Review: Stillhouse Lake (Gwen Proctor #1) by Rachel Caine

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

Review

I decided to read this book on impulse. It wasn’t on my TBR but I saw a raving review by Yvonne and knew that I had to check it out. Luckily, my NetGalley request was quickly approved. This book has one of the best prologues that I have ever read. It was so intense that I just had to know how the story would go. Needless to say, the book maintained the same pace throughout.

I really like the setting of the book. Stillhouse Lake is the kind of setting that feels like a character in itself. There is the lake and as always,  still waters hold secrets. I just knew that something would happen there. The characters added to the intrigue of the town. I don’t want to reveal much about the plot so I won’t say much about the characters. However, let me just mention that they were well-crafted. In addition, the author portrayed them in a manner that made it hard to pick out the villain(s).

The mystery in the book heightened after the discovery of a body in the lake. I just kept watching and waiting for something bad to happen. I was nervous and my mind was running wild trying to guess the killer. I mean, Gwen’s ex is in jail so who did it? At some point, everyone including the kids, the sheriffs, neighbors, and random strangers online seemed like suspects. The odd thing about this book is that I actually accurately guessed the identity of the villain(s) at some point. However, the author convinced me that I was wrong. She cleverly twisted the plot such that I started suspecting other people so I was still shocked by the reveal. I didn’t expect it when it happened and seriously thought it was perfect.

Now the ending. Good Lord! The final lines of this book had me hooked. I quickly turned the page to see if there is more but there wasn’t. I was haunted by that ending especially since it took a while before I found out that this is actually the first book in a series. I am so excited because I have only read one psychological thriller and this one is off to a great start. I hope the second book will be out soon.  I recommend this one to all fans of psychological thrillers.

WWW Wednesday #July 26

This meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words

To take part all you need to do is answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So here’s my 3 W’s for the week.

Recently Finished

 

Leopard at the Door by Jennifer McVeigh

This was a suspenseful, engaging read with very memorable characters. If you are interested in historical fiction set in Africa then I definitely recommend this book. Lovers of Kenyan literature will also enjoy it. If you read it, let me know, I would love to discuss it with you. You can read my review here.

 

The Still House Lake by Rachel Caine

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

This was an impromptu ARC read. I read Yvo’s (It’s All About Books) review and was immediately intrigued. I read the book over the weekend and was definitely impressed. My review will be up on Friday.

 Currently Reading

Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa to the West

In Memoirs of a Muhindi, Mansoor Ladha bears witness to what happens when nations turn against entire religious and ethnic groups. When, in 1972, Ugandan president Idi Amin expelled Africans of Indian descent from the country, he unleashed an intolerance that set off an exodus from the entire region. In Tanzania and Kenya, businesses were nationalized, properties taken, people harassed, and livelihoods upended. Mansoor Ladha, who was living in Nairobi at the time, had to decide whether to stay or leave. Canada became his new home–where he found considerable success, as did the rest of the Ismaili community–while East Africa never recovered from its fit of bigotry.

I really wanted to read this memoir. It is partly set in Kenya and tells stories of a history that I don’t know much about. However, I am having a difficulties with it. It’s hard to criticize a memoir, I mean that is someone’s life but I just can’t connect with this one as far as the writing and the stories themselves. I am also usually keen on representation especially of ethnicity. The representation of Africans (blacks) in this memoir is just off. For the most part, it is offending. Not sure whether to keep reading or just admit defeat at this point.

 

Unsub by Meg Gardiner

Caitlin Hendrix has been a Narcotics detective for six months when the killer at the heart of all her childhood nightmares reemerges: the Prophet. An UNSUB—what the FBI calls an unknown subject—the Prophet terrorized the Bay Area in the 1990s and nearly destroyed her father, the lead investigator on the case.

Twenty years later, two bodies are found bearing the haunting signature of the Prophet. Caitlin Hendrix has never escaped the shadow of her father’s failure to protect their city. But now the ruthless madman is killing again and has set his sights on her, threatening to undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession.

Determined to decipher his twisted messages and stop the carnage, Caitlin ignores her father’s warnings as she draws closer to the killer with each new gruesome murder. Is it a copycat, or can this really be the same Prophet who haunted her childhood? Will Caitlin avoid repeating her father’s mistakes and redeem her family name, or will chasing the Prophet drag her and everyone she loves into the depths of the abyss?

