psychological thriller

Review: Breaking Butterflies by M. Anjelais

Posted by

0

18523137Breaking Butterflies is one of those books that you can’t put down because you just know something big is going to happen. But in this case the “something big” keeps happening over and over.

Cadence and Sphinx have been connected since before they were born, the result of a lifelong friendship between their mothers. Everything was planned out from childhood. When they would marry, how many kids they would have, even what those kids would be named. But plans go awry when it becomes very clear that something is wrong with Cadence. His golden child persona that the rest of the world sees is covering up something very wrong with his soul, his conscience, his inner being. And Sphinx herself is the object of his desire, the object of his obsession.

This story was both good and bad for me. Good because it kept me intrigued and reading until the very end. The bad for me was the dislike that I increasingly felt for Sphinx as the story progressed. But still, that’s the sign of a well-written story, one that elicits emotion either good or bad. A good read with some interesting twists!

~Thalia

Buy It Now:Breaking Butterflies

Review: Sweet Damage by Rebecca James

Posted by

0

51slwSQHDkL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_This was one creepy and suspenseful book from the beginning until the very end. If you like scary, on the edge-of-your-seat stories, grab this one and settle in for the ride.

Tim Ellison’s an easy going fellow, happy in life for the most part. Surfing, working at his dad’s restaurant, pining over his crush on friend Lilla…he finds plenty to fill his days. But when things get a little too crowded crashing on Lilla’s floor, he’s forced to look for a new place to live. He can hardly believe his luck when he finds an affordable room in a fancy house in a posh neighborhood. Forget the fact that his new roommate is downright creepy, never leaves the house, is seriously depressed, and is likely sitting on the wrong side of sanity. But as he gets to know Anna, he discovers there’s more beneath the surface. And as he becomes closer and closer to her, strange happenings begin to occur.

It’s hard to give more of a review without giving away too much of the story, so I’ll leave it at that. This is a good story, quick and easy to read but hard to put down. There are plenty of twists and turns in this psychological thriller to keep you turning pages long after it’s bedtime.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Sweet Damage: A Novel

Review: The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

Posted by

0

814W1xbdR+LI’ve read a few books by Diane Chamberlain, each one intriguing and full of a good story. This newest one didn’t disappoint.

Riley MacPherson has lived her life knowing that once upon a time she had an older sister. But just what happened to Lisa has never been completely clear. Did she die in a tragic accident? Was it suicide? Murder? Or is there something else going on, something that’s been kept secret for far too long? All of Riley’s beliefs and questions come together in a burst of confusion when, after her father’s death, she’s charged with the task of clearing out his house and settling his affairs. Brother Danny isn’t much help as he’s lost in his own solitary world after a tragic military accident. Friends and neighbors provide bits and pieces of information but each story conflicts with the other. A deep desire to find out the truth about her family leads her in a direction she could have never imagined.

This is a good story, solid and engaging until the very end. The characters are believable and likable, and the story line is entirely plausible. My only complaint is that it was mildly predictable and had me guessing the climax around halfway through. Still, Chamberlain is an author who knows how to write about contemporary issues, and she’s rapidly becoming one of my favorite contemporary fiction authors.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Silent Sister

Review: Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah

Posted by

0

Of-Scars-and-StardustHidden deep within the cornfields of of Ohio, the wolves are waiting for you. They’ll hunt you down with their eerie yellow eyes and tear you apart with their sharp, glistening fangs. If you look closely, you may be lucky (or unlucky) enough to catch a glimpse of gray fur streaking by in a blur. So stay inside at night and lock your doors. And whatever you do, don’t wear the color periwinkle or anything cherry-scented. These are the two things guaranteed to draw them to you in an instant.

This is the story that’s been passed down for years in rural Amble. It’s the story Claire and her friends have passed around, some believing in the legend more than others. But when a young girl goes missing and just traces of blood are left behind, what other explanation could there be? Surely it’s better to believe that wild beasts are responsible rather than the human kind. Now Claire begins to see the wolves everywhere. She’s sure they’re watching her. And when tragedy strikes her younger sister, Ella, Claire escapes to New York where she hopes to become lost in the crowd. Nightmares have a way of following us, however, and Claire finds herself returning to her hometown to confront her fears, both real and imaginary.

This debut YA novel from Andrea Hannah is creepy on so many different levels. It’s got that spooky campfire story feel to it, with a scary tale that will keep you up at night. There’s the psychologically thrilling fear that comes from so many twists and turns that keep you guessing from one page to the next. And then there’s the aftershock as you sit and reflect, trying to digest exactly what just happened. There isn’t a happy ending where everything is tied up in a neat little package with a pretty bow on top. But this is one story that will stick with you long after you’ve finished it!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Of Scars and Stardust

Review: The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

Posted by

2

20140222-093602.jpgAfter I read Creep, Jennifer Hillier instantly become one of my favorite new authors. The sequel, Freak, sealed the deal. Now she’s back with a new stand alone novel. The question is, does it stand up to the brilliance of those first two books?

