THE PRISONER OF HELL GATE by Dana I. Wolff

Published: July 5th 2016 by Picador
Read: July 2016
How I Got It: Paperback ARC (224 pages) from Library Journal

Review published in Library Journal Xpress Reviews July 28, 2016.

http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2016/07/books/fiction/fiction-from-avit-gregson-hiaasen-london-walker-plus-debuts-and-mississippi-noir-xpress-reviews/

THROW AWAY GIRLS by Jennifer Vaughn

Published July 2nd 2016 by Waldorf Publishing
Read: July 2016
How I Got It: Ebook (approximately 348 pages) from NetGalley 

Jaycee Wilder is a dedicated on-air reporter who gets involved in a story about three murdered women in an underground sex community. She works closely with Detective James Barton to get justice for these girls even going undercover to perform her own investigation. Set in Los Angeles, the scenery becomes part of the story, and Jaycee’s boyfriend is even an actor with several roles on TV crime dramas. It is unknown why Jaycee becomes so attached to these murdered “throw away girls,” but she becomes so closely involved that she may also become a victim.

Throw Away Girls is told in third person perspective often switching between perspectives of multiple characters. This device truly takes away from the story, and it adds to the already poor characterization. The plot is interesting, but the execution does not allow the reader to feel anything for the characters. The progression of the story is also quite predictable, and the mystery and crime aspects lack motive. Dedicated mystery fans should skip this one for more developed crime procedurals, but if readers want a quick emotionless read as a palate cleanser, this is the pick.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with  an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. 

TAG, YOU'RE DEAD by J.C. Lane

Published July 5th 2016 by Poisoned Pen Press

Read: July 2016

How I Got It: Ebook (approximately 338 pages) from NetGalley 

What happens when you mix smartphone technology with a deadly game of Tag? Well, you get J.C. Lane's Tag You're Dead. In this debut novel, Lane introduces six teenagers: three Its and three runners. The Its have paid good money to chase...and kill... their runners, but if the runner gets to Home Base first, the game is reversed and It is in danger. Welcome to the Game.  

Upon reading the synopsis for this novel, one might wonder how the technology can be executed for such a game. Lane clearly explains the details: the smart watches that cannot be taken off, the motivation for the runners to play along, and even the skewed logic of the Its. Lane has created a dystopian future where this type of game is possible not unlike Joelle Charbonneau did in Need as well as other authors’ novels such as Jeanne Ryan’s Nerve and even Lauren Oliver’s Panic. Lane's novel is a fast-paced narrative told in the multiple perspectives of the players, and any YA reader can find something to enjoy this dangerous chiller. 

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with  an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. 

NO LOVE ALLOWED by Kate Evangelista

Published April 19th 2016 by Swoon Reads
Read: July 2016
How I Got It: Paperback (approximately 256 pages) from Swoon Reads via Goodreads Giveaways 
(Note: I entered a Goodreads Giveaway for another book from Fiewel & Friends, but received this book instead. Swoon Reads publishes under Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan). 
Series: Doge Cove (subsequent book to be published October 2016).

Caleb has one rule: no falling in love. As a result, he breaks a lot of hearts. When he breaks up with the daughter of one his hot-shot lawyer father’s clients, it means a summer law internship and attendance at all of the corporate parties. And he can’t go alone, so in order to keep with his rule, he decides to hire a fake girlfriend for the summer.

Didi is a painter and completely opposite from Caleb’s rich-kid crowd. She has a few manic episodes, but they are well-taken care of by her meds. Caleb finds her interesting, and she agrees to his one rule. She decides to immerse herself into Caleb’s world, complete with a high society makeover, simply because she doesn’t have anything else to do with her summer. Will their fake relationship make it through the summer, or will they break the rules?

The novel is in third person switching between the perspectives of Caleb and Didi, but it begins rather bizarrely. The initial point of contact between the two main characters seems forced and inconsistent with how the characters are revealed through the rest of the story. Also, Didi’s mental illness plot line is clichéd as this storyline is popular in current YA releases: manic girls goes off her meds and chaos ensues. Awareness for mental illness is important, but, on that topic, a reader would be better off picking up Emery Lord’s When We Collided. However, readers looking for a quick romantic read will enjoy this novel, they just have to push through the first few chapters. 

*Thank you to Swoon Reads for providing me with  an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.