Down The Darkest Road (Oak Knoll Series #3) by Tami Hoag

Synopsis :

California, 1990—Four years after Lauren Lawton's sixteen-year-old daughter disappeared, the world has given up the girl for dead. Lauren's husband took his own life. Her younger daughter is looking only for what's left of her childhood. But Lauren never surrendered. She knows who took her child, and there's not a shred of evidence against him. 

Looking for a fresh start, Lauren and her younger daughter Leah move to idyllic Oak Knoll. So has Lauren's suspect. And it feels that history is about to repeat itself.

Leah is turning sixteen, and Oak Knoll has a cunning predator on the hunt. But as sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and his team sift through the circumstances of an increasingly disturbing case, a stunning question changes everything they thought they knew...

This is what I say :

Down The Darkest Road is the third and last book in the Oak Knoll Series but with totally new characters and totally new storyline.  Characters like Vince, Tony and Anne made appearance but the main focus is on Lauren.

It is also the shortest book in the series with just over 60 chapters compared to about 90 chapters in the earlier two titles.  In fact, it don't have to feature the above characters and be a totally stand alone title altogether and it would have worked equally well for the readers.

It's an enjoyable thriller but it gives a different vibes than the first title Deeper Than The Dead  and the second title Secrets to the Grave. 

Anyway, I am glad to have read this series but equally glad to end it too.

Secrets to the Grave (Oak Knoll Series #2) by Tami Hoag

Synopsis :

Marissa Fordham is dead, but her daughter is found at the crime scene, injured but alive. Now sheriff's detective Tony Mendez and child advocate Anne Leone begin to peel back the layers of Marissa's life. 

And the shocking truth they discover puts them directly in the sights of a killer with a stunning secret to keep; because Marissa Fordham never existed...


This is what I say :

I was so excited to read this particular title as I really enjoyed the first book in this Oak Knoll Series by Tami Hoag, Deeper Than The Dead which I read in December last year.  

While this review is only done in February, I actually read Secrets to the Grave in January.  Like the first book, I read this as an e-book.

I would also like to share that while this is the second book in the series, the stories are actually stand-alone and not connected.  What connects are just the characters which I have kinda grown to appreciate.  Anne who was a school teacher and whom I didn't really quite like becomes more likable in this book and so is Tony.  I am still not so partial to Vince, the profiler from FBI who has a bullet in his head.

The story itself is quite thrilling too and again, I was determined to succeed in guessing who the killer was or who the killers were....*hint* there could be more than one killer?  I am not saying... taking that secret with me.  You just have to read it yourself to find out!

Next is book three entitled Down the Darkest Road and yes, I read that already.  

Review coming up real soon! 

A Modern Fairy Tale by Jane Green

Synopsis :

Introducing A Modern Fairy Tale: William, Kate and Three Generations of Royal Love, written by New York Times bestselling author Jane Green. 

This ebook tells the story of how Prince William and Kate Middleton grew up, fell in love, and got engaged. This unique storytelling experience offers details about a modern young prince and his captivating bride, and their upcoming wedding. 

The ebook also delves into the history of William's parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, their love stories and their historic weddings.


This is what I say :

This is a ebook that took me half a day to read.

It's extremely easy to read but very shallow as in not in-depth but quite refreshing as an opportunity to kill some time that I happen to have.

It's accompanied by some rather nice photos too of the three couples featured in the book.

There's even a link to an introductory video but I didn't watch it.

With this real life love story, here's a belated wishes to everyone, a very Happy Valentine's Day... to you hugs and kisses from me.

The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy

Synopsis :

In the Irish town of Schancarrig, the young people carve their initials--and those of their loves-into the copper beech tree in front of the schoolhouse. But not even Father Gunn, the parish priest, who knows most of what goes on behind Shancarrig's closed doors, or Dr. Jims, the village doctor, who knows all the rest, realizes that not everything in the placid village is what it seems.

Under Junior Assistant Mistress Maddy Ross's careful gaze the children play, but out of school Maddy's gaze lingers where it shouldn't.  

Maura Brennan, a bundle of fun from the rough end of town, plays with her pals : Leap year baby Eddie Barton, the apple of his mother's eye, and Nessa Ryan, who little realises as she carves his name at the roots of the copper beech on the very last day of school, that she;ll get a lot more from one of her schoolmates than her first shy kiss.

This is what I  say :

I always felt there's something special about the way Maeve Binchy writes.  She has this unique style that's really comforting to read.

A couple of her books that I have read and this one included, doesn't really have a plot. It's just stories of some characters but the way Maeve Binchy wrote about them, even the most simple characters became exciting.

Reading The Copper Beech is like having a glimpse into the lives of a group of people.  They wasn't any particular storyline but the story is the lives of these people and how they come together and Maeve is just so talented in linking them seamlessly.

This is the fourth title by Maeve Binchy that I read and I am really loving what she wrote all over again and if given a chance would want to get hold of a few of her titles.

I read this in December as part of my reading marathon and I think it took me about a week to complete The Copper Beech.

Happy Chinese New Year 2019

It's Chinese New Year in 2 days' time... more than anything, I am looking forward to the nine days' break that comes with it!

I shall certainly be looking forward to the family bonding, getting together with friends and relatives but I certainly do not look forward to the overeating.

I hope I shall have a bit of time for some reading too but I quite doubt it with assignments due in March and final exam in April not to mention a couple of series over Netflix that I wanted to watch.

Anyhow here's wishing one and all....

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2019

MAY IT BE A GREAT YEAR FOR YOU AND FOR ME

MAY YOUR LIFE AND PIGGY BANK BE FILLED 

TILL FAT FAT LIKE THE PIGGY

BLESSINGS TO ALL