Book Review: If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry

 

 

Title: If You Tell a Lie

Author: Lucinda Berry

Release Date: 23 July 2024

Page Amount: 271 pages 

 

GoodReads 

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GoodReads Blurb:

Bestselling author Lucinda Berry serves up a haunting thriller about four friends sworn to secrecy over the events of one fateful summer--and the dark truths that threaten to erupt years later.

They never considered how his wife might react, or that by the end of the summer a man would be dead. But Blakely always got her way, and the others followed her lead--even when they knew it was dead wrong.

The girls had been friends from day one at Camp Pendleton, a haven for gifted children. But their senior summer was different. When Mr. Crosby, the handsome tennis coach, wound up murdered after a reckless lie, Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera swore themselves to secrecy. And never spoke to each other again.

Until now. Twenty years later a sinister note claiming to know what they did brings them back together. And once again Blakely is pulling the strings.

Unfolding in a dual timeline, If You Tell a Lie is a disturbing journey into the dangerous, sometimes deadly consequences of peer pressure--with a bone-chilling twist you'll never see coming.

Review:

This was my first Lucinda Berry book. It was a very good thriller. The writing was good and there was definitely depth to the story. It certainly had some very disturbing things happen. It's hard to review thrillers, because I don't want to say a lot. 

There was a lot going on, but not in the action packed sort of way some thrillers are. There were things I did predict, but that didn't effect my enjoyment of the book at all. Overall, I thought it was a good thriller and I would recommend it. I would definitely read something by Lucinda Berry again.

4 quills

Book Review: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

 

 

Title: The Magic Fish

Author: Trung Le Nguyen

Release Date: 13 October 2020

Page Amount: 229 pages

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Blurb:

Tiến loves his family and his friends...but Tiến has a secret he's been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together. 

Real life isn't a fairytale. 

But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through? 

Is there a way to tell them he's gay? 

A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what--we can all have our own happy endings.

Review:

I love a graphic novel. I also love fairy tales, and I thought the concept of this one sounded very interesting. There were parts of this that got a lot darker than I thought it would be; the fairy tale part, that is. Not at all a bad thing, just something to maybe keep in mind. 

I liked the art and that it had a color language to it. Each of the storylines, so to speak, were in a mostly monochromatic tone, and I thought that was very cool. For example. the when Tiến is reading the fairy tales, they are in a purple color scheme.
I always think it's interesting to see different versions of fairy tales so I liked that aspect to this. I thought the ending was very good, as well, but don't want to say why as that would give it away. ;) 

3.75 quills

Book Review: Once Upon a Time: The Shadow of the Queen

 

 

Title: Once Upon A Time: Shadow Of The Queen

Series: Once Upon A Time #2

Author: Daniel T. Thompson, Corinna Bechko with Vasilis Lolos (Illustrator), Stephanie Hans (Illustrator), Mike Henderson (Illustrator), Mike Del Mundo (Illustrator)

Release Date:  03 September 2013

Page Amount: 112 pages

GoodReads 

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Blurb:

The Evil Queen has, quite literally, captured the Huntsman's heart -- and now he's her slave. Based on the world of ABC's hit primetime series ONCE UPON A TIME, this is the never-before-told tale behind their twisted relationship -- and what happens when a good man is forced to do bad. When Regina cooks up yet another devious plan to capture Snow White -- this time by allying with a pack of power-hungry werewolves -- the Huntsman comes face-to-face with his past...and an independent spirit in Red Riding Hood that just may match his own. Can these two break free of the forces that bind them and save Snow White? When put to the test, where will the Huntsman's loyalties lie? Has the Evil Queen stolen his heart in more ways than one?

Review:

I love Once Upon a Time, I love graphic novels, and I love the Huntsman from Once Upon a Time, so I was very excited to get this in a collection of birthday gifts from one of my best friends and fellow author, Rebekah Palmer. 

I was excited to see more of the Huntsman in this as I wish we had more of him in the show. It took one turn in particular that I was definitely not expecting. The art styles were different with each chapter (there was a different artist for each), which I really liked a lot. 

A good story, with great art that I really enjoyed reading. I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan of the show Once Upon a Time. 

I'm looking forward to reading the other that I got. <3 

4 quills