[Review] Fatal Option by Chris Beakey

On the coldest night of the year, Stephen Porter is pulled from a restless sleep by a midnight phone call. His 17-year-old daughter Sara is stranded in a blizzard near the top of a mountain beyond their suburban home. She's terrified and unable to stop crying as she begs him to come to her rescue.
Unfortunately Stephen went to bed just an hour before after a night of binge drinking. With his blurred vision and unsteady balance he knows it’s dangerously irresponsible to get behind the wheel. But he heads out into the snowstorm to bring Sara home.
High school teacher Kieran O’Shea is also behind the wheel, searching for his autistic younger brother Aidan, who is wandering aimlessly through the storm on that same mountain. Kieran is also terrified—of the voices in his mind, of the possibility that Aidan will be taken from him, and of the certainty that he will soon be arrested for murdering three women.
In a matter of minutes Stephen will encounter Kieran and drive headlong into a collision that will force him to unlock the secret of his wife’s death, avoid prosecution, and protect his children from violence that hits all too close to home.

Summary & Cover taken from GoodReads.com

Length: 304 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Series: N/A

Genre: Thriller

Publication Date: February 21st 2017 by Post Hill Press

ADD TO GOODREADS

I've been having some personal issues here so I've had to step back from the blog for a couple weeks until things were sorted out, as a result I'm a bit behind in a few reviews so now I'm playing catch up and Fatal Option was the first one on deck.
Chris Beakey had me from page one. I am not kidding. I thought that it might take me a bit of time to get back into the rhythm of reading again but as it turns out all I needed was the right book. Add in the cold rainy day that I spent reading it, it was just what the doctor ordered. What a thing to say about a thriller right?
This was very much a cat and mouse type thriller. We have our protagonist, Stephen. Widower. Drunk. Father. Fool. He's all of these things and more...but there was a grace about him. I found him flawed but a great character and he sure knew how to play the cat and mouse game the "bad guy" tangled him up in and he did it very well. His daughter is the one who sets him on the course of the events in the book on the worst blizzard of the year but I learned very quickly that with this thriller that all is not how it seems.
In Fatal Options, the characters, the events the motivations of each person appeared to be very clear but, I learned as I read on that not all was as it appeared. It reminded me of a tangle of knots. Just as I thought I was finally beginning to understand where the story was going I was flipped, spun around. It was like playing pin the tale on the donkey and I loved it. It was such a surprise to be surprised and a relief. Where I thought the story was going never ended up being what I thought it would.
This was an emotional rollercoaster of a read. I went into this book with my mind made up about certain characters but found by the end of it that I had been led astray by my presumptions. There's a lot of death in this book, sadness, grief and guilt were all such strong feelings I felt on behalf of the characters made me feel as if the emotions themselves were characters in the story made flesh.
This was haunting and heart pounding. Exciting and gut clenching and an all around dark yet fun read for me as a thriller lover. I thought that it was refreshingly well written told with a unique voice and one that I can't wait to hear more from. Chris Beakey left me wanting more and I can't wait to see what this exciting author has next.
I highly recommend thriller fans and fans of heart pounding plot twists to give this book a read as soon as possible. It's not one to be missed.

[Review]* Meg: Nightstalkers (MEG, #5) by Steve Alten

Summary: 

Steve Alten continues the story that began in the New York Times bestselling MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror

In this fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling MEG series, Nighstalkers picks up where MEG: Hell's Aquarium left off. Bela and Lizzy, the dominant Megalodon siblings from Angel's brood, have escaped the Tanaka Institute to roam the Salish Sea in British Columbia. While Jonas Taylor and his friend Mac attempt to either recapture or kill the "sisters," Jonas's son, David, embarks on his own adventure, motivated by revenge. Having witnessed his girlfriend's gruesome death, David has joined a Dubai Prince's ocean expedition, tracking the 120-foot, hundred-ton Liopleurodon that escaped from the Panthalassa Sea. Haunted by night terrors, David repeatedly risks his life to lure the Lio and other prehistoric sea creatures into the fleet's nets, while battling his own suicidal demons.

