Avenging Annabelle

by Mandy White

A thriller with a distinct Canadian flavor, set on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. A logger takes matters into his own hands after his daughter disappears.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

220 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

Mandy White lives on Vancouver Island. She may often be found lurking in the forest, daydreaming dark thoughts that inevitably come to life in print.

Her work often features Canadian characters and locations; she delights in twisting her everyday surroundings into weird and disturbing tales. Caution: if you happen to cross her path, you may find yourself in an upcoming story.

- All of Mandy White's books are available worldwide in print and ebook editions.
http://www.amazon.com/author/mandywhite
- To learn more about upcoming projects, visit Mandy White's website:
http://mandywrite.weebly.com/
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/authormandywhite
or follow @mandywrite on Twitter

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books where the phrases "couldn't put it down" and "kept me up late into the night" are the honest truth for me.

I started the book one evening, and read about 25% of the story. The opening chapter hooked my interest, and then the more detailed story started. On the second night, when I continued reading the book, I honestly could not put the book down! I had to know what was going to happen, and I read until late in the night, just to finish it.

A great mix of horror, paranormal, mystery, with a parent's love for their child playing the key driving role. I also will admit, that since I grew up in a rural Pacific Northwest logging town, the setting for this story was like going home for me. Corks, slash, choker setters, and all the other logging talk and terminology made this story even more authentic and enjoyable, as the story is set in a British Columbia logging community.

Thank you to Felicia Sullivan for recommending this one to me. You were absolutely right this time, I did really enjoy this book!

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free download for my Kindle. I thought I would read the first chapter quickly one afternoon to see what it was like. I ended up reading about 25% and only stopped because I had to start on dinner! Once my son was in bed I was eager to get back to it and I ended up reading well into the night just to see what was going to happen.

This was a gripping read and an absoloute page turner. Chilling, well described, strong characters and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. There is a slight touch on the supernatural but this doesn't dominate the story. I would say it concentrates more on the bonds of family, especially those between a father and daughter. I think it also highlights mental health and how trauma and drugs can influence this. There are a few editing bugs but this takes nothing away from the story at all.

Thank you to the author for allowing us to read this for free. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a page turning chiller. One note: there is some strong uses of bad language and violence.

[Su Yin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avenging Annabelle has a mix of paranormal and psycho thriller all rolled into one. Starting with a gripping nightmare, the author pulls us into the story with a thorough job at profiling the key characters, then speeds up all the way to the final climax. The plot is well developed, with layers of intrigue and horror unveiled at just the right time to make the reader think he/she knows what is coming, only to be surprised and shocked at new revelations. A riveting read

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

currently reading this on my tablet. has been good so far

[Rute Canhoto · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW
I finished reading it on April 5th 2012, and I assign it a rating of three stars.
I think the book turned out to be a bit different from what was expecting, hence I only give it three stars. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it; it just wasn’t what I thought it would be.
The narrative is well constructed, but contains too many details that I’d withdraw since they don’t add anything new to the story. I felt a little impatient when reading these parts and I admit I skipped a few that I found less relevant or repetitive.
What pleased me most was the turnaround in the fate of Annabelle. It was unexpected and changed the course of the narrative. I also liked the author's ability to convey the feelings of the characters, especially the bond that unites the couple Jim and Trish.

CRÍTICA
Acabei de ler a 5 de Abril de 2012 e atribuo-lhe uma classificação de três estrelas.
Acho que o livro acabou por ser um bocado diferente daquilo que estava à espera, daí dar só três estrelas. Não é que não tenha gostado, simplesmente não foi aquilo que pensava que seria.
A narrativa está bem construída, porém contém demasiados detalhes que retiraria, dado que não acrescentam nada de novo à história. Senti-me um pouco impaciente ao ler estas partes e admito que saltei algumas que achei menos relevantes ou repetitivas.
O que mais me agradou foi a reviravolta em relação ao destino de Annabelle. Foi inesperada e veio mudar o rumo da narrativa. Também gostei da capacidade da autora para transmitir os sentimentos das personagens, principalmente a ligação que une o casal Jim e Trish.

