Welcome back! I hope that your week has been going well. Mine has been good, I have not gotten a lot of reading done though. The other day I had a migraine so bad that I was nauseous all day and I ended up getting sick at night. It was awful. Have you ever had a migraine that bad? What did you do to help?
I have been trying to brainstorm some unique blog post ideas for you all and I have one I am working on that I am excited about. I only need to take photos to add to it. I am going to be focusing more on my bookstagram as well. What are some of your blog or reading goals this year? I did post a book box review and comparison video yesterday. I tried a few boxes and decided to give pictures and my thoughts on the items. Check it out here.
Today I am doing a catch-up review. I read this a while back but had not been able to write the review…I really need more time in the day. I should start writing reviews as I read them, but for now…here goes.
Manifest Recall
Author: Alan Baxter
Published: June 26th, 2018
Publisher: Grey Matter Press
Book Length: 145 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon
Disclaimer: I was given a copy from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review.
Following a psychotic break, Eli Carver finds himself on the run, behind the wheel of a car that’s not his own, and in the company of a terrified woman, he doesn’t know. As layers of ugly truth are peeled back and dark secrets are revealed, the duo find themselves in a struggle for survival when they unravel a mystery that pits them against the most dangerous forces in their lives.
A contemporary southern gothic thriller with frightening supernatural overtones, Alan Baxter’s Manifest Recall explores the tragic life of a hitman who finds himself on the wrong side of his criminal syndicate. Baxter’s adrenaline-fueled approach to storytelling draws readers into Eli Carver’s downward spiral of psychosis and through the darkest realms of lost memories, human guilt and the insurmountable quest for personal redemption.
This was my first book from this author and let me tell you, as a thriller fan, I was pleasantly surprised. Thrillers are more difficult to write because part of the joy of reading them is you do not know what to expect. If I can predict what happens, some of that joy is taken because the intensity is no longer there.
It is hard for me to say too much about this without giving away information that would lead to spoilers. Therefore, this will be a rather short review. Let’s begin as usual, with taking a look at the cover. This cover has some hints to horror and I imagine that is what I would feel if I were a character in this novel. Looking at this, I get ominous feelings. Pictured is who I would imagine is Eli and the hand being his mind, his skeletons that now torture him. I really enjoy the dark color scheme. The finer details might take a bit to notice. In the area lit by the headlights of the car, there are four ghost-like figures, those will come into play later in the story. Eli is holding a gun, blood running down his hand so we know he will be in a fight of some sort.
Now that we have an idea of what to expect, let’s continue. The first thing I really enjoyed about this was how short it was. I started in and finished it the very next day. I would have been able to finish it in a matter of a few hours but I have two children who interrupt me as soon as I pick up a book. It is like they have a sixth sense for when I am reading. Another reason it might have taken me longer to read it because of the slow beginning.
I feel that the first person narrative allows the reader to really get an idea of what Eli is going through and helps get the reader interested in the story. Though the start might be a little slow, it eventually picks up and boy when it does, it does not let go. Eli has made his fair share of mistakes, and by that I mean many, but he is now trying to do something good. A bad-guy gone flawed hero almost if you want to put it that way. Reading the summary you would not think that the woman mentioned had any major role, that she would be lost in the male-dominated plot line. You’d be wrong. She is actually a pivotal character in Eli’s story and I enjoyed watching her evolve as well.
If you like a story that tells you the entire backstory up front, this is not the book you want to read. We learn little by little what happened, as Eli goes deeper and deeper into his memory. However, there are a few friends that help, or maybe that isn’t the right word, him along the way. Gripping is a great way to title this story because once it has its hands on you, it will not let go until the gruesome ending. I do want to add that there is a trigger warning for physical and sexual abuse. If those are sensitive subjects for you, approach this book knowing that ahead of time.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fantastic thriller and perfect for a quick read to mix up the genres. It might start a little slow but give it a chance because you will end up reading it into the wee hours of the morning.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it, what did you think?
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Not a thriller genre fan myself. I prefer not to be confused when I read lmao. I want to relax and just enjoy the book not have to think ?