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Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Shadow of Murder (A Mac Faraday Mystery #14) in Books
Jun 7, 2022
Are you looking for some fun cold cases to solve? Maybe even a bit of mystery to solve with a twist. Lauren Carr's latest book "Shadow of Murder" does just that. We get a prologue full of mystery and murder. You will be wondering how a gunman kills an entire family. Is it real, or is it not. You will have to read or listen to find out for yourself.
This book had me going and wondering who would kill a whole family, including a law officer. There are a few main characters. We meet two of them right at the beginning of the story. Erica and Dusty.
I love the fact that mysteries are going on throughout the book. I enjoy that Erica and her friends seem to need to help the new local deputy chief. David gets some time with his wife and newborn. I recall David meeting a woman and a little boy I thought was introduced to him as his son?
Mac is pulled into a Chao once he returns from Europe with Archie. His son Tristain brings to life the disappearance of a missing person, a woman named Konnor Langston. Why did she disappear? It goes on from there. There are many mysteries and curses and stories of witches as the book goes on. I wonder who killed Erica's parents and why? Who taking advance of Larry? Why were Erica Hart's parents killed, and will Erica get justice for her childhood friend Konnor?
If you are looking for a good versus evil? This book has it. Once a dark shadow tries to harm Erica. Dusty seems to fall for a bird guiding him to help Erica. Will Erica and Dusty get together? There may be some romance for more than just two folks in the book. How will Dusty's father-law decide to find some love as well? There seems to be the talk of angels and demons? They're a bit supernatural in this book; that is a nice change to the story.
This book had me going and wondering who would kill a whole family, including a law officer. There are a few main characters. We meet two of them right at the beginning of the story. Erica and Dusty.
I love the fact that mysteries are going on throughout the book. I enjoy that Erica and her friends seem to need to help the new local deputy chief. David gets some time with his wife and newborn. I recall David meeting a woman and a little boy I thought was introduced to him as his son?
Mac is pulled into a Chao once he returns from Europe with Archie. His son Tristain brings to life the disappearance of a missing person, a woman named Konnor Langston. Why did she disappear? It goes on from there. There are many mysteries and curses and stories of witches as the book goes on. I wonder who killed Erica's parents and why? Who taking advance of Larry? Why were Erica Hart's parents killed, and will Erica get justice for her childhood friend Konnor?
If you are looking for a good versus evil? This book has it. Once a dark shadow tries to harm Erica. Dusty seems to fall for a bird guiding him to help Erica. Will Erica and Dusty get together? There may be some romance for more than just two folks in the book. How will Dusty's father-law decide to find some love as well? There seems to be the talk of angels and demons? They're a bit supernatural in this book; that is a nice change to the story.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Blackbird Season in Books
Dec 24, 2017
character-driven (2 more)
well-written
compelling
Complicated character-driven mystery
It's just another day in Mount Oanoke, Pennsylvania when the birds start to fall. Hundreds of dead starlings, dropping from the sky during a baseball game. It seems like the birds started it all, but really the secrets and lies began much earlier. Nate Winters, high school teacher and baseball coach, is beloved in the town. That is, until a reporter, in town to cover the birds, catches Nate hugging a student at a local motel. Suddenly, the birds are forgotten, and the story becomes much juicier: Nate; his student, Lucia; and their supposed affair. Lucia fuels the fire by affirming the affair and suddenly Nate and his wife, Alecia, are swept up in the story. The only who believes in Nate's innocence, even a sliver, is his friend and co-worker, Bridget. As Lucia's creative writing teacher, she has unique insight into the girl's mind. But when Lucia suddenly goes missing--with Nate as the prime suspect in her disappearance--not even Bridget may be able to save Nate. But is there more to Lucia's disappearance than an affair with her teacher?
