REVIEW: The Crash by Freida McFadden

Synopsis

The nightmare she’s running from is nothing compared to where she’s headed.

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

She never arrives at her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn’t what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.

And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself—and her unborn child.

A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.

Format 384 pages, Hardcover

Published January 28, 2025 by Poisoned Pen Press

ISBN 9781464232985 (ISBN10: 1464232989)

About the Author

#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and possessed cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

My Thoughts

The Crash is a passable psychological thriller that starts with promise but quickly veers into the mundane and, at times, the downright preposterous. Freida McFadden delivers fast pacing and accessible prose, and twists that feel more forced than clever.

The characters are thinly drawn and often behave in baffling ways, making it hard to stay emotionally invested. and while the premise is intriguing, the execution relies too heavily on unlikely coincidences and melodramatic turns. By the end, the story stretches credibility to its limits, making it hard to stay invested in the outcome.

Five words: mundane, preposterous, fast-paced, theatrical, unbelievable

Buy Now:

Visit the publisher

My final word: It’s not a bad book—it moves quickly and may satisfy readers looking for an easy, forgettable read. But The Crash feels like a fender bender of ideas that never quite adds up to a solid impact. The plot winds up feeling overly familiar (more than once I thought of Stephen King's Misery) and eventually collapses under the weight of its own implausibility. Overall, it’s a mundane but readable effort-- adequate for a lazy afternoon, but little else.

Warnings:

Violence, kidnapping, references to rape

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

REVIEW: The Family Experiment by John Marrs

 

Synopsis

From the acclaimed author of The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and brilliant speculative thriller about families: real and virtual.

Some families are virtually perfect…

The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…

Set in the same universe as John Marrs's bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate Tamagotchi—a virtual baby.

Format 384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 9, 2024 by Hanover Square Press
ISBN 9781335000361 (ISBN10: 1335000364)

Genre Mystery Thriller, Dystopian, Science Fiction

About the Author

John Marrs is the author of #1 Best Sellers The One, The Good Samaritan, When You Disappeared, The Vacation, Her Last Move, The Passengers, The Minders and What Lies Between Us. Keep It In The Family and The Marriage Act are released soon.

What Lies won the International Thriller Writers' Best Paperback of 2021 award.

The One has been translated into 30 different languages and is to be turned into an eight-part Netflix series starting in autumn 2020.

After working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time writer.

Twitter @johnmarrs1 

Facebook: @johnmarrsauthor 

Instagram: @johnmarrs.author 

Website: johnmarrsauthor.co.uk

My Thoughts

In simplest terms, the Metaverse is the internet, but in 3D.  Ed Greig, Chief Disruptor at Deloitte

In an overcrowded world that is outgrowing itself, people can no longer afford to have children. Amid this backdrop a new reality show is born. The Family Experiment offers competing childless Brits the opportunity to raise virtual children from birth to 18 years of age over a condensed nine-month period. At the end of the nine-month period, the public will vote for the winner of the "game show". The winner can keep their virtual child or have their child "eliminated" and take a cash reward to start their own family in the Real World.

This book explores people creating family in different ways and the ugly side of AI in a dystopian world. I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, but a dark side is revealed showing the underbelly of this AI world and simulated life that has been created. Some of the contestants are sincere in their desire for a child while others are less so.

Five words: unusual, provocative, preposterous, stiff, puzzling

Buy Now:

Check your purchase options on the publisher's website

My final word:  I wasn't a fan of any of the characters other than Alice and sometimes Hudson. I found it difficult to keep track of the couples and the stories within the story, and equally difficult to follow dialogue with the off-putting formatting (or lack thereof) that lacked traditional punctuation. But it was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the ethical quandaries. However, the story can be a bit blah. The last 20% of the book was rather boring as it tied up the loose ends and explained the background through some flashbacks. It felt almost "technical" in the end. On a positive note, there are a lot of twists to keep you guessing! I found the book to be just "okay", but I seem to be in the minority on this one! It just felt sort of clunky. Overall a good read for anyone who likes a dystopian-type read that makes you question the precipice we teeter on with AI and with networks who see viewers as dollar signs.

"Some vanished beneath the waves, their arms stretching into the air as if reaching for God's hand."

Warnings:

Vulgarity, drug use, some violence. Some triggers involving mistreatment of children.

Cover:  4 stars

Writing Style:  3.5 stars

Characters:  3.5 stars

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 stars

Interest/Uniqueness: 4 stars

Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  

REVIEW: Tom Clancy Act of Defiance by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson, Tom Clancy

 

Synopsis

When a Russian superweapon is let loose under the waves, it's up to President Jack Ryan to find a countermove in the latest entry in this #1 New York Times bestselling series.

