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Amy and Lars #1
Pursuits Unknown
Amy and her kelpie-shepherd mix, Lars, work with a search team that specializes in finding lost people. Despite his average-mutt appearance, Lars is no ordinary dog. He and Amy have a telepathic connection. While Lars has a lot to learn about human language, their bond allows them to communicate in unusual ways and is a boon to their success rate.
When Amy and Lars find a missing scientist suffering from the Alzheimer's-like disorder "Disorientation," Amy and her support team realize this is not a typical lost-person case. Instead, this assignment appears to be an attempt to steal this man's highly sensitive research on nanotechnology—which, in the wrong hands, could be used to wipe out undesirables from their overpopulated world. Forced to go undercover to seek out the truth, Amy will have to confront—and surpass—her own limitations.
When Amy and Lars find a missing scientist suffering from the Alzheimer's-like disorder "Disorientation," Amy and her support team realize this is not a typical lost-person case. Instead, this assignment appears to be an attempt to steal this man's highly sensitive research on nanotechnology—which, in the wrong hands, could be used to wipe out undesirables from their overpopulated world. Forced to go undercover to seek out the truth, Amy will have to confront—and surpass—her own limitations.
- GenresMystery
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 9, 2019
11 people are currently reading
977 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 9, 2019
Part sci-fi, part canine/human detective mystery, this idea of this book was fun for me as a dog lover.
Amy and her dog Lars have a telepathic connection and together they work with a search team to find lost people. But when they find a missing scientist suffering from an Alzheimer’s like disorder, it becomes apparent that this isn’t your typical lost person.
This book is the first in a series but despite that, I struggled to keep up with the characters. Their back stories weren’t quite as well-developed as I like and if you know my reviews, you know that’s a big sticking point for me. The dialogue was also cumbersome which I think contributed to my confusion over who was who.
The author clearly loves animals and her writing about dogs was fascinating and was a big plus. The book itself was fast-paced and I read it quickly.
I loved that the book was written during #NaNoWriMo which is no small undertaking, having participated myself. Congratulations the author on not only completing that challenge but having a published novel come from that month!
Thank you to Book Sparks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Amy and her dog Lars have a telepathic connection and together they work with a search team to find lost people. But when they find a missing scientist suffering from an Alzheimer’s like disorder, it becomes apparent that this isn’t your typical lost person.
This book is the first in a series but despite that, I struggled to keep up with the characters. Their back stories weren’t quite as well-developed as I like and if you know my reviews, you know that’s a big sticking point for me. The dialogue was also cumbersome which I think contributed to my confusion over who was who.
The author clearly loves animals and her writing about dogs was fascinating and was a big plus. The book itself was fast-paced and I read it quickly.
I loved that the book was written during #NaNoWriMo which is no small undertaking, having participated myself. Congratulations the author on not only completing that challenge but having a published novel come from that month!
Thank you to Book Sparks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
July 9, 2019
Amy and her kelpie-shepherd mix, Lars, work with a search team that specializes in finding lost people. Despite his average-mutt appearance, Lars is no ordinary dog. He and Amy have a telepathic connection. While Lars has a lot to learn about human language, their bond allows them to communicate in unusual ways and is a boon to their success rate. When Amy and Lars find a missing scientist suffering from the Alzheimer's-like disorder "Disorientation," Amy and her support team realize this is not a typical lost-person case. Instead, this assignment appears to be an attempt to steal this man's highly sensitive research on nanotechnology - which, in the wrong hands, could be used to wipe out large groups of people from their overpopulated world. Forced to go undercover to seek out the truth, Amy will have to confront - and surpass - her own limitations.
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From Manon: This book wasn’t my personal cup of tea but there were some things I liked about it! It is set in a more inclusive social future, dogs make everything better (😍), and it was a really unique premise! This would be a good read for those who enjoy a combination of mystery and science fiction plus animals!
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Thanks to @booksparks & Ellen Clary for having us as part of this pop up tour! We love being #booksharks
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From Manon: This book wasn’t my personal cup of tea but there were some things I liked about it! It is set in a more inclusive social future, dogs make everything better (😍), and it was a really unique premise! This would be a good read for those who enjoy a combination of mystery and science fiction plus animals!
•
Thanks to @booksparks & Ellen Clary for having us as part of this pop up tour! We love being #booksharks
July 9, 2019
There were some aspects of this book that I really loved and some that, for me, fell short. First, I loved the fact that she used human to animal interaction in the novel. (Dog lover here 🙋🏻♀️) Second, the amount of characters that I needed to keep up with was quite overwhelming. Characters would be conversing and I would not really know who was talking. Third, the use of the futuristic technology was quite interesting and took the book to the next level. Lastly, while I love the mystery aspect, there was a little too much extra information and pages that were not vital to the end answer. Overall, I think this book is great but had some shortcomings on some aspects.
