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Carma (21 KP) rated Crash Landing (Stop The Wedding, #3) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
While I have quite a few Lori Wilde books sitting on my TBR shelf, this one was a freebie of the day for my kindle and I decided to give it a gander. I read it in about a day so it flowed pretty well. Here are my thoughts on Crash Landing by Lori Wilde.
We start the book with a girl staring at a hunky guy, I mean who doesnt like to do that on occasion right?? Sophia Cruz likes very much what Gibb Martin has to offer in the looks department. He is an American, she is Costa Rican and American by birth. He is all business all the time, while she likes to take each day slow and steady. What could they possibly have in common??
Gibb needs a ride to Florida quickly because his best friend is getting married after only knowing his fiancée for a month. He is backing out of partnering with Gibb, because of his new love, on a new money making deal and that cant happen. Sophia is a bush pilot and his only hope to get there in time to stop the wedding. Now if he can only stop lusting after her long enough to get focused on stopping this wedding.
Sophia wouldnt mind a quick roll in the hay with this rich boy but no long lasting relationship, why would he possibly look at her twice? She really needs the money so she goes against her own better advice and agrees to fly him to Florida. A long close cabin ride will certainly not help squelch her desire.
Gibb and Sophia get to know each other on the flight then the unexpected crash landing on a deserted island gets them even closer. Will they find out they have more in common than they both realize?
I liked the flow of this story for the most part. I feel like it started off and a good pace then slowed a little in the middle. Without giving too many spoilers I feel like there was a weird middle part on the island that served no real purpose but I thoroughly enjoyed the part with the monkeys. I am giggling still as I write this review. I liked Lori Wildes way of capturing the culture and interactions so you could really picture it all in your minds eye. Crash Landing captured my attention pretty quickly and kept it all the way through. I would say this was a good way to get my feet wet in Lori Wildes title pool.
We start the book with a girl staring at a hunky guy, I mean who doesnt like to do that on occasion right?? Sophia Cruz likes very much what Gibb Martin has to offer in the looks department. He is an American, she is Costa Rican and American by birth. He is all business all the time, while she likes to take each day slow and steady. What could they possibly have in common??
Gibb needs a ride to Florida quickly because his best friend is getting married after only knowing his fiancée for a month. He is backing out of partnering with Gibb, because of his new love, on a new money making deal and that cant happen. Sophia is a bush pilot and his only hope to get there in time to stop the wedding. Now if he can only stop lusting after her long enough to get focused on stopping this wedding.
Sophia wouldnt mind a quick roll in the hay with this rich boy but no long lasting relationship, why would he possibly look at her twice? She really needs the money so she goes against her own better advice and agrees to fly him to Florida. A long close cabin ride will certainly not help squelch her desire.
Gibb and Sophia get to know each other on the flight then the unexpected crash landing on a deserted island gets them even closer. Will they find out they have more in common than they both realize?
I liked the flow of this story for the most part. I feel like it started off and a good pace then slowed a little in the middle. Without giving too many spoilers I feel like there was a weird middle part on the island that served no real purpose but I thoroughly enjoyed the part with the monkeys. I am giggling still as I write this review. I liked Lori Wildes way of capturing the culture and interactions so you could really picture it all in your minds eye. Crash Landing captured my attention pretty quickly and kept it all the way through. I would say this was a good way to get my feet wet in Lori Wildes title pool.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
Tina Shepard isn't your normal, everyday girl. When she was younger, she overheard her parents having a heated argument that got really ugly. Tina decided to run out onto a boat in the nearby lake. Her father runs out to try and talk her into coming back to shore and that's when Tina's extraordinary abilities are revealed. Her father winds up dying in an accident caused by Tina's telekinetic powers.
In the present day, Tina and her mother are off to a cabin in the woods with Tina's psychologist, Dr. Crews, in hopes of making progress so Tina won't have to return to an institution. A group of young twenty somethings are gathered next door for a surprise birthday party. Both houses just happen to be in the Camp Crystal Lake area. Tina gets upset at Dr. Crews during one of their sessions and runs out to the lake. Her emotions get the best of her and she winds up resurrecting Jason, who's still chained to the bottom of the lake, with telekinesis. Not too long afterward, Tina starts having premonitions of people being gruesomely murdered by a man in a hockey mask. Is she going crazy or are these terrifying visions a reality?
