I've been seeing this book everywhere for a while now, and since I'd heard quite a few good things about it, I thought that it was worth checking itI've been seeing this book everywhere for a while now, and since I'd heard quite a few good things about it, I thought that it was worth checking it out. This book starts out like a pretty standard thriller with some agoraphobia thrown in there, but then it just keeps going. You think everything's going to come together, and then it falls apart again. There came a point where I honestly thought that the main character was just making things up.
This book is beautifully put together, and it handles some mental health areas very well, despite using them to serve the thriller plot. It helps Anna become a wonderful, unreliable narrator, but is still respectful of her situation. It made for one hell of a journey.
All in all, this was a great thriller, and it kept me trying to figure out what the hell was going until the big reveal at the end of the story. If you enjoy thrillers, unreliable narrators, and family dramas, you should definitely check out The Woman in the Window!...more
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a bit on the fence with this book, because historical storiesI received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a bit on the fence with this book, because historical stories tend to not be my thing. But the whole concept of the mother's legacy and then the murder mystery, so I figured that I'd give it a shot and see what happened.
And it turned out to be a really enjoyable story overall. It's not quite what you expect, because the synopsis makes it sound like it's going to be mostly about the murder mystery, and it ends up being quite a bit about town drama and romance. But even with that, it was a good story and a really fun read.
The Good Points of Girl at the Grave:
There's a really great atmosphere throughout the book that gives it just the hint of the feel of a horror story, even though there are no ghosts and nothing particularly horror-like throughout the novel. It keeps you hooked into the whole story and makes you want to read another chapter, even though it's the middle of the night.
I really enjoyed the characters throughout the story, both the major ones and the minor ones. They're all fun to read about and distinctive from one another, and they really drive the story. Rowan's grandmother definitely takes the cake though, and was by far my favourite.
How the mystery came together was a lot of fun. It's not the most difficult to figure out, but it takes a lot of great twists and turns on the way and it comes together beautifully in the end.
The pacing through this book is great, and it moves along at the perfect pace to keep you hooked and wanting to continue reading.
The Downsides of Girl at the Grave:
As mentioned, the synopsis is a little misleading, because it spends a lot of time focusing on town drama and romance compared to the mystery.
The romance in this story was rather dull. It's yet another love triangle, and it's not even an interesting one at that. It's just the same old stuff, and it never really gets anywhere, and it's rather boring. The characters are great, which does help, but the romance isn't so much.
I found the whole thing with Valentine's parentage to be a little random. It didn't really add anything to the story, and it just seemed a convenient way to tie up some ends of the story. If it had been left out, nothing would have changed.
All in all, this was a fun read, and I enjoyed the way that Valentine's story weaved in and out. If you enjoy murder mysteries that take place in historical time frames, clean and simple romances, and great characters, you should check out Girl at the Grave!...more
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of those books where I saw the cover and readI received a copy of this book from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of those books where I saw the cover and read the description and knew I had to read it, because it just looked like all of my favourite things tied together into one book. Weird brain things, going up on a space ship, science research, and something described as thriller? Yes, please!
What made it even better was that this book turned out to be so good. I was hooked into the book right away, desperate to know what was going to happen next, and so annoyed at the rest of my life for taking away the time I had to actually get some reading done. The characters were a little confusing, but so darn likeable, and the book speeds by like a runaway train until you're ready to scream at it for not telling you what the hell is going on. Hart has got that whole cliffhanger thing down as well, which doesn't help you at all.
The Good Points of Obscura:
This book was so insanely fast paced that it's amazing you don't get whiplash, but at the same time, you never feel like things are going so fast that you're missing something. It's the perfect balance of pacing and information, and it's done so dang well.
There's always the worry when it comes to science fiction like this that it'll go over my head with information, because while I have studied some science, isn't not something I've taken to an advanced level. This is pretty complex, but it's explained well throughout, and simplified enough for the lay person to understand, without making it sound dumbed down.
I loved all of the characters in this, even the ones I'm probably not supposed to like. I got confused with some of the more minor characters, but this didn't make much difference as their roles were minor. In terms of Gillian and the other main folks that come up, they were so much fun and well put together. Could have used more development, but the book is only 300-odd pages, and you can only pack so much into it.
This book and the drama that unfolds is so well thought out and detailed. There are little things that come up, only to have a perfectly logical explanation later on, though they made no sense at the time. This helps with having an unreliable main character, what with her addiction, but I loved finding out details as they came to light.
The Downsides of Obscura:
I wanted more from this book. More plot, more explanations, more details about what was going on. It sometimes felt like I was just getting an overview, rather than the whole story.
The minor characters were super confusing, and I kept mixing them up. They weren't super important, so for the most part it didn't matter, but it would have been nice to not have to be looking back, trying to figure out who so-and-so was.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I am definitely going to be checking out more by Joe Hart in future. If you enjoy science fiction, thrillers, The Martian, or medical science, you should definitely check out Obscura!...more
This book was lent to me after a discussion with a friend about thrillers and ones that really stood out. I'll admit that was a bit hesitant, becauseThis book was lent to me after a discussion with a friend about thrillers and ones that really stood out. I'll admit that was a bit hesitant, because I've been finding that so many thrillers are repetitive. I was promised that this was full of great twists and would be hard to put down.
And yeah, it was a bit on the predictable side, in terms of the twists. Humans are pretty predictable, even in their worst moments. But the promise that it was full of twists and the difficulty to put it down was dead on. I read this book in two days, because I needed to know what was going to happen next, and who was going to screw everything up this time. It ended up being super entertaining, and I'm glad that I gave it a go.
The Good Points of The Couple Next Door:
The plot twists and the timing for when these things were revealed was absolutely brilliant. Just as you're thinking that you've got something figured out, another detail is dropped and you're starting from scratch. Likewise, the pacing throughout is fantastic.
Unreliable witnesses and unreliable characters always make for great stories, and this was no exception. This book is written in third person, and somehow the author manages to keep the characters interpretations and knowledge unreliable, which is a skill in and of itself.
There's a lot packed into this book, but it never feels over heavy or bogged down with details. Everything fits together like a puzzle, and it's brilliant.
The Downsides of The Couple Next Door:
At some points, this book felt a little ridiculous. There came a point in the book where the focus had completely shifted from where the baby was to who the kidnapper was, which would be one thing for the detective, but seemed strange with so many parents and parent figures involved in the story. As well, the who set up of the mystery got a little crazy at points where it felt like there was no way this could really happen, despite being set in the real world.
The characters were pretty underdeveloped and caricature-y. This is pretty common for thrillers, but I think it would have added a bit more to the story if there was more to the players involved.
All in all, this book was a compulsive page turner and horribly addictive to read, though it was a little out there in terms of pulling it all together. If you like domestic thrillers, unreliable characters, and addictive books, you should definitely check out The Couple Next Door! ...more
This book has been on my radar for a while now, and when I got the chance to listen to the audiobook, I jumped for it. In retrospect, listening to theThis book has been on my radar for a while now, and when I got the chance to listen to the audiobook, I jumped for it. In retrospect, listening to the audiobook while I drove might not have been the best idea, because I ended up quite confused through some parts of the book, but I did end up enjoying it once I figured it all out.
I did find the first part of this book rather slow. I get that it was building up the characters and the backstory, but it seemed to take forever to get something to happen. Once we got past all of that, it was engrossing and fascinating though.
There are a lot of common tropes throughout the story, and a lot of the stuff you find in this book are things that you seen in many of these thriller novels. There is a good twist in the end that threw me for a loop, which was a pleasant surprise. The characters I could take or leave, but they made for a good story, so that's something.
As a heads up, trigger warning for abusive relationships for this one.
All in all, I did enjoy this book, and I'm definitely curious to see what else Mackintosh has to offer. If you like good twists, ocean or small town settings, and thrillers that revolve around women, you should definitely check out I Let You Go!...more
I received a copy of this book through Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
I've been slowly diving into Ruth Ware's books, soI received a copy of this book through Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
I've been slowly diving into Ruth Ware's books, so when this one showed up in my mailbox, I was stoked. And this one sounded particularly good. Crazy family drama, tarot cards playing a role, and a comparison to Agatha Christie? Yes, please!
For the first time maybe ever where a comparison to another amazing author has been made (because let's be honest, that's almost always a lie because the new book is never as good as the books they're comparing it to), this book felt so much like an Agatha Christie novel. If you liked And Then There Were None or Murder on the Orient Express, you are definitely going to love this book. Ware has managed to take the atmosphere and style of Christie, and not only make it her own, but make it perfect for the new generation of mystery readers.
This book was so good! I had a hard time setting this down because I so desperately needed to know what was going on with Hal and what the whole mystery was and how this dang book was going to end. I might have even begged off of some social stuff just so I could get further in the book. And it was definitely a satisfying one. I had no idea how it was going to turn out.
The Good Points of The Death of Mrs. Westaway:
The atmosphere of this book was so good. No matter what weather or setting was described, this book was creepy and never felt particularly comfortable, which is so perfect for a thriller like this.
I loved the intricacies of the family and how they interact and relate to each other. The history between the family members comes out so well in their interactions and how they talk about each other. It's a little thing, but it really adds to this book.
I really enjoyed Hal's character. Overall, she wasn't anything special or unique in the world of protagonists, but her personality was a great fit for this story.
The way this book twisted and turned throughout and the pacing at which things were revealed was brilliant. Just when you think that you've got something figured out, another piece gets revealed and you're back to square one with trying to figure it out. I had no idea what that it was going to turn out this way.
The way that Ware integrates the tarot and the concepts from the cards into the story is so good. You find it throughout the entire story, and it really adds to the atmosphere and creepiness of the story.
The Downsides of The Death of Mrs. Westaway:
Some parts of this book were slow as molasses. They never lasted long, but there were a couple of parts that were a struggle to get through.
As mentioned, though I thought it worked out well, I would have liked more from Hal. She just wasn't that interesting, she acted younger than she was supposed to be, and she didn't add much to the story. She was just how we figured out what was going on with the rest of the family.
All in all, this book was so good and I enjoyed it so much. Ruth Ware is taking modern thrillers to an entirely new level with this book, and it's definitely a must-read for 2018. If you like family drama, fortune telling, and secrets, you definitely need to check out The Death of Mrs. Westaway!...more
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've been on a kick for thrillers lately, and so when this popped upI received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've been on a kick for thrillers lately, and so when this popped up in my inbox as a potential review read from NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to give it a go. I'd heard good things about Lisa Jewell in the past from other reviewers, and her books had always been on my radar, so this seemed like the perfect chance to give her stuff a go.
And I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It wasn't the most original mystery in the world, and it wasn't too hard to figure out where it was all going in the end, but the writing was great, I liked the characters, and it was such an easy, intriguing read that it was rather hard to set it down.
