Divvy 's bookshelf: plot-twist

Divvy 's bookshelf: plot-twist en-US Wed, 29 Jan 2025 04:53:50 -0800 60 Divvy 's bookshelf: plot-twist 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Nine Liars (Truly Devious, #5)]]> 60495147
Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.]]> 445 Maureen Johnson 0063032651 Divvy 1 3.79 2022 Nine Liars (Truly Devious, #5)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2022
rating: 1
read at: 2023/01/06
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: detective-fiction, fiction, found-family, mystery, plot-twist, romance, wack, yikes, why-did-i-read-this
review:
Wtf was this book???? It felt like reading a ghostwritten book by someone who had no idea about the characters or the plot or anything. Literally half of it was a London tour. The second timeline with the murder took ages to start. And then Stevie Bell without a case is literally a husk of a character. She says it herself. She has no goals, no plans, no ambitions aside from solving murder cases. She's lying to her friends when they're in the middle of acquiring recommendations and interviews for college apps all so they can solve a stupid murder??? And then, what's with the frequent sex mentions all the damn time?? She had two modes in this book: brain-dead idiot and horny for David. Speaking of which, what even was going on with them in the end??? I assume there'll be more books, but if they're gonna be like this, I'm not reading them.
]]> <![CDATA[Truly, Devious (Truly Devious, #1)]]> 29589074
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.�� It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson weaves a delicate tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a striking new series, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and E. Lockhart.]]> 416 Maureen Johnson Divvy 4 3.89 2018 Truly, Devious (Truly Devious, #1)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: adventure, detective-fiction, favorites, female-friendships, found-family, fun, heartfelt, mystery, new-favourite, plot-twist, romance, thought-provoking, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious, 2)]]> 43931400 New York Times��Ի� Publishers Weekly bestseller!

In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel in the Truly Devious series, there are more twists and turns than Stevie Bell can imagine. No answer is given freely, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

The Truly Devious case—an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936—has consumed Stevie for years. It’s the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate was murdered, and her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say. She must move past this obsession with crime.

Stevie’s willing to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be back with her friends, and solve the Truly Devious case. Even if it means making a deal with the despicable Senator Edward King. And when Stevie finally returns, she also returns to David: the guy she kissed, and the guy who lied about his identity—Edward King’s son.

But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? What’s the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isn’t just a piece of history—it’s a live wire into the present.]]> 400 Maureen Johnson 0062338099 Divvy 5 4.18 2019 The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious, 2)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/02
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: adventure, detective-fiction, favorites, feminism, female-friendships, fiction, found-family, fun, gloomy, lgbt-rep, new-favourite, plot-twist, romance, thought-provoking, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)]]> 45240918
She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.

In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson delivers the witty and pulse-pounding conclusion to the Truly Devious series as Stevie Bell solves the mystery that has haunted Ellingham Academy for over 75 years.]]> 369 Maureen Johnson 0062338110 Divvy 5 4.12 2020 The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)

The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/03
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: adventure, detective-fiction, favorites, fiction, female-friendships, found-family, fun, heartfelt, lgbt-rep, mystery, new-favourite, plot-twist, romance, thought-provoking, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious, #4)]]> 52716736 The Truly Devious series continues as Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery.

Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she’s back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer.

But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls—the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case.

Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders.

But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.]]> 400 Maureen Johnson 0063032627 Divvy 4 4.05 2021 The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious, #4)

The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious, #4)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/05
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: detective-fiction, fiction, found-family, funny, fun, mystery, plot-twist, poc-rep, romance, young-adult
review:
Loved the murder mystery and the summer camp setting but I still don't get why Stevie and David are together. Also I noticed that we don't get Stevie's thought process very well. I mean we get her confusion, we get the lightbulbs going off in ger head, but we never get how she reaches her conclusions. This would all be fine if she wasn't the narrator, only the detective, like in old detective fiction, but she is and it's kinda frustrating to see we never get how her brain works to solve all these cold cases.
]]> <![CDATA[All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1)]]> 22571275
Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.]]> 310 Ally Carter 0545654742 Divvy 2 3.86 2015 All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1)