As it stands, this is my guilty pleasure of the franchise. I love the concept and think it would be a really solid Friday the 13th sequel if it wasn't for the MPAA butchering this film. Most of the gore has been cut and it really hurts the film as a whole. This also begins Kane Hodder's reign as the masked serial killer for the franchise, who seems to be a cult favorite as the best Jason.
Speaking of Jason, he looks the best in this film. It may just be my opinion, but in addition to loving undead Jason, the make-up effects and his costume are just phenomenal in this one. As ugly as he looks when his mask gets ripped off, this is the film that makes him look the most flattering. That's not saying much for a guy who's been chained down at the bottom of a lake for ten years and killed multiple times, but at least he doesn't look like he has down syndrome this time around. If an uncut or director's cut of some kind ever makes the light of day, it'll probably wind up being in my top three F13 films. Easily. Here's an idea of what was cut from the film:
In the present day, Tina and her mother are off to a cabin in the woods with Tina's psychologist, Dr. Crews, in hopes of making progress so Tina won't have to return to an institution. A group of young twenty somethings are gathered next door for a surprise birthday party. Both houses just happen to be in the Camp Crystal Lake area. Tina gets upset at Dr. Crews during one of their sessions and runs out to the lake. Her emotions get the best of her and she winds up resurrecting Jason, who's still chained to the bottom of the lake, with telekinesis. Not too long afterward, Tina starts having premonitions of people being gruesomely murdered by a man in a hockey mask. Is she going crazy or are these terrifying visions a reality?
As it stands, this is my guilty pleasure of the franchise. I love the concept and think it would be a really solid Friday the 13th sequel if it wasn't for the MPAA butchering this film. Most of the gore has been cut and it really hurts the film as a whole. This also begins Kane Hodder's reign as the masked serial killer for the franchise, who seems to be a cult favorite as the best Jason.
Speaking of Jason, he looks the best in this film. It may just be my opinion, but in addition to loving undead Jason, the make-up effects and his costume are just phenomenal in this one. As ugly as he looks when his mask gets ripped off, this is the film that makes him look the most flattering. That's not saying much for a guy who's been chained down at the bottom of a lake for ten years and killed multiple times, but at least he doesn't look like he has down syndrome this time around. If an uncut or director's cut of some kind ever makes the light of day, it'll probably wind up being in my top three F13 films. Easily. Here's an idea of what was cut from the film:
Leigh J (71 KP) rated Dreamcatcher (2003) in Movies
Nov 24, 2019 (Updated Nov 24, 2019)
Stephen King does The Thing
Contains spoilers, click to show
4 friends make their yearly trek to a Cabin in a remote part of Maine to eat, drink, be merry and Hunt. However Jonesy, Pete, Beaver and Henry are not just any ordinary group of friends. For as long as they can remember, there has been a psychic link between them, strengthened further by the addition of Duddits, a mentally disabled young boy who they rescued from bullies one day after school when they were all kids. Their link as a group of 5 is so strong that they even rescue a young girl who has been missing for a while. Now the boys have grown up and this trip is their chance to let loose and blow off some steam, minus Duddits who is still mentally a young boy. Whilst out hunting, they come across a distressed and dazed man who tells them he got lost in the woods whilst out with his Hunting group... and the man is obviously ill. He has a suspicious injury to his face and he can't stop burping and farting, which are so horrible that they make the guys nauseous. Soon enough, they guys discover the man is in a blood soaked Bathroom, dead, and an Alien Weasel looking creature thrashing around in the toilet bowl. And there's a red fungus growing on (and in) everything. Could this really be an Alien invasion? Can the 4 friends strike back against these otherworldly enemies? And what will happen when the most malevolent one of these Aliens decides that Jonesy would be a great place for him to be able to wreak havoc from?
