This amazing book was so well written. I started off not sure how I would feel about it because mental illness touches very close to home for me. But the way the character Tara talks about her emotions while dealing with the news from Branson is so raw and emotional. And then Branson’s side of his emotions is heartbreaking and true to how so many young adults feel. I laughed and cried as I sped through the chapters. I highly recommend this book and commend M. Billiter for writing such a beautiful story.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Crystal Pizzimentihttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCrystal Pizzimenti2021-08-31 20:00:052021-09-02 08:34:21A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Crystal Pizzimenti
This story will speak to you in a way you were not expecting. Tara is single mom with 4 beautiful kids and 2 bad marriages under her belt (one with DV.) She works at Wyoming University admissions office, and has based her life upon her children and their futures. When her son Branson confesses that he is hearing voices, and then at school blacks out she immediately is unsure what to make of the situation. As the story progresses we watch as Branson begins therapy and slowly opens up about the shadows he sees and voices he hears, and that this isnt something new. When Tara starts to get more information about Branson’s schizophrenia she slowly starts to breakdown. She becomes engulfed with emotions of not wanting it to be true, thinking what could have done differently, or where can his life go now it becomes heartbreaking as she reimagines that little boy she adored to now. With her other children providing moral support and the threat of without medication and help Branson will get worse she slowly begins processing and coming to terms. Branson, Tara, and the rest of the family tell this amazing story of loving someone with mental illness and the importance of family.
When I began reading this book I was completely unprepared for the journey that it lead me upon. Mental illness can be a difficult subject, and unfortunately not enough light is shed upon the issue. As a mother I can 100% relate to Tara and the emotions she felt because there is nothing scarier then watching your child go thru something you know nothing about , that you can’t change, or that can effect their quality of life. This book was very raw, real, and emotional, but nonetheless a complete hidden gem. M. Billiter indicated that its somewhat based upon her life with her son, and I truly appreciate the shared experience, and the beautiful way it was told.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laurenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLauren2021-08-31 19:51:212021-09-02 08:33:30A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M Billiter- Review by Lauren West
**The synopsis for Boy Released gives away a detail for the first book, Boy On Hold; I highly recommend reading the first book before reading this book or this review.**
Although I recommend to read this series in order, you can start with this book. The synopsis gives the reader an understanding of the Trout family’s past if you haven’t read Boy On Hold.
Again, I was on the edge of my seat reading this book! Fast forward 10 years and we are following Tyler’s release from psychiatric rehab and the Trout family’s new dealings with the justice system.
Spero’s writing continues to flow smoothly and not falter between characters views or jumps to the past and present. Definitely want these books on my shelf!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00S. Bittleshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngS. Bittles2021-08-31 19:39:202021-09-02 08:32:32BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by S. Bittles
A Divided Mind was a different kind of read for me, knowing some people that suffer from mental illness. But this book is written very wonderfully as you go through a young mans diagnosis and you really see the struggles that his family faces, in trying to help him cope with his diagnosis. While this book isn’t too long it’s 322 pages and 39 chapters it definitely sucks you in from the start. But upon reading this book I definitely will say that you need to read it with an open mind, Ms. Billiter really captures how real and raw mental illness is, and gives us a plot and characters that deliver it and it’s consequences brilliantly.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Stephanie Corbinhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngStephanie Corbin2021-08-31 18:53:192021-09-01 09:36:28A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Stephanie Nicole
This book right here is one of those that will mark you for life. If you have ever dealt with mental illness or had family/friends that do this book is definitely for you. It’s so raw and vulnerable. It gives you different perspectives as well. I love how the author made you feel like you were right there with her. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and just shout out loud why?!?!?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Goodmanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Goodman2021-08-31 18:14:292021-09-01 09:29:47A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter- Review by Heather Goodman
