What do you think?
Rate this book
The Jolvix Episodes #2
Violet Is Nowhere
Two strangers. One phone.
Everything on the line.
Rising rock star Violet is kidnapped from her Los Angeles home, waking up locked in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a mysterious note and a burner phone that only dials one unfamiliar number.
Construction worker Bud answers a call from his Bay Area apartment and a stranger’s on the line claiming to have been kidnapped and locked in a cabin.
The note says they have one week to figure out the connection between them. Otherwise someone out there—or something—will take her life.
This psychological thriller is part of The Jolvix Episodes.
Everything on the line.
Rising rock star Violet is kidnapped from her Los Angeles home, waking up locked in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a mysterious note and a burner phone that only dials one unfamiliar number.
Construction worker Bud answers a call from his Bay Area apartment and a stranger’s on the line claiming to have been kidnapped and locked in a cabin.
The note says they have one week to figure out the connection between them. Otherwise someone out there—or something—will take her life.
This psychological thriller is part of The Jolvix Episodes.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2022
773 people are currently reading
7137 people want to read
About the author
Faith Gardner
20 books907 followersFaith Gardner is the author of adult suspense and YA novels. She lives in the Bay Area with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
March 11, 2023
Update (03/09/2023): Bonus Epilogue Chapter for Violet is Nowhere titled "The Dark Ballroom" is available now!
Chilling and atmospheric! Many thanks to the author, Faith Gardner! Check out the author's newsletter (sign up on her website www.faithgardner.com) for details on all the Bonus Epilogues out now!
Review for Violet is Nowhere:
“What wouldn’t you do for life? What wouldn’t you do for love? What wouldn’t you do for freedom?”
As the story begins we meet Violet Wilde, an up-and-coming rock star, who wakes up in a strange cabin, dazed and confused, with no immediate recollection of how she got there. The cabin is well-maintained, with a well-stocked refrigerator (strangely enough, it’s packed with her favorite food items), a box with clothes and other necessities, and a burner phone that is programmed to dial a single number with a note with specific instructions. Locked inside this strange cabin, with bars on its windows she realizes that she is in a secluded area and there is no way for her to escape. As per her captor's instructions, she has to figure out her connection to the person whose number is programmed into the phone within one week to secure her freedom.
“Maybe you do deserve your lives.”
After ignoring multiple missed calls from an unknown number, construction worker Bud Atwood listens to a frantic voice message left on his phone from the same number and ultimately picks up the phone on the next call. As the narrative progresses, we follow Bud and Violet as they work together to find the answers that hold the key to their survival.
The story is shared in alternating chapters from the PoVs of Violet and Bud in the first-person narrative format. Both these characters are interesting in how different they are from one another - their personalities, backgrounds and lifestyles couldn't be more different. I enjoyed how their relationship evolved through the course of the story. I have to appreciate the author’s writing in depicting Violet’s mental state while in captivity – how she goes from angry and scared to melancholic, subdued and introspective – the author captures Violet’s thoughts and reactions brilliantly. The story starts with a bang and though it does lose momentum in the middle, from the 70% mark onwards this book was hard to put down! That ending was phenomenal!
Though this isn't as fast-paced or intricately plotted as the author’s previous novel, Amen,Maxine, Faith Gardner’s Violet is Nowhere is definitely a worthy addition to the author's The Jolvix Episodes series. I’m not a huge fan of the sci-fi genre, but Faith Gardner strikes a perfect balance between riveting mystery/suspense and creatively conceptualized futuristic elements to create a sharp, well-written and engaging read. I look forward to more from this talented author in the future!
Many thanks to the author, Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own!
Violet is Nowhere is scheduled to be released on September 22, 2022.
Chilling and atmospheric! Many thanks to the author, Faith Gardner! Check out the author's newsletter (sign up on her website www.faithgardner.com) for details on all the Bonus Epilogues out now!
Review for Violet is Nowhere:
“What wouldn’t you do for life? What wouldn’t you do for love? What wouldn’t you do for freedom?”
As the story begins we meet Violet Wilde, an up-and-coming rock star, who wakes up in a strange cabin, dazed and confused, with no immediate recollection of how she got there. The cabin is well-maintained, with a well-stocked refrigerator (strangely enough, it’s packed with her favorite food items), a box with clothes and other necessities, and a burner phone that is programmed to dial a single number with a note with specific instructions. Locked inside this strange cabin, with bars on its windows she realizes that she is in a secluded area and there is no way for her to escape. As per her captor's instructions, she has to figure out her connection to the person whose number is programmed into the phone within one week to secure her freedom.
“Maybe you do deserve your lives.”
After ignoring multiple missed calls from an unknown number, construction worker Bud Atwood listens to a frantic voice message left on his phone from the same number and ultimately picks up the phone on the next call. As the narrative progresses, we follow Bud and Violet as they work together to find the answers that hold the key to their survival.
The story is shared in alternating chapters from the PoVs of Violet and Bud in the first-person narrative format. Both these characters are interesting in how different they are from one another - their personalities, backgrounds and lifestyles couldn't be more different. I enjoyed how their relationship evolved through the course of the story. I have to appreciate the author’s writing in depicting Violet’s mental state while in captivity – how she goes from angry and scared to melancholic, subdued and introspective – the author captures Violet’s thoughts and reactions brilliantly. The story starts with a bang and though it does lose momentum in the middle, from the 70% mark onwards this book was hard to put down! That ending was phenomenal!
Though this isn't as fast-paced or intricately plotted as the author’s previous novel, Amen,Maxine, Faith Gardner’s Violet is Nowhere is definitely a worthy addition to the author's The Jolvix Episodes series. I’m not a huge fan of the sci-fi genre, but Faith Gardner strikes a perfect balance between riveting mystery/suspense and creatively conceptualized futuristic elements to create a sharp, well-written and engaging read. I look forward to more from this talented author in the future!
Many thanks to the author, Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own!
Violet is Nowhere is scheduled to be released on September 22, 2022.
September 23, 2022
“Well, looks like I get to check something off my rock star bucket list, and I’m not even a rock star yet: this morning I’ve woken up in a bed I don’t recognize with no idea how I got here”
How’s that for an opening line?
If only, it was what Violet first thought it was….
Rising rock star Violet has just woken up in a locked cabin, in the middle of nowhere, with a mysterious note and a burner phone programmed to only dial one number.
That number belongs to a Construction worker named Bud, born in Texas with a sweet Southern accent, but now residing in the Bay Area.
The note says that they have one week to figure out the connection between them, or someone or something out there, could take their lives.
This story takes place in the same near dystopian Universe as the first book in the Jolvix episodes-Amen Maxine! and unfolds from the alternating first person POV’s of Violet and Bud.
Although Rowena and her friend, Maxine do NOT make a cameo appearance, the robo vacs are still zooming around, and Roboburger-the first set of chain restaurants staffed by robots-is making a killing serving up burgers and fries.🍔🍟
So, what’s the connection?
Time is ticking so you had better download this one now and find out!
Ready, Set, GO!!
This is another highly original psychological thriller with a sci-fi twist from the imagination of Indie Author, Faith Gardner.
Amen Maxine! will make my FAVORITES LIST for 2022, and although this one wasn’t quite as enjoyable for me, it was still highly entertaining and by the end of the book I was glad that I was only visiting her World!
3.5 rounded up!
I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Available September 22, 2022
Thank You to Mirror House Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
How’s that for an opening line?
If only, it was what Violet first thought it was….
Rising rock star Violet has just woken up in a locked cabin, in the middle of nowhere, with a mysterious note and a burner phone programmed to only dial one number.
That number belongs to a Construction worker named Bud, born in Texas with a sweet Southern accent, but now residing in the Bay Area.
The note says that they have one week to figure out the connection between them, or someone or something out there, could take their lives.
This story takes place in the same near dystopian Universe as the first book in the Jolvix episodes-Amen Maxine! and unfolds from the alternating first person POV’s of Violet and Bud.
Although Rowena and her friend, Maxine do NOT make a cameo appearance, the robo vacs are still zooming around, and Roboburger-the first set of chain restaurants staffed by robots-is making a killing serving up burgers and fries.🍔🍟
So, what’s the connection?
Time is ticking so you had better download this one now and find out!
Ready, Set, GO!!
This is another highly original psychological thriller with a sci-fi twist from the imagination of Indie Author, Faith Gardner.
Amen Maxine! will make my FAVORITES LIST for 2022, and although this one wasn’t quite as enjoyable for me, it was still highly entertaining and by the end of the book I was glad that I was only visiting her World!
3.5 rounded up!
I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Available September 22, 2022
Thank You to Mirror House Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
October 19, 2022
3.5⭐
I apologize. I do want a Roboburger, double patty with cheese! 🍔
Set in the future, but not too distant where there are diesel trucks but also a common sight are robots in everyday life. Robot meter maid, robot lawn mower, or a burger chain- farm to table, staffed by robots. "Violet Is Nowhere" is a suspenseful sci-fi thriller that's perfect for mystery and thriller readers alike. This is sci-fi lite.
Violet was drugged and taken against her will. She wakes up in a cozy (prison) cabin in the middle of nowhere. There are bars on the windows, and the door is locked but strangely enough, there is a comfy bed, bathroom, and kitchenette. The mini fridge is stocked with Whole Foods, sparkling water, organic fruits, and veggies. What the hell is going on? There's a note and a flip phone with only one number she can dial. That number belongs to a Bay Area carpenter named Bud who is her only chance at freedom.
This is one of those books that when I reached the ending, I felt numb. Do I like the ending? Was I happy with the conclusion? Was it right or wrong? I DON'T KNOW what to feel!😩 So many mixed emotions. It was highly entertaining that's for sure and Bud...whomp whomp. I do wish the sci-fi part was introduced sooner, waiting until the second half was torture! This is episode two in the Jolvix series and can be read on its own. There are cool references to the first episode if you read them in order. Bring on episode three! 🤖
Thank you Mirror House Press and Netgalley for this DRC.
Published September 22, 2022!
I apologize. I do want a Roboburger, double patty with cheese! 🍔
Set in the future, but not too distant where there are diesel trucks but also a common sight are robots in everyday life. Robot meter maid, robot lawn mower, or a burger chain- farm to table, staffed by robots. "Violet Is Nowhere" is a suspenseful sci-fi thriller that's perfect for mystery and thriller readers alike. This is sci-fi lite.
Violet was drugged and taken against her will. She wakes up in a cozy (prison) cabin in the middle of nowhere. There are bars on the windows, and the door is locked but strangely enough, there is a comfy bed, bathroom, and kitchenette. The mini fridge is stocked with Whole Foods, sparkling water, organic fruits, and veggies. What the hell is going on? There's a note and a flip phone with only one number she can dial. That number belongs to a Bay Area carpenter named Bud who is her only chance at freedom.
This is one of those books that when I reached the ending, I felt numb. Do I like the ending? Was I happy with the conclusion? Was it right or wrong? I DON'T KNOW what to feel!😩 So many mixed emotions. It was highly entertaining that's for sure and Bud...whomp whomp. I do wish the sci-fi part was introduced sooner, waiting until the second half was torture! This is episode two in the Jolvix series and can be read on its own. There are cool references to the first episode if you read them in order. Bring on episode three! 🤖
Thank you Mirror House Press and Netgalley for this DRC.
Published September 22, 2022!
September 15, 2022
Violet is a new up and coming pop star who wakes one morning to find herself locked down in a cabin. Her only lifeline for help is an old style flip phone with just one working number programmed in. A number she doesn’t recognize. Connected to a voice she has never heard before.
That voice on the other end answering the phone belongs to Bud. Appropriately named for the amount of beer he consumes!🤣. Anyway, Bud is a terminally single, sad carpenter with no direction or motivation in life beyond his next job and oh yes, his next brew-ski. Not exactly her number-one candidate for a knight in shining armor!
But Bud is all that Violet has who can possibly help. With only a bewildering note from the so-called kidnappers, the two must work together to gain Violet’s freedom.
This was a very light, entertaining sci-fi read. And as a novice sci-fi aficionado, (I am trying to read more in this genre) I was a bit confused as the puzzle pieces came together.🤪. Though by the finish I think my brain gradually caught up! Lol!
This is book two of the Jolvix Episodes series that can definitely be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading book one, Amen Maxine. I am definitely looking forward to more from this very talented author!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press
That voice on the other end answering the phone belongs to Bud. Appropriately named for the amount of beer he consumes!🤣. Anyway, Bud is a terminally single, sad carpenter with no direction or motivation in life beyond his next job and oh yes, his next brew-ski. Not exactly her number-one candidate for a knight in shining armor!
But Bud is all that Violet has who can possibly help. With only a bewildering note from the so-called kidnappers, the two must work together to gain Violet’s freedom.
This was a very light, entertaining sci-fi read. And as a novice sci-fi aficionado, (I am trying to read more in this genre) I was a bit confused as the puzzle pieces came together.🤪. Though by the finish I think my brain gradually caught up! Lol!
This is book two of the Jolvix Episodes series that can definitely be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading book one, Amen Maxine. I am definitely looking forward to more from this very talented author!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press
September 13, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up for creativity
This story starts with Violet, the lead singer of an emerging band, kidnapped and held hostage in a remote cabin. Everything is provided for her. She receives a note that says she has a telephone that can only reach one number, and she has one week to figure out her connection with the person at the other end, or else. No contacting outside authorities. That person on the other end is Bud. He's a loner carpenter with a bit of a drinking problem. As the two of them talk, they desperately try to figure out the connection between them before time runs out.
I loved Amen Maxine, which I read a few months ago. This is the second of the "Jolvix Episodes" and so that's kind of a giveaway from the beginning that there has to be a connection to Jolvix, the bizarre tech corporation we found out about in the first book. That took a bit of the suspense away honestly, and was what kept the book from being stronger for me, as I thought the leadup to them figuring out what was going on was too long and drawn out.
Overall though, Gardner is a great writer and her creativity is off the charts. There is a lot of food for thought and contemplation in the end here, because it really made me think about how I'm living my life and what I would think and do if I were in this situation. I liked both Violet and Bud and the more they talked the more I liked them.
If you haven't read Amen, Maxine, get yourself a copy today. Violet is Nowhere is a worthy follow-up and I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This story starts with Violet, the lead singer of an emerging band, kidnapped and held hostage in a remote cabin. Everything is provided for her. She receives a note that says she has a telephone that can only reach one number, and she has one week to figure out her connection with the person at the other end, or else. No contacting outside authorities. That person on the other end is Bud. He's a loner carpenter with a bit of a drinking problem. As the two of them talk, they desperately try to figure out the connection between them before time runs out.
I loved Amen Maxine, which I read a few months ago. This is the second of the "Jolvix Episodes" and so that's kind of a giveaway from the beginning that there has to be a connection to Jolvix, the bizarre tech corporation we found out about in the first book. That took a bit of the suspense away honestly, and was what kept the book from being stronger for me, as I thought the leadup to them figuring out what was going on was too long and drawn out.
Overall though, Gardner is a great writer and her creativity is off the charts. There is a lot of food for thought and contemplation in the end here, because it really made me think about how I'm living my life and what I would think and do if I were in this situation. I liked both Violet and Bud and the more they talked the more I liked them.
If you haven't read Amen, Maxine, get yourself a copy today. Violet is Nowhere is a worthy follow-up and I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 31, 2022
Faith Gardner has once again immersed us into her Jolvix near-future world that we were introduced to in Amen Maxine and she has once again penned an unbelievable and utterly unique WINNER of a book!
Here's the gist:
"The twenty-first century is nothing but a goddamn nightmare."
Violet, an up and coming musician, finds herself waking up in place she doesn't recognize. The last thing she remembers is playing a gig the night before. Everything else is a blank. It appears that she's in someone's cabin but she is all alone. There is a cardboard box under the table but nothing else of note to explain where she is or why she is there. Upon opening the box she finds a burner phone and a note: The phone can only call one number. If they can figure out how they're connected to one another, then she will be freed. If they can't then the game is over.
