This was fantastic! I loved getting the chance to spend a little bit of time with RacheThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! I loved getting the chance to spend a little bit of time with Rachel, Trent, Jenks, and the rest of the gang. Trouble always seems to find Rachel and there is someone determined to get their hands on the focus and “The Mage” is causing trouble at every turn. This installment was just as exciting as I had hoped it would be which kept me glued to the pages.
This is the seventeenth book in The Hollows series which really should be read in order since each book builds on the preceding events. It seemed like Rachel was in the middle of trouble every time she turned around in this book. The werewolf community is at odds and certain individuals will stop at nothing to get their hands on the focus. Rachel is framed for the murder of an important coven member. And the vampires are threatening to send in a new master vamp. I was confident that Rachel would be able to work things out in the end but it didn’t look good for a while. There was plenty of action and enough mystery to keep things really exciting in this installment.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Marguerite Gavin did a great job of bringing this story to life. She has become the voice of these characters over the course of the series and I love how consistent she is with the various voices. I find her voice incredibly pleasant to listen to and had no problems listening to this book for hours at a time. I do believe that her narration only heightened my enjoyment of this book.
I would definitely recommend this series to others. This is a group of characters of very likable characters that have grown on me over the course of the series. The ending of the book has left me very eager to see what might happen next!
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio....more
I had such a good time with this book! I was drawn into this book almost immediately. TThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had such a good time with this book! I was drawn into this book almost immediately. The more that I read the more hooked I was until I reached the point that putting this book down was no longer an option. There were some pretty big twists and a few of those twists left me questioning everything that I thought I knew. I just couldn’t wait to see how all the pieces fit together!
The story opens with a teenage Wilder heading to his late uncle’s cottage on the Maine coast with his parents. He soon meets Harper and Nate who become his summer companions in the same town where a serial killer known as The Dagger Man has been active for years. After the ordeal of that summer, Wilder goes to college where he meets Sky and they become close until Sky steals Wilder’s unpublished memoir. Just when I thought I know what was going on, things would shift and I found myself to figure out what might happen next.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton did a wonderful job with the narration. I thought that their voices worked very well together in this audiobook. I thought both narrators had very pleasant voices and I had no problem listening for hours at a time. I felt like they were able to expertly bring these characters to life and I am certain that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a wonderful thriller that kept me hooked until the very end. This is the fourth book written by Catriona Ward that I have had a chance to read and I have enjoyed each of them immensely. I cannot wait to read more of her work!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and Tor Nightfire....more
I had a great time with this book! This is the first book by Ashley Winstead that I havThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a great time with this book! This is the first book by Ashley Winstead that I have read but it will not be the last. I was hooked by this story from the very start. Ruth and Ever had a lot to hide and I couldn’t wait to learn all of their secrets. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. I found this to be an incredibly entertaining novel.
Ruth and Ever were great characters who faced terrible, but very different, situations in their home life. Ruth is the daughter of the most powerful man in the town, Pastor James Cormier. Everett is the son of the town drunk. Their lives intersect during a tragic moment and they become best friends. I liked Ruth and Ever even though they were incredibly flawed characters. I was pulled into the story right away and loved the fact that there were a few unexpected turns. I could have never guessed the direction that the story would go.
I switched to the audiobook when I was about halfway done with the story and thought that Sarah Welborn did a great job of bringing the story to life. I believe this was the first time I have had the chance to listen to this narrator’s work and I was impressed. I found her voice to be very pleasant and I had no problem listening to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that her narration only added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this book to be quite addictive and hated to put it down when I had other obligations. I loved the fact that this story was able to keep time guessing until the very end. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Audio....more
This was such a well-done novel! I am the first to admit that I knew next to nothing abThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was such a well-done novel! I am the first to admit that I knew next to nothing about the historical figure of Jezebel so I was very interested in picking up this historical fiction story. Sure, I have heard the name thrown around in a derogatory manner during my lifetime but I knew nothing about the woman behind the name. I was quickly pulled into this story of a strong and resilient woman.
