Disappointing reward book

I'm really disappointed with the latest reward book I read, Sweet Valley Confidential. I really did want to give it more an initally I did give it three but it was between being okay and me liking it, hence the 2.5 stars. I always feel for authors as we can't give half stars on Goodreads, which would make my reviewing easier.

My Goodreads review:

2.5 stars

The book redeemed itself in the last half to get another half star. Maybe because I had gotten used to the style, which was different to the series of old. I was a huge fan of Sweet Valley High series as a teenager. The POV of the 'now' drifts from omniscient narrating (telling) style to third and at times it's hard to follow. Jessica still uses 'like' a lot and she sounds like a teen at times. They've moved on and use the F word, which I get why it can be used but it jerkd me out of the story as it wasn't 'Sweet Valley'. I didn't mind the first person for the flashbacks because it kept the feeling of the now. But can't ever remember first person in the series. Nostalgia kept me going on reading it as well as wanting to find out how the girls would reconcile (because being SV it is a given, right).

There were names of characters I remembered if not by name by who they were and what they had done in the series. But it all felt like info dump.

I had chosen this as a reward book as I had been looking forward to it, but it took a long time to read because I couldn't get into it. Disappointed that I didn't LOVE the book.

I'm hoping to avoid disappointment this time. Cross Stitch aka Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is one of my favourite books. The Exile is a graphic novel of Cross Stitch but from Jamie's POV. That first book only had Claire's POV. So I'm really looking forward to it because I absolutely LOVE Jamie. Sigh.

Happy reading everyone!

Reward book: End Of The Night Girl

Wow, what can I say about the End of the Night Girl other than it is utterly amazing.


"Molly, a sassy waitress, is haunted by the ghost of a murdered Polish Jew. Two novels, each a compelling page-turner, combine teasingly in one as End of the Night Girl explores the shadow cast by the Holocaust across decades, continents and cultures."

It has been a long while that I have read any literary. I'm more of a genre fan, but this was absolutely amazing. Two lives, two stories, but they are tied together. One a creation of the other, but one life more false than the other. Powerful imagery, totally spellbinding. I'm so glad I chose this book as my reward because reading it the way I did, had the book live with me longer. Had me think about it. Yes, it's a tough subject - the Holocaust, as well as the one about identity, but it's a rich book that helps you open your eyes. It doesn't lecture, it doesn't offer advice. Raw emotions spill on the page with majesty of the wordsmith's craft. And Amy is definitely a wordsmith of the highest calibre. I'm very proud of her work and to call her friend. Well done!

Next book...

I go from the deep, emotional look at humanity to something quite altogether different. Growing up, I had the treat of buying Sweet Valley High books and this year saw the return of the series with Sweet Valley Confidential: 10 years later. Which picks up the twins, Elizabeth and Jessica's tale 10 years later. A lighter read I'm sure, but still one I have been waiting to read.