Dreamcatcher is an adaptation of the Book of the same name from Stephen King. I'm now VERY happy I read the Book before I watched this Movie as some things in the Book don't come across that clear in the Movie. Not a lot of people enjoy the Book and feel it's quite out there for Stephen King but I really enjoyed it, and the same can be said for the Movie! The story is really captivating, especially the friendships between the guys and the interaction between Jonesy and Mr Gray (his new invader) and I really appreciated the very "Thing" quality this Movie has (I literally have no idea why it reminds me of The Thing but it just does!) Definitely worth a watch, but it's not going to be for everyone as I would recommend reading the Book first.
Dreamcatcher is an adaptation of the Book of the same name from Stephen King. I'm now VERY happy I read the Book before I watched this Movie as some things in the Book don't come across that clear in the Movie. Not a lot of people enjoy the Book and feel it's quite out there for Stephen King but I really enjoyed it, and the same can be said for the Movie! The story is really captivating, especially the friendships between the guys and the interaction between Jonesy and Mr Gray (his new invader) and I really appreciated the very "Thing" quality this Movie has (I literally have no idea why it reminds me of The Thing but it just does!) Definitely worth a watch, but it's not going to be for everyone as I would recommend reading the Book first.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Body in the Woods (Point Last Seen, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I think I'm reading books too fast for the following reasons:
~ It was spring break. I probably got cabin fever. 101°F most likely
~ It was short, compared to a lot of other books I typically really, which are usually 350+
~ It really was action-packed and suspenseful
The last part is a fact, and to my embarrassment, I didn't realize April Henry was the exact same author who wrote Girl, Stolen which I actually loved (I forgot if it was Book Battle, Truman Readers Award Nominee, or both). Or maybe I just forgot who the author was. Whoops.
The Body in the Woods follows multiple perspectives Alexis, Nick, Ruby, and why yes, the murderer on the occasional basis of creepiness. e_e *ominous music* Alexis' is someone who doesn't let others become close to her (sounds like me) and has a delusional mother who hates her medication, Nick had no father figure for most of his life and tries getting attention just to fit in, and Ruby has interests no one else seems to understand. But while all of that is true, there seems to be one thing in common between the three: they're odd and simply want to fit in with the world.
All three are part of Portland's Search and Rescue, which is actually mainly made up of teen volunteers who search for missing people. While on the search for a missing man in Forest Park no, not the one in Missouri where the Muny is at they end up finding a girl... dead.
The multiple POVs actually had a handy advantage: it pretty much kept me at the edge of my seat. A chapter ends at a suspenseful part, I turn the page in hopes of finding out what happens and I end up with a different person entirely. Unfortunately though... there were these random POVs from other people that just seem to pop out of nowhere and proved to be a bit of a distraction from the main 4.
Well written and page turning, The Body in the Woods reminded me of CSI from a witnesses' and murderer's point of view instead of law enforcement. Not bad for April Henry's latest novel, even if I only read one other book. It'll be great for mystery peeps though!
-----------------
ARC copy provided by publisher
Original review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/06/arc-review-the-body-in-the-woods-by-april-henry.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
~ It was spring break. I probably got cabin fever. 101°F most likely
~ It was short, compared to a lot of other books I typically really, which are usually 350+
~ It really was action-packed and suspenseful
The last part is a fact, and to my embarrassment, I didn't realize April Henry was the exact same author who wrote Girl, Stolen which I actually loved (I forgot if it was Book Battle, Truman Readers Award Nominee, or both). Or maybe I just forgot who the author was. Whoops.
The Body in the Woods follows multiple perspectives Alexis, Nick, Ruby, and why yes, the murderer on the occasional basis of creepiness. e_e *ominous music* Alexis' is someone who doesn't let others become close to her (sounds like me) and has a delusional mother who hates her medication, Nick had no father figure for most of his life and tries getting attention just to fit in, and Ruby has interests no one else seems to understand. But while all of that is true, there seems to be one thing in common between the three: they're odd and simply want to fit in with the world.
All three are part of Portland's Search and Rescue, which is actually mainly made up of teen volunteers who search for missing people. While on the search for a missing man in Forest Park no, not the one in Missouri where the Muny is at they end up finding a girl... dead.
The multiple POVs actually had a handy advantage: it pretty much kept me at the edge of my seat. A chapter ends at a suspenseful part, I turn the page in hopes of finding out what happens and I end up with a different person entirely. Unfortunately though... there were these random POVs from other people that just seem to pop out of nowhere and proved to be a bit of a distraction from the main 4.
