Tag: psychological thriller

Oddball in 3G by Marc Berlin

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Robert Krieger’s life is falling apart.

He’s been fired from his job, split up with his girlfriend, and has a controlling mother he feels obligated to call twice a week. As a result, he’s developed a distressing anxiety disorder.

Robert lends money to an acquaintance across the hall in his building, a small-time drug dealer named Skids. When Skids is brutally beaten by enforcers working for an inner-city drug gang, the Dragons, he gives Robert a “package” to hold for him until he either asks for it back or dies. Determined to find a new girlfriend, while jogging one morning Robert meets the beautiful and willowy Lindsey Marriott, whom he awkwardly begins to romance. Soon afterwards, he finds himself in a bloody one-man war with the Dragons, who believe Robert possesses money Skids owes them.

Robert is soon juggling an array of anxiety-heightening issues, which together conspire to wreak havoc on his fragile sanity.

Gritty and violent, ODDBALL IN 3G is a psychological thriller that’s also surprisingly funny.

Favorite Lines:

“I have rules, and the rules say this: you’re human, act accordingly.”

“Everything, I realize, is temporary – especially life itself.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oddball in 3G by Marc Berlin is a quirky, offbeat novel that delivers a refreshing dose of humor and satire while weaving in moments of genuine heart and clever commentary.  From the very first page, it was clear I was in for a delightfully unpredictable ride.

The story primarily follows Robert Krieger who immediately reminded me of a mixture between Norman Bates and Dexter Morgan but with very sarcastic and dry sense of humor which lent to the almost conversational storytelling tone throughout this book that I found I really enjoyed.

What really impressed me was Berlin’s sharp wit and keen observational humor. His writing is snappy, with dialogue that feels natural yet packed with clever quips and subtle digs at life’s absurdities. The pacing is brisk, ensuring there’s never a dull moment, and just when you think you’ve figured out where the story is headed, it throws a curveball that keeps you on your toes.

Despite the humor, Oddball in 3G isn’t just a collection of comedic sketches—it has surprising depth. Beneath the layers of absurdity are themes of friendship, loneliness, and the odd connections people form in unexpected places. The characters’ antics might be exaggerated, but their emotions and struggles feel genuine, giving the novel a balance between laughter and poignancy.

I do want to call out that it is possible that some of the more surreal elements might not appeal to readers looking for a straightforward narrative. But for those who enjoy a story that embraces the bizarre with open arms, this book is an absolute treat.

Summary:

Overall, Oddball in 3G is perfect for fans of quirky comedies and character-driven stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still manage to say something meaningful. If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced read that keeps you entertained while offering a fresh perspective on life’s oddities, Marc Berlin’s latest is well worth picking up. Happy reading!

Check out Oddball in 3G here!

 

Review: Lost Grove: Part One by Charlotte Zang and Alex J. Knudsen

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

For fans of Twin Peaks and Stranger Things, Lost Grove is the first in a paranormal mystery duology that explores the twisted legends and mysteries in one small town.

In the eerie, enigmatic town of Lost Grove, where secrets whispered among the rustling pines are as thick as the fog rolling in from the sea, the discovery of Sarah Elizabeth Grahams’ lifeless body on the windswept beach is but the first note in a haunting symphony of mysteries.

Sergeant Seth Wolfe, the town’s tenacious lawman, penetrates the cryptic and labyrinthine secrets veiled beneath the town’s cheerful facade. A connection to Sarah Elizabeth, one he could never have fathomed, begins to take shape, blurring the lines between his own existence and the mysteries that enshroud the town. Suspects multiply like whispers in a haunted forest, but each lead unravels, and the mysteries of the case deepen.

Meanwhile, a group of local teenagers embark on their own harrowing mission, driven by a relentless desire to answer the riddle of their friend’s vanished brother and expose the sinister secrets harbored by an affluent institute nestled in the heart of Lost Grove. Further complicating matters, one teen’s father left town the morning Sarah Elizabeth’s body was found. With ties to a similar case seven years prior, he has become a prime suspect in the case.

As Seth dives deeper into the abyss of darkness gripping Lost Grove, an unsettling discovery threatens to derail his investigation and shatter the illusions of safety the town has harbored for far too long. A chilling web of malevolence begins to tighten its grip, ensnaring them all in a nightmarish dance that will test the limits of their resolve.

Readers who love the eerie, unsettling mystery of Stephen King’s The Outsider and the monstrous legends of Brian McGreevy’s Hemlock Grove will enjoy this twisty, taut thriller.

