Mini Review Week: Day 4

When I decided to take an extended break from blogging, I stopped reviewing anything I read completely.   YIKES!

So, to play some catch up, I decided I will be posting “mini reviews” of all the books I have read in the past couple of months while I ease back into blogging!

In previous posts, I posted about Me Before You (Jojo Moyes), No One Is Coming to Save Us (Stephanie Powell Watts) and All We Ever Wanted (Emily Giffin).  You can check those reviews out HERE!  I also discussed The Innocent Wife (Amy Llyod), The Three (Sarah Lotz), and The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini).  You can check out those reviews HERE.

Here we go!

Mini Review Week: Day 2

When I decided to take an extended break from blogging, I stopped reviewing anything I read completely.   YIKES!

So, to play some catch up, I decided I will be posting “mini reviews” of all the books I have read in the past couple of months while I ease back into blogging!

Yesterday, I posted about Me Before You (Jojo Moyes), No One Is Coming to Save Us (Stephanie Powell Watts) and All We Ever Wanted (Emily Giffin).  You can check those reviews out HERE!

So, here we go!

Mini Review Week: Day 1

When I decided to take an extended break from blogging, I stopped reviewing anything I read completely.

YIKES!

So, to play some catch up, I decided I will be posting “mini reviews” of all the books I have read in the past couple of months while I ease back into blogging!

So, here we go!

Book Review: The Voice Inside (Brian Freeman) @BFREEMANBOOKS

It isn’t often that the sophomore book in a series keeps me as captivated as the first book. I always feel like it is hard for an author to keep their momentum, build up a character and provide enough backstory to push the story forward into a third book. Generally, I dread moving on to book two because I know that I often am left disappointed.   The Voice Inside, by Brian Freeman, is the second book in Frost Easton series (the first being The Night Bird– you can check out my review HERE). I was worried going into this novel since I LOVED The Night Bird and didn’t know if Brian Freeman could keep me as captivated throughout this novel.

Not only could he keep me captivated but I actually thought The Voice Inside was more amazing than the first book. Freeman truly outdid himself with Book 2 in this series.

Once again, we meet Frost Easton who finds himself facing a moral dilemma after he uncovers that one of his colleagues planted evidence to convict the serial killer responsible for the death of his sister.   Forced to reveal the truth, his sister’s killer is once again on the street and Frost must make sure he ends up back behind bars.

I really love Frost Easton and I found that I was able to get to know him even better in this novel. Characterization is truly Freeman’s strong suit and Easton becomes a truly memorable character. I love his moral compass and his damaged nature. It truly makes for a complex and interesting protagonist.

The story itself was also incredibly intriguing. Filled with twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat as Freeman weaved this tale. This one had me up late into the night trying to figure out where everything would go and how all the pieces to the puzzle would fit together.   I am pleased to report that end shocked me; it came completely out of left field. I love when a book does that.

The novel ended in a way that left me feeling satisfied but also left it open for Freeman to continue. I really hope he does. I would love some more of this series.

Overall, if you like police procedural novels, the Frost Easton series is absolutely one that should be added to your TBR pile. You will not regret it.

5/5 stars.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

Throwback Thursday: Kisscut (Karin Slaughter) #tbt

Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme created by book blogger extraordinaire, Renee at It’s Book Talk. She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favourites and read books that have already been published.

As a new Karin Slaughter addict, I have been making my way through the Grant County series. The second novel in the series, Kisscut, brought me back to Grant County and, like all of Slaughter’s writing, completely blew me away.  In fact, I think this could have potentially been my favourite novel by Karin Slaughter!

 

Truthfully, I read the synopsis of the book and I thought to myself that it really didn’t feel like it was going to keep my interest. A shooting (at a skating rink) on a Saturday night in Grant County that leaves the characters reeling. Okay. Fine. I should have known that Slaughter would have more up her sleeve than something like that. By the time I finished the first chapter, my jaw was on the floor and I was in a completely in awe at the turn the story took.

 

Looking at the teenagers in Grant County, Slaughter unravels a plot that was gritty, dark and not for the faint of heart.   As with Slaughter’s other books, she does not shy away from graphic details.   I, for one, love this layer to Slaughter’s writing.   The plot, once again, is fairly character driven as we are given more details into the personal and work lives of medical examiner Sara, her husband-turned ex-husband- turned boyfriend, Jeffrey and his partner on the police force, Lena. I loved learning more about them and seeing their characters develop further.

 

I do not want to say much more because, truly, anything I say will ruin the plot but I would absolutely recommend this book. Needless to say, I cannot wait to go back to Grant County for Book Three!

