Melody's Reading Corner

Melody

Mulholland Books | June 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Marcus and Tessa Nicholson, together with their three-year-old son, Josh, are happily vacationing in Greece when a moment of inattention almost ruined a life. Tessa has gone to make a phone call while Marcus has dozed off at the beach while watching Josh. Fortunately, a Dave Jepsom has jumped into the water in time to save their son. The Nicholsons are thankful for his heroic act and treated him for lunch. But it seems Dave has wanted more - he wants to be a part of their life and as the days go, Marcus and Tessa begin to see more of him; either stalking them or invited himself into their life like they are close friends.

For a while, the Nicholsons think Dave's attachment to them is harmless; after all he'd saved their son and he probably feels an affection for him. But his behaviours start to worry them, especially if Marcus and Tessa have a secret of their own and they begin to wonder if Dave is a threat to the secrets they are holding as both of them have a feeling that he is watching their movements. The tension begins to reach to a breaking point when they find their house being ransacked and vandalised one day, and of course their minds are on Dave. Is Dave their saviour or their stalker? And to what extent would the Nicholsons do to safeguard their secrets?

Take Me In was an engrossing read right from the beginning and is narrated by Marcus and Tessa alternatively. While the story has a setup of a psychological thriller, the second half read more like a domestic drama as we learn about the family dynamic and the secrets the Nicholsons are keeping from each other. Dave felt more like a smokescreen because we don't really know what his motives are until the end, which I think is the intention. Truth be told, he is the main purpose which keep me reading as I find the Nicholsons to be selfish and annoying. But I think what bothered me most is the ending, for I couldn't understand the logic behind the revelation as it seemed rushed and appear out of nowhere, which was a pity since the first half was brilliant and well written. That said, I want to read her previous book, Lie With Me, which I understand has received many good reviews.

© 2018 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: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 14 comments |

Drama Review: Familiar Wife (认识的妻子)

Melody

If you were given a second chance, would you change your life?

Joo-Hyuk (starring Ji Sung) and Woo-Jin (starring Han Ji-Min) have been married for five years and have two young children. The working couple rarely makes time for each other as their life revolves around work and children, thus they lack communication and each is frustrate with the other due to stress and all. As a result, their marriage life suffers and at one point, Joo-Hyuk wonders if his life would be different if he had chosen a different path, especially after he has met Hye-Won (starring Kang Han-Na), his crush from his college days and she told him that she had liked him back then.

But of course Joo-Hyuk couldn't do anything about his present life, until he helped a homeless man and he gave him two coins which were released in 2006. One night while driving home, Joo-Hyuk passed a toll road and after tossing one of the 2006 coins, he found himself travelled back in time to that year - the year when he was in college and how he first encountered Woo-Jin and helped her as a witness after she was molested in a public bus. And there begins their destiny.

Remembering his unhappiness marriage life in the present time, Joo-Hyuk chose a different path when he travelled back to 2006. He ended up married to Hye-Won although he couldn't escape the fate that he is meeting Woo-Jin again, this time as his colleague.

I enjoyed this story and thought it portrays a sharp observation on relationships (be it a couple or colleagues) and marriage life and it'd led me thinking about this saying - "the grass is always greener on the other side" and also "every family goes through its problems". Although we can't change the facts, we can change the interpretation of the facts, or better still adopt the following thinking:

So did Joo-Hyuk find his happiness in the end? Absolutely. And I liked how he worked hard to become a better person, after realising that life is about obstacles and challenges and overcoming them with his wit as well as his heart.

Labels: 4 stars, Drama review, Fantasy, Korean drama, Romance 6 comments |

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

Melody

Penguin Publishing Group | August 2018 | 304 pgs

Source: Purchased

A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be fun, right? With the winter season and the inn nestled deep in the woods, it is a perfect place for some R&R for anyone who wants a quiet and/or a romantic getaway. At least that is what our ten guests are thinking when they decided to check into Catskills and Mitchell's Inn.

However, the hit of the snowstorm had them stranded in the inn and with no power and Internet connection, it is a nightmare. But that is not the worst, what's most terrifying is finding one of the guests dead and her death is believed to be a murder. Our ten guests here all seemed to have a secretive past, and some of them aren't who we think they are. When one more guest and the inn's owner's teenage son turned up dead, it became clear that there is a killer hidden among them but who is it and what is his/her motive?

I'm a sucker for locked room mysteries and I was glad Shari Lapena's latest release fits into this category. This story has an Agatha Christie's feel and it reminds me a bit of one of her books, And Then There Were None, which I felt was brilliant and remains as one of my favourite reads. I think the attraction of a locked room mystery is aside from the mystery itself, it is also about finding how the characters would react under a claustrophobic setting with a murderer running amok. As we all understand, certain circumstances would enable a person to think and behave irrationally and in this book everyone begins to think of the worse of the others as the story progresses and it's a frightening thought.

