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Book Review: Arcadia’s Curse by Jesi Lea Ryan

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Think high school sucks? Try being an empath who has to experience everyone else’s suckage on top of your own. (Literally.)

In the months since her family life imploded and her psychic gifts began to arise, Cady has struggled to figure out how she can fit into her normal life without going crazy from the constant presence of emotional energy. Her grades have tanked. Her best friend is afraid of her. And she begins to have doubts about why her boyfriend, Bryan, is really keeping her around. But a chance meeting with another gifted girl online opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Unfortunately, this new world comes at an awful price.
Review:
I was super excited to get my hands on this book, as I read the first in this series and absolutely loved it! Arcadia’s Gift welcomed us into the life of Arcadia (Cady) Day, who loses her twin sister Lony in a horrific and tragic train accident. As if the accident wasn’t difficult enough, immediately afterwards she receives psychic gifts. Arcadia’s Curse picks up where the first left off, joining Cady and her cast of high school friends. Cady is struggling with her gifts, and the empathy makes school nearly impossible for her to get through. When an opportunity to be surrounded by others with similar gifts arises, Cady packs up and moves to an institute in Chicago. There the story really heightens, as Cady finds herself in a situation that is downright horrifying. The book as a whole is really terrific, but the second half is near impossible to put down. I’m really curious to see where the third book will take us. Please don’t miss this series!
5 stars

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John Belushi is Dead by Kathy Charles

Seventeen year old Hilda is not a typical teenager. She and her best friend, Benji, are fascinated with death, specifically dead celebrities. They visit the areas of some of LA’s most notorious crime scenes and cemeteries, collecting mementos of death. When Hilda and Benji meet Hank, a reclusive old man living in an apartment where an actor stabbed himself to death, Hilda and Hank form an odd bond. Soon, Hilda is visiting Hank by herself, becoming fascinated in his world and the secrets he keeps. When Hilda meets Jake, Hank’s downstairs neighbor who just happens to be a good looking screenwriter, Hilda begins to questions her fascination in death. Is she missing out on life because of it? When Benji goes too far one night while trying to emulate John Belushi, Hilda finally gets another perspective on living life.
John Belushi is Dead, the debut novel by Kathy Charles, is an interesting YA contemporary novel. The characters are strong, and Charles writing is clearly fantastic. This is more of a dark and edgy novel, not supernatural at all, just digs into the unhappy cases of some real Hollywood murders (the OJ Simpson case, Charles Manson murders, etc). I liked the mystery that surrounds Hank’s character, and a possible love connection between Hilda and Jake adds another layer to the story. I didn’t hate this book, but didn’t quite love it either. I didn’t get as drawn into the plot as I would have liked, as interesting and different as it was. And a little forewarning: this book does contain multiple graphic scenes of murders and death, so if you don’t mesh well with those types of scenes, I wouldn’t recommend this specific title for you. But if you are looking for something on the opposite spectrum of chick lit, I would say check out John Belushi is Dead. There is a good life lesson to be learned from the young heroine.
Rating: 3.5.5