Blog Tour: Review of Cut and Run by Annabelle Lewis

Cut and Run
Annabelle Lewis
Publication date: August 14th 2021
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Their story continues . . .

The four Boston clairvoyants, blessed—or cursed—with special powers, must fight a ruthless enemy and stop injustice. In Dead Cat, Run, the Sisters of Fate drove them together, but at what cost? The God Apollo wasn’t playing around. He’s still dead set on vengeance.

Sinister forces will have a wicked agenda. An energy grab, a mineral rights war, and deadly mercenaries create a mortally serious game. But the psychics’ sibylline abilities aside, they’re only human. At least three of them are. (What’s up with that?)

Can they stop the killers? And who will survive?

An energetic contemporary thriller, Cut and Run will have you on the edge of your seat as the dance between good and evil resumes.

Goodreads / Amazon

My thoughts:

Cut and Run is the second book in the Boston Clairvoyants series.  I will admit that I was glad that I read the first book, Dead Cat, Run.  That book did a great job of telling the story of how the group came together.  It also delved into what each of the human's abilities are.  Bones wasn't as flashed out as I would have liked.  This one takes place about a year after the events of the first book.  I wouldn't read this one necessarily as a stand alone book.  You will benefit much more from reading Book 1 first.

That being said, I enjoyed this second addition. It was much more well paced than book one.   I enjoyed all of the main characters and how they interact with each other, especially Bones. I also liked how they use their gifts and work together to solve the newest mystery. My favorite part about the book was the growth in Jenny.  She has become more confident and mature in this book.  I love how they have all become a family of sorts.  I'm still not completely sure I'm clear on why they have all found each other.  I'm not well versed in the story of Apollo and Destiny.  Hopefully, we will get more clues in later books.   This is a fast paced book and series and I highly recommend it.

Author Bio:

Annabelle Lewis—a pseudonym for the author—lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regrettably? Perhaps. She still believes she’s a Texan even though the math no longer supports that. Nor her birthplace. Nor her residence. No offense, Minnesota. You’ve got your good points too, but only about six months of the year.

In her youth, Annabelle was a complete failure. Ask anyone who knew her. Any of her teachers and family would tell you this. High school graduation was a sad day for all when Annabelle walked proudly off the high school stage, her thoughts consumed with boys, beer, and after-parties, and later into the arms of her parents. Her father’s laughter and singular remark? “I didn’t think you’d make it. Get a job at the post office, they have a good retirement plan.”

A high bar and words to live by, but Annabelle wanted more. She needed to flunk out of college too. But damn, she sure did have a good time. Trivial arrest records not-withstanding, it was a growth period for our girl. And if you look closely, you’ll see a bit of what was to come when she majored in criminal justice. Her lifelong aspiration was to become a judge. Hmm.

For better or worse, Annabelle didn’t graduate from college but did find gainful employment and a fulfilling career. This path ended when she became a mom. Married to her wonderful George, who to this day can hardly remember an actual proposal, Annabelle finally became a mother. She didn’t have a clue how hard she would need to work to keep those self-imposed requirements of Downey-fresh, iron-pressed sheets, home-baked meals, and mom-of-the-year awards arriving. She composed a small self-affirmation song and made her children sing it to her for money. She was a very good mom.

After clearing the largest hurdles of motherhood and regrettably, begrudgingly, and not-without-tears, launching her children onto the world, she looked around and realized she had a lot to say. Picking up a laptop, she got to work.

Annabelle spends her days continuing to tackle the challenges of motherhood, for both her humans and canines. She also writes. And reads. And cleans. And cooks. And bakes. And cleans again. She also supports her husband, George, in an administrative capacity for their small business. She’s in charge of payroll and cuts George’s checks. This leads to no marital acrimony.

In the beginning, with the blank page staring at her and possibly in a hostile mood after being literally mauled by a dog and by the world in general, she had an idea. What if she could wield a force of good upon unsuspecting evil-doers? What if she had the resources to get the job done without dealing with committee and anyone else’s whiney-ass opinions?

It was gold. It took off. Annabelle sat down and began to write and couldn’t stop. To date, having written over a million words in the Carrows Family Chronicles and her second series on the Boston Clairvoyants, several items have become quite clear. Annabelle had a lot to say. Annabelle really enjoys writing. And although she hates all things technology, she begrudgingly pounds her head on her desk daily as obstacles are thrown in her path. Almost a hero.

