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Isabel Smith (34 KP) rated Obscura in Books
Jun 28, 2018
A fine example of genre-blending!
Joe Hart’s Obscura is a must-read for fans of science fiction and space travel. Dr. Gillian Ryan, a neural radiologist, is down on her luck. Ever since losing her husband to the mysterious new form of dementia called Losian’s, she has been working hard to find a cure for the disease that is now afflicting her only daughter. She’s so close to locating the exact neurons in the hippocampus that are affected by the disease when she gets word that her funding has been cut. With all the stress she is undergoing, it’s no wonder her opioid addiction makes a reappearance.
When an old colleague that now works for NASA offers her the opportunity to continue her Losian’s research with unlimited funding, she’s hesitant to take him up on the proposition because he wants something from her in return: to accompany a group into space and study the inhabitants of a United Nations space station who are experiencing neurological side effects due to working on a top-secret NASA project. Even though she hates the idea of leaving her daughter behind for six months, she knows she can’t pass up an opportunity like this and so she agrees to the terms.
Almost from the moment she steps off the space shuttle and onto the space station (or is it?) things begin to feel off. Her research assistant, Birk Lindqvist, starts experiencing major hallucinations and she is sedated once she discovers a startling truth that was initially kept hidden from her. Everything is called into question and nothing is at it seems. What’s really going on? Where is the station they’re supposed to be rendezvousing with? And why does it feel like there is a hidden presence on board with her after everyone goes into stasis?
Obscura is a heart-pounding, adrenaline-filled thriller set in the vastness of space. Is that great or what? The prospect of reading a psychological thriller combined with a space mission story is what initially attracted me to the novel. Joe Hart does not disappoint with his ability to blend the two genres seamlessly. He even tossed in the element of the ‘unreliable narrator’ with Gillian for a little while there during her opioid abuse and withdrawal periods where readers couldn’t judge which of her experiences were real and which ones weren’t. Genius! I loved every bit of it: the deception, the uncertainty, the space travel, the action scenes, the startling discoveries…everything!
When an old colleague that now works for NASA offers her the opportunity to continue her Losian’s research with unlimited funding, she’s hesitant to take him up on the proposition because he wants something from her in return: to accompany a group into space and study the inhabitants of a United Nations space station who are experiencing neurological side effects due to working on a top-secret NASA project. Even though she hates the idea of leaving her daughter behind for six months, she knows she can’t pass up an opportunity like this and so she agrees to the terms.
Almost from the moment she steps off the space shuttle and onto the space station (or is it?) things begin to feel off. Her research assistant, Birk Lindqvist, starts experiencing major hallucinations and she is sedated once she discovers a startling truth that was initially kept hidden from her. Everything is called into question and nothing is at it seems. What’s really going on? Where is the station they’re supposed to be rendezvousing with? And why does it feel like there is a hidden presence on board with her after everyone goes into stasis?
Obscura is a heart-pounding, adrenaline-filled thriller set in the vastness of space. Is that great or what? The prospect of reading a psychological thriller combined with a space mission story is what initially attracted me to the novel. Joe Hart does not disappoint with his ability to blend the two genres seamlessly. He even tossed in the element of the ‘unreliable narrator’ with Gillian for a little while there during her opioid abuse and withdrawal periods where readers couldn’t judge which of her experiences were real and which ones weren’t. Genius! I loved every bit of it: the deception, the uncertainty, the space travel, the action scenes, the startling discoveries…everything!
Minimon: Adventure of Minions
Games, Entertainment and Stickers
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A LEGEND AWAKENS… The once peaceful and harmonious homeland of Minimons is being threatened by...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Do No Harm in Books
Feb 25, 2021
A dark look into how far a mother would go to save her child
After a tough childhood, where she was orphaned and spent time in foster care, Emma finally has the life she's always wanted. A successful doctor, she has a loving husband, Nate, and a young son, Josh. But that all stands to change when Josh, who is only five, is diagnosed with leukemia. Even with her hospital insurance, Josh's potential life-saving treatment will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Determined to save Josh no matter what, Emma makes the decision to sell opioids. Her choice puts her directly against Nate, a local police officer, who is investigating the death of a potential drug dealer. Emma will do anything to save Josh--does that include murder?
