All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon

I picked up All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon when I was just getting out of a reading slump and my main criteria for books was that they were short. Cause honestly, sometimes just finishing a book helps me get back into the reading groove. At 240 easy-to-read pages, I was able to finish Salomon's novel in a single day. But was it worth it?

All Those Broken Angels is told from the perspective of Richard, whose best friend Melanie disappeared when they were six-years-old. Despite never finding a body, she was declared dead, a fact Richard knew to be true because after he vanished a part of her remained-- a ghostly shadow named Melanie. But then a girl moves into town, also claiming to Melanie, and it's up to Richard to figure out that if the shadow is a fake, then who is she really?

This is a mystery novel with a paranormal twist, which isn't incredibly creepy but has a fun storyline that kept me interested in finding out what happened. That said, the characters were a little flat for me, and I didn't really find a connection with Richard. There were also too many aspects that just seemed unbelievable or unlikely or a bit confusing. Basically Melanie's entire story. However, the plot itself kept my interest, and even if there were some predictable elements there were still some surprises. Overall, All Those Broken Angels was an okay read for me, there was enough I enjoyed to keep me reading, but it isn't a book I'd rush out to recommend.

Release Date: September 8th,  2014 Pages: 240  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Flux   Buy It: Book Depository

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I fell absolutely in love with Nova Ren Suma's novel Imaginary Girls, which I actually bought a finished copy of after reading an advance copy of because I knew I would want to reread it in the future (and I do). Her writing was haunting and vivid, and she instantly made it on my "must read YA" list. However, her most recent novel, 17 & Gone, just didn't excite me with the premise as much so it took a little while (almost a year) to pick it up. 

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma is the story of 17 year old Lauren who begins having visions of girls, all of whom are seventeen and missing. She begins searching for clues and trying to solve what is going on, both to the girls and to herself. 

As expected, the writing in 17 & Gone is flawless. Suma has a way with description and imagery that is hard to describe except to say it is pretty much perfection. However, the characters themselves were just not as interesting and complicated as those in Imaginary Girls, and the story itself was not as enigmatic or surreal either. 

The mystery of 17 & Gone was a little too predictable and expected to me, but there is still a disquiet to the book, and combined with the vivid writing, made it something I still really enjoyed. However, I would easily still recommend Imaginary Girls instead when referring to Nova Ren Suma, but if you are craving a little more from her you may want to give 17 & Gone a shot. I am definitely not deterred from picking up future books by Suma, with writing like that she has me completely under her spell.

Release Date: March 21st 2013  Pages: 354  Source: Personal  

Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile Buy It: Book Depository

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

What can I really say about Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn that hasn't been written a billion times already, given how insanely popular this book was? But after so many recommendations, I too had to pick it up. I actually read this about a year ago and it was definitely one of the books that rekindled my love of suspense thrillers, a genre I have continued to reach for about once a month in the time since.

In terms of the book itself, I thought the writing was flawless and it easily kept me turning pages. It was dark and creepy and exciting, and I loved reading it. It was frustrating but it made me care, and as much as I wanted to toss it across the room, I wouldn't have wanted to stop reading even for the moment it took me to retrieve it. So I consider that a definite success.

That said, as much as I loved reading Gone Girl I was disappointed by the ending. I'm not sure if there's another way things could have gone, or should have gone, but I also wasn't quite content, and even a year later I wish for something a bit more satisfying. In addition to Gone Girl, Flynn has written several other books, and I have heard good things about Dark Objects at least, so when I have that mystery craving in the future, it is definitely one I plan to reach for. In the meantime, if you were to ask me if this book was worth the hype, I would have to answer "almost"-- but I'm glad to have read it regardless.

The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon

I can't say exactly how it happened, but Jennifer McMahon has made it onto my list of "auto-read" authors–– the ones whose books I always pick up and enjoy reading. That said, my reading habits were pretty terrible in 2013, and although I picked up The One I Left Behind right when it was released, it took me nearly nine months to finish it (until September). With her next novel, The Winter People, about to release, I knew that it was time to write this review before I get the two confused.

In The One I Left Behind, thirteen year-old Reggie's life changes forever when a serial killer called Neptune takes her mother. It's the killer's last victim, and nobody appears before he disappears forever. Nearly two decades later, Reggie gets a call-- her mother is confused and sick, but alive. Now Reggie has to figure out what happened in order to prevent Neptune from returning.