What's even stranger is that inside the box with the phone and note are multiple outfits that are all brand spanking new. There's a fridge stocked with all Violet's favorite things. A bathroom freshly cleaned with lavender soaps and lotions. Yet the door is locked and there are bars on the windows. What the heck is going on? Has she been taken by the most hospitable kidnapper ever?
On the other end of the line is Bud, a beer guzzling, jack of all trades, laze about the house doing nothing kind of guy. Imagine his surprise when he gets off a job to see he has over thirty missed calls from an unknown number. When the phone rings again and he finally answers Violet explains the situation to him. A situation that sounds like a joke or a scam, he isn't sure which, but after awhile he has to admit that she sounds terrified and desperate. Maybe this is his chance to do something right in his life so he agrees to help her in anyway that he can.
"What wouldn't you do for life? What wouldn't you do for love? What wouldn't you do for freedom?"
That's all I can possibly tell you about the plot.
First of all I adored both Violet and Bud. The humor, the banter - I was grinning ear to ear from start to finish. Where Amen Maxine was a proper psychological thriller this didn't have that same vibe due to all the humor sprinkled throughout. A mystery to be sure and one that I wanted desperately to solve. I didn't of course. I couldn't possibly have. My mind is not nearly as creative as Gardner's. So, yeah, the end was a trip and a totally satisfyingly one at that. I've mentioned before that I'm not a series reader but I will gladly take a trip to this beautifully created Jolvix world anytime Faith Gardner wants to take me there. ALL THE STARS!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for my complimentary copy.
Here's the gist:
"The twenty-first century is nothing but a goddamn nightmare."
Violet, an up and coming musician, finds herself waking up in place she doesn't recognize. The last thing she remembers is playing a gig the night before. Everything else is a blank. It appears that she's in someone's cabin but she is all alone. There is a cardboard box under the table but nothing else of note to explain where she is or why she is there. Upon opening the box she finds a burner phone and a note: The phone can only call one number. If they can figure out how they're connected to one another, then she will be freed. If they can't then the game is over.
What's even stranger is that inside the box with the phone and note are multiple outfits that are all brand spanking new. There's a fridge stocked with all Violet's favorite things. A bathroom freshly cleaned with lavender soaps and lotions. Yet the door is locked and there are bars on the windows. What the heck is going on? Has she been taken by the most hospitable kidnapper ever?
On the other end of the line is Bud, a beer guzzling, jack of all trades, laze about the house doing nothing kind of guy. Imagine his surprise when he gets off a job to see he has over thirty missed calls from an unknown number. When the phone rings again and he finally answers Violet explains the situation to him. A situation that sounds like a joke or a scam, he isn't sure which, but after awhile he has to admit that she sounds terrified and desperate. Maybe this is his chance to do something right in his life so he agrees to help her in anyway that he can.
"What wouldn't you do for life? What wouldn't you do for love? What wouldn't you do for freedom?"
That's all I can possibly tell you about the plot.
First of all I adored both Violet and Bud. The humor, the banter - I was grinning ear to ear from start to finish. Where Amen Maxine was a proper psychological thriller this didn't have that same vibe due to all the humor sprinkled throughout. A mystery to be sure and one that I wanted desperately to solve. I didn't of course. I couldn't possibly have. My mind is not nearly as creative as Gardner's. So, yeah, the end was a trip and a totally satisfyingly one at that. I've mentioned before that I'm not a series reader but I will gladly take a trip to this beautifully created Jolvix world anytime Faith Gardner wants to take me there. ALL THE STARS!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for my complimentary copy.
September 3, 2022
If you want a fun, memorable joy-ride, this is the book for you.
My interest has truly been captured by Faith Gardner. After reading Amen, Maxine I was impressed. After reading this novel, I’ve become a fan.
My synopsis:
Violet wakes up in a cabin with no memory of how she got there. She finds a note with instructions; on a phone there is a pre-programmed phone number. She has to figure out how she’s connected to the person who owns the number, and she has to figure it out before a week has passed.
Gardner yet again provides the reader with an unique plot that makes everything else in your life insignificant while reading. The characters were fascinating; Violet with her sharp tongue and Bud, the lazy, wannabe-detective who loves beer more than anything else. Underneath these superficial descriptions however, they become real people you
start to care about. Their emotions are raw and contagious. I also loved how they developed and changed as the story progresses. Their views and perspective altered naturally. Both violet and bud had to face and question their lives, and it was obvious that they wanted to learn and change.
The ending was perfect, and surprising as well. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. All I can say was that I couldn’t have figured it out myself.
I must also mention the authors writing style. It just flows so effortlessly, with no annoying pebbles to stumble on. It’s a gift to write like that. Dialogues were sometimes funny, and I liked the sarcastic style Bud and Violet had. I must mention a sentence I really loved: emotions can multitask. Never heard it before but it really delighted me.
Thanks to netgally and Mirror House press for this very appreciated arc in exchange for my honest opinion
My interest has truly been captured by Faith Gardner. After reading Amen, Maxine I was impressed. After reading this novel, I’ve become a fan.
My synopsis:
Violet wakes up in a cabin with no memory of how she got there. She finds a note with instructions; on a phone there is a pre-programmed phone number. She has to figure out how she’s connected to the person who owns the number, and she has to figure it out before a week has passed.
Gardner yet again provides the reader with an unique plot that makes everything else in your life insignificant while reading. The characters were fascinating; Violet with her sharp tongue and Bud, the lazy, wannabe-detective who loves beer more than anything else. Underneath these superficial descriptions however, they become real people you
start to care about. Their emotions are raw and contagious. I also loved how they developed and changed as the story progresses. Their views and perspective altered naturally. Both violet and bud had to face and question their lives, and it was obvious that they wanted to learn and change.
The ending was perfect, and surprising as well. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. All I can say was that I couldn’t have figured it out myself.
I must also mention the authors writing style. It just flows so effortlessly, with no annoying pebbles to stumble on. It’s a gift to write like that. Dialogues were sometimes funny, and I liked the sarcastic style Bud and Violet had. I must mention a sentence I really loved: emotions can multitask. Never heard it before but it really delighted me.
Thanks to netgally and Mirror House press for this very appreciated arc in exchange for my honest opinion
February 17, 2023
In a Nutshell: Once again an outlier, but this time, I am on the positive side! Enjoyed this book far more than ‘Amen, Maxine’. Better if read as a slowburn psych thriller than as a sci-fi thriller.
Story Synopsis:
While I had liked the first book of the Jolvix Episodes series – ‘Amen Maxine’ – a lot, it still needed some improvement in its use of clichéd tropes and the OTT ending. Glad to report that this book didn’t have those issues, at least for me.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Every single one of my friends here loved ‘Amen, Maxine’ and found this okay in comparison. To me, it went the other way around, probably because I wasn’t reading this as a sci-fi thriller but as a general psych thriller. I remember how ‘Amen, Maxine’ began as a drama and slowly increased the sci-fi and thriller elements. This went somewhat similarly. The sci-fi elements are minimal this time around and only appear in the final quarter or so, but that was more than enough to keep me happy.
😍 There is no build-up to the story, no prologue or background to tell you how Violet landed in the cabin. The book begins with her waking up there. So we also feel caught in the action right from page one. This approach ensured that the story had my attention from start to end.
😍 I liked Violet’s and Bud’s portrayals. Both of them weren’t shown as perfectly good or bad but as flawed. I always like stories better when the characters seem human but with some hope for redemption. Violet is sassy and selfish and vulnerable in turns. Bud is not the brightest spark in the room most of the times and is quite impulsive. As both of them were somewhat opposites in nature, each brought a different energy to the story. The connection between them goes through varied emotions and feels genuine rather than forced. Though the story is set within a single week, their rapport doesn’t feel rushed.
😍 No unreliable narrators – Hallelujah!
