Review: Blood Enemy (Underworld #2) by Greg Cox

2 stars for Blood Enemy (Underworld book 2) by Greg Cox.

Having enjoyed Underworld thoroughly, I move on to the next instalment in the series almost immediately after the concluding chapter in book 1.

Blood enemy is still very much a story about the shadow war fought by immortal creatures of the night, vampires versus werewolves. But the focus is different. It is a story before Underworld and bulk of it is about Lucian's love interest, Sonja. It is the reason for the rise of the lycans against their vampire masters. For countless generations, the vampires oppressed the lycans, condemning the wolf kind to never-ending servitude. This book sheds light on why the household lycans defect from the vampire's castle and flock to join Lucian and his army to oppose the coven.

Sad to say, I did not enjoy reading Lucian and Sonja's love story. While the writing is good, the story gets stale after a while.

Still, credit is given to the author for connecting this book back to the main story, where there arises the search to find a way to match the staggering power of the vampires Elders, the search for some secret, hidden away in the very origins of the two races - vampire and lycan. In closing, we are given a sneak preview as to how the ultraviolet ammunition - the glowing blue cartridge that seems to be infused with encapsulated sunlight - that we see in book 1 comes about.

Review: Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! by Annette Curtis-Klause

2 stars for Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! by Annette Curtis-Klause.

This review is overdue. I should have posted it two weeks ago, but I didn't look forward to writing it, so I keep procrastinating until I am almost done with my current book and can wait no longer.

Not only does it seem to take forever for me to sit down and write this review, I feel like it is also taking me forever to read the book. Truth is, I did not like the story much.

This book is about a group of performers who use their unusual physical difference to trade for a means of livelihood. It is also a story of these human oddities trying to find their self-esteem and worth in the midst of their search for identity and a sense of belonging.

While I have all the respect for unusual people who against the odds, fight and create lives for themselves, make the best of what they can to earn a living, have family and children, sorry to say, I find it difficult to like this fantasy of a story weaved with these people as a focal point.

Review: The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

2 stars for The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.

I am never an enthusiast where collection of short stories is concerned. But I make an exception after reading about The Illustrated Man in another book. Though I did not finish that book, I am glad that it leads me to this book and cannot wait to start reading. Why? Because the little introduction about a man completely covered in tattoos, tattoos that come to life when the night falls, totally captivates me.

It starts with a prologue in which a homeless man, a hobo, is sitting in front of his campfire eating his dinner of pork and beans when another man comes by. The hobo narrator thinks it is odd because it is a warm summer night and yet the guy is wearing a long-sleeved wool shirt, buttoned all the way up to his neck and over his wrists. The man asks if he can spend the night by the fire with the narrator, who welcomes him. Getting ready for bed, the man takes off his shirt and reveals that he is covered in tattoos. Beautiful, vibrant, mysterious illustrations.

The man tells the narrator that he got the illustrations, as he calls them, from a woman who turned out to be a time-traveling witch. Right after getting the tats, the guy realizes they are not just simple illustrations. They are enchanted. They move and they change and they tell stories. Of the future. Creepy, scary stories. Each illustration is a little story.

The man also tells the narrator not to look at him during the night, not to watch those illustrations tell their stories. And especially, he is not supposed to look at the one empty spot on the man's back because his own story will materialize there. But, of course, the narrator will look, right? Who wouldn’t? He can’t help himself. Mostly, the book consists of the stories as told by the illustrations that come to life as the narrator looks on. Eighteen illustrations, eighteen stories.

All of the stories have a common theme about conflict between technology and humanity. Considering that this book was written more than seventy years ago, it is amazing that the author is writing stories about the dangers of virtual reality and space travelling. As a reader, I wonder "Who’s the time traveller? That witch or the author?"

As mentioned earlier, I am never really into short stories. But for this book, I find myself looking forward to the next story and the next and the next. As I read on, I realise, there is no continuity on the stories. There is much potential to be had in the stories but the author simply uses it as a platform to tell some totally unrelated short stories. Surprisingly, I am actually fine with the standalone short stories. To me, it does not really matter so long as they are good stories about glimpses into the future. Some are interesting. But some are boring. And some feel dated though this cannot be helped as the book was published in 1951.