Wow, I was really impressed by this novel. It's a complicated novel that is just as much a character-driven study as it is a mystery. It's incredibly well-written, and Moretti expertly embodies the voice of each of her characters, from beleaguered Alecia, who is worn down from mothering her autistic son, Gabe; to the cast of teenager characters; to Bridget, who lost her husband to cancer a year ago. It's so well-done that often with each chapter (which skip from various points of view -- Bridget, Kate, Lucia, Nate, etc.), I found my myself veering between whom I preferred or believed, constantly second-guessing my allegiances or what happened. This is very rare for me: typically I find my "person" in a novel and stick with them, no matter what.
But here, I was confused, wondering. Was Nate really a cad, who cheated on his wife every second he got, or was he the sweet, affable teacher and baseball coach that the whole town admired and adored? And Alecia--was she more than just a weary mom, broken down by years of staying at home with her autistic son, Gabe, unable to give to anyone beyond him? Did she push Nate away, into the arms of others? Or was the truth more complicated that all of this? I have to hand it to Moretti--she was excellent at creating confusion and doubt. In addition to different perspectives, the novel shifts in time (before the birds fell, after the birds fell, before Lucia disappeared, etc.). It's a little tough to keep track of, but it also keeps you on your toes and always wondering, as you piece various parts of the puzzle together.
For me--even more than the mystery of what exactly happened with Lucia--the strength of this novel was the writing and the characters. I felt for them, even when I was frustrated with them. Moretti captures the angst and meanness of high school extremely well, portraying the cliques of a small town quite superbly. (I was reminded of WHEN WE WERE WORTHY, which I just finished.) I loved the juxtaposition of this being a small town, so the idea is that everyone knows everyone and everything, and yet there are so many secrets, so much unknown. Being a witness to Alecia and Nate's marriage is amazing-- you see firsthand how the events affect them and how they've reached this point. It's an incredibly realistic portrayal of marriage and of motherhood.
As you probably tell, I just really liked this novel. It's very well-written, with quite compelling characters. I worked out some of the plot, but it didn't stop me from reading at all. I think some of the emphasis on character development slows the story at places, but not in any detrimental way. This one will make you think, as well as intrigue you with what happened to Lucia. Quite worth the read.
Wow, I was really impressed by this novel. It's a complicated novel that is just as much a character-driven study as it is a mystery. It's incredibly well-written, and Moretti expertly embodies the voice of each of her characters, from beleaguered Alecia, who is worn down from mothering her autistic son, Gabe; to the cast of teenager characters; to Bridget, who lost her husband to cancer a year ago. It's so well-done that often with each chapter (which skip from various points of view -- Bridget, Kate, Lucia, Nate, etc.), I found my myself veering between whom I preferred or believed, constantly second-guessing my allegiances or what happened. This is very rare for me: typically I find my "person" in a novel and stick with them, no matter what.
But here, I was confused, wondering. Was Nate really a cad, who cheated on his wife every second he got, or was he the sweet, affable teacher and baseball coach that the whole town admired and adored? And Alecia--was she more than just a weary mom, broken down by years of staying at home with her autistic son, Gabe, unable to give to anyone beyond him? Did she push Nate away, into the arms of others? Or was the truth more complicated that all of this? I have to hand it to Moretti--she was excellent at creating confusion and doubt. In addition to different perspectives, the novel shifts in time (before the birds fell, after the birds fell, before Lucia disappeared, etc.). It's a little tough to keep track of, but it also keeps you on your toes and always wondering, as you piece various parts of the puzzle together.
For me--even more than the mystery of what exactly happened with Lucia--the strength of this novel was the writing and the characters. I felt for them, even when I was frustrated with them. Moretti captures the angst and meanness of high school extremely well, portraying the cliques of a small town quite superbly. (I was reminded of WHEN WE WERE WORTHY, which I just finished.) I loved the juxtaposition of this being a small town, so the idea is that everyone knows everyone and everything, and yet there are so many secrets, so much unknown. Being a witness to Alecia and Nate's marriage is amazing-- you see firsthand how the events affect them and how they've reached this point. It's an incredibly realistic portrayal of marriage and of motherhood.