The One I Left Behind is the fourth book I've read by McMahon, and at this point there are certain things I expect from her books. Basically, I expect vivid settings, a mystery that suddenly becomes important decades later (and the book alternates between when it occurred and the present time), and a strong, female voice to narrate. Occasionally, there is a hint of the paranormal as well.

Despite certain predicable elements, there is something just so engaging and well-written about McMahon's books, and so although I don't think I would reread any, I will definitely keep picking up her new ones. Although it has a few lulls, overall The One I Left Behind had me on edge while I was reading it and wanting to know what happened. It was an intelligent, original, and fun novel to read, one just as much about Reggie and her relationships both as a child and now, as about the serial killer.

Ultimately, The One I Left Behind is successful for the same reason McMahon is, because her storytelling takes fully-fleshed characters that feel authentic and human, and put them in unexpected mystery situations the reader really wants to solve. As long as she keeps doing that, I will keep reading her books!

Release Date: January 2nd, 2013  Pages: 422  Format: ARC
Source: Publisher  Publisher: William Morrow   Buy It: Book Depository

Meghan Review: Blood Gospel

By far the best suspense thriller I read last year, The Order of the Sanguines Series (#1): Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I read the whole book in less than a week (during finals, no less!) and I've already recommended it to all my friends.

When Dr. Erin Granger, Sergeant Jordan Stone, and Catholic priest Father Rhun Korza investigate a mysterious dig site with the crucified mummy of a young girl, they are brutally attacked. On the run, the only place where these three can find answers is within the book that was once preserved in the tomb: a book rumored to have been written by Christ's own Hand, containing secrets to His divinity. But they don't realize (except for the mysterious Rhun) is that their pursuers are creatures unlike they could have imagined...

 What makes Blood Gospel so special? It has short chapters with many different viewpoints, constructing a strong world from many different angles. The reader is given a lens into each other the characters' mentalities through the shifting viewpoints, and this kept the plot moving fast. I also think this would help the book appeal to a wide audience---people who prefer militaristic or hyper-masculine stories will really sympathize with Jordan, whereas I related more strongly to the smart, determined Dr. Erin. Historical fiction fans will love Rhun.

Threaded throughout the book is a strong exploration of the Catholic faith and the history of the Church. Initially, I was hesitant about this, thinking that this was a familiar path that other authors (notably, Dan Brown) have tread again and again. But this re-imagining of history was accurate without being dull, interspersed seamlessly with well-developed fantastic and supernatural elements. Blood Gospel is a book that will sink its fangs deeply into you, and not let you go.

Recommended to: people who enjoyed The Davinci Code, Angels and Demons, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, or the True Blood  series, people with a long plane ride ahead, history buffs and vampire fanatics.


Release Date: January 8, 2013  Pages: 496 Format: ARC Paperback
Source: Publisher Publisher: William Morrow Buy It: Book Depository

This is a review by Meghan. You can find her here on Goodreads or on Twitter @meghanc303

And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman

Laura Lippman was really the first author I read who convinced me I could love a mystery– back in 2010 when I first read her novel, I'd Know You Anywhere. Later, I picked up her short The Girl in the Green Raincoat which is a part of the Tess Monaghan series, which I also enjoyed (though admittedly not quite as much). Still, Lippman is in top form in And When She Was Good another standalone mystery with the same strong writing, intriguing plot, and, in this case an especially smart story.

And When She Was Good is the story of Hector Lewis, a mother who affords her comfortable lifestyle by running an illegal escort business. Hector hasn't had an easy life, but more than anything she wants one for her son. But with everything she's worked so hard for in jeopardy, it may cost Hector more than she ever imagined just to keep her secrets.

Hector isn't the most likable main character. She's complicated, and I loved the back and forth chapters between the present and the past that show where Hector came from and what's she's overcome. If I'd just been introduced to her without them, or if they'd been told as somebody reflecting back instead of somebody experiencing them firsthand, it would have been hard to emotionally connect to her. Instead, as a reader I was able to understand Hector better, having gone through her experiences with her. She's had a hard life, and the result is a hard– but strong– lady. What she also is, is smart. And I found that, in combination with Lippman's skilled writing, to be incredibly refreshing. Of the three books of hers I've read, And When She Was Good was definitely the least "easy" to read. Lippman doesn't just use prostitution as a shocking plot device, she provides real background and research, as well as asking interesting questions and bringing up political issues I did not expect.

