When I Was You

When I Was You
by Minka Kent


Blurb:

After barely surviving a brutal attack, Brienne Dougray rarely leaves her house. Suffering from debilitating headaches and memory loss, she can rely only on her compassionate new tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin, a welcome distraction from the discomfiting bubble that has become her existence.

But Brienne’s growing confidence in her new routine is shaken when she stumbles across unsettling evidence that someone else is living as…her. Same name. Same car. Same hair. Same clothes. She’s even friended her family on social media. To find out why, Brienne must leave the safety of her home to hunt a familiar stranger. 

What she discovers is more disturbing than she could have ever imagined. With her fragile mind close to shattering, Brienne is prepared to do anything to reclaim her life. If it’s even hers to reclaim.

My Reaction:
This is a tale rife with coincidence and implausibility. (More on that in the spoiler section below.) It's a thriller that moves slowly for the first third, then picks up steam just about the time that the coincidences and illogical behaviors become overwhelming.

You'll need to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this one, but if you're able to do that and are in the mood for mindless, "suspense lite" entertainment (à la Lifetime movies), it's not a terrible choice.


SPOILERS 
to
follow...


I think my biggest gripe with this one is the bizarre, unlikely coincidences and strange choices characters have to make in order for the plot to "work" (to the degree that it does work, that is).

I mean, seriously. What are the chances that Brienne's mother would essentially adopt a son who just so happens to have a friend (and eventual girlfriend) who is the mirror image of Brienne herself? That in itself is insane.

Then there are all the odd behaviors-- such as Brienne's friends cutting off contact so completely (no chance for the truth to come out) and Brienne's own unwillingness to involve the police (until very late in the book). The closeness of Sam and Brienne's relationship didn't ring true, either, given how very little time they spend together. I feel that could've worked if it had been given more time and space, but as it was presented, it was far too rushed to be believable.

There are more, but those illustrate my point.

The Wolf Road

The Wolf Road
by Beth Lewis


Blurb:

Elka barely remembers a time before she knew Trapper. 

She was just seven years old, wandering lost and hungry in the wilderness, when the solitary hunter took her in. In the years since then, he's taught her how to survive in this desolate land where civilization has been destroyed and men are at the mercy of the elements and each other. 

But the man Elka thought she knew has been harboring a terrible secret. He's a killer. A monster. And now that Elka knows the truth, she may be his next victim. 

Armed with nothing but her knife and the hard lessons Trapper's drilled into her, Elka flees into the frozen north in search of her real parents. But judging by the trail of blood dogging her footsteps, she hasn't left Trapper behind-- and he won't be letting his little girl go without a fight. If she's going to survive, Elka will have to turn and confront not just him, but the truth about the dark road she's been set on. 

The Wolf Road is an intimate cat-and-mouse tale of revenge and redemption, played out against a vast, unforgiving landscape--told by an indomitable young heroine fighting to escape her past and rejoin humanity.

My Reaction:
Elka is a powerful character with a distinctive voice and real depth, and because Elka is the novel, that means the novel has depth and unique appeal as well.

This is the most compelling book I've read in a long while. For the most part, I'd say it's very well-crafted, too. I've seen another reviewer refer to moments that strained her suspension of disbelief, and I agree they are there, but fortunately the story is strong enough that I could shrug them off and continue with the adventure.

The Wolf Road deals with some dark and truly horrific subjects, but there are also many moments of honest beauty, and the overall message is one of hope. I loved it.


Tidbit:
"'Ain't no monster. Monsters ain't real 'cept in kids' imaginations, under the beds, in the closets. We live in a world a' men and there ain't no good come out of tellin' them they monsters. Makes 'em think they ain't done nothin' wrong, that it's their nature and they can't do nothin' to change that. Callin' 'em a monster makes 'em somethin' different from the rest of us, but they ain't. They just men, flesh and bone and blood. Bad'uns, truth, but men all the same.'"

