Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Golden Son (Red Rising, Book #2)
by Pierce Brown
Release Date: January 6th 2015
2015 Del Rey
Kindle Edition; 430 Pages
ISBN: 978-0345539823
ASIN: B00I765ZEU
Genre: Fiction / Science-Fiction
Source: Review copy from publisher

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within.

My Thoughts
I enjoyed Golden Son even more than Red Rising for a variety of reasons: the writing was quite a bit stronger; the characters were more developed, especially the female ones; and the action was considerably higher, going from one thing to another, where I was actually looking forward to those peaceful moments so I could catch my own breath.  I liked the descriptions of the Gold's political system explained through the action and consequences of the events as it made it much more interesting, and I liked learning more about the different types of colours as I find the whole concept fascinating.

First of all, I have an impossible liking for Darrow, no matter what he does.  And he does plenty in this book.  What I especially like about him is that he is not perfect, he makes a lot of mistakes and pays for them quite dearly, something we learn pretty much in the first two chapters.  And yet, he is one of those characters that you know will eventually succeed at what he does next, it's just the anxiety that builds up waiting for what he is going to do next as the author is very skillful at hiding Darrow's actual thoughts and plans until they actually happen - it's definitely a great way to build tension and wonder what will happen next to your favourite characters.  And I always look forward to the moment when Darrow comes out on top as it's so cool, even if he just got his ass whooped a couple of pages previously.  In Red Rising, Darrow was much colder than the one we see in this book, and I definitely liked how his character developed from beginning to end as it made you empathize wholeheartedly with the situations he ended up in as well as some of the problems he had with some of his friends, and you couldn't help but root for him or want to shake him at times.  Otherwise he would seem like a cold-hearted beast rather than the Darrow who is fighting for equality and freedom for all.  I especially liked the moment he promoted a Blue to pilot and ordered a whole set of colours to defeat the Golds on the ship as it showed his humanity and what he was fighting for to those lower colours as well as to his friends.  It also showed his friends who exactly he was as a person.  Quite a moment!  However, all characters have their flaws, and I really, really, really wished that Darrow would listen to his friends a bit more and take their advice as he could so easily avoid some problems if he did.

The plot in this one is quite different than in the first book, but it really needed the set-up of Red Rising to work the way it did.  First of all, the action is so much more explosive right from the beginning.  I thought Darrow would be almost invincible, but the author set me right about that idea right from the beginning and I didn't know what to think after that.  Packed with interesting historical tidbits about the foundation of the current political situation, the book is full of action-packed sequences, politics, space warfare (reminds me of my old Atari games), and some ground warfare as well.  I won't pretend to understand all of the technological stuff that was used in here, but it was fun to read about irregardless. And the twists and turns, like the first book, are plenty, to the point where I didn't know who to trust anymore. Like I said before, because some of the action was so intense, it was nice to have those breaks once in a while in order to take a breath before being plunged right back into the action.  

And to be honest, I was planning on giving this book a four-star rating until the last chapter when I was blown away by a humdinger of an ending.  Considering the twists and turns that had been happening throughout the book, I should have seen something coming, but I didn't.  I've already read Morning Star, so I know what happens next, but the only reason I read the last book so quickly is because of the ending as I just had to know what happened.   And I was shocked to realize how much I liked a lot of the characters, something I understand when the big twist happened at the end, wondering exactly when these people broke through that barrier and made me empathize with their situations as well.  Betrayal at its best, folks!!

Verdict
Golden Son was on a whole other level than Red Rising and I had really enjoyed reading that one too. I felt the characters were much more developed in this one, especially the women who were strong, powerful, and mighty (and maybe a bit scary?) The plot was crazy, full of non-stop action, the type where you shake your head and wonder how that just happened crazy, but I loved all of it.  I have developed a huge fondness for Sevro and love the friendship that is developing between Darrow and Sevro, but I have also taken a huge liking to Ragnar as well. If you like science-fiction, great action, awesome twists and turns, and endings that will catch you off guard, then you will definitely enjoy this book, although I do recommend that you read from the beginning in order to understand Darrow's motivations. 

