Review: The Perfect Son

The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What I liked: Good amount of tension build up. It definitely had be standing still a few times wondering what would happen next. I listened to the audiobook for free on Libby. The Voice actress does a pretty good job, worth a listen.  I liked the mom.  She did her best.  It's a good illustration of how you can live with a monster and not know.  People always say they had no idea.  Honestly, the father's oblviousness to his son's history was pissing me off.  He locked a girl in a closet and duck taped to to the floor...boys will be boys... in JAIL!

What I loved: The story pretty much follows the mystery troupe of ...if it's obviously blah, then it's obviously not blah. So it was fun trying to figure who it was. And getting to the end and being nearly right was great.

What I didn't like: 

I have questions.

So Liam is just going to get away with unzipping a cat huh, after he's saved two lives.  Cool.

And Hanna just managed to follow her father across town...on her bicycle to the cabin in the woods?  Ok.

I wasn't sure how to feel.  One the one hand I almost relieved that the Sociopath hadn't done it.  I was like, yay, a story with a non-villous sociopath.  One who remains cool under pressure when people need help.  It would be nice if he'd become a fire fighter or a solider.  Something useful.  But with a story like this there always as to be one turn of the screw... and of course it has to be that one.  

So, did they burn down that cabin with the trap door?

Hell there was a moment when I thought grandma was the killer!  Sheesh.  

Idk about this one guys.  It's a fun short read.  Not every book as to be perfect.  It was engaging and held my interest for a while. 

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Review: The Devil and the Dark Water

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved  this author.  So far I am a huge fan of his work.

What I loved:

 As mentioned I love me a good Sherlock Homles story.  This book completely turns the Sherlock Holmes trope on it's ear in a wonderful way!  The Sherlock character is in jail, and the Watson character has to use what he's learned to solve the very super-natural seeming crime!  And the Sherlock is not able to swing in with all the answers at the end.  This story does not cheat Watson out of his win (this time).

What I liked.  

The Devil and the Dark Water is an easy to follow super-natural seeming mystery on the open seas.  So

many things happen.  As the plot cracks open and people start making bad choices the story gts wilder and wilder.  But we are left behind.  But be assured somehow every thread is is tightened.  Every choice is explained.  Every character has a reason for what they do, and that is a beautiful thing.  

I would love love love to sit in a class taught by Stuart Turton about how he storyboards his plots, how he maps out what he's doing and how makes sure that everything comes to a satisfying and clear conclusion.  

Negative Comments:

  The ending was a little odd for a lot of readers.  I don't want to spoil it, but if you've read the ending then you know that the main two characters make a somewhat controversial choice at the end of the story.  I understand the choice they made.  It goes back to the characters and the situation they are in....like seriously what else did you expect them to do?

However, I found a comment on Reddit that makes the conclusion even more satisfying.  So I'm sharing it here.    

 Conclusion

Over all, this was thrilling mystery, with loads of turns and a good twist ending.  I love how turns the Sherlock troupe on it's ear.

If you like this book as much as I did please check out:

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