I got into a really interesting conversation in one of my bookworm Facebook groups about Netgalley and book reviews, and eventually the discourse turned to what happens when writers don't like the reviews their book is getting. Turns out, some people can get really heated. So, with great trepidation, I am back to share some thoughts on this week's reads.
I muscled through In The Vines by Shannon Kirk, and it never got any better for me. Despite a glowing review on Goodreads, claiming it was a perfect gothic noir thriller, I found the writing style to be nearly intolerable. I skimmed huge chunks of text, simply unable to connect with the characters or the flowery, irritating prose. I was not shocked by the purported "twists", and the confusion I felt through the first 75% of the book wasn't the fun, suspense-building experience that most books with an unreliable narrator tend to provide. I got it over with, I sent my feedback to Netgalley, and I moved on. They can't all be winners, and this only reinforces my usual opinion that life is too short to force yourself to read books that you don't enjoy. Notice I didn't say "bad books", because there's no such thing. Books are pathways, each dictated by tastes and experiences and reliability. I know there are others who will love the book!
Moving right along. My beloved Tracy Crosswhite is back for book #6, A Steep Price. Every time Robert Dugoni releases a new book in this series, I feel like I get to see old friends again. Kins, Vic, Faz, Dan, Dan's DOGS!, and of course Tracy herself. I love this series because it feels authentic, manages to remain heartwarming in the face of grim subject matters, and really makes you care about the characters.
This time around, Tracy and Kins are investigating the death of a young Indian woman whose best friend has reported her missing after delivering some life-changing news. Unfortunately, when she is found murdered in a shallow grave in the park, it creates more questions than answers. As they delve deeper into her life, they find a lot of ambition that was hampered by her familys societal expectations, her grim determination to raise money for medical school at any cost despite her parents wishes to return home and accept an arranged marriage, and the seedy underworld of "Sugar Dating", which has enough loopholes to escape being classified as prostitution, despite being dangerous and borderline sex work. Tracy is feeling threatened and on edge due to their newest team member, another female who seems to be snooping in private files and isn't honest about the circumstances of an officer-involved shooting in the case that Vic and Faz are tackling currently. A young activist woman who spoke out against gangs and the drug trade in her underprivileged area gets shot and killed. The guys think it's connected to a local gang leader whose father they put in prison years earlier. The hotter the trail gets, the more in danger they are. Little Jimmy blames them for putting his dad away, and for his subsequent death in prison when a rival gang member stabbed him. Just as things are reaching a boiling point, Tracy and Kins figure out exactly who their killer is and they're hot on the trail. The book, like the others in the series, was a fun, fast-paced read with heart and a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend starting this series!
I have to assume that I am being rewarded for struggling through a book that I really disliked, because A Double Life by Flynn Berry absolutely blew me out of the water. Not only was the writing beautiful, but the story was haunting and touching at the same time. I loved the alternating timelines of the narrators story (now, as a woman in her mid-30's, still hunting for the father who disappeared from her life after a gruesome attack on her family; and then, as a child who witnessed the horrifying scene and never truly understood what happened and why) and the rich, descriptive writing. I felt like I was sitting right next to her, and the delicious tension that was built through the story progression made it nearly impossible to put down. This one is a must-read! I am off to purchase her first novel, Under the Harrow. I will be on the lookout for more of her works!
I have to assume that I am being rewarded for struggling through a book that I really disliked, because A Double Life by Flynn Berry absolutely blew me out of the water. Not only was the writing beautiful, but the story was haunting and touching at the same time. I loved the alternating timelines of the narrators story (now, as a woman in her mid-30's, still hunting for the father who disappeared from her life after a gruesome attack on her family; and then, as a child who witnessed the horrifying scene and never truly understood what happened and why) and the rich, descriptive writing. I felt like I was sitting right next to her, and the delicious tension that was built through the story progression made it nearly impossible to put down. This one is a must-read! I am off to purchase her first novel, Under the Harrow. I will be on the lookout for more of her works!
All in all, this is what I love so much about receiving ARC's. I get to experience an author's style with no financial risk, and it often opens me up to new writers that I may not have heard of otherwise. It also drives me to purchase their other books, which is great for the writers too. I am happy to be part of the reading and reviewing community, even when I have to give a heavy-hearted one star review.
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