Artemis, by Andy Weir ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 14th, 2017

384 Pages

Synopsis: Jazz Bashara is a criminal.

Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first, and only city on the moon, is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you’ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.

Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward to lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she’s stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself—-and that now, her only chance for survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first.

I have a confession to make. I think I am one of the few on the planet who haven’t read Andy Weir’s debut bestseller, The Martian.  I know! I know! I haven’t even gotten around to seeing the movie yet. This is so embarrassing. When I saw Artemis offered on NetGalley I immediately pounced, barely even skimming the premise. The good news about not having read the hugely successful previous book, is that I didn’t have such high expectations as some other readers. However, it still wound up being just a “meh” read for me.

I liked that Jazz was of Saudi Arabian descent, although she’s lived on the moon since childhood. I also appreciated  how her snarky personality and her independence mixed with occasional moments of emotional vulnerability. Jazz would have been a fantastic character for me if this was a YA novel. But it’s not. And Jazz isn’t a teenager, but a twenty-six-year-old woman. Her impulsive behavior and at times juvenile dialogue, is more in keeping with someone ten years younger. Many reviewers have complained that she’s written more like a male, and I have to agree. For me though, it was more her repeated immature actions which not only put her own life in danger, but others as well, that made her not entirely believable.

The secondary characters were interesting, but I think they could have definitely used more development. Especially Svoboda, Jazz’s awkward scientist friend. Their relationship could have been so much more, but instead it left me a bit frustrated. 

Although Weir uses a lot of scientific and technical terms, which slowed the pace down for me at times, I was captivated by Artemis and life on the moon. Naturally there were major differences between living there and living on earth, but there were certain similarities especially socio-economic norms. Everything is well detailed, and by the time I was halfway through the story, I felt as though I was there. 

The plot itself was basically your average heist mystery, only set on the moon. I definitely wouldn’t call it a thriller, but it did keep my attention. There weren’t any huge plot twists, but the story moved steadily along until the satisfactory conclusion.

Overall, I found Artemis to be an okay read, but definitely not in the blockbuster category. I’m glad I read it, and I still want to read The Martian, as well as try the next book Weir comes out with. If you’re a fan of Andy Weir and science fiction, I recommend you give this a try. It may not be an instant science fiction classic, but it’s still an entertaining blend of suspense, science and humor.

The Wife Between Us, by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Abuse, Adult Fiction, Dysfunctional Relationships, Mystery, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense

Release Date: January 9th, 2018

352 Pages

Synopsis: When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement. 

You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.

You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.

You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.

Assume Nothing.

Discover the next blockbuster novel of suspense, and get ready for the read of your life.

The Wife Between Us is a much buzzed about book right now, and I can honestly say it’s entirely deserving of the hype. It’s also one of those books that you probably won’t want to read in a public place, because if you’re like me, you’ll be gasping and exclaiming out loud numerous times, which may leave you on the receiving end of some funny looks.

*As always, this is going to be a spoiler free review, but I feel the need to include a trigger warning for any reader that may have been in an abusive relationship.*

The first thing I loved was how no matter how hard I tried (and I really did), I could not tell the difference between the two authors’ writing. It flows seamlessly from one chapter to the next and helped make this such a pleasurable reading experience.

And then there’s the characters. They’re all brilliantly written. It’s actually a fairly small cast, but the intricately tied relationships between them are made so much more interesting by the multiple red herrings and mind-blowing revelations about them. The synopsis warns you not to “assume” anything, and I advise anyone planning on reading this to take that to heart. My one disappointment is that while the narrative does alternate a couple of times, given what a pivotal figure he was, I would have loved to have heard something from Richard’s POV.

There are so many twists and turns that by the time I reached the end I was completely exhausted. Of course this was also due to the fact that I started reading about 7:00 pm and finished 5 hours later at 1:00 the next morning. I honestly could not bring myself to put it down except for one brief bathroom break. I think my husband came in at one point to ask me something and I snarled something unintelligible at him! 

In my opinion, The Wife Between Us is going to be a bestseller along the lines of Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors. Unsurprisingly, it’s already been optioned for a film. Admittedly, some of the scenarios aren’t exactly realistic, but with such a wildly entertaining tale, in the end that doesn’t really matter. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, you need to put this at the top of your 2018 Must Read list! It’s a book that everyone will be talking about!

Rosemarked (Rosemarked #1), by Livia Blackburne ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Politics, Relationships, War, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 7th, 2017

400 Pages

Synopsis: A healer who cannot be healed…

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.

A soldier shattered by war…

Broken by torture at the hand of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.

Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.

I have to admit that I initially requested Rosemarked based almost solely on the cover art. You have to admit though, it really is gorgeous! The premise though also intrigued me. A young healer that catches an incurable disease and a man who has survived the disease, teaming up as spies to infiltrate the capital city of an empire who threatens both of their people. I just couldn’t resist!

This is definitely a character-driven story which is told alternately by Zivah and Dineas. They are both very complex characters, but Zivah stood out the most strongly for me. Knowing she wanted to be a healer from a very young age, she has only just attained her goal when she becomes sick. Living with this incurable disease transform her from this sweet, naive girl to someone with much more purpose in her life. She’s determined to not only find a cure, but to also protect her people from the ruthless Amparan Empire. 

Dineas has managed to survive not only the rose plague, but also torture at the hands of the Amparan military. In the beginning, he’s angry and bitter. He also suffers from what the reader would recognize as PTSD. But as the story unfolds, you get to see literally the type of man he would be if he hadn’t gone through the horrific trials he was forced into. Underneath his harsh exterior he’s kind and compassionate, and it’s because of this previously hidden nature, that he and Zivah start becoming more than friends. Their relationship slowly evolves throughout the story and is believable and engrossing. 

The world-building is fascinating, but I wish there had been a little more to it. As Zivah and Dineas spent part of the story traveling, I was hoping for a little more descriptive detail. I would have also liked more backstory as to what life was like before the rise of the Amparan Empire. What does make it more compelling  is that while this is a fantasy, there are some political aspects to the tale that are not dissimilar to our own world. 

The story itself was interesting, yet lacked any truly climactic moments until right near the conclusion, and those were somewhat predictable. However, I think because the story was relatively uncomplicated, that gave more time for character development which is so brilliantly done that in the end, I can’t complain too much.

Overall, I enjoyed Rosemarked, despite the few issues I had with it. I went back and forth between giving this a 3 1/2 star or 4 star rating, but Zivah and Dineas truly are so beautifully written, that they stand out from characters in other fantasy books. Livia Blackburne focuses a lot of her time on the human elements and personal growth of not only Zivah and Dineas, but some of the secondary characters as well. I’m interested in seeing how they continue to evolve in the next book. I’m also hoping there’s a little more action and suspense in the sequel. I highly recommend this to fans of politically-themed fantasy who love complex characters they can instantly connect with. 

Hellraisers (The Devil’s Engine #1) ~ By Alexander Gordon Smith -3.5 Stars

Tags

Horror, Paranormal, YA Fiction

I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR) in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: December 1st, 2015

Synopsis: There is a machine from the darkest parts of history, concealed in an impossible location, that can make any wish come true, and the only price is your soul. Known as the Devil’s Engine, this device powers a brutal war between good anand evil that will decide the fate of every living thing on Earth. When a 16-year-old asthmatic kid named Marlow Green unwittingly rescues an ass-kicking secret soldier from a demonic attack in the middle of his Staten Island neighborhood, he finds himself following her into a centuries-old conflict between a group of mysterious protectors and the legions of the Devil himself. Faced with superpowers, monsters, machine guns, and a lot worse, Marlow knows it’s going to be a breathless ride–and not just because he lost his inhaler.

This is the first book I’ve read by Alexander Gordon Smith, and to be perfectly honest I have mixed feelings. I definitely enjoyed the horror aspects, and I thought the world-building was decent, but the overall story just didn’t capture my attention.

I’m not someone who has to have their protagonist be picture perfect. I actually like it when they have a few rough edges, but there does have to be something that draws me to them and I didn’t find this with Marlow. I did have a certain amount of sympathy for him because of the difficult circumstances he finds himself in, but I just found him to be a kind of bland character.

Pan, the “ass-kicking secret soldier” is brusque and aggressive to the point of being one-dimensional and unbelievable. I honestly couldn’t find one thing I liked about her. 

None of the secondary characters really stand out either. The only one I remotely connected with was Marlow’s best friend, but it wasn’t enough for me to become emotionally invested.

While it takes a while for the author to explain exactly what the Devil’s Engine is, the story is fast-paced with exciting action sequences practically on every page. I think though that’s part of the problem. It seems like the author put so much of his time into fight and chase scenes that there was very little left over for character development.

