Category: NetGalley

4.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, P, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.13 REVIEW – The Accident by Chris Pavone

Tara

The Accident
by Chris Pavone

Copyright: 2014
Pages: 342
Rating: 4.5/5
Read: March 10 – Mar. 17, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 13
Format: E-Book
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

 

The AccidentBlurb: As dawn approaches in New York, literary agent Isabel Reed is turning the final pages of a mysterious, anonymous manuscript, racing through the explosive revelations about powerful people, as well as long-hidden secrets about her own past. In Copenhagen, veteran CIA operative Hayden Gray, determined that this sweeping story be buried, is suddenly staring down the barrel of an unexpected gun. And in Zurich, the author himself is hiding in a shadowy expat life, trying to atone for a lifetime’s worth of lies and betrayals with publication of The Accident, while always looking over his shoulder.

Over the course of one long, desperate, increasingly perilous day, these lives collide as the book begins its dangerous march toward publication, toward saving or ruining careers and companies, placing everything at risk—and everyone in mortal peril.  The rich cast of characters—in publishing and film, politics and espionage—are all forced to confront the consequences of their ambitions, the schisms between their ideal selves and the people they actually became.

The action rockets around Europe and across America, with an intricate web of duplicities stretching back a quarter-century to a dark winding road in upstate New York, where the shocking truth about the accident itself is buried.

Gripping, sophisticated, layered, and impossible to put down, The Accident proves once again that Chris Pavone is a true master of suspense.

Review: I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley, all opinions expressed below are my own.

I originally put in a request for a print galley through an ad in Shelf Awareness. I didn’t get a print galley, but was sent an email inviting me to have access to an e-galley. I gladly clicked through the link and then let the book sit on my Nook for a while. Well, for months, really. Can I just tell you right now that that was the dumbest thing I could have done?!

This book was awesome. It sucked me in from the first page (I was stupid and started it while on the treadmill and only had about 20 minutes to read before my bootcamp class started). I was tempted to skip that class just so I could continue to read! It definitely has an immediate draw, that’s for sure!

This book has every twist and turn imaginable. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, another curveball is thrown and you’re left with your mouth hanging wide open and your eyes bugging out of your head in utter surprise! At least I was!

If I had to nitpick one thing about this book, it was the sheer number of characters and storylines that were introduced in the beginning. I had a little bit of trouble trying to keep track of what was what and who was who. But once things started to come together, I understood why everything was placed as it was. It definitely allowed for layers to be peeled back, one by one.

I found this book to be really enjoyable. I had figured out who the “author” was relatively early on, but I still had no idea about other revelations at the end of the book. The writing was suspenseful and the characters were well-developed.

This was my first time reading this author, but I can say with certainty, it won’t be my last!

One last thing to mention, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a different side of the publishing business through this book. I had no idea how the agent/editor/publisher, purchasing/owning, and then the film options truly worked. So it was pretty interesting to get an insider look on how the process works.

Highly recommended!!

4/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, M, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2014, Review Book

2014.9 REVIEW – Precious Thing by Colette McBeth

Tara

Precious Thing
by Colette McBeth

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 233
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 15 – Feb. 21, 2014
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 9
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

Precious ThingBlurb: For fans of Sister and Before I Go to Sleep comes a stunning suspense novel about two childhood best friends, reunited as adults and then ripped apart.

I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last forever.

They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and nothing would be the same again. Now in their late twenties Rachel has the television career, the apartment and the boyfriend, while Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control. Yet despite everything, they remain inextricably bound. Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, and she is shocked when she arrives to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?

Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it…

Review: I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley for review purposes, all opinions expressed below are my own.

You can be so close to someone for a lifetime and not know who they really are. (p. 90 of e-galley)

What. A. Book.

I don’t even know where to start, to be completely honest. This is another one of those books where you just can’t say too much about it or else you get into some serious spoiler territory. And honestly, the less you know about this book going into it, the better.

First of all this book is written in the form of a long letter from Rachel to Clara. You get flashbacks of when they met in school alternating with what is going on present day. Ms. McBeth slowly reveals things layer by layer. It makes for a completely thrilling read, in my opinion.

The characters. I don’t even know what to say. I went back and forth trying to figure out who was more crazy, Clara or Rachel. Obviously I can’t say much more than that without giving away anything. But I can say that you can know almost immediately that something is definitely amiss.

Best friends who tell each other everything but the truth. (p. 204 of e-galley)

I’ve seen people comparing this one to Gone Girl. I can’t say for sure about that, I haven’t read Gone Girl. But I can tell you that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you’re in the mood for some seriously crazy, psychologically insane reading, pick this one up! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Highly recommended!!

A couple more quotes to share:

I’ve said it before. Truth is subjective. It’s not an absolute. My truth and theirs. Two against one. (p. 165 of e-galley)

My bosses had insisted I take time off until everything sorted itself out, when what they really wanted to say was stay away until we know you’re not a psychotic killer. (p. 216 of e-galley)

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, N, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, Review Book

2013.42 REVIEW – The Edge of Normal by Carla Norton

Tara

The Edge of Normal
by Carla Norton

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 316
Rating: 4/5
Read: Sept. 30 – Oct. 7, 2013
Challenge: RIP VIII
Yearly count: 42
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

The Edge of NormalBlurb: In many ways, Reeve LeClaire looks like a typical twenty-two year old girl. She’s finally landed her own apartment, she waitresses to pay the bills, and she wishes she wasn’t so nervous around new people. She thinks of herself as agile, not skittish. As serious, not grim. But Reeve is anything but normal.

Ten years ago, she was kidnapped and held captive. After a lucky escape, she’s spent the last six years trying to rebuild her life, a recovery thanks in large part to her indispensable therapist Dr. Ezra Lerner. But when he asks her to help another girl rescued from a similar situation, Reeve realizes she may not simply need to mentor this young victim—she may be the only one who can protect her from a cunning predator who is still out there, watching every move.

Review: This is another great book that grabbed me from the first page and spit me back out at the end.

But I just want to stop feeling like I have this ugly part of myself that no one can possibly understand. I want to have a normal life and be a normal adult. (p. 26)

From the very beginning you know exactly what has happened to Reeve. When she was 12 years old she was kidnapped. She suffered a lot of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse during the four years that she was being held by the psychopath who took her. And all she wants is to be normal. She can’t be faulted for wanting that more than anything. So she’s been seeing her therapist, Dr. Lerner. The reader can tell in the first few pages that Reeve is an intelligent woman who appears to have bounced back rather well from her past. Sure she’s got some issues still, but nothing that I would consider out of the ordinary considering what she went through. But you really don’t see who Reeve is until she is asked by Tilly’s family to come and meet with them. It is here that we are really introduced to an extremely strong woman. Stronger than she gives herself credit for.

This is really quite the suspenseful book. You know from the beginning that there is more to the story than the police officials are aware of. That made it even more interesting for me as far as all the questions being answered. It’s really interesting to see Reeve really put herself out there and investigate for herself. She makes a promise that she does not under any circumstances want to have to break, so she must do things her own way. I felt like that really made the storyline interesting … it was just one more insight into Reeve’s character as a whole.

I have to admit that there were more than a few times that I was a little suspicious of some of the main male characters. My suspicions were completely off the mark, but I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like had the author taken things a different route. Maybe I just wanted to make a mountain out of a molehill 🙂 There are some open-ended possibilities for Ms. Norton to bring Reeve back in another book. I like that there is an opening for that. It would be definitely interesting to see if Reeve goes back to school as Dr. Lerner has suggested to her.

Overall, I felt like this was a great book. It’s not for the faint of heart, but I don’t think that the author went into too much detail that it felt overly gratuitous in any way. I’m definitely looking forward to Ms. Norton’s future in fiction writing!

Highly recommended.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, L, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.32 REVIEW – Top Down by Jim Lehrer

Tara

Top Down 
by Jim Lehrer

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 246
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: July 19 – July 23, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 32
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

Top DownBlurb: In a riveting novel rooted in one of American history’s great “what ifs,” Jim Lehrer tells the story of two men haunted by the events leading up to John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

November 22, 1963. As Air Force One touches down in Dallas, ambitious young newspaper reporter Jack Gilmore races to get the scoop on preparations for President Kennedy’s motorcade. Will the bubble top on the presidential limousine be up or down? Down, according to veteran Secret Service agent Van Walters. The decision to leave the top down and expose JFK to fire from above will weigh on Van’s conscience for decades. But will it also change the course of history?

Five years after the assassination, Jack gets an anguished phone call from Van’s daughter Marti. Van Walters is ravaged by guilt, so convinced that his actions led to JFK’s death that he has lost the will to live. In a desperate bid to deliver her father from his demons, Marti enlists Jack’s help in a risky reenactment designed to prove once and for all what would have happened had the bubble top stayed in place on that grim November day.

For Jack, it’s a chance to break a once-in-a-lifetime story that could make his career. But for Van the stakes are even higher. The outcome of a ballistics test conducted on the grounds of a secluded estate in upstate New York might just save his life—or push him over the edge.

A page-turning historical novel with the beating heart of a thriller, Top Down could only have sprung from the fertile imagination of Jim Lehrer. Drawing on his own experience as an eyewitness to the events described, one of America’s most respected journalists has crafted an engrossing story out of the emotional aftershocks of a national tragedy.

Review:  I received a e-galley of this book through NetGalley.

Here’s the deal, guys, I am a JFK junkie to the core. It’s nearly an obsession, really. So with 2013 being the 50th anniversary of the assassination, you can imagine that there are a ton of books coming out this year that have to do with JFK and the assassination – both fiction and non-fiction. Already this year, not including this book, I’ve read one fiction book (The Man from 2063) and I have another non-fiction book lined up through Edelweiss. I am in hog heaven! Okay but seriously, I guess I need to get to the actual review of this book.

This book definitely has a different feel from any other book I’ve read recently. I don’t know, it’s kind of hard to describe. Part of me felt as if I was reading a memoir at times. I actually had to look up the info on it after reading the first chapter to see if I was reading fiction or non-fiction. But don’t let that scare you off, because the book reads quite easily. And it is fiction.

The cast of characters in this book, oh what a great bunch. First you have Jack, who is a reporter who actually reported on the Kennedy assassination from Dallas. In the beginning he describes a conversation he had with a Secret Service agent, Van, the day of the assassination regarding the bubble top on the presidential limo. Van made the call that the bubble top was to be removed (I must add that this is where I originally thought I was reading a memoir). That was the beginning of the end for Van. From there you meet his daughter, Marti, who is convinced her father is dying because of that one decision and how it affected him. All she wants from Jack is to help her prove to her father that his decision had nothing to do with Kennedy’s death – Oswald still would have taken that shot and Kennedy still would have died.

What this book really and truly is about is human emotions. Van is a broken man after the assassination. He blames himself for Kennedy’s death. But it doesn’t just end there. It turns his wife into an alcoholic and his daughter gets pushed away to boarding school. One little psychological break doesn’t just affect the person who has had the break … the whole family is impacted. Guilt is a very powerful emotion. And being through something as traumatic as a presidential assassination would do a number on any person.

Overall I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys anything JFK. Those who like historical fiction would probably enjoy this one as well. Past that, it might not appeal to just everyone. But overall definitely a book that I enjoyed to feed my JFK obsession.

5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, Review Book

2013.5 REVIEW – A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins

Tara

A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate
by Susanna Calkins

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 349
Rating: 5/5
Read: Jan. 18 – 22, 2013
Challenge: 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge
Yearly count: 5
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

A Murder at Rosamund's GateBlurb:  For Lucy Campion, a seventeenth-century English chambermaid serving in the household of the local magistrate, life is an endless repetition of polishing pewter, emptying chamber pots, and dealing with other household chores until a fellow servant is ruthlessly killed, and Lucy’s brother is wrongly arrested for the crime. In a time where the accused are presumed guilty until proven innocent, lawyers aren’t permitted to defend their clients, and—if the plague doesn’t kill them first—public executions draw a large crowd of spectators, Lucy knows she may never see her brother alive again. Unless, that is, she can identify the true murderer.

Determined to do just that, Lucy finds herself venturing out of her expected station and into raucous printers’ shops, secretive gypsy camps, the foul streets of London, and even the bowels of Newgate prison on a trail that might lead her straight into the arms of the killer.

Review: I received this book via NetGalley. It was an impulse request, but I knew that it was a book that I really wanted to read.

I actually finished this book a few days ago, but for some reason I couldn’t immediately put my thoughts together on how to approach the review. But I’ve now gathered my thoughts and I hope that I am able to convey to my readers just how much I really did enjoy this book.

However, that’s not to say that it wasn’t without its faults. First of all, this is most definitely a historical mystery. But I was a little frustrated that it took 100 pages until we really got to the “mystery” part of it. The only reason I kept reading the book through all that was because Ms. Calkins really set the stage beautifully in my opinion. There was just something about the writing and the introduction to all the characters that really drew me farther into the story.

I really enjoyed Lucy’s character. She seemed so real to me. And I liked how Ms. Calkins made her more than just a servant – she was a young woman with thoughts and opinions of her own. It also helped that her household master was quite receptive to hearing the chambermaid’s opinions. I’m absolutely positive that this would have been almost unheard of during the time this book was set (London during the plague years).

The mystery part of the book was quite interesting to me. I will admit that I had no idea who the killer really was until he was revealed. That’s always something that I really appreciate out of a good book.

When the book reaches its conclusion the reader is left wondering where Lucy will go from there. I will admit that I was a little frustrated that it seemed to end so abruptly. I was left with a lot of questions that I wanted answers to immediately. Hopefully I will be able to meet Lucy again in another book in the future.

Either way, this is definitely a historical mystery not to be missed. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but when I do this is exactly the type of book that I’m looking for. I know this book will make a big splash in the book world – and it definitely deserves to. Highly recommended.

AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, Read in 2013, Review Book, S

2013.4 REVIEW – Resurrect by David E. Stevens

Tara

Resurrect
by David E. Stevens

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 274
Read: Jan. 8 – 18, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 4
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

ResurrectBlurb:  Preventing his burning fighter from crashing into a neighborhood, Navy Commander Josh Logan ejects…too late. Critically injured, he’s offered a new life and mission – exploit highly classified military technology to stop a global cataclysm. The price? He’ll be dead to everyone he knows.

Creating a counterfeit classified program, his team develops the world’s most powerful weapon, ostensibly to protect humanity. The more he learns, the more he questions the identity of his benefactors and reality itself, as quantum and metaphysics intersect. With no agency claiming his black program, the government closes in and he has one chance to demonstrate the weapon’s real purpose as the clock counts down to the end of humanity.

Review: I first saw this book reviewed on another blog I follow (gosh darn it – why don’t I ever write down where I read these reviews?! UGH!) I was immediately intrigued and saw that it was available on NetGalley. I was approved and let it sit on my Nook for a bit until I started it.

The book starts out with a bang and never really lets up. You can immediately tell that the author is very familiar with what he’s writing about and it makes all the technical wording work much smoother when the author can easily put it into layman’s terms.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but I did have one issue. I really never liked Josh’s character. There was just something off about him. It started with his feelings about starting a family with his wife and just continued when he “came back” in another body and how he began to treat those trying to get close to him. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain without giving away the entire book.

I also have to say that this is the first in a trilogy – I had no idea that it was part of a trilogy until I finished the book with some major questions. Oops! Oh well, it really doesn’t hurt my opinion of the book, just makes me realize I have to keep an eye out for the next book if I want to get closure 🙂

Overall this book, part military, part science-fiction, was a thrilling read that will appeal to a wide variety. And it’s been optioned for a movie – impressive for a debut. Definitely recommended.

AUTHOR, B, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, NetGalley, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.2 REVIEW – The Seventh Victim by Mary Burton

Tara

The Seventh Victim
by Mary Burton

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 398
Read: Jan. 3 – 8, 2013
Challenge: 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge
Yearly count: 2
Format: E-Book
Source: E-book from publicist via NetGalley

The Seventh VictimBlurb:  It’s been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young, pretty, their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a home-sewn white dress. But there was one who miraculously escaped death, just before the Strangler disappeared…

Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life at last. Then Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he’s in Austin……

He’s always craved her, even as he killed the others. For so long he’s been waiting to unleash the beast within. And this time, he’ll prove he holds her life in his hands—right before he ends it forever…

Review: I received an e-copy of this book from the publicist via NetGalley.

Every single time I pick up a good romantic suspense novel, I want to kick myself and wonder why I don’t read more books like this? I was pretty well hooked into this book from the first page. I will admit that there were a few places within the book that I felt it lagged just slightly, but it’s not enough to deter the reader in any way. Based on the three books I’ve finished this year, I’m beginning to think I’ve got something of an interest in flawed characters. Lara is definitely a character dealing with some issues from her past attack – but who wouldn’t be? However, I felt as if her struggles made her feel all the more real. What can I say – I’m a sucker for well-developed, yet flawed, characters.

Overall I’m glad that I got the chance to read this book. I have heard of Ms. Burton before, but for whatever reason, I had never read a book by her. I’m definitely glad that I got the opportunity to start with this book and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Burton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of suspense novels including Senseless, Merciless and Dead Ringer. She is a Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award finalist and Romantic Times’ Critics Choice Award nominee. A Virginia native, she is a graduate of the Henrico County Citizens Police Academy and the Richmond FBI Citizen’s Academy and has participated in Sisters in Crime’s forensic University program. Readers can visit her website at www.maryburton.com