Baby Doll by Hollie Overton // WOW.

Baby Doll, by Hollie Overton
Publication: July 12, 2016, by Redhook
Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 281
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: ½

Held captive for eight years, Lily has grown from a teenager to an adult in a small basement prison. Her daughter Sky has been a captive her whole life. But one day their captor leaves the deadbolt unlocked.
This is what happens next...
...to her twin sister, to her mother, to her daughter...and to her captor.

My Thoughts:

Baby Doll was absolutely mind-blowing. It was not your typical story about a kidnapper/kidnapper victim situation; it was more than that. This was about the aftermath of a woman being kidnapped and what happens next as she strives to prove who her kidnapper was. At the same time, she is left stranded and abandoned in the real world with her daughter, Sky, who was born and held captive. This was definitely a novel full of emotions and is written and full of emotions and EVERYTHING SAD. However, I must admit that it was a really quick read that I got through in a day because it was just so amazing. At the moment of reading, I constantly had shivers rolling down my spine, and it was just a traumatizing read in its entirety. But at the same time, it was a gorgeous read I would recommend to everyone. If you're a teen, this is for you - if you're an adult, this is also for you.

The writing and premise which Overton showcased in Baby Doll was unique and absolutely memorable. Although I don't remember every portion of the plot, I can tell you that I will remember the emotions this book gave me forever. *heart eyes*

READ THIS. I promise you it's not like Room. It's different, more thrilling, and even features protagonists who are twins!

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some other books about kidnapping?

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney // Thrilling and Messed Up

The Girl Before, by J.P. Delaney
Publication: January 24, 2017, by Ballantine Books
Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Emma:
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
Jane:
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.

My Thoughts:

THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST INSANE BOOKS I'VE EVER READ. I-N-S-A-N-E. By insane, I mean mind-warping and messed-up and super-cool. It was interesting and had the coolest concept I have ever read about. And you can tell that it's a popular one due to the fact that it is actually becoming a movie (thanks to Universal)! I would have given this a pure five-star rating if the ending was more clear. This book left me guessing, aching for more, and aching for my questions to be answered. It seemed rushed and it just did not provide me with fulfillment, you know? Most of the time, I feel like the purpose of books and the reasons for books existing is to entertain audiences and, by the end, provide some sort of closure. This, sadly, did not, which is why I had to deduct a star from the rating. HOWEVER: this was still a great, pretty awesome read I totally recommend to everyone.

What J.P. Delaney basically writes about, in a nutshell, is about the house on One Folgate Street. It's a psycho house, in case you were wondering. And how do we know this? Because of the rules. Yeah; there are like 200 CRAZY rules that come with living in the house. And they're not your typical "NO PARTIES" kinds of rules: THESE ARE MESSED UP, control-freak kinds of rules. Two protagonists, which J.P. Delaney switches between (Emma and Jane), both experience the horrors of the home and deal with the owner, who is creepy too.

Let's just say that this entire novel has some creepy vibes. The romance (if that's what you can call it0 was weird though intriguing and I am just really interested in seeing more literature by the author. IT'S GOING TO BE SO GOOD. I CAN'T WAIT.

The Girl Before really made me question everyone I know, to be quite honest. XD It's just a book that shows how we really do not know the people we interact with. There's mystery to everything and the situations we put ourselves in may have consequences.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the most 'messed up' book you've read?

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz // A Heartfelt, Almost-True Story

Something in Between, by Melissa de la Cruz
Publication: October 4, 2016, by Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.
And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.
For the first time, Jasmine rebels, trying all those teen things she never had time for in the past. Even as she’s trying to make sense of her new world, it’s turned upside down by Royce Blakely, the charming son of a high-ranking congressman. Jasmine no longer has any idea where—or if—she fits into the American Dream. All she knows is that she’s not giving up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own.

My Thoughts:

Melissa de la Cruz is one of my favourite authors, and I feel like I've read almost everything she has written. They all seem to be cute, fun contemporary romances that you can just pack with you on a trip to the beach. However, Something in Between was the most real out of them all. It also seems to be the most unpopular, as I have not heard much about it (except for the promotion Harlequin Teen did at BEA in 2016). This is a huge (as in MANY pages) read that took me a few days to get through due to the slow pacing, but it was fabulous. I was able to feel every dash of de la Cruz's passion and personal story in the writing, and in Jasmine's character.