"I felt like I'd been dropped down a rabbit hole with the wolf sitting right outside. And the wolf was my husband."
This is a brutal dark read that pulls you into Emma and Nate's dilemma immediately. Personally, I found it hard to read about Josh's illness. I have a difficult time with books about kids being sick. But, McDonald is an excellent writer, and she does a wonderful job portraying stricken parents, pushed to the brink, who would do anything for their child. For Emma, it's turning to selling drugs. For Nate, it's working constantly to solve his current case, which means a promotion that could brings additional money for their family. The story is told from each of their perspectives, ratcheting up the tension with each chapter.
Emma, it seems, really has no limits on what she would do for Josh. McDonald makes the reader question: how far would you go to save your child? The book also offers a nuanced perspective on the opioid crisis, versus the usual "drugs bad" stance we get in many novels, which I appreciated. The entire novel makes you think and question standard perspectives in so many ways. It turns good versus evil and right versus wrong on its heels. And it offers a dark and insightful look into drug addiction and chronic pain and how families support each other (or don't).
Overall, this isn't an easy read, but it's a well-written and compelling one. It's timely, with an excellent perspective on the drug problems facing Americans and leaves the reader questioning much about right versus wrong. 4 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It is available on 2/16/2021.
"I felt like I'd been dropped down a rabbit hole with the wolf sitting right outside. And the wolf was my husband."
This is a brutal dark read that pulls you into Emma and Nate's dilemma immediately. Personally, I found it hard to read about Josh's illness. I have a difficult time with books about kids being sick. But, McDonald is an excellent writer, and she does a wonderful job portraying stricken parents, pushed to the brink, who would do anything for their child. For Emma, it's turning to selling drugs. For Nate, it's working constantly to solve his current case, which means a promotion that could brings additional money for their family. The story is told from each of their perspectives, ratcheting up the tension with each chapter.
Emma, it seems, really has no limits on what she would do for Josh. McDonald makes the reader question: how far would you go to save your child? The book also offers a nuanced perspective on the opioid crisis, versus the usual "drugs bad" stance we get in many novels, which I appreciated. The entire novel makes you think and question standard perspectives in so many ways. It turns good versus evil and right versus wrong on its heels. And it offers a dark and insightful look into drug addiction and chronic pain and how families support each other (or don't).
Overall, this isn't an easy read, but it's a well-written and compelling one. It's timely, with an excellent perspective on the drug problems facing Americans and leaves the reader questioning much about right versus wrong. 4 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It is available on 2/16/2021.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Distant Dead in Books
Mar 4, 2021
A dark and well-written tale of sadness and forgiveness
Adam Merkel left his job as a professor in Reno to come to Lovelock, a small town, to teach math at their middle school. He was mostly mocked by his students, except for one, Sal Prentiss. After the death of his mother, Sal lives outside of town with his two uncles. Mostly friendless, he bonds with Mr. Merkel over math, chess, and more. So when Sal finds Mr. Merkel's body on his way to schoool--burned so that it's nearly unrecognizable--it turns his small world upside down. It upsets Nora Wheaton as well. A colleague of Adam's at the school, she thought she recognized a kindred spirit in him. Both seemed trapped in Lovelock: Nora had to return to care for her father. After Adam's death, Nora starts looking into his past to see what led to his horrible undoing. But so much of what she finds keeps leading back to the boy who befriended him--and found his body. As she tries to befriend the wary Sal, it opens up old wounds of her own.
I really loved Heather Young's book The Lost Girls, and The Distant Dead didn't disappoint either. She excels at creating excellent atmospheric novels with well-drawn characters. The Distant Dead perfectly captures small town life: how nearly everyone knows almost everything about everyone, but rarely interferes. How a small town can feel so stifling and claustrophobic. How the secrets and lies pile up until a man finds himself burned to death.