author: Ally Carter
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2022/07/26
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: authors-google-something-for-once, detective-fiction, fiction, mystery, plot-driven, plot-twist, wack, why-did-i-read-this, yikes, young-adult
review:
I didn't think a book could get so insufferable and yet this one managed to hit the ball out of the park.
]]> <![CDATA[Bones Never Lie (Temperance Brennan, #17)]]> 19322169
Unexpectedly called in to the Charlotte PD’s Cold Case Unit, Dr. Temperance Brennan wonders why she’s been asked to meet with a homicide cop who’s a long way from his own jurisdiction. The shocking answer: Two child murders, separated by thousands of miles, have one thing in common - the killer. Years ago, Anique Pomerleau kidnapped and murdered a string of girls in Canada, then narrowly eluded capture. It was a devastating defeat for her pursuers, Brennan and police detective Andrew Ryan. Now, as if summoned from their nightmares, Pomerleau has resurfaced in the United States, linked to victims in Vermont and North Carolina. When another child is snatched, the reign of terror promises to continue - unless Brennan can rise to the challenge and make good on her second chance to stop a psychopath.

But Brennan will have to draw her bitter ex-partner out of exile, keep the local police and feds from one another’s throats, and face more than just her own demons as she stalks the deadliest of predators into the darkest depths of madness.

In Bones Never Lie, Kathy Reichs never fails to satisfy readers looking for psychological suspense that’s more than skin-deep.]]> 326 Kathy Reichs 0345544013 Divvy 4 3.95 2014 Bones Never Lie (Temperance Brennan, #17)

Bones Never Lie (Temperance Brennan, #17)

author: Kathy Reichs
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/06
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: detective-fiction, college-read, fiction, feminism, mystery, plot-twist
review:
I really liked Dr. Brennan's whole character. She is smart, witty, competent without it ever being too on your nose and I really like how she stands her ground with people, in general. I found her and Andrew Ryan to be really cute when they had their banter and moments. The lack of romance until the end was a very refreshing aspect. Possibly because this is a adult novel. Dr. Brennan's bonds with her mom and Mary Louise and her cat, Birdie. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat and this book has really short chapters that kept me wanting more. Mostly because they all ended on a cliffhanger
]]> Luck of the Titanic 56226890 From the critically-acclaimed author of The Downstairs Girl comes the richly imagined story of Valora and Jamie Luck, twin British-Chinese acrobats traveling aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated maiden voyage.

Southampton, 1912: Seventeen-year-old British-Chinese Valora Luck has quit her job and smuggled herself aboard the Titanic with two goals in to reunite with her twin brother Jamie--her only family now that both their parents are dead--and to convince a part-owner of the Ringling Brothers Circus to take the twins on as acrobats. Quick-thinking Val talks her way into opulent first-class accommodations and finds Jamie with a group of fellow Chinese laborers in third class. But in the rigidly stratified world of the luxury liner, Val's ruse can only last so long, and after two long years apart, it's unclear if Jamie even wants the life Val proposes. Then, one moonless night in the North Atlantic, the unthinkable happens--the supposedly unsinkable ship is dealt a fatal blow--and Val and her companions suddenly find themselves in a race to survive.

Stacey Lee, master of historical fiction, brings a fresh perspective to an infamous tragedy, loosely inspired by the recently uncovered account of six Titanic survivors of Chinese descent.]]> 384 Stacey Lee 1524740993 Divvy 4 A vision of the shrewd-eyed Reverend Prigg, thundering on about how God saves the righteous, inserts itself into my head. But if that’s truly the case, why are those people—most lowly immigrants just like us—screaming so loud, I swear even the stars pale at the cry?
IN TEARS RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD. I’ve always considered Titanic to be one of the biggest, most heartbreaking tragedies of the real world, and the fact that so many people died to favour the rich boils my blood. So to get to know that there were Chinese passengers onboard too, and that their stories were completely erased due to typical white arrogance and racism was another big blow to my heart. I am so glad this book exists as one answer to that erasure of history.]]> 3.80 2021 Luck of the Titanic

author: Stacey Lee
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/01
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: fiction, gloomy, heartfelt, new-favourite, poc-rep, plot-twist, this-made-me-cry-go-read-it, thought-provoking, tragedy, young-adult
review:

A vision of the shrewd-eyed Reverend Prigg, thundering on about how God saves the righteous, inserts itself into my head. But if that’s truly the case, why are those people—most lowly immigrants just like us—screaming so loud, I swear even the stars pale at the cry?