My favourite is the first story about the Happylife Home. It has a virtual-reality play room where the children can let their imagination run wild. Unfortunately, this first story leads me to set my expectations high and I feel greatly disappointed when the rest of the stories fail to deliver.

Review: Psycho II (Psycho #2) by Robert Bloch

2 stars for Psycho II (Psycho book 2) by Robert Bloch.

I have been hesitant to continue with book 2 of the the Psycho series. Sad to say, I read it and regretted it. I told book buddy CL and she put it across plainly as the book 2 syndrome; book 2 always has a higher risk of falling below expectations. Well, I agree with her but when book 1 is so well written, it is hard to resist not giving the sequel a go.

In Psycho II, not much has changed, Norman Bates is still Norman Bates but he is no longer the leading character. While I am fine with Bates turning into a sidekick which changes the story to a whole new ballgame, I do not like it that much of the story centers on petty politicking and party power games on the filming industry and production crew.

Even though I do not like Psycho II much, the author is good with plot twist, I will give him that. I certainly never expect the ending to be the way it is.

Psycho is surely a series on the mentally disturbed, the insane, crazy, lunatic, madman, screwball, wacko, weirdo, freako, or those who have gone bananas, that much is clear. But honestly, if you like Psycho, I will tell you not to get your hopes up on this one. Read it at your own risk or, better yet, don't follow in my footsteps.

Review: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

2 stars for Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

I have long heard of this book and how well-liked it is, so I thought to give it a go after reading Where the Red Fern Grows which makes me keen on children's fiction all over again. In the end, I didn't like this book as much as I thought I will.

This book was written by the author for her son after his best friend was struck and killed by lightning. As with real life, the story of Bridge to Terabithia deals with realistic themes such as friendship, loneliness, insecurity, courage and death. It tells of two lonely children who become the best of friends in the most unusual of circumstances and how they create their own land of make believe - Terabithia, the secret magical forest kingdom - to escape into.

This novel reminds me of how good it is to be young again, to have a trusted confidant with whom to share the fantasy and excitement of a magical land of make believe. The story in itself is fine. The themes it covers are very much real-life and are situations where children have to learn to grapple with. The only issue is I do not like the way some characters in the book are brought to life. I understand that the author needs to bring out the lonely feeling of the protagonist, Jesse Aarons, by painting a grim family life, but I think she overplays it by portraying his family members as uncaring and disagreeable. The mother strikes me as a difficult and profoundly unhappy person, the father while not as demanding is often not around when the son needs him, the two older sisters are exceptionally unpleasant and come across as ungrateful wretches and the two younger sisters are, well, too young - what kind of excuse is that? - to be sensible enough. Very often, how the parents and other family members are depicted in a story reflect the value system of that family unit. For a children's book, the lack of family cohesiveness is already a negative, yet I see more hostility with use of bad language, one example is "shut your mouth". For a children's fiction, one "shut your mouth" is one too many, and here I see it more than once, definitely too many for my liking.

At the end of the day, I find myself torn between giving this book a thumbs-up (3 stars) or down (2 stars). I do like the book given the theme but when I take into consideration this being a children's literature which in reality is more suited for adults, and not one I will like young children to read, I know where my answer lies.

Review: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

2 stars for Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.

I wonder at times why author Harper Lee, with the success of her debut Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), never continues to write and publish more. After all, she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction writing in 1961 and her book has been widely acclaimed by teachers and pupils and readers alike. It is only in 2015, after more than fifty years that her second novel, Go Set a Watchman, is published. When I get curious enough, I do my usual thing - I whip out my cell phone. A few keystrokes later, and there, I have my answer. The wonders of Google. It reveals the following "Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill a Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say, and I will not say it again." This author has character!

After To Kill a Mockingbird, I find myself at a loss on what's next. The book is so well written that I worry my next one will not be as good. In truth, my mind is still very much rooted in Maycomb and I want to spend more time with the Finch family. In the end, I feel that it has to be Go Set a Watchman. Once decided, I proceed to read and finish it over the weekend. Though I spend two days on Watchman compared to the seven for Mockingbird, it is hardly because I like the former more than the latter.

