The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Hodder & Stoughton | March 2017 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

"The Roanoke girls seem to have it all. But there's a dark truth about them that's never spoken. Every girl either runs away, or dies." 

Lane Roanoke was a troubled girl. Her relationship with her mother was anything but close. When her mother committed suicide when she was fifteen, she had nowhere to go to except to her mother's old hometown in rural Kansas. Lane wasn't close with her grandparents either, but they took her in. Lane then learned that she had a cousin who was six months younger than her. They got along quite well, and Allegra was more than thrilled to show her around the house. However, there was one thing that bothered Lane, and that was the generation of the Roanoke girls before her. From what she'd learnt from Allegra, they either ran away or died and Allegra didn't elaborate much further. Lane finally knew the hard truth one day and left Kansas but Allegra refused to leave, claiming it was her home and everything. 

Eleven years later, Lane received a text from Allegra but Lane never replied or contacted her. It was only later when she learned of her disappearance which had her return to Kansas with a sense of remorse. As much as she dreaded going back, she knew she owe it to Allegra and most of all, she has to find out the truth about her disappearance despite the darkness and ugliness of the Roanoke's family secrets. 

The Roanoke Girls wasn't what it seemed to be at first glance. The blurb offered nothing but a hint of family secrets surrounding the Roanoke girls. It had an atmospheric feeling though it was set in a small town in rural Kansas with agricultural farming as their core business. Told from two different time frames "Then" and "Now" through Lane's perspective, the story was intriguing and Amy Engel's writing was beautiful and had this reader hooked quickly. However, the story then took a turn and the secret was hinted out fairly early and thereafter my reading experience was no longer the same. Learning what the secret (subject) is felt like the rug was pulled out from under me because it was the last thing I'd expected from this story. It was unsettling and disturbing yet the author's writing and the mystery surrounding Allegra's disappearance pulled me back to the story. 

The truth in the end may deem as a resolution to Allegra's case but it offers no redemption quality as far as the story goes, which is a pity. This is not a book for everyone, but Amy Engel is a good writer so I may want to read her YA dystopian series (The Book of Ivy and The Revolution of Ivy). 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

A Map of the Dark by Karen Ellis

Little, Brown and Company | January 2018 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

This first book of The Searchers series tells a story of a missing girl and the introduction of FBI Special Agent Elsa Myers. 

Elsa was sitting by her terminally illed father's bedside when she received a call from her superior. Seventeen-year-old Ruby Haverstock has disappeared from Forest Hills, Queens, and no one understand why she turned off the security camera at a local café where she worked before her disappearance. She left work on time so the abduction might have happened after that. Elsa interviewed a few of her friends and it seemed no one really knew about her movement before her disappearance. Her ex-boyfriend, Charlie, seems suspicious to Elsa initially due to the fact that he deals with meds (drugs) and will offer or sell them to the girls he fancies but after a few more interviews with her family members, Elsa learned that Ruby has stolen a fake gun from her father and whether if she is acting out of defense or something, again no one knew. 

Together with Elsa's newly assigned partner, Alexei Cole, they began their investigation search and found a person of interest who may have been killing for years. While Elsa's mind is mostly filled with breaking the case and of her dying father, another part of her is tormented by her self-destructive past, her relationship with her sister and her late mother who used to be abusive and controlling when she was a girl. 

Elsa is both a flawed and an intriguing character, and while the story sounds promising, I've to admit I lost my interest halfway through the book and subsequently I plodded along because I hate to DNF a book and wanted to give it a chance. I think one reason is I couldn't connect with the characters, in particularly Elsa since this is a book about her. I felt there was too little of the suspense part and more on her interactions with Alexei and her past (probably this is the first book but well, I'd have liked it more if there is a balance between the police procedural and Elsa's tormented past); which is not a fault but more of a different expectation on my end since I'd anticipated something more considering Elsa was pursuing a missing person case. There are mixed reviews of this book on Goodreads so obviously it is a matter of one's expectation and view. 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Follower by Koethi Zan

Vintage | May 2017 | 432 pgs

Source: Library

Julie's perfect life is shattered after she is abducted while waiting for the last train one night. The kidnapper brought her back to his house, which he lives with his wife, Cora. Bound and locked in a room, Julie hopes to find some bit of sanity through some exchanges with Cora but the latter is cold and isn't willing to hear her. Still, Julie didn't give up in trying and her persistence has finally paid off seeing Cora starting to open up just a bit. 

Cora, on the other hand, isn't who we think she is initially. She may be the wife of a kidnapper and a psychopath, but she had a terrible past with an abusive father and a pretty unhappy adolescence years. Her husband, James, has his own distorted mind of religion and she is forced to adapt to his thinking and behaviours. Just when Cora gets on her life like a robot, thinking there is no way out of her grim and unhappiness past or present, Julie enters into her life. As their worlds collide, they soon realise that they need each other for the freedom they crave but can they trust each other to set them free? 

I thought The Follower has a dark, intriguing premise. What made the story interesting is having two characters with opposite personality and background (in this case, the captor's wife and the captive) and seeing how their relationship has changed as the story progresses. Unfortunately, the story fell short due to the underdevelopment of the characters and the direction of the story. Julie may seem like she was the main character, but surprisingly Cora was the one who I felt took the centre stage because of her sad past as well as her present life but unfortunately what made her an intriguing character become a series of melodrama and anger and aside from the empathy I felt for her (especially her teenaged years), there was nothing much else I could think and feel for her. Also, James's motivation for the abduction remains a mystery and there isn't much background about him, which I felt is a pity. Then, there is the story of an ex-cop, Adam, who feels he has to take charge of a few missing girls cases due to what happened to his sister many years ago. While Adam's story adds intrigue and intensity alongside the two women's harrowing journey, I felt his story was underrated at times. 

Overall The Follower was an average read to me. I read Koethi Zan's previous book, The Never List, and thought it was a better read. 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips

Doubleday | June 2017 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

A visit to the zoo one day has become a nightmare for Joan and her four-year-old son, Lincoln, when two teenage boys go on a shooting spree. A regular visitor to the zoo, Joan is familiar with every nook and cranny of the place but it still pose a challenge hiding with her son, Lincoln. Like any child of his age, Lincoln is a curious and an imaginative boy who likes to question things and creates stories with his toys. Under the circumstances, Joan has to think of ways to distract her son as well as to plan ahead to escape from the zoo in one piece. 

Fierce Kingdom is one taut read that will keep the reader (especially a parent) on edge. The first half of the book is a slow burn though and focus much on the bond and conversations between Joan and Lincoln. Despite the action-less scenes in this part, it still made a captivating read as it shows a strong maternal side of Joan and I'm sure many parents would be able to relate to her love as well as her frustrations in raising a young child. Her husband, Paul, doesn't take much of an appearance in the book since he isn't with them at the zoo, though he does communicate with Joan via phone texts and question about their safety. Although there are some perspectives from the shooters and two civilians who are also on the run, it was a pity that there wasn't much characters development and the motives of the shooters remain vague. 

Fierce Kingdom may be classified as a thriller but in my opinion the focus was more onto the maternal bond between mother and child and what she would do to protect her child under dire circumstances. The book has a promising premise but the execution part was a little disappointing. I'd expected to have more intense moments and more actions between the shooters and the victims who are trapped in the zoo but this wasn't the case; and even if there are they were minimal. I think what bothered me most was some decisions made by Joan; I can understand that a person may not make the best decision under stressful circumstances but what she did was totally beyond me (I won't mention the issues [least the ending] since I think it isn't fair to readers who want to find them out themselves). Overall it was an average read to me but I wished there was something more aside from the bond between Joan and Lincoln, which I think was beautifully described.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tangled Webs by Lee Bross

Disney-Hyperion | June 2016 | 400 pgs

Source: Library

There are two sides of seventeen-year-old Arista. By day she is Lady A - a notorious blackmailer in the London city who sweeps into lavish balls and exclusive events to collect and sell secrets whoever who pays the most for the information he wants. Behind her mask and lovely gowns, Arista is merely a slave to her abusive master, Bones, who had trained her to be a thief since she was five. Her partner-in-crime, Nic, is also another slave who works as her bodyguard whenever Lady A goes to her "businesses". 

Arista is then approached by Jonathan Wild, the infamous Thief Taker General who operates like Bones after the latter attempts to dispose her for good. Wild is well aware of Lady A's capabilities but Arista is not sure if she wants to escape from a hellhole to another hellhole despite Wild promises of split profits and freedom until he saved her from a fire in Bones' property. It seems Arista has no choice but to partner with Wild until her encounter with Grae Sinclair, the son of a wealthy merchant whom she has met once during her servitude to Bones. 

Grae and Arista are attracted to each other, but the former has no idea of her identity and while Arista feels sorry about her lies to Grae, it is nothing as compared to the scheme which Wild has wanted her to deal later - to infiltrate into the Sinclair's household under the disguise of a young widow in wait for Wild's instructions as the merchant has owed Wild a favour. Little does she know that the transaction she is going to deal would crush not only the Sinclairs but her future with Grae. 

Tangled Webs has an interesting premise set in 1725, London. Here we have a feisty heroine under disguise and her role as a notorious blackmailer sounds very intriguing isn't it? Alas, I've to say my excitement ends there as I felt the characters are one dimensional and underdeveloped. I liked the characters, in particularly Arista and Grae but they aren't fleshed out and I didn't feel any connection with any of them although I sympathised with Arista as well as a few others who are under Bones' grasp. The attraction between Arista and Grae seemed more like insta-love to me and while I've nothing against it, it just feels unreal to me (maybe in fiction but not in reality, I suppose). Truth be told, I think this story has potential but it fell short when characters development and story dynamic are concerned. I liked the story but it wasn't enough to wow me. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: Bride of the Water God (aka Bride of Habaek) (河伯的新娘)

I'd been anticipating for this drama after seeing that poster and knowing that this would be a fantasy romance between a water god and a psychiatrist. It sounds intriguing, isn't it? On top of it, it is based on a manhwa of the same title by Yun Mi Kyung and though I haven't read it, I understand there's a slight difference from the original comic based on what I read from the drama forum.  

Water god, Habaek (starring Nam Joo Hyuk) is a charismatic yet a narcissistic deity of the Realm of Gods. Before his enthronement to be King of the Water Country, he is being sent to earth in order to locate some sacred stones to help him claim his throne. He finds Yoon So Ah (starring Shin Se Kyung) as there was a pact made between So Ah's past ancestors and the deities and that they will serve the water god for generations. So Ah, on the other hand, is a psychiatrist with her own practice but her life is a misery as she is saddled with debts and an unhappy past surrounding her father. Habaek and So Ah struggle to tolerate each other as expectations and their living lifestyle differ, but soon they'll discover that there's a lot more meaning to life and finally how they've come to a solution with their circumstances after they've fallen in love with each other.  

I suppose I'd expected too much from this fantasy because what turns out to be an interesting premise became a huge disappointment. I think the major issue lies with the worldbuilding (of the deities) as not much information or explanations are being made except for little snippets or flashbacks here and there. I thought the deities' world was interesting and it'd be so much better if there are more focus on them but alas, no. And there's also a character who's half-deity, half-human (starring Lim Ju Hwan) disguised as a CEO of a famous resort and I felt his role here are underrated. And then, there're some scenes featuring the disputes between a wind god and this half-deity which left me perplexed because I'd no idea why the wind god is continuously picking on him simply because the latter is a half-blood. Finally, while I found the romance between Habaek and So Ah sweet and romantic, they tend to drag at times. Despite my disappointment, I was perseverant in watching this through and I was glad I did because the final episode was quite a good one even though it was a little too late. My verdict is, if you're expecting a more fantasy theme and a fancy worldbuilding you'd be disappointed, however this will appease to fans of the romance genre so it is all about personal preference and expectations. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Watcher by Ross Armstrong

HQ | December 2016 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

The cover quoted this as The Girl on the Train meets Rear Window. As I haven't read the latter I have no idea what it is about but I did read the former and it was an intense read. With this in mind I began my reading journey with some expectations and hoping that it would surprise me and turn out nothing like TGOTT (not that it is not good, just hoping for something different) and I wasn't disappointed, at least the writing style is concerned.

Set in East London with a new-build apartment and an estate marked for demolition, we see the social divide amid the neighbourhood and the opposite feelings of some of the residents living there. However, this is not about the apartments but one particular woman named Lily Gullick. A keen birdwatcher, she loves looking for them through her binoculars at her apartment until her observation begins to shift to her neighbours. And when she sees something suspicious in a neighbouring block, she decides it's best to keep the information to herself, at least temporarily. But the following day, an elderly woman is found dead in her flat. Lily has spoken to the elderly woman once the previous night and she couldn't help but to link what she saw at the next block might have something to do with the elderly woman's death. And this prompts her to do some investigation of her own until she thinks of nothing but this unsolved case; not even her husband Aiden could deter her from doing so.

As intriguing as this may sound, I found myself disappointed with the story but first I will focus on the things I liked about this book. Lily is an unreliable narrator to start with, and as old as this may sound I haven't gotten tired of unreliable narrators, yet. They are the main thing that keep the story moving and not to mention keep readers on edge. Plus, the writing style is a bit different here. Told from Lily's perspective, the chapters read like a journal yet they connect smoothly and didn't really feel like journal entries.

Onto the disappointing note, I found the story going towards another direction and lacks credibility after reading more about it. At times I found some parts confusing but I persevere, hoping there would be a turn but sadly it still didn't spark my interest. Lily was an interesting character, but I didn't really feel connected to her (maybe in the beginning but then she got on my nerves; plus the story direction may have killed it). That said, I still find there is potential with the author's writing. This book simply wasn't a good fit to me.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.