Rust & Stardust Review

Title:  Rust & Stardust
Author:  T. Greenwood
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  Aug. 7, 2018
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  5 Heart-Wrenching Hearts

*Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for an arc copy of this book via Netgalley.




Synopsis:
Camden, NJ, 1948.

When 11 year-old Sally Horner steals a notebook from the local Woolworth's, she has no way of knowing that 52 year-old Frank LaSalle, fresh out of prison, is watching her, preparing to make his move. Accosting her outside the store, Frank convinces Sally that he’s an FBI agent who can have her arrested in a minute—unless she does as he says.

This chilling novel traces the next two harrowing years as Frank mentally and physically assaults Sally while the two of them travel westward from Camden to San Jose, forever altering not only her life, but the lives of her family, friends, and those she meets along the way.

Review:

I was first drawn to Rust & Stardust by both the title and cover.  Both are certainly unique and intriguing.  The dark, disturbing, fictional story is based on the real life kidnapping and abuse of a young girl by an ex-con in New Jersey in 1948.  The pain and suffering this girl and family endured for almost two years at the hands of a monster is completely unimaginable and utterly heart-breaking.  At that time, parents and children still felt safe in their unlocked homes as children often played outside, rode bikes, and traveled about unsupervised.  Sadly, their sense of security was shattered when every parents' worst nightmare became a reality for the Horner family.

Sally Horner just wanted to "fit in" with her peers when she acted on a dare to steal a notebook from a Woolworth's store.  She had no way of knowing that a man who confronted her claiming to be a FBI agent was actually a sexual predator.  Threatening eleven year old Sally with jail time, fifty-two year old Frank LaSalle kidnapped her, stealing her innocence while repeatedly mentally and physically abusing her as they crossed the country traveling as "father/daughter" - always one step ahead of the law and curious strangers.  Sally's fear, along with LaSalle's continuous threats, kept her mum and in line.  Through her point of view (and that of family and friends), readers gain a sense of the horrendous pain, suffering, doubts and despair that Sally and her family endured.  And yet, there was always a tiny spark of hope.

To say Sally's story touched me would be a gross understatement - it devastated me.  No child or family should ever be forced to live this nightmare.  Unfortunately, evil does exist and in this case, it has a name.  Needless to say, this is a tragic, deeply disturbing story of lost innocence and shattered lives, but it's one that I think needed to be told, and this author did so with as much grace, care, and sensitivity as possible.  Rust & Stardust is beautifully written and delivered, and I believe it pays homage to Sally Horner and her family with their remarkable strength and perseverance.  While this is a fictional rendering, it's obvious Greenwood did a great deal of research in delivering a story that closely mirrors the true story.  Like many other readers, after finishing this book I researched the real life story of Sally Horner's kidnapping, reading newspaper articles and looking at pictures.  It certainly drove home how all too-real and tragic this story was, but I can still say, with tears streaming down my face, this is a Must Read!  Well done, T. Greenwood!

My Rating:  5 Heart-Wrenching Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

Pieces of Her Review

Title:  Pieces of Her
Author:  Karin Slaughter
Publisher:  William Morrow
Release Date:  Aug. 21, 2018 (first published 8/9/18)
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Unsettling Hearts

*Many thanks to publisher William Morrow for an arc copy of this book via Edelweiss+.



Synopsis:

What if the person you thought you knew best turns out to be someone you never knew at all . . . ?

Andrea Cooper knows everything about her mother Laura. She’s knows she’s spent her whole life in the small beachside town of Gullaway Island; she knows she’s never wanted anything more than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life. Because we all know our mothers, don’t we?

But all that changes when a Saturday afternoon trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she’s been hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one will ever find her. But now she’s been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again.

Twenty-four hours later Laura is in the hospital, shot by an intruder who’s spent thirty years trying to track her down and discover what she knows. Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumbs of her mother’s past. And if she can’t uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. . . .