Anyway, I'd had fun guessing the murderer, but I was kind of stumped over the last revelation at the very end (I suppose it depends on how one view it from another angle). That said, I enjoyed this book and am curious what the author has in store for her next book.

This is a buddy read with Lark (check out her review here) and I'd like to thank her for reading this book with me. Below are some questions from her relating to the story:

1. Which character did you like and/or sympathize with most?
I'm glad not all characters are unlikeable in this book. It seems to me that unlikeable character(s) is a "trend" in the suspense/thrillers genre lately and though I don't mind them, I do like to have at least one likeable character in the book I read. Although not all the characters in this book are unlikeable, I don't really have a character whom I like either. However, I do sympathise with Riley. She used to be a journalist and was stationed in Afghanistan as a correspondent before. I felt for her reading about the traumatic experiences she'd had; and it was sad to read about the other characters treating her like a weirdo because they didn't know about the things she'd gone through.

2. How did the frozen setting add to the suspense?
I think the wintry weather played an important factor to this story. The cold and the snowstorm had the characters isolated from the outside world, thus making this into a locked room mystery. Without it, this would've changed the direction and the plot of the story.

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

Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien

Melody

St. Martin's Press | March 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

This is the first book of A Noodle Shop Mystery series featuring our 27-year-old protagonist, Lana Lee, and her family-owned restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House set in an Asian community in Cleveland, Ohio.

To begin with, Lana hasn't wanted to work at her family restaurant but after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she has decided that working as a server at the restaurant would help pay the bills and for putting her life back together. The restaurant business is going on well until Thomas Feng, the restaurant's property manager, was found dead after eating their shrimp dumplings. Thomas has shellfish allergy and everyone on staff knew about it; after all he was their regular customer. Now the head chef, Peter, and Lana are under suspect since she is the one who delivered the order to Thomas. To clear their name and to find out the killer, Lana decides to do some little investigation together with her roommate, Megan Riley.

Police detective Adam Trudeau is meticulous and never leave any stone unturned. When he knew that Lana is investigating the case, he is annoyed yet he couldn't deny his attraction towards her despite they got on the wrong foot the first time they met and that she is on his suspect list. Lana, on the other hand, has her ways of digging information since she knew almost everyone in the community and she would not let Trudeau get in her way even if it means putting herself in danger.

I've to admit I rarely read cozy mysteries but this was quite a fun read. I enjoyed reading about the cast of characters, including Lana's black pug, Kikkoman, who is named after a soy sauce's brand. The setting was interesting as it surrounds the restaurant and the Asian community, thus allowing the reader to get a feel of the Chinese culture and how their daily livelihood is like. Lana was an interesting character; she is an Eurasian with an English father and a Chinese mother and what makes her stand out is her lively personality. Plot-wise, it was mostly focused on Lana's investigations but of course the intensity wasn't as much as compared to a suspense thriller considering this is a cozy mystery but it still kept me engaged and like Lana, I wanted to find out the identity of the killer. All in all this was a good start of a new series, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Lana and Trudeau in the next book, Dim Sum of All Fears.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Cozy Mystery 16 comments |

Circe by Madeline Miller

Melody

Bloomsbury Publishing | April 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Retellings can be tricky. Most often they offer a fresh perspective from the originals but if not done well they could be a miss. In Madeline Miller's Circe (Orange Prize-winning author of The Song of Achilles), I'm glad to say it not only offers an interesting perspective based from the Greek mythology but also it has a few underlying themes which I felt to be quite moving.

Circe is the daughter of Helios. He is the god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans. Unlike her other siblings, Circe is often cast as an outsider due to her mortal voice. Her looks isn't outstanding and in the eyes of the gods, she is only a plain nymph and that she is noticeable because she is Helios' daughter.

"The thought was this: that all my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water. I was a creature within it."

Then an unexpected act out of anger and jealousy had her exiled in a remote island, Aiaia. Out of boredom, Circe finds herself immersed in growing herbs and making use of them in her witchcraft (a specialty which she isn't aware until later). The days go by and countless ships had stopped by her island and she'll give the sailors food and wine but she'll turn them into swine should they dare to touch her. Life goes on until mortal Odysseus' arrival disrupt her isolated life and to protect what she holds dear, Circe will have to decide between the deities world where she belongs and the mortals she has come to love and protect.

"I thought once that gods are the opposite of death, but I see now they are more dead than anything, for they are unchanging, and can hold nothing in their hands."

Circe is a beautiful story. I loved Madeline Miller's storytelling and her prose; I loved that Circe has elements that vary from Greek mythology (yes, there are conflicts and there are obstacles which come in various forms) to coming-of-age and to love and kinship. Most of all, I liked Circe, the narrator, for her courage and her strong determination despite she made mistakes and that she is not afraid of dangers and consequences. Though a goddess, she has a mortal's heart which differ her from other deities.