😍 It is quite fast-paced, easy to complete within a day. (Don’t confuse this feedback with ‘slow-burn’. The writing is fast-paced, but the suspense takes its own sweet time to unravel.) Despite the first person, there are no needless inner monologues.
😍 While the identity of the guilty party is clear the moment they make an appearance on the page, the rationale behind the crime and the aftermath aren't obvious at all.
😍 The ending is all kinds of freaky! While it is (almost) unbelievable, it creates a massive impact. I still don’t know how I feel about it, but I was blown away for sure as I had NOT seen that coming. If you are the kind of reader who wants all things tied neatly at the end, be warned: not gonna happen!
😍 The book offers a lot to introspect about our approach towards life, a lot!
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😔 The biggest negative is knowing that the story is set in the Jolvix universe. So you already know the guilty party much before the characters do, and really need to keep your patience until they figure it out. This spoils the fun of discovery that is so crucial in a thriller. I think I'd have enjoyed my journey even more had I not waited for Jolvix to make an appearance
All in all, I loved this novel much more than ‘Amen, Maxine’. This works wonderfully as a standalone, though you have some Easter Eggs from the first book. The stories in the two books are quite different, so better if you go in expecting a distinct tale than ‘Amen, Maxine’ version two.
Definitely recommended if you want a slow-burn psych thriller with realistic characters, sci-fi elements, and a mindboggling ending. I'm looking forward to more by this talented indie author.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Violet Is Nowhere”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is also available on KU.
To read my review of ‘Amen, Maxine’ (Jolvix #1), click HERE.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Violet, an up-and-coming rockstar, wakes up in a strange cabin with no memory of what happened the previous night. There’s a mysterious note and a burner phone that has been pre-programmed to dial only one number.
When Bud, a construction worker, answers his phone, he has no idea whether to believe the stranger who tells him that she’s been kidnapped and doesn’t know where she is.
As per the instructions on the note, Violet and Bud have exactly one week to figure out the connection between them, else their lives might be in danger. With absolutely no clue of how to begin, will Bud be able to locate Violet and rescue her?
The story comes to us in the alternating first person povs of Violet and Bud.
While I had liked the first book of the Jolvix Episodes series – ‘Amen Maxine’ – a lot, it still needed some improvement in its use of clichéd tropes and the OTT ending. Glad to report that this book didn’t have those issues, at least for me.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Every single one of my friends here loved ‘Amen, Maxine’ and found this okay in comparison. To me, it went the other way around, probably because I wasn’t reading this as a sci-fi thriller but as a general psych thriller. I remember how ‘Amen, Maxine’ began as a drama and slowly increased the sci-fi and thriller elements. This went somewhat similarly. The sci-fi elements are minimal this time around and only appear in the final quarter or so, but that was more than enough to keep me happy.
😍 There is no build-up to the story, no prologue or background to tell you how Violet landed in the cabin. The book begins with her waking up there. So we also feel caught in the action right from page one. This approach ensured that the story had my attention from start to end.
😍 I liked Violet’s and Bud’s portrayals. Both of them weren’t shown as perfectly good or bad but as flawed. I always like stories better when the characters seem human but with some hope for redemption. Violet is sassy and selfish and vulnerable in turns. Bud is not the brightest spark in the room most of the times and is quite impulsive. As both of them were somewhat opposites in nature, each brought a different energy to the story. The connection between them goes through varied emotions and feels genuine rather than forced. Though the story is set within a single week, their rapport doesn’t feel rushed.
😍 No unreliable narrators – Hallelujah!
😍 It is quite fast-paced, easy to complete within a day. (Don’t confuse this feedback with ‘slow-burn’. The writing is fast-paced, but the suspense takes its own sweet time to unravel.) Despite the first person, there are no needless inner monologues.
😍 While the identity of the guilty party is clear the moment they make an appearance on the page, the rationale behind the crime and the aftermath aren't obvious at all.
😍 The ending is all kinds of freaky! While it is (almost) unbelievable, it creates a massive impact. I still don’t know how I feel about it, but I was blown away for sure as I had NOT seen that coming. If you are the kind of reader who wants all things tied neatly at the end, be warned: not gonna happen!
😍 The book offers a lot to introspect about our approach towards life, a lot!
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😔 The biggest negative is knowing that the story is set in the Jolvix universe. So you already know the guilty party much before the characters do, and really need to keep your patience until they figure it out. This spoils the fun of discovery that is so crucial in a thriller. I think I'd have enjoyed my journey even more had I not waited for Jolvix to make an appearance
All in all, I loved this novel much more than ‘Amen, Maxine’. This works wonderfully as a standalone, though you have some Easter Eggs from the first book. The stories in the two books are quite different, so better if you go in expecting a distinct tale than ‘Amen, Maxine’ version two.
Definitely recommended if you want a slow-burn psych thriller with realistic characters, sci-fi elements, and a mindboggling ending. I'm looking forward to more by this talented indie author.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Violet Is Nowhere”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is also available on KU.
To read my review of ‘Amen, Maxine’ (Jolvix #1), click HERE.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
March 4, 2023
This is the second book in the world of Amen Maxine.
I enjoyed Amen Maxine and I was happy to be able to get a copy of Violet is Nowhere.
Violet is almost a famous rock star. She is becoming quite popular and even though she is in a band, it looks like her big break is about to happen. Then, she wakes up in a strange cabin. She has no way out. She is a captive and the only thing left behind is a cellphone with only one number. When she dials it, she gets a man named Bud on the other line.
Bud is a construction worker. He likes his beer and doesn't have any desire to improve himself. He had a couple of relationships that left him a little broken. When Violet dials him, at first he thinks it's all a joke but he can't shake the desperation he hears in the voice on the other side of the line. Soon, he is playing detective and trying to figure out, who captured her and why. He wants to help Violet get free.
Violet is Nowhere is a good installment but not as good as Amen Maxine. I felt bad for Violet and I was hoping for Budd to find her in time. The ending unfolded in an unexpected way, or at least part of it did.
I will continue reading the next book in this series. It has my attention.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Mirror House Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I enjoyed Amen Maxine and I was happy to be able to get a copy of Violet is Nowhere.
Violet is almost a famous rock star. She is becoming quite popular and even though she is in a band, it looks like her big break is about to happen. Then, she wakes up in a strange cabin. She has no way out. She is a captive and the only thing left behind is a cellphone with only one number. When she dials it, she gets a man named Bud on the other line.
Bud is a construction worker. He likes his beer and doesn't have any desire to improve himself. He had a couple of relationships that left him a little broken. When Violet dials him, at first he thinks it's all a joke but he can't shake the desperation he hears in the voice on the other side of the line. Soon, he is playing detective and trying to figure out, who captured her and why. He wants to help Violet get free.
Violet is Nowhere is a good installment but not as good as Amen Maxine. I felt bad for Violet and I was hoping for Budd to find her in time. The ending unfolded in an unexpected way, or at least part of it did.
I will continue reading the next book in this series. It has my attention.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Mirror House Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
September 23, 2022
3.5 STARS
Sci-fi twisted game.....
Well, this was very different from the first in the series, Amen Maxine.
Violet ends up in a "hell cabin" with a note and a flip phone (her lifeline). She has only one number she can dial, Bud. Cue the violins, because Violet is a dramatic one! I certainly needed a break from her, I wanted to pull her purple hair out!
Violet and Bud are complete strangers, but are challenged to find a connection or die.
I was intrigued, but became restless with the pace and the Violet/Bud conversations. The cabin fever applied to me as well!
Quite a bit of telling in the conclusion and I'm guessing a cliffhanger? Because how could it end like that?!
There are some fun, futuristic references and Bud was the star of the show for me. Perhaps his roboburger a day will keep the doctor away?
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT September 22, 2022
Sci-fi twisted game.....
Well, this was very different from the first in the series, Amen Maxine.
Violet ends up in a "hell cabin" with a note and a flip phone (her lifeline). She has only one number she can dial, Bud. Cue the violins, because Violet is a dramatic one! I certainly needed a break from her, I wanted to pull her purple hair out!
Violet and Bud are complete strangers, but are challenged to find a connection or die.
