Gledé Browne Kabongo

This originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for a review. I reviewed her previous work SWAN DECEPTION and thought it was wonderful. In GAME OF FEAR we see Abbie Cooper (the daughter from SWAN) growing up and wishing secrets from her past would remain hidden.

Stress is a common theme among high school students; after all, the stakes are high when you are trying to get into the college of your dreams. When you are faced with the possibility that a stupid thing you did years ago may ruin your entire future, it’s time to enact some serious damage control.

Control is a good word to describe Abbie Cooper – she takes no crap from the Mean Girls of her school, and stays true to herself throughout the book. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and is known to shoot from the lip when it comes to expressing her opinion. Abbie is the girl I wish I was in my younger days: confident, brash, intelligent, yet she has her feet firmly on the ground, and doesn’t let her position in an elite high school go to her head. Her emotions are so tightly under wraps that she doesn’t realize animosity is really attraction: Christian, a well known Bad Boy has been flirting shamelessly with her since junior year and all Abbie can do is deliver cutting barbs and sneer.

The requisite mean girl clique is truly bitchy, ready to spread rumors and gossip at the slightest provocation. When Abbie starts receiving threatening notes in her locker she is sure that her arch enemy, Sidney, is at the bottom of it. Some of the dialogue and interactions between these two are the best part of the book. In this scene, Abbie and Christian are having a snack after school when the mean girls show up.

“Well, well, if it isn’t sad, pitiful Abbie. Enjoy it while it lasts. You know Christian is just slumming, right?”

Sidney just showed up with her minions stuck to her side like dried cement, wearing identical smirks. Why, oh why can’t she just disappear into a black hole, and never return? “Welcome to slumming it, Christian,” I say, looking directly at him. “You’re in for an unforgettable ride.”

Sidney’s jaw drops. Jessica and Brooke just stand there looking like the insipid creatures they are. I look Sidney up and down with contempt, wave my hand at her in a dismissive gesture, and return to eating my pizza.

See what I mean about Abbie having control? She tries her best to stay cool even when the going gets tough; and it gets really tough when her secret looms large over her budding relationship with Christian. So many lies have been told already; what path will Abbie choose?

Glede Brown Kabongo’s writing is completely on point – she captures teenage angst, jealousy and the world of the privileged in rich, glorious detail. The suspense keeps on building and the tension escalates with each new demand from the Avenger. The character development makes it easy to become emotionally invested in Abbie’s life, and her internal monologue will resonate with the reader. The story is a winner because of the first person narration; it’s a seamless transition for the reader to go from looking in at St Matthews Academy to becoming part of the student body. I felt as if I were walking the hallways with Abbie and Christian, experiencing the same confusion and worry as if it were my locker holding those notes.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book – the plot was taut and kept me up all night reading it. GAME OF FEAR is the type of read you shouldn’t plan on putting down before it’s finished, because you will spend your entire day thinking about the characters and counting the minutes until you can be with them again.… (plus d'informations)

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.



Many thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review!

SWAN DECEPTION is a story about Shelby Cooper, a woman with a hidden past and an enemy. Her perfect life is disrupted when a stalker contacts her and eventually gets her thrown in jail for the alleged murder of her ex lover. The family is in turmoil, her husband Jason doesn’t know if he should believe her or not, her daughter Abbie is being stalked by the same person as well, and Cooper’s best friend is all too willing to offer comfort Jason. Jason and Abbie must work on things in their own way to try to figure out what is going on, what is the truth, and what is a lie.

This is a convoluted read with unreliable narrators, twists and turns, double and triple crosses, and a major surprise when you find out who the stalker really is. The psychological tension builds as the deceptions are peeled away, like the skin of an onion. I truly felt as if I were reading about a family torn apart; the dialogue is authentic and their pain is real. Like the titular swans who mate for life, Shelby and Jason Cooper must remember their love for each other and stay strong.

Occasionally dialogue was not attributed to a specific person during long conversations, and thus I had to go back to see who was speaking, which I found bothersome. Each chapter is told from a different person’s perspective as well, and you may have trouble switching from one mindset to another. There were also times when the story went back in time without adequate warning, and even though I appreciated the backstory, the narrative was a bit jarring until I realized that it was a flashback.

These quirks of the writing should not dissuade anyone from reading this, however. The plot is riveting and I was very curious to see how things would turn out. The stalker discusses how Cooper ruined her life, but never explains what it is until we find out at the end, so there are no clues to be gleaned from knowing the name of the mastermind. Her character is excellently written as an evil psychopath on a mission, and Shelby alternately had my sympathy and disgust as the story unfolded.

The author slowly doles out bits of information here and there, and eventually the larger picture is revealed. This held my interest throughout the book, and I liked that I was kept guessing, that I could not figure out where things were going right away. Thanks to the rich detail, I was able to understand how it must feel to have a parent behind bars, to be missing from the daily family life.

This was a good read. You can pick up your own copy here.



… (plus d'informations)

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Thanks to the author for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Abbie Cooper is enveloped in intrigue again when she is the victim of an accident. Unfortunately, she cannot remember what happened. We follow her journey in flashbacks and present day as the author takes us into Abbie's life. Once you get used to switching back and forth from the past to the present, the book flows smoothly. The tension mounts as we get closer to the day of the accident, and we learn about some difficult decisions she needs to make. Loyal friend Ty is at Abbie's side, which frustrates his girlfriend (whom I love to hate!). Former acquaintances attempt to break Abbie's tight control of her personal life, and it seems as though no one can be trusted.

Kabongo's writing style is easy to read, and the suspense quietly builds until everything implodes. Abbie needs to make a life changing decision that will hit home with a lot of readers. I cannot say that I am happy with the way this part of the story turned out, but I know the author has her next book in mind and this twist will be a large part of that story.

The character of Abbie Cooper is growing and maturing. She is letting others get close to her and understands that sometime life throws a curve ball at you. The events taking place in Autumn of Fear are believable for the most part. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to see what adventures Abbie will experience in the next chapter of her life.… (plus d'informations)

This was a great book! It was full of mystery and suspense all the way to the end. There were quite a few twists and turns to keep me glued to my kindle. The first chapter starts off with a bang and keeps going strong to the last chapter.

Abbie wakes up in a hospital bed in pain and with no memory of how she got there. With friends by her side to help piece her memory back together, she goes on a long search to find out who was behind the assault and why did she get assaulted. There are quite a few suspects in the mix, but she has no idea who could be the one. She also has to endure a secret admirer that starts lavishing her with gifts. But as her memory slowly comes back, she still has no clues.

Very fast paced book and it was the best cloak and dagger thriller I have read in awhile! Four stars for this one.… (plus d'informations)