Literarycat Review: Death Is In The Details by Heather Sunseri

Title: Death is in the Details
Authors: Heather Sunseri
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Source: Kindle eBook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Paws

Faith is a forensic photographer who is haunted by vivid memories of the night her mother and step father were murdered.  Twelve years later a string of fires are eerily similar to the one that took their lives.  Oddly enough the fires seem to correspond with the release of Faith's stepbrother from prison.  Ethan was convicted of setting the fire that killed his father and Faith's mother, but new evidence proved his innocence.  So who set the fire all those years ago and why are they trying to frame Ethan now?  FBI agent Luke Justice will not rest until he catches the serial killer who uses arson to mask his murders. What does he do when the evidence points to someone close to Faith, a woman he is growing fond of?  Can Faith and Luke find the truth behind it all before the flames eat them alive?

I keep going back and forth on what I think about this book.  There are moments when I like and other moments when I felt like it isn't a book for me. It progressed rather slowly for me and took a while for any of the action or clues to really make an impact on the feel of the novel.  I didn't feel attached to any of the characters, though the idea of Faith having a condition that makes her recall every moment that has happened to her with vivid clarity, as if it is happening at that moment.  For a good chunk of the book it wasn't as suspenseful or thrilling as I would have expected it to be, and I figured out the killer fairly early on in the novel.

I did like the motive behind the the murders.  There were some things that still didn't make sense when I finished the novel; things that were never truly explained with the big reveal.  The romantic part was unrealistic and was not needed.  Thriller/suspense novels do not need a romantic interest for them to be engaging and this was definitely a novel that would have been better without it.  It didn't feel like it added anything relevant to the story.  The main character solves everything by turning to alcohol and making really bad choices.  I simply could not connect with her as I absolutely hated her and Luke.  Luke just quickly gets into bed with her and just barely does anything to keep her safe and seems a little caustic as well.  He's a little too protective for only knowing her a short time, ready to fight for her after what a week?

Sunseri has a writing style that I could get into, but sadly it was the drull and boring story and very unlikable characters that made the novel feel like it was lacking something.  I am not sure if I would read anything else from her.

The Other Girl

Title: The Other Girl
Author: Erica Spindler
Genre: Mystery, Thriller/Suspense
Source: Library Hardback
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws.

Miranda Radar is a highly trusted and respected officer in the small town of Harmony, Louisiana, but she had to work hard to overcome her troubled past.  But when the murder of a prominent college professor comes her way, she must once again face the trials of her past, including an assault that no one believes.  Miranda must now to try solve the case of the murder all the while trying to convince everyone around her that 1) the professor was not the man everyone thought he was and 2) that she had nothing to do with the gruesome and brutal murder.  When another man from her past winds up dead with more links to her, she struggles to prove herself innocent.  Will she be able to solve the issue of why her, why now? Or will the evidence be too much to handle?

 

I seen this one at my library and decided to check it out and see what it was about.  I am glad that I did, while this was my first Erica Spindler novel, I don't think it will be the last. I enjoyed every bit of the story, even though there were some elements that are normally not my cup of tea, but Spindler presents everything in a way that it's easy to handle to hard subjects.  The novel has shorter chapters which makes it feel like it reads fast, which is a good thing.  I finished this one in roughly 5 or 6 hours on a Saturday night.  I devoured the book, it would have been a shorter read time, but conversations were being had while reading.

There is nothing about this novel that I didn't like.  I love than the MC Miranda had a troubled past, run-ins with the law and overcame all of that and became an officer herself.  She quickly becomes the strong female lead that I love reading in novels.  As we read through the story, we see she has faults and weakness but that makes her all the more relatable and likable.  I could have done without the relationship aspect between her and her partner Jake, but it wasn't overdone nor did it overthrow the rest of the story.

The story is not completely predictable and sends a few red herrings your way.  I figured one aspect out, but not the other which blew my mind and I may have whispered "no way" when I got to the big reveal.  Spindler presents a story that holds its own without the need for excessive violence, gore, or sex scenes.  Sure there is a little bit of everything, but it isn't overdone, she presents it neatly and in a tasteful manner.

I would highly recommend this book to other mystery, thriller/suspense readers.  It is definitely one to add to the book shelf or to read shelf.  It will hold your attention and make you crave what happens next.  I have already added some of Spindler's other books to my to read shelf and will search my library for more.

Daughter of the Pirate King

Title: Daughter of the Pirate King
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Library Hardback
Rating2.5 out of 5 stars.

Alosa's father sent her out on a secret mission, to find and steal a piece to a treasure map, one that will lead the pirate to a secret treasure trove.  In order to do so, Alosa must allow herself to be kidnapped by the pirates who hold this piece.  But the only thing standing in her way of success is the first mate: Riden.  Not only is he her captor/guard, but also devilishly handsome.  She must somehow keep him occupied while she searches the ship for what her father desires.  She has many tricks up her sleeves to accomplish her goals, no one can stop the pirate princess.

