Truth is I knew next to nothing about this story as I began to read. I did however have a sense almost from the beginning that it read like an accountTruth is I knew next to nothing about this story as I began to read. I did however have a sense almost from the beginning that it read like an account of something that actually occurred. I did experience an eerie grip on the back of my neck that held on throughout the read. I give T. Greenwood props.
Those of you that may be familiar with this story or perhaps the other novel inspired by these events, will know that this is not happy go lucky fare. It is horrendous and agonizing. I should have been pulled to the brim of distress and despair, but I was not. Saddened of course, but I never really connected, the writing missed my core and so the emotions that I felt, seemed removed and remote, which really is why I cannot rate this novel any higher than I have.
That said, Rust & Stardust has an average rating of 4.2 with over 1200 readers thus far. It clearly has connected with many. No doubt, I am the outlier at 3.5 stars.
As always I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, T. Greenwood and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this novel....more
This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years….This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years…..
That is the line that first drew me into this story and it is followed up by a compelling if somewhat damp, dark and twisted tale of: friendship, new love, betrayal, duplicity and murder.
The protagonist, Geo ( Georgina) Shaw, is not very likeable. She is in fact about to go to prison for the part she played in the murder of her then best friend Angela Wong some fourteen years ago. A sordid secret she has held onto all these years.
Truth is, Hillier’s ability to invest the reader in such an unsavoury character is but one of the many talents on display here and even though this was a slow start I soon found myself chasing the lure, wanting to know more and even though I had to shelve belief a couple of times along the way, still I took the bait and ran.
I would like to thank St, Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley and Jennifer Hillier for an opportunity to read this book....more
Vincent Trussardi stands accused of murdering his wife Laura. He specifically requests Jilly Truitt, an up and coming defence attorney, known for takiVincent Trussardi stands accused of murdering his wife Laura. He specifically requests Jilly Truitt, an up and coming defence attorney, known for taking risks that paid off, to represent him.
Jilly already juggling a full load finds her new client to be not entirely forthcoming, there is an enigma about him that will not be quiet and her investigation into the events surrounding Laura’s death yields little beyond frustration, due in no small part to uncooperative family members and others of interest. All of her friends, family and colleagues warn her off the case, certain it will be a loser.
Let me just say that I found this authors writing to be very engaging. Her prose has a graceful, fluid style. It pours forth and I found myself carried away by the current. That said a couple of instances come to mind where, “the dish ran away with the spoon”, even so, I caught the author’s meaning well enough.
As well written as this story is I did not find it to be particularly mysterious or thrilling. Somewhere in one of my mind’s back rooms a couple of scenarios played out that I eventually heard described by McLachlin herself. soooo no it did not keep me guessing, I was however thoroughly entertained. And it is called Full Disclosure.
Definitely count me in, should McLachlin write another, cause man that writing……….3.5 stars.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and Beverley McLachlin for an opportunity to read this advance copy.
Pssssssssst Beverley McLachlin, prior to her retirement was the 17th Chief Justice of Canada, the longest serving Chief Justice in Canada and the first women to ever hold this position. She knows of what she speaks....more
Someone is trying to kill Thor Loxley, the youngest and recently estranged son of the Loxley farming dynasty. He has just hThis story has great bones.
Someone is trying to kill Thor Loxley, the youngest and recently estranged son of the Loxley farming dynasty. He has just had a narrow escape, is licking his wounds, struggling with the weight of what’s happening and seeking comfort in the arms of his girlfriend Roisin.
The Loxleys of Crook's Hollow have a long running feud with the only other major landowner in the area, the Crooks, who are Roisin’s family.
In this small, rural English village, everybody knows everyone’s business and farmers deal with their problems in house, no need to involve outsiders like the authorities. And right now, Thor has a rather big problem.
What is here is driven by a fast paced narrative from Thor’s perspective that gives you some insight into who his potential killer may be and why. Red herrings thrive in the twists and turns that unfold with Thor’s search for the truth. What is missing is much of the flesh of the beast. I wanted to know more about Thor’s family and the rift that separates them, as well as Roisin and the generations old feud that still breathes, still feeds, is still alive and well, between his and her family.
