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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Moor in Books
Jan 31, 2019
The Moor is Sam Haysom’s debut novel and though it seems to have pretty high ratings, I found it to fall short of my expectations. The book encompasses the story of a handful of thirteen-year-old boys on a hiking trip through the moors. During this trip, things go wrong and… well, that’s where it tries to be two stories at once: a ghost story and a creature feature.
The ghost story side of this book is fantastic. It’s written in a way that captures the reader’s imagination and honestly, I could picture the details quite well. What I didn’t like was the creature feature side of the book. The monster that makes up this horror tale should be terrifying, but instead I found it to be one dimensional–in fact, every single time the creature shows up, it’s described the same way which really put me off.
I felt no emotions or connections to the boys in the book, and this greatly diminished the emotional/fright factor of the novel for me. I really wanted to taste the fear that these teenaged boys were going through.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The ghost story side of this book is fantastic. It’s written in a way that captures the reader’s imagination and honestly, I could picture the details quite well. What I didn’t like was the creature feature side of the book. The monster that makes up this horror tale should be terrifying, but instead I found it to be one dimensional–in fact, every single time the creature shows up, it’s described the same way which really put me off.
I felt no emotions or connections to the boys in the book, and this greatly diminished the emotional/fright factor of the novel for me. I really wanted to taste the fear that these teenaged boys were going through.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated As Long as We Both Shall Live in Books
May 22, 2019
My wife! I think shes dead! Matt frantically calls to park rangers, explaining that he and his wife, Marie, were out hiking when she stumbled on a cliff edge and fell into the raging river below. They start a search but arent hopeful: no one could have survived that fall.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2072 KP) rated Dogged in Books
Oct 26, 2018
Joe and Tommy must Doggedly Track Down Another Killer
It starts with the discovery of a naked body in Camelback Mountain. The victim, a female, had been discovered not too far from the hiking path by some early morning hikers. The weirdest part is that all of the bones in her legs and arms had been broken before she died. Phoenix homicide detectives Joe Rodriguez and Tommy Flaherty are assigned to the case, but while they are still tracking down the victim's identity, another body is found. This one has the same broken bones, but it is several months older. Joe is finding himself distracted by his concerns over his new relationship with Bridgid, Tommy's cousin. Can he focus on the case long enough to solve it?
I was very pleasantly surprised earlier this year when I saw this book pop up. This is definitely a book that falls into the traditional part of the mystery spectrum, but it doesn't get much worse than what I teased already. The plot is strong and doesn't try to delve into the mind of the serial killer, just tries to catch the person, and we get a strong mystery as Joe and Tommy work to do that. I did feel the ending was a bit weak since it hit two of my pet peeves, but they were minor overall. The characters are absolutely wonderful, and it was fantastic to see them all again.
I was very pleasantly surprised earlier this year when I saw this book pop up. This is definitely a book that falls into the traditional part of the mystery spectrum, but it doesn't get much worse than what I teased already. The plot is strong and doesn't try to delve into the mind of the serial killer, just tries to catch the person, and we get a strong mystery as Joe and Tommy work to do that. I did feel the ending was a bit weak since it hit two of my pet peeves, but they were minor overall. The characters are absolutely wonderful, and it was fantastic to see them all again.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2072 KP) rated Movieland in Books
Jul 26, 2022 (Updated Jul 26, 2022)
A Sniper in the State Park
Eve Ronin’s latest case starts in Malibu Creek State Park. A former movie studio backlot, it’s been known for hiking and camping for years. But someone shot at two female campers, killing one and wounding the other. Eve’s partner, Duncan Pavone, immediately connects the shooting to some cases he was investigating before Eve joined the department, but the higher ups are refusing to acknowledge that this is anything but an isolated incident. Can Eve find the truth no matter where it lays?
