Cordelia Black has a stellar professional reputation selling pharmaceuticals and a very close friendship with her best friend from college and her friCordelia Black has a stellar professional reputation selling pharmaceuticals and a very close friendship with her best friend from college and her friend's daughter, whom she'd do anything for. However, she also has a secret: she's frustrated by the lack of justice for men who prey on women and kids, so she's taken matters into her own hands and makes these kind of monsters disappear. When her best friend starts dating a guy that Cordelia worries is a bad man and he starts to threaten Cordelia's secret, her life begins to spiral out of control as she struggles to hold together everything that she's worked for.
I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this book. After the first chapter or two, I debated just putting it down because it seemed dark (which I expected) and off-putting, but once the real plot got underway, I was really drawn into the story and had a hard time putting this down! It was weird because I was both rooting for Cordelia and not rooting for her; she's a complicated person, which I enjoyed, and I thought the author did a good job both making her ruthless and unlikeable while also making her vulnerable and sympathetic.
The second half of the book was, in my opinion, the strongest and most enjoyable part. As Cordelia's life begins to spiral out of control, the story became a kind of madcap romp that reminded me a lot of the humor in Dial A for Aunties except a bit darker. I sped through the pages, eager to see how it would end and unsure whether I was rooting for or against Cordelia being caught.
This is definitely not a book for everyone, considering the dark humor and occasionally bleak subject matter (nothing is overly gruesome or violent in here, but there are of course references to crimes and violence), but I found this a thrilling read and enjoyed it a lot more than I think I expected to!...more
4.5 stars. At a summer camp in the Adirondacks in 1975, the campers and counselors awake one morning to find a thirteen year old girl, Barbara, missin4.5 stars. At a summer camp in the Adirondacks in 1975, the campers and counselors awake one morning to find a thirteen year old girl, Barbara, missing from her bunk. Barbara isn't just any camper; she's the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp. Her brother similarly disappeared fourteen years earlier and has never been found. The counselors, the family, and the police begin a search, and the narration jumps around in time between a cast of characters as everyone tries to figure out what happened to Barbara and if it was related to what happened to her older brother.
This was exceptionally gripping! The narration jumped between a lot of characters, and the story really did go back and forth in time quire a bit, showing what happened in the past, what happened when Barbara was at camp, and then how the search for Barbara unfolds. I was worried that I'd have trouble keeping the characters apart because there were just so many different stories going on at once, but I ended up being equally intrigued by everyone and was able to keep everything straight in my head. The author did a great job of ending each chapter on enough of a cliffhanger or an exciting moment that I couldn't help but read on because I had to know what would happen next!
It was interesting to see how the locals and the rich families were portrayed in here, showing the big difference between those that worked at the summer camp or at the mansion, compared to how the rich owners lived. I related to the frustration and unhappiness that radiated off a lot of the characters because of what they felt were limitations on their lives and appreciated the thoughtful way in which they were depicted. Everything was just so well done!
The book ended in a satisfactory way, although I feel like there were some minor stories in here that could have had a more conclusive ending. I suppose that's how life goes, and I can't complain too much because the main storyline did get resolved and explained in a believable way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an engrossing thriller that has a large focus on the characters....more
Jason is a married physics professor who's happy with his life but gave up his research years ago to be with his wife and son. While out one night, heJason is a married physics professor who's happy with his life but gave up his research years ago to be with his wife and son. While out one night, he's kidnapped and made unconscious. When he wakes up, he's surrounded by people in hazmat suits, thrilled to see him. It's a completely different world, where he's still Jason but he has no wife or son and instead had spent years on his research, which created something that is completely upending his life. Now, he's desperate to get back to his family but doesn't know how to find them or how to make them believe what's going on.
This was great! The writing felt a little basic, but the story was so good and well told that I was hooked almost immediately and barely noticed the writing after that because I was so invested in the story. I don't want to spoil this for anyone who hasn't read it, so I'll just say that the plot in here was not just clever but really well thought out. I was riveted by the story and kept needing to read on to find out what would happen next. There was a nice twist along the way that made complete sense in hindsight but I didn't see coming, making the story even more fascinating and well-plotted. I'd easily recommend this to those who like sci-fi thrillers. So much of this story continues to run through my mind despite me finishing the book a few days ago! Definitely a good one....more
This book is set in the near future, when embryos can be created so long as you have DNA from two people. This has resulted in a black market platformThis book is set in the near future, when embryos can be created so long as you have DNA from two people. This has resulted in a black market platform called The Vault where celebrity DNA sells for a premium, and people can have babies with a celebrity so long as they're willing to pay for it and don't care about ethics. One celebrity, a singer named Thorne, hires a bio-security bodyguard named Ember to make sure he never leaves any DNA behind anywhere and that his DNA will never be up for sale. Then a woman shows up claiming to possibly be carrying a baby made from Thorne's DNA, and they start scrambling to figure out if this is true.
