Early Review: The Cruelty

THE CRUELTY
The Cruelty #1
Scott Bergstrom
Young Adult/Thriller
384 pages
Feiwel & Friends
Available February 7th, 2017
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When her diplomat father is kidnapped and the U.S. Government is unable to help, 17 year-old Gwendolyn Bloom sets off across the sordid underbelly of Europe to rescue him. Following the only lead she has—the name of a Palestinian informer living in France—she plunges into a brutal world of arms smuggling and human trafficking. As she journeys from the slums of Paris, to the nightclubs of Berlin, to the heart of the most feared crime family in Prague, Gwendolyn discovers that to survive in this new world she must become every bit as cruel as the men she’s hunting.

MY THOUGHTS
The Cruelty is not the average young adult thriller, one where the protagonist strikes out on their own and is able to access information, bypass security, and thwart criminal masterminds with seeming ease. Though Gwen does strike out on her own in search of her father, her path is hardly an easy one marked by the luck of fiction as pieces fall together to help her along, instead her journey is darker and more brutal, each leg taking a piece of the girl she was before and crushing it under the boot of the girl she is becoming.

Gwen is a young woman who feels very real in the beginning, someone whom we could pass in our everyday lives and strike up an easy conversation with as opposed to a teenage super spy to whom we can hardly relate, something that makes her story feel more personal even as she falls deeper and deeper into a criminal underworld rabbit hole. Because she possess no special skills when we meet her–no exceptional fighting prowess, hacking specialty, etc.–it's easy to project ourselves onto her, rooting for her to take matters into her own hands when her own government and her father's colleagues fail her. She has to become a badass the hard way, learning to fight and hide in plain sight but making innumerable missteps along the way, as someone with only a crash course in spy training and a determined spirit would do.

Gwen's search for her father is intense and detailed, with Mr. Bergstrom showing no interest in keeping us on the surface and instead plunging us under along with Gwen as she fights for the smallest of clues about her father's whereabouts. The Cruelty is gritty and complex and clearly just the beginning for Gwen, and I for one look forward to seeing just what she's capable of in the next installment.

Rating: 4/5

Find Scott:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Three Truths and a Lie

THREE TRUTHS AND A LIE
Brent Hartinger
YA Mystery/Thriller
272 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
A weekend retreat in the woods and an innocent game of three truths and a lie go horribly wrong in this high-octane psychological thriller filled with romantic suspense by a Lambda Award–winning author.

Deep in the forest, four friends gather for a weekend of fun.

Truth #1: Rob is thrilled about the weekend trip. It’s the perfect time for him to break out of his shell…to be the person he really, really wants to be.

Truth #2: Liam, Rob’s boyfriend, is nothing short of perfect. He’s everything Rob could have wanted. They’re perfect together. Perfect.

Truth #3: Mia has been Liam’s best friend for years…long before Rob came along. They get each other in a way Rob could never, will never, understand.

Truth #4: Galen, Mia’s boyfriend, is sweet, handsome, and incredibly charming. He’s the definition of a Golden Boy…even with the secrets up his sleeve.

One of these truths is a lie…and not everyone will live to find out which one it is.

MY THOUGHTS
Three Truths and a Lie is lightning-fast read, a weekend getaway with friends turning into the stuff of nightmares with shocking speed, but despite the characters being in their upper teens, the story as a whole reads young.

It's clear from the opening chapter that Rob is talking directly to us, recounting his story in all its embarrassing and horrifying detail so that we can be witnesses to the events and share in the burden of his truth. The fact that he at times breaks from the telling of the story to address us or ask us rhetorical questions does tend to rip us from the action for that brief moment and remind us that we're reading a piece of fiction though, and we then find ourselves attempting to settle back in after we've mentally supplied an answer to his query. Rob's posing of questions also makes his voice feel younger than his seventeen or eighteen years, a feeling compounded by a more simplistic writing style and fairly straightforward murder mystery.

