Tag: Young Adult Fiction

The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor

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The Paper Girl of Paris 5 STARS

I came across this book on a New Releases’ Post for May 26, 2020. I adore novels with dual timelines and I enjoy Historical Fiction, so I was immediately intrigued. This has the typical plot; person of today finds letter or photograph leading to some past unknown. This story sucked me in from the beginning.

A good portion of Historical Fiction novels center around WW II. While I understand the importance and interest, I prefer the stories to be more about the people than the war itself. I found this novel to be more of a “behind the scenes” story. This was more of a coming of age story with a historical past and a dash of mystery. Maybe because it is in the Young Adult genre, I just found it to be refreshing.

Sixteen year old Alice and her parents travel to Paris after finding out her deceased grandmother left her an apartment, an apartment that has been locked for more than seventy years. When she unlocks the apartment, she also unlocks secrets about her family’s past. Alice, along with her new “friend” Paul, set out on a journey to find the missing pieces of her grandmother’s past. Alice finds out a lot about history, her broken family, herself, and a little bit about love.

I would recommend this book to Historical Fiction lovers of all ages or anyone interested in a Coming of Age story with a historical past.

I had the audio version of this book narrated by Liza Seneca. She was a great narrator and did a fantastic job with all the accents.

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

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Book Two of the Cassidy Blake Series

Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake, #2) 4 STARS

I found this series by chance and felt like I just needed a break from my regular reads. It was exactly what I needed. The books are short, one sitting reads but jam packed with entertainment.

Cassidy Blake is just your everyday teenager, well except that her parents are paranormal inspectors who have actually never seen a ghost, they just write about them. The irony of the situation is that ever since her near death experience, Cassidy has been able to not only see ghosts, but communicate with them. As a matter of fact, her best friend Jacob is the ghost that saved her life.

In the first installment of the series, The Blakes have been offered a television deal to visit and report on the most haunted cities in the world. Their first stop, Scotland. While there, Cassidy meets someone with the same abilities who teaches her why she has them and what to do with them.

In this, book two, The Blakes travel to Paris. While exploring the catacombs, Cassidy seems to have inadvertently released a ghost, well not just any ghost, a poltergeist. With the poltergeist getting stronger and causing mayhem throughout the city, she has to find out what she can do to get this ghost to respond to her and move it along.

Very entertaining story. This was written for a younger age group but there is enough history and suspense to keep you entertained at any age.

I enjoyed this story through audiobook format. I am looking forward to wherever Bridge of Souls, book 3, brings us. Expected publication is some time in 2020.

Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper, Book 3) by Kerri Maniscalco

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”
A cruise ship, elitists, power, fame, a carnival, magic and a killer… This book has it all.”


Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #3) 5 STARS

Holy Hell, that is what this book is like living in. I have been on board with this series since I first heard about the upcoming release of book 1, Stalking Jack the Ripper.


Like most people, thanks to the internet and the ID channel, I am truly fascinated with serial killers and murders. I have been a fan of the mystery of Jack the Ripper for quite some time. Admittedly, Stalking Jack the Ripper was not my favorite book in the series. I was actually a tad disappointed in the story; however, I fell in love with the characters and that is what compelled me to continue on with the series. The books in this series have gotten progressively better and more disturbing in a good way.


Its like Ms. Maniscalco has entered the deepest, most disturbed parts of my mind and pulled out the characters that I have had an unhealthy relationship with over the years and developed fantastic stories around them for my entertainment.


This book makes you question so much of your own mind and morality. What are you willing to risk for temptation and adventure? What kind of bargain are you willing to strike to seek what you desire?
A cruise ship, elitists, power, fame, a carnival, magic and a killer… This book has it all. I did not want this book to end. And thanks to this book, I am now researching information on yet another serial killer (I won’t give any spoilers). The lead up to book 4 was done impeccably well. I am already familiar with the Devil in the White City story, so I am impatiently waiting for book 4. I am saddened that this is listed as the last book in the series. I can just hope that she begins a new series on the same path with new core characters.

As always, the phenomenal Nicola Barber gives a fantastic performance as narrator. She makes these stories come to life and makes the already amazing books spectacular.

Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus

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“If Mean Girls was set in a small town, in a horror movie!!”

Two Can Keep a Secret  4 STARS

WOW!! Karen McManus does it again. If you were a fan of One of Us is Lying, you will love Two Can Keep a Secret!

This is like Mean Girls in a small town meets horror movie! When twins Ellery and Ezra leave California to stay with their grandmother in a small town in Vermont, they get more than a culture shock, they become entangled into the web of lies and secrets that this town has been carrying for many years. Someone is making sure the secrets in this town stay hidden and will do whatever they have to to keep it that way, including murder. Every so many years, a beautiful “princess” goes missing. This year is no different. With Homecoming just around the corner, someone is going out of their way to make sure history repeats itself. Are all the past events connected in some way? Is there a copycat on the prowl? As you read, you make connections and think you have it all figured out just to have the next chapter blow your mind. I did not see the end coming, at all!! The twist is shocking and somewhat disturbing.

There are a few things the author leaves a little open at the end. I am pretty sure this is a stand alone but I really need some closure on a few things.