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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2369 KP) rated Murder on Mistletoe Lane in Books
Dec 19, 2023 (Updated Dec 19, 2023)
Stella and Lyndy’s First Christmas Together Involves Murder
It’s late December 1905, and Stella and Lyndy are excited to spend their first Christmas together. Stella is a little confused by the house guests her in-laws have invited and the tension just below the surface their presence creates. But when a servant is killed, run down on the side of the road, she can’t help but investigate. Can she figure out what happened?
This is another strong entry in the series. I was glad that Stella and Lyndy were home since it meant that the supporting characters were back. I loved watching those relationships and characters grow more complex yet again here. There is a lot happening in this book, and the plots weave in and out of each other before reaching the logical climax. I did have a niggle with the climax, but it was a small one. The tone is a little somber, but it is in keeping with the rest of the series. On the other hand, all the scenes involving Christmas put me in the Christmas spirit, even if not everything was familiar. As always, the multiple view points of the narration were put to fantastic use. Those who enjoy historical mysteries will be glad they picked this one up.
This is another strong entry in the series. I was glad that Stella and Lyndy were home since it meant that the supporting characters were back. I loved watching those relationships and characters grow more complex yet again here. There is a lot happening in this book, and the plots weave in and out of each other before reaching the logical climax. I did have a niggle with the climax, but it was a small one. The tone is a little somber, but it is in keeping with the rest of the series. On the other hand, all the scenes involving Christmas put me in the Christmas spirit, even if not everything was familiar. As always, the multiple view points of the narration were put to fantastic use. Those who enjoy historical mysteries will be glad they picked this one up.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2369 KP) rated Unraveled in Books
Dec 24, 2024 (Updated Dec 24, 2024)
Keefe’s Adventures in the Human World
This book picks up where book 8.5 ended. In order to protect his friends from his new abilities, Keefe leaves the Elfin world behind to hide out among the humans. While his first attempts are rocky, he soon finds a way to survive. And then he hits on an idea to not only figure out how to control his new abilities but also to figure out some things from his past. Will he succeed at either?
Yet another half book for fans of the series, and it does contain some information I’m sure will be critical going forward. However, we got a lot of fluff as well as Keefe tries to adjust to our world. Some of it was funny, but still, it threw off the pacing. We also meet a couple of very minor gay and lesbian characters (so minor they are unnamed). I did like the development we got for Keefe and the chapters at the end that show some scenes from Stellalune from his point of view. Speaking of which, yes, there are spoilers here for the earlier books of the series. At only 400 pages, this is a fast read compared to the more recent books. But fans will be glad they have this information going forward.
Yet another half book for fans of the series, and it does contain some information I’m sure will be critical going forward. However, we got a lot of fluff as well as Keefe tries to adjust to our world. Some of it was funny, but still, it threw off the pacing. We also meet a couple of very minor gay and lesbian characters (so minor they are unnamed). I did like the development we got for Keefe and the chapters at the end that show some scenes from Stellalune from his point of view. Speaking of which, yes, there are spoilers here for the earlier books of the series. At only 400 pages, this is a fast read compared to the more recent books. But fans will be glad they have this information going forward.
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated The Incredible Hulk (2008) in Movies
Feb 15, 2021
Great Reboot From the First
As a comic book fan the Hulk is my favorite superhero. I never missed an episode of the old television series and had many comic books. So I think this movie did the Hulk justice. I absolutely hated the one with Bana. This one was a great improvement. I must say I do like Norton better in this role than Ruffalo. I am not saying Ruffalo is bad but Norton captured what Bruce Banner is for me. I liked the design of this Hulk and the essence of his rage was captured very well. The supporting cast was great as well. William Hurt and Liv Tyler did a great job as General Ross and Betty Ross. I was so glad they brought one of the Hulk's main enemies into this movie as well...The Abomination. For those that don't know, the Abomination is a gamma monster the same as the Hulk but he is bigger and stronger than the Hulk. The thing about the Hulk is he has this x Factor. The madder he gets, the stronger he gets. So he is more than a match for Abomination. This movie set the standard for how a Hulk movie should be made. There was a part in which there is a set up for another villain of the Hulk's...The Leader. We haven't seen anything about him yet in the MCU but I am hoping this comes to fruition. As a Hulk fan..I recommend this movie
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated More Than Music (Chasing The Dreams #1) in Books
Aug 13, 2020
147 of 200
Kindle
More than music ( chasing the dream book 1)
By Elizabeth Briggs
They can't resist each other, but their secret romance might tear their band apart....
