thriller – One Chapter

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

5 stars Sci Fi

This was unique! Unique as in, I loved it! It reminded me a lot of The Dome to some extent. I was so intrigued with the situation that was playing out, I didn’t know how this book was going to end. I see now that some individuals didn’t care for this book, and that I understand, but me, I was trapped inside the dome too.

Meet Xavier, a thirteen-year-old teen who is on vacation, at their lake house, with his dad and stepmom. Xavier would rather be home with his mom and brother, hanging out with his girlfriend. In the morning, the family awakens and what happened? Where are they? They are no longer located by the lake, and they realize that they are living on a farm. Ha, I don’t know about you, but I would be thinking I’m inside the Twilight Zone.

Upon further investigation, the family finds there’s no way out. They are trapped inside a dome. No communication with the outside world as the family lives off their new surroundings, everything they need to survive is provided. Time passes and although they miss their previous life, they have accepted what their life has become. One day, a new family arrives, bringing with them their own new farm.

This could be good, as the family will now have neighbors or this could cause issues inside the dome. The good news is that for Xavier, there is young female amongst the new residents. The bad news is that this new family brings with them opinions and roots that differ and cause conflict.

I liked how this book played out and how the isolation changed this family. When the new family arrived, the dramatics inside the dome changed. Were the families supposed to change? Was this about diversity, acceptance or power? I enjoyed the characters; they were very realistic and honest. A great book to make me think yet I know this book will not be for everyone. 5 stars

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

4.5 stars Mystery

I jumped into this series which worked out for me. I’ve read some of Kelley Armstrong’s books before and when this popped up on NetGalley, I knew it would be good, but I was curious if jumping into a series was a wise choice. Kelley provided enough background information so I wasn’t lost but I think to understand the chemistry between the characters, it would be wise to start at the beginning of this series.

The bleakness of the weather situation drew me in. Located in the Yukon Wilderness in Canada, this area is rugged, a true frontier, where nature rules. As the locals gathered, it seemed like a typical night. She doesn’t remember how she ended up on the edge of town. Right now, she’s glad that she’s alive. She hadn’t had that much to drink, which was good otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to put up much of a fight. But what happened? Who was behind this? And why?

The sheriff and area detective are called in. Eric and Casey begin investigating the assault when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Temperatures plummet and a blizzard hits the area. Looking at the area where the assault occurred, the team discover a frozen female body. The body is disturbing in nature which alerts the women. Who would be out in these conditions? What are they dealing with?

This is a very small community which they felt was a close-knit group but now, they are second guessing this community they are living in. The residents start to feel unsure of their neighbors and start to question each other. If that wasn’t enough to fill your mind with, Casey is pregnant and very close to her due date. Casey wants to do her job, to continue to be a detective who is committed to justice but she’s also about to be a mother, can she do both successfully? With mysteries and interesting characters, I enjoyed this fast-paced book. It’s a small town where everyone has their own story, their own secrets and who can you trust. 4.5 stars

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

13 Months Haunted by Jimmy Juliano

4.5 stars Suspense

This one was creepy in a mysterious way. I don’t get creeped out too easily, but this one got a bit under my skin considering the way the entity(s) moved. Perhaps it’s because of the world that we now live in, the uncertainty of times that we now live in, and my own comprehension of the world of technology, but this was a great read for me.

Piper ends up becoming a library clerk, not the job that she wanted after college, but it pays the bills. She’s finally living out on her own, in the small town of Northwoods and like everyone says, small town living has its disadvantages. She is hosting a student Halloween writing contest at the library and the entries have started to trickle in. Receiving one from Avery, Piper is immediately drawn to it. Why? Could it be because Avery’s mother accompanies Avery to school each day and stays inside each of the classrooms with her throughout the day. Could it be that Avery is a new student and the only surviving members of her family include her mother and Avery, the rest of her family has died. Their death? That’s the gossip that is running throughout the community. Could it be that the title of Avery’s entry, The Thing in the Closet and after reading it, Piper isn’t sure if the story is nonfiction or fiction. I liked how Piper was intrigued with Avery’s writing and wanted to know more about her. Trying to decipher whether her story was reality or fantasy, Piper wants to see what all the gossip is about and who Avery is. That’s when the pieces of the puzzle start to come together.

Could this really be technology driven? Seriously? Avery claims she doesn’t remember but it was her. When Avery starts to “feel” something yet no one else “feels” anything, is she acting or is this real? No one can see anything including Avery so where is this coming from? Avery’s head? I had to think about the future, could this happen? I mean we never thought about Covid hitting and sweeping through the country. Could this really happen and if so, how can we gain control of the situation? The Who, what and where were flowing through my head as Piper tries to understand the situation and its connection to Avery. Was it deliberate? What’s the purpose and why Avery? The ending, I really enjoyed. 4.5 stars

Deepwater Creek by Michael Regina

4 stars Graphic Novel Middle School

This looked like a creepy graphic novel, so I picked it up while I was cleaning this section at the library. It’s the end of summer vacation and the teens want one more fishing trip before school starts. There have been some stories around town about some strange happenings in the water since the last storm, but they’re bound and determined to fish, so they make it happen. One adult, two brothers and a few of their friends hop onto the boat and they set off.

Andrew hesitated when the others wanted to try a new fishing spot. He knew that part of the river had been closed off since the hurricane and he didn’t want to get into trouble. Andrew ends up caving in from all the pressure they put on him and the thought of all the fish they tell him are over there. The new fishing spot ends up being a jackpot as there are fishes everywhere! Are these fish acting strangely?

The kids become so focused on fishing that they don’t notice the fog in the distance. The weather has started to change, and the fishing boat is now in the middle of it. An incident leaves a few of the boys in the water and that’s when the book took some twists.

What just happened? Many unknowns as the crew head home. Their friendship becomes tighter as the questions about what they have survived mount. They can’t shake off what they experienced. The mystery of the fog and what they experienced in the water has changed them forever. Where scientists were stumped at an explanation, can these teens find the answer?

I thought there was a lot of text to read in this graphic novel. The timeline was easy to follow as the boys made their discovery and how they went about solving it. I thought the beginning of the book was easier to follow than the ending of the book. The ending of the book, even with the illustrations, felt jumbled and confusing. Towards the end, the illustrations were very dark and trying to compare the illustrations to see progress, it was very difficult to see any change. Four stars

The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison

3 stars Fantasy

I really loved the idea behind this book. A magical library. Can you just imagine that?! Inside this magical library, lives a magical book which is governed by a special librarian. This magical book, The Book of Dark Nights, gives those who use it a gift. Those who write upon the pages of this magical book are granted a glimpse into their future. Sounds amazing, right? Yet, what must be written on the pages are your own deepest confessions. Would you be willing to share your most private confessions to see a glimpse of your future?

It’s a difficult decision but it becomes even more complicated when the predictions don’t materialize like they should. It’s a special library, and the librarian is part of the magic. If you tell the librarian that you “need” a book (no title suggested), she will go into the library’s shelves and find you the perfect book that you “need” for your situation right now.

Told in dual timelines, we follow Eleanor when she is a young student in college and when she is middle-aged. As a student, the library is a new experience and she’s excited to be a part of it. She’s dating a new guy and the library becomes a part of it. As an adult, Eleanor has been a mentee at the library but is now suddenly thrown into the position of Librarian. I liked the dural timelines, but I didn’t like how frequently they switched, I would have rather become more involved in one time period and then switched over, then have the constant switching. I was having a hard time connecting to the characters and I thought the story was choppy in the middle with all the flip flopping. Eleanor first job is to hunt down the missing The Book of Dark Nights. It’s a interesting journey with her mentor’s son beside her.

I wished that more of the back stories of the characters would have been explained to us. The story felt so long and drawn out in the middle, and I think it was because I was jumping through timelines and I had to switch the characters back and forth. I did like the characters, and I liked that there were not a lot of them. I was lost about Daniel and his actions. I just couldn’t understand why he didn’t recognize anything even after everything Eleanor said and did. Why wasn’t anything explained in the dual timeline? It was an okay read for me. 3 stars

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

4 stars Fiction

I admit this is my first Louise Penny novel I fell in love with the cover since I first laid eyes upon it. I love a great mystery, and I know she’s a very popular writer, but I was nervous jumping into a series without reading any of the previous books. In all honestly, I was a bit confused listening to this book on audio. I felt as if discussions were repeated and conversations were just too many. Regardless, I did enjoy reading The Grey Wolf. I enjoyed the realistic and true characters who were trying to piece together fragments of a mystery.

It begins with a phone call. Then comes the break-in. Too many things are happening and they’re happening fast. The discovery of the small slip of paper inside the jacket. It’s a small piece of paper which might not seem like much, but it is just the beginning. Water. Something we all need and unfortunately, take for granted. When this resource is threatened, Gamache is quick to act. The how, where, and why are the questions Gamache needs to answer quickly as individuals’ lives are at risk. Reaching across the globe the team begins to try to piece this puzzle all together.

I liked how Gamache worked to get this case under control. Reaching across the globe, many individuals were connected , grasping at anything they could find. Did they finally get the answers they were searching for? Time will tell as we wait for the next book. 4 stars

Three-Inch Teeth by CJ Box

3.5 Stars Mystery

Ha! Three-inch teeth….that was just part of the problem. I have to give it to him, he was smart, almost too smart. He had a gift, and he used it to his advantage. Clever guy, oh yes he was. This was one of those books where things were falling together and I didn’t realize it until the gloves were off and bodies were falling.

He got out of prison, and he wants revenge. He’s not doing it alone which added some excitement to this book. The bodies start piling up, but something is just not adding up, the authorities are baffled. Who can connect the dots and figure this one out?

I liked Dallas’ idea as it was creative and innovative. Realistic? I’m not so sure but perhaps someday we’ll get there. As they were unraveling the mystery, I felt that it was done quickly, and swiftly. Listening to this book, I did feel that there were a lot of individuals to keep track of, and it was hard sometimes to keep everyone separate. 3.5 stars

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

5 stars Thriller

Ha! That was definitely a great read for me! Talk about some twists and turns. I’ve enjoyed Freida’s books in the past but the way that she’s able to spring her twists and turns in her stories are grabbing me in awe. I knew something had to be coming my way as I was reading but I was not ready for the deer-in-the-headlight stop I got. Unscrambling everything that I knew at that point was a process, a process that thanks to Freida was just the beginning of this rollercoaster of a book.

