• About

By Hook Or By Book

~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff

By Hook Or By Book

Daily Archives: March 18, 2021

The Arrogance of Time

18 Thursday Mar 2021

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

≈ 3 Comments

This is a beautifully written essay on the passage of time by Cheryl that I have to share. I think many of us can relate to her words.

Living in the Gap

“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” Dr. Seuss

In my remote cocoon, rolled up in a blanket, secured to the double wide chair I used to hate, and now love, gazing out over the expanse of the lake, the steadfast mountain, the “unmentionable” fog, I’m thinking about the arrogance of time and how swiftly we mutate as if a caterpillar from chrysalis to adult.

I am often deceived by the endless charm of time, disguised as a gift, but somehow pompous as a politician whose false assurances serve no one.

You know what I mean?

The conceit of a system so dedicated to it’s own perpetuation it fails those it’s obligated to assist, one who is incapable of turning back his scrawny…

View original post 1,329 more words

Kill All Your Darlings, By David Bell ~ 4.5 Stars

18 Thursday Mar 2021

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

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Suspense, Sexual Harrassment

65E0515D-414D-4533-B453-F48608017E8D

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 6th, 2021

416 Pages

Synopsis: When a student disappears and is presumed dead, her professor passes off her manuscript as his own—only to find out it implicates him in an unsolved murder in this new thriller from the USA Today bestselling author of The Request.

After years of struggling to write following the deaths of his wife and son, English professor Connor Nye publishes his first novel, a thriller about the murder of a young woman.

There’s just one problem: Connor didn’t write the book. His missing student did. And then she appears on his doorstep, alive and well, threatening to expose him.

Connor’s problems escalate when police insist details in the novel implicate him in a murder from two years ago. Soon Connor discovers the crime is part of a disturbing scandal on campus and faces an impossible dilemma—admit he didn’t write the book and lose his job or keep of the lie and risk everything. When another murder occurs, Connor must clear his name by unraveling the horrifying secrets in his student’s manuscript.

This is a suspenseful, provocative novel about the sexual harassment that still runs rampant in academia—and the lengths those in power will go to cover it up. (Goodreads)

Kill All Your Darlings is a fun, addictive read, filled with flawed characters and suspect motives. The main character, Connor doesn’t have the best judgement in the world, but while normally this would annoy me, I found him sympathetic because of the death of his wife and son. You’re probably asking how someone who plagiarizes his missing student’s thesis, could possibly garner even a droplet of sympathy, let’s just say what leads him to do this is complicated. Yes it’s stupid and immoral, but it’s done at a time when he’s not thinking clearly. Madeline, the student in question who turns up two years after her mysterious disappearance, I was less keen about due to her initial snarky attitude, but she grew on me as the story progressed. While I figured out fairly early on, the “who” in the mystery, the why remained elusive until the final chapters. The timely topic of sexual harassment on college campuses is a very important part of the book and Bell does a credible job writing the rest of the storyline around it. The pacing of the story was solidly fast right up to the satisfying ending and I flew through it in two sittings. Kill All Your Darlings will undoubtedly please David Bell fans, and for any of you looking for an exciting psychological suspense mystery and enjoy authors like Harlan Coben, I highly recommend you give this a try.

  • By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff

Archives

March 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Feb   Apr »

Blog Stats

  • 338,423 hits
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
  • Jane Lurie Photography
  • Mythaxis Review
  • The Book Bites
  • Literary Liza
  • abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/
  • Page by Page
  • The Masked Bibliophile
  • Dreams And Escapes
  • sugarandscream.wordpress.com/
  • Lines by Leon
  • Lovabull Books
  • Schizanthus Nerd
  • katherinesmits Word Siren
  • Bonkers For The Books
  • Bite! Eat! Repeat!
  • Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
  • Stuart France
  • Tallis Steelyard
  • Jim Webster
  • The Rantings of a Book Addict
  • Books Teacup and Reviews
  • Gulf South Free Press
  • Bantering Books
  • Barb Taub
  • The Introverted Reader 📚
  • Odd Bits About Books
  • Between Pages
  • The Suspected Bibliophile
  • Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking
  • The Silent Eye
  • France & Vincent

Member of The Internet Defense League

Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
  • Jane Lurie Photography
March 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Feb   Apr »

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

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

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Mythaxis Review

art and technology

The Book Bites

Literary Liza

Cozy up and read with me!

abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/

"Books wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Page by Page

Book Reviews with Bianca

The Masked Bibliophile

Books, Novels, Reviews, Poetry

Dreams And Escapes

Moments cherished, memories kept, dreams fulfilled and little things that make everyday a blessing.

sugarandscream.wordpress.com/

Lines by Leon

Leon Stevens is a poet, science fiction author, and composer. Writing updates, humorous blogs, music, and poetry.

Lovabull Books

My journey as a dog mom and book worm...

Schizanthus Nerd

Living the dream one page at a time

katherinesmits Word Siren

Reviewing enchanting reads and discussing all things bookish

Bonkers For The Books

Book reviews and more by Michael David

Bite! Eat! Repeat!

52 Cookbooks. 52 Recipes. A Tasty 2022!

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

READER - WRITER - CURATED RESOURCES - & MORE

Stuart France

Writer

Tallis Steelyard

The jumbled musings of Tallis Steelyard

Jim Webster

Books and Stuff

The Rantings of a Book Addict

Books Teacup and Reviews

Eclectic Mix Book Blog

Gulf South Free Press

Opinion Is The Medium Between Knowledge And Igonrance

Bantering Books

Book Reviews

Barb Taub

Writing & Coffee. Especially coffee.

The Introverted Reader 📚

Forever lost in literature

Odd Bits About Books

Between Pages

Documenting the inspiration I find, Between Pages

The Suspected Bibliophile

rambling book reviews and queer SFF writing

Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking

The Silent Eye

A Modern Mystery School

France & Vincent

Writing Magic, Myth and Mystery

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

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

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Join 6,101 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.