I was intrigued, but became restless with the pace and the Violet/Bud conversations. The cabin fever applied to me as well!
Quite a bit of telling in the conclusion and I'm guessing a cliffhanger? Because how could it end like that?!
There are some fun, futuristic references and Bud was the star of the show for me. Perhaps his roboburger a day will keep the doctor away?
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT September 22, 2022
October 5, 2022
This was a fascinating read. Told in two POVs from the perspectives of Violet, the rock star wannabe, and Bud, the jack-of-all trades nice guy. You will want to keep reading to find out what connects Violet and Bud to each other and to Amen Maxine. As with the first book in the Jolvix Episodes, this one also examines the cost of a culture which blindly follows the promise of technology without examining the cost to our humanity.
Thank you to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2022
Well can I have a burger 🍔 with Chips 🍟 please.!!!!!
Violet wakes up in a bed she doesn’t recognise drugged & has no idea 🤷♀️ how she got there she is in a cabin in the middle of nowhere she has bars on windows & furniture …. Now Does that sound like a kidnapping…. I Think Not!!!
she finds a letter saying something bad is going to happen if you don’t work out the clues in a week.
In comes bud the burner phone user & number that Violet can only correspond with but for me they sound more like friends, Bud is a construction worker from Texas.
My mind was wandering through out & didn’t hold my attention at all as for the Sci Fi aspect plenty of eye rolls 🙄 moments I DNF at 30% it’s a shame as I really enjoyed Amen Maxine the first in the Jolvix series I hope book 3 is more enjoyable.
Violet wakes up in a bed she doesn’t recognise drugged & has no idea 🤷♀️ how she got there she is in a cabin in the middle of nowhere she has bars on windows & furniture …. Now Does that sound like a kidnapping…. I Think Not!!!
she finds a letter saying something bad is going to happen if you don’t work out the clues in a week.
In comes bud the burner phone user & number that Violet can only correspond with but for me they sound more like friends, Bud is a construction worker from Texas.
My mind was wandering through out & didn’t hold my attention at all as for the Sci Fi aspect plenty of eye rolls 🙄 moments I DNF at 30% it’s a shame as I really enjoyed Amen Maxine the first in the Jolvix series I hope book 3 is more enjoyable.
March 29, 2023
I found Books #1 and #3 of the Jolvix series were thought-provoking and enjoyable. They were psychological thrillers involving the interaction of humans with robot companions, and I felt the tension and suspense. With each updated release, the new companion bots by Jolvix seemed to have subtle improvements in their circuit connections governing responses and memory. They were learning not to obey unreasonable commands, and some even ran away. One bot was told that self-preservation was a desirable trait. There was speculative but believable science involved with the stories set in the not-too-distant future.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...
I regret that Violet is Nowhere didn't have the entertainment value for me that the other two books had. Mentioned in its background setting is Droidburgers, a fast food business where the waiters are robots, and the meat is supplied by bots. There are also bots issuing parking tickets and disposing of trash. Instead of focusing on companion bots, this story involves experimental brain scanning and downloading volunteers' thoughts and memories. The goal was to place these scans into other human bodies at a future time, but these experiments were forbidden and cancelled. I found this scientific procedure complex and implausible.
Violet, an aspiring rock star, has been drugged and kidnapped. She wakes up to find herself imprisoned in a well-supplied cottage in an isolated location. She has a phone that can only be used to call an unknown man. She has a week to talk with him while trying to solve how the two of them are connected. There are hints that if they fail to solve the puzzle, she may be killed. Violet is panicked and angry. She had given up friendships and a social life to concentrate on her music career. She was kidnapped on the verge of receiving a probable breakthrough solo contract. Bud, the stranger on the receiving end of her call, is a man with little ambition who drinks excessive amounts of beer, putting himself into daily stupors. Bud and the trapped Violet have long phone conversations trying to discover any connection in their past. Solving this puzzle may free Violet and save her life. I found this slow-moving and tedious in parts and felt it lacked the tension and dread I found in the other books.
This was a mystery story, with Bud acting as an amateur detective interviewing people and trying to save Violet. Bud's life may also be in danger. How are they connected? It asks how much one would do for freedom, life and love. What is one willing to sacrifice?
I admire the author's original storytelling and her powerful imagination. I look forward to any forthcoming books.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...
I regret that Violet is Nowhere didn't have the entertainment value for me that the other two books had. Mentioned in its background setting is Droidburgers, a fast food business where the waiters are robots, and the meat is supplied by bots. There are also bots issuing parking tickets and disposing of trash. Instead of focusing on companion bots, this story involves experimental brain scanning and downloading volunteers' thoughts and memories. The goal was to place these scans into other human bodies at a future time, but these experiments were forbidden and cancelled. I found this scientific procedure complex and implausible.
Violet, an aspiring rock star, has been drugged and kidnapped. She wakes up to find herself imprisoned in a well-supplied cottage in an isolated location. She has a phone that can only be used to call an unknown man. She has a week to talk with him while trying to solve how the two of them are connected. There are hints that if they fail to solve the puzzle, she may be killed. Violet is panicked and angry. She had given up friendships and a social life to concentrate on her music career. She was kidnapped on the verge of receiving a probable breakthrough solo contract. Bud, the stranger on the receiving end of her call, is a man with little ambition who drinks excessive amounts of beer, putting himself into daily stupors. Bud and the trapped Violet have long phone conversations trying to discover any connection in their past. Solving this puzzle may free Violet and save her life. I found this slow-moving and tedious in parts and felt it lacked the tension and dread I found in the other books.
This was a mystery story, with Bud acting as an amateur detective interviewing people and trying to save Violet. Bud's life may also be in danger. How are they connected? It asks how much one would do for freedom, life and love. What is one willing to sacrifice?
I admire the author's original storytelling and her powerful imagination. I look forward to any forthcoming books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2023
Rock star Violet Wilde is kidnapped from her Los Angeles home and wakes up locked in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a burner phone that only dials one number which belongs to construction worker Bud Atwood. Violet and Bud do not know each other and have one week to figure out the connection between them or suffer the consequences.
We learn a lot about both characters through their telephone conversations as well as their reminiscences and actions throughout the book. For the first 80% or so I was enjoying this second book in the Jolvix Episodes more than I enjoyed Amen Maxine but then the narrative descended into a whole lot of telling about stuff that went right over my head or in one eye and out the other and I skimmed through the next 15% so that I could find out how things ended. Except for that little blip around 85% when there was far too much explaining for my liking, I did enjoy the story. 3.5 stars rounded up.
I'll probably read at least one more of the episodes since I've already downloaded What January Remembers from Kindle Unlimited. It seems that the books have no connection to each other other than the fact that Jolvix plays a part somehow.
Thanks to Kindle Unlimited for providing this book free of charge with my membership. All opinions expressed are my own.
We learn a lot about both characters through their telephone conversations as well as their reminiscences and actions throughout the book. For the first 80% or so I was enjoying this second book in the Jolvix Episodes more than I enjoyed Amen Maxine but then the narrative descended into a whole lot of telling about stuff that went right over my head or in one eye and out the other and I skimmed through the next 15% so that I could find out how things ended. Except for that little blip around 85% when there was far too much explaining for my liking, I did enjoy the story. 3.5 stars rounded up.
I'll probably read at least one more of the episodes since I've already downloaded What January Remembers from Kindle Unlimited. It seems that the books have no connection to each other other than the fact that Jolvix plays a part somehow.
Thanks to Kindle Unlimited for providing this book free of charge with my membership. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 27, 2022
Amen Maxine is one of top favorite books of the year. I gave it 5 stars and the sequel Violet is Nowhere also gets 5 stars!
I was hooked from page one and loved every minute of it! I don’t want to give too much away but wow!
A thriller with a elements of sci-fi, I gladly this is one I’ll still be thinking days from now.
Throw your current reads aside and pick up Violet is Nowhere available September 22,2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror House Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was hooked from page one and loved every minute of it! I don’t want to give too much away but wow!
A thriller with a elements of sci-fi, I gladly this is one I’ll still be thinking days from now.
