The book is a true puzzle, one that quite honestly does not make sense until you are setting down the last piece and standing back to see the final product. It pained me to see how the majority of the characters were hurt due to the drastic power imbalance that occurred summer after summer on the island they lived on. Although the ending brought me to the brink of tears, the book lacked character depth. I had trouble connecting to the characters. But something tells me we are not meant to connect with the characters but just read the story for what it is: a story depicting a tragedy that comes with blinding wealth and the incapacity to separate deep-rooted greed, selfish ideologies, and a massive power trip. The book had some more mature themes, like moderate language and slightly explicit scenes, but overall, it was an emotional story. 

“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson

There were many times when I felt like I knew who the murderer was, and then I would turn the page. I don’t think I have the guts to solve a murder case like main character Pip had, but this book made me feel like I was a detective wandering the streets for clues — except I was in my pajamas on my cozy bed with a nightlight turned on.

“The Last Witness” by Claire McFall

Five classmates take a trip to an isolated beach by the Irish Sea during summer break. The moment they set foot on the golden sandy beach, things get weird and dark fast. Classmates go missing and there is something seriously amiss with the grounds of the sheltered and secluded beach. While I enjoyed the premise of the book, the ending left me a bit baffled. I fully expected a different ending and the ending we got did not feel like something the characters would do, which is why I thought the story fell a little flat.