Review: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls
by Martha Hall Kelly
Release Date: April 5th 2016
2016 Ballantine Books
Kindle Edition; 487 Pages
ISBN: 978-1101883075
ASIN: B011G3HI9U
Genre: Fiction / Historical
Source: Review copy from publisher

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades.
 
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.

An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.

For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.

The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.

My Thoughts
Lilac Girls was a fantastic read, and I enjoyed it very much. I actually did not know a whole lot about the background to this novel until after I finished it, and I was surprised to discover it was inspired by real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday and her work in helping a group of women who survived Ravensbruck. I have definitely added Bethlehem, Connecticut, Caroline Ferriday's home, to my bucket list of things to see when I visit the United States again this summer.   

First of all, it was definitely Kasia's story that tore my heart.  Having watched many of her friends and family disappear when Hitler invades Poland, she becomes embroiled in the underground resistance movement, only to be caught, and sent away with her sister, mother, and friends.  The hardships these women experienced as they journeyed to Ravensbruck, and then at Ravensbruck itself was heartbreaking and emotionally nerve-wracking.  And yet, while the story is emotional and disturbing, which it should be considering where they were, it was the frienships and the loyalty that really stood out for me, the way the women helped each other and protected each other, especially when Kasia and her sister were selected as part of a medical experiment that brought nothing but horror and pain.  I have to say I liked the descriptions way better than Mischling where I felt too distanced from a lot of the events and the characters, while in this book, I felt really close to the characters, their pain, their suffering, their horror, although I would truly never be able to understand it. The actual events and descriptions are definitely disturbing and are still with me now even though it's been weeks since I've finished the novel.  

I like how the plot is told from different POV; being able to take a break from Kasia's story was definitely needed and I looked forward reading Caroline's story as you got a completely different perspective of the war, from a woman who is struggling to help in a country that seems to be somewhat indifferent to the plight of people in Europe.  Caroline was a remarkable lady, courageous, strong, confident, in a time when women were meant to marry and have babies.  My only disappointment with her story is that not enough of her work for the women of Ravensbruck was really mentioned, more just in passing and knowing that it was Caroline who pushed to enact some of the laws in parliament to help Holocaust survivors.  It doesn't discredit what she did, but I thought it was more important that her so-called romance, which I think would have been better left out of the book. 

As far as Herta goes, I didn't like her character right from the beginning.  Although a victim of sexual abuse, which I think was supposed to make you feel sorry for her, she was a cold woman, who didn't really empathize with the other characters in the novel, and because of this, I didn't empathize with her at all, or with her position.  There were moments when she questioned what she was doing, but her whole demeanor was all about proving that a woman could do what a man could, and that won out over ethics and morals.  I get that she was in a tough position, but some of the other doctors left because they couldn't deal with the situation, so why did she stay?  Being responsible for some of the ghastly medical experiments set up by her supervisor, Dr. Karl Gebhardt, I felt no empathy towards her whatsoever.  Putting nails, glass, sand, wood, dirt, etc...into open wounds to simulate combat wounds is just part of what she did. Horrible, horrible!!  And this doctor, Herta, is a real historical figure, the only female defendant in the Nuremberg Medical Trial.

Verdict
Lilac Girls is an amazing story of resiliency and courage, told from the perspective of three characters, which gives you an idea of how different things were depending on what side you were on, or on what side of the ocean you were on.  I liked the different POV because it gave you much needed relief from the more intense concentration camp scenes and what was happening with Kasia and Herta.  It is beautifully written, and the amount of research that went into this book is clearly evident.  While the author definitely portrays the horrors that people can do to one another, it also shows how people can be resilient, courageous, and loyal despite these horrors.  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII or to anyone who just enjoys good, solid historical fiction.

Review: The Guests on South Battery by Karen White

The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street Book #5)
by Karen White
Release Date: January 10th 2017
2017 Berkley
Kindle Edition; 352 Pages
ISBN: 978-0451475237
ASIN: B01E4WAFW2
Genre: Fiction / Paranormal
Source: Review copy from publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
With her extended maternity leave at its end, Melanie Trenholm is less than thrilled to leave her new husband and beautiful twins to return to work, especially when she’s awoken by a phone call with no voice on the other end—and the uneasy feeling that the ghostly apparitions that have stayed silent for more than a year are about to invade her life once more.

