Review: Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty

Publisher-Simon & Schuster Books

Released- Sept 15th 2015

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.
Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…
FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.
FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.
FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.
FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.
OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

My Thoughts:

I may not read many books from this genre, but when the mood strikes, there is nothing like a whodunit mystery to keep me well entertained, and I'm happy to say Lock & Mori did just that!

I'm not sure what it is about Sherlock Holmes books, but ever since reading Every Breath by Ellie Marney, I find myself looking for books of it's kind. Heather W. Petty, is a fantastic storyteller who kept this book suspenseful, mysterious and gripping the whole way through. The story starts off with a simple game of  'who can solve the crime first' between Lock and Mori but half way through the book it was already clear who the serial killer was. Now, being this is a mystery book and learning the revelation so soon on would have normally bothered me, but by that point I was already completely absorbed in the separate, heartbreaking, storyline, which was even more disturbing then the horrible murders. I loved the way Petty interlocked the storyline with plot to personal and the inner struggles that both Lock and Mori had to face, it made it more then a simple mystery that had to be solve.

I absolutely adored Lock and Mori. From the moment they met you could feel the tension and chemistry. My favoirte part was watching them observe the clues and learn what the other knows, even in secrets. They have the greatest banter and warm bubbling moments that made me smile. Lock is truly amazing. He's condescending and presumptuous and can be a real pain, but underneath his eccentric behaviour and vast intelligence, he's got a lot of heart.  Mori is also just as wonderful, protective and clever and I hated what she had to go through in this book. Lock and Mori are a perfect match, they understand each other, challenge each other and were a brilliant team.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It did have some content that I usually like to stay away from, it wasn't over graphic, but graphic enough to hurt my heart, but this was a story I wont soon forget. Smart, refreshing and thrilling, this was an incredible debut and I can't wait for the next book!

Find the author:

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Review: Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes
Publisher- Harper Teen
Published- March 24th 2015
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

It all starts with one little lie…Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell lies to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts a business providing forged permission slips and cover stories for the students of Vista Palisades High. Liars, Inc. they call it. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

My Thoughts:
Wow, I never saw that coming! Liars, Inc., is a very well done mystery laced with thrilling suspense of the whodunit variety. I've read Stokes, The Art of Lainey, and knew this was an author to look out for. She has a knack for telling her stories with sharp witty characters and an intriguing plot concept. I liked that she pushes the boundaries a little bit more then your average young adult novel. These characters are 18 years old, reckless and living large and Stokes really captures these moments boldly but tastefully.

The mystery surrounding Preston was very impressive and filled with all kinds of  twist and turns and while I predicted some, I didn't predict it all and was pretty surprised once we got the whole story. I liked that Stokes took her time crafting all the little details. It started out simple enough but then it went from complicated to deadly with only enough clues to keep us guessing and a lot of lingering doubt that made the experience even more fun to try to guess what was going on and who was behind it all.

I don't know why but I love reading from a male point of view. It's refreshing and interesting and I enjoyed seeing this story unfold through Max. He's got a great voice. True, he's a little rough around the edges, but he's still a really good guy. He was orphaned and on the streets for almost a year before he found a good family to adopt him, but Max never lost his street-smart-slacker-way-attitude that makes him want to bend the rules where he can. Starting Liars, Inc., wasn't exactly all his idea but he went along for the fun of it and hey, the profit didn't hurt. That is till one little lie created a whirlwind of suspicions, conspiracies and betrayal. He's not a very trusting person either, which I guess, he was kinda on the money about, but still, when push comes to shove, Max is a stand-up guy that has a lot of determination and heart.

Parvati was a little hard to like at the beginning. She doesn't do anything wrong exactly, but she has this cold interior that seemed to rattle me at times and she would say something that would rub me the wrong way. She's pretty and popular and rich and she seemed to be genuine  when she was with Max, but a little voice in the back of my head felt like something was off, missing or fake. I was right about a few things concerning Parvati's character and yet she still ended up surprising me the most.

At first I wasn't sure how to feel about Preston, we didn't get a lot of screen time with him to feel a huge connection before he went missing, but Stokes' crafty writing really made his mystery stand-out. I will say that the one thing all these characters do have in common is they all seem lost, like they don't know where they fit in, in their own lives. It makes what happens feel both understandable and messed up. I liked the romance, but it was kinda like background noise, it was always consistent, but never played lead to the plot. But what we did get was dame sexy.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with this one. They mystery was unpredictable and smart, the writing has incredible energy and these characters will have you on your toes from the first moment till its riveting  conclusion. Well done! I can't wait to see what Stokes comes up with next.

