Mommy's Saturday with The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

I picked this one up thinking it'd be a possible upper YA read, since at least half of the story does focus on girls in their mid-teens. However, the material is very mature and not appropriate for younger readers. So, it's Mommy Saturday!

THE ROANOKE GIRLS

by Amy Engel

Penguin Random House

Suspense/Thriller/Coming of Age/Women's Fiction

279 pages

Content not suitable for audiences under sixteen.

A gripping, provocative thriller about the twisted secrets families keep, perfect for fans of The Girls.

Beautiful.
Rich.
Mysterious.
Everyone wants to be a Roanoke girl.

But you won't when you know the truth.

Lane Roanoke is fifteen when she comes to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin at the Roanoke family's rural estate following the suicide of her mother. Over one long, hot summer, Lane experiences the benefits of being one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls.

But what she doesn't know is being a Roanoke girl carries a terrible legacy: either the girls run, or they die. For there is darkness at the heart of Roanoke, and when Lane discovers its insidious pull, she must make her choice...

 MY TIDBITS

The author does a fantastic job at bringing these characters and their lives to life, making them dig deep into the reader's heart and remain long after the book's been closed.

A mid-twenties Lane is called home to Kansas when her cousin suddenly goes missing—a home she spent only one summer at and hasn't returned to for about ten years. Upon returning, she's frustrated at the seemingly lack of interest at her cousin's disappearance and decides to search for her herself. While trying to uncover any hints at what might have happened, Lane finds herself revisiting not only her past, but the terrible secrets generations of Roanoke girls have been harboring. Not an easy task since all have wound up dead.

This is a well-woven novel which digs into the heart and pulls at the gut as horrible secrets and situations unfold. The chapters dance between Lane's present, her past and even several other points of view, but this constant switch is never confusing. Rather, the scenes come to light exactly there where necessary and add a lovely richness to the tale. The aches and pains of this family are offered with all of their raw emotions, making it impossible not to get caught up emotionally in the pages.

The writing is very well done. Every scene sits and each conversation flows across naturally. Life in the odd Roanoke household comes across with vivid reality, each character adding their part and claiming their spot in the tale. It's an engaging read and easy to get lost in as the secrets come to light. Pretty much.

While the layers are thick and the secrets dark, the tension isn't nearly as high as I thought it might be, which in itself is by no means a negative to this book. Instead, of a constant feel of impending danger, this plot rolls through a family's terrible mistakes, sins and crimes. It was clear from the very first chapter what direction the entire thing would take—sexual/psychological abuse. And it wasn't a complete surprise to discover what had happened to the girls or even who was at fault and why. The constant and clear mention of the explicit behavior wore thin quickly. Unfortunately, this type of openness is not only something I usually steer away from, but, in this case, it also made the ending a bit too easy to predict. 

All in all, this is a well done story which digs into characters and makes them unforgettable. It falls more into a Women's Fiction story than suspense (or so I found) and hits themes which have been done before. Still, fans of dark family secrets and women facing their pasts are sure to enjoy this one.

I received a copy from Blogging for Books.

And here she is. . .

AMY ENGEL is the author of the young adult series The Book of Ivy. A former criminal defense attorney, she lives in Missouri with her family. This is her first novel for adults.

