• About

By Hook Or By Book

~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff

By Hook Or By Book

Tag Archives: Social Media

14 Ways to Die, By Vincent Ralph ~ 3.5 Stars

26 Monday Apr 2021

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Death of a parent, Grief, Mystery, Serial Killers, Social Media, Suspense, YA Fiction

35CE7CC8-8B5B-434B-995F-9D601C7B0AE2

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: A page-turning new YA thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying.

Ten years ago, Jess’s mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.

She was the first of his victims but not his last.

Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she’s using it to catch the killer once and for all.

The whole world is watching her every move.

And so is the Magpie Man. (Goodreads)

14 Ways To Die is an interesting mystery that’s filled with implausible situations that your rational mind will keep questioning, yet still manages to be a fun read thanks to a creative and fast-paced storyline, and likable characters. Using social media to catch serial killers has become a popular theme, and this gives it an intriguing spin of its own, as well as thoughtfully delving into how people handle grief differently. My biggest issue was that although I usually like shortish chapters, in this book there are 144 of them which added a certain choppiness and in the end made the story a little less gripping. For the most part though, I did enjoy this and I think it will appeal to a wide audience of older teens, especially those who like authors such as Karen McManus, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Maureen Johnson, and Holly Jackson.

Unfollow Me, by Charlotte Duckworth ~ 4.5 Stars

16 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Social Media, Suspense

BB34EB81-2084-48CA-9881-2197B34A4EA9

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 10th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: 

You Can’t Stop Watching Her.

Violet Young is a hugely popular journalist turned-mummy-vlogger, with three young children, a successful husband, and a million subscribers on YouTube who tune in daily to watch her everyday life unfold.

Until the day she’s no longer there.

But one day she disappears from the online world—her total social media presence deleted overnight, with no explanation. Has she simply decided that baring her life to all online is no longer a good idea, or has something more sinister happened to her?

But do you really know who Violet is?

Told from the perspectives of her most avid fans, obsessed with finding out the truth, their search quickly reveals a web of lies, betrayal, and shocking consequences…

With the exception of WordPress I’ve made a point to stay off social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. While I acknowledge that they can bring people together who are separated by long distances, I also believe that social media often brings out the worst in people in terms of mean spiritedness and obsessive over sharing. Unfollow Me addresses both of these and underneath the entertaining plot is a very real cautionary tale.

The story unfolds through the perspectives of three characters who are all pretty murky and unreliable. At the beginning they seem separate except for their shared connections through Violet, but then things turn into a truly wild and crazy roller coaster ride filled with so many twists I found myself gasping out loud more than once.

While the main mystery concerns what happened to Violet, there are smaller ones pertaining to the other characters, and they all kept me guessing right up until the end. Because of this and the book’s fast pace, I literally was unable to put this down and finished it in one sitting.

Unfollow Me is a fantastic thrill ride filled with damaged characters who you can’t help but feel sympathy for. I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone looking for an engrossing psychological thriller that addresses real life issues.

 

One Of Us Is Lying, by Karen McManus ~ 4.5 Stars

24 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 49 Comments

Tags

Bullying, Drugs, Dysfunctional Relationships, Mental Illness, Mystery, Social Media, Suspense, YA Fiction

32571395

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: May 30th, 2017

368 Pages

Synopsis: Pay close attention and you might solve this. 

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, “the brain”, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, “the beauty”, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, “the criminal”, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, “the athlete”, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, “the outcast”, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or, are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

