Book Review: Hello Again by Stan Schatt

A dead lover wants company. Meanwhile, a no-nonsense detective who doesn’t believe in ghosts teams up with a psychic who fears something very evil is stalking its prey. A scientist finds that modern science can’t explain what he’s experiencing.

Bill met the woman of his dreams, but now she’s become his worst nightmare as her text messages become more demanding and threatening. How can he avoid her when she seems to know every step he takes? When high-tech equipment fails to explain the mystery, he finds the only solution might be to meet her face-to-face. 

When I was initially approached about this book, I almost said no because I read A LOT into the paranormal part of this story. I'm glad that I didn't let that stop me from picking it up because it was an interesting premise for a story. The meat of the plot was amazing. Personally, I just had a few issues with other things but it was entertaining and that's what I like when reading. 

First ... BEAUTIFUL cover. And yes, that matters. I'm just going to jump in here with my review, I apologize if it seems disjointed at times, I have quite a few notes and I want to fit it all in here. I really liked the main character, Bill. He's one of those gentle souls that you really never seem to meet anymore in real life. But. He was a bit ... narcissistic. He was constantly rating himself and commenting on what he looked like or thinking about what he looked like and then the ratings. He rated basically every woman that crossed his path. For such a sweet and caring guy, he seemed only interested in looks and he's an older dude ... not like 90 or anything but he was a little too focused on looks. Surely he would have learned by now, right? 

Unfortunately, Bill was really the only character that I had any feelings toward. The other secondary characters really didn't stand out to me. And the interactions between the characters felt stilted or flat and as if something was missing. There were a few places where there was more explaining of the dialogue than actual dialogue or more internal thoughts. It just slowed the book down a bit.

Like I said before, the plot of the book was great. I thought that it was super interesting and it gave me the creeps at times. That's a good thing! Being creeped out by a book just means that it reached you and I'm always looking for a book to evoke some kind of emotion from me. 

Anyway ... back to the plot ... it was great. But it was sterile. It reminded me of an operating room where everything is neatly arranged and no two items are touching each other. No mess, no nonsense. Sometimes I want a mess. Sometimes I want nonsense. It makes the story seem more realistic when it's messy. Well, to me at least. 

All in all, not a bad book. It kept my attention and kept me interested while the pages flipped past. This is a great book for readers that enjoy a slow-burn of a read ... something that really takes its time building up to a big crescendo of an ending.

* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *

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Review: Mortom by Erik Therme

Andy Crowl barely knew his recently deceased cousin, Craig Moore, so he’s especially surprised to be named as the sole beneficiary in Craig’s will. Not that there’s much to inherit: just an empty bank account and a run-down house.

Once Andy arrives in the town of Mortom, however, he’s drawn into his puzzle-obsessed cousin’s true legacy: a twisted and ominous treasure hunt. Beckoned by macabre clues of dead rats and cemetery keys, Andy jumps into the game, hoping to discover untold wealth. But unsavory secrets—and unanswered questions about Craig’s untimely demise—arise at every turn, leading Andy to wonder if he’s playing the game…or if the game is playing him.

Something’s rotten in Mortom. And this dead man’s game might not be all that Andy is doomed to lose.

 

Andy and his sister, Kate, roll into the small town of Mortom after their cousin died. Much to the surprise of Andy and Kate, the cousin that they barely knew left everything to Andy ... including the drained bank account, a dead pet rat and a scavenger hunt. Kate doesn't think that this little game is a good idea but Andy can't seem to stop himself from barreling through the town, his aunt and all of the clues. Andy finds out that sometimes, some puzzles should be left unfinished.

This is my first introduction into the literary world of Erik Therme ... well ... it's his first book, so I guess that makes sense, right? Seeing that it was the first time for both of us, I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't have anything to base my views on except how this one went. You know, it wasn't half bad! I found myself really intrigued by the premise, the whole scavenger hunt thing was pretty interesting and I've never read anything like it. 

The beginning of the book was interesting because you're just thrown into the story (my favorite kind of beginning) and you're a little confused and unsure as to what in the world is actually going on and I think that it jump starts the mystery surrounding everything that Andy and Kate are going through. There were plot twists almost at every page turn. At times, this became a little much ... a little overwhelming with all of the new AHA! moments going on. I think that if a few were taken out, it would actually elevate the story because as it is right now, I found myself beginning to think "well what else is going to happen" and not in a good way. The story felt a little bogged down with all of the subplots and subsubplots (no, not an actual word or a thing ... but it should be). Because of all of these AHA! moments, the ending felt a bit forced with so many crazy things going on at once.