 

I was intrigued with this novel, a little unsure of what to expect from it, but it wasn't as impressed as I had hoped I would be. I felt "meh" about this book and didn't fully care if I finished the book or not. I almost didn't, but kept with it because I had started it.  It wasn't overly entertaining or thrilling.  Just....meh.  There wasn't anything that really made me excited about this book.  Alosa spent most of her time trying to seduce one of the brothers so she can search their chambers, or trying to figure out her feelings for Riden, or talking about how great she is, but she kept getting caught hmm.  There didn't seem to be much action nor did it seem like there was any urgency for Alosa to find the treasure map.

I couldn't stand the characters I wanted to like them so much but there was so much wrong with them.  Such as Riden just standing by while Alosa is assaulted and virtually abused because in his mind she was able to handle herself and situation...say what?  But then gets upset and jealous when she mentions his brother's assault, not because of the brother harming her, but because he thought she had sex with him whether it was consensual or not..there's something wrong with that there. 

There was one element that could have been interesting if it wasn't thrown into the story almost out of nowhere, like the author liked the idea but didn't know how to incorporate it into the story properly and just boom magical elements.  The tale wasn't all that streamlined and bits were just thrown about haphazardly.

I don't think I would recommend this to too many people.  It had so much potential only to fall way way short of the mark.

Demon: A Memoir

Title: Demon: A Memoir
Author; Tosca Lee
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Christian Fiction (though not marketed as such),
Source: Paperback
Rating:  2.5 out of 5 paws




Clay had a mysterious meeting on his calendar that no one knew about.  He stayed late at work only to  have no one show up.  One his way home he stops for some dinner when a man in the corner begins speaking with him, as if he was waiting for him.  Clay believes he is a writer looking to get his book published but Lucian claims to be so much more; a demon.  A demon who wants his story, or rather his memoir, published and has decided that Clay is the person to do this.  Clay sprials down a demonic rabbit hole as he strives to piece together Lucian's tale.  But...it seems there are some frightening similarities between Lucian's tale and Clay's own life. But he is now beyond the point of no return and has to finish things and find out how the story ends.

I have had this book on my to-read shelf for years, since 2012 in fact, so I decided to buy it and see what it was that intrigued me six years ago. The idea behind the story is an interesting one, a demon wants to write his memoirs, tell his side of the story.  Then the man he's telling the story to begins to feel the story is as much his as it is the demon's.  Seems interesting and compelling right?  At some points it was, at other points...it fell flat, it didn't compel me to continue reading it as much as I had hopped it would.  At times it felt like it dragged on and didn't go far.  There wasn't any..umph so to speak to this story.


The name of the main character: Clay, seems to be a play on words, but it didn't feel like a clever one, especially as it is mentioned time and time again. Clay comes off as a man desperate to cling to anything that might define his life, or bring excitement to his life; even if it is a memoir from a demon.  He continues to wallow in self-pity and it gets old rather quickly.  Lucien doesn't come off as being demonic and doesn't anything outright demon like, he has moments of being "bad" but those aren't really what you would expect from a demon of his self proclaimed caliber.  The story he tells doesn't go beyond things most Christians know or beyond Lucien basically stating "we hate humans, and are mad that Elohim chose them over us" over and over again.


There seemed to have been the beginnings of a subplot of agents from both realms following the two characters, but this is never fully expanded on.  If it was it might have brought my rating and enjoyment of the novel up a little more than where it is at.  At the end Clay has a revelation about his own life, but we don't see anything that provides evidence of him coming to this conclusion.  It felt like there are so many questions opened that have no satisfactory resolutions. 


I am on the fence on whether or not I would recommend this book.  I may not have liked it but someone else might.  Do not go into this book thinking you will read  horror or thriller type novel as it is marketed as, go into it expecting to read something that is Christian Fiction at best.

Lying In Wait

Title: Lying In Wait

Author:Liz Nugent

Genre: Thriller/suspense/mystery
Source: Hardback, goodreads win
Rating: 3 out of 5 paws


Lydia's life seemed perfect.  Doting husband, beloved son, beautiful home.  Everything a woman can ask for, except...a dirty secret hidden within the garden.  Lydia and her husband murder a young woman who intends to blackmail Andrew.  They then bury her in the backyard and act as if they know nothing.  Their son Laurence knows something is up, and months later discover their dark secrets.  Its not long before the truth comes out.  The truth always comes out one way or another.  Be careful what you try to bury away in the garden.

I wanted to like this book so much.  The cover is beautiful and I won it in a goodreads giveaway, I hardly ever win those.  The first half of the book was good and interesting, but then it trickled down and got boring.  The first line is probably the best line and it's what drew me into the book.


"My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it."


I had hoped there would be more like this, more of a backstory leading up to it.  More of an investigation, but it all just stops after a certain event.  I didn't feel the WOW factor that was I was hoping to feel.  It's not very memorable and when I was telling co-workers about the recent book I was reading, I couldn't more beyond a judge kills a girls for blackmailing him.  That's it.  I almost didn't finish it but wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt to finish what I started.  Though I admit I skipped a bunch of stuff because it felt...irrelevant and awful.


The ending was very abrupt like she just didn't feel like writing a better ending or got bored with the story as I did.  It didn't feel original or unique.  How many other books are there about a couple who end up getting blackmailed because they chose the one girl for one thing or another.  Then bury her in the backyard.  What is with burying people in the backyard in a garden??  It is full of conveniences like Karen's modeling agent being the mother of one of the detectives on the case, Laurance's girlfriend becoming a model at same agency.  Laurance and Karen falling in love etc. 


