by Trish Doller ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2015
It may be occasionally implausible, but the great pacing makes this a suspenseful romantic thriller.
Arcadia joins a weekend road trip with two handsome cousins she’s just met. But one or both may be hiding a troubling secret.
Following her mother’s death, Arcadia has become the surrogate parent to her younger brother, and she’s ready for a well-deserved break. On the way to a party in a campground she spies hot stranger Matt in the parking lot, and she spontaneously invites him along. Soon Matt’s kissing her friend Lindsey, a situation Arcadia accepts when she finds herself swept into an intense sexual attraction with Matt’s cousin Noah. His handsome but scarred face suggests a troubled youth, and he admits to past violent incidents. However, Noah also thoughtfully listens to Arcadia in a way that no one has in a long time, making his invitation that she and Lindsey join the cousins’ road trip irresistible. Even when Lindsey backs out via text message, Arcadia still grabs a backpack and heads out for adventure but forgets her phone charger (cue the horror-movie music). Arcadia is quickly surrounded by obvious warning signs that the cousin(s) cannot be trusted—from a psychic’s warning to the discovery of Lindsey’s body back at home—and yet she heads further into the wilderness with them. A deadly confrontation feels inevitable.
It may be occasionally implausible, but the great pacing makes this a suspenseful romantic thriller. (Thriller. 13-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61963-416-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2015
Share your opinion of this book
More by Trish Doller
BOOK REVIEW
by Trish Doller
BOOK REVIEW
by Trish Doller
BOOK REVIEW
by Trish Doller
by Lauren Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
by Holly Jackson ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2024
Readers will be captivated by this twisty thriller and its uncompromising protagonist.
The mother Annabel Price thought was dead returns with a story about where she’s been—but 18-year-old Bel knows she’s lying.
Ever since Rachel Price’s unexplained disappearance 16 years ago, true-crime fans have come up with plentiful theories about what happened. Bel and her family members, who are white, cobbled together lives for themselves after a jury found Bel’s father, Charlie, not guilty of murdering his wife. Beset with medical bills for his elderly father, Charlie recently agreed to participate in a documentary about the unsolved mystery. Black British filmmaker Ramsey Lee is well into the process of interviewing the Prices when his project gets an unanticipated boost after an exhausted, disheveled Rachel staggers back into town. Rachel is eager to resume her role in the family, but the inconsistencies in her accounts raise alarms for Bel. With the help of the youngest member of the filmmaking team, Bel sets out to learn what really happened. Along the way, someone else disappears, and Bel uncovers a tangle of lies that make it impossible for her to trust people she thought she knew. When things come to a head the night of her grandfather’s 85th birthday party, Bel ends up in a race for her life. The last quarter of the novel tears along at a breakneck pace before arriving at a satisfying and unexpected conclusion.
Readers will be captivated by this twisty thriller and its uncompromising protagonist. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9780593374207
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
Share your opinion of this book
More by Holly Jackson
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.