Since entering her world of make-believe, she has rebelled against all intrusion of real-world responsibilities. Her house is a mess, but she tries. Her family is fed, but more often than not, on takeout. She vows to shower every day, but no, it’s a vow she’ll never keep. Her friends are neglected, but not in her heart.

Read her mordacious blog! Read her books! Follow her on social platforms! Sign up for her newsletter! These are all good things. What are you waiting for? Jump into bed with Annabelle. She’s having a swell time. You should join her.

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Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway of The Journalist by David Gardner

 

Author: David Gardner

Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller
Published by: Encircle Publications, LLC
Publication Date: February 10th 2021
Number of Pages: 322
ISBN: 164599144X (ISBN13: 9781645991441)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

If Jeff can't save his ghostly ancestors from disappearing, so will he.
Writing for a cheesy Boston tabloid, Jeff Beekle fabricates a whimsical tale about a mob-built CIA prison for ghosts.
Which turns out to be true.
Now both the mob and the CIA have Jeff in their sights.
Even worse, Jeff discovers that his great-grandmother is an inmate and that she and the other spectral residents are being groomed as CIA spies. (And why not? They're invisible, draw no salary, and won't hop into bed with enemy agents.)
To his horror, Jeff learns that ancestors held too long in earthly captivity will vanish as if never born, taking with them all their descendants, which includes him.
Can Jeff outwit the mob and the CIA, free his ghostly ancestors, destroy the prison and save himself?

My thoughts:

The Journalist involves Jeff a former Pulitzer winning journalist who is now writing for a tabloid in Boston.  Think The Enquirer.  While he makes up stories for publishing, He has a secret.  He can see some of his ancestors in their ghostly form.  This book was definitely out of my comfort zone.  But I found myself compelled enough to keep reading.

I enjoyed the premise and it was a nice escape for a while.  When I was younger, I used to enjoy reading those tabloids and imagined what kind of person wrote for them. I liked Jeff as a character and he kind of fit what I pictured.  In fact, the book is filled with fun quirky characters. One of my favorite parts of the book was the horoscopes at the start of each chapter. I also loved the Boston setting. Being very familiar with the area, it was a nice addition to my enjoyment of the book. Definitely give it a shot.  

Here is a sneak peek:

Chapter 1

SCORPIO Oct. 23 – Nov. 21
 
Your ancestors are the raw material of your being, but who you become is your responsibility alone. Learn to turn your troubles into opportunities. Today is a good day to defrag your hard drive.

He hovers in the doorway at the far end of the newsroom, his feet not touching the floor. When he spots me, he glides forward, trailing diaphanous versions of himself that become smaller and smaller until they disappear. He wears leather chaps, an oversized black cowboy hat and high-heeled boots that almost bring him up to five feet. He has leathery skin and a drooping gray mustache.
 
It’s my great-great-grandfather Hiram Beekle, back for another ghostly visit.
 
He first showed up when I was six years old, right after I shot and killed my stepfather.
 
I’m the only one who can see him, hear him, talk to him.
 
As a kid, I would wet my pants and run away whenever Hiram showed up. Now he’s just a pain in the ass.
 
I turn back to my keyboard, hoping he’ll go away. I’m not in the mood for advice, taunts, prods, complaints, boasts.
 
He showed up last week to tell me to quit my job and find something better. Same thing the week before and the week before that. Probably why he’s back today.
 
I have to admit he’s right, but I’m sure as hell not going to tell him that.
 
Just four months ago I was a hot-shot investigative reporter for the Boston Globe. Now I write for a tacky supermarket tabloid, the Boston Tattler. Its newsroom is an open bay on the second floor of a ratty building that once served as a cheese warehouse that on humid days still smells of camembert. Out front are the marketing and distribution people, along with the office of the publisher, my Uncle Sid. Only he would hire a disgraced journalist like me.
 
I churn out fanciful tales about creatures from outer space, Elvis sightings and remedies for double chins. Some readers believe my stuff and some don’t. Those in between ride the wave of the fun and nonsensical and don’t care whether the stuff they’re reading is true or not. 
 
Our larger rivals concentrate on noisy Hollywood breakups and soap-opera stars with gambling addictions. The worst of our competitors traffic in fake political conspiracies. But Uncle Sid stays with alien visitors, kitten pictures and herbal cures for chin wattles. He likes to point out that kittens and spacemen don’t sue. He’s been sued too often.
 