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                              4 Snowflakes

Review: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Retribution of Mara Dyer 
by Michelle Hodkin
Publisher-Simon & Schuster 
Published- Nov 4th 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.There is.She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.She should.She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.She will now.Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.Retribution has arrived.

My Thoughts:
The Retribution of Mara Dyer is the epic, mind exploding conclusion to this highly anticipated series and so amazingly worth the long two year wait. This does not disappoint!

You know, I don't even know what to say. Apart of me wants to scream and jump around all over this review praising all the awesome that it is, but given this is the last book in the series- a book fans have been on hands and knees waiting for, I don't think I should spoil anything. But I will say that I'm in total awe of the brilliant way Hodkin turned this last hurrah. All those questions that have been burning since book two come together piece by agonizingly messed up piece, but in the best way possible. I can't tell you how liberating it was to finally get some hardcore answers as to what the hell was going on, but I loved that Hodkin did it at a leashed pace, bringing us closer till the moment when everything hits click. This book is a lot darker then I would have thought, more edgy and twisted. The things that are done aren't very pretty and even Mara isn't the same girl that we once knew. Her anger and hatred is at its max extreme and apart of me was rooting her on while the other part was scared she'd go to far. But leave it to Hodkin to find the perfect comedic balance to calm the mood or moment. Jamie, Stella and Daniel were amazing characters that had Mara's back. No matter what. And I love the back and forth banter and zingers that made me laugh out loud, which is saying something considering how intense this book really is. 
I'm not going to say anything about the romance or Noah since that would probably be the biggest spoiler, but I will say this; Fate and destiny plays a large part of this love story, but love can endure despite it.

Bottom line. This series is the best physiological thriller that I've ever read. It's crazy addicting and spins you into madness from the first book till it's epic freaken conclusion. Also, chapter 73? BEST chapter evah!!! My heart, my gawd, my heart!! Congrats to Michelle Hodkin for such an amazing series. It's been one helluva wicked ride and I greatly look forward to anything else you put to pen. Bravo!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                 5 Snowflakes

Review: The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Secrets of Lily Graves 

by Sarah Strohmeyer

Publisher-Balzer + Bray

Released- May 13th 2013

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

My Thoughts: 
Already thought of as a freak for living in a funeral home and dressing up in Goth that would make Morticia Addams proud, Lily Graves isn't exactly the most popular girl in school, but it makes things so much more complicated when Erin, the towns saint thinks that Lily is to blame for Matt breaking up with her and attacks Lilly because of it. But when Erin is found dead the next day it turns out that it wasn't suicide that killed her, but murder and Matt and Lily are the main suspects.

 

You know, I never really expected to enjoy The Secrets of Lily Graves the way I did. It surprised me in the best way possible which is always a huge plus in my book.

In a way this is pretty much your standard whodunit mystery. Conflict happens, someone dies, someone gets blamed for it and then we try to figure out who did it and why, but that's the beauty of these kind of books, when done right, it's challenging, it's consuming and it's dame fun trying to solve the case before you hit the last page.

This would be my first book by Sarah Strohmeyer, but it wont be my last, I really enjoyed her sharp take on this genre. It was clever, calculating and very unpredictable and had me on my toes trying to guess who the culprit was throughout the story but was mighty shocked once we found out who it was and why.

But what I found so interesting about this particular mystery was the way Strohmeyer took her time and gave the readers a good look into the entire situation before the death and after. The beginning felt like the calm before the storm, nothing seemed to stand out and it never felt dire or intense, but once we hit a turning point in the plot, it instantly changes the tone of the entire story making it intriguing and suspenseful. I also loved the fact that I could never quite grasp who the murderer was, it seemed so obvious, but then the author throws in a loop that I nevah saw coming!

 

I really enjoyed all of these characters. They are all well developed  and played their parts well. Lily's family of female morticians were quirky and caring and brought amusement into the mix. I didn't even seem to mind the mean girls in this one. I mean, I hated how they treated Lily, but I liked that they had a bigger role then just being the spiteful mindless minions we usual find in books.

But it was Lily who was the easiest to connect with and like. She's the kind of girl that owns who she is. She doesn't care what people think of her. She's smart and brave and despite how people treat her she never sinks to their level and tries to help them deal with their loss. I also loved that Matt turned out to be more then your typical jock. He's sweet and funny and protective and yes, adorable.

The romance is on the light side, but given the very busy murder mystery, anything more would have felt rushed or fake. Still, the moments we did get were perfectly wonderful and made my heart happy.

 

All in all, I had a lot of fun with this book. It has a great blend of mystery and romance with exciting twists and unexpected turns and has a brilliant cloud of doubt lingering throughout the novel. It was exciting and entertaining and even quite disturbing. This is the stuff that makes this escape so fun and I look forward to reading more books by Strohmeyer. Well done!