The premise of this book was so good. I was sucked into the story from the very start. There are three main characters and narrators in here: Ember, Quinn (the woman potentially carrying Thorne's baby), and Lily (a recent grad trying to become a journalist). I knew from the start that all the stories would intersect at some point, and they did so in such a great manner. I was riveted by the story and by each character, and I thought each had an equally strong narrative. The main story in here was strong, but each character also had secrets of their own or was dealing with others who were obviously keeping secrets, and I loved the way that all the mysteries unfolded. I had a really hard time putting this book down and just wanted to keep reading so I could find out what would happen next! ...more
Lowen is a writer who's had moderate success in publishing but is now struggling after taking time off to care for her mom before she died. She's apprLowen is a writer who's had moderate success in publishing but is now struggling after taking time off to care for her mom before she died. She's approached with an offer that seems almost too good to be true: unknown to the public, a bestselling author, Verity Crawford, is injured and incapacitated and is unable to complete the very popular series she'd been writing. Her publisher wants Lowen to complete the series, offering her a very generous compensation to do so. Lowen agrees, and she goes to Verity's house to review her documents and notes, trying to figure out how Verity planned to end the series. While there, however, she finds herself attracted to Jeremy, Verity's husband, and she also starts to feel that something's not right with what she's been told about Verity. Lowen can't tell if she's imagining things or if Verity really is more mobile and aware than everyone seems to think, and it's complicated further by Lowen finding a memoir that Verity clearly expected no one to ever read, a memoir that shares secrets about her marriage and her kids... secrets that might cause Jeremy to hate his wife if he ever found out.
This book was recommended to me by some coworkers after they found out I'd never read anything by Colleen Hoover. While I didn't find it to be one of the best books I've ever read, it was engrossing and interesting, despite the numerous times when I got mad at the main character for making one bad decision after another. It's always frustrating to read about characters making stupid decisions or characters who choose to ignore good advice, and that is exactly what happened time and time again in here. Nevertheless, I was hooked enough on the story and determined to read on, needing to know what would happen and what the truth really was.
I think this is classified as a thriller, but it wasn't creepy by any means and was more of a suspenseful romance. I didn't like Jeremy as a love interest. He was creepy, not at all enticing, and completely untrustworthy, so how did both Lowen and Verity fall head over heels for him? It reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey, where the love interest there was just gross and should have been shunned instead of celebrated. Not sure why men are written like this and fictional women fall in love with them, but ew. I kept getting annoyed with Lowen for being so crazy about Jeremy because it showed absolutely terrible judgment, but at the same time, she displayed terrible judgment throughout this book so this was nothing new.
The most interesting parts of the book for me were trying to figure out what was really going on with Verity and learning about her secret history through snippets of her secret memoir. I had no idea where the story was going, although I had my suspicions about some of the characters being guilty of something (I won't say more to avoid spoilers). The ending was surprising in some ways, disturbing in others, and yet somehow perfect for this book. Believable? No. I had massive questions about how certain things managed to be kept secret. But engaging? Yes. I hated all the characters by the end, yet the story was still interesting enough that I kept reading and I finished it with a lot of thoughts and questions about the ending.
I'm not sure if this book turned me into a huge fan or made me eager to read any of the author's other books, but I can certainly see why she's popular. This felt like an easy-to-read page turner where the reader doesn't have to think too much but keeps reading because you just have to find out what will happen. ...more
Antonia Scott is a police consultant (or maybe it's a more official role; I can't remember) with a mind that never forgets anything she's read; she's Antonia Scott is a police consultant (or maybe it's a more official role; I can't remember) with a mind that never forgets anything she's read; she's brilliant but has stopped working, or even interacting with anyone, after a personal tragedy. She gets roped into working on a new case by the organization, a shadowy but official organization that handles cases that shouldn't be solved through normal channels, and recently disgraced police officer Jon Gutierrez is directed to work alongside her. The son of a wealthy family has been found murdered, and then the wealthy daughter of a businessman is kidnapped, and somehow only Antonia is the one who can figure out the connection and find the culprit before it's too late.
