Book Review: Finding Jennifer Jonas by Anne Cassidy

Can we lose her again?

Kate Rickman seems just like any other nineteen-year-old girl. She goes to university, she dates nice, normal boys and she works in her local tourist office at the weekend. But Kate's not really normal at all. 'Kate' is in fact a carefully constructed facade for a girl called Jennifer Jones - and it's a facade that's crumbling fast. 

Jennifer has spent the last nine years frantically trying to escape from her horrifying past. Increasingly desperate, Jennifer decides to do something drastic. She contacts the only other girl who might understand what she's dealing with, breaking every rule of her parole along the way. Lucy Bussell is the last person Jennifer expects any sympathy from, but she's also the last person she has left.

This is one the best example of pointless sequels. This sequel really adds nothing to the story and the fact it came as part of the first book's 10 year adversay just make me think that Anne Cassidy didn't have a story about JJ in her and forced one out instead. There are things resolved from the first book, perhaps because readers kept pointing out. For the point of ease I'm just gonna call our protagonist JJ in this review. I have a review of the first book if you're interested in that rather than the sequel.

Even though JJ has sworn off relationships, of course there's a romance. He treats her better than last one, so obviously she not that invested in him. I know Frankie was her first love, but she was a 16 year old who thought about breaking up with him often (and should have), then the did the deed because virginity is always made out to be a big deal in all media. I mean  this attitude isn't really about Frankie and more JJ has decided to be a loner and just let depression take her. 

This book's lesson is that depression makes people do incredible dumb stuff. JJ unhappy so decides to put her way of life in danger for no real reason and no play off. In this book, the journalist that found her in the last book has comes back with a book which would have been, the meta interesting thing to have released for the 10th anniversary and it would have been a lot more interesting. The idiot that JJ is, she never reads this book which could have contain all the answers she was wondering about. The fact she didn't, makes me think it does fact contains the answers to the universe.

A lot of stuff happens in this book and then is immediately dropped.There is a random murder in this book and JJ shows she somehow doesn't know how the police work, despite all her encounters.

Overall, I give this 2/5 stars for sandy cliffs. The ending is really stupid to match what an idiot she is. Feelings of lack of identity is an interesting thing to explored but its not a decent length. I just don't think book add anything to JJ's journey.

Book Review: Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy

I was never caught for my childhood murders and I never will be. *Evil Laughter*

Three children walked away from the cottages on the edge of the town towards Berwick Waters. Later that day only two of them came back. Alice Tully knows exactly what happened that spring day six years ago - though it's still hard for her to believe it's real. The images, the sounds and the aftermath are imprinted on her memory. She'll never be able to forget, even though she's trying to lead a normal life. She's making a go of things, putting her past behind her at last. But Alice's past is dangerous, and violent, and sad - and it's about to rip her new life apart.

This book big selling point is its about a child killer, as someone who killed someone when they were a child. I forget when it actually discoursed in the book that what Alice has done but it not spoiler as this standout feature of this book.

The plot is mostly made up with her new daily life and constant threat she will be discovered. Her murder was big news event meaning now she been released they are people looking for her for a cash grab. Ar...the horror of 00s newspaper, slowly becoming aware of their dying. 


The book is made up of the present with flashbacks to the past to explain what lead to the murder. This works well and the past is mixed well though out the present narrative.


Alice is a our main character who starts her life anew at the age of 16. She a sympathetic character and I wanted things to turn out well for her. The characters were realistic, except for the victim. She a emotional manipulating bully and a spoilt brat. There's never any more depth to her, therefore it doesn't feel like she actually killed a person. Alice is a flawed character and justifying her murder by having the person she kill be so detestable takes away from the horror JJ feels after her crime and the realism. 

Alice does become unlikable as she never chooses to tell anyone her reason for going to the lake that day which I get at the start but at certain point I don't get why she continues to kept it a secret. She loses her reason pretty quickly and it could effect more people than just her.

Alice's boyfriend, Frankie is a fail that kept distracting to me. In this book for some reason, uni is called college despite being set in England. He is in his third year, meaning he's like 21 year old. At least 20 to Alice's 16. That's four years difference during major development years. I know Alice has got a her A levels and is ready for uni when she 17. This is more noticeable since he controlling arse. The thing is we are meant to feel for this relationship as though it would be sad if Alice was separated from him, where I'm thinking she should break up with him. Was this seen as acceptable 10 years?

I did not like this voice actor at all. I think it might have just been personal taste, but I did not appreciated her character choices. I hoping for a better actor in the next book as I know they are different actors for that one.

Overall, I gave this book 3/5 stars for nude dolls. The novel has a good idea, but they were some hiccups in the execution of it. I'm aware of the time period it was written, but still I rated as someone who would have been just ageing into target market upon its release. I probably would have liked at the time as it does feature a ten old killing someone, but that probably why I don't the get the shock or Tune in next week for the Review of the sequel.

Book Review: No Virgin by Anne Cassidy

Odd to have the end of the book in the blurb.

My name is Stacey Woods and I was raped. 

Stacey is the victim of a terrible sexual attack. She does not feel able to go to the police, or talk about it to anybody other than her best friend, Patrice. Patrice, outraged, when she cannot persuade her to go to the police, encourages Stacey to write everything down. This is Stacey's story.  

This is a book joining a number of YA books that have recently came out dealing with rape and can't help but compare it to those brilliant books. It differers in that just deals with the immediate time around the rape and is set in England. It also written by a author that I have read (and reviewed) tons by.

My favourite part of the book is that the surrounding plot is a parody of the way so many YA romance books go, where the protagonist trusts a complete stranger and has a magical adventure so this book acts as caution story as in not to follow their lead.

The book is from Stacy POV looking back at the events surrounding her Rape and the things that followed it. I think it could have been more reflective as that was the best of the book.

Stacy has the dream of becoming of a fashion designer. This is basically just the standard 'want' so that Stacey has something to flipflop over during the process of the book. It does actually functions a lot in the plot. Stacy doesn't have much personality besides her relationship problems.

Overall, I give this novel 3/5 stars for scrap material. This is a short book dealing with a serious issue, while doing an okay job of exploring it. However, it pales to next to the other books with the same themes and almost feels like a manual on the important notes on rape, rather a story about Stacy. It important that books like this exist aimed at teenagers so that makes it great. 

I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published by Hot Key Books on 3rd November 2016.

Book Review : Dead and Buried by Anne Cassidy

So the end is now.

It's been five years since Rose's mother Kathy went missing and, after recent events, all Rose wants to do is get on with her life. Which means taking a break from her complicated stepbrother, Joshua.

Then police officer Henry Thompson comes calling with bad news: a body has been found buried in the garden of Rose's old house. A body that has lain undiscovered for five years. The body of a missing teenage girl.

With Kathy and Brendan implicated in her death, Rose and Joshua have one last chance to clear their parents' names. But if they fail, the consequences will be deadly . . .

This is the first series where I should be able to say I review all the books but I never did get around to reviewing the first one. Here the reviews of the other two: Dead Rachel and Butterfly Grave. As always I only promise to be spoiler free for the book but there might be spoilers for the rest of the series so you should check out the reviews of them if you haven't read it.

I think the character were least likable state in this book. Joshua and Rose are just dicks to each other, Joshua peaks though due the danger he ignores. Due to the events of the last book you should feel all sorry for them but you know it would have been more interesting if Joshua had died. The romance part of this book is awkward and don't think it adds anything to the story except here a romance we always need a romance when the main character is girl. ALWAYS. Strong friendship or say SIBlING relationship would have been enough for the plot. Frankly, time is never given to the romance so doesn't feel like it belongs. If you delete the scenes that involved it then it would the story would read the same.

There is the magical wrap up where everything is peachy except for the emotional trauma. As for the rest of the plot, the mystery this time is cold case so it involves Rose getting away with interviewing adults and Joshua just randomly knocking on doors.

Overall, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars for running from the mob. Whilst I enjoyed this story the characterisation was a bit lacking and not that satisfying considering its the last book in a four part series.

Book Review: Butterfly Grave by Anne Cassidy

What a beautifully title...There's a reason this blog has weirdness in the title.

