Evelyn

The following is a collection of book reviews by four teens (identified here by their initials) who read Holly Jackson’s novel, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. All four teens rated the book 5/5 stars. What makes it so good? Should you read it, too? Read on!

Grammar and spelling in some reviews have been edited for clarity.

Summary (provided by the publisher):

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

Use 5 words to describe this material.

OM: Truth, justice, friendship, reputation, mystery

GF: Mystery, suspenseful, confusing, thought-provoking, and compelling

KA: Mysterious, action-filled, suspenseful, perseverance, and thrilling

MH: Captivating, thrilling, entertaining, suspenseful, shocking

Why did you read/view this material?

OM: It is a New York Times bestseller and friends were recommending it.

GF: I read this book because my friend recommended it to me and it looked like a very interesting book.

KA: I read this book because of how it was getting amazing reviews and also because of how I wanted to read the whole series.

MH: I read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder because it was popular and I am interested in the genre of murder mysteries.

What was your favorite part and why?

OM: The surprise twist at the end. This story kept you at the edge of your seat.

GF: My favorite part of the book is when you find out who is behind the whole scene. The buildup in this book is amazing, and I was questioning who actually did it the whole time. The book surprises you with that answer!

KA: My favorite part was when Pip found out who was the true murderer. It was the person I least expected.

MH: My favorite part is the part that must never be spoiled ahead of time, this is the part where everything falls together and Pippa figures everything out. This is my favorite part because it’s so satisfying to see all the clues put together, the ending is so unexpected. It is an ending worthy of Agatha Christie.

What is one thing that you would change about this material? Why?

OM: The beginning is a little confusing, as it switches from first person, to journal entries, to interview transcripts. I had to spend more time than I usually would figuring out what was important to focus on before could I really process the point of the story.

GF: One thing that I would change about this book is giving the outside characters that are still relevant to the book more of a story. In this book, everyone is viewed as a suspect for Pip to investigate, but in reality, every character is different and has their strengths and weaknesses.

KA: Something I would change about this book is how it has pictures. I prefer when books do not have pictures.

If you could ask the author/creator one question about this material, what would it be and why?

OM: I would ask the author how she got the idea because the book states that it is completely fiction. It is such a well thought out and creative story, I would love to know where she gets her inspiration.

GF: If I could meet Holly Jackson and ask her one question about A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, I would ask her what gave her the idea to write this book. It has very big plot twists and the storyline is complex, so I would ask her how she came up with this.

KA: Something that I would ask Holly Jackson is what inspired her to write a book about this topic. Was it based on a true story/something that really happened?

MH: If I could ask Ms. Jackson one question about A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, it would be this, how did you come up with your ending? The ending was truly very unexpected and surprising, I would like to know how Ms. Jackson came up with such a unique ending.

Who do you think would like this material and why?

OM: Anyone that enjoys mysteries or realistic fiction would enjoy this book.

GF: I think that teenagers would like this book. This is because it has great characters that most people can relate to, and it has big plot twists that older kids would enjoy.

KA: I think people who like crime/murder related books would like this.

MH: I think anyone thirteen years old or older would enjoy this book, even adults, the plot develops very quickly, yet it is not at all predictable. It is a thrilling and exciting read for anyone, not just true crime geeks.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. Reviewed by SS ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Serpent & Dove is a fantasy romance novel following Louise Le Blanc and Reid Diggory. A few years ago, Louise ran away from her witch coven and tried to survive in Cesarine by forsaking magic and stealing. In Cesarine, witches are hunted, feared, and burned. On the other hand, Reid Diggory is Chausser, sworn to the Church to protect the people from witches. He’s only ever lived by the principle “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”. When a chase gone wrong forces Louise and Reid to become tied together in marriage, the situation becomes much more dangerous. The war between the Church and witches has an ancient past, but when the pair’s feelings for each other grow, Louise realizes she must make a choice. And love might change everything.

I’ve been searching for a good romance novel in a fantasy setting. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot of realistic fiction romance, which is excellent, but sometimes the books just get a bit too real, which isn’t great. Hence the great search for a well-thought-out fantasy romance novel. When I read Serpent & Dove, I really loved it. I liked how the romance wasn’t immediate but rather a transition from hatred to tolerance to supporters and finally to lovers. It made the romance a lot more profound and more connected. I loved Louise’s character – the opposite of a “demure woman” – who Reid has always been surrounded by. She cusses like an old sailor, which I find quite funny, and Reid’s reactions to her actions are often quite comical. The only negative I have for this story is the beginning. The beginning was kind of abrupt, I had no context for what was happening, or why. However, once Reid and Louise got married, the story got into the swing of things. It’s also important to note that while this book is part of a trilogy, please stop reading after the Serpent & Dove. As many other readers have claimed, the other two books make you lose connections with the characters, and there is a lot of talking and no action. So while this book is truly unique, be aware that the next two will not live up to expectations. On that note, I think I would give this story four stars.

Powerless by Lauren Roberts. Reviewed by MP ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Powerless” by Lauren Roberts is the perfect romantic fantasy. Powerless follows Paedyn, a girl without powers, and Kai, a boy who hunts the powerless. Paedyn has to take part in a dangerous competition held at the castle. Kai is the prince. A romance starts to bloom. Expect enemies to lovers, pretty ball gowns, knife to the throat, dual points of view, and witty bantering!

Plot: While the plot is pretty simple and similar to the Hunger Games, it still manages to engage readers.

Characters: This book is primarily character-driven. Where the plot could be seen as bland, the characters make up for it. Being in Kai’s head was amazing. He’s amazing. I loved it. Paedyn was excellent, too. Dual point of view can be hit or miss, but I loved the use of it in this book. These characters are both grumpy and pretty morally grey. I love that combo. They both can be ruthless, but deep down, they are softies. Their romance is so sweet and extremely slow burn. It’s also full of tension as Kai kills people like Paedyn. They have many cute moments, such as a rock paper scissors game! Both characters are deep and compelling. They are not simply one-dimensional. Due to the first-person point of view, you get to understand their personality and get to know them well.

World-building: It’s quite simple, actually—think superheroes. The world is not one bit confusing (at least for me). If you’re new to fantasy, this book would be a great choice because it won’t overwhelm you. The world-building was minimal and simple.

Writing: The writing was gorgeous. I loved the pretty words, the metaphors, and the dialogue. Its poetic while being easy to understand. This book is highly quotable because of its beautiful sentences. The author is extremely talented.

Whether new to fantasy or not, this book is fresh and fun. You’ll adore the characters, root for them, and be at the edge of your seat for our girl, Paedyn. I know I was kicking my feet, smiling, and swooning. I read it twice because that’s how great it is!