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Midge (525 KP) rated The First Time I Died in Books
Feb 4, 2019
Captivating An Engaging
I was completely (and unexpectedly) bowled over by this book! Why you might ask? It leapt out at me to be read as it is a thriller which is one of my favourite genres. My enjoyment was unexpected as I am usually wary of anything to do with the paranormal, but not on this occasion. It is not a crime novel where the reader is buried under loads of supernatural information. The thriller and mystery parts are well interwoven along with the paranormal aspects and as a result, I was hooked from the very beginning!
Garnet McGee returns to her home-town in Pitchford, Vermont, at the suggestion of her college professor, who thinks she needs some time away from her studies so that she can re-evaluate what she wants to do with her life. Whilst there, she vows to solve the mystery of a murder which shattered her life ten years ago. But after dying in an accident and being brought back to life, she starts hearing voices, seeing visions and experiencing strange sensations. Are these merely symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and an over-active imagination, or is she getting messages from a paranormal presence?
This is the first of Jo Macgregor’s novels I have read and as always when reading a mystery, I started guessing who the main suspect was. Well, I was wrong because it was someone else…
THE FIRST TIME I DIED is unusual in that I had imagined that it would be about Garnet's death, but it was, in fact mostly about someone else’s. I found that this gave the novel an edge that was both engaging and enjoyable. I found it easy to empathise with Garnet and I wanted her to succeed in what she was looking to achieve.
I loved Jo Macgregor’s writing style and some of her descriptions in the novel were so atmospheric, especially those about Plover Pond. The first half of the novel is written in alternating chapters of time, giving the reader clarity, which really worked for me. "Then" referred to a time period of ten years ago, when Garnet was a seventeen-year-old schoolgirl.
Jo Macgregor brought everything together for a fabulous conclusion even though I never did manage to accurately guess who was behind the murder. I haven’t got anything negative thing to say about this book. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. THE FIRST TIME I DIED is an exciting and action-packed crime/thriller that I highly recommend.
Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Garnet McGee returns to her home-town in Pitchford, Vermont, at the suggestion of her college professor, who thinks she needs some time away from her studies so that she can re-evaluate what she wants to do with her life. Whilst there, she vows to solve the mystery of a murder which shattered her life ten years ago. But after dying in an accident and being brought back to life, she starts hearing voices, seeing visions and experiencing strange sensations. Are these merely symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and an over-active imagination, or is she getting messages from a paranormal presence?
This is the first of Jo Macgregor’s novels I have read and as always when reading a mystery, I started guessing who the main suspect was. Well, I was wrong because it was someone else…
THE FIRST TIME I DIED is unusual in that I had imagined that it would be about Garnet's death, but it was, in fact mostly about someone else’s. I found that this gave the novel an edge that was both engaging and enjoyable. I found it easy to empathise with Garnet and I wanted her to succeed in what she was looking to achieve.
I loved Jo Macgregor’s writing style and some of her descriptions in the novel were so atmospheric, especially those about Plover Pond. The first half of the novel is written in alternating chapters of time, giving the reader clarity, which really worked for me. "Then" referred to a time period of ten years ago, when Garnet was a seventeen-year-old schoolgirl.
Jo Macgregor brought everything together for a fabulous conclusion even though I never did manage to accurately guess who was behind the murder. I haven’t got anything negative thing to say about this book. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. THE FIRST TIME I DIED is an exciting and action-packed crime/thriller that I highly recommend.
Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Three Heart Echo in Books
May 16, 2018
Three Heart Echo by Keary Taylor ended up on my reading list by yet another mislabeling on NetGalley, I must admit. As seen in the title image above, the book is a paranormal suspense. If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you’ll no doubt guess that I grabbed it from the horror genre titles. Fortunately, after revisiting its cover I can at least say that its actual genre is the right one. While Three Heart Echo does have some elements of horror, it reads more like a paranormal-themed Lifetime movie.
Taking place soon after the death of Jack Caraway, Three Heart Echo tells the story of two vastly different people meeting and, you guessed it, falling in love. It’s not that simple though, and several of the more twisted things that one might expect from a horror novel surface throughout the plot. Iona Faye, a frail woman mourning the death of her fiance, seeks out Sully Whitmore, a man rumored to be able to speak to the dead. Together, the two unravel the darkness of Jack’s past while racing against time to unravel not one, but two curses.