But her return to the realty office goes better than she could have hoped, with a new client eager to sell the home she recently inherited on South Battery. Most would treasure living in one of the grandest old homes in the famous historic district of Charleston, but Jayne Smith would rather sell hers as soon as possible, guaranteeing Melanie a quick commission.

Despite her stroke of luck, Melanie can’t deny that spirits—both malevolent and benign—have started to show themselves to her again. One is shrouded from sight, but appears whenever Jayne is near. Another arrives when an old cistern is discovered in Melanie’s backyard on Tradd Street.

Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried....

My Thoughts
The Guests on South Battery continues Jack and Melanie's story as they continue to restore their house in the famous historic district of Charleston.  One of the things I do recommend however, is that you read the other books in the series, even if the mysteries themselves are stand alones, to understand the dynamic between Jack and Melanie and the other characters in the series.  

First of all, I love Melanie as a main character even if I want to hug her and then strangle her, all within the space of minutes.  Melanie can see spirits and communicate with them and the fact she has decided to keep the historic home she has inherited is a continuing surprise to her, especially after having encountered the ghosts in her home and having vanquished the more malevolent ones.  The continuing dialogue she has with her best friend, who is also restoring her home, is quite funny and I enjoy both the verbal and mental dialogue that goes with the explanations.  Melanie borders on severe OCD and I don't know how Jack can deal with her at times as I found myself rolling my eyes quite often as she was dealing with her twins.  Anyone who has children knows that children do not go to the bathroom on schedule, and will, in fact, be the cause of more than one delayed outing due to a messy diaper.  Been there more than once!  Watching Melanie relax throughout the novel because of the entry of a more relaxed nanny was a great pleasure.  And I loved how Melanie's friends dealt with her obsessiveness, not quite confronting it, but not ignoring it either and coming up other ways of dealing with the problem.  It created some quite funny scenes that any woman could relate to and appreciate.  However, that being said, these same friends could sometimes be a bit controlling and kind of ran roughshod over Melanie a few times; now that she is married and a mother she can no longer make her own decisions and control her own life?  While Melanie could be annoying at times, I did appreciate it as a way of taking back control over her own situation, although I would have liked to have seen the old, strong Melanie back again.  And what is it with the scenes with Jack just kissing her and she forgets anything she was discussing and just accepts things as they are?  Really?  Do we have to go down that road?  I'm sure there are other ways of showing how attracted Melanie is to Jack without showing that she has no brain cells left in her head?

What I especially liked in this novel was the focus on family and dealing with issues rather than on the paranormal.  Oh, the paranormal was there, but it played more of a secondary role and I kind of liked that as so many of the issues in this one were not paranormal based.  There was a mystery, but it was sad and easy to figure out if you paid attention.  I was much more interested in the relationships, and that was easy to figure out too, it just took me a little while to figure out how and why.  But everything connected.  And if none of this makes sense, read the book because I would be spoiling it if I mentioned everything that was going on.  I definitely liked how the author handled the ghost situation as it was a bit tragic and sad and opened up a just a little can on mental health issues.  The entire mystery was a bit predictable and not up to the usual standards, but I still liked it, even if I'm not sure of the reasons behind it.  

Verdict
The Guests on South Battery is a good entry into the series, but it is not my favourite one.  Although I love Melanie as a main character, I did find her to be somewhat annoying and obsessive in this one, not as strong as usual, controlled by those around her.  And even if I didn't quite agree with her decisions towards the end, I was glad to see her take control of her life again, to be the woman she was before she married and had kids.  I enjoyed the writing in this novel as always, but I did feel the mystery was a bit weak and predictable. I did love how the next book in this series was kind of interwoven into this book, and I am looking forward to the next entry.

