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Daily Archives: September 10, 2018

Creature, by Hunter Shea ~ 5.0 Stars

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 26 Comments

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Adult Fiction, Chronic Illness, Family Relationships, Horror, Psychological Thriller

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Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 6th, 2018

256 Pages

Synopsis: The monsters live inside of Kate Woodson. Chronic pain and a host of autoimmune diseases have robbed her of a normal, happy life. Her husband Andrew’s surprise of their dream Maine lake cottage for the summer is the gift of a lifetime. It’s beautiful, remote, idyllic, a place to heal. But they are not alone. Something is in the woods, screeching in the darkness, banging on the house, leaving animals for dead. Just like her body, Kate’s cottage becomes her prison. She and Andrew must fight to survive the creature that lurks in the dead of night.

I’ve read quite a few books by Hunter Shea and I know I can always rely on his stories to be fun, totally insane horror mixed with subtly sly humor. Creature is completely different, in that it’s more character driven, and it’s one that will reach many readers at a deeply personal level.

For fans of his books, I have to caution the “monster” doesn’t really rear its head until the last third of the book. There’s obviously something going on as poor Kate and Andrew try to enjoy their getaway, but the usual blood and gore doesn’t come into play until the latter part of the book. Instead, the main focus is on Kate and her battles against several autoimmune disorders including Lupus and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that have impacted her life in some truly horrible ways. The author writes Kate with such emotion I knew even before reading the afterward, that he must know someone who suffer from these debilitating illnesses. I have to be honest and say this isn’t the easiest read, especially if you struggle with chronic pain and illness. While Kate is far sicker than I am, I connected with her completely and there were several scenes where I was reduced to tears. Andrew is Kate’s soulmate in every sense of the word. He tries so hard to help his wife and his worry, frustration, and love are palpable. Their relationship in the face of such hardship is the backbone of this story.

The ending is not happily-ever-after, but then Hunter Shea’s books rarely are. This one was especially difficult for me though because I loved the characters so much and became personally invested in them. In my opinion, Creature is Hunter Shea’s best novel to date and that’s really saying something. If you choose to pick this up, make sure to read the afterward as it’ll make you understand how and why this story came about. 

Not Her Daughter, by Rea Frey ~ 5.0 Stars

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Suspense

 

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Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now 

352 Pages

Synopsis: Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes, brown hair. Missing since June.

Emma is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker, Sucsessful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper.

Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the grey-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal. When a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her—far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.

Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now Emma is gone without a trace.

As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakable bond. But what about Emma’s real mother, back home?

Not Her Daughter asks that age old questions: is doing the wrong thing ever right? It’s also not a typical missing person storyline. It’s thought-provoking and will make you question your own moral compass. The story is told from the perspectives of both Sarah and Amy, so you get a real sense of who these women are. And what makes it even more interesting is that both women had childhood issues with their mothers and this is affects how they interact with Emma. It’s a suspenseful tale that will constantly have you questioning not only the actions of the characters, but also your own if you were in a similar situation. Not Her Daughter is a spectacular debut by Rea Frey and I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Rosh Hashanah

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 12 Comments

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Happy Rosh Hashanah

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I apologize for being late but I wanted to wish everyone who celebrates, Shanah Tovah Umetukah!

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the confessions of a random blogger

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Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

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all things bookish!!

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Reader Jones

a book blog

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novels around the world

.com

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