Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Murder, D.C. in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Viking for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the first book I have read by Neely Tucker and I look forward to more that he has. I enjoy reading books in and around Washington DC as I have lived in this area most of my life.
This book had a very interesting story line and a few twists and turns along the way. Billy Ellison is gay and his family is very well known throughout the DC area. His family wants him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a lawyer, but this isn't something he is interested in. He enjoys exploring his family's rich and illustrious past in Washington, but then he discovers something very disturbing. After his death, Sully Carter, picks up where Billy left off and tries to find out what in the research could have gotten him killed. As Sully gets closer to the truth, his life is on the brink of ending as well.
In the book, Sully works for "The Paper" not sure which that would be, but I'm assuming its the Washington Post, the largest in the area. Sully is a character who you can love or hate, really. He didn't grow on me too much. The story overall had a good plot, but there were parts of it that my eyes read but my brain did not digest.
Overall the book is good and if given the opportunity, I will read more books by Neely Tucker.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Last Leaves Falling in Books
Dec 14, 2018
The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.
Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.
It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.
Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.
This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
The Forgotten Soldier: He Wasn't a Soldier, He Was Just a Boy
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Bestselling author Charlie Connelly returns with a First World War memoir of his great uncle, Edward...
My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots
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A long-overdue and dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the...
Kelsey (2 KP) rated On a Pale Horse (Incarnations of Immortality Book 1) in Books
Oct 25, 2017
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated An Easy Death (Gunnie Rose, #1) in Books
Aug 7, 2019
I'm not one for writing negative reviews and I really really wanted to like this book. Bit omg can someone tell me why Charlaine Harris is constantly writing about stupid annoying women? Considering the girl losses pretty much her love and friends in the first chapter she hardly has any emotional response. I just don't get the storyline or world building either. I won't be going on to book 2 😢 Definitely not an easy death
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