I am excited about this one. It has taken quite some time to get to it but I am glad that I finally get to read it. I plan to start reading it this week.

Reading Next

My next books are both historical fiction. One set in South Africa and the other in Indiana in the 1950s.

The Lost History of Stars by David Boling

In turn-of-the-century South Africa, fourteen-year-old Lettie, her younger brother, and her mother are Dutch Afrikaner settlers who have been taken from their farm by British soldiers and are being held in a concentration camp. It is early in the Boer War, and Lettie’s father, grandfather, and brother are off fighting the British as thousands of Afrikaner women and children are detained. The camps are cramped and disease ridden; the threat of illness and starvation are ever present. Determined to dictate their own fate, Lettie and her family give each other strength and hope as they fight to survive amid increasingly dire conditions.

Brave and defiant, Lettie finds comfort in memories of stargazing with her grandfather, in her plan to be a writer, and in surprising new friendships that will both nourish and challenge her. A beautiful testament to love, family, and sheer force of will, The Lost History of Stars was inspired by Dave Boling’s grandfather’s own experience as a soldier during the Boer War. Lettie is a figure of abiding grace, and her story is richly drawn and impossible to forget

Alphonse by Carl Sever

After twenty years of riding the rails, Alphonse has earned a reputation for being a kindhearted soul always ready to help. When he helps the Sadlers, a young couple seeking a better life in small-town 1950s Indiana, he doesn’t intend to stay. But stay he does, keeping a close eye on the Sadlers and their two young sons—and an even closer eye on the town’s new priest, Father Brennon. On the surface, Brennon seems perfect for the job—but Alphonse crossed paths with him years earlier in the railyard jungle, and he knows better. Brennon doesn’t recognize Alphonse, but Alphonse has never forgotten Brennon . . . or his crimes. So when Brennon assigns the Sadlers’ son, Francis, who is now thirteen, the thankless task of cleaning and maintaining the church’s bell tower—work that often continues into the night—Alphonse immediately grows suspicious. Soon, he discovers that his worst fears have come to pass, and he races to find a way to protect Francis and reveal the truth to the Sadler family.

So what are you reading? Let me know in the comments section.

Happy Reading!

 

 

The Serial Killer’s Daughter by Lesley Welsh

Charmer, liar, father… Killer.
Suzanne’s life changes forever the day she receives a visit from Rose Anderson, the woman who has been living with her estranged father, Don.

Don is dead, but Rose wants Suzanne to have his possessions – including a series of intimate diaries and a mysterious collection of photographs of women.

To Suzanne’s shock, one of the photos is of her friend Sophie, who died ten years ago in an unexplained and devastating fire.

But Don only met Sophie once, on an unsettling visit he paid Suzanne just days before Sophie’s death… So why did he have a picture of her?

Unable to let Sophie’s memory alone, Suzanne begins to dig into her father’s life. What horrors is she about to unearth in his journals? And who is it that’s out there, watching her every move?

Review

I guess it is no secret that I read a lot of serial killer stories. I am interested in knowing how their minds work and how those around them deal with having a killer in their lives. Do they know that their loved one is a monster?  I am also curious about the nature vs nurture debate when it comes to criminal psychology. Needless, to say, I knew I had to get a copy of this book immediately I saw the title.

The story is about Suzanne’s dad who has recently found out about her dad’s death. In his death, he left behind a notebook, some money and photographs. These items spark Suzanne’s interest to unravel the mystery about her father. A man she hardly knew but her childhood memories still remind her that he was an odd person.

The story is mainly narrated through Suzanne’s perspective. I liked her characterization and especially the complexity of her family’s background. She was strong and persistent in her search for answers. As readers, we get to know her mother, Joan briefly but she is another character who interested me. I liked her back-story. Another POV that we get is from Don. This is mainly through notebooks.

I thought that the pacing of the story was pretty good. It was non-stop action from the first to the last chapter. There were discoveries and twists along the way that helped moved the story along. The characters were also very well crafted. Don’s narrations were chilling and quite interesting. He was quite a twisted character.

