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The Leaf Reader
Maybe, occasionally, some of the pictures I saw in teacups were not for the tea drinkers. Maybe some of them were for me.
Marnie Wells knows that she creeps people out. It’s not really her fault; her brother is always in trouble, and her grandmother, who’s been their guardian since Mom took off is…eccentric. So no one even bats an eye when Marnie finds an old book about reading tea leaves and starts telling fortunes. The ceremony and symbols are weirdly soothing, but she knows—and hopes everyone else does too—that none of it’s real.
Then basketball star Matt Cotrell asks for a reading. He’s been getting emails from someone claiming to be his best friend, Andrea Quinley, who disappeared and is presumed dead. And while they’d always denied they were romantically involved, a cloud of suspicion now hangs over Matt. But Marnie sees a kindred spirit: someone who, like her, is damaged by association.
Suddenly the readings seem real. And, despite the fact that they’re telling Marnie things about Matt that make him seem increasingly dangerous, she can’t shake her initial attraction to him. In fact, it’s getting stronger. And that could turn out to be deadly.
Marnie Wells knows that she creeps people out. It’s not really her fault; her brother is always in trouble, and her grandmother, who’s been their guardian since Mom took off is…eccentric. So no one even bats an eye when Marnie finds an old book about reading tea leaves and starts telling fortunes. The ceremony and symbols are weirdly soothing, but she knows—and hopes everyone else does too—that none of it’s real.
Then basketball star Matt Cotrell asks for a reading. He’s been getting emails from someone claiming to be his best friend, Andrea Quinley, who disappeared and is presumed dead. And while they’d always denied they were romantically involved, a cloud of suspicion now hangs over Matt. But Marnie sees a kindred spirit: someone who, like her, is damaged by association.
Suddenly the readings seem real. And, despite the fact that they’re telling Marnie things about Matt that make him seem increasingly dangerous, she can’t shake her initial attraction to him. In fact, it’s getting stronger. And that could turn out to be deadly.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2017
55 people are currently reading
2368 people want to read
About the author
Emily Arsenault
12 books401 followersI haven’t had a terribly interesting life, so I won’t share too many details. But the highlights include:
• When I was a preschooler and a kindergartner, I had a lazy eye and I was Connecticut’s “Miss Prevent Blindness,” appearing on pamphlets and television urging parents to get their kids’ eyes checked. I wore an eye patch and clutched a blonde doll wearing a similar patch. I imagine it was all rather maudlin, but at the time I wouldn’t have known that word.
• I wrote my first novel when I was in fifth grade. It was over a hundred pages and took me the whole school year to write. (It was about five girls at a summer camp. I’d never been to a summer camp, but had always wanted to attend one.) When I was all finished, I turned back to the first page, eager to read it all from the beginning. I was horrified at how bad it was.
• At age thirteen, I got to go to a real sleepaway camp. It was nothing like the book I had written.
• I studied philosophy in college. So did my husband. We met in a Hegel class, which is awfully romantic.
• I worked as an editorial assistant at Merriam-Webster from 1998-2002, and got to help write definitions for their dictionaries.
• My husband and I served in the Peace Corps together, working in rural South Africa. I miss Losasaneng, miss many of the people we met there, and dream about it often.
• I am now working on my third novel. It is tentatively titled Just Someone I Used to Know, named after and old song Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton used to sing together.
• When I was a preschooler and a kindergartner, I had a lazy eye and I was Connecticut’s “Miss Prevent Blindness,” appearing on pamphlets and television urging parents to get their kids’ eyes checked. I wore an eye patch and clutched a blonde doll wearing a similar patch. I imagine it was all rather maudlin, but at the time I wouldn’t have known that word.
• I wrote my first novel when I was in fifth grade. It was over a hundred pages and took me the whole school year to write. (It was about five girls at a summer camp. I’d never been to a summer camp, but had always wanted to attend one.) When I was all finished, I turned back to the first page, eager to read it all from the beginning. I was horrified at how bad it was.
• At age thirteen, I got to go to a real sleepaway camp. It was nothing like the book I had written.
• I studied philosophy in college. So did my husband. We met in a Hegel class, which is awfully romantic.
• I worked as an editorial assistant at Merriam-Webster from 1998-2002, and got to help write definitions for their dictionaries.
• My husband and I served in the Peace Corps together, working in rural South Africa. I miss Losasaneng, miss many of the people we met there, and dream about it often.
• I am now working on my third novel. It is tentatively titled Just Someone I Used to Know, named after and old song Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton used to sing together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
October 7, 2017
The Leaf Reader is my first YA novel that I've read/reviewed since I was a young adult so I was a little unsure what to expect. Marnie, the protagonist, is a quirky girl who discovers that leaf reading makes her a little cool with the "in crowd" at her school. She doesn't really believe in what she does but it's not long before others do believe. Soon it becomes apparent that Marnie is able to see clues surrounding the disappearance of one of the local girls. This leads to angst, drama and danger as the various young people come to terms with what happened one fateful night.
The mystery itself is well told. I've read other books by Arsenault and I like her style of writing. There were parts of this one that seemed to drag, however, and I think it's because too much time was spent on fluff stuff and people that didn't matter to the storyline and not enough time to developing the characters that did matter. There were key, essential players that we literally knew nothing about, therefore it was difficult to care about the role they played. At first I brushed this off as being the fault of a young adult book, but that's not fair. Regardless of the genre, the characters are the primary focus of a story. So, despite an interesting tale and an enjoyable topic (tea leaf reading, not murder) I think this had the potential to be a lot better.