June 24, 2019
I recieved this review copy from Book Sparks and I really wanted to love it. The premise was actually great and the story itself had so much potential. The dialogue just didn't do anything for me. It felt sloppy and had a terrible flow. It was also hard to keep the characters straight. I would find myself mid conversation and suddenly realizing that I have no idea which characters were interacting. I would then have to start reading the passages over again. I definitely didn't hate this book, it engaged me enough to keep reading. I actually read it quite quickly, but one of my biggest issues with this book, besides the dialogue, was that it was too long. The story could have been condensed. There was way too much filler that just wasn't necessary.
July 7, 2019
I recieved this book from BookSparks in return for a review. I wanted to like this book I really did. It had a great premise but the execution just wasn't there. The dialogue felt clunky and forced.
Honestly it felt like I came into this series a few books in despite it being book 1. There was really no back story on any character and all the side characters seemed to blend into 1. It was hard to keep track of who was who and who was talking.
The plot was interesting but didn't really flow well. It wasn't until about halfway through the book that I really got a sense of what was going on. And then the point of the plot seemed to deviate and go in a different direction.
As for the pros I loved all the dog characters. The dog descriptions, dialogue, and actions were probably the best part of the book. You can tell the author really loves dogs.
The technology part of the book was very interesting and I would have liked to see more of the science of things fleshed out more. But that's just a personal preference.
Overall I would give this book 2.5/5 stars
Honestly it felt like I came into this series a few books in despite it being book 1. There was really no back story on any character and all the side characters seemed to blend into 1. It was hard to keep track of who was who and who was talking.
The plot was interesting but didn't really flow well. It wasn't until about halfway through the book that I really got a sense of what was going on. And then the point of the plot seemed to deviate and go in a different direction.
As for the pros I loved all the dog characters. The dog descriptions, dialogue, and actions were probably the best part of the book. You can tell the author really loves dogs.
The technology part of the book was very interesting and I would have liked to see more of the science of things fleshed out more. But that's just a personal preference.
Overall I would give this book 2.5/5 stars
July 5, 2019
I got an ARC from BookSparks and I was so intrigued with the description. While I enjoyed the storyline, the narrating style wasn't for me. As others have mentioned I felt like I was coming in in the middle of a series, it's a science fiction alternate reality kind of story and at the beginning I had trouble figuring out everything that was going on. It was also difficult to keep the characters straight, I had a similar feeling to the third Crazy Rich Asians book where there is a lot happening and I need to take the time to remember who everyone is.
However, this was a really quick read. I feel like I flew through it! The story was compelling and I was intrigued the whole way through to figure out what the answer was. Reading the author's note at the back I discovered she wrote this as part of NaNoWriMo! Definitely a cool concept!
However, this was a really quick read. I feel like I flew through it! The story was compelling and I was intrigued the whole way through to figure out what the answer was. Reading the author's note at the back I discovered she wrote this as part of NaNoWriMo! Definitely a cool concept!
July 14, 2019
*I received this book from the publisher for my honest review* The premise for this story was really what interested me. I wanted to love this book. I love a good sci-fi mystery.
First of, I really wanted a lot more of the world building. We jump into the story with the team going on their first search without explaining what this empath department is, or how it works. All of that is explained many chapters in. It felt like the chapters were not set up in a linear fashion, and the story keeps jumping around. It could be, that the book I read was an ARC, and not a finished copy.
There are hints throughout the book that this book is set way in the future, with unknown planet colonization, and really advanced technology, but there's not much else revealed besides this department and the equipment they use. A lot of the actions that happened while investigating seemed too convenient. All of that dna, and smell-o-meter - everything was just so advanced, that everything happened instantaneously, however they still had issues with phone/internet signals? it just felt unrealistic.
I enjoyed the religious zealot angle in this book. It was really interesting to see that in the futuristic world, where the religions are basically non existent people try to return to old views. Not only religious views, but that racism might still be very active, if not prominent. However, a lot of racism mentioned, and how it focused and tried to explain what the "problem" was, felt uncomfortable to me.
I really liked the look into training of the dogs though, and wish there was more of it. I loved the side of the untrained dog, and how they act, what the empath hears when the dog is untrained. I wish it was more prominent in the book.
I would give this book a 2.5 stars.
First of, I really wanted a lot more of the world building. We jump into the story with the team going on their first search without explaining what this empath department is, or how it works. All of that is explained many chapters in. It felt like the chapters were not set up in a linear fashion, and the story keeps jumping around. It could be, that the book I read was an ARC, and not a finished copy.
There are hints throughout the book that this book is set way in the future, with unknown planet colonization, and really advanced technology, but there's not much else revealed besides this department and the equipment they use. A lot of the actions that happened while investigating seemed too convenient. All of that dna, and smell-o-meter - everything was just so advanced, that everything happened instantaneously, however they still had issues with phone/internet signals? it just felt unrealistic.