For Dad's (and Mom's): The Devil's Whisper by T.H. Moore with Giveaway

The Devil’s Whisper 

by T.H. Moore

 May 1st 2017

Dystopian, Suspense

Take a moment and imagine your history books devoid of war. Envision entire civilizations absent of heinous crimes against humanity. A planet spared from the plagues of slavery, cultural genocides, and the colonization of indigenous nations by foreigners. Would you dare make the choices necessary to maintain this Utopia in which universal peace existed? Could you ignore the Devil whispering in your ear, luring you away from a world in which loving your fellow man was the expectation, not the exception?
In a state of reverie, an impractical idea of world peace has given birth to a culture in which the human race has chosen to live free of violent criminals. Instead, criminals have been systematically exiled to the lone prison city, Katingal, constructed in a far corner of Earth. Sentenced for the remainder of their natural lives, the wicked pit themselves against their soulless brethren. Exposure, disease, and starvation claim their victims daily. Those who survive nature’s wrath negotiate the perils of the prison city through murder and cannibalism. All the while, this inimitable death sentence satisfies civilization’s aim to punish the world’s irretrievable outcasts.
Charles “Yäbälay” Gravo is the criminal mastermind behind the world’s largest human trafficking network. As a prime most-wanted fugitive, he sets into motion events that will forever alter the realities of both civilization’s Utopia and Katingal’s Hell.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT

Though Charles felt relieved to have discovered Kristoff’s lair, he could see that the savage was surrounded by his men. Nevertheless, Charles surged ahead, his heart racing in tempo with his legs as he moved closer to his objective.
As Charles drew near, a commotion broke out on the balcony. The group of men were drinking, dancing, and fighting as if the balcony were a mosh pit. One reveler grabbed another, while a third man struck the unfortunate chap with a pipe. He buckled, and with one swift movement, the two men flung their victim from the balcony. His limp body fell twenty floors to the hard pavement below. Charles heard the thump when it hit, and the cheers from a group of men who had been waiting for it on the street.
“The king is offering sacrifices tonight,” one maniac on the balcony cheered, hooting down at the dead man sprawled on the pavement.
Charles quickened his pace, staying close to the edges of the road. He ducked into a nearby building and crouched down in a dark corner, using his hands to gather a pile of dirt. He took a mouthful of the water from his satchel and pushed it around his mouth to alleviate his thirst before releasing a thin, controlled stream onto the dirt pile. After mixing the water and dirt into a dark paste, he covered his pale face until all that remained visible were his green eyes.
As he continued his trek toward the epicenter of the city, Charles heard the faint symphony of suffering. Angry yells of men coming from the east and bloodcurdling screams of women pierced the night to the west. Moments later, he slid past a band of filthy men vying for ownership of a corpse like a pack of wolves.
Another ruckus was followed by another violent assault. Just like the one before him, the beaten man was thrown from the balcony. He screamed the entire way down while the maniacs rejoiced from above. Scavengers sprinted past Charles to the man’s broken body and started ripping him apart.
Kristoff’s acolytes leaned over the balcony railing and waved their arms in the air, chanting, “Kris-toff! Kris-toff! Kris-toff! The king of K-City!”
Charles was fifty yards from the barbed wire courtyard that secured the front entrance to the Apex building. Another scream of fear, followed by another thud, a pitched body, and the scurry of the scavengers. This time, Charles was close enough to hear bones snapping against the pavement. He took cover to avoid the scavengers, and waited while they butchered the latest sacrifice with their homemade weapons.
Charles darted along the side of the building until he spotted four men guarding the back doorway.
“Four offerings so far tonight,” one of the guards warned the other three. “Two more before it’s safe to go back up there.”
“You sound like a woman, Manta,” the smallest guard said.
“Fuck you, Hiro!” He laughed. “You look like a woman. Now give me some pussy, you dwarf!”
“Curse me again and I’ll take your tongue,” Hiro seethed, pulling a short knife from his belt.
The other three guards erupted into laughter. “You call that a knife?” said one. “The only thing that knife is good for is picking your rotting teeth.”

And here he is. . .

T.H. Moore is a Southwest Philadelphia native who relocated to Camden, New Jersey at the age of ten. He’s an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University. His career as an Information Technology Consultant and Real-Estate investor has afforded him the opportunity to travel to many countries all over the world as well as the majority of the United States. Blending experience with imagination helped formulate the basis of, and inspired him to write his first novel, ‘The End Justifies the Means’.
His second novel, The Devil’s Whisper, is uniquely creative fiction that ventures away from the inspiration of his own life experiences. In The Devil’s Whisper, he dives into a darker set of dual protagonists whose sole objective is to survive the circumstances of the world they live in. T.H. Moore is the proud father of one son, Jason, and currently resides in Virginia, where he is working on the next two installments of The Devil’s Whisper trilogy.