Steve Alten weaves these storylines together in a page-turning thriller that culminates in a final showdown between the most dangerous predators ever to inhabit the planet.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 368 pages (Hardcover)

Available Formats: Print/E-book/E-Audiobook/Audiobook CD

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: June 14th 2016 by Tor Books

It's no secret to some of my old blog readers. I love books with monsters, dinosaurs and prehistoric beasts that terrorize humanity. I'd say it's a guilty pleasure but I have no guilt. I love the genre especially this series in particular.

The Meg series is one I've been reading for over a decade. I remember when my brother bought me a copy of what turned out to be the third book in this series, which led to me gobbling up all the other books in this series (and a few of Steve Alten's other titles) over the years. This one, Nightstalkers has been a long time coming. 7 years to be exact and I'm so happy that I was finally able to get my hands on a copy and read it this past week.

This one takes place after the events in Meg: Hell's Aquarium. It's told in shifting points of view mostly from those of David Taylor and his father Jonas Taylor (whom the books started with), however other points of view (from the victims) are also on offer. Plus, Steve Alten continued to write some parts of the book from the perspective of the creature(s) in the book as well. I really love how the author is able to really make me feel as though I am whomever (or whatever) depending on what point of view he's writing from. He truly puts me right there smack dab in the middle of all the blood curdling chaos.

When I started reading Nightstalkers I had only planned to read the first 50 pages, then wouldn't you have it I was 3/4 of the way through and my clock was reading 3 a.m. it well and truly sucked me in.I loved the blood and gore in this one and it had all the heart-pounding action and you know...death that I've come to love and expect from Steve Alten. He gives readers a smorgasbord of prehistoric creatures to choose from as well as lots of foul language and a bit of a natural history lesson about the creatures and their environments thrown in making it a splendid read. He takes the readers on a global pursuit of beasts that have no business being in the 21st century and he does it with flare.

I enjoyed seeing how characters have aged and changed since the 4th book and it was really awesome to see that Mac (Jonas's best friend) is still kicking around. He's always been a favourite side character of mine. I also like how David, again played a bigger role in this series. He grew up with the Megaldon's and cared for them and he has the same fire in his soul that his dad has and I can see where Alten is maybe going in terms of him taking up the family mantle and I think it's great. I can't wait to see where the story goes as the series moves forward.

My only complaints for this one is that it did seem short. I wish that the book had maybe an extra 50 pages because some parts really felt rushed and I wish certain things had been expanded on more than they were hence the 4.5 star rating.

Overall if giant sharks and other prehistoric creatures along with death, deep sea exploration and cussing are your thing I highly suggest giving the Meg series a try.

LOVED IT!

★★★★ 1/2

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*[Blog Tour Review] Lethal Circuit (Michael Chase #1) by Lars Guignard

Click the banner to follow the tour!

 

Summary:

Exclusively at Amazon.
A Chinese satellite is on crash course with Earth.
It contains enough plutonium to irradiate a large city.
And that's the good news...

In the tradition of Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, and Robert Ludlum, comes a new hero.

Michael Chase is a twenty-six year old backpacker, a recent college grad, an amateur. He flew to Hong Kong to find his missing father. Four hours later, he's running for his life. The Chinese Secret Police want him dead. The Conspiracy wants him dead. And the one person who he thinks is on his side, may want him dead too. If Michael is going to live, he'll need to find a hidden piece of Nazi technology lost since World War II. And he'll have to do it before anyone else. Because if he doesn't, a little plutonium is going to be the least of his problems.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 8 Hours and 26 Minutes
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio
Publication Date: August 8th 2013 by Fantastic Press

When I was first approached to do the tour for this audiobook I was more than a little hesitant. I'm not a huge fan of audios unless I've already read the book because my mind wanders and I tend to tune the story out but since I usually only listen to ones I've read before I don't mind that so much. With this one I listened to the audio without having read the book and I'm really glad that in the end I came around and signed up for the tour.

Back before I was a blogger I was a huge fan of books like Lethal Circuit, but I find that since I started blogging my love for the genre has been pushed to the side a bit so it was really good to be able to get back into it with this audio. As I mentioned, I was nervous about the tour but in the end I really didn't need to be since it turned out quite well.