Nevertheless, I think I was expecting something different when I picked the book. I wanted a psychological thriller but instead got more of an action-packed novel. I am in the minority in this regard though since most reviewers loved this book but for me, there was something that was missing. I feel like this is the kind of book that would make a great movie though. In the end, I liked the book but I didn’t love it.

The Breakdown by B. A Paris

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

Review

The Breakdown by B.A Paris is one book that I couldn’t wait to read this year. Behind Closed Doors is one of my favorite thrillers and so when I saw that Paris had written a new book, I just knew that I had to get it. The story begins on a cold stormy night when Cass is driving home through a wooded, scheduled road when she sees a ‘stranded’ woman in a car. A series of events occur leading her to leave the woman behind only to wake up the next day and the woman is dead.

The entire story revolves around Cass whose world quickly disintegrated after the encounter with the murdered woman. A lot goes on including a possible stalking and an early onset-dementia. With her failing memory, Cass became an unreliable narrator. She did things that didn’t make sense and her memory kept slipping. I thought her character was quite sympathetic but I just couldn’t figure out what was real and what wasn’t around her. I knew that there was more to the story but couldn’t guess what was happening.

This book wasn’t twisty. As a matter of fact, it felt like nothing much was happening especially since most of the story revolved around Cass and her thoughts about events around her and the murder. Another thing that bugged me was the coincidences. I really wasn’t convinced by some of the things that happened around the big reveal. They felt a bit convenient. Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop reading the book. I know that sounds confusing but it is true. The writing was addictive such that the issues that bugged me didn’t affect my reading experience much.

The final 100 pages were even more addictive especially after the big twist. I had accurately guessed part of the reveal and motive but not the entire twist. Certain characters changed from the role of victims to the avengers which I thought was exciting. In the end, the reveals were not shocking as in BCD but this was still an entertaining read.

 

 

WWW Wednesday #July 19th

This meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. To take part all you need to do is answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So here’s my 3 W’s for the week.

Recently Finished

A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’Silva– This ended up being of the most beautiful books that I have ever read. It is set in India and it tells stories of two women from two different cultures, India and England. You can read my review here.

All Good Things by Claire Fisher – I was expecting something different when I picked this book although I did end up liking it in the end. Here is my review.

The Breakdown by B. A Paris – I just finished reading this book on Sunday evening and am still confused about it. I have never described a book as being underwhelming but that is the word that comes to mind when I think of this book despite the fact that I liked it enough to read it in just one sitting.

Currently Reading

The Serial Killer’s Daughter by Lesley Welsh

Charmer, liar, father… Killer.

Suzanne’s life changes forever the day she receives a visit from Rose Anderson, the woman who has been living with her estranged father, Don. Don is dead, but Rose wants Suzanne to have his possessions – including a series of intimate diaries and a mysterious collection of photographs of women.

To Suzanne’s shock, one of the photos is of her friend Sophie, who died ten years ago in an unexplained and devastating fire. But Don only met Sophie once, on an unsettling visit he paid Suzanne just days before Sophie’s death… So why did he have a picture of her?

Unable to let Sophie’s memory alone, Suzanne begins to dig into her father’s life. What horrors is she about to unearth in his journals? And who is it that’s out there, watching her every move? 

I started the week with The Leavers by Lisa Ko which unfortunately didn’t work out for me. I was in the mood for a thriller so I decided to read The Serial Killer’s Daughter by Lesley Welsh. I am almost through with it. It wasn’t a thriller like I expected. Its more of action but its okay so will see how it ends.

Reading Next

Leopard at the Door by Jennifer McVeigh

After six years in England, Rachel has returned to Kenya and the farm where she spent her childhood, but the beloved home she’d longed for is much changed. Her father’s new companion—a strange, intolerant woman—has taken over the household. The political climate in the country grows more unsettled by the day and is approaching the boiling point. And looming over them all is the threat of the Mau Mau, a secret society intent on uniting the native Kenyans and overthrowing the whites.

As Rachel struggles to find her place in her home and her country, she initiates a covert relationship, one that will demand from her a gross act of betrayal. One man knows her secret, and he has made it clear how she can buy his silence. But she knows something of her own, something she has never told anyone. And her knowledge brings her power.