US intelligence says there's something going on in Russia. While their land forces have been decimated by corruption and incompetence, the Navy seems to be pouring money into some secret project.

Analysts are stumped, until the knot is untangled by one particularly bright young woman at the Office of Naval Intelligence--Katie Ryan, the youngest daughter of President Jack Ryan. Like her father, she sees patterns where other don't, and she's determined that the Russians are about to launch a super missile submarine, the Belgorod.

Now the race is on to determine where the sub is and whether it poses a threat to the continental US.

560 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 21, 2024 

 

About the Author (from Goodreads)

Brian is a US Navy veteran, nuclear engineer, and former submarine officer. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in psychology, holds a Master's in business from Cornell, and is a Park Leadership Fellow. He is a principal contributor at Career Authors, a site dedicated to advancing the careers of aspiring and published writers: www.careerauthors.com.

He is half of Andrews & Wilson, the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & #1 Amazon best-selling co-author team behind the TIER ONE series. New in 2024:

- FOUR MINUTES: (APRIL)
- ACT OF DEFIANCE (MAY)
- EMBER: Tier One #8 (JULY)

In addition to their novels, Andrews & Wilson have multiple projects under development for film and television with major motion picture studios including Tier One, Dark Intercept, 4 Minutes, Portal, Glitch, and The In Between.

Find Brian online at:

Web: www.andrews-wilson.com
Instagram: @andrewsandwilson
Twitter: @BAndrewsJWilson

Sign-up for his newsletter at www.andrews-wilson.com to stay informed about all his new releases or "Follow" his Amazon Author page!

 

My Thoughts

Much of this story takes place on military submarines-- both Russian and US.

Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jack Ryan, who we were introduced to in Patriot Games, is back in the 19th installment in the Jack Ryan series. Now 40 years later, Jack is President of the United States, and his youngest daughter Katie has followed in his footsteps as a senior analyst for Russian threats. Like her father in more ways than one, she is as well-suited for the position as her father was, being knowledgeable and willing to do just about anything to get the job done, intuitive and honorable.

Like its earlier predecessor The Hunt for Red October (THFRO), the US is on alert to a threat from the Russians. And, like its earlier predecessor, there is a Ryan working the case!

First, let me say that I know The Hunt for Red October. I have to have watched the movie at least 40-50 times...very possibly more! I kid you not! I could recite the dialogue for half of the movie. I was married to a Fire Control Tech stationed on a nuclear submarine, and I would watch THFRO on repeat every patrol in order to feel close to him.  I even went out on a day patrol on the USS Ben Franklin SSBN 640. We did different maneuvers like dives and emergency blows whereby the submarine rushes to the surface like a super-sonic elevator and pops out of the water. So, can you see how I would have a bit of a personal connection to this story?

This is like a modern day Hunt for Red October. I mean, very obviously so. This is almost like a parallel story right down to a submarine captain going rogue around the anniversary of his wife's death. If you followed a timeline of THFRO, this would basically coincide with the high points with just minor twists to make it different. Women are now much more prominent to reflect the changing times, but even things that are said tend to be similar to THFRO (i.e. "One ping... One ping only."). I can connect the characters to their equivalents in THFRO. "This guy is the equivalent of that second in command on the aircraft carrier that didn't like Jack Ryan in THFRO!"

But in this modern day retelling, it is Katie Ryan that takes on the role of competent and beleaguered analyst attempting to prevent WWIII.

Five words: absorbing, courageous, thrilling, familiar, true-to-life

My final word: Well, I think I've already established that I am partial to the movie The Hunt for Red October (the third book in this series), so this book is right up my alley. I think that the author is a talented storyteller. His experience in submarines make the submarine scenes feel particularly authentic. The writing really flows. It is easy, comfortable and enjoyable. The characters are rather one-dimensional, but that isn't really surprising for this genre. I think that my only real complaint is that it was too much like its predecessor THFRO. It became a distraction for me. I was constantly picking up on all of the similarities. But for someone not suffering from the same affliction as me, this is a fun, on-the-edge-of-your-seat ride!

Pre-Order Now (releases May 21, 2024):

Find purchase options on Penguin Random House

Warnings:

Contains mild language, mild violence and adult situations.