I enjoyed listening to the audio version of Lethal Circuit a lot. I think the narrator Ben Sullivan did a stand up job reading the book and he really made the characters come alive and I thought the way that that he would build up the suspense for the book by using different tones was fantastic. As for the author, I think Lars wrote a great thriller and I was able to get invested with the characters he created and I thought Michael was just awesome.

The plot of the novel was well written (and read). I thought that Michael was a wonderful son to go all the way to China to find his father even though he ended up going through hell and back as well as uncovering some secrets. There was lots of times during the reading that I would have to stop what I was doing just to listen closer because the tension would build and I couldn't wait to find out what was about to go on next.

Overall, I thought that the audiobook was well read. I didn't tune out nearly as much as I thought I might and all I did during those few times when my mind did wander I just went back and listened to what I missed. This is definitely a book I'll be listening to again as well as reading and it is a series I will absolutely be following from here on in.

I would recommend Lethal Circuit to fans who enjoy thrillers, heart pounding adventure with high stakes and a well rounded cast of characters to match a superb plot. The narrator was fantastic and made the story come alive so I'd recommend this one to all audiobook lovers out there who want something that will hold their attention.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

Loved it!
★★★★★

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House of Steel (Unraveled #1) by Raen Smith

 

Summary:

 

Life has a way of coming undone. One single moment can set the undoing in motion, unraveling our neat, tiny stitch of life. For young art professor Delaney Jones, the treacherous spiral begins when she makes one unforgivable mistake - she sleeps with her student. Her silent Wisconsin winter turns deadly after she witnesses the brutal murder of a man she had fought hard to forget. As Delaney battles to deal with the undoing of her tight-stitched life, the small liberal arts university is devastated by the discovery of a bloody crime scene on campus. A mysterious text entangles her in the violent scandal, and Delaney must follow the rules of the anonymous messenger to stop the perpetuating descent toward death. But the line between good and evil is blurry. And maybe, just maybe, there is no line at all.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 324 pages (Papaerback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: June 23rd 2013 by Raen Smith Publishing

 

When I was first approached to review this novel for the author I knew it was going to be a book I really enjoyed and I was 100% correct. House of Steel was one of those books that just blew me away with the writing and since I loved it so much I am going to be intentionally vague and avoid any spoilers in my review.

 

House of Steel is a wonderful thriller, and I'm glad to see a woman writing in a genre that while it has some great stand out female authors it is still dominated by men. Raen Smith is a prime example of how well female authors can pen excellent, heart pounding gorey thrillers.

 

Anyway, when I read the novel it had been ages since I read a thriller so when I picked this one (and the one that follows it) up to read I was jonesing for a read that would have me on the edge of my seat and this one totally did. I loved how the author was able to weave so many different things into the plot of the book and make everything come together so cohesively that I couldn't help but love it.

 

The characters, were actually a lot more well developed than I thought they would be. I thought this would be more of a plot driven thriller but the plot as well as the characters equally made the book as good as it was. I liked that the characters actually had some very good development to them and I ended up rooting for Delaney a lot more in the end than I would have thought when I first started the book.

 

Overall, I thought that Raen Smith put forth a fantastic debut novel with complex characters and a fascinating, engaging plot that kept me guessing and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I loved the violence and the gore and I thought that it was great to see a female author writing in the genre.

 

I would recommend House of Steel to fans of darker thrillers who want to show their support for a fantastic indie author.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

Loved It!
★★★★★

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One Fine Day You're Gonna Die (Rapid Reads: Charlie D #2) by Gail Bowen

 

Summary:

 

Charlie D is back doing his late-night radio call-in show. It's Halloween--The Day of the Dead. Not a day filled with good memories for Charlie, but the show must go on. His studio guest this evening is Dr. Robin Harris, an arrogant and ambitious "expert in the arts of dying and grieving," who also seems to be auditioning for her own radio talk show. Charlie and Dr. Harris do not hit it off. Things go from bad to worse when the doctor's ex-lover, Gabe, goes on air to announce that he's about to end his life. Dr. Harris is entirely unsympathetic until she learns that Gabe also has her daughter Kali and plans to poison her too. It will take all of Charlie D's on-air skills to save both Gabe and Kali.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 93 pages (Paperback)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: October 1st 2010 by Raven Books

 

A few years back I picked up the first book in this series Love You to Death because when Mr. Turning the Pages and I first started dating I kind of went into a big reading slump that lasted months and that one helped get me out of the slump. A few years went by and in May of this year I realized there were two more books in this series and One Fine Day You're Gonna Die looked good and I wanted to read more about the protagonist Charlie D so I had to read it.

