Book Review: How to Hang a Witch

I have always had a love for everything Salem and witches. So, when I heard about "How to Hang a Witch" by Adriana Mather I couldn't wait to read it. Especially when I found out that Mather is related to Cotton Mather, a key member of the Salem Witch Trials.

The main protagonist, Samantha Mather, also related to Cotton Mather, and her stepmother move to Salem after her father ends up in the hospital. Her arrival in Salem means that all of the descendants of the Salem witch trials are together and brings about bad luck, pain, and even death. Sam is instantly an outcast and her only friends are the boy next door and a ghost. As the stakes get higher, Sam is determined to change the future by searching the past and with the help of her ghost friend, she discovers the truth about what happened during the witch trials.

"How to Hang a Witch" mixed the past with the present effortlessly while inserting the supernatural elements organically. Sam was relatable and so were her feelings about everything that was happening around her. I felt like her actions and reactions made sense. Mather truly locked in on what it feels like to be an outcast as a teenager. She also captured the beauty and creepiness of Salem and the witch trials.

I recommend "How to Hang a Witch" to anyone who loves stories about witches and Salem, but also to those who love reading about teenage angst and outcasts.

Book Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager is a smart take on the "final girl" trope that runs rampant in the horror/thriller genre and flips it on its head. Instead of witnessing the making of a final girl, we meet Quincey after she has "moved on" from the whole ordeal. She has become a baking blogger who refuses to do interviews, loathes the click-bait title of "final girl," and has a penchant for popping Xanax with grape soda. Everything was going fine until she discovers that another "final girl" has killed herself... 

To find out what happens you're going to have to read the book yourself, and I definitely recommend it. Riley Sager took a trope which can so easily turn into a cliche and either steered away from it or embraced it with smart commentary. The flashbacks were relevant and full with as much action as the present day scenes. The dialog is smart, consistent, and each character has their own distinct voice. Overall, Final Girls, is a well-written thriller that will become an endearing classic. If you love campy horror movies and smart thrillers, Final Girls is the book for you!

Book Review: Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

I know this week's blog was supposed to be about find a job that you love and that actually allows you to use your degree, but this week has been long and tiring and I would love to put more effort into that post.

So, instead I am going to review a book.

I am not a Me Before You reader, at least not normally. I prefer my stories full of teen angst and supernatural tendencies, but my sister recommend that I read this because I said that I needed a good cry. 

The story was well written. I absolutely loved Lou and felt myself falling for Will with each turn of the page. I honestly didn't think that a story about a women who took a job caring for a quadriplegic and fell in love with him would be any good. I mean, it sounded like a giant cliche and I was afraid that it might be insensitive to those who were really wheelchair-bound, but it wasn't. It was actually quite magical.

I had heard rumors about how heartbreaking this book could be but after getting almost a third of the way through I still wasn't feeling the heartbreak. I knew it was coming. The build up was extremely well-crafted. It broke me. I sobbed. I bawled. I felt everything Lou felt.  I have never been so mad at a fictional character while also understanding their decision.

Do I recommend it? YES, especially if it falls outside of what you normally read. This isn't a traditional romance and I am wholly thankful for that.