In the Hall With a Knife by Diana Peterfreund (Clue Mystery book 1)

“The game is on. No one is safe.”

“When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, an elite prep school nestled in the woods of Maine, a motley crew of students—including Beth “Peacock” Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry—are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it’s very clear his death was no accident. With this group of students who are all hiding something, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Fans of the CLUE board game and cult classic film will delight in Diana Peterfreund’s modern reimagining of the brand, its characters, and the dark, magnificent old mansion with secrets hidden within its walls.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I was intrigued to start this new series based on the Clue board game. I played the game as a child but I don’t really remember much of the movie. I really liked the premise of the book but I had trouble keeping my mind on the story with the continued switching viewpoints between all of the characters. I thought that I had the murderer pegged but that story thread turned out to be the cliffhanger setting up the second book.

Visit Diana Peterfreund’s website.

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

"If fate sent you an e-mail, would you answer?"

It all started with a mistyped e-mail address and a message about a pig. Soon Ellie O’Neill finds herself in an online relationship with G. both seventeen, Ellie lives in the tiny, seaside town of Henley, Maine and G lives in California. Never revealing their names to one another, Ellie learns that the pig’s name is Wilbur and G is the son of teachers and a fan of Charlotte’s Web. Quickly, Ellie finds she is staying up late to chat and looks forward to G’s e-mail correspondence.

Ellie loves sleepy little Henley during the off season but feels claustrophobic when the tourists arrive beginning Memorial Day. She and her best friend Quinn work at the ice cream shop, Sprinkles. On her way to work one morning, Ellie is dismayed to see that the town has been taken over by a movie set and teen heartthrob, Graham Larkin. Just before Ellie’s shift ends, Quinn has a mishap with a chocolate milkshake. Ellie offers Quinn her monogrammed work shirt even though it is too long. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Ellie notices Graham Larkin walking her way, trying to be inconspicuous. As he passes her by, he looks up at Ellie and she is memorized by his eyes. She also realizes that he looks sad and wonders why a famous movie star would be so sad. Ellie catches Quinn’s eye as Graham, enters the ice cream shop as the paparazzi descends. Quinn smiles as Ellie walks away.

Graham Larkin is sad. His life has changed drastically since he was discovered during a high school drama production in which he was trying to impress a girl. Alienated from his parents and friends, the life of a Hollywood star isn’t for him. A loner and somewhat of a homebody, Graham lives with his pig, Wilbur. When he accidentally sends an e-mail to a seventeen-year-old girl in Maine, Graham sees the opportunity as a clean slate. He can be himself, not the perceived public image. Graham believes that E likes him for his true self and he is determined to meet her.

When the location for his next film falls through, Graham pushed for Henley, Maine. Keeping his true intentions a secret, he arrives to the set a few days early to look for the faceless girl that has captured his heart. Making his way to the ice creams hop, he passes a “willowy girl with long red hair.” They make eye contact and Graham realizes that the town of Henley might not be thrilled that he is there. Too late to change his plans, Graham prepares to enter the shop. Relieved to see a stunning girl behind the counter, he is too busy noticing the name embroidered on her shirt, Ellie O’Neill. She eagerly asks him what he wants to order. He is struck by her excited demeanor. Ordering rainbow sherbet because it is both of their favorite, he is dismayed that she makes no comment. Quinn makes small talk with a flirty attitude and Graham asks her for a restaurant recommendation. He then asks her to join him. She agrees and Graham doesn’t realize that he isn’t talking to Ellie.

On their date that night, Graham quickly discovers that he asked out the wrong girl. Hearing his story, Quinn is okay with the situation but wonders why Ellie never told her. She lets Graham know that he probably passed Ellie on the sidewalk. Graham realizes Ellie was the red head he made eye contact with outside of Sprinkles. Quinn tells him to go after Ellie. She is probably at home. Quinn says she will make the waiter (who has a crush on her) eat with her but Graham can pay for it.

Graham makes it to Ellie’s house at nightfall. He sees her on the front porch in a swing. Knowing she only sees him as a shadow, Graham is struck by the sight of her. Ellie thinks that Quinn has stopped by to tell her about her date. She is shocked to find Graham Larkin standing on her front porch. Ellie thinks the situation is a joke when he tells her that he is looking for her. Ellie is confused and wonders why it sounds like Graham is stalking her. Ellie is floored when Graham refers to her dog by its name when he barks. Then he tells her that he wasn’t very creative in naming his pig Wilbur. Ellie realizes that Graham Larkin has been her nameless pen pal.

Feeling embarrassed, Ellie is angry that Graham never revealed who he really was. He apologizes and tells her in no way is she stupid. She got to know him. Thinking about it, Ellie realizes that she did get to know the real Graham Larkin, not the one portrayed in the tabloids. Her mother interrupts and is shocked by who is standing on the front porch. Graham introduces himself to her mother. He then tells them he is really glad someone told him about Henley and leaves. Ellie suddenly realizes that she is too.

