Sometimes I read a book and all I can really express afterward are generic feelings- I liked it, I loved it, it was meh- without really knowing WHY.

Sometimes I read a book and I have ALL the opinions. Last week's NOW I RISE was one of those where I couldn't pinpoint exactly how I felt. This week, I have a mix of both.

POISON PRINCESS by Kresley Cole. The whole premise was kinda weird, like there was a lot going on (apocalypse! visions! powers! demons!) and I wasn't sure where it was going. The will-they-won't-they between the two MCs was fun at first and then got a bit exhausting after awhile. But I was into the whole thing. Fast-paced and interesting, I'll pick up the next book in the series for sure.

ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen McManus. This book was SO WELL DONE. The characters were all interesting and well-fleshed out, the pacing was spot on, and I loved loved loved how the reader gradually learns different secrets about each character and how you're never really sure who did it. For a mystery this was the tops. I immediately handed it to my oldest daughter when I was done and said, READ IT!

NORA & KETTLE by Lauren Nicolle Taylor. The premise of this was intriguing. BUT. It wasn't until 60-some percent that Nora & Kettle actually meet. So basically half this book was backstory. Plus, there was a ton of purple prose. Beautiful, but too much for my personal taste. I still gave it four stars because there was a lot I liked about the book, but I doubt I'll pick up another by this author.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by Karen Joy Fowler. I've already seen this movie, and the book was pretty close. But I found myself not really liking any of these characters much on the page. There was very little plot throughout. Most of it is learning about the different backstories of the characters and that's about it. Prudie, especially, had no character arc to her story. Most didn't. So, a bit of a disappointment. I'll stick to the movie from now on.

LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds. WOW. Wow wow wow. I read this in an afternoon. It's a novel-in-verse and I thought I wouldn't like that format, but I couldn't put it down. And I couldn't stop thinking about it when I was finished. Just so well done, I loved it.