Ashleigh's Bookshelf

Clio at War Peggy Gardner During WWII, Clio's mother decides she needs to visit the front lines as a war correspondent. Since that is no life for an eleven-year-old girl, Clio is deposited in rural Oklahoma with her great-aunts, the two women who raised her mother. After learning about the mysterious disappearances of several young women over the past few decades, Clio is determined to figure out the mystery. This book contained many era-appropriate cultural references that went over my head, making the story difficult to follow. As a result, it took me a while to really get into the story. I also had some trouble determining who was supposed to be the target audience for this book. While the main character is eleven and the writing style is appropriate for upper middle grade or lower young adult, there were more adult themes (inappropriate touching and hints of adult relationships) that would have me believe this was for older teens. As I continued to rea...

Of Wicked Blood Olivia Wildenstein and Katie Hayoz Slate has lived a difficult life, shuffled from one horrible foster home to another, earning a living as a con man an thief. When someone offers him a full scholarship in Brume if he claims his inheritance, he doesn't see the harm in swindling one more person. Until he puts on a ring that won't come off, setting off a series of tasks that will result in his death if he or his crew fails. Cadence has spent her entire life in Brume and knows all the stories, but she's never been sure whether magic is real. Until a mysterious boy shows up with the ring he stole from her mother's grave. If she doesn't help him, magic will be lost forever. Is she willing to take that risk? Let me start by saying that I really did like this book and am looking forward to the next one. However, it was incredibly difficult to read. It took a long time to get to the heart of the story. While the descriptions are ex...

A History of Murder Brook Peterson When Chloe Martin was sixteen, she left Jericho Falls with the intention of never returning. But, thirteen years later, she returns only to find she was hailed under false pretenses. Before she could turn back around and return to Idaho, a dead body appears in Grandma's flower garden and Grandma is the prime suspect. That may have something to do with an incident from Chloe's last visit. Can Chloe help clear her grandmother's name? Or are some scars too deep for this small mining town? Let me begin this review by saying that it is NOT a good idea to start this book at midnight. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. Before the body was even found, I wanted to know why the main character was avoiding Jericho Falls. By the time the murder investigation began, I had given up on sleep. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very well-developed and I could really relate to them, even some of the cr...

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price Sixteen-year-old Lizzie Bennet has one aspiration in life - to become a barrister. However, achieving this feat in nineteenth century London is not an easy task. Determined to prove herself to her father, as well as to clear the name of a man falsely accused of murder, Lizzie begins her own investigation into the case. It has been quite a while since I have read Jane Austin, but I get the feeling this book is written much in the same style. It is heavy on the narration and descriptions, along with continually pointing out issues with societal norms. While it took a while to get into the story, I did find it interesting. I enjoyed watching Lizzie grow, although I did find it a little frustrating that she was constantly explaining what she was doing wrong with her own investigation. Information occasionally felt repeated and overanalyzed. However, I found myself curious enough about the mystery to continue reading and was sa...