Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

Published by Ballatine Books

Published on June 5, 2018

Genre(s):Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Page Count: 352

Source: Purchased

Format: Hardback

📙📙📙

Book Description: If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?

Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.

Hello Again!

I am a fan of book clubs. I always have been. I enjoy being able to read a book and automatically having people to discuss it with. I had not heard of this book prior to seeing it on a post about Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. It looked promising and I agreed to "buddy read" it with a friend. Bonding over books is always great. 

The premise of this book caught my attention and I thought it would be a fun read. It started in such a way that I was not quite sure how it was going to proceed. In the very beginning, the author painted herself into a corner. I was intrigued about how she was going to write herself out of it so I continued. In some ways, I am glad that I did. It was interesting to see where the events were going to lead. With that said, too many of plot twists were predictable. Most of the characters were not likeable and greatly frustrating at times. I found myself wanting to shake the main character on more than one occasion. Large holes in story. One is not one hundred percent sure who is actually orchestrating what. 

I am rating this book Three Orange Books because it was a good debut novel. The potential was great but the finished story fell short. Too many loose ends left untied. Reader left wondering when it all truly began. Overall, it was a decent read. I am intrigued as to what the author may do for her next offering. I may recommend to some. 

InkedBookDragon

School for Psychics by K.C. Archer

School for Psychics: Book One by K.C. Archer

Published by Simon & Schuster

Published on April 3, 2018

Genres: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Supernatural, Paranormal

Page Count: 368

Source: Publisher

Format: ebook

📕📕📕📕

Description: An entrancing new series starring a funny, impulsive, and sometimes self-congratulatory young woman who discovers she has psychic abilities—and then must decide whether she will use her skills for good or…not.

Teddy Cannon isn’t your typical twenty-something woman. She’s resourceful. She’s bright. She’s scrappy. She can also read people with uncanny precision. What she doesn’t realize: she’s actually psychic.

When a series of bad decisions leads Teddy to a run-in with the police, a mysterious stranger intervenes. He invites her to apply to the School for Psychics, a facility hidden off the coast of San Francisco where students are trained like Delta Force operatives: it’s competitive, cutthroat, and highly secretive. They’ll learn telepathy, telekinesis, investigative skills, and SWAT tactics. And if students survive their training, they go on to serve at the highest levels of government, using their skills to protect America, and the world.

In class, Teddy befriends Lucas, a rebel without a cause who can start and manipulate fire; Jillian, a hipster who can mediate communication between animals and humans; and Molly, a hacker who can apprehend the emotional state of another individual. But just as Teddy feels like she’s found where she might belong, strange things begin to happen: break-ins, missing students, and more. It leads Teddy to accept a dangerous mission that will ultimately cause her to question everything—her teachers, her friends, her family, and even herself.

Set in a world very much like our own, School for Psychics is the first book in a stay-up-all night series.

Hello Readers.

I was quite intrigued when I first saw this book. It looked like something that I could really enjoy so I jumped at the chance to read it. Being a lover of paranormal and supernatural books, I went into this hopeful. For the most part, I was not disappointed. 

Strong characters. Great premise. I found myself wanting to read constantly. I was drawn into a story where the characters were relatable even if they were "different" from the norm. I was in the school. I was working on my abilities. I was there. I love when a book does that. 

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was delighted to get the opportunity. I am rating it Four Red Books because I feel it is a pretty solid start to a series. I wish I could rate it higher but there were moments that were predictable and bordering on cliche. With that said, I greatly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see what follows in the rest of the series. I will definitely be recommending School for Psychics. 

InkedBookDragon

The Wife Between Us: A Novel by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The Wife Between Us: A Novel by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Published by Holtzbrinck Publishers

Published on January 9, 2018

Genres: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, Contemporary

Page Count: 352

Source: Purchased

Format: Hardback

📕📕📕📕

Description: When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.

You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. 

You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.

Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

Hello Readers.

I was looking forward to this one. I wasn't 100% sure what it was from the desciption that I had read early on but I was looking forward to it. Something about it called to me and I had to read it. Some books are like that. You cannot get them out of your mind. Something about them burrows into your brain and you cannot stop thinking about them. You have to read them, if for no other reason than to dislodge them from your thoughts. Some books go away once that happens. Others stay in there as though they have little barbed claws that refuse to let go. This book was one of the latter.

Where do I begin with this one? Do I mention how I was on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion? Do I write about how there was a moment where I exclaimed something so loudly that everyone around me stopped what they were doing and looked at me as though something was wrong with me? I could go on and on.

I had trouble returning to life while reading this book. I did not want to put it down and do things that I needed to get done. I wanted to grab my copy of this book, a hot drink, a comfy blanket, and hide somewhere so I could read it. It grabbed me from the very beginning and I knew that I was most likely in for a bumpy ride. Little did I know that it would completely veer away from what I thought I was reading. Usually when this happens, I am greatly put off because it disrupts the flow of the story. However, that was not the case here. 

I am rating this book Four Red Books because it was a truly wonderful read. I wish that I could rate it higher but there were moments of confusion that detracted from the story. Amazing character development. I found myself completely captivated, enticed, and sometimes even repulsed. I am usually hesitant to read books written by a team. This one did not feel like it had multiple authors. I would definitely read more by them. I highly recommend this book as it was one of the better offerings of its type from 2017. 

InkedBookDragon

Room 119: The Whitby Trader by T.F. Lince

Room 119: The Whitby Trader by T.F. Lince

Published by Amazon Digital Services LLC

Published on December 14, 2017

Genres: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Page Count: 282

Sources: Author

Format: eBook

📘📘📘📘📘

Description: High-flying trader Dean Harrison has it all – the London penthouse apartment; the fast car; the beautiful wife. But when the threads of Dean’s life start to unravel, they do so with alarming speed.

Following the advice of a frail stranger, Dean sets off for Welnetham Hall Hotel and is plunged into the mysterious world of Room 119 – a world where nothing makes sense. How does everyone in the hotel know his name? Why does he travel there on a train line that shut down over fifty years ago? And who is the sinister man in black who pursues him wherever he goes?

As he gradually pieces together the puzzle of Welnetham Hall, Dean is forced to re-evaluate his life and realises that nothing is more important to him than his wife and daughter. Desperate to get back to them, he vows he would lay down his life for the people he loves.

It’s a promise he may have to keep. 

Hello Readers.

Room 119: The Whitby Trader was one of those books that I wasn't quite sure what to think when it was given to me. A first novel by a new author. Those tend to make me nervous. I have found that they are either fantastic, decent, or just not that good. I went into this book with only having skimmed the blurb because I wanted a clean slate going into it.

It started out on a high note which both excites me and makes me nervous. Start out too high and you can only go down from there. That was not the case here. The flow was good throughout the book. Full of humor, intrigue, and emotion. I found myself wanting to read more. I could even look past the inclusion of a clown. *shudder* (There is nothing creepier than a clown.)

This was one of those books that ran the gamut of emotions. I was laughing out loud at some parts and ugly crying at other parts. It is refreshing to encounter a book that draws you in and not only makes you think but also feel. Add in a spash of the totally unexpected and you really have something.

Thank you to the author for sending me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I am rating this book Five Blue Books because it was a delight to read. Definitely does not feel like a debut novel. I look forward to seeing what else the author has to offer us in the future. Highly recommend.


InkedBookDragon

The Redemption Wall by Marcus Miller

The Redemption Wall by Marcus Miller

Published by Independently Published

Published on October 7, 2017

Genres: Action & Adventure, Western, Thriller & Suspense

Page Count: 353

Source: Author

📘📘📘📘📘

Description: An epic action novel of adventure and personal discovery through the eyes of a young man fleeing from a rich and powerful family. Luke Canfield is born into a ranching dynasty but is subjected to horrible abuse by his fanatically religious father. The redemption wall is the place where Luke’s father inflicts corporal punishment on him, almost daily, and Luke endures it for years until the only person left to defend and protect him, his grandmother, suddenly dies. Finding the courage to escape his persecution, he is offered a way out, but must travel alone, quickly maturing as he gains experience along the way, across the U.S. from Oregon to Florida, in an attempt to meet up with a family offering him protection on a sailing vessel in the Caribbean, but he must arrive before the family sails away. His odyssey is a tale of fear, hunger, abuse, adventure and courage through the eyes of a quickly maturing young man. Set in 1967, in a world experiencing drugs, free love, and racial tension and in a time when the words, child abuse weren’t spoken out loud.


Hello Readers.

This book practically fell into my lap. I wasn't looking for it. I wasn't trying to find it. It found me. It did not feel like I was reading a story but rather being told a story in person. From the very beginning, I was pulled into the life of the main character. He was extremely relatable and my heart went out to him. It was interesting to see how the characters evolved as the story progressed.

This book was captivating and very well written. It was so raw. So pure. It was so real at times that I was overcome with emotion. There were moments that I wanted to reach inside and hug the main character. Not many books cause those emotions in me.

I am rating this book Five Blue Books because it was devastatingly beautiful in a way that changes the reader forever. I look forward to reading future books by this author. He is definitely one to watch.

InkedBookDragon

Series Spotlight: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

A little about the first book: STORM FRONT* 

In the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series, Harry Dresden’s investigation of a grisly double murder pulls him into the darkest depths of magical Chicago…

As a professional wizard, Harry Dresden knows firsthand that the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. And those that do enjoy playing with humans far too much. He also knows he’s the best at what he does. Technically, he’s the only at what he does. But even though Harry is the only game in town, business—to put it mildly, stinks. 

So when the Chicago P.D. bring him in to consult on a double homicide committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name...

Hello Readers.

The first series that I want to spotlight is The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The reason that it is first is because I fell completely in love with it after reading the first one. Granted, it has gotten much better with each addition but it had me. I found myself completely enthralled and then deeply saddened when each book concluded. 

Harry Dresden will take you to places that you never dreamed. These books are full of humor, action, romance, revenge, and so much more. They are beyond fabulous. The writing is phenomenal. I cannot rave enough about this series. 

I don't want to spoil it for you so I won't go any deeper. All I can say is that if you like this kind of series, read it. Read it immediately. It is truly that good. 

InkedBookDragon

Books in Series:

• Storm Front               
• Fool Moon                 
• Grave Peril
• Summer Knight
• Death Masks
• Blood Rites
• Dead Beat
• Proven Guilty
• White Night
• Small Favor
• Turn Coat
• Changes
• Ghost Story
• Cold Days
• Skin Game
• Peace Talks - No release date as of yet.      

Additional:

Book - Side Jobs - Short Stories

TV show - The Dresden Files (Not the greatest representation)
Graphic novels:

• Welcome to the Jungle
• Storm Front, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm
• Storm Front, Volume 2: Maelstrom
• Fool Moon, Volume 1
• Fool Moon, Volume 2
• Ghoul, Goblin
• War Cry
• Down Town
• Wild Card
• Dog Men

Roleplaying game - The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game

Jim Butcher's Page

Amazon

*Blurb from Amazon
**Picture from White Night