Back in the 80s, Seattle was gripped by terror as the Beacon Hill Butcher terrorized the city. That fear was put to rest when the Butcher was killed by police chief-turned hero Edward Shanks. Thirty years later, Shanks is ready to move into a retirement home. Grandson Matt, an up and coming chef and soon to be reality cooking show star, is the lucky recipient of Edward’s large Victorian home. Renovations to the family estate soon turn up family secrets that have long been buried. A side story concerns Matt’s girlfriend, Samantha. Sam is a true crime author determined to find out what happened to her mother, who she believes was one of the Butcher’s victims even though her death came after his crime spree ended. I have mixed feelings about these characters. Edward is a scary, cantankerous old man. Matt is a self-centered egomaniac with huge anger issues. And Sam is a likeable enough person although I found her to be a bit of a pushover.

I was beyond excited when I received this book. I expected a pulse-pounding, on the edge of your seat page turner, and I wasn’t disappointed. It kept me interested even though you pretty much know who the killer is and where the story is likely going from early on. Although this one doesn’t have the suspense/psychological thriller aspect that the author’s previous two books did, it’s still a great book. My only complaint is that I felt that the ending was a bit of a letdown, wrapping up in a handful of pages after building to a crescendo for the last fourth of the book. Still, this is an excellent third novel from a promising author!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: The Butcher

Review – Shatter, by Michael Robotham.

Posted by

0

2314605This week’s read was from an author that a friend of mine recommended. Shatter explores what happens when a seemingly deranged person sets out to torture his victims, not through physical pain, but through the power of suggestion. Through this power of suggestion, he gets his victims to commit suicide. Along with the investigating officers, Psychologist Joe O’Loughlin, sets out to try and catch the “killer”.
Now, I’ve read hundreds of these procedural cop-looks-for-killer type books before, so I wasn’t expecting anything too original. However, I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! To begin with, the characters were fleshed out a lot more than they usually are in thrillers; O’loughlin is academically very smart, but he severely lacks in the street savvy department. He also has Parkinsons Disease which makes his self doubt and paranoia, ever more present. The secondary characters are also quite well written and you actually believe that they exist and have a purpose.
The tone in the writing is quick and sharp, like any good thriller should be, however, you also get a sense of it being slow and that actually matches up to the agonizingly slow hunt for the killer and indeed, his slow method of killing. My only complaint, and a small complaint at that, would be that in some places the dialogue seemed a little… umm… stretched? I don’t know. Some of it didn’t flow very well for me, but that’s a personal thing I suppose.
This read was a welcome relief for me due to my last book being a load of rubbish that I couldn’t even muster up a review for. If you want a quick, intelligent, thriller that will surprise you, then I definitely recommend giving Shatter a try.

Have a wonderful Independence Day *Plots to get my country back…* (-:

Pegasus.

Shatter (Joseph O’Loughlin)

Review: That Night by Chevy Stevens

Posted by

0

20140319-213038.jpgWhere to start with this one? Let me begin by saying that all passionate readers have that select group of favorite authors whose newest release is an eagerly anticipated, must-read. Chevy Stevens is one of those authors for me. Anytime she puts out a new story, I just know it’s going to be a good one. This newest selection did not disappoint.

Our protagonist is Toni, a young woman who is being released from prison after a long stint served for the murder of her teenage sister. Everyone, even Toni’s parents, were eventually convinced that she and boyfriend Ryan did indeed murder Nicole. Now seventeen years later, Toni is trying to get her life back on track and find some sense of normalcy, albeit a completely different kind of normal from the one she knew before her incarceration. However, the past has other plans. Enemies and secrets from the past begin to show their ugly heads, threatening to send Toni back to prison. Her only chance to save herself is to find out who is really responsible for her sister’s death.

I enjoyed this story and as a result finished it in a matter of a couple of days. It’s a great honor to read and review this work before it hits the stands. Chevy Stevens has been a favorite author of mine since I discovered Still Missing a few years ago. I will say that this story lacked some of the intensity of her previous stories. It wasn’t as pulse-pounding and page-turning as her earlier works. But, you really can’t go wrong when you pick one of her books off the shelf. You can always rely on a good, compelling story with intriguing characters. Add this one to your list, especially if you’ve enjoyed her other stories!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: That Night