The fact that this one reads young wouldn't be a mark against it necessarily as it would certainly appeal to younger readers (rather than much older readers of YA like myself ;-), but there's also a heavy focus on sex, with both innuendo and fairly detailed descriptions of male anatomy thanks to Rob's ogling of both his boyfriend as well as Mia's. Rob and Liam also have sex not five feet from the dead body of one of their friends as a way to remind themselves they're still alive, something hugely off-putting for obvious reasons. With the subject matter being more appropriate for slightly older readers and the writing style seeming better suited to younger, this murder mystery finds itself in a bit of a limbo in terms of target audience and leaves us on the outside looking in.

All of that being said though, the way Mr. Hartinger brings this story full circle and links the final paragraph to the opening one is clever, adding a nice little twist that leaves us with a smile of appreciation on our faces.

Rating: 3/5

Find Brent:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Giveaway: And the Trees Crept In & The Dead House

Happy Friday Everyone!

Yesterday I reviewed And The Trees Crept In, Dawn Kurtagich's newest YA horror/thriller novel, and to celebrate the release of that book I'm offering up a giveaway of both And the Trees Crept In and her previous novel, The Dead House. Dawn's writing style and the format of these books is super unusual and makes for quick reading, so I'm excited for more readers to give her a try!

Before we get to the giveaway though, the team at Little, Brown has put together a few teaser quotes from And the Trees Crept In so I wanted to share those to get you in the perfect creepy mood:) Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?

Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...

...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.

But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?

The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.

The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the team at NOVL/Little, Brown, I have a copy of The Dead House to give away to one lucky winner! I'll be adding a copy of And the Trees Crept In as well, so the winner will receive copies of both books. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.



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Cathy Reviews: Serenity's Plain Secrets

My mother in law, and lately my co-blogger, Cathy is back today with her latest review!

The Serenity's Plain Secrets Series 1-3

Karen Ann Hopkins

Mystery/Thriller

Available Now

THE STORY
Lamb to the Slaughter (Book 1)
From Goodreads:

Lamb to the Slaughter is a story about the intertwining lives of three unlikely people in an Indiana Amish Community and the devastating results when a rebellious teenage girl is found shot to death in a corn field during the harvest. Serenity Adams is the newly elected young sheriff in the country town of Blood Rock and besides dealing with the threatening behavior of her predecessor, she now has a dead Amish girl on her plate. At first glance, the case seems obvious. The poor girl was probably accidently shot during hunting season, but when the elders of the Amish community and even the girl’s parents react with uncaring subdued behavior, Serenity becomes suspicious. As she delves deeper into the secretive community that she grew up beside, she discovers a gruesome crime from the past that may very well be related to the Amish girl’s shooting. Serenity enlists the help of the handsome bad-boy building contractor, Daniel Bachman, who left the Amish when he was nineteen and has his own dark reasons to help the spunky sheriff solve the crime that the family and friends who shunned him are trying desperately to cover up. Serenity’s persistence leads her to a stunning discovery that not only threatens to destroy her blossoming romance with Daniel, but may even take her life in the end.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
The Serenity's Plain Secrets series first came to my attention because Jenny designed all their beautiful covers. Jenny did an amazing job setting the scene for each book. You can look at the covers and know exactly where these mysteries occur and with just the right amount sinister eeriness to draw you in. So the series was on my shelf and were so pretty that I didn't want to crack the spines, but you know how I love a good mystery. So I very carefully began turning to the first page of book one and before I knew it, I had finished three! I thought I would give you a mini review of the first three books so that you, too, can add them to your shelves.
 
Lamb to the Slaughter is the first in the series. We meet newly appointed sheriff Serenity Adams. She has returned to her hometown and her new territory which includes the nearby Amish community. She is a strong female character, which I love in a mystery. What also adds to the mystery is just the general mystic of the Amish culture. In this book we follow the story from several points of view, including that of the murdered Amish girl, Naomi. This really adds depth to the story. Serenity is a very by-the-book person and truly has a difficult time with the secretiveness of the Amish men. So, in an effort to understand and infiltrate the Amish she needs help. Meet Daniel - he used to be Amish but has left. He also becomes the love interest. Poor Serenity has to face a lot of frustration in this book, but for us it just adds to the suspense.
 
