Melody's Reading Corner

Melody

Penguin Publishing Group | July 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Final Girls has been receiving a lot of hype since its release and I think it is well worth it as it was such a chilling and thrilling read (Why, even Stephen King quoted this on its cover: "The first great thriller of 2017 is here.")

Quincy Carpenter, Lisa Milner and Samantha Boyd are known in the press as the Final Girls; a film-geek speak for the last woman standing at the end of a horror movie. Lisa had lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam walked away alive after a sicko dubbed as the Sack Man assaulted her during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and finally our protagonist, Quincy, who managed to escape from Him (the perpetrator she refuses to call by name after all these years) after she fled from Pine Cottage after he had massacred five of her college friends ten years ago. Now the three Final Girls are attempting to put each of their nightmares behind them. As much as they knew each other by name and those horrendous events they had gone through, in reality they have never met.

Quincy is doing well at present though; she has a caring boyfriend Jeff, a popular baking blog and a caring cop who checks on her occasionally ever since he saved her life all those years ago. What makes her life easier to get by is she has no recollection of what really happened that night at Pine Cottage. Like a few missing puzzles, she could only remember the before and after of that horrendous massacre; what happened in between was lost on her and she has no intention of remembering it. Then Lisa Milner was found dead with her wrists slit. Sam Boyd then appears on Quincy's doorstep claiming concern over her after those years laying low. Quincy quickly forged a friendship with Sam but as the days go she realises that Sam is relentless in bringing out that rage which had buried deep inside her since that fateful night. As dire consequences happen one after another after Sam moves into her house, Quincy begins to question everything including Lisa's death and what really happened to her and her five friends at Pine Cottage.

Final Girls was one great psychological suspense with a cast of intriguing characters. What made this such a compelling read is aside from the characters, the plot and the writing style keep the reader engrossed throughout the story. And personally I felt the two parts narrations really brought out the intensity as the reader will see two sides of the story - the present in Quincy's POV and the other in third person narration as flashbacks of what happened at Pine Cottage as the story moves towards the closure. This book had me on edge all the time and while I was curious over the friendship between Sam and Quincy, I was also eager to find out what really happened at Pine Cottage. I could easily picture this story makes its way onto the big screen because it has the combination of a slasher flick (think Scream and the like) and suspense. A fresh voice in the psychological thriller genre and I'll definitely be looking forward to more by this author.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 12 comments |

Drama Review: Criminal Minds (犯罪心理)

Melody

Based on the American television series of the same title, this Korean drama remake will satisfy anyone who loves a good, exciting police procedural and crime thrillers featuring a group of elite agents from the National Criminal Investigation (NCI) to solve crime cases through their expertise of criminal profiling, criminal psychology, white hacking and the like. The cases they solve range from domestic and violence to complex psychological ones.

As the agents work through their expertise in solving each case, a few also portray a personal and vulnerable side of them as some cases involve their friends and family members, or even having been gone through some horrific situations themselves which still left an impact on them before joining NCI.

Although each agent is brilliant in his/her own role, I've to say Team Captain Kang Ki-Hyung (starring Son Hyun-Joo) left a deep impression on me not only of his brilliant acting but also of his role as the lead profiler who guide his team through his sharp insight on how a criminal's mind works as well as offering support as and when needed. Other supporting roles such as profilers Kim Hyun-Joon (starring Lee Joon-Gi), Ha Sun-Woo (starring Moon Chae-Won), Dr Lee Han (starring Go Yoon); and white hacker Nana Hwang (starring Yoo-Sun) as well as the media specialist Yoo Min-Young (starring Lee Sun-Bin) complement the group and no one is a minor role in my opinion as each plays an important part in solving a case.

After watching this I've a deeper understanding of how a profiler works and I truly have great respect and admiration for them given the challenging tasks they have to face everything they solve a case.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Crime Thriller, Drama review, Korean drama, Police procedural, Psychological Thriller 6 comments |

The New Neighbor by Leah Stewart

Melody

Touchstone | July 2015 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

Ninety-year-old Margaret Riley lives by herself in a secluded small town on a mountain in Tennessee. Although she feels lonely at times, she seeks comfort in her mystery books until she finds a woman moving into the long-empty house across the pond.

Jennifer Young is on the run from her old life and together with her four-year-old son Milo, they take refuge in a quiet town so she could get on with her new identity and a new beginning. She is reserved and mysterious to the residents and soon she catches Margaret's attention simply because she has occupied the house of a woman named Barbara, who was about Margaret's age and they used to talk sometimes. Acting like a sleuth herself, Margaret sets on befriending the younger woman by hiring her as her massage therapist, hoping that as the days go by Jennifer would open up and tell her her story. But Jennifer isn't keen to talk about herself or her family, thus in order to get Jennifer's attention so that she would keep coming to her house, Margaret decides to tell Jennifer her story when she was a nurse with the Army Nurse Corps during World War II as well as her friendship with a fellow nurse named Kay. Margaret has never told anyone about her story, because it consists of a secret she wouldn't even think of herself. As if that isn't enough, Margaret begins to seek out someone from Jennifer's past to learn of her history that would lead to some consequences both of them couldn't imagine.