 

I wasn't expecting a lot from this novella because as much as I enjoyed the first book in the series it was only a three star read for me and this one turned out to be not as good as the first.. While I was happy to revisit Charlie D I found myself to be a little let down by the fact that we didn't learn anything more about him as a character. I was hoping that despite the crime aspect of the story that more of his past would be revealed but I was sorely disappointed.

 

The plot line of this one just didn't seem to flow together as well as the one in the first novella in the series. While I was reading it I often found my mind wandering and I would struggle to stay focused on the story. I think much of this was because the characters were so one dimensional. There was very little character development and with a lackadaisical plot line things just didn't mesh well. I found all the characters to be rather annoying because they weren't explained enough. I understand that with a novella things have to be condensed but this one seemed as though everything of importance relating to the story line had be edited out and we were left with a shell of a book.

 

I was unconvinced by Dr. Harris. I've might my fair share of narcissistic doctors but this lady really took the cake. Everything was about her even other people's grief and she tried to tell them that people put them through grief and can basically turn that off by moving on as if it was the simplest thing  in the bloody world. She made me so angry and every time she became the focus of the book I cringed. Even the fact that the man kidnapped her daughter it didn't seem to shake her all that much and I found that to be so wrong I just wanted to reach through the book and strangle her.

 

I also was unconvinced by the idea of Gabe kidnapping the doctor's daughter just because she slighted him. This was supposed to be a crime novella and most of the book wasn't even about the crime and it seemed like the author just kind of let things slide a little too much and then was rushing to bring the story together but for me it simply did not work.

 

Overall, I found that One Fine Day You're Gonna Die was a bit of a disappointment. When I finished the book I originally gave it 3 stars because it didn't seem so bad. But, as I started writing this review and really analyzing the book and how I felt about it I think it deserves a much lower rating. I just expected more from it and for it to be on par with the first book in the series. However, just because I didn't enjoy this one it does not mean I will not be picking up book three to read soon just to see how things progress with Charlie D and I also plan on picking up another of the author's other books to try out as well.

 

I would recommend this to fans of novellas who are looking for a darker sort of read perhaps for a day at the beach or for someone trying to get into the genre or back into reading. Reading the first book isn't necessary to read One Fine Day You're Gonna Die but I do recommend it so you get a bit of a feel for Charlie D. 

 

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge

 

Not For Me!
★

 

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*[Blog Tour Review] Angelguard by Ian Acheson

 

Summary:

 

Within a period of weeks, three horrific bomb blasts devastate areas of London, Los Angeles, and Sydney. No explanation is offered, no victory claimed for these acts of terror. Yet behind the scenes a Machiavellian European businessman, aided by the dark forces to whom he has sold his soul, is planning to bring the richest nations to their knees for his own evil purposes. Jack Haines, an Australian academic, is grieving the loss of wife and children in the Sydney blast. Against his will, he finds himself thrown into a war that transcends the physical world, a conflict in which angelic guards have a special mission for him. But how will Jack respond when angels turn out to be more than precious porcelain statues? And will he accept that he has been chosen to fight for the future of mankind?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 384 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date:  February 1st 2013 by Monarch Books      

 

 

I'm always up for giving a new author a try so when the good folks over at Kregel Publications had the sign ups for this book I thought it was a good opportunity to read and review a book that normal would have been passed over by me simply because it's not my typical sort of read.

 

Angelguard was definitely a unique read. I've never read a Christian supernatural thriller before so I'm glad I branched out to read this one and get a taste for the genre. I thought the parts in the book about the Angelic and Demonic realms quite intriguing and was probably my favourite part of the book and I kind of wish the author went into further detail.

