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Sunday, February 25, 2018

My take on: Twist of Faith

Ava Saunders has always had a difficult relationship with her adoptive mother, Claire. Growing up, Ava never understood the nomadic lifestyle Claire subjected her to. Moving from town to town, never setting down roots or making lasting friendships was the norm for Ava and Claire. Questioning Claire about her past, has never resulted in answers for Ava. All Ava knows about her past, is that she was left on the steps of a convent as an infant. How or why she came to be there remains a mystery. Now that Claire has died suddenly, Ava is determined to solve that mystery. A photo of an abandoned house, found in Claire's belongings, could be the first piece of the puzzle in Twist of Faith by Ellen J. Green.

Ava's life was a mess before and after Claire's death. She's managed to hold down a job at the local courthouse, but the end of each day is lost in a sea of alcohol. Her moments of clarity are spent delving into her past. She's convinced that photo is the key to everything, and Ava's not the only one. Someone is following her. That someone might have even broken into Ava's home. Things have been moved and the picture is missing. Is Ava getting too close to the truth? Perhaps, and that means she can't continue this quest on her own. Ava's friends and co-workers, Joanne and Russell get pulled into the fray. Russell is a cop and uses his connections to get information. The deeper they investigate, the more danger they encounter.

The chapters are short and to the point, making it a bit of a compulsive read. With each chapter I kept reading. I wanted to know what was the big mystery. The book is told from multiple perspectives, which sometimes made the story difficult to follow. But I thought the author did a good job of planting seeds in each chapter. As a character, Ava was annoying because I kept wanting her to grow up. What Ava was lacking, Joanne made up for with her sassiness and strength. Russell was often the voice of reason but occasionally he let his attraction to Ava cloud his judgment. I think where the book came up short was the ending, specifically the last page. You have to read the book to know what I'm talking about. I didn't expect the cliffhanger, for me it came out of left field. Overall, it was a worthy read.


Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Thomas & Mercer) in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, February 5, 2018

My take on: The Woman in the Window

For every book I read, I have different reasons for picking it up. Sometimes it's a great cover. An intriguing synopsis. Or it's written by an author I've read before. For The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn, the blurbs were the kicker for me. Gillian Flynn, Stephen King, Ruth Ware, and others are quoted on the book jacket--singing its praises. Yes, the word of other authors sways my opinion.

So were they right to gush over this book? In my opinion: YES!

Our main character, Dr. Anna Fox is an agoraphobic recluse, living her life vicariously through her neighbors. She knows when they leave in the morning and when they return at night. What they eat for dinner. Even what their book club picks are. And who is committing adultery. When Anna's not spying on her neighbors with her trusty camera, she's drowning herself in bottle after bottle of wine. Personal hygiene is an extra curricular activity for Anna. Once a proud therapist, Anna's only deep connection is with her fellow agoraphobics on the internet. She dishes out advice to others, but lacks the emotional fortitude to deal with her own issues. It's too heartbreaking to face the problems in her own life. She's separated from her husband, Ed, and daughter, Olivia. Are Ed and Olivia the reason Anna has not left her house in nearly a year? It's hard to know. Anna is such an unreliable narrator, it's hard to separate fact from fiction.  The only thing readers know for sure is Anna's deep-seated love for old Hollywood noir films. Watching movies are the rare moments of joy for Anna, but now they could be distorting her perceptions of reality.

The Russells are Anna's new neighbors. Shy, teenage Ethan is the first to make contact with Anna. Visiting Anna in her home and learning about her love for old films. Eventually, Ethan's mom, Jane, also forges a friendship with Anna. All of this out of the watchful eye of her husband, Alistair. Jane is fearful of something, perhaps it's Alistair? Before Anna can discover the source of her new friend's fear, Jane disappears. And that's because Anna is certain she witnessed Jane's murder. But did Anna really see what she thinks she saw? Or was it the alcohol playing tricks on her?

Anna is the only one certain a crime has been committed. What about Alistair and Ethan? Both of them swear Anna has never met Jane. When the police get involved, Alistair is forced to produce his wife and she looks nothing like the woman Anna met. What's going on? Who is the real Jane? Is any of it real? It's so hard to know what's going on, but I loved the ride from start to finish. Each chapter is short and to the point. I liken them to potato chips, it was hard to stop at just one chapter. I was thoroughly entertained. When the movie version of this eventually comes out, I hope the producers stay true to the book!

Rating: Superb

Notes: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (HarperCollins) as part of a blog tour with TLC Book Tours.