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Showing posts with label Alexandra Burt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexandra Burt. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2015
Remember Mia: The Thriller That Just ... Wasn't
4:21 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When Estelle Paradise awakens in a hospital room, the 27-year-old is totally confused. The doctor says she's been in a car accident, but Estelle has no memory of a crash. In fact, she can't remember anything. Nothing except her 7-month-old daughter, Mia. As she pushes past the amnesia that clouds her head, Estelle learns that Mia has been missing for several days. According to Estelle's own account, the infant disappeared from her crib—along with her diapers, clothing, toys, and every other trace of her—while Estelle was napping. The story sounds ridiculous even to Estelle. But it's the truth. She just has to convince the police, her angry husband, and, most of all, herself. Estelle knows she's been a little off since giving birth to Mia, but she's not crazy. She's not.
The question remains: Where is Mia? Was she taken by some desperate, baby-crazy stranger? Did her father do something to her? Estelle couldn't have harmed the baby, could she? Even though Mia drove her half-crazy with her colicky screaming? Do clues to the child's whereabouts lie buried somewhere in Estelle's fractured memory? Estelle must find the answers before she's convicted of a crime she didn't commit. Or did she?
I love mind-twisting psychological thrillers that keep me wondering what's real and what's not. The not knowing guarantees I'll turn the pages until I find out. With its very intriguing premise, as well as comparisons to Gone Girl, Remember Mia—a debut novel by Alexandra Burt—seemed to be just this kind of novel. And it could have been. It had the potential, for sure. What kept it from hitting the spot for me? First off, the writing and plotting seemed rocky and disjointed. A more subtle, streamlined story would have been nice. Then, there were the flat, cliché characters. Despite the battle with post-partum depression/exhaustion which should have made her sympathetic, Estelle continually came off as cold and self-absorbed. I don't need a warm, fuzzy narrator in order to really feel a story, but I do need to feel some connection with the main character. Which didn't happen here. Lastly, I felt like Remember Mia needed a subplot, or something to give it more depth and richness. As is, the book missed the mark somewhat. Although there were some pulse-pounding moments, overall, this thriller fails to thrill. Or stand out. Too bad, because I'm still haunted by its incredibly promising premise.
(Readalikes: Similar to other books where the heroine wakes up with amnesia and has to piece together what has happened to her. The First Wife by Erica Spindler comes to mind, as does Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language and violence
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Readin'
11:08 AM
Even though I live in a place where it's pretty much summer all year round, I'm not much for warm weather. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, on the shores of the Columbia River—my natural habitat involves cloudy skies, blustery winds, and a constant drizzle. I'm a fish out of water in this hot, dry desert. Needless to say, I don't look forward to Arizona summers. The scorching temperatures keep me inside, air conditioning and ceiling fans on full blast. I'm lucky to have a sparkling swimming pool in my backyard for quick dips, so I guess you don't have to feel too sorry for me :)
Anyway, while summer is not my favorite, it does inspire some fun reading material. I'm not one of those people who only reads light, fluffy beach novels during these warmest of months, but I do think my summer reading choices tend to be a little frothier. Maybe? I'll let you be the judge, as this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is the ten books on my summer TBR list. I'd love to see your list as well, so why don't you join in the fun? All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish and follow the instructions. Easy, peasy.
Alright, here we go with the Top Ten Books on my TBR Pile for Summer 2015:
1. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler—I've never read anything by Ockler, but this contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid looks fun. I especially love that its heroine is a young woman of color.
2. Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge—Forget light and fluffy, this thriller about a deadly game orchestrated by a sadistic fiend is described as dark and twisted. Perfect summer reading?
3. Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt—I'm in the middle of this thriller about a mother with severe post-partum depression who wakes up one morning to find her baby missing. Suffering from traumatic memory loss, she has no idea what's happened to the infant; she can't help but wonder if the police are correct in naming her as the prime suspect ...
4. The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin—I just received an ARC of this historical adventure/espionage novel, which looks excellent.
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee—I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the July 14th release date of this novel about a grown-up Jean Louise Finch.
6. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi—Although Ship Breaker is one of my favorite watery dystopian novels, I've yet to read anything else by Bacigalupi. His newest, The Water Knife, looks promising. Set in the American Southwest, it highlights a very real and timely threat to man's survival—severe drought.
7. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler—This quirky family saga about a mysterious book and a drowned circus mermaid looks intriguing.
8. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark—I've loved Clark since I first read her as a teenager. Although the quality of her writing has declined, I still enjoy her quick, clean mysteries.
9. The Leveller by Julia Durango—I love the premise of this YA novel. The MC is a bounty hunter who is hired by parents to go into the virtual reality gaming world and retrieve their missing children. Sounds like a fun sci fi thriller.
10. The Lost Daughter by Lucretia Grindle—This mystery about an American high school student who goes missing in Italy sounds like a good summer read.
So, what do you think? Have you read any of these? What great stories will you be digging into this summer? I'd love to know. Leave a comment/link to your list and I'll be sure to stop by.
Happy summer reading!
Anyway, while summer is not my favorite, it does inspire some fun reading material. I'm not one of those people who only reads light, fluffy beach novels during these warmest of months, but I do think my summer reading choices tend to be a little frothier. Maybe? I'll let you be the judge, as this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is the ten books on my summer TBR list. I'd love to see your list as well, so why don't you join in the fun? All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish and follow the instructions. Easy, peasy.
Alright, here we go with the Top Ten Books on my TBR Pile for Summer 2015:
1. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler—I've never read anything by Ockler, but this contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid looks fun. I especially love that its heroine is a young woman of color.
2. Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge—Forget light and fluffy, this thriller about a deadly game orchestrated by a sadistic fiend is described as dark and twisted. Perfect summer reading?
3. Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt—I'm in the middle of this thriller about a mother with severe post-partum depression who wakes up one morning to find her baby missing. Suffering from traumatic memory loss, she has no idea what's happened to the infant; she can't help but wonder if the police are correct in naming her as the prime suspect ...
4. The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin—I just received an ARC of this historical adventure/espionage novel, which looks excellent.
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee—I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the July 14th release date of this novel about a grown-up Jean Louise Finch.
6. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi—Although Ship Breaker is one of my favorite watery dystopian novels, I've yet to read anything else by Bacigalupi. His newest, The Water Knife, looks promising. Set in the American Southwest, it highlights a very real and timely threat to man's survival—severe drought.
7. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler—This quirky family saga about a mysterious book and a drowned circus mermaid looks intriguing.
8. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark—I've loved Clark since I first read her as a teenager. Although the quality of her writing has declined, I still enjoy her quick, clean mysteries.
9. The Leveller by Julia Durango—I love the premise of this YA novel. The MC is a bounty hunter who is hired by parents to go into the virtual reality gaming world and retrieve their missing children. Sounds like a fun sci fi thriller.
10. The Lost Daughter by Lucretia Grindle—This mystery about an American high school student who goes missing in Italy sounds like a good summer read.
So, what do you think? Have you read any of these? What great stories will you be digging into this summer? I'd love to know. Leave a comment/link to your list and I'll be sure to stop by.
Happy summer reading!
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