Book Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

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The Escape Game  by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss  opens on the set of a reality television show called "The Escape Room" where one of the season four contestants, Alicia Angelos, is found in a coffin on set ... dead. Fast forward to season five where Sierra Angelos, the murder victim's younger sister and suspected killer, has been brought back to the show and paired up with Beck, Adi, and Carter. Sierra wants to find justice for her sister, but when Sierra and her teammates start uncovering clues about the true killer, they must figure out how to survive the game. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for approving my request and providing me with a digital copy of The Escape Game  for free in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately drawn to the title and cover of the young adult novel. Throw in the plot being about an escape room, and I was completely sold on the story before even reading it. The story is told from the perspective of fou...
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Book Review: Ted Kennedy The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein

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Biography Book Review of Ted Kennedy The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein
Growing up, I frequently saw Ted Kennedy on the news, and I knew that many people, even Democrats, had strong, negative opinions about him. I often heard people mutter something about Chappaquiddick, but no one ever really explained what had happened. Surprisingly, the event was never covered in my history or current events classes either.

For years, I meant to learn more about Ted Kennedy’s life and legacy. So when Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein was published by Crown Publishers in 2009, I decided to buy it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Klein made Kennedy’s story far more engaging than I expected.

One of my biggest criticisms of Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died is its short length. At just 226 pages of actual content, the book attempts to cover the entire life of one of the most prominent members of the Kennedy family. The remaining pages consist largely of references and acknowledgments. For someone with such a long and influential political career, the book felt a bit too brief and deserved a deeper, more comprehensive exploration.

Another drawback is that Klein focuses heavily on Ted Kennedy’s darker moments, sometimes at the expense of the many positive contributions he made throughout his career. While I understand the importance of addressing controversy, I felt that some of Kennedy’s legislative achievements and public service were glossed over. That said, Klein did clearly address the Chappaquiddick incident, which was one of the main reasons I picked up the book in the first place.

Overall, Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died is a well-organized and readable biography that provides a solid overview of Ted Kennedy’s life. It’s written in an accessible style that even novice readers will appreciate. While it may not be the definitive Ted Kennedy biography, it’s an engaging introduction to the man behind the headlines and earns a respectable 3 out of 5 stars for its clarity, organization, and readability, despite its lack of depth and heavy focus on controversy.

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