The plot is fairly linear, with only one unexpected twist at the end. That twist defines much of the book though, and I have to admit that I actually felt anger flare up within me. I’ve gotta give Taylor kudos for that one. What I don’t like, besides the heavily romantic subplot, is the fact that, as readers see in many romance books, we’re dealing with two Mary Sue characters. Iona is described as a beautiful fawn whilst Sully is a giant Viking of a man. Catch my drift? Oh, and poor dead Jack? Apparently, he’s a stunner too.
While the plot is straightforward, Taylor also alternates between perspectives on chapters. Now, as a reader, you may think I mean she goes back and forth between past and present. It’s common enough when we read books, after all. Unfortunately, what I mean is that Taylor switches between perspectives of Sully and Iona. For the most part, the switches follow a pattern. There is some story overlap/repetition within those shifts, but it isn’t terrible. What perturbs me about these perspectives is that every now and then, there’s a break to the pattern where it may take some readers a moment to realize that the book has suddenly shifted to the past without warning.
Back to the romance side of things, there are far too many cliches. Poor, helpless main character gets an indescribable pain in their chest and they can’t fathom why it feels like their heart races when they look upon their love interest. As if that’s not bad enough, you know from the get-go that there’s going to be a love story involved. It’s not well enough to leave it a paranormal suspense, we might as well make it a romance too. Because y’know, two attractive people can’t simply be friends!
Speaking of chest pain, there’s another thing about this book that absolutely irked me. I could understand if one character had an odd need to count things. It happens and OCD is a real thing; but, what I’m referring to, is the need by both characters to take exactly five steps, to blink four times, to wait for three heartbeats before they do something so much as take a breath.
Finally, what the hell is a grand opus? The actual term is magnum opus. I’lll hope it was just a typo that was fixed in the final, published copy of the Three Heart Echo. Overall, the story itself is engaging to a degree, but it definitely wasn’t my style. I think it belongs more in the paranormal romance genre than it does horror.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free copy for the purpose of review.
Taking place soon after the death of Jack Caraway, Three Heart Echo tells the story of two vastly different people meeting and, you guessed it, falling in love. It’s not that simple though, and several of the more twisted things that one might expect from a horror novel surface throughout the plot. Iona Faye, a frail woman mourning the death of her fiance, seeks out Sully Whitmore, a man rumored to be able to speak to the dead. Together, the two unravel the darkness of Jack’s past while racing against time to unravel not one, but two curses.
The plot is fairly linear, with only one unexpected twist at the end. That twist defines much of the book though, and I have to admit that I actually felt anger flare up within me. I’ve gotta give Taylor kudos for that one. What I don’t like, besides the heavily romantic subplot, is the fact that, as readers see in many romance books, we’re dealing with two Mary Sue characters. Iona is described as a beautiful fawn whilst Sully is a giant Viking of a man. Catch my drift? Oh, and poor dead Jack? Apparently, he’s a stunner too.
While the plot is straightforward, Taylor also alternates between perspectives on chapters. Now, as a reader, you may think I mean she goes back and forth between past and present. It’s common enough when we read books, after all. Unfortunately, what I mean is that Taylor switches between perspectives of Sully and Iona. For the most part, the switches follow a pattern. There is some story overlap/repetition within those shifts, but it isn’t terrible. What perturbs me about these perspectives is that every now and then, there’s a break to the pattern where it may take some readers a moment to realize that the book has suddenly shifted to the past without warning.
Back to the romance side of things, there are far too many cliches. Poor, helpless main character gets an indescribable pain in their chest and they can’t fathom why it feels like their heart races when they look upon their love interest. As if that’s not bad enough, you know from the get-go that there’s going to be a love story involved. It’s not well enough to leave it a paranormal suspense, we might as well make it a romance too. Because y’know, two attractive people can’t simply be friends!
Speaking of chest pain, there’s another thing about this book that absolutely irked me. I could understand if one character had an odd need to count things. It happens and OCD is a real thing; but, what I’m referring to, is the need by both characters to take exactly five steps, to blink four times, to wait for three heartbeats before they do something so much as take a breath.
Finally, what the hell is a grand opus? The actual term is magnum opus. I’lll hope it was just a typo that was fixed in the final, published copy of the Three Heart Echo. Overall, the story itself is engaging to a degree, but it definitely wasn’t my style. I think it belongs more in the paranormal romance genre than it does horror.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free copy for the purpose of review.
