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Amelia Kellaway #1
Left for Dead
Kidnapped. Left for dead in the wilderness. Can she survive?
Amelia Kellaway is ecstatic. The thirty-something lawyer has just quit her job and turned her back on the suffocating corporate world of a New York law firm to embark on a three month solo trek of the California Coastal Trail. But as Amelia sets out on her big adventure, things take a sinister turn when she is kidnapped by a stranger and taken deep into the wilderness.
A fast-paced read, this engrossing and chilling psychological thriller delivers a heart-pounding conclusion that you won't see coming.
If you like tense, gritty psychological suspense thrillers, you'll love this series starter from exciting new crime writer Deborah Rogers.
Amelia Kellaway is ecstatic. The thirty-something lawyer has just quit her job and turned her back on the suffocating corporate world of a New York law firm to embark on a three month solo trek of the California Coastal Trail. But as Amelia sets out on her big adventure, things take a sinister turn when she is kidnapped by a stranger and taken deep into the wilderness.
A fast-paced read, this engrossing and chilling psychological thriller delivers a heart-pounding conclusion that you won't see coming.
If you like tense, gritty psychological suspense thrillers, you'll love this series starter from exciting new crime writer Deborah Rogers.
188 pages, ebook
First published August 21, 2016
542 people are currently reading
1514 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Rogers
13 books195 followersDeborah Rogers is a psychological thriller and suspense author. Her gripping debut psychological thriller, The Devil's Wire, received rave reviews as a “dark and twisted page turner”. In addition to standalone novels like The Devil’s Wire and Into Thin Air, Deborah writes the popular Amelia Kellaway series, a gritty suspense series based on New York prosecutor, Amelia Kellaway.
Deborah has a Graduate Diploma in scriptwriting and graduated cum laude from the Hagley Writers’ Institute. When she’s not writing psychological thrillers and suspense books, she likes to take her chocolate Lab, Rocky, for walks on the beach and make decadent desserts.
Deborah has a Graduate Diploma in scriptwriting and graduated cum laude from the Hagley Writers’ Institute. When she’s not writing psychological thrillers and suspense books, she likes to take her chocolate Lab, Rocky, for walks on the beach and make decadent desserts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
June 22, 2020
A trip of dreams... as in of nightmare dreams... Nightmare of epic proportions with pretty much everything throne at the girl: wolves, wildeness, sickos, illest of luck, etc.
Q:
He was planning his escape, visualizing a new future, a different life without us. Then one day he left and never came back. (c)
Q:
Think like a champion, I tell myself. Visualize success. (c)
Q:
He was planning his escape, visualizing a new future, a different life without us. Then one day he left and never came back. (c)
Q:
Think like a champion, I tell myself. Visualize success. (c)
September 27, 2020
This book is only 180 pages, but it packs a lot of punch between its covers! Amelia Kellaway is an intriguing protagonist. She’s a lawyer, and she’s found herself questioning her place in the capitalist machine, so she decides to go on a three-month long walk down the California Coastal Trail. Before she even makes it to the trail, she’s abducted by a man who has no intention of letting her go…
As a librarian, I often look at the four main appeal elements when reading a book. Those are: Character, Plot, Setting, and Language. Each of these elements matter to varying degrees to different readers. The most popular books--like Harry Potter--manage to emphasize all four appeal elements. This book, while incredibly short for a thriller, managed to be fast-paced with an intense plot, build Amelia into a three-dimensional, relatable, and likable character, set the scene in the wilderness with haunting clarity, and use a style of language that kept me captivated and turning the pages.
As a librarian, I often look at the four main appeal elements when reading a book. Those are: Character, Plot, Setting, and Language. Each of these elements matter to varying degrees to different readers. The most popular books--like Harry Potter--manage to emphasize all four appeal elements. This book, while incredibly short for a thriller, managed to be fast-paced with an intense plot, build Amelia into a three-dimensional, relatable, and likable character, set the scene in the wilderness with haunting clarity, and use a style of language that kept me captivated and turning the pages.
