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Reviews 2021
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March 2nd, 2021 Meeting Books / Reviews
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I am new to this group. I am an avid follower of your reviews on Goodreads. Would it be possible for me to see Jan. 2021 and Feb. 2021 previews?
Twenty years ago Emily Mills’s father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed. Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night—until an eerily similar murder brings it all back. It also brings FBI special agent Zander Wells to the Oregon logging town. As eager as he is to solve the brutal double slaying, he is just as intrigued with the mystery of Emily’s and her sisters’ past. When more blood is shed, Zander suspects there’s a secret buried in this town no one wants unearthed.
CHRISTINE – Good – The book was fine. She was confused by the car accident, but she enjoyed it overall. It didn't make her crazy.
CINDY – Okay - The book held a lot of promise; an interesting delving into the dark history of Oregon white supremacists. There were quite a few characters and for once I didn't get them confused. But, I didn't care about anyone, even Zander, who is our main guy. The writing style of her "romantic mystery" was bland, poorly developed and clunky. Emily and Zander look at each other and sparks fly but I didn't feel anything but I made it through so I am giving it an Okay.
DON – Good - I enjoyed this book as it had many female characters. It had that small town feeling of "many past secrets". The characters were believable, although the ending was "happily ever after"
GINNY – NR - Whomever wrote the synopsis on the back of this book did a good job because it piqued my curiosity. However, my curiosity in the story itself fell a little flat because I never connected to any of the characters. Racism is always a slippery slope when I read fiction but the lack of justice for the victims was dissatisfying. The romance was on a borderline teenage level, trite and unnecessary. It resulted in causing the book to drag.
KATIE – Poor - Stilted dialog and silly revelations of clues (person reveals family secrets buried for decades because they haven't had their coffee)? The author clearly wanted to take on big issues with white supremacy, but it ends up being "racism is bad and all, but let's get the detective a love story" plot that doesn't really grapple with the injustices it brings up.
JONI – Good - I enjoyed the setting as I spent one horrifically long year in Arcata. (I am so not rural and walks in the rainy, overcast woods have very limited appeal). I was unable to guess the ending which is always a bonus. The most interesting part for me was the nature of silence in families. Can’t tell you how many times my mother would say in answer to one of my questions, “You don’t need to know about it. It is depressing and/or not nice.” The role of the KKK was interesting although the racism seemed like more of a plot device rather than an effort to discuss meaningful social justice/change. The romance was totally romance-by-number. I would not read more.
MARCY S. – VG+ - I loved this book. I loved the descriptions of Oregon coastal scenery, the story drew me in and kept me reading, couldn't put it down. I liked the relevance to the racial issues we're dealing with today. I did wonder if the father might have been an FBI plant, but no such luck (probably more realistic and meaningful, the way it ended). I would like to read more by Kendra Elliot.
AVERAGE GROUP RATING: Good
THE GUEST LIST (Thriller-Ensemble-Ireland-Contemp) – Standalone – Lucy Foley
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed. And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
DON – DNR
GABRIEL – VG - I really liked it. I'd often be put off by a story where most of the characters are unlikable, and people turn on each other at what should be a happy occasion--but I liked it this time.
GINNY – NR - This book had been touted by enough by critics to the point I broke down and purchased it in hardback. Who wouldn’t be drawn to a gloomy, windswept, and dangerous atmosphere of an isolated island set Ireland! I had hoped for a quasi-Gothic-style narrative. It didn't happen. I didn't like any of the characters except Hannah and Aoife. The use of multiple viewpoints (1st and 3rd narrators), past and present confused me. Regarding the murder too few pages were dedicated to seeking the killer. Yuck! Happily, I donated the book to Goodwill.
HELEN – Poor - Unfortunately, this was not one of the better mysteries I've read. The plot was too predictable. The characters didn't help at all. The secondary characters are pretty flat. There were multiple plot holes, but I did like the changes between present and recent past, which fed you the mystery one bit at a time. This was really the only reason I made it all the way through this book. Speaking of the end, it was neither realistic nor satisfying.
JEANNE – DNF – Started it, but didn't finish it. None of the characters were likable.
KATHY – Good – It was a social comment on how much people with good looks and charm can get away with. It reminded her of Christie's "Orient Express," and "And Then There Were None." None of the characters were likable.
LINDA M. – EX - OMG, the building of suspense is masterful. I still had two hours left in the book, and I was saying things out loud like, “No! No!” And it felt certain that I must be close to the conclusion. It’s a bit like “Big Little Lies” in that we know from the beginning that something awful has happened. But what happened, to whom, and why is slowly teased and revealed. All the characters are well fleshed out and, to varying degrees, sympathetic. My first Lucy Foley. Not my last. Plus: Ireland! Five full edge-of-my-seat stars.
