Storm Warning - David Bell

Do you ever look at the cover of a book in your TBR pile and immediately choose it for your next read? I just did! 

I was looking for an 'action' read, if you know what I mean. David Bell's latest book, Storm Warning, was the perfect choice.

Ten people are the last residents who live in a crumbling building on a barrier island in Florida. That's not the last thing they need to worry about - a hurricane might be headed their way. And ... I'm going to let you find out what else could might happen to these folks...

There's a great lead character in Storm Warning. Jake's just an ordinary guy trying to do the right thing for everybody - and stay alive. The supporting characters are a mixed bag - you'll have fun guessing if everyone is telling the truth. 

The setting is really easy to imagine and Bell's descriptions paint vivid images for the reader.

The plotting is good and imaginative. I did see one element coming early - but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Storm Warning. 

And I can absolutely see this book as a movie. It's got a vintage Brice Willis feel to it.

The Damage - Caitlin Wahrer

The Damage is Caitlin Wahrer's debut novel - and I literally could not put it down. 

"An edgy, propulsive read about what a family pushed to the brink will do in the name of love and blood."

Tony is more like a father to his younger brother Nick. When Nick is sexually assaulted, Tony sees red. Tony's wife Julia is the voice of reason - she's a lawyer and believes justice will be served in the court system. Detective Rice is the cop on the case and he too believes Nick will have his day in court. 

Wahrer employs one of my all time favourite methods of storytelling - alternating past and present chapters. She takes us to 2015,  the time of the assault and investigation. Each of the main characters - Tony, Julie, Nick and Rice have a voice, allowing the reader to know what everyone is feeling, thinking, planning - and hiding. The time frame then flips to 2019. Rice and Julia are the focus of these newer posts. Rice is not well and wants to know.....what really happened back then? Does Julia know what answers Rice is looking for? 

There are so many layers to Wahrer's plot - the assault is tough to read about and will provoke many emotions for readers.  We see the impact through the four different perspectives and how this affects each member of the family. Wahrer's depiction of the aftermath rings true. She herself is a lawyer and "has worked on cases involving some of the broad issues she writes about in The Damage". Her portrayal of the assault is respectful and seems to have been well researched. Social commentary is also scattered throughout and speaks to preconceptions.

Those feelings, emotions, actions and reactions drive the second part of the plot, the one that will keep you wondering. What really happened? Wahrer ekes out references, clues and hints along the way to the final pages. And the twist that awaits you at the end of the book is a really good one!

The Damage is a powerful debut, combining suspense, family ties, mental health, trauma and more into one addicting read. I can't wait to see what Wahrer writes next. Read an excerpt of The Damage.

Who else loved The Damage? Stephen King says "The Damage pulled me in from the first page with smart narration, characters I cared about, a hold-your-breath plot, and a terrific final twist. Put this one high on your summer list.

A Stranger in Town - Kelley Armstrong

Oh, I've been eagerly waiting for this next entry in Kelley Armstrong's addictive 'Rockton' series! The sixth book is A Stranger in Town.

Quick catch-up for those of you who haven't read this series yet. (Start at the beginning with City of the Lost!) Rockton is a town that doesn't exist on any map, completely off-grid, hidden in the Yukon. The residents? They're all running from something or hiding from someone. Nobody asks too many questions. A town full of liars, thieves and criminals provides a wealth of opportunities for story telling. But even this town needs some laws - and someone to enforce them. That's where Detective Casey Duncan comes in - she was a homicide cop 'down south'. She and Sheriff Eric Dalton are partners at work - and at home. 

But occasionally the anonymity of Rockton is breached. In a Stranger in Town, a Danish tourist is found outside the barrier wall of Rockton, gravely injured. What -  or maybe who -attacked her? Strangers aren't welcome in Rockton though, so the sooner she's gone, the better.

Why do I love this series so much? I'm fascinated with the idea of a hidden town in the northern reaches of Canada. It's certainly a possibility. Armstrong's imagining of this is so detailed, from settings inside the walls and beyond. The outlying settlements and other wilderness dwellers have opened up so many plot lines. 

