And So It Began (Delaney #1) by Owen Mullen

And So It Began by Owen Mullen
And So It Began (Delaney #1)
by Owen Mullen (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘It was good to feel apart from the herd. Different from the masses. What could be worse than being just another walking number on the earth? Thank God that wasn’t the way of it. Society saw it otherwise of course, that was to be expected. Closed minds.

A woman passed with a child dressed in top hat and tails. Fred Astaire? The kid was bawling something impossible to make out, its small face distorted in an anguish that would cease the second the mother relented and let it have its way. When children acted like that they were almost as unattractive as the adults who spawned them. Well, the mother could relax, her whining offspring was safe; repulsively secure.

No matter, there were plenty more.

Lots and lots and lots more.

Where to begin? The biggest question. The answer would dictate how the rest of the day would go. The trick was not to wait too long. That was dangerous. Anxiety about missing out produced poor-quality decisions. Risk was all very well so long as the thrill allowed for escape.

It was all about timing.

A lost looking girl came close. Pretty, but pretty wasn’t enough. There were many here who outscored her on that, boys as well as girls, it didn’t matter.

Cute. Cute. Cute. Nothing but cute.

‘Darlene! Darlene, honey!’

A woman bent to scoop up her daughter.

Mother and child reunion.

Time to make a move. But what was the rush? There was a whole day ahead.

All day. All day, every day if need be.

THE BLURB: PI Vincent Delaney thought he was done with the NOPD until a string of seemingly unrelated child murders brings an unexpected invitation from the FBI, and his old boss.

A serial killer is roaming the South, preying on children appearing in pageants, and the police want him to go undercover using his own family. Accepting would mean lying to people he loves and maybe even putting them in harmā€™s way.

In Baton Rouge, a violent criminal has escaped and is seeking revenge for the brother Delaney shot dead. But Delaney isnā€™t going anywhere. He has unfinished business.

Meanwhile, north of the French Quarter, shopkeepers are being extorted and ask for Delaneyā€™s help. Extortion is a matter for the police.

But what do you do when those responsible are the police?

Delaney has his work cut out and heā€™ll be lucky if he makes it out of this aliveā€¦

MY THOUGHTS: Owen Mullen knows how to write.

I rank him right up there with Mr King. Different genres, but there is something in the writing style that just sucks me right in. Cocoons me from the outside world. Has me snarling at anyone that would dare try interrupt my reading.

I fell in love with Charlie Cameron, Mullen’s Glaswegian PI in his first series. Now we have Delaney in New Orleans. And I’m in love all over again.

Delaney has a past. But that doesn’t guarantee he has a future. Delaney is dedicated. When he is on a case, all else is pushed to the side. I would hate to be in a relationship with this man. He is unfailingly loyal. He is stubborn. And tenacious. He reminds me of my very favorite chocolates, strong and hard on the outside, liquid inside. This is a man who will go to any lengths to protect those he loves.

And he is a man with old scores to settle.

And So It Began by Owen Mullen is a breathtaking read. There is nothing ordinary or mediocre about this book. It grips from page one and never lets go.

Crime fiction has a new master.

Thank you to author Owen Mullen for providing an ARC of And So It Began. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my Goodreads.com pageĀ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2143545068?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

The Coven by Graham Masterton

The Coven by Graham Masterton
The Coven
by Graham Masterton

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘Some of these girls are veritable savages when we first take them in. They are used to drinking gin and smoking and their everyday language would make Satan shrivel. They have been used by men ever since they can remember, sometimes by their own fathers and brothers, so they think nothing of virtue or virginity. In some cases, their own mothers have sold their maidenheads to the highest bidder to make ends meet…..A fair number learn to be thankful, I’ll grant you. But some regard us as pious busy bodies and cannot wait to return to their life on the streets. They relish the flattery they are given by licentious men, and the money. They enjoy the orgies, and the drink. They have never been used to discipline or decorum, and they cannot understand that they are not only destroying themselves here on earth but abnegating any chance they might have had of going to heaven. ‘

THE BLURB: London, 1758. Beatrice Scarlet has returned to London and found work at St. Mary Magdalene’s Refuse for fallen women. Beatrice enjoys the work and her apothecary skills are much needed. The home cooperates with a network of wealthy factory owners across London, finding their charges steady work and hopes of rehabilitation. But when 12 girls sent to a factory in Clerkenwell disappear, Beatrice is uneasy. Their would-be benefactor claims they were witches, sacrificed by Satan for his demonic misdeeds. But Beatrice is sure something much darker than witchcraft is at play.