I type:

Although local sportswriters puzzle over the inconsistencies of Red Sox hurlers, the shocking truth is that—

“That’s crap, Jeff.”
 
Hiram has drifted around behind me to peer over my shoulder. 
 
“Try ‘terrifying’,” he adds. “‘Shocking’ is overused.”
 
Hiram pretends he’d been a cowpoke, but in fact made a living writing pulp westerns.
 
I look around to see if anyone is watching, then turn back to Hiram and whisper, “Is that why you’re here, to dispense advice on adjectives?”
 
“That and to let you know I sense danger.”
 
“You’re always sensing danger. Just last week, you told me than an earthquake was…”
 
I stop whispering when Sherwood shuffles over, coffee cup in hand. He’s a doughy, middle-aged man who reads the dictionary for pleasure. “Another tale about space critters, Jeff?” 
 
“A follow-up to last week’s. It’s Uncle Sid’s idea. He loved the national exposure.”
 
Sherwood nods. “You knocked that one out of the ballpark.”
 
Sherwood loves sports metaphors but hates sports.
 
One of my stories from the week before somehow got into the hands of a particularly dim U.S. Congressman who scrambled onto the floor of the House of Representatives to fume against the government agency for hiring a mob-controlled construction company to build a prison for creatures from the planet Ook-239c. 
 
I kick off my sneakers, tilt back my chair and put my bare feet up on my desk. “What’re you working on today?”
 
“I’ve got a TV chef who’s gone on a hunger strike, identical twin sisters in Chattanooga who’ve been secretly exchanging husbands for fourteen years, and an eight-year-old boy in Brisbane who can predict the future by licking truck tires—the usual stuff.” Sherwood takes a gulp of coffee, shrugs, sighs. “Do you ever wonder what you’re doing with your life?”
 
“Sometimes. But who doesn’t?”
 
Again Sherwood sighs. I’ve never known anyone to sigh so often. His wife ran off with a termite inspector a few years back, and soon afterward he lost his professorship and his house. Sherwood was put on the earth as an example of what I don’t want to become. 
 
“You should look for another job,” I say.
 
Sherwood shrugs, then ambles back to his desk. He doesn’t want another job because it would make him feel better.
 
But I want a better job so badly that I dream I’ve found one, then wake up to reality.
 
Hiram floats around front and shakes his head. “The little guy’s right—you should get a better job. And for that, you need to get that darn Pulitzer back.”
 
I delete ‘shocking’ and type ‘terrifying.’ “Think I’m not trying?”
 
“Try harder. Young people these days—”
 
“…don’t know the meaning of hard work,” I contribute. “Yeah, I know. Now go away.”
 
“No, you go away. You’re in deep trouble, young man. Two black-hearted sidewinders have ridden into town to—”
 
“That’s the ridiculous opening line from Rise From Ashes. A dreadful novel.”
 
“Dreadful? Do you know how many copies I sold?” Hiram says.
 
“The protagonist was an idiot who shot his own big toe off.”
 
“That had a solid plot purpose. And at least he shot himself, not a member of his own family.”
 
Whenever I piss Hiram off, he brings up the shooting.
 
“Screw you!” I whisper and turn back to my keyboard. 
 
 
 
Green Monsters on the Green Monster!

Late last night, a sharp-eyed Boston Red Sox guard spotted a pack of green, three-eyed space monsters in Fenway Park. Authorities believe them to be the aliens who escaped from the secret government prison first brought to the public’s attention in last week’s Boston Tattler. The guard reported seeing the creatures scrambling up the wall that Red Sox fans have lovingly dubbed ‘The Green Monster.’ 

Green monsters attracted to a green wall? A coincidence? Unlikely. In fact, experts on the subject of aliens from outer…

“This little piggy—”
 
“Hey!” I jerk my foot back. 
 
Melody has sneaked up on me. She likes to do that.
 
She wiggles my little toe again. “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy—well, you know the rest of the narrative.” She lets go of my toe.
 
“Actually, that felt good. Don’t stop.”
 
“That’s as much wiggling as you get, Jeff. You’re married.”
 
I pull my feet off my desk and rest them on the floor. “Separated.”
 
“That’s still married.” 
 
Melody is my editor. She’s thirty-seven—three years older than I am. Her face is narrow and pretty, her hair red and wavy. She likes hoop earrings and has long feet. 
 
