Thirst by Thierry Sagnier

                                                         
SYNOPSIS:

A  fortune in drugs is missing.Finding them starts with finding her.

Colin isn’t a cop. Joe is, but isn’t up for this. Mamadou was an excellent police officer back in Senegal, but in Washington DC he drives a limo. Josie’s just a girl—a recovering crack addict fed up with her parents and with Herbie, her boyfriend. She’s planning on giving him a piece of her mind. Trouble is, Herbie stole a shipment of drugs, and now he’s dead. And let’s not forget Mollie Catfish… 

Now the Zulu wants his drugs, Mamadou wants revenge, Joe just wants to do his job for once, and Colin wants to save his girlfriend’s daughter. All Josie wants is to remember what Herbie might have told her, what the Zulu insists she knows. If she doesn’t—she’s dead too. 

Mollie? She wants it all. 

Behind the polished marble of Washington DC, lies dark alleys where everyone thirsts for something. 

“Sagnier builds characters as solid, gritty, and as broken as a DC street, with prose lights up like monuments on a starry night.” — Michael J. Sullivan, best-selling author of The Riyria Revelations

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

Loads of characters, suspense and somehow, it's all woven into one cohesive story.    Sometimes you read a book with a lot of characters and points of view and it feels choppy and you wonder what each chapter has to do with the overall book.   Thirst is not like that.   Chapters were presented from various points of view, from multiple characters, but Sagnier writes so straightforward, there is little confusion and somehow it all culminates into the aha moments appropriately and brilliantly.   Maybe that occurred for me because I did complete the read in two sittings.  I was hooked immediately.

The story twists and weaves between the lives of the multiple characters.....all of whom are as troubled as real people.....all of whom are consumed with the fails of humanity.  Colin is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober for 10 years, but what he encounters in helping his lover find her daughter is enough to cause serious falling from the wagon.    For every individual encountered, there is an agenda, be it hidden or exposed.

I feel inadequate to convey what I felt about this story.   I appreciated the grip the book provided,   enjoyed the twists and turns, never saw the outcome coming and felt character development was a really strong feature.   I look forward to reading more of Sagnier's work.

I rated this a 4 wink read.

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.

The Wilderness of Ruin by Roseanne Montillo--A Review

 SYNOPSIS:

In late nineteenth-century Boston, home to Herman Melville and Oliver Wendell Holmes, a serial killer preying on children is running loose in the city--a wilderness of ruin caused by the Great Fire of 1872--in this literary historical crime thriller reminiscent of The Devil in the White City.

In the early 1870s, local children begin disappearing from the working-class neighborhoods of Boston. Several return home bloody and bruised after being tortured, while others never come back.

With the city on edge, authorities believe the abductions are the handiwork of a psychopath, until they discover that their killer--fourteen-year-old Jesse Pomeroy--is barely older than his victims. The criminal investigation that follows sparks a debate among the world's most revered medical minds, and will have a decades-long impact on the judicial system and medical consciousness.

The Wilderness of Ruin is a riveting tale of gruesome murder and depravity. At its heart is a great American city divided by class--a chasm that widens in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1872. Roseanne Montillo brings Gilded Age Boston to glorious life--from the genteel cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill to the squalid, overcrowded tenements of Southie. Here, too, is the writer Herman Melville. Enthralled by the child killer's case, he enlists physician Oliver Wendell Holmes to help him understand how it might relate to his own mental instability.

With verve and historical detail, Roseanne Montillo explores this case that reverberated through all of Boston society in order to help us understand our modern hunger for the prurient and sensational.

The Wilderness of Ruin features more than a dozen black-and-white photographs.

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

This was indeed a book of a different sort, and as a result, I am very torn in my review of the book.  It was definitely a historic look back into the 1800's of Boston and to the life and times of Jesse Pomeroy....a child serial killer when barely more than a child himself.  

The story of Jesse Pomeroy was most disturbing and truly sad.  I would have preferred that Montillo  provide an in depth work on what causes a person to be without remorse or to be so vicious.  And I was convinved there would be more to Pomeroy's story than rotting in prison or a mental institution.   But, his story was but a small part of this book.    The tale went from Pomeroy to various authors of the day, Herman Melville, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Nathaniel Hawthorne....the more famous authors of the day.  Although for myself, I enjoyed this glimpse into the lives and times of these authors, I saw very little relevance for them appearing in the book.   The connection with the Pomeroy boy was minimal and fruitless at best.

