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    Hello Next! Forget your ex.

    Hello Next! Forget your ex.

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    Just broke up? Haven’t seen your ex for a while but your heart is still broken with no one there...

Serenade (The Dark Nocturne #1)
Serenade (The Dark Nocturne #1)
Morgan Shamy | 2022 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don't normally read young adult books anymore, but when I read the synopsis for Serenade by Morgan Shamy, I was intrigued. I decided to get the eBook, and I am happy I did because I ended up loving Serenade!

I felt as if the plot of Serenade by Morgan Shamy was very original. Yes, it does have some of the other elements of paranormal fantasy that others of the same genre have such as the evil supernatural and paranormal creatures, but Shamy uses all of that and changes it all around to form a very different narrative. Her background in music and dance really shines through throughout Serenade. Whilst reading this novel, I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next to November and her school. I also enjoyed how Morgan Shamy is not afraid of killing off any character whether they are minor or major. It made the book that much more suspenseful. There was one major plot twist that I didn't see coming. Although Serenade is a series, there's no major cliff hanger which was a plus.

I loved each and every character in Serenade. Each was well fleshed out, and I felt as if I was reading about actual people instead of characters in a book. November was an awesome main character! While there were a few times, I felt as if she made the wrong decision, I could easily see why she chose to do/act the way she did. It was interesting to see her hatch her plan to take on the baddies of the book as well as how she would stand up for her cousin. There was something very endearing about April, and I think she was my favorite character. There was something so innocent and sweet about her. I wanted a friend like April. In fact, I think I kind of was like April in high school - low self-esteem and never quite fitting in. I never liked Cam, not because he wasn't written well, but I hated how assured of himself he was. I was always drawn to Vincent even if he was moody and broody a lot of the time. My favorite creatures in Serenade were definitely the sylphs. I loved how they could go from being beautiful and alluring to deadly quite suddenly.

Trigger warnings for Serenade include violence, death, and murder.

Overall, Serenade is an original take on the whole paranormal fantasy genre that's full of relatable characters and a plot that sucks you in from the very first page. Once you start reading this novel, you will struggle to put it down. It will have that affect on you. I would definitely recommend Serenade by Morgan Shamy to those aged 14+ who are after a book with a fresh new plot full of action, adventure, and some really cool monsters. I have already started reading Etude, the next book in The Dark Nocturne series by Morgan Shamy!
  
Behind Closed Doors
Behind Closed Doors
B.A. Paris | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
2
8.0 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book got me into writing reviews (0 more)
Pretty much everything (0 more)
The book that made me angry
Contains spoilers, click to show
So, where do i start?
It took me one and a half day to read it, purely because I wanted to get it over with...
I must warn you, there might be some spoilers here, so unless you're not interested in reading the book I wouldn't continue with the review.
I just found the entire story so unrealistic and badly written, that it really makes me angry when I see all these five star reviews. For what, I'm asking?
Let me take you through some of my biggest issues with the story:
Issue number 1.:
Imagine you're 32 years old Grace, single, with the most amazing job as a buyer for Harrods with constant trips to South America. You're also about to become a legal guardian to your little sister with Down Syndrome. You meet this gorgeous man named Jack, whom you immediately fall in love with due to a lovely act of kindness towards your sister. This man within no time at all proposes to you and with that asks you to quit your job, sell your house and let him be the legal guardian as well. Any alarm bells yet??
He then says he wants the wedding to happen straight away. He's very manipulative, he makes all the decisions about the ceremony by himself; he decides the date, the venue, he even picks your dress.
Now the biggest giveaway that the fella is bad news is when he disappears on your wedding night and doesn't answer his phone, then in the morning texts you saying: Stop being so dramatic! I'll see you in front of the hotel at 11.
Wouldn't this be enough? Wouldn't you start thinking, that maybe you don't know enough about your husband, that you rushed into things?
What responsible woman would ever do that? I mean, seriously?! Ok, maybe if she didn't have Millie(her sister) and thought, that this might be the last chance to be with someone, than maybe she would agree for that quick a wedding. Or if she didn't have that good a job... Not like that though, I just don't see it. I think this could only happen if Grace herself had some sort of personality disorder or at least a very, very low self esteem.
Issue number 2.:
The constant threats about sending Millie to asylum...what asylum? This isn't Batman and Gotham city, asylums like that don't exist anymore. And since when people with Down Syndrome are held in Psychiatric Hospitals (as that's what they're called!). Not just that, you can't just admit someone to one of them. There are assessments and number of tests done with the patient, which means that only good things could come out that, as Millie would have told doctors what's really happening and the police would be called...simple.
Issue number 3.:
Grace had so many chances to escape, that it's actually funny. She could scream in the restaurant, shout for help, refuse to leave, do something!!
Issue number 4.:
Then there's the ending...
Grace in some miraculous way gets away with murder... In this fantasy world filled with lawyers, psychopaths & wealth, the author didn't think about forensics...hmm, or is it just me?
Even though I can honestly say I've read worse (Husband's secret, Sister's secret etc), this was a very painful and frustrating read...
  
