Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty

Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty
Release Date - November 28, 2017

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  256 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Mori is out for revenge. Imprisoned in the English countryside, with her brothers held as leverage, she’s never felt angrier or more helpless. When an opportunity for escape arises, Mori takes it and flees back to the streets of London, where she is finally able to plot the demise of her recently freed father and his cohorts.

But after a bittersweet reunion with Lock, she discovers that he may not be the ally he once was. In the face of blackmail, threats, and Lock’s noble attempts to thwart her crusade, Mori has an impossible decision to make.

Can Mori wash the blood from her hands and walk away? Or will her final fall from grace be the end of everyone she loves? 

Anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories knows that a story about Lock and Mori can only ever lead one place. Their destiny is already written and with that comes a knowledge that heartbreak is inevitable. Free Fall ends this Sherlock Holmes inspired trilogy with excitement, regret, and tragedy.

Heather Petty, once again, ensures that her characters are the central focus. This story is the perfect blend of plot driven and character driven. It allows the characters and their reactions to the events that are happening to propel the plot forward in ways that make the reader care for everyone involved. I felt invested in both what was going on, and how impacted the characters equally and that makes for an addictive reading experience.

Mori is one of my favourite characters in young adult fiction. She's complex, messed up, and so completely unapologetic for who she is. She is both a force of nature, and vulnerable. She's the type of character that female characters are so often not allowed to be, and the type I ache to read more of. She may even be someone you don't like very much, but there is no denying she's fascinating.

Lock takes more a backseat in this installment as Mori's storyline drives this last part of the trilogy. This series has really always been Mori's story. It's her path to becoming a villain that is the focus. It is her descent that we are seeing unfold as the chapters progress. Lock appears to so firmly know who he is that following his journey would not have been as emotionally rewarding. It's Mori's viewpoint that adds the bittersweetness that this story needs in order to resonate. It's that sense of possibility and loss that make this series have the impact it does, and that is felt because of Mori (and by extension Lock).

The push/pull dynamic between Lock and Mori has always been one of my favourite parts of this series. He sees things in black and white and she lives in the morally grey. They are each other's weaknesses as she pushes Lock to operate a little outside his comfort zone, and he makes her wish for a life where she's less broken. This struggle was felt in every look and interaction that Lock and Mori shared. Their dynamic is the heart of this series, and it was was truly shone in the writing.

The head games that Sherlock and Moriarty are known for are deliciously set up in this installment. They are both intelligent, perceptive, and capable of not letting their emotions cloud their thinking. This makes them perfectly matched, and that makes them such great adversaries. They challenge each other and it is easy to see how they could have been either enemy or lover. The things that make them compliment each other, also make for a great opponent.

There was no other ending than the one this book offers. It was always leading to this. It is just as brutal and devastating as you're expecting, but also incredibly fitting. It is the perfect end to not just the trilogy but the Lock and Mori romance as well.

Heather Petty has written a wonderfully plotted story of a young woman's descent into darkness, and a young man's desperation to help her. It's a story of a love that was never meant to be, and Heather Petty captures every anguishing moment. If you're a fan of Sherlock, or stories that rip your heart out, I highly recommend this series. 

Mind Games by Heather W Petty

Mind Games by Heather W Petty
Release Date -  December 6, 2016

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 304 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

**Spoilers for Lock and Mori**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Sherlock Holmes and Miss James “Mori” Moriarty may have closed their first case, but the mystery is far from over in the thrilling sequel to Lock & Mori, perfect for fans of Maureen Johnson and Sherlock.

You know their names. Now discover their beginnings.

Mori’s abusive father is behind bars…and she has never felt less safe. Threatening letters have started appearing on her doorstep, and the police are receiving anonymous tips suggesting that Mori—not her father—is the Regent’s Park killer. To make matters worse, the police are beginning to believe them.

Through it all, Lock—frustrating, brilliant, gorgeous Lock—is by her side. The two of them set out to discover who is framing Mori, but in a city full of suspects, the task is easier said than done. With the clock ticking, Mori will discover just how far she is willing to go to make sure that justice is served, and no one—not even Lock—will be able to stop her. 

Retelling Sherlock Holmes is nothing new. It seems there is always a new adaptation or twist in the works. A teenage Sherlock may have been the initial hook, but this series charms far surpass that particular character. It boasts a finely crafted doomed romance, an unforgettable Mori, and some impressive plotting to create something fun, fresh and attention grabbing.

Heather Petty's Mori is the stand out of this entire series. You may pick it up for Sherlock, but will be pleasantly surprised by Mori. She's imperfect, and that is what makes her so fascinating. You can see the antagonist she'll become for Lock. You can see the damage being done to her, and all the broken pieces being made within her as a result. You see the path she is heading down, and you want to prevent it even as you want to see what she'll become. She's already formidable, capable, and steadfast. Her love for her brothers is the beacon guiding her and what she clings to with admirable stubbornness. She balances Lock and his quirks while still being given her own agency and story. She's not there to simply advance his.

