, there is! You just have to be patient and keep reading.

I was a bit disappointed that majority of the book was actually centered on Theo. I was expecting to hear more of Alicia’s POV. But I was determined to find out if Alicia ends up speaking or not, and if she really killed her husband which is what kept me going.

Aside from the slow pace, I thought the author did a brilliant job with the big reveal and adding tidbits of information on other characters to second guess yourself.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

[#MiddleGradeBooks] The Humiliations Of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel @RP_Kids #Netgalley

Genre: Middlr Grade

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a silly and entertaining read, with some laugh out loud moments. It kind of reminded me of Diary of a wimpy kid.

Middle grade can be pretty brutal and kids aren’t always nice, especially when something embarrassing happens!

I found Pipi to be a relatable character and liked that she had a blended family, which is pretty common these days.

Kudos to the author for writing such diverse characters and backgrounds without shoving it down your throat or making it feel forced.

The pacing was a tad slow at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read. I particularly liked the drawing of bacon with boobies! 😜

The first eight years of Penelope McGee’s education have been a curriculum in humiliation. Now she is on a quest for redemption, and a little bit of revenge.

From her kindergarten self-portrait as a bacon with boobs, to fourth grade when she peed her pants in the library thanks to a stuck zipper to seventh grade where…well, she doesn’t talk about seventh grade. Ever.

After hearing the guidance counselor lecturing them on how high school will be a clean slate for everyone, Pipi–fearing that her eight humiliations will follow her into the halls of Northbrook High School–decides to use her last year in middle school to right the wrongs of her early education and save other innocents from the same picked-on, laughed-at fate. Pipi McGee is seeking redemption, but she’ll take revenge, too.

[#BookReview] Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippencott, Mikki Daughtry, Tobia Iaconis #overhypedbooks

Genre: YA

My Rating: ⭐⭐1/2

This was a DNF after chapter 6.

I seriously tried! I intially really liked this story, but Stella just started to get on my nerves and annoy the shit out of me.

Here you have a guy (Will) who supposedly has been handed a death sentence and is no longer eligible for a lung transplant, which is the only thing that will pretty much save him and extend his life. Knowing this, he just wants to live his life..whatever is left of it anyway. I totally get that and agreed that he should. Afterall, it’s his life and he should do what makes him happy! But then, you have this complete stranger (Stella) who has control issues, pestering him about the things he no longer wants to do (I.e follow a scheduled regime, lecturing him about his med trials, etc).

There’s nothing more frustrating than someone telling you how to live your life when they haven’t got a clue as to why you are doing it. Nor should you have to justify it.

Sorry, but I just couldn’t take it anymore!

Have you read it? Did you love it like everyone else?

[#BookReview] China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan @doubledayca @kevinkwanbooks #ChinaRichGirlfriend #ChickLit

Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

I finally got around to reading the second installment of the Crazy Rich Asians series!

The way Kevin Kwan writes about Asian food..omg..I was salivating! And the pain au chocolat..how fitting was it that when I took this pic, I was devouring a chocolate danish?! I literally wished I could have tried those delicious pastries Collette had snagged when they were in Paris.

I enjoyed the new scenery, drama and introduction to new characters.

I really hated Michael in this one though. He was such a dick with his new found success, it made me wanna punch him the face and shake the shit out of Astrid.

I found Kitty Pong and Collette the most entertaining!

If you enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians, you’ll enjoy this as well.

Have you read it? Who was your favourite character?

It’s the eve of Rachel Chu’s wedding, and she should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond, a wedding dress she loves, and a fiancé willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up one of the biggest fortunes in Asia in order to marry her. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be there to walk her down the aisle.

Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, a world where people attend church in a penthouse, where exotic cars race down the boulevard, and where people aren’t just crazy rich … they’re China rich.

[#BookReview] Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Genre: YA

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

This book started off really strong with a really great cast of characters. Jack is a genuinely great guy and you can’t help but want only good things for him.

But after about 40% through, I found myself just skimming and wanting to get to the end. Yes, it involves time travel, but it got a little too repetitive. Some parts could have been scaled down, where others needed a little more attention and explanation.

It also takes a while before we find out what’s going on with Kate, which is what kept me hooked in the first place. This may have been a DNF had it dragged on any longer.

Overall, it’s still worth a read. It’s a feel-good story that explores friendship, relationships and really asks the question: If you could do things differently, what would you change?

Have you read it? What were your thoughts?

Jack Ellison King. King of Almost.

He almost made valedictorian.

He almost made varsity.

He almost got the girl . . .

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.

But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.