Review: Old Bones

Old Bones by Douglas Preston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Preston & Child have done it again! I've been super excited about this spinoff to the Pendergast series since I read the news a few months ago. For those who don't know, I've been following Pendergast on his adventures for a good 15 years, and absolutely love the world and cast that Preston & Child have created. Of course, I was elated to find out that two of my favorite secondary cast members were not only making an appearance again, but were STARRING in a new spinoff that will be a SERIES of its own!

This one takes place out near the west coast in the infamous Donner Pass. Well, mostly. There are some scenes elsewhere, of course, but most of the action takes place in the creepy setting of a locale where some crazy events went down. You know, group of travelers headed west for a new life, get lost in the mountains, snowstorm cuts them off, starvation leads to cannibalism, the usual story, am I right? *shudders* Anywho, Nora Kelly, archaeologist extraordinaire, works for the Institute that gets sent to do a dig and help find out what happened at what is dubbed the "Lost Camp" - a separated group of the Donner party that the whole camp was lost to history. Shenanigans ensue, obviously. Meanwhile, Corrie Swanson - all grown up and employed by the FBI - finds herself working a case with some strange connections to the Donner Party, leading her in Nora's direction. The story comes to an explosive ending with some fun moments and some setup for future adventures.

Wherever the authors take these two, I'm there. I've got skin in the game!

Please note that you CAN read this without reading the Pendergast series, but not only will you have missed out on seriously character development for the two main characters, but you'll also spoil quite a few big details from the main series. I highly recommend you binge read the Pendergast series first - and don't forget to read Thunderhead in between Reliquary and Cabinet of Curiosities. You don't want to miss out on Nora's introductory novel!

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Review: Becoming

Becoming by Michelle Obama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Obama were a class act, and this book not only served as an interesting glimpse into the life of former First Lady Michelle Obama, but also as a reminder of what a presidency and country can be when hope, optimism, empathy, love, generosity, tolerance, togetherness, and respect reign over bigotry, cronyism, greed, corruption, and petulance.

Here's to hoping we can one day find our way back to that.

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Review: The Escape Room

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book was insanely hard to put down. Once you get past the beginning where everything gets introduced, you get pulled into this web of deceit and lies and bad behavior. It's like watching that train wreck -- you can't tear your eyes away even though what you're seeing is awful and shameful and terrible.

I really liked this book. It was a great story, chock full of the things that make thrillers what they are. Overall, it wasn't even super thrilling - you can totally predict the end if you're paying attention, and much of the stuff that happens isn't "edge of your seat" material... but it's so compelling that it's still fantastic.

I think the only negative for me in regards to The Escape Room is that, well, there isn't all that much "escape room" stuff in it, and since that's what it is being marketed as containing, I was a little disappointed in that one aspect. But mainly, WOW. Great book.

4.5 stars!

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Review: The Turn of the Key

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion! It was much appreciated!

This book tore at my heartstrings. The atmosphere was astoundingly perfect. Old house in the middle of pretty much nowhere, updated with some modern touches, but for the most part, still carrying around the haunting history of its past. The loneliness of being one of a handful of people, isolated on the grounds of an estate far from the city. Creepy noises at all hours of the night, items going missing, a hidden dangerous garden, scared children... this could have been a perfect horror novel. But what drives the narrative is that you know someone is going to die, and you want to know who causes this to happen... all that other stuff just helps create the atmosphere of tension and building anticipation that most writers try to set up and fail at spectacularly.

The twists will throw you for a loop, and some of them seem to come out of nowhere. It's not your typical mystery in that you can't guess a lot of the things that will happen... but it's worth the read.

Probably my favorite of Ruth Ware's novels so far. I can't wait to see what comes next.

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