6/29/2021 0 Comments Survive the Night by Riley Sager
Survive the Night by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Moral of the story? Maybe don’t get into cars with strangers. Is that a spoiler? Ha! No. Just good advice. What starts out as a bit of slow ride with lots of introspection and self-pity turns into a fast-paced thriller that refuses to slow down. The more you read the more you realize why this had story had to take place in the 90s, think how well Home Alone would do nowadays with cell phones and the internet at Kevin’s fingertips. Doesn’t make for a compelling movie, nor would it make for a great book if we didn’t rewind twenty years to the time before we could SOS anyone with a double tap or Facebook stalk just about anyone. This isn’t just some straightforward story, though, the wrench having something to do with the main character’s trauma-induced hallucinations or dreams that can happen at any time and make you wonder if what’s going on is really happening or just a figment of her imagination. How far does this dream sequence go? Is she going to wake up at the beginning of the story with Toto and the tinman by her side? It does get a bit tedious when it comes to the decision making of the main character. Aside from the obvious frustration with someone who jumps in cars with people she doesn’t know, it really gets annoying with the continued missteps this chick takes throughout the entire story. Yes, I realize that’s part of the arc, would there be horror movies if people were actually logical and didn’t go into the basement? No, but it doesn’t make me want to smack her any less. Overall, I was pleased with the suspense and the outcome. There were twists and turns in all the right places and the accompanying soundtrack throughout the book brings back some solid memories. Now I’m off to listen to some grunge. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews
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A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another solid procedural thriller from Sarah, a slow burn that will keep you enthralled from start to finish. Picking right up where we were left off on The Mountains Wild, Maggie is still recovering from her personal woes and her professional life is finally beginning to get back to normal, when she’s thrown headlong into another case that once again upends both her worlds and sends them colliding together once more. Not only are you reading a mystery, you’re entrenched in the family life of Maggie, you’re wrapped up in Lucy’s wellbeing, you’re cheering on the love life of the beloved Uncle Danny, and you can hear the Irish brogue of Colin so many miles across the ocean. You personally feel the triumph of each clue found during the investigation, and the disappointment from different characters when something falls through or doesn’t go as planned. Everything about this story is different yet the feeling is familiar and comfortable. This is incredibly written, an absolute joy to read, and I eagerly await the next installment of this series. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews 6/21/2021 0 Comments Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Holy $H!T that was INTENSE! To the VERY LAST PAGE my anxiety was roiling in the pit of my stomach, not wanting it to end, fearing how it might end, “Please, gawd, will this ever end?!” It’s been so long since I’ve read such a thriller that kept me glued to the pages, that didn’t make me scream at the characters for their irritating and banal introspection. FINALLY, a balanced narrative, enough internal conflict to make a story, but not excessive to the point of indifference at the conclusion because you’re ready to be finished with the story, regardless of how it ends. Mina and Adam are relatable characters with semi-relatable problems, past traumas that haunt them but don’t keep them from moving forward, or at least to a crippling degree. However, it still catches up with them, and just as everything personally is coming to a head, well, professionally, it’s about to get interesting. Both are equally represented, the good and the bad, neither coming out looking rosier than the other and I appreciate the equity. The wild card, Sophia, manages to be a challenging child but not one that you wish wasn’t there, she makes it interesting, she adds the flair. The multiple and separate accounts from various characters throughout the book keep the perspective fresh, the tension high, and the wheels in your head turning as you try and piece together everyone’s part, they’re role, where they fit into the whole of the story. Even if you begin to think you have it all figured out, I guarantee, there will still be a few surprises waiting in the wings. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews 6/13/2021 0 Comments The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 2 of 5 stars It was an unfortunate kismet that this book was one more in a string of thrillers with whiny female protagonists, but here it is, and so explains my two-star rating. Again, with the females with baggage, with the wool pulled over their eyes, with the toxic relationships and self-talk. Not to mention another mystery that is not her job to solve, yet she continues to take it upon herself to impede on an investigation, put herself in danger, and in the end up believing something that may or may not be true. I was initially intrigued because of the academia setting with the possibility of a cult dynamic involving the “maidens”, but instead it was a slow unraveling of a mediocre mystery with agonizing and extraneous character development. The end reveal was unimaginative, almost trailing off into a cliffhanger that left me with zero desire to learn the conclusion. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews 6/8/2021 0 Comments Rabbits by Terry Miles
