Search This Blog
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (3)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (2)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (1)
- England (20)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Saturday, June 09, 2018
Moody Broody Mystery a Not Very Satisfying Read
8:07 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Blackmore isn't the kind of place that takes kindly to a stranger nosing around asking uncomfortable questions. The 2500 people still surviving in the gritty, down-on-its luck mining town are as rough and hopeless as their dying village. As a newcomer, Clare O'Day sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. She doesn't look like a cop, but her inquiries into the recent disappearance of Shayna Fowles—a local junkie—make her suspect. What is Clare doing in Blackmore? Why is she asking about Shayna?
Clare has her own issues, although she's not about to unload them on anyone in Blackmore. Her job is to observe, ask questions, find Shayna, and leave. It soon becomes clear, however, that her task will not be as easy as it sounds. No one in Blackmore trusts Clare and vice versa, but to solve her own problems, Clare must find Shayna. What happened to the woman? Did someone harm her? If so, who? With a town chock-full of menacing suspects, Clare hardly knows where to start. One thing, however, is becoming painfully clear—Clare's in more danger every day she stays in Blackmore. Can she discover the truth behind Shayna's disappearance? Or will Clare become the next young woman to vanish from the sinister, dead-end town?
Still Mine, a debut novel by Canadian author Amy Stuart, is a moody, broody thriller that's unsettling and just ... weird. It's atmospheric, with an eerie vibe that sets the stage for a mystery that could go in any direction. The characters are a rugged, violent lot who are almost wholly unlikable. Plotwise, Still Mine is compelling, but its premise is unconvincing and its ending just made the whole novel feel pointless and depressing. While Stuart's prose is solid, I found almost everything else about this novel unappealing. I finished it, but overall, Still Mine just wasn't a very satisfying read for me. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Blackmore reminds me of Acker's Gap, West Virginia, the setting for the Bell Elkins series by Julia Keller)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, depictions of illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Still Mine with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
6 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
The Story People2 hours ago
-
Sunday Post/Sunday Salon2 hours ago
-
Sunday Salon: October 13, 20244 hours ago
-
-
The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape by Terry Roberts15 hours ago
-
Haven’t done that yet?17 hours ago
-
Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall17 hours ago
-
Audiobook: The Hotel Balzaar19 hours ago
-
-
-
-
83. The Phantom Patrol1 day ago
-
-
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!!2 days ago
-
-
A couple of autumn/winter reads2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 week ago
-
-
-
WIP Wrap-up for September 20241 week ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Review: The Duke and I1 month ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus2 months ago
-
Sunday Post2 months ago
-
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q23 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ▼ 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
I was going to say that the town sounds like the one in the Keller series, but without a 'Bell'. Did you know, by the way, that there is a new 'Bell' novel coming out in August? I didn't know. Preordered it right away. Can't wait!!
ReplyDeleteBlackmore definitely needs a Bell to save it. Yikes!
DeleteMy contact at Minotaur sends me all the Bell Elkins books, so I've actually already read BONE BY BONE. It's another good one and I LOOOVVEE the ending :)
Well, that’s a shame. Sometimes these types try so hard that they just end up being weird.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteThat's too bad. This one sounded like it could have been so good!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't like the book very much. :(
ReplyDelete