Book Review: The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

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The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger was published on March 5, 2024 and falls into the mystery and thriller genres. I was thrilled when I learned that I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) from NetGalley for free in exchange for my honest review. However, I wasn't able to read and review the novel until now. This novel is reminiscent of the television show 666 Park Avenue and is definitely what I call a slow burn.   With that being said, it had twists and turns that had me guessing to the very end. Although the book is told from Rosie Lowan's perspective, there are some flashbacks to a previous owner that adds some mystery to the storyline. The transitions between the two perspectives are done exceptionally well. There are a mix of characters that are likable and unlikable. My favorite characters were Rosie and Max. Unfortunately, I didn't quite trust Rosie's husband Chad or the doorman named Abi. Lisa Unger has become one of my favorite authors, and I wish I had star
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Book Review: Ramona the Pest (Ramona Quimby, #2) by Beverly Cleary

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Ramona Quimby #2
Reading Ramona the Pest (Ramona Quimby, #2) by Beverly Cleary as an adult for the first time ever was a delight. How did I never read this book as a child? Maybe if this had been recommended to me by a teacher or librarian, I would have enjoyed reading in elementary school a lot earlier than I did.

Beverly Cleary did an amazing job of capturing how a five year old acts in kindergarten. I felt like I was back in school again. When I was in kindergarten, there was a morning class and an afternoon class. Unlike the book, we didn't have nap time because there wasn't enough time with such a short day. I enjoyed that the kids were in charge of certain things in the classroom like passing out the art supplies because that sort of thing was a huge deal when I was a kid.

I loved the fact that Ramona misunderstood a few things that her teacher said because kids of that age often misinterpret what is said by adults by no fault of their own, and they often do things that they think are no big deal but in actuality is a big deal like Ramona pulling Susan's hair, even though it was mostly innocent on her part. The one thing that bothered me in the book was that Susan was a tattle tale but never got in trouble by Miss Binney. The tattle tales rarely get in trouble in real life in my experience, so I guess Beverly Cleary was spot on with this, but why does this happen? 

The way the kids in the book teased each other and blew things out of proportion was spot on too. An example of this was when the other kids teased Ramona about being a kindergarten dropout. The teasing happens all too often in real life. How did Beverly Cleary capture kids so well in Ramona the Pest? This was a wonderfully written story for kids that adults can enjoy reading with their kids. I give this book five out of five stars.

Synopsis of Ramona the Pest (Ramona Quimby, #2):  Ramona Quimby is finally old enough to go to school, and she is super excited about starting kindergarten. The precocious five year never means to be a pest, but it just happens. What adventures does Ramona have in her first year of school?


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