Tag: Blog Tour

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The Violinist of Auschwitz-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

Oh my.

I don’t even know where to start with this one.

Read it all. Don’t skim.

Take the time to soak it in.

Have tissues.

Lots of them.

This story has everything you would expect from a novel that has “Auschwitz” in the title.

The brutality of the camps. The inhumanity of the Nazis. The horror of the sheer amount of deaths.

But there’s more.

There’s resilience. There’s cunning. There’s beauty.

And there’s hope.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08G579PC8Social
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Alma is an unlikely heroine. She scorns everything and rues the choices that she made that led her to be a prisoner at Auschwitz.

But when an opportunity presents itself, she grabs it and uses her musical talent to save other women by forming an orchestra.

But even as she works to survive, she still recognizes the reality of her situation.

When events at the camp take a turn, Alma remains even more determined to live life on her own terms. Even if that means not necessarily “living.”

I’m not going to say more than that about the plot itself.

The characters are vivid, the scenes are graphic (both good and bad), and it’s all memorable.

What sticks with me is the heart of people. That not everyone who is bad stays bad, and good can be found even in seemingly evil people.

How good people can do good things, but still make horrible choices that have long-term affects on others.

And truly, how music can heal and bring people together in the strangest of ways.

I recognize that this is an unusual review. But it’s an unusual book. It’s heart-wrenching, realistic, and emotional.

And it will definitely stay with me for a long time. In fact, I wish I didn’t have other tours coming up, because I really want to think about this one for a while.

Don’t miss it. Seriously. Get it now.  

FACEBOOK: EllieMidwood 
Website: http://elliemidwood.com/

Author Bio:

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

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Tsarina-Blog Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

I have to start this review with a couple of disclosures.

First, at one point, I majored in history in college. I’ve always been a history buff of all time periods and thought I might like to teach it. There were two classes that absolutely kicked my butt.

The first was an Ancient Egyptian class that was fascinating, but the professor was a savant of some kind and his test questions were the “Who was the fifth king of the 23rd Dynasty, and why was he important” type. A LOT of minutiae that was difficult to remember.

The other class was Russian history in two parts. The first was the early years of the tsars (c. 1500-c. 1700) and the second class was the emperors (Peter the Great through Nicholas II). They were fascinating classes but full of so many people and twisty relationships that I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

I flunked it twice and switched to a Theatre/English major.

The other disclosure is that my parents and I visited Russia in the mid-1990s. At the time I wished that I had made it through the history classes, but our tour was so informational (and honest) that I still count it as one of my favorite trips ever.

I say all this because I obviously have a love/hate relationship with Russian history. That’s just one reason that I was excited about reading this book. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but whatever it was, I was not disappointed.

Buy Link: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250214454

The author managed to convey all of the intrigue and intricacies of the Russian Courts without it being mind-numbingly confusing. That right there is a feat of its own.

The other thing that I found interesting was the author’s choice to show the rough side of the monarchy. That was something that we learned while we were in Russia. The courts were definitely wrapped in pageantry, wealth, and opulence (as can be seen in their palaces) but the underbelly was quite sordid.

I liked how the author chose the “warts and all” approach. It made everything much more vivid. And boy, are things vivid. Sexual encounters and fights, feasts and festivities, all get lavish descriptions. I will say that if you are faint of heart, some of the more graphic encounters may be a bit much for you. Read wisely.

As to the plot itself, well…let’s just say that it in some ways it doesn’t matter what is real and what is the author’s artistic liberties, because it all weaves together seamlessly. If there is anything that is not factual, it is close enough to the truth to fit into the narrative.

It’s a story about the two extremes of society, the nobles who constantly angled for higher status and the poor who were nothing to the aristocracy and there to be used. Ultimately, it’s also about a woman who went from one of those extremes to the other and ruled Russia as any man would.

It’s an epic read for anyone who is interested in historical fiction that sticks to the reality of history (not some romanticized version of it).