The New Neighbor may sound like a mystery novel but basically it is a story surrounding two women and their secrets as well as their different views being on their own. For Margaret, years of loneliness and curiosity has drove her into finding a friendship in Jennifer but that persistence has led to an obsession. As for Jennifer, her needs for isolation became an impossible task as she soon realises that the basic needs to socialise with people and to hunt for a job are both essential if she is to survive in a new environment. In a nutshell, Margaret and Jennifer seek each other out for different reasons and this is where the story begins to unfold.

This story was beautifully written and was a little suspenseful in a way, but not in the form of a psychological thriller. In fact I'd say this is more of a literary fiction with a sense of melancholy. I can't say I loved the story but the author has a way with words and the story did make me feel for Margaret and Jennifer; thus overall it was a satisfying read.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Mystery 10 comments |

Here and Gone by Haylen Beck

Melody

Crown/Archetype | June 2017 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

The story opens with our protagonist, Audra Kinney, fleeing from her abusive husband as she takes their two children with her in a car. As they make their way across Arizona to their destination in California taking back roads to avoid attention, a local sheriff pulls her over with an accusation of committing a traffic offense. Audra, who is trying to keep a low profile, stops her car and before she could react the sheriff begins to ransack her trunk and pull out a bag of drugs which she has never seen before. Audra is then forced to be detained by the sheriff while he calls his colleague, a deputy officer, to take away her children to somewhere safe so they could interrogate her properly.

However this is not what the sheriff and the deputy officer have in mind. They plan to take away her children to seal a deal and they will frame Audra for false accusation and possession of illegal drugs. It is their words against hers and Audra, who used to have a history of alcoholism and depression two years ago, will find herself fighting her way for freedom and most of all, to get her children back. But no one believes her except a man named Danny Lee, whose wife had encountered the same experience five years ago but Danny wouldn't have the chance to see them again as his wife committed suicide and their girl couldn't be found.

Here and Gone was a compelling read; it is also a story which I could imagine would be every parent's nightmare. My heart went out to Audra as I felt her worries and her fear. I rooted for her throughout the book and I was glad she was a fighter. Danny was a more intriguing character given his ethnic Chinese identity and his gangster-like past which got him into troubles at times. The two of them makes an odd combination, but Aura and Danny have the same goal of finding whoever who took their children thus they find trust in each other eventually. This book was a refreshing break from the other books I read lately since it was about corrupt authorities (a rare feature from what I read but such a disheartening thing to think of!) Though it was a fast-paced and intense thriller, it was also an emotionally driven story surrounding a few innocent children and their mothers who are wrongly accused. I'd had a wild reading ride as I followed Audra from places to places as she raced against time to either escape from her past or to find her children. Sean, her eight-year-old son, was quite street smart and I loved how the way he protected his younger sister with the dangerous situations they were in. Definitely not an easy read with a topic of kidnapped children (fortunately they were not abused) but this will be one of those books which will make you want to keep your children safe and close.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 10 comments |

Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

Melody

Mira | January 2017 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

This is my third Kubica book and I've to say this book was a bit different from her other two books I read in terms of the pacing and the overall story structure.

Narrated by Quinn Collins and Alex Gallo alternatively, these two characters found themselves onto a different journey when unexpected circumstances are thrown into their path. Quinn is a twenty-ish young woman living with her roommate in downtown Chicago when one day she finds her disappears from their apartment without a trace. Esther Vaughan isn't one who wander about or one who loves living a wild life so Quinn question over Esther's disappearance and how well she really knew her roommate after she has discovered a few haunting letters addressed to "My Dearest" among her possessions. Is Esther hiding something from her?

On the other end, eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher at a coffeeshop in a solitude small-town Michigan. Living with his alcoholic father and occasionally running errands for a woman with agoraphobia, Alex has been living a mundane life until a young woman steps into the coffeeshop one day. Drawn by her mysterious and her quiet temperament, he soon becomes friends with her but the girl whom he named Pearl doesn't share much of her info with him. Who is she and what's on her agenda?

Don't You Cry is not a fast paced book filled with intensity like other psychological suspense; this is more of a character-driven story and allows the reader to take time to know the characters as the story slowly unfolds. Truth be told, I wasn't sure where the story direction is initially because Quinn and Alex don't seem to have any connections with each other. Their search in finding the truth surrounding the two young women in their life seems to be their common ground and that's it. However, the story did take a turn and surprised me in the end as it wasn't something I'd expected. Overall it was a suspenseful read and if you don't mind the slower pace then this book is for you.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 12 comments |

Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda

Melody

HarperCollins | September 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Unfolding over the course of 24 hours, Best Day Ever is a domestic thriller that tells a pair of couple's marital woes and their psychological tug of war which led to a twisty conclusion.

