Book Review: X Marks The Haunt by Lindsay Currie

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X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie is a chilling middle grade horror novel that begins with Will Stone conducting genealogy research at Graceland Cemetery, where his mother works. When an old crypt key goes missing, it unleashes a sinister force within the cemetery, draining the lake and slowly sucking the life from the surrounding trees. As the eerie presence grows stronger, Will and his friends must rely on his unique knowledge and investigative skills to uncover the truth and put a stop to the dangerous energy wreaking havoc before it consumes everything in its path. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Delacorte Press for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie. All I knew about the novel before I read it was that it was a children's horror book, and I loved the cover! I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review. First and foremost, the story was exceptionally a...
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Book Review: Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum, #20) by Janet Evanovich

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book review of takedown twenty stephanie plum 20 janet evanovich

When Trenton's beloved mobster Salvatore "Uncle Sunny" Sunucchi goes underground after murdering a guy, Stephanie Plum is tasked with bringing him in for his court date. However, no one is willing to turn him in, especially not the Morelli family because Sunny is Joe Morelli's godfather. To top things of, Ranger has given Stephanie an assignment of his own . . . find the murderer of a client's bingo loving mother.

Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum, #20) by Janet Evanovich was not one of my favorites. I'm not sure if it's because I've binge reading the series or not, but the book was a bit of a let down. With that being said, it did give me an escape from reality and held my attention well enough.

One of the featured characters was a giraffe named Kevin that roamed the streets of Trenton, New Jersey. I found this to be a bit far fetched, especially when the reason why was given because it made it even more far fetched. Lula was also featured more heavily than she was in the last book, and this particular character is becoming annoying because it seems like her character development has stalled and is almost a caricature of herself. And, once again, Stephanie gets the "eye" from Joe's grandmother Bella and has multiple mishaps with cars. This is getting to be a bit old.

For one brief moment, I thought Stephanie was actually going to make a final choice between Joe and Ranger, but it didn't happen because she was interrupted by Joe's family. However, I did enjoy that we got a better glimpse into his family, which was refreshing. I am seriously hoping that Stephanie and Joe end up together as a married couple sooner rather than later.

I gave Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum, #20) by Janet Evanovich three out of five stars. Because this series gives me an escape from reality, I will continue to read on to find out what happens.

 

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