Playing Catch-Up with Reviews

I've been in a reading funk since school has really gotten underway. That and I couldn't log into my blog to update it are my reasons for such a long absence. I guess it turns out that by adding my work email to my home computer, it was blocking my access to Blogger somehow. I finally figured out how to fix this, but I was worried all was lost there for a moment!

I have only read 9 books since my last entry in September, but there were a few I wanted to blog about so in the sake of getting caught up, I'm just going to do a mash-up of some shorter reviews today. Here we go...


The Trapped Girl by Robert Dugoni (Tracy Crosswhite Series #4)

I enjoyed this story quite a bit. The body of a young woman has been discovered crammed into a crab pot in Puget Sound. Before Tracy can find the killer, she must figure out Jane Doe's identity. Could she be a woman who mysteriously disappeared during a mountain hiking excursion? Was she running from someone? This investigation brings up a lot of past trauma for Tracy as she sees parallels between this case and her sister's murder years ago. This mystery is very intriguing and suspenseful. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there would be a twist that messed with my theory. I like a book that can keep me on my toes like this. There were a few parts that slowed the novel down, but in my opinion, it's definitely one of the better books of the series.
My Rating: ★★★★☆


A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena

The people I have spoken to about this book have either loved it or hated it. There wasn't too much in between. I previously reviewed Lapena's novel The Couple Next Door and loved it, so I was anxious to get my hands on her next novel. The story revolves around a seemingly perfect couple, Tom and Karen, and the chain of events that takes place after one less-than-perfect night. Tom returns home from work at his usual time to find the door unlocked, dinner on the stove, and his wife's purse, but Karen is nowhere to be found. He can't get in touch with her and has no idea what could have happened until the cops show up at his doorstep with the news that Karen was in a horrible car crash. Reports state that she was driving erratically while speeding through an unsavory part of town where she had no business being. Karen survives, but cannot remember a single thing. (You've gotta love those unreliable narrators!) Then the body of a man is found where Karen's car had been spotted and better yet, there's evidence at the scene that ties her to the crime. That's when things start to unravel. Secrets are revealed, boundaries are crossed, and chaos ensues.


Overall, I really did like this book. I was kept on my toes by the fact that I didn't know for sure if I could truly trust Karen's narration. It was intense and as events of that unfortunate night were revealed, the momentum of the story forced me to read "just one more chapter" over and over again. My biggest complaint, which is one I seem to share with those who hated this book, is that Tom's character is very unlikable. To be honest, there were times throughout the novel where I disliked Karen as well, but Tom was registering far too high on the douche-o-meter for my tastes. I'm only taking one star off for this offense, because while he was annoyingly awful, I found him to be authentic and real. I could picture a lot of men behaving the way he does in similar circumstances. It's unfortunate, yes, but I appreciate the fact that Lapena isn't afraid to make her characters human. Getting a break from the cookie-cutter good guy can be a relief sometimes!
My Rating: ★★★★☆


The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

In this novel, a young girl disappears while her family is searching the woods for a Christmas tree. Local authorities aren't able to track the child down. Three years go by before Naomi, the titular "child finder," is brought in to work her magic. Naomi is a former foster child who works as an investigator specializing in finding missing children. She has a reputation for being the best at finding answers in cases like these, even if the answers are the parents' worst fears.  The story is told through various narrators, mostly Naomi and the little girl. While it was a unique story, I found it very unsettling. Witnessing the trauma that the girl experiences was just too heavy at times. I appreciate that Denfeld was brave enough to describe such atrocities as seen through the eyes of the child, but there was just something about it that I had a hard time stomaching. I might just be a tad too sensitive when it comes to these things, but I think it's something to think about if you're considering giving this book a shot.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

I'll be back soon and hopefully my reading game will be back on point by then. Thanks for reading!