Have you ever anticipated and dreaded reading a book at the same time? I am very eager to read this book especially since it is set in Kenya. However, I am worried that my high expectations may not be met. Let’s see how it goes though.

So, what are you reading? Let me know in the comments section.

Happy Reading!

 

 

All the Good Things by Clare Fisher

Twenty-one year old Beth is in prison. The thing she did is so bad she doesn’t deserve to ever feel good again.

But her counsellor, Erika, won’t give up on her. She asks Beth to make a list of all the good things in her life. So Beth starts to write down her story, from sharing silences with Foster Dad No. 1, to flirting in the Odeon on Orange Wednesdays, to the very first time she sniffed her baby’s head.

But at the end of her story, Beth must confront the bad thing.

What is the truth hiding behind her crime? And does anyone-even a 100% bad person-deserve a chance to be good?

Review

I was expecting something different when I decided to get a copy of All the Good Things by Clare Fisher. Needless to say, this ended up being quite a surprise. I am not saying that it was bad; it was just different from what I would normally go for.

This is the story of Bethany who is currently incarcerated. However, this isn’t a story about life in prison. Instead, Beth has a counselor who challenged her to write down the story of her life and the god things that happened before the bad thing that got her arrested.

Beth tells different stories from her time in school to her first job and then motherhood. She has a lot of struggles that became clear from the first story. I can’t talk much about this without spoiling the book. However, her stories made me smile although most were really sad. Others were quite relatable like her first job at Odeon. This reminded me of my  first job at a clothing store next to the 20^th Century cinema in Nairobi.

This is a quiet book. There are no shocking revelations, twists or drama. However, the writing and the pacing fits the story. Nevertheless, there was a little tension as I was curious about the bad thing that Beth did. I wanted to know why she was in prison and I was also tempted to just skip to the end and find out. I didn’t do that. Instead, I walked the journey with Beth and found out why she did what she did. This made it easy to sympathize with her and understand her character.

The story is narrated through Beth’s PoV. Each chapter has a title. For example, ‘Flirting on Orange Wednesday’, ‘falling asleep with your legs tangled up with someone else’s…’ The titles make sense when you read the chapter. In addition, the chapters begin with Beth’s current life and then go back to an event in her past. I think that the structure worked out perfectly for the book.

Beth’s story is about self-discovery. It allows readers to also get to know her. I don’t think that I would have felt the way I did about her given the nature of her crime. However, understanding her made it easier to sympathize with her. This book is thought-provoking. Beth’s journey made me think about my own life. It also made me think about people serving time and how easy it is to judge them without knowing their story.  In the end, this was a deeply, moving story that I enjoyed reading.

A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’ Silva

How much would you sacrifice to save your family?

1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee plantation owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her.

Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live in isolation from her family…

Now. With her career in shatters and her heart broken by the man she thought was her future, Kayva flees from bustling Mumbai to her hometown. A crumbling temple has been discovered in a village nearby, along with letters detailing its tragic history – desperate pleas from a young woman called Gowri.

As Kavya learns of Gowri and Lucy’s painful story, she begins to understand the terrible sacrifices that were made and the decision the two women took that changed their lives forever. Can the secrets of the past help Kavya to rebuild her life?

Review

I started reading A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’ Silva on Tuesday morning before work. I read a few more chapters at lunch time and then a few more before bedtime. At 2:00am, I was woken up by the sound of dogs barking and couldn’t sleep again. So I decided to read a few more chapters and that is how I ended up staying up until 4:30am on a work night until I finished this book. It’s the kind of book that draws you in slowly such that when you aren’t reading it, you are thinking about it. It haunts you and occupies your thoughts. I thought about the characters throughout the day and even now that I have finished reading the book, I am still thinking about it.

The setting was magical. Anyone who knows me knows that I like books set in India. This country has such a rich culture and I have always been curious about it and its people. One thing that you need to know about Renita D’Silva is that she has a way with words. She can paint a picture with her words. She described India in a way that I have never read before. Everything came alive from the scents, sounds and the people. She even describes language in a way that gives it life. I have never heard of Kandhala but she made it hear it. I could see the characters and hear them. And India, my goodness. The bad and the good were captured in this book. The lush greenery , wild animals with elephants roaming the streets and tigers prowling the jungles, it felt magical.