Where And When She Was Good was weaker than I'd Know You Anywhere was the plot. It was incredibly predictable, and took a long time to really get started, probably because the book was weighed down by the more intellectual component of it– which I enjoyed, but still, I was expecting more thrill from this thriller. In that sense, I'd call this a literary thriller. And When She Was Good is a great book for readers wanting a little more depth, I just also wanted a few more twists and turns. Overall, though, I loved Lippman's writing, her complicated characters, and her original storyline. I might still not be much of a mystery reader, but for Lippman, I'll definitely be returning to this genre again. 

Release Date: August 14th 2012  Pages: 320  Format: ARC

Also By This Author: I'd Know You Anywhere; The Girl in the Green Raincoat
Source: TLC Book Tours  Publisher: William Morrow  Buy It: Book Depository

The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks

The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks

Release Date: April 24th 2012
Pages: 224
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Random House Canada
Buy It: Book Depository

When Wendy Geller's body is found in Central Park after the night of a rager, newspaper headlines scream,"Death in the Park: Party Girl Found Strangled." But shy Rain, once Wendy's best friend, knows there was more to Wendy than just "party girl." As she struggles to separate the friend she knew from the tangle of gossip and headlines, Rain becomes determined to discover the truth about the murder.

This is a traditional mystery with enough of a unique twist to make it stand out. I enjoyed it a lot more than my other recent YA mystery read, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, and I think a lot of that has to do with the narrator, Rain. Rain was born with a cleft palate, and as a result had a severe speech impediment for many years. Between surgery and speech therapy, the issue itself is gone, but it's left behind a severe insecurity about speaking in public or doing anything that makes her stand out.

Then came Wendy. I love reading about charismatic bad girls, but what Fredericks does in The Girl in the Park is make that character not just secretly disliked, but openly hated in some situations. That's because Wendy has a habit of sleeping with other peoples' boyfriends to get revenge. But could it have gotten her killed?

At the time the murder takes place, Wendy and Rain aren't actually friends anymore, but Rain still feels a deep connection, even a bit of a responsibility, for Wendy. Their friendship, and the reason it ended, is described in flashback. In general, I'm not a fan of flashbacks, but in this book they work perfectly to compliment the story, providing hints into what may have happened as well as insight into Wendy and Rain.

I loved the dynamic between Rain and Wendy, and felt the characters in general were authentic and interesting to read about.  Even though I haven't had Rain's experience with speech difficulties and the bullying they triggered, I could really relate to how she felt, and I think that's because Fredericks drew on universal human feelings in terms of insecurity and how past experiences can define our present, especially in high school.

There were a few missteps for me, and seasoned mystery readers may predict the killer long before the reveal, but there are still plenty of red herrings. My main moment of disbelief came when, instead of going to the cops immediately, Rain confronts the killer, at which point the killer reveals everything... even though it's an awfully stupid thing for them to do. It's a pretty traditional way for the killer's motives to be revealed, but I still didn't find it terribly realistic.

Despite the predictability of the climax, this was a thrilling mystery that was a fast and enjoyable read. I'd definitely consider future novels by Fredericks, and recommend The Girl in the Park to those looking for a well-paced and well-written YA mystery with authentic characters.

Review Elsewhere: Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw

"Tunnel Vision had a riveting premise, an exciting beginning and a shocking, although not ultimately rewarding, ending. But over two hundred pages of dull writing left me looking for a light at the end of tunnel… and not in a good way."

Click here to read the rest of my review.

Subject Seven by James A. Moore

Subject Seven by James A. Moore tells the story of five teens, seemingly normal but brought together by Subject Seven, a deadly sleeper assassins hiding in the body of a teenager. After Subject Seven escapes from the lab where he is kept prisoner, he decides to seek out others like him and take revenge of those who have harmed him. But as two individuals battle for the same body, will they be able to destroy the organization who made them who they are- without destroying themselves in the process?

I was actually really excited by the premise of Subject Seven, I think the idea of genetic modification in a creepy and thrilling way has the potential to be even more horrifying than many dystopias because of how close society has come at times. That said, while I still think it's an idea that has a potential to be a great book, Subject Seven is not. I feel as if this book was written for hormone-driven boys who prefer the graphic to the intellectual. There's lots of fighting and violence, hot girls getting their clothing torn off and an evil villain. The plot also feels similar to a comic book. Still, even recognizing that I may not have been the intended audience, I expected more out of the novel.