I gobbled this up in no time, a couple of sittings and it was a very tasty treat indeed. Had it been served, I would willingly have stayed for the whole feast.
My thanks to Black Rose Writing, NetGalley and Robert Parker for an opportunity to read this advance copy....more
Ok so first things first Mr. Hunt, you and I have to have a conversation. Mostly about location, I mean come on, you are getting just a little too cloOk so first things first Mr. Hunt, you and I have to have a conversation. Mostly about location, I mean come on, you are getting just a little too close for comfort. Guelph, Ontario is a short half hours drive from my city, in fact I worked there for many years. My god man you are driving down the Hanlon! Enough said.
Would I classify this as horror. You betcha.
Taylor is a fat man. Tall with generous proportions, certainly, but still fat. His mother makes him look small. They have repurposed the garage to house her. But when his mother dies Taylor sees a shadow of a menacing man wearing a fedora. More like a shadow really, if shadows had teeth. He hears creeping and feels threatened by a possible intruder in his basement. The fear is persistent and invasive, it takes up residence. Then one day he wakes from a long slumber and finds he has lost days. And then, there it is, the shadow, from before.
I remember reading Doll House and thinking this guy’s got something going on. Trust me, he does. That said, John Hunt is decidedly honing his art, courting his muse, if you will. His prose may be a little too rough around the edges, but pay heed, this too shall pass.
I gave Doll House 3.5 stars but only lit up 3. This time another 3.5, but I am letting 4 burn bright.
You are on my radar Mr. Hunt and I am seeking good things. I’ll let you define that.
My thanks to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this novel....more
Boy you can bet I am glad to see the back of this baby. Teeth or no.
Not going to lie I did not care for this at all.
For those of you who do not know,Boy you can bet I am glad to see the back of this baby. Teeth or no.
Not going to lie I did not care for this at all.
For those of you who do not know, Baby Teeth is the story of Hanna, a little girl who is determined to kill her mother.
Of course any story of this nature is going to be an uncomfortable read and I was very aware of that hurdle from the onset. That said, no doubt I would have found this more unsettling than I did, had I bought into any of it. I did not.
The story is told through two perspectives; that of Hanna, the little girl and her mother Suzette. From the very beginning I had a difficult time connecting with these voices. They did not ring true for me.
I never found that what was happening on the page felt real, no tension, no drama.
It all seemed too contrived, too bent on shocking and horrifying the reader in as many gratuitous ways as possible.
Sorry folks but for me this was a shallow basin.
As always my thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Zoje Stage for an opportunity to read and review this book. :)...more
Songs carry memories almost as reliably and poignantly as smells. (all the chapters are named after songs)
Max is in the winter of Five Luminous Stars
Songs carry memories almost as reliably and poignantly as smells. (all the chapters are named after songs)
Max is in the winter of his years and for the majority of them he has carried a secret guilt, a burden of shame, that will not be gone. It has manifested itself onto him in most peculiar ways.
There was a mannequin standing at the centre of my grandfather’s overgrown garden, a life-size male with black hair and hopeful blue eyes. He was dressed in a black suit, a white shirt and black shoes. The elements and birds had reduced him and his clothes to a forlorn forsaken state.
These days Max keeps lists of memories, more protection from ever forgetting, more fuel for the fire that stokes the flames of guilt that have consumed him all of his adult life.
Max’s guilt dates back to when he was twelve and living in Paris in the days just leading up to the Nazi occupation. He was then best friends and inseparable from a Jewish girl called Ada. They spent most of their time in Ada’s tree house where they taught each other spells and copied each one down meticulously in their book, which of course was kept hidden from all prying eyes but their own.
On any other day, in any other place, at any other time in history Max’s small act, not an act at all really, more of an unact, though mean and hurtful, would not have carried such a heavy weight. But it was not any other day.