Author Bio:

ELLEN ALPSTEN was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands. Upon graduating from L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, she worked as a news anchor for Bloomberg TV London. Whilst working gruesome night shifts on breakfast TV, she started to write in earnest, every day, after work and a nap. Today, Ellen works as an author and as a journalist for international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint and CN Traveller. She lives in London with her husband, three sons and a moody fox red Labrador. Tsarina is her debut novel.

Social Link: https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/ellen-alpsten

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What My Husband Did-Books On Tour (Review)-Psych Thriller-Available Now

I’m a big fan of Kerry Wilkinson. (You can read my reviews of The Wife’s Secret, After the Accident (probably still my favorite), and The Child Across the Street. I’m pleased to say that the author is in fine form in this book.

As with other “psychological thrillers with a twist” stories, I’m not going to give any of the twists away here – you can read blurbs and spoilers elsewhere. But I am going to tell you what worked in this book.

The prologue gives the reader enough of a hint that something might be off in the interactions between two characters. It’s obvious that something isn’t quite right, and the author wisely leaves it to the reader’s own assumptions to try to figure out what is going on.

This continues throughout the book. There are several points where the author merely throws out a suggestion – sometimes in the form of an incident, sometimes a thought of a character – and lets the reader take it however they choose.

I love it when an author values the reader’s intelligence this way. Are they vital pieces of info or are they red herrings? Who knows…that’s the fun of it.

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I totally felt for Maddy throughout the story. She had these events thrust upon her and had to deal with the brunt of everything even as she had no idea what was really going on. I liked her character, because her reactions seemed very natural. I could see myself reacting much in the same manner.

I also like how the author used past events to give us hints as to Maddy’s perspective and reasons for her reactions. It was cleverly done and very illuminating. I’ll not say more than that. The author also captures small-town life, and the personalities that emerge in small towns, perfectly.

Even as the truth finally comes out about…well, everything…she is still unsure about what steps she will take next. I also liked this about her (and about the story) because it was realistic. Not everything is wrapped up neatly. I admire the author’s willingness to leave things a little unfinished.

One picky thing. The cover should have had a red coat. ‘Nuff said.

This is another strong entry from this author. I’m getting used to them and look forward to the next one.

Twitter: @kerrywk

Author Bio:

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy – a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults – a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’.

When he’s short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he’s not, he writes it all down. Learn more on his website at https://kerrywilkinson.com/

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The Lost Village-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

After some psych thrillers and crime procedurals, I was ready to get back to history. Next on my list was this one. I had enjoyed The Italian Villa and was hopeful that the author had maybe improved upon the last book.

What I found however, is that much of what I said in that review still applies.

It’s a similar plot. A woman, Luce, goes to Italy to find out her historical roots. There is a hint of mystery because her mother, Angelina, left Italy when she was young, rarely talks about family, and has hinted at how dangerous it would be to dig up the past.

I liked that premise. I should put in here that I found out in my teens that I am half-Italian. When my mom and I went to Italy while I was in college, I felt like I had come home. There was no reason for it – I know nothing about my heritage or lineage.

But I understood people, I felt comfortable wherever we went in the country, and I felt like a part of me had been awakened. In that regard, I totally related to Luce. I “got” her desire to find out more about her heritage.

I also liked how she found that things weren’t what she expected, what she’d been led to believe by her mother over the years. I think it was a good way to illustrate the importance of finding your own truths.

I suppose that could be said about Luce’s personal life as well. Not giving anything away, but she finds answers to more than just her heritage.

That itself is also interesting. She finds out more about the family history from her grandmother, as well as her own experiences with other family members.

And herein lies the issue I have with this book.

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When I see that something promoted as a “historical novel,” I usually expect there to be a contemporary storyline that sets the stage for the historical part, which then takes up the majority of the story.

In my humble opinion, to be considered such there should be at least a 50/50 split, preferably more. If a majority of the story isn’t in the past, I’m not sure it can be considered historical.

I’m sure we can all relate to choosing a book based on “what do I feel like reading now?” And then having certain expectations of the book based on those conceptions.  

And now we come to the reason I brought it up.

I stand by my critique in my review of The Italian Villa. Once again, the historical parts are told in passive voice, as Luce’s grandmother tells the stories of the past more as a reminiscence. It takes a lot of the bite out of the history and makes it difficult to become engaged.