As you probably tell, I just really liked this novel. It's very well-written, with quite compelling characters. I worked out some of the plot, but it didn't stop me from reading at all. I think some of the emphasis on character development slows the story at places, but not in any detrimental way. This one will make you think, as well as intrigue you with what happened to Lucia. Quite worth the read.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Mother May I in Books
Dec 21, 2020
After loving Joshilyn Jackson's novel Never Have I Ever, I definitely knew I wanted to read Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson. Jackson is a brilliant writer, and I was drawn in by the synopsis of this story. I was not disappointed at all!
Bree has everything and wants for nothing. She has three fantastic children, a loving husband, and plenty of money. She starts seeing an old woman that looks like a witch looking through her bedroom window and then again at her daughters' school. When her infant son keeps kidnapped from her daughters' school, it sets something sinister in motion. If Bree wants to see her son alive again, she has to agree to do some pretty messed up things. However, as Bree gets sucked in further and further, she learns some pretty crazy things about those she thought she knew.
First off, the world building for Mother May I was done so fantastically! It was so easy to get sucked into this book. I could easily imagine every little thing that happened throughout Mother May I as I was reading. The pacing was perfect. I found myself never wanting to put this book down. Not once did it ever slow down to become boring or speed up that I got lost. I wanted to make sure baby Robert was safe, and I was also frantic when he went missing and Bree was doing all she could to get him back. I didn't feel like there were any major plot twists. There are a few minor ones though. There is no cliff hanger ending, and all loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. I did enjoy how the book ended though. Mother May I definitely shows was having wealth and privilege can do for you even when you do something bad, so kudos to this book for bringing it to the forefront.
I felt that all the characters in Mother May I were well rounded and developed. It was easy to relate to Bree throughout the book. As a mother myself, I felt her fear and worry at her son being kidnapped. (That's one of my worst nightmares!) I never once blamed her for what she did to make sure her son would be safe and so she could get him back. I'm pretty sure I would do the same as she did. I loved that she came from humble beginnings as well. I loved her backstory. Marshall was such a stand up guy to help out Bree. It was obvious how much he cared for Bree. I admit that I was wary of him throughout the book. I kept waiting for him to somehow be involved in Robert's disappearance. Trey seemed like a stand up guy with how he treated Bree and how much he loved her although Trey was another one I was wary of. I also kept thinking he had something to do with Robert's disappearance. Coral was another one that I could kind of understand her hurt for what happened to her daughter. While I don't agree at all with what she did as an act of revenge (not a spoiler), I knew her heart was hurting for her daughter and what she went through. Coral was a fantastic antagonist though.
Trigger warnings for Mother May I include rape, sexual situations, drug use, drinking, murder, suicide, death, child murder, swearing, and kidnapping.
With such wonderful characters and fantastic world building, Mother May I is a book deserving of such high praise. It goes to show how unfair the world is and how money talks in a well done story. I would definitely recommend Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson to those aged 18+ who are after a book with a fantastic storyline and a great cast of characters.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a paperback ARC of Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson. I was under no obligation to write a review.)
Bree has everything and wants for nothing. She has three fantastic children, a loving husband, and plenty of money. She starts seeing an old woman that looks like a witch looking through her bedroom window and then again at her daughters' school. When her infant son keeps kidnapped from her daughters' school, it sets something sinister in motion. If Bree wants to see her son alive again, she has to agree to do some pretty messed up things. However, as Bree gets sucked in further and further, she learns some pretty crazy things about those she thought she knew.
First off, the world building for Mother May I was done so fantastically! It was so easy to get sucked into this book. I could easily imagine every little thing that happened throughout Mother May I as I was reading. The pacing was perfect. I found myself never wanting to put this book down. Not once did it ever slow down to become boring or speed up that I got lost. I wanted to make sure baby Robert was safe, and I was also frantic when he went missing and Bree was doing all she could to get him back. I didn't feel like there were any major plot twists. There are a few minor ones though. There is no cliff hanger ending, and all loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. I did enjoy how the book ended though. Mother May I definitely shows was having wealth and privilege can do for you even when you do something bad, so kudos to this book for bringing it to the forefront.