Jezebel could be tough, even brutal, at times but I do feel that she did what she thought would strengthen her country. She doesn’t always do what is right but it is apparent just how much she cares. The story was bleak at times and exciting at others. She was very concerned with leaving a legacy so that her name would be remembered. This story takes us from Jezebel’s childhood through middle age and I enjoyed watching her grow and change over the course of the story.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Perdita Weeks did a phenomenal job with this story. I believe that this was the first time that I have had the chance to listen to this narrator’s work and I must say that she was the perfect choice to bring Jezebel’s story to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and wanted to listen to this story for hours at a time. I am certain that her performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining story that kept me glued to my headphones. The writing was spectacular so I could easily see myself picking up more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Penguin Books and Penguin Random House Audio....more
This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into thiThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into this one and I must say that I prefer this retelling to the original. The House of Usher is dealing with some terrible things including the decline of Roderick and his sister Madeline. This story had all of the creepy goodness that I had hoped to find and proved to be an incredibly entertaining read.
This story is told from Easton’s point of view. Easton is a non-binary character and there is a complete set of pronouns specific to the story which are explained in detail. Easton goes to visit and meets Denton there, an American doctor. Easton’s trusty horse and a military friend join them on this visit. They start noticing some weird things immediately, including wildlife that doesn’t look just right. There is a bit of a mystery and some creepy happenings to contend with and I couldn’t wait to see how things would eventually work out.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a remarkable job in bringing this story to life. I think that this was the first time that I have listened to Avi Roque’s narration and I think that he was a perfect pick for this story. I thought that he added just the right amount of emotion into his reading. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a fantastic take on a classic tale. I loved the creepy vibes and was hooked by this story. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into this one and I must say that I prefer this retelling to the original. The House of Usher is dealing with some terrible things including the decline of both Roderick and his sister Madeline. Easton goes to visit and meets Denton there, an American doctor. There is a bit of a mystery and some creepy happenings to contend with. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a remarkable job in bringing this story to life.
This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into this one and I must say that I prefer this retelling to the original. The House of Usher is dealing with some terrible things including the decline of Roderick and his sister Madeline. This story had all of the creepy goodness that I had hoped to find and proved to be an incredibly entertaining read.
This story is told from Easton’s point of view. Easton is a non-binary character and there is a complete set of pronouns specific to the story which are explained in detail. Easton goes to visit and meets Denton there, an American doctor. Easton’s trusty horse and a military friend join them on this visit. They start noticing some weird things immediately, including wildlife that doesn’t look just right. There is a bit of a mystery and some creepy happenings to contend with and I couldn’t wait to see how things would eventually work out.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a remarkable job in bringing this story to life. I think that this was the first time that I have listened to Avi Roque’s narration and I think that he was a perfect pick for this story. I thought that he added just the right amount of emotion into his reading. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a fantastic take on a classic tale. I loved the creepy vibes and was hooked by this story. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into this one and I must say that I prefer this retelling to the original. The House of Usher is dealing with some terrible things including the decline of both Roderick and his sister Madeline. Easton goes to visit and meets Denton there, an American doctor. There is a bit of a mystery and some creepy happenings to contend with. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a remarkable job in bringing this story to life....more
I enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of this series for many years. I haven’t read alThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book. I have been a fan of this series for many years. I haven’t read all of the installments just yet but I have picked up most of them. This book takes Temperance out of town to the Turks and Caicos islands. It seems that there is a killer target young attractive men, cutting off one of their hands before disposing of the bodies. Once Tempe gets to the islands, she is drawn into another case that is equally perplexing. I found this novel to be quite the page-turner.
Tempe spent the bulk of this installment working the case of the local detectives. She does spend some time doing forensic anthropology, of course, but I felt like the bulk of the story was set away from the lab. The mysteries kept me guessing and I loved getting to know the characters on the islands. I found the pacing of the book to be well done, although I did feel that the ending seemed a bit rushed. All in all, this was an entertaining mystery.
