Clicking on the link under Books I’ve Read, NetGalley Haul,and Email Haul will take you to Goodreads.
Clicking on the link under Books with Pending Reviews will take you to Amazon.
Clicking on the link under Freebies I Scored (which were free at the time I got them.) will take you to Amazon, BookFunnel, or Prolific Works (I will say which one next to the title).
Sisters Bree and Alissa Walker share a special bond. Neglected by their parents, they have always looked out for one another. But one day, sixteen-year-old Alissa goes missing. When Bree discovers her green backpack with all her belongings, abandoned on the steps of their run-down trailer, she knows that something bad has happened …
Then she receives a chilling text message. Someone has Alissa. But Bree will have to give up something very precious in exchange.
Desperate to save Alissa, Bree looks at everyone close to their family. She’s sure that Alissa’s best friend is keeping something back about her little sister and a boy at school, and why has their estranged uncle, who they’ve not seen in years, been hanging around again?
It soon becomes clear that the person behind the message knows a lot about the dark truths within the Walker family and will go to any lengths to get revenge. And as the search for Alissa continues, Bree discovers something about her brother Tyler that she wishes she hadn’t, a dangerous secret, which is also the key to bringing her little sister back home …
My Review:
I am a huge fan of thrillers. I love being kept on edge while reading a book and not knowing what will happen next. When I read the blurb of I Know You, I knew that this was going to be a good book. My expectation of the book was met and then some.
The plotline of I Know You was frightening. When Bree sees Alissa’s backpack sitting on the steps of the trailer they live at, she has a feeling something terrible happened. Her feelings were confirmed when she gets a text that tells her Alissa has been kidnapped and not to go to the police. The kidnapper wants Bree to do one thing. She needs to find her brother, Tyler, and bring him to the kidnapper. As Bree searches for Tyler and Alissa, she learns that each has secrets. It is Tyler’s secrets that have an impact on her search. Will Bree find Alissa? What is Tyler’s secret? How will if effect Bree’s search?
I Know You was a very fast paced book. The plotline flew from the minute Bree got that text to the end. There were a few times where the plotline lagged, but the author was able to pull it back on track.
The characters in I Know You were dysfunctional. They were not likable. That is what made this book such a great read. Even though I didn’t like them, I could relate to them. These characters are like people that I deal with daily. That relatability made the book a good read for me.
I wasn’t surprised that Tyler was somehow involved in Alissa’s disappearance. I didn’t like him. Something about him grated on me. He reminded me of people I have known in the past.
I liked Bree. She was as tough as nails, and she was doing whatever it took to get Alissa back.
The secrets in this book were the backbone. Everyone had secrets. Each secret was worse than the last one.
There were a couple of twists in the plot that made me go huh? The first twist involved why Alissa got taken. It made zero sense to me until the second twist was revealed. That’s when I went “It makes sense now.”
The end of I Know You was great. The author didn’t hold back anything when everything was revealed about why Alissa was kidnapped. I felt bad for the kidnapper. The only thing I didn’t like was the very end. It made me go “Why?” when I read it.
I would give I Know You an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is violence. I would reccomend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread I Know You. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
Personal:
Miss R: She had a ton going on this past week. First, she had Kindergarten Orientation. She got to play on the playground at the elementary school while I sat in a 30 min meeting. The next day, she had her first T-Ball game. She wasn’t motivated at all (which cracked me up). She walked the bases. She walked to get the ball. She covered her face with her glove. She played with her hat. You guys get the theme here…lol. Yesterday, she had her 2nd T-Ball game. I didn’t go because we had to divide and conquer.
Miss B: Out of the three kids, she was actually the least busy. Which was great because I had my hands full with the other two. She had a concert at LRU. It was her middle school, the other middle school, and the main highschool putting it on. Her middle school rocked!!! They headlined the concert (with a total of 5 pieces performed). So, yes, I am a proud band mama here :).
Mr Z: He had a busy week this week. Thursday, he went to the orthodontist and got a palate spreader installed. Yeah, he wasn’t happy about that. We also found out at that appointment that he’s to get 4 teeth pulled with more in the future. He goes in 2 weeks to get it done. Again, he’s not happy about that. Monday, his elementary school had a tour of the middle school. When he came home, we (and Miss R) went back to the middle school to sign him up for Orchestra. He’s playing the violin. We went home and then we went back at 6pm for his Parent Orientation.
Me: So, considering the week I’ve had since last Thursday, I am happy to be staying home tonight and relaxing. Then back to running around. Lucky me. I did forget to mention, last week, that my garden is up. We planted potatoes, onions, leeks, corn, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, cayenne pepper, lettuce, and cabbage. We also have a raspberry bush that is growing out of control and a strawberry plant that is already producing strawberries (plus BK planted 4 more in that general vicinity that are sprouting)
Reading/Reviews/Blog:
I didn’t read anything from my WWW from last week. I ended up rearranging my list. I have books that I need to read ASAP because, well, I forgot about them <wince>.
I have caught up with reviews. I can’t even begin to express how happy I am. Now, to keep it that way!!
I had to DNF a book this past week. Which I wasn’t happy about. I could not get into it. I couldn’t even get past the first chapter.
Nothing new going on with my blog. I’ve decided to leave well enough alone.
What I am currently reading:
click on the picture for the Amazon link
Is Chloe ready to travel into the shadows?
Chloe Chastain thought the mysterious stranger from the internet was just another obsessed fan of her favorite vampire books, and she grew close to him, letting him see into her soul. When she discovered that he was the actual dangerous vampire, Theodore Dupont, from her favorite books, she vowed to forget him.
After an encounter with her childhood bully goes horribly wrong, she knows Theodore is the only one she can turn to for help, and she travels to New Orleans to find him. As she learns all about the world of the vampires and her role in it, she tries to resist her connection with Theodore, but she’s not even sure if she wants to anymore.
When she finds out how much is at stake for not only Theodore and herself, but the entire New Orleans supernatural community, she’s forced to make an impossible choice.
Fans of The Vampire Diaries and Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles will love this Southern gothic young adult vampire romance.
I recently finished reading:
click on the picture for the Amazon link
Tough, tender-hearted Frankie Devereux doesn’t have time to babysit a smooth-talking football player who’s supposed to be doing community service at her after-school center for troubled teens. She’s dealing with serious stuff – gang problems, a homeless pregnant girl and scraping together enough money to keep her center open.
But when a dark secret from her past threatens Frankie and the existence of her program, Cal tries to step up and help. But with his career on the line, which will he choose? Football? Or Frankie and her vulnerable kids?
What books I think I’ll read next? (click on the pictures for Amazon links)
Sisters Bree and Alissa Walker share a special bond. Neglected by their parents, they have always looked out for one another. But one day, sixteen-year-old Alissa goes missing. When Bree discovers her green backpack with all her belongings, abandoned on the steps of their run-down trailer, she knows that something bad has happened …
Then she receives a chilling text message. Someone has Alissa. But Bree will have to give up something very precious in exchange.
Desperate to save Alissa, Bree looks at everyone close to their family. She’s sure that Alissa’s best friend is keeping something back about her little sister and a boy at school, and why has their estranged uncle, who they’ve not seen in years, been hanging around again?
It soon becomes clear that the person behind the message knows a lot about the dark truths within the Walker family and will go to any lengths to get revenge. And as the search for Alissa continues, Bree discovers something about her brother Tyler that she wishes she hadn’t, a dangerous secret, which is also the key to bringing her little sister back home …
“Her parents are dead. The government has failed her. Now she doesn’t even know who she is. Terza Blackstone is rescued by handsome Irishman Tristan Devlin and that begins the search for her true identity. When everything you thought was yours has been stolen from you, there’s only one thing to do. Steal it all back. What do gypsies, the Witness Protection Program, a drug cartel, and a young girl running for her life have in common?”
Three years ago, Rikki Albemarle watched her best friend die at the hands of a supernatural evil. Certain she was slated to be the next victim, Rikki fled her small Smoky Mountain hometown, vowing to never come back. Plagued by nightmares and knowing she’s the only one who believes Mina’s death was no accident, Rikki returns with hopes of finding answers and holding the killer accountable.
Rikki is convinced the key to unlocking the secret of Mina’s death lies with Owen Amir, the alluring young army vet who once claimed her heart. But the deeper Rikki digs into Owen’s past, the more she’s torn between the urgings of her heart and her memories of him on the night Mina died.