I requested One of Us Is Lying because the mystery was appealing and it sort of reminded me of The Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars. To my surprise though this wildly exceeded my expectations. The story is related from the POVs of the four main characters. While at first Bronwyn, Nate, Addy and Cooper seem to fit the ubiquitous high school stereotypes, they are so, so much more. They all have secrets and issues they’re trying to deal with and they come across relatable and sympathetic. I liked every single one of them, even while it was constantly in the back of my head that one of them may be a murderer. Karen McManus does a fantastic job at capturing what modern-day high school life is like, especially with the use of social media. With this realistic setting and likable characters, I completely got distracted in regards to the actual mystery, so it wasn’t until the last couple of chapters that all the puzzle pieces began coming together for me and I guessed who the person was behind Simon’s death. The ending is perfect, but not in the way where everyone rides off happily into the sunset. While there are some positive moments, there are others where certain people have to face the consequences of their actions and there were some plot lines that were purposely left open. I was fine with all of it, because like the rest of the story, it made everything messily real. There’s just one aspect that prevents me from giving this a perfect rating, and I’m sorry that I have to be vague. I can’t really go into it too much because that would involve unveiling a major spoiler. All I can say is that it involved mental illness and I thought it was glossed over a bit. Otherwise, this book is bound to be a phenomenal hit with teens and adults who enjoy YA fiction. It would also make a terrific movie or even tv series. I honestly can’t wait to see what Karen McManus comes out with next!

 

 

NEED ~ by Joelle Charbonneau – 2.5 Stars

20 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

Cyberbullying, Government Conspiracies, Social Media, Thrillers, YA Fiction

20550148 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and HMY Books in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 3rd, 2015

Synopsis: Teenagers at Wisconsin’s Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need…regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious crimes. The body count rises. In this chilling YA thriller, the author of the best-selling Testing trilogy examines not only the dark side of social media, but the dark side of human nature.

“Congratulations, you have been invited to NEED–the newest, invitation-only social media site for Nottawa High School students. Join your friends in discovering how much better life can be when you are presented with an anonymous way to express your thoughts and are given the tools to get the things you Need.”

Despite an interesting premise, NEED is one of those YA books that will probably appeal to young teens, but will frustrate anyone older than fourteen or fifteen due to enormous plot holes and unbelievabl, unlikable  characters.

The idea behind it is intriguing and creepy at the same time. A social network site that will give you anything you want: concert tickets, computers, a new kidney for your ailing brother. Of course there’s a catch. In order to have your “Need” fulfilled, you have to pay the price, and do whatever NEED asks you. It seems pretty innocent at first. Leave a box of cookies on a fellow classmate’s doorstep, slip a slightly risque note under a neighbor’s door. But then, people start dying, which leads to the true mystery: who is behind NEED, and what is their endgame?

The story is told in the 3rd person from multiple POVs, which makes it difficult to to really get to know any of the characters, let alone emphasize with them. The one character who stands out is Kaylee, who’s POV is the only one told in the first person. She’s also the only person who doesn’t come across as being a self-absorbed teen obsessed with material things. She’s the sole participant whose request is for someone other than herself, and her concern and caring for her younger brother DJ who desperately needs a kidney, is touching. 

The adults in this story are all basically clueless and especially aggravating is Kaylee’s mother. She blames and mistrusts Kaylee because of some poor choices made by her, yet Kaylee wouldn’t have made these decisions if her mother wasn’t keeping secrets. The law enforcement figures are laughable, and basically stumble around, never asking the right questions. 

The villain is obvious almost from the beginning, and the only question is why, and for whom are they working for. Quite honestly, by the time the big reveal comes with the typical posturing and grandstanding, I had long since ceased to care.

I will say, the plot is fast-paced, and I wound up reading it in one sitting. I do think it will appeal to that small demographic of young teens, but otherwise, I’m sorry to say, I can’t recommend this. 

The Silence of Six ~ by E. C. Meyers -4.0 Stars

14 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Computer Hackers, Conspiracy Theories, Contemporary Fiction, Politics, Social Media, Teenagers, Thrillers, YA Fiction

9780996066624_p0_v1_s300x This review is for an ebook provided by NetGalley and Adaptive Books in exchange for an honest review.

0

“WHAT IS THE SILENCE OF SIX, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?”

These are the final words of Max Stein’s best friend Evan as he hacks into a live stream of a Presidential debate taking place at their high school. Shortly after, he tragically kills himself. Armed only with some cryptic information Evan has sent him, and not knowing who he can trust, Max now finds himself on the run, a victim of a conspiracy that has far reaching implications. Will he be able to uncover the plot in time to save not only himself but the two people who are trying to help him? This is an exciting and timely conspiracy thriller set in the time of Julian Assange and Eric Snowden and the ever growing world of social media. I zoomed through it in two sittings. Even though it’s got a lot of hacker and technical computer terminology, I had absolutely no problem following the plot, which for a technically-deficient person like me is really saying something! The characters are interesting, if a little too good to be true. For example, seventeen year old Max is immediately able to successfully evade capture using his neglected hacker skills, outwitting some extremely powerful people, with only two teen sisters to help him. Also, I felt the dialogue was a little bit stilted in places. Overall though the pros far outweigh the cons. I recommend reading the ebook version as it provides links to click on which take you to the news blog of Courtney Garcia, Max’s girlfriend, at http://fullcortpress.tumblr.com and a conspiracy theorist blog Fawkes Rising at http://www.fawkesrising.com This just adds to the fun and uniqueness of this book.  I think teens and adults will enjoy this fast-paced novel especially if they’re into computers. If you want to check out the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Diptk5Q9ziM

SOS  And finally, if you want to get an idea of what this is all about, check out “SOS” the prequel to The Silence of Six on Wattpad at http://www.wattpad.com/story/25238632-sos-a-prequel-to-silence-of-six

  • By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff

Archives

June 2023
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug    

Blog Stats

  • 339,013 hits
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
  • Jane Lurie Photography
  • Mythaxis
  • The Book Bites
  • Literary Liza
  • abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/
  • Page by Page
  • Dreams And Escapes
  • sugarandscream.wordpress.com/
  • Lines by Leon
  • Lovabull Books
  • Schizanthus Nerd
  • katherinesmits Word Siren
  • Bonkers For The Books
  • Bite! Eat! Repeat!
  • Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
  • Stuart France
  • Tallis Steelyard
  • Jim Webster
  • The Rantings of a Book Addict
  • Books Teacup and Reviews
  • Gulf South Free Press
  • Bantering Books
  • Barb Taub
  • The Introverted Reader 📚
  • Odd Bits About Books
  • Between Pages
  • The Suspected Bibliophile
  • Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking
  • The Silent Eye
  • France & Vincent
  • The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail

Member of The Internet Defense League

Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
  • Jane Lurie Photography
June 2023
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug    

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Mythaxis

The Book Bites

Literary Liza

Cozy up and read with me!

abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/

"Books wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Page by Page

Book Reviews with Bianca

Dreams And Escapes

Moments cherished, memories kept, dreams fulfilled and little things that make everyday a blessing.

sugarandscream.wordpress.com/

Lines by Leon

Leon Stevens is a poet, science fiction author, and composer. Writing updates, humorous blogs, music, and poetry.

Lovabull Books

My journey as a dog mom and book worm...

Schizanthus Nerd

Living the dream one page at a time

katherinesmits Word Siren

Reviewing enchanting reads and discussing all things bookish

Bonkers For The Books

Book reviews and more by Michael David

Bite! Eat! Repeat!

52 Cookbooks. 52 Recipes. A Tasty 2022!

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

READER - WRITER - CURATED RESOURCES - & MORE

Stuart France

Writer

Tallis Steelyard

The jumbled musings of Tallis Steelyard

Jim Webster

Books and Stuff

The Rantings of a Book Addict

Books Teacup and Reviews

Eclectic Mix Book Blog

Gulf South Free Press

Opinion Is The Medium Between Knowledge And Igonrance

Bantering Books

Book Reviews

Barb Taub

Writing & Coffee. Especially coffee.

The Introverted Reader 📚

Forever lost in literature

Odd Bits About Books

Between Pages

Documenting the inspiration I find, Between Pages

The Suspected Bibliophile

rambling book reviews and queer SFF writing

Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking

The Silent Eye

Self beyond the Personality

France & Vincent

Writing Magic, Myth and Mystery

The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail

If you love mythology? You'll love this series. The UnHoly Pursuit Saga and related series. Paranormal romance, demons, saints, angels, Azazael, witches, warlords, fiction, fantasy, antichrist, harassment, devils, hell, spirituality!,

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Join 6,095 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.