Fast forward some eighteen years and Jean Louise Finch is now twenty-six years of age. Not much is mentioned on the lost years from the close of Mockingbird when Jean Louise is around nine years old to the young lady she is now. With the exception of a new character, Henry Clinton, there is pretty nothing much new. In fact, Go Set a Watchman is very much an iteration of author Harper Lee's first novel, with some passages taken word for word. Bulk of the story deals with flashback of Jean Louise's childhood and the days of old spent with her brother, Jem, and their Summer friend, Dill.

After an almost perfect story laden with lessons on prejudice and racial discrimination in Mockingbird, Watchman is definitely not what I have expected. I keep the pages turning non-stop, in hope of - I'm not sure what exactly - perhaps another court case or something similar to that effect, or some earth shattering revelations or whatever, but definitely not the same old thing. In the end, I didn't get what I hope for, no major up there. But I did experience a painful down where I get lost amid the abstract arguments between Atticus and Jean Louise over civil rights. That is not to say there are no lessons to be learnt from Watchman. There are still, but it is an agonizing read which I rather do without.

Go Set a Watchman is a book readers will not understand and appreciate without first reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Even then, it is a book I find painful to read and hard to like. Perhaps, it may have been for the best if the author has simply left it at that and let Mockingbird be the sole book to carry on her literary legacy. After all, we all know that she has said what she wanted to say in her first novel.

Review: Nightchaser (Endeavor Trilogy #1) by Amanda Bouchet

2 stars for Nightchaser (Endeavor Trilogy book 1) by Amanda Bouchet.

It has been a long time coming since I read a science fiction romance. It is not for lack of trying but the limited pool of space opera novels good enough to make my heart flutter and sweep me off my feet keeps me away from my favourite genre. Frankly, I am hesitant to start another series and a trilogy at that after my last book by this same author, book 2 of Kingmaker Trilogy. But if experience teaches me anything where reading is concerned, it is that there is nothing to lose - save my time - and everything to gain by giving authors a second chance.

A couple of chapters into the story sees me smiling from ear to ear for taking the odds with this author. The writing is remarkable. The plot seems credible. The world building is good going. I tell myself perhaps this is really the one - the epitome of space opera. There is the science in the fiction what with outer space, space travel, space warfare, spacecraft, spacewalk, hyperspace, melodramatic adventure, risk-taking, sophisticated technology and then some. And then, there is the science in the, well, science. There is black hole, wormhole, discoveries of vaccines, hypotheses, experiments, scientists, biological warfare and more.

I will say everything is almost perfect, that is, until the author ruins it by introducing a male character who has the X factor. There is actually nothing wrong with this leading character except that everything about him screams tall, dark and hot to the point of unbelievably unbelievable. In a single exchange within twenty-four hours of meeting the female protagonist, Tess Bailey, X factor cares for pretty much nothing except to get into her hot pants. And the best part? It goes both ways. I am appalled at the sudden change in story direction; from the moment X factor makes his appearance, what is supposedly a science fiction romance is turning into a science fiction erotica. There is absolutely zero romance. How does romance even fit in when there is no passage of time for two people to fall in love and develop into something that lasts for this very reason? Instead, there is craving, hunger and biological urge. Even though the author tries to justify their behaviour with explanations, I still cringe every time the two protagonists come together only to be ruled by a passion which is that of carnal love. Perhaps I am wrong, but somehow, I feel that the author tries to remedy the lust at first sight situation with romance later. But the damage is done. And it becomes terribly obvious from the instant X factor materialises that everything about this story is building towards concluding their game of hide the salami.

Then, there is the issue of foul language. There is just way too many expletives used for my liking. They are in every chapter and everywhere. Ok, maybe I exaggerate some but it seems to me, cuss words are scattered all over the place. A good story does not need that many four-letter words to bring its point across. No, scratch that. A good story does not need any profanity to make it good. Period.