Cover: A-

Writing Style: A
Characters: B+
Storyline/Plot: B
Interest/Uniqueness: B-

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  

TLC BOOK TOURS and REVIEW: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Synopsis

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried forever…

Packed with twists and turns, brimming with emotion and heart, The Good Daughter is fiction at its most thrilling. 

Hardcover, 528 pages
Published August 8th 2017 by William Morrow
ISBN 0062430246 (ISBN13: 9780062430243)


About the Author

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 36 languages, with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her sixteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novel Pretty Girls. A native of Georgia, Karin currently lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent series, Grant County series, and standalone novel Cop Town are all in development for film and television.

Check out the author's website
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My Thoughts

Samantha Quinn felt the stinging of a thousand hornets inside her legs as she ran down the long, forlorn driveway toward the farmhouse.

Two young sisters share a horrible experience as teenagers, and are left motherless, battered and broken. Jump forward 28 years to little sister Charlie-- the "good daughter" who followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer and stayed close to home. But she's hit a bad stretch in life, estranged from her husband and caught in the center of a local tragedy. Her past is nipping at her heels once again, demanding to be confronted.

I became a fan of the author with her best selling novel Pretty Girls. I learned then just how good the author is at writing multi-dimensional characters with which you can really identify, and she understands the complexities of familial and romantic relationships. Her characters are very human and flawed. You see both the good and the bad in them, and find yourself rooting for them to work it all out.

My biggest complaint with the author is that she will throw in some twists and turns that push the limits of feasibility, and it can cause me to be pulled out of the story as I think, "Hmmm...that seems a little unrealistic."

I would like to thank TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour. Check out the website for the full tour schedule:

Tuesday, August 22nd: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Wednesday, August 23rd: Read-Love-Blog
Thursday, August 24th: Readaholic Zone
Friday, August 25th: The Book Chick
Monday, August 28th: A Wondrous Bookshelf
Tuesday, August 29th: StephTheBookworm
Wednesday, August 30th: Mom’s Small Victories
Thursday, August 31st: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Monday, September 4th: Always With a Book
Tuesday, September 5th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, September 6th: Booked on a Feeling
Thursday, September 7th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, September 11th: she treads softly
Tuesday, September 12th: Kahakai Kitchen

My final word: While there are moments in her stories that stretch the boundaries of my ability to "suspend disbelief", overall I really enjoy this author. Her writing is very "readable", but her stories aren't too simplistic or dumbed-down. Her characters have depth, the storyline in this story has some twists and turns and can keep you guessing. There is some humor to make you smile, sentimentality to bring tears, a roller-coaster of emotions. The author writes fallible characters, and she offers strong female leads who are yet still human and flawed. Her books make for good beach reads, or with which to curl up in a comfy chair this winter.

Buy Now: 
HarperCollins
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through TLC Book Tours and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. 

QUICK REVIEW: Breaking Wild by Diane Les Becquets

Synopsis

In captivating prose, Diane Les Becquets tells the story of one woman missing in the Colorado wilderness and another bent on discovering the missing woman’s whereabouts, in an unforgettably moving and thrilling literary debut.
 
It is the last weekend of the season for Amy Raye Latour to get away. Driven to spend days alone in the wilderness, Amy Raye, mother of two, is compelled by the quiet and the rush of nature. But this time, her venture into a remote area presents a different set of dangers than Amy Raye has planned for and she finds herself on the verge of the precarious edge that she’s flirted with her entire life.

When Amy Raye doesn’t return to camp, ranger Pru Hathaway and her dog respond to the missing person’s call. After an unexpected snowfall and few leads, the operation turns into a search and recovery. Pru, though, is not resigned to that. The more she learns about the woman for whom she is searching, and about Amy Raye’s past, the more she suspects that Amy Raye might yet be alive. Pru’s own search becomes an obsession for a woman whose life is just as mysterious as the clues she has left behind.

As the novel follows Amy Raye and Pru in alternating threads, Breaking Wild assumes the white-knuckled pace of a thriller laying bare Amy Raye’s ultimate reckoning with the secrets of her life, and Pru’s dogged pursuit of the woman who, against all odds, she believes she can find.

Hardcover, 309 pages
Published February 9th 2016 by Berkley
ISBN 042528378X (ISBN13: 9780425283783)


My Thoughts

It was snowing already, in early November, after days of hot, clear fall weather.

A young woman disappears into the wilds of Colorado while hunting with friends. Search parties scout for signs of her before having to give up and suspend the search. But two women don't give up.