Review:

A quiet birthday celebration at a local mall turns deadly in the opening pages of Slaughter's new standalone book, Pieces of Her.  A gunman opens fire, killing one woman and then turning his sights on mother, Laura Cooper and her 31 year old daughter, Andrea (Andy).  In the middle of the ensuing chaos, Andy watches, paralyzed by fear and shock, as her mother calmly and coldly not only faces down a killer but overcomes him.  Like most of us, Andy thought she knew everything there was to know about her mother, but in the aftermath of this tragedy, she's left scared, confused, and devastated . . . wondering who this woman she calls "mother" really is.

Pieces of Her explores Andy's search for the truth, as she goes on the run and begins digging into her mother's past - uncovering deadly secrets that threaten several lives.  The story unfolds through dual timelines, affording readers an opportunity to witness events as they happen in both the past and present.  I've come to really enjoy this method of story-telling as it makes me feel present in the moment and thus more vested in the character's lives.  As always, Slaughter delivers an intricately woven plot with some twists and turns that will leave you reeling even as she maneuvers the sometimes unsettling minefield of mother/daughter relationships.  The mystery and deadly secrets cast an immense shadow of imminent doom over the characters and story.  I found the "past" chapters to be intriguing and fast-paced, while the "present", much of which places the reader in Andy's head, was a bit convoluted and slow moving for me.  Having read most of this author's work, I can say that I didn't find this book to be as dark and graphic as many of her other books.  For some readers that may be a plus, for others a minus.  While it won't make my Favorite's List from this author, I still found Pieces of Her to be a complex, compelling thriller that mystery/suspense/thriller fans will enjoy.  A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Unsettling Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

The Last Time I Lied Review

Title:  The Last Time I Lied
Author:  Riley Sager
Publisher:  Dutton
Release Date:  July 3, 2018
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating: 4 Twisted Hearts


*Many thanks to Dutton for an arc of this book via Edelweiss+.




Synopsis:
Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their tiny cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. The games ended when Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin in the dead of night. The last she--or anyone--saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings--massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. The paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale. When Francesca implores her to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor, Emma sees an opportunity to try to find out what really happened to her friends.

Yet it's immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by memories from fifteen years ago, Emma discovers a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian left behind about the camp's twisted origins. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing threats from both man and nature in the present.

And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale, the more she realizes it may come at a deadly price.

My Review:

The Last Time I Lied is a disturbing, atmospheric thriller that had me jumping at threatening noises and looking over my shoulder from beginning to end.  The location sets a menacing, ominous tone that settles over the story and characters like thick fog descending over the woods and lake.  The story plays out through dual timelines that weave past and present events together, leaving hints of the truth hidden among the many secrets and lies. 

Emma was thirteen the last time she stepped foot in Dogwood Cabin at Lake Nightingale Camp.  And now, fifteen years later, she's returned to teach the art of painting to a brand new group of young campers . . . and to uncover the truth of what happened to her cabin-mates all those years ago.  As the youngest camper, she had watched three older girls sneak off into the night, and by the light of dawn, she awoke only to realize they had never returned.  Were they lost in the dark woods?  Or victims at the bottom of the dark, sinister lake?  For fifteen years, Emma's been haunted by ghosts of the missing girls who often appear hidden among the gnarly trees in her massive paintings.  She's back at Lake Nightingale to solve the mystery of what happened to them.

The Last Time I Lied is a creepy, mysterious suspense story that unfolds layer by layer.  At one time or the other, I suspected different members of the large cast of being involved, and yet found I was wrong in the end.  This story leads readers to suspect everyone, but trust no one just as it did Emma.  The more I read, the more a sense of dread spread in the pit of my stomach and a sense of danger invaded my senses.  The cabins, the woods, the sinister yet serene lake, the secretive cast - all lend a sense of fear and impending doom to the story.  Fans of mysteries and thrillers will love this complex, dark, edge-of-your-seat thriller!  A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Sinister Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

IWSG: Ultimate Writing Goals

IWSG Question of the Month:  What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

Goals.  Everyone has at least one, probably more, right?  Some are constant while others change over time.  Either way, in order to realize any goal, you need a plan of action and the perseverance to stay the course . . . sometimes easier said than done.  It's something I continuously strive to do.