Music major Maddie Taylor secretly dreams of a louder life, but geeky girls like her don't get to be rock stars. That is, until tattooed singer Jared Cross catches her playing guitar and invites her to join his band on The Sound, a reality TV show competition.
Once on the show, Maddie discovers there's more to Jared than his flirty smile and bad boy reputation. With each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore, but when the show pressures them to stay single, they're forced to keep their relationship secret.
As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart.
Ok this is not something I would have picked up myself but the author was recommended to me by a friend It was a different series that was recommended but I always like to start from the first series. So I gave it a shot and I got a pleasant surprise! It was a sweet heart warming story of friendship l, love and the cost of a reality show. It’s characters were likeable and the story easy to follow. I will definitely carrying on with the series. Just goes to show you may not normally read a certain book but they are all worth a try!
Kindle
More than music ( chasing the dream book 1)
By Elizabeth Briggs
They can't resist each other, but their secret romance might tear their band apart....
Music major Maddie Taylor secretly dreams of a louder life, but geeky girls like her don't get to be rock stars. That is, until tattooed singer Jared Cross catches her playing guitar and invites her to join his band on The Sound, a reality TV show competition.
Once on the show, Maddie discovers there's more to Jared than his flirty smile and bad boy reputation. With each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore, but when the show pressures them to stay single, they're forced to keep their relationship secret.
As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart.
Ok this is not something I would have picked up myself but the author was recommended to me by a friend It was a different series that was recommended but I always like to start from the first series. So I gave it a shot and I got a pleasant surprise! It was a sweet heart warming story of friendship l, love and the cost of a reality show. It’s characters were likeable and the story easy to follow. I will definitely carrying on with the series. Just goes to show you may not normally read a certain book but they are all worth a try!
Debbiereadsbook (1460 KP) rated Midnight Heist (Outlaws #1) in Books
Mar 1, 2021
Fabulous start to this series, and to Ms McIntyre's MM path. Keep em coming!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Grif needs to infiltrate Dan Torres' company to ruin it. But one look at Dan and Grif knows he's all kinds of innocent, but equally dangerous. Dan knows there's something bad going on in his company, now he's taken over from his father, but the Board is all old men stuck with old opinions and old ways. When Dan finds out what Grif has planned, he sees it as a perfect way to get what he wants. But what happens after?
So! Ms McIntyre is a firm favourite with me, her paranormal books have been mostly 4 and 5 stars but I didn't much care for her Discord series. This one, though??
Brilliant! It really does hit THAT spot, you know? The one that you don't know needs hitting but when it does, it goes BOOM and you start to lose track of the time and the next thing you know, you've done sod all this afternoon but read a brilliant book!
The attraction between Grif and Dan is instant and powerful and burns bright and so freaking hawt throughout the book. They both they should NOT be doing this, but neither can stay away. They KNOW that this will lead them down a dangerous and, quite probably, deadly path but both of them are prepared to risk it. And they DO risk it, once it all comes out and everyone knows what's going on.
It's quite clear who the bad guy is at the company, what's not so clear is how far up it goes, how far it's spread and who else is involved. It's STILL not clear, to be honest!
I loved the team of Outlaws! Scarlet, especially. Sometimes, Scarlet is a she, and sometimes Scarlet is a he. I got a little confused at first, and thought it a typo, but when it happens a couple of times, I figured that's just Scarlet, you know? I loved how Dan and Leo, his best friend, slot so beautifully into the team. And maybe, just maybe, there are a few clues to whose story might be next. These guys are deadly, and they make no apologises for that, but what they do is get the bad guys and they do it the best way they how, from the inside out. Anyone who gets in their way, well, silly of them really!