My final word: This was a pretty good story. I liked Pru and her dogged determination. Amy Raye began a bit rough, but I found her a little more likable later on. The story offers flashbacks into the lives of Amy Raye and Pru, and you have to respect how tough Amy Raye is, how she endures throughout life. She's pulled herself together and created a life for herself, but still seems dissatisfied and self-destructive. Now that she is alone in the wilderness and losing hope of ever being found, she has time to take a look at herself and come to terms with who she's become. The author does a good job at making you feel what its like to be two women driven by determination toward the same goal. A little bit predictable, but with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.
  
Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  

QUICK REVIEW: The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Synopsis

A devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. This is a modern re-imagining of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train from the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart.

On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. But their game turns dark when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.”

From there, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they plot Miranda's demise, but soon these co-conspirators are embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse--one they both cannot survive--with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.

Hardcover, 312 pages
Published February 3rd 2015 by William Morrow
ISBN 0062267523 (ISBN13: 9780062267528)


About the Author

Peter Swanson is the author of two novels, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, and The Kind Worth Killing, available from William Morrow in the United States and Faber & Faber in the United Kingdom. His poems, stories and reviews have appeared in such journals as The Atlantic, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Epoch, Measure, Notre Dame Review, Soundings East, and The Vocabula Review. He has won awards in poetry from The Lyric and Yankee Magazine, and is currently completing a sonnet sequence on all 53 of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. He lives with his wife and cat in Somerville, Massachusetts.


My Thoughts

Ted has a fortuitous meeting with Lily on a long plane flight. By the end of the flight, they are plotting the murder of his wife Miranda.

My final word: This book is written in the style of Gone Girl, switching narratives between characters, so it gives you that interesting perspective of seeing both sides. First you see one side of the story and perhaps sympathize with the narrator. Then you see the other side and sympathize with that narrator. Or maybe you see things through one set of eyes and think the other person is benign, but when you see things through their eyes you realize how malicious they really are. The switching of perspectives was handled really well. Great character development, smooth writing. Then there is a plot twist that had our whole book club gasping with surprise! This was my first novel by author Peter Swanson, but I have a feeling it won't be my last!


Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound


My Rating: 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

This book was the March 2016 selection for the Cape Coral Bookies.

QUICK REVIEW: The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Sandcastle Girls comes the spellbinding tale of a party gone horribly wrong: two men lie dead in a suburban living room; two women are on the run from police; and a marriage is ripping apart at the seams.
 
When Richard Chapman offers to host his younger brother's bachelor party, he expects a certain amount of debauchery. He sends his wife, Kristin, and young daughter off to his mother-in-law's for the weekend, and he opens his Westchester home to his brother's friends and their hired entertainment. What he does not expect is this: bacchanalian drunkenness, a dangerously intimate moment in his guest bedroom, and two naked women stabbing and killing their Russian bodyguards before driving off into the night. In the aftermath, Richard's life rapidly spirals into a nightmare. The police throw him out of his home, now a crime scene; his investment banking firm puts him on indefinite leave; and his wife finds herself unable to forgive him for the moment he shared with a dark-haired girl in the guest room. But the dark-haired girl, Alexandra, faces a much graver danger. In one breathless, violent night, she is free, running to escape the police who will arrest her and the gangsters who will kill her in a heartbeat. A captivating, chilling story about shame and scandal, The Guest Room is a riveting novel from one of our greatest storytellers.

Hardcover, 336 pages
Published January 5th 2016 by Doubleday
ISBN 0385538898 (ISBN13: 9780385538893)


About the Author

Lincoln, Vermont’s Chris Bohjalian is the author of 18 books, most of which were New York Times bestsellers. His work has been translated into over 30 languages and three times become movies.

Hi new novel, The Guest Room, a story of a human trafficking, a marriage in crisis, and two remarkable women, just went on sale.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for The Sandcastle Girls, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for The Night Strangers; the New England Book Award; Russia's Soglasie (Concord) Award for The Sandcastle Girls; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Trans-Sister Radio; and the Anahid Literary Award. His novel, Midwives, was a number one New York Times bestseller, a selection of Oprah's Book Club, and a New England Booksellers Association Discovery pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including the Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader's Digest, and the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for the Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College, and lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer. Their daughter, Grace Experience, is a young actor in New York City. Among the audiobooks she has narrated are Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands and The Guest Room.

Check out the author's website
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My Thoughts

Richard Chapman presumed there would be a stripper at his brother Philip's bachelor party. 

I was introduced to author Chris Bohjalian through his book The Sandcastle Girls. I enjoyed that book, so when offered the chance to read his new book The Guest Room, I jumped at the chance.