When it comes to writing goals, my first thought is to say my ultimate goal is getting my book/s into the hands of readers (who will rave about them, of course! haha).  I'll venture a guess that's a high priority for most writers as it is for me.  It's one of the reasons we forego so many other activities in favor of writing.

Time management is another ongoing goal that ranks high on my list as I work to maneuver over, around, or through the obstacle course called  "real life" and maintain a disruption-free, regular writing schedule.  Honestly, until I started trying to keep a regular writing schedule, I didn't realize how many interruptions could occur in a 30 minute period of time.  So, a regular, uninterrupted writing routine always rates high on my list of goals.

But, I think my ultimate goal is to always feel a deep sense of satisfaction and pride in every aspect of my writing from start to finish - to feel certain when readers open one of my books and start reading, they're getting the best of me, each and every time.  My goal is to punch every reader's ticket to ride on an emotional rollercoaster all the way from Page 1 to The End.  I want to write the book that catapults them on a convoluted journey they won't escape before reaching the end - the same journey I've experienced from some of my favorite authors.  That's my ultimate goal.

How about you?  What are your writing goals and how have they changed?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers who share ideas and encourage each other. It's a great place to express doubts and concerns as well as offer and receive tribulations and guidance from other writers. IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month. I know you'll find it to be a great writer's resource that's well worth your time. Be sure to stop by and visit with some of the other IWSG writers/bloggers at IWSG Members.

Please join me in thanking the awesome July co-hosts:
Nicki Elson,  Juneta Key,  Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

The Other Woman Review

Title:  The Other Woman
Author:  Sandie Jones
Publisher:  Minotaur Books
Release Date:  Aug. 21, 2018
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Diabolical Hearts


*Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a copy of this arc via Netgally.




Synopsis:
HE LOVES YOU: Adam adores Emily. Emily thinks Adam’s perfect, the man she thought she’d never meet.

BUT SHE LOVES YOU NOT: Lurking in the shadows is a rival, a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

AND SHE'LL STOP AT NOTHING: Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

Review:

I'm always excited to discover a debut novel that keeps me up at night, burning through pages to reach the end.  The Other Woman certainly did that with an air of impending doom surrounding the heroine, Emily.  I knew it was just a matter of time before everything hit the fan as this gripping story unfolded.

Emily and Adam meet in a bar and are immediately in lust and soon after "in love".  Emily has finally met her prince, and now she's meeting his perfect mother, Pammie - a woman who does no wrong in his eyes.  Emily is nervous, but ready . . . she thinks.  It quickly becomes obvious that Pammie isn't ready to share Adam's affections with another woman.  Her devious actions undermine Emily at every turn, even as she presents a sweeter than sugar persona to Adam and everyone else.  When things take a malicious turn, the question becomes . . . Is Pammie dangerous?  How far will she go to keep Emily and her son apart?

The Other Woman is an intense, engaging, medium paced read told through Emily's point of view.  Readers have a front row seat to what's happening to Emily both physically and mentally.  She's a perfect spokesperson for the old saying "Love is Blind" and still, I was sympathetic to her plight.  The author does a great job weaving the plot and enhancing it with a varied cast of support characters.  I will say I suspected the main twist way too soon and while the delivery of the story had me flipping pages and freaking out early on, the ending left me feeling a bit disappointed and wanting something more.  In spite of that, The Other Woman is a gripping debut thriller that I enjoyed reading.  I'm looking forward to more from Jones.  Avoid all spoilers and settle in with this Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Diabolical Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

IWSG: The Name Game

June IWSG Question:  What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

The Name Game by Shirley Ellis (originally published in 1964)

Does anyone remember one of the many versions of the rhyming song, The Name Game?  What a fun, contagious way to make rhymes with names.  So addictive and impossible to get out of your head!  If only naming book characters was as simple  - or finding the perfect book title.