July 26, 2020
Left For Dead, by Deborah Rogers, is a gripping thriller from start to finish!
30 yr old lawyer, Amelia Kellaway, just quit her job at a NYC law firm to embark on a three month trek of the California Coastal Trail. But as she sets out on her big adventure solo, things take a sinister turn when she is kidnapped by a stranger and taken deep into the wilderness.
Extremely suspenseful with a remarkably shocking ending!
I look forward to the next book in this author's "Amelia Kellaway" series.
I am thrilled to have discovered author Deborah Rogers and look forward to her other novels.
30 yr old lawyer, Amelia Kellaway, just quit her job at a NYC law firm to embark on a three month trek of the California Coastal Trail. But as she sets out on her big adventure solo, things take a sinister turn when she is kidnapped by a stranger and taken deep into the wilderness.
Extremely suspenseful with a remarkably shocking ending!
I look forward to the next book in this author's "Amelia Kellaway" series.
I am thrilled to have discovered author Deborah Rogers and look forward to her other novels.
Read
March 28, 2023Thank you so much everyone for your thoughtful reviews. They mean the world to me.
Here are some of my favorites:
'I literally could not stop reading. The main character is a woman of strength and self awareness. Kidnapped by a man who seems torn between madness and complete self control, her journey through the wilderness was riveting as she dealt with her current dangers and her past pains. The writer writes with sensual awareness in a way where the reader feels both the emotional weight of fear and intention, and the grit and chill and agony of each moment. This story will stay with me!' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars
'A gripping, bone-chilling, nail-biting psychological thriller. I absolutely loved this story! I cannot wait to see what's next for Amelia.' The Book Decoder, 5 stars
'Great storyline with captivating characters. Without a doubt qualifies for the highest score.' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
Here are some of my favorites:
'I literally could not stop reading. The main character is a woman of strength and self awareness. Kidnapped by a man who seems torn between madness and complete self control, her journey through the wilderness was riveting as she dealt with her current dangers and her past pains. The writer writes with sensual awareness in a way where the reader feels both the emotional weight of fear and intention, and the grit and chill and agony of each moment. This story will stay with me!' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars
'A gripping, bone-chilling, nail-biting psychological thriller. I absolutely loved this story! I cannot wait to see what's next for Amelia.' The Book Decoder, 5 stars
'Great storyline with captivating characters. Without a doubt qualifies for the highest score.' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
September 3, 2016
When Amelia Kellaway, a New York lawyer, decides to throw away her successful, but extremely boring career and follow her dream, everyone thinks she's gone crazy. Amelia does not want to spend all days of the week cooped up in an office any more. She wants freedom, she wants to explore the great outdoors, camp under the stars, walk miles and fend for herself for months, away from civilisation.
But her dream is immediately cut short before her adventure has even begun. An act of kindness throws her into a terrifying nightmare that will see her fight and run for her life.
I'm not sure if this is just a coincidence or the story behind this book, but 'Left for Dead' made me think of Amelia Earhart, the famous aviator who disappeared without trace in 1937 while performing a solo flight over the Pacific Ocean. Just like the famous aviator, for everyone else, the Amelia in this story disappears from the face of the earth while on a solo expedition. But there's one difference. No one is expecting her back for months, so no one raises the alarm.
This story is very suspenseful and fast-paced and being short, I read it very quickly. It starts off with a very tense, terrifying scene and from then on, it kept me on the edge of my seat. Through her words, and vivid descriptions, the author excellently portrays the sense of loneliness, the solitude, Amelia's fear and hopelessness, the vastness and beauty of the land and the 'voice' of nature.
I admired Amelia's perseverance, her courage and her fight for survival. I'm not sure I would have lasted as long as she did in those treacherous conditions. My heart went out to her and I wished I could help her in some way. This book certainly serves as an eye-opener to those preferring to venture out on long expeditions, camp and explore the world by themselves.