Young also covers the timely topics of drugs and addiction, which run as a thread across the book. Opiates don't seem like a tired trope here, though, but something that is eating up the town and ruining people's lives. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a book with a good kid character, and I pretty much fell for Sal immediately. He's a great kid: real, vulnerable yet tough, and smart. He was an excellent narrator, with his portions telling what led up to Adam's death and Nora and Jake (a local EMT/firefighter) telling us what happened after. The book is surprisingly tense, with Young's beautifully written words jumping off every page. She's such a lyrical writer, weaving an amazing tale of sadness and redemption.
This isn't a fast read or a page-turning thriller. But it's a well-written book, with characters you won't soon forget. There's a lovely, albeit sad and dark, story here. Definitely worth a read. 4+ stars.
I really loved Heather Young's book The Lost Girls, and The Distant Dead didn't disappoint either. She excels at creating excellent atmospheric novels with well-drawn characters. The Distant Dead perfectly captures small town life: how nearly everyone knows almost everything about everyone, but rarely interferes. How a small town can feel so stifling and claustrophobic. How the secrets and lies pile up until a man finds himself burned to death.
Young also covers the timely topics of drugs and addiction, which run as a thread across the book. Opiates don't seem like a tired trope here, though, but something that is eating up the town and ruining people's lives. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a book with a good kid character, and I pretty much fell for Sal immediately. He's a great kid: real, vulnerable yet tough, and smart. He was an excellent narrator, with his portions telling what led up to Adam's death and Nora and Jake (a local EMT/firefighter) telling us what happened after. The book is surprisingly tense, with Young's beautifully written words jumping off every page. She's such a lyrical writer, weaving an amazing tale of sadness and redemption.
This isn't a fast read or a page-turning thriller. But it's a well-written book, with characters you won't soon forget. There's a lovely, albeit sad and dark, story here. Definitely worth a read. 4+ stars.
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Part of Her Plan (Cupid's Cafe #5) in Books
Jul 21, 2021
not an easy read, but a bloody good one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I have no idea what I expected from this book, but it certainly wasn't this!
Jenny and Lydia have real life problems. Both are recovering from their respective addictions (or not, as the case may be) and this book focuses on that, more than the romance, and I really LOVED that. All too often these topics get brushed under the carpet and here, they are front and centre.
Lydia has a plan, to get her own apartment, and then be on her own. Meeting with Jenny again should not waver her from her plan. She's doing well, and is committed to get to the end. Jenny, on the other hand, isn't doing so well and the place in the sober living house SHOULD be her ticket to get to be with her brother again. But Jenny's recovery isn't going to plan, and one single mistake might ruin them both.
At one point, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. I started it, and it took a downward turn (I thought) and I contemplated leaving it. But something made me carry on and I am so bloody glad I did!
Yes, it's not an easy read. it certainly isn't a fluffy romance that you can breeze through, but it IS a bloody good book! It shows the struggles, the real life struggles that people face. How people spiral downwards, how they hit the bottom and try to get back up. How the deal with their addiction (in this case drugs and alcohol) and what they do when faced with what might possibly be their last chance.
Jenny and Lydia are not perfect, but they are perfect for each other, and other than the issues with their addictions, the romance side of things moves along slow, at first, but then speeds up, and slows down again. I loved that it wasn't explicit. There is steam and passion a-plenty, but the detailed sex scenes are not here, and I truly think had they been, I would not have liked this book as much!
I've not read anything by this author before, nor any of the previous books in this series, I don't think you need to, to enjoy this one. I might go back and read them!
But please, be aware of the subject matter: drug abuse and alcohol abuse mostly. Some people might not be able to read this because of triggers.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I have no idea what I expected from this book, but it certainly wasn't this!
Jenny and Lydia have real life problems. Both are recovering from their respective addictions (or not, as the case may be) and this book focuses on that, more than the romance, and I really LOVED that. All too often these topics get brushed under the carpet and here, they are front and centre.