Review: A Ghostly Mortality by Tonya Kappes

A Ghostly Mortality (Ghostly Southern Mysteries Book #6)
by Tonya Kappes
Release Date: February 28th 2017
2017 Witness
Kindle Edition; 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-0062466976
ASIN: B01GONIFFI
Genre: Fiction / Cozy / Paranormal
Source: Review copy from Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
That ghost sure looks . . . familiar
 
Only a handful of people know that Emma Lee Raines, proprietor of a small-town Kentucky funeral home, is a “Betweener.” She helps ghosts stuck between here and the ever-after—murdered ghosts. Once Emma Lee gets them justice they can cross over to the great beyond.

But Emma Lee’s own sister refuses to believe in her special ability. In fact, the Raines sisters have barely gotten along since Charlotte Rae left the family business for the competition. After a doozy of an argument, Emma Lee is relieved to see Charlotte Rae back home to make nice. Until she realizes her usually snorting, sarcastic, family-ditching sister is a . . . ghost.

Charlotte Rae has no earthly idea who murdered her or why. With her heart in tatters, Emma Lee relies more than ever on her sexy beau, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross…because this time, catching a killer means the Raines sisters will have to make peace with each other first.

My Thoughts
A Ghostly Mortality is the sixth entry in the Ghostly Southern Mysteries series and unfortunately, it's not my favourite in the series.  That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it as all of the usual quirky characters and other things that make this series to interesting and fun were definitely there; headstrong main character, ghostly apparitions, unique settings, and the set-up for the next book are all elements that I have enjoyed in the previous novels.  It's too bad though, that I just couldn't overlook one of the main things in this story, and it's one I can't even talk about, except slightly, as I will give away the ending to the book.

Fist of all, other than the paranormal element, it was always the characters that drew me to this series.  I always loved the relationship between Granny and Emma Lee and even liked the sibling rivalry between Emma and Charlotte Rae as it provided some interesting elements into all of their characters as well as provided some entertainment.  To say that I am sad Charlotte is gone is an understatement as I liked their rivalry and the spark it gave to the story; I will be sad to see that story line laid to rest.  And normally I love Granny and her antics, but I wasn't overly impressed with her behaviour in this one as I felt it was so uncharacteristic of her to behave the way she did, even if I understood it.   And while I always admired Emma Lee's spunk and attitude, and she did display many moments of it in this one, I just felt like something was off, as if the author had a hard time going through with the concept herself and wasn't sure if she should.  I did like the moments between Emma Lee and Charlotte, even if those moments were so different from the ones we were used to, but it was nice to see them get along and share those final moments together so nicely, but they were definitely bittersweet.  For someone who has read all of the novels, it was kind of hard to wrap my head around this new Charlotte though.  For someone who has not read the previous novels, I think it would be a lot easier to swallow. 

I also think I am going to be in the minority here when I say I wasn't overly thrilled by the mystery aspect to this story.  Don't get me wrong though, the lead-up, the hunting for clues, Emma Lee getting caught where she doesn't belong, were all strong points to the mystery as usual, but I couldn't get past the actual solution and resolution because I couldn't buy it.  Unfortunately, medically wise, I know it doesn't work that way and I couldn't just shake it off as one of those things and leave it - it bothered me for quite a while so it definitely dropped the rating for me.  I can't mention too much more without giving it away, but I think other people involved in the medical profession would definitely notice the flaw.  I am not in the medical profession, but having studied science, including Anatomy, Cardiology, and Physiology, I did notice.  

Verdict
A Ghostly Mortality had all of the usual elements that I love in this series: ghosts, quirky characters, interesting settings, and witty dialogue.  I did think it was sad that Charlotte had to go as I didn't think the relationship was developed enough, and as usual there is the setup for the next mystery in this one, one aspect that I really liked - ghost kitty, something the author hasn't really done at this point.  I wasn't overly crazy about the mystery and I thought the resolution was way too quick and abrupt.  I liked the emotional twists to this one though, as it made you realize how important Charlotte was to everyone even if she was very annoying.  Even though there were some things with which I had problems, the core of the book, the characters, the setting, was strong, and I am looking forward to the next one in the series. 

Author Information 

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous Tonyakappes.com

mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter!