Paul and Mia Strom seem to be a perfect couple in everyone's eyes. Paul works in an advertising firm holding a managerial position and Mia is a beautiful, stay-at-home housewife. They have two perfectly healthy young boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. Mia used to work as a copywriter but quit her job after marrying Paul. Paul ensures that the family is well fed and that Mia could concentrate on her role as a housewife. Being a perfect husband he is, he plans a weekend getaway at their lake house just the two of them; and it would be the best day ever for them.

However, tension arises before they get to their lake house. To complicate matters, Paul doesn't see eye to eye with their lake house's neighbour, Buck. He even wonders if Buck and Mia are having a secret affair. But that's not all, Paul seems to have anger issue and is unfaithful to Mia on several occasions. Mia finally decides that enough is enough and that she should take matters into her own hands and take back the freedom she's always craves; after all Paul is nothing as compared to her parents' financial status. On top of that, Mia's father despises Paul and didn't approve of their marriage in the first place.

Best Day Ever is a page-turner and will question the reader how well you really know the person whom you are closest to. To begin with, Paul is a narcissist, a womaniser and a male chauvinist who loves control over everything else. A few chapters in, he sent off a bad vibe to the reader through his dark ugly thoughts and bad behaviours. Paul may be an unlikeable narrator, but being the focal point his role is what set the pace of this story and like watching a train wreck the reader knew something bad would happen yet it's hard not to see the other way and read what's going to happen next. Mia, on the other hand, is a character whom the reader could not underestimate. She may be meek in the beginning, but one could never tell if she has a hidden agenda.

As this is told over a course of 24 hours, there is a strong sense of urgency and intensity when deceptions and doubts begin to set in both Paul's and Mia's mind. While there was closure towards the end I couldn't help feeling a bit raw over everything happened in the book. This is another domestic suspense novel you have to read if you are a fan of this genre.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 12 comments |

The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea

Melody

Kensington | April 2017 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

I read Charlie Donlea's Summit Lake a while back and thought it was a good read but his latest, The Girl Who Was Taken, was even better.

In August 2016, Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald disappeared from a beach party in their small town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina. Both are high school seniors and though they aren't the best of friends, each is popular with her own cliques of friends and while Megan is a good student with big dreams, Nicole is wild and an attention seeker who would do anything for the sake of fun and rebellion. Two weeks later, Megan miraculously escapes from a secluded bunker which kept her hidden from the world but not Nicole who remains missing.

A year later Megan shot to fame through her book about her harrowing escape and how her survival becomes an inspiring story to many. Nicole's older sister, Livia, still feels regret for not answering Nicole's call on that fateful night and as a fellow in forensic pathology now, she is hoping that one day soon Nicole's body and answers will be found through evidence of forensic science and a closure for good. What Livia didn't expect is a young man's body lying on her exam table and he is the first clue to Nicole's disappearance since Nicole was acquainted with him before tragedy strikes. Casey's death isn't a suicide as speculated by the police and the more Livia finds out through her job she finally came to a conclusion that Casey was murdered but what happened to Nicole? Driven by this new discovery and that urge of finding the truth surrounding Nicole's disappearance, Livia approaches Megan and hoping that she would help her out in giving her a more specific account of what really happened that night and if their cases are connected to a few other missing girls as well.

The Girl Who Was Taken wowed me in many ways. For starters, it was a fast-paced and a very suspenseful read. I was sucked into the story quickly and while I was intrigued by Nicole as a person as well as her disappearance, I was also drawn to Livia as a fellow in forensic pathology and the challenges she has to face on job as well as her wish in finding her younger sister. The author has done a great job in detailing Livia's profession and while I was fascinated by all the works and challenges, I was also aware that it isn't a job for everyone as it requires both courage and meticulousness (and not to mention a strong stomach) as well. Overall it was a compelling psychological thriller mixed with a dose of forensic science and I can't wait to find out what is in store in Charlie Donlea's next book.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

Melody

Mira | September 2016 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

Once again, I've the pleasure of having Lark as my reading buddy and this time around she had chosen Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra, who is an Australian author. This is a story about two different young women; one disappeared while the other is an impostor.

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared on her way home from work. On the surface, Rebecca seemed like any other ordinary girl who enjoyed life; she'd been having a good summer break with her best friend, Lizzie, and crushing on an older boy at work. Then before her disappearance, she has a feeling of being watched and that she could feel a presence in her room at night. No one knew what happened although Lizzie claimed Bec was not being herself before her disappearance. The case remains unsolved.

Eleven years later, a young woman took over Rebecca Winter's identity after she was caught shoplifting and in desperation claimed to be the missing Bec. The impostor bore some resemblance to the missing Bec so no one suspected anything and soon she is living the real Bec's life. The impostor has nothing to lose as she has an unhappy life and didn't feel loved by her family. However, her new life is short-lived as soon she notices that her welcoming family and friends aren't quite as they seem and most of all, whoever took Rebecca Winter is still at large. What really happened to the real Bec and what would the impostor do under this circumstances?