Nightchaser has all the potential to make it as a great science fiction novel, one of its kind. I enjoy this story where elements of science fiction is concerned, but sadly, the same cannot be said for the so-called romance portion. In my opinion, the story can do very well on its own sans an alliance that has nothing to do with love and romance but everything to do with desire and libido that goes into overdrive more times than I can count. As it is, Nightchaser makes a wrong move to chase after the wrong goal somewhere along the line and comes away as a science fiction erotica masquerading as science fiction romance. This is definitely not what I have in mind when I first set out to read this book.

If experience teaches me anything where reading is concerned, it is that it is time to let go of this author.

Review: The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

2 stars for The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter.

I am not sure what to make of this story after I am done reading. Oh heck, I am not even sure if I like it enough to be spending my time writing a review on it. The only bright side to this post is that it goes towards making an addition to my official list of books read.

Much of this book is focused on the female protagonist, Cassandra X, who is born with her stomach twisted in the shape of a knot, a hereditary condition passed down from the maternal side of the family. Throughout the book, Cassandra is constantly haunted by visions of another life, one which she yearns for and imagines as much better than her current one.

I will say The Book of X is somewhat dark and unsettling. Much is centered on Cassie and her relationship with her family and a few choice friends. The setting is fine but the mood is too melancholy for my taste. What's more? It gets darker still towards the end, like a never ending kind of depression, certainly too dark for my taste.

If you are looking for a sad and disturbing read, this is the book for you. If not, steer clear of this one.

Review: Tell No One by Harlan Coben

2 stars for Tell No One by Harlan Coben.

I have read so much - too much - positive feedback on author Coben's books that I think it is not a good thing. Because my expectation for his stories skyrockets.

I am greatly disappointed and sorry to say that Tell No One has not lived up to expectations. The story starts out promising with an air of mystery. The accused is an upstanding member of the community with roots and ties. Everything is fine, that is until I come to the part where the FBI and local cops are deliberately and annoyingly incompetent. And suddenly, it is not fine anymore. The plot has somewhat turned unconvincing and unbelievable.

I manage to finish the book but it is a close call for me to throw in the towel. I will still give some of author Coben's books another go but for the time being, I have enough to last me for quite a while.

Review: Trail of Lightning (Sixth World #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

2 stars for Trail of Lightning (Sixth World book 1) by Rebecca Roanhorse.

All thanks to this book "Stranger with My Face" which I read in my early teens, I have always had an interest in stories related to the Diné or Navajo people and their culture. So when I chance upon this book, I know I just have to give it a go.

Set in the rich world of Dinétah, the traditional homeland of the Navajo tribe of Native Americans, the Dinés are isolated from the rest of the world by a 50 foot wall which is constructed to protect the population after the Energy Wars and the Big Water. Though the story is set in a relatively small geographical area, it feels vast and unexplored, with a network of towns and villages populated by a wide variety of inhabitants.

There are witches, monsters, magic, medicine, big medicine, guns and clan powers. I think that about sum up everything. I am intrigued by the first three chapters but thereafter, it seems like a Young Adult paranormal romance novel where the moves can easily be expected.

Perhaps I have read a lot of urban fantasy novels, or that my expectation has changed over the years, I find it hard to be impressed these days. So while I am fine enough to finish reading this book, I am not sure if I am invested enough to pick up the next one. I seriously hope this is not a sign that I have outgrown the world of the urban fantasy.

Review: The Invitation-Only Zone: The True Story of North Korea's Abduction Project by Robert S. Boynton

2 stars for The Invitation-Only Zone: The True Story of North Korea's Abduction Project by Robert S. Boynton.

I feel bad giving this book a 2-star rating given that it is deeply reported and thoroughly researched and that the author has invested countless hours of hard work fact-checking to get this book published.

The thing is, this book reads very much like a boring history lesson, albeit perhaps a necessary one for better understanding as it alternates between the abductees' stories and history of Japan and North Korea.

Regardless of unexciting historical events, this book does address political and social issues such as:

- Why did North Korea go to the trouble of snatching ordinary Japanese people from beaches and small towns?

- Why did Kim Il-sung invite Japan’s Koreans to move to North Korea? With all the challenges it faced in the wake of the Korean War, why would North Korea want such an enormous infusion of people?

