Tag: psychological

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#BookReview: Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine

I Thought I Was The Only One. It is no secret that my book reviews are in part confessionals, that is my entire schtick as a reviewer and literally the basis of my brand name. So here’s one I don’t talk about often, but which those who have known me since I was a kid are aware of – it actually caused a bit of drama a couple of times back then: The dream sequences that happen in this book? The ones that our lead character feels are so vivid and real, that they really could be glimpses into the future?

I’ve lived with those same types of dreams off and on for over forty years now. And no, it isn’t deja vu. It is pretty well exactly as Constantine describes here – so real and visceral that you *know* you’ve lived those very events before.

Except unlike our lead character – or in some ways perhaps exactly like her – I learned early on, from a couple of blunders that caused the drama I referenced above, to not (obviously) act on the dreams, but instead to prepare myself for the outcomes they warned me of so that I could at least be prepared if or when they happened.

So for me in particular, that part of this book was *phenomenal*. It was easily relatable to one of those aspects of my life that I virtually *never* talk about anymore, because as our lead character in the book learns, people – even those closest to you – rapidly begin to think you’re crazy when you so openly talk about it. (Which is one reason I’m not going into any real details about my own experiences, and indeed I can actively state that these types of dreams don’t happen nearly as often anymore as they did when I was younger. My overall life is also *dramatically* different than it was, and I suspect this plays a role.)

But that aspect is only roughly half this tale, the setup. And while a phenomenal setup, it *is* a rather slow one. It takes time for those less accustomed to these types of dreams to wrap your head around what is going on with this character, and Constantine gives you that kind of time. She needs to, because the later stages, where the action picks up and indeed becomes rather breathtaking, *need* you to understand that part of this character and believe it as much as she does.

Thus, when the action picks up, the dreams become less a part of the active story and more a part of what is informing the action sequences as they play out. At this point, it becomes a far more typical thriller, one of the exact type Constantine is known for and excels at, and it shows brilliantly here.

Overall truly a great thriller that shows a side of life that most likely aren’t as familiar with, and does so in a way that rings true to at least my own experiences with similar experiences in real life.

Very much recommended.

This review of Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine was originally written on June 30, 2025. (With apologies for the tardiness on this Advance Review Copy. Some major life events happened just before the release of this book that unfortunately delayed me reading it.)

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#BlogTour: What’s Mine Is Yours by Leah Mercer

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a twisty tale that packs a lot of story into its short-ish package. For this blog tour, we’re looking at What’s Mine Is Yours by Leah Mercer.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookHype.com / Goodreads.com / Hardcover.app / PageBound.co / TheStoryGraph.com) and YouTube:

Twisty Tale Packs A Lot Of Action Into Its Short-Ish Package. This is one of those sub-300 page books that is going to feel like it *has* to be longer than it is… in all the best ways. For all that happens here, you’re going to be thinking this book is probably 100 or more pages longer than it actually is… and you’re not even going to notice until you get to the end, look down, and question your sense of reality when you see the actual page number.

And speaking of questioning reality, this is absolutely one of those ultra twisty psychological thrillers where both the characters – and you, the reader – will be questioning all that you know (possibly even in your own “real” life) by the end.

I’ve read several of Mercer’s books now, and this is absolutely both a solid look at her style (for new readers) and quite easily among the best she’s done to date (for readers who have been around a while and already get excited when they see her name on a book). Either newbie or established fan, this one is one that will likely gain her far more fans than it loses. (Let’s face it, *no* book is for everyone, and there *will* eventually be – wrong – reviews that claim this book is lacking in some aspect. Some people are idiots, and you just have to move on. 😉 (And yes, I fully acknowledge that some consider *me* to be an idiot, but I also doubt those people are reading this review. :D) )

There will be at least some who don’t want to read it for the simple reason of its basic premise, which largely hinges on mothers’ fears, even years after the baby is born, which is respectable. As a childfree married dude, I *fully* get this, particularly given the book’s release date between UK Mother’s Day and US Mother’s Day. For these types, I think the book is strong enough and doesn’t really dive into too many problematic issues within the childfree community that I think many of us can still enjoy this book as much as I have, but again, from this angle (and similar), I absolutely get deciding that this book maybe isn’t for you. Just please, I beg you – you’ve now been warned about this in this very review, so PLEASE don’t DNF / 1* this book because of these issues. Just skip it entirely. You. Have. Been. Warned. 🙂

Overall truly an excellent tale superbly told, and great for when you maybe don’t have as much time as you’d LIKE to read, but still don’t want to read a sub-200 page book either (even though there are many at that length that are also awesome, fwiw).

Very much recommended.

After the jump, the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: What’s Mine Is Yours by Leah Mercer”

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#BookReview: The Cruise by Christina Delay

Down Down Deep, Indeed. For those unaware, this book was previously titled Down Down Deep, and that may actually be a superior title to its more generic one it currently has (The Cruise).

Here we get a psychological, almost supernatural, thriller that becomes all too human indeed. The tension ratchets up as weird things start happening on this sailing of this cruise ship, and there are quite a few even horror elements to be had here.

There are twists a plenty, so much so that it sometimes feels like you’re on Velocicoaster – they’re coming so hard and so fast, and yet you’re enjoying every freaking second of it. And, like Velocicoaster, as fun and intense as this read is… it is also fairly shortish, at just around 250 pages. Meaning it is yet again great for those with limited amounts of reading time.

Definitely one of the more inventive books within its space I’ve encountered, so much so that when I saw that this is actually in a series of sorts and that the other book is currently, as I write this review on November 14, 2024, just $0.99… yeah, I picked it up immediately just on the strength of this book. (Fwiw, that book – The Best Friends – is also a reprint/ retitle, formerly called Truth Truth Lie.)

One warning: There is a fair amount of pretty brutal action in this book at times, and it *does* deal in certain assaults that some may find more troubling than others. So be aware of that going in… and read it anyway. Yes, it really is that good.

Very much recommended.

This review of The Cruise by Christina Delay was originally written on November 14, 2024.

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#BlogTour: 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a fun, quick thriller that shows the range of the author without going into her horror alter-ego territory. For this blog tour, we’re looking at 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion.

Fun, Quick Thriller That Could Have Used Better Editing. This was a book that starts slow – nowhere near as slow as The Great Gatsby, but definitely on that end of the speed spectrum. But like Gatsby, the writing and pacing eventually get much stronger and towards the back of this already shortish (280 ish page) book, the pace very much picks up into a quick sprint to the finish, followed by perhaps too much epilogue after the climax – but any runner will tell you that cool down is important, and such an extended epilogue does that well and likely reduces any book hangover here. Indeed, the only real complaint I have here is that particularly early, the transitions between character perspectives could use a LOT more clarity – one of the things that helps the back parts of the book is that these become more clear by that point, and it is much easier to see who we are following along with at any given moment in these later sections. Still, not enough of a problem for me to drop a star, though I could see others doing so and it is at minimum worthy of mentioning. Overall still a good book that provides a nice brief escape from reality, perfect for those times when you need something to occupy 3-4 hours or so. Such as maybe when a kid or spouse is at some sports practice or some such? Very much recommended.

Below the jump, the media pack including book description, author bio, and a buy link 🙂
Continue reading “#BlogTour: 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion”

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#BookReview: The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy

One Book. Two Stories. Both Compelling. This is a story with a LOT going on and a LOT of intricacies that it seems most (at least those on Goodreads so far, about 5 weeks before publication) miss out on touching on. This is effectively *both* a historical fiction (which I think it will ultimately be marketed as) of a young Jewish girl in WWII who leaves a diary behind (where does that ring a bell? 😉 ) *and* a modern day psychological drama. Valpy does a remarkable job of bringing a sensuous and visceral understanding of both periods of Casablanca and Morocco, and both periods and their relevant issues – WWII / Nazis / Resistance / Operation Torch and modern shipping conglomerates / expats / refugees / immigrants – are shown in a degree of realism not often seen. Truly, either story could have been expanded a bit more – perhaps by extending out the later chapters of both – and stood equally well as standalone books. Which is high praise, as few dual timeline historical fiction books can pull this off, in my own reading experience at least. Truly a remarkable book, and very much recommended.

This review of The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy was originally written on August 16, 2021.