I also had a little trouble with the characters. While I knew Andy and Kate and most of their past, I didn't feel like I knew THEM. Let me put it this way, if someone wrote down a whole bunch of characters from books and their traits/who they were, I don't know if I would be able to pick Andy and Kate out. I wish that they had both (and some of the other characters) had been a little more fleshed out. I am a greedy reader. I want to know every tiny morsel of information that the author is willing to give on characters, plot, descriptions, everything. But I also want a bit more than the author is willing to give and in this case, it's character depth. I just want more. I want to know these characters like I know my friends because that is essentially what a character in a good book is, as weird as that sounds. 

I'm interested in seeing what Therme has to offer in the future. Mortom was an easy read and it kept me interested in what was going on and invested in the story.

Available: April 28th, 2015

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Review: Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel

In Paris, family and friends gather to mourn the tragic passing of Charlie Price—young, handsome, charming, a world-traveler—who is presumed dead after an explosion. Authorities find only a bloodied jacket, ID’d as Charlie’s. At the funeral, two teens who are perfect strangers, Lena Whitney and Aubrey Boroughs, make another shocking discovery: they have both been dating Charlie, both think Charlie loved them and them alone, and there is a lot they didn’t know about their boyfriend. Over the next week, a mind-bending trip unfolds: first in London—then in Mumbai, Kerala, and Bangkok, the girls go in search of Charlie. Is he still alive? What did their love for him even mean? The truth is out there, but soon it becomes clear that the girls are harboring secrets of their own. 

At Charlie's funeral, Lena stands up and says a few words about him and their three year relationship. Aubrey is at the same funeral to mourn the loss of her boyfriend. They had no idea that the other even existed. When they start comparing notes, it seems like they are dating two different men. How could that happen? Shortly after the funeral, these two women are thrown into a mad race across a handful of countries as they try to figure out who Charlie was and how he could have loved both of these very different women. 

I've read quite a few novels that switch the pov between two characters with each chapter. I don't believe I've read one that did this with three. Three seemed like one too many quite a few times ... especially at first! You've barely met these characters and then two pages later, you have to switch to someone else. It was just confusing until I learned what in the heck was going on. This whole switcheroo didn't matters when there are also flashbacks thrown into the mix. That made the whole thing just ridiculously confusing. Adding to the confusion was some talk of "the program" which made it sound like one of the characters was joining a secret society or the Avengers or some shit. Actually, if they had joined the Avengers, the book would have been more captivating. I finished the book and I still have no idea what in the world "the program" means.

You know, this is a wild ride that Lena and Aubrey go on ... they aren't totally for sure who the other person is and what their motivations are but the progression of these characters within the time frame of the book just didn't jive with ... anything that these women did or said. It was just pretty unbelievable the things that they went through and how each of them had "changed" within like 72 hours. Plus, I found the characters to be annoying, petty, juvenile and most of all, full of hot air. Moving on to the Charlie character ... it was weird how transparent he was and not transparent because I knew what he was thinking ... it was because he was almost just not even there. He is a major part of the book but at the same time, I feel like I know absolutely nothing about him. One stiff breeze could have blown this character straight off the page. I would have liked for him to have a bit more depth or at least seem semi-realistic to me. 

And finally, the ending. Back in the day (1999), there was a movie that came out which starred Claire Danes. I really enjoyed this movie and I've watched it quite a few times. There were glaringly obvious similarities within the movie and this ending. I literally couldn't get that movie out of my head for the last part of this book. 

All in all, not a book for me. I had to force myself to finish this book and I skimmed paragraph after paragraph because I just couldn't get into it. But the cover is gorgeous. Not that I can figure out how it goes with the novel, but it's pretty. 

Available: June 2nd, 2015

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Review: The Competition (Rachel Knight #4) by Marcia Clark

In Marcia Clark's most electrifying thriller yet, Los Angeles DA Rachel Knight investigates a diabolical high school massacre.

A Columbine-style massacre at a high school in the San Fernando Valley has left a community shaken to its core. Two students are identified as the killers. Both are dead, believed to have committed a mutual suicide. But in the aftermath of the shooting, as LA Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight and Detective Bailey Keller dig deeper, they realize that the pieces don't add up. Could it be that the two "killers" were themselves victims? And if so, does that mean that the real killers are still on the loose? When someone starts dropping clues that another horrific crime is in the works, Rachel and Bailey scramble desperately to profile their suspect and prevent another killing--before it's too late. 