I have seen people say it was hard to put down.  I found it every easy to put down, it was hard to pick back up again.  I don't think I would be recommending this one.

Silent Child

Title: Silent Child

Author: Sarah Denzil

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Source: Ebook: Amazon

Rating 5 out of 5 paws

Summer of 2006 torrential rain caused the river to flood.  School called and notified parents to come get their children before the flood got worse.  Once Emma got to the school she discovered the unbelievable.  Her son was not there, her son had slipped away from the class and no one knew where he was.  Amid the search efforts, Emma stood by and watched as her son's red coat was fished from the river. Young Aiden was declared dead, drowned in the river flood, despite no body being found.  Ten years have gone by and Emma has learned how to move past her grief, she is married again and about to give birth to a baby girl.  But then....Aiden is found wondering out of the woods.  Unable to speak, his body shows signs of abuse, and neglect.  The truth is revealed, he never drowned but was taken.  But who would take a helpless young body?  Emma does everything she can to reconnect with Aiden and encourage him to talk, but he remains at a distance.  What will it take for Emma to get Aiden to talk?  Who took her son?  Who has been lying to her all these years?

 Reading the synopsis of this book draw me into it. It sounded interesting and the cover gives it the air of being incredibly creepy and chilling.  And it was.  It is sometimes rare to find a book that completely draws you into the story without even beginning the story yet.  I couldn't wait to begin reading this one, and boy am I glad I did.  I couldn't put it down, and needed to know what happened next.  It is one of those books that I have to recommend to others and it shot right to the top of favorite books of the year so far.

It all began with a flood, in a single moment everything changed for Emma.  She didn't know how she could survive with the loss of her soon, and then her parents soon after.  In her darkest moment, she meets Jake who seems to put her back together again like she was Humpty Dumpty.  He was there when no one else was.  But is he the man he claims he is?  Rob, her ex, Aiden's father abandoned her in her time of need.  Too consumed by his own grief.  Now that Aiden is back, so is he.  And he seems to have changed, but did he really?  Emma finds herself looking at everyone around her differently, wondering who knew what happened to Aiden, a boy who was too traumatized to tell her what happened all those years ago.

There is so much in this book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, anticipating what will happened next.  Just when you think you have everything figured out, something will happen that will change everything you thought you knew.  You have a character who doesn't speak, but he says so much through his actions and reactions to certain situations. There is so much depth to this one character than he seems to overshadow some of the others.  There are a few things that didn't fully get answered like why Aiden remained silent, but then again why are kids who are traumatized silent?  I do wish we went more into the psychology of it, but still enjoyed the read and that aspect of the novel.

One aspect is rather predictable, but not in a way that you would think which is what threw me for a loop.  I didn't think the people it ended up being were possible suspects despite clues that I didn't realize were clues.  Emma had a LOT of inner dialogue which got tedious for a bit, but doesn't fully take away from the story.  I can see why the author did it this way, I would have almost liked some more from Aiden other than the one chapter we get towards the end. Like maybe something with him battle with himself at telling Emma everything as opposed to remaining quiet.

Don't be surprised when you read this book in one sitting.  I read it in two, only because I needed to go to bed despite not wanting to.  It may have been a little longer than it should have been, but that's okay.  If you can get past the length (417 pages) you would enjoy it.  Especially if you like thrillers, or suspense.  The material may seem dark, but the author tackles it in a tasteful way that isn't too difficult to read.

All The Missing Girls

Title: All The Missing Girls
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: Thriller
Source: Paperback
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws


Nic hasn't been home in ten years.  Ten years since she left everything behind.  Ten years since her best friend Corrine disappeared.  But when Nic returns home to help with family ties, the past is dug up and another girl has gone missing.  The past comes back to life as a town relives the ordeal from ten years ago to find a connection.  Nic and her family struggle to stay out of the investigation, but every turn leads them right back into it.  Right back to where they were ten years ago.  All eyes are pointed at Nic and her high school boyfriend. Can they figure out what happened to Corinne and Annaleise.  Too many things are a coincidence, too much familiarity.  Will it all end?

The cover is gorgeous and is what originally grew me to the story.  I couldn't take my eyes off it whenever I seen it in the book stores.  Everything about the story hinges on one night ten years at a local fair.  Nic is encouraged by her best friend to climb over a Ferris Wheel and jump down to her boyfriend.  Once on solid ground her brother hits her and everything else spreads into chaos.  Corinne disappears and everyone becomes a suspect.  Afterwards Nic leaves town only to return to help with her ailing father.  The night she arrives, everything is opened all over again.  Another girl has gone missing and no one knows what happened to her.  The last person to talk to her, and the prime suspect is her boyfriend, who happens to be Nic's high school sweetheart.  And everyone's alibi from ten years ago. How crazy is that!!

It took me a few chapters to get into the story, and when I did, it took a few more to get used to the backwards telling of the story.  It starts the night Nic arrives then jumps to 2 weeks since Annaleise goes missing.  At this point it begins to backtrack back to the beginning filling in small details at a time until we get to that fateful night and find out exactly what had happened to the girl.  I found it an interesting way to tell the story, and it is explained a little bit as to why it was done this way.  But it is confusing and difficult to get used to.  It may even turn a few people away from the story.  Hopefully it doesn't because it is a good story.