Apart from one scene that I thought was a little bit over the top, I really enjoyed reading this gripping book, following Amelia through her ordeal. The ending leaves some questions unanswered. Could that be an indication of a possible sequel? We'll see!
With thanks to the author, Deborah Rogers for an ARC of this book.
But her dream is immediately cut short before her adventure has even begun. An act of kindness throws her into a terrifying nightmare that will see her fight and run for her life.
I'm not sure if this is just a coincidence or the story behind this book, but 'Left for Dead' made me think of Amelia Earhart, the famous aviator who disappeared without trace in 1937 while performing a solo flight over the Pacific Ocean. Just like the famous aviator, for everyone else, the Amelia in this story disappears from the face of the earth while on a solo expedition. But there's one difference. No one is expecting her back for months, so no one raises the alarm.
This story is very suspenseful and fast-paced and being short, I read it very quickly. It starts off with a very tense, terrifying scene and from then on, it kept me on the edge of my seat. Through her words, and vivid descriptions, the author excellently portrays the sense of loneliness, the solitude, Amelia's fear and hopelessness, the vastness and beauty of the land and the 'voice' of nature.
I admired Amelia's perseverance, her courage and her fight for survival. I'm not sure I would have lasted as long as she did in those treacherous conditions. My heart went out to her and I wished I could help her in some way. This book certainly serves as an eye-opener to those preferring to venture out on long expeditions, camp and explore the world by themselves.
Apart from one scene that I thought was a little bit over the top, I really enjoyed reading this gripping book, following Amelia through her ordeal. The ending leaves some questions unanswered. Could that be an indication of a possible sequel? We'll see!
With thanks to the author, Deborah Rogers for an ARC of this book.
September 1, 2016
Having read The Devil's Wire by the same author which I loved, I couldn't wait to read her latest novel. Left For Dead is a novella which didn't take me long to devour at all.
Amelia is a lawyer who is pretty independent, though ideally she would have preferred her partner to have accompanied her on her trek but that just wasn't meant to be. To be honest I didn't know if Amelia was just plain stupid or incredibly brave to go on such a trek on her own. Either way I couldn't help but admire her spirit for wanting to achieve something like that.
Sadly for Amelia just as she is about to start her epic travels she is kidnapped and what should have been a trip of a lifetime ends up being a fight for survival.
You can very much feel the emotions that Amelia is going through when she realises her fate. The fear, sometimes terror of what she has to face and the not knowing if she is going to come out of this experience alive, it was pretty gripping stuff to say the least.
I have to admit when Amelia finds herself in the wilderness the story got a bit Bear Grylls for me. I doubt I would last more than a couple of days but Amelia certainly has her head screwed on and shows how when you are faced with life and death, that sense of survival very much kicks in.
Left For Dead was a highly enjoyable read with plenty of chills and thrills and had me hooked from the very start. Personally for me I would have preferred a more neat and tidy ending that clears everything up as things are left slightly open in a cloud of suspense. Otherwise than this, this fast paced thriller is a great read.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Amelia is a lawyer who is pretty independent, though ideally she would have preferred her partner to have accompanied her on her trek but that just wasn't meant to be. To be honest I didn't know if Amelia was just plain stupid or incredibly brave to go on such a trek on her own. Either way I couldn't help but admire her spirit for wanting to achieve something like that.
Sadly for Amelia just as she is about to start her epic travels she is kidnapped and what should have been a trip of a lifetime ends up being a fight for survival.
You can very much feel the emotions that Amelia is going through when she realises her fate. The fear, sometimes terror of what she has to face and the not knowing if she is going to come out of this experience alive, it was pretty gripping stuff to say the least.