Of all the mysteries I read, this was the one that felt most like a classic, along the lines of Agatha Christie. It's almost like the author keeps you at arms length (which I found Christie did) so that the focus is really on the mystery and you're not getting overly involved with the characters. Which may be a thing that doesn't work for everyone, but I rather liked it.
The Good Points of Then She Was Gone:
The pacing in this book was insanely fast, but you never feel like you miss anything. Even though it was flying by, I never had to go back and reread any part. Which also meant that I got though this book in record time.
The mystery was well set up. It's not the greatest mystery, and you kind of know where it's going, but it's one of those where you know where it's going to go and you're just not sure how you're going to end up there. It made for a fun read, and I was pleased that I was pretty close in the end.
All the characters in this book were strange, which was both a nice change of pace from the stereotypical characters that often end up in mysteries and enjoyable to read about. They're not super well developed, but they were unique enough to make up for that fact.
The Downsides of Then She Was Gone:
This book alternates between two first person perspectives and two third person perspectives, which was a little confusing. The third person ones at least indicated when it was Ellie's story over Laurel's, but the first person ones were not labeled and while they were not hard to figure out, it would have been nice to have some indication from the start.
As already mentioned, it was predictable, and while it had some fun twists, it didn't really bring much new to the table.
This may be me nitpicking, but the ending bugged me, because I do not believe for a moment it would be as simple as that. There would be so much legal paperwork and police stuff and what have you to make something like that work in real life. And I know it's a book, and I know it's possible that part was just left out, but it was all I could think as I read the ending.
All in all, I enjoyed Then She Was Gone. It was a fun thriller, had some interesting characters, and was so fast paced that it was hard to put down. However, it was a bit predictable, the ending bugged me, and I perpetually want something new to add to the thriller genre than the same old stuff. If you enjoy British mysteries, family (especially of the dysfunctional variety) drama, and great writing, you should definitely check out Then She Was Gone....more
I'd been in the mood for a good thriller lately, so when I came across this book in Chapters I thought it was exactly what I wanted. I was reallyI'd been in the mood for a good thriller lately, so when I came across this book in Chapters I thought it was exactly what I wanted. I was really intrigued by the idea of a mystery set in a hospital, especially with Frank's role in the whole thing given his condition, and was eager to see how it all went down.
And I actually ended up really enjoying this book. It was fast paced and easy to read, but didn't sacrifice the story. The mystery itself is a little predictable, but there's enough thrown in there to throw you off the scent and make you second guess yourself, which is more than I can say for most thrillers I've read to date.
The Good Points of If You Knew Her:
The writing for this book is perfect for the genre. It tells the story and gives you the details that you need, but ultimately gets out of the way so that you can get wrapped up in the story. Not what I would have expected for a debut author, which was a great surprise.
I liked how Elgar did the alternating perspectives. This is something I'm generally not big on because it can take away from the story, but because the three characters were seeing and involved in three very different things, it worked great for this story.
I enjoyed all the characters in this, and how they all came together and fell apart. They're nothing particularly unique or different to the thriller genre, but they all fit well, which was nice.
There were some great moments that threw you off the scent for who had done it. It's a fairly predictable book, but the author puts just enough in there to make you second guess what you had originally thought, which made it fun to read.
The Downsides of If You Knew Her:
There was a plot line with Alice that felt unnecessary and took away from the overall mystery. I won't say much because of spoilers, but it was one thing that just didn't fit in and didn't matter to the rest of the story.
As far as thrillers go, this book is pretty generic. It follows the same typical tropes and clichés, and though they're put together in a fun, interesting way, there's nothing new coming to the table with this book.
All in all, I did enjoy If You Knew Her, and I'm definitely going to be checking out what sort of stuff Elgar puts on the table next. If you enjoy the 'girl' mystery type books, weird family relationships, and hospital settings for books, you'll likely enjoy If You Knew Her!...more
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
There are so many murder mysteriesI received a copy of this book through NetGalley from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
There are so many murder mysteries out there these days that it almost seems like it's hard for someone to come up with something new and different. This was what immediately caught my attention about this particular book. I've heard lots of stories of people being fascinated by murders and such, but to go and dig up a bodies for fun? That's a new one (for me anyway. For all I know it has happened in other stories/on television).
And all in all, the book was pretty good. It was an enjoyable read, I didn't have half a clue where it was going half of the time, and I rather enjoyed the main character and how he handled things throughout the story. It doesn't come across as a particularly realistic story, but that's what books are for, right?
The Good Points of Find You In The Dark:
I really enjoyed how the mystery progressed. It was a fun change of pace from your standard thriller, and I liked how it all came together in the end. It was a brilliant idea, and it was well executed in this book.
I enjoyed the main character. He was ridiculous and an idiot most of the time, despite clearly being a smart dude, but that's part of the charm. Martin is designed in such a way that you're cool with the fact that he's so strange because it just fits everything you know about him so well.
I felt the pacing was good. It could have gone a little faster without sacrificing anything, but it worked for this story, and didn't by any means feel slow or draggy.
The Downsides of Find You In The Dark:
I do not believe for a single second that Martin could have done all of this for so long and gotten away without anyone thinking he was up to anything strange, which worked for the story but took away from the believability of it (and it's set in real world, so you need some aspect of believability). There's no way he could have hidden all that for so long. If nothing else, his kid would have snooped, because I have never met someone who didn't snoop in their parents' things as a kid/teen. His wife probably would have too, based on her presentation in the story. Not to mention his frequent camping trips and strange supplies. It was far too convenient, and it took away from the story. It would have been nice to see him work harder for it, and would have made for a better book.