It also leaves too little to the historical sections. Because they are told from one person’s point of view as a memory, there’s no life to the actual events. It’s all just ghosts. And it seemed as if the contemporary storyline far outpaced the historical – as I mentioned, that makes it difficult to read as a “historical novel.”

For the points of this story, and for how important the past was, actual flashbacks would have been so much more effective. It was actually quite convoluted as is, especially with the confusion surrounding the characters in the contemporary storyline.

It’s really a shame, because the secrets that Luce’s family were hiding were real doozies. I just wish the revelations would have been more impactful.

I’d still recommend the book because the family secrets that are finally revealed are interesting, and there are some truly compelling moments filled with emotion.

But know that (for me at least), it doesn’t fit the definition of a true “historical novel.” There was no chance to be immersed in the past. And that’s a major reason I like the genre.

Facebook: OfficialDanielaSacerdoti
Instagram: danielasacerdoti.2

Author Bio:
Daniela Sacerdoti is the author of the bestselling Glen Avich series which has sold over one million copies in ebook to date, Sacerdoti’s debut novel Watch Over Me was named the eighth bestselling Kindle book of all time in 2015, when she was also ranked as the eleventh top-selling Kindle author. She lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere, with her Scottish husband, two children, a Cocker spaniel and a foundling kitten (who was definitely a witch in a past life).  Visit her website at https://www.danielasacerdoti.com

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The Drowned Woman-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery Suspense Thriller-Available Now

I really enjoyed the first book in this series (The Next Widow), so I was excited for the next installment to see what was up next for Luka and Leah. I came to some very interesting conclusions after reading this story.

First, I found that I was more interested in the character arcs of Luka and Leah than I was about the plotline itself. That’s not to say that the plotline was bad in any way. But it didn’t hold my attention the same way the characters did.

That’s interesting to me, because usually the plot enhances the characters and vice versa. For whatever reason this time, though, I kind of found them to be…separate.

Which actually is a little weird, because both Luka and Leah have personal ties to the plot of this book. So, I really can’t figure that out.

But I digress.

The second thing I learned that it’s almost always important to give a book a chance, even when you feel like giving up. I thought the beginning this book was slow. It was very difficult for me to get into it.

Again, this was strange because it takes place just a month after the first book, and a lot in the characters’ lives (especially Leah’s) is new. She is trying to adjust, both in her personal (after the tragedy in book one) and professional (she has a new job – more on that in a moment).

The book also starts with a prologue involving the death of a woman who thinks of (calls to?) Luka as she drowns. What’s that about? (I’m not telling).

See, all looks really good, right?

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Kobo: http://ow.ly/jcOp50B3i6H
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But the beginning dragged for me. I will admit, I was a bit turned off by Leah’s job. It was reminiscent of the push to defund the police. The attitudes of a couple of characters rubbed me the wrong way.

The dialogue surrounding her initial encounter with Walt was especially off-putting to me. That’s a personal thing on my part, though…I’m sure others won’t be bothered by it at all.

I also was able to peg the bad guy pretty easily, which was a little disappointing. I kept hoping that I was wrong and there would be a twist, but there wasn’t.

I did think that the plot picked up speed in the latter half of the book, with the last third especially being rapid fire and much more interesting. In spite of my suspicions being confirmed, I did like how it all ultimately fitted together.

But back to my initial thought about the characters – it really is about where Leah and Luka go next. I’ll still follow and hope for another good case for them.  

Facebook: cjlyons
Twitter:  @cjlyonswriter

Author Bio:

As a pediatric ER doctor, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.

CJ has been called a “master within the genre” (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as “breathtakingly fast-paced” and “riveting” (Publishers Weekly) with “characters with beating hearts and three dimensions” (Newsday).

Learn more about CJ’s Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net

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Rough Country-Blog Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

This one was a quick and easy read. In a crime thriller, that can be both good and bad.

There was quite a bit of good. The author did a fantastic job creating an atmosphere right from the beginning. It’s no spoiler to say that a girl is running through the forest (but why?). Simple enough.

