This is my first Donlea. I had no idea when I requested this book that this was the second novel in the Rory/Lane series. It stood out perfectly as a standalone and I can see why this is getting the rave reviews it currently has.
The opening scene brings the reader in. You have the setup for sinister and creepy with a group of kids hosting initiating rights into a secret club. What initiating rights you ask? None other than the fabled Man in the Mirror who can either curse you with bad luck for the year or bless you with good. This was right up my alley. Superstitions, murder and mystery wrapped up neatly with a bloody bow.
There are multiple POVs and for the majority of them they are easy to follow, my favorite being the reader of the murderous journal entries. As more characters are introduced and their backgrounds and quirks are described I did get a little confused. The confusion stems from my dyslexic type reading issues. Things that are too similar can get really mixed up so when characters have similar names (Rory/Ryder and Mack/Marc) it takes me longer than most to back track and catch on. This did not take away from my rating, strictly personal but frustrating for me nonetheless.
Some areas surrounding Rory’s calming activities slowed the pace for me dragging with the detail. I felt there was a descriptive lull between 10% and 45% of the novel, feeding the reader details, background and some clues to the buildup. I highly recommend to keep going. Store your speculations and keep reading because when the climax hits, it hits hard and fast and you can’t put it down. You will be contemplating till the end and you will continually second guess your conclusions.
I am definitely a new fan and recommend this to anyone who loves mystery, suspense and psychological fiction. Now to get my hands on the other books by Donlea. Thank you to Kensington Books and Charlie Donlea for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.
The opening scene brings the reader in. You have the setup for sinister and creepy with a group of kids hosting initiating rights into a secret club. What initiating rights you ask? None other than the fabled Man in the Mirror who can either curse you with bad luck for the year or bless you with good. This was right up my alley. Superstitions, murder and mystery wrapped up neatly with a bloody bow.
There are multiple POVs and for the majority of them they are easy to follow, my favorite being the reader of the murderous journal entries. As more characters are introduced and their backgrounds and quirks are described I did get a little confused. The confusion stems from my dyslexic type reading issues. Things that are too similar can get really mixed up so when characters have similar names (Rory/Ryder and Mack/Marc) it takes me longer than most to back track and catch on. This did not take away from my rating, strictly personal but frustrating for me nonetheless.
Some areas surrounding Rory’s calming activities slowed the pace for me dragging with the detail. I felt there was a descriptive lull between 10% and 45% of the novel, feeding the reader details, background and some clues to the buildup. I highly recommend to keep going. Store your speculations and keep reading because when the climax hits, it hits hard and fast and you can’t put it down. You will be contemplating till the end and you will continually second guess your conclusions.
I am definitely a new fan and recommend this to anyone who loves mystery, suspense and psychological fiction. Now to get my hands on the other books by Donlea. Thank you to Kensington Books and Charlie Donlea for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.