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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hawthorne High in Books
Sep 18, 2019
Bullied for many things, such as having a boys name, Dylan Hatfield's only friends are imaginary. Imaginary, that is until they ask her to help possess the minds of the bullies. Happy that her enemies are now being nice to her, Dylan soon realises she has made a mistake when horrible things start to happen around town. Not only were they not imaginary, but it also appears they are evil too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.
AD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Adult Outcome and its Predictors
Book
The book provides a comprehensive summary of the best known and most highly respected...
Good concept (1 more)
Some interesting imagery/analogies
Lack of character development (2 more)
Slow build up with a sudden ending that feels rushed
Attempts to make socio-political commentary with disjointed (and again rushed) narrative
Underwhelming drama/mystery with the backdrop of a cult
It took me a while to get into the book itself, it wasn't a page turner and was very easy to get distracted. About a third to a midway through, it started to pick up pace and I became embroiled in the narrative of a young girl's induction into a full-blown cult, the crime they commit and her reflection on this as an adult. This momentum carried nicely for a while, until nearing the end where the narrative and characters suddenly seemed to become disjointed and it appears the author suddenly decided to turn fractions of what has previously been mentioned into an overall statement which I found to be a little ridiculous. The concept was seriously intriguing (the experience of drifting in and out of cult life) so it's a shame it wasn't followed through with confidence.
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Inborn in Books
May 11, 2019
This is bloody brilliant! A real sleep stealer, page turner of a read. I read this in one sitting and stayed up very late just to finish it, was well and truelly hooked. I seriously did not want to put this down.
Such a clever story, I was constantly trying to guess who the murderer was and was wrong each and every time. The outcome… I would have never expected that in a million years. Truelly shocking and jaw dropping.
Brilliantly written, clever how the story was told through the past and the present all linking into one straight storyline. Would appeal to young adult readers and crime readers. This has to be his best book yet! Very impressed.
I did feel sorry for Even though, poor lad. A must read. A must buy. I absolutely loved this and devoured it. A well deserved five stars from me and a place in my top twenty of 2019! Highly recommend. You won’t regret reading this one, plenty of twists and turns during the case bound to keep you reading until the end.
Such a clever story, I was constantly trying to guess who the murderer was and was wrong each and every time. The outcome… I would have never expected that in a million years. Truelly shocking and jaw dropping.
Brilliantly written, clever how the story was told through the past and the present all linking into one straight storyline. Would appeal to young adult readers and crime readers. This has to be his best book yet! Very impressed.
I did feel sorry for Even though, poor lad. A must read. A must buy. I absolutely loved this and devoured it. A well deserved five stars from me and a place in my top twenty of 2019! Highly recommend. You won’t regret reading this one, plenty of twists and turns during the case bound to keep you reading until the end.
Kyera (8 KP) rated For Magnus Chase: Hotel Valhalla, Guide to the Norse Worlds in Books
Feb 1, 2018
This was your typical, hilarious Rick Riordan companion novel. Like Percy Jackson telling us in his witty way about Greek mythology in the two books about Greek Gods and Greek Heroes
Various residents of Hotel Valhalla tell us about Norse mythology. It was filled with interviews, stories and jokes. Part encyclopedia and part comedy sketch. I do wish that it was longer and more in depth. Generally, people know more about Greek mythology than they do about other types, so it would be great to have a more expansive discussion about the gods, goddesses, monsters and origin stories in Norse Mythology. Perhaps this will be rectified in a future expanded novel? That would be my one criticism for this book, otherwise it was a fantastic, quick, funny read. Highly recommended for middle grade and young adult readers who are already fans of Rick Riordan's, love fantasy, mythology, funny books or pretty much anything else. I just recommend that you read the Magnus Chase series before delving into this book to give yourself a little familiarity.
Merissa (12854 KP) rated Sinking (Sinking Trilogy #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is a Historical Young Adult Fantasy that starts off in Ireland, but travels to China and India. Jocelyn is washed up on the beach with no memories of her own. She is completely naked and clutching a locket. She is found by a lady, who decides that she will take the locket for herself as she orders her servants to take care of the girl.
As the story progresses, you learn more about Jocelyn at the same time as she learns about herself. She has two human men who show interest in her, but the ocean also speaks to her and she feels an amazing pull to return - to what or to whom, she doesn't know.
This story moves smoothly throughout, building to the cliffhanger ending that will leave you wanting to know more. This is a wonderful story of mermaids and magic with a historical twist. Recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
As the story progresses, you learn more about Jocelyn at the same time as she learns about herself. She has two human men who show interest in her, but the ocean also speaks to her and she feels an amazing pull to return - to what or to whom, she doesn't know.
This story moves smoothly throughout, building to the cliffhanger ending that will leave you wanting to know more. This is a wonderful story of mermaids and magic with a historical twist. Recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated Who is The Mystery Reader? in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Reading is a Superpower!
This book is broken up into many parts. The main story involves Zoom Squirrel who gets some help in reading for The Mystery Reader, a costumed superhero. But who is the masked man, er squirrel? And can Zoom enter the world of masked superheroes? After the main story, we get a couple of terrible (and by that, I mean delightful) puns and jokes related to reading. There’s also a section where we see the work that goes into creating a book.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 10, 2020
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