I could go on and on, but this is a story you have to read it yourself and experience the journey (all the more if you love Greek mythology).

Labels: 4 5 stars, Book Review, Fantasy, Mythology 16 comments |

Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li

Melody

Holt, Henry & Company, Inc. | June 2018 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

This debut novel by Lillian Li is a story about family and dreams; and most of all it is a story about the relationship between parents and children, youth and aging and one's value and devotion.

The Beijing Duck House in Rockville, Maryland, has made its name through Bobby Han's foresight and his belief of traditional Chinese cuisines and the connections it bring people together, be it a place for celebrations or merely for gatherings. This legacy is passed on to his youngest son, Jimmy Han, after Bobby's death and the oldest son, Johnny, left for Hong Kong to start off a new life. Johnny has no intention of running the Duck House although he is the more capable one among the two brothers. His only nineteen-year-old daughter, Annie, remains in the States as she works as a waitress at the Duck House.

Nan and Ah-Jack are longtime employees at the Duck House and knew the family-run restaurant inside out. Despite each is married, they never find the love they've for their spouse and over the years friendship and familiarity have slowly take a turn into something else but both of them chose to let things as they are even though they care too much for each other. Nan has a seventeen-year-old son, Pat, and he works as a dishwasher at the Duck House. He is one troubled teen filled with angst.

Jimmy has plans to leave his late father's homespun establishment for a classier one; ditching their old menus for an Asian fusion dishes. But of course setting up new business needs financials and he isn't sure if striking up a deal with Pang, an old family friend, is wise until tragedy strikes, implicating Pat and Annie to the already complicated Hans family saga as they're somewhat involved in setting the Duck House in flames. How would the Hans brothers and Nan react and how much are they willing to sacrifice to help their children?

There are a lot of things going on in this story. The friction within the Hans family household, the relationship between Nan and Ah-Jack and the vulnerability side of Pat and Annie as they are most often cast aside by their own parents due to work demands and their own selfish needs. It's a great exploration and an in-depth look of various relationships, but I felt there should be some backstory about Pang, considering how he played an "important" role in all the connections to the Duck House. Overall it was a promising debut and I look forward to the author's next book.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Fiction 12 comments |

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers by Louise Candlish

Melody

Penguin | May 2015 | 512 pgs

Source: Library

I enjoyed Louise Candlish's latest book, Our House, so much so that I decided to check out her backlist and this is one of the titles released in 2015.

Christy and Joe Davenport couldn't believe their luck when they found themselves as the new owner of a luxurious house situated in a suburb neighbourhood at Lime Park Road. Bought it at a much lower price with full furnishing, the Davenports did wonder about their predecessor's haste in selling the house. After all, they renovated the entire property yet moved out within a year. However, the thought of moving into a bigger place has replaced that little unsettling thought, and Christy is ready to get settled down but she has noticed that none of the neighbours are willing to talk with her.

Eager to break the ice and hopefully to dig some info about the previous owners, Christy found herself being brushed off by the neighbours when she tried to invite them to her house as a get-together. Christy also noticed that they are reluctant to talk about Jeremy and Amber Fraser, the previous owners, and most of all, she is intrigued by the mysterious Rob Whalen who is just living next to her. Their silence surrounding the Frasers and Rob arouse her curiosity and she is set to unravel this mystery and what had made the Frasers depart so suddenly. But what she didn't realise is what she is doing will open up a whole new can of worms.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as Our House. Although both books have a house as the setting, the concept is entirely different and while Our House is very much a plot-driven thriller, this one was more on the perceptions of the characters, in particularly Amber and Christy. The reader see things through their perspectives between the past and the present and this builds the intensity as the story slowly unfolds. However, the "secret" was a bit of a let down as I felt it was too ordinary (more so on the way the said characters handled that particular secret which snow-balled into a huge mess which was unnecessarily) but the ride was compelling and held my attention throughout, thus a 4-stars rating.

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

I Know You Know by Gilly Macmillan

Melody

William Morrow | September 2018 | 384 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

I've enjoyed Gilly Macmillan's books in the past so I was eager to read her latest release, I Know You Know.

Twenty years ago, eleven-year-olds Charlie Paige and Scott Ashby were murdered and their bodies were found near a dog racing track. Their other friend, Cody Swift was supposed to join them but because of a ripped new shirt, he was forbidden to leave the house as a form of a punishment by his mother. This had saved him from following his friends' fate, but that fateful day and what happened to his friends continue to haunt him right into his adulthood.

Now a filmmaker, Cody still has questions over his friends' murder and the trial which had put a man behind bars. But an article from an investigative journalist has roused his suspicion that the case isn't what it seems to be; and most of all he is perplexed by the suicide committed by the "perpetrator". With these in mind, he decided to start a podcast as a means of uncovering new evidences and at the same time, encourage people to speak up should they know anything what happened on that fateful day.

