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amyslaske022's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
aliciafaithreads's review
2.0
Out of the Ashes is an adult mystery/thriller book by popular young adult author, Kara Thomas. Samantha’s family was murdered 22 years ago. Now as an adult, new information regarding the case is coming to light and Samantha is to figure everything out. The more she uncovers, the more dangerous things become.
I was so excited to read this book. I have read two of this author’s previous books and I really wanted to see what she would do with an adult book. I feel like it’s been a trend this year for young adult authors to branch out and come out with adult books and it has been very hit or miss. A lot of them have still kept that YA feel and didn’t feel very adult. This one is almost the opposite for me. It’s like it was written so differently from her previous books that it felt weird to me. The writing style was hard to get into. I felt like it took so long for this story to really hold my attention. I usually finish thrillers in a day or two but this one took a lot longer than that.
I do think this book will work for some people because there are a lot of moving parts to help keep the plot moving. It was just almost too much for me and I kept having to go back and read parts because I was confused.
I will still try the next book this author puts out. This one just wasn’t the best for me which happens sometimes and it’s fine! I know this book will find its audience.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was so excited to read this book. I have read two of this author’s previous books and I really wanted to see what she would do with an adult book. I feel like it’s been a trend this year for young adult authors to branch out and come out with adult books and it has been very hit or miss. A lot of them have still kept that YA feel and didn’t feel very adult. This one is almost the opposite for me. It’s like it was written so differently from her previous books that it felt weird to me. The writing style was hard to get into. I felt like it took so long for this story to really hold my attention. I usually finish thrillers in a day or two but this one took a lot longer than that.
I do think this book will work for some people because there are a lot of moving parts to help keep the plot moving. It was just almost too much for me and I kept having to go back and read parts because I was confused.
I will still try the next book this author puts out. This one just wasn’t the best for me which happens sometimes and it’s fine! I know this book will find its audience.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
lindzcw's review against another edition
2.0
I’m a slow reader if I’m reading something that doesn’t interest me and it took me forever to read this book. If you like elaborate detail rather than lots of twists and turns, this is the mystery novel for you.
baronvonwaffle's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
caitlin_davis22's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
speedreadstagram's review
3.0
This was a fast paced thriller and hard to put down. I kept wanting to figure it all out.
Samantha’s family was murdered when she was a kid. She lived with her aunt who despised her until she could leave. She’s drawn back when her uncle dies and leaves her the house. Then she’s contacted by a special investigator who’s looking into her family’s case. As more facts turn up, Samantha learns her baby sister may have survived the fire that killed the rest of her family. Samantha sets out to figure out the mystery and maybe connect with her remaining family.
Overall I enjoyed this book, but the ending was a huge disappointment for me and that made it only 3 stars from me, when it had been tracking to a four. I really hate when books disappoint with the ending. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher Thomas Mercer for my advanced e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Samantha’s family was murdered when she was a kid. She lived with her aunt who despised her until she could leave. She’s drawn back when her uncle dies and leaves her the house. Then she’s contacted by a special investigator who’s looking into her family’s case. As more facts turn up, Samantha learns her baby sister may have survived the fire that killed the rest of her family. Samantha sets out to figure out the mystery and maybe connect with her remaining family.
Overall I enjoyed this book, but the ending was a huge disappointment for me and that made it only 3 stars from me, when it had been tracking to a four. I really hate when books disappoint with the ending. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher Thomas Mercer for my advanced e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.
krysta's review against another edition
5.0
Kara Thomas remains a Queen of mystery/thriller. Love that she's writing adult fic now too!
dallas_shattuck's review against another edition
I was bored and unvested in the story
drjoannehill's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Kindle First Reads from ages ago.
I pick a random number and count through my unread Kindle books. This one is a whodunnit thriller featuring a woman Sam who is a nurse and whose family was murdered in a shooting and and house fire 22 years previously. She left town as soon as she could and barely went back. A few things surface that mean she ends up back "home" and she gets involved in a cold case review about her family's murder.
Sam is not a likeable person, as a lead character she is definitely flawed (doesn't like people, drinks heavily, does and says inadvisable things). Small town New York is presented in a very unfavorable light in the book. It reminded me of Demon Copperhead in that sense. I wasn't sure what political message the author was trying to make, as she is not very sympathetic to the things people end up doing (e.g. drug use, broken families).
No shortage of twists and turns in the plot; could do with a notebook about all the characters and their relationships!
I pick a random number and count through my unread Kindle books. This one is a whodunnit thriller featuring a woman Sam who is a nurse and whose family was murdered in a shooting and and house fire 22 years previously. She left town as soon as she could and barely went back. A few things surface that mean she ends up back "home" and she gets involved in a cold case review about her family's murder.
Sam is not a likeable person, as a lead character she is definitely flawed (doesn't like people, drinks heavily, does and says inadvisable things). Small town New York is presented in a very unfavorable light in the book. It reminded me of Demon Copperhead in that sense. I wasn't sure what political message the author was trying to make, as she is not very sympathetic to the things people end up doing (e.g. drug use, broken families).
No shortage of twists and turns in the plot; could do with a notebook about all the characters and their relationships!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment