What Tanya Wants: July 2018
Category Archives: Thriller
What Tanya Wants: April 2016
Algonquin Young Readers To Be Published April 12, 2016 288 Pages
April is going to be one expensive month.
Book Review: Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten
To be Published May 31, 2016
336 Pages
Kate O’Brien doesn’t have the easiest life. Her entire life is a setback and she is determined to get out of the whole she is in. Kate has a plan to move up the latter and land a position as a college student at Yale. When she befriends, Olivia, the wealthy and damaged it girl, Kate doesn’t believe her luck.
But then enters, Mark Redkin; a man with a similar plan to advance his life. He poses a threat to everything Kate has been working for and threats to reveal the dark past Kate and Olivia are trying to hide.
I loved the premise of the book and I loved Kate. The idea that this girl, who isn’t necessarily the meanest thing in the world. is doing what she can to get ahead, I thought was pretty cool.
I also liked Olivia. The author did a really good job with character development; for all characters within this book. Toten also did an amazing job with twist and turns and things not being what they really seem. But there was a huge downfall to this book, which cased me to give it a low rating.
For most of the book, it was boring. It was hard to keep going because of this. I mean really hard. When things did pick up, I was happy but it was the about time happy. I understand the build up (I completely get it) but nothing was really happening and it was as if Toten was trying to feel things out as opposed to her characters.
When things got going, Toten did a great job turning events and moving a way better pace. She provided surprise and adrenaline that I was hoping for early on. Although I thought this was a good read once I finished, it took too long for me to actually appreciate it.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people despite my own personal qualms because the story and character development was great.
2.5 Pickles
Quick Five © with Laura McNeill
Name: Laura McNeill
Twitter: @LauraMcNeillBks
Website; http://www.lauramcneill.com/
Books: Center of Gravity and Sister Dear (TBP: April 19, 2016)
Buy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Shoutout to Netgalley for introducing me to Ms. Laura McNeill. I have had the most amazing pleasure to read her to be released book (April 19 2016), Sister Dear and I am officially a fan. So to say I was not excited when Ms. McNeill agreed to an interview with Motif by Tanya, is an understatement.
Enjoy my fellow readers because I had a blast talking with Ms. Laura McNeill.
To Be Published April 19, 2016
336 Pages
Your career originally started off as an anchor for CBS Affiliates. During this time were you writing or did the idea/drive to become a writer come after you left to raise your family?
When I began working as an anchor and reporter, my older son had just been born, so I was juggling new motherhood with the demands of a fast-paced job in a newsroom. To top it off, the latter part of my career was spent working overnights (2 am – 10 am) in order to prepare and anchor the morning news, so that schedule left little time for anything extra!
After six years, I decided that I wanted to spend more time with my children, and it was then that I gave up TV news and began writing.
How did you career as an anchor help you write books?
My experience as a journalist certainly came in handy when I started writing novels! In the television business, you can’t miss deadlines, so I learned to work fast and smart. I became quite adept at completing assignments in the news van (going over bumps in the road), dreaming up story ideas on slow news days, and generating creative and compelling stories, most of which were no longer than a minute and thirty seconds.
On the flip side, adjusting to life as novelist took a shift in mindset. I wasn’t used to working on a single project for longer than a day or two, so sitting down at a computer keyboard and working on the same story day after day was a challenge. For me, outlining helped tremendously and gave me a “roadmap” to follow!
Published July 4, 2015
320 Pages
What inspired “Sister Dear”? Why did you decide to write within the genre of suspense and thriller?
A close friend of mine, years ago, was caught with some illegal drugs in her car. When she, as a teenager, went in front of the judge in her small hometown, she refused to give up the name of the dealer. The judge decided to make an example of her, and sent her to jail for six months. To this day, my lovely, wonderful friend, who is one of the kindest people in the world, is still a convicted felon. It affects everything in her life — her jobs, her relationships, her future plans.
Her situation got me thinking “What If” something terrible happened to a single mother of a five year old girl. “What if” the woman stumbled on a dying man, tried to revive him, and was held responsible for the man’s death? Then, what if after going to prison for a crime she didn’t commit and being paroled after ten years, the woman attempts to reconnect with a daughter who doesn’t know or trust her? Worse yet, the woman discovers that the person she trusts most in the world held the key to her freedom all along.