 

I first started this book about two months ago. I just finished it. I think that says a lot. When I first started The Competition, I was really excited because of who the author was ... I figured that she would have an interesting take on pretty much everything since she's been in the trenches with this type of thing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book for about the first quarter. After that, all bets were off. And so was my concentration and patience with this novel.

Here's the deal. I haven't read any other novels from this series and maybe that's why I had issues with this. There are about a bazillion characters that you have to keep track of ... you have lawyers and detectives and cops and judges and crime scene investigators and the ME and on and on and on. That's just the people investigating stuff. That's not to mention the school full of kids that you also have to keep track of and remember who is friends with whom and what they do in their spare time, what their cousin's best friend's neighbor's dog likes for a snack. This book was just so detailed that you really lost the magic. It was just too much. I had to actually go through and highlight in my book when a new character made their first appearance so that I could keep track of who in the hell everyone was. After about halfway through the book, I just gave up on that and every character was new to me and I had no idea who was who. 

The storyline was also nothing that I was expecting. I thought the pages would be filled with intrigue and massive revelations and set backs and big surprises but it wasn't. It was a bit predictable and that isn't really fun to read. I'm okay with having hunches, that is what makes reading so much fun! Wondering who did what is why I love mysteries. Or even when the author makes it apparent who did it and you have to see the journey to catch them ... that's great also. That is a far cry from knowing who did it and just experiencing the characters knowing who did it and then it reading like it's all a surprise isn't fun. That probably didn't make sense at all if you haven't read this. 

Well, my curiosity has been stomped out. I know what a big-time defense attorney's writing style is like and it's not for me. But it's received pretty high ratings, so you might give it a try. Oh, and FYI, don't get too attached to what you think are main characters, you'll just be floored and disappointed. And pretty quickly.

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Review: Lacy Eye by Jessica Treadway

Hanna Schutt never suspected that her younger daughter's happiness would lead to her husband's death and the destruction of their family. When Dawn brings her new boyfriend home from college for a visit, her parents and sister try to hide their doubts because they're glad that Dawn - always an awkward child - appears to have grown into a confident, mature young woman in her relationship with Rud. But when Hanna and her husband, Joe, are beaten savagely in their bed, Rud becomes the chief suspect and stands trial for Joe's murder.

Claiming her boyfriend's innocence, Dawn estranges herself from her mother, who survived the attack with serious injuries and impaired memory. When Rud wins an appeal and Dawn returns to the family home saying she wants to support her mother, Hanna decides to try to remember details of that traumatic night so she can testify to keep her husband's murderer in jail, never guessing that the process might cause her to question everything she thought she knew about her daughter.

 

After I read the blurb for this one, I just had to read it. Can you imagine being in that situation?!? The premise was terribly frightening and I thought that it would be such an amazing book. Unfortunately, that is not exactly how this played out for me. At all.

At first, Lacy Eye really read like Gone Girl. That's all I could think about as I read it because it was so full of an inner monologue that never seemed to end. The difference is that the inner monologue did eventually go away in Gone Girl and it never really did with Lacy Eye. You're mostly just reading what the mom is remembering (at first) and thinking. Due to there being hardly any actual conversations this book just really dragged for me. I won't lie. It was boring. Positively boring. 

I think that the worst part is that I felt like I was wasting my time every moment that I had this book in my hands. That is horrible to say but the story really just didn't go anywhere for me. Sure, it went through the mom trying to recover her memory and then recovering her memory but it still felt like I was on this treadmill of death, just looking at a picture of a location in front of me and walking for forever but never realizing that I'll never actually get there. That's what this book was for me. 

The characters weren't interesting to me or even memorable, for that matter. And I found the main character, Hanna, to be a bit unrealistic. Her "memory loss" was just totally unrealistic to me. Because she seemed to have an amazing memory when she was bringing up things that had happened 23 years ago and she knew what everyone was wearing, how their hair looked, EXACTLY what they had said ... maybe that is an exaggeration but that is how it felt. I just couldn't connect with her or any of the other characters. I wish that I knew more about them. Not just the stuff that they had done but about who they actually were.  

