My Book Reviews

Category: Mystery

  • Hold the Dark by William Giraldi

    Hold the Dark by William Giraldi

    Dark

    Hold the Dark by William Giraldi
    Release: August 10th 2015
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: Liveright
    Source: Amazon

    Dark



     

    Hold the Dark Synopsis:

    Written with “force and precision and grace” (John Wilwol, New York Times Book Review) Hold the Dark is a “taut and unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness” (Dennis Lehane). At the start of another pitiless winter, wolves have taken three children from the remote Alaskan village of Keelut, including the six-year-old son of Medora and Vernon Slone. Wolf expert Russell Core is called in to investigate these killings and discovers an unholy truth harbored by Medora before she disappears. When her husband returns home to discover his boy dead and his wife missing, he begins a maniacal pursuit that cuts a bloody swath across the frozen landscape. With the help of a local police detective, Core attempts to find Medora before her husband does, setting in motion a deadly chain of events in this “chilling, mysterious, and completely engaging novel” (Tim O’Brien) that marks the arrival of a major American writer.

     

    Review:

    Watch my detailed video review of “Hold the Dark” by William Giraldi!

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqvq-Mzawc[/embedyt]

    I picked this book because it recently released as a movie adaptation in Netflix and the trailer looked interesting. I wanted to pick up the book and read it before I watched the movie. Unfortunately, the book was terrible. Firstly, I thought the plot was completely absurd and made no sense. Moreover, there was no character development and you could not connect to any of the characters or the reasons for why they did anything. I absolutely have no idea how this book was even a bestseller and was made into a movie!

  • Winterhouse (Winterhouse #1) by Ben Guterson

    Winterhouse (Winterhouse #1) by Ben Guterson

    Winterhouse

    Winterhouse (Winterhouse #1) by Ben Guterson
    Release: January 2nd 2018
    Format: Kindle
    Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
    Source: Amazon

    Winterhouse


     

    Winterhouse Book 1 Synopsis:

    Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?

    Mystery, adventure, and beautiful writing combine in this exciting debut richly set in a hotel full of secrets.

     

    Book trailer:

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps_8YD8gg0c[/embedyt]

    Review:

    I LOVED reading this book! The story reminded me a lot of the Harry Potter series. For instance, the main character, Elizabeth, is an orphan and lives with her aunt and uncle who don’t care about her at all. One day, she receives an invitation from a mysterious benefactor to go and stay at this hotel for a few days and her whole life changes there! The plot is captivating from the first page and makes you wonder what will happen next. It is filled with endearing characters surrounded by mystery and adventure. In fact, there were some scenes where I was at the edge of my seat, like when Elizabeth goes to meet the creepy couple for tea to investigate their room, or when she goes to the cabin and finds the flickering light. In fact, I almost finished reading this book in one sitting, it was THAT good!

    Ben Guterson, the author, has done a wonderful job in narrating this story. In general, I loved how he sets the atmosphere around Winterhouse as per the plot. In some places, Winterhouse is this wonderful place that I would love to go on a winter holiday. However, in some chapters, it becomes this creepy mansion hat reminds me of the Overlook Hotel from The Shining. Moreover, the characters are charming and intriguing. I loved Elizabeth as the main character and the inquisitiveness that she has to solve the mystery. Furthermore, I also enjoyed her friendship with Freddy and how they play word chains with each other.

    Also, special credit has to be given to the illustrator. Chloe Bristol has included beautiful, whimsical illustrations that complement the book very well. Albeit, it might be too cute to lower the scare factor for younger readers, but I loved each one of them! Overall, I loved reading “WinterHouse” and feel it is one of those books that people of all ages would enjoy reading.

  • Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina #1) by Robert Beatty

    Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina #1) by Robert Beatty

    Serafina

    Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina #1) by Robert Beatty
    Release: July 14th 2015
    Format: Kindle
    Publisher: Disney•Hyperion
    Source: Amazon

    Serafina


    Serafina and the Black Cloak Synopsis:

    “Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”

    Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

    But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

    Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

     

    Review:

    I’m a bit late in reading this series, but better late than never, right? Having said that, I really enjoyed reading this book.

    Serafina is a great character that you want to root for from the first page. She has such an innocent yet brave quality in her that you cannot help but like her. Serafina believes in herself even though she knows she is different from others. She is independent and takes charge to do what is right without depending on anyone else. There are so many qualities in her that make her an inspiring role model. I also enjoyed Braedan’s character, and liked the friendship between the two. Also, I loved Serafina’s father and felt that he was an underrated character. Moreover, I was fascinated and scared by the Man in the Black Cloak. There are hardly any memorable villains in recently published novels, and I think that’s one of the main reasons this book held my interest.

    However, there were two aspects that bothered me a bit while reading Serafina. The first reason is the number of characters. The author introduces a lot of characters in the beginning and it takes time to get used to it. Due to this, I found the story to be initially slow at times, but it picked up as soon as Braeden and Serafina meet. The second reason that had me rolling my eyes was how Serafina managed to escape unbelievably fantastic situations and came out barely scratched. True that this is a magical fantasy novel, but I just couldn’t connect to the character during these scenes. There are so many instances where you feel that she should be breaking a few bones from her actions, but seconds later, she is perfect with just a few minor bruises.

