ARC REVIEW: The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker – by Kerry Wilkinson @bookouture

Title: The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Genre: YA, Mystery, Paranormal
First published: July 26th 2018
Publisher: Bookouture
Finished reading: July 14th 2018
Pages: 315

“The moment you allow yourself to be frightened of everything is the moment you stop living your life.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

!! Happy publication day !!

I was intrigued by both the cover and blurb as soon as I first heard about The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker, and I just couldn’t resist temptation. And WOW, this story is definitely something else! I’ve enjoyed reading Kerry Wilkinson’s books in the past, and while going down a different road with this story, the writing is just as solid as ever. It’s really easy to fully emerge yourself in the story when the writing simply flows and grabs you straight away. The plot itself is both fascinating, surprising and quite original. Ever seen the movie Deaeth Becomes Her with Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep? The main character of this story would sort of be a teenage version of Goldie or Meryl, then add a murder mystery and a healthy dose of teenage drama: an improvised recipe for The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker. Could I have done without the love triangle? Yes please. Did certain aspects of the behavior of the main characters annoy me? Without doubt. But I was so intrigued by Ellie’s situation I was able to forgive the story for it. Mystery with a hint of paranormal and a LOT of plot twists; oh yes, you will be in for one entertaining and intriguing ride. Although there are many suspects, I’m sure you won’t be able to guess the final outcome early on! I really enjoyed this original twist to what could have been just another murder mystery mixed with YA elements. Different in this case is definitely a good thing!

When seventeen-year-old Eleanor Parker wakes up one morning cold and alone in the river, she has no memory of how she got there or what happened to her. Last year, a girl from the same village was drowned in the same river… Is she a victim of the same killer, especially since the killer was never caught? She has no proof though and she is still walking, although she notices a few disturbing changes in herself… And things get worse when another teenager disappears.

If you are looking for something different, fascinating and entertaining to read, definitely give The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker a go. I love my murder mysteries, but personally I really liked the added paranormal touches as it was a nice counterweight for the more cliche teenage drama and love triangle. The plot is well developed with some mayor plot twists that will make you doubt everything until the final twists are revealed. Definitely one of the more original stories I’ve read this year!

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WWW Wednesdays #179 – July 18th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m still reading Hunted by Meagan Spooner… Mostly because I decided to finish my previous TBR jar pick first. I’m also starting with another ARC: Broken Dolls by Sarah Flint. I didn’t realize when I requested it it was part of a series, so fingers crossed it won’t be too difficult to follow the plot. I also started Misery by Stephen King last week, but I’ve put it temporarily on hold as I couldn’t get a proper feel for the writing style after a few pages.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (3/5 stars) REVIEW 27/07
I think Slaughterhouse-Five and me simply got off on the wrong foot. So it goes. It’s not the story, it’s most likely me that’s the problem here. So it goes. While I can completely understand why so many people have so much love for this story, and I can also understand why this is a modern classic, somehow this story just didn’t work for me. I highly enjoyed the historical aspect of the story and the parts set during WWII. I could have handled the time travel elements as well, since they do add dept to the story… But add aliens to the mix and sign me out. So it goes.

2. The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker by Kerry Wilkinson (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 26/07
This story is definitely something different! I’ve enjoyed his work in the past, and while going down a different road with this story, the writing is just as solid as ever. The plot itself is fascinating and quite original. Ever seen the movie Death Becomes Her with Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep? The main character of this story would be a teenage version of Goldie or Meryl, then mix the story with a murder mystery and add a dose of teenage drama: an improvised recipe for The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker! Could I have done without the love triangle? Yes please. Did certain aspects of the behavior of the main characters annoy me? Without doubt. But I was so intrigued by Ellie’s situation that I was able to forgive the story for it.

3. Crochet Animal Rugs  by Ira Rott (4/5 stars) REVIEW 27/07
If you are looking for interesting and cute patterns to brighten up your child’s bedroom or gift something adorable to someone else, you will be in for a treat. There are patterns for beginners as well as advanced crocheters, indicated accordingly. There is even advice for left-handed crocheters like myself, which is highly appreciated. This book uses US terminology, but there are useful conversion charts included if you need to convert to different terminology. In the back, stitches are explained clearly with pictures, helping you understand which is which.