The mystery itself is well told. I've read other books by Arsenault and I like her style of writing. There were parts of this one that seemed to drag, however, and I think it's because too much time was spent on fluff stuff and people that didn't matter to the storyline and not enough time to developing the characters that did matter. There were key, essential players that we literally knew nothing about, therefore it was difficult to care about the role they played. At first I brushed this off as being the fault of a young adult book, but that's not fair. Regardless of the genre, the characters are the primary focus of a story. So, despite an interesting tale and an enjoyable topic (tea leaf reading, not murder) I think this had the potential to be a lot better.
April 13, 2017
Left me guessing until the last, utterly delicious page. I loved the heroine’s cynical sense of humor. So glad that Emily Arsenault is writing YA now!
October 31, 2019
“To see things- to really see things-means you have to sacrifice the way you want to see things.”
First, let me just say that this is one unique read. This is the first time I’ve ever read a book that pirmarily concentrates on tea leaf reading and uses it as a device to solve a mystery so props for Ms. Emily Arsenault for coming up with that concept.
The story told in the POV of Marnie who decided that tea leaf reading is what’s going to make her stand out in a town where most people her age are all bright and shiny. She decides that embracing her weird would be just as cool without knowing that the “weird” actually runs in her blood and without knowing that her psychic abilities are what the town needed to solve the mystery of the missing popular girl, Andrea, and consequently uncover a deeper mystery behind it.
Perhaps the only thing I didn’t like very much is Marnie’s almost blasé approach especially about her existence. It’s good that she changes perspective but it’s only during the last few pages of the book. I also feel like there’s a missing element in the entire story just to make it a more gripping and captivating mystery. But as it is, The Leaf Reader is still quite an enjoyable and interesting YA mystery. The bonus content on Tea Leaf Reading at the back of the book is a plus and I would still definitely look forward to the next book/s the author writes.
First, let me just say that this is one unique read. This is the first time I’ve ever read a book that pirmarily concentrates on tea leaf reading and uses it as a device to solve a mystery so props for Ms. Emily Arsenault for coming up with that concept.
The story told in the POV of Marnie who decided that tea leaf reading is what’s going to make her stand out in a town where most people her age are all bright and shiny. She decides that embracing her weird would be just as cool without knowing that the “weird” actually runs in her blood and without knowing that her psychic abilities are what the town needed to solve the mystery of the missing popular girl, Andrea, and consequently uncover a deeper mystery behind it.
Perhaps the only thing I didn’t like very much is Marnie’s almost blasé approach especially about her existence. It’s good that she changes perspective but it’s only during the last few pages of the book. I also feel like there’s a missing element in the entire story just to make it a more gripping and captivating mystery. But as it is, The Leaf Reader is still quite an enjoyable and interesting YA mystery. The bonus content on Tea Leaf Reading at the back of the book is a plus and I would still definitely look forward to the next book/s the author writes.
March 4, 2017
A good solid YA read. Lots of twists and turns with a bit of mystic reading of tea leaves. Enjoyed it.
ARC.
ARC.
February 22, 2017
About: The Leaf Reader is a fiction novel written by Emily Arsenault. It will be published on 6/13/17 by Soho Teen, 240 pages. The genres are young adult and paranormal. The author normally writes mystery thrillers for adults, but this book is her first young adult novel. Please see below for more info about the author.
My Experience: I started reading The Leaf Reader on 2/15/17 and finished it on 2/21/17. This book is a great read. It’s different from other books I have read and it’s a nice change. In this book, readers will follow the point of view of Marnie Wells, a high school student who failed at trying to fit in so she might as well embrace her uniqueness. She lives with her grandma called G. Clara and an older brother, Noah. Her grandma teaches home ecs at the Colesbury High School where Marnie goes, but she doesn’t cook or clean at home. Her brother has a story of his own. Their mom has her own trouble and was not part of this book much. They live in an old house and Marnie walks everywhere even though her brother and grandma has a car.
One day Marnie found an old book on the shelf and it’s about fortune telling using tea leaves. She finds that she has a knack for it and her friend and classmates began coming to her. At first they were all skeptical until they noticed signs that make them believe. The book also started out with a missing girl, named Andrea, classmates of Marnie and her friend Cecilia and Matt. Matt and his group of friends, twins Phoenix and Payson, and Andrea are the popular kids in school. Matt and Andrea are best friends, but the day she went missing, she called him and he couldn’t answer because it was during class. He felt responsible for her disappearance because he couldn’t answer the phone to help her. But then Marnie’s tea leaf fortune telling started to give him clues. They went chasing it, solving the mystery that police couldn’t.
This book being a bit shorter than I’m used to, but it’s packed with so much. It keeps me on the edge of my seats and keeps my attention on the book. I like the author’s way of writing. The start of the book grabs my attention and sucks me in. The tea leaf fortune telling concept is interesting. I like following Marnie’s train of thoughts and I like that she’s smart. When she feels she was being followed, she knows what to do in tough situations. The romance came out of nowhere. I couldn’t tell when the guy had any attraction. This book focused more on the problem solving and the mystery so it was definitely an interesting read. My heart was pumping and my mind was racing for clues. It leads me to the end and I couldn’t guess who it is. I highly recommend the read to everyone!