But the author’s use of imagery, similes, and other descriptive phrasing made the scene literally come alive. It also put me right into the frame of mind for the story.

Once the real story takes hold, the author maintains the crisp writing. Everything moves along at a quick pace. In rapid fire we meet the main characters, are introduced other key players, and jump right into the investigation.

On the one hand, I liked the pace because it kept me interested. There weren’t long stretches of introspection (for the most part) that slowed the investigation down. That was good. I also liked how the investigation flowed with issues from the past coming to the present. Those all seemed accurately portrayed.

There were an awful lot of characters to keep track of. There were a few times that I had to go back and remind myself of who a person was and refresh their relationship to the investigation. That didn’t bother me.

And the author definitely captured the mysteries that small-towns hide, as well as accurately portraying the lengths to which people will go to keep secrets hidden.

US: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B08MWLZFYV/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk//dp/B08MWLZFYV/

However, in writing of this style, with many characters and a long-winding investigation, it felt like there were some things that were overlooked or otherwise missing.

Now, this next part of the review should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Being involved in and knowledgeable of law enforcement, I tend to be pickier about things than most readers. But I can’t let these go by because they did affect my interest in the story.

For example, our hero Reed is “death investigator” for the New York State Police. That’s not technically a position. NY has medical legal death investigators, more like forensic coroners (think Ducky on NCIS). But Reed doesn’t seem to have that background.

He’s military and works for the NYSP. His actions in the book are definitely more along the lines of a criminal investigator. He also works in the “Major Crimes” division (if I understood correctly) – a division that doesn’t exist in the NYSP.

I guess it’s just a pet peeve of mine that if using a real agency, effort should be made to using actual divisions that exist.

In a similar vein, there were other times that language choices seemed lazy. These jumped out at me because of the great descriptions early on. One instance was when the author referred to the “body-recovery people.” Really? How about the Coroner’s Office, or Rescue and Recovery team?

Again, these could just be my pet peeves, but the did taint the story a tad for me.

Other than those things (and a few similar, but I’m not going to list all of them), I thought it was a good read, and I would definitely recommend it to crime thriller/police procedural fans. I’m sure other readers will have a different experience from mine.

Facebook: tjbreartonauthor/
Website: http://tjbrearton.net/

About T.J. Brearton:

T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialog and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life. 

T.J. is the author of Into Darkness, Road to Mercy and other crime thrillers. ROUGH COUNTRY will be his third novel published with Inkubator Books.

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Silenced Girls-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery Thriller-Available Now

Wow! What an introduction to a new series!

Seriously, before I say anything else, I just have to say that if you are a fan of mystery thrillers you need to get this book.

If you’re a fan of tough, smart heroines who are very real, you need to get this book.

And if you’re a fan of being taken along on a detailed case that follows an investigation perfectly, you need to get this book.

I can’t say enough good things about it.

Right from the prologue, where Victoria “Tori” Hunter is questioned about her sister’s disappearance, I could tell that it was going to be a well-told story. There was something about the style of writing and the interplay between characters that drew me in.

The story then jumps to present day and takes off from there. Honestly, it was so well-plotted I don’t want to give anything way, but the way the author moves between characters and events was flawless.

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I really liked Tori. She was one of the most real characters I have “met.” Everything that was part of her story rang true – nothing seemed to be overdone or manipulative to fit the narrative. Her career trajectory, life choices, and attitude were all spot on.

I also appreciated Braddock and his history. I’m partial to NYPD stories, but I’m also picky about them. Authors often use a well-known department as a mechanism but treat it as any other law enforcement agency.

This author either did copious research or knew someone on the job, because he captured the attitude (and background) of an NYPD MOS perfectly. I think I actually knew this guy. I also appreciated that 9/11 wasn’t used as a crutch, but as a pivotal event that was a part of Braddock’s history. It was accurate.

The plot was excellent. Once again, everything just flowed. I especially liked how there was a side story that focused on Tori’s normal “every day” job. That was an interesting detour that gave the reader insight to Tori’s drive and professional persona. It also provided additional background.

The author does a great job of creating a “real” investigation. There are swings and misses, wrong avenues and surprise suspects. Again, I can’t stress how natural everything was.

I’m starting to repeat myself, but that’s because I want to emphasize how great the book was – but not give any plot points away.

Suffice to say that I’m very excited to have found Agent Tori Hunter, and I can’t wait to read more of her stories.  Definitely one of my top reads for the year.

FACEBOOK: rogerstelljesbooks
TWITTER: @RogerStelljes

Author Bio:

Roger Stelljes is the acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of pulse-pounding murder mystery and suspense novels, including the Tori Hunter and McRyan Mystery Series. Roger’s crime thrillers are noted for their fast-paced, yet intricate plots filled with layered and complex characters.

Roger started his first novel in July 2002 while on vacation in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area and has been writing ever since. His debut book, The St. Paul Conspiracy, was nominated in genre fiction for the Minnesota Book Awards along with finalists Brian Freeman and William Kent Krueger. With his follow-up, Deadly Stillwater, where Vince Flynn hailed Roger as a “powerful new thriller voice”, he won the Midwest Independent Book Publishers award for commercial fiction.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Roger still lives there with his family. In addition to his work as an author, Roger is a partner in his law firm. Roger is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors boating, attending hockey games, and honing his golf game.

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From a Paris Balcony-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

The story that started in Paris Time Capsule and continued in The House on the Lake finishes in From a Paris Balcony. As with the other two books in the trilogy, the author uses a contemporary plotline in conjunction with historical timelines.

This time we follow Sarah, an art curator whose life has been turned upside down. When she finds a mysterious letter that hints at a tragic mystery involving one of her ancestors, she takes the opportunity to go to Paris to see what she can uncover.

In the course of doing so, she rents the apartment that has been central in the trilogy – Marthe’s Belle Epoque living quarters that had been closed up for decades. Of course, there has to be conflict (because nothing is easy in Paris) and it seems as if an artist is already in residence.

It’s no spoiler to say that Laurent and Sarah are meant to be the couple to follow, but in honesty, I didn’t much care for their story line. As with the other two books, the contemporary sections felt awkward.

The dialogue didn’t flow, there didn’t seem to be a lot of chemistry, and some of the plot points seemed at loose ends. The transitions between the two eras were sometimes abrupt and it almost seemed like the author lost focus for a bit before bringing the plot back to wrap up at the end.

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Apple: https://apple.co/34MvBxK
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What kept me reading, however, were the historical sections. With Marthe’s story coming to a close, it is now easy to see that this is where the author seemed much more comfortable. I really got a better sense of Marthe’s time and the events that led to the tragedy mentioned in the letter that Sarah found.

I don’t know if it’s the intrigue of the closed-up apartment and period it “lives” in that draws my attention or if the writer was just more comfortable creating a story around an actual event (opposed to fabricating Sarah’s contemporary life).

I can’t speculate on the latter, but it certainly appeared to me that the author liked the past and treated that storyline with more care. All in all, it was a good trilogy, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it.

Website: http://www.ellacarey.com/
Facebook: ellacareyauthor
Twitter: @Ella_Carey

Author Bio:

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.

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The First Time We Met-Books On Tour (Review)-RomCom-Available Now

I’m going to admit, I started this book very confused.

On the one hand, I enjoyed the back and forth between Izzy and Sam. I thought that their connection was obvious, and I could literally feel the relationship “fizz” between them. However, there were other parts where it seemed as if the author was just trying to fill in in order to move to the next fizzy part.

Case in point – within “Part I” of the book, there were several life events for both Sam and Izzy that were quickly glossed over. Births, deaths, break-ups, moves. It was quite a whirlwind and didn’t give me sound footing. I understand that the author needed to get to the rest of the book, but I wish it had been a little bit smoother.

In Part II, however (and through the rest of the book), the plot follows a more regulated timeline of both Sam’s and Izzy’s lives.

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What I liked about the book was how it reminded me of a 90s Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie. And I thought that even before it was mentioned in the book!

Obviously, the course of true love never does run smoothly, and that’s certainly the case with Sam and Izzy. They were two ships passing in the night. Repeatedly. Just when they seemed as if they were on the right track, life kicked them back again.