Nine Perfect Strangers
Nine Perfect Strangers
Liane Moriarty | 2018 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
6.9 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Laugh-out-loud funny (2 more)
Engaging characters
Great plot
Pacing a little slow (0 more)
My Rating is 9/10! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love this book. It's a funny, entertaining, and imaginative book about the issues that affect many people from all walks of life. It's also a definite must-read for all Liane Moriarty fans out there.

Nine people, of all ages, have booked into a health resort called Tranquillum House for a break. They are all going there for their own reasons. Located in Australia, Tranquillum House is a "boutique health and wellness resort" where a new you awaits. The resort is owned and run by Masha, a ruthlessly ambitious Russian. She is a former company executive who, ten years prior, experienced a near-death experience leading to her to choose a different life direction. However, Masha, assisted by her loyal staff members, Yao and Delilah, has a dark and sinister agenda for her nine new customers, although she is driven by good intentions.

The guests get a lot more than they bargained for with their ten-day cleansing programme of diet, light exercise, therapy and spa treatments. First, we are introduced to Frances, a romance novel writer whose career has taken a nosedive. Then Tony, who is divorced and has recently lost his much-loved dog has booked into Tranquillum House for weight loss. Lars, a divorce lawyer, is a regular guest of health resorts. Ben and his wife Jessica have won millions on the lottery, but their marriage is in jeopardy. The Marconi family, Napoleon, a teacher, his wife, Heather and their daughter Zoe have booked in for stress relief and appear to be weighed down by grief and guilt. Carmel, a divorced mum of four girls, has lost her husband to a younger woman and is troubled by her very low self-esteem.

All of the characters are wonderfully developed and are all so hopeful for their stay at the health resort. Their interactions with each other are fabulously entertaining, particularly those including my two favourites, Frances and Yao. Frances, for me, was hilarious and I loved the portrayal of the obsessive and infatuated Yao. Masha, exotic, charismatic and narcissistic, has plans for all of the guests that she truly believes will transform their lives and will reward her a glorious and promising future.

Humour and wit in are both in abundance in this novel where people with little in common with each other come together in circumstances where they form unexpected bonds with one another. There are, however, some terribly sad experiences for some of them, including Masha, that eventually became apparent by the end. I did find the pacing a little slow at times but it picked up during a very suspenseful second half of the novel. I couldn't really guess how this book would end but I absolutely loved the way the story was concluded.

Whilst "Nine Perfect Strangers" might not be everyone's favourite novel by Liane Moriarty, including mine, (I think "Big Little Lies" is a better book), it was still a hugely enjoyable read. Overall, I would say that Liane Moriarty has created a book with engaging characters, a surprising plot and some very insightful writing, which I am extremely pleased I have read!