I have to admit when Amelia finds herself in the wilderness the story got a bit Bear Grylls for me. I doubt I would last more than a couple of days but Amelia certainly has her head screwed on and shows how when you are faced with life and death, that sense of survival very much kicks in.
Left For Dead was a highly enjoyable read with plenty of chills and thrills and had me hooked from the very start. Personally for me I would have preferred a more neat and tidy ending that clears everything up as things are left slightly open in a cloud of suspense. Otherwise than this, this fast paced thriller is a great read.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2016
I really wasn't sure if a psychological thriller would work at novella length, given I only ever seem to find full length novel versions, but if Left For Dead is anything to go by it works incredibly well. Due to the shorter length of the book, I think the pacing was ramped up to the levels that I love in books, fast paced, with a sense of danger at all times.
Amelia was looking forward to her big adventure, but before it even starts, she ends up on a larger adventure than she would have ever expected, after being kidnapped and then left for dead. In the wilderness of America, Amelia is in a race against time, and wild animals to do everything she can to survive and somehow find safety.
I read the whole story in about 2 hours flat, barely pausing for breath. I didn't want to be interrupted, I was just hooked on the story. The descriptions of the various conditions and situations Amelia was in, were a mix of horrifying and vivid, you could really see what has happening as it was happening, and I must say I did have a soft spot for a certain wild animal during the book.
This is a fairly intense story, and I just can't help but wonder just what the motivation behind the kidnapping was, or generally a bit more about the villain, but other than that, I found this to be a thrilling book, and is a book that will keep you hooked from cover to cover.
Thank you to Deborah Rogers for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
Amelia was looking forward to her big adventure, but before it even starts, she ends up on a larger adventure than she would have ever expected, after being kidnapped and then left for dead. In the wilderness of America, Amelia is in a race against time, and wild animals to do everything she can to survive and somehow find safety.
I read the whole story in about 2 hours flat, barely pausing for breath. I didn't want to be interrupted, I was just hooked on the story. The descriptions of the various conditions and situations Amelia was in, were a mix of horrifying and vivid, you could really see what has happening as it was happening, and I must say I did have a soft spot for a certain wild animal during the book.
This is a fairly intense story, and I just can't help but wonder just what the motivation behind the kidnapping was, or generally a bit more about the villain, but other than that, I found this to be a thrilling book, and is a book that will keep you hooked from cover to cover.
Thank you to Deborah Rogers for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
October 28, 2016
**** 4 "New Beginnings Failed" Stars ****
Review to come.......
Review to come.......
August 12, 2020
This is a very short book, really more like a novella. There's three books in the series, all short, so it easily could have been one full length novel.
There wasn't much preamble, Amelia is kidnapped pretty quickly, falling for Ted Bundy-esque tricks. The story went in a direction I didn't expect for the middle of the book, which was interesting to read but not very believable. For a woman who claimed she was prepared to hike for four months from Oregon to Mexico, she seemed to know almost nothing about camping/survival.
The ending had a predictable (and ridiculous) twist and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
There wasn't much preamble, Amelia is kidnapped pretty quickly, falling for Ted Bundy-esque tricks. The story went in a direction I didn't expect for the middle of the book, which was interesting to read but not very believable. For a woman who claimed she was prepared to hike for four months from Oregon to Mexico, she seemed to know almost nothing about camping/survival.
The ending had a predictable (and ridiculous) twist and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
December 27, 2016
Having read The Devils Wire and loving it I couldn't wait to get stuck into this Novella Left For Dead.
Told from Amelia Kellaway point of view. After quitting her job and turning her back on the suffocating corporate world of a New York law firm to embark on a three month solo trek of the California Coastal Trail.We follower her on one terrifying journey where her dream turns into a nightmare by being kidnapped. We get inside her head with brilliant descriptions of her emotions after the kidnapping, making me will Amelia along.
This is a story about fighting for survival when left for dead The Author has wrote a tense a gripping story where I wanted to know why she was kidnapped making this a page turner.