I didn’t mind that, because it kept me guessing as to whether or not they would ever be at the right place at the right time together. But, as with any good RomCom, love prevails (of course). You know it’s going to, but it’s all about the journey getting there. I loved how it all came full circle, quite literally.

And any book that has a “Friends” reference is okay by me.

Twitter: @JoLovettWrites

Author Bio:

Jo Lovett lives in London with her family.

She worked in Corporate Tax before taking a longer-than-expected career break to have more-than-expected children (five). She started writing romantic comedy when she realised that she was regularly begging her oldest son to let her do his English homework but she wasn’t actually that interested in haunted houses or Macbeth.

Jo was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping/ Orion First Novel Competition 2018 and shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Award 2019.

When she can escape from her laundry mountain and childcare, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

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She Lies Alone-Books On Tour (Review)-Psychological Suspense-Available Now

It is difficult to classify this book. The cover says that it is a psychological suspense novel, but there’s also mystery involved. Frankly, I didn’t get much of a “typical” psych suspense from it…more straight-up suspense. But maybe that’s just me.  

The book starts with a jogger finding a body on a high school soccer field. The plot then skips back to the weeks prior to the discovery. Most of the book relates the events leading up to the tragic death.

Told through alternating points of view, the story unfolds from the eyes of a teacher, Jane, and a parent, Amy. We get very different perspectives from each of them, but put together, the full picture emerges.

An interesting note: as I read, I was sure that there were other narrators. But in writing this review, I went back to verify, and every other chapter was either Jane or Amy. There were a few exceptions where one or the other had a couple of chapters in a row.  

I think it’s a sign of good writing that an author can use two characters to paint such a complete picture that it seems like there are more people telling the story. I didn’t realize that until going back and checking, so very well done there.

I was able to relate to this book because I am a former high school teacher. Both the characters (administration, teachers, parents, students) and the setting were familiar. I recognized people I have worked with, especially among the teachers.

The attitudes were also familiar: the admin who only cares about test scores, the secretary who thinks she controls everything, the differing approaches of teachers…I’ve experienced them all.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08HNJNBX6Social
Apple: http://ow.ly/R6Zt50BpJ4o 
Kobo: http://ow.ly/eWv650BpJ2I 
Google:  http://ow.ly/t2Wz50BpJ5q 

I will say that Jane annoyed the heck out of me, and I spent most of the book rooting against her. Maybe it was due to personal experience with teachers like her or maybe she was just unlikeable. But her attitude, assumptions, and barbed comments and thoughts got on my nerves.

I had a difficult time discerning whether she was written that way on purpose to counteract Elena’s more positive approach, or to highlight the differences between an English teacher and a Chemistry teacher, or just to be the vessel that the revelations of the events come through.

Regardless, she did have the longest journey and it seemed by the end that she had seen the error of her approach and was determined to do better in memory of her friend.

I don’t want to say much else, because there were a few surprises along the way. I did guess a few of them (I figured out early on who was leaving the envelopes in Amy’s mailbox). I liked how the end wrapped up the earlier premise that teenagers go through phases – not saying more than that, but it was subtle yet effective.

Less successful, however, was the reveal as to “whodunit.” In hindsight, I see how it was all plotted, but the connections seemed tenuous. I’m not sure it was altogether “believable,” especially in light of the character’s other actions.

Likewise, there was a subplot that seemed to be used solely as a manipulation. I kept expecting a shoe to drop on that case (would have been an even more interesting twist), but it essentially went nowhere.  

That being said, it was still an interesting story and there was enough to keep me interested that I read it mostly in one sitting. You won’t be disappointed with this one.

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Twitter: @LauraWolfeBooks
Website:  https://www.laurawolfebooks.com/

Author Bio:

Laura Wolfe is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, she can be found playing games with her highly-energetic kids, riding horses, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She lives in her home state of Michigan with her husband, son, and daughter. Laura’s YA mystery, Trail of Secrets, was named as a Finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Laura holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan and a JD from DePaul University. She is an active member of multiple writing groups, including Sisters in Crime and the SCBWI.  

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