I felt that all the characters in Mother May I were well rounded and developed. It was easy to relate to Bree throughout the book. As a mother myself, I felt her fear and worry at her son being kidnapped. (That's one of my worst nightmares!) I never once blamed her for what she did to make sure her son would be safe and so she could get him back. I'm pretty sure I would do the same as she did. I loved that she came from humble beginnings as well. I loved her backstory. Marshall was such a stand up guy to help out Bree. It was obvious how much he cared for Bree. I admit that I was wary of him throughout the book. I kept waiting for him to somehow be involved in Robert's disappearance. Trey seemed like a stand up guy with how he treated Bree and how much he loved her although Trey was another one I was wary of. I also kept thinking he had something to do with Robert's disappearance. Coral was another one that I could kind of understand her hurt for what happened to her daughter. While I don't agree at all with what she did as an act of revenge (not a spoiler), I knew her heart was hurting for her daughter and what she went through. Coral was a fantastic antagonist though.
Trigger warnings for Mother May I include rape, sexual situations, drug use, drinking, murder, suicide, death, child murder, swearing, and kidnapping.
With such wonderful characters and fantastic world building, Mother May I is a book deserving of such high praise. It goes to show how unfair the world is and how money talks in a well done story. I would definitely recommend Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson to those aged 18+ who are after a book with a fantastic storyline and a great cast of characters.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a paperback ARC of Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson. I was under no obligation to write a review.)
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) in Movies
May 12, 2018
For every bit that I enjoyed Insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2 is a complete snoozefest. Harsh, I know, but the sequel takes a path that’s far too common, and does it dreadfully so. It’s redeeming quality comes in the way it weaves into past events, hinting at time running in a completely different way in the Further. It’s an interesting notion, but can it really be called a haunting with what we learn?
Character wise, Wilson does a far better portrayal of Josh/Not Josh and, almost as if my complaints were heard (which I know they weren’t), the kids are actually passed off and their disappearance form the film for many scenes thus explained.
The plot of this second installment deals with saving Josh. At the end of Insidious, we learn that it’s not Josh that came back from the Further in his body. Naturally, given that an entity from beyond has taken up habitation in his meat suit, the ghastly things that terrify his family follow them to their new house (or technically, old house since it’s Josh’s childhood home). Thus the goal of this movie is to save Josh (though this reverse damsel-in-distress is fairly amusing).
In Insidious: Chapter 2 we get to see the fun part of a ghost story – because this one is actually a ghost, rather than a demon. The Bride in Black, y’know the ghostly thing that Josh encounters in the first film, has a pretty interesting story behind her and much of this film is centered around discovering that… at a crawl. Worse, there’s not a whole bunch of originality in her, which is where I’ll leave it in order to avoid spoilers.
Once again, it’s the Further that seems to bother me most. We only get glimpses of it and we know next to nothing of it, aside from the fact that time is not linear. I do have to commend the writers for the whole dead body inside living body means the decaying of the latter, because that’s a neat thing that I expect to see in possessions. There’s just not anything that stands out about this film, though, and for me that’s a disappointment.
Character wise, Wilson does a far better portrayal of Josh/Not Josh and, almost as if my complaints were heard (which I know they weren’t), the kids are actually passed off and their disappearance form the film for many scenes thus explained.
The plot of this second installment deals with saving Josh. At the end of Insidious, we learn that it’s not Josh that came back from the Further in his body. Naturally, given that an entity from beyond has taken up habitation in his meat suit, the ghastly things that terrify his family follow them to their new house (or technically, old house since it’s Josh’s childhood home). Thus the goal of this movie is to save Josh (though this reverse damsel-in-distress is fairly amusing).
In Insidious: Chapter 2 we get to see the fun part of a ghost story – because this one is actually a ghost, rather than a demon. The Bride in Black, y’know the ghostly thing that Josh encounters in the first film, has a pretty interesting story behind her and much of this film is centered around discovering that… at a crawl. Worse, there’s not a whole bunch of originality in her, which is where I’ll leave it in order to avoid spoilers.