This book started off really promising, albeit a bit unbelievable, but it sort of petered out as it went on. I found Antonia's capabilities fascinating and really enjoyed how resourceful and intelligent she was. Jon was also an interesting character since he was a smart police officer with a lot of empathy for people, but his heart clearly got in the way at times. I liked the way the two of them worked together and how they slowly unraveled the mystery around them as they both figured out various secrets. It was a nice pairing, and the mystery definitely kept me interested because I wanted to know who was behind this and why! I definitely was eager to keep reading without stop for the first half of the book as the tension built and the characters were developed.
The second half of the book, however, seemed to fall apart. The ending wasn't especially believable or satisfying (I can barely remember it at this point, and I just finished the book last night!), the character development started to taper off, and the story left me with a number of questions. There was so much symbolism and promise in the case to start, but it just felt pointless or gimmicky by the end. Even Antonia's mental abilities felt a little gimmicky by the end! This is the first book in a series, so I realize that not everything will be resolved in a single book, but I didn't finish this book feeling like I needed to read more of the series. ...more
Fusion is a new project being tested out, and ten people have been chosen as subjects. They're given a two hour head start, after which a company beinFusion is a new project being tested out, and ten people have been chosen as subjects. They're given a two hour head start, after which a company being considered for a CIA contract is going to use all their resources to find them, trying to prove that their new technology is able to find anyone within 30 days. If any of the "zeros," as they're called, manage to evade capture for 30 days, they will win $3M. Cy Baxter is the head of the company and is determined to get that contract no matter what; Kaitlyn Day is a librarian and one of the zeros who seems to know more about disappearing than she should, and she has her own reasons for playing this game that no one else knows about yet.
This was such an exciting read! The perspective moved between the Fusion headquarters and the zeros (mostly Kaitlyn, but there were also short chapters showing what happened to the other zeros and their own plans to avoid capture). It was a very high-stakes game of cat and mouse, and as the story went on, the stakes grew higher and higher, making me more and more engrossed in the story and eager to find out what would happen next!
There was a lot of discussion about various ways people can be tracked and surveillance techniques in here, and it definitely made me wonder how I'd have attempted to disappear, had I been selected to be one of the zeros. I imagine anyone reading this book will have the same musings! There was also a lot to digest about the corruption that power can bring about in people. I loved how the story in here started off in a fairly straightforward way, then became more and more complicated as secrets were revealed and people reacted to the other side. It kept the plot fresh throughout and the story exciting!...more
Claire is the wife of someone who comes from a powerful political family and seems to have it all, but she's actually miserable and controlled by her Claire is the wife of someone who comes from a powerful political family and seems to have it all, but she's actually miserable and controlled by her abusive husband. She wants to leave him and the perfect solution appears when she meets Eva at the airport. Eva is desperate to escape her own life for her own reasons. The two women switch tickets and board each other's flight. The flight Eva is on crashes while Claire makes it to California on Eva's intended flight. Claire realizes that with everyone assuming she's dead, this might actually be an opportunity for her to start fresh in Eva's life. But she quickly learns that Eva had secrets of her own and is still scared that her husband will find out she's still alive and come after her.
This book was told in alternative narratives, Claire narrating the current story and Eva's chapters describing her life leading up to their airport switch. Both women made for excellent main characters and I kept eagerly reading on, no idea what would happen next. The writing was excellent, the pacing was perfect, and the excitement was palpable. I also loved how this was very feminist-forward, doing a nice job of exploring the realities of different women and their power. This wasn't creepy at all but more psychological and twisty. I had no idea how this would end but the author did an excellent job keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end and wrapping everything up in a way that felt believable. I'm excited to read more from this author!...more
3.5 stars. Shea is a blogger who narrowly escaped a kidnapping when she was young and now runs a website devoted to cold cases. The most famous one in3.5 stars. Shea is a blogger who narrowly escaped a kidnapping when she was young and now runs a website devoted to cold cases. The most famous one in her hometown is from 40 years prior, when a young woman named Beth was accused of murdering two men for no apparent reason. She was acquitted and returned to her family home, where she's spent the last 40 years in relative quiet and the supposed real killer never caught. After a chance encounter, Shea asks if she can interview Beth, who surprisingly agrees to the request. Shea is thrilled to have a chance to actually crack a cold case, but as she spends more time with Beth, she senses that something is wrong in Beth's old house and can't tell if she's being manipulated or if she's onto something.
This started off promising. I was intrigued by both the present day and the historical mystery, and the narration jumped between the two in a way that kept me hooked and eager to read more after each chapter ended. The author did a great job leaving each chapter on a note that made me eager to turn the page... only for the point of view to change to the other woman, whose story I immediately got equally engrossed in and didn't want to leave. The writing was good, the mystery was solid, and I was definitely curious to see how everything would turn out.