4. Thin Wire by Christine Lewry (3/5 stars) REVIEW 29/07
This memoir was my previous TBR jar pick and I title I’ve had on my kindle for over two years now. It is without doubt a difficult read with a difficult theme and in a way I’m struggling to review it. I feel I cannot judge such a personal struggle in any way, but what I can say is what I thought about the story itself. First of all, the pace is quite slow and the story dragged at points; it took me a lot longer than expected to reach the final page. I liked the switches in POV, which made it a bit easier to see both sides of the addiction and its consequences.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

As I’ve been saying I need to read more Agatha Christie, I’m going to start with Hercule Poirot book number one The Mysterious Affair At Styles. I also have a pending August ARC lined up: Run And Hide by Alan McDermott. And as part of me trying to read all the books on my monthly TBR for the second month in a row, I want to pick up Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. My new TBR jar pick is An Officer And A Spy by Robert Harris.

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WWW Wednesdays #178 – July 11th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I finally continued Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut yesterday as part of my promise to read more (modern) classics this year… I can’t say it’s my cup of tea unfortunately, but that might have to do with the science fiction angle (I like the WWII bits though). I’m also starting with The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker by Kerry Wilkinson since it’s the last pending NG ARC this month and I also started Misery by Stephen King as another backlist read.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Secret by K.L. Slater (4/5 stars) REVIEW 13/07
Let me tell you a secret: the secrets and twists in The Secret will have you flabbergasted by the time you reach the last page. Oh yes, you will be in for one hell of a surprise and shocking ending with this one… Make sure to brace yourself. It is true that the strong dislike for one of the main characters did get a little frustrating, but the story would not have been the same otherwise and the suspense and general plot made up for it. What a read!

2. Charlie And The Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl (3/5 stars) REVIEW
While without doubt still an entertaining story with the wonderful illustrations of Quentin Blake and the same writing that is able to enchant child and adult, I don’t think it’s as strong as his other books. Or in fact the first book and highly popular Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. After such a strong first book, the sequel falls kind of flat for me and doesn’t have the same magical feel despite the space adventure.

3. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW
For a story that is ment for such a young audience, it is surprising just how much you will be able to relate to the underlying message as an adult. The illustrations and easy and well written prose are to help kids understand and enjoy, but I truly think this is a story for all ages. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! has a strong moral message and shows us that there is a whole world out there… Waiting for us to just step outside and discover it

4. Turtles All The Way Down by John Green (3/5 stars) REVIEW 16/07
Do I regret reading the story? No, because I would have always wondered otherwise. Is it a bad read? Not exactly. But it was definitely one of those cases where the story just didn’t work for me. Which is actually kind of strange, because I’m always intrigued by a story with a mental illness theme and I do love my quirky and unique characters. But there was just something about Aza that just didn’t do it for me.

5. The Getaway Girls by Dee MacDonald (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 14/07
If you love a good road trip story with well developed and interesting characters, lots of sightseeing, funny moments, a dash of suspense and a dose of romance that is just right, you will love The Getaway Girls as well. I had so much fun following Connie, Gill and Maggie around and I loved the fact that they were seventy-year-olds, as I don’t see older main characters around that often. Entertaining, uplifting, a pinch of suspense and a healthy dose of summer romance… This story will make you forget about your own problems for a while as you join the main characters on their journey.

6. Champion by Marie Lu (3/5 stars) REVIEW 22/07
I didn’t enjoy the final book of the trilogy as much as the previous two. I didn’t think the plot was as interesting and the whole love triangle was quite annoying as well. It just lacked that little something extra from the previous books for me… Also, I didn’t like the ending at all. But I guess it’s kind of an ending that can go either way for you, because there are some twists that will mess with your emotions for sure.

7. Het Jaar Dat De Wereld Op Zijn Kop Stond (The Year Of The Rat) by Clare Furniss (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 22/07
I still can’t believe I was able to finish my Dutch read of the year this quickly! The Dutch translation of The Year Of The Rat was quite a fast read and that definitely helped me reach the final page easily. I’m not a fan of reading in Dutch, but I liked this story well enough and it was interesting to see what loss and grief can do to a person. Not perfect, but well developed and I definitely appreciated that there almost wasn’t any romance included in the plot.

8. Hell To Pay by Rachel Amphlett (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 20/07
I’ve become a huge fan of Kay Hunter in the short time I’ve gotten to know her, and this book is no exception. This might just be my new favorite! Although it’s hard to pick favorites when all the books are good… The writing is excellent, the plot well developed and this one definitely has some shocking surprises in store. Like an explosive ending? This one will more than deliver that. SO good!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m trying to clean out my NG shelf so Broken Dolls by Sarah Flint is next. And as I’ve been saying I need to read more Agatha Christie, I’m starting with Hercule Poirot book number one The Mysterious Affair At Styles. Also, as I’m trying to read all the books on my monthly TBR for the second month in a row, I want to pick up The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott. My newest TBR jar pick is Thin Wire by Christine Lewry, a memoir about a woman addicted to heroin and her mother. I’m having a feeling it’s going to be a tough read, but the blurb sounds pretty good.

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