Once again, it’s the Further that seems to bother me most. We only get glimpses of it and we know next to nothing of it, aside from the fact that time is not linear. I do have to commend the writers for the whole dead body inside living body means the decaying of the latter, because that’s a neat thing that I expect to see in possessions. There’s just not anything that stands out about this film, though, and for me that’s a disappointment.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann in TV
Mar 16, 2019
Entirely unnecessary
Whilst I know the story of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance (I was 20 when it happened), I don’t claim to know the full detail and have never watched a documentary on it before. After seeing Netflix’s effort, I don’t think I would ever need or even want to watch a documentary on this story ever again.
For starters, similar to the Leaving Neverland documentary, this manages to draw out even the tiniest of details and unimportant interviews with barely involved witnesses to a staggering 8 episodes, and a total runtime of nearly 8 hours. This is far too long. I’m pretty sure it could’ve been cut down by half and still had no noticeable effect on the important content they were trying to get across. There is a lot of nonsense guff in this, like the history of the Algarve and interviews of people who happened to be in the same resort or journalists, yet none of this provided anything of value.
That said, it did at least have interviews with some of the suspects at the time and having never seen them before, I found it quite interesting. This documentary also went a way to changing my point of view - I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m on the side that thinks it was the parents, but seeing some of this documentary made me doubt some of my aspersions.
The problem though is that this documentary doesn’t tell us anything new. There’s no new evidence or insights and it’s just rehashing the same old story. And it just made me think what’s the point? It just highlights the amount of resource and money being put into a case that is still no closer to being solved and now 12 years have passed, it’s very unlikely it will ever get solved now. I don’t mean to sound heartless about that, but when you work for the police it’s frustrating to see hundreds of thousands of pounds being shelled out for an operation that is seeing no results when that money could be invested into the front line that desperately needs it.
For starters, similar to the Leaving Neverland documentary, this manages to draw out even the tiniest of details and unimportant interviews with barely involved witnesses to a staggering 8 episodes, and a total runtime of nearly 8 hours. This is far too long. I’m pretty sure it could’ve been cut down by half and still had no noticeable effect on the important content they were trying to get across. There is a lot of nonsense guff in this, like the history of the Algarve and interviews of people who happened to be in the same resort or journalists, yet none of this provided anything of value.
That said, it did at least have interviews with some of the suspects at the time and having never seen them before, I found it quite interesting. This documentary also went a way to changing my point of view - I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m on the side that thinks it was the parents, but seeing some of this documentary made me doubt some of my aspersions.
The problem though is that this documentary doesn’t tell us anything new. There’s no new evidence or insights and it’s just rehashing the same old story. And it just made me think what’s the point? It just highlights the amount of resource and money being put into a case that is still no closer to being solved and now 12 years have passed, it’s very unlikely it will ever get solved now. I don’t mean to sound heartless about that, but when you work for the police it’s frustrating to see hundreds of thousands of pounds being shelled out for an operation that is seeing no results when that money could be invested into the front line that desperately needs it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Drowned Under in Books
Mar 20, 2019
Cyd’s Cruising to Find Missing Passengers
It’s the week before Christmas, and Cyd is dreading the upcoming holiday filled with rumors, whispers, and awkward family moments. Then Barry Manzoni comes to her for help. Barry is a childhood friend and Cyd’s ex-husband. His parents are on an Australian cruise, and they vanished part way through. Even though they didn’t book with Redondo Travel, Cyd still begins to use her contacts to see what she can learn. In fact, she uses one of those contacts to get herself booked on the next cruise their ship is taking, which is following the same route. Okay, so she might be using the trip to avoid Christmas with her family, but she does want to help Barry.
After a whirlwind trip half way around the world, she arrives on the ship only to find a dead body. The crew want to say it is a tragic accident, but Cyd suspects foul play. Does this tie into the disappearance of the Manzonis? Can Cyd trust anyone on board?