With this story being a Novella I flew through it. I have to say while reading this story I felt like I had seen it has a movie has it is kind of along the lines of the Wrong Turn films which I love.
The Author has put a lot of excitement into this and I feel the length was just right.
And the ending.....I certainly wasn't excepting that! If your looking for a short and face paced read I highly recommend this giving it 4 stars.
Thank You to Deborah Rogers for an advanced copy of this in exchange for a honest review.
Told from Amelia Kellaway point of view. After quitting her job and turning her back on the suffocating corporate world of a New York law firm to embark on a three month solo trek of the California Coastal Trail.We follower her on one terrifying journey where her dream turns into a nightmare by being kidnapped. We get inside her head with brilliant descriptions of her emotions after the kidnapping, making me will Amelia along.
This is a story about fighting for survival when left for dead The Author has wrote a tense a gripping story where I wanted to know why she was kidnapped making this a page turner.
With this story being a Novella I flew through it. I have to say while reading this story I felt like I had seen it has a movie has it is kind of along the lines of the Wrong Turn films which I love.
The Author has put a lot of excitement into this and I feel the length was just right.
And the ending.....I certainly wasn't excepting that! If your looking for a short and face paced read I highly recommend this giving it 4 stars.
Thank You to Deborah Rogers for an advanced copy of this in exchange for a honest review.
March 15, 2020
I'm a sucker for survivor stories, especially when there's a kick-ass woman protagonist! Amelia has quit her job to hike alone in the wilderness, savoring the solitude and welcoming the adversity of the elements. All that changes, however, when she is kidnapped before her adventure even begins and the nightmare is real! So no solitude...just adversity in the worst way as she encounters abuse, hunger, and forces beyond her control. My heart was in my throat the entire novel as we root for Amelia and her fighting spirit. I also loved the chapters that recalled her childhood and relationships as we see her as a strong and resilient woman who won't give up even under the worst circumstances. My only complaint is...what? (I jest Deborah)! When is novel #2 going to be released?? I need to know more as I can't get Amelia out of my head! Now on to read more of this fabulous author!
February 10, 2017
Not going to review on the blog. Just couldn't get into it at all, and didn't get on with the main character. Sadly, not for me!
December 21, 2016
I received an ARC of this novella.
Set in America, we start off in New York with the main character who is on her way to new adventures in California. It is a story of freedom; fear; new beginnings; survival, and the negative and positive aspects of power and control – the taking of and being under.
Initially I thought this was going to be a fast-paced and gripping read..and to be fair, it was – for a time. There were parts in it that slowed down the intensity/suspense and for me, and just dragged on a little to long. It picked up again and the race was on, but unfortunately I just struggled a bit to keep interested. It was a strange one for me as I loved the start, not too sure about the middle and enjoyed most, but not all of the end! How mad is that?!
As mentioned above, I absolutely loved the start of this book, with the antagonist pulling a “Ted Bundy” on the main character – I was hooked! This guy intrigued me. I wanted to know all about him – what made him tick, what was his motive and what the hell was he planning on doing!? …..I felt that there was a gap here and perhaps that is why I felt I was left hanging.
Amelia Kellaway, the main character, was also interesting. I am still not sure what exactly I feel about her…but the fact that she is stuck in my mind, tells me she had an impact! She wants to be a free-spirit, and faces many trials on her strength of character in this story. Her fight for survival is evident from the get go and I guess, I really was drawn to her ability to carry on, even when giving up would have been so easy!
I really think this could have been a great read, but for me there were some gaps that left me with more questions than answers. It is a good story and I definitely would recommend it to others as there were parts that really grabbed me. I will be reading more from this author though – I guess I just wanted a wee bit more from this novella.
Set in America, we start off in New York with the main character who is on her way to new adventures in California. It is a story of freedom; fear; new beginnings; survival, and the negative and positive aspects of power and control – the taking of and being under.