Can two people from such different backgrounds find a way to get together? Will the secrets Ellie and her mother have worked so hard to keep buried be unearthed? Can Quinn forgive Ellie for keeping her online relationship a secret? And will this be the best or worse summer of Graham and Ellie’s lives?

Visit Jennifer E. Smith’s website. 

Requiem by Lauren Oliver (Delirium book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first two books in the series, Delirium and Pnademonium, Stop! I don't want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

"They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past. But we are still here. And there are more of us every day."

In escaping the confines of Portland, Lena Haloway risked everything only to lose Alex and love in the end. Adjusting to her new life in the Wilds, she makes a new existence for herself. In becoming a part of the rebellion, she learned that maybe she could find love again. When the two people she loved most in the world turn out to be alive after she believed them to be dead, Lena’s world is rocked to its very core. Now in the heart of the resistance movement, Lena and her friends find themselves in the fight for their very lives while her heart struggles between two different boys.

Since Lena’s abrupt departure from Portland, Hana Tate has been cured of the deliria and received her procedural scar. She has been paired with Fred Hargrave, the mayor’s son. With the resistance infiltrating Portland, Mayor Hargrave is assassinated and Fred becomes his successor. Fred and Hana’s wedding is pushed up but Hana begins to have doubts. Guilt over Lena begins to consume her when she discovers what has happened to the family she left behind. As secrets about Fred’s first wife start to surface, Hana begins to question what her future life with him may entail.

What happens to Lena with her involvement in the resistance movement? Will she be able to work things out with Alex or will her involvement with Julian prevail? Can Hana make a worthwhile life with Fred or will she begin to see that Lena may have made the right choice? Will Lena ever see her mother again? And what happens when Lena and Hana’s paths cross again?

Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana’s points of view. Readers will find out what is going on in the Wilds and in Portland in the war over amor deliria nervosa. Secrets are uncovered and questions answered in this thrilling conclusion to the Delirium trilogy.

Visit Lauren Oliver’s website.



Delirium by Laure Oliver

“They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.”

In the future, the United States has closed off its borders. Love has been declared a disease and the root of all evil. Amor deliria nervosa is the “deadliest of all deadly things.” Boys and girls are under strict segregation policies most of the time until the cure can be safely administered. “The cured, incapable of strong desire, are thus rid of both remembered and future pain.” One cannot be cured until they reach their eighteenth birthday. Until then, one must be extra diligent not to succumb to the disease.

For Lena, her eighteenth birthday cannot come soon enough. An orphan since the age of six, Lena has lived with her aunt and uncle since her mother’s refusal to receive the cure for a fourth time and subsequent suicide. Lena walks a fine line in life, stay out of trouble, receive the cure and live her life. With her graduation looming on the horizon, Lena and her best friend Hana go to the labs for their Evaluations. Evaluation Day is the exciting rite of passage that prepares you for a future of happiness, stability and partnership.” Lena’s Aunt Carol has prepped her for years in saying the right things to get a good score and a better future. Lena’s nerves get the best of her during the Evaluation and her hopes for a good score are dashed until a disruptive demonstrative takes place in Lena’s Evaluation room. It seems the Invalids who live in the Wilds turn loose a trailer of cows in the lab facility to make a point. In the chaos, Lena notices a young boy grinning at her from the observation deck. All Evaluations are nullified and Lena breathes a sigh of relief.

Lena and Hana are distance runners. One day Hana decides they should look around the labs and see how the cows got in. Soon they run into a young guard named Alex and Lena realizes he is the same boy from the observation deck of her failed Evaluation. He claims not to know what she is talking about but Lena soon realizes he does. Alex does give Lena a cryptic message to meet him at the beach later that night but once she gets there, he is a no show. Later on Lena goes to Hana’s house and hears her listening to illegal music. Hana begs her to come to an unapproved party but straight-laced Lena refuses to go. Hana tells her she won’t end up like her mother, Lena’s greatest fear. After bed, Lena begins to question her decision and sneaks out to the party.

After finding Hana at the party, Lena soon realizes her mistake and turns to go home. On her way back to her bike, she encounters Alex once again. Lena questions him again about his appearance during her Evaluation, but is shocked when he asks why she didn’t meet him at the beach. Alex then tells Lena that he has noticed her for months on her runs and she just hasn’t noticed him. Soon they are dancing. Alex asks if Lena will meet him the next day and she agrees.

Soon Lena realizes that she is catching amor deliria nervosa or falling in love with Alex. She begins to question everything she knows. Is the cure all that the government leads its citizens to believe or is the joy and heartbreak of love and pain worth the risk? Only Lena can decide where her path will lead her.

Lena’s story will be continued in Pandemonium in 2012 and Requiem in 2013.

Lauren Oliver's descriptions are vivid and her writing make this a worthwhile read even if you are not interested in the subject matter. For those who are, one will throughly enjoy this cross between Matched by Ally Condie and Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series.

Visit Lauren Oliver's website.