While I think an equal amount of time was spent in both time periods, the old murders definitely were the main plot in here. I enjoyed the few twists that were in this book, not all of which I saw coming, and I felt like the answers slowly but surely unfolded in a way that kept the pace at a great clip. I enjoyed the actual reveal of what happened and what was going on. I expected a few additional twists and turns, which didn't happen, but I liked how everything played out.
What surprised me, perhaps more than it should have, was how this really was a ghost story and not just a story of Shea thinking the house seemed haunted but having a reasonable explanation for all the oddities. This kept me from liking the book quite as much as I wanted to, as I'd hoped for this to be even more clever and it felt like the whole "haunted" angle made it really easy to play everything off instead of providing explanations. That was my main complain about this book. My second complaint is that Shea's backstory wasn't as developed as it could have been. The main focus of the book is the story behind the murders that Beth is accused of committing and how she turned into the cold woman she became, but it felt odd that Shea's background was barely explored except to explain away some of her fears and oddities. I think I expected both stories to have a little more parity.
I enjoyed this overall and did like the mystery, but the supernatural element to it kept me from loving the book. I'd recommend this to someone looking for a thriller with a hint of ghosts. For those looking for a book completely grounded in the real world, this is probably not going to fit the bill!...more
3.5 stars. Ellice is a black corporate lawyer who shows up at the office early one morning for a meeting with her boss, Micheal, only to find his dead3.5 stars. Ellice is a black corporate lawyer who shows up at the office early one morning for a meeting with her boss, Micheal, only to find his dead body. She scurries away and lets someone else discover him and report it because she doesn't want her own secrets to come to light. Namely, she doesn't want anyone to find out that she'd been having an affair with that same boss (white and married) and she definitely doesn't want anyone digging into her own past. Ellice is promoted after his death and starts to realize that not everything is above board. It looks like Michael had secrets of his own that Ellice was not aware of, and the corporate is clearly dealing in some shady business that Ellice wants to part of but doesn't know how to stop. There's also the matter of Michael's death being ruled a homicide and Ellice not wanting the blame to fall on her or her brother, who she's spent years trying to protect.
This was really well written and interesting. I liked the backdrop of multiple secrets, and the main storyline kept me interested. The author did a great job explaining what Ellice's job was like and how race factored into the corporate hierarchy. Ellice was the only black attorney; everyone else seemed to be white and male. This wasn't a book specifically about race, but it's impossible to separate how she felt about her job with the awkwardness of feeling like she didn't belong and wondering if she was just hired for appearances, despite being well qualified. There were a few scenes in here that really struck me, getting the point across easily. For example, at one point Ellice and a friend go shopping and she asks to try on a dress and the salesclerk tells her the price instead of getting the dress for her. Ellice thinks about how she makes enough in a single day to pay at the clerk's weekly paycheck, yet the clerk still seemed to judge her by her skin and assume she couldn't afford it. I felt like this helped give a believable and realistic background to the book without being heavy-handed.
The book mostly stayed in the present day, but there were a few flashbacks to Ellice's childhood to give the reader a sense of where she'd come from and the secrets she was keeping from that time. I was significantly more invested in the present day plot, but the flashbacks were only a few chapters and did give a good sense of her background. The present day story was more focused on legal matters and Ellice trying to make sure she stayed out of trouble and that her secrets stayed safe.
The supporting characters in here at times kind of ran together, and I had a hard time distinguishing them all from each other except by name. I think perhaps this is common with legal thrilled; the story is more focused on what's happening and the legal explanations behind things that the characters take a secondary role. I think a few of the legal points went over my head (this sometimes happens with books like this!) but it was all clearly very well thought out. The ending felt a bit convoluted and less exciting than I was expecting based on the rest of the book, but things wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed the book overall. A solid legal thriller tinged with race, which made this different from any others I've read. If you're a legal thriller fan, I don't think this will disappoint!...more
This was a great read! Con was gifted a clone by her aunt, something only the very wealthy typically have because of its cost (and its controversial nThis was a great read! Con was gifted a clone by her aunt, something only the very wealthy typically have because of its cost (and its controversial nature), allowing their consciousness to be transferred into a new body the same age as their current one in case of an early death. Con goes into the clinic for a scheduled upload of her consciousness, and when she wakes up, it's 18 months later. Something has gone wrong, she has no memory of what happened in the missing year and a half, and it's clear that she wasn't supposed to wake up like this. She manages to escape the clinic, but she now has to deal with people chasing her. Somehow she has to avoid her pursuers, figure out what happened in the last eighteen months, and determine who is lying to her.