Forget the Massive Cliffhanger Ending that annoys me so much, Subject Seven doesn't really have an ending at all. It feels like the first couple chapters of the book Moore was intending to write, incomplete and without any resolution. Despite all the action, not much actually happens or changes, and the only thing that might be potentially considered a twist is incredibly obvious from the beginning. There's a sequel, Run: A Subject Seven Novel, set for release in 2012 but I don't expect it to offer any firm conclusions either. It feels like the kind of story that will be drawn out as long as possible, and although this book was short, it definitely didn't intrigue me enough to picked up the second one in the series. Maybe the obvious audience of teenage boys would have enjoyed Subject Seven more than I did, but in the meantime I'll continue to keep my eye out for that great novel featuring genetic modification that I know is out there somewhere.

Release Date: January 20th, 2011
Pages: 327
Source: ARC From Publisher
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Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

What if each day you woke up, and all your recent memories had been erased? In Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson, this is exactly what Christine has to deal with. Her brain is able to store new memories, but only for twenty four hours, and when she wakes each day it is with the hope of a child or a young woman, thinking she still has her whole life ahead of her. The man in bed beside her is a stranger, but he says he is her husband. Even the face in the mirror doesn't belong to the person she remembers herself to be. Christine is forced to rely on her husband to learn and relearn who she is, but how can she even know if he is telling her the truth, and not a different truth each day?

Something that was interesting was that the main character of Before I Go To Sleep is actually middle-aged. I don't know how it happens- maybe because I do read a lot of YA as well- but I have gotten used to younger characters lately. Even though those younger characters are closer to my own age, it was refreshing to read a book written from the perspective of a woman who is a bit more mature (even if she doesn't realize it most of the time!)

From page one, I loved Before I Go To Sleep. It's exactly this kind of book that reminds that, when done well, when they are intelligent and well-written and all the right kinds of creepy, I really do love thrillers. Watson takes an interesting and unique premise and weaves a web with so many threads that the twists the novel takes will both thrill and shock the reader. The reader slowly begins to suspect that something isn't quite right, with an eeriness that builds slowly until an ending that you won't see coming. I fully recommend that you pick up Before I Go To Sleep, just be warned you'll be forced to the finish every sentence of Watson's incredible page-turning debut before you can go to sleep yourself.

Release Date: June 14th, 2011
Pages: 360
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Source: ARC from Publisher
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Creep by Jennifer Hillier

Creep by Jennifer Hillier is a novel in a genre I don't read very often- mystery thriller- but the synopsis caught my eye and I decided to try out this debut novel about an obsession gone too far. It is the story of Dr. Sheila Tao, a professor of psychology who has a passionate affair with her much younger graduate student Ethan Wolfe, but when she breaks up when following her engagement to a loving and safe investment banker, Ethan isn't going to just take no for an answer. If Sheila is going to try to reject him, Ethan has just the plan to make her pay, and with a student already having been found dead there may be more than just Sheila's reputation at risk.

As I already mentioned, Creep is definitely a book outside of my normal reading, which consists mainly of literary fiction and YA, but Hillier did manage to keep my attention. She has a thrilling premise and the novel is certainly a page turner so overall I'd consider it a success. I especially enjoyed the last quarter or so of the novel, which is when I found it finally got that creepiness the title promised. Creep is heavy on the sex- Sheila's a recovering sex addict, after all- as well as violence, language, and all those other fun things. Still, I would have been surprised if it wasn't based on the summary.  It did seem to take a little while for the story to get started, and the premise itself wasn't terribly original although Hillier does do her own spin on it.

When it comes to character development, Creep is a bit lacking but it's also not really the main purpose of this genre either (although it's still nice), the purpose is to keep the reader's attention and take them for a thrilling ride, and Hillier certainly manages that. That said, I didn't particularly care about what happened to Sheila, I never actually liked her as a character, but I was interested in finding out how the events would unfold. The mystery is more subtle and it sneaks up on you, as does the storyline. Overall, the characters in Creep are pretty superficial but it definitely manages to live up to its title and Hillier has written a book with plenty of twists, turns and intrigue to satisfy any mystery lover.

Release Date: July 5th  2011
Pages: 357
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Source: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard is about two twin girls, separated at birth. Sutton is adopted and raised in a wealthy family, while the other twin, Emma, spends her early years with their flaky mom before being put into foster care. When the novel begins Sutton is dead, and yet she is still on earth and following Emma around, unable to remember how she died, or even how she lived. When Emma sees a video featuring a girl, a girl who appears to be killed and who looks exactly like her, but isn't her, she realizes something is terribly wrong. With nobody to turn to, Emma slides into Sutton life, trying to figure out what happened before the same killer that got her sister, gets her as well.