Initially I thought this was going to be a fast-paced and gripping read..and to be fair, it was – for a time. There were parts in it that slowed down the intensity/suspense and for me, and just dragged on a little to long. It picked up again and the race was on, but unfortunately I just struggled a bit to keep interested. It was a strange one for me as I loved the start, not too sure about the middle and enjoyed most, but not all of the end! How mad is that?!
As mentioned above, I absolutely loved the start of this book, with the antagonist pulling a “Ted Bundy” on the main character – I was hooked! This guy intrigued me. I wanted to know all about him – what made him tick, what was his motive and what the hell was he planning on doing!? …..I felt that there was a gap here and perhaps that is why I felt I was left hanging.
Amelia Kellaway, the main character, was also interesting. I am still not sure what exactly I feel about her…but the fact that she is stuck in my mind, tells me she had an impact! She wants to be a free-spirit, and faces many trials on her strength of character in this story. Her fight for survival is evident from the get go and I guess, I really was drawn to her ability to carry on, even when giving up would have been so easy!
I really think this could have been a great read, but for me there were some gaps that left me with more questions than answers. It is a good story and I definitely would recommend it to others as there were parts that really grabbed me. I will be reading more from this author though – I guess I just wanted a wee bit more from this novella.
September 15, 2021
This is the 1st of a 3 series. Amelia Kellaway is a lawyer, and is just wanting to get away from all of the big New York drama. She plans to go on a trek along the California coast and just have a big adventure. Her boyfriend had agreed to quit his job and come with her, but after getting tied up in a lot of cases, Matthew decides not to go.
So, Amelia takes off, gets on a bus and starts her adventure. But, how could this go wrong? She is let off at a country store with a man outside changing his tire. When she comes back out of the store, she offers to help the man as he is on crutches, but this will be the biggest mistake of her life.
The man kidnaps her, puts her in the truck and drives off. Now Amelia is fighting for her life.
This is a real quick read, but so enjoyable and you will want to keep turning the pages to see if Amelia is going to make it!
So, Amelia takes off, gets on a bus and starts her adventure. But, how could this go wrong? She is let off at a country store with a man outside changing his tire. When she comes back out of the store, she offers to help the man as he is on crutches, but this will be the biggest mistake of her life.
The man kidnaps her, puts her in the truck and drives off. Now Amelia is fighting for her life.
This is a real quick read, but so enjoyable and you will want to keep turning the pages to see if Amelia is going to make it!
August 1, 2020
I'M SO HAPPY, I READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE I WON THE 2ND BOOK AND KNEW IT WAS COMING, EVEN THOUGH BOTH ARE STANDALONE BOOKS, THIS BOOK IS GREAT AS WELL, SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBORAH ROGERS, WHAT A TERRIFIC AUTHOR! IT MAKES THE 2ND BOOK, COMING FOR YOU, THAT MUCH MORE INTERESTING!!!!
July 6, 2020
Brilliant book. Enjoyed every page. Gripped from start to finish!
January 26, 2021
Five things:
- Kidnapping victim
- Wilderness survival
- Trauma
- Race against the clock
- Lawyer main character
- Kidnapping victim
- Wilderness survival
- Trauma
- Race against the clock
- Lawyer main character
November 12, 2016
I received a free paperback copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program and would like to thank everyone who made that possible - especially the author who kindly made sure I got the book!
Wow - I absolutely loved this riveting thriller! I read it in two sittings, only because I started it too late at night and had to put it down to sleep. This was part kidnapping thriller, part wilderness survival thriller and part childhood trauma story with an unexpected and heart-wrenching twist at the end. I loved the writing style and voice of the story and the fast pacing. I will definitely seek out more books by Deborah Rogers in the future!
