Deadly Little Lessons by Laurie Faria Stolarz: Book Review

Deadly Little Lessons
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Series: Touch #5; Last book of series

Genre: YA, Mystery, Romance, Magic

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Published: December 18, 2012

Pages: 336 

Read Count: 1

Synopsis provided by Goodreads:

Camelia Hammond's trying junior year of high school is finally over...but her troubles aren't. After she discovers a painful truth about her family, she escapes to a summer arts program in Rhode Island. Determined to put family - and boyfriend - drama behind her, she throws herself into her artwork.

At the arts school, she gets caught up in the case of Sasha Beckerman, a local girl who is missing. Even though all signs suggest that the teen ran away, Camelia senses otherwise. Eager to help the girl, she launches her own investigation. She finds a blog by someone named Neal Moche, a psychometric who might have clues to Sasha's whereabouts. There is something familiar about Neal, and Camelia realizes how much she misses Ben, despite being committed to Adam.

But time is running out for Sasha, and Camelia will have to trust her powers if she's to save her. Will the lessons Camelia has learned in the past give her the strength to do so?

June 11, 2013
Lackluster. That’s the word I’m using to describe the fifth and final book in the conclusion to the Touch series. Deadly Little Lessons didn’t live up to my expectations. I thought it would be better, have more pop, you know. Laurie Faria Stolarz’s previous books in the Touch series were more exciting, in my opinion. I knew what was going to happen in this book, not like the previous ones. I felt like Stolarz  just wrapped it up in a nice bow because it was the last book. Don’t get me wrong, I like how it ended. I always like happy endings but I thought the whole plot and premise could have been done more creatively and exciting. I didn’t necessarily dislike Deadly Little Lessons but I didn’t think it was great either, hence my 3 star rating which means I liked it but thought it could be much better. 

Favorite Quotes
**Some spoilers in two of these quotes**

Camelia: “Plus,” I continue, trying to fill her in, “as if things couldn’t get more convoluted, my parents aren’t even sure if Alexia knows that she’s my mother.”
Kimmie: “Does she not remember lying spread-eagled on a delivery table and pushing a basketball-size baby out of a ping-pong-ball-size hole?”

“We should probably go,” Wes says, getting up from the stool. “My hemorrhoids are starting to act up. If I don’t get myself some anti-itch cream soon, there’ll be no helping me. Camelia, can I borrow your hairbrush? My fingernails are still dull from my last flare-up.” He drops a ten on the bar and then extends his hand to Brooke for a shake.
“Later,” she says, leaving him hanging. And who can really blame her?” --Wes and Camelia

“Better than okay,” he says. And I have you Ms. Chameleon, to thank. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for your borderline-psychotic obsession with Sasha Beckerman’s case, not to mention the fact that you’re the love child of a mental-hospital romance gone wrong, I’d have never experienced such bliss.”
“Well, you’re welcome.” I smirk. “I think.” --Wes and Camelia


So, what are your thoughts? Do you think that Deadly Little Lessons is lackluster or was it everything you hoped for? Let me know, I’d love to hear!

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