Blake was living the dream. He had a nice job, a girl on his shoulder, and he was trying to get his cards all aligned for the life that he wanted to lead. He could see his future unfolding in front of him, a prosperous future, one that could lead to many possibilities. It happened suddenly. Doors started slamming and Blake’s prosperous land of opportunity was now being taken away from him. Why? Blake didn’t know but he was trying desperately to hold onto every last bit of what was left. It was a downhill spiral and Blake is tumbling hard. To help financially, Blake and his fiancé decide to open their home to a tenant, someone who could help take part of the burden off temporarily. Whitney seemed to be the perfect fit for their household, sweet young Whitney.

I could feel the tension and stress as they all adjusted to this new living arrangement. Blake thought he had problems before, but now with Whitney in the mix, they’ve just complicated things. Whitney arrives with her own stories and history, and boy, does she shake things up! Don’t start thinking that you can put this book aside or concentrate on your own issues once Whitney joins the household. The escapades and finger-pointing intensify, and I could think of nothing less than the characters inside this book and the who and why associated with that.

I liked how I started to question my own thought process and how I began to wonder where the holes in this story lived. Were the characters’ actions and words matching up? Had I overlooked something? Was I rooting for someone I shouldn’t be? This was a fun, twisted book which I really enjoyed. Wowza – a 5 star read for me, for sure.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

5 stars Thriller

The scene: you’ve had enough and you’re ready to start over, you jump in your car planning to visit your sibling until you can figure out what to “do next.” Sounds like a good plan until you’re on the road and then, it hits you. It’s winter and you’re in a rural country; Maine to be exact. Your car, not the most reliable and rugged vehicle to be driving in these conditions. But it’s too late now, she’s committed and there’s no going back.

Yes, “The Crash.” Tegan suffers a crash while out on the rural roads while driving to her brother’s house in Maine. Tegan was not aware that she was driving into a winter storm. That’s not the worst of it, she’s also 8 months pregnant and now, she’s hurt. I love how Tegan is on high alert when someone finally approaches her as she is pinned inside her car, this girl knows her thrillers and knows from a distance that this shadowy figure could be hiding some secrets. Helping Tegan from the car, Tegan discovers this shadowy figure is a large man who is very friendly and offers to bring her home until the storm passes. With a wife at home, the couple seem very friendly and try to make Tegan comfortable but Tegan senses something else.

Tegan begins to question the friendliness and hospitality of the couple while the couple begin their own assessment of Tegan. Is the couple keeping secrets, did Tegan notice something while staying in their basement? Tegan seems to be giving all the correct answers, but the couple senses that Tegan is keeping something from them. What is she hiding from them? As each character gives voice to the predicament playing out, the situation changes, making me wonder what exactly the outcome might be.

Tegan wants to go to the hospital for her injuries and to make sure her unborn child is okay. The wife sees Tegan as a gift, an opportunity, something to fulfill a need that she has. Her husband, he seems to be caught in the middle. See, he loves his wife, and he wants to make her happy but he’s wondering about her need, and he’s concerned about the welfare of Tegan. It’s a balancing act and the clock is ticking.

I really enjoy these thrillers. They get my blood pumping and get my mind off of my everyday life because isn’t that what reading is supposed to do- give us an escape. Sure, some of the characters are predictable but so are some of the people in our life but then again, some of the characters throw something into the mix and I’m off. I’m off into another world, a world where you just don’t know where you’re going to land. 5 stars.

The Unsub by Meg Gardiner

4.5 stars Thriller

She still has it. I used to be a big Meg reader many years ago and when I saw this book on vacation a few years ago, I had to pick it up. Meg kept me entertained, never letting me go as Caitlin takes over in her father’s shoes tracking down The Zodiac killer.

After a lengthy absence, The Zodiac killer has returned. Caitlin is assigned to the case with the hope that her history with the case, they’ll be able to catch The Prophet this time. He’s predictable, yet there’s something different this time with the killings. Caitlin is drawn in, The Prophet knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s pulling Caitlin along with him. Her father Mack knows that feeling all too well. Mack had worked on this same case years ago when The Prophet first emerged and now Mack is playing the price. Caitlin asks her father for advice, his expertise on The Prophet and Mack’s warns his daughter about the emotional impact this case can have on her but Caitlin is determined to bring The Zodiac killer down.

It’s a dark thriller where it’s a race against time. The Zodiac killer takes and takes as he has a goal in mind and nothing will stop him. Caitlin and her team must discover the motivation behind such a corrupt mind and find a way to stop him. The clock is ticking ……go!

After reading the last few pages of this book, I realized that this was a series. Now, that was a shock to me, as I hate to read series until I know a few of the books in the series are already published. Knowing this, I checked and found that yes, there are four books in this series. I immediately put book #2 and #3 of this series on hold at the library because I need to know what happens next. 4.5 stars