Find the author:

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Review: Wickingham Way by S. R Grey

Wickingham Way by S. R Grey
Publisher- S. R. Grey
Released- Jan 19th 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

When Maddy Fitch discovers there's a hit out on the love of her life--the handsome, but often secretive Adam Ward--she concludes life with such a powerful man may never be normal. But who wants normal? Not Maddy--mystery writer and sometimes-sleuth. The heart-stopping action begins immediately in Wickingham Way when an attempt is made on Adam's life, prompting the couple to seek refuge at a "safe house." Tucked away in a cabin deep in the heart of Maine, Maddy and Adam fall deeper in love. But their happiness is cut short when someone they care for deeply is kidnapped, by the same organization that wants Adam Ward dead. Adam and Maddy return to Harbour Falls, and a dangerous cat-and-mouse game ensues. Twists and turns abound, keeping Maddy and Adam on their toes. But will the consequences of the decisions they make prove deadly? Only time will tell.

*Warning. Mature themes, explicit/graphic sex and some violence. For mature readers only*

My Thoughts:

Wickingham Way starts off where Willow Point ended. Maddy just realized how dangerous her boyfriend, Adam Wards, life really is so they decide to go back to Fade Island, only once they get there all hell breaks loose when Adam gets targeted by an assassin. They decide the best thing for them is to hide themselves in a safe house, a secluded cabin deep in the snowy forest. And while this is suppose to be a safety precaution, Maddy and Adam don’t waste any time taking advantage of their cozy getaway, but the danger is still out there and their stay at the cabin abruptly ends when they get word that someone they care about has been taken by the same organization Adam was trying to take down. 

I love these books. S.R Grey has such a natural ability with writing the perfect blend of suspense, action and sizzling romance. This is the last book in the Harbour Falls series and I’m sad to see it go. I've grown so attached to controlling Adam Ward and curious Maddy Fitch, but ya know, I couldn't have asked for a better ending then what we got.

While the first two books in this series are more of a whodunit mystery, I would have to say this one is more action packed and suspenseful. But I don’t really mind since mystery is all about secrets and Adam and Maddy has had more then their share of those. I think in this book we finally get to really see Adam differently as we learn about the Wickingham Way project and his organization. And while we've always known Maddy to be a spunky girl who can take care of herself, it was really good to see that they both took care of each other in this installment. I also really loved the setting in this book. I've always been a huge sucker for tucked away cabins. There is just something so quaint and quiet about them that makes for a wonderful romantic atmosphere. It’s here that Adam and Maddy take the time to really fall more deeply in love. Those were my favorite moments, the talks, dinners and games (Naked Twister. Yum) and all the steamy sexy-times. These two have been through so many obstacles, so it was just really great to seeing them happy.

Adam and Maddy have really grown since we first meet them in Harbour falls, both as a couple and individually.

While I love nothing more then an intense, brooding and always in control Adam West, there was a newer side to Adam in this book that we get to see. He was more playful in a sexy-dangerous way but also tender and warm. I also love the way he’s so protective of Maddy and that he would do anything to keep her safe.

Maddy has always been a curious creature, but I love that she makes snooping look like an adorable art form. Maddy also likes to ask the big questions to get the bigger picture, which I love since she lets the reader into her world and gives us something to ponder and process as the story unfolds. I was also happy to see that she lets Adam lead in this book and while she’s worried about his safety she’s come to understand that he can take care of himself and trust to keep them safe.

Together Adam and Maddy have really grown as a couple. There’s a reason why there is less mystery and curiosity in this book and I think it’s because they finally reached a point in their relationship where they can trust one another with every aspect of their lives and be happy with who they are as a couple. But don’t worry, Adam and Maddy has always had a physical connection that is seductive, sexy and sweet and Grey really takes the intimacy and intensity to a whole new level. Swoon-worthy stuff my friends!

All in all, I really loved this book. I love the heart pounding energy and pace of the plot and the heartwarming moments in the romance. I’m so gong to miss all of these characters and this series. But Grey wrote a perfect ending that made me ready to let them go. Adam and Maddy leaves us with smiles and laughter and kisses and a bright new hope for their future. Fans of the Harbour Falls mystery will love this final installment. And I'm looking forward to reading Grey's next book, Never Doubt Me, the second book in the Judge Me Not series, which stars Chase. Can't wait!!

Special thanks to S. R Grey, congrats girl! These books have been a pleasure and a blast to escape with. Thanks for sharing your world, I’ll never forget them!  

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                              4.5 Snowflakes