Isabella's Reading Corner: Find You in the Dark

Find You in the Dark

Author: Nathan Ripley

Publication Date: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada

Martin Reese has an unusual hobby. He finds the bodies of murder victims that have not yet been discovered. Using old case files for reference, he looks for seemingly random or unimportant clues that police working on the cases originally missed. He keeps photos of the bodies, along with detailed records of how he uncovered them, stored in his 'scrapbook', an old computer which is hidden away in a locked drawer in his house. Once he uncovers the remains he phones 911 anonymously on disposable cells, leading the police to where they are buried. Unfortunately for him, he has caught the attention of a serial killer who is not entirely happy with Martin's activities and is recently making those feelings known. Also hot on Martin's trail is police detective Sandra Whittal who believes he has escalated from being a 'finder' to a murderer.

Martin and his wife Ellen appear to have a good marriage with arguments mainly revolving around her overprotectiveness of their daughter, Kylie. Ellen's sister Tinsley went missing twenty years ago and Ellen believes she was murdered. She's worried the same will happen to Kylie, so she sets heavy boundaries and rules for her. Martin looks specifically for female victims of serial killers in an attempt to find Tinsley and put his wife's mind to rest.

The insight into Martin's personality is fascinating. There's a complexity to him as he conceals what he's doing from his wife and daughter to create some sort of balance within his life and family. He believes he is providing a public service for the victims’ loved ones. However, there might be another motivation that drives him other than providing closure and finding Tinsley's remains. Martin also has a history of secret impulses he's trying to suppress, so there could be an even deeper reason why he is digging up bodies.

The dark and rainy streets of Seattle create the perfect backdrop for the narrative. Author Nathan Ripley conveys such a sense of unease, I was frequently looking over my shoulder as I was reading. Find You in the Dark is a disturbingly sinister novel with plenty of suspense, intriguing characters and a story that kept me riveted.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the DRC to review.

From the publisher:

In this chilling debut thriller, in the vein of Dexter and The Talented Mr. Ripley, a family man obsessed with digging up the undiscovered remains of serial killer victims catches the attention of a murderer prowling the streets of Seattle.

Martin Reese is obsessed with murder. 

For years, he has been illegally buying police files on serial killers and studying them in depth, using them as guides to find missing bodies. He doesn’t take any souvenirs, just photos that he stores in an old laptop, and then he turns in the results to the police anonymously. Martin sees his work as a public service, a righting of wrongs that cops have continuously failed to do.

Detective Sandra Whittal sees it differently. On a meteoric rise in police ranks due to her case-closing efficiency, Whittal is suspicious of the mysterious caller—the Finder, she names him—leading the police to the bodies. Even if the Finder isn’t the one leaving bodies behind, who’s to say that he won’t start soon?

On his latest dig, Martin searches for the first kill of Jason Shurn, the early 1990s murderer who may have been responsible for the disappearance of his sister-in-law, whom he never met. But when he arrives at the site, he finds a freshly killed body—a young and recently disappeared Seattle woman—lying among remains that were left there decades ago. Someone else knew where Jason Shurn buried his victims . . . and that someone isn’t happy that Martin has been going around digging up his work.

When a crooked cop with a tenuous tie to Martin vanishes, Whittal begins to zero in on the Finder. Hunted by a real killer and by Whittal, Martin realizes that in order to escape the killer’s trap, he may have to go deeper into the world of murder than he ever thought.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Find You in the Dark here.

Cover Reveal - Echoes by Alice Reeds

Echoes

Author: Alice Reeds

Publication Date: August 7th, 2018

Publisher: Entangled TEEN

About Echoes:

"Fast-paced and thrilling. ECHOES is a heart-pounding and addictive love story." —Mia Siegert, author of Jerkbait

They wake on a deserted island. Fiona and Miles, high school enemies now stranded together. No memory of how they got there. No plan to follow, no hope to hold on to.