If you haven’t read the first book in the series, a warning – this book does by necessity spoil some of the events of the first book in the series. If you have read the first book, you know exactly what to expect here, and you won’t be disappointed. We’ve got a fast-paced story with twists that keep Cyd hopping as she tries to uncover what exactly is happening. There is a strong screwball comedy element that keeps us laughing, although some events and Cyd herself keeps us grounded. I did feel the book got a bit frantic at times, but it never lasted too long. The characters are a little caricature as well, but that just makes them fit perfectly into this world. There is a smattering of foul language here. We also have a very strong sub-plot with another endangered animal, but there is no animal cruelty involved this time around. I enjoyed the different take on the Christmas setting – since the book is set mostly off the coast of Australia, we don’t have cold and snow, after all. This is a fun ride, so pick up this book and hold on tight.
After a whirlwind trip half way around the world, she arrives on the ship only to find a dead body. The crew want to say it is a tragic accident, but Cyd suspects foul play. Does this tie into the disappearance of the Manzonis? Can Cyd trust anyone on board?
If you haven’t read the first book in the series, a warning – this book does by necessity spoil some of the events of the first book in the series. If you have read the first book, you know exactly what to expect here, and you won’t be disappointed. We’ve got a fast-paced story with twists that keep Cyd hopping as she tries to uncover what exactly is happening. There is a strong screwball comedy element that keeps us laughing, although some events and Cyd herself keeps us grounded. I did feel the book got a bit frantic at times, but it never lasted too long. The characters are a little caricature as well, but that just makes them fit perfectly into this world. There is a smattering of foul language here. We also have a very strong sub-plot with another endangered animal, but there is no animal cruelty involved this time around. I enjoyed the different take on the Christmas setting – since the book is set mostly off the coast of Australia, we don’t have cold and snow, after all. This is a fun ride, so pick up this book and hold on tight.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Scent of You in Books
Mar 27, 2019
It was a bit daunting to begin with, knowing that I had to read this in less than 10 days to get my review posted within the deadline but I somehow managed it!
Polly is a yoga instructor and perfume blogger, with a chaotic life. Everything was fine until her husband left her out of the blue, with no explanation. Polly is left with the mystery of why he went – something that is always on her mind.
My initial impression was how much I love Polly. She runs a blog called Fragrant Cloud, and blogs about memories, places and events, linking them to different scents that remind her of them. I love this obsession with fragrances, and I can really relate to it, working in a candle shop my whole life revolves around them! I love how she can categorise any event by what fragrances it makes her think of. I just feel like this makes Alderson’s writing so unique and compelling.
About halfway through I found myself completely addicted! I needed to find out about the mysterious Guy and I loved Chum, but felt like there was definitely a lot hidden below the surface of his character. There definitely seemed to be a bit of a love triangle going off here, and I was curious as to what was going to happen with it.
Alderson’s writing really reminds me of Cecelia Ahern and Marian Keyes, and I think that’s why I found the book so easy to get into and enjoy. Her writing flows really nicely and freely, and the characterisations are natural and lifelike.
It actually surprised me that the book had a large sense of mystery to it surrounding the sudden disappearance of Polly’s husband. From the description, I didn’t realise it would take such a major role in the plot. This was quite a pleasant surprise and I actually really enjoyed the mystery aspect to it. I would normally avoid novels which have a large amount of mystery in the plot because I struggle with them, but this has made me a bit more open minded to the genre.
Overall, The Scent of You is a lovely novel, especially if you love romances with a little bit of mystery.
Polly is a yoga instructor and perfume blogger, with a chaotic life. Everything was fine until her husband left her out of the blue, with no explanation. Polly is left with the mystery of why he went – something that is always on her mind.
My initial impression was how much I love Polly. She runs a blog called Fragrant Cloud, and blogs about memories, places and events, linking them to different scents that remind her of them. I love this obsession with fragrances, and I can really relate to it, working in a candle shop my whole life revolves around them! I love how she can categorise any event by what fragrances it makes her think of. I just feel like this makes Alderson’s writing so unique and compelling.