Lydia has a plan, to get her own apartment, and then be on her own. Meeting with Jenny again should not waver her from her plan. She's doing well, and is committed to get to the end. Jenny, on the other hand, isn't doing so well and the place in the sober living house SHOULD be her ticket to get to be with her brother again. But Jenny's recovery isn't going to plan, and one single mistake might ruin them both.
At one point, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. I started it, and it took a downward turn (I thought) and I contemplated leaving it. But something made me carry on and I am so bloody glad I did!
Yes, it's not an easy read. it certainly isn't a fluffy romance that you can breeze through, but it IS a bloody good book! It shows the struggles, the real life struggles that people face. How people spiral downwards, how they hit the bottom and try to get back up. How the deal with their addiction (in this case drugs and alcohol) and what they do when faced with what might possibly be their last chance.
Jenny and Lydia are not perfect, but they are perfect for each other, and other than the issues with their addictions, the romance side of things moves along slow, at first, but then speeds up, and slows down again. I loved that it wasn't explicit. There is steam and passion a-plenty, but the detailed sex scenes are not here, and I truly think had they been, I would not have liked this book as much!
I've not read anything by this author before, nor any of the previous books in this series, I don't think you need to, to enjoy this one. I might go back and read them!
But please, be aware of the subject matter: drug abuse and alcohol abuse mostly. Some people might not be able to read this because of triggers.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Abide - Christian Meditation
Health & Fitness and Medical
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Abide is the #1 Christian meditation app to bring more peace and less stress into your daily life....
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Steel ( Bracken Ridge Rebels MC book 1) in Books
Jul 13, 2022
120 of 230
Kindle
Steel ( Bracken Ridge Rebels MC book 1)
By Mackenzy Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Bracken Ridge Arizona, where the Rebels M.C. rule and the only thing they ride or die for more than their club is their women, this is Steel’s story
Steel: I’m not meaning to get involved, really it’s not my fault. I’m the Sergeant at Arms of Bracken Ridge Rebels M.C. and it’s my job to look out for the club, ensure ongoing safety and above all else refrain from violence, where absolutely necessary. I don’t do anything by halves. But that’s before Sienna Morgan waltzed into town acting like she owns the place, and now she does, well the clubhouse at least. One minute I’m sent to extract an offer to give us back what’s rightfully ours, the next she’s on the back of my sled and I’m about to lose my mind. I don’t do romance and I’m not looking for an ol’ lady, but that’s all about to change. I don’t mean to make her mine, but then again, rules are meant to be broken and I’m on the right side of wrong.
Sienna: He’s bad. He’s mean. He’s kind of hot in a 'don’t mess with me' kind of way. But I’m no fool, I know this town’s run by bikers and I have something they want, something they need. I just never thought it would come to this and I’d be in the middle of a mess I may not be able to get out of. The more I try to run the closer he gets. I don’t know if I can keep resisting but my own haunted past lurks in the shadows, ready to pounce if I let it. I fear Steel may become an addiction but I can’t let that happen, I can’t let him get too close because if I do, he may just break me in half for good.
I really enjoyed this it’s exactly as you expect it too be! I did fall in love with Steel from the start he’s definitely a character you’d want to find down a dark alley. The balance of story and spice was well written and you actually got brought into the world. I’m not used to MC books that don’t involve a supernatural element so this was a new one for me and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m already looking forward to finding out more about these men.
Kindle
Steel ( Bracken Ridge Rebels MC book 1)
By Mackenzy Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Bracken Ridge Arizona, where the Rebels M.C. rule and the only thing they ride or die for more than their club is their women, this is Steel’s story
Steel: I’m not meaning to get involved, really it’s not my fault. I’m the Sergeant at Arms of Bracken Ridge Rebels M.C. and it’s my job to look out for the club, ensure ongoing safety and above all else refrain from violence, where absolutely necessary. I don’t do anything by halves. But that’s before Sienna Morgan waltzed into town acting like she owns the place, and now she does, well the clubhouse at least. One minute I’m sent to extract an offer to give us back what’s rightfully ours, the next she’s on the back of my sled and I’m about to lose my mind. I don’t do romance and I’m not looking for an ol’ lady, but that’s all about to change. I don’t mean to make her mine, but then again, rules are meant to be broken and I’m on the right side of wrong.