Pro: suspenseful, page turner, twist and turns, attention grabber, problem solving, mystery, heart-pumping, mind racing
Con: romance came out of nowhere
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Soho Teens for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
My Experience: I started reading The Leaf Reader on 2/15/17 and finished it on 2/21/17. This book is a great read. It’s different from other books I have read and it’s a nice change. In this book, readers will follow the point of view of Marnie Wells, a high school student who failed at trying to fit in so she might as well embrace her uniqueness. She lives with her grandma called G. Clara and an older brother, Noah. Her grandma teaches home ecs at the Colesbury High School where Marnie goes, but she doesn’t cook or clean at home. Her brother has a story of his own. Their mom has her own trouble and was not part of this book much. They live in an old house and Marnie walks everywhere even though her brother and grandma has a car.
One day Marnie found an old book on the shelf and it’s about fortune telling using tea leaves. She finds that she has a knack for it and her friend and classmates began coming to her. At first they were all skeptical until they noticed signs that make them believe. The book also started out with a missing girl, named Andrea, classmates of Marnie and her friend Cecilia and Matt. Matt and his group of friends, twins Phoenix and Payson, and Andrea are the popular kids in school. Matt and Andrea are best friends, but the day she went missing, she called him and he couldn’t answer because it was during class. He felt responsible for her disappearance because he couldn’t answer the phone to help her. But then Marnie’s tea leaf fortune telling started to give him clues. They went chasing it, solving the mystery that police couldn’t.
This book being a bit shorter than I’m used to, but it’s packed with so much. It keeps me on the edge of my seats and keeps my attention on the book. I like the author’s way of writing. The start of the book grabs my attention and sucks me in. The tea leaf fortune telling concept is interesting. I like following Marnie’s train of thoughts and I like that she’s smart. When she feels she was being followed, she knows what to do in tough situations. The romance came out of nowhere. I couldn’t tell when the guy had any attraction. This book focused more on the problem solving and the mystery so it was definitely an interesting read. My heart was pumping and my mind was racing for clues. It leads me to the end and I couldn’t guess who it is. I highly recommend the read to everyone!
Pro: suspenseful, page turner, twist and turns, attention grabber, problem solving, mystery, heart-pumping, mind racing
Con: romance came out of nowhere
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Soho Teens for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
September 24, 2017
As a tea drinker I was fascinated with the idea of tea leaf reading and that was the main idea that attracted me to this novel. I wish this topic and the psychic abilities of some of the characters had been developed much further by the author.
I liked the rest of the book but I felt that I was just looking at a slightly different version of something I had already read before: a missing teenager and just lies, lies and more lies told by unreliable friends.
In spite of the previous comment, it was an entertaining summer read.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
May 29, 2017
I loved this premise and was quite eager to get into it.
I liked Marnie. She's smart and an honest, good person. There are a few other characters who seemed a little one dimensional, but it worked for the story. Marnie's brother and grandma are both intriguing characters in their own way.
Plot wise, it was weird in a good way. I would have liked more tension and creepiness, but I was captivated through the entire story. The idea of the tea leaf reading was interesting and a unique thing to have things center around. It was made even better by the fact that Marnie was still sort of learning about it at times.
Overall, it was a quick, intriguing read with a satisfying ending.
**Huge thanks to SoHo Teen for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Marnie. She's smart and an honest, good person. There are a few other characters who seemed a little one dimensional, but it worked for the story. Marnie's brother and grandma are both intriguing characters in their own way.
Plot wise, it was weird in a good way. I would have liked more tension and creepiness, but I was captivated through the entire story. The idea of the tea leaf reading was interesting and a unique thing to have things center around. It was made even better by the fact that Marnie was still sort of learning about it at times.
Overall, it was a quick, intriguing read with a satisfying ending.
**Huge thanks to SoHo Teen for providing the arc free of charge**
July 29, 2017
I'm a little disappointed with this one. The premise is very interesting, but Marnie's a weak main character, and the characters I felt were very important (including her Grandmother) didn't get a lot of page time.
July 7, 2017
Yay NetGAlley approved me for a arc I'm so excited!!!Please don't be disappointing.
Update 7/7/17
*Rating 2 Stars*
So this was definitely a disappointing read. I was so tempted to just drop it and call it a DNF but I still had hope that maybe it would turn around but nope.
To start off this book would have been way better if the tea leaf reading did not take a back seat in the plot. That's why I was drawn to this book in the first place. Also towards the end we find out Noah and G. Clara has some talent in the psychic field too but again was just mentioned here and there and was not a huge part of the book. I guess the Fox dreams that Marnie several times counts as another gift manifesting but it was too vague for me to really understand what was the point of the dreams in the first place until the end of the book.
What also did not do it for me is that pretty much a majority of the characters were completely flat. Cecilia, Payson, and Phoenix were just portrayed as these needy rich kids and it was hard for me to feel anything towards them. When Payson crashed his car on purpose I really didn't care, I was just too disconnected to. Matt, Marnies love interest was both flat and annoying. He just keeps flaking out on Marnie, wanting her to help him find Andrea that he seemed to have a strong connection with and then just wanting to make out with her. Talk about total assholery to just string Marnie along when Matt just wasn't into a romance at the moment and didn't really show any interest of going that way with Marnie when the whole Andrea thing was over with. So, the only characters I like were Marnie, G. Clara, and Noah. They at least had personality and dimension.