IN TEARS RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD. I’ve always considered Titanic to be one of the biggest, most heartbreaking tragedies of the real world, and the fact that so many people died to favour the rich boils my blood. So to get to know that there were Chinese passengers onboard too, and that their stories were completely erased due to typical white arrogance and racism was another big blow to my heart. I am so glad this book exists as one answer to that erasure of history.
]]> Animal Farm 8535458 4 George Orwell 1433287706 Divvy 5 4.02 1945

author: George Orwell
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1945
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/27
date added: 2024/01/28
shelves: classics, dystopia, fiction, favorites, plot-twist, political-commentary, thought-provoking, wack
review:

]]> Violet Made of Thorns 55923578 A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.]]> 364 Gina Chen Divvy 3 Oh also, the romance plot made zero fucking sense. I can understand hate sex and hate attraction. I can understand hooking up. What in the actual fuck was that love business at the end!?!?! Just because you say I love you, doesn't mean a reader believes it :/]]> 3.50 2022 Violet Made of Thorns

author: Gina Chen
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/08/02
date added: 2023/01/24
shelves: adventure, fantasy, fiction, lgbt-rep, poc-rep, plot-twist, rivals-to-lovers
review:
I�� I have so many thoughts right now. Man, I was so excited for this one. The comp title was The Cruel Prince, and that is literally one of my favorite books of all time. All the tropes mentioned were right up my alley: anti-heroine, courtly intrigue, enemies to lovers with tons of tension, ruthless politics. I waited for this book for months and I was so eager to read it. Unfortunately, this is above average at best. A one-time read, at best. The male lead, Cyrus, is kind of a blank caricature. Their “hate�� feels childish because it doesn't have a solid basis. No backstabbing. No betrayal. It's only resentment towards an authority figure. For all her talk, Violet comes across as a passive protagonist with mildly interesting magic. Seriously, just gimme a reason to want to make out with the prince! We don't even get a clear description of him! Camilla and Dante were okay and added some much needed humour. At times, the story felt intriguing, like it was heading the right way. And then we would go back to Violet scheming about nothing and having weird dreams.
Oh also, the romance plot made zero fucking sense. I can understand hate sex and hate attraction. I can understand hooking up. What in the actual fuck was that love business at the end!?!?! Just because you say I love you, doesn't mean a reader believes it :/
]]> <![CDATA[A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)]]> 56978089
When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.]]> 374 Judy I. Lin 1250767083 Divvy 4 3.81 2022 A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)

A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)

author: Judy I. Lin
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/19
date added: 2022/12/24
shelves: adventure, fantasy, feminism, female-friendships, fiction, friends-to-lovers, fun, heartfelt, gloomy, mystery, new-favourite, poc-rep, plot-twist, romance, thought-provoking, young-adult
review:
I can't believe I almost DNF'ed this. This was actually pretty good. The initial pacing was off because of the dense writing (and I'm not a fan of first person POVs as of yet), but I'm glad I held out!!! The worldbuilding is really intricate and I love the magic system with different teas and their making and the shennong utilize it to help or harm people. The court politics is the part that really drew me in. I loveddddd Princess Zhen and her scheming and quest to be a good empress. I love how Ning is embroiled in this but also never fails to make a point about the suffering of the working and middle classes. The romance didn't intrigue me much (Kang is still adorable), but [spoilers removed] the end really ensures that I will be continuing on to the next book
]]> <![CDATA[Bloodmarked (The Legendborn Cycle, #2)]]> 59365195
All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new: A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion. But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected. When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.]]> 576 Tracy Deonn 1534441638 Divvy 3 4.31 2022 Bloodmarked (The Legendborn Cycle, #2)

author: Tracy Deonn
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/30
date added: 2022/12/24
shelves: fantasy, feminism, fiction, female-friendships, fun, funny, gloomy, friends-to-lovers, heartfelt, plot-driven, plot-twist, poc-rep, retellings, young-adult, urban-fantasy, thought-provoking
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)]]> 26032887 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 336 Holly Black 0316310336 Divvy 5 4.27 2019 The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)

author: Holly Black
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/26
date added: 2022/10/09
shelves: adventure, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy, favorites, gloomy, plot-twist, urban-fantasy, young-adult, wack
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Divvy 5 4.01 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

author: Holly Black
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/20
date added: 2022/10/09
shelves: adventure, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy, favorites, plot-twist, urban-fantasy, wack, young-adult
review:

]]> Echo 22749539
Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.

Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.

Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, Echo pushes the boundaries of genre, form, and storytelling innovation to create a wholly original novel that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.]]> 597 Pam Muñoz Ryan 0439874025 Divvy 5 ]]> 4.35 2015 Echo

author: Pam Muñoz Ryan
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/22
date added: 2022/08/06
shelves: adventure, children-s-fiction, favorites, fiction, fun, gloomy, heartfelt, historical-fiction, holocaust-experience, middle-grade, must-reads, mystery, philosophical, plot-twist, poc-rep, magical-realism, this-made-me-cry-go-read-it, thought-provoking, whimsical
review:
I read this book so long ago but I was so touched every time! It's such a good, simple way to teach kids how bigotry, discrimination and child labour works. The hints of magic, the stories of the three kids meeting in the last part, the fairytale-like charm to this book, the lovely artwork and cover. I loved, loved, loved Friedrich, Mike and Ivy. I loved their spirit and determination and that little hope they always kept in them. I loved the role music played in this book. How this book isn't more hyped, I'll never know

]]> Debating Darcy 57835962 This Pride & Prejudice retelling brings New York Times bestselling Sayantani DasGupta’s trademark wit and insight to her bright and funny YA debut!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Leela Bose plays to win.

A life-long speech competitor, Leela loves nothing more than crushing the competition, all while wearing a smile. But when she meets the incorrigible Firoze Darcy, a debater from an elitist private school, Leela can’t stand him. Unfortunately, he’ll be competing in the state league, so their paths are set to collide.

But why attempt to tolerate Firoze when Leela can one-up him? The situation is more complicated than Leela anticipated, though, and her participation in the tournament reveals that she might have tragically misjudged the debaters -- including Firoze Darcy -- and more than just her own winning streak is at stake…her heart is, too.

Debating Darcy is bestselling author Sayantani DasGupta’s reinterpretation of beloved classic Pride and Prejudice -- imaginative, hilarious, thought-provoking, and truly reflective of the complex, diverse world of American high school culture.]]> 320 Sayantani DasGupta 1338797697 Divvy 5 This book was straight up a six out of the cricket stadium and it deserves all love and appreciation!! I hadn't been in the best of health and hadn't read much owing to exams, and I'm so glad this became my after exam read because this put such a huge smile on my face. I really appreciated how the author reworked the setting of the place in her own manner (Netherfield and Longbourn as private and public schools to show elitism in education, Pemberley as a lovely university that I now wish I could go to, Lady Catherine as an elocution coach of high esteem). It was very creative. In addition to the excellent re-sketching of Darcy and Lizzie’s relationship (Leela and Firoze, in this case) relationship, it also had a great cast of side characters and amazing development for both the leads. A lot of times, the heavy emphasis on romantic love being the epitome of human satisfaction squicks me, so watching the slow progression of Darcy and Leela’s banter and misunderstandings and eventual tolerance to love was a delight to read. I was laughing out loud at their arguments. Their debate about public and private education touched my heart because I know that sort of elitism from students all too well. Their final slow dance at the end�� I'm giggling and smiling at people who don't exist�� Again ]]> 3.49 2022 Debating Darcy

author: Sayantani DasGupta
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/06
date added: 2022/06/07
shelves: contemporary-romance, female-friendships, fiction, feminism, favorites, fun, heartfelt, indian-author, poc-rep, plot-twist, retellings, rivals-to-lovers, romance, thought-provoking, young-adult, womens-rights
review:
OH MY FRICKIN GOD FINALLY!!!!!!!!
This book was straight up a six out of the cricket stadium and it deserves all love and appreciation!! I hadn't been in the best of health and hadn't read much owing to exams, and I'm so glad this became my after exam read because this put such a huge smile on my face. I really appreciated how the author reworked the setting of the place in her own manner (Netherfield and Longbourn as private and public schools to show elitism in education, Pemberley as a lovely university that I now wish I could go to, Lady Catherine as an elocution coach of high esteem). It was very creative. In addition to the excellent re-sketching of Darcy and Lizzie’s relationship (Leela and Firoze, in this case) relationship, it also had a great cast of side characters and amazing development for both the leads. A lot of times, the heavy emphasis on romantic love being the epitome of human satisfaction squicks me, so watching the slow progression of Darcy and Leela’s banter and misunderstandings and eventual tolerance to love was a delight to read. I was laughing out loud at their arguments. Their debate about public and private education touched my heart because I know that sort of elitism from students all too well. Their final slow dance at the end�� I'm giggling and smiling at people who don't exist�� Again
]]> The Good Person of Szechwan 28054831 147 Bertolt Brecht 9385436155 Divvy 4 3.63 1943

