Book Review: Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin

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Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin follows Maggie and her older brother when their father and stepmother leave on a long-delayed honeymoon, trusting the siblings to care for their four-year-old half sister, Courtenay. When Courtenay fails to come home from daycare one Monday afternoon, Maggie and her brother are thrust into a frightening mystery. With no adults around to help, they must piece together what happened and find a way to alert their parents before it’s too late. This standalone novel for readers ages eight to twelve was one I completely missed as a kid, but as an adult and a longtime fan of Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club  series, I couldn’t resist picking it up. The first chapter or two felt a bit choppy to me at first, but once the story found its footing, everything began to come together nicely . Because this is a short children’s book, the characters aren’t deeply developed, which is to be expected. That said, Martin does an excellent job conveying Maggie’...
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Book Review: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

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If you're like me and love Friday the 13th, you'll want to read a book that oozes of creepiness. One such book that does just that is Ruth Ware's The Turn of the Key. It had me on edge the entire time, and if I didn't have to work in the morning, I would've stayed up all night to finish this novel; it was that good.

The Turn of the Key had me guessing the entire time, and I never had an inkling of who the killer was. Ruth Ware did her job well because she lead me astray the entire time, and I bought into it hook, line, and sinker. On top of that, there were a couple of twists towards the end of the book that left me completely speechless because I didn't see those coming either! What can I say, I must be off my deduction game.

When I finished this book on Wednesday night, all I could think was, "Wow . . . wow . . . wow!" As I said before, I was speechless, but it also left me feeling a bit uneasy, and I was jumping at the least little noise. It's been a while since a book left me feeling that way, and Ruth Ware definitely is becoming a better author with every book she produces. For me, The Turn of the Key ranks right up there with her The Woman in Cabin 10 as one of my favorite books by this author.

As I write this book review, I'm still in a bit of awe of this novel because I can see pieces of it really happening in real life. I think that's why I found it so chilling and why it would be a perfect read for Friday the 13th. I gave The Turn of the Key five out of five stars.

Synopsis of The Turn of the Key:  Rowan Caine wasn't looking for a new job; she just happened to stumble across an ad online that sounded like the dream job for a nanny and knew she just had to have the job. Thrilled when she landed the position, Rowan had no idea that it would turn into a living nightmare when one of the children dies while she is on the job and ends up in prison accused of the murdering the child.

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