The multiple points of view worked for the story, but it would have been better if it had just fully been written in third person. Or just put it in one point of view. Either would have benefitted, because the changes were annoying and confusing.
There's a whole lot of no character development in this book. Which can be fine for a thriller, but in this case, it resulted in me not caring whether whether anyone lived/died/got caught/whatever, because I didn't know enough about them to care. We get Martin's point of view, and I still didn't care about him.
All in all, this is a good thriller, with a great ending, and lots of good twists and turns throughout. There were just some things throughout that left me unable to rate it any higher than three stars, and I'll be surprised if I remember what happened in this book in a couple of months time. If you enjoy twisted thrillers, unique murder mysteries, and rich protagonists, you should definitely check out Find You In The Dark!...more
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book expecting a crazy psychological thrillerI received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book expecting a crazy psychological thriller revolving around Oliver and the chaos that led up to him hitting his wife. That's the way that it's presented when you read the synopsis.
What you actually end up with is an interesting character study and history about Oliver. Which is good - he's led quite the life and has had a lot of stuff go down. But I wouldn't say it's a thriller of any sort. It's a fun read, but I wouldn't say that the result was thrilling in any way. But perhaps I'm just desensitized to such books.
This book 'unravels' the main character by way of describing a long, complicated history, and details the events that led to the point that is mentioned in the first sentence. It's a good way to do it, if only it were a bit more exciting and a bit less confusing as we went through.
The Good Points of Unraveling Oliver:
The way the author reveals the history is done well, and the timing is great. Just when you're starting to wonder if it's worth continuing with the story, another detail gets dropped on you and you're pulled back into the story.
The writing itself is great. Nugent is a talented storyteller and she knows how to capture an audience and have them wrapped around their finger so that they keep coming back to the story.
The opening of the book is brilliant. From that very first line, you just need to know what's going to happen, and you're desperate to find a few minutes to read so you can find out what the hell is going on in this story. This does taper off later on in the book, but it makes for one hell of an opening.
The character of Oliver is so well developed and laid out. There were so many details to his psychology and life, and he felt like someone you'd recognize as you walked down the street.
The Downsides of Unraveling Oliver:
Show, don't tell! This book is all people telling you what happened and what was happening, but we didn't actually get to see a whole lot through the story. We're just told about it, which was rather annoying.
The most exciting part of this book was the beginning. It goes downhill from there, and you don't get the same excitement as you did in the beginning.
There were so many points of view in this book, and a good half of the time, I had no idea who was actually talking. There were a couple of that I was able to keep up with, but there were so many names that came up to tell their story where all I could think was 'wait, who???'. It made for a really confusing story.
While the various twists of this book were plotted out well, the build up wasn't great. Though I wouldn't have guessed in the beginning what was going to happen with Oliver, as different points were brought up through the book, it was pretty easy to figure out.
All in all, this was an alright book, but it was too confusing and there was too much telling for my tastes. The concept for the book was good and the plot twists would have been stellar, if they hadn't been so obvious in the lead up. If you like easier thrillers that aren't going to keep you up at night, complex characters, or lots of points of view in a story, you should definitely check out Unraveling Oliver!...more
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Most of the time I was reading this book, all I could think was 'dang, this would makeI received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Most of the time I was reading this book, all I could think was 'dang, this would make one hell of a movie'. Between the atmosphere, the characters, the setting, and all the details that went into this one, it would make for a crazy ride of a film. I would definitely go see it.
Maybe because I just didn't read it properly, but I didn't realize that this was going to be a horror novel when I went into it. It made for a very pleasant surprise when all the visions (which I know now is mentioned in the synopsis, but totally missed that the first time around) and chaos started up. It's got all the usual horror stuff going for it, and the premise and build up probably won't surprise you much. But once it gets going, you're in for one hell of a ride.
The Good Points of Sleep Savannah Sleep:
I loved the way Cross took a bunch of fairly standard horror plot points and characters and twisted them for his own purposes. It made it an interesting read, because it kept throwing you off what you expected. And then the ending comes around and leaves you wondering how you missed that through the whole book, because hindsight is 20/20 and all that.
Actually, the ending deserves a point all of its own.
I thought that the world building was well done. It's not a long book, and you don't get tonnes of description and setting, but it's enough that you can easily picture the small town, the buildings, the carnivals, and other locations that come up. Cross keeps things pretty simple on the setting front, which works brilliantly.
Horror is always a tricky genre for me, because without the accompanying soundtrack, I often find that the atmosphere is missing from the story. But Cross does a fantastic job of creating and maintaining the atmosphere throughout the book, which keeps you so hooked into the story.
The Downsides of Sleep Savannah Sleep:
It does use a lot of the same old tropes that we've seen a million and one times. And while Cross does a great job of changing things up, it would have been nice to get some variety as well.
Maybe it was just me, as no one else seems to mention this, but I found the first half or so of the book a bit all over the place, like it was having trouble getting settled. It all gelled well later on, but seemed to take some time to get to that point.