MY THOUGHTS: I have to admit that I almost dnf’d this a couple of times in the earlier part of the book. I really only kept reading because I wanted to know if Noah was ever going to be found. I got the answer to my question, but if you want to know you can read the book for yourself.

The Coven is definitely not my favourite Masterton book. It is the second book in a series of, so far, two. I had not read the first, but The Coven can stand on its own. There is enough background information given so that the relevant events of the first in the series are explained.

My first quibble is with the title, The Coven. If you read this book you will see the relevance, which I still feel is rather tenuous anyway. The Coven gives the impression that the book is about witchcraft. It isn’t. Not even remotely. Which is not why I chose to read it anyway, but people with reading interests which lie in that field would be disappointed. This book could definitely have been better titled.

Masterton’s writing does get, somewhat uncharacteristically, laborious in parts. Although just occasionally his quirky sense of humour shines through, and again,occasionally, there are passages of his trademark beautiful prose.

Overall, I am glad I read The Coven. I liked it more than not, but only just. But probably not enough to bother with reading any more of the series, although Beatrice’s future does look rather more interesting. I will leave the jury out on that decision.

WARNING: The Coven contains graphic violence and sexual content.

Thank you to Head of Zeus via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Coven for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on myĀ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2143005304?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
by Julie Andrews Edwards

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘I assure you that the Wangdoodle exists,’ said the man. ‘Look it up in your dictionary when you get home. ‘
‘What does it look like?’ asked Lindy.
‘That’s rather hard to describe. It’s a little like a moose – or a horse, perhaps. But with fantastic horns. And I believe it has rather short legs.’
‘Where does it live?’ enquired Tom.
‘Oh,far, far away……’

THE BLURB: The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles was the second childrenā€™s novel ever written by Julie Andrews, the beloved star of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Perfect for young readers who love whimsical stories about magic!

The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, the kindest, and the most extraordinary creature in the world. Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and all the other remarkable animalsā€”the ten-legged Sidewinders, the little furry Flukes, the friendly Whiffle Bird, and the treacherous, “oily” Prock. It was an almost perfect place where the last of the really great Whangdoodles could rule his kingdom with “peace, love and a sense of fun”ā€”apart from and forgotten by people.

But not completely forgotten. Professor Savant believed in the Whangdoodle. And when he told the three Potter children of his search for the spectacular creature, Lindy, Tom, and Ben were eager to reach Whangdoodleland.

With the Professor’s help, they discovered the secret way. But waiting for them was the scheming Prock, who would use almost any means to keep them away from his beloved king. Only by skill and determination were the four travelers able to discover the last of the really great Whangdoodles and grant him his heart’s desire.

MY THOUGHTS: All the times I read The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles by Julie Edwards to and with my sons, and I never realized that the author was Julie Andrews!

She must have had an enormous amount of fun writing this book, because it is a fun read, but with a more serious undertone – genetics and cloning.

But the greatest thing about the book is that it is magical, not in a Harry Potter kind of way, but in its innocence. This book would never get written or published today. A group of children going off with a strange man they met at the zoo and doing things in his house that they can’t tell their parents about?!

And it is a pity. Because this is a wonderful book. And I was so glad to find it, prized and loved on my son’s bookshelves to be read to and with his boys.

Truly a book for all ages. If you never got to read it as a child, read it as an adult. We all need a little magic and wonder in our lives.

A big Thank You to Brenda, who worked for me many moons ago when my now adult sons were small, and who bought this book for them. It has been treasured and always will be.

The Accident by Dawn Goodwin

The Accident by Dawn Goodwin
The Accident
by Dawn Goodwin (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by

 

EXCERPT: ‘Seeing her like that was a bit of a shock. Her dark hair was lank and scraped back in a messy ponytail – not the charmingly messy kind; rather, the kind that looks like you slept in it. The circles under her eyes made her look haunted and her skin had the grey tone of someone who has been indoors too long.
Not so perfect now, are we? ‘THE BLURB: A tragic accident, an unbearable loss and a marriage in crisis ā€“ but who can she trust or is she all alone? A gripping, debut psychological thriller that will keep you hooked. Perfect for the fans of Paula Hawkins and S.J. Watson.

