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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Girl from Widow Hills in Books
Jun 18, 2020
Arden Mayor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Then she became the miracle of her small town of Widow Hills, Kentucky when she was found clinging for life to a storm drain. Her mother, Laurel, wrote a book. The family received money, fan letters, and, yes, stalkers. Soon it became too much and when she was old enough, Arden changed her name. She became Olivia. Now, as the twentieth anniversary of the incident nears, she has her own life. No one in her new world knows about her past. But when she receives word via phone call about her mother's death, something jolts loose in Olivia. She starts sleepwalking again, waking outside her house. And then one night she awakens, outside yet again, the body of a corpse at her feet. Even worse, the man is someone she knew from her previous life as Arden. Suddenly, Olivia's right back where she started: under scrutiny and media attention. And this time, she isn't the media darling, but a murder suspect.
"I was the girl who survived. The girl who held on. The girl you prayed for, or at least pretended to pray for--thankful most of all that it wasn't your own child down there, in the dark. And after: I was the miracle. The sensation. The story."
I don't have a lot of notes from reading this, but I think it's because I was too caught up in the story. This was a twisty thriller, and I simply wanted to know what happens. You can't ask for much more in a good mystery, can you? I've read a few books lately that cast a strong shadow of doubt on the protagonist (Heather Gudenkauf's This Is How I Lied being a great example)--and Miranda does great work of it here. Olivia sleepwalks, and we have a hard time fully trusting her throughout the novel. Heck, she has a hard time trusting herself.
Of course, there are plenty of other suspects and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I enjoyed the story of a girl escaping her past, only to find it catching up with her, no matter how hard she tried. We see how the media and attention can unravel even the happiest of tales, how Olivia's mother couldn't handle the pressure, how Olivia had to become a different person to survive. Why, we wonder, does society have to take a happy thing and ruin it.
"The case made all of us, and then it unmade us."
Overall, this was a fast-paced and intriguing read. Olivia is an interesting character, oddly sympathetic despite her possibility of being a murderess. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
"I was the girl who survived. The girl who held on. The girl you prayed for, or at least pretended to pray for--thankful most of all that it wasn't your own child down there, in the dark. And after: I was the miracle. The sensation. The story."
I don't have a lot of notes from reading this, but I think it's because I was too caught up in the story. This was a twisty thriller, and I simply wanted to know what happens. You can't ask for much more in a good mystery, can you? I've read a few books lately that cast a strong shadow of doubt on the protagonist (Heather Gudenkauf's This Is How I Lied being a great example)--and Miranda does great work of it here. Olivia sleepwalks, and we have a hard time fully trusting her throughout the novel. Heck, she has a hard time trusting herself.
Of course, there are plenty of other suspects and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I enjoyed the story of a girl escaping her past, only to find it catching up with her, no matter how hard she tried. We see how the media and attention can unravel even the happiest of tales, how Olivia's mother couldn't handle the pressure, how Olivia had to become a different person to survive. Why, we wonder, does society have to take a happy thing and ruin it.
"The case made all of us, and then it unmade us."
Overall, this was a fast-paced and intriguing read. Olivia is an interesting character, oddly sympathetic despite her possibility of being a murderess. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Radical in Books
Nov 5, 2018
Good plot, good character development but disappointing
This one was off to a slow start, and it was pretty much slow throughout. What compelled me to finish this book to the end was wondering whether this Clearview group was legit or if there was something more to them.
You also follow through Bex and her life at home, which doesn’t seem very pleasant to start with. Her mom tries to change her despite her orientation, there’s financial issues at the home, and her brother is, quite frankly, an ahole. You quickly figure out Bex is into guns, and survival training. There’s extensive description on how she takes care of the guns, how she loads them, fires them, and we can go on. It gets tedious and lets the plot slow to a crawl. If you want intrigue and surprises, this isn’t going to happen until much later. Much much later.
There’s also focus on Bex and Lucy. They both seem to compliment each other and there is slight chemistry between the two of them but it’s not a romantic type of love story that you get if that’s what you’re looking for. They’re polar opposites and compliment one another but you also get that feeling it’s nice while it lasts.