This strong book may be the best in the series to date. I couldn’t figure out where the plot was going to go for quite a while, and I mean that in the best way possible. Once I reached the end, everything was resolved in a logical manner. Eve got some great growth here, and all the characters, old and new, were strong and at their best. There are a couple of sub-plots that grow out of the events in previous books in the series. While you could read this as a standalone, I recommend you read the series in order. Since this is a police procedural, there is a tad more content that I try to avoid, but it was kept to a minimum. I also really enjoyed the humor in the book. If you are looking for a strong mystery, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
This strong book may be the best in the series to date. I couldn’t figure out where the plot was going to go for quite a while, and I mean that in the best way possible. Once I reached the end, everything was resolved in a logical manner. Eve got some great growth here, and all the characters, old and new, were strong and at their best. There are a couple of sub-plots that grow out of the events in previous books in the series. While you could read this as a standalone, I recommend you read the series in order. Since this is a police procedural, there is a tad more content that I try to avoid, but it was kept to a minimum. I also really enjoyed the humor in the book. If you are looking for a strong mystery, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
Adam Colclough (3 KP) rated The January Man: A Year of Walking Britain in Books
Apr 19, 2018
The Long and Winding Road
The relationship between fathers and sons is contested ground. An emotional boxing match with incomprehension at golden opportunities wasted in one corner, and frustration at being held to impossible standards in the other.
The sometimes awkward, but always close, relationship between journalist Christopher Somerville and his war hero father is at the heart of this hugely engaging mix of memoir and nature writing. Their shared love of walking was the bond that united two very different characters in a story that unfolds against a backdrop of profound social change.
The quiet stoicism that saw a generation of men through the war giving way to rebellion born of affluence, then morphing into the busy atomisation of twenty first century life. This could make for a maudlin exercise in chin stroking, but is saved from it by Somerville’s good humour and inherent optimism.
Added to this is a deep love of nature and the English countryside and the people who have painted, written about or made their living from it over the centuries. Somerville is able to translate this into nature writing that carries the message that we should value what we’ve got without being either sentimental or didactic.
As a memoirist, he has an eye for the eccentricities of family life and a welcome sense of empathy with the experience of his parent’s generation and how it shaped their outlook. Being reserved is not the same thing as being distant, love strong enough to last a lifetime doesn’t need to announce itself with flowers and candy hearts; it manifests in the little acts that make up a life.
This is also a resolutely practical book, something Somerville senior would have approved of, with several associated walks that can be downloaded. Even if the journey from the bookcase to your easy chair is the closest you get to hiking, it is still worth reading.
The sometimes awkward, but always close, relationship between journalist Christopher Somerville and his war hero father is at the heart of this hugely engaging mix of memoir and nature writing. Their shared love of walking was the bond that united two very different characters in a story that unfolds against a backdrop of profound social change.
The quiet stoicism that saw a generation of men through the war giving way to rebellion born of affluence, then morphing into the busy atomisation of twenty first century life. This could make for a maudlin exercise in chin stroking, but is saved from it by Somerville’s good humour and inherent optimism.
Added to this is a deep love of nature and the English countryside and the people who have painted, written about or made their living from it over the centuries. Somerville is able to translate this into nature writing that carries the message that we should value what we’ve got without being either sentimental or didactic.
As a memoirist, he has an eye for the eccentricities of family life and a welcome sense of empathy with the experience of his parent’s generation and how it shaped their outlook. Being reserved is not the same thing as being distant, love strong enough to last a lifetime doesn’t need to announce itself with flowers and candy hearts; it manifests in the little acts that make up a life.
This is also a resolutely practical book, something Somerville senior would have approved of, with several associated walks that can be downloaded. Even if the journey from the bookcase to your easy chair is the closest you get to hiking, it is still worth reading.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) in Movies
Feb 8, 2018
Everything but the Nagashidai
Almost wholly nuts kaiju-SF movie originally produced for the 50th anniversary of Godzilla's first appearance. It actually does a pretty good job of having something for everyone - everyone who's ever enjoyed a Godzilla film, anyway. The plot is certainly reminiscent of some of the 60s movies - aliens from Planet X (seriously) turn up and initially pretend to be friendly, but turn out to be intent on taking over the world, using their ability to control almost all of Earth's monsters. Naturally, Godzilla is immune, and the desperate human characters resort to releasing Godzilla from the prison he's been in for years so he can sort the invaders out - even if this will mean him having to fight virtually every other monster on the planet almost single-handed.
All very promising, if you like this sort of thing, but the director's clear desire to actually be making a Matrix sequel is a bit intrusive - there's a lot of human-on-human martial arts action which isn't what I personally turn up to a Godzilla movie for. The sheer knowing silliness of the film may also be off-putting for some viewers.
But set against all that, there's a bit where Mothra battles Gigan! There's a fight between proper Japanese Godzilla and the mutant iguana pretender from the Roland Emmerich version! You get to see Baby Godzilla sitting in the cab of a pick-up truck during an unexpected subplot about hitch-hiking! And much more. (Keith Emerson's soundtrack is very atypical for a Godzilla film, but actually pretty funky.) The sheer profusion of monsters - nearly every Toho beastie makes at least a cameo, the only big-name absentee being Mechagodzilla - and the cheerful craziness of the story make this, if not quite an entirely worthy tribute to Godzilla's first fifty years, then certainly a very hard film to completely dislike.
All very promising, if you like this sort of thing, but the director's clear desire to actually be making a Matrix sequel is a bit intrusive - there's a lot of human-on-human martial arts action which isn't what I personally turn up to a Godzilla movie for. The sheer knowing silliness of the film may also be off-putting for some viewers.
But set against all that, there's a bit where Mothra battles Gigan! There's a fight between proper Japanese Godzilla and the mutant iguana pretender from the Roland Emmerich version! You get to see Baby Godzilla sitting in the cab of a pick-up truck during an unexpected subplot about hitch-hiking! And much more. (Keith Emerson's soundtrack is very atypical for a Godzilla film, but actually pretty funky.) The sheer profusion of monsters - nearly every Toho beastie makes at least a cameo, the only big-name absentee being Mechagodzilla - and the cheerful craziness of the story make this, if not quite an entirely worthy tribute to Godzilla's first fifty years, then certainly a very hard film to completely dislike.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Never Hike Alone (2017) in Movies
Oct 20, 2020
Never Hike Alone is a hell of an accomplishment - a fan made film based on Friday the 13th that is as good, maybe even better, than the best entries in the main franchise.
It's premise is simple - a survival/hiking enthusiast is collecting footage for his YouTube channel when he accidentally stumbles across the remains of Camp Crystal Lake, resulting in a one on one fight for his life when he discovers that Jason Voorhees still resides there - and it's short runtime (clocking in at just under an hour) make for a no-filler, sharp-shock slice of slasher goodness.
It carries a lot of tension, the first half being relatively calm as protagonist Kyle (Drew Leighty) explores the remnant of the camp. Fans of the original film will surely get a kick out of recognisable landmarks, including the bed that Kevin Bacon was skewered through. It's a nice way of showing that this short is a true love letter to the franchise. Kyle is a likable and believable lead who's survival skill set makes him a good match for the big bad.
When Jason eventually shows up, he's damn scary! This version of Jason is just relentless. He's quick, heavy footed, and smashes through doors like they're not even there. Director Vincent DiSanti fills the shoes of Jason, and his tall and broad figure make for a genuinely intimidating version of this beloved horror icon.
He looks fantastic as well, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his make up and costume.
Top all of this off with a cameo from Thom Mathews himself, and what you get is a recipe for a successful short film, made for fans, by fans.
Never Hike Alone is a real treat for anyone who even has a passing interest in Friday the 13th. Hats off to Womp Stomp Films for their great work.
It's premise is simple - a survival/hiking enthusiast is collecting footage for his YouTube channel when he accidentally stumbles across the remains of Camp Crystal Lake, resulting in a one on one fight for his life when he discovers that Jason Voorhees still resides there - and it's short runtime (clocking in at just under an hour) make for a no-filler, sharp-shock slice of slasher goodness.
It carries a lot of tension, the first half being relatively calm as protagonist Kyle (Drew Leighty) explores the remnant of the camp. Fans of the original film will surely get a kick out of recognisable landmarks, including the bed that Kevin Bacon was skewered through. It's a nice way of showing that this short is a true love letter to the franchise. Kyle is a likable and believable lead who's survival skill set makes him a good match for the big bad.