However, not everything is magical and beautiful at the setting. There are a lot of ugly things going on. The story begins with Gowri, a young Indian girl full of dreams. She was smart, one of the best performing students at her school. Gowri had dreams of becoming a teacher. Her life drastically changed when a statute of a goddess was discovered in her father’s land. Gowri ends up being dedicated to the goddess. She lives in seclusion near the temple built for the goddess and spends her days serving the goddess and the priest at the temple. What is even worse, she has to serve the man who owns the land in which the goddess was found. The landlord buys Gowri and she becomes his property. He sleeps with her, gives her to his friends for their entertainment and pays her a sum of money which she gives her parents. At fourteen, Gowri is now a prostitute.

The other main character is an English lady, Lucy who ends up in India after marrying her new husband. Lucy has her own struggles but nothing compares to the havoc brought into her life after meeting Gowri. There are other two characters who are also narrators. Sue, an English woman who is recently widowed and Kayla, an Indian woman who is going through a difficult period. Other minor characters include Kayla’s mother and grandmother.

The story is narrated through the alternating POVs with Gowri and Lucy as the main characters. Gowri’s narrations are written as letters to the goddess. There are few chapters by Sue and Kayla. In addition, there are different timelines; Sue and Kayla are in the now. Gowri begins her narrations in 1928 and so did Lucy although at some point, alternating chapters had narrations of Gowri in 1928 and Lucy in 1929. All these elements are masterfully interwoven to create the masterpiece that this book is.

There are a number of heavy themes in the book including child prostitution and grief. Religion is also a theme and in this case, it is used to explain the circumstances around Gowri. The author did a fantastic job in explaining this religion. It is something unusual and hence not easy to understand. However, we don’t have to understand it. Instead, we just need to understand the impact that it had on the characters. We get to experience it through Gowri and in this way, what may otherwise seem ridiculous starts to make sense.

There is a lot that I can say about this beautiful story and the women at the heart of it. All the MCs were female hence making it even more special. They covered so many different aspects of a woman’s life such as mother and daughter relationships (the complicated kind), husband and wife, friendships between women. I feel like it was a relatable although quite emotional read. A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’Silva is the kind of book that I recommend to everyone. I wish my book-club could read it so that we can discuss the beauty of this book. I just want everyone to experience the book especially all women.

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them. Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

Review

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas starts with the story of Kacey, Bailey and Jade. The three are friends. Kacey is the new girl in town and the other two girls took her in and welcomed her into their circle. The story begins at an odd evening that I wasn’t quite sure what to think about until I got to the end of the book. However, right from the start, I was hooked to the story. There was something unsettling about the events taking place. I didn’t know who to trust and just kept feeling that something sinister was going on. This made it very hard to put down the book until I got to the end.

The missing girl is at the center of the story. An investigation is ongoing and its hard to guess exactly what happened to Bailey. The evidence seems a bit all over(random) hence making everyone a suspect. In addition, there is a diary by Bailey. This diary holds what seems to be the most important clues of the mystery. It surprised me because I assumed that it would just be musings of a teenage girl. However, through the pages, shocking secrets are revealed.

This is a book about secrets and obsession. It is compared to Pretty Little Liars and it is easy to see why. Readers get totally immersed into the world of teenage girls and their secret lives. There are  usual issues with school, boys and parents.  There are also forbidden parties and girls sneaking out of home in the middle of the night. However, with these teens, the lies are bigger. There is a lot of scheming behind the scenes.

An interesting setting is one of the key aspects that makes me enjoy a book. In this case, it was brilliant. The story is set in the kind of town shrouded in secrets and best of all, urban legends. There are people who believe that there is a lady haunting an old barn. This isn’t a supernatural story but I liked the urban legend and how it added to the mystery of the story.

This ended up being a quick, fun read. There are sessions of the book that felt a bit slow since nothing much was happening but the writing kept me going. Kara has a way of pulling you into the story and making you feel like you are part of it. I wasn’t able to totally guess the ending so that is something else that I liked. If you enjoy YA mysteries then this is definitely a book for you.

