Fatal Distraction by Diane Capri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Fatal Distraction
Author: Diane Capri
Length: 360 pages
Publisher: Stonegate, Inc.
Published: December 5, 2013
Genres: Legal Thriller/Mystery

Rating: ✮✮✮✮

Description:
Relentless victims’ rights advocate Jess Kimball and Jack Reacher both deliver justice when the legal system fails. Reacher waits until trouble finds him and then he does whatever it takes. But Jess pursues legal justice and draws lines she will not cross. How can she win against killers who refuse to follow the rules?

Three years ago, beloved Florida Governor Helen Sullivan’s world shattered when her only son died in a senseless car crash, killing his best friend, too. Helen quickly discovered Eric’s crash was no accident and lured the killer to her son’s funeral to be caught.

When the shooting ceased in the small country church, Helen believed her nightmare was over. Instead, she’d unwittingly escalated her duel with a cunning and patient assassin.

Now, investigative journalist Jess Kimball is driven to find the horrifying truth. Is the Central Florida Child Killer guilty? Or is the real killer still out there?

Helen and Jess together face the determined killer in a pitched battle of wit and nerve. Who will survive?

Review:
This was a page-turning fast-paced thriller that I just couldn't get enough of! One more chapter was just not enough! Diane Capri chooses to use different writing methods for her mystery that I think were excellent! Rather than writing the mystery as a who done it, you figured out the who pretty early on, leaving you to sit and ponder why in the world would this person be possessed to do the things that he/she is doing! It was a great strategy for an interesting twist!

I really admired the characters in this book, and maybe that is what drew me to the book even more, because the two main characters are two strong, independent, intelligent women. They are both the epitome of outstanding lead characters. All of the characters blended nicely together and provided an interesting array of personalities.

The story was very engaging and fulfilling and quite easy to just get lost in what is going on. It will take a reader on his/her own, very unique, roller coaster ride, leaving you saying, shew! at the end!

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great, twisty ride! This is the first read from this author and certainly won't be my last! I look forward to see more of Jess Kimball and Helen Sullivan in the future!

Disclaimer:
This book was provided to me by the author, Diane Capri, in return for an honest/unbiased review.

View all my reviews

Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I randomly came across this book browsing the online library content, and boy am I glad that I did! This debut novel by Jenny Milchman was such a jewel to find!

I listened to this on audio and the narrator did such a great job reading the story from Nora's point-of-view! I felt like I was literally listening to Nora tell her story! It normally takes me a good while to get into an audio book, if I ever can at all, but not only was I able to "get into" this book, it captured me from the very beginning and held and maintained my attention throughout the entire story!

I thought that the story flowed nicely and that Milchman did a wonderful job of telling her story, through Nora's eyes. She was thorough with her characters, creating a wide variety of great characters, which gave the book plenty of flare and flavor! The story provided plenty of mystery and "who dun it?" and kept me reading to the very end, delivering a good, solid ending.

Overall, I think that Jenny Milchman certainly has a bright future writing many more books to come and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

View all my reviews

Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Daddy Love
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Narrator: Christine Williams
Unabridged Length: 6 h, 45 m
Published by: Highbridge Audio, 2013
Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Horror

Rating: ✮✮✮✮

Summary:
From one of the most acclaimed writers of our time comes a horrifying tale about a young boy kidnapped by a sadistic killer and sexual predator known only as Daddy Love, a part-time reverend whose twisted desires know no bounds.

Review:
This was my first Joyce Carol Oates book and definitely won't be my last. I found the writing to be concise and well-developed with what seemed to be great detail to each of the characters. I enjoyed that the main characters were more taboo than your regular main character!

The story seemed like an actual story straight out of the headlines which is exactly what caught and kept my attention! I also really liked how the ending worked out!

The narrator did a wonderful job of reading this story! She was able to really capture my attention and maintain it throughout the entire story.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this book and will not hesitate to seek out more Joyce Carol Oates books in the near future!

Disclaimer:
This Audio CD was provided to me by HighBridge Audio courtesy of Audiobook Jukebox in return for an honest, unbiased review.

View all my reviews

Night Road by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Kristin Hannah book and it certainly won't be my last! I am so thrilled to have come across this author, as she seems to have the ability to write exactly what it is that I enjoy reading (when not knee deep into mysteries and thrillers)!

The characters were so raw and deep with emotion. You have the characters that you can't help but love and want to route for no matter what it is that they do, then you have the characters that you are screaming at through the book and ready to choke them! There is such a broad range of characters present throughout this book and I loved that!