About halfway through I found myself completely addicted! I needed to find out about the mysterious Guy and I loved Chum, but felt like there was definitely a lot hidden below the surface of his character. There definitely seemed to be a bit of a love triangle going off here, and I was curious as to what was going to happen with it.
Alderson’s writing really reminds me of Cecelia Ahern and Marian Keyes, and I think that’s why I found the book so easy to get into and enjoy. Her writing flows really nicely and freely, and the characterisations are natural and lifelike.
It actually surprised me that the book had a large sense of mystery to it surrounding the sudden disappearance of Polly’s husband. From the description, I didn’t realise it would take such a major role in the plot. This was quite a pleasant surprise and I actually really enjoyed the mystery aspect to it. I would normally avoid novels which have a large amount of mystery in the plot because I struggle with them, but this has made me a bit more open minded to the genre.
Overall, The Scent of You is a lovely novel, especially if you love romances with a little bit of mystery.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Emma in the Night in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Cass and Emma are sisters. And like most sisters, some days they are best friends and some days they just aren't. But one thing that keeps them tethered to each other is their shared love/hate relationship with their mother. She is a narcissist and only praise of the utmost will allow her to bring her children any joy. Then the girls disappear and three years later Cass shows up at her mother's doorstep, demanding that they find Emma. Cass describes the place they had been living for the past three years and hopes that the FBI and investigators are able to find this mysterious island and Emma.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book started off a little slow for me. Hearing the background information about what happened before the disappearance, intertwined with what was going on now to describe the place the girls were being held, took up the first half of the book. Told from the perspective of Cass, the youngest daughter and Dr. Winter the FBI Psychiatrist who did the initial investigation. After that, the reading went by much faster when the twists and turns started to take place.
Cass and Emma have a mother who constantly needs to be told how beautiful she is and how good of a mother she is. The only problem is that she's not. But hearing these things make her feel good about herself and keep her children on her good side. When things don't go the way she wants, she punishes the girls in unspeakable manners. Buying one a gift the other wanted, favoring one child and ignoring the other. This is a family that has a lot of issues going on inside of their home. They way things are handled are completely out of spite for another member of the family. Although this book had a slow start, it really had a great ending. So stick with it if you have to and it will be well worth it.
Wendy Walker also wrote, All is Not Forgotten which was also a great book released last year. I look forward to what else Ms. Walker has in store.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book started off a little slow for me. Hearing the background information about what happened before the disappearance, intertwined with what was going on now to describe the place the girls were being held, took up the first half of the book. Told from the perspective of Cass, the youngest daughter and Dr. Winter the FBI Psychiatrist who did the initial investigation. After that, the reading went by much faster when the twists and turns started to take place.
Cass and Emma have a mother who constantly needs to be told how beautiful she is and how good of a mother she is. The only problem is that she's not. But hearing these things make her feel good about herself and keep her children on her good side. When things don't go the way she wants, she punishes the girls in unspeakable manners. Buying one a gift the other wanted, favoring one child and ignoring the other. This is a family that has a lot of issues going on inside of their home. They way things are handled are completely out of spite for another member of the family. Although this book had a slow start, it really had a great ending. So stick with it if you have to and it will be well worth it.
Wendy Walker also wrote, All is Not Forgotten which was also a great book released last year. I look forward to what else Ms. Walker has in store.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Not That I Could Tell in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Six women from the small town of Yellow Springs, Ohio decide to get together for a few glasses of wine and some conversation on a Sunday night. This is the first time they have all been gathered together like this. Surprised that their baby monitors are able to reach to Clara's backyard, they enjoy the childless night. The next morning, one of them is missing. Is foul play a part of the disappearance or did Kristin simply walk away from her life? Admittedly, even though they have been neighbors for a while, no one really knew each other all that well. Will the police be able to find Kristin? Did her husband have something to do with it?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I'm not sure why, but I had a hard time connecting with this book. While I was intrigued by the story, I didn't find myself drawn to find out what was going to happen next. It took me 10 days to read this book which is very rare for me.
