{ Still Missing by Chevy Stevens }

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

2010 by St. Martin's Press - New York

Mystery/Thriller

Source - Library

from GoodReads:

On the day she was abducted, Annie O'Sullivan, a thirty-two-year-old Realtor, had three goals: Sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Inter woven with the story of the year Annie spent captive in a remote mountain cabin - which unfolds through sessions with er psychiatrist - is a second narrative recounting the nightmare that follows her escape: her struggle to piece her shattered life back together, the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor, and the disturbing sense that things are far from over.

The truth doesn't always set you free.

Still Missing is that rare debut find - a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted debut novel.

Review:

I find it hard to say that this was an awesome book, due the subject matter. But...it was an amazing book! This is one terrifying, intense, horrifying, heartbreaking story...to say the least. The story is told in the second narrative, by Annie, through sessions with her shrink. I was not too sure how I was going to like the writing style, but once I was into the second chapter, I really found that I liked it. Annie is a great character. She is completely believable. You start to question yourself while reading Annie's story though. Could I handle this? Would I do that? Which would be better? Being killed by the Freak, Annie's name for her captor, or being held captive and having to endure the Freak? Annie is an extremely strong willed woman. But there is only so much a person can take. Right? After everything she goes through, you wonder how she is not even more screwed up than she is!

The Freak? I don't know how much research Chevy Stevens, the author, did for this book, but she nailed it. He is the model psychopath. Terrifying one minute, gentle and caring the next. Well, maybe not totally. You can see some tiny rays of humanity in him at times...very few, but a few. The setting was perfectly terrifying as well. Almost another character on it's own. I will never look at a cabin in the woods the same again.

I 100% recommend this book. But, be forewarned. You are in for a terrifying, horrifying, brutal, edge of your seat, heart pounding read. I was brought to tears many times and there are some shocking plot twists that will leave you speachless. If you are a female realtor? You might want to skip this one!

Chevy Stevens? This is your first novel? You should truly be proud of this one! I look forward to the next one and the next one and the next one.

Rating: 5 stars!

{ Teaser Tuesdays - March 29, 2011 }

Teaser Tuesday's is a bookish meme hosted by Mizb of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do the following:

* Grab your current read

* Open to a random page

* Share two(2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others! )

* Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser:

"Petrified to use the toilet in case he came in, I squatted over the drain in the bathtub. Leaning my head on the side wall, I tried to breathe in the perfect amount of air that wouldn't hurt and prayed I didn't die in there. Eventually I crawled back into bed and passed out again."

~ Pg 55 - Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Please leave a link to your teaser post so I can see what you are reading and don't forget to stop by and leave a comment for Mizb too!

{ Delirium by Laruen Oliver }

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011 by Harperteen

from Goodreads:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn't understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she'll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review:

When I first read the premise for this book, I was very intrigued. I thought, okay...I could almost see it. Plus, I had read many great reviews.

One of the best aspects of this book, really was the main character, Lena. It was a nice change to have a young female character grow and develop and not fall madly in love within the first few pages. Lena has grown up in this society. She has been surrounded and immersed in this - her - reality and has always been taught that 'Love' is a four letter word. Evil and dangerous. When she is first confronted with this other world of 'Invalids' and Love, through Alex, she is appalled and of course terrified. That is what she has been taught. Slowly, Alex and her best friend Hana, open her eyes to the truth.

I did find the story to be a little predictable. Well, okay, more than a little, but I still enjoyed it. I definitely want to find out what lies in store for Lena and will read the next installment when it comes out. So, yes, I would recommend giving it a read.

Rating: 3.5 stars

{ Touch by Alexi Zentner }

Touch by Alexi Zentner

April 2011 by Knopf Canada

Source: ARC win from GoodReads



from GoodReads:



Beautifully written, hauntingly told, a New face of Fiction novel that in its storytelling and recounting of a multi-generational family story brings to mind Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude - and in its evocation of the mythic wilderness, Joseph Boyden's Three Day Road.



My grandfather lifted the cup of tea and blew on it again. We were waiting for him to speak, and like any good storyteller he savoured the anticipation, letting us dangle for just an extra moment. "I came back," he said "to introduce Stephen to his grandmother." "What?" My mother stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "Why have I come back to Sawgamet? Why now?" He looked at me. "I've come for your grandmother," he said. "I've come to raise the dead. This is Sawgamet, a mining boom town gone bust, a logging village where the cold of winter breaks the glass of the schoolhouse thermometer, where the dangers of working in the cuts are over shadowed by the dark mysteries lurking in the woods." Thirty years after his grandfather's pronouncement, Stephen, now a pastor with a wife and family, returns on the eve of his mother's funeral, to reconnect with the stories of his mythic grandfather and to confront the losses of childhood. Introducing a world of wonder and tenderness, a world where the monsters and witches of the woods are set against singing dogs and golden caribou. Touch is a haunting tale of three generations of love and loss in a town in Northern BC.





Review:

I was very excited to read this one as it was an ARC win from GoodReads...my first one!

I will start off saying that this was definitely not something I would normally read. However, I really enjoyed it. This is a true storytellers story. It reminded me of listening to my grandfather talk about his days as a young man and the adventures he lived. I found the whole reality of what this family lived through to be extremely fascinating. I think we all take for granted the many aspects of modern day life. I am not so sure I could handle everything that this family lived through. I found Alexi Zenter's writing to be beautiful and heartbreaking. My only complaint really? I found the bouncing back and forth between the generations to be a little distracting. There were many times I had to stop and think about who Stephen, the narrator, was talking about. I do recommend you do give this one a read though. It is a truly beautiful, fascinating, heartbreaking tale.


Rating:

3.5 stars

{ Sunday Confessions - March 20, 2011}

It's time for another weekly meme started by Marcie over at To Read or Not To Read. This meme was started as a way for book bloggers to get to know one another with book and non-book related questions. This weeks question...

" What are your guilty pleasures? "

This is actually a hard one for me. I really had to think about it. I don't really have too many. I would say my number one is TEA! In any form. But I guess, there is really no guilt involved with this one! Of course right now I would also say Books! All I can say is thank God for the library. I go through a lot of books, but I only purchase ones that I would definitely read over and over again. That being said one of my book related guilty pleasures? The Immortal Instrument series and most definitely Jace. I am REALLY looking forward to The City of Bones movie being made and being released on DVD and if all our wishes come true and certain someone is cast as Jace? Then this is will become a hugh guilty pleasure...

Be sure to leave me a message with your guilty pleasures and be sure to stop by Marcie's blog and say hi too!

{ Green by Ted Dekker }

Green by Ted Dekker
2009 by Thomas Nelson

from GoodReads:

Travel between two worlds with Thomas Hunter. In Green, Thomas hasn't dreamt in years and the Circle is weakening because there's no sign of their Creator, Elyon. When Thomas' son, Samuel, loses the faith, evil from both worlds tempts him to initiate war. Will Thomas be able to save Samuel and the Circle?

review:

Green. The beginning or the end? I will have to admit that I am with the majority on this one. I truly believe if you plan to read this series, that you start with Black and end with Green. I think the experience of The Circle with be so much more enjoyable. Green was an amazing read as were the other 3 books, however, it was definitely the darkest out of the 4 books. Not necessarily a bad thing...just be forewarned that you are entering a very dark and evil world. I loved this series, but I am left utterly speechless. I will say this. I have never had a book or series of books leave me so utterly and completely exhausted as these. Emotionally, mentally and physically. Ted Dekker is a master at creating a world filled with both good and evil, light and dark and the struggles between them. I highly recommend reading The Circle series!!

After reading some other reviews, I have learned that his other series - Paradise and The Lost Books - are all connected. I will be adding them to my TBR list!! Thank you Ted Dekker

Rating: 5 Stars!

{ What's Your Status - March 19/2011 }

This is a weekly meme started by Zakiya over at Butterfly Feet Walking On Life. Each participant will share - 'what I've finished in the past week, what I am currently reading and where I am in the book/s, what I plan to read next, and possibly what I plan to buy/get.'

Now for my own status:

Finished this week:

White by Ted Dekker - you can read my review HERE.

Currently reading:

Green by Ted Dekker (pg 286) - Amazing thus far. I will post my review tomorrow!

Reading next week:

Touch by Alexi Zentner - I won an ARC copy from Goodreads!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

What I plan to purchase next?

That is an easy one! City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare!! I am counting down the sleeps!