Veronica Pullman’s comfortable suburban life comes to a shuddering halt when her young daughter, Grace, tragically dies in a car accident.

Months later, unable to come to terms with her daughter’s death, detached from her husband and alienated from her friends and family, a chance encounter on a rainy street pushes her into an unlikely new friendship.

Scarlet is everything Veronica could’ve been: feisty, adventurous, unpredictable. But as she approaches what would have been Grace’s 10th birthday, it becomes clear to Veronica that the friendship she thought was saving her life could be costing her everything.

Consumed by grief and left questioning her own sanity, is there anyone she can really trust or is someone out to torment her as part of their twisted game?

MY THOUGHTS: I have lain awake half the night thinking about The Accident, a debut novel by Dawn Goodwin. It made me think about friends, and the mostly random way we become them. We have different friends for different periods of our lives. There are our school friends, some of these we keep for life, others drop to the wayside as we, or they, move on. Our workmates, usually fleeting relationships that change with our jobs. The friends we make as mothers, our children encouraged to bond. And our neighbours, who sometimes also fit into one or more of the categories above.

If we are really lucky, we have one incredible friend. A friend that, if you don’t see her for months, it doesn’t matter, because you just pick up where you left off and it is like you have never been apart. Veronica Pullman doesn’t have a friend like that. She has a group of acquaintances, other mothers who meet for coffee and who vie to be the thinnest, have the newest kitchen, the fanciest SUV, the brightest most talented children.

When Veronica’s life falls apart following the accident, although her friends make the right noises and numerous casseroles, they are all secretly glad that it didn’t happen to them. Tom, her husband, is coping with his grief in his own way and has his work to sustain him. Only Veronica is isolated in her grief, which leaves her vulnerable.

You will recognize a lot of Goodwin’s characters. You’ve probably had one or two of them in your life. You may even have been, or be, one.

Dawn Goodwin has written an excellent first novel. It is like a slow burning fuse; the explosion at the end, devastating. This is an author whose career I will be following with great interest.

Thank you to Aria via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Accident by Dawn Goodwin for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my Goodreads.com pageĀ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2133954329

Lay Me To Rest by E.A. Clark

Lay Me to Rest by E.A. Clark
Lay Me to Rest
by E.A. Clark (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘After pulling the door to, we walked down the slope and across to the farm, the sun a huge blood orange sphere at our backs, sinking behind the distant mountains.
If I had turned then I might have seen. Might have seen that the shadow that I had mistaken for mere imagination was standing, looking down at us, from my bedroom window. And that the glowing dark eyes that bore into the back of our unwitting heads exuded what could only be described as resentment and malevolence. I might have had some premonitory sense of what was in store for me and how I ought to flee before becoming irrevocably changed forever by the terror and intensity of my experience.
But for the time being I would remain in ignorance of the depth of hostility cast in our direction. And that was how it would all begin.’

THE BLURB: Some secrets never stay buried for longā€¦
Devastated by the death of her husband, Annie Philips is shocked to discover she is pregnant with his unborn child. Hoping for a fresh start, she travels to a remote stone cottage in Anglesey, amidst the white-capped mountains of North Wales.

She settles in quickly, helped by her mysterious new neighbour, Peter. But everything changes when Annie discovers a small wooden box, inlaid with brass and mother-of-pearl. A box she was never supposed to findā€¦

Annie soon realises that she isnā€™t alone in the cottage. And now sheā€™s trapped. Can she escape the nightmare that she has awoken, or will the dark forces surrounding the house claim her life ā€“ and that of her baby?

A gripping thriller from E. A. Clark, perfect for fans of Kerri Wilkinson, Sarah Wray and Stella Duffy. You wonā€™t be able to put it down!

MY THOUGHTS: Lay Me To Rest is E. A. Clark’s first adult novel after having written short stories and poetry for many years. Although her prose is a little overblown in places, this is a credible effort. It is an easy and quick read, ideal for reading in front of the fire on a cold and stormy night, as I did.

I have to admit to not having picked up on the paranormal reference in the blurb. Had I done, I probably wouldn’t have requested it, and I would have missed out on a read that became more interesting the further I read on. It was a little predictable in places, and it seems obvious from the way the ending was crafted that there is going to be at least one more book featuring Annie Philips and her newly discovered psychic ability to come. But if you are a fan of paranormal romantic suspense, Lay Me To Rest is a book that you will, in all probability, enjoy, and E.A. Clark is an author you will need to watch.

Thank you to HQ Digital via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Lay Me To Rest by E.A. Clark for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or my ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my Goodreads.com pagesĀ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2138842672

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber
This Side of Murder (Verity Kent, #1)
by Anna Lee Huber (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by


AN EXCERPT: ‘You might question whether this is all a ruse, whether I truly have anything to reveal. But I know what kind of work you really did during the war. I know the secrets you hide. Why shouldn’t I also know your husband’s?’

THE BLURB: The Great War is over, but in this captivating new series from award-winning author Anna Lee Huber, one young widow discovers the real intrigue has only just begun . . .

An Unpardonable Sin?

England, 1919. Verity Kentā€™s grief over the loss of her husband pierces anew when she receives a cryptic letter, suggesting her beloved Sidney may have committed treason before his untimely death. Determined to dull her pain with revelry, Verityā€™s first impulse is to dismiss the derogatory claim. But the mystery sender knows too muchā€”including the fact that during the war, Verity worked for the Secret Service, something not even Sidney knew.

Lured to Umbersea Island to attend the engagement party of one of Sidneyā€™s fellow officers, Verity mingles among the men her husband once fought beside, and discovers dark secretsā€”along with a murder clearly meant to conceal them. Relying on little more than a coded letter, the help of a dashing stranger, and her own sharp instincts, Verity is forced down a path she never imaginedā€”and comes face to face with the shattering possibility that her husband may not have been the man she thought he was. Itā€™s a truth that could set her freeā€”or draw her ever deeper into his deception . . .

MY THOUGHTS: ‘Who of us really knows what’s coming? Or what secrets will come back to haunt us in the end? The war might be over, but it still echoed through our lives like an endless roll of thunder. ‘
This Side of Murder is an excellent beginning to a new series, Verity Kent, by Daphne Award winning author Anna Lee Huber. I must rather shamefully admit that I had never heard of her prior to reading this book. I intend to remedy that, and sooner rather than later. She has two other series available, The Lady Darby Mysteries and Gothic Myths. Both sound equally appealing.

Huber had me hooked from the beginning. Set in post WWI England, Huber has written an absorbing and thrilling tale of spies, murder, treason and a little romance with a strong young female lead. The plot is complex, but not confusing, and the characters are magnificently portrayed. Like Verity, I never even came close to suspecting who was pulling the strings until all was finally revealed.

Full of action and suspense, This Side of Murder is an excellent read on many levels. It is both humorous and poignantly sad in places. It reveals the toll of the war from both sides; those left at home – ‘..how I had dreaded those letters. Each one seemed to relay news of another death, another tragedy. ‘; and those away fighting for their country – ‘they’d had no clue how dreadful the conditions were at the front, or the horrors their men had faced almost daily. The press never told the truth; propaganda at its finest. And the men didn’t want their loved ones back home to know it anyway, even though it caused countless divides and misunderstandings. They didn’t want the terrors they’d confronted to touch those they’d loved and gone to war to protect and preserve. ‘

This Side of Murder is both a touching and thrilling read.

Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com This review and others are also published on my Goodreads.com page.

Friday Favorites

Looking for something to read over the weekend?

Nothing on your book radar that is screaming ā€œread me!ā€?

Check out my Friday Favorite Ā ā€“ it may not be new, it may not even be by an author you have ever heard of, but it will be a book that has captured both my imagination and my heart.

This week, to mark the release of Mr King’s latest book, Sleeping Beauties, written in collaboration with Owen King, I thought I would take a look back at one of my favorite Stephen King novels, Ā Doctor Sleep.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2)
by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by
EXCERPT: ‘He was sitting at the mouth of the stormdrain, looking down a scrubgrass slope at the Cape Fear River and the bridge that spanned it. The night was clear and the moon was full. There was no wind, no snow. And the Overlook was gone. Even if it hadn’t burned to the ground during the tenure of the peanut farmer President, it would have been over a thousand miles from here. So why was he so frightened?
Because he wasn’t alone, that was why. There was someone behind him.
“Want some advice, Honeybear?”
The voice was liquid, wavering. Dan felt a chill go rushing down his back. His legs were colder still, prickled out in starpoints of gooseflesh. He could see those white bumps because he was wearing shorts. His brain might be that of a grown man, but it was currently sitting on top of a five-year-olds body.
Honeybear. Who—–?
But he knew. He had told Deenie his name, but she didn’t use it, just called him Honeybear instead.
You don’t remember that, and besides, this is just a dream.
Of course it was. He was in Frazier, New Hampshire, sleepingwhile a spring snowstorm howled outside Mrs Robertson’s rooming house. Still, it seemed wiser not to turn around. And safer — that, too.
“No advice,” he said, looking out at the river and the full moon. “I’ve been advised by experts. The bars and barbershops are full of them.”
“Stay away from the woman in the hat, Honeybear.”
What hat? he could have asked, but really, why bother? He knew what she was talking about, because he had seen it blowing down the sidewalk. Black as sin on the outside, lined with white silk on the inside.
“Sheā€™s the Queen Bitch of Castle Hell. If you mess with her, she’ll eat you alive.”

THE BLURB:Ā Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special 12-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless – mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the “steam” that children with the “shining” produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant “shining” power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.

MY THOUGHTS:

A masterpiece as usual Mr King.
I am always so sad when your books end – I want more!
What is going to happen to Abra?
And Dan?
What happened to the True Knot members who left?
Have they reconvened somewhere else?
So many questions……..
One very satisifed reader.

I hope that when it comes my time to die, Ā Doctor Sleep is there.

This review and others are also published on my Goodreads.com page. For an explanation of my ratings please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or my ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

 

Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh

Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh
Her Last Goodbye (Morgan Dane #2)
by Melinda Leigh (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: “And pay attention. Memorizing the rules might earn you some food.”
At the mention of food (her) stomach clenched painfully. She strained to listen.
“One, you belong to me. You will do what I say without question. You are my property. Two, when in my presence, you will keep your eyes on the floor. Three, no speaking without permission. Four, disobedience is punishable in any way I see fit. Can you repeat those back to me?”

THE BLURB: Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leighā€™s Morgan Dane series continues as the fearless attorney and her partner, investigator Lance Kruger, take on a disturbing disappearanceā€¦

Young mother Chelsea Clark leaves the house for a girlsā€™ night outā€¦and vanishes. Her family knows she would never voluntarily leave her two small children. Her desperate husbandā€”also the prime suspectā€”hires Morgan to find his wife and prove his innocence.

As a single mother, Morgan sympathizes with Chelseaā€™s family and is determined to find her. She teams up with private investigator Lance Kruger. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier their investigation gets. When Morgan is stalked by a violent predator, everythingā€”and everyoneā€”she holds dear is in grave danger.

Now, Morgan must track down a deranged criminal to protect her own familyā€¦but she wonā€™t need to leave home to find him. Sheā€™s his next target.

MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book in a row that I have read that I have failed to really engage with until just short of the halfway mark. But at least Her Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh kept my interest from this point on.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book, if it had been I simply would have abandoned it. It just all felt rather contrived, strained. As did much of the dialogue.

I wanted to feel breathless with anticipation, tingle with suspense. After all there is a madman abducting women, holding them somewhere, training them to love, honor and obey him. I have read and been consumed by similar plots before, but this one fell a little flat for me. The most suspenseful scene, for me, occurred in the supermarket!

Would it have helped to have read the first in the series? I don’t know. I can’t say with all honesty that it would have. So, swimming against the tide with Her Last Goodbye, I award 3.25 stars. I liked it, just not all that much.

Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Last Goodbye by Melinda Leigh for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or my ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on

The Great Bird Poo War by Coral Vass and illustrated by Lee Wildish

The Great Bird Poo War by Coral Vass
The Great Bird Poo War
by Coral Vass (Goodreads Author), Lee Wildish (Illustrator)

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘Strutting his feathers down Cherry Tree Way,
Little Pukeko went walking one day
When all of a sudden, something went PLOP!
SPLAT on his head! He was covered in slop!’

THE BLURB: When a bird plops on Little Pukeko’s head he declares war – the ground-dwelling brids against the flying birds. Soon all the birds are covered in SPLAT! Who will bring peace back to Cherry-tree way?

MY THOUGHTS: A delightful story with equally delightful illustrations, although around the middle of the story I had to check to see if I had turned two pages at once – there seemed to be a gap in the narrative. If not for this one anomaly, this lovely little book would have received 5 stars.