This was just an entertaining story that was different than the rest, and it was so applicable to the kinds of political topics we are looking at today: immigration. And even better, it was applicable to people my age - we teens who live in a country where we have full citizenship are so lucky and fortunate. This book is just so smart, so meaningful, that I would like to recommend this to everyone. I love Jasmine as a character, her ambition, the writing, the unique concept of this.

I tore through the book - that is the best way to describe my experience. Once I began reading it, I was unable to put it down and I was just so obsessed with the romance, WITH EVERYTHING. de la Cruz makes it seem, to readers, that we are able to achieve anything we want to. Jasmine was able to be a National Scholar, to have a romance with a guy she fell in love with at first sight, to be happy and to be always beside her family. 

So, to get on the incline and look at what this is really about... it all begins with illegal immigration. Jasmine has huge dreams - she wants to go to Stanford University, and is on the path towards being valedictorian and a National Scholar. Life is basically going the way she wants it to, until her parents reveal that their family is undocumented and that they have a chance of being deported back to the Philippines, where she was born. It's her worst nightmare; she has no chance of getting the scholarships she dreams of to head to university. And to add to this, she begins to fall head first into a romance with Royce, a congressman's son who basically is on the opposite end of where Jasmine stands.

This story was just special, one-of-a-kind. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it certainly was enjoyable and I'd like to promote it more. I really can't get this story out of my mind! GO FALL IN LOVE WITH ROYCE RIGHT NOW.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is your favourite Melissa de la Cruz book?

Trapped in Iran: A Mother's Desperate Journey to Freedom by Samieh Hezari and Kaylene Petersen

Trapped in Iran: A Mother's Desperate Journey to Freedom, by Samieh Hezari and Kaylene Petersen
Publication: August 21, 2016, by Indiana University Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Pages: 216
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: ½

In 2009, Samieh Hezari made a terrible mistake. She flew from her adopted home of Ireland to her birthplace in Iran so her 14-month-old daughter, Rojha, could be introduced to the child's father. When the violent and unstable father refused to allow his daughter to leave and demanded that Samieh renew their relationship, a two-week holiday became a desperate five-year battle to get her daughter out of Iran. If Samieh could not do so before Rojha turned seven, the father could take sole custody--forever. The father's harassment and threats intensified, eventually resulting in an allegation of adultery that was punishable by stoning, but Samieh--a single mother trapped in a country she saw as restricting the freedom and future of her daughter--never gave up, gaining inspiration from other Iranian women facing similar situations. As both the trial for adultery and her daughter's seventh birthday loomed the Irish government was unable to help, leaving Samieh to attempt multiple illegal escapes in an unforgettable, epic journey to freedom. Trapped in Iran is the harrowing and emotionally gripping story of how a mother defied a man and a country to win freedom for her daughter.

My Thoughts:

Trapped in Iran by the phenomenal Samieh Hezari is phenomenal. It's a read that definitely requires a lot of patience and strength since it is based on a tough, sad subject. I am obsessed with books that are about the things a person will do to save their children. There was a movie that I watched like year, Not Without My Daughter, which is so similar to this — which made me realize that the Iranian Revolution is such a powerful topic that I need to read more about. Samieh Hezari's story needs more popularity; more people who are able to fall in love with all of this.

This is a story that is so jam-packed that I couldn't believe it. It just seems as good as any movie's plot. However, it was all real, and I was able to feel the deepness and emotion in every word Samieh wrote. I was fortunate to meet her at BookExpo America in 2016, however I had not learned much about her story at that moment so I was only able to pity her a little. Now? I understand all of the struggles she faced and I can see why she felt like she needed to release this story and share it with the world. 

Trapped in Iran is brilliant. It is about a mother's struggle in saving her daughter and herself from the harmful Islamic regime which does not grant women any right to support her children if the father does not allow it. Men have a greater importance, and it kills me to see that this journey of Samieh's only occurred a few years ago. Not Without My Daughter, the famous film, occurred decades ago (with the film arising soon after), but this? This is recent. This is so heartbreaking.

In the beginning of the book, I was frustrated with Samieh's situation to the extent that I wondered why she didn't do anything else. It got me a little upset here and there, definitely affecting my rating. Everything eventually made so much sense and I was able to see desperation in Samieh's writing. My experience of reading this book was fabulous to the point that it took me two sittings to read. If I read this in one sitting, I would have had to stay up all night, indulging in the gorgeous writing and brilliant story. I spent the whole time through crossing my fingers and praying that everything will be alright in the end. But like many instances in life, it is not about the outcome or the ending, but about the journey in between.