Hellraisers is the first book in a planned trilogy geared towards 12- 18 year olds. While there is plenty of violence it’s not gratuitous and is entirely in keeping with the storyline. Hopefully the characters will be more fleshed out in the next book. In the meantime, I think that teen horror enthusiasts will enjoy this interesting take on the classic Dr. Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe.

 

 

 

 

Ashley Bell ~ By Dean Koontz – 3.0 Stars

I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Bantam Books in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: December 8th, 2015

Synopsis: At twenty-two, Bibi Blair’s doctors tell her that she’s dying. Two days later, she’s impossibly cured. Fierce, funny, dauntless, she becomes obsessed with the idea that she was spared because she is meant to save someone else. Someone named Ashley Bell. This proves to be a dangerous idea. Searching for Ashley Bell, ricocheting through a southern California landscape that proves strange and malevolent in the extreme, Bibi is plunged into a world of crime and conspiracy, following a trail of mysteries that become more sinister and tangled with every twisting turn.

Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors after Stephen King and some of his books have been pure genius such as:  Intensity, Odd Thomas, Fear Nothing, and Watchers. Ashley Bell shows flashes of this brilliance, but due to a rambling and convoluted story and more than one plot hole, it ultimately winds up being a disappointment.

I’m going to start with the positives, and one of those is protagonist Bibi Blair. When told she has a rare and fatal brain tumor, and that she only has a few months to live, she responds, “We’ll see.” That same night she suffers a devastating seizure. She wakes briefly to see a man whose face is hidden, who’s accompanied by a beautiful Golden Retriever. The dog licks her hand and when she awakens fully the next morning she intuitively knows the tumor is gone. Alas, this miracle does not come without a price. With the help of a medium, Bibi discovers her life has been spared so she can save a mysterious girl named Ashley Bell. As she sets off on her quest she soon realizes she must battle an evil and faceless enemy who will do anything to thwart her.

Bibi is a wonderful character to root for. She’s smart, funny, stubborn, and will not let anything or anyone get in the way of her completing her mission. As she tries desperately to find and save Ashley Bell, Bibi discovers that her past, one she’s gone to great lengths to forget, is somehow tied to this mystery. Although she’s fearful of unlocking those memories, in the end she does so knowing that it’s the only way to save this young girl. Everything she does, she does alone because she refuses to put the people she loves in danger. This makes for a very lonely odyssey.

Equally likable are her Navy Seal fiancé Paxton, and her best friend Pogo, who in the end do wind up figuring out what is going on and do their best to help. In comparison, Bibi’s parents unfortunately come across as weak and ineffective which is too bad because they’re also a big part of the book.

Ashley Bell is a huge book at almost 600 pages and 130 chapters and I think this is part of the problem. The author goes on these long disjointed rambles that seriously could have done with a good editing. The story also moves back and forth between Bibi’s childhood and the present which further adds an almost disjointed feeling. There are numerous scenes where characters are doing one thing, only to be interrupted with the addition of new scenes. I wound up having to go back and forth between pages because I was getting confused, and doing this on a Kindle is no easy task. There are also numerous plot holes that are never filled in which left me feeling frustrated at the end of the book. Even the two endings detailing the conclusion of Bibi’s quest and what happens to the villain are unsatisfying and left me confused as to what exactly the author was trying to accomplish. 

While not one of his best works, Ashley Bell still shows at times what makes Dean Koontz such a successful author. For the most part his characters are believable and ones you’ll become emotionally invested in. The story, while too long and overwrought, still shows that creativity and imagination which made me fall in love with his writing decades ago. It’s fast paced and there are many “gotcha” moments which kept me turning the pages. It’s because of this that I’ve given it as high a rating as I did. As far as recommending it goes, I honestly don’t know what to say, except that if you’re already a fan of Dean Koontz, you probably won’t want to miss this despite it’s drawbacks. If you’re new to his writing, I suggest you start with some of his earlier books before you tackle this one. 

 

 

 

 

An Evil Mind (Robert Hunter #6) ~ By Chris Carter – 4.5 Stars

I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: December 1st, 2015

Synopsis: A freak accident in rural Wyoming leads the sheriff’s department to arrest a man for a possible double homicide, but further investigations suggest a much more horrifying discovery–a serial killer who has been kidnapping, torturing, and mutilating victims all over the United States for at least twenty-five years. 

The suspect claims he is a pawn in a huge labyrinth of lies and deceptions–but can he be believed?

The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they’re forced to ask for outside help. Ex-criminal behavior psychologist and lead detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD Robert Hunter is asked to run a series of interviews with the apprehended man.

These interviews begin to reveal terrifying secrets that no one could have foreseen, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed–until now.

An Evil Mind is the first book by Chris Carter that I’ve read but it’s not one I’ll soon forget. I think it’s it’s definitely going to be in my top ten list of favorite books for 2015!

This is the 6th book in the Robert Hunter series, but I had absolutely no problem jumping in midway through the series. 

I do have to warn you that it’s definitely derivative of stories like Silence of the Lambs, the movie Seven. Actually, the dance between Robert Hunter and Lucien is extremely similar to that of the one between serial killer Joe Carroll and tormented FBI agent Ryan Hardy in  the tv series The Following. That said, the story is so well written and mesmerizing that I found myself not minding the similarities.

Hunter is supposed to be going on vacation to Hawaii after chasing a serial killer in the last few books, but when an old friend who is being detained by the FBI after a grisly discovery in the trunk of his car insists he will only speak to speak with him, he reluctantly goes to to Quantico. Even though this is my first exposure to his character, Robert Hunter is obviously someone who is brilliant at what he does, yet has demons in his past that overshadow him. Because of this, Lucien Folter, his former friend and college roomate is able to  successfully play him at times throughout the story.

Lucien is the epitome of evil, just as the title suggests. He made my skin crawl and the passages that are written from his pov are especially disturbing. This is a man who is without a doubt a genius and a master manipulator, which has allowed him to fly under the FBI’s radar for more than twenty years. He is proud of the atrocities he has committed, and when his motivation is revealed it literally left me reeling. 

To call this a fast-paced story doesn’t quite do it justice. I started this 368 page thriller at about 2:00 pm on 11/15, and finished it by pm 11 pm the same day. This was because I couldn’t tear myself away. I only took a break for supper. There are so many revelations and gotcha moments that I almost felt as though I had been sucker-punched at times. There are also some pretty gory scenes that made me cringe, but they were never gratuitous. Chris Carter is a criminal psychologist and he uses his expertise well. I’ve read that the plot is actually based on real events from his days of practicing, which makes this all the more fascinating.

An Evil Mind is a rollercoaster ride that will leave you breathless. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, it will take an abrupt turn that I promise you won’t see coming. It’s horrifying, yet once you start you won’t be able to tear yourself away. After finishing this I’m adding Chris Carter’s previous books to my Must Reads list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ask The Dark ~ By Henry Turner – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Horror, Mysteries, Poverty, Serial Killers, Suspense, YA Fiction

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. Release Date: 4/7/15 14-year-old Billy Zeets has the reputation for being a troublemaker in his small town.

When he stumbles across the body of a boy he knows, and another turns up dead, Billy decides to solve the murders himself, and will do whatever it takes to bring the killer to justice and collect the reward.

“Ask The Dark” is a very quick read at 250 pages. Surprisingly, I found Billy to be quite likeable, and he actually reminded me of Huck Finn. He’s had a rough life and I couldn’t help but emphasize with him. His mother died two years previously, and now because of unpaid medical bills, and his own bad health, Billy’ s father is in danger of losing their house unless he can come up with $48,000. Because of his nightly wanderings and familiarity with the town and it’s inhabitants, Billy is in a unique position to investigate the serial killer responsible for the disappearances and murders. Despite his reputation as a juvenile delinquent, Billy is as heroic as he is tough and street smart. While his investigation is initially prompted by the reward being offered, it ultimately turns into something far more. The events that transpire are related in the first person by Billy as he lies recovering in the hospital and as he recounts his role, he insists, “I ain’t no hero, and I aim to prove it.” From there, the plot builds slowly, and I found myself wishing at times that Billy would figure things out a little faster. Also, when he finally comes face to face with the killer, some of his actions weren’t entirely in keeping with his previously common sense attitude. I found Billy’ s narrative and dialect added to the raw emotion of the story, but some readers might be turned off by it. Because of the subject matter and graphic scenes, I definitely would not recommend this to anyone under the age of fourteen, but other than that, I think a wide audience would enjoy this imaginative novel.