I would recommend this book to others. This is the twenty-second novel in the long-running Temperance Brennan series but it would work well as a stand-alone since the mystery is completely contained in this book. I cannot wait to read more of this well-written series!
I received a review copy of this book from Scribner....more
I really enjoyed this book! I fell in love with Genevieve Gornichec’s writing when I reThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this book! I fell in love with Genevieve Gornichec’s writing when I read The Witch’s Heart last year. I couldn’t wait to dive into her sophomore novel. Once I started this book, I did not want to stop because I was fully invested in the fate of these 3 women. I found this to be a very entertaining novel set against a compelling Viking backdrop.
Gunnhild, Oddney, and Signy were fantastic characters. I could tell just how much they meant to each other as children. They haven’t seen each other for years but their paths cross just as Oddney and Signy’s farm is raided and Signy is taken away. They are both determined to do what it takes to get her back. This story was exciting and sometimes heartbreaking. There was just the right amount of magic and enough romance to keep things very interesting.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Nina Yndis did a remarkable job with the story. I believe that this is the first time that I have had the chance to listen to this narrator’s work and I must say that I was impressed. I thought that she did a great job of bringing this extensive cast of characters to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and had no issues listening to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that her narration only added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I was drawn into this entertaining and often exciting novel featuring characters that I found easy to like. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio....more
This was a really sweet story and a delight to read. Kerry goes to New York to help herThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was a really sweet story and a delight to read. Kerry goes to New York to help her brother sell Christmas trees from their family farm. She grew up with their mom while her brother grew up on the tree farm with their father so they aren’t especially close. They are staying in an old motor home affectionately named Spammy. As Kerry starts to get to know the residents of this area, she feels like she belongs. She becomes especially close with a young boy, his attractive father, and an older gentleman in the neighborhood.
This was a fun, low-conflict story filled with Christmas cheer and wonderful characters. I liked getting to know Kerry, her brother, and the other characters. I appreciated the fact that there was a bit of mystery worked into the story in addition to just the right amount of romance. Kerry seemed like she just belonged in the neighborhood and I hoped that she would figure out how to make her visit more permanent.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Kathleen McInerney did a great job with the story. I thought that the voices she used for the various characters did a great job of helping to bring the story to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this book. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very well-done holiday story that kept me hooked until the very end.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press....more
I loved this book so much! I wanted the world to go away while I was reading this novelThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book so much! I wanted the world to go away while I was reading this novel so that I could completely lose myself in this story. Clementine is incredibly close to her free-spirited aunt and inherits her aunt’s apartment after her death. This isn’t just a normal New York apartment. This apartment sometimes sends you back to a time 7 years earlier which is where she meets Iwan.
I loved Clementine and Iwan and thought that they seemed perfectly matched if they could just get the timing right. I had such a hard time putting this book down and couldn’t wait to see this pair figure out how to find their happily ever after. Watching Clementine and Iwan together was wonderful, almost magical. I thought that the chemistry between them was palpable. I thought that the time slip of the apartment was incredibly well done and added a unique and original element to the story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I fell in love with the characters in this book and found many moments that melted my heart. I thought that the issue of grief was handled very well. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group....more
This was great! I have read quite a few of Kelley Armstrong’s books over the years (notThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! I have read quite a few of Kelley Armstrong’s books over the years (not even close to the number that she has written though) so I was eager to dive into her newest offering. I was thrilled, and a bit surprised, to find that this book made me feel like I was watching a scary movie. It was such a delight to find that one of my favorite authors had written a horror novel and had done it amazingly well.
