Book Review: "The Drift" by C. J. Tudor

 

Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together to escape—with their sanity and secrets intact.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as “The Retreat,” but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive.

Carter is gazing out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s depths threatens to escape, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater danger—one with the power to consume all of humanity. - from Netgalley.com

This ARC was received from Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.

There isn't much I can say about the story without dropping spoilers. I was drawn into the story easily and actually finished in within a day. I really enjoyed the plot development, and the characters - how they handled their situations, and self-realizations. 

*** Spoiler Alert ***

The plot twist in the final parts of the story are what threw me. It was surprising to me to find out how all three characters stories all came together, and the timeline twist was executed very well. I truly did not see it coming! Well-written in my opinion, gripping my attention throughout the tale. I defintiely would recommend to others, and will be watching for future works from this author.

Book Review: "The Ferryman" by Justin Cronin

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn't what it seems.

Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh. 

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process—and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming—which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group—known as “Arrivalists”—who may be fomenting revolution. 

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized—and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth. - from Netgalley.com

This ARC was received from Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.

I became a fan of Justin Cronin after reading his series "The Passage" and after reading the description here, thought this novel might end up being a series as well. Thankfully, it is not and is a complete story in itself.

The story feels a little slow at the start, as Cronin builds in the character and world settings, but action kicks in shortly, and just continues. World building was interesting, as the concepts of a perfect utopian environment that renews itself, made me cringe a bit as I am not a fan of science induced stories. Add in that everyone has a personal arm-mounted monitor that makes me feel like a bit of '1984', and I started becoming leary of where the story was leading.

Our main character does become more self-aware, and learns he must place his faith in something he never thought existed. While on the route of personal change, actions come into play that he loses pretty much everything, and becomes a fugitive of those that keep order in this world. While being pursued, he escapes the utopia, and discovers something that really thorws the story into a new light. 

Though a bit more 'science-y' than I like in my stories, this was still a very fine read. Technical aspects were easy to understand. The reasons for many of the world events happening whilst the story is unraveling were nice surprises once you reach the near-end to 'wrap it all together'. Truly another good work from Cronin I would happily invite friends to read.

Book Review: "Pack of Secrets" by Amara Mae

 

As the daughter of the Seattle alpha, Grace is expected to carve out her place in a shifter pack still reeling from the horrors of war. Only Grace has two major problems with fulfilling her father’s expectations: she’s an omega—meant to support, not lead—and she was born with her inner wolf caged, unable to shift. Determined to become the asset her pack needs, she’s spent her life training to steal a magical artifact rumored to have the power necessary to release her wolf.

Unfortunately, things never go as planned.

The theft triggers an enraged guardian, one that her inner wolf can’t seem to resist, and Grace realizes she’s in way over her head. She’ll need the help of a small but capable team to journey to a foreign land and track down a mythical tree.

Easy peasy for an outcast burglar with a fractured psyche, right?

To complicate matters further, her father is acting weird, her best friend just made out with her, and she’s pretty sure a dragon is on their tail.

Across the world from the only home she’s ever known, Grace must face the questions she never dared to ask. Deadly secrets begin to unfold, and Grace will have to decide: Is unleashing her wolf worth risking everything? - from Netgalley.com

I received this ARC from Netgalley at no cost and am providing an unbiased review.

Well, I am a bit surprised at myself, when it comes to writing down what I think about this book. It was pretty dang good! I like a good shifter/romancey read every now and then, and the plot desription lured me in as this girl COULDN'T shift, and she wasn't allegedly a 'high and powerful' in the pack hierarchy, but the LOWEST order... the Omega. Yeah, this is going to be interesting! Then there is a dragon, too? And secrets? Yeah, I had to read this one.

Needless to say, the pacing goes a little wonky at times. A little slow at the beginning, as the author is building the world and characters, and as it gets into the story, has to let up off the gas to fill in some background for events or other characters, but is cruising along well to the end. Though, I felt the end was a bit rushed, and felt like the author had to be at a certain spot within so much of a word count, that things just felt cut-off. Obviously can tell that there will be at least one more to this series, if not more. Would be considered a cliffhanger, but I feel I have a pretty good idea how this is all going to end out. I defintely would recommend, and I am actually looking forward to the next book(s) in this series.

Book Review: "Outback" by Patricia Wolf

 Two missing backpackers. One vast outback.

DS Lucas Walker is on leave in his hometown of Caloodie, taking care of his dying grandmother. When two young German backpackers, Berndt and Rita, vanish from the area on their way to a ranch, he finds himself unofficially on the case. But why all the interest from the Federal Police when they have probably just ditched the heat and dust of the outback for the coast?

As the number of days since the couple’s disappearance climbs, DS Walker is joined by Rita’s older sister. A detective herself with Berlin CID, she has flown to Australia – desperate to find her sister before it’s too late.

Walker remains convinced there is more at play. Working in the organised crime unit has opened his eyes to the growing drug trade in Australia's remote interior. Could this be connected to that dark and violent world?

As temperatures soar, the search for Berndt and Rita becomes ever more urgent. If Walker does find the young couple, will it be too late?

This deeply atmospheric thriller is the gripping opening of a new crime series for fans of The Dry by Jane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker. - from Netgalley.com

I received this ARC at no cost from NEtgalley.com and am providing an unbiased review.

This appears to be the first novel from this author, as I could not find any other books by her. I beleive this is a good start to a possibly great series, or even stand-alone novels, based on our main character here. The setting is in Austrailia, so some phrases are new to me, though if I recall, some were explained in an easy way. Obviously it takes place in what they call the outback, which at the time of the year in the story, is drought-ridden and especially hot that summer, as two international hikers go missing enroute to a job they needed to work to extend their visas. Our main character is on leave near where the events happened, and I'm not saying much more about that.

The story kept me interested each time I picked up the story. It wasn't like a regular police thriller, and all the procedures where new and somewhat different to me (as I am in the US) it brought out some local flair. The actual storyline had me guessing as to what was going to happen next - would there be another abduction? Is the 'bad guy' going to show himself, and when? Or is it a 'bad girl' All in all I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more books with this character, or of a similar style. One of the best books I have read this year!

Book Review: "Callus & Crow" by D. B. Rook

 

A Western vampire's Dystopian odyssey across a monster filled sea.

Can a path of blood lead to redemption?

Is redemption enough to amend a wayward world?

Morality and reality have shifted from their natural axis. Technology and ideology derive from the remnants of a world long dead and segregated by the monsters that now rule the seas.

Crow, a young ranch hand, is swept into an odyssey of redemption and revenge as he strives to hold back the ravages of fate and the urges born of a curse shared with his new mentor.

Callus, an exile struggling to find redemption whilst keeping his vampiric curse from tainting his new ward, pursues his prey across the sea.

The new world they discover reveals a tyrannical society fixated on their council’s ascension to godhood. - from Booksirens.com

I received this ARC from Booksirens.com at no cost and am providing an unbiased review.

This book was a random pick based on how the plot description caught my eye. I freely admit I enjoy a good vamp novel, and this one being in an apocalyptic setting was somewhat interesting. It started off fairly moderate, and then it seemed to struggle to keep anything interesting happening to the characters. At first the writing was easy to follow, as the two named characters are traveling together, but in short time, the book is split into chapters telling the story of each one, and what is happening from their view points while they are apart.

I felt a bit lost for what was going on through the part I read. The plot description sounds like a young boy traveling with a vamp, has to learn to fight his own learnings/desires of a curse, yet, there is no mention of how/what this is from. Just that the vamp showed up near dead on the farm where he and his dad (dead mother) lived... then the next things is they are leaving - no dad alive - and just up and go. Maybe there was explainaion later in this story, or possibly in future of the series (as it looks like it will be one). I honestly did not read more than around halfway, as it just could not keep me interested, even though I kept questioning things as I read. I think I was just frustrated nothing was explained in such a way to at least keep one reading.

Book Review: "The Root Witch" by Debra Castaneda

 

A beautiful forest. A terrifying legend.

It’s 1986. Two strangers, hundreds of miles apart, grapple with disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest.

Knox is a new Forest Service ranger assigned to a vast, remote territory in Utah.

Sandy is a producer fighting for her place in a tough TV newsroom.

Both have heard about the shadowy figure believed to menace visitors to the forest. When a man disappears and reports of the Root Witch begin coming in, Knox and Sandy are plunged into a living nightmare.

Their lives converge on Halloween. Sandy sends a news crew to investigate the sightings. But when the team goes missing, and a shocking video surfaces revealing the ghastly truth, Knox and Sandy face the biggest decision of their lives.

---

This novel is based on a short story, "The Root Witch: An Urban Legend Caught on Tape." - from Booksirens.com

I received this ARC from Booksirens.com at no cost and am providing an unbiased review.

This is a well thought out story, based off  of a short story , about an urban legend. Castaneda had written another book I had read, also based on the similar idea (which I also enjoyed very much). I am not sure if the actual urban legend is set in the area of the US that the author put it, but it sounded/read like it was feasible there. The characters were interesting and fairly well developed. Much of the story I felt you could mach pretty good guesses as to what was going to happen, but the story still moved along at a good pace, and did not just "dump it into your lap" then run off.

Overall, I really enojyed the book, and look for future ones from this author, possibly relating to other urban legends...? After all, it does say 'A Dark Earth Rising novel'.

Book Review: "The Call of Jonas Creed" by Marius H. Visser

 Heroes may be forged in fire… but legends are born in blood.

Legends speak of a shadow realm that echoes our own, called the Void, where gods and demons roam the very paths we mortals tread, hidden from our sight and touch, judging us at our worst moments, laughing at our woes.

The Void is inaccessible to all still living save those blessed, or perhaps cursed, with the means to cross between realms. The lands of the gods are not to be trespassed lightly, but the rewards…

Deep in the heart of Yahrska, past the beautiful Brokar Valley, lies Barren Hollows: a small and peaceful village where all Jonas Creed wanted was to leave his past behind and become the loving husband and father he swore he always would be.

But fate leaves none unscathed. Someone is looking for the Voidwalker, and will stop at nothing to get what they want. - from Booksirens.com

I received this ARC from Booksirens.com at no cost and am providing an unbiased review.

There are several mixed feelings I have from reading this story, the worst of them being it was so short. I honestly felt like I was reading a novella, that would open up into this whole epic fantasy story, and perhaps it will, but for now I felt a little let-down. I'm going to kinda jump around with my thoughts....

The story drew me in, as I wanted to find out what the main character, Jonas, was going to do, and possibly lead more into telling why events happened as they did. I understand he was leading a quiet life, small family, when they were taken from him (wife killed, son abducted) all to lure him out with his special power, called Voidwalking. And that was the story. I was hoping for more of the back-story about Jonas - maybe how he came to have this ability, and the life he lived because of it. Maybe in future tales?

Obviously, I felt that character building was lacking, as was world-building. There just wasn't time in the shortness of the story to really delve into those small details. Otherwise, I did enjoy the tale, and would love to hear more about themain character. Anyone that likes short stories, woudl enjoy this one. Would be great in an anthology.