The introductions for these posts are getting harder every month. You know the deal by now, I don’t need to explain it again. I do love this series though!

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

I am such a huge fan of mysteries set in boarding schools. It’s weirdly one of my favourite genres even though I haven’t read many. 

This has been on my to be read for quite some time and I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but I really love the synopsis so I’m definitely keeping it. I did plan to get the audiobook, but apparently, the narrator has a monotone voice, no hate I don’t even know who it is, so I’m not chancing that. I’ll just wait for it to pop up on a Kindle sale or potentially go to the library. Which I definitely need to do more.

Verdict: keep

Synopsis: Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder. 

In Other Lands (In Other Lands #1) Sarah Rees Brennan

I added this to my to be read because I was on a real hunt for mermaid books. However, I’m now slightly (not really) over that phase and I have no interest in actually reading this. Bit savage, sorry. 

Verdict: remove

Synopsis: “What’s your name?”

“Serene.”

“Serena?” Elliot asked.

“Serene,” said Serene. “My full name is Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle.”

Elliot’s mouth fell open. “That is badass.”

The Borderlands aren’t like anywhere else. Don’t try to smuggle a phone or any other piece of technology over the wall that marks the Border—unless you enjoy a fireworks display in your backpack. (Ballpoint pens are okay.) There are elves, harpies, and—best of all as far as Elliot is concerned—mermaids.

Elliot? Who’s Elliot? Elliot is thirteen years old. He’s smart and just a tiny bit obnoxious. Sometimes more than a tiny bit. When his class goes on a field trip and he can see a wall that no one else can see, he is given the chance to go to school in the Borderlands.

It turns out that on the other side of the wall, classes involve a lot more weaponry and fitness training and fewer mermaids than he expected. On the other hand, there’s Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle, an elven warrior who is more beautiful than anyone Elliot has ever seen, and then there’s her human friend Luke: sunny, blond, and annoyingly likeable. There are lots of interesting books. There’s even the chance Elliot might be able to change the world.

Don’t Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross

This is going to sound completely shallow but I’m going to keep this book purely for it’s title and cover. It is seriously stunning. Plus, it’s a retelling and I’m always on the lookout for more. 

Verdict: keep

Synopsis: A forest, besieged. A queen, unyielding. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black will devour this deliciously dark Eastern European–inspired YA fantasy debut.

When the Golden Dragon descended on the forest of Kamiena, a horde of monsters followed in its wake.

Ren, the forest’s young queen, is slowly losing her battle against them. Until she rescues Lukasz—the last survivor of a heroic regiment of dragon slayers—and they strike a deal. She will help him find his brother, who vanished into her forest… if Lukasz promises to slay the Dragon.

But promises are all too easily broken.

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