Review: Santa Took Them

Santa Took Them by William Malmborg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was a twisty tale. I read the last 15% of the book with my hand over my mouth and a need to use the bathroom that I kept putting off to finish the book. Normally I would walk and read but I was so interested, (or horrified), moving wasn’t an option. I would have probably had a heart attack if I accidentally shut my Kindle down or moved the pages.
For those who would like to know the book is horror so yes to graphic. It also has a few sexually explicit passages. Yes, there is also “swearing”. If those bother you, please don’t star the book down. Just move on and find a book that is what you want to read. (Pet peeve - sorry).

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Review: Passing Through

Passing Through by R.W.K. Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the most disturbing books I have read. I had to stop and do something else a few times just so I could catch my breath. The author called it a psychological thriller. I would agree but add horror to it. The author gives us a look inside the killer, a glimpse at his background. Enough for us to see how he came to be. This interested me. I like to know or try to know why someone does the things they do or make the choices that they make. It is probably this reason that Donna was who I became so interested in. I thought the end was a bit abrupt. I would have liked to know how the survivors were doing. Still the story was a gripping one. I can’t say I exactly liked or enjoyed it. It did, however, keep me reading. It will probably keep me up now.
This book contains graphic scenes of violence and rape. It is not for children or teens, in my opinion.

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Review of Hunted by Darcy Coates

I was surprised by this book. It started slow for me. Then around the halfway point, it sped up. I read through the night, taking a few breaks. The breaks weren't to rest my eyes. They were to slow my heart. They were to let my breathing normalize. They were to loosen the knot of tension in my stomach. I like Darcy Coates . This wasn't my first book of hers that I read. For now , though, it is my favorite. I hope, if you decide to try this, you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Review: Savannah Secrets

Savannah Secrets by Alan Chaput
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first book by Alan Chaput. It is the second in his Vigilantes for Justice series. While I was able to follow along and get involved in the book, I honestly wish 8 had read book 1 first. So you can read it out of order but I don’t recommend it.
I thought the characters were well written. I like many of them, especially Patricia and Meredith. The mystery, though, was awesomely written. In my opinion this is not a cozy mystery, though I can see why it has been called that. It is a clean book, even though the sex industry and organized crime are part of the story. I give the author major kudos for pulling that off. I was raised by a mother who always said if you need to curse a lot you should invest in a dictionary. *Truth confession: I need to invest in a good dictionary.* Mr Chaput wrote a very good mystery mixing in characters and elements where you often find colorful language and he did it without relying on “adult” language. He also did not rely on graphic sex and violence. Some may think this would be a somewhat boring read but I assure you it is not.
My recommendation is that if you are looking for a mystery that is clean reading but has a complicated plot with a few things going on, this is a series for you. I would suggest you start with book 1 but if you really want to read book 2 without reading 1, it is doable.

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Review: Her Name Was Rose

Her Name Was Rose by Claire Allan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I had a hard time putting this book down! I was enthralled with it. I read it during a readathon, by myself. I don’t know who else has read it so I have no one to go over the reader guide with. Yet I will. I will write my answers and my thoughts to the questions posed because the book was that good. Read it.

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Review: The Phantom Coach: A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Ghost Stories

The Phantom Coach: A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Ghost Stories by Michael Sims
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed listening to this collection. It was the perfect kickoff to my fall reading. Like all collections there are stories that you like and some that you love. That is a matter of personal choice. The narrator was good. If you are looking for some good stories for Halloween without the sex and guts that so many books have now, give this a try. I always suggest getting a sample from the electric version, and listening to a sample of narration, if you are uncertain a book is for you.

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Review: Pippa

Pippa by Malynda Schlegel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is not an easy review to write. I don’t want to give away anything. Yet a warning is needed. I will do my best.
I’m still digesting what I read. I would place this as psychological suspense. To be honest, for a few chapters, I wasn’t exactly certain what I was reading. Some of it felt like a coming of age story. Pippa comes from a dysfunctional family. There are two other children who are also from dysfunctional families. I was hooked from the start. I know dysfunctional. I have been interested is the why of people’s choices and thinking for at least thirty years. I knew something was off with Pippa, her family and the others who play major parts. The author tells you this in her description but leaves off how well she can confuse things. I was intrigued at the beginning of the story then fascinated and then that ending! I read this book nearly nonstop. It stayed in my head the brief times I set it down. I loved the friendships, dysfunctional as they were also. I thought a lot about how the children tried. I thought a lot about how adults let them down. I thought about people I knew in my life. I will be thinking about this book for awhile. It is not always an easy read. If you had a traumatic life, some of this may trigger memories. I would caution you to be ready for that. There are some not so nice things in this book though the author did not choose to be very graphic. There is a scene with an animal that is disturbing. It was brief but is told by Pippa. Choose wisely when deciding if this book is for you.
I was given an arc e-copy for review purposes. My review is based on my honest thoughts of it. I gave it five stars because it held me captive until the end, I wanted more of the story after the end, I cared about the children, it made me think about how dysfunction in families affect others, it made me think how easy it can be to lead a child and how much we need to improve services for children, and it is a book I would have conversations about. It is a book I would be interested in hearing others thoughts about it.

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