There isn’t much to the plot until the last third of the novel, which is disappointing. However it’s jarring to see how much of the concept of survivalism is drilled into Bex and pushes her to the edge to the point of becoming paranoid over every minute detail. It’s sad to see what her parents attempt to make her do, when it comes to the subject of her brother. It’s also disappointing to see hardly any mention of Clearview except for smidgens here and there and although it plays a part in the plot, it’s not what you think and you wish there was more to it. It would have made the book much more interesting.
It wasn’t the best, but not the worst either. I’d suggest to take this out from the library instead of a purchase.
You also follow through Bex and her life at home, which doesn’t seem very pleasant to start with. Her mom tries to change her despite her orientation, there’s financial issues at the home, and her brother is, quite frankly, an ahole. You quickly figure out Bex is into guns, and survival training. There’s extensive description on how she takes care of the guns, how she loads them, fires them, and we can go on. It gets tedious and lets the plot slow to a crawl. If you want intrigue and surprises, this isn’t going to happen until much later. Much much later.
There’s also focus on Bex and Lucy. They both seem to compliment each other and there is slight chemistry between the two of them but it’s not a romantic type of love story that you get if that’s what you’re looking for. They’re polar opposites and compliment one another but you also get that feeling it’s nice while it lasts.
There isn’t much to the plot until the last third of the novel, which is disappointing. However it’s jarring to see how much of the concept of survivalism is drilled into Bex and pushes her to the edge to the point of becoming paranoid over every minute detail. It’s sad to see what her parents attempt to make her do, when it comes to the subject of her brother. It’s also disappointing to see hardly any mention of Clearview except for smidgens here and there and although it plays a part in the plot, it’s not what you think and you wish there was more to it. It would have made the book much more interesting.
It wasn’t the best, but not the worst either. I’d suggest to take this out from the library instead of a purchase.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ferns Decision ( Sisters of Hex Fern book 1) in Books
Feb 6, 2022
22 of 230
Kindle
Ferns Decision ( sisters of Hex Fern book 1)
By Bea Paige
Death is a lonely place, silent, or so everyone thinks... Fern is no stranger to death, or the singing that accompanies it. She has always known when a person is about to die, for the singing foretells it. Her mother passed it off as an oddity never to be discussed, so she learned to tune out the voices until they disappeared for good. Or so she thought. Then one day, as she fights to bring back a dying baby in the hospital where she works, Fern hears the familiar melody once more. Except this time the voice belongs to a man with ice-blue eyes and black angel wings. As the baby takes its final breath, the angel sings his last note. For this isn't an angel who gives life, it is one that takes it. One year has passed since that encounter, and just when Fern is beginning to believe it had all been an illusion, the angel returns, and this time he's not alone. For now there are three Angels of Death and Fern appears to be their next victim.Fern's Decision is the first book of Fern's trilogy and continues the Sisters of Hex story. Although this is the start of a standalone trilogy, to get a full picture of the overarching storyline you might wish to read Accacia's trilogy first.***TRIGGER WARNING - This book contains content that some may find triggering***
I loved the first set of Hex sister books so I was looking forward to this set. I wasn’t disappointed in the first book at all I really enjoyed it although the first few chapters were extremely hard to get through with it being so close to my own heart of losing my own baby a few time I cried thinking I need to push through. It was well handled and I’m glad I pushed through a good start to the new trilogy and sister. I would recommend but with a caution of possible trigger warning if you have lost a baby.
Kindle
Ferns Decision ( sisters of Hex Fern book 1)
By Bea Paige
Death is a lonely place, silent, or so everyone thinks... Fern is no stranger to death, or the singing that accompanies it. She has always known when a person is about to die, for the singing foretells it. Her mother passed it off as an oddity never to be discussed, so she learned to tune out the voices until they disappeared for good. Or so she thought. Then one day, as she fights to bring back a dying baby in the hospital where she works, Fern hears the familiar melody once more. Except this time the voice belongs to a man with ice-blue eyes and black angel wings. As the baby takes its final breath, the angel sings his last note. For this isn't an angel who gives life, it is one that takes it. One year has passed since that encounter, and just when Fern is beginning to believe it had all been an illusion, the angel returns, and this time he's not alone. For now there are three Angels of Death and Fern appears to be their next victim.Fern's Decision is the first book of Fern's trilogy and continues the Sisters of Hex story. Although this is the start of a standalone trilogy, to get a full picture of the overarching storyline you might wish to read Accacia's trilogy first.***TRIGGER WARNING - This book contains content that some may find triggering***
I loved the first set of Hex sister books so I was looking forward to this set. I wasn’t disappointed in the first book at all I really enjoyed it although the first few chapters were extremely hard to get through with it being so close to my own heart of losing my own baby a few time I cried thinking I need to push through. It was well handled and I’m glad I pushed through a good start to the new trilogy and sister. I would recommend but with a caution of possible trigger warning if you have lost a baby.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Frankenstein (1931) in Movies
Sep 24, 2019
Everyone remembers the story of Frankenstein, or at least the first part. We all know Dr. Frankenstein assembles his "creation" from the bodies of the deceased and his assistant henchman brings him the brain from a criminal instead of a "normal" brain. His creation is then elevated to the heavens during a lightning storm and given the 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity he needs to regain life and drive the DeLorean back to the future! (Come to think of it, that might be a different film!) 😋
What you may not remember is the 2nd half of the film where the monster, presumed dead, wanders the countryside searching for the meaning of life and meets a young girl. The two sit by the shore trading flowers and tossing them into the water. The monster thinks it would be a good idea t toss the girl as well accidentally killing her.
After hearing about the atrocity, the townspeople form a lynch mob determined to hunt down and destroy the monster once and for all. The creature ends up at a lighthouse where his final fate is carried out.
Some other facts I may not have remember or never knew at all:
-Dr. Frankenstein's first name is Henry (I thought it was Viktor)
-Henchman' name Fritz (not Igor)
-Mary Shelley's opening writing credit is listed as Mrs. Percy B. Shelley (lame)
- The Monster's acting credit at the beginning is listed as "?" (not until the end credits is Boris Karloff given his due)
-No soundtrack during the film at all other than the opening and closing credits (I found out from the film historian DVD audio commentary in film music wasn't begun as a normal practice until sometime after this film's release in 1931)
Some other facts you may not remember is how excellent Boris Karloff really is as the monster. He takes you from hating him, to loving him, to feeling pity for him in the course of his limited screen time.
Also, for the time period, the set design and cinematography are breathtaking in glorious black and white. You really feel you are there with Frankenstein as he creates his masterpiece and watches quickly while he decidedly begins to regret his decision.
This time of year is fun to watch the spooky and scary. In this case, this classic is both and is not that long so you can watch more than one Frankenfilm tonight!
What you may not remember is the 2nd half of the film where the monster, presumed dead, wanders the countryside searching for the meaning of life and meets a young girl. The two sit by the shore trading flowers and tossing them into the water. The monster thinks it would be a good idea t toss the girl as well accidentally killing her.
After hearing about the atrocity, the townspeople form a lynch mob determined to hunt down and destroy the monster once and for all. The creature ends up at a lighthouse where his final fate is carried out.
Some other facts I may not have remember or never knew at all:
-Dr. Frankenstein's first name is Henry (I thought it was Viktor)
-Henchman' name Fritz (not Igor)
-Mary Shelley's opening writing credit is listed as Mrs. Percy B. Shelley (lame)
- The Monster's acting credit at the beginning is listed as "?" (not until the end credits is Boris Karloff given his due)
-No soundtrack during the film at all other than the opening and closing credits (I found out from the film historian DVD audio commentary in film music wasn't begun as a normal practice until sometime after this film's release in 1931)
Some other facts you may not remember is how excellent Boris Karloff really is as the monster. He takes you from hating him, to loving him, to feeling pity for him in the course of his limited screen time.
Also, for the time period, the set design and cinematography are breathtaking in glorious black and white. You really feel you are there with Frankenstein as he creates his masterpiece and watches quickly while he decidedly begins to regret his decision.
This time of year is fun to watch the spooky and scary. In this case, this classic is both and is not that long so you can watch more than one Frankenfilm tonight!
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Shadow (Pendulum #2) in Books
Nov 25, 2019
Shadow is the second book in the Pendulum series of novels by Will Elliott. Following on immediately from the first book, The Pilgrims (reviewed previously) it follows the adventures of Eric, a regular guy who ends up in the mysterious and dangerious world of Levaal.
Taking up the story where the predecessor left off, this is a book of regrouping and answers. Following the destruction of the wall between the two halves of Levaal seemingly unstoppable forces are unleashed. The pendulum has started to swing - and signals the end of life on Levaal if it is not stopped.
This book is one of regrouping and answers. The various players were scattered at the end of the first book and now some of them arrive at the same destination. We also have answers to a number of questions from the first book, which given how many questions there were really is a considerable relief. Mysterious protagonists with opaque drives are all very well (and probably required these days to raise any story above the rest) but it is really good to see that Elliott really does know what is going on (even if as a reader it still not entirely clear). The description of how magic works was particularly good, and as with the first book this is a really strong point in the creation of the mythology here.
Most of the characters are the same faces, but there are a few new ones. Most notably Shadow who is referred to a couple of times in the first book (mostly in terms of Eric potentially being Shadow). The title character appears here as a main character and drives most of the plot. Clearly a being of power, the back story of where Shadow came from and why is also touched on. The great dragons who apparently rule the world also take a more direct hand and are as devious and manipulative as expected.
Meanwhile the Arch Mage is losing control of Vous as he nears godhood and the unpredictable destruction wrought by Vous is creating a dangerous instability as the forces representing the Castle fragment into their own factions, each with their own agenda,
The writing continues to be strong, the story moves again at some pace although inevitably there is a lot more talking and exposition as the nature of the threats are explained. Elliott's inventiveness is not diminished with more odd characters and situations and locations at every turn.
Although light on actual plot, this book is clearly required as a bridge between the first book and the third, giving the reader enough information to understand exactly what is going on before what is shaping up to be a strong and no doubt surprising finale.
Taking up the story where the predecessor left off, this is a book of regrouping and answers. Following the destruction of the wall between the two halves of Levaal seemingly unstoppable forces are unleashed. The pendulum has started to swing - and signals the end of life on Levaal if it is not stopped.
This book is one of regrouping and answers. The various players were scattered at the end of the first book and now some of them arrive at the same destination. We also have answers to a number of questions from the first book, which given how many questions there were really is a considerable relief. Mysterious protagonists with opaque drives are all very well (and probably required these days to raise any story above the rest) but it is really good to see that Elliott really does know what is going on (even if as a reader it still not entirely clear). The description of how magic works was particularly good, and as with the first book this is a really strong point in the creation of the mythology here.
Most of the characters are the same faces, but there are a few new ones. Most notably Shadow who is referred to a couple of times in the first book (mostly in terms of Eric potentially being Shadow). The title character appears here as a main character and drives most of the plot. Clearly a being of power, the back story of where Shadow came from and why is also touched on. The great dragons who apparently rule the world also take a more direct hand and are as devious and manipulative as expected.
Meanwhile the Arch Mage is losing control of Vous as he nears godhood and the unpredictable destruction wrought by Vous is creating a dangerous instability as the forces representing the Castle fragment into their own factions, each with their own agenda,
The writing continues to be strong, the story moves again at some pace although inevitably there is a lot more talking and exposition as the nature of the threats are explained. Elliott's inventiveness is not diminished with more odd characters and situations and locations at every turn.
Although light on actual plot, this book is clearly required as a bridge between the first book and the third, giving the reader enough information to understand exactly what is going on before what is shaping up to be a strong and no doubt surprising finale.
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Daniel Rossen recommended track The Children, Save the Children by Elvin Jones in It Don't Mean a Thing by Elvin Jones in Music (curated)
Merissa (11953 KP) rated Exodus (Valen's Pack #2) in Books
Apr 11, 2023
So Valen is happily mated with Aaron and life is good, right? Well, not quite. In this sequel to Run With The Moon, the pack is still integrating and although Valen is doing what he can, it is still a 'them and us' situation. Still, he manages to come up with an idea which will help both sides work together as well as building up their village.
Of course, nothing is quite as straightforward as that and Rivvie and Matthew are the ones we hear most about (as it's their book). They get off to a very rocky start but the attraction quickly flares up. Matthew is feeling very insecure as he used to be the one that all the ladies wanted as they knew he wouldn't make them pregnant. Now, he's surrounded by all the buff bodies of the shifters and he feels like he's not needed anymore. Add to that, he's upset because Rivvie isn't flirting with him anymore and he doesn't quite understand that as he thought he was into females.
So we have all that going on but hey, that's nowhere near enough. Throw in a couple of natural disasters - earthquakes, twisters, floods and storms - plus some rabid humans, a missing shaman and a mother who can't work past her grief. This book is full-on action with a fast pace that will keep you turning the pages. There is more to Rivvie than just being a joker and there is more to Matthew than just being a stud, but it takes the two of them time and patience to learn that.
A brilliant second book in the series and I can't wait to read more. Thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
January 20, 2017
Of course, nothing is quite as straightforward as that and Rivvie and Matthew are the ones we hear most about (as it's their book). They get off to a very rocky start but the attraction quickly flares up. Matthew is feeling very insecure as he used to be the one that all the ladies wanted as they knew he wouldn't make them pregnant. Now, he's surrounded by all the buff bodies of the shifters and he feels like he's not needed anymore. Add to that, he's upset because Rivvie isn't flirting with him anymore and he doesn't quite understand that as he thought he was into females.
So we have all that going on but hey, that's nowhere near enough. Throw in a couple of natural disasters - earthquakes, twisters, floods and storms - plus some rabid humans, a missing shaman and a mother who can't work past her grief. This book is full-on action with a fast pace that will keep you turning the pages. There is more to Rivvie than just being a joker and there is more to Matthew than just being a stud, but it takes the two of them time and patience to learn that.
A brilliant second book in the series and I can't wait to read more. Thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
January 20, 2017
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated The Lies We Tell in Books
Jul 11, 2023
dark and deadly but oh so good!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Nate is a police detective tasked with taking down the local gang leader. Ollie witnesses a murder by said gang leader and Nate is tasked to keep him safe. Even if it costs him his own life.
This is a decidedly darker book by Adams, and I loved it!
Nate is a jaded police detective, facing the end of his marriage. He is a grumpy git, with good reason. Meeting Ollie gives him a teeny tiny light to hang on to. Ollie, in turn, comes to rely on Nate to keep him safe. I loved that neither saw the other coming. I mean, Nate thought he was straight, and here is is, drooling over a PICTURE of a possible lead on the gang leader he wants to take down.
I loved that it all crept up on them, Nate and Ollie both. And I loved the way Nate's soon-to-be-ex wife dealt with everything. She could have been a nasty b8tch but I'm glad she wasn't.
Although the blurb says spice and steam, I didn't think it overly explicit, indeed it's quite some time before Nate and Ollie get physical. It's more about the powerful emotions they evoke in each other than the smex.
It is, as I said, on the darker side. Some on page torture of a police officer is described, and on page kidnapping. (Did not see that one coming, I tell ya!) There is Ollie's abuse at the hands of the gang leader (some off and some on page) Gang activities are talked about too. Be midnful of these, if you have triggers.
Pushing my personal boundaries in the best way, an excellent read. I am loving watching Ms Adams grow and develop her skill. It's been a crazy ride so far, but I do not wanna get off!
5 full but dark stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Nate is a police detective tasked with taking down the local gang leader. Ollie witnesses a murder by said gang leader and Nate is tasked to keep him safe. Even if it costs him his own life.
This is a decidedly darker book by Adams, and I loved it!
Nate is a jaded police detective, facing the end of his marriage. He is a grumpy git, with good reason. Meeting Ollie gives him a teeny tiny light to hang on to. Ollie, in turn, comes to rely on Nate to keep him safe. I loved that neither saw the other coming. I mean, Nate thought he was straight, and here is is, drooling over a PICTURE of a possible lead on the gang leader he wants to take down.
I loved that it all crept up on them, Nate and Ollie both. And I loved the way Nate's soon-to-be-ex wife dealt with everything. She could have been a nasty b8tch but I'm glad she wasn't.
Although the blurb says spice and steam, I didn't think it overly explicit, indeed it's quite some time before Nate and Ollie get physical. It's more about the powerful emotions they evoke in each other than the smex.
It is, as I said, on the darker side. Some on page torture of a police officer is described, and on page kidnapping. (Did not see that one coming, I tell ya!) There is Ollie's abuse at the hands of the gang leader (some off and some on page) Gang activities are talked about too. Be midnful of these, if you have triggers.
Pushing my personal boundaries in the best way, an excellent read. I am loving watching Ms Adams grow and develop her skill. It's been a crazy ride so far, but I do not wanna get off!
5 full but dark stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Saving Max in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Though I was not familiar with this author when I recieved this book, upon reading it I could easily tell that Heugten was well-educated, especially since I actually came across a few words I did not know the meaning of - and I consider myself fairly well-read. Words like eidolon and glistered (both from the same sentence) made me a little intimidated by the book, but I stuck with it anyways. The prose of the text is written excellently and I thoroughly appreciated the book for this alone.
I was originally drawn to the book because it focuses on a mother's fight for the life and freedom of her son - which I can relate to in some ways. The sub-plots quickly intersect when the mother, Danielle, has to rely on her career as a lawyer to fight for her son while working with another lawyer, who happens to be the man she has a one-night stand with after turning to what she terms as "liquid courage." Some scenes in the plot were quite horrific, especially at the end of the book, but they were necessary to the plot. The psychiatric facility of Maitland where the plot centers at is intended to be the foremost facility of its kind in the country, but I found many of its practices either abysmal or downright terrifying. I found it very satisfying when Max began to take a more active role in his own court case, showing to me that he is indeed in charge of his own faculties (mostly) and not responsible for what he is being accused of. The big revelation that Danielle discovers is incredibly shocking and grotesque and reveals a psychosis I never knew even existed, much less the depths of depravity that it takes a person to. I have no doubt that such individuals exist in real life, though I believe that such people are beyond what psychologists or psychiatrists can fix. These kinds of people either need God or corporal punishment, but that is another soap box for another day.
I found the progression of the plot unpredictable, which is a good thing, but the ending not completely fulfilling, since the author obviously opted to leave one loose thread for a possible sequel. While I normally like book series, in this case I would have much preferred a more rewarding ending.
I was originally drawn to the book because it focuses on a mother's fight for the life and freedom of her son - which I can relate to in some ways. The sub-plots quickly intersect when the mother, Danielle, has to rely on her career as a lawyer to fight for her son while working with another lawyer, who happens to be the man she has a one-night stand with after turning to what she terms as "liquid courage." Some scenes in the plot were quite horrific, especially at the end of the book, but they were necessary to the plot. The psychiatric facility of Maitland where the plot centers at is intended to be the foremost facility of its kind in the country, but I found many of its practices either abysmal or downright terrifying. I found it very satisfying when Max began to take a more active role in his own court case, showing to me that he is indeed in charge of his own faculties (mostly) and not responsible for what he is being accused of. The big revelation that Danielle discovers is incredibly shocking and grotesque and reveals a psychosis I never knew even existed, much less the depths of depravity that it takes a person to. I have no doubt that such individuals exist in real life, though I believe that such people are beyond what psychologists or psychiatrists can fix. These kinds of people either need God or corporal punishment, but that is another soap box for another day.
I found the progression of the plot unpredictable, which is a good thing, but the ending not completely fulfilling, since the author obviously opted to leave one loose thread for a possible sequel. While I normally like book series, in this case I would have much preferred a more rewarding ending.