- Anyone who is born and raised in the North knows that identity within the society determines fate. It does not matter how smart one is or how hard one works. If identity or public image or presentation is not correct, one will never marry well, will never get the right job and will never succeed.

Review: Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

2 stars for Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance.

This book follows Elon Musk's life from his childhood up to the time he spent at Zip2 and PayPal, and then onto SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity.

Musk's deep-seated interest in rockets, space exploration, electric cars and solar power technology is astounding. You have got to hand it to him, his optimistic vision and relentless drive to execute.

Well, I am not a car enthusiast nor am I into space travel or Mars or solar energy. I am sorry but not sorry to say it is difficult for me to understand the pursuit of Musk's dreams. But still, I do enjoy reading the first one third of the book before it goes into technical details of rocket making, electric cars, solar panels, funding matters and the ugliness of power wrestling.

This is not a book that I will recommend to just about anyone. Technically speaking, this book is well written and you can tell that the author has done a great background job on all things Elon Musk related. However, unless you are already a fan or staunch follower of Elon Musk, the likelihood of losing interest along the way and skipping chunks of this book is rather high. Read it or not at all.

Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

2 stars for Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

I have heard and read so much good words about this classic novel. But somehow or other, I cannot for the life of me enjoy the story.

There is actually nothing wrong with this novel except... (1) the snail slow pace of the plot is not to my liking and (2) the story is neither suspenseful nor mysterious enough to keep me excited about picking up from where I leave off each time. Still, I am glad to say that I manage to get to the end of the book.

Review: A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell

2 stars for A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell.

One blogger. Two moms. Many secrets. That about sum up this book.

Well.. it may appear as if there are mysteries leading to more mysteries and questions leading to more questions, but at the end of the day, A Simple Favor is simply a simple story. Period.

This novel is divided into three parts. I have my share of ups and downs as I read each of them. Frankly speaking, I only like part one because ever so often, what we see is not what we get; people hide behind a facade, a flawless public facade that mask private despair. We bluff the world into thinking that all is well, when in reality our thoughts and feelings tell a different story.

I didn't like how the story turns out to be. Not at all. Perhaps the author tries to be different by having it in such a way that what goes around does not come around. But seriously, it does not work on me; the ending only leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I wonder how the author manages to get this book sold for movie rights, and a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE at that. It is beyond me.

Do not feel bad if you have yet to read this book. Wait and see the movie, perhaps it will be the lesser of two evils. Meanwhile, stay tuned for the movie reviews (release date: 14 Sep 2018).

Review: The One by John Marrs

2 stars for The One by John Marrs.

This is one book which I feel torn between giving my 2 stars worth of rating or stamping it Did Not Finish without so much as a backward glance.

Strictly speaking, I did finish reading the book upon flipping to the last page, but only because I skip so many chapters to jump right to the last one and read it backwards for that ten percent or so.

The One starts out fine with an air of mystery on finding one's significant other via a DNA match. However, I soon get bored of the story with its mediocre plot before I even reach the halfway mark.

And before I know it, Skip has become my middle name. Yes, I am glad to be done with this book.

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

2 stars for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

I will very likely have continued with my non-fiction saga if not for the urging of a friend to read this book. Gi, this reading is done for you, from the beginning right to the end. Once again, if not for you, this book, in all likelihood, will have joined the ranks of a DNF.

Gone Girl is a well executed story, but I am not overly impressed by the messed up, contemptible, conniving, narcissistic characters woven into the story. Basically, they are wolves draped in sheep's clothing, well suited to the likes of the other. But then again, two wrongs do not make a right. And thus, the plot is just so wrong on all levels. Definitely not my cup of tea.

And oh, one more thing; I need to get the brackets out of my system. Seriously, I cannot and do not understand the purpose for the excessive and unnecessary use of brackets. Not that I like the story much, but my reading will surely have been more enjoyable sans the many annoying brackets.

Lastly, even though I do not derive much pleasure out of this book, I am glad for Gi who does. Keep your reading torch burning. Perhaps, one day, we will find that one book that awes us both.

Review: The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President by Bandy X. Lee

2 stars for The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President by Bandy X. Lee.

Is Donald Trump "crazy like a fox" or is he "crazy like a crazy"?

This book is a collection of articles written by 27 different mental health professionals, citing all the reasons, to the moon and back, why Donald Trump, the 45th and current President of the United States, is now the most dangerous man in the world.

These articles, categorised into 3 parts: The Trump Phenomenon, The Trump Dilemma and The Trump Effect, are interesting and even educational in the sense that we see the application of psychological concepts on Trump behaviour. Some of these mental health professionals associate Trump with a variety of diagnoses, such as narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, delusional disorder, malignant narcissist, and even some form of dementia.

I get it that these psychiatrists and mental health experts recognize the urgency of the situation in which they come to the conclusion that the most powerful man in the world is also the bearer of profound instability and untruth. Yes, I dig it. What I don't understand is the need for repetition. Reiteration. Be it personality disorder, or dangerous individual psychological patterns, or creation of own reality, or inability to manage the inevitable crises, it is not necessary to harp on the same over and over, again and again. Seriously! I have lost count of the number of times it has been mentioned about Trump's assertion that President Obama wiretaps Trump Tower during the election campaign, or Trump's claim that he has the biggest inaugural crowd in history, or Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey, to name but a few.

In any case, the die has been cast. The choice made. What's done is done. Barring an impeachment, resignation or assassination, Mr Donald John Trump will remain president until at least the end of his four-year term: 20th January 2021.

Well, the world as we know it may cease to exist with a 3:00 a.m. nuclear tweet. If it comes to pass, so be it.

Review: The Ghoul Vendetta (SPI Files #4) by Lisa Shearin

2 stars for The Ghoul Vendetta (SPI Files book 4) by Lisa Shearin.

I finish reading this book more than five days ago. I know I should have found time to write and post my review before I indulge in the next book. But I choose to procrastinate. One day becomes two. Two becomes three. And before I know it, I am at the last two chapters of the next book and I still have not reviewed The Ghoul Vendetta yet. Truth is, for the life of me, I have no idea what to write. I am at a loss for words!

As you can guess from the above, yes, I do not have an enjoyable time with this book. The first half of the story is still acceptable, but as I read along, I find myself getting restless and flipping the pages faster and faster. There is pretty much nothing new. Nothing exciting. As usual, Agent Makenna Fraser and her partner, Ian, are back in action to tackle the criminal creatures that go bump in the night. So, what's new? Zilch.

On a fair note, the story content is fine and the writing is good. But somehow, the story just comes across as uneventful and I am bored to tears. There you have it. My review. Not a great one but it is the long and short of it.

Review: Blink of An Eye by Cath Staincliffe

2 stars for Blink of An Eye by Cath Staincliffe.

This is the second book that I have read by Cath Staincliffe. While I love her Letters to My Daughter's Killer, the same cannot be said for this one.

This book starts off well with a family barbecue setting on a sunny Sunday afternoon. But all too soon, the sheer amount of trivial and inconsequential description make me lose interest. I stop reading at a quarter way in and simply flip to the last few chapters to see that my prediction of an ending rings true indeed.

Review: Tideline by Penny Hancock

2 stars for Tideline by Penny Hancock.

The book blurb entices me to read the book. I read it and am utterly grossed out by the story; it is not my cup of tea.

For a debut novel, I will say that it is well written with the backdrop of 'creepy and disturbing' in mind. But I am not overly impressed by the messed up characters woven into the story, a woman who is not quite sane and a teenage boy whose elevator does not go all the way to the top floor.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Publication date: 24 May 2012

@}--->>--->>-----

One winter's afternoon, voice coach Sonia opens the door of her beautiful riverside home to fifteen-year-old Jez, the nephew of a family friend. He's come to borrow some music. Sonia invites him in and soon decides that she isn't going to let him leave.

As Sonia's desire to keep Jez hidden and protected from the outside world becomes all the more overpowering, she is haunted by memories of an intense teenage relationship, which gradually reveal a terrifying truth.

The River House, Sonia's home since childhood, holds secrets within its walls. And outside, on the shores of the Thames, new ones are coming in on the tide...

*Blurb from FantasticFiction*

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