Well written and page turning, The Body in the Woods reminded me of CSI from a witnesses' and murderer's point of view instead of law enforcement. Not bad for April Henry's latest novel, even if I only read one other book. It'll be great for mystery peeps though!
-----------------
ARC copy provided by publisher
Original review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/06/arc-review-the-body-in-the-woods-by-april-henry.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Playing with Fire (2019) in Movies
Jan 9, 2020
Seeing the trailer for this I was mildly excited, this sort of daft family humour holds a place in my heart and it looked like I was going to get another film to add to the "pick me up" watchlist. But oh my, everything about this experience rubbed me the wrong way.
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Mama (2013) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Mama is a ghostly tale about two young sisters Victoria and Lilly who had
vanished after their parents were killed.Their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
and his girlfriend Annabelle (Jessica Chastain) never stopped looking for them.
After nearly five years of searching, the girls are found and with some careful
observation and a couple of changes are forced to adapt to their new lives with
their uncle and his girlfriend. Little do Lucas and Annabelle know, there is a
strong supernatural force that will not let go of the young girls. Though Anabelle
hates that she has to become the mother figure for the girls she must do so for
their well being. She soon starts to experience strange happenings in the home and
senses an evil presence that is surrounding the girls and is making Annabelle’s life
a living Hell! Will she and Lucas find out how the girls survived all those years in
the cabin and what the truth is behind the evil force that the girls
call Mama?
Guillermo Del Toro has yet to bring a dull film to the screen with maybe the
exception of a couple of films here and there. His latest one Mama is by far one of
the best supernatural thrillers I have seen in an extremely long time! The story is
one that will be stuck in my nightmares for a while. It brings a new fear of what
might be hiding under our beds at night. As most of all Toro’s films, Mama was well
thought out and had a great flow without long drawn out scenes. Although the ending
was a little disappointing it was quite unexpected and still proves to be one of
Toro’s best so far.
I must admit I have always been a little afraid of the dark, only now it’s a
little worse after seeing Mama but hey, if your looking for a good scare and an edge
of your seat type of supernatural thriller like I usually am, Mama is the one to
see. Especially for those guys that want to take their girlfriends on a date to see
a movie that will make the girls hold on and not let go. I am usually disappointed
with most supernatural movies as they usually show the best scenes in the previews.
Mama leaves all the best scenes out of the previews forcing you to go and experience
them for yourself!
This movie is definitely not for the faint of heart!
vanished after their parents were killed.Their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
and his girlfriend Annabelle (Jessica Chastain) never stopped looking for them.
After nearly five years of searching, the girls are found and with some careful
observation and a couple of changes are forced to adapt to their new lives with
their uncle and his girlfriend. Little do Lucas and Annabelle know, there is a
strong supernatural force that will not let go of the young girls. Though Anabelle
hates that she has to become the mother figure for the girls she must do so for
their well being. She soon starts to experience strange happenings in the home and
senses an evil presence that is surrounding the girls and is making Annabelle’s life
a living Hell! Will she and Lucas find out how the girls survived all those years in
the cabin and what the truth is behind the evil force that the girls
call Mama?
Guillermo Del Toro has yet to bring a dull film to the screen with maybe the
exception of a couple of films here and there. His latest one Mama is by far one of
the best supernatural thrillers I have seen in an extremely long time! The story is
one that will be stuck in my nightmares for a while. It brings a new fear of what
might be hiding under our beds at night. As most of all Toro’s films, Mama was well
thought out and had a great flow without long drawn out scenes. Although the ending
was a little disappointing it was quite unexpected and still proves to be one of
Toro’s best so far.
I must admit I have always been a little afraid of the dark, only now it’s a
little worse after seeing Mama but hey, if your looking for a good scare and an edge
of your seat type of supernatural thriller like I usually am, Mama is the one to
see. Especially for those guys that want to take their girlfriends on a date to see
a movie that will make the girls hold on and not let go. I am usually disappointed
with most supernatural movies as they usually show the best scenes in the previews.