Naming our babies in both real life and the book world is serious business.  Not only do the names have to be a good "fit", they also have to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.  Most of the time, character names come to me as I become intimate with my characters.  I have to know them both physically and mentally before I can saddle them with a permanent name.  I usually form a short list of names for consideration once I have researched time period, popular names, possible nicknames, etc., and after I've settled on attributes such as appearance, demeanor, motivation, goals, desires.  At this point, if everyone is cooperating with me (a BIG "if"), a name usually screams Pick Me, Pick Me!  Other times, I have a name in mind from the moment the story idea takes root and starts to grow.  I can't really explain it - it just is.  

A fun exception to the rules of naming characters is in a fantasy/sci-fi world where the only limitations are those of your own mind.  You get to create a make-believe world, story, characters, and names . . . how great is that?!  While this applies in some degree to the writing of all genres, it's never more evident than in fantasy.  I'm currently in the early stages of developing an idea that has my creative juices flowing and imagination soaring and am hopeful things will mesh together in a way that progresses into a book set in my very own fantasyland.  Maybe the rhyming Name Game song will be helpful in naming the characters!  Who knows! lol

Book titles give me more grief.  I think it's probably easier for those of you with a long list of completed titles, but I find it a difficult decision to make.  Deciding on a title that reflects my story as a whole while enticing readers into a purchase is tough.  If there's a secret to it, please feel free share!

What about you?  Do you find it harder to name your characters or find the perfect title to represent your book?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers who share ideas and encourage each other. It's a great place to express doubts and concerns as well as offer and receive tribulations and guidance from other writers. IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month. I know you'll find it to be a great writer's resource that's well worth your time. Be sure to stop by and visit with some of the other IWSG writers/bloggers at IWSG Members.

Please join me in thanking June's awesome co-hosts:

Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!  Be sure to stop by to visit and thank them personally!  And keep on writing!

     

Bring Me Back Review

Title:  Bring Me Back
Author:  B.A. Paris
Genre:  Thriller, Suspense
Publisher:  HQ
Publishing Date:  June 12, 2018 (1st publ. Mar. 1, 2018)
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  3 Compelling Hearts

*Many thanks to HQ for a copy of this arc via Netgally.



Synopsis:
A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she's not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he's engaged to be married; he's happy, and his past is only a tiny part his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She's turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their marriage becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?

Review:

Bring Me Back is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that begins with the mysterious disappearance of a woman, Layla, at a restroom stop in France.  Finn, her boyfriend, is frantic when he discovers her gone.  After months of searching, he gives up and returns home.  Fast forward twelve years and Finn is engaged to marry Ellen, Layla's sister, and yet Layla is never far from his mind.  After Finn and Ellen's engagement announcement appears in a local paper, an omen in the form of a tiny Russian doll appears on the wall in front of their house.  The relevance and implications are monumental as it's a link to Ellen's childhood.  Only she, Layla, and Finn know the significance of the Russian doll.  From this point, events spiral out of control as Finn begins receiving sinister and threatening correspondence from someone claiming to be "Layla".  Is it possible Layla has returned to reclaim her life . . . and man?  Or is someone playing cruel, obsessive mind games? 

Through alternating chapters of past and present, Bring Me Back unfolds through two points of view.  I was quickly drawn into this thriller and found my heart racing as the story and Finn's state of mind spiral out of control.  The first half is addictive as the dark and ominous tone, frantic pace, and urgent sense of time running out escalates.  I burned through pages looking for answers along with Finn.  The author does a great job setting up the characters, scenes, and plotline leading to an explosive first half.  As the story progresses, secrets and lies surface clueing readers into the fact that all is not as it seems.  A little more than halfway, I realized what was happening, but still felt a sense of urgency and trepidation as I read on to see how the author would weave it all together.  Approaching the end, events occurred that had me thinking back over the story, and I just wasn't quite able to accept things as plausible.  As a result, a story that began with great promise fell short of the mark in my opinion.  Bring Me Back is a compelling story that I admittedly read nonstop, but the direction the author chose to take the plot line didn't work for me in the end.  I think psychological thriller fans will be evenly split on this one.  Give it a shot and decide for yourself!

My Rating:  3 Compelling Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra