Review: DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas

Title: DANGEROUS GIRLS
Author: Abigail Haas (aka, Abby McDonald)
Published: July 16th, 2013
Genre: YA thriller / mystery
Pages: 388
POV: 1st person present
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Kindle eBook
Source: Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Paradise quickly gets gruesome in this thrilling page-turner with a plot that’s ripped from the headlines and a twist that defies the imagination.

It’s Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives.

But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend’s killer, she discovers harsh revelations about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.

Awaiting the judge’s decree, it becomes clear to Anna that everyone around her thinks she is not only guilty, but also dangerous. And when the whole story comes out, reality is more shocking than anyone ever imagined...

You know how people slow down when driving past an accident, because they are so incapable of not taking a quick glance at the wreckage before them? Reading Dangerous Girls left me with that vibe, where everything is slowly unraveling into chaos, you don't know why you can't look away, you just know you have to see it unfold. Every moment flipping through Dangerous Girls is a thoroughly intriguing one, and the reveal in the end is undeniably a shocker.

Anyone who has ever been in a poisonous friendship will read Dangerous Girls and wait uncomfortably as the story unfolds. On the surface, Anna and Elise are great for each other. They have fun, understand one another, and together, they are simply unstoppable and wild. But underneath, their friendship is a bit less friendly than it should be. And, after Elise is found dead, Anna becomes the number one suspect. Her other friends, and even strangers, are quick to turn on her as Anna attempts to figure out who killed her best friend, and why. As the mystery of Dangerous Girls unfolds through alternating chapters, Haas makes every moment a thrilling ride.

Highlights: Anna is a very accessible protagonist, and it's easy enough to feel sorry for her as she faces such a difficult situation. While I'm usually not a fan of past / present POV chapter switches, it worked in this novel because it allowed a complete view of who Anna and Elise are/were and how this mess came to be. The writing flows nicely, keeping me hooked for hours and hours. Someone spoiled the big twist for me online, but even despite that, Haas still kept me curious, intrigued, and addicted from start to finish. 

Lowlights: It ended? 

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf: Loved, 4+ out of 5. Despite the fact that I knew the twist ending before going into this novel, I still found Dangerous Girls to be captivating from start to finish. I almost let this story pass me by, and I'm incredibly glad that I decided to check it out. This novel was exactly the thriller / mystery I needed to read, and I loved every second of it. 

Mini-Review: THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen

Image from PenguinTeen

Title: This Lullaby
Author: Sarah Dessen
Published: 2012 (reissue)
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
POV: 1st person
Pages: 345
Publisher: Speak
Format: Paperback
Source: Publicist (for review)
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf.

She's got it all figured out.

Or does she? When it comes to relationships, Remy's got a whole set of rules.

Never get too serious. Never let him break your heart. And never, ever date a musician.

But then Remy meets Dexter, and the rules don't seem to apply anymore.

Could it be that she's starting to understand what all those love songs are about?

Remy Starr is used to watching relationships fail - her mother, novelist Barbara Starr, is on marriage number five, while Remy is an expert in knowing when to break things off in her own love life. But when a clumsy musician named Dexter bursts into her well-ordered life, Remy finds that her usual rules in romance don't apply, and she might need to give up the rules she clings to if she wants a real shot at love. If you're looking for a sweet summer romance, a slightly complicated family, and a novel with awesome BFF's, This Lullaby is the story for you. 

Highlights: Easily one of Dessen's better novels¹, This Lullaby is a delightful mixture of sweet and serious. Remy is one of Dessen's more mature and slightly pessimistic protagonists, with her cynical view on love and messy history. She's blunt, in your face, and isn't afraid to say whatever is on her mind, whether or not you want to hear it². The love interest, Dexter, is an endearing sort of awkward, quirky, and sweet. Dessen takes care to flesh out each side character out with their own distinct personalities, and manages to create quite a few wonderful characters. While the romance is fun to read, the friendships and familial bonds are equally intriguing and well written. 

Lowlights: Hate Spinnerbait³.

Allusions: Scarlett Thomas from Someone Like You makes an appearance. And any Dessen fan will recognize many of the locations as well, since they are featured in Dessen's other books.

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf: Loved, 5 out of 5. A story with fresh, believable characters and a unique protagonist, This Lullaby is more than just your typical love story.  

Saint Anything | The Moon and More | What Happened to Goodbye

Along for the Ride | Lock & Key | That Summer

Just Listen | The Truth About Forever | Dreamland

 Keeping the Moon | Someone Like You

1 The Truth About Forever and Along for the Ride are still my top favorites, but this one comes close.
2 Naturally, she rocks. It's nice to read a Dessen book with a protagonist who is full of attitude. Very different from her other heroines!
3 Sorry. I had to put it somewhere.

Review: THE WINNER'S CRIME by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Crime
Author: Marie Rutkoski (@marierutkoski)
Published: March 3rd, 2015
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2
Genre: YA fantasy
POV: 3rd person, dual
Pages: 416
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux BYR
Format: Print ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Separated by one fateful decision in The Winner's Curse, Kestrel and Arin find themselves on different sides. Kestrel is playing a dangerous game of words, actions, and politics, trying to keep the Emperor pleased while secretly doing anything she can to help the people of Herran. Arin, meanwhile, is thrust into an unwanted position of power, and he'll have to go to great lengths to earn a true freedom for Herran. Family, honor, love, and sacrifice, The Winner's Crime is an outstanding sequel. 

Secrets, lies, deceit, and danger linger in every corner of Kestrel and Arin's lives. Rutkoski builds the emotions of the story, starting with a simple, slow flow until everything comes crashing down with intensity. She makes you care for these characters, and every page will leave you with the desire to keep reading on. Well-paced, and thoroughly captivating, Rutkoski raises the stakes with The Winner's Crime, and refuses to give her characters (and readers) a moment to rest. Exciting, shocking, and simply incredible, this trilogy needs to be on your to-read list. 

Highlights: Rutkoski develops the world of this trilogy further, revealing fascinatingly unique locations and expanding on myth and history of each one. But even better, Kestrel and Arin begin to take more action - whether or it's daring risks or playing a dangerous game of politics, every move matters. Side characters are equally fascinating, especially the conniving (and frightening) Emperor. Family and relationships still play a strong role in the story. And, as always, Rutkoski's writing is stunning and evocative, bringing each character, location, and emotion to life in the most vivid way possible. 

Lowlights: I miss the romance. There are a couple moments between Arin and Kestrel, but these two are unable to be together in this story. I hated the lack of communication between them, because it was frustrating to read. AND THAT ENDING. It's going to be a long wait for the final book. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. Loved, 4+ out of 5. A compelling and emotional sequel, The Winner's Crime will leave you heartbroken, shocked, and so very eager for the final installment.