Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
I have two very different books to talk about today. One was very lighthearted and fun, and the other was a murder mystery, both were pretty good. As always, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the copies!
Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction- Gabrielle Moss: Raise your hand if you spent your tween/teen years binge reading everything from Babysitters Club to Sweet Valley High. If so, then this book is for you. This is a hilarious look back at all the paperback teen series of the 80s and 90s. Broken down into seven affectionate yet snarky chapters, Moss covers everything from friendships to love to the stalker story-line craze of the 70s and 80s. This is the perfect mix of nostalgia, humor and history. Moss does a really great job of delving into the history of this widely loved genre, and even dug up a few books I totally forgot about (Hey, The Face on the Milk Carton, I forgot how paranoid you made me as a youngin'). There were even comments and interviews with some of the major authors who brought these series to life. It is such a well-researched walk down memory lane, it's funny and informative and didn't take itself too seriously. I'd definitely recommend picking this up if you were a fan/grew up on these types of books.
The Stranger Diaries- Elly Griffiths: Clare Cassidy is an English teacher specializing in the Gothic murder story, The Stranger by RM Holland. Clare's work and personal life collide after one of her friends and co-workers is found dead with a quote from the story on her body. As a way to stay calm during this difficult time, Clare spends most of her days writing in her journal. Then one day she notices some writing in her diary that isn't hers. I thought this was a really nice suspenseful mystery story. It's told though three different point of views: Clare, her daughter Georgia, and the investigating police detective DS Kaur. Each POV flows together well and doesn't feel clunky or disjointed. I also really liked how after a few of the chapters, there were excerpts from The Stranger, and it always seemed to line up with what was happening at that moment. The inclusion of the full short story at the end was a nice touch, as well. I had my suspicions throughout as to who I thought the murderer was, and the end reveal threw me for a loop-- it was so unexpected and I appreciated that. Plus, I was also a big fan of all the Harry Potter references littered about. If you're looking for a mystery/thriller, definitely look for this one when it comes out.
I have two very different books to talk about today. One was very lighthearted and fun, and the other was a murder mystery, both were pretty good. As always, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the copies!
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Pub Date: 10-30-18 by Quirk Books Non-Fiction - Pop Culture - Humor |
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Pub Date: 3-5-19 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Adult - Mystery - Thriller |
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