WWW Wednesday #July 12

This meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

To take part all you need to do is answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So here’s my 3 W’s for the week.

Recently Finished

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident. But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

 

I finished reading this book on Monday night though I am yet to write the review. It has been a while since I read a YA mystery. Look out for my review this coming Friday.

 

Currently Reading

A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’Silva

1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee plantation owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her.Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live in isolation from her family…

Now. With her career in shatters and her heart broken by the man she thought was her future, Kayva flees from bustling Mumbai to her hometown. A crumbling temple has been discovered in a village nearby, along with letters detailing its tragic history – desperate pleas from a young woman called Gowri. As Kavya learns of Gowri and Lucy’s painful story, she begins to understand the terrible sacrifices that were made and the decision the two women took that changed their lives forever. Can the secrets of the past help Kavya to rebuild her life?

I am just a few pages in. The setting is lovely as usual. I love books set in India. However, this is already an emotional read and I have a feeling that it is about to get worse. Still very addictive tough.

Reading Next

All Good Things by Claire Fisher

Twenty-one year old Beth is in prison. The thing she did is so bad she doesn’t deserve to ever feel good again. But her counselor, Erika, won’t give up on her. She asks Beth to make a list of all the good things in her life. So Beth starts to write down her story, from sharing silences with Foster Dad No. 1, to flirting in the Odeon on Orange Wednesdays, to the very first time she sniffed her baby’s head.

But at the end of her story, Beth must confront the bad thing. What is the truth hiding behind her crime? And does anyone-even a 100% bad person-deserve a chance to be good?

 

The Breakdown by B. A Paris

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby. The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

I can’t wait to read these two books although they both have very mixed reviews.

So what are you reading? Let me know in the comments section.

Happy Reading!

 

Instagram

You are probably wondering…whats with the colorful/tablet pics Diana?  Right? You asked yourself that as soon as you saw this post, true? no?Okay, I will tell you  anyway.

I joined Instagram a while back and after lurking in the shadows for weeks wondering how comes everyone is so creative and just good at photography, I decided to try out some pics for bookstagram. I am not creative in that way and at first, it felt too intimidating. However, I have decided to just have some fun. The above are my first ‘instagramish’ pics. I know I will get it with time but I am just enjoying taking the pics rights now. Don’t laugh, I am a newbie at this 🙂

You can follow me here.

 Let me know if you are on instagram so that I can follow you. Where do you get your ideas/inspiration for your photos? Private or public account, which one is best? Any information will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

The Fourth Monkey by J.D Barker

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer’s identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

Review

I like a good serial killer mystery and so I knew that I had to read this one immediately I saw the blurb. I liked the idea of the story starting with the death of the killer. The mention of a personal diary had me even more intrigued. I knew it would be a very twisted tale and I was right.

The Fourth Monkey by J.D Barker begins with the death of the serial killer dubbed, The Fourth Monkey due to his MO. At the scene, investigators find clues about the killer’s latest victim and so begin the chase. In this case, they are looking for the final victim. One of the clues found at the scene is the killer’s diary. This introduces an additional narration by the unsub. It starts with a childhood event that helps readers understand the current events. This diary was dark, unsettling, twisted yet utterly captivating. I was engrossed by the narrative despite its horrors and kept looking forward to these sections. I am always curious about what makes a killer and I think this diary accurately explained this in this case.

The story is narrated in alternating POVs by the lead detective (Sam Porter), victim and also killer. I liked the fact that the characters were multi-dimensional. I enjoy reading stories about detectives who have a life outside the case because they seem more realistic. In this case, the lead detective is going through issues which add a second layer to the story although as a minor plot-line.

This book is dark yes, but also quite twisted. I really thought that I had figured out everything until the final big twist which left me in shock. I was tempted to go back to the start and see if there were clues that I had missed. At the same time, I couldn’t stop reading to find out what would happen next. The entire book is interesting but the final chapters are more addictive than the first ones. If you like a good crime thriller or serial killer mystery then this one is for you. It does get quite graphic at some point though so if you are squeamish then this might bother you. Rumors have it that there will be other books. Needless to say, I will definitely be waiting for them especially after reading the final chapter of this one.