Jeremy Lim

Vampire Academy, Reviewed by Jeremy Lim, 10

Few books have the power to integrate our real world into a magical one successfully. World-renowned authors like J.K Rowling, Rick Riordan or Brandon Mull, to name a few, have successfully and convincingly achieved this. But I want to bring another series, and another author, to the spotlight. You might have heard about it, or you may not, but Vampire Academy is a must-read. It is an internationally bestselling series that I feel is still grossly underrated and under-appreciated, and should receive more attention.  This book, set in the crowded vampire genre, still manages to stand out. The book starts out at a slightly confusing yet interesting part of time, so the full picture doesn’t show until all the unknown details of the past are put together. We jump in our seats as the puzzle pieces of the past and new developments fit together. As the story goes on, other problems, such as romance and grudges, pop up, and as gossip and popularity contests ramp up, the characters might just lose sight of the true and common enemy. Relationships actually play a huge role in this book and the way characters react. And no, I don’t just mean romantic ones, I am also referring to enemies or friends in their social life. At one point, it was social hell for Lissa and the main character, Rose, but it quickly switched to their favor and they had to deal with the side effects. However, I am not going to downplay romance because in this story it is one of the major contributing factors. I love how the author can somehow apply pressure at all times, no matter the circumstances, and yet also lay it down thin at varying moments. Mead manages to walk a perfect tightrope in between complete chaos and a boring, predictable plot. Every release of information is well balanced along with some action in the present tense. We are constantly reminded that the situations are balancing on a knife’s point. Vampire Academy is a book that will put you in a new world next to our own, another society working right beneath our noses. This book will leave you begging for more. As you read the first few pages, you will feel an irresistible desire for more information, more action, more explanation.    Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. Razorbill, 2007. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Reviewed by Jeremy Lim, 10

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a masterpiece, a tapestry woven by Holly Jackson, a New York Times bestselling author. This book is relatively tranquil in the early beginning, with odd evidence that doesn’t really seem to relate and a growing list of suspects. However, as the evidence trail continues, uncovering darker and darker secrets about seemingly ordinary people in the town, the suspense and action quickly ramps up. As Pip realizes that she might actually be right about the murder case, and she joins up with Sal Singh’s brother to pursue this case even farther, it becomes more than just Pip’s senior project. It branches out to every aspect of her daily life—secrets from close friends, confessions, and then… it gets completely personal. Death threats are sent. They go after her dog. This is where the story really ramps up. One thing I liked a lot about this book is the suspense that affects not just you, but the characters and also the realistic feelings of guilt, fear and anger that hang all around the story, setting the mood. In the end, Pip and the other characters have to deal with both their past and present actions as truths and secrets are spilled. The center of the story revolves around the murder five years ago, as the murderers come back to haunt Pip, and the stakes grow higher and higher. In the end, Pip has to choose between potentially closing the case once and for all, or hopefully protecting her family and friends. This makes the book stand out as a unique, extraordinary murder mystery. Additionally, the switching between the case files and the real time story is balanced, with each coming in at just the right time. The story builds in a magnificent way, showing Pip and Ravi’s findings first as they sift through the evidence, and then showing the conclusions that the Pip comes to based on that evidence. This is not always common in this genre, but I personally like it, because it gives everybody a chance to actually guess who the murderer is based on the data. I am not a very good detective myself, so it made me happy that in this book, before the big reveal, I actually (almost) got it right!  Finally, this book is great, because like all good mystery books, the killer’s motives are relatable and not far-fetched. Andie Bell’s murder is more like a series of unfortunate events leading up to her death. Objects in the story are things that we use in our everyday lives. In this way, you cannot put this stellar book down because everything, everyone and the entire setup fits YOU. You become immersed in this other world that is not at all that far away. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a great book that everyone should enjoy, although it is not suitable for younger readers. The plot and details involve crimes that delve in the darker side of things. However, for those who can read it, this book is good for fans of books such as Sherlock Holmes or Murder on the Orient Express. Action book fans might like the ending, and the suspense is all around. This book dives very deep into the personal lives of the fictional characters, and was a New York Times bestseller for 77 weeks. So what are you waiting for? Go read this book!   A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Ember, 2021. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!