bookreviews – Page 54 – Sincerely Karen Jo

Hickville Redemption

(Hickville High #3)

Mary Karlik

4.5 – Fantastic Teen Mystery

Published by GPK Publication July 16, 2017

Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance

Pages: Kindle 256

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A 30 year old mystery…
A 15 year old sleuth.

Freshman Mackenzie Quinn wants nothing to do with the mysterious death of Cassidy Jones. But when her crush, Braden McGuire, declares he’s determined to uncover the truth, she is drawn into the cold case. The problem is her dad is the number one suspect. Things look pretty hopeless until her best friend, Travis Barns, loans her the secret diary of Cassidy Jones. His only stipulation is that she not share it with anybody else. But when her jealous boyfriend finds and exposes the diary, secrets come to life that could ruin MacKenzie’s whole family.

Can she find a way to clear her father’s name and atone for her own mistakes before it’s too late?

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I do. Hickville Redemption by Mary Karlik is a fun and exciting read. I haven’t read the others in the series and I don’t think you have to in order to read this one. Actually, I think this book is absolutely fantastic as a standalone. I swooned, I laughed, I cried… Those pretty much seals the deal for me.

The story started out a bit slow, but once I got into it, I honestly could not stop reading. There’s plenty of intrigue, drama, mystery and excitement. I love Karlick’s writing style. It’s simple and easy to read, but definitely not lackluster. I could easily picture myself as a character in the story piecing together clues to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of Cassidy Jones. And I loved it. I thought the mystery part was really interesting – not mind bending holy cow that was super awesome, but pretty darn good. I enjoyed the drama too. It felt realistic and reminded me so much of my high school days.

I immediately fell in love Kenzie. Teenage me and probably a little of the adult me can relate to her in so many ways. She’s an introvert and takes a while to warm up to people. She feels uncomfortable in group settings so she doesn’t talk much – yup totally teenage me and at times adult me too. She prefers to observe and listen rather than participate – yup that is so me. I definitely felt for her and could sympathize with her whenever she was thrown into situations she didn’t want to be in. BUT, even though she’s shy, she doesn’t let that stop her from doing the things she loves. She also doesn’t think that her quiet personality is something that needs to be fixed or that she’s a puzzle that needs to be solved – I loved that about her.

Travis is kind and sweet and absolutely adorable. He’s caring and considerate. I love how protective he is of Kenzie, but still gives her space… he’s just an overall good guy. But I have to mention that while I was reading, he frustrated me a little. Not in the bad way though. In Tagalog there’s a word “gigil” and that’s exactly how I felt. I guess it’s like – oh he’s so cute and I totally understand his reasons for doing or not doing something… heck that’s also the reason why he’s so lovable and really I respect him I do, but at the same time I want to pinch him and push him to act differently then maybe this would happen and that won’t happen and…

And that got me really thinking… I love drama in books. When it makes sense and flows well with the story, then by all means give me! Travis and Kenzie together equals awesome friendship, amazing chemistry, swoony kisses, and crazy drama! I also really LOVED the parts when Kenzie would read Cassidy’s diary. It was heartbreaking, but that definitely made the story more intriguing. The only part that really irks me is the ending… it felt rushed. There was all this build-up so I was expecting something drastic at the end, but it just finished in a not so exciting way.

Overall, I really enjoyed Hickville Redemption and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun YA mystery with an intriguing storyline, relatable characters, realistic drama, and sweet romance.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author and Xpresso Book Tours via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Follow / Connect with Mary Karlik: Website/ Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

Thanks for reading lovelies!

Sincerely Karen Jo

The Crowns of Croswald

(The Croswald Series #1)

5★ – Magical and Mesmerizing

Published by Stories Untold Press July 21, 2017

Genre(s): Fantasy, Middle-Grade, Adventure

Pages: Kindle Edition 320

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

D.E. Night’s debut novel, The Crowns of Croswald, is a beautifully written fantasy story full of exciting adventure, magical creatures, and engaging characters. While some parts felt familiar and reminiscent of Harry Potter, I thought the author does wonderfully at creating a world that is different and a story that is unique in its own magnificent way.

The description of the world in this book is just amazing – breathtakingly rich and so detailed that I felt like I was in Croswald myself. I don’t want to give you more than that because you need to experience it for yourself… But even if I did, I just don’t think there are enough words to describe how beautiful the world is… Just know that Croswald is whimsical, fascinating and undeniably one of the most magical places I’ve ever been to.

Night’s writing is gorgeous and captivating. She creates just enough intrigue and mystery to pull you in until you’re completely drawn to the story and the characters. I was absolutely entertained and mesmerized that I didn’t even realize when I was almost done with the book. The plot is fast-paced, thrilling and filled with fun surprises and hilarious mishaps that kept me turning the pages. I love the characters in this book. They’re quirky, witty and full of spunk. I adore Ivy with all my heart and can’t wait to find out more about her and her friends. While this book is written for the middle-age group, I definitely think anyone who loves adventure and magic would enjoy it. I most certainly did!

Full of charming creatures, magical potions, secret doors, enchanted objects, delicious pies, badass characters, and a crazy evil villain, Night without a doubt has crafted one marvelous adventure for readers of all ages. Her writing is impressive and moving. The world building is exquisite and enchanting. The story is creative, intriguing and comes to life so effortlessly. The Crowns of Croswald is such a fun delightful debut novel. I cannot wait to continue Ivy’s adventure and be part of this world again.

If you’re looking for a fantastic exciting new series, then I absolutely recommend you pick this up ASAP. I’m positive you’ll enjoy this book and gobble it up like a delicious blueberry pie.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author and publisher in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks for reading and hope you have a magical day!

Sincerely Karen Jo