Review & Giveaway: Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

Pressed to Death (A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery #2)
by Kirsten Weiss
Release Date: March 8th 2017
2017 Midnight Ink
Kindle Edition; 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-0738750316
ASIN: B01FOR0Z7G
Genre: Fiction / Cozy / Paranormal
Source: Review copy from Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski thinks she has the perfect paranormal exhibit for the harvest festival—a haunted grape press. But before she can open the exhibit, she’s accused of stealing the antique press. And when her accuser is found murdered, all eyes turn to Maddie.

Solving the crime is the last thing on Maddie’s mind, but her mother insists she investigate. Does her mother have a secret agenda? And why has the local charity, Ladies Aid, seemingly gone gangster?

In this light, cozy mystery, haunted houses, runaway wine barrels, and murder combine in a perfect storm of chaos. Facing down danger and her own over-active imagination, Maddie must unearth the killer before she becomes the next ghost to haunt her museum.

My Thoughts
Pressed to Death is the second book in the A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series and while I don't think it quite lived up to the first book, it was still fun and interesting to read, with a host of quirky characters, and some situations that I thought were rather funny and delightful.  I did think the start of this book was somewhat slow, and even when the 'mystery' did occur, I found myself having difficulty getting invested into it. And once certain characters made an appearance, it was pretty easy to figure out who did what.
  
The paranormal museum scenes are always my favourite parts of the book, and this one was no different.  I have a particular fondness for GD and wish he was more utilized in the scenes; I actually can't wait for the day when he pounces on Laurel and, sorry for the pun, a real cat fight ensues. It will be bliss!! I do think however, the really subtle hints of paranormal activity work very well for this series as the reader is left continuously guessing as to whether it is haunted or not, without the author giving away too much detail. And in this case, we have the addition of a supposedly haunted grape press which is scaring people and causing them to faint, setting Maddie up for some interesting research into its background and what actually happened.  These scenes are definitely interesting and I enjoyed them quite a bit.

And while I did find the characters to be interesting and just as quirky, I thought the author didn't really spend any time developing them or making them even more interesting.  Which meant the actual mystery also took a back seat to Maddie's day-to-day problems, something I wasn't overly happy over.  Why can't a character just find someone and be happy and content?  I was quite happy with Maddie's relationship as it was different than so many of the cozy mysteries, and Mason was so intriguing on his own, all dark and mysterious, but as Maddie's hand touched someone else's hand, zap went the electricity, so it wasn't too hard to figure out where that would be heading at some point, and this is why I'm disappointed, because it's the cliched relationship of so many other cozy mystery series.  Does every heroine have to fall for a police officer?  I thought the whole relationship issue was a bit much and it seemed totally out of character for Mason and for Maddie.  

The mystery itself was actually okay, but I never felt like there was a big process to her investigations as she just talked to a couple of people, and some of them wouldn't even talk to her because of some silly bet half the town was involved in, and suddenly she knew who it was.  I'm not really crazy about how the police are portrayed in this book though, as they are made to seem stupid and incompetent, especially Laurel, and some of the stuff she does is just downright silly.  

Verdict
Pressed to Death was, despite everything, a fun read, and I did enjoy it.  There was a lot going on, and while that didn't bother me too much, it just felt like the author was coming up with ways to change ideas and concepts throughout the book, hoping the reader wouldn't notice the change in direction and the confusion, and that does make things frustrating as readers will only accept coincidences and put-offs for so long.  I was definitely not a fan of Laurel and would happily see her gone in the next book, and I thought Maddie's mother's secretive behaviour was rather silly.  I loved the cat and the other subtle paranormal aspects, so I wish the grape press had a more central role and that Maddie had done more of the research herself, and would love to see GD and other characters play more of a central role in the next book.  And the Ouija boards, so cool, any of those for sale? And an interesting prospect for the next book?

Author Information

Kirsten Weiss grew up in San Mateo, California. After getting her MBA, she joined the Peace Corps,

starting an international career that took her around the fringes of the defunct USSR and into the Afghan war zone. Her experiences abroad not only gave her glimpses into the darker side of human nature, but also sparked an interest in the effects of mysticism and mythology, and how both are woven into our daily lives.

She writes paranormal mystery and suspense, blending her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of magic and mayhem.