After falling further into the rabbit hole, Rikki lands at the feet of an ancient and powerful evil determined to finish what it started years before. To survive, she’ll have to make a decision: believe Owen is the monster she always feared he might be or trust him enough to stay and fight for a second chance at love.
Based on a true story.
When her homeland is conquered by the mighty Alexander the Great, Roxana—the daughter of a mere chieftain—is torn from her simple life and thrown into a world of war and intrigue.
Terrified, the sixteen-year-old girl of renowned beauty is brought before the greatest ruler the world has ever known. Her life is in his hands; her future his to decide.
Without formal education or noble blood, Roxana is chosen by the Greek conqueror to be his bride. Soon she comes to know profound happiness and unyielding desire in her warrior’s arms.
However, being the king’s consort comes at a heavy price. To survive her husband’s treacherous kingdom, she must endure continuous warfare, deadly plots, jealous rivals, victory-hungry generals, and the stigma of being a barbarian. Persian blood will keep her from claiming the grandest title of all—queen—but her reign will seal the fate of an empire.
History tells his story. This is hers.
Firefighter Gianna Fallon struggles to hide her unusual talents – especially her ability to control fire. But when she and Callan Doyle are tasked with taking down a compound creating warriors with superpowers, both will need every tool they possess.
Callan Doyle, surfer and former SEAL, hates what happened when he began receiving the mysterious injections that changed who he was. Still, he’ll use those changes to help destroy that compound.
But a powerful evil hides in plain sight in the compound, making their task more treacherous. As a net slowly surrounds them, can they neutralize the evil in the compound before the net pulls tight and evil eliminates them?
Someone took your daughter. And nobody believes you …
Then: Three-year-old Ally was found alone in a parking lot. She was barefoot and dressed only in a yellow sundress. In the middle of winter. What kind of person would abandon their daughter?
Now: Fifteen years later and Ally has a new family. But her real father has sent her a letter. And now Ally is missing.
A gripping twist-filled thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Teresa Driscoll.
My review:
Ally was found in a parking lot of a mall at 3 years old. With her was a sign that said “Free to good home” and nearby was the body of a woman who had committed suicide. Ally was adopted shortly later by the couple who found her. 15 years later, Ally is 18 years old. She receives a letter from a man claiming to be her biological father. Against her father’s wishes, she goes to meet with him. Only to disappear. Now her parents are frantically searching for her. Where is Ally?
I have reviewed for Erik Therme before and I generally like his book. So when he emailed me and asked me to review KeepHerClose, I said: “Why not“. Usually, his book are solid and a good read. Then I read Keep Her Close and came out disappointed.
The book started off well enough and it was focused until Ally disappeared. At that point, the book started going off on tangents that made no sense to the original plotline. Like when Cal was tied up at the hotel. Did I need to know who Tucker was? Did I need to know who Gary was? I didn’t need to know the background between Tucker and Gary. It had no bearing to the plot at all. There were a bunch of scenarios like that in the book. It took away from the plotline. If the book had stuck to one main plotline and one or two sub-plotlines, I would have been alright.
I could not connect to any of the characters. Dan’s anger issues made his character unlikable. Holly seemed co-dependent and useless. Cal gave me stalker vibes. And Nick was scum. Ally got on my nerves.
There were parts of the book I did like. I thought that it was well written. There was a good suspenseful element to the book also. I liked the relationship that Dan, Holly, and Ally had. I also liked the relationship that Cal and Maddie had.
I didn’t like how the book ended. I don’t like it when books end in cliffhangers. So when the book ended the way it did, I went “Whaaaaat!!!“. I ended up rereading the last few chapters of the book to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Which I didn’t. It frustrated me to read that. I wanted to know what was in that letter!!
I gave Keep Her Close a 3-star rating. I was disappointed in this book. The plotline was all over the place with unneeded tangents. The characters were not likable. And there was a huge cliffhanger ending. There were elements of the book that I did like. I thought it was well written. There was a good suspense element to the book. I also liked the family relationships that were shown.
I would give Keep Her Close an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They are child abandonment, kidnapping, the death of a child, stalking and suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I am on the fence if I would reread Keep Her Close. I am also on the fence if I would reccomend this book to family and friends.
I would like to thank the author and Bookoutre for allowing me to read and review Keep Her Close.
All opinions stated in this review of Keep Her Close are mine.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**