Only Daughter is one of those suspense novels that leave you entirely clueless and curious from the beginning and you couldn't help but to keep reading until that final page. This story is told from two POVs alternatively - 16-year-old Rebecca Winter before her disappearance in third person narrative and the impostor in present time in first person narrative. Both characters are intriguing in her own way and while I felt sorry for the impostor's life and that she has to resort to impersonation to have a new life, it is the real Rebecca who I was really interested in from the beginning. She is a bit mysterious and most of all I felt something is off with her parents but yet I couldn't put my finger on what really bothered me. While I felt some parts seemed a bit far-fetched, still it has that foreboding feel and will keep the reader riveted until that very last page. Overall it was a suspenseful read though I felt some parts need more developments.

And finally, here are my answers to Lark's questions related to the book:

1. What did you think of the ending, and did you see it coming? (Because I didn't!)

I certainly didn't see that ending coming! It was a good twist, but I've some questions on the motive and didn't fully understand why but that said, it was a very suspenseful thriller. My curiosity towards the two Rebeccas was what drove me flipping the pages quickly!

2. Between the real Bec and her impostor, which character did you end up liking better?

Hmm. That was a good question and one which is difficult to answer without giving much thought. Honestly, I sympathised with both of them; each girl faced some difficulties in her life but most of all, it seemed the impostor suffered the most because of what she's been through with her family whom she felt unloved by them. As for the real Bec, she may seemed to have everything in life but she lacked emotional happiness. I think both girls have their strength and flaws and it is difficult for me to pick a favourite character.

Now go visit Lark's blog to read her thoughts and my questions to her relating this book!

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 10 comments |

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Melody

Penguin Publishing Group | September 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

I read Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You in 2015 and enjoyed her writing style and most of all the sensitivity and the insightfulness when portraying her characters and crafting her story. This second book is no exception and once again I found myself immersed in Celeste's storytelling and her interesting cast of characters set in Shaker Heights, Cleveland.

The Richardsons is an upper class family consists of six members. William Richardson works as a lawyer and his wife, Eleanor, is a journalist with one of the local papers. Shaker Heights has its own history and for all Eleanor knows her family roots are there. One can say Shaker Heights is a well-planned suburb and the Richardsons are quite happy with the community there until Mia Warren and her teenaged daughter, Pearl, enter into their lives.

Mia, a single mother, is an artist and together with her daughter they travel from places to places until Shaker Heights becomes their latest resting place. They rent a house from the Richardsons and soon the four Richardson children are drawn to this enigmatic mother-daughter pair. Pearl soon quickly adapts to their new environment and has found friendship in Moody, the third child of the Richardsons family. Mia remains quiet and reserved until a coworker at a part-time place where she works confides in her about her baby daughter, May Ling Chow, whom she left at a fire station out of desperation due to her poverty condition, decides to have her baby back but an old friend of the Richardsons, the McCullough couple (the wife had had a few pregnancies but couldn't keep her babies) has decided to adopt the homeless baby and soon Eleanor and Mia find themselves on opposing sides as the custody battle divides the once peaceful community. As if that is not enough, Eleanor is determined to unravel Mia's past but that obsession will soon come with a price.

What made someone a mother? Was it biology alone, or was it love? ~ Pg 280

Once again, Celeste Ng has delivered a taut and an insightful piece of work centering around secrets, identity and the ferocity pull of maternal love. The story begins with a slow start, basically the introduction of the Richardsons and Shaker Heights but towards the middle the reader will embrace the change of direction and momentum as lots of things happened quickly. The characterisation is the huge draw of the story and I found myself invested in Mia's story and why Eleanor Richardson is relentless in pursuing Mia's mysterious past despite of consequences there might be. Celeste Ng has portrayed a multiple aspects of the role of a mother which is both moving and thought-provoking and although I liked her previous novel, I've to say I liked this one better.

Labels: 5 stars, Book Review, Fiction 8 comments |

Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

Melody

Park Row Books | May 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

The story opens with our protagonist, Amelia Winn, surviving a hit-and-run accident after she had seen one of the patients off to the hospital car park. Stacey was sexually assaulted and had gone for the necessary medical checks and examinations and Amelia, being a nurse, felt Stacey needed some emotional support and that the least she could do is to see her off to the car park. Unfortunately Stacey died and Amelia became deaf after her inner ear nerves were affected.

Two years later Amelia moved on but the death of Gwen Locke shattered her inner peace all over again. Like her, Gwen was a nurse and they were even friends at one time. Amelia found her body in a dense bush by the river which was deep in the woods near her cabin. From Gwen's wounds it was clear that she was murdered but no one knew why. Gwen was well liked by her friends and coworkers so it was hard to even speculate for a reason. As Amelia tried to do some detective work on her own, she realised that there was a motive behind Gwen's death and that she would be the next target of whoever murdered Gwen as she has stumbled upon some secrets she was not supposed to know.

