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Pawned Queen
Melissa is fighting to have a normal life she yearns for but soon realizes moving to the city was a big mistake. Her best friend Alice vanishes, sending her on a downward spiral of guilt and delusion. No longer can she sit on the brink of insanity waiting for someone else to go behind the door where answers lie, there is no other option except to go find the truth.
A detective named Jack constructs a plan to get her into Max’s personal space using her as bait, but soon after the web of promises disintegrate into a pile of deceit and lies she is left dangling without a safety net. The game continues leaving Melissa to question who to trust as she desperately searches to find answers because in reality, it’s not a game at all.
“A fit of anger exploded into rage, it wasn’t me holding that gun any longer. I rammed it with brute force onto his temple as my trigger finger couldn’t stop itching, a maddening itch that waited until just the right time…it had to be scratched.”
A detective named Jack constructs a plan to get her into Max’s personal space using her as bait, but soon after the web of promises disintegrate into a pile of deceit and lies she is left dangling without a safety net. The game continues leaving Melissa to question who to trust as she desperately searches to find answers because in reality, it’s not a game at all.
“A fit of anger exploded into rage, it wasn’t me holding that gun any longer. I rammed it with brute force onto his temple as my trigger finger couldn’t stop itching, a maddening itch that waited until just the right time…it had to be scratched.”
- GenresMystery
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2013
23 people want to read
About the author
S.K. Thomas
3 books57 followersLife Behind the Scenes ~ Storytelling & Telling Stories
SK Thomas is that unique, one of a kind person who takes life experiences to a new level, resides down the street in any town or neighborhood. She spent many years of her life traveling while in discovery of all life had to offer. These days, she can be found writing, editing and marketing while exploring other business ventures. She has published two books in her Pawned Queen Thrilling Mystery Series while residing in California. Both novellas were finalists in the 2015 Bookbzz Prize Writing Competition.
SK Thomas is that unique, one of a kind person who takes life experiences to a new level, resides down the street in any town or neighborhood. She spent many years of her life traveling while in discovery of all life had to offer. These days, she can be found writing, editing and marketing while exploring other business ventures. She has published two books in her Pawned Queen Thrilling Mystery Series while residing in California. Both novellas were finalists in the 2015 Bookbzz Prize Writing Competition.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 14, 2014
I am angry with S.K. because her book influenced me to postpone my bedtime! Believe me, there's not much that can do that! I had to finish that book. I had to know the resolution of the main mystery, and I had to see relationships get healed. I just wouldn't be satisfied until I was done!
S.K. is so skilled an author that she had me guessing up until the very last minute. How, and where, will they find Alice? Will she still be alive? Will all the wrongs be righted? Will the main villain see justice? Will the confusion be cleared up? What will happen to John and Melissa? Is Jack really a good guy? Can he really be trusted? How bad is Alex?
Nothing, and nobody, is as it seems in this book. Everything, and everybody, has many layers. That's true to life!
The main characters were all believable--human, and tragically flawed. They were all short sighted, and in many cases, unbelievably selfish. Each of them had their own agenda to promote, and each one of them took that agenda too far. Their thinking was clouded. They made foolish mistakes that could easily have been avoided. They were immature. I felt sympathy for most of them. Yet, still, I wanted to yell at them "Don't get involved with that!", or "Get out now!", or "Don't listen to him!"
The main twist in the plot (which involved not just one, but two, surprising revelations) was totally unexpected. When it was revealed I could only think "Wow! I would have never thought of that!"
My main concern about the book, because of my background, was that the characters engaged in practices that I don't condone. Integral to the book were drugs, sexual innuendo (even adultery), profanity, and violence. I was really uncomfortable with at least two of the scenes.I had to skip over them.
My second concern was that, at least for me, the frequent switches from the past, the very recent past, and the present got complicated. That's probably why the prologue was a little confusing to me. It was exact wording from later portions of the book, and I didn't understand it until I read the same text(in more detail) in later chapters. I didn't completely understand the significance of Melissa taking her wedding ring off. Also, I didn't understand what the relationship between John, Jack, and Melissa was. I had some unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the dialogue. The dialogue was realistic.
All in all, I would recommend this book to most people that I know if two scenes were eliminated, or watered down: the plane scene and the scene in Max's bedroom. The graphic nature of those scenes was unnecessary, in my humble opinion.
S.K. is so skilled an author that she had me guessing up until the very last minute. How, and where, will they find Alice? Will she still be alive? Will all the wrongs be righted? Will the main villain see justice? Will the confusion be cleared up? What will happen to John and Melissa? Is Jack really a good guy? Can he really be trusted? How bad is Alex?
Nothing, and nobody, is as it seems in this book. Everything, and everybody, has many layers. That's true to life!