Throw your current reads aside and pick up Violet is Nowhere available September 22,2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror House Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
October 11, 2022
I loved Maxine and was excited to read about Violet, set in a similar timeline of a near future dystopian society, and reads like a slow burn brilliant thriller with a twist at the end that terrified me and blew my mind!
Violet wakes up in a cabin and cannot remember how she got here and why, and soon discovers through a note left by her kidnappers that she has one week to find out what connects her to the man, whose number is saved on the phone, the only number and human being’s voice within her access. Bud, on the other hand finds several missed calls from an Unknown number – and eventually when he picks up, the story begins to race against time in slow motion, to unpick and unpack why and how they are linked together.
I enjoyed Violet and Bud’s company, especially the angle on gradually building trust and coming to care for each other. There was soul searching moments heavy with personal discovery while also learning about each other, which created the stage for what was to come. A very minor gripe, but I did get a bit impatient as to why it took them so long to find out how they are connected, since the name of the series was a dead giveaway for me.
I was taken aback with all that unfolded at the 85% mark in the book – shocking revelation, and I could not decide which party to root for. I am trying to come to terms with how the book ended, as in, does the turn of event at the end make the concept of this book so clever and fantastic, or is it that I desperately wish the ending was different so I could love this book and fully appreciate the concept behind it. This is the only reason I give this book a 4 star, because I am left in a real state with that ending, and as this was a bedtime reading, I had a rough time falling asleep with my heart racing with so many conflicting emotions... For what it’s worth, I am also now extremely wary of giving anyone access to personal information and will think twice about how data can be used and abused.
This can be read as standalone, but I would very much recommend reading Maxine first, as not only is Maxine one of my most favourite reads of this year, but it also sets the scene for the advanced nuances/perils of this period, and the rare few references to the events in Maxine was very welcomed!
Violet wakes up in a cabin and cannot remember how she got here and why, and soon discovers through a note left by her kidnappers that she has one week to find out what connects her to the man, whose number is saved on the phone, the only number and human being’s voice within her access. Bud, on the other hand finds several missed calls from an Unknown number – and eventually when he picks up, the story begins to race against time in slow motion, to unpick and unpack why and how they are linked together.
I enjoyed Violet and Bud’s company, especially the angle on gradually building trust and coming to care for each other. There was soul searching moments heavy with personal discovery while also learning about each other, which created the stage for what was to come. A very minor gripe, but I did get a bit impatient as to why it took them so long to find out how they are connected, since the name of the series was a dead giveaway for me.
I was taken aback with all that unfolded at the 85% mark in the book – shocking revelation, and I could not decide which party to root for. I am trying to come to terms with how the book ended, as in, does the turn of event at the end make the concept of this book so clever and fantastic, or is it that I desperately wish the ending was different so I could love this book and fully appreciate the concept behind it. This is the only reason I give this book a 4 star, because I am left in a real state with that ending, and as this was a bedtime reading, I had a rough time falling asleep with my heart racing with so many conflicting emotions... For what it’s worth, I am also now extremely wary of giving anyone access to personal information and will think twice about how data can be used and abused.
This can be read as standalone, but I would very much recommend reading Maxine first, as not only is Maxine one of my most favourite reads of this year, but it also sets the scene for the advanced nuances/perils of this period, and the rare few references to the events in Maxine was very welcomed!
September 5, 2022
3.5 Stars
Violet is kidnapped after playing a gig with her band and the only thing she is given is a burner phone with one phone number … a person called Bud. Who is Bud? Who is Violet? That's the game....how are they connected? They have a week to figure it out.
Super intriguing and what I liked is there is a ton of possibilities on the connection but none panned out which was frustrating but great at same time. There were so many options of why this is happening like Priya and her brother or Violet's band mates. I would have liked for the author to delve into them further, but it fell to the wayside
I loved this authors debut, it mixed real world with a bit of sci f as did this. This does the same but felt the sci-fi came way too late. While it did pack a punch the finale felt came out of left field. .It didn't fit the mold, however the feelings the characters had really did do it justice
That ending was certainly well done even if I didn't expect it. The author certainly knows how to pull out the stops. As an aside this is a book that has a touch of sci- fi...it works really well and I think if your not a huge fan of sci-fi its a great start as its not overwhelming
This is part of a series, but you do not need to read the first one, even tho it was cool to hear about Maxine for a brief moment. Encourage everyone to try this one but Amen Maxine is my fav so far, but looking forward to more of this series
Final note: I totally need a robo-feather duster...
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy
Violet is kidnapped after playing a gig with her band and the only thing she is given is a burner phone with one phone number … a person called Bud. Who is Bud? Who is Violet? That's the game....how are they connected? They have a week to figure it out.
Super intriguing and what I liked is there is a ton of possibilities on the connection but none panned out which was frustrating but great at same time. There were so many options of why this is happening like Priya and her brother or Violet's band mates. I would have liked for the author to delve into them further, but it fell to the wayside
I loved this authors debut, it mixed real world with a bit of sci f as did this. This does the same but felt the sci-fi came way too late. While it did pack a punch the finale felt came out of left field. .It didn't fit the mold, however the feelings the characters had really did do it justice
That ending was certainly well done even if I didn't expect it. The author certainly knows how to pull out the stops. As an aside this is a book that has a touch of sci- fi...it works really well and I think if your not a huge fan of sci-fi its a great start as its not overwhelming
This is part of a series, but you do not need to read the first one, even tho it was cool to hear about Maxine for a brief moment. Encourage everyone to try this one but Amen Maxine is my fav so far, but looking forward to more of this series
Final note: I totally need a robo-feather duster...
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy
November 27, 2022
Violet Is Nowhere is book #2 in the Jolvix series. Violet is a budding rock star who after performing in a show, wakes up locked up in a cabin with a note and a burner phone. The fridge in the cabin is stocked with all of her favorite things. The burner phone contains only on phone number which belongs to a construction worker named Bud. As per the note, they have one week to figure out the connection between if Violet wants to live.
For those that shy away from sci-fi, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this series because the sci-fi is on the light side. It's more a mystery with a slight touch of sci-fi. This one moves at a slower pace, but I really enjoyed the conversions between Bud and Violet, the manner in which they tried to find the connection between them, and the buildup to the conclusion which made me do a double take causing me reread the ending. Well played, Faith Gardner!
Amen Maxine is still my favorite in the series, but this is another clever and well-written story by Faith Gardener. I am definitely looking forward to book #3 in the series which I have already started reading. 4 stars.
For those that shy away from sci-fi, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this series because the sci-fi is on the light side. It's more a mystery with a slight touch of sci-fi. This one moves at a slower pace, but I really enjoyed the conversions between Bud and Violet, the manner in which they tried to find the connection between them, and the buildup to the conclusion which made me do a double take causing me reread the ending. Well played, Faith Gardner!
Amen Maxine is still my favorite in the series, but this is another clever and well-written story by Faith Gardener. I am definitely looking forward to book #3 in the series which I have already started reading. 4 stars.
January 5, 2025
Jolvix Episode #2 is better than the first!
If I listened to the Goodreads rating, I probably wouldn’t have read this book. But, since I enjoyed The Prediction, I really wanted to try another book in the Jolvix series. Violet is Nowhere did not disappoint!
Violet is a rock star that has been kidnapped and left in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. She has no knowledge of how she got there or why she was taken. The only clue is a note left by her kidnapper. She is told that she can use the phone to call only one person and must figure out what they have in common.
Bud is a construction worker with a drinking problem. He receives a call from a stranger named Violet who claims she has been kidnapped and given his phone number. Through numerous phone calls over the next few days, Bud and Violet try to piece together who they both know in order to save Violet.
This is a completely unique plot with a futuristic sci-fi twist that I did not completely guess! There are several fun connections to the first book as it is part of the same universe. However, each book could be read as a stand alone.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Millie Anne Shipe and Ryan H. Reid who give incredible performances. I highly recommend this format! I’m looking forward to listening to the last audiobook in the series (three books are only available as ebooks).
