Isn't summer just made for relaxing inside in the cool AC, curled up with a good book, all the free time in the world just gravitating around you? Well...maybe, but apparently not for me. Yours truly, in a moment of regrettable academic aspiration, signed up for summer courses to get some extra credits out of the way. Genius in theory, right? In reality, I've been plopped in front of my computer trying to make sense of sociological imagination and the scientific method and a whole bunch of other stuff that's turning my brain to mind mush and sucking away my reading timing. Me of Two Months Ago, why did you ever think summer courses were a good idea?? Anyway, that's my explanation for why I've been very inactive in the book community lately. Sorry, everyone--blame school, not me! However, I'm finally stopping by again with my review of When All the Girls Are Sleeping by Emily Arsenault! This book releases tomorrow, so I'm wishing it an early happy book birthday. Now let's get into this review! Huge thank you to the author, Emily Arsenault, for providing me with an eARC and finished copy in exchange for an honest review! Synopsis and Book Information
My ReviewI honestly wasn't too sure what to expect going into this book, but I ended up absolutely loving it! It's one of the best mysteries I've read in a while, and the paranormal aspect of it added to the mysterious vibes. It was packed full of detective investigating, interviews, written excerpts, and all the wholesome detective-y stuff I love in a mystery novel. Also: boarding school! It's a boarding school mystery, and y'all know how obsessed I am with those. Haley was an interesting main character. Despite this being primarily a mystery novel, we got tons of character development and history about her throughout the book. She herself was a bit of a mystery from the start, so I enjoyed learning more about her along with the larger mystery. Plus there was also tons to learn about her dead ex-best friend, Taylor. Even though Taylor was technically dead for the entire book, she felt very alive to me since I got to read about Haley's memories of her. I also found all the side characters captivating to read about because they were so packed full of character. The author did a great job of giving all the characters unique and vibrant personalities, not just the main characters. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I didn't have too many issues remembering who was who. The mystery itself couldn't have been better. It kept me guessing through the entire book, and I was totally shocked by the answer at the end. Never saw it coming! But I actually loved the answer, too; it was perfect and fit so well with this book. My only complaint is that some scenes did feel a bit drawn out and dull. Some of the research Haley did in the school archives, while important to the investigation, was just a little boring to read about. However, most of it was very compelling and I didn't want to put the book down! Overall, I really loved When All the Girls Are Sleeping and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, especially to mystery fans! I gave it 4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨.
What are some of your favorite boarding school mysteries? Let me know in the comments!
1 Comment
|
Hey there, bookworms!My name is Rose (she/her) and I'm the creator of Books of Magic and Mystery. I love reading YA books, especially fantasy and mystery. When I'm not reading, you can find me baking, studying, or cuddling with my super-furry pets. Visit me on Instagram @booksofmagicandmystery! Archives
November 2021
Categories |