Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book follows Mary's daughter, Gabry. She has lived a safe, sheltered life inside her village, as the lighthouse keeper. Her and her mother keep the shore safe from the Mudo (zombies) who wash up from the ocean. Soon she realizes that her world is turning upside down. She must learn about her past, her mother's past, and the world around her. After a series of dangerous events, she must flee the village and go into the forest if she is to save herself and her friends.

All I can say is, whoa. This, in my opinion was even better than the first book because it kept my attention and I really could not guess what would happen next. It kept surprising me again and again until I had no idea what was going to happen.

I liked that the story was about Gabry. It gave another perspective of the world they live in. There was another love triangle, and, as in the first book, I wished there was more explanation of the relationships going on there. Even so, it was still an excellent book and kept me entertained.

Action-packed zombie-fighting, twists and turns, abandoned villages, creepy forests...yea, it was pretty awesome. Can't wait to read the next book.



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Book Blog Hop (14)

Question: As a blog reader, what information (besides the book review) do you like to see in other bloggers’ reviews of books? (For example – Author bio, social media links, book synopsis from Amazon/Goodreads or one written by the blogger, page count, ISBN number, link to purchase, etc.)

My answer: I like to see a book synopsis from Goodreads or Amazon because I always like to read the summaries before I read the review so I know what it is about if I don't already!

Book Blog Hop is hosted by Crazy For Books!

Review: Fragile

Fragile by Lisa Unger

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This is the first novel I have read by Lisa Unger and I thought it was good, but not great. It follows the story of detective Jones Cooper and his wife Maggie who is a psychologist. Trouble begins when their son's girlfriend goes missing. While searching for the missing girl, the past gets pieced together, little by little. The past and present intermingle in this story of tragedy and secrets.

I think Unger does have a talent for writing suspense. The main thing that was problematic for me was that there were so many things going on that I got confused often. There were so many characters to keep up with and so many side stories to understand, it got a little complicated... All the characters' lives were interlaced with each other somehow. I won't begin to explain all the relationships, because I don't think I could. I don't like having to stop reading and figure out who knows who, and how, and, what part do they play in the story again? I think it would have been better if there weren't so many characters to keep up with, some I wonder why they were in the story at all.

The basic plot was good, but nothing amazing or unheard of. It was a little lengthy, although at the beginning I was completely hooked. I would suggest this novel for someone who likes crime novels, but I would say not to expect too much. For me, it is one of those books that was good, but not great; enjoyable but forgettable.



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Review: These Things Hidden

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn—shy, quiet Brynn—who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister.

Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

I really liked the author's decision to write this from four different perspectives. I really liked the author's writing style and thought it was well-paced. The reader really gets all different sides of the story. Each character is fighting her own battle, but it all revolves around one little boy. I think my favorite character was Claire because she seemed really genuine and she has so much love for children.

This book is about a horrible tragedy and the struggle to live life after that tragedy. There's mystery and surprises and it will have you questioning all the way through. Most of all, it was heart-breaking. It was difficult to get through some of the book. I won't give away any spoilers here, but I'll just say that this book deals with a tough subject and has some very sad and disturbing scenes. I had to just put it down a couple times to brace myself to move forward.

Having said that, there's no completely happy ending here, but it does resolve itself and there is a sense of finality and even hope for some of the characters. This book kept me engaged and I finished it in two sittings. The story begins in the present, with Allison being released from prison and the story unfolds as the author gives the reader glimpses of what actually happened five years earlier. Wonderfully done. I am looking forward to picking up a copy of the authors debut novel, "The Weight of Silence" in the near future. I would recommend this one to readers who like books about tough subjects, family drama and real-world issues. I think fans of Jodi Picoult would enjoy this book as well.

**Thank you to Goodreads and Harlequin for sending me a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for my honest review.



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Review: The Girl in the Gatehouse

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



From the back cover:
Banished from the only home she's ever known, Mariah Aubrey hides herself away in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. There she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how - by writing novels in secret.

When captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. But there are many things he doesn't know about this beguiling outcast. Will he risk his plans - and his heart - for a woman shadowed by scandal?

I was surprised by how much I fell in love with this story and with the characters. There are a lot of things going on, but somehow the author ties them all together very well. Mariah is a compassionate person who takes an interest in the residents of the poorhouse across the street from her new home. She is also curious about the people she meets and about the mystery surrounding her aunts life. She is a romantic, writing novels in secret, while still struggling with her own troubled past. Unexpectedly, Captain Bryant moves into the great house on the estate and seems to be struggling with his own past as well...

This is a Christian historical fiction novel, but the religious aspects were more subdued than i expected, as compared with other Christian fiction I have read. Christian novels often run the risk of being too "preachy" and overwhelming for a lot of readers but this novel was really well done. I liked this book more than I thought I would. One of the things that I really liked is that the author lets the reader get a glimpse of all the different characters' stories. There's obviously a focus on the main characters, but I liked getting to know all of them and appreciated that the author took the time to tell each person's story.

Overall, this book is about love, friendship, broken hearts, forgiveness, and above all, its about hope and healing. I am anxious to read more of Julie Klassen's novels. I thoroughly enjoyed this heart-felt and inspiring story and would recommend it to those who like clean romance, historical fiction, and a little bit of mystery thrown in as well.

**Thank you to the publisher, Bethany House, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.




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