Moon People 1: The Age of Aquarius

Moon People: The Age of Aquarius
by Dale M. Courtney


Author's Blurb:

This Book is based on the turning point for Earth into a new era of space travel and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. The story focuses on one Man by the Name of David Braymer and his adventures from High school teacher to 1st Science Officer on board the Lunar Base 1 Mobile Base Station and his encounters with Alien Life forms through out our universe and the space Battle of all battles David experiences. I hope you enjoy the many adventures of David Braymer and his conquest in space and our journey into the Age of Aquarius.

My Reaction:
(This was a shared read-aloud with Donald-- another excellent 372-Pages bookclub-podcast selection!)

Wow.  I have to give it a one-star rating based on its complete lack of literary merit, ignorance (or arrogant dismissal?) of basic rules of grammar, printer-paper characters (cardboard has some substance to it, so "cardboard cut-outs" was too generous), water-thin plotting, etc.

BUT.
I say, BUT!
I have to admit that I enjoyed this book significantly more than several other books we've read for 372-Pages. The entertainment value is there!

It all comes down to what you're looking for in a book. If you need a laugh, give it a go (and check out the podcast linked above).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go whip up some delicious stemage for supper.

Unspeakable Things

Unspeakable Things
by Jess Lourey


Blurb:

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.

All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.

One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable.

My Reaction:
I listened to the audiobook version and found it riveting. I loved the can-do, positive attitude of the protagonist. Honestly, if it weren't for Cassie, I might not have liked this book at all. The subject matter is dark and disturbing, the "mystery" is average, and I found the ending rather rushed and not completely satisfying-- but for the bulk of the book, Cassie is the focus, and I loved her!

I also loved the flood of nostalgic memories brought on by the 1980s rural setting. (I grew up in a rural community in the 80s, though we lived on a relatively busy highway, and I mostly stayed close to home-- much more sheltered and fenced-in than the "meet up with the neighborhood kids each morning and don't come home until just before dark" version of "retro childhood" that's so common in fiction and other people's memories of youth).

Caitlin Kelly's narration was great. Unfortunately, sometimes narrators "interpretations" distract from the story, but in this case, it was a big positive. Cassie's personality came through loud and clear.

I saw an epilogue mentioned in another review and went to read it on the author's website. She left it out of the book (and audiobook) because she wanted readers to form their own ideas of what happened to her characters after the events of the book. Overall, I think she did well to leave it off (though clearly not everyone agrees).


SPOILERS to follow!!

Skip the next part
if
you
don't
want
SPOILERS!!


I was glad that Cassie turned out okay-- married, even had kids. I never doubted that she'd be alright. She's a survivor, and no way would she have been denied a life of her own.

What I wasn't so thrilled about was that she and Sephie lived with their mother after Cassie "told her story". On one hand, that's probably what Cassie wanted, but on the other... Their mother had to know what was happening, and she failed to protect her daughters. She left them alone with their father-- gave him the opportunity to terrorize and abuse. She was complicit!

I understand that she had been abused herself, growing up-- (wasn't that heavily implied?)-- and that it's complicated, but I hated their mother, and I still do. She didn't do enough. She barely did anything! Even apart from failing to protect them from abuse, she seemed so cold toward her children. A couple of the saddest moments are when it's clear that she doesn't express normal affection and love for her daughters. Doesn't tell them she loves them. Almost forgets/barely acknowledges their birthdays. (You don't need a lot of money to make a child feel special on his/her birthday.)

I know, I know! She wasn't "raised right", probably doesn't know how to be a good, loving mother, but some people manage to overcome those kinds of obstacles and grow into wonderful, admirable people. This woman didn't. She was caught in the cycle of sickness, and I just found it really sad that her daughters were stuck with her, even after escaping their evil father. (And to be honest, I'm not buying that she wouldn't have gone back to her crappy first husband, once he got out of jail...)

I was also sad that Sephie ended up living with their father, as an adult. That part seemed very odd... Is that realistic/typical behavior? I've mentioned surprise that their mother didn't end up back with her creepy abuser of a husband, but I'm even more surprised that Sephie would live with him. I can believe that she might maintain contact and pretend everything was normal, but moving in with him is shocking and hard to swallow.

On the other hand... It's just occurred to me that Sephie was named after Persephone, who was doomed to spend a portion of her life in the Underworld, living as the wife of Hades... And Cassie was named after Cassandra, who was cursed with knowledge of the future that no-one would believe. Cassie does repeatedly try to speak to people in authority (police, her parents), and is always ignored, until the very end. I have a feeling these things aren't coincidental.


SPOILERS over!

It feels strange to say that you liked or enjoyed a book with these kinds of themes, but I did! I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but I found Cassie a very worthwhile character, and I'm glad to have met her.

In the Dark

In the Dark 
by Loreth Anne White


Blurb:

A secluded mountain lodge. The perfect getaway. So remote no one will ever find you. 

The promise of a luxury vacation at a secluded wilderness spa has brought together eight lucky guests. But nothing is what they were led to believe. As a fierce storm barrels down and all contact with the outside is cut off, the guests fear that it’s not a getaway. It’s a trap.

Each one has a secret. Each one has something to hide. And now, as darkness closes in, they all have something to fear—including one another.

Alerted to the vanished party of strangers, homicide cop Mason Deniaud and search and rescue expert Callie Sutton must brave the brutal elements of the mountains to find them. But even Mason and Callie have no idea how precious time is. Because the clock is ticking, and one by one, the guests of Forest Shadow Lodge are being hunted. For them, surviving becomes part of a diabolical game.

My Reaction:
I listened to the audiobook version of In the Dark-- another selection made on the basis of availability through Kindle Unlimited-- and I'm happy with the choice. This is the best KU-sourced audiobook I've come across since I started listening to them on the Echo Dot. (So convenient for listening when my hands are dirty busy in the kitchen or working on something in the craft room!)

In the Dark is atmospheric and creepy-- it kept me guessing-- even the detective/search-and-rescue parts were engaging (which I didn't expect at first)-- and it also helps that it's geared toward fans of Agatha Christie (the master of the murder mystery).

Now, I still have some nit-picks (the narration felt a tad melodramatic to me at times, I couldn't stand the "kid voice" [a frequent irritation in audiobooks, I find], I got a little bored during the summing up scene, I'm not sure about the believability or realism of some of the motivations and decisions, I was a bit let down by the "whodunit"-- though I didn't have anything else specific in mind-- and so on), but over all, I really enjoyed it.

I will say that if you think you might want to read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (and want to avoid spoilers), you should do that first, because there are major spoilers for that novel in this one.

Speaking of spoilers...

Skip the next section of this review to avoid spoilers for not only In the Dark, but also both And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express...

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I'd already picked up on the parallels between And Then There Were None and this book before ATTWN was first referenced, so it was amusing when that novel became such an important part of the plot.

The parallels between this novel and ATTWN are very clear-- a group of (mostly) strangers invited to an isolated location under false pretenses, all turning out to be guilty of a crime, their being killed one at a time in shockingly violent ways, etc.

However, while listening, I also felt that there were similarities to Murder on the Orient Express.

MotOE is about a group of seemingly unrelated people all seeking revenge/justice for the murder of a child. The events of In the Dark are also triggered by the desire for justice after a child's murderer goes unpunished. Whereas in ATTWN (almost all of) the criminals don't know one another and are guilty of completely unrelated crimes (...as far as I can recall), in In the Dark the guilty parties are all linked to a single crime... And in MotOE, the group of revenge-seekers (who are also murderers, by the end of the book), are also all linked to a single crime (though they are the family/loved ones of the victims). The judge in ATTWN isn't a sympathetic character, from what I remember, but we do sympathize with the judge-jury-executioners in MotOE, as we are meant to sympathize with Stella. ...I don't know; there's more, though it's all kind of a jumble-- but while listening, I definitely felt that this novel was inspired by both ATTWN and MotOE.
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(Spoilers over now!)

It feels like this could be the first in a series, possibly. There's a complicated relationship that is still just beginning by the end of the book. However, on the other hand, it might be best left to the reader's imagination. The setting is supposed to be a quiet backwater town where serious crime is almost unheard of, so it's unlikely that there would be enough fodder for another crime mystery novel or three set in the same location. However, little things like that don't usually deter writers of crime fiction!

This author's name is one I'll remember for another time!