Mama leaves all the best scenes out of the previews forcing you to go and experience
them for yourself!
This movie is definitely not for the faint of heart!
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Podcast
Two years, two months and two days! This is what forms the time line of one man's quest for the...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Final Space in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Everything You Could Ask For In A Cool Space Cartoon
Contains spoilers, click to show
At first I thought this show was just going to be a comedy. Kind of like a Futurama type but in space, instead of in the future. I've never been happier to come into a show like Final Space not really knowing what I was getting myself into. I was pretty hyped for the show when I saw the original tv spots and the clip(s) when Olan Rogers came out on the Conan O'Brian show, but that first episode really set the tone. I really like when a show has good story arc and you can tell it's going in a certain direction where the episodes are not meaningless and Final Space does that but doesn't sacrifice on character or become too deeply plot driven. The plot is there and it feels like the characters motivations just naturally move the plot. For instance Gary's backstory of why he's a prisoner, which is hilarious by the way, and how he's been alone for nearly 5 years totally plays into why he has cabin fever and wants to get out/off the ship and be around actual people. KVN, as annoying as he is, actually made sense to me because someone like that, that can drive you crazy, probably would keep you sane if you were by yourself for years. For some people Gary might come off as a little annoying at first but I've dealt with more annoying characters who I totally grew to love like Naruto or Asta from Black Clover. I also enjoyed the character development and introduction of additional characters and how things change on the show from episode to episode and season 1 to season 2. What I wasn't prepared for was the emotional scenes, more than once this show has made my eyes misty. One thing that surprised me was the amount of action in the show and how it depicts violence. The show isn't shy when it comes to blood or guts and Gary even loses his arm in a fight against the Lord Commander who "force" rips it off of his body. There's a part where Gary must wear the skin of a dead alien to go incognito. Even Mooncake goes on a killing spree when he's put in gladiator style animal fight club. Definitely give this show a chance if you haven't already. As I said above I give it 8/10 and my "Must See Seal Of Approval".
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Beauty of the End in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Noah Calaway is a lawyer (though he's left his city practice) and semi-successful crime novelist who lives alone in a secluded cabin in Devon. A barely functioning alcoholic, Noah is stuck in the past, when he was in love with a beautiful girl, April Moon, "his goddess" and supposed the love of his life. April and Noah were schoolmates and Noah rescued April from a strange situation and her terrible home life. Over time, the two would run into each other and were even engaged for some time. But April left Noah shortly before the two's wedding, and he's never really recovered. However, years later, Noah receives a call from another of their friends, Will. April is in the hospital, nearly dead from an overdose, and even worse, she's suspected of murder. Noah makes the trip to her side, and begins sifting through the pieces of April's life, trying to figure out what happened. As he does, he uncovers a different April than the one he thought he knew--and much more.
This is a suspenseful and fascinating thriller. It alternates Noah's story with a tale of a young girl named Ella, whose tale is told in italics. Noah's story flashes back in forth in time as he recalls his various encounters with April, as well as describes the present day happenings. This is a little confusing at first--it takes some getting used to--but once you're in the groove, the book picks up speed and completely hooks you. This is a feat in itself because our main character, Noah, is not particularly likeable, a bit clueless, and really rather frustrating. The one we truly might empathize with, April, is in a coma, and we only learn about her life through various stories filtered by our potentially unreliable narrator.
But somehow, Howells makes it all work. She's really a master at unfurling the suspense. The story becomes crazily readable (hey, that's a term) quite quickly. The cast of characters is layered, complicated, and complex, but they add to the story and its intrigue in just the right way. The plot leaves you constantly guessing and trying to stay a step ahead. I found myself figuring some things out and kicking myself for missing others.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Parts of the plot and Noah's actions certainly frustrated me, but the storyline was exciting and fun to read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 7/26.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This is a suspenseful and fascinating thriller. It alternates Noah's story with a tale of a young girl named Ella, whose tale is told in italics. Noah's story flashes back in forth in time as he recalls his various encounters with April, as well as describes the present day happenings. This is a little confusing at first--it takes some getting used to--but once you're in the groove, the book picks up speed and completely hooks you. This is a feat in itself because our main character, Noah, is not particularly likeable, a bit clueless, and really rather frustrating. The one we truly might empathize with, April, is in a coma, and we only learn about her life through various stories filtered by our potentially unreliable narrator.