Kirsten has never met a dessert she didn't like, and her guilty pleasures are watching ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking good wine.


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Review: The Drifter by Christine Lennon

The Drifter
by Christine Lennon
Release Date: February 21st, 2017
2017 William Morrow
Paperback: 384 Pages
ISBN: 978-0062457578
ASIN: B01GCCVBLQ
Genre: Fiction / Thriller
Source: Review copy from Aurora Publicity

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Present Day…

For two decades, Elizabeth has tried to escape the ghosts of her past…tried to erase the painful memories…tried to keep out the terrifying nightmares. But twenty years after graduating from the University of Florida, her carefully curated life begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the past she’s tried so hard to forget.

1990s, Gainesville, Florida…

Elizabeth and her two closest friends, Caroline and Ginny, are having the time of their lives in college—binge watching Oprah, flirting for freebies from Taco Bell, and breaking hearts along the way. But without warning, their world is suddenly shattered when a series of horrific acts of violence ravage the campus, changing their lives forever.

My Thoughts
The Drifter was actually quite different from what I thought it was going to be; it read more like a women's fiction novel rather than the thriller/mystery it was touted to be, and it took me quite a while to adjust my thinking while I was reading.  Don't misunderstand me though, there was a murder, several in fact, in this novel, but the story was more about how these murders affected the life of the main character, Elizabeth, rather than the solving of the crime.

First of all, I wasn't a big fan of Elizabeth right from the beginning. The book tracks her last year in college, with many flashbacks, which I suppose could be confusing for readers who aren't fans of that technique, tracking in particular the last five days before her life is completely changed.  My dislike really has nothing to do with her behaviour or anything of that nature as I myself went through my undergrad during pretty much the same time period, but there was something off-putting about her, something I couldn't quite put my finger on while I was reading.  Her character was a bit aloof in the novel so it was sometimes hard to empathize with her behaviour towards other people; her lack of self-esteem often made her judge others quite harshly and made her do and say things that could be quite nasty.  It did take me back to my uni days though, and some of the descriptions were quite fun to read.  Despite the heavy work load, university was so much fun and it's good to revisit those days once in a while. The author captures this culture quite well, and I enjoyed the visit back through time.

Because the novel can't quite decide the genre it's in, either a mystery or a women's fiction novel, I thought it fell somewhat flat on both counts.  While the descriptions were interesting, and I liked the flashback method of storytelling, there just wasn't enough to really make it great.  There was a lot to work with in this novel as I thought the friendship between Ginny, Caroline, and Betsy was quite interesting, but the reasons for why their friendship continued just didn't work for me; there had to other reasons why a woman would hang around someone who is constantly nasty to them other than just low self-esteem.  The betrayals and backstabbing were much more interesting, but were never fully developed; they were just mentioned, and then gone again.  I hung on for quite a while waiting for the big secret to come, the big crushing blow, but when it did, it was kind of disappointing.  I get that what happened would be with someone for life, but the actual scene kind of felt like an afterthought.  I also thought the murders might have played a greater role in the novel considering they were based on real-life events. 

One of the bright lights in this novel is the author's writing style which I did enjoy quite a bit.  While I had a problem with genre and whatnot, I definitely liked the descriptive writing in this novel and I liked the use of flashbacks to tell the story.  And while I was not a big fan of Betsy and I definitely did not understand her, she was well-developed and had many interesting sides to her, some of which did take me by surprise.  I think I just would have liked for her to be nicer.  Many people have more serious problems then she did, but they don't necessarily let it take over their lives like she did.  And while it was glossed over, perhaps what she really needed was another visit to her therapist to find out why she couldn't identify with other people and function in the world.   

Verdict
The Drifter is one of those books you keep reading because the author has a way with words and descriptions.  I wasn't overly fond of Elizabeth, and there were many times when I just wanted to shake her, but it was interesting to see how he different characters changed over the years and how they interacted.  While the story does move quite slowly, and it's more of a fiction novel than a mystery, it does resolve quite well with an ending I really enjoyed.  As for recommendation, if you are looking for a mystery, avoid, but if you are looking for a fiction novel, you might want to take a look, if anything for the trip down memory lane.