Suspense – Page 5 – One Chapter

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson

My Review:

He couldn’t miss this opportunity so he dove. Rex, a marine archaeologist, felt that he had finally located the boat that he’d been searching for. Rex knew that he shouldn’t dive alone but he couldn’t just walk away from this without knowing for sure. At the end of the day, Rex would be lucky if he could even walk. What a find for Rex but what price would he have to pay for this great discovery?

With matching PhDs in wildlife biology, Sonia and Alex are good friends who continued their education after college by tracking and tagging polar bears in Norway together. When Sonia’s much-awaited study finally gets approved, she asks Alex if she’d be interested in it. A different research project has Sonia wrapped-up at the moment. Alex takes this new job and she immediately gets to work. With her aide and pilot, Alex goes out on the ice to gather her data. At the end of the day, it’s time for dinner and I enjoyed that she runs into Sasha and now, the two stories are coming together. Sasha was Rex’s dive partner who wasn’t with him on the day that he made his wonderful discovery. The story starts to get exciting as we learn more about what actually occurred that day when Rex dove to see the wreckage in the water. As Sasha talks to Alex about her relationship with Rex, this is just the beginning of their friendship and I’m just dying to know the whole story of what happened that day when Rex decided to dive alone.

Arriving to work the next morning, Alex discovers that the lab has been broken into. The only area that the intruder has ransacked was Alex’s and now, she has items missing. As the police investigate this invasion, Alex continues to gather data on the polar bears but in the back of her mind, there’s a lot going on. Out in the field gathering date, Alex doesn’t get a break. As Alex makes discoveries, she realizes that she’s not alone on the ice. Her job is the bears but her mind is somewhere else. Who are these individuals who are keep showing up in her life? What do they want from her?

There was a lot of action in this book as Alex tries to continue doing her study while these individuals invade her life. Alex becomes acquainted with a variety of different individuals quickly as she dives into her job and she becomes familiar with the town. As she made these connections, I learned more about Alex and these individuals. I liked Alex’s attitude and her resourcefulness. There was so much happening in this book, I thought at times that it might never end, yet Alex would still try to piece all the different aspects together so it’d make sense. I see that this is part of a series and now, I’m curious about the first book in this series. I’ll be looking for Alex in future books. #ABlizzardofPolarBears #NetGalley

One of my favorite parts: Casey confronting the Warlord – I thought it was a clever and sneaky idea and I could totally see this being played out in my head as I read it. I laughed after I read it and I wondered how that all played out in the end.

Thanks to Scene of the Crime Early Read, Alice Henderson, and NetGalley for proving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Synopsis:

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter is back, fighting for endangered species in the Canadian Arctic and battling for her life in this action-packed follow-up to A Solitude of Wolverines, “a true stunner of a thriller debut” (James Rollins) and “a great read” (Nevada Barr).

Fresh off her wolverine study in Montana, wildlife biologist Alex Carter lands a job studying a threatened population of polar bears in the Canadian Arctic. Embedded with a small team of Arctic researchers, she tracks the majestic bears by air, following them over vast, snowy terrain, spending days leaning precariously out of a helicopter with a tranquilizer gun, until she can get down on the ice to examine them up close.

But as her study progresses, and she gathers data on the health of individual bears, things start to go awry. Her helicopter pilot quits unexpectedly, equipment goes missing, and a late-night intruder breaks into her lab and steals the samples she’s collected. She realizes that someone doesn’t want her to complete her study, but Alex is not easily deterred.

Managing to find a replacement pilot, she returns to the icy expanses of Hudson Bay. But the helicopter catches fire in midflight, forcing the team to land on a vast sheet of white far from civilization. Surviving on the frozen landscape is difficult enough, but as armed assailants close in on snowmobiles, Alex must rely on her skills and tenacity to survive this onslaught and carry out her mission.

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

I actually am in awe with this book. I liked how the author made me think about different stories and how they’re all kinda the same, yet somewhat different. I believe it was in the middle of the book, that Jacob talks about how some plots are all the same but it depends on how the author tries to make them unique. I realize this but what would happen if authors can’t piggyback on one another’s plots? Would we lose great authors or pieces of great fiction?

As I listened to this novel on audio, Jacob claimed he wasn’t stealing Evan’s story because he hadn’t read the whole book, but had he? I contemplated this thought as I read further into the novel. There were lots of little facts that kept popping up that I enjoyed but were scaring Jacob. I loved how Jacob stated he was enjoying the stardom of being a successful writer yet he actually wasn’t, as it seemed that he was constantly looking over his shoulder. His investigation into Evan Parker sure was extensive and I was impressed at how far Jacob’s pursuit went. He could become an investigator if being a writer doesn’t work out for him.

I thought there was a big lull in the middle of the book. Jacob’s investigation was getting boring for me. His love life was getting interesting, almost too cozy but he doesn’t seem to give her too much attention, as all his thoughts are focused on Jacob. I’m glad that I stuck it out to the end of the book as it was really good. The audio was good on this book and I highly recommend it. 4 stars (middle is so-so)

The Therapist by B.A. Paris

Wakey, wakey!! I wondered as I read this book if Alice was even awake. Did someone give her something or what’s up? Every time a new event presented itself in this book, I’d get squeamish and wonder if this was the event that would give Alice the kick that she needed. The nudge to finally pack those bags of hers and start looking at things from the outside.

When Alice first found out about the incident at the new house which had been kept from her, I’d be doing some serious thinking. I couldn’t believe that Alice was buying into her boyfriend’s explanation of his behavior. Why exactly does he love that house so much? What is this connection that he feels towards it? Then, let’s induce that party crasher that you had. This ends up not just being a typical party crasher whose coming for free drinks and food. Nope. He’s looking alright but he’ll be back, as he really thinks you have something he needs.

Hello…..get packing Alice! Why are you still staying in that house? I love a good mystery but not while I’m a part of it. I felt that all the issues just kept adding up and I was wondering if Alice was even keeping up with all the drama. Then, when Alice mentions her sister presence, yeah. Well, Alice perhaps you need that house as much as your boyfriend does.

This was an entertaining read by one of my favorite authors. She just kept on giving me reasons to question the characters and unwrap the story. 4.5 stars

The Push by Ashley Audrain

Come on, you can’t leave me hanging like this!! I can only hope that there’s a follow-up to this book because there’s no way that I can create something even close, to complete this story, to even match the cagey, disturbed feeling that I had as I read this book.

Falling back into the history, we learn about Blythe’s mother and her grandmother. Just reading the first couple pages of this book, I was heartbroken as I read about Grandma Etta and her first love, Louis. Giving up a career in medicine, Louis became a farmer just for Etta and her family. I thought this was a huge sacrifice to make and then, what happens to both Louis and Etta. Ugh! Is this really the beginning? The parents caused this. Has a curse been planted? It really should have started with the parents.

With her family’s history riding on her back, Blythe tries to pull out her happy face and “it’ll all be okay” attitude during her pregnancy but the truth of the situation is coming to the surface. The baby was coming, no matter how hard she wished it would go away, their baby would come into the world and the two of them would now become three.

I heard little Violet screaming in her crib as Blythe continued to write. So focused on getting all the words out of her head, Blythe ignored the crying until she, herself was empty. Fox adored his daughter and he was attentive to all of her needs. I got so angry at Blythe! She wanted to be a better mother, she wanted to change her past, she wanted ……but what? She wants to write? She wants time for herself? She was jealous of Fox and his relationship with their daughter? Oh, give me a break Blythe! Well, Violet can see things with her own eyes and you, my dear lady, are going to be dealing with the consequences of your actions later. Yeah, these will be bigger consequences than she ever imaged!

Fox and Blythe welcome a son into their family. If Blythe didn’t get motherhood right with Violet, she vows to get it right with Sam, as now she’s the attentive mother with him. One night, when she awakens with a slightest stir from Sam, she finds Violet in his room. Sweet, sibling bonding or something more disturbing? Let me just say that after that night, Blythe doesn’t want them alone together. Blythe seems to think that there’s something wrong with Violet but Fox doesn’t see anything. As I read about Blythe past, I had to wonder if perhaps the issues she was seeing had to do with her past. Is Blythe just another link of her family’s history? Something was definitely going on inside this household but who was responsible for it?

I really enjoyed how the story came together and I liked how the historical background played a key role. I loved living on the fence as I read this book, never knowing who I could depend on or what was transpiring next. I was totally consumed by this book and the lives these individuals led. The only problem that I had with this book was that I was confused at times when the book traveled back-n-forth between time periods. There was no indication to let the readers know that such a jump in time was occurring and it wasn’t until you had a read a few lines or paragraphs that you realized that you were not in the same time period as the previous chapter. A fantastic book that I highly recommend!! 4.5 stars

No Exit by Taylor Adams

I’ve read this book almost 2 books ago and I still can’t get this book out of my head. The ending of the book had more twists than a rollercoaster and boy, do I love rollercoasters. Once the adrenaline rush came, it came crashing down on me again and again, as Darby struggled to outwit her opponents in a war where she mentally or physically she could not rest.