4.5/5 stars rounded down
If I listened to the Goodreads rating, I probably wouldn’t have read this book. But, since I enjoyed The Prediction, I really wanted to try another book in the Jolvix series. Violet is Nowhere did not disappoint!
Violet is a rock star that has been kidnapped and left in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. She has no knowledge of how she got there or why she was taken. The only clue is a note left by her kidnapper. She is told that she can use the phone to call only one person and must figure out what they have in common.
Bud is a construction worker with a drinking problem. He receives a call from a stranger named Violet who claims she has been kidnapped and given his phone number. Through numerous phone calls over the next few days, Bud and Violet try to piece together who they both know in order to save Violet.
This is a completely unique plot with a futuristic sci-fi twist that I did not completely guess! There are several fun connections to the first book as it is part of the same universe. However, each book could be read as a stand alone.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Millie Anne Shipe and Ryan H. Reid who give incredible performances. I highly recommend this format! I’m looking forward to listening to the last audiobook in the series (three books are only available as ebooks).
4.5/5 stars rounded down
September 26, 2022
Hot off reading the indie smash hit Amen Maxine, I jumped at the opportunity to read Faith Gardner's newest installment in the Jolvix universe Violet is Nowhere.
Early reviews have been positive, but most still prefer Maxine. I'm actually the opposite. I liked Violet more.
Rising punk rocker Violet wakes up locked in a remote cabin with a cellphone that only connects to one person: Bud, an apathetic, beer guzzling country Texas boy. The two have one week to figure out their connection in order to save Violet.
This setup was riveting. I was eager to get to the end to find out what was going on! Without revealing any spoilers, I will say I was pleased and surprised by the ending. The connection and the explanation were brilliant! It will make you think in a deep, existential way. This is a sci-fi thriller, but it's not heavy handed or filled with complex lingo. I'm impressed with Gardner's creativity and looking forward to seeing what she conjures up next with Jolvix.
Although the two stories (Maxine and Violet) aren't connected, Gardner slyly references the former on a few occasions. Easter eggs like these are really fun for readers! I hope she writes in more like this in future installments.
4.5 stars, rounding up. Cheers!
Early reviews have been positive, but most still prefer Maxine. I'm actually the opposite. I liked Violet more.
Rising punk rocker Violet wakes up locked in a remote cabin with a cellphone that only connects to one person: Bud, an apathetic, beer guzzling country Texas boy. The two have one week to figure out their connection in order to save Violet.
This setup was riveting. I was eager to get to the end to find out what was going on! Without revealing any spoilers, I will say I was pleased and surprised by the ending. The connection and the explanation were brilliant! It will make you think in a deep, existential way. This is a sci-fi thriller, but it's not heavy handed or filled with complex lingo. I'm impressed with Gardner's creativity and looking forward to seeing what she conjures up next with Jolvix.
Although the two stories (Maxine and Violet) aren't connected, Gardner slyly references the former on a few occasions. Easter eggs like these are really fun for readers! I hope she writes in more like this in future installments.
4.5 stars, rounding up. Cheers!
February 25, 2024
A creative follow up to Amen Maxine, both of which I’ve now enjoyed. It’s an atmospheric read, it’s immersive and a puzzling mystery/sci-fi novel. An excellent ending which makes you want to pick up number three asap!
August 29, 2022
Violet Is Nowhere (The Jolvix Episodes) by Faith Gardner
Violet is Nowhere is the second book in Faith Gardner's The Jolvix Episodes series. The first book, Amen Maxine, is one of my favorite books of 2022. Faith Gardner's series takes readers on a mind-bending journey of epic proportions.
Synopsis:
Violet, a rising rock star, is drugged, kidnapped, and placed in a cabin with bars on the windows. After waking up, she discovers a note and a burner phone that only calls a man named Bud. Bud is a carpenter who has no idea who Violet is. In order to survive, the two strangers must figure out the cryptic connection between them.
While Violet Is Nowhere unfolds a bit slower than Amen Maxine, it still kept my interest piqued. For a delicious read, Faith Gardner combines thrillers with a light touch of science fiction. I can't wait to read Gardner's next addition to The Jolvix Episodes series.
Violet Is Nowhere is available on September 22nd.
Violet is Nowhere is the second book in Faith Gardner's The Jolvix Episodes series. The first book, Amen Maxine, is one of my favorite books of 2022. Faith Gardner's series takes readers on a mind-bending journey of epic proportions.
Synopsis:
Violet, a rising rock star, is drugged, kidnapped, and placed in a cabin with bars on the windows. After waking up, she discovers a note and a burner phone that only calls a man named Bud. Bud is a carpenter who has no idea who Violet is. In order to survive, the two strangers must figure out the cryptic connection between them.
While Violet Is Nowhere unfolds a bit slower than Amen Maxine, it still kept my interest piqued. For a delicious read, Faith Gardner combines thrillers with a light touch of science fiction. I can't wait to read Gardner's next addition to The Jolvix Episodes series.
Violet Is Nowhere is available on September 22nd.
September 24, 2023
Huge thanks to Mirror House Press, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Violet is Nowhere.
The sci-fi twist in this book was totally unexpected and I LOVED IT! Of all of the things I guessed as I read of Violet's kidnapping, and the one phone number Violet was allowed to call (Bud's), I didn't come close to figuring out what was actually behind it all. I liked how the story was told in alternating chapters sharing Violet's POV and then Bud's. Violet came across as very driven, while Bud was an easygoing, beer-slurping kind of guy. I enjoyed getting to know them, as they were getting to know each other ... phone call by phone call. There were some humorous moments, which were a plus!
I'm going to be thinking about the last part of Violet is Nowhere for a long time! I highly recommend it!!!
The sci-fi twist in this book was totally unexpected and I LOVED IT! Of all of the things I guessed as I read of Violet's kidnapping, and the one phone number Violet was allowed to call (Bud's), I didn't come close to figuring out what was actually behind it all. I liked how the story was told in alternating chapters sharing Violet's POV and then Bud's. Violet came across as very driven, while Bud was an easygoing, beer-slurping kind of guy. I enjoyed getting to know them, as they were getting to know each other ... phone call by phone call. There were some humorous moments, which were a plus!
I'm going to be thinking about the last part of Violet is Nowhere for a long time! I highly recommend it!!!
August 15, 2024
Violet Is Nowhere felt fast paced.. but also seemed to drag out with the interactions between Violet and Bud. They were likeable characters, who share in the confusion of “what the hell is going on here”!? The plot is creative and unique for a thriller, with a genre twist. Without spoiling any plot points, the only thing I will say is; Black Mirror vibes.
The writing, and character development, were overall good - I’m seeing Amen, Maxine by this author recommended as her better work, so I will check out that one soon. It is the first of the Jolvix Episodes series of thriller stories, this one is the second.
A rock musician, Violet, finds herself locked inside a cabin in the middle of nowhere, after being kidnapped from her Los Angeles home. The only person she can communicate with from the outside world is a man named Bud via an internet-less phone. She is completely disconnected from the outside world. But, who is this Bud? Does he have something to do with their disappearance? There is a note left which states if they can figure out what connects these two strangers, then Violet’s kidnapping will begin to make more sense…
Will Bud be able to help Violet escape?
3.4 Stars
The writing, and character development, were overall good - I’m seeing Amen, Maxine by this author recommended as her better work, so I will check out that one soon. It is the first of the Jolvix Episodes series of thriller stories, this one is the second.
A rock musician, Violet, finds herself locked inside a cabin in the middle of nowhere, after being kidnapped from her Los Angeles home. The only person she can communicate with from the outside world is a man named Bud via an internet-less phone. She is completely disconnected from the outside world. But, who is this Bud? Does he have something to do with their disappearance? There is a note left which states if they can figure out what connects these two strangers, then Violet’s kidnapping will begin to make more sense…
Will Bud be able to help Violet escape?
3.4 Stars
August 22, 2022
"If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"
—RuPaul Charles
—Faith Gardner
—RuPaul Charles
—Faith Gardner
March 12, 2023
"Don’t worry. You have your whole life ahead of you."