A Divided Mind by M. Billiter is the first book in her Divided Series, and let me say, I am so glad it’s only the first book. This is seriously one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Experiencing this story through the eyes of Branson and his family makes for a page-turner. This book addresses mental illness as it affects an entire family and is actually believable. Watching Branson’s character change and develop through the book kept me interested and on the edge of my seat. This isn’t your typical “run-of-the-mill” story of mental illness. The way that this author puts such a unique voice into her characters makes them pop off the page. Oh, and don’t forget to read the epilogue. This book is “good till the last drop.” 5 stars.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christine J. Spulakhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristine J. Spulak2021-08-31 17:31:312021-09-01 09:27:41A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Chrissy Spulak
A Divided Mind tells the story of a mother whose son, Branson, is mentally ill. The story is told from her perspective, her son’s perspective, and some other character’s perspectives. It was fascinating reading about Branson’s illness and how it progresses. While reading, I suspected that some things he experiences may not have been real. I also grieved alongside his mother, Tara. What a difficult road. This was a phenomenal, in-your-head read, but I hated the epilogue. Well worth the time to read as I have continued to think about Branson and Tara since I finished the story.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rebecca Hillhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRebecca Hill2021-08-31 17:24:482021-09-01 09:26:57A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Rebecca Hill
J.D Spero, followed Boy on Hold up fantastically with Boy Released. Boy Released puts us back into a world 10 years after the Murder of Miss. Sally. Hen is almost of age to come into his inheritance of Miss. Sally’s estate. Miss Sally was the neighbor who used to help out and babysit Hen as a child, until one night his older brother Tyler had a mental break and accidentally killed her. Tyler, recently released from a mental hospital, is living in one of the cabins in the resort his mother(Marcella) and Bernie own. Now that Tyler is back home with his family it’s a process to reintegrate him back into the world and everyday life. It also brings about animosity and some long repressed feelings from long ago, amongst them all. Till one night Tyler watches through his cabin’s window his mother being attacked in the resort office. An attack that he admits taking the blame for so he could get the 1 clue to the right person, “For 300 m&m’s.” A story of redemption of sorts for Tyler, as Boy Released progresses forward. If you choose to view it that way. It dives deeper into the realms of mental illness and the impact that has on one’s life and those around them. If you enjoy this author like I do and enjoy a fantastic psychological thriller/with a story of redemption thrown in, J.D Spero does not disappoint! Wonderfully written, with easy to follow character arcs it’s worth the read TRUST ME!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Beverly Place-Finniehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBeverly Place-Finnie2021-08-31 17:19:082021-09-01 09:26:18BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Beverly Finnie
J.D Spero has a knack for bringing the readers into a world that could very much be someone’s reality. Boy on Hold being no exception. A psychological thriller in its own right, could be a trigger warning for someone else. Boy on Hold dives deep into a world of mental health as the novel moves forward. Tyler, being the oldest of Marcella’s 2 children, is on the brink of a mental break. Hen, 10 years Tyler’s junior, idolizes his brother for who he knows him to be. Until Cabbage Night 1991, that’s when everything changed. Changed in ways a 7 year old could not even begin to understand, but he was smart enough to realize what happened. Influenced by his best friend Derek and drugs, Tyler goes through a whirlwind of suffering the consequences for his actions, as the book progresses. I’m not sure if I was the biggest fan of the constant jumping around from different points of view, however the author masterfully wove it all together so that it works very well. Highly recommended and also looking forward to reading book 2!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Beverly Place-Finniehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBeverly Place-Finnie2021-08-31 17:11:052021-09-01 09:25:14Boy on Hold by JD Spero – Review by Beverly Finnie
It is ten years after Tyler Trout was sent to psychiatric rehab after his mental illness caused a psychotic break and his family are still reeling from the murder of their next door neighbour Sally Hubbard and to help with their grief, they moved to the small resort town of Lake George Village and bought the Blue Palm Motel where they now live and work. Hen has grown up into a handsome young man and helps out doing the domestic work in the rooms while his mum, Marcella and Bernie, her partner handle the finances and the odd jobs, meanwhile Tyler has just returned and is living in one of the cabins as he starts to work towards some sort of independence.
As they are all settling into a routine, Tyler is managing to hold down a job at a local store, but his mental health takes a dive when someone from his past turns up and sets back the progress he has made, meanwhile, Hen is taking on more responsibility as the busy summer season starts and preparing for the transition to adulthood in just one short year when he will have to make some serious decisions about his future, whether that involves college or continuing to work at the motel, as well as deciding what to do with his inheritance money once he comes of the age to take ownership of it, all while trying to support his mum and keep up some semblance of normality by spending time with his friends.
All this comes crashing down around the Trout’s when Marcella is attacked at the office and Tyler is the only witness to the altercation, however, the information is locked inside his mind and the turmoil in which it constantly spins, however, when he approaches the office after the attack happens and incriminating himself in the process, his family have to confront Tyler’s illness all over again. Will Tyler be able to make anyone understand the information he holds in his mind and how important it is, or will they believe that he is capable of hurting his family and keep him in detention? Can his family overcome their own personal views of Tyler and help him to reintegrate into society, or will they fail to see beyond his diagnosis? This is a heart rending tale of mental illness and how it can affect those around them, as well as being an emotional rollercoaster of emotions as you become invested in the lives and trials of a family many can relate to.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-08-31 14:16:592021-08-31 22:44:13Boy Released by J.D. Spero – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
A Divided Mind (The Divided Series #1) by M. Billiter
5-stars
Wow!! This was a truly emotional and phenomenal read, one that at times I had a hard time reading. This author did an exceptional job with these characters, they were dynamic, honest and real. I felt such strong empathy for them and felt so invested in their story, and I was not disappointed with how it all turned out.
This story had me feeling all kinds of emotions as I got further into the story of Branson and his mental health struggles. I believe stories like this one should be read by all, this is a really misunderstood mental illness and I feel as if I was able to learn and understand more about it in a real and relatable way.
I really look forward to reading more from this series asap!!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kaitlynn Taylorhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKaitlynn Taylor2021-08-31 12:56:082021-08-31 22:41:32A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Kaitlynn Taylor
Wow. This was one emotional story that got me right in the heart over and over again. Billiter writes with such respect and such honesty, giving valuable and heartfelt insight into the difficulties faced by those who struggle with their mental health, and the difficulties faced by the people that love them. It showed that there is no easy fix and took the reader painstakingly through the long arduous journey of coming to grips with a diagnosis and everything that means. It was by no means an easy book to read, but I think that anything that deals with this subject matter would never be particularly easy to read. Either way, I recommend this, you won’t regret it.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Danielle Dandohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDanielle Dando2021-08-31 12:07:422021-08-31 22:37:07A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Dani Dando
Wow. An amazing book. I could not put this book down. A Divided Mind is a book about Branson, a teenage twin, who has some mental health issues that he and his family are trying to decipher. His mother shows her unconditional love, but she and Branson have a hard time communicating during this period in his life. His twin brother Aaron can tell there is something wrong, but isn’t sure how to help. Branson is having a hard time finding who to talk to about the voices in his head because he doesn’t want people to think he’s crazy. Once he finally finds a friend, Trevor, his family isn’t sure he is the best influence on him. This book shows how important mental health is and how necessary family support is even when you feel like what you’re doing isn’t enough. If you enjoy haunting and exciting books that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a great book for you.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kayla Octavianohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKayla Octaviano2021-08-31 10:30:572021-08-31 22:34:16A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Kayla Octaviano
“All these rough patches you’re going through right now are all the years you’re going to learn the most about yourself. During the happy times, you don’t learn anything.” For anybody who has read this book, they know just how much this one quote from the daughter of Tara, the mother of the main character of the book, sums it up. At the point in this novel in which this line is said, Tara has reached her wits end, no longer certain on how to help her son Branson, who has been struggling with visual and auditory hallucinations.
In M. Billiter’s A Divided Mind, the reader experiences first hand what it is like to no longer be certain of what is and isn’t reality, helping them experience schizophrenia on a first-hand basis. This is one of the best novels with a focus on mental illness that I have ever read, right up there with J.D. Spero’s Boy on Hold and Boy Released that I read earlier this month. I knew from the moment that I read the description of the novel that I would enjoy this book, and boy was I right! I’m excited to read more from this author, and hope that I find myself reading more books like this by them in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kayla Kearneyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKayla Kearney2021-08-31 04:17:152021-08-31 09:47:22A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Kayla Kearney
From the multi-award-winning author of Goddess of the Wild Thing, comes an unforgettable, chilling story that will haunt your nightmares.
In the mystic land of Aztlan del Norte, a realm of supernatural happenings and unexpected turns of fate, psychiatric healer Gabriél de LaTierra encounters evil within the Orphanage of the Holy Innocents. Children disappear for reasons kept secret by Mother Juana de la Cruz, Superior of the Nunnery and the Orphanage.
Love for Mother Juana, his widowed mother turned religious superior, clouds Gabriél’s mind. His wife, Consuela, tries to confront his wall of denial.
Torn between his love for mother and wife, Gabriél turns inward.
Through Consuela, Gabriél discovers the nighttime blood sacrifice of children in the desert — a centuries-old ritual that imparts immortality to Mother and her nuns. This knowledge places Gabriél’s family in danger. Consuela is attacked and their four-year-old son kidnapped.
Can he find a way to save his wife and son in time?
Will he have the strength to do what’s right, even if it means going against his beloved Mother?
Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D., is a psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico, crafting visionary thrillers energized with trickster mischief and natural magic.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Goddess-of-Everything.jpg1200831itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2021-08-31 00:07:072021-10-30 08:15:42Goddess of Everything: A Blood-Curdling Tale of Truth, Freedom, and Love by Paul DeBlassie III
This is the second book in the Boy Series and is set ten years after the first one ends. Tyler is out of the psychiatric rehab, Marcella bought a hotel, and Hen is 17 now and looking at his future. Sounds like things are looking up. Then Marcella is attacked, and Tyler is arrested for the crime. How much can this poor family go through? My heart ached for Marcella who just wanted the best for her boys. I cried for Hen who was thrown into memories of the past watching his brother get arrested again. I could never imagine having a brain like Tyler’s due to his schizophrenia that takes in things differently than we think is “normal”. Can this family survive another disaster? Or does this once again remind them how much they love each other? JD Spero did it again, a heart wrenching story that made me feel every emotion to the core.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Packardhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Packard2021-08-30 21:43:272021-08-31 09:41:41BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Angela Packard
What an incredible emotional story! Hen is a 7-year-old boy, who wants nothing more than to catch a hedgehog as a pet in his back yard. He falls asleep in his play tent to wake up to yelling at Miss Sally’s, the neighbor’s house. Miss Sally is like a second mom to him, she babysits him after school. Hen struggles with what he sees that night, did he see it correctly? When his 17-year-old brother, Tyler, is arrested for the crime, his life is torn apart. Marcella, their single mom is distraught, how to save her son. Drugs, murder, and a psychiatric condition make for the beginning of a horror story. This was a story filled with love, concern, and family first. I cried for Hen, I cried for Tyler, and as a single mom, I cried for Marcella. JD Spero ripped my heart out, stomped on it, then put it back together. Families are never perfect, but when love is the foundation, they can survive anything.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Packardhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Packard2021-08-30 21:35:282021-08-31 09:40:35Boy on Hold by JD Spero – Review by Angela Packard
BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Samantha Bassett
This is the second book in the series and JD Spero takes us 10 years after the first book. Tyler is released from the psychiatric facility and going to be living with his mom Marcella. This is a new neighborhood in a motel in a resort community. The past is coming back when everyone is trying to adapt to their new lives. Add to that Hen is trying to figure things out with his impending inheritance and the burden it carries. An attack on Marcella leaves everyone believing the worst about Tyler. Could it really be him? Another good book that kept me reading all the way through.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Samantha Bassetthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSamantha Bassett2021-08-30 20:44:082021-08-31 09:40:15BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Samantha Bassett
Boy Released by J.D. Spero is the second book to Boy On Hold. This book takes place ten years after the murder that Tyler, then a little boy, witnessed. He is released from a psychiatric institution and reunited with his brother, Hen, and their family. Boy Released takes on mental illness and is full of suspense and thrills. This book, like the one before it, is HARD to put down. I recommend reading the first book before this one, but even if read on its own, this book would be enjoyable. The characters are so well-written, and climbing inside Tyler’s schizophrenic mind is intriguing and this family’s story will hook you until the very end. I was swept away and came to love this family from the first book, and it was no different with this one.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christine J. Spulakhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristine J. Spulak2021-08-30 16:32:452021-08-31 09:28:53BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Chrissy Spulak
Trigger warning of mental illnesses. I can relate to Branson with depression and ptsd. I also relate to Brandon’s mom, Tara because she just wants her child to be better and that’s my dad. I understand Branson not wanting to taint his twin Aaron with Branson’s demons. M. Billiter wrote this book expertly.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Diazhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Diaz2021-08-30 13:14:192021-08-31 09:25:26A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Angela Renee Diaz
Wow, this is an emotional and insightful story looking at mental illness from two perspectives, the person suffering with it and their family. Branson Kovac is a high school senior when he starts hearing voices in his head and then realises that his friend isn’t really there. Scared and confused Branson turns to his mother, Tara for help. Tara is a mother of four, and when one of her twin sons admits to her that he is hearing voices it is the start of her very worrying and harrowing journey into mental illness. This book really took me on an emotional rollercoaster whilst reading it, the storyline focuses on Branson and the people around him as he is diagnosed and treated with a form of schizophrenia. Told from two points of view that of Branson’s and Tara, his mother, this is a raw and honest story of mental illness and how it not only effects the one diagnosed but their family. A very difficult subject has been written about sensitively and honestly by the author. Although at times this was a difficult and upsetting book to read, I felt engaged with the main characters instantly and was completely immersed in their story.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Gordonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Gordon2021-08-30 12:45:142021-08-31 09:23:21A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Jennifer Gordon
This was my first read by this author and I was very happy to have found this book. Mystery is always a favorite and this brought it all! Will be reading more as I enjoyed the writing style and story
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Lyndsey Fairleyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLyndsey Fairley2021-08-30 11:51:142021-08-30 11:51:14Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Lyndsey Fairley
I was a little skeptical of this book at first. Some sci-fi books tend to have the same themes. But this book was quite surprising. It was planned out very well in regards to the story line. I love the accept of it being no so in the distant future. The society and how it functions in this book are all but too real! Fantastic.
WOW! This book immediately grabbed me and I couldn’t put it down. This author is new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed the thrill ride this took me on, in part because it is a highly plausible scenario. It made me think and consider current events as well as implications of next developments. If you want a thought provoking read that will keep you on your toes, this is a must read.
This intense, psychological thriller puts you through the wringer and spits you out with no apologies at the other end. I was so riveted to each page and felt so many emotions after each reveal. The turbulent journey left me breathless and the twists kept me guessing. Even after I finished the book the story kept going through my mind. The author really captured the multifaceted aspects of mental illness. So brilliantly written – a must read!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rayne Easthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRayne East2021-08-30 06:29:392021-08-31 09:10:47A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Rayne East
A friend once told me that the world needs psychopaths, but I’m not sold that the world needed my father. I only know that I did.
Poppy Pratt was a teenager when she watched her father murder her boyfriend. Only a child when she made the call that would put her dad away for the rest of his life. She watched the sheriff lead him off, her father still laughing at the Alabama moon, his arms slick with Shawn’s blood.
Eighteen years later, Poppy is a chiropractor with a thriving practice and a house in the Vermont suburbs. She even goes on the occasional date. So, when a mysterious stranger shows up at her house claiming that her father is stalking him, Poppy blows him off. Her dad is in prison—psychopath or not, he’s no threat. And though this man is writing a book about her dad, she can see no reason for anyone to go after him.
But then Poppy receives an unmarked package, and her carefully constructed world begins to crumble. A severed ear would throw most anyone off their game. The stranger was right—it might not be her dad, but someone is watching, and they’re after Poppy, too. Could it be an angry family member of one of her father’s victims? An obsessed serial killer fan? But even when Poppy’s new author friend is viciously attacked, she can’t call the police. Shawn wasn’t her father’s only victim, and her stalker clearly knows enough to implicate her in her father’s crimes.
It seems she’s destined to go down the same way her father did—with her hands covered in blood. The only question is whether she’ll be the one holding the knife.
Skillful, addictive, and crackling with nerve-fraying tension, Deadly Words is a thrilling joyride straight into hell. And O’Flynn ensures that you’ll never want to leave. If you like Gillian Flynn and Gregg Olsen, you’ll love the Born Bad series.
With books deemed “visceral, haunting, and fully immersive” (New York Times bestseller, Andra Watkins) Meghan O’Flynn has made her mark on the thriller genre. She is the bestselling author of gritty crime novels, including Shadow’s Keep, The Flood, and the Ash Park series, supernatural thrillers including The Jilted, and the Fault Lines short story collection, all of which take readers on the dark, gripping, and unputdownable journey for which Meghan O’Flynn is notorious.Join Meghan’s reader group at www.meghanoflynn.com and get a free short story not available anywhere else. No spam, ever.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Deadly-Words-Apple.jpeg1200751itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2021-08-30 00:04:462021-10-30 04:56:16Deadly Words (Born Bad Book 1) by Meghan O’Flynn
This Sci-Fi Thriller is full of suspense and the most unexpected twists and turns. This futuristic story captured my attention, and had me on edge from start to finish. It raises a great deal of question about our dependence on technology, and the role humans may one day play as things advance. Effacement takes places in a complete digital world in which everyone is equipped with a chip that is in a sense the essence of your existence and attached to every aspect of your life. This chip records every aspect of your daily life and daily functions require its use. When Cole the chips creator is attacked and his chip removed it begins a downward spiral of events. With his memories erased he becomes wanted by the law, and must go to extremes to clear his name. This book will keep you on your toes, and will be worth every page until the end.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laurenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLauren2021-08-29 23:44:412021-08-31 09:05:48Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes- Review by Lauren West
When it comes to Sci Fi genre, this is not my normal genre of book I typically read but I am so glad I did read this book. Cole Westbay has to find out what happened to him when he wakes up one day bloody. Everyone in the story must be micro-chipped; and when this event happened, his chip was removed, memories lost. Cole is the developer of this micro-chip and now with his chip removed, he must piece back together who would do this and why. This is a complex story but very well written. I couldn’t imagine a world where people are required to be micro-chipped to do anything. But I feel like this would be in our reality one day for sure. Very well done Author Hieronymus Hawkes.
Cole Westbay is a man living in a digital society with a neural interface the same as everybody else, in fact, he was the one who designed and created it, Vitasync received such a positive reception that now everyone has one and it is connected to a worldwide neural network where every citizen uploads their every thought, feeling and action into a lifelog. This neural chip has been integrated so seamlessly into everyday life that as the US Government reorganised and recognised this, they chipped away at the freedoms and liberties the general population had and they accepted it and as time progressed the lifelog became a necessity instead of a luxury, this is something that Cole didn’t agree with at all, but he couldn’t do anything about it. As Cole settles into his work at BioNarratus, he is called into his boss’s office where he is given a promotion and even though it is taking him away from the lab work he loves, he accepts it, but when the work becomes extremely demanding, especially as a file to do with untoward deaths which have been suggested that the Vitasync may have been dysfunctional and the causes of the deaths, so he finishes his most important work and them works on boards to try and find links between the deaths and what he finds is the opposite of what he wanted.
One day Cole wakes up with a splitting headache and none of his usual visual overlays are active, in fact, none of his technological advances are active and he has lost his most recent memory, he has no idea how the blood in the back of his head got there, or why when he sits up, his house is a complete mess, it has been ransacked and he fears he has been robbed. He feels so disconnected from everything that it takes some time for him to process his new situation, it also means that he can’t call anyone to check in with them, so in order to call the police, he has to visit his neighbour in person, it is awkward, but is a means to an end. As he waits for the police to arrive, Cole thinks about how different the world around him looks without his neural interface chip, he feels extremely disconnected and his anxiety is through the roof, but when the Officer eventually makes his presence known, it isn’t in a way that Cole expects and the fact that his lifelog isn’t active lands him in hot water and he is arrested.
As Cole starts to try and figure out what has happened to him and why, he ends up feeling like he can’t trust those around him, so after having to see a doctor about the wound on the back of his head, he goes into work to figure out what he was working on and see if he can pin down a timeline for the last couple of days. It isn’t until he manages to become somewhat connected thanks to a second hand interface system that he realises how being disconnected may not be such a bad thing after all, especially when he is mobbed by reporters until help arrives from a group of people who prefer to remain off the grid. Will Cole be able to figure out who was behind his attack and work out who he can trust out of those he is surrounding himself with, or will he end up more permanently disconnected in the process? This is a dystopian sci-fi adventure which creates a world that doesn’t feel too distant from the one we are living in now while discussing the pitfalls of technology in such a way that it really makes you think and keeps you intrigued all the way until the end when the conclusion is revealed.
First of all, let me say that this book was so refreshing! I was at the edge of my seat and it was getting so good I did NOT want to put it down! The imagery of the author, the style of writing from the POV of the character, and the way that the story still haunts me after it is over are all breathtaking! I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. I think the best thing about the book is me forgetting the initial synopsis, and simply walking through the story with Branson and his entire family. This is one book that does not disappoint and shines a bright light on the state of mental health in this world.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Ashley Phillipshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAshley Phillips2021-08-29 18:31:212021-08-31 08:51:28A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Ashley McMillon
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