I found myself waiting for the L word. I kept thinking, its-a-coming, any mintue now, and it doesn't and I LOVED that it doesn't! Grif and Dan aren't really the lovey-dovey sort. Oh, there is love here, it's quite clear from the things they feel for each other, don't get me wrong, but it's not VOICED and I think when they DO voice that word, its gonna be spectacular!
Fabulous start to this series, and to Ms McIntyre's MM path. Keep em coming!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Grif needs to infiltrate Dan Torres' company to ruin it. But one look at Dan and Grif knows he's all kinds of innocent, but equally dangerous. Dan knows there's something bad going on in his company, now he's taken over from his father, but the Board is all old men stuck with old opinions and old ways. When Dan finds out what Grif has planned, he sees it as a perfect way to get what he wants. But what happens after?
So! Ms McIntyre is a firm favourite with me, her paranormal books have been mostly 4 and 5 stars but I didn't much care for her Discord series. This one, though??
Brilliant! It really does hit THAT spot, you know? The one that you don't know needs hitting but when it does, it goes BOOM and you start to lose track of the time and the next thing you know, you've done sod all this afternoon but read a brilliant book!
The attraction between Grif and Dan is instant and powerful and burns bright and so freaking hawt throughout the book. They both they should NOT be doing this, but neither can stay away. They KNOW that this will lead them down a dangerous and, quite probably, deadly path but both of them are prepared to risk it. And they DO risk it, once it all comes out and everyone knows what's going on.
It's quite clear who the bad guy is at the company, what's not so clear is how far up it goes, how far it's spread and who else is involved. It's STILL not clear, to be honest!
I loved the team of Outlaws! Scarlet, especially. Sometimes, Scarlet is a she, and sometimes Scarlet is a he. I got a little confused at first, and thought it a typo, but when it happens a couple of times, I figured that's just Scarlet, you know? I loved how Dan and Leo, his best friend, slot so beautifully into the team. And maybe, just maybe, there are a few clues to whose story might be next. These guys are deadly, and they make no apologises for that, but what they do is get the bad guys and they do it the best way they how, from the inside out. Anyone who gets in their way, well, silly of them really!
I found myself waiting for the L word. I kept thinking, its-a-coming, any mintue now, and it doesn't and I LOVED that it doesn't! Grif and Dan aren't really the lovey-dovey sort. Oh, there is love here, it's quite clear from the things they feel for each other, don't get me wrong, but it's not VOICED and I think when they DO voice that word, its gonna be spectacular!
Fabulous start to this series, and to Ms McIntyre's MM path. Keep em coming!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve #1) in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3346735674">Codename Villanelle</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3350743338">No Tomorrow</a> - To Be Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-62.png"/>;
<b><i>Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.</i></b>
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
<b><i>Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.</i></b>
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
<b><i>Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.</i></b>
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
<b><i>The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.</i></b>
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3346735674">Codename Villanelle</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3350743338">No Tomorrow</a> - To Be Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-62.png"/>;
<b><i>Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.</i></b>
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
<b><i>Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.</i></b>
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
<b><i>Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.</i></b>
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
<b><i>The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.</i></b>
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
Marylegs (44 KP) rated Heir of Fire in Books
Aug 14, 2019
So this is the third installment in the Throne of Glass series, following straight on from Crown of Midnight, we pick straight back up with Celeana and how she is still devastated from the loss of her close friend.
This review will have spoilers in, its impossible to talk about a 3rd series book without them!
<spoiler>
So I’ll start with what I thought I wouldn’t like. Rowan. And Celeana.
When I started this book I was completed all about Chaol and Celeana… I probably still am deep down. But I can see something beautiful and different blossoming with Rowan. I feel like Chaol saved Celena in ToG but in HoF it is Celeana/Aelin who saves Rowan. And I think after all that happens in HoF Celeana/Aelin needs to not feel like she has been saved. She needs to be the hero of her own story.
But yes for a good third of the book I could kind of see Chaol being pushed aside and I was not happy about it.
Dorian’s love life filled me with such hope…. Then utterly shattered me. I actually applaud the author for that. To often in these types of books you can see the love interests playing out in a very samey samey kind of way. Not with this one. I am still raw and broken from it. I had to put the book on my lap for a few mins to really absorb what was happening.