The characters were interesting enough, and seemed typical of your small town people, where everyone knows everyone's business.  Nothing is private and rumors fly faster than Superman.  At times I found Nic to be reckless in running through the woods at night following shadows, not knowing what was out there. I liked that everyone seemed to have a little something to hide, past and present.  Something they didn't tell others, something that made up the skeletons in the closet. I loved the mystery of the monster in the woods and allows the reader to come up with their own ideas of what the monster in the woods could represent.  The looming past, teenagers having a good time, neighbors spying on each other, one's own fears. It could have been anything and I loved that feel added into the book.

I also like the mystery of the caverns.  They loomed in the background, a dangerous place to be, yet so innocent in being barred.  I kind of wish more was done with the caverns, they seemed to be the perfect thing to add a little more mystery, such as the police finding the lock broken or like signs that someone lived there (maybe a homeless person or something) or was camping leading suspicion to one of the girls hiding in the caves.  I just feels like more could have been done with the caverns, or else why mention them other than to say it was a place some one died or things get lost (perfect to add a different twist to the ending).

I did get lost in it and finished it in about 6 hours or so, I feel I may have even ignored the boyfriend a little bit because I was so lost in the story.  I couldn't go to bed until I found out what happened next.  Miranda flawlessly executed her story-telling skills in this novel, and makes me want to read more from her.  I happily recommend this book to people who like thrillers and suspense novels, but be ware, there storytelling is unique and out of the norm: Beginning, end, middle, beginning, end of sorts.

Never Let You Go

Title: Never Let You Go
Author: Chevy Stevens
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Source: Hardback - Library
Rating: 4 out of 5


Lindsey had managed to escape the a life of abuse and horror her husband inflicted on her.  She spent months moving herself and her daughter from place to place trying to hide from, even though he was in jail.  When she finally has settled down, began a new relationship and new business, her ex-husband Andrew is released from jail.  Now he is living in her town and Lindsey believes he has found her to cause more torment and upend their new lives.  Her daughter believes Andrew has changed and tries for a relationship with him, but the more Sophie gets closer to him, thing escalate and the two run away again.  Can an abusive alcoholic change their ways?  Is the person causing her stress and playing mind games Andrew or someone else?  Someone closer to Lindsey than she thought?

I am a member of a book club on Facebook which is amazing because we share all kinds of new books and share our thoughts on similar books.  Chevy Stevens books kept coming up as a fantastic read, so when I seen her name in the library I grabbed the first book off the shelf which happened to be this one.  Once I started it, I couldn't put it down.  When I did put it down, I could not stop thinking about it.  I wanted to read every minute of the day just to find out what happened, even in the car while on a road trip.  You barely were able to talk to me when I had this book open it was that good.

It is an interesting book right from the beginning with Lindsey describing certain events from the past.  Then we get into the present which is 11 years or so later.  This gives the readers a background on the characters without having to do flashbacks or somehow have the main character relive their past.  I feel like it had a little bit of everything:  Thrill, suspense, a bit of romance and some mystery, and it was all blended so well together that one didn't overpower the other.  The romance was done so well that it didn't feel like it was just thrown into the story as a sort of fan-service as many novels feel like.  I loved how the reader is left guessing at who is leaving notes, cds, calling etc.  Stevens does a fantastic job at creating the anxiety and stress of being stalked and not knowing who is actually doing it.

The end of my gosh I will not spoil it but I was not expecting it.  I had my own theories about different things and how things were going to play out, but I was so wrong and I am happy about that.  I honestly wanted to cry out "NO" when I read that part, but I was at my boyfriend's parents and they were sleeping so that would have been a bad first impression. But if I was alone, you can imagine the words that would come out, the literary cats would have hidden.  I love that the story was told from both Lindsey and Sophie's point of views.  It really added to the creepy chilling factor especially when he begins to "run into Sophie."  You get two different viewpoints of the same situation, and yet get the same outcome.  Fantastically done.  Not many authors can take two view points and blend them together so well.

I am very much impressed with this author and plan on reading more of her novels.  I would compare this novel to B.A Paris' Behind Closed Doors,  or I guess it should be the other way around because I believe this came out first.  I would recommend this to anyone and everyone who enjoys a good thriller/suspense novel.  This needs to be on your summer read list, or yearly read list, or whatever reading list you have.  Pick it up and get dragged in, you won't regret it.

Check out other reviews of Never Let You Go

Crime By The Book

The Book Review Café
Debbish

Dead Fish

Title: Dead Fish
Author: Ruth Carrington
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Source; Ebook via Netgalley
Rating: 2 out of 5 paws




Upon arriving home, Geoffrey Quinn is immediately arrested on the murder of his wife and children  His wife was found burned in the boiler, the children remain missing.  Alison Hope is a young defender assigned to the case, she is skeptical about his innocence as the evidence is compelling.  As she continues to investigate the crime, she discovers a darker world within the wealthy in the community.  Time is running out fast and Alison must unravel the mystery before it is too late and Quinn is convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

I had such high hopes for this novel, and sadly was disappointed.  Not only does the story come off as cliché, it isn't compelling enough to keep me engaged.  I found it difficult to finish the novel and almost didn't on several occasions.  There are some interesting ideas throughout the novel, but they were not portrayed in a good manner.