When Jason eventually shows up, he's damn scary! This version of Jason is just relentless. He's quick, heavy footed, and smashes through doors like they're not even there. Director Vincent DiSanti fills the shoes of Jason, and his tall and broad figure make for a genuinely intimidating version of this beloved horror icon.
He looks fantastic as well, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his make up and costume.
Top all of this off with a cameo from Thom Mathews himself, and what you get is a recipe for a successful short film, made for fans, by fans.
Never Hike Alone is a real treat for anyone who even has a passing interest in Friday the 13th. Hats off to Womp Stomp Films for their great work.
Debbiereadsbook (1087 KP) rated Fox Tale (Sacred Emblems #0) in Books
Apr 27, 2024
great reading about Japan.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Ava is in Japan, writing a travel article. Meeting Chase, with his wonderful tales of Japanese myths and legends, helps her write a different take. But she never expected to meet up with her ex, Rafe, who left her two years ago without a word. Both men are hiking things. Can Ava choose?
I don't read reviews before I read a book, not anymore, but I will read them AFTER I've read said book, but before I write my review for one reason only: did they feel the same about this book as I did.
In this case: nope. They all loved this book and I . . . didn't.
I'm not saying I didn't like this book, I just found it hard work.
It's almost all written from Ava's point of view, in the first person. Rafe gets two very small bits, not even a chapter, in the third. I needed more from Rafe, and Chase, to be fair, to offset Ava.
There is a huge amount of repeated wording. Mostly around how Ava feels and thinks about Chase. "Apart from his silver hair, he looks young" or words to that effect are the most common. It began to get a bit much. "Seven hundred and seventy *something*, next winter" is another. The same things about the fox stories from Japanese lore pop up time and again too.
Apart from that, I liked this book. I couldn't see where it was going, nor how it was getting there, so when it did all go down, I was surprised and I liked the way it all happened.
Although there is the repetition of the lore, I did enjoy reading about the Japanese traditions and myths and legends.
There are some difficult topics here: death of a spouse, suicide, mental health issues and readers do need to be aware. Things are not how they seem, however, but the warning still needs to be made.
This is the first I've read of this author, and I always ask myself, will I read more? Not at this time. I won't say no to reading something else at a later date though.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Ava is in Japan, writing a travel article. Meeting Chase, with his wonderful tales of Japanese myths and legends, helps her write a different take. But she never expected to meet up with her ex, Rafe, who left her two years ago without a word. Both men are hiking things. Can Ava choose?
I don't read reviews before I read a book, not anymore, but I will read them AFTER I've read said book, but before I write my review for one reason only: did they feel the same about this book as I did.
In this case: nope. They all loved this book and I . . . didn't.
I'm not saying I didn't like this book, I just found it hard work.
It's almost all written from Ava's point of view, in the first person. Rafe gets two very small bits, not even a chapter, in the third. I needed more from Rafe, and Chase, to be fair, to offset Ava.
There is a huge amount of repeated wording. Mostly around how Ava feels and thinks about Chase. "Apart from his silver hair, he looks young" or words to that effect are the most common. It began to get a bit much. "Seven hundred and seventy *something*, next winter" is another. The same things about the fox stories from Japanese lore pop up time and again too.
Apart from that, I liked this book. I couldn't see where it was going, nor how it was getting there, so when it did all go down, I was surprised and I liked the way it all happened.
Although there is the repetition of the lore, I did enjoy reading about the Japanese traditions and myths and legends.
There are some difficult topics here: death of a spouse, suicide, mental health issues and readers do need to be aware. Things are not how they seem, however, but the warning still needs to be made.
This is the first I've read of this author, and I always ask myself, will I read more? Not at this time. I won't say no to reading something else at a later date though.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Ritual (2017) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
If you’re browsing Netflix for a horror movie, The Ritual is definitely one worth checking out. Set in a foreboding, heavily wooded landscape of the Swedish mountains, this horror film reminds viewers that maybe, just maybe you should think twice about taking that shortcut – because you know, clearly that horror movie trope hasn’t been done enough.
Nevermind that, though. Starting off with a group of friends discussing their next vacation, we soon learn which character is the biggest coward of the troupe – Luke, The Ritual‘s first bloodletting comes fairly early on. Unintentionally, Luke and Robert (Rafe Spall and Paul Reid, respectively) stumble upon a robbery whilst they are inside a liquor store. Luke, in a cowardly manner, retreats and in his endeavor to do so, hits a few bottles and makes a noise, alerting the robbers to Robert’s presence and thus resulting directly in Robert’s murder. The guilt eats at him later on, but during the entire fiasco, Luke makes no attempt to come to Robert’s aid; he only watches as his friend is brutally slaughtered. (Okay, that one might be a bit of a hyperbole compared to later scenes, but I digress.)
As a direct result of this incident, the remaining quartet, which consists of Hutch (Robert James-Collier), Phil (Arsher Ali), and Dom (Sam Troughton) in addition to Luke, decide to go hiking in memory of Robert – a trip they’d originally ridiculed him about in the earlier bar scene. And thus, we have the set up of The Ritual.
Plotwise, I felt The Ritual was fairly solid as far as cult movies go – if a bit overplayed. Group of guys goes on a trip. Someone gets injured. They try to take a shortcut back. Things go badly. Of course, there’s a bit more of an occult flavor to it, one that’s a bit more haunting in quality which is nice, but overall it’s nothing new. The difference here is it is something that is done well as opposed to half-assed.
When we get to characters though, the only one that’s even remotely likable in my opinion is Phil. The others are all self-centered assholes or, in Luke’s case, cowards. Dom’s got the luck of a bag of rocks tossed into a lake and told to float, and Hutch… we’ll leave it at that. Luke’s character, on the other hand, experiences major growth. Earlier in the film, we watch him suffer from the inability to act; by the end of the film he is forced into action: either he redeems himself, or he dies.
Another aspect of this film that I love is its absolutely breathtaking shots. I hate using adverbs that I’ve already used earlier in a review, but haunting is such an apt description of the shots taken of the Swedish forests and mountains that we see in The Ritual. Those scenes, coupled with the disturbing echoes of Luke’s guilt really have a way of balancing out the movie.
Nevermind that, though. Starting off with a group of friends discussing their next vacation, we soon learn which character is the biggest coward of the troupe – Luke, The Ritual‘s first bloodletting comes fairly early on. Unintentionally, Luke and Robert (Rafe Spall and Paul Reid, respectively) stumble upon a robbery whilst they are inside a liquor store. Luke, in a cowardly manner, retreats and in his endeavor to do so, hits a few bottles and makes a noise, alerting the robbers to Robert’s presence and thus resulting directly in Robert’s murder. The guilt eats at him later on, but during the entire fiasco, Luke makes no attempt to come to Robert’s aid; he only watches as his friend is brutally slaughtered. (Okay, that one might be a bit of a hyperbole compared to later scenes, but I digress.)
As a direct result of this incident, the remaining quartet, which consists of Hutch (Robert James-Collier), Phil (Arsher Ali), and Dom (Sam Troughton) in addition to Luke, decide to go hiking in memory of Robert – a trip they’d originally ridiculed him about in the earlier bar scene. And thus, we have the set up of The Ritual.
Plotwise, I felt The Ritual was fairly solid as far as cult movies go – if a bit overplayed. Group of guys goes on a trip. Someone gets injured. They try to take a shortcut back. Things go badly. Of course, there’s a bit more of an occult flavor to it, one that’s a bit more haunting in quality which is nice, but overall it’s nothing new. The difference here is it is something that is done well as opposed to half-assed.
When we get to characters though, the only one that’s even remotely likable in my opinion is Phil. The others are all self-centered assholes or, in Luke’s case, cowards. Dom’s got the luck of a bag of rocks tossed into a lake and told to float, and Hutch… we’ll leave it at that. Luke’s character, on the other hand, experiences major growth. Earlier in the film, we watch him suffer from the inability to act; by the end of the film he is forced into action: either he redeems himself, or he dies.