 

The plot as a whole was interesting and was very fast paced. There was a lot of action and enough thrills to keep me reading and the battle scenes were definitely adrenaline pumping and had me on the edge of my seat.

 

While I enjoyed the basic plot lines and the action in the novel I found that the characters could have had a little more substance and I thought they were a little outrageous and I thought the dialogue was a little out there and seemed slightly robotic but for a first novel there are bound to be some kinks.

 

Overall, I liked Angelguard. It had a very interesting plot and one that I haven't seen before. While the book could be a wee bit too religious for me in some parts but that's just personal preference. I enjoyed the author's writing style and think that the book was a nice debut and a solid start to a new series. 

 

I would recommend this to fans of Christian Fiction who want to read a fast paced apocalyptic disaster novel with a supernatural twists with Angels, humans, and Demons.

 

 *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Liked it!
★★★

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Zoo by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

 

Summary:

 

Once in a lifetime, a writer puts it all together. This is James Patterson's best book ever. Total
For 36 years, James Patterson has written unputdownable, pulse-racing novels. Now, he has written a book that surpasses all of them. ZOO is the thriller he was born to write.

World

All over the world, brutal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the violence to come becomes terrifyingly clear.

Destruction

With the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, Oz races to warn world leaders before it's too late. The attacks are growing in ferocity, cunning, and planning, and soon there will be no place left for humans to hide. With wildly inventive imagination and white-knuckle suspense that rivals Stephen King at his very best, James Patterson's ZOO is an epic, non-stop thrill ride from "One of the best of the best." (TIME)

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 416 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print & E-book

Publication Date: September 3rd 2012 by Little, Brown and Company

 

This was my first time reading one of James Patterson's adult novels. I've read a couple of his young adult novels before and enjoyed them so when I saw the premise for this one I really wanted to read it and expected it to wow me.

 

Unfortunately that wasn't the case with this book. The reason why I wanted to give it a try was because it sounded like it was an intense read and one that I had actually heard some pretty good things about so when I finished the book and didn't end up liking it I was pretty upside.

 

To me the novel was too jumping and all over the place. It started off on a high note with some attacks within the first few pages but after about page 80 or slow the fast pace really slowed down and from then on it was a huge struggle to continue reading it until the end.

 

One of the main issues I had with the book was that it lacked depth. I mean I didn't go into the book expecting it to be a work that rivaled the literary greats but I expected it to have a certain amount of detail in when it came to the characters and the over all story line. I noticed that the tone of the book seemed to be a little young even though the main characters were in there late twenties to early thirties and it just didn't seem right.

 

The characters were very one dimensional. I didn't really get to know them at all. They lacked in personality and when I finished the book it was like I didn't know much about them at all and I think having well rounded is essential to having a well rounded book. There was absolutely nothing likable about any of the characters because there was so little known about them and the little we did know had them coming off as arrogant and annoying.

 

The story really did have a lot of potential. The whole premise of the book really did have promise. To me it was a bit of a mixture of the new Planet of the Apes movie the one with James Franco. The whole animals rebelling thing while it has been done before it's one of my favourite themes in a book. However I don't think that this book reached it's full potential.

 

As I said before both the characters and the story lacked detail. Another issue I had with the writing was that the story was always jumping from one thought to the next and it lacked continuity. There were many points in the book that the plot jumped so quickly I would have to go back and re-read a few pages here and there to make sure I didn't miss anything.

 

Overall this Zoo didn't appeal to me. This would have been a lot better if it had been better thought out and more attention was paid to certain things. It's a shame really because I wanted to like it. I really did and that is why I read the book right on through to the end in hopes it would get better. However, the beginning, middle and the end all disappointed me.

 

While I didn't like this novel I do see how it would appeal to other readers so I would recommend this to fans of James Patterson. Though I would personally suggest borrowing it from the library first in case you are a little wary. Even though I was disappointed by Zoo I do plan on reading another of the author's books geared towards adults in the near future.

 

Not for me!
★

 

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Excavation by James Rollins

 

Summary:

 

While on an expedition to Peru, archaeologist Dr. Henry Conklin makes several startling discoveries. High amid the snow-capped Andes a mysterious mummy is found hidden in a cave. And deep in the sweltering jungle below, the remains of an ancient Incan city hidden from human eyes for centuries is unearthed.