 She shuffles through the printout in her hands. “You sent me eight stories this week but promised me nine.”
 
“I’m still working on the last one. Did you know that a space creature has replaced the Red Sox mascot and has put a hex on the top of the batting order?”
 
“They’re already hexed,” Melody says. She eyes me for a long moment, then screws up her mouth. “I’m concerned.”
 
Here it comes again. “About my articles? About my bare toes? Or my collection of metal toys?” I reach across my desk, pick up the Spirit of St. Louis and fly it back and forth overhead. 
 
Melody puts her hands on her hips and rolls her eyes. “Yes, all those things, Jeffrey, but in this instance, what I meant was I hate to see you wasting your talent writing this garbage. You’re the best writer I’ve ever edited. You deserved that Pulitzer.”
 
“Which they took back twenty-seven days later.”
 
“Most journalists would kill to have one for even twenty-seven days.”
 
Melody said that with a smile. She says most everything with a smile. It’s a pretty smile, but sometimes forced, as if she were trying to make herself happier than she feels. She’s the opposite of Sherwood, who wallows in gloom and wants to pull everyone down with him.
 
I say, “You always see the best in every situation.”
 
“Thanks.”
 
“It drives me batshit.”
 
Melody raps her knuckles on my desk. “I need the copy by two o’clock.” She raps her knuckles on the top of my head. “At the latest.”
 
I watch her go. I shouldn’t tease her the way I do. Melody’s not the hard-ass editor she pretends to be. She’s in fact a softy, smart and thoughtful. Also curvy.
 
Hiram says, “That young lady has a fine carriage.”
 
“I hadn’t noticed,” I say and pick up my typing where I left off:

Space lizards have the ability to slow down fast balls, strip the spin from curves and send knuckleballs off in… 

Hiram says, “‘slow down fast balls’ is flabby and clumsy because ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ interfere with each other.”
 
“Un huh.” I keep on typing.
 
“Clementine’s coming to visit.”
 
“Oh?”
 
“She’s worried about Ebenezer.”
 
I look up from my keyboard. “What is it this time?”
 
“He’s missing.”
 
“Grandpa Ebenezer is always missing,” I say.
 
“Clementine thinks he’s in trouble.”
 
I delete ‘slow down fast balls’ and type ‘retard fast balls. “How can Ebenezer be in trouble? He’s dead.”
 
“I don’t like that word—and now you’re the one in trouble.”
 
I look up to see Uncle Sid coming toward me. Two burly guys walk with him, one on each side, clutching his arms.
 
My uncle looks scared. I hate to see that. I love the guy.
 
“Jeff,” he says with a quiver, “these two gentlemen want a word with you.”
 
I’ve watched enough local news to recognize the Ramsey twins—Hank and Freddie. Not gentlemen. Mobsters. 
 
I get to my feet, pull Sid free from the pair’s grasp and wrap my arm around his shoulders. They’re trembling. “What in hell do you two want?
 
Hank steps closer and blows his cigar breath in my face. He has big ears and black hair combed straight back. At six feet three, he stands eye-to-eye with me, but he’s half again as wide. He says, “Did you write that idiotic story?”
 
“Which idiotic story? I write lots of idiotic stories.”
 
Freddie says, “Asshole!” and steps forward.
 
Hank reaches out to hold him back. “Easy.” 
 
Although the two were born identical, no one has trouble telling them apart because Freddie had the front half of his nose lobbed off in a knife fight. This gives him a piggy look. 
 
Hank says, “You know what I’m talking about, wiseass. Who told you about that government prison for space monsters?”
 
“Who? No one. I made it up.”
 
“You made it up?”
 
“I make up everything I write.”
 
Hank tilts his head back and half closes his eyes. “You made the story up?”
 
“Isn’t that what I just said?”
 
Hank pokes me in the chest. “Then how come it’s true?”

Author Bio:

David Gardner grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, served in Army Special Forces and earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin. He has taught college, worked as a reporter and sold women’s shoes.

He coauthored three programming books for Prentice Hall, wrote dozens of travel articles as well as too many mind-numbing computer manuals before happily turning to fiction.

He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Nancy, also a writer. He hikes, bikes, messes with astrophotography and plays the keyboard with no discernible talent whatsoever.

