W jej sercu czai się mrok

by J.D. Barker, Agata Ostrowska (Translator)

Niesamowita opowieść pełna napięcia przekazana z mistrzostwem właściwym Barkerowi.

Po stracie rodziców młody Jack Thatch widzi na cmentarzu Stellę – tajemniczą ośmioletnią dziewczynkę o ciemnych włosach i jeszcze ciemniejszych oczach, siedzącą samotnie na ławce, ściskającą ulubioną książkę. To krótkie spotkanie wywołuje obsesję. Jack myśli o niej bezustannie, aż w końcu odnajduje ją ponownie dokładnie rok później, siedzącą na tej samej ławce, tylko po to, by wkrótce zniknąć.

W zaułku zostają znalezione zwłoki mężczyzny. Całe jego ciało jest spalone, ale ubranie zupełnie nietknięte. Detektyw Faustino Brier widzi to nie po raz pierwszy i wie, że nie ostatni. Za rok od dzisiaj znajdzie kogoś podobnego. Dokładnie 9 sierpnia.

Odizolowany od świata w zacienionym laboratorium, mały chłopiec znany tylko jako Obiekt „D” czeka, rośnie, uczy się. Nie wolno mu z nikim rozmawiać. Nigdy nie zaznał czyjegoś dotyku. Jego moc jest tak przerażająca, że ci, którzy go kontrolują, nigdy nie pozwolą mu opuścić tych murów.

Losy ich wszystkich łączą się w niewyobrażalny sposób.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Fantasy, Suspense

856 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2020

About the author

J.D. Barker is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL and the wildly popular 4MK series. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson. His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for both film and television. Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.

A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.

I would never go down to the basement.

Never.

I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.

Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.

I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.

jd

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning of this book, I didn't want to put it down. It's a long book but it certainly didn't seem long. It's full of interesting, multi faceted characters, people that make choices, right or wrong but also full of people that are caught in something that makes them do things they would never do, under other circumstances. I think that is the scariest thing about this book, the horror of losing control of everything that you are, everything that you believe, being just a passenger inside your body, with no options but to act a certain way. 

Jack is such a likeable main character. He's an honest, hardworking, smart kid and he loves his Auntie Jo, he pines for his dead parents and relives vivid dreams about something that happened to him and them, when he was four years old. Auntie Jo says those visions are just dreams but they are so real and as time goes on, there is more and more proof that what Jack dreams really did happen. 

Auntie Jo is another character I really like. Smoking herself to death, working hard at her job as a waitress, she loves Jack and as harsh, blunt, and crude as she is, her heart is gold. Her customers, neighbors, and co-workers know that Jo is a diamond in the rough, a good person and Jo will do anything for her nephew Jack. 

Jack and Auntie Jo visit his parents graves very August 8th, the anniversary of their death. When Jack is 8 years old, he meets a beautiful, mysterious girl, Stella, who is sitting on a bench at the cemetery. From that first meeting, Jack is obsessed with Stella and can not get her out of his mind, thinking of her, drawing pictures of her, wanting to see her again. He continues to see her on that date for several years and then things get crazy, crazier than they already seem to be, with Jack's strange dreams and strange things happening around him. 

In the end, so much is connected, connected to Jack's dreams, to Stella, to the people he knows. Who can Jack trust? Why can't his heart let go of Stella? What is it that draws them together and who are the people dressed in white, who are always with Stella? 

What Jack learns is bigger than two people and there is danger and death in Jack's past and future that he sees coming, sees happening in the past, and he can't stop what is happening even as he is part of it. And, there is another child, a boy, who might be the most dangerous person of all, who wants Stella and will let nothing and nobody get in his way. 

This is a great book to read with buddies because there is so much to discuss!

Published March 31st 2020

Thank you to the author, J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press, and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy meets girl in a cemetery.
The girl is driven away in a white SUV.
The boy sees the same girl in the same cemetery on the same bench one year later...

Kismet? You decide!

The description calls this book "A haunting tale of suspense." but it's more than that. For me, this was also a love story, J.D. Barker Style. There are many kinds of love in this book - love for family, love for friends, romantic love, etc. Family is also a theme. What makes a family? It's not just those we are related to, it is those who are in our community, our friends, those who we have grown up with and have grown with, it can be the lady across the hall of the man who is hard of hearing who flips burgers where you work. Love, family, gunfire, death, burnt bodies, secret labs, obsession, and the search for the truth!

"You have been in every line I have ever read." -Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Jack Thatch (John Edward Thatch) a.k.a Pip was visiting his parent's graves with his Aunt Jo, the first time he met Stella, sitting on a bench in the cemetery with her favorite book, Great Expectations. From that moment on, he can't get her out of his mind. Then he sees her again in the same place a year later. Who is this mysterious young Stella? Who are the people with her? What's with all the white clothes and cars?

Detective Brier has been noticing things or shall I say, dead people. Those like the man whose body was found in an alleyway burned but his clothing remains intact, untouched by whatever burned him. It happens every year on August 9th. Soon Detective Fogel is on the case as well.

Then there is Subject "D" a young boy in a mysterious lab, who wears a mask and is not permitted to speak to anyone. He is powerful, and those who have him there, never want him to leave. He is kept alone, growing, thinking, imagining....

All these things and people are connected in intricate and interesting ways. This is a BIG book, there is a lot going on - it's easy to digest but some of it will break your heart. Barker quotes Great Expectations in this book; however, while reading one scene from this book I was reminded of a quote from another book": "He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It's his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry." - Markus Zusak, Book Thief. Well, he did it. Barker made me cry with that one scene. This book is reminiscent of early King and Koontz. King fans know he is not afraid to kill his darlings....so who will Barker kill in this book? He had me grabbing my tissues.

For those that have read Barker's other books, this one is a little different but just as wonderful. Here he shows us a different side. He also shows us character development, he gives us a glimpse into his character's lives over a span of time. We see them grow, change, make mistakes, get knocked down, get back up, keep on going. In his 4MK series, we see character development throughout his series, in this book, we see it over the span of these character's lives. Besides being a love story, this is also a coming of age story with a sci-fi, suspense/thriller plot.