Rabbits by Terry Miles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars If you don’t want to notice coincidences and synchronicities everywhere you go, then I’m still going to recommend you read this book because it’s too much fun to miss. Realizing that this is the second book in a row that I’ve read that is set in my home state of Washington already has me wondering if there is more truth to this book then what I’m being lead to believe . . . Running through Seattle on a conspiracy-driven scavenger hunt, losing time, being chased by shadows and darkness, and slipping through dimensions, is it a some nameless underground game, a means of keeping the world as we know it intact, or is it all just an elaborate hoax orchestrated by someone with limitless funds? Not only is this story exciting, it’s also a beginner’s guide to theories relating to multiverses, conspiracies, ley lines, and so much more that will you scratching your head and doing a lot of Googling. The mood throughout this entire novel is definitely written by someone familiar with the area, unlike many TV shows that throw a gray filter on a camera and put a few people in chunky sweaters and call it “Seattle”, Terry so accurately describes the sights and smells, the personalities that you meet, the numerous coffee shops, it’s obvious that he’s a local. Knowing that I live in close proximity to the author (when he’s in Washington), may cause me to frequent some of his haunts while holding his book in hopes of running into him and obtaining an autograph. However, what I’m really hoping for is an onscreen adaptation, and seeing that Terry is already in the biz . . . well, let’s see what can be done about that, hmm? An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews
Legends of the North Cascades by Jonathan Evison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars As a Washingtonian, born and raised, I am drawn to stories that are told in this area, naturally, and I especially love anything based in the outdoors. Needless to say, I had high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed. What a fun escape, in what can be described as an adult version of Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain, and the thrill of survival that can really only be enjoyed from the safety of your comfortable surroundings. Despite the grisly realities described on the pages, it still further inspired me to want to get out and experience more nature, if only for a short hike or a weekend camping trip with a stocked cooler and a good book. Legends touches on so many talking points, with frank discussions about grief, war, politics, PTSD, all written in a way that is readable and relatable and you will feel every range of emotion, dread, hope, frustration, wonder. The relationship between Bella and Dave is tenuous and engaging, their bond realistic yet enviable. Same could be said with the fascinating parallel story that takes place with N’ka and S’tka, their prehistoric adventure played out in humor and horror. Both stories leading to an exodus, an escape, or search for a better life. As the story progresses, you want to root for Dave, punch your fist in the air in solidarity against the toxicity of the everyday climate with social media, politics, war, etc., but eventually that alliance begins to crumble and you want to snap your fingers in his face and wake him up from this delusion that living in a cave on the side of a mountain in the dead of winter is natural, even when you know the origins of the first peoples, as spelled out in the story of S’tka and U’ku’let. You want to hate his brother and the park ranger and the social worker, but you also realize that they aren’t the bad guys, no one is the “bad guy”, as far as the ones “interviewed” and/or featured in this book. Despite the grim landscape, there are plenty of pockets of hope, well-placed humor, and moments of levity that prevent you from needing a break from the depth and darkness that could consume you otherwise while reading through some of the bleaker passages. However, it does not take away from the seriousness of the issues discussed. Easily one of my favorite books this year, I cannot recommend this book enough and I am excited to read more from Jonathan in the future. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews
The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars Beautiful imagery of fantastical and sometimes unforgiving landscapes along with terrifying descriptions of horrific creatures will draw the reader into a world that in many ways parallels our own, but in so many more ways, is starkly different. While the pictures are eloquently painted on the pages, sometimes it can become a bit busy with a proliferation of similes and euphemisms, the same being used again and again, with very little variation in the text. The first half of this story was difficult for me to get through, the story and characters wandering aimless, searching for something that isn’t found and then wandering back, meeting various conflicts along the way, all with little point or direction. About three-quarters of the way, it begins to pick up, and I really enjoyed when Evike began to learn how to write and to take part in the traditions from her Yehuli ancestry. From then on, though, it’s another slapdash attempt at a climax that again drags with stops and starts only to lead to unresolved conclusion. Many elements to this story held promise and could have been something spectacular but in the end, I came away feeling dissatisfied and unimpressed. An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own. View all my reviews |
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