Catch Up With David Gardener:
DavidGardnerAuthor.com
Goodreads
Instagram - @davidagardner07
Twitter - @dgardner_author
Facebook - @david.gardner.33483
 
 

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Blog Tour: Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice by Janet McNulty

Today, we welcome author Janet McNulty who is promoting her new book Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice.


Author: Janet McNulty
Publisher: Self
Date of Publication: January 2012


Mellow Summers just wanted to go to college and get her film degree. She moved into a furnished apartment with her friend Jackie only to find that it already had a tenant: the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year earlier. Now it is up to Mellow to not only discover who the murderer is, but to prove it as well.

With the help of the ghost Rachel, Mellow sets out to solve the year old mystery. She soon finds out that she may have taken on more than she can handle. Pursued by someone who wants the identity of the killer to remain a secret, Mellow will have to use all her resources to outwit him and help the spirit of Rachel move on. 


My Take:   Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice is a pretty quick read.  It was a cute and, at times, funny mystery.  Mellow Summers heads to Vermont for college.  What she didn't expect was getting a mystery and a ghost as well.  Rachel was murdered a year before and she wants Mellow to help her figure out what happened.  After agreeing to help, Mellow finds herself in some sticky situations.  She also acquires some unique friends, like an entire biker gang!  I enjoyed this mystery as it was a lot of fun to read.  My only problem with it was that Mellow is 26, yet at times, she acted more like a typical college student of 18 or 19.  Not a big deal, but it did bother me.  If you are looking for a fun read, pick this one up!

Janet was kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

Kari :What inspired you to become a writer?

Janet: I had a friend in high schools who loved to write and some  his passions rubbed off on me.  Back then I wrote a few short stories and poems, none of which I published.  But at the same time I began writing a novel which I worked on for ten years.  Writing started out as a hobby, but now it is time to turn it into a way of life.

Kari: Where do you come up with the idea for your books?

Janet:I was watching Ghost Whisperer  one night and reading a mystery novel an thought, why not have a book where a ghost helps solves a mystery.  I’ve always liked a good ghost story and a good mystery so I figured I’d put both into one book.  The title Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice I had bouncing around my head for quite a while before I penned the first sentence.   My goal was to make this a fun but entertaining read, and that is why I wrote this book.

Kari: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Janet: I plan to write a sequel to Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice.  I probably won’t be released until later this year.  Currently, I am working on the second novel in my fantasy trilogy Legends Lost.  I plan to have that one completed before the end of this coming summer.  After I am finished with it, I will write the sequel to Sugar and Spice.

Kari:  Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Janet:That is a tough one.  There are three that I will have to list here.

Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings: Sam is the epitome of a loyal friend.  Through all of the dangers that he and Frodo face in their quest to destroy the One Ring, Sam never leaves Frodo’s side.  Not once does he consider turning back and leaving Frodo.  Instead he remains by Frodo’s side even after Frodo turns against him and allows Gollum to poison his mind.  While in Mordor near the end of their journey, Sam literally carries Frodo up Mount Doom to ensure that he succeeds in his mission.  One of the things that really brings Sam to life is at the very end of the story when Frodo decides to keep the One Ring.  Not once does Sam consider telling the others about Frodo’s betrayal.  Instead, he keeps is a secret and forgives Frodo for his moment of weakness.

Severus Snape from Harry Potter: Everyone loves Harry and his friends, or even Voldemort.  But I think Snape is often overlooked.  His cold manner through most of the series is a bit off putting, but there is something about his character that makes you feel sympathy for him.  Snape is one of those courageous people that literally sacrifices everything to bring down the stories villain.  He puts his life in constant danger spying on Voldemort while at he same time pretending to be Voldemort’s loyal servant.  But one of the things that really makes me sympathize for Snape is the fact that he was never able to make up with Lilly before she died.  Through immaturity and an act of selfishness, he pushed away the only woman he ever loved. Even after Lily married his arch-rival, he never stopped loving her.  After her death, he spend the reminder of his life protecting her son.  Severus Snape is the a man who lost everything he ever loved because of a selfish desire to be great.  Afterwards, he spends the remainder of his life trying to atone for his sins.

Marvin from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:  What is not to love about a clinically depressed robot?   Marvin is a new model robot that is supposed to be able to relate with people.  The problem is he suffers from depression and usually comes across as a downer.  His poor me attitude brings a certain amount of dark humor to wild ride through the galaxy.