Montillo does have a very interesting writing style and her work flows smoothly and is easily read.  It was obvious that she thoroughly researched her topic.   If success is measured by how long a book stays with you, I am sure this one will be in some far recess for the remainder of my life and for that, I am rating the read a 3.5 Winks!

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.

A Beautiful Taste by Lilliana Anderson--A Review

SYNOPSIS:

It's never easy to go back. That's something chef, Bradley Rae is sweating bullets about as the date of his school's kayaking team reunion draws near. When his friend and teammate, Elliot Roberts, convinces him to go, he thinks he'll be fine going back there. After all, chances are, she won't be there at all. It’s been almost ten years. Maybe she she’s moved away. Maybe he won’t see her at all...

Dakota Morgan is a girl with many regrets, and Bradley Rae is on top of that list. You see, she did something - she didn't wait five minutes, and that tiny amount of impatience changed the course of her life forever. 

When her father sets up a fundraising reunion for their family owned kayaking club, her heart beats out of control when she sees Brad's name on that list. Part of her wants to refuse to go so she doesn't have to face him. But a larger part of her needs to see him, even if it's just a window into what might have been...

When Brad and Dakota meet again, will sparks fly, or will the past remain firmly in the past? And what about secrets? Can they survive the reality of what that one split decision, made all those years ago, has done? Or will they let it all go again?


FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

Well don't you just love the cover on this book?    I could get lost in the cover alone, allowing my imagination to take a romp.

Anderson's a Beautiful Taste is a part of six books in the Beautiful series, but can definitely be read as a stand alone and is considered contemporary romance or YA .   As romance stories go, it is a lovely tale and I was hopelessly in love with both characters, although  Brad Rae?    Big Swoon!

The characters were very well developed and fleshed out.  The story moved at a good pace with several surprises along the way.   And it ended at a good place.   I had not intended to finish the story in one sitting, but I found myself doing exactly that, totally intriqued and invested by the story at hand.

If you love romance, try Anderson's, A Beautiful Taste.    It'll surely warm your cockles on a lazy afternoon!

I rated this a 4 Wink Read!

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.

April Reading Recap

April was a particularly fast moving month and between great spring weather including lotsa sunshine, it was a difficult month for me to read.    So this month's recap is only five books.

Paranormal and western romance, (see above)

More fantasy which I loved!

 Young adult/dystopian from three Dutch authors

Last but not least, I read an exciting work by a new author, suspenseful spy thriller!

Hopefully next month will be more of a reading month, but I have some really thick books to read in May.

Happy Reading my friends!

Miss Beth

Death Wish by Megan Tayte--A Review

SYNOPSIS:

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE. 

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint? 

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. Butsuicide? It makes no sense. 

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need. 

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power. 

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death. 

To believe the impossible. 

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

I don't read a lot of paranormal/fantasy, but I loved, loved, loved Death Wish by Megan Tayte.  I will be in for the  whole five book series and see where she leads us.

I hope that every one of the five books can live up to the first installment.   I can already tell that this will be a tearjerker for me.

The best part of any book is if it can make you feel something or provoke you to think.  Tayte's Death Wish, actually did both.  There is a storyline about the suicide of her sister and how unbelievingly shocking it was to all who knew her.  (Thinking provoked).    There is an additional storyline about Luke and Scarlett's budding romance...(depth of feelings provoked).    The story just grabs you and holds you until you reach that final page.
  
Tayte developed characters that you loved in Luke, Cara, Scarlet and Jude.
Scarlet's mom made my eyes roll to the point I wanted to smack her.  Yes, lots of feelings were provoked.    I loved the fact Scarlet was new to Twycombe, but easily found friendship in this town and the surfers who surfed and partyed along it's shores.

Nearing the end of book one we finally learn the destiny  that is to be Scarlet's
and that was the second heartache in this captivating fantasy.   I have purchased the second book in the series, (Forget Me Not) and will probably read and review it next month;   I can not escape the thoughts returning to Death Wish and the longing to know the (rest of the story).

I rated this a 5 Wink read!  It definitely stole some sleep.

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.

DEFIANT by Mara Li, Jen Minkman, and Lis Lucassen-- A Review

SYNOPSIS:

What can you do when the society you live in isn’t as good and grand as people want you to believe? For Emma, Leia, and Justa, there is only one way to survive – by being defiant.


Three young adult authors from the Netherlands use their storytelling talents to explore worlds where nothing is as it seems and no one is truly safe.


The Red Messenger

Some things are better left unsaid – or unquestioned.

When Emma finds a mysterious note in a coat that once belonged to her twin sister Sophia, the words written on it won’t leave her alone: “The Angel has come”. Angels are a part of forbidden folklore, remnants of the old Jewish religion that was banned by the Realm long ago. Sophia had secrets she never shared with Emma, and they demand to be unraveled. Now, Emma’s quest will change her world forever.


The Island

Leia lives on the Island, where children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are only ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. No one wants to – because the Fools living in the west, behind the wall, are deluded and believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.

But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?


The Tribunal

When Justa is summoned for jury duty in the Tribunal, she is sure of one thing: she needs to stick to the rules in order to get her best friend’s murderer convicted. In her society, jurisdiction is infallible. The choice ahead of her seems clear – but soon, Justa is forced to choose between justice and lies. Will she use her head over her heart, or will Aron, the accused who dares to look at her with such disdain in his eyes, change her mind for good? 

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

When I was offered the opportunity to read Defiant, a collection of three Dutch author's young adult work, I was thrilled to do so.    I have been enamoured with the thoughtful approach Jen Minkman takes in her writing and I was hungry to try some other Dutch authors as well.   I was not disappointed in any of the stories in this collection.

All three stories had one thing in common and that was the beliefs that their lives were as they were meant to be.   They believed in their governments and societys' propaganda and had no idea, there were other ways to live or believe...until they were startled into realizing another perspective existed.   At that point the main characters were faced with decisions.   Would they remain loyal to their way of life or would they challenge themselves for more?

All three writer's presented unique stories and characters...characters who were very easy to empathize with and root for their success.

If you like a read that makes you think and invites you into it, this anthology may be just what you need to read.

I rated this a 5 wink read.

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.

Deadly by Sylvia McDaniel-- A Review

 SYNOPSIS:

Meg McKenzie has been responsible for her sisters since she was twelve when her mother died. While she longs to have a normal life like all young women, she must dress in pants and take on a man’s job as a bounty hunter in order to provide for her sisters. In this western historical romance, she has her pistols set on one last bounty to pay off the farm and began to live her dream. But one man stands in her way. One man that can’t see past her bounty hunter façade to see the true woman inside.

Sheriff Zach Gillespie has a secret. In the small Texas town of Zenith, there is only one woman who could calf rope his heart. Unfortunately, Meg McKenzie has the opportunity to expose his secret to the world. In the past, she’d already left him vulnerable, naked, and tied up and now she’s on the prowl again. He must choose what kind of man he is, a law-abiding sheriff or an on the run outlaw. Will her belief in him lead him down the right path? Will she give him a second chance to show he’s the only man for her?

FROM MY MIND'S EYE:

My mom prefers light hearted romance novels.    I love a good mystery with some romance added in.   But I also like to explore other genres as well.  Sylvia McDaniel brings both a mystery and a romance read to the first tale in the Lipstick and Lead series...Deadly.

Think three daughters, basically raised by a single father, who happens to be a bounty hunter.   Then one day they loose their daddy and are left to their own devices and the knowledge of bounty hunting he left them with.   Deadly is the story of the oldest girl Meg, the reluctant bounty hunter.

McDaniel lends real quality to her characterizations through her story.   There is humor in her work as both main characters struggle for the upper hand in bringing a bad guy to justice.  These characters have misunderstood one another for quite some time and there is a lot of growing tension and frustration between them.

Although I prefer a romance with quite a bit less sexual explicitness, I found the twists within the story enjoyable and the overall story fun and enjoyable.

I rated this a 4 Wink read.

 Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.  I received a copy of this book from the author or their representative in exchange for an honest review.