Much time has passed and Max realizes that in order to keep the memory of Ada alive, he must share his story, his secret shame, with his grandson Mark.
But Mark has a shame all his own and harbours fears that are debilitating, reductive and have resulted in more loss than life.
It is not always possible to know which, if any, of my grandfather’s stories were actually true so when he told me about Ada and their book of spells, I could not tell if it was just a story or an actual memory.
Honestly for such a small book, that could be read in a few short hours, if you did not feel the need to go back and read again some of the beautiful, haunting passages that evoke such a visceral response; this one packs a lot of story into very few pages.
It was less the soldiers and more the enormous Nazi flags draped over buildings which brought home how altered reality was. The most immediate effect of the red and white flag with the black swastika was one of unfriendliness. It made the familiar look unreal. Like waking up into a dream. It seemed to steal one’s memories. Steal the substance from everything it presided over. The sight of it always made me feel a bit dizzy as if I was filled with hot air.
It has already made it to my must read again list.
And soon, when I can slow down, chew and savour every respectful word. I cannot believe I just said that about a novel about the Holocaust, but it’s true.
Highly recommended! A Must Read. Thank you Katie.
As always, my thanks to Cheyne Walk, NetGalley and Glenn Haybittle for an opportunity to read and review this book....more
It is not as though I had high expectations going into this. Having never read a Jennifer Egan novel before I was bereft of preconceived notions.
But It is not as though I had high expectations going into this. Having never read a Jennifer Egan novel before I was bereft of preconceived notions.
But based on the blurb and certainly on the first few chapters I was eager to continue reading what promised to be an interesting well written story.
Set in depression era Brooklyn, Anna Kerrigan is only 12 years old as the story opens. She is accompanying her father Eddie on one of his many errands. This one takes them to Manhattan Beach and a far more privileged lifestyle than anything Anna has known personally or ever been exposed to before. But she senses a nervousness in her father as they approach the beach house that makes her uneasy. It is not like her Dad to be this nervous.
The house on Manhattan Beach belongs to Dexter Styles, a nightclub owner who has ties to the mob but whose marriage also opens doors for him among high society.
Flash forward a number of years and Anna’s father has disappeared. America is at war and Anna has found work at the Brooklyn Naval Yard doing tasks typically performed by men. While there she observes the naval divers and becomes determined to join their ranks as the first female diver.
Let me just say this. The stage is set and there is certainly plenty of fertile soil here for the story to take root and grow.
Add to that, some arresting prose:
He saw a second conning tower fully exposed, three points off the starboard bow. The hard right had brought them toward it.. At that same moment an explosion shook the ship. Hatches blew open, and overhead booms crashed down onto the deck. The “Elizabeth Seaman” shuddered, and her stack disgorged a ball of flame whose orange blaze illuminated everyone on the decks and then floated, crackling like a giant dissolving sun, over the sea. There was a reek of burning oil followed by deep silence as the ship’s engines went still.
Still I never connected with this story or any of its people. They fell flat for me. The story itself switches perspectives and shifts back and forth in time. These transitions were awkward and disruptive every time. It was like patches of story thrown against a backdrop and more or less left as they fell. The pieces are all there, a non cohesive whole, unnurtured, aesthetic less and limp.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and Jennifer Egan for the opportunity to read this advance copy....more
Nepenthe: a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow something capable of causing oblivion of grief or sufferNepenthe: a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering Merriam-Webster
Rebecca Hawthorne couldn’t deny it anymore. Her little girl had grown strange since they’d moved to Coyote’s compound. And it wasn’t just her obsession with ghosts and her refusal to use the outhouse. Or her compulsion to find all the dead ravens in the forest and play with them like they were toys. Stacking them up into shimmering black pyramids, their wings entangled, beaks hanging open. No it was something deeper. A fog seemed to have settled on her, hazing her once lively five-year-old glow, the way a bright pane of glass might slowly turn opaque from the elements: her head always lowered, as though weighted down by thought, her eyes dull and haggard. And no matter how much Rebecca tried to cheer her up, that moody grayness remained.