Meanwhile, the police has found a long-buried body located near the location where the two boys were; and this discovery led the police to launch an investigation and makes Detective John Fletcher (who investigated the boys' case) to reopen his files and decide if the two cases are linked.

I Know You Know has a gripping plot and once again I was captivated by Gilly Macmillan's storytelling. What I liked about this story is aside from the alternative timeline between the present and the flashbacks, there are also the podcast narratives in between which made this story such an intriguing read. This format was a huge draw in my opinion because of the different accounts and opinions of the narrators and made me wonder about them and what their motives are. The characters development is great too, and I liked reading about the three boys' friendship - the only happier moments among all the dark sides of human nature and behaviours. I do have one or two questions surrounding the case, but they don't affect my reading pleasure and my overall view of the book so that says a lot about the author's writing.

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

You Were Made for This by Michelle Sacks

Melody

Little, Brown and Company | June 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

You Were Made for This has a gorgeous cover, but there is nothing pretty about this story as it is a domestic thriller with a cast of twisted characters.

Sam and Merry Hurley left behind their old life and careers in New York to live in Sweden. Together with their infant son, Conor, they are often viewed as the perfect family in other people's eyes. However, behind their pretentious life Sam and Merry each harbours a secret and an ugly past which their other half is not aware of. For Sam, his switching of career from an anthropology professor to an inspiring filmmaker has actually to do with an inappropriate act he had committed in the past and his present infidelity. As for Merry, she feels bogged down by motherhood and the perfect wife image she has to hold and then, there is her past which the reader will get to know as the story unravels. The intensity and thrill only begin when Merry's best friend, Frank, decided to visit them.

Frank (otherwise known as Frances) is Merry's childhood friend. Their friendship is so close that people often mistake them as sisters and Frank doesn't deny about it whenever she is asked about their relations. When Merry heard Frank is going to visit, she is elated. After all, she hasn't seen Frank ever since she has moved to Sweden and she thinks Frank's presence might lighten her boring life. And boy, how her visit would turn the Hurleys' world upside down. Although Merry and Frank are close like sisters, their friendship is also filled with secret envy and jealousy of each other but yet they also complement each other during their own difficult times. When their complications involve Sam, the dynamics among these three take a turn and intensify until tragedy happens.

I mentioned in the beginning that this story has a cast of twisted characters but what most bothered me is each character in this book, including a few supporting characters, have no redeeming qualities in them (well, except Baby Conor and my heart went out to him for what he had been through). I'd say this was rather more of a case of character study kind than a domestic thriller because at some point you'd more or less figure out what'll going to happen but it's the characters who will drive you insane. The ending bothered me too, and after some thoughts after closing the book my verdict was this would be a hit or miss to readers. The writing style with no dialogue marks would either intrigue or frustrate readers, but it didn't really bother me but it did take some time getting used to it. Overall it was an unforgettable story with the characterisations and the ending would make an interesting topic for discussion.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 12 comments |

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen

Melody

Washington Square Press | June 2018 | 272 pgs

Source: Library

If you've read The Wife Between Us, you should be familiar with author Sarah Pekkanen as she wrote that book together with Greer Hendricks and it has received positive reviews from many readers. Sarah has also written several books in the past and this latest domestic drama explores a marriage in crisis and a woman's determination in finding the truth surrounding her husband's infidelity.

Josie and Frank Moore have been married for ten over years and live in the Chicago suburbs with their two young daughters. Although their life are hectic and Josie feels burn down by the girls' attention and the domestic life at times, she thinks she is lucky considering Frank is a great father and husband; and that he still showers her with love throughout the years. Until one Saturday morning she borrows Frank's phone to make a quick call and sees an email that shatters her world.

Frank met Dana at a work conference and they have maintained their "friends" relationship for seven weeks. When Josie confronts him about his infidelity, he says they have only kissed twice and nothing beyond that. Josie doubts it, and thereafter set her plan in uncovering Frank's secret by every means.

The Ever After may seem like a domestic thriller but is actually more of a women's fiction and an account of a woman's determination in finding out about her husband's infidelity. While Josie's findings may seem aggressive at times, there isn't much intensity and the pace is rather slow as it is very much focus on her emotional state, her rants and her "investigations". The first part was interesting but the second part was mostly bogged down by her rants and her reminiscent of their past. She is also indecisive if she should move on or take any actions; and once or twice she left her daughters to stay in a hotel simply because she is too angry and she needs to think. At some point I figured I was tired of reading it with the plot going nowhere but plodded along since I was hoping to see some resolution, which to my relief there was in the end. As a first-time reader of Sarah Pekkanen's book, this is certainly not my favourite mainly because I dived into this book with an impression that this was a domestic thriller but it turns out otherwise (I think I'd have liked this more under different circumstances). Then again, it wasn't a bad read as Sarah's writing was engaging and would probably appeal to readers of the women's fiction genre.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction 10 comments |

Salt Lane by William Shaw

Melody

Riverrun | May 2018 | 464 pgs

Source: Library

Salt Lane is the first book in the series featuring DS Alexandra Cupidi, although she has already made her appearance in William Shaw's earlier book, The Birdwatcher (which I'll make sure to get to that book in the near future). In this book, Cupidi is transferred from the London Met police after a scandal which sent her packing to a quiet coastline in Kent. Constable Jill Ferriter is assigned to work with her and their first case is a woman who was found floating in the marsh with her death unknown. Further investigation has revealed her identity but that is only the info they've had. Her name was Hilary Keen.