Mori, in this sequel, is still dealing with the fallout of her father being  arrested for murder. The ramifications of the events of the first novel are felt strongly through every single page of this story. Every character's actions are a direct result of choices made in the first novel and that ensures not only to make the story feel cohesive, but shows the meticulous planning that went into this story. There is one longer arc that will thread through the entire series, even if it appears we're solving self contained mysteries. 

The romance in this is the stuff of shipping dreams. Part of the allure is that you know this is going to be soul crushing. You know this relationship could never work even as you lie to yourself that it could. The glimpses of what if, the moments of happiness, the potential it holds, all make it all the more agonizing because the author makes it so easy to fall into the idea of hope. You want them to work out so badly that it burns. The calming influence each has on the other is endearing, and their bond really shines in this sequel. Mori's point of view adds a little more poignancy to the heartbreak as you can see the cracks that will eventually break them. It's compelling, and would be an incredible dynamic for a television show. 

The mystery, just like in the first novel, is well crafted. It is logical and once you have all the puzzles pieces it makes perfect sense. It may sound strange but the mystery is really secondary to the characters and the stories that are being told through them. The mystery at the heart of both books are used to further the characters, and the plot. It all works in tandem to create a really entertaining reading experience. The mystery isn't the hook, the characters are,  and that makes this resonate all the more.

The only missing link is Lock's Watson. He's presence is a looming thing. I think it is because you associate Holmes with Watson and not having Watson be a more prominent presence feels strange. He is briefly teased, and I hope for much more of him in the future installments of this story. 

Heather Petty crafts her Sherlock with a fun mystery, wonderful character development, and a Moriarty that is witty and complex. Fans of the source material will delight in this fresh take while non fans will fall under its spell for many other reasons. I cannot wait to read the next chapter in Lock and Mori's doomed love story, Heather Petty has made it impossible not to want to.

Lock And Mori by Heather Petty

Lock And Mori by Heather Petty
Release Date - September 15, 2015
Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 256 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students, one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James "Mori" Moriarty, meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more.

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London's Regent's Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James "Mori"Moriarty and Sherlock "Lock" Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock's one rule--they must share every clue with each other--Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can't trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again. 

Sherlock Holmes may be one of the most reimagined and retold stories out there. There is something about Arthur Conan Doyle's characters that have captivated and enthralled generations to the point that reincarnations of them are still hugely popular. It's a fast, absorbing read that will leave you tearing through the pages as Heather Petty has crafted a fun take on the classic and twisted the character of James Moriarty in the most delectable way.

This is Mori's story through and through. Those looking for another Sherlock tale may be a little disappointed as Mori is the one who takes centre stage. Sherlock is a large part of this story as he is a large part of Mori's story. The Sherlock you love is absolutely here. We get more than a glimpse of the things that are so beloved about the character, and teases of more to come which is sure to please the hardcore Sherlock fans. His intelligence, wit, and mannerisms are all lovingly included. However, Mori is who shines in this. We get to see this complex character faced with impossible choices. Through her eyes we see how this relationship could go from one of love to something much more complicated to eventually being enemies in a way that is believable and heartbreaking. While there are plenty more steps to take for this relationship to fully falter, we all know those cracks are coming (if they author stays true to cannon) and this set up is wonderfully done.

The secrets kept in this book, particularly by Mori, are ones that you understandable. You get the why behind her actions. These character details where you understand their motivations and the reasoning behind their actions are something that Heather Petty excels at. She does characterization in general really well, and manages to make you care about these characters underneath everything else that is going on.

While the guilty party is pretty easy to suss out, the path taken to the ending is not. It's the ending and what it deliciously sets up for the future books that is the real takeaway of this novel. It's the characters more than the case they are solving that is the focus, and that worked well for this incarnation of these characters. We leave the characters on the edge of something with so much potential that the sequel is pretty much mandatory reading after closing the pages of this one.

Heather Petty has written a novel that will pleasantly surprise Sherlock fans while having more than enough to appeal to non-fans as well. This is a romance, a mystery, and the start of what has the potential to be a fantastic series. Here's hoping we get to see some more Watson in the sequel!

2015 Most Anticipated ..... Lock and Mori

This next book is one that plenty of people will be buzzing about. Sherlock Holmes has had many adaptations, and plenty of liberties have been taken with the character, and the premise in various retellings. This one, however, jumped onto this list not because of anything to do with this take on Sherlock, but rather it's take on Moriarty.

Read this all too brief synopsis and you'll be immediately sold and adding it to your own 'to be read' wishlist for 2015

Debut author Heather Petty's Lock & Mori trilogy, in which a female Moriarty teams up with her classmate Sherlock Holmes to solve a mystery in modern-day London, until the answers lead him too close to all that she's been hiding.

A female Moriarty. A FEMALE MORIARTY! Is it wrong that I want to ship them? I want kissing and angst! I also cannot wait to see what role Watson will take in this adaptation.

Heather Petty took the time to answer some questions about adapting an iconic character, why plain tea would suit her novel, and much more.

