Book Review: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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Anxious People by Fredrik Backman  opens with the people at an apartment viewing being taken hostage after a bank robber fails at trying to rob a bank.  I was extremely excited to read Anxious People and got the ebook on sale. However, I never got around to reading the book   until one of my book clubs decided to discuss it for the month of June. I am saddened to say that I was extremely disappointed in the story as it wasn't what I was expecting. First and foremost, I found the book to be too long and thought it could have easily been shortened without it affecting the story. Additionally, I struggled with finishing it because it was painfully slow and boring. I found myself wondering if the author was ever going to get to the big reveal. It seriously felt like required reading for school, and if I wasn't reading Anxious People for book club, I wouldn't have finished the book. There was so much hype about this novel, and I'm not quite sure why. It just wasn't for m...
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Book Review: Stage Fright by Wendy Parris

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Stage Fright by Wendy Parris is a locked room mystery for middle grade readers. It opens with twelve year old Avery returning to her old neighborhood for two weeks to visit her friends only to realize they've changed and grown up. To prove that she's grown up too, Avery suggests holding a séance at their deserted theater that has a reputation of being haunted. It starts out as all fun and games . . . until they get trapped in the building and realize they're not alone.

NetGalley, thank you for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Stage Fright by Wendy Parris.  I was intrigued by the cover and synopsis and was delighted to be approved to read this story.  I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

This book brought back a lot of memories from my childhood about how my friends and I would ride our bikes, play in the woods, and play kickball and tag.  It also made me think about all the Point Horror books I read in middle school and how much I loved them.  I can definitely say that this story ranks high with me, and kids who like suspense and horror should enjoy reading it. (And, if you know of a reluctant reader who likes to be "scared", this is a book that should be recommended.)

Wendy Parris is spot on with her descriptions of how kids act at 11-14 years of age. It surprised me to be honest but in a good way! And, honestly, the parents reactions at the end were pretty spot on as well. The writing was exceptional and made me want to keep reading throughout the night without stopping. The only thing that could have made it better was if there was a thunderstorm outside while I was reading Stage Fright. This author is such a fantastic story teller.

Even though I am an adult and not the target audience, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would read more books by the author. I will definitely be suggesting this book to teachers and parents so they can see if this is something their kids might like. I only have positive things to say about Stage Fright by Wendy Parris and give it five out of five stars.


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