Sienna: He’s bad. He’s mean. He’s kind of hot in a 'don’t mess with me' kind of way. But I’m no fool, I know this town’s run by bikers and I have something they want, something they need. I just never thought it would come to this and I’d be in the middle of a mess I may not be able to get out of. The more I try to run the closer he gets. I don’t know if I can keep resisting but my own haunted past lurks in the shadows, ready to pounce if I let it. I fear Steel may become an addiction but I can’t let that happen, I can’t let him get too close because if I do, he may just break me in half for good.
I really enjoyed this it’s exactly as you expect it too be! I did fall in love with Steel from the start he’s definitely a character you’d want to find down a dark alley. The balance of story and spice was well written and you actually got brought into the world. I’m not used to MC books that don’t involve a supernatural element so this was a new one for me and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m already looking forward to finding out more about these men.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Hopeless (Hopeless, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
This book was recommended to my by a fellow blogger Edee Marine Fallon (check out her blog at My Book Addiction ). This book was remarkable in every way shape and form. I never knew a book could make me feel the way this one did. I laughed, I cried, I was built up, I lost faith in humanity, but in the very next chapter that faith was restored. My emotions were run through the ringer, and it was amazing! I read this book in less than a day, as I simply couldn't put it down. As soon as I opened my e-reader and started reading this book my world drifted away and I was instantly thrown into Sky & Holder's lives. The topic of this book is one that can be hard to get past, and may hit a lot of us very close to home. However, if you stick with it I assure you it is extremely rewarding.
The characters in this book are extremely well written. Sky is very believable as a character and you really can't help but love her, feel sorry for her, and in some ways wish you were her. Holder is another story. From the beginning I wasn't entirely sure how I should feel about him. He seemed kind of aloof, but I could tell he wanted more from Sky, but I wasn't sure what. I wanted to trust him, and I wanted Sky to trust him. After reading the book, I can completely understand why he was the way he was.
The most refreshing aspect of this book is the way the love story is written. Often times two characters meet in stories like this and its love at first site. That's not the case with Sky and Holder. Sky often doesn't quite know what to make of Holder, and she finds herself slowly giving him pieces of her heart. I can't tell you how many books I have read where the author has pushed the characters to fall in love so quickly that you don't get a chance to know who the characters are independently. Other authors have a tendency to draw out the flirting only to realize that they are getting near the end of the story and they have to push the characters together to quickly. These are the more infuriating types of relationships written. But Hoover doesn't do that with her characters. You can honestly see them falling in love one page at a time. PHENOMENAL!
I can't tell you how much I loved this book. I will recommend it to everyone I know, and has now gone on my must read list.
The characters in this book are extremely well written. Sky is very believable as a character and you really can't help but love her, feel sorry for her, and in some ways wish you were her. Holder is another story. From the beginning I wasn't entirely sure how I should feel about him. He seemed kind of aloof, but I could tell he wanted more from Sky, but I wasn't sure what. I wanted to trust him, and I wanted Sky to trust him. After reading the book, I can completely understand why he was the way he was.
The most refreshing aspect of this book is the way the love story is written. Often times two characters meet in stories like this and its love at first site. That's not the case with Sky and Holder. Sky often doesn't quite know what to make of Holder, and she finds herself slowly giving him pieces of her heart. I can't tell you how many books I have read where the author has pushed the characters to fall in love so quickly that you don't get a chance to know who the characters are independently. Other authors have a tendency to draw out the flirting only to realize that they are getting near the end of the story and they have to push the characters together to quickly. These are the more infuriating types of relationships written. But Hoover doesn't do that with her characters. You can honestly see them falling in love one page at a time. PHENOMENAL!
