The Running Bibliophile

I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew is a young adult book that is told from the perspective of two different characters. It opens with Thomas Walsh taking a job as an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter for a mute girl named Vivienne who hasn't spoken since a family vacation gone wrong. Vivi must be accompanied at all times and isn't allowed out after dark. She has decided to take matters into her own hands and have a medically questionable surgery to fix her issue. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew for free in exchange for my honest review. This is a book that I wished for, and my wish was granted. To say I was excited is an understatement. The character development for both Thomas and Vivienne was exceptionally good, especially for a YA book. We learn their backstory continuously throughout the storyline, so the development is slow. As for the writing, it was well written...

The Garden by Nick Newman opens with two elderly sisters living alone in their secluded and isolated family home and maintaining their self sufficient farm, beehives, and garden. When a young boy appears at their house without explanation, the sisters look for an explanation on how he got there and the reason why. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Garden by Nick Newman. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, I was extremely excited to read this book, but I struggled with even finishing the story because it was slow paced and boring. It seemed pointless, and I expected more of a mystery or more suspense.  Don't get me wrong, it was well written, but it just didn't appeal to me. It reminded me of Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alan, which I disliked immensely. As for the main two characters, Lily and Evelyn, both characters had good and bad qualities, but I found mys...

The Classified Catnapping (Mystery at the Biltmore, #2)  by Colleen Nelson  is the second book in a a children's book series about a girl named Elodie who has her own detective agency called the LaRue Detective Agency. In this latest edition, a movie is being filmed at the Biltmore in New York City, and the lead actor, a cat named Bijou, is missing. Can Elodie find the missing cat before it's too late? I'd like to thank NetGalley and Pajama Press for approving my request to read The Classified Catnapping (Mystery at the Biltmore, #2)  and providing me an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC). I received a copy of this children's book for free in exchange for my honest review. Oh my goodness! I absolutely fell in love with this book. It's super cute and perfect for children between the ages of five years old and eight years old who enjoy whodunits. Surprisingly, the characters are very well developed for a book targeted to younger children, which isn't something you typica...

I Am The Cage by Allison Sweet Grant  opens with nineteen year old Elisabeth working and living in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. It's quiet and isolated and a place she can be anonymous. However, when the town has a massive snowstorm that shuts the entire town down, Elisabeth allows herself to seek out and accept help from the sheriff named Noah. When she starts to open up to Noah, Elisabeth realizes that she can't hide from her childhood trauma. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of I Am The Cage  by Allison Sweet Grant. The synopsis was intriguing, so I was thrilled to be approved to read an early copy of this young adult novel. This story was told from the perspective of the main character of Elisabeth, and it was told from the present day and flashbacks to the characters childhood of the pain she endured from a medical treatment. The alternating storylines were done exceptionally well, a...

Ghostly Getaway (Diary of an Accidental Witch, #6)  by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill is a children's book published on February 11, 2025. It opens with Bea and her fellow classmates on a school trip to Cadabra Castle where there are lots of activities that require teamwork. During the night, they hear lots of strange noises. Ghosts don't exist, right? A big thank you to NetGalley and Tiger Tales for approving my request for a copy. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for my honest review. The story is told in format of a diary of a sixth grade student who just happens to be a witch. This latest edition can be read as a stand alone book and is super cute. It's very similar to The Worst Witch  series by Jill Murphy. Despite not being the target audience, I enjoyed the story and was engaged with it from the beginning. Parts of it reminded me of when I was a kid and went to Girl Scout camp as well as Rock Eagle. It's definitely a book that...

The Meadowbrook Murders  by Jessica Goodman  is a young adult novel published on February 4, 2025. The story opens with the character Amy discovering the bodies of her classmates, Sarah and Ryan, who are undoubtedly deceased. Told from alternating perspectives of Amy and Liz, both students are trying to find out who and why someone would want to murder two students at a prestigious boarding school. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for free in exchange for my honest review. When the story first began, I thought it was taking place at a college or university before I realized it took place at a boarding school. Other than that slight confusion, this suspenseful mystery captured my attention from the very beginning and had me on the edge of my seat. Both of the main characters were vastly different from one another but were likable in their own way. Unfortunately, other than Amy and Liz, the only o...