Richard somewhat begrudgingly throws his younger brother Philip a bachelor party. He finds the home he shares with his wife and little girl filled with men he doesn't particularly care for, and seeing things he didn't plan on seeing. He knew that there would probably be strippers, but he gets way more than he bargained for when the girls begin having sex with his brother and other attendees, and even doing so right in front of him and the other party goers. Then before he knows it, he finds himself in an upstairs guest room with one of the strippers lying naked on the bed.

Fast forward a short while later, and Richard is left standing in a living room splattered with blood and two dead men. The strippers have killed their "bodyguards", and run off armed and with money lifted off the bodies.

In the days to follow, Richard learns that the "strippers" are actually believed to have been victims of human trafficking-- possibly Russian sex slaves. And his life soon begins to spiral out of his control as he must suffer the consequences of his poor decisions that night, and must answer to more than just his wife.

My final word: This was an interesting book. I'm feeling a wee bit ambivalent about it. I liked it okay, but it felt a little light. It sort of felt like a short story-- a little abbreviated, not too much depth to most of the characters (other than Alexandra). It was "okay". It was good enough to recommend for consideration for my book club, but it just wasn't a really exciting or deep read.

Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:
B+
 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  

QUICK REVIEW: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Synopsis

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people’s lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

Hardcover, 325 pages
Published January 13th 2015 by Riverhead Books
ISBN 1594633665 (ISBN13: 9781594633669)


About the Author

Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction.

Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since. The Girl on the Train is her first thriller.

Check out the author's website
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My Thoughts

There is a pile of clothing on the side of the train tracks.

Rachel is a lonely divorced alcoholic who rides the train to and from work everyday, and who has become familiar with a couple that she regularly passes on her ride. She's made up lives for the couple, given them names, and feels as if she knows them. One day she sees something, and later  learns that the woman she's watched every day has been reported missing. Rachel finds herself enmeshed in the drama surrounding the disappearance of Megan (the real name of the woman she's been watching from the train), while having things further complicated by her raw emotions regarding her ex-husband Tom and his new wife Anna.

She’s a cuckoo, laying her eggs in my nest.

Since separating from her husband, Rachel has been living with Cathy, and things are wearing thin for both of them.

Cathy’s a nice person, in a forceful sort of way. She makes you notice her niceness. Her niceness is writ large, it is her defining quality and she needs it acknowledged, often, daily almost, which can be tiring.

Suffice to say, things get very complicated.

My final word: A little reminiscent of Gone Girl, with varying narratives and perspectives, it has some twists and turns that keep you guessing. You think you know what's happening, but then a twist is thrown in and you realize maybe you were wrong. And as with Gone Girl, I didn't find any of the characters very likable. They were all self-absorbed and annoying. So...it was okay...pretty good. I don't quite understand what all of the hullabaloo was, but it was okay. It was a pretty good mystery, keeping you guessing, and very readable.

Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

This book was the October 2015 selection for the Cape Coral Bookies.


 

REVIEW: Brother by Ania Ahlborn

Synopsis

From the bestselling horror author of Within These Walls and The Bird Eater comes a brand-new novel of terror that follows a teenager determined to break from his family’s unconventional—and deeply disturbing—traditions.

Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it’s served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don’t knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what’s buried in the Morrows’ backyard.

But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn’t like the rest of his family. He doesn’t take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he’s sure that someday he’ll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he’s immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he’s become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place…

Paperback, 322 pages
Published September 29th 2015 by Gallery Books
ISBN 147678373X (ISBN13: 9781476783734)


About the Author

Born in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.

Author of eight novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.

Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

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My Thoughts

Michael twisted in his bed, the threadbare blanket he’d used all his life tangled around his legs. A girl was screaming bloody murder outside.

"One of these things is not like the other." Michael is a sensitive and sweet boy underneath the twisted outer shell created by his demented family. Adopted into the family as a young boy, he is now a conflicted young man trapped in a life of terror without a clue how to escape, forced to play his part in his family's sick games.

Michael's brother Rebel (born Ray, he renamed himself "Rebel" when he was a boy) is a sick and twisted man with an eerie bad boy charisma that attracts the ladies. He is Michael's big brother, and he never lets Michael forget that he belongs to Rebel and his life is at his mercy.

Sister Misty is sweet and twisted. Where Rebel is cruel and twisted, Misty is just addled, her mind twisted by years of abuse and from listening to the screams outside her window.

The entire family lives in fear of Momma. If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Momma made them special. She made them what they were.