Laney owns a house on a private island that she rents out to strangers on vacation. She needs the money that the rentals bring in to be able to afford to keep it. Strange things have been happening on the island so she goes to check it out along with her niece. Her ex-husband Kit, his sister Jayla, and a few other friends also show up to help. Everything came together to form a recipe for the perfect creepy novel. I couldn’t wait to find out what was really happening on the island. I loved all of the creepy vibes and I wanted to scream at the characters when they ventured off into the woods alone. There is some relationship drama, and even a bit of romance, along with plenty of surprises worked into the story.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Angela Dawe did a fantastic job with this story. I loved the voices that she used for each of the characters that play a role in this story. I thought that she was able to bring just the right amount of emotion to her reading to leave me hanging on every word. I am certain that her performance added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, this was a wonderful read and I hope that Ms. Armstrong plans to tackle more horror in the future!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press....more
This was another great installment! Eve is put into a bad situation when she is asked tThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was another great installment! Eve is put into a bad situation when she is asked to investigate the death of a former cop. It seems like everyone but Roarke was a little mad at her at some point during the story. Have I mentioned that Roarke is awesome?! I really liked some of his actions in this installment and there is no question that he would do anything for Eve. I was kind of irritated by Eve’s superiors for putting her in such a bad situation and her co-workers for not understanding but I thought that Eve handled everything brilliantly.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Susan Ericksen did a great job once again. She has become the voice of these characters for me and I cannot imagine experiencing the series in any other way. I definitely recommend grabbing the audiobook if you decide to give this series a try which I hope you do. I cannot wait to listen to the next installment!
This was really good! I have enjoyed this author’s books in the past so I was excited tThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was really good! I have enjoyed this author’s books in the past so I was excited to get the chance to read her newest novel. Once I started reading, I did not want to stop reading because I just had to know what would happen next. There were plenty of twists and turns worked into the story that kept me guessing until the very end. I found this to be an entertaining story that was full of surprises.
Greer’s sister was murdered alongside her boyfriend years ago. She left town as an adult but has come back after another double murder is committed. The man who murdered Greer’s sister, Eliza, has been put to death but Greer feels like there is something more going on with the new murders and starts looking into things. I liked Greer but I wasn’t completely sure that I trusted her. I really liked that I never knew exactly which direction the story was going at any given time.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sean Patrick Hopkins, Amanda Stribling, and Jennifer Pickens did a wonderful job with this story. I thought that the narrators’ voices all worked really well together and I loved the way that each of them helped to bring the story to life. I thought that each of the narrators had very pleasant voices and I believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I love that this story was rather unpredictable and kept me guessing until the very end. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.
I received a review copy of this book from Dutton and Penguin Random House Audio....more
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’s work and I am so happy that I decided to give this book a try. I like books that involve music so the fact that Maddalena and Luisa cross paths at a music school was a big draw for me. The story is beautifully written and full of magic, music, friendship, and maybe something more. The story takes a few surprising twists that kept things very interesting.
The book is set in 1717 Venice so even though Maddalena and Luisa are only 15 the world is different and they are at the age that most girls marry. There has been some scandal in Maddalena’s family so they have sent her to the school since her marriage prospects don’t seem to be working out. Luisa has been raised at the school as an orphan like most of the other students. The story is told through both Maddalena’s and Luisa’s points of view which was a very effective way to tell this story. They share a bit of magic and develop a strong bond that stretches beyond the walls of the school. I really enjoyed seeing both of these young ladies grow individually and appreciated the changes to their bond of friendship as their circumstances change.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sophie Roberts did a remarkable job with the narration. The Italian words in the story flowed nicely and added to the story’s atmosphere. (I don’t speak Italian so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the pronunciation but it sounded good to me!) I thought that she did a great job of bringing both of these characters to life and adding just the right amount of emotion to her narration. I do believe that her narration only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book took a couple of twists that were completely unexpected and made the book impossible to put down. I will definitely be looking for more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio....more
I loved this book! I had a feeling that this was going to be really good. How can a booThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book! I had a feeling that this was going to be really good. How can a book involving dragons not be really good? But this was I couldn’t put the book down and read it in 2 days even though it was longer than 500 pages good! When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it and when I finished it, I considered going back to the beginning and reading it again.
Violet was ready to live her life as a scribe. That is what she planned on and studied for. Her father was a scribe but he is now gone. Her mother is a general with other plans so she pushes Violet to become a dragon rider. The only problem is that candidates are just as likely to die as they are to bond with a dragon and survive. Violet is smaller and weaker than most of the other students so she has her work cut out for her.
This story was exciting, sometimes heartbreaking, and full of surprises. I thought that the romantic element of the story was incredibly well done. I fell in love with this cast of characters and thought that they were very well-developed, including the dragons. The world-building was very well done and I really appreciated how Violet’s knowledge that she gained for training to be a scribe was worked into the story. There were plenty of surprises and enough action to keep me glued to the pages.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a wonderful job with this story. Rebecca Solar handles the bulk of the narration in this book. Anyone who is considering picking this one up because of Teddy Hamilton may be disappointed because we hear very little of his voice in this book. I thought the narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life. I liked the various voices that were used to represent the characters and I felt that she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading.
I am going to be recommending this book to everyone. I loved being with Violet as she made this journey toward becoming a dragon rider. This book was fun of action, wonderful world-building, excitement, romance, great characters, and dragons. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment in the series.
I received a review copy of this book from Recorded Books and Red Tower Books....more
I had a great time with this book! I liked the first book in this series quite a bit soThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a great time with this book! I liked the first book in this series quite a bit so I was eager to see what might happen in this second installment. When I noticed that the audiobook was available from my local library, I decided to grab a copy and spent much of my time with this book listening to the audio while following along in the book. I found this installment to be incredibly entertaining.
PJ (Peter) and JP are involved in a play that Peter wrote and JP will act in. They have a known director signed on so things look promising. Unfortunately, that director proves to be incredibly difficult to work with. After the director is found dead, Peter and JP decide to try to find out if it was an accident or if someone could be responsible for his death. I thought that the mystery was very done and while I figured out a few things, some things kept me guessing until the very end.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the author did a great job of reading this story. He easily bought this wonderful cast of characters to life and I thought that he added just the right amount of emotion and excitement to his reading. He definitely knows the story and turned out to be the perfect choice for the narrator. I do believe that his performance added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that it was a fun cozy and I love that it featured LGBT+ characters. This is the second book in the Domestic Partners in Crime series but could easily work as a stand-alone. I can’t wait to read more of this entertaining series!
I received a review copy of this book from Kensington Books....more
This was fantastic! T. Kingfisher has packed this novella with such an interesting and This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! T. Kingfisher has packed this novella with such an interesting and magical story. This is a different kind of Sleeping Beauty story and I couldn’t help but like our protagonist, Toadling. I was drawn into this story right away and couldn’t wait to see to story unfold. T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming an auto-buy author.
Toadling has been along for a very long time until she meets Halim. As we slowly learn what happened all those years ago, we learn just how much everyone has lost. I thought that the descriptions in this story were incredibly well done so that I could clearly imagine just what the characters were experiencing. I felt like things ended in a very hopeful manner which added to the magical fairy tale feel of the story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. It was an incredibly well-done story that felt like a big story despite its limited number of pages. I am adding this one to my keeper shelf since I can easily see myself picking it up to read again in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Tor Books....more
This was fantastic! I thought that the premise was interesting and unique and the charaThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! I thought that the premise was interesting and unique and the characters were incredibly well done. Cassie and Aiden were fantastic together and the chemistry between them was intense. Aiden’s daughter, Sophie, was great and I loved seeing the bond that she shared with Cassie. This was one of those books that was very hard to put down once I started listening.