It will appeal to the littlies because of the subject matter, poo! But it also provides a good lesson on the futility of war and the value of cooperation.

All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my ratings. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com.

The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti

The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti
The Blackbird Season
by Kate Moretti (Goodreads Author)

Reviewed by


EXCERPT: ‘He felt sick. No matter what happened now, everything had just gotten worse. All the pieces he’d been clinging to had flown apart, scattering what was left of his life in a million directions. He was in trouble, he’d been in trouble, but now he was more than in trouble, he was as dead as a person could be while still being alive. In one heartbeat, he envisioned Alecia and Gabe huddled together on the couch, himself in prison, a 20/20 special. ….He had no way of knowing that this moment would become the linchpin, the moment that all the moments after would hinge upon. The papers would call him a murderer; the police would come to him; his ex-friends, his gym buddies, the guys who knew him for God’s sake; and say, Nate was the last one to see her alive, right? The last one is always the guilty one.’

THE BLURB: “Where did they come from? Why did they fall? The question would be asked a thousand timesā€¦

Until, of course, more important question arose, at which time everyone promptly forgot that a thousand birds fell on the town of Mount Oanoke at all.ā€

In a quiet Pennsylvania town, a thousand dead starlings fall onto a high school baseball field, unleashing a horrifying and unexpected chain of events that will rock the close-knit community.

Beloved baseball coach and teacher Nate Winters and his wife, Alicia, are well respected throughout town. That is, until one of the many reporters investigating the bizarre bird phenomenon catches Nate embracing a wayward student, Lucia Hamm, in front of a sleazy motel. Lucia soon buoys the scandal by claiming that she and Nate are engaged in an affair, throwing the town into an uproarā€¦and leaving Alicia to wonder if her husband has a second life.

And when Lucia suddenly disappears, the police only to have one suspect: Nate.

Nateā€™s coworker and sole supporter, Bridget Harris, Luciaā€™s creative writing teacher, is determined to prove his innocence. She has Luciaā€™s class journal, and while some of the entries appear particularly damning to Nateā€™s case, others just donā€™t add up. Bridget knows the key to Nateā€™s exoneration and the truth of Luciaā€™s disappearance lie within the walls of the school and in the pages of that journal.

MY COMMENTS: I struggled somewhat to become involved with this book. I didn’t particularly relate to any of the characters, which is not necessarily a problem. But I was just over 40% into the story before I began to feel any kind of real interest, a spark, and that didn’t last long.

The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti is told from four points of view, that of Alecia, Nate, Lucia and Bridget, which also Ā wasn’t a problem.

The characters are well portrayed and rounded out. Nateā€™s life revolves around his baseball team and his students, with his wife Alecia and autistic son Gabe trailing somewhere behind in his priorities. He is not a bad man. He is very involved in the lives of his students, who both like and trust him. As do their parents. If he has a fault, it is that he is naive and can be arrogant.

Alecia’s life is consumed by Gabe, their five year old autistic son. She is totally focused on finding a ‘cure’ for him, so that he can live a ‘normal’ life; so that she can live a normal life, so that she can be a soccer mum and one of the mums in the cliques at the school gate. She resents that she is stuck in the house every day while Nate is out there ‘cavorting with his students’ and monitoring their every move on social media. She resents that he seems to care more for them, than for his own wife and child.

There is a recipe for trouble to start with. Add in Bridget Harris, Nateā€™s coworker and colleague, who is still depressed following the death of her husband, struggling with her job and who has always had a bit of a thing for Nate. And Lucia, trashy, blonde, abused and considered wierd Lucia who is randomly accepted and discarded by her classmates on a whim, and who has only ever had one true friend, Taylor. But even that is changing.

I so wanted to be captivated by the ‘haunting, psychologically nuanced suspense, filled with Kate Morettiā€™s signature ā€œchillingly satisfyingā€ (Publishers Weekly) twists and turns’, but I wasn’t. I regret to say that I didn’t find it any of these things. Instead of suspense filled, I got angst filled. Disappointing? Yes, but if the book had been depicted more accurately, my expectations may not have been so high.

Thank you to Atria Books via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Therefore if you enjoyed the excerpt above, please go ahead and read this book. For an explanation of my ratings, please visit my profile page on Goodreads.com or my ‘about’ page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com.