The flow of the story was rather choppy, it would be fast paced and exciting one minute then sluggish and slow the next.  I struggled to stay interested in the characters as they seem too ordinary, there was nothing that made me relate to them or feel any emotion towards them.  I think if Carrington went back through and added more depth to the characters this would be a different story.  It honestly does start off well, but then slowly drops off and declines.  There was a lot of different vices used throughout such as alcohol, drugs, sex etc, I understand that was the point, but it came to feel like it was a bit too much, too difficult to keep track and interested.  There were WAAY to many red herrings, and I began to wonder when we were going to get to the point of the tale.


Overall it was an interesting idea, granted one done before but I had hoped Carrington would do it differently, add a unique twist to it that made me go "WOW" unfortunately that did not happen.  While I think there are people who would enjoy this novel and would recommend other readers to give it a shot and see it fairs with them.  It just was not my cup of tea.




** I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review**

Wicked River

Title: Wicked River
Author: Jenny Milchman
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: Kindle Ebook from NetGalley
Rating: 2 out of 5 paws


Natalie and Doug have just gotten married and are spending their honeymoon in the Adirondack mountains.  This is a chance for them to start a new life together, to become something new.  They begin to explore their own hearts and dive deeper than they ever have before.  But the couple learn quickly that they are not alone.  Something or someone more sinister lurks between the trees.  The mountains are a beautiful place to be, but also a place where someone can hide, or for someone to go missing without a trace.  Someone watches them, waiting for them to come closer.  Then he will ensure they never make it out of the mountains again.

I couldn't be more excited to have received this book from the kind publishers and those at NetGalley for an honest review. I am always excited to find new authors and potential find something out of my normal read.  That was my hope with this novel.  The synopsis makes it sound so thrilling and exciting to read, sadly it missed the mark.


From the beginning readers will see the sentence structure is a little different than what we may be used to with sentences like the first one "Twigs and branches tore at her arms like razor wire, so fast she was running."  The second part of that sentence is what made me stumble a little bit, but the structure does get easier to read.  Also some of the vocabulary makes it feel like the author is trying to hard at something.  Some of the words in the first few pages I had to look up because I never seen them used before like "fleeter" which she could have used something more common like "nimble". 


The story takes a very long time to develop and the characters weren't all that interesting aside from Mia, but she's a secondary character.  The idea for the story is interesting in itself, but I don't think Michman executed as effectively as she could have.  About 8-9 chapters in and readers are still basically at base camp of the story, and find themselves wondering when will the action begin.  It almost feels like you are pushing yourself to read more just to get to "the good part."


I wanted to enjoy this book so much, but I was really disappointed in it.  The excessive use of uncommon vocabulary was rough, but you get used to it, the drab characters happen sometimes, as so the slow moving story, but all of it mixed together makes for a book that is really difficult to finish.  I don't think I would recommend this book.

Suspended

Suspended tells the tale of the Vagabond Circus, a place where dream travelers could be safe and be able to utilize their powers without fear of what the outside world would think.  Things begin to change when a stranger joins the ranks and Dave changes the story of the circus to accommodate a new act.  There is someone else creeping around the circus, attempting to take the life of the circus's ringmaster Dr. Dave. .  Dr. Dave has two rules for the circus, only two, 1. Respect one another, 2. No relationships.   Finley keeps himself a mystery which causes the others in the circus including his partner to have a hard time respecting rule number 1, and question his motives  and why Dr. Dave allowed him to join the circus.  Secrets become revealed and members of the circus begin to risk their lives to save the only home that they know.




I  have really been in a circus theme lately (and am finding it hard to find more books with this theme).  I was pleased with this book because I was not sure what to expect from it.  I picked it up as part of a kindle daily deal and fell in love with it, I need more both from this series as well as Sarah Noffke.  The cover is beautifully done and draws the reader into finding out more about the novel. The book starts off a little slow, but still pulls you in with someone lurking in the shadows.  The book does end with a cliffhanger which left me almost screaming at the kindle screen. 


I liked the dream traveler aspect of the story and wished this was utilized more, but I hope that it is in future novels.  The characters themselves were interesting.  I had a love/hate relationship with Findley, I wanted to like him so much but he was so mysterious even with his partner, Zuma whom I absolutely loved but could tell there is something more to her character that we haven't been introduced to yet.  I am interested to see where Noffke takes Zuma's character.  The phrases within this novel are what dreams are made of really, they are beautifully written and gives readers an insight to what's to come for example:


"Finley was a tornado, changing every second, beautiful and dangerous and unpredictable.  But Zuma loved storms.  Always had."


Does this tells us more about their relationship than we know?  I get goosebumps re-reading lines I wrote down.  It didn't seem like there was a dull moment, everything in the story lead up the suspenseful ending and revelations throughout the novel.  Somethings can be predictable while other things are not like you know someone is out to get the circus but you don't know who (or what).


My hats off to Sarah for writing an excellent novel and leaving her audience craving more from her.  I highly suggest this book to anyone who loves a good novel regardless of their normal genre.  For a rating I would give this a 4 out 5 because I think more of the dream travel scenes could have been used such as during practice.  Otherwise fantastic.