In another circumstances, a homeless woman knocked on a man's door, claiming she is his long lost mother but vanished before the morning arrives. Just the night before and about the same time the body of Hilary Keen was found. Could this homeless woman be her since the police found out later that they both shared the same name? As if things aren't complicated enough, they found another dead body buried in a slurry pit at a farm. An immigrant labourer who has no ID and top with language barrier from fellow workers, Cupidi finds their investigation at a dead end and the only connection she could link with the two cases is that the location of their bodies are miles apart within the marsh land.

Salt Lane was a great story in many ways. Not only it was suspenseful and well executed, it was equally character-driven and a timely novel as well as it touches on the immigrants issue and the problems they face and how the society view and react as a whole. The relationship and banter between Cupidi and Ferriter was another interesting read and add some perspectives through their detective minds amid their differences, personality or professionalism-wise. A great, engaging first book of a series which I'll certainly follow.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Crime Thriller, Police procedural 10 comments |

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Melody

William Morrow | August 2018 | 480 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Karin Slaughter's latest standalone is all about the relationship between a mother and daughter and how well you know your loved one.

Andrea "Andy" Cooper is celebrating her 31st birthday with her mother at a dining place when a gunman strides in and begin a shooting spree. While everyone scrambles to flee, Andy notices a side of her mother which she has never seen before. Like a trained combatant, Laura swiftly cut the shooter's move and he ended up dead. Her heroic act is caught on video and has gone viral, but on closer look it seems like Laura is doing more harm than a self defense act. Andy then leave town under Laura's instructions but her mind is filled with doubts and questions. Is her mother hiding something and most importantly, who is she?

Alternatively in another time period set in 1986, the reader get to learn about a dysfunctional family and the secrets they are hiding. Just what does this family has to do with Laura the reader will soon find out as the story progresses but it took some time for this reader to piece everything together as it seems the two parts of the story are disjointed; it doesn't help when the pace seemed a little slow in the beginning but it does pick up once there was a connection between the two.

Karin Slaughter's books are often well plotted and feature a cast of intriguing characters but in this case I found my attention waned at times. The present time featuring Andy was an interesting read and as much as the flashbacks were intriguing, it definitely took much more concentration as they feature more characters and not to mention more plots going on as the truth unravels. Karin's writing continues to shine in this latest release but the style seemed a little different from her previous books and personally this wasn't my favourite Karin Slaughter book but from another perspective it showcase her versatility, which is always a plus for writers.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 10 comments |

The Retreat by Mark Edwards

Melody

Thomas & Mercer | May 2018 | 364 pgs

Source: Library

Set in a town of Beddmawr* in North Wales, this is a story about the disappearance of 8-year-old Lily Marsh and a horror novelist who is obsessed with finding out the truth surrounding her disappearance.

Two years ago, Michael Marsh was drowned while trying to save his daughter at River Dee. According to North Wales Police, Lily had run ahead out of sight and by the time they noticed she was missing, it was all too late. Her toy cat was found floating in the river, prompting Michael to jump in. Since Lily's body was never found, Julia thinks she might be alive and this has keep her moving on. She has then turned their house as a writers' retreat to sustain the cost of living and she has three guests under her roof when horror novelist, Lucas Radcliffe, joins them.

Lucas used to live in Beddmawr when he was a boy; but his real reason for revisiting is that he is hoping to rediscover his voice as he is stuck with his book and what's better place to find peace than your childhood home? However, within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of eerie events. The other three writers claimed they'd heard something - someone's singing within the walls and when they confronted Julia it wasn't her. Then Lucas's pen and mobile phone have gone missing and by that point he was already invested in little Lily's disappearance after Googling the Marsh's family tragedy and he is keen to find out the mystery, to the extent of hiring a private investigator himself.

But Beddmawr is a small community where everyone knows everyone; and to complicate matters there have been legends that a Red Widow in the woods will hunt a girl every thirty-five years and Lily is believed to be one of her victims. Lucas didn't know what to believe yet he couldn't explain the strange things which are happening at the retreat. Yet as he digs deeper, he soon learns that Beddmawr has a dark secret and it might cost him his life should he continue with his investigation.