I don't think that I'll pick up another novel by this author again. The writing wasn't bad, it just wasn't my cup of tea. Lacy Eye has really high ratings, which kind of surprises me but it shows that I am definitely in the minority on this one. But I'm totally okay with that.

This one is available March 10th, 2015.

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Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer?
 

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of those books that I really went back and forth on for the rating. The difference is with this one, my amount of stars went from 1 to 5 to 2 to 5 to 4 and over and over. I just really didn't know what to think of this novel. 

 

Gosh ... where to start ... when you begin reading Gone Girl, you think that you have this whole thing pegged within the first page. But then you read the third page and your views change and THEN you think you have it all figured out. It was almost with every page that something would change and you would think that you knew what was going on just to have your ass handed to you in the next paragraph and to be totally confused. Here ... it's like that game you play where you put your forehead on a baseball bat that is on the ground and you try to run around it then after so many rotations, you have to drop the bat and run to your team or whatever. That game is how this book makes you feel. You watch other people read this and you think that you can handle it and you won't get confused because you've been around the block - you've read so many books that you think the author can't pull the wool over your eyes. Well I call bullshit. I can guarantee that you can't figure this book out. It will keep you totally in the dark until the very last page. 

 

The characters ... I can't say much because I don't want to give anything away so this will be difficult. Okay ... the characters are ... endearing. And deplorable. And the victim and the aggressor and the con-artist and so many other very contradictory words. I can't really talk about the characters. This feels like Fight Club. Rule #1 ...

 

I'll just say this, Gillian Flynn is completely twisted. She can write a book like none I've ever read. But a totally screwed up mind is the only one that could come up with the crap on these pages. That's all I've got. I can't say any more. I think that I'm glad I jumped on the bandwagon for this one and decided to pick Gone Girl up. And I'll probably read this one again because I'm sure there are things that I missed in my rush to read as quickly as possible so that I could find out what in the hell was going on. Geez. This is a messed up book. 

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Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

I was super excited to receive this book from the publisher a couple of months ago. Instead of picking it up right when I received it, I had to set it aside. Usually, I try to stay away from reviews of books I'm getting read to read because I don't want it to influence my own thoughts and feelings on it. But this time, one of my friends on Goodreads basically said it was a waste of time. That really made me take a step back and wonder about reading Suspicion at all. But a couple of days ago, I decided to give it a shot. And I'm glad that I did!!

Hopefully by this time, you've read the blurb for the book and you kind of know the premise of the whole thing. This girl (the main character, Imogen), looses her parents in a horrible fire and she moves to NYC then something happens and she's propelled to go back to England when she's older. There are tons of twists, turns and surprises along the way that really keep you on your toes. The characters are endearing and the plot is pretty good. 

And this brings me back to what others are saying ... I just don't get it. I had prepared myself for a disaster and that just isn't what I came away feeling like I had endured. I really enjoyed this novel. Far more than I had expected and I found myself sad that it was coming to an end. I was hoping that it would be open-ended so that the story could continue in a following novel but unfortunately, everything was buttoned up pretty securely. 

This is not a fast moving story, it's slow on the build up but I wouldn't want to have read it any other way. I think that it takes time with some stories to build up the suspense in a way that coincides with the characters and that is what Monir did with this one. I was just pretty impressed. I actually would have given this one 5 stars if I hadn't kind of picked out what was going to happen about 3/4 of the way through and even then there was a major twist in the end that really surprised me. All in all, a great novel, one I will read again and I'm excited to see what else this author has up her sleeve with upcoming novels!

This one isn't out until December, so keep an eye out!

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Review: Wicked Ways (Wicked #4) by Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush

The Greatest Terrors

Elizabeth Gaines Ellis is an ordinary suburban wife and mother. That's what she tells herself as she flits between her realtor job, yoga class, and caring for her daughter, Chloe. But for months now, Elizabeth has worried that she's far from normal…that she's somehow the cause of a series of brutal, horrible deaths.

Are The Ones

Her mean-spirited boss. A bullying traffic cop. Her cheating husband. Elizabeth had reason to be angry with them all. She didn't mean for them to die. No one will take her fears seriously--except the private investigator prying into her past. . .

Too Close To See

The more scared and angry Elizabeth becomes, the higher the death toll grows. But those who wrong her aren't the only ones in danger. Because others have secrets too, and a relentless urge to kill without mercy or remorse…

I'm going to just jump right in here. No reason to draw things out. I have read a couple of other books by Lisa Jackson and I enjoyed them. I gave them 4 stars, I really enjoyed them and I just assumed that since I had enjoyed the others that I would enjoy this one. Well, you know what they say about assuming things. I guess that makes me a donkey. A great big one, too. 

I was so excited to pick Wicked Ways up that when I started reading it, it was almost as if I was being slapped in the face. Repeatedly. The writing in this book is NOTHING like any of the other Lisa Jackson books. Nothing. Do not get this book assuming that you will get the same type of magic as you did from previous Jackson novels because you will be totally pissed off when you find out that it's just not the same. On the other hand, this is just my opinion and it wouldn't be the first time I didn't like a book that later became wildly popular, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. 

Anyway ... where to start ... 75% of this novel is about the main character being talked into doing something with her friends and then bitching and complaining in her mind about how she doesn't want to be there. Elizabeth is so passive that it's completely annoying. I always felt like Jackson wrote a really good main character but Elizabeth was so boring and wimpy that it really brought the story down and not in a good or calculated way. She's that annoying girl that can never make up her mind or make a decision on her own. She's basically the worst kind of friend - after you spend an hour talking her into hanging out with you, she will act like a stick in the mud and completely ruin whatever time you have together until she can concoct an excuse to get away from you like you have some flesh-eating disease. Elizabeth felt shallow, not shallow like egotistical but she had no depth. After reading almost 500 pages, I felt like I didn't really know her at all. I had absolutely no connection and to be honest, I really could have cared less what happened to her. 

There are also WAY too many secondary characters, in my opinion. I had a hard time keeping up with all of her girlfriends and their husbands and kids and what support groups they were involved with at the time. It was just too much. Especially when the story dragged on like it did and with that combo, I was just beyond caring about any of it. 

Like I said, it was just boring. Not just boring but BORING boring. The kind of boring where I wanted to put down the book and just not finish it at all. It took me so long (more than a week) to push through this novel that it is ridiculous. I'm glad that I finished it though because the last 10-15% was actually interesting. But only enough to bump up my rating from 1 to 2 stars. And even then, I felt like I was being overly generous. Unfortunately, I think this may have really soured my view on Lisa Jackson completely. I don't know if I will pick up another one of her books after this.

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Review: Elite (Eagle Elite #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .

The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect. 

Their rules are simple.

1. Do not touch The Elect.

2. Do not look at The Elect.

3. Do not speak to The Elect.

No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late. 

 

It has been a VERY long time since I have a read a book this quickly. I just devoured it. I tried so hard to slow my reading down but I was completely addicted from the first page. I have found a new author to follow and a new series to worship. I feel like we may need to have a group chant of "WE'RE NOT WORTHY", actually. Jeez. I loved this book.

Okay, let's get to something constructive other than me just gushing about the book. I've read quite a few New Adult novels lately and I really enjoy most of them. This one is a New Adult novel but it really goes off the beaten path of others in this genre. To be honest, I've never read anything quite like it and these days, that's not a comment that I can hand out willy-nilly. 

The characters ... I love discussing characters and even though I'm a little ashamed of it ... I kinda enjoy tearing characters apart. Meaning, I don't want to read about this perfect character in this perfect world with perfect hair, yadda yadda blah. It gets boring. Perfect is boring. Now screwed up ... screwed up is good. Everyone has a little cringe-worthy issue. Everyone. If you think that you don't then yours is worse than everyone else's. That's just how it works. Anyhow, these characters are screwed up and I love it!! I like being able to watch the metamorphosis of a character ... going from bottom of the barrel to the top or even the opposite of that. Rachel Van Dyken can write a perfectly flawed character. AND when she's piling more crap on top of her poor creations, she keeps it believable. I have seen more than one author just butcher a book because the characters are just all wrong, all the time, all over the damn place.

Oh, there's also not any down time in this novel. I didn't find myself getting bored or skimming sentences and paragraphs, no. I wanted to read every single last word. That's a pretty big thing for me. I've read so many things that I can just get ... disinterested ... faster than others might because more than likely, I've read what you're trying to do in your novel and I know EXACTLY where you are going next. But that just didn't happen with Elite. I had no freaking clue what was going to happen next and not knowing was exciting as hell!

I have other books that I'm supposed to be reading right now but I couldn't resist buying the next installment of Eagle Elite because I just had to know what was going to happen and so far, it's just as good as the first!! I'm going to be a lifetime fan of Rachel Van Dyken. I can't say enough how amazing this book really was. Bravo!

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