Each step forward reveals the mystery behind the forces that brought them here. And soon, the most chilling discovery: something else is on the island with them.

Something that won’t let them leave alive.

Echoes is a thrilling adventure about confronting the impossible, discovering love in the most unexpected places, and, above all, finding hope in the face of the unknown.

Want to read more? Pre-order your copy of Echoes by Alice Reeds today!

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About Alice Reeds:

Alice Reeds was born in a small town in Germany but spent her first eight years in Florida, USA. Later on, she moved back to Europe, where her family moved around a lot. She was raised trilingual and has a basic understanding of Russian, read and spoken. After getting her International Baccalaureate Diploma, Alice is studying English Language and Literature at University. In her free time Alice mostly writes, reads, figure and/or roller skates, or watches countless let's plays and figure skating videos.

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What do you think of the cover for Echoes by Alice Reeds? Let me know in the comments below!

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Isabella's Reading Corner: The Final Six

The Final Six

Author: Alexandra Monir

Publication Date: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: HarperTeen

World leaders have called a state of emergency between humanity and the environment. A plan called the Europa Mission is created to send young men and women to terraform Jupiter's moon in the hope of developing a future home for mankind.

Leo is a survivor of a catastrophic flood in Rome that took his entire family. It is one of many recent apocalyptic disasters affecting cities all over the earth. After losing everyone and everything he cared about, he's lost motivation to go on. However, he's been drafted by the European Space Agency (ESA) to train alongside twenty-three other teens at the International Space Training Camp (ISTC). Only six of them will be selected to take part in the mission to colonise Europa. 

Leo believes this will be a chance for him to do something important with his life. While he is excited for the opportunity, Naomi, an American high school student, has a completely different outlook. She has a family and doesn't want to leave them behind, especially her younger brother who she is very close to. She is devastated to have been chosen and horrified by the thought of never seeing them again. 

Picked for her scientific genius, Naomi is particularly worried about the logistics of the trip. She questions a delegate from NASA about the Athena - a previously failed mission to Mars, as well as rumours of intelligent life already existing on Europa. The delegate is quick with assurances that there is no cause for concern and tries to assuage Naomi's fears with explanations that sound rehearsed. There may be more to the Europa Mission than is being revealed. 

There are many diverse characters in the book and they are thoughtfully written. They have unique abilities and skills which make them highly important to the ESA and the mission. Although Naomi and Leo have different backgrounds, they both come from close-knit and loving families. They have an immediate connection and build a relationship that is integral to the narrative.

The story is fast paced and suspenseful. It depicts tragedy, heartbreak and hope amidst cataclysmic events and the high tech setting of the ISTC. The protagonists are in an unpredictable situation and must take dangerous risks which could lead to either dire consequences or the survival of the human race. The Final Six revolves around a profound and currently relevant subject. This is the first book in a series and I can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for the ARC provided for review.

From the publisher:

Set in the near future, this action-packed YA novel—already optioned by Sony Pictures—will take readers out of this world and on a quest to become one of six teens sent on a mission to Jupiter’s moon. This is the next must-read for fans of Illuminae and The Martian.

When Leo and Naomi are drafted, along with twenty-two of the world’s brightest teenagers, into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever changed. Overnight, they become global celebrities in contention for one of the six slots to travel to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—and establish a new colony, leaving their planet forever. With Earth irreparably damaged, the future of the human race rests on their shoulders.

For Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, this kind of purpose is a reason to go on after losing his family. But Naomi, an Iranian-American science genius, is suspicious of the ISTC and the fact that a similar mission failed under mysterious circumstances, killing the astronauts onboard. She fears something equally sinister awaiting the Final Six beneath Europa’s surface.

In this cutthroat atmosphere, surrounded by strangers from around the world, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo. As the training tests their limits, Naomi and Leo’s relationship deepens with each life-altering experience they encounter.

But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on The Final Six here.