author: Bertolt Brecht
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1943
rating: 4
read at: 2022/04/19
date added: 2022/04/26
shelves: classics, fiction, new-favourite, philosophical, play, plot-twist, thought-provoking, tragedy, college-read
review:
Okay sometimes dead white men do make excellent critique points. I went in blind and then I was slammed in the face with critique of societal and economic structures
]]> The House of Fear 8688311
To the world Imran may appear to be a rich, handsome buffoon with his sports car, eccentric dress sense and bizarre sense of humour—but in reality he possesses a razor-sharp mind, and the agility, strength and quick wits of the perfect spy. His colleagues at the secret service make fun of him, but little do they know that he is their mastermind chief X2—a man who can defeat any enemy and solve all mysteries. Detective Imran is spy-novelist Ibn-e Safi’s greatest creation and the bestselling Imran series are Urdu cult classics, translated into English for the first time.

The House of Fear: Dead bodies have been found in an abandoned house, each bearing three identical dagger marks, exactly five inches apart. Who is behind these eerie murders? Only Imran can solve this mystery. The House of Fear is the first book in the Imran series.

Shootout at the Rocks: Colonel Zargham knows he is in grave danger when he receives a three-inch wooden monkey in the mail. This is no ordinary threat, but a warning from the two-hundred-yearsold Li Yu Ka, one of the world’s deadliest gangs. The monkey will be followed by a wooden snake, and then a wooden rooster, after which the colonel will be swiftly murdered. Only one man stands between Li Yu Ka and his death: genius sleuth, Ali Imran.]]> 195 Ibn-e-Safi 8184000979 Divvy 4 3.65 1955 The House of Fear

author: Ibn-e-Safi
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.65
book published: 1955
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/12
date added: 2022/03/14
shelves: adventure, college-read, fiction, fun, funny, mystery, poc-rep, plot-driven, plot-twist, socio-religious-commentary
review:
Oh boy this book was a wild ride from the start to finish. I think a bit of the charm was lost in the translation because the prose felt a bit juvenile, the sort you find in third drafts maybe? It could've been polished a bit more. It also makes me wish more than ever that I could read Urdu. Nevertheless, Ali Imran, our main guy was so freaking hilarious. He is the funny side character who finally got his own story! And also uses his foolishness and people's constant underestimation to hide a razor-sharp mind. The mysteries are pretty simple. I guessed them in my first read. But what I didn't know is that South Asia had it's own writers churning detective stories set here, with Urdu/Hindi phrases and exclamations and ethnic names. All my life has been spent reading stories set in England towns, so this was a refreshing change of setting that made this book another of my favorites! Overall, if you just want to switch off your brain, read something short and quick and a bit hilariously childish, pick this one up. The prose once again, is a bit too simple, but Ali Imran made it very enjoyable. 4.25 stars!
]]> <![CDATA[This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)]]> 56554281 Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.]]> 512 Tahereh Mafi 0062972464 Divvy 4 Absolutely, as always, I adored Mafi’s writing, the Persian influence and worldbuilding. This seemed like a combination of Cinderella and Aladdin, and the politics of the this world were so very interesting to read. However, I could not help but draw parallels to her previous series. Alizeh and Juliette are once again young girls going through immense suffering but who secretly have long-lost lineages and are born with the purpose of being manipulated for the greater world. Kamran and Aaron are tortured princes/commanders who've fallen in love with the girl after meeting her only twice (how???), subject to the unsavoury decisions their sovereigns make (grandfather and father respectively). In addition, all those mentions of how Alizeh is soooooo not like the other girls and that she possesses wits too along with beauty like... it's 2022 can we please let this trope die? She's royalty, had the privilege of a fine education and the security of a good home and financial position for the first few years of her life. Not everyone is so lucky. And not all people have the same diplomatic, linguistic sort of intelligence that you seem to love Ms. Mafi. The book lacked in a cohesive plot and things started moving only at the last seven chapters. I would've appreciated seeing more friendships instead of romance and angst in the books but since this is the first one I can wait to see how the story unfolds.]]> 3.95 2022 This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)

