Happy Book Birthday, Eyes of the Forest by April Henry with Giveaway!

 Sometimes, a reader needs a good mystery, and today's review fits that bill. The eerie title and cover caught my attention on this one. Plus, I was in the mood for a bit of a thriller

Eyes of the Forest

by April Henry

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

YA Mystery

 

After a bestselling fantasy writer disappears, only his biggest fan believes he’s in danger. Instead of re-reading his books, she must venture into the real world to uncover the truth in this fast-paced mystery by New York Times-bestselling author April Henry. For readers of Courtney Summers and Karen McManus.

Bridget is RM Haldon’s biggest fan. She and her mom sought refuge in Haldron’s epic fantasy series Swords and Shadows while her mom was losing her battle with cancer. When Bridget met Haldon at one of his rare book signings, she impressed the author with her encyclopedic knowledge of the fantasy world he’d created. Bridget has been working for him ever since as he attempts to write the final book in his blockbuster sword and sorcery series. But Haldon has gone missing, and Bridget is the only person who seems concerned. Can Bridget piece together Haldon’s cryptic clues and save him before it’s too late?

Master mystery-writer April Henry weaves another heart-stopping young adult thriller in this story that seamlessly blends suspense with an exploration of fan culture.

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MY TIDBITS

With amazing smoothness and weaving, this tale places tension high and keeps the reader wondering how it will all work out by the end.

Bridget has been a fan of a famous author since she was eight, and by a wonderful chance, she even has become his assistant and offers advice on the details he's built into his series. Unfortunately, he's suffering from writer's block, and millions of fans have been waiting for the last novel in his series for over three years. When he suddenly goes missing, nobody seems to notice. Not even Bridget until she receives a very strange email.

Every moment and every step is very well laid out in this mystery. I'm not always a fan of those stories, where the reader already knows who the kidnapper is, what their motive is, and even where they are hiding their victim, but this author makes it work and more. Every step of the way, the characters are left open, allowing the reader to know exactly what they are thinking and why. It makes each one personal and more realistic...even when their logic is flawed. 

Bridget is a character to root for from beginning to end. She's got a very good head on her shoulders, tons of heart, and is willing to do what she needs to. She has some difficulties from her past to overcome, but it doesn't make her weak. I also appreciated the warm relationship with her father. While there is a bit of romance hinted at...maybe, it's more of a forming friendship and doesn't go anywhere from there. So, that was refreshing, too.

The tension in this one builds slowly and remains high until the end. There is a little bit of violence and a slightly gruesome accident scene, but none of this is over the top. Everything is done open for the reader to see and know, and it's the expectation of Bridget, hopefully, figuring things out, which make this one so entertaining and grabbing. I especially enjoyed the way the villains grow and change, as it adds depth and unexpected twists. 

It was no problem to read this one in a single sitting, and I, luckily, didn't have to put it down until I'd read all the way from the beginning to the end. 

And here she is...

April Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels Girl, Stolen; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award; The Night She Disappeared; and Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, Books One and Two in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon.

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Happy Book Birthday, Playing With Fire by April Henry with Giveaway!

PLAYING WITH FIRE

April Henry

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

YA Thriller

When a fire cuts off a popular trail in the Oregon forest, a small group trapped by the flames must find another way out―or die―in Playing with Fire, an unrelenting teen-vs-nature YA thriller by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.

Natalia is not the kind of girl who takes risks. Six years ago, she barely survived the house fire that killed her baby brother. Now she is cautious and always plays it safe. For months, her co-worker Wyatt has begged her to come hiking with him, and Natalia finally agrees.

But when a wildfire breaks out, blocking the trail back, a perfect sunny day quickly morphs into a nightmare. With no cell service, few supplies, and no clear way out of the burning forest, a group of strangers will have to become allies if they’re going to survive. Hiking in the dark, they must reach the only way out―a foot bridge over a deep canyon―before the fire catches them.

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MY TIDBITS

Hugging closely with reality, this is a thrilling tale with tons of high-stake moments.

Despite living near the mountains, Natalia has never gone hiking, but thanks to a friend, that's about to change. After a nice trip, they turn back down the trail to head to the car and are met with incoming flames. Together with other hikers stuck on the trail, they get word from a rescue helicopter to head toward a bridge over a canyon. But getting there isn't going to be easy, especially when Natalia already barely survived a fire six years before and isn't psychologically completely past the experience. And especially since there might be someone there who wants to kill her.

The tale starts off with a very grabbing scene and sets the stage for the thrill to come. It's quickly clear what kind of troubles (fire-wise) Natalia and the others will be up against. Even some of the dangerous moments along the way aren't exactly hard to see coming. But it's exactly that which keeps the tension high. Every turn carries danger and time is running short with flames threatening from several sides. 

The author has done her research, and every moment comes across with realistic flair. The scenes, dangers and solutions are logical and understandable. This hits so well that the moments Natalia offers medical assistance could almost be copied in real life...they carry that much detail. 

There's a colorful mix of characters, which keep the stakes high, the moments more unpredictable and, at the same time, adds a little zest to the situations. Each person has their positives and negatives, and these filter in at all the right times. There were times where too many problems occurred...too many accidents too fast...but in general, all was well. The writing itself is very well done, and that kept the story running smooth even when other things didn't. I also had a hard time feeling for Natalia's fear of fire, considering that if she hadn't had chapters remembering the problem, her reactions wouldn't have really had me guessing that she was mentally struggling.

All in all, it's an exciting read and has more than a few tense moments.

And here she is...

April Henry is the New York Times–bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels The Girl in the White Van; Girl, Stolen; The Night She Disappeared; The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award and won the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery; Count All Her Bones; The Lonely Dead; Run, Hide, Fight Back; and The Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, the first two books in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon.

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