Coyote’s compound is in the back hills of Humboldt County, California, on a reportedly haunted piece of land called Homicide Hill. It boasts a large grow room for his hydroponic marijuana. Rebecca has brought her five year old daughter Megan to this place and hopes to teach her how to live off the land, by cultivating her own crops. Her boyfriend Calendula has been taking care of all the pot plants and ensuring the generator never stops.
Problem is Rebecca has noticed a change in Calendula as well as her daughter. He has grown strangely feral up here in these hills. She is eager to get this crop harvested, get paid and get gone from this place.
If you are looking for likeable characters, you best look away because there is not a one to be found here. Likeable or not these people are credible, they have histories, hopes and dreams, much like us. They have made poor choices in life and continue to do so while all the while exposing children to those same poor choices. Vicious cycle that.
I will admit that I was skeptical at first, I mean seriously it was hard to get behind these people. But Brockmeyer drew me in with his steady hand, his slow burning prose and undeniable sense of place. I came to know that compound, the history of the land and people long since gone. The revolving perspectives gave me insight to their innermost thoughts, their fears and plans for a better life. It is disquieting sometimes to find yourself rooting for such unsavoury characters, characters that have shown you their heart, their hand and their hope.
And then there was the dead whose spirit permeated this place and tapped into fears still forming, ever growing.
Of course I could not help but think of The Shining, no doubt comparisons will be made, but rest assured that Brockmeyer’s story can stand impervious and resolute on its own creative legs.
I’m still thinking about choices made, influences germinated and destinies cast in shadow.
What is it about Anthony Horowitz’s writing that sets me to thinking about books and my love of them? Of course if I am thinking about books it is What is it about Anthony Horowitz’s writing that sets me to thinking about books and my love of them? Of course if I am thinking about books it is typically the physical representation of such that consumes my thoughts. I mean it’s something I look for and take comfort in when I am visiting someone else’s home. I have books in practically every room of my house. I love to leave them lying about, because come on they are beautiful and evocative of past explorations or they lay basking in the glow of impassioned anticipation. I mean I even have kept a copy of White Oleander on my shelves. It is in absolutely horrific shape, whoever had it before it came into my hands was not kind or mindful. Still, Fitch’s prose is so beautiful, so unforgettable, that I still go back and sneak a peek every now again and usually when I do, I find myself thinking that I really need to buy a better copy of this work. Still I hold on to my well thumbed, dog-eared, decrepit and mysteriously stained and abused book that I first read.
Books add warmth and depth and I take comfort in their company and the ever changing displays of them that litter my home. But even I have to acknowledge all the benefits of today’s E readers. I am often compelled to have a book right away, even when I know I may not get to it for a while. I love knowing that it is right there, easily available when I am ready. Digital makes that so easy and fast and compact. I have hundreds of books on a device that takes up less room than one hard copy. And I can read it anywhere at any time of day or night, regardless of lighting and it travels like a true champion. Oh my goodness I do love books, in all shapes, styles and configurations.
I have a soft trade copy of Magpie Murders, with a black and red cover and ruffled pages. It lay itself wide open for my reading pleasure throughout. I love that! In this story Horowitz pays homage to Agatha Christie and his work is brilliant. It is the kind of story that you know right from the get go that you can settle into and get comfortable. All will be revealed in due course. It is actually two mysteries, one nested into another and even though I was annoyed and impatient when I got pulled away from Atticus Pund, I soon found myself lost in another story and equally reluctant to let go. And Horowitz delivers on both counts and had me more than once turning back the pages and scratching my head. I loved it!
This book is number 5 in an established series featuring Ari Greene, once a detective with the Toronto Police, he was accused of murder and on the heeThis book is number 5 in an established series featuring Ari Greene, once a detective with the Toronto Police, he was accused of murder and on the heels of his acquittal relocated to London, England. Now he is back in Toronto with his newly found 20 year old daughter in tow.