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Warren High: An Elephant Never Forgets by J.C. Roberts

Warren High: An Elephant Never Forgets

 (Warren High #1)

by J. C. Roberts

Middle Grade Supernatural Mystery

Release Date: 7 March, 2017

ages 8+

Something strange has come to Warren High…

Warren High’s Paranormal Investigation Club has something of a reputation. No one knows more about the supernatural than its sole member, a freshman prairie dog known as Ned Gunnison. While he typically enjoys the solitude his club provides, he finds it shattered by a strange request from the mysterious rabbit, Laura.

While he’s been told that he’s seeking a friendly ghost, Ned can’t help but notice that students have started becoming injured with no explanation. What’s more Laura seems to know things that she shouldn’t be able to know. As the attacks become increasingly violent, Ned must find a way to stop the angry spirit or he may just become its next target.

A thrilling supernatural mystery for children between late elementary to early high school. If your child enjoys Goosebumps, they'll love Warren High! Perfect for the adventurous child who loves a good mystery.

You can find Warren High: An Elephant Never Forgets on Goodreads

You can buy Warren High: An Elephant Never Forgets here:
- Amazon
- Amazon Paperback


Note from the author. . .

Writing An Elephant Never Forgets was a tremendously fun journey. I remember when I first started writing the book, I wanted to give a glimpse into the struggles that can come from someone who has Autism, specifically Asperger's Syndrome. While Ned is never officially diagnosed within the book, and typically such a condition isn't caused by external stimuli, his behaviors are very indicative of someone who does suffer from ASD. The goal of the book is of course to be entertaining, but I really hope that if parents read this with their child who has Asperger's it may give them a better understanding into the way their minds work.

My inspiration for the story (as well as two of the characters), however, comes from a pair of paranormal investigators by the names of Ed and Lorraine Warren. They have had thousands of cases in which they've helped people with their problems, some of which have been even made into movies (such as Annabelle, The Conjuring, and The Amityville Horror). Now there are many people who do not believe in such things as ghosts or demons or such paranormal things, but one thing that sticks out about the Warrens is that when they did their investigations they would never charge their clients. While Ed Warren has passed away, Lorraine Warren still lives in Monroe, Connecticut where she runs The Warrens' Occult Museum with her son-in-law. Being a firm believer in the paranormal myself, it only increases the impressive nature of the Warrens' illustrious reputation, and I hope that this book does the spirit of their work justice.

The most common question I'd get while sharing the rough copies of the book was "Why animals?" I've always found animals to be fascinating, not just as creatures, mind you, but as personalities. Every animal is different, obviously, even within its species, but common traits begin to form that allows them to be used as a 'mask' for a character. By using these animal 'masks' it gives you a glance into a character's personality before they even utter a word. In some cases, it may even give a glimpse into the character's insecurities.

For example, Ned, being a prairie dog, is of a species of animal that is typically very social in nature. This says something about his personality. Particularly that perhaps it isn't the way he would be had certain events not changed his behavior. Maybe it's even a representation of the dreams he has for his future.

My absolute favorite example though is Ashley. Ashley is a Black-Footed Cat which is a very odd breed of wildcat. These cats are small, around half the size of the average house cat. Even still, they survive hunting prey that's much larger than them. Some have even been known to take down antelope. In addition, they are one of the most aggressive and territorial wildcats in the world. This is a perfect animal for Ashley as it shows off her drive for 'survival' within her school life. She's a star athlete, a socialite, and cares greatly about her appearance, but when you peel back her layers, you find that inside is this terrifying mentality of doing whatever it takes to get what she wants. If she can't overcome an opponent with her strength or agility, she'll use her cunning to tear them down to size instead.