Being Momma's husband, Wade seems to be just a boat without a rudder, steered by Momma's winds. He generally seems dispassionate or even uncomfortable or disagreeable with what often lands at his feet, but performs whatever duties Momma wants.

Creepy story with even creepier characters, this one in a sense is a slow burner. You can tell from the opening teaser above that it starts right off with a bang, but then it's just a slow burn getting you to the climax. You know very bad things happen in this story, but it takes a long time to get there. This about drove me nuts, but in a good way! It's suspense at its best.

My final word: This story had some very difficult subject matter, but it is presented in a very readable way. Eerie. That's what it is. Eerie. All is not okay at the Morrow farm.This is one of those scary, creepy Appalachian mountain family stories. You come upon an old farmhouse with a beat up old cellar door deep in the mountain woods, souped up antique car parked out front, and you know that nothing good happens there. But it does make for a good story!

Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.
-- Oscar Wilde 

 My Rating: A-

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  


 

TLC BOOK TOURS and REVIEW: Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Synopsis

With a missing girl in the news, Claire Scott can’t help but be reminded of her sister, who disappeared twenty years ago in a mystery that was never solved.

But when Claire begins to learn the truth about her sister, nothing will ever be the same.






Hardcover, 397 pages
Published September 29th 2015 by William Morrow
ISBN 0062429051 (ISBN13: 9780062429056)


About the Author

Karin Slaughter is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the Will Trent and Grant County series and the instant New York Times bestseller Cop Town. There are more than 30 million copies of her books in print around the world.

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My Thoughts

When you first disappeared, your mother warned me that finding out exactly what had happened to you would be worse than never knowing.

There once were three sisters: Julia, Lydia and Claire. They were typical girls, and typical sisters. They pestered one another, stole one another's clothing, fought and loved one another. Then Julia disappeared without a trace at nineteen years of age, and the family was ripped asunder and it never healed. Now decades later, their father is dead, mother heartbroken, and surviving sisters Lydia and Claire haven't spoken with one another in a very long time after an incident involving the man that would become Claire's husband.

Claire's life seems perfect. She should be happy. She lives a life of which most people can only dream. She has a beautiful home, beautiful “things”, can afford to travel the world, spend her day playing tennis or shopping or whatever she wishes to do. So why is she so dissatisfied, cheating on her husband, and assaulting friends?

Lydia was the stereotypical middle child. She was the troublesome rebel as a teenager who became addicted to drugs and wound up running off everyone who ever really cared about her. Now as a middle-aged mother, she has straightened out her life, having fought and scratched out a good life for her and her daughter.

Claire's husband Paul has always been the perfect husband. He provides for Claire, and she can want for nothing. He is thoughtful-- he, in fact, seems to think of everything. Nothing is missed. Everything is organized and planned. He even decorated their house. But after his death, Claire discovers that Paul had secrets of his own, and there is so much that she didn't know about him.

I didn’t care too much for Claire initially. She seemed sad, self-absorbed, hard, cold, and a little whiny. But as time went on, I grew to like her more. However I never really warmed up to her.

Lydia is a different story. I liked her from the beginning, and that never changed. Strong, committed and devoted, I liked her straight-forward personality that suffers no fools.

This was my introduction to the author, and I have been converted to a Slaughter fan! I really enjoyed her writing style. Descriptive, easy to read, well-developed characters, suspenseful writing. Other than graphically disturbing violence and torture, what’s not to like?

I would like to thank TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour. Check out the website for the full tour schedule:

Tuesday, September 29th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Wednesday, September 30th: Curling Up by the Fire
Thursday, October 1st: For the Love of Words
Friday, October 2nd: Mary’s Cup of Tea
Monday, October 5th: JulzReads
Tuesday, October 6th: The Book Bag
Wednesday, October 7th: A Bookworm’s World
Thursday, October 8th: Why Girls Are Weird
Friday, October 9th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Monday, October 12th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Tuesday, October 13th: Kahakai Kitchen
Wednesday, October 14th: Stephany Writes
Thursday, October 15th: I’m Shelf-ish
Thursday, October 15th: Book Hooked Blog
TBD: Imaginary Reads

My final word: As I mentioned before, this book is graphic and filled with disturbing images, but I found it really suspenseful. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was coming down the pike next. The author is very readable, the characters well-developed, the storyline provocative. I really, really enjoyed this story, and that feels a little "wrong", given how violent the story was, but I just can't help it. The story could get a little preposterous at times and requires some "suspension of disbelief" to get through it, but it is really a great escape if you like mystery and suspense, and you aren't put off by graphic violence of a sexual nature. I'd give two thumbs up, if it weren't for the thumbscrews and shackles!