The emotions in this story are so raw and real and the reader (at least speaking for myself) can feel them to the core. I found that throughout reading Night Road, that it brought many other emotions to light that didn't even have anything to do with the book! Kristen Hannah has such a spectacular talent when it comes to emotional writing!

The only change I would have made about the book is a bit more for the ending. I felt like the ending was left a little too open for such descriptiveness throughout the rest of the story. I felt like I was left hanging, and would have liked more insight into the future or how the lives of the characters played out. That is the only thing that kept me from giving Night Road 5 stars, but I would still give it a 4.75!

Overall, I am so thrilled that a friend recommended and loaned this book for me to read so I could ride the roller coaster ride of Kristen Hannah and I certainly can't wait until I get to get on the next ride to see what else Hannah has in store for her readers!

View all my reviews

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a mystery book, I found this to be such a refreshing read. If there's ever a time I need to get away from the darker, more graphic reads, this will be my new go-to series!

I listened to the audio version, and I thought the narrator did a great job of voicing Kinsey! I certainly hope that the same narrator is used throughout the series! I wouldn't hesitate to listen to another book from this series or any other books read from this narrator.

I felt like I could easily identify with Kinsey, the private detective. I found her sense of humor to be similar to mine, which is maybe why I enjoyed reading about her so much! I loved that she was so dedicated to her work, and also felt connected with the walls and barriers that she put up around her heart and how much of a tough front that she puts forth!

I thought the story was light and fluffy but yet still contained plenty of mystery! I am excited to have found this series as my go-to for lighter mystery reading!

View all my reviews

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The more Gillian Flynn I read, the more I realize that all of her books thus far have focused on hardcore unhealthy relationships. That is the main theme I have found with all of her books. She is a truly remarkable psychological thriller author. She has the ability to really take a reader's mind beyond the ideal mindset, and bring you into the sick and twisted world of the mystery and thriller genre. I think that Flynn is one in her own and has made a place for herself as an incredible writer.

Many people didn't feel as great about Sharp Objects as they have other Flynn novels, but I myself think I enjoyed it a little bit more, at least more than Dark Places. Even though the story content is sick and twisted (which doesn't really bother me!), I seemed to find it the easiest to follow and keep up with.

I listened to the audio version of this book and I thoroughly enjoy being able to sit down and listen to a Gillian Flynn novel, and Sharp Objects was no different. I didn't have a problem keeping my attention with the story and following exactly what was happening at the precise moment it was happening (without having to rewind it a hundred times to get it!) The story flowed smoothly and quickly, but not too fast...just the perfect pace!

I felt that Flynn built a great set of characters within Sharp Objects, most that you couldn't stand, but a few that you wanted to see have a decent outcome for their lives. I found that I disliked all of the characters so much in Dark Places, that it made me not care so much for the book, and it was the exact opposite with Sharp Objects. I can't say that I felt emotionally attached to any of the characters, but I felt obliged to find out their ending!

Overall, I felt this was one of Flynn's better novels, especially for her debut novel and think that Flynn really has a wonderful gift in writing in the mystery genre!

View all my reviews

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First, I must start off by saying that I don't know that there has ever been a book that I have had such a hard time deciding what my rating would be, on top of what my review would be.

If there is a book for a person to connect with, this is the book. This is the closest to truth that I think I have found in my reading, other than reading a biography. I feel that as children, we all have dreams and possibly even reoccurring nightmares. We all also deal with "monsters" within our lifetime and this book does a wonderful job of depicting how a person may really feel while dealing with the monsters of their lives.

This book wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be which is what made me give it an initial 3 stars upon completing it, however, upon thinking the premise and the story through, I have to say that I would give it at least a 4 star review. I was so happy to see that Siobhan Dowd had such a wonderful thought, and that Patrick Ness was able to pick it up after her death and finish it as though I feel she would have, could she have been given more time on earth to do so. I think the idea of this book was brilliant and one-of-a-kind.

The story was very emotional which gave you a great insight into the characters. Everyone knows that life is really like a roller coaster and this book allows us to ride the roller coaster of Connor and his mother's life. The only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was that it was more intended for a younger audience.

Overall, it was a very easy (but emotional) read! I enjoyed being able to experience this book. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it from the moment it was recommended to me, and I am certainly glad that I finally got to be a part of it.

View all my reviews