Finally, I hope that you sincerely enjoy my work. It is the culmination of nearly two years of blood, sweat, and tears. My greatest dream is to inspire other people to find what they wish to do with their lives and to chase their dreams. So if I had to give a message to my readers, it'd be this. Listen for your call-to-arms. Everyone's is different, and everyone struggles to hear it at first. If you don't know what you want in life now, that's okay. Even still, don't ever stop moving. Seek new experiences and find opportunities to find friends and do good deeds in the world. Kindness can change someone's life forever, and cruelty must never be allowed to surpass your kindness.

Thank you all for your support, I wish you the best of luck in life and literature.

Sincerely,
J. C. Roberts



And here she is. . .

J. C. Roberts is a young author who was born and raised in Houston, Texas. From childhood, he's always been fascinated by old legends, mythology, and folklore and wished to seek out their origins. For a short while, he was a teacher at a private school for children with social struggles called Focus Academy, where he primarily taught English and Mathematics.

He has a pet prairie dog named Stormy, and enjoys practicing archery. When he's with friends, his favorite thing to do is play board games (his favorite being Betrayal at the House on the Hill) and he has a deep love for puzzles and mysteries, especially logic puzzles. His favorite author is Annette Curtis Klause, and he always loves corresponding with his readers. You can email him at JCRobertsFanMail @ gmail.com with any questions or comments you may have.

You can find and contact J. C. Roberts here:
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon

Mommy's Tuesday: June by Miranda Beverly-Whitemore

JUNE

by Miranda Beverly-Whitemore

Broadway Books

Suspense/Thriller

432 pages

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet comes a novel of suspense and passion about a terrible mistake that changed a family forever, now in paperback and featuring an all-new Reading Group Guide.

Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family's crumbling mansion in small-town Ohio, mourning the loss of her grandmother, June. But the noise of the rusted doorbell forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary movie star Jack Montgomery's fortune. 

Soon Jack's famous daughters arrive, entourage in tow, determined to wrestle Cassie away from an inheritance they feel is theirs. Together, they come to discover the true reason for June's silence about the summer she was eighteen, when Hollywood came to town, and June and Jack's lives were forever altered. 

Shifting deftly between the past and present, Cassie and her guests will be forced to reexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.

 MY TIDBITS

Between past and present, Hollywood and a small town in Ohio-this tale weaves through romance, murder, blackmail, hopes, dreams, love and what family means.

Escaping life, Cassie moves to a run-down mansion she inherited from her Grandmother and buries herself behind its walls until a man appears at her door, claiming she's the forgotten grandchild of a movie star and might have inherited 37 million dollars. This opens up the ghosts of the past, echoing a back and forth between secrets of over fifty years before and a young woman rediscovering herself, the love of a grandmother and those around her.

I loved the way this started out--a house with history, memories and dreams. The author immediately brings the setting to life before diving into Cassie, a character with so many sharp corners that it nearly pricks. But then, all the characters are deep, natural, scarred and a story all in themselves. Especially June, the grandmother who passed away offers a treasure trove of life with all of its lows, highs, deep darkness and light.

The flip-flop between modern day and the past is masterfully laid out, keeping the stories separate and clear, while inter-twining the two tales not only through unsolved secrets but emotions and hope. The truth is well hidden and stacked under so many layers. Each turn uncovers something else and many discoveries come unexpected. It's hard not to get emotionally involved as the worlds from such different directions collide and wiggle their way into a drama, where the characters are hard to forget long after the book has been set down.

The writing pulls into both times, staying descriptive and beautiful while keeping the read quick paced and light. The break-down of the chapters into sections and time periods allows for each episode to unfold without confusion, and draw the reader in before the next flip occurs a few chapters later. Each section draws in, revealing a little more, drip by drip, and keeping the tension high until the very last page. 

I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my thoughts.

ABOUT MIRANDA BEVERLY-WHITTEMORE. . .

MIRANDA BEVERLY-WHITTEMORE is the author of three other novels: New York Times bestseller Bittersweet; Set Me Free, which won the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, given annually for the best book of fiction by an American woman; and The Effects of… More about Miranda Beverly-Whittemore