A particularly beautiful woman is a source of terror.
-- Carl Jung

Buy Now:

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Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through TLC Book Tours and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

QUICK REVIEW: Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne

Synopsis

A year after one of their identical twin daughters, Lydia, dies in an accident, Angus and Sarah Moorcraft move to the tiny Scottish island Angus inherited from his grandmother, hoping to put together the pieces of their shattered lives.

But when their surviving daughter, Kirstie, claims they have mistaken her identity—that she, in fact, is Lydia—their world comes crashing down once again.

As winter encroaches, Angus is forced to travel away from the island for work, Sarah is feeling isolated, and Kirstie (or is it Lydia?) is growing more disturbed. When a violent storm leaves Sarah and her daughter stranded, Sarah finds herself tortured by the past—what really happened on that fateful day one of her daughters died?

Hardcover, 373 pages
Published January 29th 2015 by Harper Collins
ISBN 0007563035 (ISBN13: 9780007563036) 

About the Author

S. K. Tremayne is a bestselling novelist, award-winning travel writer, and a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines around the world. Born in Devon, the author now lives in London.

My Thoughts

Our chairs are placed precisely two yards apart. 

Angus and Sarah were parents to twin girls, named the "Ice Twins" by their grandfather due to the fact that "they were born on the coldest, frostiest day of the year, with ice-blue eyes and snowy-blonde hair." While physically identical (even their own parents couldn't tell them apart), the girls had distinctive personality differences.

Kirstie was the firstborn, and she was the more buoyant twin, "the leader of mischief", and she loved fluffy and cuddly toys.

Lydia was the quieter second born and "more soulful twin" that loved reading and toy dragons, alligators and creepy reptilian monsters.

There was a tragic accident about a year before that left Lydia dead, her parents lost and despondent, and her sister twinless. Then one day surviving twin Kirstie announces that she is not Kirstie-- she is Lydia. Kirstie died that fateful day.

What is a mother to believe? Is her daughter just confused and perhaps suffering from some sort of PTSD? Could she really be her long-believed deceased twin?

Angus has just inherited an old lighthouse on a small island in Scotland, and the family is ready to make a new start of things. But Sarah continues to be plagued with doubts about who really died that day.

This novel was based on an interesting concept, and that was what grabbed me. However I was left feeling the concept wasn't that well executed and the story felt a little slow. I think that was just the nature of the story. It was suspenseful with a bit of paranormal thrown in, and simply wasn't an especially "exciting" story. And the longer it went on, the stranger it felt, the more "otherworldly" and odd. There were a couple of nice twists thrown in, but things felt a little jumbled. I had a hard time following along at times, some characters were thrown in briefly and then disappeared and felt incomplete (like the doctor).

I don't know. Great concept, but it fell a little short of the mark. I was left feeling a little "meh".

Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Indiebound

My Rating:

Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.

QUICK REVIEW: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Synopsis

As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child, thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me...

Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love--all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.

Welcome to Christine's life.

Hardcover, 359 pages
Published June 14th 2011 by Harper (first published 2011)
ISBN 0062060554 (ISBN13: 9780062060556)



About the Author

S J Watson was born in the UK, lives in London and worked in the NHS for a number of years.

In 2011 Watson's debut novel, Before I Go to Sleep, was released to critical acclaim. It has now been published in over 40 languages, and has become an international bestseller, winning numerous awards.

The movie of Before I Go To Sleep, starrring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong, is due for worldwide release in Autumn 2014. Watson's second book is out in Spring 2015.

Check out the author's website


My Thoughts

I was born tomorrow
today I live
yesterday killed me.
-- Parviz Owsia

Every morning Christine awakens with limited memories of her life.Sometimes she awakens thinking she is but a little girl in her childhood bedroom, other times maybe she's a teen. Sometimes she may see a man standing in her room and expect when he turns around she'll recognize her father. However the man in her room is always a stranger, and when she looks at herself in the mirror, she sees what she thinks is an old woman instead of a young girl. 

Christine suffers from a rare form of amnesia, causing her to lose her memory while she sleeps at night (think Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates). She awakens in the morning not knowing the man who sleeps beside her, or how she aged decades, or what has transpired during those decades.

Christine keeps a journal hidden away, documenting what happens each day, what she learns of her past. Then one day she takes out her journal and it warns her not to trust her husband. Now she begins to question everything. Who can be trusted? Are these people who they say they are?

My final word: I made a prediction on the second page of the story regarding how I thought it would end, and it turned out that I was essentially correct. However even though I knew where the book was going and my final destination, I kept reading to find out what kind of trip the author would take me on to get me there. It was interesting. Not fantastic writing, complex characters or breathtaking suspense, but an enjoyable enough fast read.

My Rating:

 

TLC BOOK TOURS and REVIEW: To Dwell in Darkness by Deborah Crombie

Synopsis

In the tradition of Elizabeth George, Louise Penny, and P. D. James, "New York Times" bestselling author Deborah Crombie delivers a powerful tale of intrigue, betrayal, and lies that will plunge married London detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James into the unspeakable darkness that lies at the heart of murder.

Recently transferred to the London borough of Camden from Scotland Yard headquarters, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his new murder investigation team are called to a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras Station. By fortunate coincidence, Melody Talbot, Gemma s trusted colleague, witnesses the explosion. The victim was taking part in an organized protest, yet the other group members swear the young man only meant to set off a smoke bomb. As Kincaid begins to gather the facts, he finds every piece of the puzzle yields an unexpected pattern, including the disappearance of a mysterious bystander.

The bombing isn t the only mystery troubling Kincaid. He s still questioning the reasons behind his transfer, and when his former boss who s been avoiding him is attacked, those suspicions deepen. With the help of his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, Melody Talbot, and Gemma, Kincaid begins to untangle the truth. But what he discovers will leave him questioning his belief in the job that has shaped his life and his values and remind him just how vulnerable his precious family is.

Hardcover, 336 pages
Published September 23rd 2014 by William Morrow (first published September 1st 2014)
ISBN 0062271601 (ISBN13: 9780062271600)


About the Author

Deborah Crombie is a New York Times bestselling author and a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She now lives in McKinney, Texas, sharing a house that is more than one hundred years old with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds. 

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My Thoughts

In the first moment of waking, he had no idea who he was.

A protester detonates a phosphorous grenade at an outdoor concert, and the friends of the suspected "bomber" (whose remains are beyond identification) can't believe him capable of such a thing. A mystery revolves around the bomber's identity and motive, whether he killed himself or was killed, whether he was the intended victim, and who knew about it.

This is my first introduction to Deborah Crombie, and this book is the 16th in the "Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James" series. I wasn't sure whether I could easily jump this far into a series, or if I might feel a little lost.

Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James have a growing family and manage different forces. Kincaid, formerly of Scotland Yard HQ, has recently been promoted and has a new team working under him, but he isn't above looking to former co-workers for help when needed. Gemma has her own murder case to solve, but this novel mostly involves her as a wife and mother, and you don't see much of her work life.

The story is told in third-person with a host of characters. Other than Duncan and Gemma, there is Melody, Andy, Doug, Tam, Duncan's new DI Jasmine Sidana, and more detectives, and then a host of other characters playing witnesses or otherwise involved with the cases. Sometimes when the point-of-view would shift, it would take a few seconds for me to orient myself and figure out who this character was and how they related to the other characters. I think this is a side-effect of being unfamiliar with this series. For someone who has been reading Deborah Crombie and is familiar with this particular series, I think it would have come much more naturally.

One of the drawbacks to jumping so far into a series is that there isn't going to be a whole lot of character development-- it's already been done in past novels. And another drawback is that there are little allusions to past occurrences and quirks and things from past novels that leave you feeling that you are sort of missing out on a private joke.

I would like to thank TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour. Check out the website for the full tour schedule:

Tuesday, June 9th: Becca Rowan
Wednesday, June 10th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Thursday, June 11th: FictionZeal
Friday, June 12th: Books That Hook
Monday, June 15th: Mystery Playground
Tuesday, June 16th: 5 Minutes For Books
Wednesday, June 17th: Book Him Danno!
Monday, June 22nd: Worth Getting in Bed For
Tuesday, June 23rd: Lavish Bookshelf
Wednesday, June 24th: A Utah Mom’s Life
Thursday, June 25th: Bell, Book and Candle


My final word: That all being said, I really enjoyed the author's writing style, which was very easy to read and engaging. The story was suspenseful at moments, and a little sentimental at times, but always well done. I can see why the author is so popular! She paints a good mystery with a colorful palette of characters, and I can imagine it’d be fun to follow the lives of these recurring characters over the years, from book to book. Even though I haven’t read the first 15 books in the series, I want to find out what happens with the characters from here, and will be keeping an eye out for the next in the series!


Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound


My Rating:

Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book to review through TLC Book Tours and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.