When Cassie takes a job as Sophie’s nanny, she has no idea that she already knows her new employer, Aiden. About a year earlier, Cassie had a favorite subscriber to her OnlyFans account who just happens to be Sophie’s father. Cassie seems to fit into her role as nanny perfectly and even seems to be able to smooth things over with Sophie’s Aunt Iris. I really loved Cassie’s former neighbor and friend, Wanda, who doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind.
Samantha Summers and Jameson Adams did a great job with the narration. The female narrator handled the bulk of the narration since most of the story was from Cassie’s point of view. I thought that their voices complimented each other very well and I liked the various voices they used for both the male and female characters. I thought that the narration added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I fell for these characters right away and wanted to see them figure out a way to make things work long-term. I hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Penguin Random House Audio....more
This was really good! This book picks up shortly after the events of the first book so This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was really good! This book picks up shortly after the events of the first book so you will definitely want to read the series in order. Sigrid is such a great character and she has a lot of overwhelming situations to deal with in this book and I couldn’t wait to see what she would do next. The story was really exciting with a ton of action to keep the pages turning. I am so glad that I found this entertaining YA series.
Things have changed dramatically for Sigrid since the previous book in the series. She is back home and has brought her friends Mariam and Fisk after a quick quest to rescue Ratatosk. Things change quickly when her aunt is crowned queen and asks Sigrid to move into the palace. Before long, they are under attack and Sigrid becomes a leader, along with the war horse Sleipnir. Unfortunately, they will have a lot of challenges to face before the story draws to a close.
Sigrid and the other characters go through so many things in this installment. I feel like Sigrid showed a lot of growth over the course of this story. I was thrilled by the progress in Sigrid and Mariam’s relationship and was pleased to find a few other romances sprinkled around the supporting cast of characters.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I thought that this book brought the story to a satisfying conclusion but left the door open for future installments. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more of this entertaining series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen....more
This is the first time that I have read any of Michael Farris Smith’s writing and I wasThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This is the first time that I have read any of Michael Farris Smith’s writing and I was quite impressed by how his writing pulled me in. I read this book over the course of a single day. When I did put it down, I quickly found myself coming back to it. This isn’t a feel-good story. It is a story of desperation filled with flawed characters that came to life through the writing. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.
Jessie finds herself on the run with her toddler son, Jace. She decides to go home to her father, Wade, whom she hasn’t seen since she left when she ran off with Jace’s father as a teen. Jessie knows that people are after Holt and running was the only option but she is worried about what might have happened to him. There aren’t a lot of options in the hurricane-ravaged lands of southern Mississippi where the land is too wet to grow crops anymore. They will find themselves in more danger before things are over.
The descriptions in this book were incredibly vivid. I felt Jessie’s worry when she was on the run with her son and I loved seeing Wade encounter the grandchild that he didn’t know existed. All of the characters in this story were flawed but they were doing the best that they could, with a few setbacks. They obviously cared about each other even though they didn’t always know how to show it.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this book was not only incredibly well-written but also entertaining and thought-provoking. I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Little, Brown and Company....more
This was great! I had such a great time with this creepy story set in a town stuck in 1This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! I had such a great time with this creepy story set in a town stuck in 1994. I found this book almost impossible to set aside once I started reading and couldn’t wait to find out what was really behind the things happening on Clifford Island. Willow comes to the island after finding a clue in her deceased son’s room. She hasn’t been heard from for a while either so her brother comes to try to get to the bottom of things.
We see things from various points of view during the story which let the reader see just how strange this island really was. The descriptions in this book were incredibly well-done so I could clearly envision this town where OJ Simpson chase plays on repeat because everyone is stuck in the past. I was eager to find out why they went to such lengths and what was really going on in this strange community.
I thought that this cast of narrators did an amazing job with this book. They were able to bring the characters to life which took the story to the next level. There are several sections of the book that consisted of interviews which were especially well done. I do believe that the narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I had such a great time with this creepy tale set on an incredibly strange island. I thought that this was a fantastic debut novel and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Dutton and Penguin Random House Audio....more
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