What would you do if you woke up from a girls night out to find out one of the girls and her twins had disappeared in the middle of the night? Gone without a trace. Most of the women felt guilty because they couldn't remember what had happened the night before and if Kristin had said something that would help to locate her now. Everyone looks to Clara who lived right next door and who's son was in class with Kristin's twins, but she knows as much as the others, which is not much at all. How well to we really know our neighbors? We're on the outside looking in, but do we really know what goes on behind closed doors? Kristin's husband, Paul, the local OB/GYN seems like the kind of guy everyone would like, but what secrets of his own is he hiding. Did he do something to make his family disappear? After almost a month, the police have all but given up the search, but incidents in the neighborhood, cause them them to question whether they should or not.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I'm not sure why, but I had a hard time connecting with this book. While I was intrigued by the story, I didn't find myself drawn to find out what was going to happen next. It took me 10 days to read this book which is very rare for me.
What would you do if you woke up from a girls night out to find out one of the girls and her twins had disappeared in the middle of the night? Gone without a trace. Most of the women felt guilty because they couldn't remember what had happened the night before and if Kristin had said something that would help to locate her now. Everyone looks to Clara who lived right next door and who's son was in class with Kristin's twins, but she knows as much as the others, which is not much at all. How well to we really know our neighbors? We're on the outside looking in, but do we really know what goes on behind closed doors? Kristin's husband, Paul, the local OB/GYN seems like the kind of guy everyone would like, but what secrets of his own is he hiding. Did he do something to make his family disappear? After almost a month, the police have all but given up the search, but incidents in the neighborhood, cause them them to question whether they should or not.
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Awesome continuation of the series
I’m so happy to be back in the world of the Lunar Chronicles! Scarlet, is Marissa Meyer’s take on Red Riding Hood, big bad wolf and grandma included. As with Cinder, Scarlet is a whirlwind of a story, straight into the good stuff and the story blends seamlessly with the continuation of Cinder’s overarching story line. Scarlet is a girl on a mission to rescue her Grandmother with Wolf (the big bad fighter) on her side. Outside of New Beijing, Scarlet’s story is set in a future France, which seems very undamaged by the wars, it has a very rustic feel, with Scarlet and her Grandmother enjoying a simple farming life. But Grandma, what big secrets you have! The collision of her grandmothers disappearance and the entrance of Wolf is played to perfection and their journey to Paris is both exciting and full of anxious moments. Scarlet is a fantastic character and you can completely understand, through the brief glimpses of her father, why she gives up everthing to take the journey to Paris. Whilst she wants to appear worldly, she is also wonderfully niaive at times, very much wearing her heart on her sleeve. I also loved the nuggets of information about hers and Cinder’s past and how the lines become blurred at times as the secrets and lies unfurl.
The action is frequent with huge set pieces which played out cinematically in my mind as I was reading. It’s quite an emotional one at times too, Kai’s dispair, Cinder’s desperation, Wolf’s inner turmoil and a bit of an insight into Levana left me quite breathless by the end.
My favourite thing at this stage, is how there is still so many secrets to be revealed. With 2 more books in the series to go it’s clear that each of the next characters will have some connection to what happened to Cinder as a child and how we reach present day, in story terms, I can’t wait to pick up Cress and see where the story goes next!
The action is frequent with huge set pieces which played out cinematically in my mind as I was reading. It’s quite an emotional one at times too, Kai’s dispair, Cinder’s desperation, Wolf’s inner turmoil and a bit of an insight into Levana left me quite breathless by the end.
My favourite thing at this stage, is how there is still so many secrets to be revealed. With 2 more books in the series to go it’s clear that each of the next characters will have some connection to what happened to Cinder as a child and how we reach present day, in story terms, I can’t wait to pick up Cress and see where the story goes next!