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by Eileen Cook

4 Stars

You Owe Me a Murder, written by Eileen Cook, tells the story of 17-year-old Kim going on a school trip to London. However, Kim hasn’t even boarded the plane and she’s having a terrible time watching her ex-boyfriend Connor and his new girlfriend together. Later on, Kim meets a fellow passenger Nicki, a charming young woman. Unthinkingly on the plane, Kim tells Nicki that she wished Connor, her ex-boyfriend was dead, turning out that Nicki wishes her mother was dead as well — both having someone miserable in their life. Nicki jokingly suggests a proposal for their problems, “I kill your ex. You kill my mum. We both get what we want”. Kim thought it was a joke until a few days later her ex-boyfriend mysteriously had been announced dead after having fallen under an underground train track in London. Kim immediately thinks of Nicki but is unsure of guessing right away. Kim’s assumption is confirmed once Nicki comes back, expecting Kim to return the favour. Kim’s only option is to come clean to the police about wanting Connor dead or get blackmailed by Nicki into committing a crime.

You Owe Me a Murder is an enjoyable twisty thriller that makes teens never wanting to take a break from reading. Personally, I thought Kim was an amusing character because she is such an awesome heroine, relatable but at the same time being a whole savage and powerful character.

Amina F.

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by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

5 Stars

Ace of Spades is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s first novel and it is impeccable. This book caught my attention not only for its beautiful cover but also for its intriguing description…

Ace of Spades follows the story of two private school students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo. Devon Richards is a quiet and introverted student who is passionate about getting into Julliard. Chiamaka Adebayo is a success-driven student who will stop at nothing to be the best of the best. So, when Devon and Chiamaka are selected to be part of their senior class prefects, something is off. Chiamaka isn’t surprised that she has once again been selected. But Devon is confused. He has never been one for participation or school spirit, but if it means impressing his ma, he will take it. After this announcement is made, someone who goes by the name Aces starts sending anonymous and threatening text messages to the entire school. These messages are directly targeted at Devon and Chiamaka, the only two black students in the school. Could this be a simple coincidence, or is there something deeper to uncover?

This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I was mind-blown, shocked and impressed. I didn’t want to put it down. I strongly recommend this book to both teenagers and young adults who like suspense books. I can guarantee you won’t be able to guess the ending of this novel. Ace of Spades is an incredible debut for Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, and I hope she has more books in the works.

Emily O.

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by Jennifer Donaldson

5 Stars

Written by Jennifer Donaldson, I Know You Remember, follows the life of 17-year-old Ruthie Hayden, thrilled to move back to her hometown Anchorage and reunite with her best friend Zahra Gaines. Moments after arriving, she learns the devastating news that Zahra had gone missing after vanishing from a party a few days before Ruthie’s arrival. While Ruthie digs deeper into Zahra’s mysterious disappearance, she learns that her once best friend Zahra has had drastically changed her life. Zahra has gone from being the playful, creative girl who loved books and a girl who knew every of Ruthie’s secrets to an athlete, a partier, a girl with secrets of her own. Ruthie desperately tries to unpack the truth as she falls much deeper into her friend’s new world, coming close to a dangerous realization of what Zahra experienced in the days before her disappearance, one that might be better off not spoken about and buried

Ruthie is not ready to give up searching for Zahra as she makes risky decisions in the mission to find Zahra. 

With a very chilling plot twist and keeping readers on the edge of their seats with eyes glued to the pages, Jennifer Donaldson brings the thrilling mystery to a shocking and unexpected conclusion. My favourite part was the twist at the end because it shows that the characters aren’t who they seem to be. I extremely enjoyed and highly recommend this astonishing novel to young adults.

Amina F.

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You’re Next

by Kylie Schachte

You're Next by Kylie Schachte

Flora Calhoun has a history of finding dead bodies. First, it was Lucy, a classmate whose body she discovered while out for a jog. Now, years later, Flora is still resentful toward the polices inability to arrest the killer.

At school, Flora now has a reputation for sticking her nose in other people’s business and getting into trouble. One night, Flora receives an unexpected phone call from Ava McQueen, a girl who captured her heart, then stopped talking to her.

When Flora arrives to help Ava, she finds her bleeding on the pavement, and Flora is launched back into her memories of finding Lucy. Now, after finding not one, but two bodies, Flora sets herself out to find the murderer, no matter the cost.

Kylie Schachte has written a gripping thriller! An intense story with a flawed main character, You’re Next is bound to be your next favourite read.

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Rules for Vanishing

by Kate Alice Marshall

Once a year, in a small town, a path appears in the woods and the legend of Lucy Gallows comes alive.

Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

It’s also been one year since the disappearance of Sara’s sister Becky, who walked into the woods to find the path and never came home. Not only is Sara struggling with the loss of her sister, but she is also suffering the loss of her friends. But, when a mass text message is sent to her high school to ‘follow the path’ Sara and her friends meet up for the first time in almost a year. They are thrown into a dangerous game of darkness and secrets, where their cameras are the only things that can offer proof of what happened.

In Rules for Vanishing, Kate Alice Marshall has created a documentary style novel, in line with The Blair Witch Project. Rules for Vanishing is an eerie and heavily atmospheric read with a great cast of characters.

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by Lisa Jewel

5 Stars

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

The book Watching You by Lisa Jewell, takes a turn on many events, making this book even more suspenseful than it already is. Watching You takes on many different perspectives, making your conclusions and assumptions take a quick turn. As I was reading the book, I didn’t see many events taking place, and they were so far from what I was expecting. The book takes place in a sweet neighbourhood where everyone seems to know each other. Everyone seems to get along, but it turns out that all those secrets are kept inside.  The title “Watching You” gives the book a creepier feel to it. It’s not like other typical suspense books, and the title really owns up to the book’s plot and story. In the book, there are multiple perspectives that really make you question who the antagonist really is. Who committed this? Did this person really do this? The author really took the time to make this story and plot eventful and suspenseful. Once you pick it up, it’s hard to put it down. Throughout the story, it is filled with drama, and you start to question who is watching who?  The mystery of who the real antagonist is, who has the darkest motives, must be decided through your judgment. Is it the teacher, Tom Fitzwilliam, who seems to be getting quite the amount of attention? Is it the neighbours down the street? Maybe even the teenagers attending the school, you may never know. After all, people don’t seem as innocent as they seem. Watching You is a really good thrilling experience if you want to be immersed in something for a while. 

Rhoanne A.

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Death Prefers Blondes

by Caleb Roehrig

Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig

Margo Manning is a socalite by day, but something very different by night. When the sun goes down, her and her heist team of drag queens race against the clock to pull off high stakes heists. They think they have their strategies down pat, until one job sends them over the edge and creates a whirl wind they have trouble escaping.

All of the sudden, all their lives are turned upside down, and they must work together to figure out how to end the threat once and for all. Behind the action, Margo is experiencing devastating grief, an absent mother and a family friend who is up to no good.

An exhilarating, genuine and action packed novel, Caleb has written a book both endearing and dangerous.

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Now Entering Addamsville

by: Francesca Zappia

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As soon as the janitor’s house goes up in flames, Zora knows she’s in trouble. Sure, she has a past with fire, but there is no way she would kill someone. But, her current straight and narrow path does not matter to the townspeople, who, since her father was thrown in jail, hate her family even more.

With the townspeople breathing down her neck, Zora must find a way to clear her name. But with no leads, and a town with a history of unsolved, tragic fires Zora has no idea where to being. So, she teams up with her cousin Artemis, and together they must deal with a ghost hunting crew in town, the paranormal and townspeople who want nothing more then to see their family fail.

Francesca Zappia weaves a story of ghosts, family and a small town perfectly together, creating an atmospheric novel that plays to readers fears and love of family dynamics.

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A Study in Charlotte

by Brittany Cavallaro

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Jamie Watson has an interesting year ahead of him. With a Rugby scholarship in hand, he is on his way to an elite prep school in Connecticut, which also happens to be a car ride away from his absent father. Almost immediately, Jamie realizes this is not his only worry: he is at the same school as Charlotte Holmes, the great-great-great granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes.

After acknowledging that his family and hers have a lot of history, Jamie decides to keep his distance. However, when a student is murdered in the fashion of a Sherlock Holmes case, Jamie is pulled into a storm of murder and intrigue with Charlotte Holmes at the helm. As more time passes, Jamie realizes he and Charlotte are being framed for murder. Together, they must overcome their tension and work toward an answer that will clear their names.

Brittany Cavalarro creates a tense and atmospheric read, with a new twist on beloved stories and new character in the Sherlock Holmes universe.

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The Hand on the Wall

By Maureen Johnson

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The last book in the Truly Devious trilogy is finally here! Stevie is sure that Ellingham Academy has a black cloud hanging over it. Mayhem and murder has engrossed the school, causing two deaths, and one more in town that Stevie is sure is connected to the school somehow.

Underneath these murders is a connection, and Stevie just has to find it. But with all the chaos of life and school, Stevie finds it hard to penetrate what has happened. Not to mention she is pretty sure she has solved the case of the century. And it all adds up to what is happening now.

When another accident occurs and the school is under a storm warning, Stevie decides to stay behind on the mountain–and so do her friends. Together, they must confront their troubles and a murderer.

Maureen Johnson’s concluding novel satisfyingly brings together every loose end in the Truly Devious trilogy. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

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