 

Book Review: The Visitors (Catherine Burns)

When I first saw the synopsis for The Visitors, the debut novel by Catherine Burns, I was so excited. I am such a sucker for a “serial killer in disguise” type thriller. From books like You to Normal to Perfect Days, I am always intrigued to read stories about the twisted things that happen in regular neighbourhoods. This one seemed like a book that would fit into that category.

Now that I have finished the book, I am a little disappointed to report that this book ended up being completely different from what I was expecting.

The novel opens with the introduction of Marion, a timid spinster, who lives with her brother, John. Marion knows that John does things in the cellar. Things that she doesn’t want to necessarily spend time thinking about. However, when John has a heart attack and is hospitalized,   Marion is forced to go down into the cellar to face what she has been avoiding and, perhaps, to discover her own dark side. 

Book Review: Dead Woman Walking (Sharon Bolton) @AuthorSJBolton @MinotaurBooks

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton. I had never read a Sharon Bolton book before and I always go into a new author’s work with excitement and with a little apprehension. Will I like their writing style? Will I appreciate the tone of the story? Now that I am finished, I am pleased to say that I can safely add Sharon Bolton to a list of my “must read authors” because I DEVOURED this book!

The novel opens with a balloon accident gone wrong (please note, this is my worst nightmare) leaving several passengers dead, others critically injured, all except for one. Jessica Lane, on the ride with her sister, survives the accident and finds herself immediately in danger after witnessing a horrible crime minutes before the crash. As a game of cat and mouse ensues, Jessica must follow her instincts and try to return to the only place she has ever felt safe- but could it be her sanctuary is the most dangerous place of them all?

From the pacing to the plot, this one had me completely on the edge of my seat. I read it in a single sitting, binging on each chapter and relishing in the story. I absolutely loved the short chapters; a smart choice by Bolton, I felt like I couldn’t put this book down.   I was also a huge fan of our protagonist, Jessica, who is mourning her sister and running from a killer. I found her to be incredibly likable and developed. Truly, even the secondary characters in this novel were memorable to me. I loved that Bolton gave each their own backstory.

There were a few things, although I loved the book that I found a little problematic; I did find the switches in time periods a little confusing at times. There didn’t seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason at the time and not all the chapters were clearly labeled.  I also didn’t love the ending; I felt like the story on its own gave me enough resolution and I didn’t need the little tidbit at the end. It felt like it was thrown in. I am obviously being vague since I don’t want to give any spoilers but it didn’t really feel like it fit.

Regardless of my nitpicking, I really did love the book and will absolutely read more novels by this author.

4/5 stars!

Thanks to the author and the publisher for a copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

This was also a #cjsreads pick for September.  Want to see what Chandra and Jessica thought of this one?  Keep reading to see what they thought!

Book Review: The Lost Ones (Sheena Kamal) @sheena_kamal @WmMorrowBks

I first discovered the work of Sheena Kamal when I read Eyes Like Mine, which was previously published in the UK. Now that book is being published in North American under the title The Lost Ones and I am thrilled that #cjsreads decided to read this for one of our July picks.

Not only is this book amazing, but it also features tons of Canadian content- which- let’s get real- I am completely biased about!

The book, which appears to be the first in a series, introduces a brand new anti-heroine with flawed, recovering addict, Nora Watts. Working as a PI and journalist, Nora finds herself caught up in the case of her missing daughter. Along with the help of her ex-sponsor, her employers and her sister, Nora begins the hunt for her daughter and gets wrapped up a parallel crime when one of her co-workers is murdered. This one had me glued to the pages and flipping rapidly to understand how all these moving pieces fit together.

My original review of this book can be found HERE, but since this is a #cjsreads title, keep reading to see what Jessica and Chandra thought of this one!

Book Review: Phantom Limb (Lucinda Berry)

Identical twins, Emily and Elizabeth, grew up with an adoptive family after suffering serious abuse as children. Now, as adults, Elizabeth finds herself constantly caring for her twin. Emily participates in self-harm and Elizabeth finds Emily on the floor of their bathroom, dead. Waking up strapped down, unable to move or speak, Elizabeth finds herself in a hospital where everyone is saying Emily died two years prior. As Elizabeth delves deeper into her past to uncover what happened to Emily, she is also forced to remember all the things from her past that she has worked so hard to forget….

Phantom Limb is my second novel I have read by Lucinda Berry and, let me tell you, these novels keep getting better and better. Phantom Limb, a character-driven thriller, was completely addicting.   I couldn’t put this novel down. Fast-paced, dark, and filled with twists, it isn’t easy to lose track of time within the pages.