The characters are just as well drawn. Casey is such a great lead - she's tough, intelligent and determined - but not perfect. I really enjoy her internal reasoning and subsequent deductions as she investigates. Her relationship with Dalton is well written. I'm not a big romance reader, but Armstrong does it well. Their relationship is believable, not 'over the top' and enhances the book, rather than being the main focus. There are many, many supporting players, each with their own secrets, strengths and weaknesses. They all have a role to play and I've come to appreciate how they add to the overall depth of the plots and the fabric of Rockton. Storm the dog, with his baleful looks and chuffing, is a favorite of mine.

The mysteries Armstrong presents are not easily solved and I quite like being kept guessing .This latest is no exception.

There's always more to want from this series. The details on the settlements and the hostiles have been slowly eked out over the previous five books. A Stranger in Town gives us answers I couldn't have imagined. And there's a satisfying resolution that closes this latest case. But, that last chapter leaves the reader - and Rockton - wondering what's next for their town and the residents. I cannot wait for the next entry!  Armstrong's work is just so, so...well, so readable! And addictive. See for yourself - here's an excerpt of A Stranger in Town.

Last Ones Left Alive - Sarah Davis-Goff

I am inevitably drawn to apocalyptic and post apocalyptic fiction, fascinated by what an author imagines our future might hold. And more than a little bit frightened, given the times we're living in.

I read the premise of Sarah Davis-Goff's novel, Last Ones Left Alive, and knew it was one I wanted to read. I picked it up on a snowy Sunday and literally couldn't put it down. Yes, it's that good!

Orpen has been raised by her Mam and Maeve on a deserted island off the coast of Ireland. When she turned seven she started her training. Training to defend herself against the skrake - a threat she's never seen. But as the years pass, Orpen wants to know more. More than the edited version that her Mam and Maeve provide. What's on the mainland? Are there others left? 

Davis-Goff tells her story from Orpen's point of view. We meet her in the first chapter, finally on the mainland, pushing Maeve in a wheelbarrow. What led to this point? Where is she going? What will she find? The answers to those questions and more are provided in a past and present narrative. This is a writing device that I really enjoy. Although, it does keep me up very late as I simply can't stop turning pages. I simply need to know what happened and what is happening.

The skrake are the dead, incredibly fast and their bite will kill you. But, there are indeed other humans still left on the mainland. And yes, you guessed it. Their paths will cross with Orpen's. Those scenes, the danger and the uncertainty all make for an action packed read. Davis-Goff has done a fantastic job - the tension is palpable as we travel alongside of Orpen. (And the urge to flip ahead to see if things 'work out' is very hard to deny.) 

But along with this, Last Ones Left Alive is a coming of age story, a story of mothers and daughters, a finding of ones own self and purpose. Emotions, interactions, loss, desire and more are woven into Orpen's story and journey. 

I mentioned enjoying the imaginings of an author's take on our future. I really enjoyed Davis-Goff's take on what might be left. And how a young woman might find herself and her place in such a world. An excellent, five star read for me. Read an excerpt of Last Ones Left Alive. 

"Remember your just-in-cases. Beware tall buildings. Always have your knives."

Confessions on the 7:45 - Lisa Unger

Have you ever looked at a book and thought, 'Oh, I'll just take a quick peek at the first chapter'? And then that quick peek turns into the second and third chapter ..... and all of a sudden you're halfway through the book and can't put it down? Uh huh. You have been warned - if you start reading Lisa Unger's latest book, Confessions on the 7:45, you're not going to be able to stop.

I have always thought this premise was such a great starting point (including the classic film, Strangers on a Train) - there are so many places a story can go from there. Two women, Selena and Martha, are on a stalled train, a conversation starts - and 'confessions' are shared. "Don't you ever wish your problems would take care of themselves?" The trains moves on and so do the women, not expecting to ever see each other again. Until..."Maybe we should meet for a drink. I'm eager to continue our conversation. It's Martha, by the way. From the train."

Are you hooked yet? Confessions on the 7:45 is told from many points of view. Each of those characters is hiding something - secrets abound! Unger has outdone herself with the twists and turns in this book. There's more than one gotcha in this tale. I was caught off guard as the seemingly disparate threads start to weave together. You won't be able to predict what's next.

I really can't say more without creating spoilers. And I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed Confessions on the 7:45. While that initial premise is not new, Unger's take on the tale is unique and makes for addictive reading. Absolutely recommended. Read an excerpt of Confessions on the 7:45.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway - Ruth Ware

Oh, Ruth Ware, you've done it again - kept me up very late, frantically turning page after page.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway has just released - and it's one you're going to want to add to your summer reading list.

Harriet (who goes by the nickname Hal) makes her living as a tarot card reader on the pier in Brighton. When her mother passed away, Hal stepped into the job. But, she's in financial straits and owes the local loan shark. When a letter arrives from a lawyer telling her that her grandmother has died and asking her to attend the funeral and reading of the will, Hal is sure it is a mistake. Right name, wrong person. But......maybe also a chance to clear those debts?

"And she felt a shiver of something run through her - the same shiver she felt she switched on the light outside her booth, and stepped into her role."

Great set up! And it just gets better from there. The Death of Mrs. Westaway has all the elements of a great Gothic tale - a death, crumbling old mansion, dour housekeeper, bickering relatives, odd behavior and of course - secrets. A past and present narrative keeps the reader guessing as to what those secrets might be. The past is presented in journal entries from an unknown writer. Clues to the final answers can be found in the entries, but Ware's narrative is clever, keeping the reader guessing to the last pages. In the present, it's hard to be sure who is telling the truth. Each family member seems to have secrets they'd like to keep buried. A pervasive sense of danger haunts the halls of Trepassen House......

The Death of Mrs. Westaway was a deliciously creepy, addictive, page turning, wonderful read for me. (But I finished it too quickly!) See for yourself - here's an excerpt. (And I learned quite a bit about tarot cards along the way as well.) Definitely recommended!

A Simple Favor - Darcey Bell

A Simple Favor is Darcey Bell's debut novel.

Miles and Nicky attend the same school. Miles's mom Stephanie, is a stay at home widowed parent and Nicky's mom, Emily, is a married working mom. The moms make seemingly unlikely friends, but they are. So, when Emily asks Stephanie if she can pick up Nicky from school now and then, Stephanie is happy to oblige.

But ..."It's been two days since she hasn't shown up or gotten in touch with me or returned my texts or calls. Something terrible has happened. She's vanished. I have no idea where she is."

A great premise that opens up a wealth of what-ifs and possibilities....

Stephanie is the narrator of part one of A Simple Favor. She's not sure what to do - Emily's husband Sean is out of town. Maybe Emily just got caught up at work, maybe she's on her way? But Stephanie does take the time to write a post on her mommy blog asking everyone to keep an eye out for her best friend. The tone of Stephanie's blog entries and self dialogue was pitch perfect. Somewhat obnoxious, self-serving, self-deprecating, self-righteous and self-delusional. As the search for Emily is finally undertaken, Stephanie makes herself available to help Sean and Nicky in any way she can.Any way. The reader is left wondering what has really happened - did Stephanie have anything to do with Emily's disappearance or perhaps Sean knows more than he is telling.

The second part belongs to Emily and the third part is Sean's voice. Each character is unlikable and unreliable. I'm not going to spoil things for you, revealing any more. But I do want to mention that I was very, very tempted to skip ahead and read the final chapters. But I resisted! Bell delightfully leads the reader down the garden path, leaving them wondering what will happen next. Lots of twists and turns on that path! I will mention that one of the characters has a fondness for Patricia Highsmith novels and Hitchcock films.

A great debut and I look forward to Bell's next book. Read an excerpt of A Simple Favor.

"A Simple Favor was preempted by Fox 2000 for feature development within 36 hours of submission. Foreign rights have already been sold in 24 countries and territories."

"Darcey Bell was born in 1981 and raised on a dairy farm in western Iowa. She is a preschool teacher in Chicago. A Simple Favor is her first novel." You can connect with Darcey on Twitter. See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

I received this book for review from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.