Whispers from the Dead is book two. Serenity's reputation at solving crimes, especially in the Amish community, finds her invited to another community having problems with arson. Then a body is found in one of the burned out barns. The intrigue in this story is intermingled with past crimes that had taken place in the town. She runs into that town's sheriff and definitely meets with not only resistance but outright animosity. The secretive nature of all the men in this book elevates the mystery and suspense. Daniel helps again with solving this case and putting himself closer to Serenity.
 
Secrets in the Grave is book three and it brings Serenity and Daniel back to the community Daniel grew up in. A new healer moves to the Amish community and a young pregnant woman bleeds to death. Checking into his past, it's found that this is not the first woman to die, even his wife had died. Is he a healer or a killer?  Even though Daniel has been shunned, his help with the case brings him closer to the community and his family.
 
All three books were pages turners. I think that the Amish overtones of secrecy add to the mystery and suspense. I like a little romance that is equally frustrating thrown in for good measure. I am so glad that Jenny did these covers so that they were put on my radar.

Rating: 4/5

Find Karen:

 

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook

Friday Fun

Happy Friday Everyone!

Instead of revealing a cover today, I wanted to instead share a few fun things that have been going on in both my reading world and my personal one:) I'm going to do kind of a mashup between Christina's Friday Five and Kim's Sunday Post, so thank you to both of them for the ideas!

WHAT I'M WATCHING

The Olympics! Of course. I look forward to watching every day, appreciating all the athleticism I myself will never possess. I love the big events like gymnastics and swimming, but given I grew up on the competitive equestrian circuit, the showjumping events are what I most look forward to. Those start on Sunday I believe and you can bet I'll be sprawled on my couch avidly watching.

So. My husband and I got Netflix about 3 months ago and we have been binge-watching all 10 seasons of Supernatural ever since. We're about halfway through the final season (on Netflix anyway, I think the show is on season 11? 12?), and Sam and Dean have yet to get old for me. I liked the earlier seasons where we got more of the individual ghost/monster/paranormal creepiness episodes a bit better than the epic demon vs. angel showdown of the later seasons, but overall definitely a winner!

JUST FINISHED

How To Start a Scandal

My attempt to keep my laughter silent while reading this shook the bed so hard I actually woke my husband up. Oops. Tessa Dare's books always have her trademark humor, but Charlotte's book was for me her most delightful yet. Historical romance lovers, add this to your lists immediately! My full review will be up in a couple weeks.

CURRENTLY READING

If I Only Had a Duke

I'm on a historical romance kick as you can see, and so far I'm really enjoying this one. I adored the first book, How the Duke Was Won, so I jumped on this as soon as I saw it come up for review. I'm only a few chapters in, but there's already so much great chemistry between these two, and the synopsis promises a fun romp through Ireland, so I have little doubt it's going to end as strong as it's started.

UP NEXT

Three Truths and a Lie

It's been a little while since I've read a YA mystery/thriller so I'm looking forward to this! What do we think?:

A weekend retreat in the woods and an innocent game of three truths and a lie go horribly wrong in this high-octane psychological thriller filled with romantic suspense by a Lambda Award–winning author.

Deep in the forest, four friends gather for a weekend of fun.

Truth #1: Rob is thrilled about the weekend trip. It’s the perfect time for him to break out of his shell…to be the person he really, really wants to be.

Truth #2: Liam, Rob’s boyfriend, is nothing short of perfect. He’s everything Rob could have wanted. They’re perfect together. Perfect.

Truth #3: Mia has been Liam’s best friend for years…long before Rob came along. They get each other in a way Rob could never, will never, understand.

Truth #4: Galen, Mia’s boyfriend, is sweet, handsome, and incredibly charming. He’s the definition of a Golden Boy…even with the secrets up his sleeve.

One of these truths is a lie…and not everyone will live to find out which one it is.

DOGGIE LIFE

Life with the girls has been really good lately, the adjustment after adding Mya to our family starting to smooth out and she's finally starting to really settle in. The past four months have been really challenging given Mya's abusive past and subsequent trust/fear issues (more a result of our inexperience with such issues than anything else), and there were more than a few times when we felt way out of our depth. I've done a ton of research on fear behaviors though, and have been working hard to build her confidence when she starts to struggle. She's an amazing dog though, and we're so proud of how far she's come! She and Gracie are getting along as beautifully as they have since the moment they met, and they make me smile every single day:)

Hope you guys have wonderful weekends!

Cathy Reviews: A Trio of Mysteries

My mother in law Cathy is back today with some mini reviews from her very favorite genre: mystery!

ALL THE LITTLE LIARS
Aurora Teagarden #9
Charlaine Harris
Cozy Mystery
240 pages
Minotaur Books
Available Now
Source: Bought

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
My reading weakness is mysteries – all mysteries. I use them as a palette cleanser between my book club books which tend to be heavier reads. I love the set formula of the mystery, and most often I choose ones that have a strong woman as the main crime solver. I received several new mysteries at BEA and they were all great reads. I thought I would share them with you.
 
All the Little Liars is the newest Aurora Teagarden mystery by Charlaine Harris. This is a cozy mystery series. Aurora is a librarian that has a knack for getting caught up in murders. This time her brother is missing along with several other teens from town. I love this format because Aurora rushes reckless into danger in the effort to solve the crime. This book lives up to its title, you never know who is telling the truth!

Goodreads • Amazon

STALKING JACK THE RIPPER
Kerri Maniscalco
YA Mystery/Historical
336 pages
Jimmy Patterson
Available September 20th
Source: BEA

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco was one my wish list for BEA. The unsolved murders by Jack the Ripper have been the source for many a mystery. Ms. Maniscalco has a fresh new take on the mystery in her first YA novel. Audrey Rose resists her Victorian role in life by secretly working for her uncle doing forensic autopsies. She is smart and headstrong in an era where girls should look pretty and think only of marriage. Through her involvement with her uncle, Audrey Rose becomes obsessed with finding the Ripper. This leads her into many dangerous situations and conclusions that could wreck her world. And like any good YA novel there is a hint at a budding romance.  This is a page turner and needs to be added to your reading list.

Goodreads • Amazon

 

DON'T YOU CRY
Mary Kubica
Mystery/Thriller
320 pages
MIRA
Available Now
Source: BEA

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica is a must-read. There are certain authors I always look to see if they have a new release, and ever since I was first introduced to Ms. Kubica at BEA several years ago, she is at the top of the list. I was very happy to see this book this year. Ms. Kubica's books are  psychological thrillers. She knows how to extend the suspense and we just hold our breath throughout the entire book. In this book, we learn all about the main character from two different viewpoints, neither of which is the main character's voice. The mystery is revealed and unfolds all around Esther. Ms. Kubica truly understands how the mind works and how we can get carried away in our own imagination. This makes is hard to tell what is real and what is imagined. This story keeps you guessing until the very end. I couldn't put it down.

Goodreads • Amazon

Waiting on Tuesday: A Study in Scarlet Women

Hey Everyone!

I've got a little schedule switch-up this week as I'm part of a review tour tomorrow when I would normally feature a Waiting on Wednesday post, so I'm changing it up and doing a Waiting on Tuesday post instead:) I always love participating in this meme, I get such great recommendations and enjoy putting new books on people's radar, so I hate to miss out when I have a schedule change!

A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN

Lady Sherlock #1

Sherry Thomas

Historical/Mystery

Available October 18th from Berkley

From Goodreads:

USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

I'm a HUGE fan of Sherry Thomas, whether she's writing historical romance or YA fantasy, so as soon as this one popped up on Goodreads I immediately started obsessing over it. I'm always up for a Sherlock-style story, and the fact that this one features a female social pariah whose demonstrating a little sleuthing badassery makes it all the more appealing. I have a feeling she's going to match wits with this unseen mastermind like no one's matched wits before ;-) Can't wait for October!

Goodreads • Amazon 

Torn Tour + Giveaway: Interview with Cynthia Eden

Today I have the immense pleasure of welcoming Cynthia Eden back to the blog as part of the promotional tour for the fourth book in her LOST series, Torn. I absolutely adore this series and highly recommend it to all who love a little thriller action mixed in with their romance. Cynthia was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about lead couple Wade and Victoria, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview!

To introduce those who haven’t yet met Wade and Victoria in the previous books, how would each member of the LOST team describe them in one or two words?