Not a Sound stood out in my opinion not only it was a fast paced whodunit psychological thriller but more of the protagonist who was hearing impaired and her service dog, Stitch. The author has done a great job in detailing Amelia's hearing condition and the challenges she faced in life. Not being able to hear is a sad thing and my heart went out to Amelia while reading all the difficulties she had to go through in her life. It was a good thing that she could lip read and has Stitch by her side, but there are still some things she couldn't be able to tell completely even with the help of technology, such as a person's tone without seeing his expression. I understand from the author's note that Heather was born with a profound unilateral hearing loss so I can imagine her situation while reading about Amelia. The whodunit wasn't hard to guess if you follow through the plot but as mentioned before, what made this book a readable one is Amelia and Stitch. I often marvel at the capabilities and the duties of a service dog so reading about Stitch warmed my heart to an extent. I would highly recommend this book if you want a good suspense with unforgettable characters.

Labels: 4.5 stars, nook review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

The Child by Fiona Barton

Melody

Penguin Publishing Group | June 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

An old house demolition in London which led to a discovery of a tiny skeleton which is believed to have been buried for years. Journalist Kate Waters first came across the headline "Baby's Body Found" at the bottom of the News section in Evening Standard when she was checking for the bylines of friends. She almost missed that section since the coverage was minimal and the papers was focused more on the London Olympics instead. Intrigued with the news and determined to write something more than a few vague paragraphs, Kate began searching and unravelling the mystery of the baby's death and her tasks led her to three women and how she got sucked into a family drama involving secrets and the lies someone has to cover up over a span of forty years.

To be honest, I think the plot was brilliant and that twisty ending totally surprised me. However, what made me plod through this book slowly is the multiple narratives involving four women. I've to admit it took me a while to get used to the style and although it was an emotional read involving a baby, I didn't really feel connected to the characters (well perhaps with the exception of Kate). Kate was an interesting character who shows a great devotion and persistence in her work and that was my impression of her. I understand she was first featured in this author's first book, The Widow, though these two books aren't connected. I'd have to check that out since there are several good reviews of it on Goodreads. I suppose another thing that slowed down my reading is the pace of the story and at times I felt it dragging. Then again, this might be a personal view and that it's more of a character-driven kind of story so this may work well with readers who are into that style. That said, I thought the ending was a good one as I didn't see it coming.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

You'll Never Know, Dear by Hallie Ephron

Melody

HarperCollins Publishers | June 2017 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

That creepy cover. No, this isn't a horror novel and although it has dolls as a theme, this story is actually about a case of a little girl's disappearance.

Lissie and Janey Woodham were out playing at their yard when the elder sister, Lissie, left 4-year-old Janey behind to chase after a puppy. Thinking Janey was back in the house, Lis didn't take notice and by then a few precious hours were wasted. Their mother, whom others called Miss Sorrell, is a doll maker and a doll collector herself. Together with her best friend and neighbour, Evelyn, they make and repair dolls and Miss Sorrell even makes her own portrait dolls which bear the hallmark of a Sorrell leaf; a special indication to differentiate her dolls from others. Their mother had made a doll for each daughter; and many speculated that Janey or whoever kidnapped her took her doll too because it couldn't be found.

The case remains unsolved throughout the years and Lis now has a college-aged daughter, Vanessa. She continues to live with Miss Sorrell while Vanessa is in another state working on her grant proposal on sleep-related research. However, Vanessa's proposal has to take a backseat as she's received a call from Evelyn that both her grandmother and her mother are in a hospital due to an accident in their workroom. Before this, she understood that a woman had turned up at Miss Sorrell's house with a broken porcelain doll in responding to her ad about Janey's special portrait doll. Every year on the anniversary of Janey's disappearance, Miss Sorrell will place a classified ad offering a cash reward and there's been no news until now. Is that really Janey's doll and is she really alive all these years? As Miss Sorrell's family tries to find out more about that woman with the doll and its authenticity, they'll soon learn that there's more than meets the eye and whoever knows the truth surrounding Janey's disappearance will ensure that the mystery will never be solved and will do anything to keep it hidden.

I really enjoyed reading this story. Though not entirely a gothic story, I've to say there's still a little sense of creepiness surrounding the dolls what with their real-like looks and their scattered body parts waiting to be assembled (or wigs made from real hairs). Hallie Ephron succeeded in capturing a reader's attention with her suspenseful plot and intriguing characters through her writing skills and I've to say some information about the sleep research on directing dreams is another interesting aspect of this story. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 10 comments |

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Melody

Penguin Publishing Group | May 2017 | 336 pgs

Source: Library

Eleanor Oliphant is an unusual woman. Living alone and with no friends, one would've thought her life must be terribly miserable and lonely. On the contrary, Eleanor doesn't really care what others think of her and is rather contented with her simple, routine life. Not a natural with social skills and sweet talking, she is often brushed off as being odd by her co-workers and even if they do talk to her their intentions are usually insincere or with motives. Eleanor has a crush on a musician named Johnnie Lomond and she often envision them being as a couple one day. It is a wishful thinking on her part, but he keeps her motivated in some way.

Then her life takes a turn after she's met Raymond Gibbons. Raymond works in the same company as Eleanor although they are from different department. Eleanor knew Raymond because she needs his help with fixing her office computer; and being a new employee and a conversationalist at heart, Raymond will try to get into conversations with Eleanor whenever he sees her. Eleanor isn't interested in forming a friendship with Raymond initially, but both of them saw an elderly man fell and hurt his head on their way out of the office at the same time one day. While Eleanor isn't the one who accompanied Sammy into the ambulance, she couldn't help thinking of his condition and when Raymond suggest they visit Sammy together after work she knew she has no reason to turn him down. That one visit lead to another visit, and in no time Eleanor finds herself quite familiarise with Sammy and even Raymond. In the subsequent events, Eleanor changes bit by bit the more she's out with Raymond and interact with others. And towards the end, the reader will discover more of Eleanor and what makes her live in her own world and how she comes out from that abyss of loneliness and self-blame.

I've to say Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is more than a fine book; it is a moving, uplifting book filled with heart and courage. She is an intriguing character but not one who finds approachable at first sight; she is aloof and it took me some time to warm up to her but I liked her for her guilelessness and her genuine self. This is a heartwarming story that made me laugh, cry and be inspired by Eleanor's courage and determination for walking out of her abyss and be someone different. This book is Gail Honeyman's debut and was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize. I'll be sure to follow her next release.

Labels: 4 5 stars, Book Review, Fiction 8 comments |

Drama Review: Bride of the Water God (aka Bride of Habaek) (河伯的新娘)

Melody

I'd been anticipating for this drama after seeing that poster and knowing that this would be a fantasy romance between a water god and a psychiatrist. It sounds intriguing, isn't it? On top of it, it is based on a manhwa of the same title by Yun Mi Kyung and though I haven't read it, I understand there's a slight difference from the original comic based on what I read from the drama forum.

Water god, Habaek (starring Nam Joo Hyuk) is a charismatic yet a narcissistic deity of the Realm of Gods. Before his enthronement to be King of the Water Country, he is being sent to earth in order to locate some sacred stones to help him claim his throne. He finds Yoon So Ah (starring Shin Se Kyung) as there was a pact made between So Ah's past ancestors and the deities and that they will serve the water god for generations. So Ah, on the other hand, is a psychiatrist with her own practice but her life is a misery as she is saddled with debts and an unhappy past surrounding her father. Habaek and So Ah struggle to tolerate each other as expectations and their living lifestyle differ, but soon they'll discover that there's a lot more meaning to life and finally how they've come to a solution with their circumstances after they've fallen in love with each other.

I suppose I'd expected too much from this fantasy because what turns out to be an interesting premise became a huge disappointment. I think the major issue lies with the worldbuilding (of the deities) as not much information or explanations are being made except for little snippets or flashbacks here and there. I thought the deities' world was interesting and it'd be so much better if there are more focus on them but alas, no. And there's also a character who's half-deity, half-human (starring Lim Ju Hwan) disguised as a CEO of a famous resort and I felt his role here are underrated. And then, there're some scenes featuring the disputes between a wind god and this half-deity which left me perplexed because I'd no idea why the wind god is continuously picking on him simply because the latter is a half-blood. Finally, while I found the romance between Habaek and So Ah sweet and romantic, they tend to drag at times. Despite my disappointment, I was perseverant in watching this through and I was glad I did because the final episode was quite a good one even though it was a little too late. My verdict is, if you're expecting a more fantasy theme and a fancy worldbuilding you'd be disappointed, however this will appease to fans of the romance genre so it is all about personal preference and expectations.

Labels: 3 stars, Drama review, Fantasy, Korean drama, Romance 6 comments |

Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

Melody

Park Row Books | June 2017 | 336 pgs

Source: Library

Mary Kubica's latest release, Every Last Lie, is a suspenseful psychological thriller that will make you think of deception and how well you know your significant one when bad things happen.

Clara and Nick Solberg are a happily married couple with a four-year-old Maisie and baby Felix. Unfortunately their happiness is short-lived as Nick was met in an automobile accident and was killed while Maisie miraculously survived. In the subsequent days Maisie seems terrified and keep saying that a bad man was following them. Clara isn't sure if Maisie's statement is simply her imagination, after all she does have her playful moments and on top of that the police has certified that it was an accident caused by Nick's reckless speeding. Clara knew Nick was always careful when their children are concerned, so she finds it hard to believe that Nick was really speeding with Maisie in the car. With this in mind and Maisie's statement she is certain that Nick's death is simply not an accident but something or someone that drove him into it.

Overcome by grief and this obsession that Nick was pursued by someone that led to his death, Clara is determined and desperate to hunt for the truth. As the more she digs, the more she discovers that Nick is hiding something from her. Nick was in a financial crisis as she later found out that the business of his dental clinic went downhill following a client's complaint. To add insult to injury, she also found out a few things which make her in doubt of Nick's credibility. Could Nick committed suicide with all his guilt and depression? What really caused his death and what does Clara believe? Maisie's vivid imagination, suicide or murder?

Told in Clara's perspective and Nick's last month's leading up to the crash alternatively, Every Last Lie was an engrossing read between finding the truth and discovering how grief and obsession could drive a person to the darkest corners of the psyche. Clara's pain and misery was well described but at times it seemed a bit overwhelming. While I wasn't enamoured by the twisty ending, I've to admit the story was intense and suspenseful.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 6 comments |

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Melody

HarperCollins Publishers | August 2017 | 512 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

This is my first Karin Slaughter standalone book and wow, what a compelling read!

Twenty-eight years ago, Samantha and Charlotte Quinn witnessed the murder and death of their mother. Zach and Daniel Culpepper, who broke into their house were actually looking for the girls' father, who is also Pikeville's most well-known and notorious defence attorney. His clients involve robbers, rapists and even murderers and for this, Rusty Quinn has often received death threats but nothing is serious until this tragedy. After their mother's death, Sam and Charlie Quinn fled for their life but each meets with a different destiny as one fight back while the other escape. Nevertheless, that fateful day remains a permanent scar for both Sam and Charlie, physically and emotionally as they grown into adults and each goes on her own way. And the Quinn family is never the same, again.

Now twenty-eight years later, like a good daughter Charlie follows Rusty's footsteps as a lawyer. Then a mass shooting incident left Pikeville in shock and in rage. Charlie isn't supposed to be at the scene, but she did and it left her traumatised by the sheer violence of it and worst of all being the first witness of the school tragedy. Kelly Wilson, the seventeen-year-old schoolgirl is found guilty for murdering the principal and an eight-year-old girl. As all evidence points to Kelly, Charlie is left with a bit of doubts as the murder weapon couldn't be found and on top of it Kelly's intellectual mind appears to be slightly lower than her peers. Faced with this tragedy which reminds her of the past, Charlie turns to her estranged elder sister, Sam. And both of them will soon discover that Kelly's case would unleash the shocking truth which destroyed their family many years ago.

Well, let me say The Good Daughter surprised me on many levels. Not only it was a good psychological suspense filled with intrigue and twists but it was also filled with heart, too. I've to confess it wasn't an easy read either, as there was violence and it made me ache reading what happened to the young victims as well as the Quinns sisters. Ms. Slaughter knows how to craft her story well and it shows in her writing, the tone and yes, the character development (of Charlie and Sam) too as this is very much about Charlie's story alongside the mass shooting incident. Reading about the Quinns family also struck a chord of various feelings in me; first empathy followed by a wave of melancholy which left a lump in my throat towards the finishing. It is rare that a crime thriller have that kind of effect in me. I'll have to check out her other stand-alones and her series books as well.

Labels: 5 stars, Book Review, Crime Thriller 6 comments |

Small Hours by Jennifer Kitses

Melody

Grand Central Publishing | June 2017 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

Small Hours is Jennifer Kitses' debut novel and a compelling domestic drama that explores a couple's search for a new life and how a misstep devastates the family thereafter.

Two years ago, Tom and Helen fled their home in New York to live in Devon; a former mill town and now an exurb. With its quiet community and away from the pressures of the city, they (especially Helen) are hopeful that this new place would give them some bliss and some peace where they could raise their young twin daughters who are three. Before the move, both Tom and Helen struggled to keep their jobs during the economy crisis but failed. Both of them eventually found something but not without a price. For Tom, a 90-minute train ride is essential for his journey to and from work aside from a demanding boss at a newswire firm. While Helen has the flexibility of working at home for her designing projects, her job often requires her to work last minute changes on short notices regardless of the hours. As they juggle between work and family, the stress begins to take a toll on them until Helen snaps over an incident on one fateful September morning. Tom, on the other hand, has been trying to keep his infidelity a few years back under wraps until it comes to a stage whereby he has to make a decision whether or not if he should let his "other family" go or to remain as part of his life.

Small Hours is an addictive domestic drama which tells what many working parents are facing today - to find balance between work and family on top of the financial stress. However, it is also a story about secrets, bad choices and decisions and how they will destroy the fragile equilibrium of a family bliss if one is not careful. Tom and Helen, both in their early 40s which is neither too young nor too old, are stuck in a situation where they don't have many job opportunities that work in their favours. Most of all, there aren't much communications in between their busy life so it is not surprising to see one party succumbs to temptations while the other break under pressure. While there aren't twists and turns (or murder) in this novel, it was interesting (and intriguing) seeing the story unfolds through Tom's and Helen's story alternatively in a span of one fateful September day until the conclusion. It was thought-provoking in a way, and I was glad I picked this up.

Labels: 4 5 stars, Book Review, Fiction, Literary 6 comments |

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Melody

Harvill Secker | June 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Purchased

First of all, I want to thank Lark (Lark Writes...on books and life) for reading this book with me and it's been fun doing this buddy reading and comparing notes with her. (I'm definitely looking forward to our next buddy reading, Lark!) Without further ado, here's my review of The Lying Game by Ruth Ware.

For seventeen years, Isa, Kate, Thea and Fatima are each occupied with their own life after leaving Salten in Reach, except for Kate. After all, Kate lives there all her life with her late father, Ambrose and her stepbrother, Luc. The old mill house by the marsh once brought these girls, who are now women, many unforgettable teenage memories. They are close like sisters, and they enjoyed their countless Lying Games which had fooled so many of their peers and adults alike but one thing is clear, which is no lying to each other. Their high school days at Salten House are full of scandals, and people steered clear of them, knowing they are liars and not to be trusted. The lies they weaved varies from harmless to shockingly ones, until an incident surrounding a mysterious death had them leave the school and they never looked back since.

Now Isa, Thea and Fatima have put their days at Salten far behind after they left Reach, until they received a text that said "I need you" from Kate. They don't use that three little words except in direness situations, so they knew in their heart something have happened and they have to go back to Salten and to Kate to confront their past. It turns out that a human bone was found, and the police is investigating it. What really happened in Salten? And why does Kate needs them now after all those years of silence?

If you are a fan of Ruth Ware, you would know that she has a way of building the suspense and intensity from the beginning until the truth is revealed. Though The Lying Game still has that aura of mystery and suspense, the attention here focuses more on the characters development and the tight-knit relationship and trust among the four women. It also has a strong sense of parenting love and this often shows on Isa's fussing over her six-month old baby (which I found to be a bit overwhelming at times.) While the pacing was a tad slow (until towards the last third of the book) and different from Ware's previous two books (In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10), the surprise at the end still threw me off and that was a good thing. Overall it was a good read and I can't wait to hear what the author has in store for her next book.

Before ending this review, Lark and I asked each other two questions and here's my answers to her questions:

1. What did you think about this Lying Game that the girls played, and would you have played it when you were their age?

There are two forms of lies - one with an intention to deceive/harm others while the other with a well-intention purpose. And then there are some who think lying is fun, to gain attention and to see how a person would react to their false statement. Our four characters here belong to the last but they didn't realise that the lies they spun could sometimes hurt a person's reputation and worse, has led to a huge consequences. And I think they've gone too far if someone was hurt because of it.

Truth be told, I was quite an introverted person when I was their age. Telling small lies, such as forgotten to bring our homework etc might have worked at times but I doubt we could get away if we spread something outrageous and malicious in school (during our secondary school days, everyone almost "knew" everyone on the same class level and bad news always spread the fastest, not that someone had done something really bad then.) So while telling small lies are inevitable at times (e.g. "inventing" anything to distract my daughters), I don't have the mind (or guts anyway, present or past) to play something outrageous or malicious that would hurt a person.

2. And what makes Woman in Cabin 10 your favorite Ruth Ware novel?

I always have a thing for locked-room mystery. Woman in Cabin 10 satisfied all my reading expectations of a psychological suspense thriller. It has an unreliable character who thinks there's a murderer on board on their exclusive small cruise liner and that claustrophobic feeling with nowhere-to-run was such a thrill to read. I felt that the plot was well crafted too, and it kept me on edge throughout my reading journey.

Please visit Lark's blog to read about her thoughts on this book and her answers to my questions.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

The Dark Room by Jonathan Moore

Melody

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | January 2017 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

SFPD homicide detective Gavin Cain is overseeing an exhumation work when he receives a call from his superior, Lieutenant Nagata. The casket they are digging and a cold case will have to wait. Cain has finally found something which might shed some light on the case they have been working on for years, thus he is perplexed why he is being called for until he realised it is a request from San Francisco's mayor, Harry Castelli.

When Cain meets Harry, the latter shows him a short note and four photographs he received. The four photographs offer some depictions of what's happening when they were taken, though the actual event isn't clear and they could only speculate. But that's not all, whoever sent these stuff to Harry wants him to take his own life or worse revelations will come by the end of the week. As Harry races against time with FBI agent Karen Fischer to unravel the truth and hunt for the blackmailer, they would soon realise that there is more than meets the eye and that the casket he is digging may connect with Harry's case.

I read Jonathan Moore's The Poison Artist a while back and was impressed by his storytelling and his writing style. The Dark Room continues his signature of the above and I've to say TDR was more tense and have a multi-layered plot which I didn't see coming from the beginning. Part suspense and part police procedural, I was hooked from the opening featuring a determined homicide detective Cain while he opened up a cold case thirty years ago. With a few pages in, the reader could tell that he is an uncorrupted cop who would not allow himself to waver and crumble under pressure, and certainly not from the powerful mayor Castelli. Aside from that, he is also a considerate and attentive lover when his girlfriend, Lucy, is concerned. One could easily see why considering Lucy was one of the victims and the only adult survivor of a school mass shooting four years ago. That incident led Lucy from a shining talented pianist to a timid woman who hides in her house 24/7. Cain's camaraderie with his two other subordinates and their investigations add intrigue to the story and I found these scenarios are just as intense as the plot as they encounter difficulties and danger as they dig deeper. I'm glad to hear his next release, The Night Market, will be released in January 2018. I'm definitely looking forward to that.