Isabella's Reading Corner: Need to Know

Need to Know

Author: Karen Cleveland

Publication Date: January 23rd, 2018

Publisher: Doubleday Canada/Ballantine Books

Vivian, a CIA counterintelligence analyst, is working to uncover a highly secretive network of Russian sleeper agents. When she comes across a file of potential agents on a suspected handler's computer, she's hoping the pay off will come in the form of a promotion. She's shocked and horrified when she clicks open the file to see her husband Matt's photo, alongside four other faces, staring back at her. Is he really a Russian spy or has he been set up because she is getting too close to the truth?

Vivian is an extremely relatable character, even if her situation is not. She struggles with her decisions but justifies them as being for the protection of her family, who she loves above all else. It's easy to sympathise with her as she expresses confusion over how much Matt is involved with the Russians. After almost ten years of marriage and four children, she questions everything she thought she knew about her husband, wondering if she can trust him or if she's being manipulated. Themes of suspicion, trust, loyalty, betrayal and deception are prevalent throughout the story.

Need to Know is compulsive reading at its finest. Full of shocks and twists, this is a true rollercoaster of a novel, with intense edge of your seat excitement. Once I started reading, it was almost impossible to stop until I reached the electrifying conclusion. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the finished copy provided for review.

From the publisher:

In pursuit of a Russian sleeper cell on American soil, CIA analyst Vivian Miller uncovers a dangerous secret that will threaten her job, her family—and her life. On track for a much-needed promotion, she’s developed a system for identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight.

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America’s borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her—her job, her husband, even her four children—is threatened.‎

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she’s facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust?

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner posts on Need to Know here and here.

Isabella's Reading Corner: The Queen's Rising

The Queen's Rising

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publication Date: February 6th, 2017

Publisher: HarperTeen

The Queen's Rising is an epic fantasy by debut author Rebecca Ross. When Brienna was ten years old, she was taken to Magnalia House by her grandfather. The girls who live there must study and master one of the five passions - art, music, dramatics, wit or knowledge. Brienna is not like the other girls, who are all from wealthy families. Her Valenian mother died when Brienna was still young and her Maevan father is unknown to her. Now seventeen, she is hoping to master the passion of knowledge by the upcoming summer solstice and gain a patron. Things don't go as planned for her though, as she unexpectedly becomes embroiled in a plot to overthrow the king of Maevana.

Brienna is a mass of contradictions. She doesn't know who she really is or what she wants. While her friends at Magnalia House come from important noble families, Brienna's own remains a mystery to her. This affects her more deeply than she realizes and leads her down an uncertain path. The story itself sounds more complex than it is, and I found it quite easy to read. The importance of having a passion was inspiring. There is also a strong focus on female bonds and family relationships. The novel relies more heavily on the development of the characters and the dynamics between them, than on a lot of action, although there is an exciting battle scene which kept me on the edge of my seat. From descriptions of the past to interactions in the present, everything is composed with exquisite detail. The settings are gorgeous, and I became immersed in the sublime backdrops of castles and sumptuous landscapes. 

Elegantly written and visually stunning, The Queen's Rising reads as a standalone, so I'm intrigued to find out how Ross will follow it up in the sequel.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for the ARC provided for review.

From the publisher:

Grave Mercy meets Red Queen in this epic debut fantasy, inspired by Renaissance France, about an outcast who finds herself bound to a disgraced lord and entangled in his plot to overthrow the current king.

Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron. Growing up in Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her. While some are born with a talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she chose knowledge. However, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—she is left without a patron. 

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, she reluctantly accepts. But there is much more to his story, for there is a dangerous plot to overthrow the king of Maevana—the rival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

And now, with war brewing, Brienna must choose which side she will remain loyal to: passion or blood.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner posts on The Queen's Rising here and here.