Where The Lost Girls Go

Laura is a rookie cop trying to show she is capable of doing her job despite her small stature and meek manner.  She obtains her first investigation when a car crashes into a tree and goes up in flames.  Clues point to a homicide, possibly involving the daughter of a famous local author.  As Laura digs for clues and interviews the family she is convinced she knows who the killer is.  But then the identity of the Jane Doe is revealed to be a missing girl, the investigation takes a different path.  How did the missing girl find her way into the Jameson estate and eventually one of their cars?  How did she meet her end and why?  Admist this investigation is another bigger one into the corruption of the police force and how deep does it go.  Why are some officers given special duty, while others are hung out to dry?  Get ready for an action packed novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.


I had the honor of receiving this book from the publisher/author via NetGallery.  I could not have been more excited for the opportunity to read this book.


It starts out with excitement with the fiery car accident and the mysterious driver, but as the story goes on it deeper into a homicide and keeps you guessing at what will happen next.  There seemed to be a lot of premature theories and jumping to conclusions, but I guess that would come from the main character being new to the force, just off her training.  There was another sub-plot about corruption in the force that I think was unnecessary, the story stood well on its own without that added tidbit.  It almost feels a little too overdone - corruption in the force, but the main character and a few secondary ones are working to expose it as they are the only good ones.  I hope there is a bigger story that come from that, but at this point it is still a mystery why that was included. 




There are still a few questions within this story as I got to the end that leaves the book feeling almost unfinished. The moments of Laura expressing feelings for her neighbor felt more like fluff than anything else especially after he "sort of is seeing someone,"  that left me with a let down as there was a build up of possibly them getting together or a huge surprise twist him being the mastermind behind it all, but no.  Again something else that could have been left completely out of the story and it would not have made much of a difference.  I highly enjoyed the story and liked the added touch of "squatters" in the woods that was something different added to the story. 


It was a mixture of predictable and unpredictable, if that makes any sense.  There were parts I was able to figure out while others were a complete surprise.  It held my attention throughout the story, I couldn't wait to find out who was the mastermind behind the murders.  There were a few things that I was surprised wasn't revealed earlier such as the gravesite, I think having someone find it earlier and finding the girls already in it would have added to the story and suspense of who was killing these girls.  I could almost see this plot reflected in a crime drama or movie.


I would highly recommend this book to mystery lovers of all sorts, as well as general fiction, suspense fans.  I think there is a little of something everyone can enjoy in this book.  I give this a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Mystery Box by Eva Pohler

Yvette comes home to a box sitting on the stoop, having been delivered by UPS.  When she opened the box she discovers baby clothing and a card addresses to a woman named Mona and a different address.  When she calls UPS the inform her that there was no mistake, that the box was to be delivered to her.  She decides to take the book to Mona, and discovers she is the neighbor who has been giving her a lot of troubles.  Mona tells Yvette that she has a story she needs to tell her and spend the next several days asking Yvette to come over in the afternoon to listen to her sordid tale of love, abuse, and kidnapping.  Throughout these visits Yvette believes someone else is in the house despite Mona claiming the sounds she hears is the cat.  Through her tale, Yvette learns of a shocking secret Mona has been carrying for several years.  Now Yvette needs to decide if Mona is truly friend or is she foe.


I was honestly blown away by this book.  I seriously could not put it down, and when I did it was ll I could think about.  Eva Pohler is truly a talented wordsmith and creates a story that will chill you to the core, but at the same time evoke sympathy and concern for the characters.  There are points when the reader isn't sure if they should feel bad for Mona or feel like she silly for getting involved with her professor, but regardless of poor decisions she makes, no deserves the things the professor puts her through.  Pohler describes everything in fine detail that makes the reader feels as if they are a part of the story listening beside Yvette.


I was almost able to predict what Mona's deep secret was, but at the same time there are things that were unpredictable and surprising.  The ending came up fast and seemed to wrap up faster than the rest of the story.  Pohler takes time to build up the climax so the ending came quickly for me and I wanted more from the story even though I know the characters found their appropriate ends.  Eva does a fantastic job with this book and I have added some of her other books like the Gatekeeper's Saga, and The Mystery Tomb to my to read lists.  I am excited to pick them up!  I give this book a resounding 5 out of 5 because it was truly a work of art.

In A Dark Dark Wood By Ruth Ware

In A Dark Dark Wood is a mystery thriller story that takes place in you guessed it some woods.  Nora gets an invitation to the bachelorette (hen) party for a woman she hasn't spoken with in 10 years or so.  When she arrives she meets with a mixmatch group of people.  The maid of honor has a creepy "Single White Female" vibe going and Nora notices small things that concern her throughout the novel.  The first night there, Nora finds out Clara is marrying her former boyfriend, one Nora is still in love with.  In a crazy series of events, the party ends with murder and Nora is considered a suspect.  How will she be able to prove her innocence when she is in a hospital room and cannot remember any of the events leading up and including the murder?  Will she be able to remember what happened and convinced the authorities she had nothing to be with the murder?



Ruth Ware creates a story that simply clings to the minds of her readers.  She builds the tensions and suspense throughout the novel that readers can hardly contain themselves as they anticipate what will happen next.  She builds a lot of back-story making readers think they know what will happen or who the killer really is, but then Ware throws in a twist that no one expects.  She develops the characters in a way that makes them come off in a certain light, but then reveals them as something completely different.  Through this she shows that things are a matter of perspective, how we perceive people and things. 