That leads to why I gave stars and that was mostly because of Marnie. She had really good qualities to her, very humble and caring. She wanted to help out Cecilia, Matt, and everyone figure out what happened to Andrea and who killed Jimmy. But she did not flaunt her gift, or even really truly believe in her ability until much later. Which meant she changed as a character. She grew to have more confidence in herself and embrace her gift.
Another part that was great was G. Clara's gift of psychometry. That unique and rare psychic ability is so awesome and it showed a different side to her instead of just seeings her as a eccentric old lady who collects junk. But this was not revealed until the very end of the book which is frustrating. I would have loved it if G. Clara and her ability was a big part of the plot and also it would have been great if Noah's ability of visions was prominent as well.
I wish I could have said better things about The Leaf Reader. I was so excited to read it and had such high hopes for it. Can't say it was worth reading or recommending sadly.
Update 7/7/17
*Rating 2 Stars*
So this was definitely a disappointing read. I was so tempted to just drop it and call it a DNF but I still had hope that maybe it would turn around but nope.
To start off this book would have been way better if the tea leaf reading did not take a back seat in the plot. That's why I was drawn to this book in the first place. Also towards the end we find out Noah and G. Clara has some talent in the psychic field too but again was just mentioned here and there and was not a huge part of the book. I guess the Fox dreams that Marnie several times counts as another gift manifesting but it was too vague for me to really understand what was the point of the dreams in the first place until the end of the book.
What also did not do it for me is that pretty much a majority of the characters were completely flat. Cecilia, Payson, and Phoenix were just portrayed as these needy rich kids and it was hard for me to feel anything towards them. When Payson crashed his car on purpose I really didn't care, I was just too disconnected to. Matt, Marnies love interest was both flat and annoying. He just keeps flaking out on Marnie, wanting her to help him find Andrea that he seemed to have a strong connection with and then just wanting to make out with her. Talk about total assholery to just string Marnie along when Matt just wasn't into a romance at the moment and didn't really show any interest of going that way with Marnie when the whole Andrea thing was over with. So, the only characters I like were Marnie, G. Clara, and Noah. They at least had personality and dimension.
That leads to why I gave stars and that was mostly because of Marnie. She had really good qualities to her, very humble and caring. She wanted to help out Cecilia, Matt, and everyone figure out what happened to Andrea and who killed Jimmy. But she did not flaunt her gift, or even really truly believe in her ability until much later. Which meant she changed as a character. She grew to have more confidence in herself and embrace her gift.
Another part that was great was G. Clara's gift of psychometry. That unique and rare psychic ability is so awesome and it showed a different side to her instead of just seeings her as a eccentric old lady who collects junk. But this was not revealed until the very end of the book which is frustrating. I would have loved it if G. Clara and her ability was a big part of the plot and also it would have been great if Noah's ability of visions was prominent as well.
I wish I could have said better things about The Leaf Reader. I was so excited to read it and had such high hopes for it. Can't say it was worth reading or recommending sadly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2017
What an exciting, unexpected gem of a read!
Suspenseful, mysterious, keeps-you-guessing-and-second-guessing plot with interesting characters.
Marnie is a character I can easily identify with. She had tried to be part of the “in-crowd,” but having failed, embraces her role (as seen by others) as an eccentric, while all the time being true to herself, who she is, what she stands for, and who she wants to be. She is a helpful, considerate, and, as it turns out, brave teenager, with creative impulses and is open to unexplainable phenomena, including psychic ability and fortune telling, at least in theory.
I have spent a lot of time in Arab countries and Turkey and am fascinated by coffee grain readings. When I was in grad school, I even claimed to be able to see people’s future in the coffee grains left in their cup, and people were eager to have me read their futures. Personally, I never let anyone read my future in any way, as I believe in making my own fate, determining my own future, and what’s more I enjoy the suspense of not know what will happen. I even like to tempt fate if I get the chance…
But I like to think I am open to paranormal possibilities and will not close my eyes to evidence right in front of my face. Watching Marnie recognize, doubt, and ultimately embrace her abilities, was fascinating.
I enjoyed following the clues that were dropped throughout the entire book, learning more and more about events and characters as I went along. The Leaf Reader was a satisfying, intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from Soho Teen via NetGalley and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Suspenseful, mysterious, keeps-you-guessing-and-second-guessing plot with interesting characters.
Marnie is a character I can easily identify with. She had tried to be part of the “in-crowd,” but having failed, embraces her role (as seen by others) as an eccentric, while all the time being true to herself, who she is, what she stands for, and who she wants to be. She is a helpful, considerate, and, as it turns out, brave teenager, with creative impulses and is open to unexplainable phenomena, including psychic ability and fortune telling, at least in theory.
I have spent a lot of time in Arab countries and Turkey and am fascinated by coffee grain readings. When I was in grad school, I even claimed to be able to see people’s future in the coffee grains left in their cup, and people were eager to have me read their futures. Personally, I never let anyone read my future in any way, as I believe in making my own fate, determining my own future, and what’s more I enjoy the suspense of not know what will happen. I even like to tempt fate if I get the chance…
But I like to think I am open to paranormal possibilities and will not close my eyes to evidence right in front of my face. Watching Marnie recognize, doubt, and ultimately embrace her abilities, was fascinating.
I enjoyed following the clues that were dropped throughout the entire book, learning more and more about events and characters as I went along. The Leaf Reader was a satisfying, intriguing, suspenseful, and entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from Soho Teen via NetGalley and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2017
I received The Leaf Reader this month in a YA subscription box, so it was not a novel I chose for myself. The fortune telling thing isn’t typically a premise that grabs me, but the concept of a teen girl who is gifted when it comes to reading tea leaves and how that relates to some missing people was interesting enough for me to sit down with this short novel today. Unfortunately, I was never really able to connect with Arsenault’s story and characters, so everything fell flat for me for the majority of the book. If the novel had been a longer work, I may have put it aside and moved on to something else, but I pushed through, although I can’t say the experience was worth it in the end.
Learning more about tea leaf reading was interesting, although I can’t say it’s something I’ve been sitting around scratching my head about lately. I will say I found the process intriguing though, and sometimes Marnie’s interactions while performing readings for the other characters were amusing as well. That’s basically where the positives end though.
I think the biggest problem with this novel for me was that it gave me no reason to care. I didn’t connect with Marnie, and I had no reason to care about the missing girl because she wasn’t developed enough as a character for me to be concerned about her at all. This was supposed to be a mystery, but there was so little tension or urgency, and both character motivations and plot events often made little sense.
I think a lot of the lack of tension and urgency had to do with the portrayal of Marnie and her first person narration. She becomes involved in this high stakes situation, but the way she interacts with the other characters and behaves doesn’t support that. She also made a lot of really stupid decisions and was secretive with others but became angry when people kept things from her. Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan of hers, although I have to say I found all the characters quite flat and mostly unlikable. Even Marnie’s eccentric grandma, who was probably the most likable, was portrayed as a terrible teacher who would rather give her students the correct answers on a test than actually teach them the content.
Also, this is the second YA book I’ve read this month that included a comment about how a female character looked prettier without makeup, which I find a bit frustrating. Yes, girls and women should feel comfortable not wearing makeup if that’s what they choose, but they also shouldn’t be made to feel that wearing makeup is a problem. People should feel free to wear or not wear makeup as they see fit. I may be reading into this more than the author intended, but it’s a trend I’ve noticed lately that doesn’t sit right with me.
All in all, this book wasn’t a good fit for me; there were too many issues with the plot and characters, and it failed to truly capture my interest.
Learning more about tea leaf reading was interesting, although I can’t say it’s something I’ve been sitting around scratching my head about lately. I will say I found the process intriguing though, and sometimes Marnie’s interactions while performing readings for the other characters were amusing as well. That’s basically where the positives end though.
I think the biggest problem with this novel for me was that it gave me no reason to care. I didn’t connect with Marnie, and I had no reason to care about the missing girl because she wasn’t developed enough as a character for me to be concerned about her at all. This was supposed to be a mystery, but there was so little tension or urgency, and both character motivations and plot events often made little sense.
I think a lot of the lack of tension and urgency had to do with the portrayal of Marnie and her first person narration. She becomes involved in this high stakes situation, but the way she interacts with the other characters and behaves doesn’t support that. She also made a lot of really stupid decisions and was secretive with others but became angry when people kept things from her. Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan of hers, although I have to say I found all the characters quite flat and mostly unlikable. Even Marnie’s eccentric grandma, who was probably the most likable, was portrayed as a terrible teacher who would rather give her students the correct answers on a test than actually teach them the content.
Also, this is the second YA book I’ve read this month that included a comment about how a female character looked prettier without makeup, which I find a bit frustrating. Yes, girls and women should feel comfortable not wearing makeup if that’s what they choose, but they also shouldn’t be made to feel that wearing makeup is a problem. People should feel free to wear or not wear makeup as they see fit. I may be reading into this more than the author intended, but it’s a trend I’ve noticed lately that doesn’t sit right with me.
All in all, this book wasn’t a good fit for me; there were too many issues with the plot and characters, and it failed to truly capture my interest.
June 10, 2018
"I couldn't pretend anymore. I had to make my skeletons dance. If I was going to have to be creepy, I figured I may as well find a way to make it interesting."
Marnie is counting down the days until she can escape her home town and the fact everyone knows everything about each other- including what they know of her dysfunctional family. To pass the time, Marnie gives tea leaf reading to some girls from school, a hobby she taught herself just for fun. But when her readings end up being accurate, she gets more attention. A girl went missing, and the girl's friend is convinced Marnie can help discover the truth.
I knew nothing about this book until I received it in my monthly Litjoy book box subscription last year- seriously, this book received no hype which baffles me because it was really good. Once I read the synopsis and discovered that it was a YA mystery with a potential psychic flair, heck yeah I was excited to read it! There were multiple mysteries that went on during the story, one big and blatant and a few others that I never saw coming and were sneaky and subtle. I had so many possible suspects going through my mind, but I was not sure what I should suspect them of- which crime were they involved in? Who is really the victim in this book? That, right there, is the big mystery.
I enjoyed the fact that the mystery that is first introduced when the story starts is not the mystery that we discover by the end of the book. There were plenty of twists and surprises that I was fully engaged with the book the entire read and I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know more.
This was a dark book dealing with death, drugs, overdose and despair- don't go into it expecting rainbows and unicorns because you will be sadly disappointed. YA mysteries are one of my favorite genres to read, I find them to be compelling, relatable, twisty and at times dark. The Leaf Reader had a nice balance between the mystery as well as character development.