    However, apart from these small details, I really liked this middle grade novel. Robert Beatty has a beautiful style of writing and it reminded me a lot of JK Rowling. There are so many wonderful messages and themes included to make this an engaging read. It’s one of those books that readers of any age would enjoy. I also think it would be a great adaptation to a movie someday. Overall, “Serafina and the Black Cloak” is a wonderful start to the series and I cannot wait to pick up “The Twisted Staff”!

  • Secrets Can Kill (Nancy Drew Files #1) by Carolyn Keene

    Secrets Can Kill (Nancy Drew Files #1) by Carolyn Keene

    Secrets

    Secrets Can Kill (Nancy Drew Files #1) by Carolyn Keene
    Release: August 1st 1986
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Simon & Schuster
    Source: Amazon

    Secrets


    Secrets Can Kill Synopsis:

    Nancy poses as a student and goes undercover to investigate a series of thefts at Bedford High.

     

    Review:

    I used to love reading “Nancy Drew Files” when I was growing up. It’s one of the series that got me hooked into reading. I decided to re-read some these books in order to see if they are still as good as they were then. I am glad to say that this book still holds the charm as it did years ago. It’s so much fun to read about your favorite characters again like Bess, George, Ned and Hannah.

    The story starts off easy where Nancy is just investigating petty vandalism in a school. However, once she goes undercover, she realizes the case is just the tip of espionage, blackmail and even murder among other things. The story has a few twists and turns that are fun and suspenseful to read. I guessed who the prime suspect to the murder would be midway, but it was still interesting to see how it turned out. I’m not sure if the new generation would be keen on this though because it contains some outdated reference like videotapes and audio cassettes.

    I also liked reading on Ned and Nancy’s relationship even when she has feelings for Daryl. It would have been interesting to see a love triangle between the three. Maybe Daryl will show up again later in the series. However, there were some scenes where Nancy seemed out of character. For starters, she falls head over heels over Daryl from just looking at him, which is very unlike her. Then, she swoons over Daryl over the oddest moments. For instance, Nancy seems to be infatuated with Daryl even when their car is out of control and blows up. Also, I don’t see how cool the girls can be when there is a crazy Government official chasing and threatening to kill them. I have to admit though, Bess is hilarious and always knows how to add humor, even when she is involved in a high speed car chase.

    Overall, this was a good start to the series and hold well even today!

  • The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

    The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

    The Women in the Walls

    The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics
    Released: September 27, 2016
    Format: Hardcover
    Publisher: Harlequin Teen
    Source: Amazon
    Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle,

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    Lucy Acosta’s mother died when she was three. Growing up in a Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods with her cold, distant father, she explored the dark hallways of the estate with her cousin, Margaret. They’re inseparable—a family.

    But her aunt Penelope, the only mother she ever knew about, tragically disappears while walking in the woods surrounding their estate. Then Lucy finds herself devastated and alone. Margaret has been spending a lot of time in the attic. She claims she can hear her dead mother’s voice whispering from the walls. Her father shuts her out emotionally . So Lucy watches helplessly as her cousin’s sanity slowly unravels. But when she begins hearing voices herself, Lucy finds herself confronting an ancient and deadly legacy that has marked the women in her family for generations.

    About the Author:

    Ever since she was little, horror books and movies intrigued Amy. She grew up in a small mountain town in Arizona, and  sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother’s bookshelf.

    Amy lives with her husband, their two precious squidlings, and an old gentleman cat by the name of Frodo. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms.

    Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

    The Women in the Walls Review:

    The story writing is good for most of the part. And I enjoyed the steady pacing of the storyline that had me engrossed throughout. There are some cleverly designed plot twists , but some of these twists had gruesome details that made me cringe. While I didn’t have any issues with the grisly details, the only part of the writing that I found puzzling was the consistency in the setting. In some parts of the book, it felt like the story is taking place a long time ago, but then in some scenes, the characters curse foul language and use the internet etc. which I thought didn’t fit well with the setup.

    The depiction of characters are good , and I enjoyed the conflict between Lucy and Margaret. In fact, I liked Margaret’s character more than Lucy, as she seemed truly psychotic and on the edge, and I had no idea what she would do to Lucy. I also enjoyed Vanessa’s character, and wished that she was involved more in the book. While I didn’t have any issues with Lucy as such, I thought the girl was whiny and suicidal and not that strong to be the main character in the book.

    There was disappointment towards the end of the book, mainly because all the revelations provided were not very clear. Also, the pacing seemed rushed, and the author didn’t provide closure to the storyline. It was as  though Amy Lukavics got tired of writing towards the end, and just wanted to finish it somehow. Considering the good narration of the story  for most of the book, I wish it had ended with the same consistency and a better explanation for the events.

    Overall, this was a pretty good book to read, but one that is easily forgettable.