In terms of genre, I started out writing fun, frothy women’s fiction under the pen name Lauren Clark. I published 4 books before changing genres and tackling the deeper, darker side of domestic suspense. The decision to switch gears was two-fold: I love reading suspense and thrillers, and I had gone through some personal adversity and writing seemed a logical way to put some of my thoughts, ideas, and experiences down on “paper” to share with the world–in the hopes that other people might connect with my stories.
Where do you see yourself as a writer, let’s say a year from now?
Published Aug. 10, 2014
295 Pages
In a year from now, I would feel very fortunate to continue to have a successful career as a writer and continue to connect with readers. I would love to have enough success to quit my “day job” as an instructional designer and stay home and write full time!
Of course, everyone wants the NY Times bestseller list, or an appearance on Oprah, but I truly write for the love of writing.
Finally, how do you want the reader to feel once they have completed one of your books?
It is my hope that readers feel like they’ve been given a rich experience, a story that has compelled them to keep reading and turning pages, and one in which they’ve found characters they care about and root for. I also strive hard to deliver a satisfying, but not perfect ending. I want the reader to feel he or she has come full circle when he or she finishes the last page. In addition, I would like the reader to feel that the main character has grown and changed, has learned, has overcome significant adversity, and changed his or her world for the better.
I love hearing from readers, by the way, and have made some amazing friends over the years just connecting over books! Readers mean the world to me, and I value each and every thought, comment, and opinion that is shared with me!
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Book Review: A Cure for Madness by Jodi McIsaac
To Be Published Jan. 19, 2016
299 Pages
Clare Campbell has put enough distance between herself and her troubled family that she thought nothing would ever bring her back to the small town she is from.
But when her parents are murdered in the street, Clare must return home to not only take care of the funeral arrangements for her parents but she also now has to care for her mentally ill brother, Wes.
Ready to leave at the first chance she can, a deadly pathogen outbreak takes over the town, causing any chances of leaving to become impossible. Soon the government steps in and there is a high interest in Wes.
Determined to make up for the wrong she did to her brother, Clare will do anything to protect Wes.
*Short Review*
This book too so many turns, it was slightly hard to keep up. I also wouldn’t label this book as thriller. There was a lot of running around, some killings and some conspiracies but nothing in me would say this is a thriller. At first, I was thinking science fiction but it really isn’t that either. Its something but it sure wasn’t thriller.
The story went from dysfunctional family, to out of nowhere murder, to I hate this small town and responsibilities, to government conspiracy and finally sacrifice. I don’t mind the shifting topics as much as I mind the characters that help move this process along.
Wes was a butt and this had nothing to do with her mental illness. For a lot of the book, he was mentally stable and made some pretty clear (and understandable) decisions. He wasn’t as incapable as the book try to make him appear.
I didn’t like Clare. She was a very selfish woman and even at the end I am not sure if her intentions was even pure. And since I mentioned the ending, I would like to say it was full of crap. It was meant to make Clare human, to show growth and to not seem so selfish. But she was; everything about her, beginning to end was selfish. Her intentions was not pure at all and the author just threw a happy ending in there which made the problem worst.
I did like the pace of the novel and I did like the story overall. But Clare was just horrible and a lot of the story left me scratching my head or rolling my eyes.
Overall,
2 Pickles
NetGalley Review: As White as Snow (Lumikki Andersson #2) by Salla Simukka, Owen F. Witesman (Translation)
Published Jan. 1, 2013
224 Pages
If you haven’t read book one, check out the review here
Lumikki almost died. So after getting out the hospital and convincing her parents that she is fine on her own she goes away to Prague for an escape after helping to take down the Polar Bear drug ring.
But it doesn’t take long for trouble to find out. A mysterious woman names Lenka approaches Lumikki claiming to be her sister. Although Lumikki notices how frighten the woman is because she believes parts of her story she allows herself to get caught in Lenka’s dangerous world.