This was another book that I finished within the day/night, simply could not put it down.  When I finally finished it, it was about 2 in the morning.  Crazy I know, but this book is that good.  I could see this being made into a really great movie that has people on the edge of their seats.  I admit I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, and I was blown away.  The cover of the book suggests something eerie and dark, but the tone and atmosphere of the novel are anything but eerie.  The setting of the novel, a cabin isolated in the woods amplifies the story as there is limited cell phone service, limited lighting, landline phone is shortly cut down, and so much more adds to the mysterious tension of the novel . 

 In A Dark Dark Wood is an exciting debut novel for Ruth Ware, and I cannot wait for more books from her in the future.  She has compelling, deep characters with loads of reliability, the plot is so captivating it has readers on the edge of their seats. I found the novel highly entertaining, even if some things seemed a little out there like the issue over tea and how Flo was acting.  But overall I will give this novel a 4 out of 5 rating.

The Curse of Crow Hollow

Title: Curse of Crow Hollow by Billy Coffey
Media Source: Nook
Rating: 4 out of 5

Recommendation:  I would recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a mystery, thriller or supernatural stories.

"People think they are free in life.  Maybe they are for a while.  But sooner or later all the choices you make narrow down to a single end, and that's the only end you can meet."

 A group of teenagers decide to have a small party in the mines that are closed off, considering how dangerous they are as well as the stories about a witch living among the woods.  The teens discover a set of footprints seared into the ground.  They decide to follow these tracks which lead to Alvaretta Grave's cabin, the fabled witch.  The witch curses the girls that occurs the very next day.  It slowly begins to effect not only Cordelia, Scarlett and Naomi, but takes hold of every teenage girl in the town.  The town becomes a frenzy as fear strikes the hearts of every resident.  Neighbors turn on neighbor, family on family.  Every small town has a secret and Crow Holler is no different, but could that secret be what is causing the ailments of the town's daughters?

This novel was one of those books that really told a story.  It was as if I was sitting beside the narrator listening to the story of someone who witnessed all the events.  I loved the theory Hays came up about the curse being the girls' worst fears, that added a new level to the story.  I would have liked to see other theories from people in the town.  The story revolved around the town trying to figure out how to stop the curse and who's fault it was and how to erase the sins that caused the curse.  There is little back story to Alvaretta, which I would have liked a little more.  To know why she was considered a witch other than the fact that she lives alone up in the woods.

The other characters were well developed.  I especially enjoyed John David and Bucky.  Bucky starts out as a weak, fearful character, but by the end he becomes probably the strongest character.  John David contains an air of mystery about him, something unknown and eerie, almost making you think he is working with the witch.  Out of the three girls originally cursed, I say I enjoyed Scarlett the most.  While she felt invisible and not worthy, she was the strongest of the three.  She acted when others didn't, she began to stand up for herself to others even to the point of pushing past her curse. She made herself be seen, therefore in my eyes started to break through her curse.  Angela was probably my least favorite.  Even through the curses and trials of the town, all she cared about was herself.  I almost wasnted a curse to hit her. I could sit here forever talking about what I liked or disliked about a character, but I won't do that.  I'll let you find characters you enjoyed the most, and tell me about it.

Overall, the novel was well written and interesting.  It held my attention throughout the story.  There were elements that I wish were used more such as The Circle and even Alvaretta herself.  Again, it was a well rounded book with a lot of information building up the suspense until you find out what Alvaretta is hiding and who has been aiding her.  When I read the part of who helped her I honestly uttered "no way," the same with what was hidden within her cabin.  Check it out, it is worth the read.

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program.  **

Bones Will Speak

 

Title:  The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Parks
Media Source: Nook
Rating: 5 out of 5 paws

Recommendation:  Simply read this book.  Any murder mystery enthusiast would devour this novel.  Even if you haven't read a mystery yet, make this your first.

The Bones Will Speak is a murder mystery where a serial killer who uses religion as an excuse  for his killings.  He stalks a forensic artist to seek revenge calling her a traitor, but a traitor to what?

When Gwen's dog unearths a human cranium she embarks on a journey she never expected.  While searching for the rest of the remains, Gwen discovers the unconscious body of a missing girl.  This discovery leads to a whirlwind tale of a serial killer targeting Gwen and her family because of a previous case she worked on.  IT is discovered that he is a member of a supremacy group that uses the Old Testament to justify their beliefs.  The serial killer takes it farther and uses the same doctrine to justify his killing spree.

Wow, is all I can say about this book.  It has been a little while since a book has blown me away.  I devoured the book so quickly that I finished it in one night.  It captivated me throughout the entire story.  There is not a thing I didn't like about this novel.  Readers are thrown into the story from the beginning and are thrown into a roller coaster of a tale.  Throughout the book we see characters becoming more complex, Gwen goes through changes as she learns to forgive her ex-husband, those around her who constantly ask "how are you feeling", even her ex husband's new fiancé.  She becomes a stronger woman because of her struggles related to the serial killer and those in her personal life outside of the story.  I loved that Carrie Parks added that element to the story.  The readers get to see Gwen in different roles other than being the victim of a crime.