Favorite Lines:

“If it’s cold, Zoe likes it. The weather, food, water, you name it.”

“The angel’s wings stretched out against the inky night sky like a graceful paintbrush, his feathers rich with a hue of grapefruit and perfectly symmetrical.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story starts off with the body of Sarah Elizabeth Grahams being found on an empty beach in Lost Grove. Sergeant Seth Wolfe is put on the case and finds himself falling down a rabbit hole full of mysteriously forgotten memories and haunting dreams. While word of Sarah’s death spreads around town, two psychic siblings attempt to escape their past and start over at a new high school and a group of teenagers set out on their own dangerous mission to find a missing brother which leads them to question if changelings exist. That’s all to say that there are several strange things going on in Lost Grove and readers get to buckle in for the ride.

The story alternates between a present day storyline and flashbacks from multiple characters’ pasts which gives an inside perspective to a variety of events and only lends to the notes of mystery throughout this book. I found that the authors did a great job at setting the stage for Lost Grove to be what seems like a normal small town only for readers to quickly realize that there are a lot of unexplainable, and sometimes downright creepy, undercurrents that create a shroud of suspense and mystery around the town. I applaud the authors for being able to spin such a tangled web of secrets and connect them all together to become the town of Lost Grove. 

In addition to a deliciously creepy setting and plot, I also enjoyed the character writing throughout this book. The authors create a diverse cast of characters with their own personality quirks, secrets, and mysterious backstories that only add to the intrigue of this story. I thought the balancing of these characters, especially because there are several of them, was very skillfully done and there were several times while I was reading this that I thought there had to be some type of detective-esque board with strings attaching points together; how else were they able to keep everything so straight to write this story? I almost felt like I needed to make one a few times while reading this… This story is definitely something I could see being made into a TV show and, if you’re like me, you’ll be binge watching it in one sitting (maybe with a light or two on).

I also wanted to quickly highlight how cool I think it is that Knudson and Zang  are a husband/wife duo. I always love when spouses create something special like this together. Talk about a power couple!

Summary:

Full of horror elements, suspense, the paranormal, mystery, and much more, Lost Grove leaves no rock unturned while taking readers on an addicting dark and thrilling journey that will have them turning page after page desperate answers. If you’re a fan of Twin Peaks, and want to read something similar with a bit more of the supernatural and paranormal, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Lost Grove: Part One here!

 

Review: Her Dark Promises by E.H. Raven

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

Stuck in a dead-end job and unable to afford independence, Jamila’s dreams of success fade daily. Desperate, she agrees to an arranged marriage orchestrated by her father, but it backfires, deepening her depression. 

She finds solace in horror movies about demonic possession, leading her to research real-life cases. Discovering some achieve success through dark means, she decides to summon her demon, hoping to change her fate. Possession grants Jamila immense confidence and success, but the dark alliance exacts a steep price.

The demon consumes her sanity, blurring reality and nightmare.

Can Jamila escape the darkness she unleashed?

Favorite Lines:

“Nothing I eat satisfies my hunger. This must be what stress eating is.”

“She recognized the tragic irony in humanity’s plight: their yearning for a better life had led them into an inescapable trap.”

“In her moments of clarity, Jamila realized the irony of her situation. She had sought possession to gain knowledge and power, but it was only in her damnation that she truly understood the depths of the world’s corruption. The knowledge she had gained was vast, but it came at the highest cost imaginable: her soul.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion and just in time for spooky season to begin!

Can I start this review off by saying that something that really drew me in to this book was the cover alone. It was the perfect level of creepy and ends up fitting this book very well!

This story follows Jamila, a young woman who feels trapped in a mundane existence with a draining job who is unable to see a light at the end of the tunnel. To make matters worse, her father keeps insisting on an arranged marriage that she is less than thrilled about. To escape her reality, Jamila watches a lot of horror movies and becomes interested in real-life stories of people who have summoned demons. Taking inspiration from these stories, Jamila tries to summon a demon herself. What starts as a confidence boost for Jamila, quickly spirals out of control and readers follow along as Jamila fights a darkness as it begins to consume her.

I am a sucker for any psychological thrillers and this one did not disappoint – and it came just in time for spooky season! This is my first book by Raven and I loved the way that the world was set up only to have a purposeful tone shift once Jamila summoned the demon. Raven did a great job at setting up a terrifying and thrilling plot that had me on the edge of my seat. Throughout reading this, I regularly found myself picturing this on the big screen and think it could be a great plot for a scary, demon possession movie!

If I had to nitpick one thing, it would have to be the flow of the book. As some points, it came off as a bit choppy and could have probably flowed more smoothly from one scene to the next. However, I want to emphasize that this didn’t take away from the overall plot which I still found to be creative and interesting.

I wanted to put a trigger warning that this book does contain graphic violence, self-mutilation, sexual content, horror themes, and more and may not be suited for everyone.

Summary:

Overall, while this was my first book from Raven, I am confident that it won’t be my last. This was the perfect blend of creepy, thrilling, and addicting and I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of horror and psychological thrillers. Happy reading!

Check out Her Dark Promises here!

Review: The King of Evil by Eileen Gillick

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

He took her powers.
She’ll fight to take back what’s always been hers.
Sixteen-year-old Elise is bullied by her peers every day.
Unbeknownst to them all, she possesses twenty-four mutant abilities.
Eighteen-year-old Rolf takes them all away from her. He isolates them both in his own kingdom to gain knowledge and
strength of her powers. As he constructs a plan to bring her down, Elise must seek an ultimatum. Before it’s the end of her.

Favorite Lines:

“In her heart, it was clear to her what unintentionally razing a relationship could do to the heart. Grasping that the dint of love might romp somewhere in her soul, except for all the horror she endured, it seemed impossible to see it in a person. The person who she loved.”

“Distressed, Rolf takes Elise to his chest and screams out.”

“I call this the Icarus room…because when you go in here, you feel your spirits rise. It looks like a nice room, right? Then you fall because of the terror in here.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows two high school students, sixteen year old outcast, Elise and eighteen year old Rolf. While the target of bullies, Elise has an incredible secret – she possess twenty-four mutant abilities. When Rolf finds out about Elise’s powers, he ends up unintentionally absorbing them. What follows is a battle of mental strength and perseverance as Rolf casts Elise into a hidden realm of his own creation in an attempt to break her spirit and ultimately bend her to his will. 

This is a fantastic debut novel for Gillick full of creative worldbuilding, strong character writing, and an interesting plot. Gillick brings a magical realm to life with vivid details that made me feel like I was right there along with the characters. Full of colorful descriptions of the landscapes and a well-crafted magic system, I found myself turning one page after another fully addicted to the immersion of the world that Gillick had created. I especially enjoyed the small detail of what music was playing the background in many of the scenes – it only added to being able to picture the scene.

I also found the character writing to be well done because Gillick didn’t try to make the characters perfect. Both Elise and Rolf are multidimensional characters who could only be described as morally gray at their core. They have their flaws and I found this to make them more relatable and more human. Their dynamic is what the story ultimately revolves around and I couldn’t get enough. Also, have I ever mentioned that I am also a sucker for multiple POVs? One thing I did want to point out that made me feel a bit weird was referring to Elise as a child several times throughout the book. I am not sure if this was because it was usually from Haas’ perspective but it felt slightly odd and a bit like a disservice to make her appear younger than her sixteen years.

*While classified as YA, some scenes in this book may be better suited for adults.*

Summary:

Overall, this was an addicting read. With a refreshing take on some familiar tropes and Gillick’s unique writing style bringing  hints of dark tension and mystery to the plot, I applaud Gillick and am in awe over this debut novel.  I would recommend this to anyone interested in fantasies full of psychological mind games, magic, and mystery that have a darker tone. Happy reading!

Check out The King of Evil here!

 

Review: Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love by Janna Klarmann

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

“Gaviota Island” is a psychological thriller exploring the twisted love between a nature girl and a hunter.

The story delivers a message about the cruelty of shooting wild animals. It delves into the tangled complexities of romance, secrecy, and moral ambiguity.

Laura Whitley is 22 years old. She meets Bret Belcher at the University of Texas – an unexpected pairing of a bird enthusiast and a passionate hunter.

Laura admires Bret’s confidence, ambition, and charm. But she grapples with his unwavering passion for guns and hunting.

As university graduation looms, Laura’s distress intensifies because she has no plans for what she’ll do when she finishes. The Belchers will dispatch Bret to Panama to oversee the family’s property business there. This could be Laura’s pivotal moment to break up with him. But against her parents’ advice, she follows him to Panama in hopes of remaking their lives together.

In Panama, Laura befriends a young biologist who discovers a rare population of monkeys on Gaviota, an uninhabited island meant for Bret’s real estate venture. The discovery is a threat to Bret’s plans,

Bret’s violent solution to the monkey problem and his betrayal with another woman push Laura to the edge. Horrified and desperate, Laura takes drastic measures.

Experience Laura’s transformation from an innocent bird watcher to a woman ensnared in a web of deceit and survival.

Follow a series of events that spiral into a dark, dangerous climax.

Discover the gripping tale that blurs the lines between right and wrong, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Favorite Lines:

“I think that psychologists must have theories on all of this. Are we talking about misogynistic men fleeing into the wilds to escape women? Does shooting animals make a man feel manly? Do hunters measure their penis sizes?”

“Who does the most good for humanity, property developers or wildlife defenders? In a crowded and overheating world, people had to choose. Laura cast her lot with Penny.”

“Penny resisted the cliché of men from Mars and women from Venus. That wasn’t going to help.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Laura Whitley, an enthusiastic bird watcher who has fallen in love with Bret Belcher, an intense hunter. Despite disagreeing with Bret’s love for guns and animal hunting, Laura follows Bret to Panama when he travels to oversee his family’s business there in an attempt to stay together and rekindle their love for one another. Laura quickly finds herself in a horrible situation that seems to escalate by the day and the man she had been trying to convince herself she could make a life with is the villain in this story.

I have to say that I think this book is a first for me in terms of being heavily focused on anti-hunting and anti-poaching themes and messaging. Klarmann clearly writes from a personal and passionate place on this topic and I was impressed on how this passion was conveyed throughout this story. I thought that Klarmann had a relaxing and enjoyable writing voice that the story only benefited from and I actually appreciated that it was a bit more informal compared to some other writing styles I have read.

While I do appreciate being spared on some of the more graphic details, there were still many sad and distressing scenes that really drove home the realities of hunting; which was the point. I did find myself with tears in my eyes over several of the scenes but would still recommend this book to wipe away any disillusions about what hunting can entail.

Summary:

Overall, I was not sure what to expect going into this book but I was strangely surprised that I enjoyed it and came out more educated on the topics it covered than I was going into it. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the realities of the injustices that animals face at the hands of mankind. While a work of fiction, this book paints a very real picture of today’s world and what takes place to the animals that are hunted in it. 

Check out Gaviota Island: Birds, Monkeys, and Twisted Love here!

 

Review: The Noise by Allison A.

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Angela Blau has a degenerative bone disease, but she was never warned her mind could deteriorate as well. There’s no other explanation for the footsteps coming from the second floor—footsteps her husband, Jack, never hears. And then there are the ghosts who attack her at night, and the townspeople who dig through the dirt like rabid animals and peer through her windows.

Maybe the ghosts and the townspeople are in her head—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s let her mind wander—but the noise has to be real, and she’d go up there and prove it if the stairs weren’t so rotted that she’d fall right through, Jack says.

Things get worse when Arlo, a lonely old man who lives “somewhere down the street,” reveals a violent crime that occurred on the second floor. Against Jack’s warnings, Arlo indulges Angela’s growing obsession and pushes her to discover the true source of the noise, who exactly the townspeople are, and whether a traumatic incident that occurred four months ago, an incident Angela refuses to talk about, is to blame for all of it.

Favorite Lines:

“Death is supposed to affect us, change us, make us see things differently. Don’t let anyone make you believe you need to ignore that.”

“But I used to tell them the same thing I tell myself: you don’t move on, you carry on, towards the reward of true love that will last an eternity. Everything else is just noise”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will admit I was a bit hesitant about this book because it seemed like it would be really spooky and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. As someone who has anxiety, which comes with paranoia, and also someone who hasn’t made up their mind about if they believe in ghosts and the supernatural, this book felt like it was going to feed my fears. 

Putting my fears aside, I devoured this book in one sitting. While this book was definitely spooky, the creepy ghosts were just a part of the equation and I found myself much more distracted by the suspense and mystery of what was happening to Angela. I was turning page after page trying to get answers to the burning questions that I had. The author did a great job keeping me at the edge of my seat and there was an awesome plot twist towards the end. Without giving any spoilers away, by the end of the book, I had tears streaming down my face; the author did an amazing job at evoking strong emotional reactions.

Summary:

Overall, I loved this book. It was very well written and I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a book that has elements of the paranormal, a psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, and romance. Happy reading!

The Noise