Death is circling ever closer round Rose and Joshua...

It almost christmas time when Joshua's uncle, Stu, has a near fatal accident, leaving him in hospital with head injuries. Determined to help, Rose and Joshua head to Newcastle to visit.

But even Joshua's uncle has a dark past touched by murder and it looks as though his injuries are anything but accidental. As Rose becomes increasingly preoccupied with the deaths she has witnessed, and Joshua more and more paranoid about who might be watching them, a brutal killing occurs. Somebody really does not want Rose and Joshua to find their parents. But who? And why?

Okay, to start with this the third in the Murder Notebook series so I'm assuming if reading this that you've read the other two books ( if not I did do a review on the second one Killing Rachel). So let start the actual review.

In the last book we had issues from Rose's past and now it Joshua turn. So we in New Castle where Josh lived with his uncle till the whole going down to London for uni.

It follows the format of the other books with two crimes having happened with Rose and Joshua trying to find out what actually happened. In terms of the Murder Notebooks, there was development but I feel like we don't learn anything new. Though, there is a reveal in this book and I think it meant to a bigger deal than it is to me. You already knew it and book seems slightly filler on that front.

I'm not emotionally happy with this book because of spoilery things. It probably intended to show how things have got more serious and how life is not fair. It just seem unnecessary to me. There is romantic developments for those who care.

Overall, I give this book  4 out of 5 stars for Angels of the North. It was slightly better than the last one for me. I'm three books in already, so even if this had been terrible I would have still read the next one but I'm looking forward to reading it.

Book Review: Killing Rachel by Anne Cassidy

I'm kinda late with this book, as I got my hands on an Arc ebook, but I was distracted by Clockwork Prince. It was really weird reading this since my best friend is named Rose and I'm obviously called Rachel. Oh, and don't even start with the Killing Rachel jokes. My sib got there first.

Rose's mother and Joshua's father have disappeared. Police inquiries have gone nowhere and the case, it seems, is closed: Rose and Joshua have been told that the police believe their parents are dead. But Rose and Joshua still hold out hope that they are alive. Joshua is determined to follow up his own inquiries, which includes working out the meaning of the cryptic notebooks - the murder notebooks - they have discovered. Then Rose is distracted by odd, desperate messages she receives from Rachel, a former best friend from her school, followed by the terrible news that Rachel is dead. But perhaps Rachel's death will provide one more piece of the puzzle about what has happened to Rose and Joshua's parents . . .

 Okay, this the second in the Murder Notebooks series. Do you need to read the first. No, probably should.    

Basically, Rose once again struggles to solve a mystery single handed while her step bro Joshua focus on trying to find out what happened to their parents. That's the big overwhelming fault with Joshua, all he really cares about is finding his dad. All this over stuff is going on, he knows Rose dealing with issues from her past, possibly putting herself in danger (that more from the last book) but just stoves Rose's stuff out the way while he goes on wild goose chase.

To be honest, I don't buy he's that good. Joshua and his geeky friend Skeggsie always end up on the right path. They've never been wrong, they've never hit a dead end. Its a bit boring and unrealistic. Though, if you have have too many wrong roads you just want to hit someone.

The Mystery of Rachel, is slightly more satisfying. There is a proper twist and suspects. It could have gone several ways and still have been believable. The "Reveal" is probably the most interesting in terms of the book and goes with all the stuff Rose is feeling about Rachel.

There is tiny bit of Romance in this, which for the most part I ignored. In my head Rose has already declared her undying love for Skeggsie and I won't hear more on the matter. Mainly Romance bores me, no matter how complicated. I think the plot is good without it and the book really doesn't need it.

In terms of character, there isn't really much development. For some reason I really like Skeggsie, not sure why. I just do, he wasn't in this much.

 In the terms of the series, I don't much really happen the whole overall goal finding out what happen to the parents. More of confirming things.

Overall, I gave this 3 stars out of 5. It was aright, I wasn't thrilled by it.

Disclaimer: I got this book off NetGallary. So for free. Don't worry I'm honest and kinda of bitch. Just asked my Best Friend.