Author: Blake Crouch (Page 1 of 2)

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake Crouch

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake CrouchThe Last Town (Wayward Pines #3)
by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

haha nope.

Epic.
Unforgettable.
Gripping.
Intense.
INSANE.

I will come back and read this someday…and it won’t be soon enough.

GAHD I loved this. I wish I could un-read this series so I could go through the epicness again….Thanks, Dark Pup. For real.


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Ethan!!!!! I’ll miss you, ya surly little shit. Until we meet again.

BOOK REVIEW: Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake Crouch

BOOK REVIEW: Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake CrouchWayward (Wayward Pines #2)
by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

I'll follow Anna's lead here- Don't read blurb

“Hell is coming to you.”

I have so much to say….but don’t I always??? I want to write an amazing, detailed, long review, but that wouldn’t do this series any good, I think. I believe that, while I would LOVE to go on and on and on about all the amazingness that is this series, it would stunt the curiosity I piqued in everyone with my first review of the beginning book. So, I’ll keep it short and sweet with just a few points to make things curiouser and couriouser for everyone that chooses to read this:

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.

Ethan: Ethan grew so much in this story. In book one, we didn’t know a lot about him, and we didn’t know what kind of guy he really was-What he was made of, if you will. We knew of his tryst, of his adoration for his wife. We knew he was stubborn beyond words…and that his determination, if nothing else, would keep him alive. So, essentially, in this one, we begin to see even more of his cleverness and quick wit, setting in stone his intelligence and willingness to make things right…and the helplessness….don’t forget his reluctance and helplessness. They go hand in hand with this story. Let’s see what he’s made of.

“Do you hear that?” Ethan asked.
“Hear what?”
For five seconds, Ethan was silent on the line. “That’s the sound of me not giving a fuck.”

Atmosphere: The atmosphere, while still eerie, is blown to bits in this one after the big ‘reveal’ of book one. I can’t say it’s as creepy as it was in the first installment, but there was still an underhanded malice that made you question where things were going and how things could possibly get better for the town’s residents. And since I am obsessed with my dear Ethan…this was a big appeal to me, the worrying.

 

For every perfect little town, there’s something ugly underneath. No dream without the nightmare.


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The Writing: Gahd, do I love Crouch’s writing. It’s virtually impossible not to become wholly immersed in this story with his writing style. In book one, sure, I could understand people not loving or being a bit put off about the amazing fragmented sentences (which I loved, if you can’t tell), but I never had a problem with them. In this story, I was so sucked in that I didn’t even notice it-I even picked up a new book because it was released yesterday (9/1) and thought, ‘Wait, this isn’t how you write!’ So, as you can see, I am in love with his writing.
A shiv straight into Ethan’s gut would’ve felt better.
He lost his breath.
Saw the world suddenly through a blur of tears.

Imagery: Beautiful. Vivid. Startling. What more can you ask for?
A millennium without air or light pollution made for pitch-black skies.
The stars didn’t just appear anymore.
They exploded.
Diamonds on black velvet.
You couldn’t tear your eyes away.

So, as you can see, I’m obsessed. So that’s how I will end this: Read it, don’t read it-that’s your call. But I, my friends, am knee deep, up shit creek, whatever phrase you wana use, in love with this series.

YESTERDAY IS HISTORY.

Obsessed.

TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY.

Obsessed.

TODAY IS A GIFT.

Did I mention I’m obsessed?


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BOOK REVIEW: Pines (Wayward Pines #1) by Blake Crouch

BOOK REVIEW: Pines (Wayward Pines #1) by Blake CrouchPines (Wayward Pines #1)
by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive.

2013 International Thriller Award Nominee

The international runaway bestseller is now a Major Television Event from executive producer M. Night Shyamalan, starring Matt Dillon and premiering May 14th on FOX.

 

 

“Where’d you live before Wayward Pines?”

“I’ve always lived here.”
“You’ve never left this town?” Ethan asked.
“You can’t leave,” the boy said.
“Why?”
“You just can’t.”
“I don’t accept that.”
“That’s why you’re going to die.”


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Not too long ago, it feels like yesterday, really, I saw a television commercial for a show called Wayward Pines. It was utterly compelling and drew me in every time the commercial aired. I never got around to watching it, I never really catch TV shows unless they’re re-runs of my all time favorites, so I kind of forgot about it….and Oh. My. Gosh….am I glad I did.

 

The final strands of horizontal sunlight were striking the cliffs at his back, and he turned around and took a moment to stop and watch the glow fade away.
When the light was gone, the rock turned instantly to the color of blued steel.
And the nature of it changed.
It was still beautiful.
But more remote.
Indifferent.


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I was totally blind when I went into this, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. There were only three things I knew: 1. It is addicting. 2. The sentences are kind of fragmented, sending a message of nonchalance, simplicity, and rushed situations for our main character-Which I loved. And 3). We were in the mind of an unreliable narrator-Which I also loved. And honestly…that’s all anyone needs to know.

 

“Thanks for your help, and your concern,” he said, pressing G three times until the button illuminated, “but I think I got it figured out.”
“What?”
“It’s this town that’s wrong.”


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Who wants to read a book that is totally spoiled for you? Okay, okay, if it’s a severe love triangle or I think a main character may be in danger of dying, I might do a little reconnaissance to see how it happens, who they end up with, or what the situation might be. Hey! Don’t judge! I just don’t want to be devastated, so sue me. But all in all, especially in these types of thrillers, which I am SO TOTALLY IN THE MOOD FOR, I like the idea that I know next to nothing about these stories.

 

…All he wanted to do was to curl up in a bed in a dark room. Sleep off the pain. The confusion. And the base emotion underlying it all that was getting harder and harder to ignore.
Terror.
The strengthening sense that something was very, very wrong.


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I will give you a little to go off of, though. Our main character, Ethan…he’s not what you would call an upstanding guy. He’s not a bad dude, per se, but he definitely has had some shaky behavior and indiscretions in his past. And, for the first time in as long as I can remember, this aspect didn’t bother me. Maybe it was his loyalty and fierce love now, in this moment, but, for whatever reason, I loved him.

 

Are you losing your mind?
You tell me.
I can’t.
Why?
Because I am you.

 

 

I loved his determination, his iron-clad will, his unwillingness to believe the bull shit he was obviously being fed….I loved his reactions to this freaky as fuck town he landed in. He’s confused and alone, and everyone is hell bent on calling him crazy, saying he’s delusional, that everyone in town is happy and why don’t you try and make a life of it here? It’s so nice! Why don’t you have your ID or wallet?? Are you lying to us, Mr. Burke? How dare you do such a thing! Needless to say I’m already finished with book two-Yeah, I love this series that much.

 

The scream could only be compared to human suffering or terror. Like a hyena or a banshee. Coyotes at their maddest. The mythologized Rebel Yell. High and thin. Fragile. Terrible. And on some level, humming under the surface like buried electrical cables, was a dim awareness that this wasn’t the first time he’d heard it.

 

 

Chilling and grotesque, Ethan is stuck in a town with virtually no way out…and no answers. Continually running in circles and trying to find answers-each one more spine-tingling than the last-Ethan is going out of his mind. Cloaked in an eerie atmosphere that you can’t help but to fall in love with, I guarantee this could be your next page turner. I wish I could say more, but that’s not in the spirit of this book, so I’ll be blunt: While depraved and intentionally mysterious, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. And, while not for everyone, anyone who loves a good thriller and a man determined to win-at any cost-will likely find great enjoyment out of this book. I hope that these measly words will be enough to influence you to give this one a chance. Easy. Dark. Manipulative. What more could a girl ask for?


 

 

**************************************

Epic. Absolutely, positively epic. Chilling.


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This series will be the end of me. Bad. Ass.

Review to come 🙂

BOOK REVIEW – The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake Crouch

BOOK REVIEW – The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake CrouchThe Last Town (Wayward Pines #3)
by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Absolutely NOT.

How many series made you want to read each book back to back? How often are you willing to accept the flaws as they are and still treasure the story you read? In my reading experience, it’s a rarity.

WARNING
: I won’t spoil the series for you, but DO NOT read the blurb of this third book, otherwise you’d find unsolicited information. You don’t want to do that, trust me.

When you read a book, you need a ending that :
A. wraps everything up
B. lets some loose ends
C. I don’t know, I don’t care this is crazy!!! Love it love it LOVE IT!

[embracing the madness]

Do you need to understand all the characters’ intention?
A. of course yes
B. I don’t understand the question : you mean that they must act coherently at any time? Why?
C. no I don’t give a damn

As for the pacing, you expect:
A. a fast-paced, action-packed page-turner where pausing to breathe is – really – overrated
B. a slow and insightful story with many descriptions of stuff as clothes, food, furniture…

You love your main characters :
A. fundamentally good, I can’t deal with unlikeable characters
B. [insert evil laugh] what was the question?
C. Realistic characters as in : neither fully bad nor good but complex

Among these possible sources of annoyance, which one is a lesser evil in your opinion?
A. to be frozen to death by boredom
B. to wander clueless and accept to suspend your disbelief sometimes
C. to predict every one of the outcomes

What would you say about your favorite characters?
A. They smirk and stare and glare. But they’re so fucking HAWT.
B. They’re so wise and clever that you could quote them as a rule of life. Actually, you do.
C. They fuck up. They make mistakes. They doubt. They fear. They live.

Now, a subsidiary question :

After reading this book, you thought that something was useless and annoying. What was it?
A. the love-triangle
B. the love-triangle
C. the love-triangle

(Don’t worry though, it doesn’t last long at all and makes sense)

Ps. Many reviews explained perfectly why this series is filled with plot holes and inaccuracies and I can’t say that they’re wrong. However, I enjoyed every moment and I would still recommend these books in a heartbeat.

Actual rating for this book : 3.5 stars
Rating for the series as a whole : 4 stars

BOOK REVIEW – Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake Crouch

BOOK REVIEW – Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake CrouchWayward (Wayward Pines #2)
by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Again, NO. Don't read it.

These books are like thrillers on crack, and again the story pulled me in from the very first page. So. Much. Win.

First of all, what you need to know is ________________. Indeed, while the ending of Pines offered us some answers, I have to admit that I wasn’t completely convinced by _____________________. In that aspect, Wayward turned out to be a strong and satisfying sequel because _______________________. As for the twists and turns the story takes, didn’t you love when _______________ ? It was by far my favorite part, because even though I guessed that ________________ and that _________________ (yes I did!! Okay! It was obvious! Whatever! Don’t give a damn!), I couldn’t help but feel stunned by ______________ . Not to mention the ____________________ : incredible idea, right? As for ___________________, his __________ was revealed to be even more crazy than I thought it was.

Haha. You really thought that I was going to review this book?

I can’t, people, I can’t! WHY?!

WAIT – is it good then? Well, let’s see…

If a :
☑ A captivating page-turner…
☑ … with complex and multi-layered characters…
☑ … nobody to be trusted…
☑ … hard choices to make…
☑ … with the boundaries between right and wrong more and more blurred …
☑ … and a killer ending…

… is a good book for you…

Yes it is.

Sorry, I did say that my review would be without any spoilers. I never said that it’d be useful, though. Oops.

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