Review: The Things She's Seen by Ambelinand Ezekial Kwaymullina

Title: The Things She's Seen

Author: Ambelin and Ezekial Kwaymullina

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: September 1st, 2018

Pages: 224
Audio Length: 4 Hours and 28 Minutes

Genre: YA Mystery Fantasy
TW: N/A

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

Nothing's been the same for Beth Teller since the day she died.
Her dad is drowning in grief. He's also the only one who has been able to see and hear her since the accident. But now she's got a mystery to solve, a mystery that will hopefully remind her detective father that he is still alive, that there is a life after Beth that is still worth living.
Who is Isobel Catching, and why is she able to see Beth, too? What is her connection to the crime Beth's father has been sent to investigate--a gruesome fire at a home for troubled youth that left an unidentifiable body behind? What happened to the people who haven't been seen since the fire?
As Beth and her father unravel the mystery, they find a shocking and heartbreaking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town, and a friendship that lasts beyond one life and into another...

What made me pick this book up: 

The cover gave off a very creepy vibe.

What did I like about the cover: 

I love everything. From the creepy writing, to the butterfly, and the crows in the butterfly. It's a gorgeous cover.

What made me read this book: 

It sounded really good! I love ghost books. And This one sounded like a great creepy mystery book.

What did I like the most: 

I liked the idea. I liked her being a ghost and helping solve mysteries. 

It's an old idea but I still enjoy it anyway. 

I also really like the creativity that Isobel uses when telling her "stories" 

I think the idea was great, I think it had a lot of potential and I think that portion of the book was really unique. 

But that's about all I like.

What didn't I like: 

There was nothing special about this book that had me hooked. I finished it in about an hour and a half and I just couldn't wait for it to be done. 

It wasn't bad per say, but it wasn't anything special.

This is one of those books I won't remember anything about a year from now. 

I was expecting some really creepy things to go on, and expecting more of a mystery.

But honestly in the end it just got weird and wasn't at all what I expected. I was very disappointed by this book and I wanted to love it. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I'd give them one more chance. 

Overall it was just a meh read. Not good, not bad.

“My science teacher said that just because two things happened together didn't mean one was because of the other, or as she put it: correlation does not imply causation.”
― Ezekiel Kwaymullina, Catching Teller Crow

Ambelin Kwaymullina loves reading sci-fi/fantasy books, and has wanted to write a novel since she was six years old. She comes from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. When not writing or reading she teaches law, illustrates picture books, and hangs out with her dogs.

Review: How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Title: How To Hang a Witch 

Author: Adriana Mather

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: July 26th, 2016

Pages: 358
Audio Length: 10 Hours and 41 Minutes

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal 

Series: How To Hang a Witch

Source: Audio

 

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

See Jenn's review Here

What made me pick this book up: 

I think with this one, if I remember correctly, I got at BEA to read as an ARC. Anything with witches kind of catches my eye, and this one has a great cover, very eyecatching. But I kind of forgot about it for a while

What did I like about the cover: 

I think it's pretty creepy looking. The way it's behind glass, with the water coming down. And the blue coloring is beautiful. Definitely looks like a ghost caused the window to fog up. I think it matches the book pretty well.

What made me read this book: 

Of course Jenn had read it first, and like I said I had gotten it at BEA and I'm slowly trying to get through all of the books I got then. 

Anyway, Jenn had read it and kept telling me I needed to read it, and it matched for a task, so I read it.

What did I like the most: 

I love reading about the Salem witch trials, of course it's really sad, but also really interesting to me. The fact that the author is actually a Mather is pretty cool. Anyway, I love reading about it, the story of all of it. So I think that alone made the book awesome.

But then you add the characters, which were awesome. I loved Jaxon so much, all he did was care about Sam and helping her.

The writing was amazing, the story was great, characters were awesome. The whole thing was great.

But you know the best part? 

The audio book was narrated by the author. Like how cool is that!?

What didn't I like: 

The main character did get kind of annoying at times. She kept pushing people away and assuming that everyone was there to screw her over. I understand that's all she has to compare to, but honestly get over it. 

***SPOILER AHEAD- Highlight to read***

It was also really really dumb that she fell in love with a freaking ghost. Like bro. I understand that they still have feelings and emotions and personality and all that, BUT REALLY. A ghost. No, you have Jaxon RIGHT THERE. Ugh.

***SPOILER OVER***

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Yes! I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

Overall I actually really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would!

“It’s not like they exactly agreed. They’re just kinda silent about the whole thing,” I say. “Group silence can be a death sentence. It was in Salem,” he says.” 
― Adriana Mather, How to Hang a Witch

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats.