THE POSSESSIONS - DELICIOUSLY CREEPY DEBUT

The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy

Published by: Harper

Genre: Mystery Thriller Fiction

Release date: February 7th 2017

      
         

In this electrifying literary debut, a young woman who channels the dead for a living crosses a dangerous line when she falls in love with one of her clients, whose wife died under mysterious circumstances

In an unnamed city, Eurydice works for the Elysian Society, a private service that allows grieving clients to reconnect with lost loved ones. She and her fellow workers, known as “bodies“, wear the discarded belongings of the dead and swallow pills called lotuses to summon their spirits—numbing their own minds and losing themselves in the process. Edie has been a body at the Elysian Society for five years, an unusual record. Her success is the result of careful detachment: she seeks refuge in the lotuses’ anesthetic effects and distances herself from making personal connections with her clients.

But when Edie channels Sylvia, the dead wife of recent widower Patrick Braddock, she becomes obsessed with the glamorous couple. Despite the murky circumstances surrounding Sylvia’s drowning, Edie breaks her own rules and pursues Patrick, moving deeper into his life and summoning Sylvia outside the Elysian Society’s walls.

After years of hiding beneath the lotuses’ dulling effect, Edie discovers that the lines between her own desires and those of Sylvia have begun to blur, and takes increasing risks to keep Patrick within her grasp. Suddenly, she finds her quiet life unraveling as she grapples not only with Sylvia’s growing influence and the questions surrounding her death, but with her own long-buried secrets.

A tale of desire and obsession, deceit and dark secrets that defies easy categorization, The Possessions is a seductive, absorbing page-turner that builds to a shattering, unforgettable conclusion. 

TWO QUICK REVIEWS: BOOK VS. MOVIE - THE MARTIAN

This month I decided to do something different for my Two Quick Reviews post. Instead of comparing two books as I usually do, I will talk about last year's bestseller The Martian and movie of the same name that is based on this book.

(check my Rating System for detailed explanations of my quick rating)

REVIEW: GOLDEN SON BY PERCE BROWN

I'm starting new year with a bang. My first review in 2015 is of the book I read couple of weeks ago but still can't stop thinking about. It is completely spoiler-free so you can read it even if you haven't started this series yet (in such a case, I suggest you put everything aside and read first book Red Rising right now!)

Golden Son (Red Rising #2)
Written by: Pierce Brown
Published by: Del Rey

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / BD
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

       
        

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

REVIEW: RED RISING BY PIERCE BROWN

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

(Red Rising Trilogy #1)

Published by: Del Rey

Genre: Sci-Fi / Dystopia

Release date: January 28th 2014

    
      

The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

MY REVIEW:

Wow, what a page-turner! I am impressed. Red Rising is outstanding debut novel by Pierce Brown, phenomenal introduction into new series and my personal new favorite of this year.

I'm not going to provide summary of this book. It would be too long and it wouldn't do this complex story justice. You need to read this book yourself, experience it all on your own without having any knowledge of storyline or spoilers. After all, this is kind of the book that, plot-wise, you should definitely go into blind. But what I can tell you is how this story made me feel, what kind of impression it left on me. And let me tell you, it affected me big time!

Red Rising is one of the most creative and captivating stories I have had the pleasure of reading. Its imaginary took my breath away and heart-stopping situations often left me in goose bumps. Moreover, world building is done perfectly. This great introduction into dystopian society will grab your attention from the first pages of this novel and its twists will keep you anxious and entertained till the very end.

Red Rising is story about death and sacrifice, about big dreams and broken ideals. It is story that most definitely won't let you indifferent. Power, freedom, justice, politics and loyalty. All these topics have been used countless times in the books before. ButPierce Brown gives them new shining, he shows them in his own singular light. And result is awe-inspiring and enthralling.

Most importantly, I can't forget to mention writing style. I absolutely loved how author managed to narrate this novel. It was straightforward, fast-paced and attention-grabbing. There was not a single thing I would not love about it and I can't recommend this book enough to all those who love great storytelling.

This novel shows us one thing. When you live for the dreams of others, you can easily lost your true self in the process. Will that be Darrow's fate? I already can't wait to read next instalment - Golden Son!

Never Miss a Post:

Follow

REVIEW: Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle

Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle

Genre: Historical, Horror, Romance

Purchase: Amazon / Smashwords

Synopsis:

***A Standalone Horror Romance coming February 2014***

A note about this book: Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 – couples were often thrust into marriage together with short courtships, racism was widespread and not overly frowned upon, and women had little to no rights. What wouldn't fly in today's day and age was unfortunately the norm back then - it is worth keeping that in mind when reading this book.

Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

***This is NOT New Adult***

THIS BOOK IS RECOMMENDED FOR MATURE READERS AUDIENCES ONLY. HOWEVER, THIS REVIEW ITSELF DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL.

My Jake and Eve:

* 5 STARS * Review:

18-years old half-native tracker girl and arrogant former Texas ranger. It’s 1851 when Eve and Jack, together with a group of poeple, set up on dangerous search expedition into the local cold mountains. If only they knew what kind of evil would be awaiting them...

I’m not sure how Karina Halle does it, but all her books are 100% movie material. This book is no exception. Historical romance, fascinating Indian’s legends, a lot of action and zombies. Donners of the Dead is without a doubt my new favourite!

Adventure; the best word to describe this book. Captivating and thrilling adventure, amazing and unique setting, strong and lovable female lead. You won’t be able to put this book down.

Fear and gore. Another words that come to my mind when I think of this book. My heart was racing whenever something dangerous and scary was happening. And I love that feeling of being completely immersed in the story, when everything else fades away. I was glad to find it while reading Donners of the Dead.

Jake McGraw is the best example of true alpha male. Skilled, powerful, fearless, confident and capable of protecting and taking care of woman in all ways that counts. I just love those silent (but passionate) types who always goes straight to the point, not caring what others think of them.

But most of all, I loved the tension between Jake and Eve. To create feel of anticipation, that is what Karina Halle excels at. There was no insta-love and I had this warm tingling whenever Jake and Eve were having their moments. So do not hesitate, and pick this standalone novel yourself. I highly recommend it!

"We’re still human even in the face of beasts, even with our lives at risk. When you’re close to death, love is sometimes the only thing that makes sense in life.”

REVIEW: Hushed by Kelley York

Hushed by Kelley York

Genre: Contemporary Thriller

Release date: November 11th 

Published by Entangled:Embrace

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn't protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he's never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn't matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another - Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who's ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer's committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn't get what she wants... And what she wants is Evan's death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

My Vivian, Archer and Evan:

  * 4.5 STARS * Review:

"To stay or let go. To keep going and see where his past decisions took him, or try grasping that second chance. Do monsters get second chances?"

Archer has always been a little bit obsessed with  his friend Vivian. He is determined to do anything for her, even kill people who hurt her in the past. Than he meets Evan, nice and shy guy. Archer quickly becomes fascinated with him, espcecially when he realizes that Evan is the only one who gives not just take from Archer. But can Archer ever overcome his obsession with Vivian and see her true colors?

"Didn't his heart have enough stitched and cracks to last a lifetime? Breaking, healing, breaking. And yet he put his trust in the few people that matterd, set himself up for being struck down again and again."

Hushed is unusual and extremely captivating book. It is harsh, dark and depressive story full of violence and conflicting feelings. But most importantly, this psychological thriller will leave you thinking about what happened for days!

It is very difficult to cathegorize this book, as it is difficult to describe Archer. A secluded kind of person, quite messed up with dark thoughts, intelligent but misunderstood by others, Archer makes very unusual but interesting narrator. He is not a hero in literal sense, nor he is villian. He was like a ticking bomb and I was waiting all the time for him to go off. He and his dark thoughts were what made this book a winner for me.

Those who are reluctant to read m/m story, I completely understand. I was avoiding this genre for a long time and decided to give this genre a chance only because it was supposed to be a "light" version. Since Hushed is intended for YA audience, nothing was too graphic and it all felt pretty natural to me as a m/m newbie.

Highly recommended if you are looking for something out of ordinary romance stories, yet still something intense and very emotional!