The main characters were all believable--human, and tragically flawed. They were all short sighted, and in many cases, unbelievably selfish. Each of them had their own agenda to promote, and each one of them took that agenda too far. Their thinking was clouded. They made foolish mistakes that could easily have been avoided. They were immature. I felt sympathy for most of them. Yet, still, I wanted to yell at them "Don't get involved with that!", or "Get out now!", or "Don't listen to him!"
The main twist in the plot (which involved not just one, but two, surprising revelations) was totally unexpected. When it was revealed I could only think "Wow! I would have never thought of that!"
My main concern about the book, because of my background, was that the characters engaged in practices that I don't condone. Integral to the book were drugs, sexual innuendo (even adultery), profanity, and violence. I was really uncomfortable with at least two of the scenes.I had to skip over them.
My second concern was that, at least for me, the frequent switches from the past, the very recent past, and the present got complicated. That's probably why the prologue was a little confusing to me. It was exact wording from later portions of the book, and I didn't understand it until I read the same text(in more detail) in later chapters. I didn't completely understand the significance of Melissa taking her wedding ring off. Also, I didn't understand what the relationship between John, Jack, and Melissa was. I had some unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the dialogue. The dialogue was realistic.
All in all, I would recommend this book to most people that I know if two scenes were eliminated, or watered down: the plane scene and the scene in Max's bedroom. The graphic nature of those scenes was unnecessary, in my humble opinion.
February 20, 2015
This book has a little bit of mystery, action and a little bit of making us want to read more. I think this was a good book. * This book was given to me from the author in exchange for an honest review*
May 30, 2015
Alice goes missing. Her best friend, Melissa, suspects Alice's husband. Now, Melissa and her husband, John, and their friend, Jack, come up with a dangerous and convoluted plan to prove their suspicions.
Let's start with the good. This is a mystery with several twists that keep you guessing. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing I can think to say.
Now for the bad. Starting with the writing, there are a lot of errors and awkward phrasing that really hurts the flow of this story. Some of the most common errors are wrong verb tenses. Words are dropped and added at times. There, their, and they're are interchanged. This was enough of a problem that I was being pulled out of the story every few pages as I tried to make it make sense.
Scenes jump back and forth with no breaks to warn the reader. A paragraph will be talking about one character and then suddenly have a different character talking in the same paragraph. Dialogue is stilted and doesn't sound like anyone really talks. (The word whilst was even used, who says that anymore?)
Flashbacks are used way too frequently. These flashbacks totally suck the characters into them so they are always having to be jerked back out. The worst was a multi-page one near the beginning when she thinks about an old lady that has nothing to do with the story just because she had the same name as someone she meets.
There are plotholes and inconsistencies throughout the book. When Max is first seen, he is wearing a police uniform and driving a police car on patrol. But later he is described as a detective. Detectives don't wear uniforms and drive patrols. There is talk of two characters getting married even though both are still married at the time. The insurance company is supposedly ready to pay on Alice's life insurance even though she is still missing and it has only been a few months (and she supposedly ran away as well). Max is supposedly very powerful and connected but he is let go from the police department. Two strange ones were the hospital room that had a lock on the door (so the doctor and nurses could be locked out) and the "swankiest hotel in town" that had doors that opened straight onto the parking lot and caller ID on the phone.
Finally, there is absolutely no character development. All of the characters are shallow and react in strange ways. Max is perhaps the closest to being developed, but it is just enough to show that he is an abusive piece of trash.
From reading other reviews, it seems that some problems have already been addressed with this story. That makes it even scarier considering how many problems were still there. There is a kernel of a story that could be good here. But as it stands, the characters and the story come off as unbelievable ultimately. It would need a lot of work before I would recommend it to anyone.
Let's start with the good. This is a mystery with several twists that keep you guessing. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing I can think to say.
Now for the bad. Starting with the writing, there are a lot of errors and awkward phrasing that really hurts the flow of this story. Some of the most common errors are wrong verb tenses. Words are dropped and added at times. There, their, and they're are interchanged. This was enough of a problem that I was being pulled out of the story every few pages as I tried to make it make sense.
Scenes jump back and forth with no breaks to warn the reader. A paragraph will be talking about one character and then suddenly have a different character talking in the same paragraph. Dialogue is stilted and doesn't sound like anyone really talks. (The word whilst was even used, who says that anymore?)
Flashbacks are used way too frequently. These flashbacks totally suck the characters into them so they are always having to be jerked back out. The worst was a multi-page one near the beginning when she thinks about an old lady that has nothing to do with the story just because she had the same name as someone she meets.
There are plotholes and inconsistencies throughout the book. When Max is first seen, he is wearing a police uniform and driving a police car on patrol. But later he is described as a detective. Detectives don't wear uniforms and drive patrols. There is talk of two characters getting married even though both are still married at the time. The insurance company is supposedly ready to pay on Alice's life insurance even though she is still missing and it has only been a few months (and she supposedly ran away as well). Max is supposedly very powerful and connected but he is let go from the police department. Two strange ones were the hospital room that had a lock on the door (so the doctor and nurses could be locked out) and the "swankiest hotel in town" that had doors that opened straight onto the parking lot and caller ID on the phone.
Finally, there is absolutely no character development. All of the characters are shallow and react in strange ways. Max is perhaps the closest to being developed, but it is just enough to show that he is an abusive piece of trash.
From reading other reviews, it seems that some problems have already been addressed with this story. That makes it even scarier considering how many problems were still there. There is a kernel of a story that could be good here. But as it stands, the characters and the story come off as unbelievable ultimately. It would need a lot of work before I would recommend it to anyone.
May 16, 2015
When Melissa moved to the city on her own to make her own mark in life, little did she know what an unbelievably cruel twist Fate would deal her. She found love, married and had the perfect best friend in Alice. When Alice went missing, no answers to the questions Melissa had could be found, but her husband, Max was her choice of suspects. Even John, her husband seemed to be not very upset at first. Enter Jack, an old business associate who joins the hunt for Alice. A plan is concocted to trip Max up, using Melissa as bait, but the truth is buried so deep into a spiraling abyss that when it surfaces, even then, it is like something out of the Twilight Zone.
Pawned Queen by S. K. Thomas is a twisted and tumultuous ride on the mystery train that rolls along with a few bumps and switchbacks that border on brilliance one moment and “What did I miss?”, the next. The characters were likable, or dislikable as needed, but often seemed to be trusting in a plan that really wasn’t “The plan.” In that, lies the heart of the tale and one crazy-twisted plot that sometimes was a little rough, but definitely full of a surprise or two.
I received this copy from S.K. Thomas in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 24 2013
Publisher: S. K. Thomas
Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 137 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Pawned Queen by S. K. Thomas is a twisted and tumultuous ride on the mystery train that rolls along with a few bumps and switchbacks that border on brilliance one moment and “What did I miss?”, the next. The characters were likable, or dislikable as needed, but often seemed to be trusting in a plan that really wasn’t “The plan.” In that, lies the heart of the tale and one crazy-twisted plot that sometimes was a little rough, but definitely full of a surprise or two.
I received this copy from S.K. Thomas in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 24 2013
Publisher: S. K. Thomas
Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 137 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 5, 2015
As a critic, one thing that annoys me to end is when reviewers comment that there is a lack of plot or character development in a novella. They are longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Thus, intrinsic to the format, there cannot be long discourses that allow for character profiles or a study in intent. Therefore the reader must expect a certain level of a lack of above components because, well, there just isn’t enough time or space. It’s not that complicated.
SK Thomas’ Pawned Queen takes advantage of this style of narrative to present a thriller that is, as expected, fervently plotted and quick witted. The story itself is a splice of Gone Girl meets The Girl on the Train with its tone of untrustworthy characters with questionable intents. The novella finds the missing character Alice being sought after by her close friend, Melissa, who herself suspects Alice’s husband might be to blame for Alice’s disappearance. Resolute in her suspicions, Melissa enlists the help of her husband to search for her missing friend, and to bring the perpetrator to justice.
Thomas’ work is ambitious. She clearly wants to include the many literary devices that have brought great success to the genre by other authors. However, it is sometimes these extravagant ambitions that work against her. The book relies heavily upon flashbacks with different points of view, which at times give the novella a jarring and semi-confusing tone. This very well may be Thomas’ intentional way on throwing the reader for a loop, and if so, good on her for doing it so consistently and without fail.
Fraught with excitement, Pawned Queen is an entertaining piece of fiction that maintained my attention throughout. I did not necessarily dislike the lack of character development because it alluded to the overall theme of the novella of the presence of malice in everyday life.
SK Thomas’ Pawned Queen takes advantage of this style of narrative to present a thriller that is, as expected, fervently plotted and quick witted. The story itself is a splice of Gone Girl meets The Girl on the Train with its tone of untrustworthy characters with questionable intents. The novella finds the missing character Alice being sought after by her close friend, Melissa, who herself suspects Alice’s husband might be to blame for Alice’s disappearance. Resolute in her suspicions, Melissa enlists the help of her husband to search for her missing friend, and to bring the perpetrator to justice.
Thomas’ work is ambitious. She clearly wants to include the many literary devices that have brought great success to the genre by other authors. However, it is sometimes these extravagant ambitions that work against her. The book relies heavily upon flashbacks with different points of view, which at times give the novella a jarring and semi-confusing tone. This very well may be Thomas’ intentional way on throwing the reader for a loop, and if so, good on her for doing it so consistently and without fail.
Fraught with excitement, Pawned Queen is an entertaining piece of fiction that maintained my attention throughout. I did not necessarily dislike the lack of character development because it alluded to the overall theme of the novella of the presence of malice in everyday life.
May 22, 2015
I am new to Goodreads...what a terrible thing to admit..!! So, if I get this review thing wrong, please cut me a little slack.!
S.K. Thomas allowed me to read copies of her two novellas which I gladly accepted. I read a lot. Continuously, sometimes for days. So, it goes without saying that a run into a lot of books from relatively new authors, some of which are not worth reading while others really shouldn't be missed. I think this book falls into the latter category. This book, along with the second in the series Transcending Queen, make up a two-part event. If you read this one, you will most certainly want to read the next one as well. Since I previously reviewed both of these novellas on Amazon, what you see here is a rehash of what was posted there.
First, a couple of quick disclaimers. I don't typically read novellas. I don't typically read books without professional looking covers. Why.?? Well, as far as novellas go, they are typically an example of a story that is too verbose to classify as a short story, and not filled out enough to carry the plot for a full length novel. Covers.?? Well, its just a thing of mine. I always look for a book that reeks of excitement and sustainable action, and a hand drawn or monotone cover just doesn't get it done. If we are being truthful, the cover draws us in and generates interest, so one that is well done just makes a difference.!
So, four stars.?? Well, yes. Ms. Thomas is good enough at her craft to lead me to believe that her books are worth reading. So, after reading this first novella, I am now pretty sure that I did not make a mistake. I like the characters, and I like the plot. Most of the writing is well done and the editing is not bad either. There are some minor rough spots where the story stumbles a bit, and some phrasing that perplexes me a little, but it doesn't greatly detract from the story. So I am giving this first effort four stars because it deserves it. I buy books like this every day, and this book is every bit as good as most of them and better than some. I truly believe that Ms. Thomas is going to be a real force in mystery/suspense. If this book is any indication, I will really enjoy the next one.!!
Now if I can only convince her to write full length novels (with good back stories and fully developed characters..) I will gladly become an avid follower.!!
S.K. Thomas allowed me to read copies of her two novellas which I gladly accepted. I read a lot. Continuously, sometimes for days. So, it goes without saying that a run into a lot of books from relatively new authors, some of which are not worth reading while others really shouldn't be missed. I think this book falls into the latter category. This book, along with the second in the series Transcending Queen, make up a two-part event. If you read this one, you will most certainly want to read the next one as well. Since I previously reviewed both of these novellas on Amazon, what you see here is a rehash of what was posted there.
First, a couple of quick disclaimers. I don't typically read novellas. I don't typically read books without professional looking covers. Why.?? Well, as far as novellas go, they are typically an example of a story that is too verbose to classify as a short story, and not filled out enough to carry the plot for a full length novel. Covers.?? Well, its just a thing of mine. I always look for a book that reeks of excitement and sustainable action, and a hand drawn or monotone cover just doesn't get it done. If we are being truthful, the cover draws us in and generates interest, so one that is well done just makes a difference.!
So, four stars.?? Well, yes. Ms. Thomas is good enough at her craft to lead me to believe that her books are worth reading. So, after reading this first novella, I am now pretty sure that I did not make a mistake. I like the characters, and I like the plot. Most of the writing is well done and the editing is not bad either. There are some minor rough spots where the story stumbles a bit, and some phrasing that perplexes me a little, but it doesn't greatly detract from the story. So I am giving this first effort four stars because it deserves it. I buy books like this every day, and this book is every bit as good as most of them and better than some. I truly believe that Ms. Thomas is going to be a real force in mystery/suspense. If this book is any indication, I will really enjoy the next one.!!
Now if I can only convince her to write full length novels (with good back stories and fully developed characters..) I will gladly become an avid follower.!!
March 25, 2014
The premise of this story was good. Melissa moves to the city to start her life... on her own... on her own terms. She meets and befriends Alice, falls in love with John... and then things start to fall apart. Alice disappears and her husband Max is the only one who can give her answers; but he's not giving any. With the help of Jack, John's friend and one time business partner, they come up with a plan to get her inside Max's domain to find out what really happened to Alice. But things aren't always what they seem. You put your faith in someone, only to find out that perhaps you were placing your faith in the wrong person.
The characters are "iffy". I never did figure John out, Jack is sort of a mystery, Max is just a douchebag (that much is made clear), Alice is flighty and Melissa... well, I couldn't decide if she was just plain brilliant or a complete and total idiot. This is a pretty quick read, so there isn't a whole lot of in-depth character development. I'm still undecided about how I feel about the characters.
The one thing that really stood out to me, and quite frankly drove me crazy the entire book, was the use of flashbacks throughout the book. Sometimes it seemed that the flashback was there to give you a better idea about why the character is feeling a certain way or reacting to a situation the way they are... other times, I was really confused why the flashback was there at all. But my biggest issue was that there was no break in the dialogue or paragraph structure to alert you that "Hey, we are slipping into the past for a moment". It went right from "in the here and now" to "back when". There were several times I had to stop, go back, and try to make sense of what was going on. And often times it felt like the each chapter was one really long paragraph.
But other than that there were no glaring grammar errors, every other word was not misspelled, and the story did move along quite nicely. I liked this book, I didn't love it, but that doesn't mean that you won't!
The characters are "iffy". I never did figure John out, Jack is sort of a mystery, Max is just a douchebag (that much is made clear), Alice is flighty and Melissa... well, I couldn't decide if she was just plain brilliant or a complete and total idiot. This is a pretty quick read, so there isn't a whole lot of in-depth character development. I'm still undecided about how I feel about the characters.
The one thing that really stood out to me, and quite frankly drove me crazy the entire book, was the use of flashbacks throughout the book. Sometimes it seemed that the flashback was there to give you a better idea about why the character is feeling a certain way or reacting to a situation the way they are... other times, I was really confused why the flashback was there at all. But my biggest issue was that there was no break in the dialogue or paragraph structure to alert you that "Hey, we are slipping into the past for a moment". It went right from "in the here and now" to "back when". There were several times I had to stop, go back, and try to make sense of what was going on. And often times it felt like the each chapter was one really long paragraph.
But other than that there were no glaring grammar errors, every other word was not misspelled, and the story did move along quite nicely. I liked this book, I didn't love it, but that doesn't mean that you won't!
November 11, 2015
Melissa was looking for something different, she moved from Tupolo to Barrington in search of a new life and some excitement. As soon as she gets into town she gets more than she bargained for when she has a run in with a police officer named Max and is left wondering if she should be afraid. After the incident she meets a new friend named Alice, gets a job in a telemarketing firm and marries a man named John. Things are going well until Alice disappears and Max becomes the main suspect. Melissa is determined to find out what happened and gets help from her husband along with a detective named Jack and soon finds herself as a part of a dangerous game.
Pawned Queen by SK Thomas is a mystery novella that I had my issues with. First of all the general story was pretty good but the way it was told was a little confusing. The book seems to jump around from the future, past and present without explaining that we are going to a different time period and in some cases it is done within a chapter. Also I thought there was too much happening to Melissa within a short period of time. She moves, gets married, has a strange run in with a cop, then gets a new friend and then deals with her disappearance. Also mentioning that Melissa knew an Alice in the past seemed unnecessary.
Pawned Queen is an entertaining read despite its flaws. I still wanted to know what was going to happen and I liked how Melissa’s character changed in the course of the book. I think this book may have been better if it was a little longer and it was a little more clear when we switched to different time periods. Pawned Queen is a book that has its moments and I think mystery fans will enjoy it.
Pawned Queen by SK Thomas is a mystery novella that I had my issues with. First of all the general story was pretty good but the way it was told was a little confusing. The book seems to jump around from the future, past and present without explaining that we are going to a different time period and in some cases it is done within a chapter. Also I thought there was too much happening to Melissa within a short period of time. She moves, gets married, has a strange run in with a cop, then gets a new friend and then deals with her disappearance. Also mentioning that Melissa knew an Alice in the past seemed unnecessary.
Pawned Queen is an entertaining read despite its flaws. I still wanted to know what was going to happen and I liked how Melissa’s character changed in the course of the book. I think this book may have been better if it was a little longer and it was a little more clear when we switched to different time periods. Pawned Queen is a book that has its moments and I think mystery fans will enjoy it.
November 8, 2014
Pawned Queen by SK Thomas is a suspenseful, mystery, crime thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Shortly after graduation from high school, Melissa moves to Barrington, California. When she gets there, she has no job and no friends. While at a park, she encounters Max for the first time and has a gut feeling that something sinister lurks within him and gets away from him as quickly as she can.
While at the library the next morning to look for a job on the Internet, Melissa meets Alice and they become fast friends. Alice gives Melissa information on a part-time job and the two become co-workers. Alice ends up marrying Max and Melissa ends up marrying John. Shortly after Max and Alice marry, Alice disappears and Melissa knows that Max has something to do with it.
Enter Jack, the detective who plans to use Alice as bait to get into Max's home and to hopefully discover secrets that will lead to discovering what happened to Alice. Of course, nothing is quite as it seems and Melissa is left in the lurch when Max overpowers and brutalizes her in his home. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed that shed light on Melissa's husband, John and what really happened to Alice. All of the pieces of the puzzle come together and the ending is completely unexpected.
Overall, this was a good read. The only qualms I had about it were the domestic violence parts and the drug usage early on in the book. However, the author did a great job in developing the characters and moving the story along to its ultimate end.
Shortly after graduation from high school, Melissa moves to Barrington, California. When she gets there, she has no job and no friends. While at a park, she encounters Max for the first time and has a gut feeling that something sinister lurks within him and gets away from him as quickly as she can.
While at the library the next morning to look for a job on the Internet, Melissa meets Alice and they become fast friends. Alice gives Melissa information on a part-time job and the two become co-workers. Alice ends up marrying Max and Melissa ends up marrying John. Shortly after Max and Alice marry, Alice disappears and Melissa knows that Max has something to do with it.
Enter Jack, the detective who plans to use Alice as bait to get into Max's home and to hopefully discover secrets that will lead to discovering what happened to Alice. Of course, nothing is quite as it seems and Melissa is left in the lurch when Max overpowers and brutalizes her in his home. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed that shed light on Melissa's husband, John and what really happened to Alice. All of the pieces of the puzzle come together and the ending is completely unexpected.
Overall, this was a good read. The only qualms I had about it were the domestic violence parts and the drug usage early on in the book. However, the author did a great job in developing the characters and moving the story along to its ultimate end.
April 15, 2014
Let me just go right ahead and say that I think S.K Thomas is a brilliant author. Not just because she wrote a creative story but how she wrote the story makes her look more talented. The story centers around a girl named Melissa who moves to the city to start a new life. It begins fairly well when she meets new friends but when one of her friends Alice goes missing, she turns to her new boyfriend John for help. He then turns to his friend Jack who's a detective. He then decides to use Melissa as bait once he suspects Alice's husband Max as a suspect. Sounds like a story you've heard many different times before but this story only sounds like a typical story. So many different twists and turns and like I said before, the way S.K Thomas wrote the story makes it all the more entertaining. She knows how to use flashbacks to explain what the characters' motivations are for doing things. It reminded me of the movie "Once Upon A Time In America" where in between the present time of the movie, flash backs occurred to tell the audience why the characters did certain things. S.K Thomas knows how to use flashbacks to the best advantage and she also knows how to use her imagination to the best advantage.
August 22, 2014
After graduation, nineteen year old Melissa decides to leave Tupolo. She moves to Barrington, California. Her first few days were not quite what she expected. She knew she needed a job and a place to live. One afternoon, she decides to go to the local park. There she runs into a really creepy and scary guy. She had no idea her life would be tied to this man.
Melissa does find a job and a new friend. Alice helps her meet her future husband John. Before long, Melissa and John marry and so does Alice and the creepy guy, Max. Nothing seems to go right after that. Melissa will learn a lot about her husband and herself.
This book tells a rather twisted and confused tale. It's take on domestic violence is spot on. The book is a fast read and will keep you involved.
I did find issues. The prologue was unnecessary. It's copied word for word later in the body of the book. Second, I felt the story was so confused it was difficult to follow. It's mixed up in so many spots you can't keep track of who did what.
I gave this one 3 cheers out of 5 because the confusion takes away from a wonderful base story.~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
Melissa does find a job and a new friend. Alice helps her meet her future husband John. Before long, Melissa and John marry and so does Alice and the creepy guy, Max. Nothing seems to go right after that. Melissa will learn a lot about her husband and herself.
This book tells a rather twisted and confused tale. It's take on domestic violence is spot on. The book is a fast read and will keep you involved.
I did find issues. The prologue was unnecessary. It's copied word for word later in the body of the book. Second, I felt the story was so confused it was difficult to follow. It's mixed up in so many spots you can't keep track of who did what.
I gave this one 3 cheers out of 5 because the confusion takes away from a wonderful base story.~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
June 14, 2015
This review is also posted on my blog: http://theshortreviewer.blogspot.com/...
My rating for this is 3.5 stars, but I am rounding it up to 4.
In this novella, a young woman named Melissa is desperate to find her missing friend. She suspects that her friend's husband is to blame so she goes in on a scheme with her own husband in an effort to find her.
Surprising revelations propel this story along as Melissa is no longer sure who she can trust and rely on. This is a twisty thriller with a chilling villain that I absolutely detested. There were times when I wanted to shake Melissa for some of the decisions she made, and I wished someone would be able to knock some sense into her.
Aside from some minor grammatical issues that I noticed, I also thought the abrupt switches in point of view were a bit jarring. This was particularly the case when it would not only change to another perspective, but it would also be in a completely different scene. Overall though, it wasn't enough to take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I recommend this to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries that are on the darker side. It was an entertaining read.
*Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
My rating for this is 3.5 stars, but I am rounding it up to 4.
In this novella, a young woman named Melissa is desperate to find her missing friend. She suspects that her friend's husband is to blame so she goes in on a scheme with her own husband in an effort to find her.
Surprising revelations propel this story along as Melissa is no longer sure who she can trust and rely on. This is a twisty thriller with a chilling villain that I absolutely detested. There were times when I wanted to shake Melissa for some of the decisions she made, and I wished someone would be able to knock some sense into her.
Aside from some minor grammatical issues that I noticed, I also thought the abrupt switches in point of view were a bit jarring. This was particularly the case when it would not only change to another perspective, but it would also be in a completely different scene. Overall though, it wasn't enough to take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I recommend this to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries that are on the darker side. It was an entertaining read.
*Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2016
My rating is 4.5. The reason is given below.
Highlights
Pawned queen is a mix of first person narrative of Melissa and third person narrative. The story line proceeds in an unconventional way by switching between the present and past. Author succeeded in maintaining the pace without giving a chance for the reader to sway their thoughts away from the book. A gripping book with a strong story line.
The relation of Melissa with John and Max is portrayed convincingly. When Melissa decides to change Max, I felt a bit disappointed since I felt the story would be proceeding in a cliché but the twist surprised me. The characters are crafted well in a way quite justifiable for a novella. The title and cover image is apt to the story.
Drawbacks
A negative I could find in the story line is that the reason for sending Melissa to Max is not conveyed with conviction. There were a few typos and grammar mistakes
One Liner
A gripping fast paced thriller which leaves the reader praying for Melissa and anxious about what is going to happen.
Highlights
Pawned queen is a mix of first person narrative of Melissa and third person narrative. The story line proceeds in an unconventional way by switching between the present and past. Author succeeded in maintaining the pace without giving a chance for the reader to sway their thoughts away from the book. A gripping book with a strong story line.
The relation of Melissa with John and Max is portrayed convincingly. When Melissa decides to change Max, I felt a bit disappointed since I felt the story would be proceeding in a cliché but the twist surprised me. The characters are crafted well in a way quite justifiable for a novella. The title and cover image is apt to the story.
Drawbacks
A negative I could find in the story line is that the reason for sending Melissa to Max is not conveyed with conviction. There were a few typos and grammar mistakes
One Liner
A gripping fast paced thriller which leaves the reader praying for Melissa and anxious about what is going to happen.
August 12, 2016
A fast paced, plot twisting thriller, that hops backward and forward in time, giving snippets of back-story for the main characters. This was well done, although the shifts, often between consecutive paragraphs were jarrring as were the changes from fist person POV for Melissa to third person for the other character. Unfortunately I didn't understand some of the characters.
Jack, the ex-undercover narc agent, I understood. The others? not so much.
Why would a man who loves his wife, send her into a dangerous, sexual situation with a man known to have been violent to his wife and Melissa in the past.
Plus how on earth did Melissa happily have sex with this man, and loved it, after he beat her unconscious, even in the hospital while she was recovering? These plot holes knocked off stars for me.
Jack, the ex-undercover narc agent, I understood. The others? not so much.
Why would a man who loves his wife, send her into a dangerous, sexual situation with a man known to have been violent to his wife and Melissa in the past.
Plus how on earth did Melissa happily have sex with this man, and loved it, after he beat her unconscious, even in the hospital while she was recovering? These plot holes knocked off stars for me.
January 3, 2016
I really liked the story, however the ending felt a bit melodramatic and flat. Lots of suspense and plot twists throughout. I liked the way the story was structured and how it flowed, but constant (in the early going) flashbacks/timeshifts were a bit confusing. The writing style was often a bit hard to follow, making me think there were many grammatical errors, but on second look it wasn't errors but rather an awkward turn of phrase.
I really didn't like the shift in person - much of the story is in the first person which is OK, but out of the blue it shifts to third person without warning, Some of the story line was a bit unbelievable, but I chose to ignore that and enjoy the story.
I really didn't like the shift in person - much of the story is in the first person which is OK, but out of the blue it shifts to third person without warning, Some of the story line was a bit unbelievable, but I chose to ignore that and enjoy the story.
July 13, 2015
A decent foundation for a book, that I did enjoy, but was not always my cup of tea. Sometimes the use of flashbacks can confuse the reader. The story itself is a decent one, that does pull you in but doesn't always keep you there as long as you'd like. I like the use of some of the description, and the pace, as it gets you involved in the story straight away. My favourite thing about Pawned Queen are the characters. The author has put a lot of effort thinking through them through and they are easy to identify with. All in al,l a decent book, and I look forward to reading the other books from this author as they perfect their style.
October 27, 2014
Not yet sure of what she wants to do with her life, Melissa decides to take on the real world in lieu of college. This decision takes her from a small-town to a large city.
She adapts, finds friends and a job, and soon marries. That's when the problems begin. She finds herself drawn into a plan to determine what happened to her friend Alice.
In the process, her life becomes entangled with a man who both attracts and frightens her.
This book is a quick read, filled with unanticipated twists and turns that will keep you turning the page.
She adapts, finds friends and a job, and soon marries. That's when the problems begin. She finds herself drawn into a plan to determine what happened to her friend Alice.
In the process, her life becomes entangled with a man who both attracts and frightens her.
This book is a quick read, filled with unanticipated twists and turns that will keep you turning the page.
March 12, 2015
This was an intriguing and exciting long term cat and mouse game. Melissa gets thrown into it by seeming to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and then continues to get dragged through it as her friends get involved.
Max is a vicious character that really makes you uneasy, especially since he is a retired detective.
S.K. Thomas does a good job of developing the characters. I did find myself wondering a bit about John though. He throws into a dangerous without thinking twice -- despite her reservations.
Max is a vicious character that really makes you uneasy, especially since he is a retired detective.
S.K. Thomas does a good job of developing the characters. I did find myself wondering a bit about John though. He throws into a dangerous without thinking twice -- despite her reservations.
January 29, 2015
How far would you go for a friend? In her book Pawned Queen, S.K. Thomas, takes us on a wild journey to show us just how far one woman will go to the find out the truth about what happened to her friend. This is a story where the lines of crime and justice are blurred. This theme makes for an enjoyable story in which you just have to keep reading to find out what happens next. Thomas takes chances in this novel and gives the reader some genuine surprises. If you are a fan of mystery, action, and intrigue then you will like this book. I recommend it.
June 17, 2015
Disclaimer: An arc copy was given to me in exchange for an honest review
There were some places that required more editing, However it didn't take away from what was a great story. A great story will always shine through. I loved The Pawned Queen! I couldn't stop reading it. For authors, that's a good sign, it means they have something of value and this book falls into that category. In the beginning it was confusing with the two Alice characters though. I love the MC and the world she becomes immersed in. The characters all have their part to play and they play it so well.
There were some places that required more editing, However it didn't take away from what was a great story. A great story will always shine through. I loved The Pawned Queen! I couldn't stop reading it. For authors, that's a good sign, it means they have something of value and this book falls into that category. In the beginning it was confusing with the two Alice characters though. I love the MC and the world she becomes immersed in. The characters all have their part to play and they play it so well.
November 13, 2015
I love a good thriller and this one fits the bill. Thrillers are hard to review because I never want to give away any juicy plot twists or story points. So let's just say this, you are in for a ride. I am not the biggest fan of flashing back and forth and that is the only reason I struggled to give it that last glass of wine. However, it does not in any way take away from the quality of this story. It is fast paced and an easy read. Very enjoyable and I look forward to the next book in the series.
October 16, 2014
Pawned Queen is filled with fascinating twists and turns that will keep you reading until the last page! I always love a book when I can't guess what will happen next. I think the physical abuse aspect in the story is worthy of discussion as abuse of any kind is unacceptable. This book would be appealing for older teens and up. I gave it a five star because the author pulls the reader into the plot and maintains an interesting storyline!
February 24, 2014
A harrowing fictional tale of a girl searching to find her best friend and her true self at the same time, getting lost in an adult world of smoke, mirrors and betrayal. I genuinely wanted to hate this main character but only felt empathy and her pain knowing that any girl could fall into this pit of snakes aka ruthless people.
July 1, 2015
I was given this book for review and found to be a good crime thriller.
The first chapter sets the tone of the book, with Melissa's creepy encounter and I did like the writing style and feeling of menace.
I don't give spoilers but will say that it is a good story with a sound plot, if a little confusing at times, but still worth reading.
The first chapter sets the tone of the book, with Melissa's creepy encounter and I did like the writing style and feeling of menace.
I don't give spoilers but will say that it is a good story with a sound plot, if a little confusing at times, but still worth reading.
August 13, 2015
It’s a fast paced read that will make you treasure the abundance and luck in your own life. While all the characters are sifting through their own faults and issues, it is Melissa you fall in love with, you want to shake her and you cry for her in the end hoping she breaks through her own demons.
June 17, 2017
If you liked the book/film "Gone Girl," or the unrelated film "Gone," this one is for you. Their comparison to the "Pawned Queen" is not in their story lines. It is in the way you will be drawn deeper into a story about a woman who puts her life on the line while desperately seeking answers.
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