I can't tell you how much I loved this book. I will recommend it to everyone I know, and has now gone on my must read list.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Mansion in Books
Jan 31, 2019
The Mansion is a tale stricken with ghosts of the past–but not the sort that haunt. Rather, in this novel by Ezekiel Boone, much of the elements that one might describe as horrific simply don’t exist. If you’re picking up The Mansion to find out what goes wrong in an automated house, I’d suggest Dean Koontz’s Demon Seed instead because this story crawls at a dreadfully slow pace.
The story centers around a rather messy love triangle. One girl, two guys, they both want her, and beyond that there’s little use for her character in the story. Much of the book’s plot consists of exposition, exposition, and even more exposition. You’ll learn all the faults and flaws of the characters, you’ll learn their childhood histories, you’ll hear their sob stories. It’s not until the final ten percent of the book that you’ll actually get a chance to see some action, and even then it’s still rather tame by horror standards. Amongst all this exposition, we learn of the wedge driven between Billy and Shawn, as well as a mysterious third person, Takata, whose whereabouts are unknown. Despite playing somewhat of a role in the book, he’s mostly an unnecessary character.
Speaking of characters, The Mansion has a rather small roster of them, and they’re all traumatized. With the exception of one, and she’s objectified. Billy has an addiction problem. Shawn is a pretentious nitwit that thinks the entire world revolves around him. Emily is simply there to fuel a fire between these two masculine characters who have devalued themselves to the point that now, years and years later on down the road, are still fighting over the same girl–and no one asks her what she wants at any point in the story. Poor Emily. There’s also the twins. They’re creepy. Really creepy. And no one seems to acknowledge that? Hello, realism?
Development. That’s an important part of a book, and The Mansion severely lacks it. There’s no development in the plot for 90% of the book. There’s absolutely no character development for Wendy, who is described as a black woman that looks like she walked out of a Victoria’s Secret magazine (or something along those lines). In fact, poor Wendy gets the short end of the stick all around. She’s the oddball out in this little teenaged drama hissy fit.
The Mansion simply falls horribly flat all around. The writing style was good, and it wasn’t so awful that I could’t complete reading the book, but it’s definitely not a title I’d recommend to a horror fan. A romance-thriller sort? Maybe. But not horror.
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The story centers around a rather messy love triangle. One girl, two guys, they both want her, and beyond that there’s little use for her character in the story. Much of the book’s plot consists of exposition, exposition, and even more exposition. You’ll learn all the faults and flaws of the characters, you’ll learn their childhood histories, you’ll hear their sob stories. It’s not until the final ten percent of the book that you’ll actually get a chance to see some action, and even then it’s still rather tame by horror standards. Amongst all this exposition, we learn of the wedge driven between Billy and Shawn, as well as a mysterious third person, Takata, whose whereabouts are unknown. Despite playing somewhat of a role in the book, he’s mostly an unnecessary character.
Speaking of characters, The Mansion has a rather small roster of them, and they’re all traumatized. With the exception of one, and she’s objectified. Billy has an addiction problem. Shawn is a pretentious nitwit that thinks the entire world revolves around him. Emily is simply there to fuel a fire between these two masculine characters who have devalued themselves to the point that now, years and years later on down the road, are still fighting over the same girl–and no one asks her what she wants at any point in the story. Poor Emily. There’s also the twins. They’re creepy. Really creepy. And no one seems to acknowledge that? Hello, realism?
Development. That’s an important part of a book, and The Mansion severely lacks it. There’s no development in the plot for 90% of the book. There’s absolutely no character development for Wendy, who is described as a black woman that looks like she walked out of a Victoria’s Secret magazine (or something along those lines). In fact, poor Wendy gets the short end of the stick all around. She’s the oddball out in this little teenaged drama hissy fit.
The Mansion simply falls horribly flat all around. The writing style was good, and it wasn’t so awful that I could’t complete reading the book, but it’s definitely not a title I’d recommend to a horror fan. A romance-thriller sort? Maybe. But not horror.
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
SG
Shallow Graves: The Hunt for the New Bedford Highway Serial Killer
Book
Eleven women went missing over the spring and summer of 1988 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, an old...