This is an emotional roller coaster. You get hooked on it instantly, and as the plot moves forward, you become so obsessed with the story that you NEED to know what is going to happen. PLEASE BUY IT ASAP. 

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the last emotional book you read?

Someone I Wanted to Be by Aurelia Wills // A Nice, Quick Read

Someone I Wanted to Be, by Aurelia Wills
Publication: September 6, 2016, by Candlewick Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher/BEA
Rating: ½

When an insecure teen starts impersonating someone else, her life spirals dangerously out of control in a realistic, relatable novel about finding yourself—and discovering your true friends.
Leah Lobermier dreams of becoming a doctor, but it’s hard to stay focused on getting good grades when boys make oinking sounds at her in school and her mother spends every night on the couch with a bottle of wine. Leah’s skinny and popular "friends," Kristy and Corinne, aren’t much better and can hardly be counted on for support When the girls convince a handsome older man to buy them beer, Leah takes his phone number and calls him, pretending to be Kristy—coy and confident—and they develop a relationship, talking and texting day after day. But as the lie she created grows beyond her control, can Leah put a stop to things before she—or Kristy—is seriously hurt?

My Thoughts:

For some peculiar reason, Someone I Wanted to Be is receiving so much hate on Goodreads, and I can't discern the real reason why. This definitely wasn't the best book I've read, but I enjoyed reading it and sensing a darker theme within. This book is about rebellious teenagers and definitely features mature themes dealing with alcohol and drugs, for some. I keep seeing middle grade books popping up as recommendations when I click on this, but just to warn you: this novel promotes terrible behaviour and it's not for young kids. It's a book that just makes me feel grateful for the situation I'm in. In the setting of Hilton, Colorado, it is easy to identify that the characters have all sorts of problems. The teenagers have curfews, and the police would even try to catch them if they're breaking it. They hang around gas stations, smoking and drinking hard lemonade. They hook up with older, creepy men. What I loved about this is that it just seems so real.

The book displays such mature themes that it breaks my heart. We see that the protagonist, Leah, has big dreams, but the environment around her is preventing her from following them. She wants to excel in Chemistry, become a doctor and try to leave her mother, Cindy, who is a grieving alcoholic. Leah is stuck in the worst situation ever. And all of the sudden, she tries to become someone she isn't. She is sick and tired of the constant bullying over her weight, the ignorance she receives from her friends, Kristy and Corinne, and decides that she wants to build a friendship with an older man who begins to form an obsession over Kristy. Basically, Leah pretends to be Kristy, and talks on the phone with this older guy. 

But things get creepy. The guy gets creepy. And naive Leah decides that she needs to save Kristy and herself from falling into the creepy guy's plan... whatever it is. 

Throughout the novel, we see a character development of Leah occurring, but at some moments, it dissipates. When Leah pretends to be Ashley (Kristy), she becomes more confident and comfortable with the social situation. When she is herself, her true self, she feels weak and shy, because there are numerous put-downs around her. But thanks to the characters that are introduced in the story like Carl (the possible love interest) and Anita (the new best friend), we see that she is able to come out of her shell and save Kristy and herself.

Aurelia Wills displays an important statement throughout the book: even though social hierarchies and popularity exist, one who is deemed to be popular may not have a perfect life, after all. We see that with Kristy's character, who looks like she has everything due to her physical looks, boys fawning over her and popularity, she has her own issues. Her mom is dying of cancer, and throughout most of the book, she seems to be running away from her problems by drinking. This is a powerful message.

Of course I had issues with this, however. I felt like I couldn't understand why Leah did what she did. She was an annoying character (at times) and it was kind of confusing as to why she would just develop the courage to meet up with this creepy guy at the nearby 7-Eleven. After I closed the book, I just sat around wondering why. What was the point of this all? Why did she have to put herself in danger? And I'm finding that this is a popular opinion because everyone on Goodreads is commenting on the same matter. I wish it was more explicit, because it kind of ruined my liking of the novel to a great extent.

Even though I had issues with the protagonist, this story is well worth a read. It features a concept that literally is horrifying - no one should pick on young girls like that. What I loved the most is that it was so real. 

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What do you think about the message this book promotes? Does it interest you?

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra // Amazing.

Only Daughter, by Anna Snoekstra
Publication: September 20, 2016, by Mira
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.
She'd been enjoying her teenage summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen—blood in the bed, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched—though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come.
Eleven years later she is replaced.
A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.
Soon the imposter is living Bec's life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends' names. Playing with her twin brothers.
But Bec's welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the imposter dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter—and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger.

My Thoughts:

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra was the only book I sat around with during my vacation for two plain reasons: because I was too busy sightseeing to even pick up a book and because it was just TOO good. I actually didn't want it to end, to be honest. This gorgeous heck of a novel has been sitting in my bookshelf for over a year, and I finally picked it up in March, deciding that I needed a psychological thriller boost. The plot and concept is absolutely unique and I don't think we'll ever see something like this pop up again. It seems that Anna Snoekstra just made this up instantly and wrote it down on a piece of paper, eager to write a novel to impress readers. And let me tell you: I was so impressed. If things continue to progress the way they are, THIS WILL BE THE BEST NOVEL I READ THIS YEAR. I cannot get enough of it all!

Only Daughter's unique idea stems from a missing person's case. In fact, an Australian teenager goes missing mysteriously, and another person, a doppelgänger, almost, takes her place because she is tired of running away from her own problems. That's quite an interesting way to change your life, isn't it? Well it gets creepier. The woman who is the imposter discovers that Bec (the missing girl)'s family is strange. That something is off with them. And the whole book is all about the woman trying to hide her identity and discover where Bec actually is.

I love how Snoekstra slowly and cautiously provides us with information about Bec's life. When beginning the novel, we don't immediately learn about the inner details about Bec's disappearance, but as the book progresses, THINGS GET HECTIC - FAST. And once it all got hectic I decided that I couldn't spend my waking hours wondering what would happen - I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. 

Snoekstra is just such a talented author... and I want to read EVERYTHING SHE HAS EVER WRITTEN. I really hope that she has ideas to write more psychological thrillers because I AM IN. After that surprising, suspenseful ending, I was in absolute shock and needed to recuperate. READ THIS ASAP.

Only Daughter was shocking, thrilling and one heck of a wild ride. I cannot get the story out of my mind. I truly recommend it!

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the most recent psychological thriller you have read and enjoyed?

All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker // A Quite Interesting Read

All is Not Forgotten, by Wendy Walker
Publication: July 12, 2016, by St. Martin's Press
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 310
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

In the small, affluent town of Fairview, Connecticut everything seems picture perfect.
Until one night when young Jenny Kramer is attacked at a local party. In the hours immediately after, she is given a controversial drug to medically erase her memory of the violent assault. But, in the weeks and months that follow, as she heals from her physical wounds, and with no factual recall of the attack, Jenny struggles with her raging emotional memory. Her father, Tom, becomes obsessed with his inability to find her attacker and seek justice while her mother, Charlotte, prefers to pretend this horrific event did not touch her perfect country club world.
As they seek help for their daughter, the fault lines within their marriage and their close-knit community emerge from the shadows where they have been hidden for years, and the relentless quest to find the monster who invaded their town - or perhaps lives among them - drive this psychological thriller to a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

My Thoughts:

All is Not Forgotten is a novel that I would normally want to pick up and devour instantly. It definitely is "my kind of read," especially because it is a psychological thriller slash mystery. There are so many good things about this genre that I usually am unable to imagine anything horrible about it. However, this time around, I feel pretty confused or mixed-feelings-like about this novel, and I feel quite upset over the fact that I am writing this review NOW, maybe seven months after I first read it. 

This was basically the best book gone wrong. I had so much hope for it because I expected a read that would be more about the actual mystery instead of the aftermath of this all. In a few words, I would describe this as a PTSD book. It's heartbreaking to read stories like these when you know that they have the capability of being so good or enjoyable. 

I honestly am not able to remember what this book is even about. What I can tell you is that it was readable—I was able to enjoy some of it and pick up on some of the important/captivating parts where I couldn't stop reading, but there were other points of time where I just felt like saying "meh." That is the best way to describe this whole book. 

This definitely incorporates some graphic violence so I would keep my eye out for that if you're not into stories that are really depressing and difficult to endure. All Is Not Forgotten is an average mystery novel that hits you a little, but leaves you shocked because you completely expected more. 

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is a new adult book about domestic violence?