danicapage's review against another edition
4.0
This is my condensed review. The extended version can be found here.
Before I get into my review, here's the summary that's Howard sent me:
After scattering her mother’s ashes in Vietnam, photojournalist Xandra Carrick comes home to New York to rebuild her life and career. When she experiences, in her darkroom, supernatural visions that reveal atrocities perpetrated by American soldiers during the Vietnam War, she finds herself entangled in a forty-year-old conspiracy that could bring the nation into political turmoil.
Launching headlong into a quest to learn the truth from her father, Peter Carrick, a Pulitzer Prize laureate who served as an embedded photographer during the war, she confronts him about a dark secret he has kept—a secret that has devastated their family. Her investigations lead her to her departed mother’s journal, which tells of love, spiritual awakening, and surviving the fall of Saigon. Pursued across the continent, Xandra comes face-to-face with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing the truth. But not before government agencies arrest her for murder, domestic terrorism, and an assassination attempt on the newly elected president of the United States. Darkroom is a riveting tale of suspense that tears the cover off the human struggle for truth in a world imprisoned by lies.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First off I'd like to Howard a division of Simon & Schuster for giving me a copy of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.
Having said that, let's dive into my review. I came into this novel with absolutely no expectations other than the cover and synopsis sounded intriguing and slightly eerie.
Okay after five pages, I was absolutely hooked. This book caught my attention from the very beginning and I was captivated until I turned that last page. Graham's writing was incredible and he had the distinct ability to weave a story that left me in absolute suspense. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering how the story would evolve next.
Basically, this book never had a slow or dull moment and that is rare. I loved all of the characters (or loved to hate all the characters) from the moment I was introduced to them. In short, this book was absolutely incredible. I definitely recommend this to all fans of romantic suspense, especially christian romantic suspense.
This novel also combined some paranormal elements in the novel. I didn't know if I'd like that; however, it was integrated into the novel so expertly that I actually enjoyed the paranormal element. This was my first novel by Joshua Graham, but I can assure you it won't be the last.
Before I get into my review, here's the summary that's Howard sent me:
After scattering her mother’s ashes in Vietnam, photojournalist Xandra Carrick comes home to New York to rebuild her life and career. When she experiences, in her darkroom, supernatural visions that reveal atrocities perpetrated by American soldiers during the Vietnam War, she finds herself entangled in a forty-year-old conspiracy that could bring the nation into political turmoil.
Launching headlong into a quest to learn the truth from her father, Peter Carrick, a Pulitzer Prize laureate who served as an embedded photographer during the war, she confronts him about a dark secret he has kept—a secret that has devastated their family. Her investigations lead her to her departed mother’s journal, which tells of love, spiritual awakening, and surviving the fall of Saigon. Pursued across the continent, Xandra comes face-to-face with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing the truth. But not before government agencies arrest her for murder, domestic terrorism, and an assassination attempt on the newly elected president of the United States. Darkroom is a riveting tale of suspense that tears the cover off the human struggle for truth in a world imprisoned by lies.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First off I'd like to Howard a division of Simon & Schuster for giving me a copy of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.
Having said that, let's dive into my review. I came into this novel with absolutely no expectations other than the cover and synopsis sounded intriguing and slightly eerie.
Okay after five pages, I was absolutely hooked. This book caught my attention from the very beginning and I was captivated until I turned that last page. Graham's writing was incredible and he had the distinct ability to weave a story that left me in absolute suspense. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering how the story would evolve next.
Basically, this book never had a slow or dull moment and that is rare. I loved all of the characters (or loved to hate all the characters) from the moment I was introduced to them. In short, this book was absolutely incredible. I definitely recommend this to all fans of romantic suspense, especially christian romantic suspense.
This novel also combined some paranormal elements in the novel. I didn't know if I'd like that; however, it was integrated into the novel so expertly that I actually enjoyed the paranormal element. This was my first novel by Joshua Graham, but I can assure you it won't be the last.
serenaac's review against another edition
5.0
Darkroom by Joshua Graham is mind-blowing, fast-paced, secretive, and conspiratorial. Conspiracy theorists, anti-government advocates, and the generally suspicious of all things military and political must read Graham’s book. Mixing in elements of reality with those of fiction, Graham aptly captures the disillusionment with the Bush Administration just before the election of President Barack Obama and the fervor behind a movement for change that got our current president elected.
However, in this case, the candidate for change is independent, former Vietnam War military star Richard Colson. He exudes confidence and decisiveness, even in the face of his wife’s health misfortunes and the continuous emergence of his past that must be addressed. Cover-ups, suspicious natural and accidental deaths among members of the Vietnam War’s Echo Company, disappearing college students, and other events pepper the narrative, but Graham has written a story that is ultimately about faith in ourselves, our beliefs, and the uncharted.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/05/darkroom-by-joshua-graham.html
However, in this case, the candidate for change is independent, former Vietnam War military star Richard Colson. He exudes confidence and decisiveness, even in the face of his wife’s health misfortunes and the continuous emergence of his past that must be addressed. Cover-ups, suspicious natural and accidental deaths among members of the Vietnam War’s Echo Company, disappearing college students, and other events pepper the narrative, but Graham has written a story that is ultimately about faith in ourselves, our beliefs, and the uncharted.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/05/darkroom-by-joshua-graham.html
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