All in all, I really enjoyed Sleep Savannah Sleep, and will definitely be keeping an eye out to see if Cross does anything like this again. It's a great little novel along the lines of classic horror, and will likely appeal to fans of murder mysteries as well. If you enjoy straight forward horror, the idea of the dead being able to communicate with us, and crazy dreams, you'll likely enjoy Sleep Savannah Sleep!...more
This book was so bizarre and twisty and I actually really enjoyed it. Half the time, I had absolutely no idea what was going, and even after it wasThis book was so bizarre and twisty and I actually really enjoyed it. Half the time, I had absolutely no idea what was going, and even after it was done, I was too sure about some of the stuff, because it was rather out there. The characters and atmosphere of this book definitely make up for it though. It's got a major Halloween vibe, and not just because it's set around then. But it's beautifully told and will make you question what you know to be real. I've read some comments that this is one of those books that are for people who like specific styles of writing, which I would agree with, though it worked great for me.
My only real complaint about this book was that it was super predictable, even in it's weirdness. You kind of knew where things were going the whole time, and who was behind things. But all in all, a very enjoyable read....more
I received a copy of this book from Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
You never know what you're getting when you go into aI received a copy of this book from Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
You never know what you're getting when you go into a thriller. Some are great, some are bad, most fall somewhere in the middle. But there was something really intriguing about this book that made me very excited to pick it up.
And holy macaroni, this was good. You know that slightly panicky feeling you get in your chest when you watch scary movies too late in the evening? I definitely got a bit of that with this book. It was twisty and turny and will keep you guessing until you find out just who was behind this whole thing. I'm usually pretty good at guessing who the killer is in these sorts of books, but this one was hard! I got part of it, but not until the very end, and I missed most of the most important aspects.
The Good Points of The Bakersville Dozen:
The twists and red herrings are amazing in this book. Every time you think you've got it sorted, someone else shows up and makes you question everything you had previously thought. You get to the point where you start wondering if you were the one to make this video because everyone else has been questioned and pardoned.
The pacing is perfect. Just enough to keep you hooked and mildly panicked, but not so fast that you find yourself getting lost over and over.
Despite the fast pace and the thriller element, there was a solid backstory for this book, which is not something we always get. It's developed well, which just makes the ending even more dramatic when you reach that point. I don't feel at all like there was anything missing when it came to the big reveal.
I loved the how the love story played into this book, which isn't something I say a lot. But it fit so well into the story, and provided the perfect plot device to get some characters from one place to another and to create the perfect tension and suspense to really drive this book. It's a triangle, but we'll forgive it in this case, because it just works so well.
The Downsides of The Bakersville Dozen:
There was barely any comment on the slut-shaming and misogyny and degradation of these girls. It was almost like Bailey didn't care that she and the other girls were being objectified. And I guess when it's life or death and your friends are getting kidnapped, but I still wish that this had been explored a bit more.
Very little character development, which is common in these sorts of books. I barely knew anything about Bailey though, let alone any of the other characters, and I feel like it would have been even more addictive if I actually knew and cared about the characters a bit more.
Now that I've finished the book, the whole mystery is a bit ridiculous. I know anything possible, but this seemed to push the boundaries of reasonable. However, this wasn't something that I really noticed until after finishing the book, so it doesn't really affect the reading.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, fast-paced thriller that could have kept me up all night easily. If you enjoy thrillers, whodunits, scary movies that involve a serial killer or something along the lines of Scream, you'll likely enjoy The Bakersville Dozen....more
I read Josh Malerman's Bird Box about a year ago, and absolutely loved it. So when I saw that he had a new book available, I knew I had to get myI read Josh Malerman's Bird Box about a year ago, and absolutely loved it. So when I saw that he had a new book available, I knew I had to get my hands on it and see how it was. I was particularly curious about this one because it had to do with musicians and sound, and I wanted to see how those worked into this story, especially as a musician myself.
While this didn't quite live up to Bird Box, this book was fantastic. When I finished it, I looked over at my partner who was reading beside me, and said, "What the hell did I just read," because it's one of those books that are so out there that you're not sure if you're actually reading it or if you're just descending into insanity. It's confusing and deep and philosophical and creepy and everything else that I loved about Bird Box, but about music and sound. But it did take me a few days to sit down and write this review, because it took me that long just to make sense of what I had just read.
The Good Points of Mad Black Wheel:
This book is addictive as hell. You dive into it and get going, and it's hard to put it down. It's just fast paced enough to keep you hooked, but not so much so that you feel like you miss information as you go. With it not being that long of a book, you'll fly through this no problem.
The chapters jump back and forth between present day and past, and they're not marked in any way, but it's not at all hard to keep track of what time we're in. Time markers would have been nice, but they were pleasantly not needed, which is nothing something you can say about many books.
I read and watch a lot of thrillers and horror stories, and I don't have anything that quite compares with Malerman's twisted stories. And this book is no except. The idea, and how it's executed and built up is so incredibly brilliant, and there's nothing I can even compare it to except for his other book. I also absolutely loved how music and sound come into play in this book and how it was used. If you've got any connection to music, this will resonate with you.
The Downsides of Mad Black Wheel:
The characters are barely developed and their relationships are weird. It's not unlike what Malerman did in Bird Box, but it didn't work as well this time around. We spent a lot of time with our main character and his love interest (also, insta-love. But that's a thing in near death experiences it seems, so we'll forgive it for now) but I honestly can't tell you much about them. Nor did I really care about them. They were just the people that things happened to in the story. It would have been far creepier if they had been developed a bit more and I was forced to care about them more.
This book should have been shorter. There was a lot of extra material, especially with Ellen and with the hospital that just seemed unnecessary and it made the story drag a bit during these chapters.
All in all, this book is one hell of a trip, and I did really enjoy it. Still not entirely sure what I just read, but that in itself is fun. Now that Malerman has done sight and hearing, I'm thinking we should start taking bets as to which sense his next book takes on. If you like books where you don't know everything, even at the end, music, or psychological thrillers, you should definitely give this book a go....more
I received an advance copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
When I first picked this book up, I reallyI received an advance copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
When I first picked this book up, I really didn't know what was going to come of it. Murder mystery and crystalline prose seemed like two things that just didn't really fit together, so I wasn't sure how that was going to work when it came down to it, especially once you factored the three characters mentioned in the synopsis into it.
But despite it's strange sort of sound, it ended up being pretty good. There was some really strange stuff that happened in this book, and some even weirder spots in the writing, but the story was good, the characters were interesting, and it was a generally enjoyable read. It's not the thriller that you might expect, with the 'girl title' trend we've been seeing lately (fun fact: despite this, it's actually a girl who gets killed in this one and not a woman!), but rather a character driven story with a murder backdrop.
The Good Points of Girl in Snow:
I loved how complex the characters in this book were, and how all the intricacies of their lives played into how they reacted to Lucinda's death and how they handled everything afterwards. Even the minor characters felt complex and well developed, which is not something we often see in books.
Though I'm typically not a fan of changing points of views, I did like how this one told the different sides of the story, and how I always felt like I was wanting more from each character when we switched to a different character. Somehow Kukafka pulled it off beautifully.
Kukafka is a wonderful storyteller. There were quite a few aspects of this book I wasn't particularly fond of, but I was so in love with how the story was being told that I couldn't even entertain the thought of not finishing it. She's got a way with words, and this book is worth reading for that alone.
The Downsides of Girl in Snow:
I was really not a fan of the way that Kukafka described people in the book. There was a weird fascination the characters or the author had with hair and acne, and the descriptions really turned me off. I'm not saying that the author should have described everyone as beautiful, but I don't want to know if the kid's acne is gonna burst and how you know that. You can just say he has acne. I've had it, I know what it's like.
This book was slow. And character driven books often are, but I spent so much of this book waiting for something to happen. It's a real slow burn of a book, and by the time you get to the end, you're kind of over it.
This is totally just me, but I wasn't big on the ending. It was predictable, and what happened to Lucinda was fairly cliched. But I've read/seen a lot of murder mysteries, so I'm usually not pleased with how they turn out.
Aside from a couple of sexual references, this didn't really feel like adult fiction, and not just because it predominantly features teens. It just seemed simple and really focused on the coming-of-age side of things, but not in a complex enough way to make it feel adult. A high schooler wouldn't struggle with this book in the least.
All in all, Girl in Snow is beautifully written and has some great characters. I did have some issues with it, but it was a good read, and I'm glad it didn't turn out to be yet another 'girl book' thriller. If you like beautiful writing, character driven stories, and less graphic murder mysteries, you should definitely give Girl in Snow a go!...more
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
There are some things in literature that you just don't come acrossI received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
There are some things in literature that you just don't come across too often. And when you do happen across these things, you have to stop, rub your eyes, and do a double take to make sure you actually saw what you thought you saw, before picking up the book and giving it a go. That was the case with this particular book. A murder mystery that involves reincarnation? Even if I wasn't interested in either of those things, I'd probably need to read it, because when's the next time something like that is going to come along?
I will admit that I skimmed more of this book than I read it. I found it unnecessarily wordy, all over the place plot-wise, and off topic on a regular basis. But at the same time, I was intrigued enough that I couldn't just stop reading, so I stuck it out to the end to see what happened. Which is something in and of itself.
The Good Points of Death Unmasked:
The way that the reincarnation idea is worked into this story is really interesting, and definitely one of the more unique ideas I've come across. It's a fresh new twist on murder mysteries and police dramas, and it was a great change from the other books I've read from those two.
The cast of characters in this book are fascinating, and not just because of the reincarnation idea. We don't get a ton from them because of the focus being on the murder and the other aspects of the book, but it's enough to get a good sense of who they are, and how they all relate to each other.
I won't say too much and ruin it, but the ending and how it all comes together is super cool. It wasn't what I expected going into this book, but it was interesting how the author pulled all the murder mystery details and the reincarnation details together in the end.
The Downsides of Death Unmasked:
Holy purple prose, batman! This book has so many metaphors and similes and unnecessarily fancy explanations that it actually takes away from the story and makes it harder than necessary to read. Even when the characters talk, it's overly fancy. The story also seems to meander a lot, and gets off topic or spends too long on information unnecessary to the plot.
This book really needed an indication of time and location. I was completely lost for the first couple of chapters because I thought it was supposed to be in modern day Houston, and it definitely wasn't. I can make a good guess, but I still couldn't tell you for certain what country or year the early chapters are set in. And then we do get to Houston, but there's no divide or break or indication that things have changed. It made it tricky to follow.
This is a 100% preference thing, but I wasn't a fan of the poetry and additions between chapters. Some people like them. I don't, so I don't read them and it just means more page flipping and distraction before the story continues.
This may just be me and my weird ideas of what's good romance, but the romance and love stories in this book are so bizarre. The main one is over the top romantic, and there's a weird attraction that comes completely out of left field to throw you for a loop as well. But this may just be me.
This book spends a lot of time not on dealing with the murder mystery and talking about everything else that may or may not relate. It was easy to forget that the synopsis focuses so much on the murder mystery, because a lot of the book is focused on so many other things.
All in all, an absolutely fascinating idea, but the writing and the way it was told just didn't work for me. I loved the ending, and how the author weaved reincarnation into the story, and think it was absolutely brilliant. I am definitely glad that I stuck it through to the end. If you like unique murder mysteries, reincarnation or other such ideas, or fancy writing, you'll likely enjoy Death Unmasked!...more
I received a copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.
When I was little, I used to love those GoosebumpsI received a copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.
When I was little, I used to love those Goosebumps books where you got to choose your own adventure. You'd make a choice, and then another, and then another, and somehow you'd end up in some strange place in the story that you'd never be able to find again if you tried. So when I heard that Cashore had written a choose your own adventure book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, even if you only got to choose your ending, rather than the whole story (which is probably better. Those books drove my crazy when I couldn't find the ending I wanted again).
I didn't go into this book expecting much, but it was still absolutely nothing that I expected. When the synopsis says 'come face to face with herself', that's not whatever you might be thinking. Trust me. But that was one of my favourite parts of this book too - that I was thrown off at every twist and turn. It made it even more fun.
I did make the mistake of trying to read all the endings consecutively, which I wouldn't recommend. Because all the endings could potentially happen (or are happening, sort of?), there is quite a bit of overlap between the endings, if only in the details. I'm sure it's great if you read one at a time, and take a break between, but I wouldn't recommend reading them one after the other. But maybe that's just me.
The Good Points of Jane, Unlimited:
This story is masterfully told. Cashore does an amazing job of planting hints and details throughout, even between the different endings of what might have happened, if you had only chosen another person to follow. The attention to detail is amazing, and you get so hooked into what is going on. This should be the standard for storytelling in choose your own adventures from here on out.
The characters, with the exception of Jane, who I will get to later, are amazing. It's actually really to choose which ending you want to go with first, because you want to know everything about everyone in this story. Even the dog has a strong, well-developed personality, and when does that happen? The Thrash family in particular were so well done, and so enjoyable, and I want a book just on them and the house, please and thank you.
The ideas for all of the endings are brilliant. Seriously, I want to live in Cashore's messed up imagination for a while, because I don't get how she could possibly come up with ideas this brilliant. I didn't see the vast majority coming (I did get one!) and that's not something that I get a lot. One was mildly terrifying, another I am absolutely in love with. I only wish I could come up with ideas this good.
There are lots of fun references in this book. Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Winnie The Pooh (forever ruined for me by this book, for the record), and a number of others. And not only are they mentioned, they're worked into the story and affect the story, which is super cool, and something we don't see too often in books.
The Downsides of Jane, Unlimited:
I did find that this book dragged through the first section. And I get that it's setting up for five endings, and there's a lot of stuff that needs to get mentioned in there and set up for, but it seemed like it took forever to get through that section. I did fly through the rest, so that's something, but you kind of just have to get through that introduction to get to the good part.
Jane was not my favourite protagonist. She doesn't have a lot of personality, and feels very caricature-y throughout the book. Maybe we were supposed to imagine ourselves in her? I'm not sure. Every so often, though, she would come out with some comment that you throw you, because she didn't seem to have enough personality up to that point to have said something like that. Ultimately, she's a very forgetable protagonist, which is unfortunate when the rest of the characters are amazing.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and the adventure it took me on. I did save one ending to read later, as tempting as it was to just read them all. But I'm hoping that if I leave it long enough, I'll forget which one I hadn't read and get a pleasant surprise someday. If you like creative options, twisted stories, umbrellas, and awesome houses on their own island, you should definitely check out Jane, Unlimited!...more
I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn't read anything by Ruth Ware prior to thisI received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn't read anything by Ruth Ware prior to this book, but something about this book caught my attention. Boarding schools, games that revolved around lies, family drama, and isolated communities all sounded fascinating, and I couldn't wait to give this book a go.
Thrillers can be hit or miss, because the author has to have to have perfect timing for each reveal so that the reader is kept hooked until the big ending. And this actually wasn't half bad. Ware did a good job of keep you interested and curious, dropping new hints and reveals just as you started to wonder if you were never going to find out who was at fault.
The Good Points of The Lying Game:
The timing in this book is so good. As mentioned already, every time I thought I was just about to get annoyed or bored with the book, something else would happen that would keep me hooked in, trying to figure out what had really happened and what had been just a lie.
I loved the cast of characters in this book. Each of the four girls were so interested and complex, and they really made the story with how they reacted and interacted with each other and the other people in the story. How they each viewed and grew up from their school games was also fascinating.
The simplicity but ongoing consequences of the friends' lying game was brilliant. The game is nothing more than it sounds, but the way the lies have woven themselves into the future, and the way each of the friends have seen the game as they've grow into adults was brilliantly done.
The Downsides of The Lying Game:
The first half of this book dragged like nobody's business. Stuff was happening, but when people are just panicking for chapter after chapter, it gets old and dull pretty quick. It did pick up after the second half of the book, and it started getting more interesting. But it would have been better if more had happened earlier in the story, and there were more dynamics amongst the characters.
While I enjoyed the cast as a general, Isa drove me bonkers. I can see why she would want to help her own friends, but she kept putting herself and her baby in awful situations, and then panicking when her baby was in danger. What did you think was going to happen? As well, I think Isa could have gotten more into it everything if she didn't have the baby constantly tagging along.
I did like the ending and I think it fit the rest of the book really well, but after so much build up, I had been hoping for something more exciting. After spending the whole thing panicking and wondering, I had my hopes up for a little more.
All in all, I did enjoy The Lying Game. It's a fun, addictive book with some great relationship studies and a whole lot of drama. If you enjoy thrillers, boarding school stories, or some crazy friendships, you should definitely give this book a go....more
I've read a few Agatha Christie books over the years, but despite many recommendations for this one, I'd been putting it off. I'm not a fan of theI've read a few Agatha Christie books over the years, but despite many recommendations for this one, I'd been putting it off. I'm not a fan of the Poirot television series, and while I've enjoyed the books more than the adaptions as a general, I didn't see how a story set on a stuck train could be at all interesting. Limiting it to such a small cast and space surely couldn't be that interesting.
For the record, I was totally wrong.
I can see why this book gets the rave reviews that it does. It's so simple, but so brilliant at the same time. It's a short, easy to read story that will keep you hooked in until you've turned the last page and figured out who the murder is. While this one can't top And Then There Were None in my mind (and probably nothing ever will), it's definitely taken over the second spot.
The Good Points of Murder on the Orient Express:
I love how straightforward this book is. Christie doesn't bother with side plots or romance or anything of that sort. She just gets down to the mystery, gives you only as many details as you need to understand what's going on, and leave it at that. And while I do sometimes enjoy such subplots, the fact that Christie has written a strong enough mystery that it can stand alone with no extra fluff is amazing. Most bloody complex murder mystery. I could not even begin to guess who might have been the murderer until they actually said it in the book. And I'm usually pretty good at figuring these things out.
I love that Christie doesn't feel the need to translate every one of Poirot's French comments into English. You won't miss anything important by not speaking French, but I love that they were left in. Yay for not dumbing down books!
The Downsides of Murder on the Orient Express:
Poirot is an intelligent character, but thank goodness that this book doesn't focus much on him. He's about as exciting as drying paint when he's not talking through a mystery.
I did feel like they spent a lot of time messing around and spending too much time on very obvious stuff. But this is probably a personal preference.
I realize that this book is from the 30s, and that things were different then, but there is a fair bit of racism and sexism in this book. I'm glad that they didn't edit all that stuff out, because it would have ruined the book, though. I'd never fault the author for doing what was normal at the time, but reading this in 2017, I wasn't a bit fan of some of the comments that were made throughout. Another personal preference thing.
All in all, this was a fun read, and an incredible mystery that left me guessing until the very last page of the book. I can't imagine what sort of mind Christie had to be able to put together mysteries like this; she must have been something else. If you love mysteries, trains, and books that confused the hell out of you, you're going to love Murder on the Orient Express....more
This book was a fascinating adventure that felt like an Agatha Christie mystery. It had both the element of the murderer possibly being any one of theThis book was a fascinating adventure that felt like an Agatha Christie mystery. It had both the element of the murderer possibly being any one of the main characters and the fact that it keeps you a bit more detached from the characters. Which is a plus for a story like this because it keeps you from getting too protective or suspicious about any one character and keeps the mystery going.
One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was how perfectly it fit the age of the characters. It's an elaborate mystery, but how the crime is pulled off it actually pretty simple, and it's nice to see a murder mystery that isn't overly violent. I also enjoyed this book for the fact that the murderer wasn't easy to figure out until closer to the end.
All in all, this is a fun murder mystery and will make for a great beach read or a rainy day adventure. Just make sure when you pick it up that you give yourself the day to read it, because it's pretty hard to put down. If you enjoy mysteries, the Breakfast Club, or fast paced dramas, you should definitely check out One of Us is Lying!...more
There's something about little kids in mystery or horror books that is just extra creepy. And then add into that the fact that twins, while generallyThere's something about little kids in mystery or horror books that is just extra creepy. And then add into that the fact that twins, while generally just super cool, can come across as much much more creepy than just a single weird kid, and you end up with this book.
This book starts out with a creepy, suspenseful atmosphere that is maintained throughout the entire book, keeping you so hooked in that you don't want to put it down until you've turned the final page. Set in Skye, where a surprising amount of creepy books are set, we get to see the chaos and madness that surrounds this family when they're isolated with their own demons.
The Good Points of The Ice Twins:
As mentioned already, the atmosphere created throughout this book is incredible, and makes for an insane adventure throughout the story. It is very consistent throughout the story, which is no small feat as when the story gets crazier as we go.
I loved the portrayal of grief throughout the book, and how each of the characters represented different ways of coping with a horrific situation. It's so well done, and super cool how the author incorporates these situations throughout the story.
I loved the twins in this story, and the whole identity confusion thing that was happening. It was so well done, leaving you wondering which kid had actually died that day, or if she was just losing her mind, or what the case may be. It was confusing, but in a good way.
It was set on an island, and that's always a good point in my book.
The Downsides of The Ice Twins:
I found the relationship drama between Sarah and Angus overly dramatic and it took away from the story. I get that it wasn't a super healthy relationship to begin with and a bit of drama was expected, but the amount of it took away from the rest of the story and made it feel more like a soap opera rather than a mystery.
It sometimes felt like there was more information in the story than we needed. Like the kid's transition into school and how the kids won't play with her. It didn't really affect the story, and they spent a lot of time on it, which made sense for the kid's confusion, but didn't really affect the story.
All in all, I did enjoy this book, and would definitely recommend it. Kids always make for the creepiest stories, and this one is no exception to the rule. I would love to see a movie made out of this book, because I think the atmosphere would translate so well to the screen. If you like creepy kids, island stories, and dramatic relationships, you should definitely check out The Ice Twins....more
Hilary (SongsWroteMyStory)
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