1 Describe Lock and Mori in Twitter format (140 characters or less)

LOCK & MORI is a Sherlock Holmes origin story told from the perspective of a 16-year-old, female Moriarty, who lives in modern London.

2 If someone were to make a tea flavour in honour of your book, what might be included?

Depressingly underwhelming answer to a super cute question: PG Tips? Boring, but reliable when you just need tea with milk and your brain is too preoccupied with the problem at hand to give much thought to tea flavors. :)

3 Can you share a secret about your book (either its world, its characters, or something that helped inspire the story)?

I can’t share any secrets yet! But I think I’m always most inspired by gaps in history or folklore and “what if” questions. The idea for this novel came from both. We don’t know a lot about Moriarty from the original stories, which gave me free reign, for the most part, in crafting the character. I also thought it was super interesting that Watson never actually meets Moriarty. He just relays what Sherlock told him as if it were true.

When the main idea for the book finally coalesced for me, I thought, “What if Sherlock lied about Moriarty? What if Sherlock has always known that Moriarty is out there? What if they knew each other before Sherlock met Watson? What if they used to be best friends?”  Obviously the concept morphed even more from there to become what it is in the book, but those were my starting points.

4 Your novel is inspired by Sherlock Holmes. Were you at all nervous about creating something inspired by a beloved classic? 

Definitely! Writing derivative work is always scary, because there is an existing readership/fanbase who probably knows the original material as well, if not better, than I do. That readership and the fans of the various television/movie adaptations all come to anything Sherlock-related with a certain set of expectations, which can be really hard to meet. 

I was really lucky to have a Sherlock super-fan read and do a critique of the book for me when it was in its early stages. When he said he liked the book, I was so incredibly relieved! My literary agent is also a really big Sherlock Holmes fan, so her love of the book gave me a lot of confidence that the story would appeal to people who love the characters.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel? 

I’d maybe like to sit with Dorothy Parker at the Algonquin Round Table meet-ups in 1920s Manhattan. Jazz Age New York might be really cool.

6 What three things do you need while revising?

Coffee, Swedish Fish, and someone who will listen to me whine. That last one is probably the most important. I’m really lucky to have an amazing group of writers who let me talk through/argue out logic issues and other rough patches while I edit and revise.

7 If possible, please share the first line of Lock & Mori. (Only answer if not too spoilery).

I wore a hat with a feather plume the first time I met Sherlock Holmes.

I love that basic tea is what she selected simply because Sherlock has got too much going on to worry about tea flavours. It totally fits the character. If you are not from England/do not know already PG Tips is a brand of tea there.

I LOVE that this is told from her perspective. The fact that Sherlock fans have read and loved this makes me incredibly excited.

Lock and Mori is set to be released Fall 2015 and no pre-order links are available yet but do keep an eye out for it! You can add it to Goodreads in the meantime.

Be sure to check back later on during the event for a chance to win a copy of Lock and Mori (or any one of my featured titles!).

You can follow Heather Petty on Twitter, visit her official website, and learn more about the book from the publisher website.

Are you a Sherlock fan? Let me know in the comments.

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A smaller obsessions post this week! Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOK

Bonnie by Christina Schwarz

This book doesn't come out until 2015 and I already WANT it more than anything. Bonnie and Clyde has always fascinated me, and this book sounds amazing. Here are the details from the announcement.

The book is a fictionalized take on Bonnie Parker and the path that led her to become Clyde Barrow’s partner. In Bonnie, Atria said, Schwarz “animates the few known facts” about Parker to create “a plaintive and fast-paced account of a woman destroyed by the lethal combination of boredom and love.”

I kind of like that it's a fictionalized account of Bonnie's story. It's one I am eager to hear more about leading up to it's release date.

Lock and Mori by Heather Petty

The deal announced on Publisher's Weekly's website states that this book

is told from the perspective of 16-year-old Miss James "Mori" Moriarty, who, in looking for an escape from her recent past and spiraling home life, takes classmate Sherlock up on his challenge to solve a murder mystery in Regent's Park.

Immediately intriguing. Is it wrong that I want Mori and Sherlock to fall in love? Because I do! Also, I hope Watson is Sherlock's best friend (it's got to happen). Based on the rest of the information in the press announcement it seems the publisher is expecting big things for this series. Let's hope it gets a fantastic cover. It's already up on Goodreads, if you want to add it.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

It's no secret that I love Gayle Forman's books. Loved everything she's written so far. Her next one was also announced by Publisher's Weekly, and it's description says that the novel

follows Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend Meg's suicide, as she delves into Meg's secret life in search of answers. 

So I am predicting that this will make me cry. It's a 2015 release, so it'll be a bit before we get our hands on this, but you can already add it on Goodreads. SO EXCITED!

TV/MOVIE

Bonnie and Clyde (TV event)

Keeping with the Bonnie and Clyde theme...

There is going to be a 2 night event 'mini series' airing in December and it looks pretty awesome. Check out the trailer. As mentioned, I've always been fascinated by Bonnie and Clyde's story so I will for sure be checking this out.

So what are you obsessed with this week?