The plot in here had the perfect pace, drawing me into the action from the beginning and keeping me invested throughout. I had no idea where the story was going to go until near the end, and I really enjoyed the ride! Con was a good main character, especially once she changed from the depressed Con going into the clinic for a scan and emerged a more determined version of herself trying to avoid her pursuers. I liked the world that the author created in here and thought so much about the cloning in here seemed realistic, from the debates about ethics to protests against it to even the laws that differed state to state and how politics factored into it all. It was so well thought out and fascinating! It was also quite thought-provoking at times, with discussions about what made someone themselves and whether clones were their own person or the same person as the original. And on top of that there's the very cool plot idea of Con trying to solve her own murder! Very well done and very enjoyable....more
Maddie is a woman who keeps getting murdered, no matter which version of the multiverse she's in, by the same man. Another group of people, who have aMaddie is a woman who keeps getting murdered, no matter which version of the multiverse she's in, by the same man. Another group of people, who have also harnessed the secret ability to travel between worlds, is chasing the suspect but he keeps slipping into another world and contacting that version of Maddie before they can get him. After Maddie is murdered in a world in which she's a real estate agent, a local reporter named Felicity picks up the story and tries to make sense of it... but accidentally follows a member of the group tracking the suspects from that world into the next. Little things are out of place in the new world, and Felicity has no idea what's going on. Once she figures it out, she is determined to help save Maddie and also sort out the complexities of her own life.
I really enjoyed this book! From the very start, the writing was engaging and the plot was really clever. I was invested in the story of why someone was after Maddie and curious to see all the different versions of her in the various worlds. I also really loved Felicity as a main character, since she was learning about each world and the whole concept of traveling between worlds at the same time as the reader. I was eager to find out more about the group tracking the killer and how the travel worked. The writing was spot on for this, and there were multiple times when someone said something so clever that I felt the need to read it out loud to someone. The whole concept and execution were well done and kept me hooked!
The ending of this was satisfying, although there were a few deliberately loose threads that left me slightly confused. I think I wanted a bit more about this spelled out. I would have also liked a bit more explanation about how traveling between worlds works and information about the group tracking the killer. It felt like there were parts in which I just had to accept whatever I was being told at face value without additional information that would have helped me wrap my mind around it. But overall, this was a great read and I think anyone who enjoys mysteries and stories about multiple worlds would like this! Very fun and unique. ...more
Jake is an author who published one book to good reviews and was named an author to watch.... then published a second to basically no fanfare. He now Jake is an author who published one book to good reviews and was named an author to watch.... then published a second to basically no fanfare. He now is supposedly trying to write another book while teaching creative writing to students who he believes can't be taught, but it's a paycheck, so he phones it in. One of his students is pretty surly and tells Jake that he doesn't think he'll learn anything and that he has a plot for a novel that's a guaranteed bestseller regardless of who writes it. He tells Jake the plot, and he realizes that it is indeed guaranteed to be a bestseller. A few years later, the book still hasn't come out, so Jake looks up his former student, only to discover that he died without publishing the novel. Jake decides it's a plot that deserves to be told, so he writes his own book based on it and publishes it to acclaim. No one knows where the plot came from, or so he thinks at first. He gets an email one day saying someone knows he's a thief, and Jake starts to worry who the anonymous emailer is and where his former student really got the plot.
This started off so well! I loved the writing and actually read more than one sentence out loud to share because I found the writing so perfect. The author completely captured Jake's disillusionment with his life and managed to convey the atmosphere and the emotions in beautifully written sentences. I read so many of the first few chapters with an eye on how well the author projected the tone of this book. As the story went on and Jake's life changed, the focus shifted to just the plot instead of character growth (or so it seemed to me) and while the writing was still good, it didn't truly wow me like it did in the earlier chapters.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, even though I had to suspend my disbelief at times. After all, as they even note in the novel, ideas for plots can't be be copyrighted or else we'd never have any new book - everything seems to be a derivative from something else. So I never fully understood why Jake was so worried about someone finding out that he wrote his book based on an idea someone else shared but never wrote. I kept thinking it would be easy for him to say he was inspired by an idea someone shared with him before they died, especially since he wrote every single word of his book himself and didn't plagiarize anything. The anonymous letter-writer seemed to be given much more weight than necessary, but I took Jake at his word about being terrified and enjoyed his journey trying to figure it out. I also figured out a twist well before it was revealed. It was still fun, despite seeming more obvious than necessary and me not truly understanding the FULL motivation behind the anonymous person!