Violet Wilde, a rising rock star, finds herself alone and locked in a cabin after being kidnapped from her LA home. When she discovers a burner phone with a note saying the phone can only call one number, she has to trust a stranger named Bud at the other end of the line to help her. In what seems to be a sick and twisted game, Violet and Bud have one week to figure out the connection between them. Otherwise, they both may lose their lives.
"There’s one number I can call, sure, but really I’m in this alone. The pain, the fear, they’re consuming, and I’m infinitesimal, insignificant: a violet in the middle of nowhere."
But this is no ordinary kidnapping. The cabin is a prison disguised as a vacation rental. The fridge is stocked with sparkling water, fresh fruit, cheese and yogurt as if the kidnapper knows what she likes. There are new clothes and lavender soaps and lotions, lovely touches sprinkled throughout captivity. But why?
"The twenty-first century is nothing but a goddamn nightmare."
I am still trying to wrap my head around this story. What a wild ride! What begins as an intriguing thriller revolving around a kidnapping soon turns completely bananas! I can't say too much more without spoilers but suffice it to say this was a completely unique spin on the thriller genre involving science fiction aspects and a fascinating look at the mind's capabilities.
Violet and Bud were great characters and I enjoyed learning about their histories and experiences and about what brought them to the present. Despite living completely different lives, they had a great connection filled with snarky banter, dark humor and trust and respect. I never stopped rooting for them as they tried to solve this mystery to help Violet escape. When I reached the end, I felt a sadness at how the story had resolved but the final unexpected twist made it a worthwhile conclusion.
"What wouldn’t you do for life? What wouldn’t you do for love? What wouldn’t you do for freedom?"
** Special thanks to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Quotes subject to change at time of publication. Available September 22, 2022. **
Violet Wilde, a rising rock star, finds herself alone and locked in a cabin after being kidnapped from her LA home. When she discovers a burner phone with a note saying the phone can only call one number, she has to trust a stranger named Bud at the other end of the line to help her. In what seems to be a sick and twisted game, Violet and Bud have one week to figure out the connection between them. Otherwise, they both may lose their lives.
"There’s one number I can call, sure, but really I’m in this alone. The pain, the fear, they’re consuming, and I’m infinitesimal, insignificant: a violet in the middle of nowhere."
But this is no ordinary kidnapping. The cabin is a prison disguised as a vacation rental. The fridge is stocked with sparkling water, fresh fruit, cheese and yogurt as if the kidnapper knows what she likes. There are new clothes and lavender soaps and lotions, lovely touches sprinkled throughout captivity. But why?
"The twenty-first century is nothing but a goddamn nightmare."
I am still trying to wrap my head around this story. What a wild ride! What begins as an intriguing thriller revolving around a kidnapping soon turns completely bananas! I can't say too much more without spoilers but suffice it to say this was a completely unique spin on the thriller genre involving science fiction aspects and a fascinating look at the mind's capabilities.
Violet and Bud were great characters and I enjoyed learning about their histories and experiences and about what brought them to the present. Despite living completely different lives, they had a great connection filled with snarky banter, dark humor and trust and respect. I never stopped rooting for them as they tried to solve this mystery to help Violet escape. When I reached the end, I felt a sadness at how the story had resolved but the final unexpected twist made it a worthwhile conclusion.
"What wouldn’t you do for life? What wouldn’t you do for love? What wouldn’t you do for freedom?"
** Special thanks to Mirror House Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Quotes subject to change at time of publication. Available September 22, 2022. **
July 18, 2025
3.5 stars
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6FTd6RE/
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6FTd6RE/
March 3, 2023
In the immortal words of Walt Longmire... "Boy, howdee!". This was a strange book. None of my suspicions about what was going on turned out to be even close. But that's not surprising, as you'll see if you read the book. It's not something that most people would ever figure out.
It starts out with a somewhat conventional premise... a woman wakes up a prisoner in a strange place and has no idea how she got there. She was left a note saying only that she has a simple phone that can only call one person, someone she doesn't know at all, and, it turns out, the guy doesn't know anything either. She has a few days to figure out what their connection is. To start with, she suspects him of being involved, and he suspects her of being crazy. But he's a good guy, and tries to help.
At one point early on, she is describing her first terrifying encounter with the (apparent) kidnapper in the cabin. The following is from the guy's point of view...
His first answer was "Sounds terrifying", but fortunately, she didn't notice his sarcasm.
The story was going along normally, seeming to get to a conclusion, and then it just started going nonlinear, and it was anybody's guess what was going to happen. I was disappointed in the actions of the protagonists at the end, but I'm not really sure how I feel about what happened. However, I don't want to give anything away, so you'll just have to read it for yourself.
It starts out with a somewhat conventional premise... a woman wakes up a prisoner in a strange place and has no idea how she got there. She was left a note saying only that she has a simple phone that can only call one person, someone she doesn't know at all, and, it turns out, the guy doesn't know anything either. She has a few days to figure out what their connection is. To start with, she suspects him of being involved, and he suspects her of being crazy. But he's a good guy, and tries to help.
At one point early on, she is describing her first terrifying encounter with the (apparent) kidnapper in the cabin. The following is from the guy's point of view...
“He had a bandanna over his face, but I’m sure it’s the same guy who kidnapped me. He put a gun to my head, made me turn around and put my hands on the kitchen counter, and he—he—”
I brace myself, shaking my head, waiting to hear some horror. “It’s okay, Violet. Go on. You can tell me.”
“He—brought in groceries, restocked the fridge. Lugged in two fans and plugged them in. Asked if that made the temperature better.”
Her words settle between us, bewildering me.
“Wait … what?” I ask.
“Then he was gone. He said ‘Take care’ and left. I watched him drive away, screaming after him. He didn’t stop.”
I wait all twisted up for her to explain how he beat her, assaulted her, hurt her. But the silence drags on as she sniffles on the line.
“That’s it?” I ask slowly. “He restocked your groceries and brought you some fans and … left? I mean—‘Take care?’”
“I was so scared,” she says.
His first answer was "Sounds terrifying", but fortunately, she didn't notice his sarcasm.
The story was going along normally, seeming to get to a conclusion, and then it just started going nonlinear, and it was anybody's guess what was going to happen. I was disappointed in the actions of the protagonists at the end, but I'm not really sure how I feel about what happened. However, I don't want to give anything away, so you'll just have to read it for yourself.
May 13, 2023
You let me down again Goodreads! This book was HORRIBLE!
It's similar to when someone is telling a story and takes forever to get to the point, once the point is made you're left feeling underwhelmed and wanting the last 10 minutes (in this case several hours) of your life back.
I can't tell you one thing I was excited about when reading the book.
The ending was so unrealistic even from a fictional standpoint. Why not just have the implant override the brain functions and trap you in your mind rather than say your state of being is swapped with a computer program and now you live in a virtual black box. It was stupid and underwhelming.
I also wasn't thrilled at how often the writer had Bud drink and then drive under the influence. It happened a lot during the reading and I really feel it could have been left out. I understand Bud dinks to excess, but it still irked me.
The authors writing style is nice and the book reads well, I just hated the story and how long it took for something to happen within the storyline.
It's similar to when someone is telling a story and takes forever to get to the point, once the point is made you're left feeling underwhelmed and wanting the last 10 minutes (in this case several hours) of your life back.
I can't tell you one thing I was excited about when reading the book.
The ending was so unrealistic even from a fictional standpoint. Why not just have the implant override the brain functions and trap you in your mind rather than say your state of being is swapped with a computer program and now you live in a virtual black box. It was stupid and underwhelming.
I also wasn't thrilled at how often the writer had Bud drink and then drive under the influence. It happened a lot during the reading and I really feel it could have been left out. I understand Bud dinks to excess, but it still irked me.
The authors writing style is nice and the book reads well, I just hated the story and how long it took for something to happen within the storyline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2025
This was so boring for the majority of it and when you finally get to the "interesting" part, it was a tad embarrassing that that was the ending, but what do I know...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews