📚A #ContemporaryThriller. Rosie’s #Bookreview of Fangs Of Deception by T. K. Orbelyan #BookTwitter

Fangs of DeceptionFangs of Deception by T.K. Orbelyan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fangs Of Deception is a contemporary thriller set in England and begins in October 2022. The story is narrated by Terry and integrates much of the current economic, political and social events with the story of his missing cousin Carl.

Carl is an investigative journalist who has been looking behind the Covid pandemic and many other world events. He has joined with people who refused to follow the UK government’s vaccination programme and he has been digging into more dangerous and frightening stories.

The subject matter of this story is harrowing and definitely gives the reader much to think about. As a ‘story’, however, it didn’t hit the mark of a high octane thriller. There’s too much ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’ and rather a lot of everyday minutiae which didn’t add anything to the story. I can see that the author wants to open the eyes of some of the population about the subject matter, but more thought was needed within the construction of the actual story, to make it entertaining to read, rather than just getting the message across. Had it been a great read, the message might have sounded loud and clear.

View all my reviews  on Goodreads

 

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Book description

“We couldn’t care less about what a tiny minority of people think they know. We own the media, we own the courts. Hell, we own the whole bloody system, everything. There’s no stopping what we’re doing, Terry. Surely you’ve understood that by now.”

Just days after Carl Palmer introduces his new girlfriend to his cousin Terry at a family get-together, where he reveals explosive information he has discovered about the pandemic and the vaccines, he disappears into thin air. This forces Terry to delve into the world of ‘conspiracy theories’ and uncover the truth behind his cousin’s disappearance whilst undergoing a soul-searching journey of his own.
Exploring the themes of self-empowerment, anti-conformity and loss of innocence, Fangs of Deception is a gripping psychological thriller that offers a dystopian vision of a world in which both the mainstream media and world governments are pawns in a nefarious globalist plan for humanity.

TK Orbelyan is a writer, editor and investigative journalist whose works have appeared in newspapers and magazines in the UK and the US. In addition to novels and short stories, he has authored several non-fiction works, articles and polemics. He divides his time between Britain and the Mediterranean.

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📚An #EpicFantasy Story Set In An Unusual World. Rosie’s #BookReview Of Sky Tracer by Hayden Moore

Sky TracerSky Tracer by Hayden Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sky Tracer is an epic fantasy tale set in an unusual world which has echoes of Norse and Greek mythology.

The story opens in the dim world of the forest floor and the biosphere of mushrooms. Ruthy has fallen from the ‘sky’, escaping a ship. She is found by a lone warrior called Mēna and together they set off on an adventure; they collect lots more characters on their way and together face many battles.

This is a complex story, not easy to follow with many twists and even when I had finished the book, I still didn’t understand it all.

What I liked about the story:
Setting the opening part of the book in a world filled with mushrooms was my favourite part of the book and I could see a lot of thought had gone into this. Mēna was the character I empathised with most, and her fascinating mechanical arm was a good aspect of the story. I also liked the idea of The Tree Of Ancients and everything that lived on or in it.

What I didn’t like as much:
Sadly I found that the flowery writing style overpowered the world-building and storyline to the point where it was hard to want to read in large chunks. Many of the female characters were jarringly masculine, swearing and talking of sexual acts in what would be termed in this world as a ‘laddish’ fashion. I don’t mind ‘F’ bombs and sexual talk where appropriate, but in this high fantasy setting it felt wrong. My last point goes to the use of multiple names for more than one character; this became very confusing in a plot that was already intricate.

Overall, a complex plot in a fantasy world, with an overpowering writing style which made it challenging to read.

View all my reviews  on Goodreads 

 

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Book description

In the eternal darkness of the fungal realm of Ūmfalla, two women from different worlds form an unlikely bond and use their newfound powers to try and topple an empire.

In Ümfalla, only those with dark-bright eyes can see the way. A Wanderer with a forgotten past and a mechanical-arm named, MĒNA, is one of those few. When she rescues a woman named, RUTHY, who has fallen from Sky Tracer—an abysmal machine that transports stolen children over the dark land to be sacrificed—she is thrust into a fight against the warrior Reapers and magical Weirs for the very existence of the realm. The world-tree of the sunlit realm of Avernus looms large over the Spore Cloud that shrouds Ümfalla in eternal darkness. Through secrets and deception, RUTHY reveals that she is actually ARETHŪSA, the new Ruler of Avernus who can speak through the mycelium beneath the earth and directly to the Goddess who sleeps within the world-tree.