Georgina DeBurca (2 KP) rated Seducing the Sergeant in Books
Jan 29, 2018
Wow. Just... WOW.
What an amazing read. I was hooked from the first line. This story draws you in and holds you a willing captive until the very end.
So. What can I say to persuade you to buy and read this? Firstly it was well written, Well paced and never boring. Secondly... it was sci-fi. That in itself is more niche. Don't get me wrong, I love paranormal romance but Mina Just took this idea and ran with it. A part of me wished I was in the world of this story.
The lead characters are a joy to get to know. All three of them. ;) Love scenes are steamy as hell and the emotions in it give this whole tale more depth.
I'd definitely suggest this to friends, family... hell. Anyone that will listen to me. Give it a chance, you won't be disappointed.
What an amazing read. I was hooked from the first line. This story draws you in and holds you a willing captive until the very end.
So. What can I say to persuade you to buy and read this? Firstly it was well written, Well paced and never boring. Secondly... it was sci-fi. That in itself is more niche. Don't get me wrong, I love paranormal romance but Mina Just took this idea and ran with it. A part of me wished I was in the world of this story.
The lead characters are a joy to get to know. All three of them. ;) Love scenes are steamy as hell and the emotions in it give this whole tale more depth.
I'd definitely suggest this to friends, family... hell. Anyone that will listen to me. Give it a chance, you won't be disappointed.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Blumhouse Book of Nightmares: The Haunted City in Books
Mar 15, 2018
An anthology of horror stories commissioned by producer Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity", "Insidious", "Sinister", "The Purge"), and written by many of the people who made those films with him, sounds like a pretty genius idea. Unfortunately, it turns out to be more than a little less so in actuality. Don't get me wrong, most of the stories here are pretty decent at the very least, and many contain interesting ideas, but there is one all-important thing missing across the board: fear. While there is no shortage of creepy imagery, upsetting situations and gore, at no point did any of these actually scare me. Some of the stories were so lacking in any sense of suspense that it was hard not to wonder if they were actually even horror. All in all it's not a bad read, but it's hard not to come out of this at least somewhat disappointed.
Merissa (11674 KP) rated Echo Falls (Echo Falls #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I got this for two reasons - 1) it was free and 2) I like paranormal romance. I can quite honestly say that I'm very glad that I did and have sat down and read it in a couple of hours as I wanted to find out what happened!
I loved the storyline in it and even though I knew who the "traitor" was, it in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story as a whole. I loved how Phoebe's story was told throughout the book and how Aidan was trying to get information from her. The secondary characters in this book are also believable and funny. It also makes a very refreshing change to have the main female as scared, unsure and carrying physical scars without being a complete wuss.
Loved reading it and will definitely be keeping it!
Favourite character? Definitely Aiden!
I loved the storyline in it and even though I knew who the "traitor" was, it in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story as a whole. I loved how Phoebe's story was told throughout the book and how Aidan was trying to get information from her. The secondary characters in this book are also believable and funny. It also makes a very refreshing change to have the main female as scared, unsure and carrying physical scars without being a complete wuss.
Loved reading it and will definitely be keeping it!
Favourite character? Definitely Aiden!
Merissa (11674 KP) rated Insight (Insight #1; Web of Hearts and Souls #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is supposed to be a book for Young Adults but I think it is suitable for anyone wishing to read a mystery / love story with a hint of paranormal in the form of "insights" or talents or gifts, whatever you want to call them.
This book starts on earth and will take you to different dimensions via 'strings', invisible (to most) passages of energy.
I won't go into the plot as it is better to just read the synopsis and go from there but it has an overall quite simple story that is overlaid with complications and events that all in all make this a fantastic read.
And, yes, I am a hopeless romantic, so the idea of having your other half out there who will complete you is almost certainly going to go down well with me and this book does it well!!
This book starts on earth and will take you to different dimensions via 'strings', invisible (to most) passages of energy.
I won't go into the plot as it is better to just read the synopsis and go from there but it has an overall quite simple story that is overlaid with complications and events that all in all make this a fantastic read.
And, yes, I am a hopeless romantic, so the idea of having your other half out there who will complete you is almost certainly going to go down well with me and this book does it well!!
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Christine A. (965 KP) Feb 5, 2019
Midge (525 KP) Feb 6, 2019