Isabella's Reading Corner: By a Charm and a Curse

By a Charm and a Curse

Author: Jaime Questell

Publication Date: February 6th 2018

Publisher: Entangled TEEN

Emma and her brothers move back to their hometown of Claremore, Oklahoma to live with their father, while their mom is away indefinitely in Guatemala. The only thing Emma has to look forward to is attending the travelling circus, Le Grande's Carnival Fantastic with her long-time friend Juliet. Little does she know how much her life is going to change when she is forced to become a central part of the carnival. The only way she can escape is to break its curse, but to do so will also remove the charm that protects people she has come to care about.

Ben and Emma are wonderful protagonists. The chemistry between them is highly charged, providing an additional thrilling element to the narrative. The differences in how they see and experience the carnival are understandable and create further depth to their relationship. The story is told through their multiple viewpoints and is rounded out with a cast of diverse and colourful characters.

Jaime Questell is an eloquent storyteller. She brilliantly brings to life the unusual and magical nature of the carnival. The crowds, smells and screams of excitement in the air - there is a strange innocence to this world, but it is also tinged with something slightly sinister. By a Charm and a Curse is an enchanting, unique and magical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Entangled: Teen for the DRC to review.

From the publisher:

A kiss is never just a kiss.

Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic isn’t like other traveling circuses. It’s bound by a charm, held together by a centuries-old curse, that protects its members from ever growing older or getting hurt. Emmaline King is drawn to the circus like a moth to a flame…and unwittingly recruited into its folds by a mysterious teen boy whose kiss is as cold as ice.

Forced to travel through Texas as the new Girl in the Box, Emmaline is completely trapped. Breaking the curse seems like her only chance at freedom, but with no curse, there’s no charm, either―dooming everyone who calls the Carnival Fantastic home. Including the boy she’s afraid she’s falling for.

Everything―including his life―could end with just one kiss.


You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on By a Charm and a Curse here.

Isabella's Reading Corner: The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1

Author: Nagabe

Publication Date: January 24th 2017

Publisher: Seven Seas

Beautiful drawings offset this dark fairy tale about a little girl who lives among monsters. In The Girl from the Other Side, there are two worlds - the Outside where horrific beasts roam and the Inside, where humans reside, safe from their cursed touch. If an Insider shows any sign of the curse that afflicts the Outsiders, they are killed immediately, and their bodies removed and placed beyond the wall.

Suspected of being afflicted, Shiva is left in the woods to save her from certain death at the hands of Insiders. She is cared for by one of the beasts, who she calls Teacher. He is more than just her protector, though, as he also takes on the role of father. Teacher is gentle and kind. He worries that she will be emotionally hurt when she discovers that her family is not coming to get her. 

Although the Outsider can curse with his touch, he avoids doing so and he is not deliberately cruel. The Insiders are more of a danger to themselves and those they believe to be different, as they harm with intention. Shiva is spotted in the woods by a human and even though she is clearly not an Outsider, the reaction to her is one of irrational fear and distrust instead of understanding. Her physical safety is soon in jeopardy and I questioned who the real monsters in the book are. This is a lovely, thought-provoking manga and I'm looking forward to reading the next volume of the story.

From the publisher:

An ethereal fantasy from the editorial team behind the New York Times bestselling series The Ancient Magus’ Bride

The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún is an all-new manga series that pulls readers into a magical and enchanting tale about a young girl and her demonic guardian. A haunting story of love and fantastical creatures, The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún is a gorgeously-illustrated manga series. Each volume in the series will be released with a beautifully-textured matte finish cover and will include at least one full-color insert.

In a world split between the Inside and the Outside, those living in both realms are told never to cross over to the other side, lest they be cursed. A young girl named Shiva lives on the other side, in a vacant village with a demonic guardian known only as “Teacher.” Although the two are forbidden to touch, they seem to share a bond that transcends their disparate appearances. But when Shiva leaves Teacher’s care to seek out her grandmother, the secret behind her mysterious living arrangement comes to light.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1 here.