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📚A #Steampunk Twist To This #EpicFantasy Story. Rosie’s #Bookreview Of Moroda by L.L. McNeil @_LLMacRae #TuesdayBookBlog

Moroda (World of Linaria, #1)Moroda by L.L. McNeil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Moroda is book one of the epic fantasy series World Of Linaria.

Moroda and her sister are lucky to escape from a dangerous attack on their city by a fire breathing dragon. They become part of a group taken across the sea by a Sky Pirate where they learn of a new threat to their world.

The group face dangers and fight battles while searching for an old dragon who may be the only thing able to stop the madness which is spreading.

I don’t read much epic fantasy but the Sky Pirate attracted me to this story. I liked the mixed group of adventurers, they were well thought out. The world building worked well and I could easily picture the different cities and people of Linaria. Some had wings, others could change into animals while some had magical powers. The Sky Pirate was a particular favourite character, while it took me a while to like Moroda; her skills took a long time to develop and then seemed rushed at the end.

Overall, a good start to a fantasy series and one which I may return to in the future.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

 

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Book description

n Linaria, dragons are revered as gods.

Airships command the skies.

And across the land, war is brewing.

Devastated by their father’s death, Moroda and her sister struggle to make ends meet. Things go from bad to worse when a rogue dragon destroys their city.

Fleeing on a sky pirate’s airship to escape the chaos, the sisters find themselves penned in by untrustworthy companions, a bloodthirsty warlord, and dragons on the rampage.

For Moroda, who would do anything to protect her sister, nowhere is safe. Not even the sky.

The balance of power in Linaria is tipping. Can one woman make a difference?

If you love dragons, airships, and sky pirates, you’ll love discovering THE WORLD OF LINARIA.

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📚’Extremely well written and the plot is tight’. @GeorgiaRoseBook Reviews #SuspenseThriller Hush, Delilah by @AngieGallion For Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT #BookTwitter

Today’s team review is from Georgia.

Georgia blogs here https://www.georgiarosebooks.com

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

Georgia has been reading Hush, Deliah by Angie Gallion

No one ever truly knows what goes on inside a marriage, apart from those in it. So, while Chase and Delilah Reddick appear to the outside world to have it all there are deep cracks in their relationship that run right back to when they first got together.

Delilah is blessed with a best friend, Carmen, who patches her up and urges her to leave Chase. But Delilah won’t leave their fourteen year old son, Jackson, behind and knows Chase will hunt her down if she takes him. But then Jackson starts displaying some of his father’s behaviour and Delilah knows something has to change.

Just when Delilah appears to be trying to take control something truly horrific happens – no spoilers here – which surprises the reader and completely derails Delilah, for months. Meanwhile each day that passes is a day closer to when she knows Chase will eventually kill her.

Hush, Delilah is the first book by Angie Gallion that I have read, and I loved it. It’s extremely well written and the plot is tight. While I wondered how, or indeed if, (because given the previously mentioned truly horrific thing that happened I felt this writer could go in any direction) Delilah would manage to do what she needed to I thoroughly enjoyed how the story unfolded and I found the ending immensely satisfying.

Orange rose book description
Book description

On the surface, Delilah Reddick’s life looks perfect. Her husband is a pillar of the community, and with her as his quietly supportive wife, they appear to be the picture of success and happiness. But there are deep cracks in the foundation, dark secrets Delilah has never shared with anyone.

Delilah knows what her husband is capable of when the evil inside him finds its way to the surface, but running would only delay the inevitable. Chase would hunt her to the ends of the earth before allowing her to take his only son from him. Delilah would rather die than leave her fourteen-year-old behind, but when her son begins displaying his father’s violent tendencies, she knows she must act.

In her quest to save her son, Delilah sets off a chain of events that could rock the community and reveal the darkest secret of them all. After years of staying quiet, Delilah must find her voice before her husband silences her forever.

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🌷Spring Forth Into Bloom From My Hampshire Garden For #SixOnSaturday #GardeningTwitter #GardeningMakesMeHappy

This is the last weekend of March and in the UK we move our clicks forward an hour on Sunday morning.

This week we have had rain, sun, wind and mild temperatures in Hampshire, so the flowers are blooming well.

Photo one is of this lemon coloured Hyacinth, it has a very short stem and only just peaks out from the leaves.

Picture two is of the first of the Muscari with their tiny blue flowers, each one reminds me of a lace edged capped sleeve of a dress. Hopefully I will have some other coloured ones too, if the squirrels have left me any.

Photo three is of this lovely clump of Primroses.

Pinks and purples now. First this pink Hyacinth. Followed by the pink flowers on the flowering currant bush and finally some purple and mauve Violas. A bargain pack from Aldi at £1.89 for 10 plug plants.

Thank you for joining me for this #SixOnSaturday post. I hope that you enjoyed it. Jim is now our host for this gardening meme and you can find his blog here where you will be able to catch up with links from all the other folks who take part.

Happy gardening

Rosie

📚A Good Premise, But The Book Needed More Work. Sherry Reviews Cosy #Mystery Death By Pins And Needles by Susie Black For Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT

Today’s team review is from Sherry.

Sherry blogs here https://sherryfowlerchancellor.com/

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

Sherry has been reading Death By Pins And Needles by Susie Black.

I was attracted to this book by the blurb and thought it would be something I would really enjoy as I am a big fan of cozy mysteries. When I started this one, I immediately felt lost as the story dumped the reader in the midst of a lot of characters (mostly unlikable) and a scene that was hard to get acclimated in. It seems this book is part of a series and I certainly hope the readers of the initial book were oriented as to time and place and people in a better way than this book did. It was as if the reader was expected to have read the prior book and be familiar with all the characters and the setting.

I read three chapters confused and stopped reading for another week or so before picking it up again.

On the second try, things became a bit clearer but I still didn’t like any of the characters. The group of friends of the protagonist called the Yentas were rude and condescending and the woman I expected to be the murder victim was nasty as well. No one really seemed to be someone this reader could root for or even care about.

By the time I got to chapter seven, I was about to set it aside as one I wouldn’t finish.

I pressed on, hoping it would improve and it did somewhat. It still had issues I couldn’t quite get past but the story did start to make sense and I did enjoy the premise of the tale.

Some things that bothered me that stopped my total enjoyment of the story: (1) The author used a phrase that was something on the lines of, “I twirled my hands in a ta-da motion” or “I turned my hands in a ta-da motion.” I’d never seen such a phrase and it was used more than once in the book. There was quite a lot of twirling of hands and fingers throughout the book. (2) The author also used the phrase, “Gave me the big eyes” which threw me out of the story each time it was used.  (3) “Gave me the stink eye” was also overused. I think the story would have been better with some judicious editing out of some of these odd, repetitive phrases. One or two occurrences in a novel is one thing, but over and over was too much. (4) One other glaring thing was using words wrong—such as in one place, the protagonist said her “curiosity peaked” which should have been piqued. I blame this on her editor. I get that sometimes the wrong words get into books, but this should have been caught.

The main character’s way of questioning people she suspected of the crime was rude and she sometimes (a lot, actually) behaved in a stupid and reckless manner. She actively put herself in danger and alienated people. If I’d been on the other end of her questioning, I would have wasted no time telling her to go away, but these people answered her questions like she had some authority to ask them. Her style of confrontation was off-putting and I wondered many times why the other characters put up with it when they didn’t have to talk to her at all.

Overall, even though I sound like I hated this book, the premise was good and the whodunit had a lot of characters to choose from which was a plus. I think it could have used a lot more editorial work. I’m not sure how the protagonist and her friends could be made more likable for this reader but I know a lot of readers enjoy this type of protagonist—irreverent, snarky, and sometimes over the top. For someone who likes that type character, this book is perfect. It just wasn’t for me. 3.5 stars

Orange rose book description
Book description

The last thing Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected to find when she opened the closet door was nasty competitor Lissa Charney’s battered corpse nailed to the wall. When Holly’s colleague is wrongly arrested for Lissa’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to sniff out the real killer. Nothing turns out the way she thinks it will as Holly matches wits with a heartless killer hellbent on revenge.

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📚’Set in Oxford and Sweden’. Judith Reviews Snow Angels by Jenny Loudon For Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT

Today’s team review is from Judith.

Judith blogs here https://judithbarrowblog.com/

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

Judith has been reading Snow Angels by Jenny Loudon.

This is a story of love, of grief, of acceptance, of guilt, of survival, of secrets. There are many themes interwoven throughout: the love of nature, the inevitability of life moving on, the change of seasons, the exploration of human nature, as well as the more disturbing themes of racism, cynicism, suspicion, antagonism. All thoroughly explored by the author of Snow Angels.
And, as I wrote in my review of the last book I read by Jenny Loudon, Finding Verity, there are exquisite descriptions as well in Snow Angels that give a wonderful sense of place. Set in Oxford and Sweden, it is obvious that the author both knows and has researched both places extensively, and brilliantly captures the tone of each. As a consequence the pace of the narrative is vastly different.
The first quarter of the story narrates the inciting incident, the accident which completely changes the life of Amelie from wife, mother, daughter, to a grieving woman who has lost her husband, her child, her mother. The action in this section moves quickly, and in itself is shocking, portraying a reality that is distressingly realistic, and shows how tenuous life can be. It is well written, and the breadth of emotion explored here gives the characters so many layers that it is easy for the reader to see them, to immediately empathise with them.
In an almost unconscious need to escape the loss of the life she has known in Oxford, Amelie leaves her home, the friends she has there, and her work as a children’s nurse in a hospital, to escape to Sweden to stay with her grandmother, Cleome, who lives in a small cottage surrounded by a forest and close to a lake. And so begins the next phase of the book.
And this is where I show my subjectivity as a reader. Before I say anything about this I need to say that Jenny Loudon’s writing, when it comes to setting the scene is superb. This is truly poetic prose: expressive and lyrical, she conjures up wonderful images that juxtapose the emotions of her characters. The descriptions in these chapters, each headed to portray the different stages of the moon, the shifting of seasons, parallels the action within the plot.
However, as I say, this is where I reveal my preference in stories. The narrative slows up too much for me. I became aware that some scenes, some thoughts, some actions, some dialogue of the characters, were returned to, too often. And described in similar ways. I realise that this whole section is written to show the stages of grief, of acceptance, of moving on. But the repetition, albeit presented in numerous similar ways almost … not quite… but almost, tempted me to skip parts. I promise I didn’t!
What frustrated me was the fact that there were other subjects, other characters introduced into the plot that I feel could have been explored to more depth, integrated to balance the introspection of Amelie and Cleome. I became impatient of the contemplative mood within the text. There really are some brilliant minor characters in Snow Angels. But I felt they were only given a voice in a retrospective way; the reader is told their stories in a distanced, almost objective way, which, for me, lost the immediacy of their tragedies, their losses, the way their lives had fallen apart.
Which leads me to the last part of the story, the summing up of the action when the story is over. In one way it satisfied my curiosity; We are told what eventually happens to each and every one of the characters. In another, it disappointed me. The résumé almost felt like a synopsis, and, for me, emphasized the comparative slowness of the main section of the story.
Having said that some might wonder why I gave Snow Angels four star. Well it’s because I realise that, despite my preference for more action packed novels, I do like character led stories as well, and there are great characters in Jenny Loudon’s book. She also has a a very evocative style of writing that gives instant imagery that will appeal to many. In that vein I recommend Snow Angels to those readers.

Orange rose book description
Book description

An accident. That’s all it was.

Amelie Tierney is working hard, furthering her nursing career in Oxford. She has a loving husband and a small son, who is not yet two. She jogs through the streets of her beloved city most days, does not see enough of her lonely mother, and misses her grandmother who lives in a remote wooden house, beside a lake in Sweden.

And then, one sunny October morning, it happens—the accident that changes everything and leaves Amelie fighting to survive.

Set amid the gleaming spires of Oxford and the wild beauty of a Swedish forest, this is a story about one woman’s hope and her courage in the face of the unthinkable.

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📚’The character driven plot is a good one…’ @CathyRy Reviews #HistoricalRomance Return to Sattersthwaite Court by @MimiMatthewsEsq for Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT #BookTwitter

Today’s team review is from Cathy.

Cathy blogs here https://betweenthelinesbookblog.wordpress.com/

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

Cathy has been reading Return to Sattersthwaite Court by Mimi Matthews.

I seem to be making a habit of reading books that are part of a series, although I have read one of the two previous books (Gentleman Jim.) Return to Satterthwaite Court is the third book in the Somerset Stories and it can absolutely be read as a standalone.

Twenty year old Lady Katherine Beresford had a mind of her own and wasn’t afraid to use her wiles to find out more about someone who intrigued her. Which, after their very unconventional meeting, was Lieutenant Charles Heywood.

Charles, just off his ship berthed in London docks, disenchanted with conflict and having resigned from his commission after eight years serving in Her Majesty’s Navy, was about to shop for Christmas gifts when he spotted a small, dirty mongrel dog dart into the street. The dog was heading straight into the path of a carriage. Without a second thought, Charles was after the dog, in time to save him from the carriage but not quite in time to stop the little rascal from nipping Kate when she tried to disentangle him from her skirts.

In a refreshing turnaround it’s the female pursuing the male, and initially Charles wanted none of it. After the last few years he was ready for a quiet life in the Somerset countryside with dogs and horses. Kate is a progressive protagonist, also an animal lover, skilled at shooting, loyal to those she cares for, respectful to those ‘under’ her and, despite the social niceties, she knows what she wants and wasn’t about to settle for less. Being the only girl with three brothers she learned early to stand up for herself.

Charles is also an appealing character. Principled even when it’s to his disadvantage and occasionally it’s very much so. He doesn’t feel in the least undermined when Kate sometimes takes the lead as they are drawn into trying to solve a mystery from the past.

The character driven plot is a good one…the mystery impacts the present, with danger and despicable people plotting and planning. I haven’t been disappointed in any of the books I’ve read by Mimi Matthews, and Return to Satterthwaite Court is no exception. Another very enjoyable read.

Orange rose book description
Book description

A reckless Victorian heiress sets her sights on a dashing ex-naval lieutenant, determined to win his heart as the two of them embark on a quest to solve a decades-old mystery in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s sequel to her critically acclaimed novels The Work of Art and Gentleman Jim.

Lieutenant Charles Heywood has had his fill of adventure. Battle-weary and disillusioned, he returns to England, resolved to settle down to a quiet, uneventful life on an estate of his own. But arranging to purchase the property he desires is more difficult than Charles ever imagined. The place is mired in secrets, some of which may prove deadly. If he’s going to unravel them, he’ll need the assistance of someone as daring as he is.

At only twenty, Lady Katherine Beresford has already earned a scandalous reputation. As skilled with pistols as she is on horseback, she’s never met an obstacle she can’t surmount—or a man she can’t win. That is, until she encounters the infuriatingly somber Lieutenant Heywood. But Kate refuses to be deterred by the raven-haired soldier’s strong, silent facade. After all, faint heart never won handsome gentleman.

From the wilds of rural Somersetshire to the glittering ballrooms of early-Victorian London, Charles and Kate embark on a cross-country quest to solve a decades’ old mystery. Will the greatest danger be to their hearts—or to their lives?

📚’At times gripping and very sad’. @LizanneLloyd Reviews Snow Angels by @jenloudonauthor for Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT #TuesdayBookBlog

Today’s team review is from Liz.

Liz blogs here https://lizannelloyd.wordpress.com/

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

Liz has been reading Snow Angels by Jenny Loudon

This is a story of love; of tragedy and grief, of friendship and prejudice and of guilt and forgiveness. Amelie, a children’s nurse living in Oxford with her husband and young son looks forward to completing her training, but suddenly a terrible accident destroys her happy world. Unable to cope in Oxford she travels to Sweden to be with her much loved grandmother Cleome. Physically and emotionally Amelie needs cherishing and time to understand what has happened but Cleome has also suffered loss and they cling to each other through a harsh Swedish winter in the countryside next to a beautiful lake. They are supported by Cleome’s neighbours, especially Helen, a doctor, and they struggle through the cold season sometimes with hope but frequently in despair.

Cleome is guided by the rhythms of the year, celebrating the solstice with its promise of returning light, foraging in the forest for natural harvests and enjoying the return of summer. Amelie loves winter despite the extreme cold, and the peace of their surroundings helps her to heal. As readers, we share their feelings and gradually learn more of a secret from Cleome’s past. Amelie finds a soul mate in Tarek, a young refugee from war-torn Syria, who has lost loved ones. An asylum seeker, he experiences racism such as we are familiar with in this country.

After briefly returning to Oxford for unfinished business, Amelie and Cleome come back to summer in Sweden. Amelie helps Helen with her medical visits to refugee families while Cleome tries to reunite with someone from her past. The long recovery period of both women is played out against the changes of nature as the guilt they bear softens. The beginning of a new future for the whole community is revealed in a very satisfactory conclusion. At times gripping and very sad, the outcome of hope and new life makes this beautiful novel life-enhancing.

Orange rose book description
Book description

An accident. That’s all it was.

Amelie Tierney is working hard, furthering her nursing career in Oxford. She has a loving husband and a small son, who is not yet two. She jogs through the streets of her beloved city most days, does not see enough of her lonely mother, and misses her grandmother who lives in a remote wooden house, beside a lake in Sweden.

And then, one sunny October morning, it happens—the accident that changes everything and leaves Amelie fighting to survive.

Set amid the gleaming spires of Oxford and the wild beauty of a Swedish forest, this is a story about one woman’s hope and her courage in the face of the unthinkable.

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📚’Fascinating psychological #Thriller’. @bakeandwrite reviews An End To Etcetera by @rbconklin1 for Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT

Today’s team review is from Robbie.

Robbie blogs here https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Orange rose and Rosie's Book Review Team
Rosie’s Book Review Team

This book is a well written and fascinating psychological thriller. Leal Porter, a teenager from a seemingly troubled background, is sent to psychologist, Selina Harris, for counselling sessions following his claim of drowning his younger autistic friend. His mother is not keen on his attendance at the counselling sessions, citing there cost and drain on her health insurance, but the school has made it a condition of his continued enrolment.

Selina has her own problems: she’s pregnant and isn’t sure whether the father is her soon to be ex-husband or an ex-lover with whom she had a one night stand, she’s in the process of getting a divorce from her husband, her ex-lover has announced his engagement to be married to another woman, and her elderly father has had a debilitating stroke. Despite, or perhaps because of, these personal issues, Selina becomes increasingly involved with Leal’s rather unbelievable account of the events leading up to the death of his young friend.

The story mainly constitutes Leal’s recounting his version of the events of his summer and involvement with a strange couple. He and his young autistic friend, Thuster, meet a beautiful young woman, Diana, who is married to a wealthy furrier. The two boys help her carry some groceries home and a friendship of sorts develops.

Leal is an unreliable narrator and neither Selena or the reader can tell what parts of his story are truth, if any, or if all of it is true. Is Thuster a real boy or is he a figment of Leal’s imagination? What has happened to Thuster’s caregiver, who also sometimes cares for Leal? Are the boys really friends with Diana and her husband, Saul, or it that all a lie? What happened to Leal’s father the night he died?

These are the questions around which the story line rotates. The book is beautifully written and it is impossible to know, as you read, what the answers to these questions are. Selina is also struggling and feels she is failing with this patient.

Selina is an interesting character with her poor self image and lack of confidence although she appears to be a competent psychologist. She is a bit confused about her relationships and does some strange things which are not unbelievable, just not well thought out. The more you learn about Selina, the easier it us to understand why her life is in such a muddle and why she is so perplexed by Leal. I thought Selina’s character was well drawn although I couldn’t understand her or relate to her reactions and actions. I ended up feeling sorry for her. Her short sightedness in all aspects of her life and projection of her internal conflicts and confusion onto her relationship with Leal contributed to the terrible situation she ended up in.

This book takes some very unexpected and interesting twists and turns, especially towards the end. A fascinating story with a great ending. 

Orange rose book description
Book description

An End to Etcetera is a mystery/suspense novel for the adult literary market about an obsessive-compulsive psychologist who tries to uncover the truth behind her adolescent client’s confession to drowning an autistic boy left in his care. With no evidence to support Leal Porter’s allegation, the school has referred him to Selena Harris for counseling. Selena is going through troubles of her own: she’s separated from a husband who has ditched her for another woman, she’s pregnant after a one-night rebound with a former lover, and she’s moved back to her small hometown in Illinois to take care of her father who has suffered a debilitating stroke. Now she faces the toughest challenge of her career. Although she believes the alleged victim is the product of Leal’s overactive imagination and need for attention, she harbors one major doubt: What if she’s wrong? The novel would appeal to adult readers who enjoy solving psychological puzzles. Working alongside the psychologist, in the role of a detective.

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