You know, I love a suspense with a bit of folklore or supernatural element connecting to it and this book was a treat because it was simply unputdownable. This book was haunting not only of the atmospheric setting of a secluded retreat but also how family dynamics, betrayal and superstitious minds could lead to frightening consequences. A great story with a cast of intriguing characters. I'll have to check out this author's work be it new or old.

* Under the author's note, Beddmawr is stated as a fictional site but if you want to find where it'd exist in map, it's very close to Llangollen in Denbighshire.

Labels: 4 5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 10 comments |

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

Melody

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group | January 2018 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

Jamie Brandt initially didn't have the intention of leaving her two young daughters in the car by themselves. But she had to buy some gifts for the girls' friend party and they were running late. She thought she'd be quick and that they'd be safe in the car at a strip mall parking lot, but she didn't expect that the girls would leave their car and out exploring. A few store assistants and customers had claimed they'd saw the two girls briefly but their statements were vague. The police isn't much help given they are stretched thin by budget cuts and the growing OxyContin and meth epidemics; and with little information about the girls' disappearance, Jamie decides to hire a bounty hunter whose specialty is finding missing children.

Alice Vega is good in her job; she is relentless and she rarely back down from challenges. The police, on the other hand, isn't pleased with Alice's involvement despite they've no leads. Alice already has someone who could hack information for her but she also needs someone who is familiar with the local community and stuff. Enter Max Caplan, who is the former police detective and had resigned from a scandal. He has his own investigative business but the cases are mainly on infidelity affairs and the likes. He didn't take on Alice's offer initially, but after some thoughts and a nudge from his 16-year-old daughter, he finally gave in.

Alice and Max work differently and their personalities may clashes at times, but they form a dynamic duo and they are willing to go to any length to trace the girls' trails. And this is the core of the story as it takes up most of the scenes and read like a police procedural. The descriptions of their findings are quite detailed and I've to say this is the strength of the story alongside the character developments. The banter between Alice and Max was what I enjoyed most of this story and I'm hoping Louisa Luna will continue writing about them as a series.

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

Snap by Belinda Bauer

Melody

Bantam Press | May 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

This is the first book I read by Belinda Bauer and certainly not my last. To begin with, I loved how well executed this story is and how the characters made me feel throughout my reading journey. It may not have lots of twists and turns or a shocking ending which seems to be the current "in" thing for the thrillers genre, but I do miss a good old-fashioned suspense now and then and most of all, how much I rooted for the character despite his flaws and everything.

In 1998, eleven-year-old Jack Bright and his two siblings are sitting in their broken-down car while their pregnant mother left them to make an emergency call. She told Jack to be in charge and that she wouldn't be long. But time stretches and she is still not back. Worried and unwilling to sit in the stifling car any longer, Jack and his siblings decided to go look for their mother and found a dangling receiver at the telephone box instead. Later, they soon learned that their mother was brutally murdered and her body was found. Devastated, Jack's father left home and never returns after the tragedy and once again, Jack is left in charge of his siblings. To avoid being sent off to social services care, Jack and his siblings try to uphold a "happy family" image by giving others impression that their father's working hours are often unstable. With the help of an eccentric friend, Jack masters burglary so as to feed his siblings. Until one day a house he has broken into shake his equilibrium - a knife he is certain which killed his mother is found in the house.

DCI John Marvel used to be a homicide detective but was forced out by a single unfortunate incident that had resulted in the death of a suspect fleeing custody. As penance for his supposed transgression, he is now working alongside with DS Reynolds on burglary cases. Marvel has not given up hope on his so-called demotion yet as he works on the Goldilocks case; in which the burglar earns this nickname by making himself at home before he escape with his loot.

What turns out to be a different thread with no connection takes a turn as the story progresses and this is where the story becomes intriguing. This is one of those books which you've to "savour" it bit by bit as it focuses much on the characters in the beginning (from Jack to the two detectives) but once it hit the crucial part you couldn't put it down thereafter. Alongside the suspense, I also found it to be heartbreaking at times reading about Jack's unfortunate experiences in life. I felt so much for him as well as his siblings, Joy and Merry. Reading about his memories of their mother brought a lump to my throat; and all the more reading how he struggles to make ends meet despite his young age. All in all, this was a great book which I enjoyed immensely. A suspense with a touch of humanity . . . I love this combination and I'm hoping to see more of this in the thrillers genre.

Labels: 4 5 stars, Book Review, Crime Thriller 10 comments |

Dead Girls by Abigail Tarttelin

Melody

Mantle | May 2018 | 448 pgs

Source: Library

First of all, I want to say this is a dark book which features some heavy and disturbing issues (i.e. pedophilia, rape, abuse and murder). I read through it with a heavy heart due to the subjects and that how a young mind's thinking and a few bad choices could lead to some unexpected consequences.

Set in a small village in an English countryside during the 90s, this story is about the disappearance and murder of an eleven-year-old girl Billie Brooke. Thera Wilde was her best friend and she is the narrator of this story.