I enjoyed the religious zealot angle in this book. It was really interesting to see that in the futuristic world, where the religions are basically non existent people try to return to old views. Not only religious views, but that racism might still be very active, if not prominent. However, a lot of racism mentioned, and how it focused and tried to explain what the "problem" was, felt uncomfortable to me.
I really liked the look into training of the dogs though, and wish there was more of it. I loved the side of the untrained dog, and how they act, what the empath hears when the dog is untrained. I wish it was more prominent in the book.
I would give this book a 2.5 stars.
July 13, 2019
Amy Callahan and her canine, Lars, work for a missing persons unit called LAI and use their telepathic connection to aid their investigations. When a missing scientist is found it is discovered that his research on nanotechnology could be in the wrong hands and used to unethically deal with the world’s overpopulation problem.
I wanted so much to enjoy this book, but I had a difficult time doing so. First off, the story started in the middle of an action scene, which usually I find exciting, but there was very little description as to what was even happening. The basis of the plot line was creative and had the potential to be intriguing and action-packed, but there was very little in terms of story building to give the novel the bones and structure it needed. The futuristic world was described minimally which made it confusing as to what was happening, where as sarcastic dialogue seemed to be a major focus. That being said, I did enjoy the characters and the basis of the novel. I would consider reading future sequels if there was more description in terms of character development, environment, and plot line.
Also, huge shoutout and thanks to @booksparks for the ARC of this novel. I loved the opportunity to promote this book and read something new!
I wanted so much to enjoy this book, but I had a difficult time doing so. First off, the story started in the middle of an action scene, which usually I find exciting, but there was very little description as to what was even happening. The basis of the plot line was creative and had the potential to be intriguing and action-packed, but there was very little in terms of story building to give the novel the bones and structure it needed. The futuristic world was described minimally which made it confusing as to what was happening, where as sarcastic dialogue seemed to be a major focus. That being said, I did enjoy the characters and the basis of the novel. I would consider reading future sequels if there was more description in terms of character development, environment, and plot line.
Also, huge shoutout and thanks to @booksparks for the ARC of this novel. I loved the opportunity to promote this book and read something new!
July 16, 2019
2.5/5 Stars.
Pursuits Unknown, the first in the Amy and Lars Series.
Amy is an agent for LAI- a firm that provices search and rescue for missing persons. Her partner, Lars - a Kelpie Shepherd mix with whom she can communicate telepathically.
This duo rescue a man who has slowly been taken over with a memory loss disorder, only, this time, its not that simple. As more information is uncovered, the mission goes into unimaginable territory, getting more dangerous with each turn. Amy and Lars will have to give this one everything they've got.
I loved the concept and plot of the story. This was an interesting place to dip into, with human and canine communication, and opened up a lot of possibilities and questions.
Unfortunately it missed the mark for me- largely this came down to editing. There were a few things that weren't necessary and this detracted from the overall reading experience.
For better insight, see the full review at http://readwithwine.com/2019/07/revie... 07/17/2019.
Thank you to BookSparks for the reviewer copy of this book.
Pursuits Unknown, the first in the Amy and Lars Series.
Amy is an agent for LAI- a firm that provices search and rescue for missing persons. Her partner, Lars - a Kelpie Shepherd mix with whom she can communicate telepathically.
This duo rescue a man who has slowly been taken over with a memory loss disorder, only, this time, its not that simple. As more information is uncovered, the mission goes into unimaginable territory, getting more dangerous with each turn. Amy and Lars will have to give this one everything they've got.
I loved the concept and plot of the story. This was an interesting place to dip into, with human and canine communication, and opened up a lot of possibilities and questions.
Unfortunately it missed the mark for me- largely this came down to editing. There were a few things that weren't necessary and this detracted from the overall reading experience.
For better insight, see the full review at http://readwithwine.com/2019/07/revie... 07/17/2019.
Thank you to BookSparks for the reviewer copy of this book.
March 17, 2019
What could be more appealing to someone who enjoys paranormals and books about animals? I really wanted to like this book. A paranormal dog—I was thinking along the lines of The Watchers by Dean Koontz, but, sadly, this book was a big letdown; it needs major editing, as the plot was difficult to follow, and the characters(and there were a lot of them) just popped up, rather than being introduced. I felt like I had started reading in the middle of a series, but even then, the author usually provides background to new readers.
April 19, 2021
This offering is possibly more suited to a young adult audience.
It started well but quickly became quite tedious and the pace is far too slow.
I love the bond / interactions between the handlers and their dogs and would have liked to see more of that and less 'other stuff'.
The main plot had a number of really large holes, especially towards the end.
This one is in the light weight, not all that good category.
It started well but quickly became quite tedious and the pace is far too slow.
I love the bond / interactions between the handlers and their dogs and would have liked to see more of that and less 'other stuff'.
The main plot had a number of really large holes, especially towards the end.
This one is in the light weight, not all that good category.
July 19, 2019
Great book-interesting to read about what search and rescue dogs do. Short chapters and a great group of characters....both 2 legged and 4 legged!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews