Genuine Fraud

One of my favorite surprises was We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Totally surprised by it's ending and that doesn't happen often for me. So I was super excited to see her new book was out. This is an inventively told tale. It starts in the present and goes backwards to the beginning of Jules' story. Jules is a complicated girl. She is rich and on the run. But she is also super shady. One of the most unreliable narrators I have met in a long time. Think The Talented Mr. Ripley and you'd be on the right track. As her story is revealed, the reader will realize nothing is as it seems and she certainly can't be trusted to tell the story with any truth. She is a cold character and doesn't make you like her at any point, which is always problematic for my reading tastes, but I read to the end. It's a little bit much for an average reader, most definitely need to be more on the advance end to follow the backwards plot. And for a while I wasn't sure who was who... had a moment when I thought Jules had multiple personalities. Alas- that was not the case, and all her terrible deeds were indeed her own. I can't say I liked this book, but I am glad I read it. If that makes any sense. I am back in my favorite world with Chaol Westfall now so you won't hear from me for at least 660 pages. Happy reading my friends!

Blood for Blood

Spoiler alert! This one took it out on me. I should have known there is no such thing as a happy ending when dealing with Holocaust books. Even alternative versions. This sequel finds Yael, Luka and Felix captured by the SS guards after Yael attempted to kill Hitler. Unfortunately, it was the wrong Hitler- the SS has been employing skin shifters like Yael and all Yael accomplished was outing the fact that she was alive. After Felix turns traitor, the trio finds themselves on the run trying to reach the resistance and Yael's friends. But Felix can't be trusted and death is around every stop on the road home. A surprise friend from Yael's past returns and suddenly she is no longer alone in her quest for revenge for her wolves. Even Luka seems to be on board with taking out Hitler. There is no time for romance as their quest take them into the heart of the Third Reich and many surprising truths are discovered on the way. Sacrifice and honor will determine the fate of an entire race of people. Yael will discover that maybe revenge isn't as satisfying as it may seem and that forgiveness may be the most powerful tool of all. As Washington tells Hamilton in a song- Dying is easy young man, living is harder. Yael has a choice to make and the one she makes is the honorable one. The end of this made me super sad and super proud of this main character. I most definitely have found an author who's style is captivating and highly entertaining while remaining thought provoking. Happy reading my friends!

The Wrong Side of Right

Kate is about to start the summer before her senior year. She has survived the tragic death of her mother and has moved to South Carolina to live with her aunt and uncle. Then the unexpected happens. She finds out who her father is. He is Mark Cooper. He is a senator. He is running for president. And to avoid what will be a huge scandal, he invites her to join the campaign and meet her family. Now, Kate has a stepmother named Meg and a sister and brother- 8 year old twins Gabe and Gracie. Kate doesn't know if they will accept her. After all, Meg and the Senator were married when he cheated on her with Kate's mother. But Kate is hungry for a family and she loves history, so being on the campaign trail intrigues her. Unfortunately not all of Cooper's politics align with Kate's and she may have to compromise her beliefs to fit into the 'platform' of the party. To make things worse, the actual president's son Andy has taken an interest in Kate. Is he really interested in her, or is he trying to spy for his father's campaign? As the campaign rolls on, Kate finds herself pulled in many directions and making many mistakes, all the while trying to find a way to get her father to love her. After the last election, I found this book very interesting and entertaining. At the heart it is a love story. Yes, between Kate and Andy, but also between Kate and her new family. And all love stories have rocky parts. It's getting through them that makes it worth while. Happy reading my friends!