Mini Reviews: Stars and Smoke, This Book Kills

Hi friends! ☀️ I’ll admit it: I haven’t had my usual blogging frenzy in the past months and I’ve been feeling terribly uninspired. That being said, I still wanted to talk about some of my recent reads with you, so… here goes with some mini reviews of two YA mystery/thrillers!

I’d love to know your thoughts on that quick reviewing format, so please let me know in comments if you like it!

There are no spoilers in these reviews.

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Review: Stars and Smoke, Marie Lu

Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke, #1) by Marie Lu
Published by Roaring Brook Press on March 28, 2023
Genres: mystery, thriller, young adult
Format: ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Buy on Amazon, Bookshop, Blackwell's
Goodreads

The Hating Game meets Mission: Impossible in Stars and Smoke, a smoldering new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu about a superstar tapped to become a secret agent and the reluctant young spy assigned to be his partner.

Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena. . .

Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.

Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she's forced to admit there's more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea's unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

violence, blood depiction, lung condition, death of a mother (in the past), death of a father, gun violence.

It’s been a while since I read a Marie Lu book and… I’m sad to admit it, because I always have a fantastic time with them. Stars and Smoke was no exception. I had so much fun reading this, from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the characters and both of their POV, was so intrigued by the whole mystery and entertained by this wild ride of a book, as a whole.

This has some of my favorite elements as well: badass characters (with one a bit lost but certainly handsome celebrity & one badass secret agent with secrets), a mystery, LONDON setting, a fast-paced, breath-taking and exciting adventure and hints of romance sparkling in there. I was hooked. I definitely recommend it to any Marie Lu fan, as well as to any fan of fast-paced mystery & thriller YA books.

FINAL RATING : 4 stars!

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Review: This Books Kills, Ravena Guron

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron
Published by Usborne Publishing on January 5, 2023
Genres: mystery, thriller, young adult
Format: eBook
Buy on Amazon, Blackwell's
Goodreads

There's a murderer on the loose in an elite boarding school... But who is going to be next? This Book Kills is the deadliest YA thriller of 2023, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus.
"I'll make it clear from the start: I did not kill Hugh Henry Van Boren.
I didn't even help. Well, not intentionally."
When Hugh Henry Van Boren, one of the most popular and richest kids in Jess Choudhary's school, is found dead, the student body is left reeling and wondering who the murderer could be... Jess, a student under strict instructions to keep her record clean or risk losing her scholarship, finds herself at the centre of the investigation when it's revealed that Hugh died in the exact same way as a character in a short story she wrote.
And then Jess receives an anonymous text thanking her for the inspiration.
With time running out, Jess knows if she doesn't solve this mystery she'll finally have something in common with Hugh Henry.
She'll be dead too.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

death, murder, car accident (in the past), racism.

The concept of This Book Kills is what caught my attention first. A teenager, writing a murder story and inspiring an actual murder? That sounds chilling.

There are so many things that I enjoyed about this book: the elite, boarding school setting, the secret society, the super realistic main character, the slow-building female friendship and hints of romance. The murder mystery as a whole was captivating. I was intrigued from page one, wondering who’d done it and the book kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. There are twists and turns and big reveals, turning out completely differently than you expect them to. I’ll admit that by the end, I had my suspicions, but it didn’t take away any of my enjoyment.

Overall, I recommend This Book Kills if you’re looking for a fun, entertaining YA mystery.

FINAL RATING : 4 stars!

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Did you read Stars and Smoke and/or This Book Kills? Do you want to?

Do you have any similar recommendations for me? I’ve been loving good YA mysteries/thrillers lately! Let me know in comments!

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