Wow - I absolutely loved this riveting thriller! I read it in two sittings, only because I started it too late at night and had to put it down to sleep. This was part kidnapping thriller, part wilderness survival thriller and part childhood trauma story with an unexpected and heart-wrenching twist at the end. I loved the writing style and voice of the story and the fast pacing. I will definitely seek out more books by Deborah Rogers in the future!
July 3, 2017
[Disclaimer: Copy received from Goodreads Giveaways. All opinions are my own.]
3.5 stars
This was a really enjoyable read for me. I thought that, while not all done well, there were some great overall feminist comments and themes that I really enjoyed.
I also really enjoyed the survival aspects of the story.
I did think the story could feel a bit over the top at times and I didn't love the ending but overall an enjoyable read.
3.5 stars
This was a really enjoyable read for me. I thought that, while not all done well, there were some great overall feminist comments and themes that I really enjoyed.
I also really enjoyed the survival aspects of the story.
I did think the story could feel a bit over the top at times and I didn't love the ending but overall an enjoyable read.
September 12, 2016
Good survival thriller
Good survival thriller. The ending is surprising and the characterisation is good. Simple tale but told in an interesting manner. The parts where there is a confession between the two characters is good. In the end the book gets enough sympathy for the main character.
Good survival thriller. The ending is surprising and the characterisation is good. Simple tale but told in an interesting manner. The parts where there is a confession between the two characters is good. In the end the book gets enough sympathy for the main character.
August 31, 2016
3.5 A very relatable main character. Unfortunately, things just keep going from bad to worse for her, maybe even to the point of being over the top. Ended with an interesting twist. The only thing I could say I was missing is more about the reason for the antagonist's actions.
September 4, 2016
Good writing but i was expecting something more of a thriller.
December 29, 2016
I loved this book, it is a quick engrossing read. Amelia is a character that is easy to identify with, and a character that I desperately wanted to survive her ordeal.
January 27, 2021
I enjoyed this book and could not put it down... hence finishing it in a day lol. The story moved at a great pace for the most part (it got bogged down in a few areas) and the characters were pretty well-developed. I've read other reviews that complain about the believability of the storyline, particularly the main character and her predicaments. As a rule of thumb, I always suspend belief before reading a fiction book because I never know where the story is going to take me. The only part of this book that had me say aloud, "Ok. That just makes no damn sense.", is when a shotgun is fired inside a small cabin and the target managed to just duck out of the way. It's a shotgun! In a small ass cabin! Nobody is ducking that. I mean, the shooter has to practically- and purposefully- not aim at all in the target's direction to miss at that distance. If I'm trying to kill someone having a shotgun at that range is gotdamn wet dream FFS lol! But, still, that moment did not affect the story for me at all. I don't expect everyone to be familiar with firing a shotgun.
I love books that make me talk aloud while reading. I will talk at a good book like normal people would talk at a good movie lol. This read was full of inner and outer grumblings. There were numerous times I called the main character names. What I like about this character is that we learn that she learns that she is smarter than she thinks she is. No small feat for a character who went in this mess confident of her own intelligence.
I would be remiss to not warn of potential triggers. A sexual assault does take place but thankfully the author spares us the details.
Lastly, I agree with other reviewers that the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly. And it was a bit sloppy. But, honestly, I was happy to get off the ride lol. This book was a wonderful, tense read. I'm hoping some of the loose ends get tied up in the next two books. I'm planning to read them back-t0-back. There is a bit of a cliffhanger in the first, but it was only 160ish pages! Book 2 is about 180 and I expect a small cliffhanger there as well.
If you have a day, crack a bottle of wine and cozy up with this book. I enjoyed every minute of it. Enjoy!
I love books that make me talk aloud while reading. I will talk at a good book like normal people would talk at a good movie lol. This read was full of inner and outer grumblings. There were numerous times I called the main character names. What I like about this character is that we learn that she learns that she is smarter than she thinks she is. No small feat for a character who went in this mess confident of her own intelligence.
I would be remiss to not warn of potential triggers. A sexual assault does take place but thankfully the author spares us the details.
Lastly, I agree with other reviewers that the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly. And it was a bit sloppy. But, honestly, I was happy to get off the ride lol. This book was a wonderful, tense read. I'm hoping some of the loose ends get tied up in the next two books. I'm planning to read them back-t0-back. There is a bit of a cliffhanger in the first, but it was only 160ish pages! Book 2 is about 180 and I expect a small cliffhanger there as well.
If you have a day, crack a bottle of wine and cozy up with this book. I enjoyed every minute of it. Enjoy!
August 2, 2020
Amanda Kellaway is a thirty-something lawyer who has decided to leave her New York City job and hike the California Coastal Trail for three months by herself. She's burnt out on her job and wants to do something different and she is thrilled when she gets to the beginning of the trail ready to start her adventure. Tragedy steps in before she even starts her hike when she is kidnapped by a stranger. Her family didn't expect to hear from her for a least a week so no one even knows that she's missing. As Amelia faces terror, hunger and abuse she isn't sure if she'll survive. Will her courage and resilience help her survive this ordeal? This was a book that had to be read in one sitting -- I couldn't have slept without knowing how it ended.
June 20, 2021
This was an excellent thriller.
I really enjoyed this one. Simple, short, and plenty of action. Plus a lame wolf who decides the main character is its best chance of survival.
The story is well written and plotted. There are a good number of lifts and falls in the action. I was impressed with the author's writing style and prose. Amelia was an easy character to relate to and her journey was worth reading. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
I really enjoyed this one. Simple, short, and plenty of action. Plus a lame wolf who decides the main character is its best chance of survival.
The story is well written and plotted. There are a good number of lifts and falls in the action. I was impressed with the author's writing style and prose. Amelia was an easy character to relate to and her journey was worth reading. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
August 12, 2020
A New York lawyer decides to leave work and take a walk. A long walk. Start somewhere in northern California and walk south. Right at the start, she goes into a small store to buy some gum and use the restroom. On leaving the store, she helps some poor guy wearing a boot lift a flat tire into his car, and the next thing she knows, she's riding with him, except she's in the trunk knocked out. And so it starts.
A pretty good read.
A pretty good read.
August 30, 2020
Beware of nice men with bum legs
I couldn’t relate to our main character as I’m not an adventurous person. However, the writing style and thrill effect of this story had me glued. I easily read it in one sitting.
The author did a great job at keeping the reader engaged and I could feel and smell the beautiful surroundings described.
I recommend this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
I couldn’t relate to our main character as I’m not an adventurous person. However, the writing style and thrill effect of this story had me glued. I easily read it in one sitting.
The author did a great job at keeping the reader engaged and I could feel and smell the beautiful surroundings described.
I recommend this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
January 24, 2021
Good book, gets into your head.
So I started reading this story, not really sure where it was going to take me. Don't want to put spoilers on here so I'll just say the book really draws you in and makes you wonder if you could go through what Amelia does and still not only survive but fight back as well. As for the antagonizer in the story, you can only hope that she really did finish him.
So I started reading this story, not really sure where it was going to take me. Don't want to put spoilers on here so I'll just say the book really draws you in and makes you wonder if you could go through what Amelia does and still not only survive but fight back as well. As for the antagonizer in the story, you can only hope that she really did finish him.
August 19, 2020
Take a Hike!
This story has decent bones .
The time spent with the main character in her kidnapping and digging herself out of the massive woods was quite intense.
The ending was a disappointment.
The too-easy ending left the book open for a series.
I will read this author again. I like her writing style.
Give this a read... maybe I'm just having an off day.
Thank you!
This story has decent bones .
The time spent with the main character in her kidnapping and digging herself out of the massive woods was quite intense.
The ending was a disappointment.
The too-easy ending left the book open for a series.
I will read this author again. I like her writing style.
Give this a read... maybe I'm just having an off day.
Thank you!
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