author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Divvy
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/11
date added: 2022/02/13
shelves: adventure, fantasy, feminism, plot-driven, fiction, poc-rep, plot-twist, retellings, romance
review:
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
Absolutely, as always, I adored Mafi’s writing, the Persian influence and worldbuilding. This seemed like a combination of Cinderella and Aladdin, and the politics of the this world were so very interesting to read. However, I could not help but draw parallels to her previous series. Alizeh and Juliette are once again young girls going through immense suffering but who secretly have long-lost lineages and are born with the purpose of being manipulated for the greater world. Kamran and Aaron are tortured princes/commanders who've fallen in love with the girl after meeting her only twice (how???), subject to the unsavoury decisions their sovereigns make (grandfather and father respectively). In addition, all those mentions of how Alizeh is soooooo not like the other girls and that she possesses wits too along with beauty like... it's 2022 can we please let this trope die? She's royalty, had the privilege of a fine education and the security of a good home and financial position for the first few years of her life. Not everyone is so lucky. And not all people have the same diplomatic, linguistic sort of intelligence that you seem to love Ms. Mafi. The book lacked in a cohesive plot and things started moving only at the last seven chapters. I would've appreciated seeing more friendships instead of romance and angst in the books but since this is the first one I can wait to see how the story unfolds.
]]> <![CDATA[The Creeping Shadow (Lockwood & Co., #4)]]> 23922381 The Hollow Boy, Lucy is a freelance operative, hiring herself out to agencies that value her ever-improving skills. One day she is pleasantly surprised by a visit from Lockwood, who tells her he needs a good Listener for a tough assignment. Penelope Fittes, the leader of the giant Fittes Agency wants them--and only them--to locate and remove the Source for the legendary Brixton Cannibal. They succeed in their very dangerous task, but tensions remain high between Lucy and the other agents. Even the skull in the jar talks to her like a jilted lover. What will it take to reunite the team? Black marketeers, an informant ghost, a Spirit Cape that transports the wearer, and mysteries involving Steve Rotwell and Penelope Fittes just may do the trick. But, in a shocking cliffhanger ending, the team learns that someone has been manipulating them all along. . . .]]> 445 Jonathan Stroud 1484709675 Divvy 5 Oh and despite all his charm and exterior, it's so easy to spot that our dear Locky is head over heels for a certain Ms. Carlyle ;)]]> 4.51 2016 The Creeping Shadow (Lockwood & Co., #4)

The Creeping Shadow (Lockwood & Co., #4)

author: Jonathan Stroud
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/18
date added: 2022/01/19
shelves: new-favourite, plot-twist, urban-fantasy, middle-grade, horror, funny, adventure, children-s-fiction, favorites, fiction, friends-to-lovers, found-family, mystery
review:
THIS WAS SUCH A WILD RIDE FROM THE START TO FINISH!!!!!!!!!!! THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END WRECKED ME EVEN THOUGH I HAD A FEELING THAT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH DEAR OLD PENNY AIDJDKSKDNRK. Also I'm really impressed with the way Stroud handled the girl-girl rivalry between Holly and Lucy, and their slow progression to tolerance and friendship. Very well done for it's time (much better than Rick Riordan and his 'not like other girls' feminism). I loved the little found family thing Lockwood and Co. have formed with Kipps. Loved Lucy's resolve and strength. I cannot believe I missed Skull too!!! He was hilarious in this one, especially when he whined about being separated (and the jokes on British people. I support Skull).
Oh and despite all his charm and exterior, it's so easy to spot that our dear Locky is head over heels for a certain Ms. Carlyle ;)
]]> <![CDATA[The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)]]> 13555073
For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .]]> 440 Jonathan Stroud 0857532014 Divvy 4
To be honest, I loved everything about this book!! I love horror movies, and though I've not read books with supernatural horror elements, the premise had me pumped for this. I mean... children at the center of the story. And not 17/18 year olds. These are kids, child soldiers and agents, essentially at the front line, ghost-hunting like mini Ed and Lorraine Warrens. And boy did this book deliver!!! The beginning was just a bit confusing for me since it began in media res, but it picked up quickly. The writing style was easy and engaging. Lucy is a strong, witty narrator, a great character and I admire her a lot. She just gave me slightly “not like other girls�� vibes, but this was written in 2013, so I guess I can forgive that. George Cubbins was another great highlight. While I did not appreciate the dehumanizing descriptions of the boy (TW: for moderate fatphobia), I quite liked his wittiness and intelligence, his diligence towards research and gathering information. That sort of task is always sidelined, imo. And finally, man of the year: Anthony Lockwood!!! Holy Jeebus, I love this boy so damn much. He is a YA cliché put in middle grade: witty, extroverted, cheeky and charming, extremely calculating and talented. If there was a scheming spectrum, he and Kaz Brekker would lie on the opposite ends of it.

He seldom spoke, and occasionally broke away from what he was doing to stare off into space, like he was following some complicated pattern in his head, trying to see its end.

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)

author: Jonathan Stroud
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/07
date added: 2022/01/07
shelves: middle-grade, mystery, plot-twist, horror, paranormal-fiction, new-favourite
review:
I finished this at 3 am. What is life and what is this coincidence and why am I like this? ;-;

To be honest, I loved everything about this book!! I love horror movies, and though I've not read books with supernatural horror elements, the premise had me pumped for this. I mean... children at the center of the story. And not 17/18 year olds. These are kids, child soldiers and agents, essentially at the front line, ghost-hunting like mini Ed and Lorraine Warrens. And boy did this book deliver!!! The beginning was just a bit confusing for me since it began in media res, but it picked up quickly. The writing style was easy and engaging. Lucy is a strong, witty narrator, a great character and I admire her a lot. She just gave me slightly “not like other girls�� vibes, but this was written in 2013, so I guess I can forgive that. George Cubbins was another great highlight. While I did not appreciate the dehumanizing descriptions of the boy (TW: for moderate fatphobia), I quite liked his wittiness and intelligence, his diligence towards research and gathering information. That sort of task is always sidelined, imo. And finally, man of the year: Anthony Lockwood!!! Holy Jeebus, I love this boy so damn much. He is a YA cliché put in middle grade: witty, extroverted, cheeky and charming, extremely calculating and talented. If there was a scheming spectrum, he and Kaz Brekker would lie on the opposite ends of it.

He seldom spoke, and occasionally broke away from what he was doing to stare off into space, like he was following some complicated pattern in his head, trying to see its end.

That's literally scheming face!! Same minds, different presentation of ideas.
Other than that, I loved the plot twists. The horror factor was great, and it did help (or did not?) That I read this at night lmao. Highly recommended for people who just want to shut off their minds want to just enjoy a good horror story without unnecessary angst, love triangles or drama. Just kids being chaotic. A haunted house to explore and a night where I lay awake regretting my life choices
]]> <![CDATA[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4)]]> 16328
The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackmail and death that taxes Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells�� before he reaches one of the most startling conclusions of his career.

Librarian's note: the first fifteen novels in the Hercule Poirot series are 1) The Mysterious Affair at Styles, 1920; 2) The Murder on the Links, 1923; 3) The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, 1926; 4) The Big Four, 1927; 5) The Mystery of the Blue Train, 1928; 6) Peril at End House, 1932; 7) Lord Edgware Dies, 1933; 8) Murder on the Orient Express, 1934; 9) Three Act Tragedy, 1935; 10) Death in the Clouds, 1935; 11) The A.B.C. Murders, 1936; 12) Murder in Mesopotamia, 1936; 13) Cards on the Table, 1936; 14) Dumb Witness, 1937; and 15) Death on the Nile, 1937. These are just the novels; Poirot also appears in this period in a play, Black Coffee, 1930, and two collections of short stories, Poirot Investigates, 1924, and Murder in the Mews, 1937. Each novel, play and short story has its own entry on ŷ��.]]> 288 Agatha Christie 1579126278 Divvy 5 4.26 1926 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4)

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4)

author: Agatha Christie
name: Divvy
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1926
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/12/14
shelves: mystery, favorites, college-read, plot-twist
review:

]]>