*Short Review*
The thing about this book is it has nothing to do with book one. It doesn’t pick up where we left off and it doesn’t even solve the mystery of the Polar Bear Twins. This book is completely a different story. I didn’t really enjoy this because Lumikki isn’t getting involved because she has some shady past as a crime fighter or because she is concerned. Lumikki is nosy. She doesn’t believe Lenka. But she says to herself “Well maybe it could be true, so why not.”
I don’t like Lumikki. Her moodiness is unjustified as well as her lonliness. I also didn’t like the fact that the author added an extremely important character to Lumikki’s life out of no where. One moment you are reading about Lenka’s awkward visit and next you are reading about Lumikki having sex. It was weird and disturbing.
But I give the author credit for creating an engaging story even though the main character sucked the life out of it. There was predictability but it wasn’t too bad.
I was hoping with this book that Lumikki would be a better character. I wanted more insight about her past. Maybe I would have liked her if I understood her. Maybe I would have liked this book more if it tied into book one.
Overall, have zero intentions of reading the last book.
2 Pickles
NetGalley Review: Hanover House (Hanover House Chronicles 0.5) by Brenda Novak
Published Sept. 1, 2015
198 Pages Kindle
*Prequel*
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot self proclaimed mission in life is to understand why murders and rapists do what they do. Evelyn hopes that by discovering this then she would be able to stop them from committing another crime. After being kidnapped and left for dead by her boyfriend as a teenager, Evelyn feels that this is the best way to live her life.
But when she begins building a new health center in a small town called Hilltop in Alaska, the townspeople openly oppose having murders live so close to their town.
Even Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok has been vocal about the center despite his attraction to Evelyn. But due to her horrible past, Amarok has to tread lightly or everything can go wrong.
*Short Review*
Because this is a prequel, the book was only 16 chapters long; which was fine with me because I don’t believe I liked Evelyn. I don’t have a issue with the author choosing to make Evelyn be solely defined by the unfortunate events in her life. I guess my issue is she has no personality or a true sense of who she is. And for a person that swore off men, she was pretty fast to attach herself to Amarok, whom I loved. I thought Amarok was sweet and a no BS type of guy but even then his personality doesn’t completely shine through either once he attaches himself to Evelyn.
I understand that this is supposed to be a introduction but things happened pretty fast and not as climatic as the book appeared to be. The whole drama of the book (minus the romance) came and went as if it really didn’t exist. Prequel or not that bother me.
This book did its duty by making me curious and intrigued enough to read the first official book. I.e. I like this prequel enough to give it a good rating and read the first book when it comes out. I am hoping for more dramatics, a more secured woman who knows who she is, a deeper relationship between Evelyn and Amarok and most importantly character development.
I liked the premise of the book, although it wasn’t extremely original.
3 Pickles
Book Review: All the Beautiful Brides (Graveyard Falls #1) by Rita Herron
Published Sept. 15, 2015
341 Pages
FBI Special Agent Cal Coulter has been sent to Graveyard Falls after a woman is found with a rose stuffed down her throat in a wedding dress at the bottom of a waterfall. This murder resembles the series of murders 30 years ago but a high school jock was convicted and sent to jail.
Did they get the wrong guy? Or is there a copycat? When the killer sets his eyes on Mona Monroe, the love of Cal’s life and his best friend’s wife, Cal will have to act fast before its too late.
I really enjoyed this book but the author was doing too much.
From the moment I started the book I was sucked in. The details, the suspension was perfect until a little half way through the book.
I liked Cal. I felt that he did his job for the immediate issue. But he lacked in depth. I wanted to know more about his past and not just why he didn’t make a move on Mona. Although I liked him as a FBI agent I cannot say I liked him as a person because there was really nothing there that really highlighted his personality or who he really was beyond the case. Yes, you saw pieces of his past but they weren’t his own and they were PIECES!
I didn’t like Mona. She was very one dimensional, she had no personality and she was boring. *Kayne Shrug*
Herron took more care in developing the killer than her other characters. It was exactly what I wanted but I wish it done for all characters and not just one.
My biggest issue with this book started halfway through. Herron was doing too much by making sure everyone was connected to this one person. I understand small towns and how they work, especially within a novel, however it was too much. Way too much. It made the book less authentic.
But none the less I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to book two.
3 Pickles