Nestled between two soaring peaks, this mysterious ancient territory called the Cloud Ruins has remained undisturbed for centuries, protected by ingenious traps that only the most clever and courageous dare to maneuver. But where the perilous journey inward ends--in the cold, shrouded heart of a breathtaking necropolis--something else is waiting for Conklin, his nephew, Sam, and their exploratory party. A thing created by Man, yet not human. Something powerful . . . something astonishing . . . something terrifying. And now their amazing adventure of discovery has been transformed into the ultimate challenge: survival.

Don't miss this classic James Rollins novel, set deep in the mysterious jungles of South America.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 626 pages (Large print paperback)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date:  July 3rd 2000

 

I'm a bit late to the whole James Rollins party it seems but it's better to be late than never! Before I borrowed Excavation from the library I had been wanting to give his books a try for ages but I didn't know where to start. Then I found this one when I did a library search and it looked like a good place to start.

 

As you probably already know I am a huge history buff so the fact that this book dealt with the history and myths surround the Incan people I was all for it. Especially since this book was coveted by fans of one of my favourite authors Clive Cussler.

 

The book started off with a bang. We're taken 500 years into the past while a young Dominican priest is on the run from a gang of Incan warriors through the jungle as he tries to escape from them and leave a message for people in the future before he dies. Then we're fast forwarded to the present when an archaeological dig is taking place in the area where the Dominican Priest was found but this is no normal archaeological dig and the jungles of Peru hold more secrets than you or I can imagine.

 

I loved the setting of this book. I haven't read a lot of books set in South America but when it comes to this genre its one of my favourite locations. There's so much mystery, history and danger associated with that part of the world it makes it a perfect locale for this type of book and James Rollin's created an great story that took place in Peru.

 

Right away I was hooked on the story line I love how the book opened in the past and then fast forwarded to present day. I was thinking that maybe the book would be told in two different times one in the past and one in the present day so I was really pleased to see that 99% of the book was written in the present day.

 

I thought that while the characters of Henry, his nephew Sam, Maggie, Denal and Norman were good characters on the surface they lacked a lot of depth. I for one wish that I could have gotten to know them on a deeper level because they were the main characters so I felt the that the story could have used a bit more of the personal touch in that aspect. I also wish that the bad guys in the novel had a little more depth to them as well because they seemed like they were really transparent.

 

The plot was a good one, albeit one that I have seen various derivations of in the past when it comes to this novel but the whole idea of the book being about a lost tribe of immortal Incans was interesting. I wish there was more detail involved in the creation of the tribe and when the tribe was talked about as well as the creatures that inhabited the areas around the tribe. I liked that part of the book a lot but I think it could have used more detail.

 

While the book had a lot of adrenaline rushing moments the spaces in between got rather slow at times and I couldn't wait for things to get going again. There were parts of the book that I think the story could have been left out because they didn't really add anything of substance to the novel.

 

The book did have it's fair share of high and low points like any novel does and perhaps I'm just being picky because this is the first book I've read by the author and I'm just getting used to  his writing style but overall in terms of the plot and characters I felt that the novel lacked a lot of critical detail and things were rushed over and sometimes the book felt more like an abridged version of a novel rather than the full length novel. Plus there were a couple of plot holes that I cannot for the life of me figure out where as well as having some unnecessary plot fillers in the book that slowed down the pace of the novel.

 

The writing was the one main thing I liked. While the story lacked detail I could tell that the author did a fair amount of research to give the book an authentic Peruvian setting and the book was able to keep me reading late into the night despite my issues. I think that maybe the author needed to balance out the characters as well as the storyline with more. The bones of a great novel was there but for me as much as I did enjoy this one I think it held a lot more promise than was achieved.

 

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read an adrenaline filled novel that loves history, cults and lost civilizations this book might just be your next great read. While this book didn't turn out the way I wanted it to I still enjoyed it and I'm glad this was the first book I've read by the author. I hope I like his other books as well and I can't wait for my holds of Amazonia and Subterranean to come in at the library so I can read more of his writing soon! Hopefully I have better luck with them.

 

Liked it!
★ ★ ★

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