Exiles: A Mystery In Paris by Lawrence J. Epstein

The basic premise of this story is about a young man named Daniel that is fresh out of the war, where he saw many horrible things that have forever changed him. After the war he decides to go to Paris to become a writer. Arriving with very little money he luckily meets and become friends with a book shop owner who gives him a job, money and a place to live. Also on his first day in Paris there is a murder of the owner of a local literary magazine, and from this you find out that Daniel is very perceptive and is pushed to solve the crime, but he does not want to because to do so would mean he has to face his worst memory.

When it comes to the story itself, I have to say it is one of the most beautifully written stories I have read in a while. The language is reminiscent to a beloved classic novel by a great author from our past. But just because a novel is beautifully written does it make it worth reading? Personally I find this novel to be just so-so, meaning the plot of the story is good, but the execution not so much. The author mentions how many people go to Paris to write because they know their way around words, but lack the skill to properly write a story, and many times I felt that this statement rang true for this story.  The author is very repetitive in the story, with Daniel complaining how he cannot write but does not want to do anything else. Those in the literary community around him try to tell him that he is not good enough to be a writer so he should work with his strengths and investigate the murder, but he does not want to do that he wants to write yet he cannot. Just round and a round and a round. Spoiler though…. He does end up investigating the murder.

The story is also very long, especially considering how little happens in it. So in conclusion, I like the language the author uses and the basic plot, but I wished it was shorter and had more meat to the plot itself and the fat of the repetitiveness cut out. So I would rate this a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Severed Threads by: Kaylin McFarren

 

 

I really enjoyed this book, to me it has a little bit of everything for all readers. It has lies, deceit, romance, treasure hunting, fighting, and of course some good ole lovin hehe. I also have to say the author does an amazing job at capturing the readers attention from the very beginning and keeps it, which is very difficult, but she does it with ease by giving little hints into the mysteries of the novel, and not giving too much away at one time like I have experienced before with many writers. I will say some may not enjoy how the writer ends pretty much every chapter with a very small cliffhanger, making very difficult to stop reading. This book also gives the reader some back stories of legends that also are extremely entertaining and there is also a ghost element that I liked since it did not come off as being cheesy or too farfetched, but I do like the paranormal stuff so forewarning that there is this element since some may not like it.

Ratings wise I would give this a 4 out of 5 stars..... wait what? Didn't I just say I loved the book?!? Why only 4 stars?!? The reason for this is the one negative I have with this novel and that is the ending to me feels rushed and things not fully explained. Like there is a scene where you find out Rachel has a stalker, and that whole situation is ever fully explained, you find out that the dude is married but stalking her and doesn't want his wife to find out.... and this left me like "huh?". Then Allie's miraculous recovery goes unexplained, but the biggest is after the bog ending fight is weird and feels rushed and confusing. As well as I will say the "cliffhangers" I raved about so much at the beginning of the review does muddle some of the ending and does at first cause some confusion that can upset the reader, since you read Chase is pulled from the ocean and is alive, but then a few pages later the author confuses you when Rachel overhears by the police that another captain has been claimed. If the ending was developed more then this would definitely be a 5 out of 5.
Also this is volume 1, so there will (hopefully) be more coming in this series and in the epilogue it does end with the promise of a new exciting adventure, but also note that most things are explained and wrapped by to the point you could read this as a stand alone novel, so for those not into series you can still enjoy this novel too.

I truly can not wait to see what the next volumes bring and to see how each character develops, especially the rekindled romance between Chase and Rachel.