Pink Potatoes

Read the book and was at the edge of my seat, a thrilling mystery. I was trying to figure out what happened, excepting a kidnapping or maybe a plot twist. But, um… there WAS a plot twist. It was just a bit too much of a plot twist. I think this book had a lot of potential and it seemed really interesting, but a parallel universe? It kinda disappointed me. I was excited to figure out what happened to the mother, thinking she must’ve lived some sort of secret double life, but I guess that is what happened a bit too literally. I feel as the whole “alternate world cliffhanger” was just too random for this story. It was impossible to figure out, which can be good to some extent, but the way that it was done in this book simply didn’t make sense. A lot of questions were all replied with a very unspecific and shallow answer, “because it’s a different world that they found a portal to.”The writing WAS actually really good at first so I thought I was in for a good mystery, but everything was kind of rushed in a way, to try and tie things to an alternate reality with no warning or clues for the reader to have some idea of what is about to happen. It’s complicated with this story. You don’t want to reveal too much, but some sort of fantasy idea should have been noted at some point in the story other than the end. I have all three books and I don’t know what to do with them, because I don’t think parallel universes are my thing. If they are yours, you can give this book a try.

It was ok, but I think it’s meant for younger children. It was kind of not that interesting, for me personally. But I don’t really like fairytales and that stuff, so… If I was in elementary school I would probably have liked it more, but would not recommend for anyone over the age of eleven. Kind of a coming of age to middle school sort of thing, got it for my birthday, but it was too late. Not really much plot, but I get that it is an autobiography.

I think this might be my favorite book. I’m not going to lie, I was absolutely obsessed with it. I made a chart trying to figure out whodunnit, since I was so engulfed. The plot twists actually made my heart drop- no joke, it was beating so fast- never read a story that was written well enough to make it feel so real. I can’t believe how well written the characters were too, love the writing style of different POVs to really delve into each of them, making the reader truly become attached to each one. Romances didn’t seem forced which is a major point, since most books like this do. I actually was rooting for the main ship, for once. The ending was phenomenal, high tense, intriguing, realistic, stellar… chef’s kiss! If I could at another star I would. AMAZING! Karen M. McManus, you are an inspiration.

It was alright, interesting concept and a few moments were tense, so far. But for a majority of the book the characters were just a bit too overdone. I feel like Mateo’s character was by far better than Rufus’, he was written realistically and had depth. Rufus was acting like a wannabe gangster the whole time and it was sort of infuriating. Every few lines he’d say “mad” yadayada- seriously, every few lines it was “mad annoying”- and I feel like he was supposed to seem tough to the reader, but just came of as cringey- who would ever say “I’ll be the Mario to your Luigi?”, not a great in character introduction for someone who is being chased by the cops, with a rough childhood, and set to die in any moment. He had potential, but he talked smack a bit too much, while also acting irkingly sensitive at random moments, which to me seemed out of character. But it’s a decent read, I guess. Haven’t fully finished it so I can’t say much, I just hope the end is better than the begging.