[A.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read some sneak peaks of "Avenging Annabelle" long before it was released, but even these snipits didn't prepare me for the finished book.

Mandy White has written a story that compels you to read through the night, if necessary, just so you know how the story ends. She approaches very sensitive subjects with grace and decorum, never becoming more graphic than absolutely necessary to propel the story along. Her descriptions of the characters, as well as the surrounding locale, were extremely realistic and you felt as if you were transported to Jim's side in Honeymoon Bay, while he works to solve Annabelle's disappearance.

This is certainly a recommended read for anyone who enjoys mystery and suspence.

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. Not the usual book I would read as I love reading chick lit books but I was spellbound by this novel.

I didn't want to put the book down until I had found out what had happen to the little girl and then I couldn't wait to find out what the ending was like. The ending was nothing what I thought it would be, it was better.

I will be recommending my friends to read this, favourite so far this year.

[Mike Cooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I read in 2012 and loved. This reads like an agonized descent into madness. The characters are well thought out, and the internal conflict of the main character is front and center. The plot has enough turns and twists to keep you on your toes. Very dark. And all too real. Great stuff.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a free book through Amazon for my Kindle. It was a very fast read and an absolute page-turner!!! If you can ignore some editing bloopers, then you will find it very well written. The author does a fantastic job of describing the bond of a man and his daughter. Loved this book!

[Felicia A Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

YAAAAAYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book! Don't miss out on this tight, complete story of a father and his daughter and their special bond.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful. The book primarily tells you everything that's going on. I don't need a book to list events as they happen, or to list to me the reasons why something didn't happen. A unique idea, I suppose, but the execution was clumsy and confusing.

[Debra Barstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow not sure what this book was about going in but it sure was a good one. I could not put it down once I started to read it and spent time well into the night reading it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have some criticisms about this book although I read it through and enjoyed parts of it. The characterisation of the husband and wife were good and their relationship touching but I felt some of the violence to be excessive and the point might have been better made with less. Especially in the disposal of 'Doug'. I was a little disappointed in the end as I thought they had been through so much that maybe the horror would be over, but there you go. The book would have benefitted from some editing, for example the use of 'caulk' boots was fully exlained twice. I also don't think the use of so much 'bad language' was necessary and would have been more impressive if confined to the logging friend.

[David Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wickedly clever tale of the vengeance of a broken father. A little gruesome in places, but one would expect that, given the subject matter. Some unexpectedly explicit sex (married couple), just a little but it seemed slightly gratuitous to me (in the sense of not being needed for the story). Good characters, especially Jim, and Annabelle was also particularly well drawn. The setting and logging work were convincing, and the pace was perfect. Mandy White is very, very good at drawing the reader in to understand her characters' motivations, and even to identify with them. The plot had - perhaps, for me - one twist too many, but others will say that's what sets this one apart. The author won my admiration for her skill, and overall I really enjoyed this riveting story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprising book! Not what I thought it was going to be! A fast read for me because I was on the edge of wanting to know what happened next! Lots of twists! I also enjoyed the family dynamic and connecting with the characters. Highly recommended!

[Bernadette Mcgoldrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted

This is a good twisted tale of abduction and murder, too descriptive in the beginning, but stick with it for a different ending to most of these type of stories. It would have made a good 'Twilight zone' story (or am I the only one who loved those growing up?)

[Donna Ann Sutcliffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok this book took a while to get into and I nearly gave up. I am glad I finished it. It's odd and a bit supernatural but could not figure out if he was mentally ill from the accident and brain damaged or if they were ghosts.

[Brandon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome story. reminded me of the movie "the lovely Bones" but much better.

[Lynn]

No stars utter rubbish.

[Jo Laws · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book