The way she reveals information is wonderful as well.  Some is revealed through other characters doing research, character dialogue, or character experience.  She mixes up the ways she uses to expose information such as the church groups or the killings in another city.  This keeps the story interesting and fresh.  As you are reading this book, you think you have it figured out but then Carrie throws in a plot twist and changes the whole thing. Bones Will Speak keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

I also enjoyed the Christian elements of Beth talking to Gwen about forgiveness, Aynslee praying with Maddie, and the scripture references, even the ones the serial killer was using.  It was interesting to see in a fictional novel someone taking the Old Testament and twisting it to suit their needs.  It was almost scary to think there are really people who believe the same things the serial killer and other organizations that Carrie mentions did.

Carrie Parks does an excellent job with this novel, I cannot wait to read more from her.  She has the same effect on me as Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti.  Well done Carrie, well done.

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program.  **

Thr3e

Title: Thr3e by Ted Dekker
Media Source: Paperback
Rating 5 out of 5 stars

"And does man simply choose evil, or does he create it?"

Thr3e is a chilling tale about Kevin Parson who is plague by a mysterious person threatening his life.  This whirlwind tale takes you to places you wouldn't expect with twists and turns along the way.  It definitely earns the title: thriller.

Kevin Parson is in his car alone, when he receives a phone call from an unknown person.  This person tells him to confess his sin to the world in 3 minutes or his car will explode.  Kevin struggles to determine what sin is the person talking about.  He rushes into a parking lot and runs from the car, seconds before it explodes.  Thus marking the beginning of a thrilling game of cat and mouse.  He comes across a childhood friend who helps him try to figure things out.  But the longer they take to figure out what sin the caller wants, the more dangerous he gets.

Wow...just wow.  Ted Dekker has always been one of my favorite authors and will continue to be one.  His stories are so captivating I stay up all night just to finish it.  I couldn't pry myself away from the story.  Right off the bat he hits the wow factor with the car explosion and keeps his readers hooked throughout the story.  There are so many twists and turns that you cannot even attempt to predict what will happen next or who is the mysterious caller.  His characters develop exceptionally well throughout the novel, readers witness the shift in Kevin's behavior almost immediately.  We see him turn from a put together seminary student to someone completely paranoid and on the verge of breaking.  He does with his use of language in descriptions and dialogue.  Nothing is done generically, Dekker truly has his own style.

There is suspense around every corner.  While the novel is considered Christian thriller, the Christian elements are not shoved in the reader's face.  They are paramount to the story, but the story doesn't revolve around them.  That is one thing that makes Dekker an excellent author, while he adds various elements into his writing nothing is over the top.  He does a great job at pulling his audience in and creates an atmosphere that is both chilling and fascinating.  There were so many times I let out an audible gasp as I was reading through this novel.  You just never know what to expect.  Dekker touches his readers on a psychological level, not only in Thr3e, but in his other novels.

Recommendation:  I would recommend Thr3e to everyone.  It has a little something for everyone: suspense, action, mystery, even a little romance  If you get the chance after reading the novel, check out the movie.

The Scarlet Crane

Title: Scarlet Crane by J.E Hopkins
Media Source: E-book: Kindle
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Recommendation:  There is a lot about the book that is predictable and needed to be smoothed out a little more.

Dr. Beniot and partner Stony Hill are investigating the death of another agent, an agent sent to China to investigate the disappearance of children across the world.  The children being kidnapped have one thing in common they are all approaching the period of time of one month at the onset of puberty where they can perform magic.  But there is one deadly catch, if the magic is not unique enough, the child will die.   There are rumors about an organization using these children in an experiment as war weapons.  The investigation takes the team all across Asia trying to find answers to their questions.

This was an interesting and unique story.  Intermixed with the story about the investigation were stories of children trying to use transition magic for one reason or another.  Most of the time the children's requests were not unique enough, which makes the readers wonder what would make it unique enough for the children to survive?  Is it in the wording they use and how is it decided whether or not the request is unique?  Despite those questions and more the novel does a great job at describing everything down to the scenes where everything takes place.  There are moments when what happens seems predictable and slow going.  The novel does take a while to pick up pace, some of the characters even seem to be a little bit predictable, but that seems to add a quality to the novel.  Hopkins weaves a tale of intrigue.  Some questions do arise throughout the novel like what will happen to the kids who use magic and survive, will they be able to use it past that one month? 

The characters are one dimensional.  There isn't much back story to any of the characters, what is the background to Stony and Benoit?  Why is he reluctant to work with her?  We get a small glimpse into the personal life of Stony and Akina, but it seems out of place and inappropriate for the storyline.  Then as the novel progresses readers wonder why Akina is involved in the conference calls, what is her role in the program?  However there are moments throughout the novel when readers anticipate what will happen next and can't wait to find out if Scarlet Crane succeeds in their experiments, if one child performs the ceremony correctly to use magic or if Beniot and Stony will be able to find out the truth behind Crane and other programs like it.  While there are things about the novel that bring the rating down lower than some other books, it does have good aspects to it and is an enjoyable read.  It is a novel that can take your mind off of everyday stress and allow you to escape into a different world.  Give it a try you might like it better than I did.