NANCY – Good - And for me is was just that; a good way to get back into the mystery genre. I did initially like the format of short well-defined chapters but that format became a bit tedious to and choppy as the book progressed. There’s only so much true character development that can be achieved this way. The best-developed characters were Jules, Olivia and the groom. I really didn’t care much about the one-dimensional and dumb-sounding groom, but did want to hear more about the two women from a psychological point of view. There could have been edifying details that weren’t just explored there. I did enjoy the ending although it did leave me feeling repeatedly excited but then repeatedly deflated & disappointed.
AVERAGE GROUP RATING: Okay
HUNTRESS MOON (Thriller-SA Matthew Roarke/San Francisco-Cont) – 1st in series – Alexandra Sokoloff
FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke is closing in on a bust of a major criminal organization in San Francisco when he witnesses an undercover member of his team killed right in front of him on a busy street, an accident Roarke can’t believe is coincidental. His suspicions put him on the trail of a mysterious young woman who appears to have been present at each scene of a years-long string of “accidents” and murders, and who may well be that most rare of killers: a female serial.
CINDY – VG - I got hooked and stayed with it. Lost some sleep reading into wee hours but it was worth it. Interesting to see a woman cast in this role. I liked how the author developed the characters slowly and drew comparisons between the main characters. Liked the theme of the monsters.
DON - G - This book was enjoyable though a bit forced at times. I enjoyed "Lady Death" and her "mission", albeit a bit of a stretch, to hunt Evil predators. Matthew was ok, but I didn't buy his over-empathizing with Lady Death. This plot/action of the book was very good at times, yet implausible at others.
GINNY - VG+ - A woman serial killer. Brilliant. The killer seemed to be part Stieg Larsson’s Lisabeth Salander
& Taylor Stevens’ Vanessa Michael Monroe-- lethal mix. Women damaged to the core and almost feral in nature: brilliant, intuitive, fierce, cunning, and with a chameleon like ability to disappear and reappear unseen. So cool. In fact, I can honestly say this is one book in which the killer was only character I liked. The book is a well- written crime novel. A real page turner. When I finished he book, I ordered the second one!
HELEN – Good - I really don't know whether I do or don't like this book. I think that depends on where the series goes. It certainly has potential. If the next couple of books are bold enough to go right into paranormal and Matt can decide for sure what side he's on, this could be the start to a decent series. I just hope it doesn't take too many more books for this to happen. Cara is an interesting character, and I enjoyed reading her point of view. Everything she does is logical, but that logic is based on a worldview that is fairly unlike an average adult. There is a whiff of paranormal in her behavior I wish Sokoloff would just go for it in the next book. There's plenty of creepy in a bad way in this book. I did like the side characters in this book, and I hope they get more face time in future books. I also hope the writing gets better in the next few books. There are far too many convenient happenings in this book. Overall, this is an entertaining read if you don't question what is going on and why, but it doesn't stand up to critical review.
KATIE – DNF - I made it 10 pages before being worn down by adjectives and the over-the-top description of the Tenderloin. I made it 10 pages before being worn down by adjectives and the over-the-top description of the Tenderloin.
KATHY – VG+ - She liked the development of the FBI agent. Since she has read the entire series, she really can't separate one book from the next. The changes in perspective were well done.
LJ – VG+ - What an intriguing book, and one where we keep off our guard from start to end. It's hard to say much without there being spoilers. Matthew Sloane is a driven character who we come to know in small bits. He is intuitive, yet logical; a perfect balance for someone in his job. But it's the female character who Sloan designates as "Lady Death," keeps us going. Initially, we don't know who the killer is, followed by the "ah-ha" moment, and the tension builds from there. The primary thing which did not ring true as Sloane, and FBI Agent, seemingly surprised by the idea of a female serial killer. He just couldn't be that naïve. Another slight miss was the inference of a supernatural element which was not developed. However, one thing to know is that this book, the first in the series, is rather a first chapter in one long book with an arching theme: Evil. The author's skill was clear in the progression of the killer. I don't recall an author being able to transition one's attitude toward a killer in the way Sokoloff did. "Huntress Moon" is not a perfect book. It does have some plot holes and weaknesses, but it is a page-turner and truly a popcorn book in that one won't be able to read just one. If you like the first, you will want to continue on.
AVERAGE GROUP RATING: G+