Before tragedy struck, Thera and Billie loved playing imaginary games; sometimes they would pretend they were detectives and solve cases. At other times, they would simply play with their other friends, Hattie and Poppy, but Thera found them boring and mean. On one occasion Thera played the Ouija board and that was the time she thought she had seen four black dogs and a girl with blonde-brown hair while they were playing near the wheat fields. The thing is, the other girls with her didn't see anything. After Billie disappeared, Thera made it a personal mission to find the truth and this set a chain of events which would change all their lives thereafter.

Dead Girls isn't your typical crime thriller as it doesn't have that edge-of-your-seat intensity or complex characters whom you might doubt or hate. Well, of course there are some unlikeable characters but this isn't the main focus here. Right from the start, I felt the connection with Thera not because she is the narrator but because of her voice. She has a way of captivating her audience with her speech and thoughts but there are times I found them confusing (or contradictory) as she may seemed to be childish at a time and matured the next. Still, I've to say Thera is both a smart and a fearless girl for an eleven-year-old. Once she set her mind into doing something, she would make sure to follow it and accomplish it in the end. Generally, it sounds like a good thing but Thera's mission is no ordinary task. Her mind is set on finding Billie's murderer and what she did to herself both worried and terrified me.

I suppose I'd have to be vague about my thoughts from this point on because I've so much to talk about it yet I couldn't to avoid any spoilers. As mentioned, this isn't really a fast-paced thriller but one which focus on character developments, Thera's thoughts and the things which are set in motion through her perspective and her morality. There is a side of paranormal aspect based on Thera's "communications" with the dead girls, but one is never sure if this is only in Thera's head or otherwise. I liked this ambiguity for some reason; and my favourite part is the reminiscence of Thera's childhood when the Tamagotchi (Nano Pets) and the Spice Girls were all the rage during that time. I'd have given this a 5-star rating if not of that ending. That said, I enjoyed this book due to the author's writing and I found it refreshing to feature a young narrator in a crime suspense which is rare in my opinion.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Crime Thriller 12 comments |

Drama Review: Are You Human Too? (你也是人类吗?)

Melody

Rora Oh (starring Kim Sung Ryung) is a renowned scientist on artificial intelligence. She lives with her only young son, Nam Shin, until her father-in-law separates them and take him under his care. There have been some disputes in the family and Rora still couldn't accept the news that her husband had committed suicide. Devastated after the death of her husband and now the separation from her son, Rora creates an android which looks like her son. She has been modifying the android throughout the years as she watches her young son grow up into an adult. She treats Nam Shin III (starring Seo Kang Joon) like her own son; and the two of them lives happily in the Czech Republic until she hears the news that her real son was in Czech Republic and had gotten into an accident and is comatose.

Fearful for his condition and to protect his place in the PK Group (after all he is the third generation heir to the large corporation), Rora decides to monitor her real son's condition with the help of a doctor friend and meanwhile having Nam Shin III to take over his place. Nam Shin III has soon learned the habits and demeanours of the real Nam Shin and no one can tell the difference except for a few who knew the truth.

Kang So Bong (starring Gong Seung Yeon) used to work as a security guard to the real Nam Shin until she was disgracefully dismissed. Angered and vowed to get her dignity back, she barged into his office and meet up with Nam Shin III. Of course the android didn't know of their feud, and So Bong is puzzled by Nam Shin's strange behaviours. She soon became his bodyguard once again, and learns the truth behind everything and finds herself falling in love with Nam Shin III as the days go. The day Nam Shin wakes up starts all the complications; and someone in PK Group will do anything to stop Nam Shin from succeeding the place, right from the day when he planned Nam Shin's "accident" in Czech Republic.

(Credit Source)

Gah. I'm still in a hangover mood as of writing this. I enjoyed and loved it so much! There are so many things I loved about this drama - the plot, the characters and most of all, the romance between Nam Shin III and So Bong. I guess the romance between a human and a robot might raise eyebrows to some, but I thought their romance was very sweet and Nam Shin III is a perfect "gentleman" who would melt any girl's heart (or maybe I'm biased since I'm a fan of Seo Kang Joon). Well if only the real Nam Shin would be like him. That said, I also loved the A.I. element as well as the impressive technology surrounding it. Overall I thought this was an enjoyable sci-fi fantasy (from a critic POV).

Labels: 4.5 stars, Drama review, Fantasy, Korean drama, Romance, Sci-Fi 2 comments |

The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson

Melody

Scribner | January 2018 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

Before the nuclear war and the flu pandemic, Lynn McBride used to live a normal life in Chicago. She lived there till she was twelve before moving to Alaska, and finally to the snow-covered Yukon Territory when the world came crashing down. There were attacks, bombs were dropped and countries got labeled as either enemies or allies but the worst was the flu pandemic. People died and those who haven't gotten it fled and isolated themselves.

Lynn, together with her mother, uncle, her brother and a friend's son stayed in a cabin hidden in the snowy wilderness for years until a stranger barged into their so-called peaceful life. Jax is mysterious yet Lynn was both intrigued and fascinated by him; especially she viewed him as a link to the world beyond their little settlement. In the end they allowed him to stay a short while, but that short period stretched to a long while until their hideout was spotted by the DCIA (Disease Containment and Immunity Advancement) - a research group on the deadly flu and they seemed to be targeting at Jax. With this question in mind, Lynn decided to follow his trails and soon learned that she was connected to the mystery surrounding Jax.

The Wolves of Winter pulled me in from the start due to the post-apocalyptic theme. What's so scary about this story is it seems plausible and makes you think about survival and humanity and what you'd do should that happen. It's a frightening thought, yet one which I couldn't help thinking during and after reading this book. Without revealing too much of the plot, all I could say is as much as the topic was a depressing one, there was still a portrayal of hope in it and most of all, I liked Jax as well as Lynn for her fighting spirit and her sense of humanitarianism. An intriguing first novel by the author and I hope his next book won't be a long wait.

This book was chosen as a buddy read with Lark and like our previous buddy reads, I enjoyed our book talks and the notes comparisons via emails. Reading is fun, but reading it together with someone (or a group) makes the reading experience a richer one. Thank you, Lark! And finally, here's our usual Q&As and my answers to Lark's questions are as below. And don't forget to visit Lark's blog for her review and the Q&As, too!

1. What did you think of the dystopian world that Tyrell Johnson created and how does it compare with other dystopian worlds you've read about?

I think Tyrell Johnson's world in The Wolves of Winter is a scary, scary one. I don't read a lot of dystopian books, but I thought the author has painted a vivid account of the world destruction through Lynn's eyes (as well as her family members); it's also a portrayal about humans' ambitions and to what extent they would do to accomplish the goals they want to do. As I mentioned, I don't read a lot of dystopian books but one book came in mind while reading this and that book is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. In fact, there's a bit of The Road "feel" in this, just that the former wasn't specific about the world destruction and it's more about the survival and the relationship between a father and son. It's emotionally driven and McCarthy has captured their moments beautifully albeit a sad one.

2. What are Lynn's best and worst traits and how do you think they helped her survive?

I think Lynn's best traits are her courage, her determination and her fearless mindset. Without these combinations I think she'd have given up and stay where she is - always in hiding and living in fear. As for her worst trait, I'd say it is her stubbornness. Once she has set her mind in doing something, there's no turning back for her. I suppose this could be a good trait too, depending on the circumstances.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Sci-Fi, Thriller 10 comments |

School for Psychics by K.C. Archer

Melody

Simon & Schuster | April 2018 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

Teddy Cannon is in her early twenties and she's bright and resourceful. With a bad debt and a bookie who is after her family, Teddy has only one place to try her luck at money - casino at Las Vegas. Heavily disguised as she's banned from casinos, Teddy hopes that her capabilities in reading people would win her some money, after all it's about body language and some instinct. She knew because she knew; and she blames her unpredictable episodes of seizures to anxiety and epilepsy but what she doesn't know is she has psychic abilities. She caught the attention of a mysterious man after she's lost everything and he told her that she could get a chance for redemption at the Whitfield Institute; a facility secluded from the mainland and there students master telepathy and telekinesis as well as investigative skills so they could serve for the government agencies after they've passed the tests.

With nothing to lose, Teddy decided it's the best option considering her current circumstances. Whitfield Institute, like any other schools, have their fair share of elite (so called the Alphas) and misfit students and Teddy finds herself on the latter category with a few others. Among this group is a "weirdo" who could sometimes predict someone's death, a free spirit who could communicate with animals, a girl who could read emotions and empathise through her mind, an awkward psychometric and finally a bad boy who's able to set things on fire.

While Teddy finds it challenging with the training, her biggest challenge lies on her interactions with her fellow students as well as getting recognition from the trainers, especially one who seems to favor the Alphas. As Teddy slowly adapts to Whitfield Institute, she soon learns that there's a connection with her late biological parents and the Institute and she intends to find out more about them. But what most troubling is learning that someone has stolen three vials of blood from the lab and Teddy's is one of them. Teddy feels someone is hiding some secrets and she intends to find out who and why.

School of Psychics has an interesting premise at a glance and I was wowed by the author's imaginative psychic world and an interesting cast of characters. However, my interest didn't go beyond the above as I found the pacing was slowed down towards the middle and got a bit repetitive. Since this is the first book I assume there would be more character developments as the story goes so I wouldn't comment too much about it. Another weak point is although this book is marketed as an adult fantasy, there are times it read like a YA due to the students' dialogues and their behaviours. Despite these shortcomings I thought it was still an entertaining read if one didn't expect too much out of it. Would I consider reading the second book? Maybe. I suppose it has to depend on the plot and if there's more character developments as I feel they're essential as the story goes.