I don’t like snow or driving in snow yet where I live the possibility of snow is about 40% to 50% of my entire year. It’s the unpredictability of snow and how other individuals behave in the snow, that makes me not like to drive in it. Sitting behind the wheel with Darby, the snow creating a lacey veil for the struggling car to stay onto the assigned path, I’m finding myself, holding my breath. Darby was stressed before hitting the road and now, the weather just adds to her frustration. Since receiving the news, Darby just wanted to see her mother but now, just finding somewhere to park her car for a bit, would be a great relief. When the windshield wiper flew off her car, I knew she was in trouble and as she limped into the rest area parking lot, I thought if she could at least stay in her vehicle, she would be fine. But, had she pack her car for winter driving? I had a feeling that she didn’t.

Oh Darby! Making her way into the rest area, Darby takes in her surroundings. The individuals hanging around inside and the location of different parts of this rest area. When she hears that they’ve closed some of the roads due to the blizzard, she immediately began assessing the situation. I wish she would’ve been this detailed before hitting the road, for I think it might have helped her considerably. Darby is now stuck at a rest area with some total strangers, with no cell service and with a phone that’s almost dead. They won’t be coming to clear the roads for quite some time and when Darby goes back outside, she notices someone caged in a van. Yes, I said caged and this someone is a small girl.

Who is this girl? Which one of the individuals inside the rest area owns the van? Oh, the questions just start coming as nothing about what has just transpired is good. Darby can’t keep still as she needs to do something to correct the situation but where does she begin?

Thank goodness that Darby has an almost dead cell phone and no, my friends she hadn’t packed her car for winter driving nor had she prepared herself for any type of an emergency before she left. She’s surrounded by a blizzard, alone, confronted with a nightmare which she has to put an end to tonight.

This was a fantastic, high-energy book. It definitely got my adrenaline going and it still gets me pumped up when I think about it. I would recommend it but with a warning, you might not get any sleep once you start it.

Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams

Given the evidence, I’d have done exactly what Lena did when she was notified that her twin sister had committed suicide. Sure, Cambry wasn’t completely stable but Lena feels that she knows her sister and that she wouldn’t commit suicide. Cambry was supposed to be taking a break from life, traveling, living in her car, enjoying the world around her so, why would she suddenly decide to end her life by jumping off a bridge? Then, there’s the police report. This piece of paper raises too many red flags for Lena. Why hasn’t anyone else questioned this record? Do they understand all the phone calls Cambry made? What about Cambry’s last message, what did she mean by that? Was it just a coincidence, the contact between Cambry and the same highway patrolman before and after her death? This was one intense read and I ~~wanted~~ needed to know the answers.

As Lena meets Reymond Raycevic on Hairpin Bridge, she wants the full account of what occurred between Reymond and her sister, when the two of them came into contact. As Lena listens, the Montana Highway Patrolman comes off irritated for having to repeat this but nevertheless, he gives Lena what she wants. Whoops! Better slow down Mr. Patrolman, you might just not want to be so overconfident. This is getting good as Lena is a great listener and she’s paying close attention to everything that he’s saying. She’s not giving up until she knows the truth and she’s not putting any trust in the words on the typed-up police report.

Another fantastic book by Taylor Adams, an exciting pursuit that had me turning the pages way past my bedtime! I received a copy of this book from Scene of the Crime Early Read Program in exchange for an honest opinion, thank you for sending me this book.

Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone

This book really wasn’t a thriller to me. I would classify it as a dramatic mystery. I picked it up based on the thriller genre and that the fantastic cover and although, the genre didn’t fit for me, I really enjoyed the book. I listened it on audio and it kept me engaged and I couldn’t wait to get back to it when I had to shut it off. The relationships, a few unknowns, and a few twists, had me talking to myself, as I went about my day.

The story centers around identical twins, El and Cat, who grew up in an older house in Scotland with their mother and their grandfather. It is now 10+ years later and Cat has moved to California and El is now married to Ross, residing in the girl’s childhood home. I thought at first that the idea of them buying this house was sweet but the more that I read, I quickly changed my mind. El has now vanished and they feel that she has died but Cat thinks otherwise. Although, it has been years since the girls have talked, they are twins and Cat returns to Scotland to help find her.

There is a lot of time shifting as you read this book, from when the girls were younger to the current time period, especially in the beginning of this book. I found at times it was confusing at the beginning of the book and I didn’t understand where it would come into play or if it really mattered but in the second half of the book, I was consumed by the book. I really enjoyed the twists and the breakthrough moments that the author spread throughout the book. When they were children, the girls had created a world in the house called Mirrorland. This fantasy world consisted of bizarre and absurd things that children could envision and it is in this world, that El tries to find her sister.

There were times as I read this book that I didn’t know what was the truth and what wasn’t. I liked the idea of Mirrorland and how the girls used it to escape their current life when they were children. Cat was so certain that she knew her sister even though, they hadn’t spoken to each other in years. Coming back to Scotland was hard for Cat. She had left her childhood behind and now, she has to face it again and also see what El’s life has been like. Although it was confusing at times for me, I thought it was a great book.

Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney

Does biology trump love? As I listened to this book, I kept wondering what I would do if I were placed in such a predicament. After caring for a young child for 2 years, do you think you could relinquish control because someone made a mistake? Was it a mistake or was it done on purpose? It’s not like you got the wrong car, or the wrong dog (although this would be hard too), this is a small child who has depended on you, someone that you have cared for, protected, loved and bonded with for over 700 days. How could you walk away from that? My mind couldn’t fantom how anyone was going to win in this situation.

So many questions had to be answered after they proved that an error had occurred, and it began with who? Who would commit such an act? What did they have to gain from it? I should have slowed the speed of the audio down as I felt that the book was speeding out of control or was it just the intensity of the situation. I had my suspects but I didn’t feel that their motives were solid enough. I felt an emotional connection to the children, how would they feel now and again, later in the future, knowing what happened to them? Would this mess them up, could they bounce back, or would they need counseling to figure out why they now had another mommy and daddy? Trying to correct the situation, I found myself arguing out loud, as each set of parents had their own idea on what they felt was the best plan. Miles wanted to run the show, he thinks that he has everything under control and it frustrated me how he tries to take charge. As I learned more about the children, the motive of why become clearer and the suspect list dropped to just a few individuals. It was such a great book to listen to and one that completely took over my morning. I highly recommend it.

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

What a terrific book by Tudor! This was my third book from this author and she never fails to amaze me. From the beginning pages, the story had my curiosity as Jack and her teenage daughter are relocated by Bishop Durkin. I didn’t know what to think as the reverend and her daughter were transferred to the small community of Chapel Croft. As the Bishop talks to Jack about this move and he mentions that Jack will be leaving behind the police observations, the crime scene and her angry congregation, whatever Jack did, it sounds pretty serious. The Bishop felt that this would-be Jack’s best option yet, as I read the book, this was supposed to a good option? I guess I wouldn’t want to know, what the Bishop thought were bad options.

When the mother and daughter arrived at their new community, it’s not all that promising. What happened that first day, should have told them something but I guess the reverend is used to drama. The pair was met by a pair of Burning Girls at their gate, Jack later find a gift that was left for her. Upon opening this gift, Jack finds she was gifted an exorcism kit and later, as their first visitor approached them, they realized that she was covered in blood. Welcome to Chapel Croft.

I liked how the book unraveled itself. I was interested in Jack’s past yet as the book progressed, there were other more intense issues at hand now. It felt as if Jack was trying to separate herself from her past and start anew, as she wasn’t saying much about what happened. As they arrived into Chapel Croft, they were pulled inside Chapel Croft and the events that surrounded this small community. Jack had seen the small church and she thought that it needed to be revived but she didn’t really know the church’s history nor the people who resided in the town. Jack was trying to distance herself from one horrible scene in her past and then, she ends up walking right into another one. As Jack tries to make sense of what has just been uncovered, she realizes that her past is never really gone. There were plenty of twists inside this book, and they were amazing as the stories unfolded.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you for my copy.

One By One by Ruth Ware

It was supposed to be a fun holiday for this small group of co-workers at the ski chalet. My eyebrows shot up a few times as the group made their entrance, as it didn’t seem like some of these individuals were prepared for these winter conditions. It’s a ski chalet and that means snow, cold, and unpredictable conditions. I also didn’t understand why Liz was amongst them, as she was no longer a Snoop employee. Getting comfortable with their new surroundings, the story of this tech company and its employees was laid out.

I felt that the team was catering to Liz for some unknown reason and Miranda, she was totally out of her element. Miranda might break a nail or scuff one of her high heels while on this holiday and where was Topher? Topher is one of the biggest shareholders, he should be there with them on that first night. There’s a big company buyout on the table which will be a huge benefit for some of them but in the meantime, it’s making things complicated.

Deciding to hit the slopes right away, not everyone makes it back. How can that happen, they were all just together, right? They haven’t even been their 24-hours. As they try to piece this mystery together, another member of their group has been discovered dead. When outside, an avalanche has struck their area and has caused major destruction. Wow, double whammy! Outside, the snow has blocked them in and inside, what’s happening to these employees? All I could think of was, let’s get shoveling and then, everyone needs to lock themselves in their room, we’ll be doing maximum social distancing for a while.

I liked the individuals who managed the chalet, I enjoyed their storylines and how they mingled with the guests. This book reminded me a bit of the book, Then There Were None. I liked the short chapters and how the situation deteriorated as the clock ticked. There were quite a few characters to evaluate for a motive in this case. I really thought it was strange how some of the individuals and the chalet wasn’t prepared for such a dangerous event. I would have thought that they would have many backup items on-hand. Having lived though a few disasters, I guess, you learn a few things along the way.