Another aspect of this film that I love is its absolutely breathtaking shots. I hate using adverbs that I’ve already used earlier in a review, but haunting is such an apt description of the shots taken of the Swedish forests and mountains that we see in The Ritual. Those scenes, coupled with the disturbing echoes of Luke’s guilt really have a way of balancing out the movie.
Shelle Perry (66 KP) rated Falling into Magic (Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic #1) in Books
Sep 1, 2021
It is truly a magical place.
Welcome to Destiny Falls. It is truly a magical place. Hayden Caldwell has had a good life in Seattle with her grandmothers, her best friend (and business partner) Luna, and her pampered cat, Sassy. A fall into a construction hole, and a flash of light, has her awakening in an alternate world with her long-lost older brother, in fact, she finds a whole family she never knew she had. She discovers she is part of a family that has been chosen to care for the town of Destiny Falls. However, her trip back home wasn’t an accident, and danger is very close to her and her newfound family.
This book is disguised as a cozy mystery, really though, it is just a fun time romp. Imagine a world where the Iphones and magic coexist in a seamless way. Where your pet has a telepathic connection with you and your home invites you to stay by creating a room for you to live in. The reader is as enchanted as Hayden learning alongside her how this world she has been dropped into works. The clues to the mystery are woven terrifically into the larger story, which is inexorably leading to the big question… What really did happen to Hayden’s mother?
One reviewer describes the book as “Harry Potter collides with the Hallmark channel and Law and Order”, and I can’t think of a more apt interpretation. The author’s descriptions of the town and the surrounding area, are wonderful examples. Classic Americana with a supernatural twinge. A library that behaves as if it wants to outdo HP’s undetectable extension charm, hiking trails that take longer on the return trip, a ferry that just might have you disembark at the end of your trip right where you started, and if you are really very lucky you might actually be allowed to see the second waterfall at Twin Falls Lake.
This is a place that is as fascinating as the story and can really be considered a character in itself, especially as it goes out of its way to remain unnoticed by the world at large. The characters in this book, by the way, are also both very fantastical, exactly like one would expect to find in this type of world, and yet they are also exactly the kind of folks you would find living on Main St. in Anytown USA. Hayden’s Grandmother (capital G) scares me just a little, but I adore her younger siblings. With Hayden’s interest in not one, but two local bachelors (both of whom seem quite dreamy to me) it is obvious that there is a place in this remarkable world for Hayden’s future and you can be sure I will be stopping by later books to see how it goes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is disguised as a cozy mystery, really though, it is just a fun time romp. Imagine a world where the Iphones and magic coexist in a seamless way. Where your pet has a telepathic connection with you and your home invites you to stay by creating a room for you to live in. The reader is as enchanted as Hayden learning alongside her how this world she has been dropped into works. The clues to the mystery are woven terrifically into the larger story, which is inexorably leading to the big question… What really did happen to Hayden’s mother?
One reviewer describes the book as “Harry Potter collides with the Hallmark channel and Law and Order”, and I can’t think of a more apt interpretation. The author’s descriptions of the town and the surrounding area, are wonderful examples. Classic Americana with a supernatural twinge. A library that behaves as if it wants to outdo HP’s undetectable extension charm, hiking trails that take longer on the return trip, a ferry that just might have you disembark at the end of your trip right where you started, and if you are really very lucky you might actually be allowed to see the second waterfall at Twin Falls Lake.
This is a place that is as fascinating as the story and can really be considered a character in itself, especially as it goes out of its way to remain unnoticed by the world at large. The characters in this book, by the way, are also both very fantastical, exactly like one would expect to find in this type of world, and yet they are also exactly the kind of folks you would find living on Main St. in Anytown USA. Hayden’s Grandmother (capital G) scares me just a little, but I adore her younger siblings. With Hayden’s interest in not one, but two local bachelors (both of whom seem quite dreamy to me) it is obvious that there is a place in this remarkable world for Hayden’s future and you can be sure I will be stopping by later books to see how it goes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.