I loved the flash backs to Aelin’s past and hope we get to see more of these in future books. I feel the story is becoming very intricate now and has really found its way. I know a lot wont like it because of the changes in direction but realistically for Aelin to get done what is needed, big changes needed to happen and the changes in her in this book to me, seem realistic and purposeful.
I also really enjoyed the character shift to Manon, the Blackbeak Witch. Hers in a very interesting storyline and I look forward to seeing it develop and how it links to Aelin’s story overall. For me this was a good solid read which once I got over the whole Chaol issue,</spoiler> I found that I enjoyed it immensely and look forward the book number 4!
This review will have spoilers in, its impossible to talk about a 3rd series book without them!
<spoiler>
So I’ll start with what I thought I wouldn’t like. Rowan. And Celeana.
When I started this book I was completed all about Chaol and Celeana… I probably still am deep down. But I can see something beautiful and different blossoming with Rowan. I feel like Chaol saved Celena in ToG but in HoF it is Celeana/Aelin who saves Rowan. And I think after all that happens in HoF Celeana/Aelin needs to not feel like she has been saved. She needs to be the hero of her own story.
But yes for a good third of the book I could kind of see Chaol being pushed aside and I was not happy about it.
Dorian’s love life filled me with such hope…. Then utterly shattered me. I actually applaud the author for that. To often in these types of books you can see the love interests playing out in a very samey samey kind of way. Not with this one. I am still raw and broken from it. I had to put the book on my lap for a few mins to really absorb what was happening.
I loved the flash backs to Aelin’s past and hope we get to see more of these in future books. I feel the story is becoming very intricate now and has really found its way. I know a lot wont like it because of the changes in direction but realistically for Aelin to get done what is needed, big changes needed to happen and the changes in her in this book to me, seem realistic and purposeful.
I also really enjoyed the character shift to Manon, the Blackbeak Witch. Hers in a very interesting storyline and I look forward to seeing it develop and how it links to Aelin’s story overall. For me this was a good solid read which once I got over the whole Chaol issue,</spoiler> I found that I enjoyed it immensely and look forward the book number 4!
Dino Hunter: Deadly Shores
Games and Entertainment
App
Hunt or be hunted! Embark on the hunting expedition of a lifetime in pursuit of the ultimate game in...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Handle With Care in Books
Sep 2, 2019
Wren has been hired by the Moorehead family to handle the youngest of the family, Armstrong who is a PR nightmare. When the patriarch of the family passes away suddenly, the older son, Lincoln returns for the funeral. What he's not expecting is for his grandmother and mother to ask him to take over the company. Being a CEO has never been in Lincoln's mind, but he made a promise that he would stay for 6 months. Wren is then tasked with helping Lincoln to become the face of the company, which will be difficult since he's covered in fur. When Lincoln first meets Wren, he thinks she nothing but a high paid babysitter, but there is something about her that has sparked his interest and finds that he enjoys her being around. Wren feels it too, but knows her job is more important. Will they be able to keep their feelings to themselves, or will it all be too much?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Paper Dolls (Dark Carousel #2) in Books
Nov 7, 2020
I really loved Dollhouse, the first book in the Dark Carousel series by Anya Allyn. I couldn't wait to dive into the next book in the series, Paper Dolls. I wanted to love Paper Dolls as much as Dollhouse, but it just wasn't as great.
Paper Dolls takes place right after Dollhouse although Paper Dolls also goes back to 1920 to focus more on Jessamine's back story and to thicken the modern day plot. While I loved Jessamine's story, Cassie's narrative is a bit lackluster. The pacing for Cassie's plot feels very slow moving. While there were a few plot twists regarding Cassie's story, the main one was the most predictable from early on. Don't get me wrong, Allyn's writing is fantastic, but Cassie's plotline just didn't wow me as before. Jessamine's, on the other hand, was fantastic! I loved learning more about Jessamine and how she become like she was in Dollhouse. Jessamine's narrative moved at a great pace, and I would get so excited when her chapters would come up. I also loved how Jessamine's chapters involved more backstory for Henry and Audette and explains how they became ghosts. It also talks more about the mysterious Donovan Fiveash. Many of the other characters, even characters with small parts, from Dollhouse are mentioned again in Paper Dolls. We get a bit more of their back story as well which was nice. There is a big cliffhanger at the end of this book which will lead into the next book in the series, Marionette. Although this book is intended for young adults, I would say it's more aimed towards a mature young adult audience as it's a lot more dark compared to Dollhouse.
