Review: Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

Image source: Goodreads.com

Only Child by Anna Snoekstra

Publisher: Mira Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publication Date: September 20^th, 2016

Rating: 4.5/5

This is one of those books that the less you know before reading, the better it is! So I’ll try to review it without giving much away…

In 2003, Rebecca Winters, a sixteen-year-old went missing. Eleven years later, in 2014, a girl dodging a shoplifting arrest decides to take her place. The “new” Rebecca does her best to assume Rebecca’s old life. She learns to fit in with the family and Bec’s old best friend, Lizzie. The plot is told from the viewpoints of Rebecca in 2003 and fake Rebecca in 2014.

This book sucked me in from the first chapter and kept me guessing until the end. Although some parts were a bit predictable/unbelievable, this is an incredibly solid debut novel. I’ll definitely be checking out the author’s new books. I did have a few issues with it…The biggest is how the tone changed at the end and didn’t match the rest of the book. Throughout the whole novel the book does not delve into graphic gore; it focuses more so on being a psychological thriller. However, towards the end there are a few scenes that are rather graphic and not good for the faint-at-heart, or animal lovers (like me!). Although crucial to the plot, they just didn’t seem like they fit with the overall tone of the novel. That being said, I can deal with a couple of scenes that felt off in exchange for a thrilling, quick, read. It was very fast-paced and you can definitely read it in one sitting. After reflecting on the ending, all my other issues disappeared after finishing the book. Without giving anything away, all my qualms definitely made sense keeping the ending in mind. I would definitely recommend this book!

Review: Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Image source: Amazon.com

Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 457

Publication Date:  1998

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary (From Goodreads):

            “They are the "Others," an ancient race of supernatural beings—magicians, shape-shifters, vampires, and healers—who live among us. Human born, they must choose a side to swear allegiance to—the Dark or the Light—when they come of age.

For a millennium, these opponents have coexisted in an uneasy peace, enforced by defenders like the Night Watch, forces of the Light who guard against the Dark. But prophecy decrees that one supreme "Other" will arise to spark a cataclysmic war.

Anton Gorodetsky, an untested mid-level Light magician with the Night Watch, discovers a cursed young woman—an Other of tremendous potential unallied with either side—who can shift the balance of power. With the battle lines between Light and Dark drawn, the magician must move carefully, for one wrong step could mean the beginning of annihilation.”

Pros:

·       I thought the format of having three stories in one book kept it interesting and fast paced.

·       The concept of a treaty between the Light and Dark to keep a balance, complete with a watch force from each side to enforce it, is quite interesting.

·       I really liked the main characters, they all have personalities that make them stand out from each other.

Cons:

·       The first story in the book was a bit difficult to get into. I’m not sure if that’s because of the writing or because I saw the horrific movie version of it first, which almost made me not read the book (skip the movie, read the book).

·       This book was translated into English which makes some of the sentences a bit awkward to read and understand.

Final Thoughts:

            I will definitely read the next book in the series, which is told from someone else’s perspective. The overall premise of Light and Dark, the twilight world, and having night and day watches made it stand out compared to other fantasy novels I have read.

Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser

Published by: W. W. Norton & Company

Genres: Fiction

Pages: 267

Rating: 2/5

Summary: David Halpert moves back to Detroit after his marriage failed and his young son passed away. He is visiting his parents in Detroit at first but decides to move there permanently after his dad asks for help dealing with David’s aging mother. Shortly after returning, he reads that his childhood sweetheart, Natalie, and her brother Dirk, an FBI agent, were murdered. This murder draws Natalie’s sister Carolyn back from L.A. to Detroit. This book follows how David and Carolyn’s lives intertwine as they come back home to Detroit.

Pros:

-        The murder of Natalie and Dirk provide an interesting way to set up the return of David and Carolyn.

-        The book focuses on why someone would want to return to Detroit. I generally enjoy books that are focused on the love of a city.

-        A few bits of suspense.

Cons:

-        The story jumped between years and characters. While this was needed to an extent to tell the story, it could have been done in a less confusing way. It took me a while to fully understand the characters because of this.

-        Overall, the plot was very slow moving. Towards the end there were a few pages that had some action, but not enough to keep me interested.

Final Thoughts: An interesting book if you want a slow-paced story about a middle-class white man and rich, white woman moving back to the rough parts of Detroit after living elsewhere for a few decades.