Kari :Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Janet: I’d be a cat.  I’ve always loved cats and have three of them.  I find them fascinating.  They are highly intelligent and have a way of getting people to do their bidding.  I also find their ability to sneak up on you without making one sound to be intriguing.

About the author:

Janet McNulty currently resides in West Virginia where she moved after receiving her B.A. in History. She lives with her three cats who keep her on task.

Ms. McNulty has also recently published a novel, Legends Lost: Amborese, under the pen name Nova Rose. She is currently working on the second novel in the series called Legends Lost Tesnayr, but also has another nonfiction book in the works, that is untitled at this point. 

Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spice-Mellow-Summers-ebook/dp/B00727XQI2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spice-Not-So-Nice/dp/1469951312/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_6

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/surgar-and-spice-and-not-so-nice-janet-mcnulty/1108440466?ean=2940014057141&itm=1&usri=sugar+and+spice+and+not+so+nice

Heart of Evil

Author: Heather Graham
Publisher: Mira books ( June 2011)

Emerging from the bayou like an apparition, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends…and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks its cemetery’s most majestic vault. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War. Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare – often inexplicable – intuition. Among them is Jake Mallory, a gifted New Orleans musician with talent that stretches beyond the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own. The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried – even in death….


Heart of Evil is the second in the "Krewe of Hunters Series" by Heather Graham. This time around, team member Jake gets involved in helping an old flame figure out who is trying to ruin her and her family. The team heads Ashley Donegal's plantation outside of New Orleans to find out who has committed murder and see if there are really ghosts.

I was a bit disappointed in this one. I thought that there was something missing. The team chemistry that I really enjoyed in the first one wasn't really there. In fact, we barely see a few of the team members. While I liked the mystery and was kept guessing until the reveal, I thought the romance was a bit flat. I felt like Ashley and Jake fell back together too quickly without really discussing what happened between them. There also wasn't enough supernatural suspense for me. I thought the scenes between Ashley and her ghostly relative were a bit hokey.

I liked it enough to recommend it and to continue on with the series. I just hope the next one is as good as the first.

--Kari

*note: I read an complimentary copy of Heart of Evil supplied courtesy of Mira Books. I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.

Blog Tour: Chasing Amanda

Author: Melissa Foster
Publisher: Solstice Publishing (April 2011)

Nine years ago, Molly Tanner witnessed a young girl’s abduction in the busy city of Philadelphia, shifting her occasional clairvoyance into overdrive. Two days later, the girl’s body was found, and Molly’s life fell apart. Consumed by guilt for not acting upon her visions, and on the brink of losing her family, Molly escaped the torturous reminders in the city, fleeing to the safety of the close-knit rural community of Boyds, Maryland.

Molly’s life is back on track, her son has begun college, and she and her husband have finally rekindled their relationship. Their fresh start is shattered when a seven-year-old girl disappears from a local park near Molly’s home. Unable to turn her back on another child and troubled by memories of the past, Molly sets out to find her, jeopardizing the marriage she’d fought so hard to hold together. While unearthing clues and struggling to decipher her visions, Molly discovers another side of Boyds, where the residents--and the land itself--hold potentially lethal secrets, and exposes another side of her husband, one that threatens to tear them apart.

I really enjoyed Chasing Amanda. The story had me hooked from the beginning and I didn't want to put it down. This book is a perfect glimpse into small town life. Small towns tend to hold many secrets for a long time. The author does a great job of slowly revealing those secrets to the reader. The plot of the book is very well planned out so that the reader learns the truth along the same timeline as Molly. I wasn't able to figure out how all of the pieces fit into the puzzle until Molly did. I really enjoyed that aspect.

I liked Molly's character. She is strong willed and willing to risk everything, even her marriage, to save a little girl's life. She has rebuilt her life after learning that she could have saved a child's life and didn't. I can see why she would be so adamant about helping with this one. There were 2 things that didn't ring true for me. I felt like her husband should have been more sympathetic and more believing of her "knowing". I also felt that in real life, a cop would follow up on any lead for a missing child, budget issues and false leads aside.

I highly recommend you give this one a try. I haven't read Ms. Foster's first book, Megan's Way, but it is loaded up on my Kindle and at near the top of my TBR Pile. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Foster comes up with next.

--Kari

* note: I read an complimentary copy of Chasing Amanda supplied courtesy of the author as part of her virtual blog tour. I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.*