As with the first book in the series, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job keeping her characters realistic relatable. Even though I found Cassie's story a little boring, I still enjoyed Cassie's character. I did find her a bit naïve in this book, but she is a teenager, so I could understand why she'd trust the first boy that showed her attention. I felt like I was Cassie's babysitter and was mentally urging her not to trust anyone! Jessamine was my obviously my favorite character. I just wanted to hug her as she had such a sad life for the most part. After reading her story, I understood why she was the way she was in Dollhouse. I really wanted to protect Jessamine throughout the whole book especially when she was still alive although I already knew she'd end up as a ghost. Henry was a character I didn't think I'd end up liking since he seemed like a bad guy in the first book. However, the audience is shown a whole different side of Henry in Paper Dolls. I just wanted Audette to disappear though. Not because she was written poorly but just because how vile and horrible she was to Jessamine. Although they were nice, I had a hard time trusting the Batiste family. They just seemed a little too nice for my liking.
Trigger warnings for Paper Dolls include death, murder, attempted rape, violence, occult activity, and mentions of sex (though not graphic).
Despite being a bit of a slow read, I still enjoyed Paper Dolls. Learning more about many of the ghosts' backstory was extremely interesting, and I loved all the characters. I would recommend Paper Dolls by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who love supernatural horror. I have already started reading Marionette, the next book in the Dark Carousel series, since I'm loving this series!
Paper Dolls takes place right after Dollhouse although Paper Dolls also goes back to 1920 to focus more on Jessamine's back story and to thicken the modern day plot. While I loved Jessamine's story, Cassie's narrative is a bit lackluster. The pacing for Cassie's plot feels very slow moving. While there were a few plot twists regarding Cassie's story, the main one was the most predictable from early on. Don't get me wrong, Allyn's writing is fantastic, but Cassie's plotline just didn't wow me as before. Jessamine's, on the other hand, was fantastic! I loved learning more about Jessamine and how she become like she was in Dollhouse. Jessamine's narrative moved at a great pace, and I would get so excited when her chapters would come up. I also loved how Jessamine's chapters involved more backstory for Henry and Audette and explains how they became ghosts. It also talks more about the mysterious Donovan Fiveash. Many of the other characters, even characters with small parts, from Dollhouse are mentioned again in Paper Dolls. We get a bit more of their back story as well which was nice. There is a big cliffhanger at the end of this book which will lead into the next book in the series, Marionette. Although this book is intended for young adults, I would say it's more aimed towards a mature young adult audience as it's a lot more dark compared to Dollhouse.
As with the first book in the series, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job keeping her characters realistic relatable. Even though I found Cassie's story a little boring, I still enjoyed Cassie's character. I did find her a bit naïve in this book, but she is a teenager, so I could understand why she'd trust the first boy that showed her attention. I felt like I was Cassie's babysitter and was mentally urging her not to trust anyone! Jessamine was my obviously my favorite character. I just wanted to hug her as she had such a sad life for the most part. After reading her story, I understood why she was the way she was in Dollhouse. I really wanted to protect Jessamine throughout the whole book especially when she was still alive although I already knew she'd end up as a ghost. Henry was a character I didn't think I'd end up liking since he seemed like a bad guy in the first book. However, the audience is shown a whole different side of Henry in Paper Dolls. I just wanted Audette to disappear though. Not because she was written poorly but just because how vile and horrible she was to Jessamine. Although they were nice, I had a hard time trusting the Batiste family. They just seemed a little too nice for my liking.
Trigger warnings for Paper Dolls include death, murder, attempted rape, violence, occult activity, and mentions of sex (though not graphic).
Despite being a bit of a slow read, I still enjoyed Paper Dolls. Learning more about many of the ghosts' backstory was extremely interesting, and I loved all the characters. I would recommend Paper Dolls by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who love supernatural horror. I have already started reading Marionette, the next book in the Dark Carousel series, since I'm loving this series!