Marnie, our narrator, began the book pretty aimless, just costing by life with her one distant friend, not really self aware or aware of the goings on in her world. She was so closed off as a person, focusing so much on her flaws and family dysfunction that everyone else looked so shiny. By the end of the story, Marnie was a completely different person. Fully aware of her skills and worth, appreciative of her family regardless of what they looked like, and collecting new friends. I liked Marnie, she was a normal girl who picked up an interesting hobby, she was so human and real, with flaws and jagged edges that made her someone I rooted for. I also just need to do a shout out to how wonderful I found G. Clara, Noah and Cecilia to be as supporting characters- even Jimmy too, each used in a different way to help Marnie see the bigger picture.
Can I just say hallelujah for the fact that this was not a romance? At times, YA is so bogged down with creating a romance in a story that does not need it because love (cough, cough, sex) sells. Well, there was the start of something that could have been a romance but Marnie was unsure of her own feelings towards said person and it never went anywhere, which fit the tone of the book perfectly- and it was never the main focus of the plot (the last chapter was completely perfect in my opinion).
This was my first book by Emily but I would gladly read more from her in the future. She was able to deliver a unique read with enough mystery to drag me in and keep me in. I recommend this to older YA and adult readers who are looking for a different kind of mystery.
Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
Marnie is counting down the days until she can escape her home town and the fact everyone knows everything about each other- including what they know of her dysfunctional family. To pass the time, Marnie gives tea leaf reading to some girls from school, a hobby she taught herself just for fun. But when her readings end up being accurate, she gets more attention. A girl went missing, and the girl's friend is convinced Marnie can help discover the truth.
I knew nothing about this book until I received it in my monthly Litjoy book box subscription last year- seriously, this book received no hype which baffles me because it was really good. Once I read the synopsis and discovered that it was a YA mystery with a potential psychic flair, heck yeah I was excited to read it! There were multiple mysteries that went on during the story, one big and blatant and a few others that I never saw coming and were sneaky and subtle. I had so many possible suspects going through my mind, but I was not sure what I should suspect them of- which crime were they involved in? Who is really the victim in this book? That, right there, is the big mystery.
I enjoyed the fact that the mystery that is first introduced when the story starts is not the mystery that we discover by the end of the book. There were plenty of twists and surprises that I was fully engaged with the book the entire read and I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know more.
This was a dark book dealing with death, drugs, overdose and despair- don't go into it expecting rainbows and unicorns because you will be sadly disappointed. YA mysteries are one of my favorite genres to read, I find them to be compelling, relatable, twisty and at times dark. The Leaf Reader had a nice balance between the mystery as well as character development.
Marnie, our narrator, began the book pretty aimless, just costing by life with her one distant friend, not really self aware or aware of the goings on in her world. She was so closed off as a person, focusing so much on her flaws and family dysfunction that everyone else looked so shiny. By the end of the story, Marnie was a completely different person. Fully aware of her skills and worth, appreciative of her family regardless of what they looked like, and collecting new friends. I liked Marnie, she was a normal girl who picked up an interesting hobby, she was so human and real, with flaws and jagged edges that made her someone I rooted for. I also just need to do a shout out to how wonderful I found G. Clara, Noah and Cecilia to be as supporting characters- even Jimmy too, each used in a different way to help Marnie see the bigger picture.
Can I just say hallelujah for the fact that this was not a romance? At times, YA is so bogged down with creating a romance in a story that does not need it because love (cough, cough, sex) sells. Well, there was the start of something that could have been a romance but Marnie was unsure of her own feelings towards said person and it never went anywhere, which fit the tone of the book perfectly- and it was never the main focus of the plot (the last chapter was completely perfect in my opinion).
This was my first book by Emily but I would gladly read more from her in the future. She was able to deliver a unique read with enough mystery to drag me in and keep me in. I recommend this to older YA and adult readers who are looking for a different kind of mystery.
Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
October 27, 2020
2/5 ⭐️
Eeeehehh
It was good in the beginning and then I got super bored with it
Eeeehehh
It was good in the beginning and then I got super bored with it
November 10, 2016
Solid and interesting teen mystery, with a slight paranormal angle. Good, fast-paced read.
Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss
Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss
November 22, 2016
A solid, intriguing, and suspenseful read that left me unable to put it down even when it's 3am and I'm curled right up to my sleeping husband because I'm so freaked out. I loved it!
February 2, 2017
I was already a fan of Arsenault and her last two books. Love & recommend her foray into YA.
January 27, 2018
Emily Arsenault's THE LEAF READER was an enjoyable mystery that knew when to accelerate the pace, escalating the tension. There was a lot that I enjoyed about the plot: a missing girl, mysterious messages that appear to be from the girl who's presumed dead, tiny details that become important later, and a twist that most readers will find satisfying. The characters, while a fairly compact cast with interesting personalities and backstories, could've been a little more developed with a bit more time spent on them. I felt like I got to know Marnie rather well, but with others, they skimmed along on the surface, dipping deeper occasionally but never for very long. I think that's simply the result of the book being very short and perhaps an attempt not to reveal too much and give away the mystery (which I was able to solve pretty early in the book but still found satisfying and nicely executed). I give the seeming superficiality the benefit of a doubt though because, looking at it through Marnie's POV, no, she's new to this group and won't know a ton about the missing girl's friends. It's hard to say though if greater character development would have slowed the pacing too much. Arsenault also did a good job of fleshing out the characters of Noah and Jimmy Harmon, Marnie's troubled brother and his former friend who became the local drug dealer. She showed a surprising empathy for Jimmy despite that he really hadn't done anything to earn Marnie's care.
I also liked that Marnie saw symbols not only in the tea leaves, though again, I wished this had been explored a bit more in depth because it leads to a revelation later in the book that felt a little dropped in rather than fully developed. However, I still flew through the book in a couple of hours and didn't want to put it down once I started. A solid voice that doesn't try too hard to sound like a teen while still being a bit quirky and definitely compelling. I would look for more work by Arsenault.
I also liked that Marnie saw symbols not only in the tea leaves, though again, I wished this had been explored a bit more in depth because it leads to a revelation later in the book that felt a little dropped in rather than fully developed. However, I still flew through the book in a couple of hours and didn't want to put it down once I started. A solid voice that doesn't try too hard to sound like a teen while still being a bit quirky and definitely compelling. I would look for more work by Arsenault.
October 3, 2017
The premise is a good one. I would be super nervous if I had an ability to somewhat intuit the immediate future and signs were telling me that I put myself in a dangerous situation, but the intel was too vague to make me certain of how to save myself.
The mystery is about a teenager who disappeared, and becomes tied with another missing teen whose disappearance fell through the cracks because no one really kept track of him. Outsider Marnie Wells, reader of tea leaves, is sought out by Matt Cortrell, best friend of the missing girl after he gets an anonymous email and starts to seek answers for himself. She begins to help him figure out what happened to his friend and realizes she doesn't trust Matt or most of his crowd. Something is up with them.
For a small (230 pp) novel, there is a lot going on. My synopsis does not do justice to the dark and eerie tone. The cast of suspicious characters are disturbing without being overdrawn that way. There are themes of family acceptance, and the value of human life: why is the disappearance of the girl who was athletic and popular more sad than the disappearance of a teen boy who never fit in or had it easy?
For me, the story had drive. Some books might keep you up late because you love the world or characters so much, this kept me up too late, because I really just wanted to know what happened.
The mystery is about a teenager who disappeared, and becomes tied with another missing teen whose disappearance fell through the cracks because no one really kept track of him. Outsider Marnie Wells, reader of tea leaves, is sought out by Matt Cortrell, best friend of the missing girl after he gets an anonymous email and starts to seek answers for himself. She begins to help him figure out what happened to his friend and realizes she doesn't trust Matt or most of his crowd. Something is up with them.
For a small (230 pp) novel, there is a lot going on. My synopsis does not do justice to the dark and eerie tone. The cast of suspicious characters are disturbing without being overdrawn that way. There are themes of family acceptance, and the value of human life: why is the disappearance of the girl who was athletic and popular more sad than the disappearance of a teen boy who never fit in or had it easy?
For me, the story had drive. Some books might keep you up late because you love the world or characters so much, this kept me up too late, because I really just wanted to know what happened.
January 5, 2025
There wasn’t a ton of character development and the plot seemed a bit disconnected at parts. But overall it was a quick read that kept my attention enough to finish.
May 31, 2019
DNF @ 57%
This was apparently not for me at all.
I loved the synopsis but I just can't go forward.
I need books in this period that keep my interest alive and I was soooo bored :(
This was apparently not for me at all.
I loved the synopsis but I just can't go forward.
I need books in this period that keep my interest alive and I was soooo bored :(
May 8, 2017
I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers and a bit of swearing ahoy.
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
I think this book will appeal to YA readers because, just like those readers, this book has no clue what it wants to be when it grows up.
I'm not shitting you. The book goes every freaking place without ever actually deciding what kind of book it wants to be. This book is a jack of all trade, master of none. And that's very annoying. Because this book had so much potential.
Marnie lives in the Stars Hollow-esque town of Colds-something or other. While the summary describes her as the town freak, the actual book... Not so much. The characters she interacts with all seem to genuinely like her (at the very least, they aren't outwardly mean to her) and some respect her. They recognize that yes, her talent with tea reading is weird, but hey, it's a cool weird.
Marnie somehow gets involved with the mystery of a girl who went missing last winter. Weird emails are being sent to Matt, who asks Marnie for a tea leaf reading to get to the bottom of the mystery (like, zoinks, Scoob!). Then Marnie somehow becomes involved in the mystery because Plot. Don't ask me 'cause I'm still not 100% sure what went down.
After that, it's just a tangled mess that was woven. A romance tries to develop, but never goes anywhere and never actually makes any freaking sense. Character development tries to happen, but again, really doesn't go anywhere. Flat characters, ahoy, fellow readers. The author tries to write a few plot twists, but they end up being more like plot curves. However, the reader doesn't spot them coming because, hey, that would require the book to make logical sense. Which. Trust me. It doesn't. There are plot holes in this book big enough to drive a semi though.
This is just 240 pages of stuff that goes nowhere. But, hey, at least it was a quick read.
Spoilers and a bit of swearing ahoy.
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
I think this book will appeal to YA readers because, just like those readers, this book has no clue what it wants to be when it grows up.
I'm not shitting you. The book goes every freaking place without ever actually deciding what kind of book it wants to be. This book is a jack of all trade, master of none. And that's very annoying. Because this book had so much potential.
Marnie lives in the Stars Hollow-esque town of Colds-something or other. While the summary describes her as the town freak, the actual book... Not so much. The characters she interacts with all seem to genuinely like her (at the very least, they aren't outwardly mean to her) and some respect her. They recognize that yes, her talent with tea reading is weird, but hey, it's a cool weird.
Marnie somehow gets involved with the mystery of a girl who went missing last winter. Weird emails are being sent to Matt, who asks Marnie for a tea leaf reading to get to the bottom of the mystery (like, zoinks, Scoob!). Then Marnie somehow becomes involved in the mystery because Plot. Don't ask me 'cause I'm still not 100% sure what went down.
After that, it's just a tangled mess that was woven. A romance tries to develop, but never goes anywhere and never actually makes any freaking sense. Character development tries to happen, but again, really doesn't go anywhere. Flat characters, ahoy, fellow readers. The author tries to write a few plot twists, but they end up being more like plot curves. However, the reader doesn't spot them coming because, hey, that would require the book to make logical sense. Which. Trust me. It doesn't. There are plot holes in this book big enough to drive a semi though.
This is just 240 pages of stuff that goes nowhere. But, hey, at least it was a quick read.
December 4, 2016
This book was so good in so many ways. 4.5 stars
July 24, 2024
The concept of this novel was interesting but the author ruined with an awful plot. It was a simple mystery novel, written like a children’s book, with the language of an adult novel. Very odd book.
June 13, 2017
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. I mean, pieces were, but the overall story was so much better (and more suspenseful) than anticipated.
I suppose I'd been expecting something a bit more paranormal in feel. This had a bit of a psychic element, but definitely reads as a mystery/thriller. The tea reading just added a little special twist.
So, Marnie is...odd. She's poor, comes from a strange family, but decided to embrace it. Hence the tea leaves readings. And initially, it's just something fun to do. Something quirky. But, thanks to one repeat "customer" things all change. Matt asks for a reading and that's when the weird things begin happening. Dreams about a fox. Snow. And there's the other missing teen that no one is talking about.
At first, I really wasn't too sure about the story. As I progressed, I did enjoy it more. I liked trying to pinpoint what exactly had gone on based upon the pieces of info Marnie and Matt were able to get. There were still so many holes. Interspersed were the fox dreams...and really, they added even more "huh?" moments throughout. Where was Andrea? Had Jimmy killed her? Or Matt? Or...someone else? There was so much information, but also not enough. I know it doesn't make sense. But once you read it, you'll understand. Then there's the fact that I trusted no one—other than Marnie. Every character seemed shady.
And then...all is revealed. I definitely thought one part was quite underwhelming. I was expecting "fireworks" or at least some type of physical altercation. Instead, it was just "okay, done!" Some things were left hanging, but not in the way in which you require closure. It felt right considering how everything played out.
Overall, a great read for those who enjoy unraveling thrillers. Good for fans of The Female of the Species, One of Us is Lying, and Kimberly McCreight.
I suppose I'd been expecting something a bit more paranormal in feel. This had a bit of a psychic element, but definitely reads as a mystery/thriller. The tea reading just added a little special twist.
So, Marnie is...odd. She's poor, comes from a strange family, but decided to embrace it. Hence the tea leaves readings. And initially, it's just something fun to do. Something quirky. But, thanks to one repeat "customer" things all change. Matt asks for a reading and that's when the weird things begin happening. Dreams about a fox. Snow. And there's the other missing teen that no one is talking about.
At first, I really wasn't too sure about the story. As I progressed, I did enjoy it more. I liked trying to pinpoint what exactly had gone on based upon the pieces of info Marnie and Matt were able to get. There were still so many holes. Interspersed were the fox dreams...and really, they added even more "huh?" moments throughout. Where was Andrea? Had Jimmy killed her? Or Matt? Or...someone else? There was so much information, but also not enough. I know it doesn't make sense. But once you read it, you'll understand. Then there's the fact that I trusted no one—other than Marnie. Every character seemed shady.
And then...all is revealed. I definitely thought one part was quite underwhelming. I was expecting "fireworks" or at least some type of physical altercation. Instead, it was just "okay, done!" Some things were left hanging, but not in the way in which you require closure. It felt right considering how everything played out.
Overall, a great read for those who enjoy unraveling thrillers. Good for fans of The Female of the Species, One of Us is Lying, and Kimberly McCreight.
September 14, 2017
I think that all the truly excellent adult mystery novels I've read have spoiled me for YA mysteries--The Leaf Reader was a good quick commuting read and I was initially enjoying the eerie atmosphere and jaded main character but the unnecessary romance was severely lacking in chemistry and the plot felt low-stakes even at its most dramatic moments.
October 23, 2017
This book was enjoyable, even though I started to figure out the mystery right before the reveal, but it didn't matter because I still felt the emotional punch of it. There just felt like something missing overall from the book, which is why there is three stars instead of four. But I liked Marnie, and her brother, and I wanted more of Carson and Cecilia.
That's all.
That's all.
October 25, 2017
I was intrigued by the premise of this but I never really was hooked. The tea reading aspect was the most successful part of the book - seriously, I want to read tea leaves now. I didn't feel particularly strongly about any of the characters, nor did I really care about the crime/mystery. I mostly wanted to learn what different tea leave symbols mean. I've read worse and I will read more from this author, but this one didn't work out all that well for me.
November 7, 2017
3.75/4 Enjoyed this fast mystery, but I wished it had delved deeper into the characters. Would definitely read a second installment if this ended up a series.
June 26, 2018
RTC on the blog soon!
December 13, 2018
I really enjoyed this one. It’s different. A nice short one day read. Highly recommend!!
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