Book Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi

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Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi  was published on March 11, 2025 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam. It opens with Claire finding out that her fiancé, Noah, isn't working where he said he was and is now ghosting her. Claire must find out why. Book Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi for free in exchange for my honest review. I was absolutely thrilled when my request for a copy was approved because the synopsis was so good. From the beginning, I absolutely loved the main character of Claire and her work friend named Sukhi. Throughout the novel, we learn about Claire's past and how terrible her mother was towards her. I kept hoping that somehow we would learn who Claire's father was and would eventually connect with him. It's really no wonder Claire had no self confidence as an ad...
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Book Review: The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman

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NetGalley ARC Book Review of The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman
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 other character I found to be likable was the soccer coach. The author does a fantastic job of showing the reader the cliquiness and meanness that can be found in high school along with the assumptions students tend to make without all the facts.

From the beginning, I was kind of expecting the story to be told by an unreliable narrator to some degree, and I couldn't have been more wrong in the two people I suspected to be the murderer. The author did provide clues as to who the culprit ended up being, but I ignored those clues!

The descriptions of the school and town were so well done, I could picture both in my mind. It was like I was watching a movie in my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman and would love a sequel. In my humble opinion, any tween, teen, or adult would enjoy this book. Five out of five stars.

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