Now that is a fun question! ;)  So, for Wade, the quick & dirty description would be: Hard ass. (Yes, I’m afraid that is how the other agents of LOST—would describe him. Wade is a tough, ex-detective, a real rule follower, and he isn’t the most charming sort.

For Victoria, she’d be described as: Intense. Quiet.
Victoria is a forensic anthropologist, and she’s far more comfortable working with the dead, and not the living. 



If Victoria was to teach a class on forensic anthropology, what’s the first thing she would say or lesson she would teach her students?

The first thing she would say is, “The dead have secrets. Your job is to uncover those secrets, no matter how long it takes.” 



Though their work often leaves them little time for relaxing or leading any kind of social life, what would Victoria or Wade say their dream date would entail?

LOL, I think Wade would enjoy a night at a local bar, maybe a football or a baseball game, then some alone time with his lady. 

Victoria would be the total opposite. Her dream date would be a day at the beach, far away from crowds, a cozy picnic, and private time with Wade.

Opposites attract, right? 



You clearly do a great deal of research in order to write this romantic suspense series. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve typed into Google for research purposes?

Sometimes, my Google searches scare even me! Okay, the weirdest one may have been…How do you survive being buried alive in a coffin? I wanted to know exactly how long one would survive and if there were any possible ways of escape.  



What is one interesting tidbit or piece of trivia you learned about forensic anthropology that you didn’t know before you wrote Victoria’s character?

I actually learned a great deal, thanks to Victoria.  (She was a helpful lady. Now I have all kinds of conversation starters.)  One weird tidbit I picked up was this…if you are trying to determine the age of a person’s remains (say you are working with a skeleton and you want to know how old the victim was at death)…try looking at the ribs.  It turns out that as people age, the ends of our ribs will be less flat and more ragged right in the area where the cartilage connects with the sternum.  So if you’ve got a skeleton with ragged ribs, you’re looking at an older victim. 

Another little fact (sorry, now I can’t stop!) I picked up…if you are trying to determine ethnicity, the skull is the key.  You can measure the distance between the eyes or you can study the shape of the victim’s teeth in your quest to figure out ethnicity. 

Thanks for taking the time to interview me—and for letting me talk forensic facts! ;) It has been fun!

The more facts the better! Thanks so much Cynthia!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

TORN

In New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s latest novel featuring the Last Option Search Team (LOST), one agent’s investigation entices a killer into making her his prey.

PARTNERS . . . FRIENDS . . .

Forensic anthropologist Victoria Palmer has always been better with the dead than the living. Shutting down her emotions, she lets few people in. But then Victoria’s latest investigation takes her and agent Wade Monroe to Savannah, Georgia. Handsome, dangerous, and more than ready to play dirty on any case, Wade weakens Victoria’s aloofness with just one glance.

. . . LOVERS

Wade knows their recent cases have pushed Victoria beyond her limits. But her skills are crucial to finding a college student who went missing five years ago. Victoria is able to determine she was murdered, and that the killer is still on the loose.

And when the vicious murderer targets Victoria, Wade must do everything in his power to protect her . . . because he refuses to let a woman he loves be torn from him . . . again.
 

Amazon • B&N • iBooks • HarperCollins

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

CYNTHIA EDEN

Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the prestigious RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

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May 30

·         Got Fiction? – Review
·         Live to Read – Guest Post

May 31st

·         My Secret Romance – Review
·         Jeep Diva – Review

June 1

·         The Reading Café – Review
·         Waves of Fiction – Review

June 2

·         Book Reader Chronicles – Review
·         The Book Binge – Guest Post

June 3

·         SOS Aloha – Guest Post
·         Romance Junkies – Guest Post

June 6

·         Good Choice Reading – Review
·         Book Reading Gals – Guest Post
·         Paulette's Papers – Guest Post
·         HEAs Are Us – Spotlight

June 7

·         Romancing the Readers – Review
·         Books Books More Books – Review

June 8

·         Book Beacon – Review
·         Literacy Etc. – Q&A
·         Book Lovin' Mamas – Guest Post

June 9

·         Supernatural Snark – Q&A
·         I Heart YA Books – Review
·         Truly Simply Pink – Review
·         Sophia Loves Reading – Review

June 10

·         Cocktails and Books – Guest Post
·         Toots Book Reviews – Q&A
·         Ramblings From This Chick – Guest Post
·         Reese's Reviews – Guest Post

Review: The Long Game

THE LONG GAME
The Fixer #2
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Young Adult/Political Thriller
368 Pages
Bloomsbury
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.

For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

MY THOUGHTS
The Long Game is one of those reads that’s sheer entertainment, the political maneuvering and government conspiracies a bit over the top but in a fun, perfect-break-from-reality kind of way that has us flipping the pages as fast as possible to see which player on the board is going to make the next move.

Tess is easy-to-root for, a bit cocky at times thanks to her familial connections in the political arena, but she’s a Robin Hood whose currency just happens to be information, and it’s impossible not to smile when those who seek to exploit weakness get their just deserts. Though she has the same unfortunate habit of keeping certain secrets as her mother, on the whole she’s good about sharing information with those who are in the best position to help her, never running off to solve a problem on her own without first notifying someone of her plan. Her relationship with Ivy can be frustrating at times, their shared inability to give voice to the things that matter most a bit trying in this second installment, but the drama between them is never so extreme as to detract from our overall enjoyment.

As with the first book, there’s little to no romance in this second book, and while that might disappoint those readers like myself who live for a bit of swoon in whatever they read, Ms. Barnes ensures this story never feels as though it’s lacking. The life and death game-playing by political big wigs and terrorists alike keeps our attention throughout, and secondary characters like Asher with his absurdly endearing sense of humor plaster smiles on our faces in a number of very welcome moments of levity.

All in all, The Long Game is a strong follow-up to The Fixer, leaving us with an important revelation that has us looking forward to the next book without facing a brutal cliffhanger that tears the rug out from under us on the last page.

Rating: 4/5

Find Jennifer:

Website • Tumblr • Twitter • Amazon • Goodreads 

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

 

Review: The Darkest Corners

*I signed up for this tour date prior to implementing my new no-Mondays rule, so next week will be the week I drop down to 4 posts!

THE DARKEST CORNERS
Kara Thomas
Young Adult/Thriller
336 pages
Delacorte
Available April 19th
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.
 
There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.
 
Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
 
Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
 
But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.
 
Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

MY THOUGHTS
Young Adult thrillers can sometimes be tricky reads (particularly for older readers like myself) due in large part to a general premise wherein teenagers assume responsibility for solving a crime without the help of the law, thereby stretching plausibility so incredibly thin that it can be hard to settle into the story. The Darkest Corners, however, succeeds where so many others have faltered, giving us a pair of young girls who seek to uncover the truth in an entirely believable way while simultaneously weaving together several crimes so there's rarely a moment we're not kept on our toes.

While Tessa and Callie do don their super-sleuth hats and set out to discover what really happened to Callie's cousin over a decade ago, their reasons for not immediately turning to the police with their suspicions are completely valid given it was their dual testimony that guaranteed the alleged killer's death penalty sentence. Recanting their testimonies would not only be admitting to perjury, but it would also give a man who arguably still belongs behind bars despite being innocent of the murders a chance at freedom.

With one small exception, Tessa and Callie don't run off half-cocked with grand ideas about how to track down and expose the true killer, instead their search is quieter and more personal, involving a great deal of research and talking to various people who at some point or another knew Tessa's wayward mother and sister (a friend of Callie's late cousin). What's slowly and fascinatingly revealed through each interaction adds a new brushstroke to the painting of what happened that night so long ago, a picture that's far more complex than two little nine year-old girls coerced into providing a false identification could have possibly imagined.

Overall, The Darkest Corners is a well-executed psychological thriller, one that keeps us questioning throughout but gives us all the answers we could have hoped for in the end.

Rating: 4/5

Find The Darkest Corners:

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads • Official Website

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KARA THOMAS

Kara is the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, coming from Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press in Spring 2016. She also wrote the Prep School Confidential series (St. Martin’s Press) and the pilot The Revengers for the CW under the pen name Kara Taylor. She’s represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media for books and United Talent Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners for film. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or on the couch with her rescue cat, Felix.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

 

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