Review: Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

Broken Things by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This was released today October 2nd.

I really enjoyed this. I really loved the premise, and it kept me turning the pages until I was done. It blends fantasy, magical realism, thriller, mystery, and reality together in such a great way.

The story follows Brynn and Mia, two estranged best friends who were accused of murdering their other best friend Summer five years ago. They were all obsessed with a fantasy novel, and the lines between reality and fantasy became very blurred when they started writing their own fan-fic about their favorite book. Summer was the ringleader of their trio, and her murder was a scene out of their book. Brynn and Mia as well as their friend Owen were charged and acquitted of the murder, but they were always treated as monsters.

Now after five years on the anniversary of Summer's death, Mia and Brynn find themselves reunited with Owen and back in the pages of the story that ended in her death. They set out to finally solve the murder and find justice for Summer and themselves. As they go through the original book and the sequel they started, they begin to uncover clues that Summer left behind about the demons she was dealing with. This forces the girls to deal with their own current and past demons.

As I said I loved this. I do feel that the character development was lacking just a bit. I really liked the main characters, the side characters were great I just wanted a little more about them. I really enjoyed the snippets of Lovelorn, but I still have no idea what the book was truly about. I think I missed the memo somewhere. Overall, an awesome YA thriller/mystery and I highly recommend it!

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September Wrap Up

September got off to a rough start.  I've been kind of in a reading slump.  I've been really busy with work, back to school, and fall activities, so I haven't had much time to read.  When I finally get time to read I'm either too tired or just not focused.  Nothing I've read lately really gripped me.  I'm starting to get behind on reviews so that just stresses me out more and I don't want to read because then it feels like work and it's just not fun.  I started this blog because I love reading and I actaully enjoy reviewing books.  When it starts to feel like work, I just don't want to do it.  I think I'm coming out of it as we have started to get into a groove with fall sports and I've read some stuff I actually like.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller
• Review
•  I really loved Mask of Shadows but Ruin of Stars fell short for me.  There wasn't enough action and it was just too slow.  It wasn't terrible it just wasn't as good as the first one.
• Rule by Ellen Goodlett
• Review
• I really enjoyed this YA Fantasy.  It came out this month.  It was a pretty quick read and while it wasn't the most complex, I liked it and am looking forward to the next one. 
• The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
• Review
• I've had this for a while now and its about time to get to it.  This came out on September 18th.  This was so unique and I really enjoyed it.  It takes place over the course of 8 days as our main character relives the same day in a different person to solve a murder.  He has to take what he learns each day before the murder happens to solve the crime.  It kept me on my toes.  I recommend it if you like mysteries and groundhog day types of books.
• Broken Things  by Lauren Oliver
• Review
• I've read a bunch of Lauren Oliver's other books and I really like her thriller/mysteries.  This one is no different. I loved every minute of this book.  This comes out October 2nd.  
• Scattered Plume by J.M. Miller
• Review
• I loved the first book in this series, Fallen Flame.  It was really well done and I loved the mythology aspect of it, the 2nd book is no different.  This took me a while to get into because I had to remember what was going on, but once I got into the story I really enjoyed it.  This was released on September 27th.

Audiobooks

I think I had a pretty good audio month.  A few of these were pretty long, and most of them were really good.

• Strange Weather by Joe Hill
• I didn't really care for this one.  I liked 2 of the stories and didn't like the other 2.  For a short story collection I think that's not unreasonable.  I read this for a Popsugar Reading Challenge Prompt for a book I saw a stranger reading.  I have a couple more Joe Hill books on my TBR.  
• Before The Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray
• I love this series.  I found a couple parts of this problematic, but it wasn't enough to deter me from the series.  I'm impatiently waiting for the next book.  I also love January Lavoy as a narrator, she is by far one of the most talentend audiobook narrators I have ever had the pleasure of listening to!
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• I love mythology and you don't often hear the story of Circe retold.  You always here the hero's tales told over and over again.  I really enjoyed this.  I read several negative reviews about this being long and boring and I think reading this in book format would have been a bit of a task but I recommend it on audio.
• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
• This is excellent.  It lives up to all of the hype.  The story is so unique.  I love all of the mythology and the magic.  I love the characters.  My only complaint was the unnecessary romance between Zelie and Inan.  Bahni Turpin is a wonderful narrator, she does an amazing job with this.
• Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake
• I really enjoy this series, and the audio books are great.  I didn't love the ending of this installment, but overall the book was great.  It was dark, full of plotting, and you still have no idea what's going to happen with the sisters in the end.  I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

September TBR

Well the kids are back in school, and fall activities have started back up with a vengeance.  That means everyday after work I have to be somewhere and there is little time for reading after feeding the hungry hoard.  Thank goodness for audiobooks.  Between commuting and the chaos of life I would never get to read, so I listen.  Now if only I had time to post all of the reviews I meant to write.  I'm still feeling like I'm in a bit of a reading slump, I've got a ton of books I want to read but I can't stay focused.  I read for 5 minutes then I go do something else.  I'm still reading everyday so I'll break out of it eventually.  It isn't the book either they are all good so far, I think I'm getting run down by life and I took on too many ARCs in August.  Here's to September being a little better.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller
• This is out already and I'm way overdue with my review.  I'm hoping to finish this over the holiday weekend and get my review up.  So far its action packed and picks up with Sal still wanting to exact revenge on those who wronged her and her country in the past.  
• Rule by Ellen Goodlett
• This comes out on September 11th.  This is supposed to be a Three Dark Crowns meets Pretty Little Liars.  Now I know nothing about PLL but I liked Three Dark Crowns so I thought I'd give it a go.  
• Lies by TM Logan
• I already started this and its a perfect family thriller.  I haven't gotten very far but its good.  This comes out on September 11th.
• The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
• I've had this for a while now and its about time to get to it.  This comes out on September 18th.  I believe it is out in other countries though and I've seen good reviews.  It promises a murder mystery and a kind of weird groundhog day plot line.  Sounds really interesting.
• Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
• This comes out in October, and is another YA thriller/horror novel.  The plot reminded me of my beloved R.L. Stine books that I adored in elementary school.  I couldn't get enough of them.  This sounds perfect for fall.  
• Broken Things  by Lauren Oliver
• I've read a bunch of Lauren Oliver's other books and I really like her thriller/mysteries.  I'm really looking forward to getting to this especially as we get into the fall.  This come out in October as well.

Audiobooks

I've got a ton of stuff on hold at the library so I'm not even going to mention them.  I never know what's going to happen audio-wise and most of them are repeat mentions from the past.  I do have 2 currently checked out so I will mention those.  Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake comes out on the 4th, and I'm looking forward to continuing The Three Dark Crowns Series on audio.

• Strange Weather by Joe Hill
• I haven't read anything by Joe Hill.  I love Stephen King so I'm anxious to see how his son's books compare.  I'm reading this for a challenge prompt as a book I saw a stranger reading.  There is always a gentleman sitting outside of my office building reading every morning before I got into work and he was reading this one day.  I just started it and it's interesting so far.
• Before The Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray
• I'm loving The Diviners series.  I love the historical aspect of the series and the paranormal happenings.  I really love the characters and the audio books are so gripping.  I already have this checked out and as soon as I finish Strange Weather I'm starting this.