Determined to leave his days with the police force behind Ari has taken a job with a construction firm developing high end condo’s in Kensington Market. And it is here on the job site that Ari discovers the murdered corpse of the condo developer Livingston Fox.
Once again Ari’s investigative instincts kick in and he finds himself mired in the middle of a homicide investigation, being led by his one time former partner.
Even though this is book number 5 in the series I had no difficulty identifying with the principal characters, especially Ari, or understanding enough of their background and history to appreciate their inner turmoil's and subsequent perspectives.
I love that the backdrop of this story is Toronto, a city rich in cultural diversity and historic neighbourhoods. A city with which I am wonderfully familiar. Heart of the City is a mystery , set in the real life, high stakes game of real estate development in the heart of a vibrant, beautiful city and even though I would not describe it as thrilling per se, it is compelling and addictive. It was fun watching the investigation unfold, seeing things from a number of perspectives. I was right there to the final word. Most enjoyable.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster, Robert Rotenberg and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Hands up! When it comes to hard boiled or pulp fiction as I tend to call it I am most assuredly not well read. I have read a few sure, but not enougHands up! When it comes to hard boiled or pulp fiction as I tend to call it I am most assuredly not well read. I have read a few sure, but not enough to weigh in as well informed.
That said:
The Twenty Year Death is comprised of three interlinked stories each of which is told through the voice of a past master of the genre.
Malvineau Prison: 1931 France. When a dead man is found in a gutter, the investigation leads the authorities to Malvineau Prison and a series of unexplained disappearances. Our victim is a previous inmate and is survived by his beautiful teenage daughter (Clothilde) and her angst ridden, alcohol fueled, American husband. Told in the style of Georges Simenon.
The Falling Star: 1941 Hollywood. A Private Investigator is hired to keep his eye on the studio’s leading lady Clothilde, now known as Chloe Rose. Her husband is still bathing his woes in alcohol and the allure of another woman’s arms. When our P.I. stumbles upon the body of a brutally murdered young starlet things get dicey. Told in the style of Raymond Chandler.
Police At The Funeral: 1951 Maryland. Clhoe’s gin soaked, two timing, down on his luck, loser husband Shem, spirals out of control with blood on his hands and the police in pursuit. Told in the Style of Jim Thompson.
Through the above noted stories, the reader is able to follow the course of Clothilde and Shem Rosenkrantz’s life and marriage. I never found either one of them to be particularly interesting, except perhaps in the first story, which while not compelling characters even then, they at least piqued my curiosity to some degree. I did recognize the style of Raymond Chandler in the second story, despite the fact that I found the overall effect to be low on pulp and heavy on cheese. The last story was without a doubt my least favourite. My Mother once told me that if I had nothing good to say I should keep my mouth shut. Advice taken....more
This book and I have a history. I first saw it some time ago on NetGalley and requested it immediately. Sadly I was denied but not deterred. I keptThis book and I have a history. I first saw it some time ago on NetGalley and requested it immediately. Sadly I was denied but not deterred. I kept looking, hoping for a publisher that would favour me. So that didn’t happen and then one day I saw it on the start reading shelf and snagged it in a heartbeat.
And then I sat down at last to read it and discovered to my horror that it was only a sampler.. Talk about !@#$%^& messing with me.
Yes there is history and it is not all sunshine and lollipops.
Who cares. This story had my attention from the first word and it never let go.
I was born two years into my Mother’s captivity. She was three weeks shy of seventeen. If I had known then, what I do now, things would have been a lot different. I wouldn’t have adored my Father.
Helena grew up in the marsh land of the upper peninsula of Michigan. Deep in the marsh land where she had no contact with anyone for years other than her Father and her Mother. Little did Helena know that her Father had abducted her 14 year old Mother and held her captive lo these many years.
Flash forward and Helena has escaped the marsh, is married and has two girls of her own , when she hears the news announcement that her Father has escaped prison.
Helena has kept her past secret even from her husband. Even so she knows, the authorities will not find her Father. He is too clever by far. No she must do this, track him, on her own, as he has trained her to do.
I was always going to read this story, regardless of what the yard guards had to say. It is unnerving when you stop to think about it, but every perpetrator of every heinous crime ever committed is also someone’s father, brother, mother, son, daughter, whatever. I remember when my girls were young and would find themselves in trouble for one thing or another, when all was said and done, they always looked to me for reassurance that I still loved them and would continue to do so, even if they had been bad. It was easy to give those assurances, while still attempting to instill the right versus wrong moral code you hoped would follow them into adulthood. But in the cold hard light of day, things are not so cut and dried. I don’t believe that that kind of deep sustaining love ever dissipates completely, regardless of the circumstances surrounding someone’s culpability in evil.
The story is told from Helena’s perspective and moves back and forth in time, allowing an in depth look at her childhood and all the events of years past that have coloured and shaped the woman she is today. Interspersed throughout Helena’s story is the fairy tale of The Marsh King’s Daughter as written by Hans Christian Anderson.
Gut wrenching and unputdownable The Marsh King's Daughter is a chilling and intense look at the bonds of love and the human condition. You will not want to miss it.
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Erica Spindler and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this chilling new thriller.
Can you believe that I haI would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Erica Spindler and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this chilling new thriller.
Can you believe that I have never before read an Erica Spindler novel and man is she prolific. That is great news for me because based on my experience with The Other Girl I will definitely be going back to the well.
Harmony PD Detective Miranda Rader parked behind the two cruisers already at the scene. Their flashing blue lights violated the otherwise still, spring night, bouncing off the trees and surrounding homes, spinning and tilting like a carnival midway on crack. She closed her eyes and for a moment she was fifteen again. Police lights bouncing off the trees. This knot in the pit of her gut, this sense that nothing was going to be the same, not ever again. She let out a pent- up breath and flexed her fingers on the steering wheel.Shake it off, Miranda. Focus.
Miranda (Randi) comes from the wrong side of the tracks in the spit sized town of Jasper, Louisiana. She has worked hard to pull herself up and become a respected homicide detective with the Harmony police department, but when her and her partner Jake are called in to investigate the murder of one of the town’s esteemed college professors, not only are they shocked by the brutality of the crime scene but Miranda finds a piece of evidence that takes her back to her fifteen year old self, to a crime that no one truly believed had actually happened and the screams of another girl that no-one believed actually exists.
Whoa, this one grabbed me by the short and curlys almost immediately and even though I was able to identify the perpetrator early on, I never lost interest in the story being told or the fate of Miranda Rader. I kept turning the pages, fast and furious, and became more than a little disgruntled when life and it’s demands on my time, pulled me out of the story. The protagonist and all the supporting characters are well drawn, engage in realistic dialogue and have a solid place in the story, which moves forward at an engaging pace that leaves the reader invested in the outcome. Oh and I love when the author takes the time to construct an epilogue. :)
There are so many thrillers on the market these days with kickass female leads but this one is so well done that it stands apart from the herd. You will not want to miss it.
As the title suggests this is the story of a scandal, that happened some years ago among Britain's elite citizenry. In fact it involves a Junior MinisAs the title suggests this is the story of a scandal, that happened some years ago among Britain's elite citizenry. In fact it involves a Junior Minister in the House of Commons, one James Whitehouse. I’m sure we have all met men like James: tall, good looking, suave and charismatic, uncommonly gifted, able to work a room and have most everyone eating from his hands. Yet here he stands before us in a Court of Law accused of one of the most heinous crimes one can commit against another. The burden of proof is on the prosecutor and she does not accept it lightly. It is a difficult crime to bring to justice where often the victim becomes more sullied than the perpetrator. Kate stands absolute in her resolve to see justice done.
As contemporary readers I think we can become a little jaded. I mean I have read ever so many graphic portrayals of criminal and inhumane acts. What Vaughn did here was to navigate these treacherous waters without once resorting to sensationalism. In fact she demonstrates remarkable restraint in sharing the specifics of this heinous act with us, without compromising our intimate understanding of the crime. A remarkable achievement although, at times I felt she could have unleashed her prose a little, just enough to jar and keep the reader uncomfortable with that part of the narrative. But that is a minor concern.
Sadly one of the things that really brings this story home, is that it happens all too often, still, all over the world. There is no Hollywood in this story and that is how it should be. There is no Hollywood in this hideous crime.
Ooops I neglected to thank Simon & Schuster, Sarah Vaughn and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy. Expected publication on Dec. 5, 2017....more
I have started this review several times now without any success, which is to say I would not publish the gobbledygook of my thought processes. The tI have started this review several times now without any success, which is to say I would not publish the gobbledygook of my thought processes. The truth is I am really torn about my feelings for this story.
On the one hand, imagining a world where people experience little or no feelings and have no memories about anything what so ever is intriguing. Trouble is it can also be quite tedious.
The Appointment is a very unique dystopian story. Mankind is on lockdown, situated behind a wall that is closely guarded. They have been stripped of everything. They have no memories, nor do they possess anything that has the potential to rekindle those memories, like music, art, photographs,cell phones etc. Depression has set in, everyone is void of feeling, maintain blank expressions and have little or no meaningful interaction with each other. (Reminds me of being on city transit where everyone is lost in the world of their own smart phone)
Jacob, our protagonist, has turned to drink and sleep to combat his utter loneliness and the emotional vacuum of his life. One day he receives an invitation to attend an anonymous appointment and once there agrees to participate in some tests that result in him being immersed into a dreamlike realm. Secretly Jacob longs to connect with feeling to another human being and hopes that there are still others out there that can remember how life used to be.
Problem is The Boss ( the one in charge of these tests) seems to have a different objective, one that does not embrace a return of Jacob’s memories or emotions.
I love the premise and scope of this undertaking and I am a fan of Narlee’s style of writing, which for me at least, is very reader friendly and accessible. Nonetheless it was a real struggle for me to connect to this story in a meaningful way. Perhaps because it took a fair amount of time for me to figure out where this was going, how much was real and how much was a dream, if any. Still I am feeling pretty confident that as the story continues to unfold this will become more clear. That said I am definitely invested enough and have faith enough in the author to give Book Two a try. I reserve the right to rethink my rating after more of the story has been revealed but for now I am landing on a middle of the road 3 stars.
Luke P. Narlee is an up and comer from whom I expect we shall see great things. My sincere thanks to the author for facilitating a free digital copy for my reading pleasure. :)...more
Do not judge this book by its cover! Do not judge this book by its title! Neither of these serve the story very well.
It says Las Vegas Mystery #1 Do not judge this book by its cover! Do not judge this book by its title! Neither of these serve the story very well.
It says Las Vegas Mystery #1 and I was all settled down to read a murder mystery or police procedural set in sin city. Somewhere along the line, the murder and the killer took a backseat to Helen’s story. But I am getting ahead of myself.
The dead woman’s severed finger was found just feet from Helen’s door step. Helen used to be a teacher but that was before her husband Bobby died in a climbing accident ten years ago. After that Helen’s world went a little sideways. Of course Bobby was still there for her, he would not abandon her, but there were also over twenty cats inside her over stuffed home. Helen was a hoarder and her place now, with the cats and their urine and feces, not to mention many a variety of bug, was no longer habitable for human occupation, at least by any sane person. Helen had put paid to that barrier some time ago.
Police took Helen into custody as they believed she was witness to the murder ( a butchering really) of her neighbour, but getting Helen to recount what she may have seen or heard proves impossible as Bobby keeps interrupting their conversation. The detective in charge of the investigation calls Helen’s sister Pat who lives in Phoenix. Although she has not seen Helen for almost ten years now Pat comes to Las Vegas with her two teen age sons in tow.
In the beginning and as new characters were introduced, especially those close to Bebe (the murdered woman) I was focusing on who had motive, opportunity and what not, to have committed such a heinous act but honestly, what was going on with Helen and her sister Pat in her attempts to at last do right by Helen, was far more compelling than the search for the perpetrator. Helen gave me a glimpse into the mind of the mentally ill and her thought processes, including just how crazy she herself felt she was and how alone. But we also get to see the struggle from her sister’s perspective, who is desperately trying to keep two teenage boys on the straight and narrow in a city of sin and lugging around years of guilt for having abandoned Helen, who she knew was unstable, all those years ago.
Thankfully McKinnis threw me a lifeline that wasted little time in yanking me back into the fold by dropping another dead body and another grisly scene in front of me. Helen is on the loose and nobody can account for her whereabouts. This is the second victim that she is tied to and it would seem that she does not have an alibi. Just how mad is she?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from the get go. Time was taken with all of the principal characters, who were fleshed out, had histories and passed the, these people smell real to me test, with flying colours. That said, I have no doubt that I shall return to McKinnis’s fertile pen when Mystery # 2 comes off the drawing board.
A good mystery and a fabulous human interest story. A Justified Bitch gets four solid stars from me.
I would like to thank Imbrifex Books, H.G. McKinnis and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book....more
Thirteen year old Karma grew up at her Dad’s Bird Education Center in Montana. She has been around birds of prey her wAn absolute delight to read!
Thirteen year old Karma grew up at her Dad’s Bird Education Center in Montana. She has been around birds of prey her whole life and wants badly to become a certified falconer.
Right on the heels of an unscripted event when flying her gyrfalcon ( a rescue bird) named Stark, that leaves Karma injured, her parents decide the time has come to return the rescued bird back to it's original owners in Canada.
Karma is heartbroken and feels responsible for Stark’s behaviour during the demonstration, because she was distracted by other young girls her age in attendance. She cannot believe her parents are making her return Stark who she promised to love always and never abandon.
But Karma and her family find themselves in trouble when a tire blows and their vehicle flips off the highway. Karma’s father is pinned behind the wheel and she must leave her little brother behind with her Dad, and set out to find the nearest highway and summon help. And now she realizes that Stark has escaped from his enclosure in the back of their flipped vehicle.
This, then is Karma’s gritty adventure in the back of nowhere Montana where she encounters a temperamental teenage boy, a little older than herself with whom she has had a previous short lived acquaintance, much to her Father’s chagrin. It is told from Karma’s perspective and along the way she imparts her knowledge, which is considerable, on the art of falconry and why she loves raptors and cannot imagine a life without them. She also faces life threatening challenges as her and Cooper get lost in the backwoods, both poorly equipped for such an adventure. I imagine, children and young adults would be drawn in by the chit-chat nature of much of the narrative. I know I was.
I gobbled it all up and could not wait to learn more. It was compelling, informative without being preachy and highly entertaining. Life lessons quietly, pervade the story and Karma’s incredible bond with her bird of prey is fascinating, irresistible and enchanting.
My ten year old self would have devoured this and went back for seconds. Probably considered to be in the middle grade level, I think this would be suitable for just about anyone over the age of ten.
I have two granddaughters at an appropriate age and cannot wait to introduce them.
Highly recommended. 4.5 of those thirst quenching stars.
My thanks to Charlesbridge Publishing Inc., Terry Lynn Johnson and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book....more
Here it is evening already. Evening!, and I haven’t even thought about the dirty dishes or unmade bed, never mind dinner.
I have been in the Zoo witHere it is evening already. Evening!, and I haven’t even thought about the dirty dishes or unmade bed, never mind dinner.
I have been in the Zoo with Joan and her precocious four year old son Lincoln. They are hiding in the porcupine enclosure. In the primate zone.
There are armed gunmen out there in the zoo who are killing people.
They are hidden from view but must remain very quiet. She must keep Lincoln calm and engaged, hushed and still. Calm and engaged. Not shot. Not dead. Focus!
Just how far would you go to protect your child?
Want to punch out for a while?
Come on in.
Four adrenaline fueled escape stars
My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Gin Phillips and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book....more
Arah-Lynda
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