reading_under_covers's reviews
1557 reviews

Well.

This made me sad.

"If enough people start telling you you're a witch, then sooner or later you're going to start believing it."

It's the summer of 1989 when new child psychologist Mina has her life upended. While attending a bereavement group to mourn the loss of her late brother, Mina meets a journalist names Sam. He tells her about a girl named Alice who's believed by everyone in her remote village to be haunted by a witch. Mina and Sam both see Alice as a way to move forward in their careers, so they journey to Banathel to determine what's truly haunting this girl.

SOMETHING IN THE WALLS by Daisy Pearce is a haunting gothic horror that really studies adolescence and "misbehavior" in an intriguing way. 

I could feel the pressing heat of the unnaturally hot summer, which seemed to hit a boiling point as the hysteria of the townspeople continued to increase, and the stench and gruesomeness of the killing room floor lingered on Alice's father when he graced the pages.

This story is dark and heavy from beginning to end, but Mina and Sam both brought a light to the story. 

The ending didn't fully work for me in terms of the arc of the story and I was left with quite a few questions, but this was a solid book regardless!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - out February 25!

"Protocol 202, Maya - it means there's been a murder."

Former reality star Maya Miller has just married into the extremely wealthy Sterling family. Her and her new husband Colin are on their way back from their honeymoon when they learn the Sterling heiress was just murdered. They immediately divert their course to London to meet up at the family estate where they'll be under constant watch until the murderer is apprehended.

A GIRL LIKE US is a debut mystery from Anna Sophia McLoughlin and oozes wealth and chaos.

This book is very much a slow (sometimes trudging) burn. As a reader, we get to learn the pasts and secrets of Maya and the Sterling family as they're all brought together under tense circumstances.

The ending goes crazy and redeemed the overall story for me a bit.

However, I think for the most part, this story was missing a lot of answers and raised even more questions that came from a rushed conclusion.

A fine debut, but one that I think will only really work for certain readers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review - out February 11!

"A lot can happen in ten hours when you're being haunted."

Middle-schoolers Josie, Alison, and Jackson want nothing more than to get the lead spots on their school newspaper, so on Halloween night, they head out to the famously haunted cemetery Bachelor's Grove in the hopes of finding a ghost. Instead, they're chased out by a security guard and followed by a ghost who has given them three days to figure out who they are or meet the same fate as them 👀

IT'S WATCHING by Lindsay Currie was a truly spooky middle grade novel (I do not mess with ghosts haha 👻)

With important lessons on friendship, grief, preserving graveyards, and I don't know, maybe twelve-year-olds not being left alone with a crazy spirit over a long weekend *cough cough* this story really packs it all in.

Also, so wild to see kids Ubering all over the place - catch me popping onto my scooter and telling those ghosts to skedaddle!! ✌️🛴💨

Definitely a fun read for those younger and older in your life!

Thanks to Delacorte Press for the early copy for review - out February 4!

10/10 no notes!!

I love a "twin out for revenge" story and the elite boarding school setting added an extra fun element to it! This book was angry, sad, and confused, making it a great read for YA thriller fans.

Thanks to the publisher for the early copy in exchange for an honest review - out February 18!

"My heart thumps hard in my chest, adrenaline and fear coursing through me. A killer, here at Meadowbrook Academy. The idea is impossible."

It's only the first week of their senior year at their fancy boarding high school when Sarah and Ryan are found murdered in Sarah's bed. Suspicion immediately turns to Amy, Sarah's roommate, so when school reporter Liz has the chance to get close to Amy, she'll do anything she can to get the story and hopefully solve the case.

I've read all of Jessica Goodman's books, with THE MEADOWBROOK MURDERS being the latest. All of her books are YA and most feature an academic setting, which I really enjoy!

THE MEADOWBROOK MURDERS had all the intrigue AND an elite boarding school in New England, which should have made this a new favorite for me, but it, unfortunately, fell flat.

The pacing was extremely slow and the lack of depth to the characters didn't help in moving the story along.

While the mystery is what kept me reading, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed by the end.

Will this be the last Goodman novel I pick up???? Only time will tell 😬

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: February 4