There are a few stories going on here at once: Jake's story and what happens to him before and after taking someone else's idea for a plot, what happened to his former student, and the plot of Jake's novel. I appreciated how complex this must have been to write, and it all came together, as the stories intertwined really nicely. This was very clever and easy to read, and I enjoyed it a lot overall. The ending surprised me, which doesn't always happen, and I finished this thinking it was a solid story. Perhaps not the most gripping of thrillers, but definitely a good setup and nice execution. ...more
I enjoyed reading this book and thought it had a lot ripe for discussion, but at the same time, it felt almost incomplete in that the plot was fairly I enjoyed reading this book and thought it had a lot ripe for discussion, but at the same time, it felt almost incomplete in that the plot was fairly thin and straightforward, yet it somehow managed to take up a full-length novel instead of a short story or a novella, which I think would have given it a bit more weight. Evelyn is a genetic researcher focusing on clones; she's divorced, and her husband, Nathan, has now taken up Martine, a secret clone he made of Evelyn, altered to be more agreeable and docile. Martine calls Evelyn one day and tells her to come quick. When Evelyn arrives, she discovers that Nathan is dead and that she has no other option but to help Martine somehow clean up the mess or else her own research, her life's work will be put in jeopardy.
The plot in here was quite interesting! I liked the concept of Evelyn's research leading her husband to create a clone of her that was better adapted to meet his own needs, and I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Evelyn and Martine as the book went on and they found themselves more and more dependent on each other. I was curious how they planned to solve the problem of covering up Nathan's death, especially since no one was supposed to know that Martine even existed.
While I did like the plot and the book kept me interested in reading on, I do feel like this might have been stronger as a novella, as that would have forced the writing and plot to tighten up. There were a number of flashbacks or childhood memories in here, giving backstory on Evelyn that was interesting but not especially gripping and definitely not necessary, as I don't think it added much to the main plot. There were also a lot of times where Evelyn described her feelings but I didn't have an emotional reaction because I didn't truly feel what she felt. It made this book seem a less complex than it could have been, as the simplicity of the overall story shone through. I enjoyed the story, but the journey was definitely more straightforward than I expected.
Minor quibbles aside, I found the story in here quite interesting and could easily see how ethical boundaries were made, stretched, and crossed. I also liked the idea of how clones could be a replacement for humans and the ways in which memories are shaped. The concepts were interesting, and I enjoyed the author's take on how everything played out. I'm still not sure how believable I found the ending, as it appeared to be more of a short-term wrap up than a long-term resolution, but it was nicely done overall. ...more
Jessica Williams escaped a cult as a kid and is back in the news as an adult. She decides to go out of town to get away for a while and meets a woman Jessica Williams escaped a cult as a kid and is back in the news as an adult. She decides to go out of town to get away for a while and meets a woman with the same name and birthday at the airport. It seems like a weird coincidence, but when she returns, she discovers that all her money is gone, drained by the woman she met. What's more, apparently she isn't the first "Jessica Williams" to have this pulled on her. With the police unable or unwilling to do anything about this, Jessica decides to track down the woman herself, with the help of the private investigator who rescued her from the cult years earlier and a few other Jessicas who were also victims, but of course plans don't go exactly the way she hoped and it seems there are more secrets to be uncovered.
This was quite a fun read! I was sucked into the story very early on. The writing was good, the story was engaging, and the characters were believable. I feel like the author tried to pull off quite a complex story here, intermingling the current story of the Jessica Williams scam with the backstory of how the main character managed to get away from the cult, but it all ended up wrapping up very nicely. The scam itself seemed a bit strange, since how many Jessica Williams could there be with the same birthday? It was a very specific scam that made me scratch my head a bit. But it did make sense by the end of the book, and it kept me guessing how everything would wrap up until that point.
This was very cleverly put together, and although it did require you to suspect your disbelief a bit, it was overall entertaining and I did like the mystery. Every time I set the book down, I was excited to pick it back up and wanted to keep reading. I've read a few other books by the author previously, but I think this was the first thriller of hers that I'd read. It wasn't super suspenseful, but it was definitely put together well and kept me needing to know more. ...more
Jon is at a hotel in Switzerland for a conference when nuclear war breaks out. He gets alerted on his phone about the attacks, then everything goes siJon is at a hotel in Switzerland for a conference when nuclear war breaks out. He gets alerted on his phone about the attacks, then everything goes silent. Some of the hotel guests flee; two months later, about twenty people are left, all banding together in this hotel and knowing nothing about what's happening in the outside world. After discovering the body of a girl in one of the hotel's water tanks, Jon becomes determined to figure out what happened to her and whether there's a murderer in their midst, writing everything down for the record just in case someone reads his account later on, as he's a historian by profession.
This was an interesting and different read. I thought this story would mostly be focused on the mystery and, at times, it was; the story of Jon searching for clues about what had happened to the girl was never far off, even if he wasn't always making much progress on it. Yet the bulk of this book was simply about the survivors holed up in the hotel and how they cope as the days go on, not sure what else is out there in the world and unsure what's safe or what the future holds.
The author did a great job showing the various characters and how they reacted to the stresses in here. I enjoyed the fact that everyone was so different and yet they came together, as pairs or in small groups (and of course as one big group), because of necessity, which ended up forming strong friendships and close to familial bonds. The emotions they felt came across as real, and while this wasn't exactly a "haunting" read, it certainly made me want to keep reading and completely in tune with the feelings on the page!
The mystery in here, as mentioned, was a constant thread but overall felt lackluster, especially the way it wrapped up. I enjoyed this book a lot overall and thought it was an excellent depiction of how survivors of a nuclear attack would feel, cut off from the rest of the world and wondering if there actually is anyone else out there, but the mystery aspects were not as fully realized. I felt, especially near the end, like perhaps the murder mystery was thrown in to have more of a plot throughout the book. It definitely didn't come to a truly satisfying conclusion, nor did the resolution seem thorough enough for all the work Jon had put into trying to figure it out.
While the murder mystery and the world building leading up to the nuclear attacks felt lackluster overall, this was very successful as a psychological tale of how people band together to survive in an "end of the world" situation. There were a few loose ends that I felt could have been explored more, especially some of the larger questions that some of the hotel guests raised during their stay, but overall, I enjoyed this a lot. Slow moving and quiet, but well done....more
President Duncan is doing the best he can for the country but there's a cyberterrorism threat so urgent that he's keeping secrets from his cabinet andPresident Duncan is doing the best he can for the country but there's a cyberterrorism threat so urgent that he's keeping secrets from his cabinet and Congress until he fully understands the threat. On the verge of impeachment due to him being less than forthcoming about his dealings, Duncan ends up briefly disappearing in a quest to find out who's behind the threat and what can be done to stop it - especially since he suspects someone in his inner circle of being a traitor and doesn't know who to trust.
This was an entertaining novel, and I definitely enjoyed reading it. The politics in here were nicely done, reminding the reader that there is always more going on than the public can see or know and highlighting how difficult decisions can be. I enjoyed the storyline and found the threat in here believable despite some of the surrounding decisions not being quite as believable - it didn't matter, as the story kept me engaged and wanting to read on.
I'm not quite sure what I expected from this novel, as it was heavily marketed as having politics only a former president could know and suspense that only James Patterson could deliver. I'm not sure if I've read a book by James Patterson before, and while I feel like this had a good pace and a decent mystery, it kept me entertained but not on the edge of my seat. Similarly, while I felt like there were some interesting rumination on politics and how the White House works, I'm not sure if there was anything that necessarily "required" Bill Clinton's knowledge of the office.
The threat in here was interesting, and the story jumped around between Duncan's point of view (in first person) and a few other characters (all in third person). I liked seeing multiple viewpoints, although I didn't feel especially connected to any of them. Perhaps this is because the book was more story/plot-driven than character-driven, despite the introductions to the characters. I think this might be one of the reasons why I liked, but didn't love, the book. Also, there were a few points where Duncan comes to a realization and it wasn't explicitly explained how he figured something out.
I'm curious how much of the story was brainstormed/outlined (much less the actual writing done) by the two big name coauthors and how much was actually done by the ghostwriter. ...more
Allison and her mom, Maggie, haven't talked in two years, so Maggie has no idea what Allison doing on a private plane that crashed in the Rockies. TheAllison and her mom, Maggie, haven't talked in two years, so Maggie has no idea what Allison doing on a private plane that crashed in the Rockies. The report said both Allison and her fiancé, Ben (also unknown to Maggie) both died, but because Allison's body hasn't been found, Maggie is convinced she must have somehow survived. The book is alternately narrated by Maggie, who's searching for answers and digging into Allison's life over the last two years, and Allison, who did indeed survive and is now on the run, knowing that there are people who will kill her when they realize she's alive because of information she has.
This book started off a bit slow for me, with an interesting story but not enough to truly draw me into the stakes - possibly because I didn't fully know what was going on, with just enough hints to keep me interested but not enough to make me fully care about the plight of the characters yet. As the story went on, however, the stakes and the intrigue skyrocketed and I became more and more invested in it. By the end, I didn't want to put this down and just wanted to keep reading to find out what had happened.
I liked the dual narration in here and thought it worked well. The author did a nice job keeping the chapters short but giving the reader just enough information to want to know more, especially as the past began to be revealed. Neither Maggie nor Allison comes off perfectly, and there were many parts where I was worried for them because of what they were doing (or not doing) or who they were trusting (or not trusting). I wasn't sure who could be believed in here, which made the book particularly interesting, as it kept me off balance!
The pacing in here was great once the story truly got underway, and I was not bored as I read this. Things unfolded nicely and kept it just interesting and unpredictable enough for me. ...more
This book has received a lot of buzz, and I was excited for what sounded like a promising thriller. In need of money, Jessica signs up for a study aboThis book has received a lot of buzz, and I was excited for what sounded like a promising thriller. In need of money, Jessica signs up for a study about morality and ethics, led by the secretive Dr. Shields. At first, the study just involves anonymously answering questions, but then Dr. Shields asks if Jessica would be willing to participate more. As the study goes on, Jessica starts wondering exactly what this study is for, what secrets Dr. Shields is hiding, and whether she’s being manipulated.
This is narrated alternately by Jessica and by Dr. Shields, so the reader gets an idea of what’s in each of their heads. I think the parts by Dr. Shields were supposed to be creepy, but they mostly just fell flat to me and came off as weird. I had trouble getting into the story at first, as much of it seemed forced; the study did not seem natural, and the way Jessica answered questions prompted by a computer felt a little too contrived than actually legitimate. She wonders even then why she’s being so open and truthful, and I had to agree. It was needed for the story but didn’t seem realistic.
Nevertheless, I was interested in knowing what would happen and continued reading. The story picked up about halfway through, as there seemed to be more twists and I was far enough removed from how it had opened. However, I was disappointed in the end, as it felt like there was a lot of promise for twists that just weren’t taken. Instead, the characters ended up just all being weird and instead of being creepy or twisty, it felt strangely flat with the only real twists or suspense coming from the character’s own minds or bad decisions (I think I was expecting more Gone Girl-esq manipulation, based on the description).
I seem to be in the minority with my ambivalence about this book, as there are so many rave reviews for it, so perhaps others are getting something out of this that I missed. I did like this, but it never made the leap into something great, and I finished it feeling a bit let down by the lack of real suspense. ...more
3.5 stars. Match Your DNA is like an online dating service, but with a twist - take a DNA test and the company promises to match you to "the one," the3.5 stars. Match Your DNA is like an online dating service, but with a twist - take a DNA test and the company promises to match you to "the one," the person you're destined to fall in love with based on your genes. Thanks to this company, dating around the world has been upended, with many people simply killing time until they know the identity of their perfect match. This novel follows the story of 5 people matched through the site: Jade, whose match lives across the world; Christopher, who's hiding a secret life; Mandy, whose match's family pulls her into a new world; Ellie, who doesn't believe that after so long she's finally met someone she's willing to share her secret with; and Nick, whose fiancee convinces him to take the test before they get married to make sure they're actually compatible.
Despite the large cast of characters, I had no problems keeping them straight, as their stories were vastly different and never really overlapped. I found all five storylines interesting and kept reading because I was curious how each would turn out and how the Match Your DNA results would impact the lives they expected. I found the concept of this book fascinating and I liked that it highlighted some of the dilemmas that came from this discovery. There wasn't a huge overarching story in here, but I did like the way everything came together at the end.
The characters in here were decent, but - possibly due to the large cast - I never really got much of a feel for them on level beyond superficial. Time seemed to fly by quickly, with the author giving a brief summary of everything that had happened in the meantime each time we returned to a character's story, and it ended up feeling like the ideas in this book were the main driving force, not the characters themselves. The characters were stock; not bad, but no one multi-dimensional or particularly riveting. I kept reading not because I cared about anyone in here but because I was curious how the stories would play out.
I do think this book raised a lot of interesting questions about the power of suggestion, the lengths to which people will go to find "the one," and how much DNA truly shapes personality and matches. This had an intriguing concept but was light on details and depth. Nevertheless, it was a fun, quick read that I powered through in an afternoon. ...more