jsreadingcorner's reviews
200 reviews

Icebreaker

Hannah Grace

DID NOT FINISH: 1%

Wasn't entertaining

The Deal

Elle Kennedy

3.25

funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I can understand why people love this. I had a hard time putting it down, it was addictive. However I'm not a huge fan of "open door" scenes. So I did not find enjoyment in a bit of the book.I also wish however in all the recommendations of this book I received someone had mentioned any kind of trigger warnings.

Content Warnings

This Woven Kingdom

Tahereh Mafi

DID NOT FINISH: 10%

This was hard to get into. I felt like the story was engaging me and I stopped progressing.

The Oracle of Utah Politics

Morgan Lyon Cotti

DID NOT FINISH: 28%

Only needed to read this far for school. Book was okay not very engaging.

Keep Your Friends Close

Cynthia Murphy

5.0

adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you so much to Random House Children's Books and Cynthia Murphy for this ARC!

Return to Morton in Cynthia Muprhy’s newest thriller, Keep Your Friends Close. This book had me gagged by the end of it. Murphy certainly lives up to her title, CEO of Plot Twists. If you were a fan of Win Lose Kill Die, you’ll love this book. We reenter Morton Academy following Chloe Roberts right after she has been awarded Deputy Head Girl of Jewel and Bone. You know the secret society that is not all that secret, as Chloe comes to find out. And this lack of secrecy leads to only one thing: someone picking off the girls of Jewel and Bone one by one. Murphy’s writing pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re the one physically there, trying to uncover all the secrets of Morton Academy.

I enjoyed the variety of characters that were present in this story. Everyone had something to hide and a reason to want to get ahead at Morton. That made the story all the more intriguing. The introduction of the “Book of Crime and Punishment” added even more suspense and mystery to the book. I was unable to put the book down and was constantly writing down different theories just as Chloe did. The writing is difficult to digest, and it’s a great young adult thriller.

Overall, this book was 5/5 stars. Can’t wait to read more of Cynthia Murphy’s books!

By Invitation Only

Alexandra Brown Chang

3.25

challenging fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Alexandra Brown Chang for the opportunity to read this ARC! By Invitation Only is a fusion of fashion, teenage angst, and The Debutantes duology by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It's perfect for fans of fashion and debutante balls. This book is full of authentic teenage dialogue, especially for the year 2025, from TikTok references to Erewhon drinks. Whilst I did love these references at times, the dialogue for characters such as Chapin and Piper felt deeper than their characters read. However, this is a great debut, and if you're looking for a YA book that features a love letter to fashion while also highlighting a teenage Cinderella story, this is the book for you.