This book is not as fast-paced as his other books, yet it is just as rewarding. Keep in mind, that even though I am saying it is not as fast-paced, in no way am I saying it is slow - it's not. This book keeps building, just like Jack and Stella, it keeps growing. There are characters to love and characters who are creepy, characters who are bad and those who are a mixture of both good and bad. There are those you will root for, those who you wish would do better, and then there was "D". There is a human factor here, these characters will get under your skin, and their plight will have you feeling all kinds of emotions.

Like his other books, this book was beautifully written and came together brilliantly. Nothing felt rushed or drawn out. I found the pacing to be perfect. I found this book to be compelling and I was riveted to the pages, turning them as fast as my schedule would allow. I loved getting to know these characters and reading where Barker took them. Plus, he has me wanting to read Great Expectations again, and again and again.

Highly Recommend! As long as Barker keeps writing, I’ll keep reading! He’s the real deal and has proven he can and will deliver book after book.

P.S. Don’t overlook the “From the Author” section at the end.

Thank you to J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, it was fantastic! All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

ENTHRALLING

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is a weird, dark, and mysterious novel about a mystery surrounding a girl who appears once a year in the cemetery on the anniversary of the death of a young boy’s parents.

The plot has many characters and many layers. While not complex, there are a lot of threads and strange dynamics to keep track of. Combining a mixture of genres, this is a story about a boy and a girl who meet at a cemetery. They both happen to be orphans. Infatuation grows into love, but dark forces are keeping them apart.It’s about friendship and family. It’s about exploitation and evil. It’s about the good vs. the bad. The normal vs. weird. The natural vs. the supernatural. Most significantly, it’s about love.

There is something about the way J.D. Barker writes these characters and their story that is so compelling. I couldn’t put this book down. I was sucked in almost immediately and quickly got lost in the tale of Jack and Stella. The more I read the more I wanted to know. The more I read, the stranger it became. But it also became more and more enthralling. This a lengthy read, but it never felt long. A lot happens, but all of the threads come together and all of the events are meaningful. The characters are well-developed and Jack makes for a great hero. Influenced by Great Expectations combined with elements from X-Men set in Pittsburgh, She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is a thoroughly entertaining, original, and refreshing read. This is a story to get lost in.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first thought about this JD Barker novel was what an unwieldy title, but this terrific multi-genre mystery thriller is a captivating and emotional roller coaster of a read, revolving around Dicken's Great Expectations whilst paying tribute to Stephen King. First though, you need to ensure you have time to sink into the story, the book is long, but rest assured you will not notice this as you become immersed and will not want to stop until it all concludes. Young Jack Thatch is living an impoverished life with his Aunt Jo, whose love for him runs deep, his life has been touched by heartbreaking tragedy when his parents died in a horrifying car crash. On visiting his parents grave in the cemetery, Jack encounters 8 year old Stella sitting on a bench, reading the best book in the world, Great Expectations, for Stella, Jack is Pip. Their meeting might well have been brief, but Jack is captivated and cannot forget her.

Despite turning up numerous times to see if he can see Stella again, it takes a year to the day before Jack sees Stella again, and through the years they meet on the exact same day. Detective Faustino Brier and his partner are puzzled when the body of a dead man is found in the strangest of circumstances, he is burnt and charred, yet his clothes are untouched, and every year on the same day, another body turns up. In a world of shadows, in the most secret and isolated of laboratories is a boy, codenamed Subject D, a boy with the kind of abilities that ensures he will never be released. Through the years, Barker develops his characters in a narrative that includes oodles of suspense, road trips, a Jack surrounded by death, and twists as surprising connections become clear. This is the most intriguing, haunting, and riveting of novels, of love, friendship and a coming of age tale. This is one hell of a thrill ride which I recommend highly. Many thanks to Hampton Creek Press for an ARC.

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be starts off with eight-year old Jack at the cemetery, where he briefly meets a mysterious young girl named Stella. From then on, he can't get her out of his head, but it'll be another year before he sees her again, at the exact same place. In a separate storyline, Detective Brier is investigating a homicide where the victim's body is burned completely, but his clothes are perfectly intact. He can't make heads or tails of it, but a year later, another body shows up, dead in the same way. In the third storyline, Subject "D" is deemed dangerous and kept in a lab, forced to grow up without human interactions.

There were so many things to enjoy about this story. The premise was fascinating, and it set up for an unusual and different story. I was constantly wondering exactly what was going on in each of these separate storylines, and how they all tie together. It was definitely a meaty book, one that took its time in setting things up and revealing its secrets. It was also action-packed, filled with many thrilling moments.

Still, for me, this story didn't quite reach the level of awesomeness that so many other readers experienced. One reason is that this book is extremely long at 760 pages. It's hard to sustain enough momentum throughout that sort of page length, and this story definitely feels that way. Yes, there was a lot of action, but much of it didn't really go anywhere and could easily have been cut out. The last 250 pages felt like one long climax and resolution, with one octane-fueled action sequence after another, going on and on. After reading all of it, it sort of meshed into one big lump, and I can barely recall what specifically happened.

The other reason I didn't connect more with this story is that Jack's motivations are really hard to understand. He supposedly saw Stella for like a minute when they were both young, and fell completely infatuated with her. Based on this minute, he knew they were meant to be together forever, at the tender age of eight. Then he goes on to do crazy things just to see her, and he carries this obsession with him into adulthood. It's the most insta-love story I have ever read, even including YA books. Since Jack's motivations underpins the entire story, it comes across as too forced and superficial to me.

This book has been on my to-read list for so long, ever since I read and loved Dracul and wanted to check out more by J.D. Barker. And I'm glad I finally got to it. Even though it wasn't as amazing as I hoped, it still entertained me and I had great fun following along in this crazy story.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest and tell you that I have never read J.D. Barkers 4MK series even though so many of my friends have sung its praises. For whatever reason I was just not sold on the premise. One day I was on NetGalley (I know, shocking!) and She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be was available to "read now". The title piqued my interest, the cover is perfection, and the synopsis intriguing - what does a girl have to lose?

I am so happy to have downloaded this gem of a book because it is nothing short of phenomenal. I truly did get King vibes from this one.

This epic story of nearly 800 pages covers a 30 year span of time which makes this review incredibly difficult to write.

John Tatch lost his parents in a car accident and now lives with his fierce but loving Aunt Jo. Every August 8th, the anniversary of their death, they spend the day at the cemetery by their gravesides. This year is different though. John spots a girl his age sitting on a bench reading a book. He becomes completely mesmerized by her and makes his way to her bench to introduce himself. (This scene is so damn cute!) Her name is Stella and she is reading Great Expectations and she doesn't seem to find John interesting at all and tells him so. Dumbfounded by her honesty he continues to sit in her company until, before he knows it, Stella is being ushered away by the people in white.

John is not deterred and continues to visit the cemetery and the bench they shared day after day and Stella never arrives. He doesn't see her around town or in school. She is a mystery that he becomes obsessed with. Then when August 8th rolls around again, much to his surprise, Stella is sitting on the bench reading her book. The people in white are also nearby. Who is this girl? Where does she come from? Why must she wear gloves? And who are the people in white?

These are all questions you will be asking yourselves.

I loved so many characters in this book: John, Duncan, Stella, Aunt Jo, Gerdy. 💗

Subject "D" - Talk about goosebumps! A very creepy young man wearing a mask, locked in a cell, and no one and I mean NO ONE should ever listen to him speak. If he doesn't keep you flipping the pages then I don't know what will.

Every single emotion was felt while I read this book and for that - ALL THE STARS!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus)]

I heard this is excellent... the ratings and reviews are fantastic and I really need something to pull me outta this funk. Everything I pick up sucks lately lol 😭

And this cover is gorgeous 😍

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful!

(And a gorgeous cover, too!)

Who would’ve thought that you could start with a Charles Dickens classic, “Great Expectations” and reimagine it, as a haunting tale of suspense/horror?!

Not me, that’s for sure.

But J.D Barker, does just that, and he does it brilliantly!

This 700+ Page Kindle copy, opens with 8 year old Jack Thatch, an orphan who lives with his Aunt Jo Gargery, visiting the cemetery to visit his parent’s graves.

He spots a beautiful, young girl about his age, called Stella, who is sitting on a bench clutching a copy of her favorite book, “Great Expectations”.

It is a book about an orphan, Pip, who lives with his abusive sister and her husband, Joe Gargery, who likes to explore in a churchyard, near his parent’s graves. One of his only friends is Estella, the adopted daughter of a wealthy, reclusive woman. Estella treats Pip, in the most demeaning ways, but he becomes obsessed and is determined to “better himself” to “win her over”.

Jack introduces himself to Stella, who informs him that he is “common” and since he clearly beneath her in social class, she dubs him “Pip”, after her favorite character in the book.

Jack becomes obsessed with Stella, and he rushes home to find a copy of the book that she was so enthralled with! He searches for her everywhere.

But, he won’t see her again, for exactly one year, when on the same day, August 8th, she is again on the bench in the cemetery clutching the same book.

Something else occurs around that same time every year.

Every August 9th, a body will be found, flesh burned but clothes, unscathed.

And, a little boy, called “Subject D” is locked away and studied.

All will be linked, throughout their lives....

This book has been compared to early King and Koontz, which I read religiously, as a teen and young adult, so although I have moved away from horror, I was intrigued.

I would agree that those are fair comparisons.

Where this story is suggestive rather than graphic in its descriptions, It does share with the other authors early works, great characters which had me laughing and even tearing up, at times.

Just like when I read King’s 11/22/63, I enjoyed the “nostalgia” of THIS book, as it mentions songs that were being played on the radio in the 70’s and 80’s, the novels being read by everyone, in those years, such as all of James Patterson’s, and things like pay phones and matchsticks in hotel rooms.

I enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half, when the the mystery is unfolding.

The second half is more of a “cat and mouse” chase.

Will Good triumph over Evil?
Will Love conquer Hate?

Dicken’s “Great Expectations” had two endings..one sad one and one happy one.

Which one J.D. Barker chooses to go with, will be for you to find out!

⭐️ THIS MAKES MY 2020 FAVORITES LIST ⭐️

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to its long-a$$ title, She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be has:

- Roots in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, but you don’t need to have read it beforehand.

- A story that’s very hard to classify (thriller? paranormal?), up until a climax that’s so spine-tingling in 2021 that it has to be called horror.

- “Stranger Things” vibes, just without the demogorgons (and Eggos).

- 774 pages!

- A worthy spot on bookshelves next to King and McCammon.

- A deserved 4.5+ average rating on Goodreads.

- So many well-drawn, memorable characters!

- My ardent recommendation for anyone looking for a page-turning saga to get lost in for a few days.

Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
IG: @confettibookshelf

[Kelli W · Rating 4 out of 5]

FABULOUS!

After the first 100 pages I had to check whether I was actually reading a Stephen King novel. By the end though, I knew it was a J.D. novel all his own because I had been totally enthralled!

Some context: I don't personally care for Stephen Kings books. (I know, it's a reader sin to admit that!).  Initially I was worried it was going to be just like another recent King read: another very long, very dark and very dry book. But I was wonderfully proven wrong!  This book was exactly how I wish King's books could be. It was paced much better, and while it is over 500 pages long, it doesn't feel like a marathon when you're reading. 

The reader is with the main character, a boy named Jack, from his early years to his mid 40s. An epic story that involves a young boy, falling for a mysterious young girl, and a mystery that he spends his life trying to solve, trying to understand. A corrupt business always trying to thwart or kill him and a generous dash of paranormal that makes for a thrilling read.

The reader lives every moment of his life along with him. Along the way we meet all the different people that had a major impact in his life, and we learn to like, love, or hate each of them as we continue on his journey.

The detail written in all his relationships is completely engaging.  You come to truly care for these characters. And maybe most important, this book has plenty of light and love to counter the darkest parts.  A fabulously well written book that I feel excited to now add it to my "Read" book list!

*Thank you to the author, J.D. Barker via NetGalley for access to the digital review copy!

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot Diggity Dang! If I were to describe this one in one word, it would be MASTERFUL. But of course, I have many words, and so much I want to say about this one. I just had to ask J.D. Barker about his books and he joined us in The Behind the Pages group for a Q & A.

I am always intimidated by longer books, and J.D. has intimidated me a few times with the length of his books. Even the title is long for this one! Lol, I am slow to start, but once I do, I can't wait to finish but don't want them to end.

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is one of a kind here and there are a few things going in the story that is weaved together so brilliantly. A twisty romance, mystery, unquie characters, a little horror to the story and enough suspense that will have you asking many questions. Making this one a great for a group discussion. I read this one in The Traveling sister group and we had a lot to talk about.

Things start a little strange, and I had no idea what was going on here with the characters, and the suspense that created had me turning the pages as fast as I could. It's all about the characters here for me, and J.D creates a wide variety of characters here with conflicts that all come together so well. The characters are multidimensional, and through their actions and decisions under pressure, I changed how I felt about some characters as they developed. They were characters we wanted to talk about.

The story reaches an exciting, dramatic climax that had me at the edge of my seat, flipping the pages as if my fingers were on fire. After finishing, I was left wanting more from the characters, and I thought about them long after finishing the book. We did ask J.D. if he has plans for a sequel with these characters, and this is what he said "I have no plans to revisit them in a sequel at this time. Too many other books to write!" I am looking forward to those many other books he has in store for us!

To see what else J.D. Barker has to say check out our Behind the Pages Q & A

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

I received a copy from J.D. Barker on NetGalley

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that sounded like it may take you out of your routine reading comfort zone because you could no longer ignore all of the amazing reviews and recommendations...and come to find that you love it? For me, this is that book.

On August 8, 1984, 8-year old Jack meets Stella at the cemetery while visiting the graves of his parents with his Auntie Jo. Stella is sitting alone on a bench, reading GREAT EXPECTATIONS, while her chaperone watches in the distance. Although Stella isn’t initially very friendly to Jack, he is smitten and strongly drawn to her. He will not see her again until the following year, on the same day, at the same cemetery, on the same bench.

On August 8, 1984, a man is killed. His body will be found in an alley, looking horrendously burned but with his clothing in normal condition. A similar incident will happen in exactly one year.

On August 8, 1984, Subject “D” is a young child who is locked up in some sort of laboratory. Nobody should ever hear him speak in real time, and they go to great lengths to ensure that stays the case. The next update on Subject “D” will be in exactly one year.

These threads will slowly intertwine year after year.

This wonderful and beautifully written book is a journey through multiple decades and multiple genres. It’s part coming of age love story, part mystery, part suspense, part horror, part sci-fi. It also goes through so many feelings: happiness, sadness, terror, the joy of discovering love, the difficulties of loss. It is dark and violent, and also light and gentle. Every character and scene is written with such obvious care. It’s a long book, but well worth the journey. One word to describe this book and everything in it: EPIC.

Just a side note: I couldn’t help but think of the Cameron Diaz movie, “The Box”, while reading this. The plots are completely different, and the film takes place in the 70’s. I think there were 3 reasons for having it in my head: 1) There is a serious retro vibe to both of the stories. 2) I am not a sci-fi fan, but both of them have some sci-fi elements. I was too deeply invested in both of the stories to care once those elements came into play. 3) Despite everything that happens in the stories, they are both told with so much heart and feeling.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Pittsburgh had a lot of cemeteries. This particular one, All Saints Hollow, was one of the largest.

The mausoleums.

I didn't much like the mausoleums.

When we drove by a cemetery, Auntie Jo said you're always supposed to hold your breath to keep the spirits of the dead from finding you. I'm not sure why this rule didn't apply when you were actually in the cemetery, but if it applied anywhere, it would be at the mausoleums. The air was still here. I pictured the dead peeking out from the cracks in the stone, bony hands ready to reach out and snatch unsuspecting little boys, pulling us into those squat structures, never to be seen again.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: After the loss of his parents, young Jack Thatch first met Stella as a child—this cryptic little girl of eight with dark hair and darker eyes, sitting alone on a bench in the cemetery clutching her favorite book. Gone moments later, the brief encounter would spark an obsession. She'd creep into his thoughts, his every waking moment, until he finally finds her again exactly one year later, sitting upon the same bench, only to disappear again soon after.

The body of a man found in an alley, every inch of his flesh horribly burned, yet his clothing completely untouched. For Detective Faustino Brier, this wasn't the first, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. It was no different from the others. He'd find another just like it one year from today. August 9, to be exact.

Isolated and locked away from the world in a shadowy lab, a little boy known only as Subject "D" waits, grows, learns. He's permitted to speak to no one. He has never known the touch of another. Harboring a power so horrific, those in control will never allow him beyond their walls.

All of them linked in ways unimaginable.

MY THOUGHTS: When I read the promotional blurb for this book, 'SHE HAS A BROKEN THING WHERE HER HEART SHOULD BE conjures thoughts of early King and Koontz. A heart-pounding ride that creeps under your skin and will have you turning pages long into the night.', I thought 'Yeah, right.' I had not been having a good run with my reading. Nothing seemed to satisfy me. But this did.

I was consumed by it. I woke in the early hours of the morning after dreaming of Jack and Stella, and cemeteries, and read through the remainder of the night until it was finished with me.

And the blurb is right. She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be, is reminiscent of early King and Koontz. 'As the older woman turned, as she spun around, the wind caught the edge of her coat and I saw something beneath it, an image that is still as clear as day in my mind; the barrel of a shotgun resting against her leg.' .... 'The Gunslinger' was the first thing I thought of. But it is also so much more...there really is nothing to compare this to. It is in a class of its own.

Yes, this is horror, but it is plausible. Do we know what trials/medical experiments are/were being carried out? No, we only know what we are told. And as my favourite uncle was fond of saying, believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.

Although the main theme is horror, there's more. Barker writes with a tongue in cheek humour-
'What don't you do while I'm gone?'
'Open the door.'
'Except for the pizza guy.'
'Except for the pizza guy.'.....'What if the pizza guy is an axe wielding murderer and he wants to chop me into little pieces?'
'Well then, don't tip him.'

There is romance, and coming to grips with the reality of life and death, and adventure and heartbreak and action all wrapped into one package. And it works, brilliantly. I have in the past, and very recently, criticised authors for trying to pack too many genres into their work, of trying to be too many things to their readers. Barker proves that it can be done, and very successfully.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and yet it is surprisingly easy to keep track of them. Some of them are very ordinary, some are strange, and others just downright weird. All have depth and all, strangely, feel very real.

This book is eerie, and weird. It is enthralling and compelling. It will stay with me for a long time. I will especially remember it whenever I see a white SUV. This is a book that is going on my favourites shelf, and one that will be reread.

❤😱😱😱❤

'The light of morning reached through my window and tried to grab me under my mound of blankets.'

'She wore her uniform like a hanger with feet.'

'Potential parents paraded through in search of a good find, not unlike bargain shoppers at a yard sale.'

'You don't answer any of my questions.'.....'Maybe you should stop asking questions.'

And one quote that I think is particularly pertinent right now:'Of all things, I believe I'll miss the night sky the most. The absolute vastness of it, the unknown. While we're down here, fighting our pesky little battles, we're really just a little speck on the shoe of the universe. Any problem life may present seems so small, so insignificant, when you simply look up and realise your true place in all things.'

THE AUTHOR: J.D. Barker is the international best-selling author of numerous novels, including DRACUL and THE FOURTH MONKEY. He is currently collaborating with James Patterson. His novels have been translated into two dozen languages and optioned for both film and television. Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.

A note from J.D.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.

I would never go down to the basement.

Never.

I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.

Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.

I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hampton Creek Press (IBPA) via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J.D. Barker. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

tw: rape, home invasion, brutality, child abuse, alcoholism

'That's a mouthful for a title.' My first thought when I read the title. And that cover? It emits mystery but still bland personally. I thought this book was going to revolve around a dead/missing girl trope. Boy, I was wrong. COMPLETELY WRONG. (ps. I don't read the synopsis of the books I'm reading. I always just check the genres if I got it right.)

The story follows John Edward Thatch, a boy who persistently named himself as Jack, throughout the span of the almost forty years of his life. It started when Jack, at the age of 8 back then, met this girl sitting in a bench in the cemetery. He found that she appears and sits here with her book annually. When he asked, she gave him riddles instead. I advice to go blindly as possible for a better reading experience! Also bodies are being found almost at the same time of the year and an unknown evil locked far away is bidding his time.

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is a thriller/fantasy/romance story full of tension and complex characters. Probably one of the best books that I have read. Definitely a stand out from the rest. The writing here was highly compelling. I found myself turning the page again and again. Right from the beginning, I was already invested both with these characters and the story itself. Nothing here made my eye roll surprisingly. The characters, especially Jack, were fleshed out and nuanced. Their development through out the story was remarkable. As readers, we saw them fell in love, got their heart broke, did some questionable things and in the end did what was right. All of their misfortunes made them wholly human. I believe that the moment you start to feel for the characters, that's it. You'll just fall in love with the book itself. Their struggles are your struggles. Their heartaches feel real. These are the people who you will root for. The take on the villain was quite interesting. No tragic backstory, no conscience whatsoever. Just straight up wicked and vile. I wouldn't say that I liked this type of villain but he was written interestingly that it was difficult for me to look away.

Another thing that I loved in this was the family and friendship dynamics. Jack is an orphan from the very beginning but with Auntie Jo, who works in a diner, and Kendral, who owns it, he never felt that he was alone. These people are considered as his new found family. They were his constant support. As Jack's friends, Duncan and Willy backed him up in everything even though his actions themselves are questionable. I love their friendship until...... Let's just move on!

"I'm sorry. You were my friend, and I let you down. I let you down so many levels. I should have been there the whole time, and I wasn't. I'm here now, though. I want to make things right somehow." - Willy

"I know you have reservations about what happened, I know you don't believe me. I've made peace with that. Maybe someday you will, too. I wouldn't let you down back then, and I'm not about to do it now. You're my brother, man. Family." - Duncan. I adore genuine friendships in books.

Lastly, the twists in this were somehow good. Not shocking or bone-chilling to my taste but I'll take it. I wouldn't classify this book as horror. Nothing here was actually horrifying to me. If you enjoyed this as much as I did, I'm recommending Stephen King's The Institute. That book reminded me quite much when I was reading this. Happy reading!

What happened to Will though? It was implied in the end that he's from the enemy but I just couldn't believe it.

[Nikki Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

How in the hell am I supposed to give this book any justice? With 708 pages, Kindle Edition, we would be here quite a long time. I must admit that this story blew me away! This was not at all what I was expecting. It became so much more. Kudos to J.D Barker for his miraculous mind and the ability to take his readers through a splendid JOURNEY!

This is a vivid suspenseful thriller! At times, violently brutal. If you’re not one for a gruesome tale, do not read this. I found some of the scenes to be shocking and loved every minute of it! The author brought multiple genres together, truly fascinating! However, the elements of storytelling changed throughout. It’s a coming of age…. a lifelong love story, literary fiction that pulls from the novel Great Expectations. I found this story only better. Elements of sci-fi throughout turned this into something wicked! I’m not really a sci-fi kind of gal, well sometimes, but the level of it written in with so much detail is incredible. I felt captivated. You just cannot look away. Again, I cannot do this justice. The wild parts are the mysterious murders that can’t be explained nor solved. When these crimes were discovered, I thought WITF is actually going on?

Intrigued yet? I’m telling you, She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is probably the wildest ride I have ever been on! Fantastic, remarkable, gripping, and so so much more. The story should be made into a series! It’s that freaking good! Wanna be immersed in something special? A story like no other. It’s an automatic 5 ⭐️ !
A book not to be forgotten!

100 billion ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Marialyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing is for sure with a title such as this book has, one could certainly expect to be in for a surprise. With a book of close to eight hundred pages, this story's length might be one to discourage a reader. However, do yourself a favor and grab a copy for this is one heck of a story brilliantly told.

Jack Thatch is a young boy who is left bereft when his parents die in a car crash. Left to live with his hard working but very poor Aunt Jo, Jack's life look bleak and one where he will find little to be joyful about. One day, August 8th to be exact, while visiting his parents' graves, Jack meets, sitting on a bench, a young girl who is followed by a team of white clad people and cars. How very strange and mysterious! Stella becomes an enigma, a conundrum, a puzzlement to Jack. She will return at intervals on that same August 8th day, to the same bench this journey began on, always with those people in white. The odyssey of Jack and Stella commences.

There is something sinister, something eerie, something otherworldly about Stella, but the attraction Jack feels becomes stronger every year, and his heart becomes involved with a love that is tenacious and vibrant. There is not a day when Jack does not think of Stella for he is convinced she is his destiny. Meanwhile life goes on for Jack. He works with his aunt in a diner and the two of them scrimp and save to try to make ends meets. But mysterious things start happening. Jack receives five hundred dollars monthly, left on his bed, and has no idea where or how this money comes to be. He meets with Stella whenever she appears on August 8th, and they find common ground in the work of Dickens's Great Expectations. Jack becomes Stella's Pip.

There is much about Stella that is shrouded in mystery. Why the wearing of gloves and why is she accompanied to the graveyard by these white clad people with a women tender.......and then there are the bodies that are starting to surface. Bodies that seemed to have been burned and yet not burned. The police get involved. Detectives Fogel and Brier are on the trail especially since there seems to be a pattern of one dead body found on August 9th, the day after Jack and Stella's intermittent meetings.

There is another perplexing character, a boy D, who is locked away, harboring a terrible secret and ability. How he and the others figure into this enigma drives the story forward at a pace that takes one's breath away.

This is a love story, love in its many forms, familial, friendship, but ultimately, it is the love Jack has for Stella that brings this story full circle to a most amazing conclusion.

I totally fell in love with the book. It was one in which hours passed, and one more chapter became two, three or four. It was one where the middle of the night reading became the rule. It was just that good. So, do indeed take a look at this book. It has everything one loves in stories and through its masterful telling is able to weave a tale so intricate, so loving, so scary, so intriguing that the words you can't put this book down takes on new meaning.

Many thanks to J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this fantastic book due out on March 31, 2020.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, JD Barker, and Hampton Creek Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A fan of JD Barker and his off the wall work, I was happy to get my hands on this ARC of his latest standalone. This book kept me up late, wondering how things would fall into place, while also impressing me with the twists embedded in the narrative. John Edward ‘Jack’ Thatch suffered quite the loss when he was four, as both his parents died in an automobile accident. He visits their gravestones every year on August 8th and when he does so in 1984, young Jack meets Stella, a mysterious little girl. Captivated by her, Jack sees her every year on the same day, but cannot understand who she is there to see or what brings her back. With no parents of her own, Stella is accompanied by a group who wear white coats and travel in sleek vehicles. Jack’s infatuation grows over the years, though Stella remains aloof about his interest. Jack’s day-to-day life heats up in Pittsburgh as he becomes a teenager, particularly when his aunt passes away and leaves him a sum of money. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh PD have been chasing down a number of cold cases, all committed around August 8th. Each of the victims seems to be ‘scorched’ but the surroundings are untouched. Acting on some curious intel, the authorities wonder if Stella might be behind the murders, even though she was just a baby when they began. At the standoff, many die, but Stella is able to elude capture. She flees into the night, on the run for crimes about which she knows all too well. Jack also falls off the grid after learning his father kept a monumental secret from him, which could explain the connection to Stella. This baffling mystery might bring Jack and Stella even closer, while explaining some of the odd things taking place around Pittsburgh for so long. A mind-bending novel that only Barker could concoct. It will leave the reader more confused than when they started, but in the best possible way. Recommended to those who love something that challenges the norms of mystery and thriller writing.

When I first discovered JD Barker, I knew I was in for an exciting ride. His stories are never a simple A to B, meandering around and keeping the reader enthralled until the very end. There is so much to them that the reader must pay close attention and hope that their comprehension hat is firmly affixed. Jack is a wonderfully complex character who develops so well throughout this book, but seems to do so in fits and starts. His backstory is thorough and keeps revealing itself, much as his developments throughout will keep the reader trying to sketch out what they know and how it all fits. There is so much on the go and yet it does not seem overwhelming when taken in small doses. Others, including Stella, develop nicely throughout, as Barker peels back their layers to discover some wonderfully juicy tidbits of their own. Many characters complement what Jack is doing, though some take the story in many tangents. Speaking of the larger story, this is a massive one and goes in so many directions. That being said, Barker keeps it grounded enough that the reader can follow what is going on and see the progression with ease. Broken into multiple parts—which are themselves divided into ‘annual chapters’—the story is more easily digested, without losing the needed narrative momentum. I found myself in awe as I finished, to see where I had come in this reading journey. This book is not for the weak of heart or superficial reader, but I can assure any who take the journey, it will not be easily forgotten.

Kudos, Mr. Barker, for a great tale that took me on quite the adventure.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man. David Pickford is a beautiful man.

Now I understand why all my friends love this book.

It was everything I wanted from a fantasy. For me, it was like Heroes and X-man had a kid while an 80's soundtrack was playing.

How cool is that?

At the center of the storyline we have a few main characters:

Jack Thatch (or Pip): an eight-year-old boy who meets a girl on a bench while visiting his parent's grave on August 8, 1984. You see, Jack's parents died in a car accident and he was the sole survivor. His aunt Jo is now his guardian.

Stella Nettleton: the girl on the bench. The girl with an extraordinary vocabulary for her age. A girl who uses gloves and reads her favorite book by Dickens, Great Expectations. She will arrive year after year in a white SUV surrounded by people dressed in white.

Subject D: a boy who wears a mask. A boy with power so grand that he has to be confined for years.

Detective Faustino Brier: The cop who knows every year someone will die on August 8th. A body "burned but not burned" will appear. on August 9th.

Detective Joy Fogel: who will join forces with Brier to discover the mystery of his Wall of Weird.

Duncan "Dunk" Bellino: a kid who becomes Jack's friend. As a teenager, he will make some not so legit choices.

"Preacher": a guy with a good sense in cars.

With this fabulous cast, how can you not enjoy it? I certainly did. My heart was beating fast. The action at the end was non-stop leading to a very fulfilling culmination.

I do wish this was not the end.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is an exciting un-put-downable thriller. DON’T read the rest of this review. DON’T read any reviews. JUST dive into the book like I did based on all the unspoken promises in the amazing title and prepare yourself for the unexpected. Truly, you will find yourself fascinated by what’s being told. And, you won’t have a bloody clue where this yarn is going. Not a damn clue. JUST read the damn thing. C’mon now, it’s less than 800 pages (barely).

If you can’t however heed my warnings and you must know more, then read on. I feel much like Gene Wilder in Willie Wonka though imploring the children not to drink from the chocolate river, not to try to grab the golden goose, and not to get in the way of the real tv camera. I know you can’t help yourself but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

If anyone can convince us that Great Expectations (the book that English teachers 👩‍🏫 ruined for most of us) is worth reading, JD Barker has now made the argument. It is the key 🔑 to all the mysteries here (well. Some of them. Anyway). I never thought I would willingly discuss That Book again, but Stella thinks it’s the best book in the world.

It all begins with a young boy in a cemetery visiting his parents’ graves where he unwittingly meets a high and haughty spoiled princess who informs him that he is a dirty unmannered proletariat like Pip (read Great Expectations). And, once a year, the princess and her snooty entourage return and mock his comic books and his upbringing. And each year - on August 8th he waits for her (Stella) to return. He even reads that crazy book for her - you know, that book.

But it’s not just this tender sorta romance sorta sick infatuation. There’s more. Because there’s a twisted connection and between the bullets, the serial killings, the exploding diners, the mysterious benefactors, the secret cult of those dressed in white, you’ve got a Jane Hawke type thriller and a Jack Reacher wandering guy on the run thriller with good guys and bad guys and the fate of the world depending on them.

On the way, we are treated to magic and friendship and trust and distrust and family and not family and experiments gone wild.

The pacing is superb. The writing ✍️ designed to slowly but surely draw you in.

[Youssra (semi ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is a series of crossroads and most of the time they lead down one way streets.

5 stars



J.D. Barker is solidifying himself as one of my favorite thriller/mystery authors. This was just MASTERFUL. What a wild ride this book was. I feel like I can't even articulate the genius behind this book. Absolutely flawless execution. 👏

This book follows several different characters from childhood to adulthood. A boy, a mysterious girl and an unknown person being held captive and you get to see how these stories merge and how they are all connected.

This book is a hodgepodge of different genres including fantasy, crime, suspense and even romance and let me tell you.. it worked so wonderfully. There was not a moment in this book where I wasn't completely locked in trying to piece together whatever the hell was going on😅

Mr. Barker realllyyyyy trusts his readers and doesn't just spoon-feed them everything; he makes us work for it and I love that honestly. Guessing a twist in his books feels like an achievement and it is an achievement I have yet to unlock😩 because this man is a genius and I am but a lowly reader existing in his world 🧎‍♀️

The way all the clues and events just came together in the end was just.. WOW! HOW DO YOU DO IT😭 Also that final page??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?????😩

This is my 4th book by this author and will most definitely NOT be my last. I'm obsessed😌


----------------------------------------
Mr. Barker I couldn't stay away from you for too long. Blow my mind if you please😌

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wonderful thing about starting to read a book by J.D. Barker is that you never know where his weird and amazing imagination is going to take you. A consummate storyteller, he admits that he doesn't work to a plot outline and lets the book take him where it will and perhaps that is why it works so well for him.

As promised She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is not as dark as the 4MK trilogy but it is just as wondrous. We have two children who meet in a cemetery on 8th August every year, a little girl kept in a mansion surrounded by guards dressed in white, a boy kept locked in a sound proof room and carefully watched and studied every minute of the day and a detective who keeps what he calls a 'wall of weird' documenting bodies that have turned up over the years their flesh and internal organs strangely burnt but their clothes intact.

Jack Thatch is the narrator who meets the little girl, Stella (Estella) Nettleton in the cemetery in 1984 when they are both eight years old. Jack is with his Auntie Jo visiting the graves of his parents, killed in a car crash four years previously. Stella is sitting on a bench reading her favourite book, 'Great Expectations'. As in the book, Stella's parents are also dead and she lives in a mansion with a guardian. She decides Jack can become her Pip. Even though they speak for only a few minutes and won't meet again for another year, it's the start of a lifelong obsession for Jack and he becomes compelled to seek Stella out to find out more about her.

Although this is a long book, I enjoyed every minute of it. All the strange and unusual pieces fit together so well in a perfectly made jigsaw - Stella's isolated and privileged existence, Jack's strange dreams about his father, the mystery boy in the locked room, the people in white and their ever present white cars and the strangely burnt people. Great characters and a fabulously original tale full of suspense, intrigue, friendship and love, just as a great novel should be.

With many thanks to Hampton Creek Press and Netgalley for providing a copy to read

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J. D. Barker has been classified as horror, thriller, mystery and fantasy. To me, it was more of a supernatural romantic suspense than a horror suspense story.

Jack Thatch was orphaned as a child and was raised by his Auntie Jo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Every year they visit the cemetery where his parents are buried on August 8. At eight years old, he sees Stella on a bench in the cemetery. They talk briefly and he doesn’t see her again for another year. He thinks about her constantly and she is always accompanied by a woman in white who stands guard.

On August 9, a man’s body is found in an alley. Every inch of the flesh is burned, but the clothing is untouched. This isn’t the first time such a body has been found and Detective Faustino Brier is determined to find the killer.

A small boy listed as Subject “D” is locked in a lab and speaks only to his deaf doctor who reads lips. His power is immense and terrifying. What is it and how did it happen. What will become of the little boy?

The three story lines are intertwined, but how and why? The characters have depth. Their choices aren’t always what we would want them to make, but under the circumstances, made sense to them. Jack’s fascination and instant obsession with Stella seemed a little over-the-top to me as it continued to last over the years.

The book is more than 700 pages long, but it felt like it was half that. The pace, except for the last part, wasn’t fast, but it kept me fully engaged. An overall theme that came through to me was that of family, community, friends, and neighbors. But it was also about secret medical labs and the repercussions of uncontrolled experiments and the obsessions with unsolved police cases.

Overall, the novel was engrossing, emotional, compelling, fascinating, and very original. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I would like to read another by him.

I received a digital copy of this book from Hampton Creek Press and the author in a Goodreads Giveaway. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was March 31, 2020.

[Alan Cotterell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for my review
I highly recommend this book, but make sure you don't have anything planned, as once you turn the first page. It is impossible to put down. This book is right up there with the 4MK trilogy, as one hell of a literary ride. The story line was well thought out and written with fantastic characters that are well drawn and developed. This is a multi-genre mystery, thriller, paranormal, love story.
The story takes you from 1978 all the way through to 2020, with the main character Jack hiding from the mysterious people in white, while he is constantly trying to follow Stella. There is so much going on in this story, that you read furiously, trying to catch up and anticipate what is next. Just when you think you have worked it all out, then something happens to say “no, you are wrong” or “close but not quite”
This is a very long book approx. 770 pages, but there are no wasted words, paragraphs etc, that I sometimes find in much shorter books.
Worth a lot more than 5 stars.

[Helga چـو ایـران نباشد تن من مـباد · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Life is a series of crossroads, and most of the time, they lead down one-way streets.”

Ladies and Gentlemen!
May I have your attention please?
I declare this book deliciously delectable. This book ROCKED! I am rocked!
I deliberately read it at a snail’s pace in order to savor every little detail, every sentence and every instance.

I love Charles Dickens and have read and cherished almost all of his work. I read Great Expectation for the first time when I was 12 and reread it a couple of years ago. Although this book is inspired by the masterpiece, it is brilliant and refreshing in its own right.

The characters (some lovable, some pleasant and a few despicable) are so well-developed and wonderfully sketched, that little by little you realize you have become a member of the family, a part of their lives and at the end, when the time to say goodbye is fast approaching (all good things must come to an end) you find yourself addicted, mesmerized, haunted.

“A moment can be an eternity, if we let it.”

Every year on August 8, on the anniversary of his patents’ death, Jack Thatch and his aunt Jo go to the cemetery and visit their graves. One day on August 8, Jack sees a girl sitting on a bench in the cemetery. Her name is Stella, she carries Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and she calls Jack “Pip”.

“I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.”
-Charles Dickens, Great expectations

Dear reader, if you like suspense and mystery, then this book is for you. If you like an enjoyable love story, then this book is for you. If you like to lose yourself for a while in the land of fantasy, then this book is for you. You’re going to be in for the ride of your life.

Thanks to J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press and the NetGalley for the book.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! I’m stunned that I’ve never read J.D. Barker before. I will definitely be fixing that mistake!

This book spanned decades and the length was a little intimidating at first. But I was immediately drawn into the story and vivid characters. They took on a life of themselves and will be on my mind for awhile.

It’s hard to put the story in just one category so I recommend to horror, mystery, and thriller readers. *Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Warrengent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent from start to finish, highly recommended, and thanks J.D.Barker for having the time to answer my questions and book recommendations.

[Kat (Books are Comfort Food) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this for my first read of the year based on recommendations from my Goodreads friends. I was not disappointed and I thank you dear friends for expanding my book world.

This beautiful, yet haunting book is a luxurious read. It all begins on August 8, 1984 where three significant things occur:

1. An 8-year old Jack meets a beautiful young girl, Stella, at a bench in a cemetery. She’s reading her favorite book, Great Expectations, for which there are multiple references and overlays between the two books. While She is conceited and mean to Jack, he seems unaffected and for the next year he obsesses over Stella, history repeating itself over many years.
2. A strange and unexplainable killing happens behind Jack’s house in a fairly isolated alley.
3. A test subject named, “D” is monitored closely, 7x24, in a permanent cell and for which no one is allowed to talk with him in real-time.

The book’s mysteries from long ago and the present intermingle like smoke; dancing ghosts that mesmerize and dovetail upward until our eyes can no longer linger on nothingness. That is, until they return again, and once again, we are under their spell.

I loved many of the characters in this book. I both smiled and cried for them, even some of the bad guys. When the book ended I was sad, mourning their loss and wanting to know more. Rarely does a book make me feel this way. I knew the book was long at 700+ pages. But instead of rushing to finish my first book in my 2021 reading goals, I intentionally slowed down so that I could enjoy this wonderful journey. I also thought about this book hours after I finished, thinking back on the bits I could savor again. I’m happy this was my first book of the year and it will be placed under favorite all-time reads and favorite books of this year.

Thank you J.D. Barker for an astonishing gift!

[Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last summer I read the 4MK series in a little more than a week and it instantly became one of my favorite thrillers ever, so when I saw on NG that its author had a new book coming out I requested it even without reading the blurb and I'm so glad I did.

"She has a broken thing where her heart should be" was a mesmerizing read. It's a multi-genre story with so many layers I got sucked in almost from page one. It is a friendship tale, a thriller, a coming of age story, an 80s kids adventure, a secret experiments mystery, a road trip journey... but above all it is a love story spanning decades. I couldn't stop reading specially for the first half of the book. I just needed to know more about what was happening. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a big fan of sci-fi/supernatural stories where baffling events happen, but here it was told in such an enthralling way I didn't even care for my reticences.

Even though it is almost 800 pages long, it doesn't feel long at all. The characters are so well developed that you even care for the secondary ones, suffering along with Jack when something bad happens. It gave me some serious Stephen King/X-files vibes and I couldn't help myself imagining some scenes on the big screen (that final confrontantion with the villain gave me chills!)

Highly recommended story with a premise so original that you will find yourself glued to the pages. With this book J.D. Barker has got me to read anything he writes from now on whatever the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Indieflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute corker! So much to enjoy here, part coming of age, part love story, part adventure, it covers so much - love of family, friendship and heartbreak, it's all there. It's another mighty tome 774 pages but I was completely engaged throughout, loving the characters both good and bad and also I loving the way the story referenced Great Expectations. There's something of an X-Men vibe and more than a whiff of Firestarter, in fact I found it very King-esque, probably why I liked it so much. The only thing I didn't like was the title, it's not one to slip off the tongue easily and I feel it doesn't fit the story that well. I've only previously read one JD Barker but I'll definitely be on the lookout for more, 5 big fat shiny stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowsers! I absolutely loved this book. My favourite read for 2020 so far. Saying anything about the plot will give too much away, but I can tell you that it is part coming-of-age, part adventure, part fantasy, part mystery, part conspiracy, part horror and it had a pretty thrilling ending.

My friend Mort often mentions songs that go with the book he is reviewing. This book really invoked Ava Adore by The Smashing Pumpkins. The lyrics are perfect for it. Actually the Pumpkins with Billy Corgan’s nasal voice (at a deafening volume) provided the soundtrack to a few dark years for me in the 90’s and early 00’s. Of course part of this book was set in that era too. It really brought back some memories - some good and some ... not so much. I’ll have to go listen to them again 😁.

We follow the main character, Jack Thatch, from a geeky eight year old through into adulthood and beyond. Life throws an awful lot of manure at Jack and he deals with it - sometimes badly, sometimes rising to the occasion but at all times we are rooting for him, for his dogged perseverance.

This was a long book, e-books don’t have page numbers but it is around 800 or so pages long and yet it doesn’t feel anywhere near that long. You are in it for the journey and, for me, it finished too soon. This is nothing like the author’s 4MK trilogy. I was captivated, the characters were brought to life and I could not put this down. Thanks to Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press and especially J.D. Barker for my review copy. I wish I could give it more stars!

If you enjoyed Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, I am confident you will enjoy this, it has a similar ‘vibe’.