But somehow, Howells makes it all work. She's really a master at unfurling the suspense. The story becomes crazily readable (hey, that's a term) quite quickly. The cast of characters is layered, complicated, and complex, but they add to the story and its intrigue in just the right way. The plot leaves you constantly guessing and trying to stay a step ahead. I found myself figuring some things out and kicking myself for missing others.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Parts of the plot and Noah's actions certainly frustrated me, but the storyline was exciting and fun to read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 7/26.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
**This review may contain mild spoilers**
I really enjoyed this book, when someone has been kept prisoner for 8 years you know there is going to be some interesting reasoning behind it. I love psychological thrillers, I like to know what the captors thought processes and why they do what they do. The scary thing though is how devious they can be but also how normal. This book makes you step back and question, who can you really trust?
This is the story of Lily, she has been held captive for 8 years and also conceived her daughter Skye whilst being held prisoner, one evening her captor forgets to bolt the door, once he realises his error, he believes he has conditioned Lily to an extent that she won’t betray him and try to escape…..Wrong!
I was seriously scared for Lily when she was fleeing the cabin, would she make it? was he waiting round the corner? I was on the edge of my seat (or bed)I mean after 8 years a lot changes, I was worried that her family wasn’t living in the same house. I was hoping someone would recognise her and pick her up and tell her she was safe.
The book is told from multiple points of view we have Lily, Rick(Captor), Eve (Mother) and Abby(Twin Sister),this made the book more enjoyable and fast paced.I am a nosey person and want to know everything so this was brilliant for me,I got to understand what life was like for her mother and sister during the past 8 years, what they went through,their grief and how they had become the people they were today.
This book definitely delved into how messy and complicated family life can become, especially when someone has been away for so long and the rest of your family are moving on without you.
I am unsure if I liked Abby’s character or not. She always believed her sister was alive (like some twin connection)and couldn’t get over the grief when people stopped looking, obviously something like this could affect your mental health but I just felt she was too intense! She was a bit of a harsh character, very abrupt and would do things impulsively.
This book is a great debut novel by Hollie Overton, it’s a fast paced psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat and I recommend reading it. I don’t think it is anything like ‘The girl on the train’ as it has been compared to.
Overall I rate this 4 out of 5 stars
**This review may contain mild spoilers**
I really enjoyed this book, when someone has been kept prisoner for 8 years you know there is going to be some interesting reasoning behind it. I love psychological thrillers, I like to know what the captors thought processes and why they do what they do. The scary thing though is how devious they can be but also how normal. This book makes you step back and question, who can you really trust?
This is the story of Lily, she has been held captive for 8 years and also conceived her daughter Skye whilst being held prisoner, one evening her captor forgets to bolt the door, once he realises his error, he believes he has conditioned Lily to an extent that she won’t betray him and try to escape…..Wrong!
I was seriously scared for Lily when she was fleeing the cabin, would she make it? was he waiting round the corner? I was on the edge of my seat (or bed)I mean after 8 years a lot changes, I was worried that her family wasn’t living in the same house. I was hoping someone would recognise her and pick her up and tell her she was safe.
The book is told from multiple points of view we have Lily, Rick(Captor), Eve (Mother) and Abby(Twin Sister),this made the book more enjoyable and fast paced.I am a nosey person and want to know everything so this was brilliant for me,I got to understand what life was like for her mother and sister during the past 8 years, what they went through,their grief and how they had become the people they were today.
This book definitely delved into how messy and complicated family life can become, especially when someone has been away for so long and the rest of your family are moving on without you.
I am unsure if I liked Abby’s character or not. She always believed her sister was alive (like some twin connection)and couldn’t get over the grief when people stopped looking, obviously something like this could affect your mental health but I just felt she was too intense! She was a bit of a harsh character, very abrupt and would do things impulsively.
This book is a great debut novel by Hollie Overton, it’s a fast paced psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat and I recommend reading it. I don’t think it is anything like ‘The girl on the train’ as it has been compared to.
Overall I rate this 4 out of 5 stars