Mrs. Murray’s Ghost
Author: Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Published: August 31, 2018
112 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Mary’s family has moved into a huge Victorian mansion. She loves her gigantic new house, especially her room. But then she begins to meet the house’s other residents. Mrs. Murray was murdered in Mary’s new house. At first she tries to scare the new residents away, but there seems to be a force connecting the ghost to Mary. Even the stranded Brownies, the little people who live between the walls, feel that connection. When Mary becomes deathly ill, the Brownies and the ghost team up to try to rescue her, only to encounter a witch and her evil minions. Time is running out. They must rescue Mary from a fever-induced dream world before she is trapped there forever.
Kim’s Review:
This was a fun little story and I would definitely recommend it to upper elementary and middle school kids. The imagination was entertaining and vivid; the characters were mostly believable and lovable. My main issue is Mary. She was cute and I did like her, but she just acted older and more mature than a 10-year-old. Had she been a little older, then I would have completely believed her. The brownies were easily my favorite. Their Scottish brogue surprised me, but once I got into the rhythm of listening, instead of just reading, they became the best part of the story. I wish there was little more about Mrs. Murray. Her story was clear and I was glad of that, but I guess I would have liked a little more insight into what Mary could do for her. Thankfully, she grew on me too and that frustration turned into curiosity. I would love to read more about Mary and all the creatures residing in her cool mansion. An excellent story!
Purchase Links:
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A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho
Author: Cristina Moracho
Published: February 28, 2017
384 Pages
Reviewed By:Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
Can the right kind of boy get away with killing the wrong kind of girl?
Fin and Betty’s close friendship survived Fin’s ninth-grade move from their coastal Maine town to Manhattan. Calls, letters, and summer visits continued to bind them together, and in the fall of their senior year, they both applied to NYU, planning to reunite for good as roommates.
Then Betty disappears. Her ex-boyfriend Calder admits to drowning her, but his confession is thrown out, and soon the entire town believes he was coerced and Betty has simply run away. Fin knows the truth, and she returns to Williston for one final summer, determined to get justice for her friend, even if it means putting her loved ones—and herself—at risk.
But Williston is a town full of secrets, where a delicate framework holds everything together, and Fin is not the only one with an agenda. How much is she willing to damage to get her revenge and learn the truth about Betty’s disappearance, which is more complicated than she ever imagined—and infinitely more devastating?
Kim’s Review:
I wanted so badly to love this book . . . c’mon, look at that cover! I wanted a great mystery with a little conspiracy thrown in, but what I got was a predictable story mixed with teenage drama. I understand Fin’s passion and her need to discover the truth, but sadly, adding Serena into the story brings Fin down to a self-righteous teenager who thinks she knows everything and that everyone else knows nothing. The story had so much potential, but then predictability sets in and amateur philosophizing starts. The mystery was solved halfway through the book and the rest was a lot of unnecessary junk. Honestly, had the book followed the town’s drug use as the main storyline, it would have been so much better. I enjoyed reading the book, but I can’t give it any higher than 3 stars. This is not a book for teens, due to some very adult content. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for an easy read with a little intrigue.
Purchase Links:
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The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Published: March 13, 2018
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 10-23, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She’s a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, already counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police—she’s a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home—Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it’s too late to come clean—or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?
Jessica’s Review:
The Flight Attendant was the first book I have read by Chris Bohjalian and it will not be my last! It genuinely surprised me how much I enjoyed it as Cassandra (Cassie) is not likeable at all! She is very much the unreliable narrator who finds herself in a unique situation in a country that is oppressive to women: She wakes up and the man lying next to her is dead and she has no idea what happened!
Cassie is unlikeable for several reasons: she is a very promiscuous alcoholic who often blacks out. She really lives up the flight attendant lifestyle!
Unreliable narrator stories are hit or miss for me, but The Flight Attendant was a hit! I was drawn into the story from the beginning and never lost my interest in it. We also have multiple narrators, and you know those are some of my favorite kinds of novels! Despite not liking her, I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Cassie! There was even a moment that happened that I was not expecting and my mouth dropped as I was listening to the novel while I was washing dishes. Then we had the Epilogue, which was a great ending! I will be reading Chris Bohjalian again!
The Flight Attendant is recommended.
Purchase Links:
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