lavenderspark | Books 43-45

I took a break from reading for a bit, I was spending too much time in fictional worlds and not enough in the real one. But I've mostly figured out a balance again.

I read The people of Stillwater, Mississippi, are asking questions about murder. Again.

Twenty years ago Madeline Barker’s father disappeared. Despite what everyone else thinks, Madeline’s convinced her stepfamily had nothing to do with it. But the recent discovery of his car finally proves he didn’t just drive away. Worse, the police find something in the trunk that says there’s more to this case than murder.

With no other recourse, Madeline decides to hire a private investigator—even if the cops don’t like it. Even if her family doesn’t like it. But when P.I. Hunter Solozano begins to uncover some shocking evidence, someone in Stillwater is determined to put a stop to Madeline’s search for the truth. And that means putting a stop to her. Permanently.
. It was ok. It's the third of a trilogy, but I didn't feel lost at at while reading it. It was fairly predictable and not a very good subject matter. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It was a well written book, structure wise. The characters were handled well, I just didn't like the subject. The way it was written, you weren't really supposed to either, so I'm not really sure how to review it.

After that, I went to my Kindle and found A dystopian future. An abandoned world. A twisted eternal paradise...

Fawn hates traveling to the afterlife. Born an orphan and forced into years of indentured service in the spirit realm, she's had enough of paradise. The minute her contract expires she is leaving the portals behind and moving into the wildlands of the abandoned world.

But she might not get the chance...

When she's assigned a job at The Nocere, the new nightclub in between the realms, Fawn comes face to face with the darkest side of humanity. The customers are evil. Her friends are in danger. Can she overcome her fears and defeat the monsters to save the ones she loves?. I liked this one much better. Dystopian future and depressing, but it was interesting. Using the paranormal in a magical way. And the main character had hope/desire for a better future, so it made it less depressing.

I just started A killer is watching . . .

The brutal murders of three young boys paralyze the citizens of Platte City, Nebraska. What's worse is the grim realization that the man recently executed for the crimes was a copycat. When Sheriff Nick Morrelli is called to the scene of another grisly murder, it becomes clear that the real predator is still at large, waiting to kill again.

Morreli understands the urgency of the case terrorizing his community, but it's the experienced eye of FBI criminal profiler Maggie O'Dell that pinpoints the true nature of the evil behind the killings -- a revelation made all the more horrific when Morrelli's own nephew goes missing.

Maggie understands something else: the killer is enjoying himself, relishing his ability to stay one step ahead of her, making this case more personal by the hour. Because out there, watching, is a killer with a heart of pure and perfect evil.. I've read one of his books before and thought I liked it, so I figured I would like this one too, but less than 100 pages in and I'm not sure I want to finish it. It feels predictable and just too heavy for me. I could just be in the wrong mind set for it at the moment.