Although I hadn't read any thing by Sara Shepard before, the television show based on her teenage mystery series, Pretty Little Liars, definitely has me hooked. Unfortunately there are already a billion (or at least 9) books released so when I found out she was releasing a new series, I figured I'd start from scratch. It turns out The Lying Game has also been turned into a television show, so I get to add another guilty addiction to my weekly schedule.

I listened to The Lying Game on audiobook and really enjoyed listening to the narrator, Cassandra Morris. That said, I am undecided about the story itself. Sutton is an incredibly materialistic girl who has done a lot of bad things in her life, but her voice (as the ghost) seems so kind and gentle- is that the true Sutton, or is the real one evil? It's hard to tell and it bothered me.  Present Sutton seemed so much nicer than Past Sutton and I have to wonder how Shepard is going to reconcile the two personalities. I enjoyed most of the other characters though, Emma seemed reasonably conflicted over what was going on and Sutton's friends were so self-adsorbed it was easy to believe they didn't realize she was missing, although I was less convinced that none of her family members would have noticed either. It also felt like it took quite awhile for the story to get started, but there was plenty of intrigue and mystery once it did. In The Lying Game, it seems like everyone is hiding something in a way that makes it absolutely delicious to read about.

This is completely and utterly the first book in a series- already there are two sequels, Never Have I Ever which was just released and Two Truths and a Lie which is coming out in February. Although I am very intrigued to see how things turn out, I have to wonder exactly how many books I will be expected to read in order to learn; if The Lying Game is anything like Pretty Little Liars, than quite a few it seems! I'm conflicted over reading the books as they are released, reading them once the series is done (if ever?) and just tuning into the television show.

Ultimately, The Lying Game is a suspenseful novel packed with intrigue and questions, but lacking in answers, if you can handle the Massive Cliffhanger Ending then there is definitely enough drama to satisfy any craving you might have.

Release Date: December 7th, 2010
Pages: 305
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Source: ARC from Publisher and Audiobook

Close Your Eyes by Amanda Eyre Ward

Close Your Eyes by Amanda Eyre Ward tells the story of Lauren, a woman who is about thirty and has spent over two decades haunted by the night her father killed her mother, while she and her brother Alex were asleep in a treehouse in the backyard. Although their father was sentenced to life in prison, Alex has always believed he was innocent. Years later Lauren remains afraid of love and what it can turn into, refusing to marry her longterm boyfriend, and only really opening herself up to her brother. When Alex leaves for Doctors Without Borders in Iraq, Lauren feels completely abandoned, and when the unthinkable happens Lauren begins to examine her life and try to figure out what really happened the night that changed everything.

From the second I read the synopsis Close Your Eyes had my attention. It has a thrilling and mysterious premise and the novel itself lives up to the suspense the summary promises. I really enjoyed Lauren's voice which felt genuine, how she is conflicted over the man she wants to be with and her inability to truly feel safe in a relationship. Most people don't have the same dark history that Lauren does, but I think many fear what true commitment can mean when it comes to the potential to leave you brokenhearted. Lauren's boyfriend, a man who runs a blog about being cheap, was an entertaining minor character and added some lightness to the narrative.

Although I didn't realize it until partway into the novel, Close Your Eyes is actually divided into sections, and some of those sections focus on the story of Sylvia, a forty year old pregnant woman on the run who may have the answers Lauren is looking for. I didn't find Sylvia to be nearly as rich and engaging a character as Lauren was, and I did wish she had been a bit more developed. Sylvia spends many years in an unhappy relationship and I never quite understood why. That said, when Sylvia gets to New York and spends more time interacting with her old friend, I enjoyed it more. I felt like the flashbacks of Sylvia as a young girl were a lot more authentic and interesting than she is in present.
The story does go back to Lauren and it was her portion that stuck with me the most. I did find that there was possibly too much information about Lauren's real estate career, on what it is like to show houses, etc that didn't relate to the plot and wasn't really that interesting to me.

The best thing about Close Your Eyes is that even though Ward has written an engaging murder mystery, most of her characters remain strong and three dimensional in a way that reminds me of I'd know you anywhere by Laura Lippman. The storyline itself is loosely inspired by true events but has many surprises  you won't expect. Overall, Close Your Eyes has a rich and engaging plot and although I didn't connect with one of major characters I found a lot to enjoy and definitely plan to read more by Amanda Eyre Ward in the future.

Release Date: March 3rd, 2011
Pages: 272
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This review was a part of TLC Book Tours. Click here to read what other tour hosts thought. For the purpose of this review I was provided with a copy of the book which did not require a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own.