ANN WERNER

This is a great thriller! I like that the author starts Decker's and Albert's stories on the same day so we get to know them and get a good feel for the characters.

I love that the story wasn't predictable. I thought it would be as I was reading it, but I was completely wrong about how things ended up. I like that. The writing had a great flow and the descriptions were great. I would definitely read another novel by Ms. Werner.

I got this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.… (plus d'informations)

Couldn't put this one down! It was a very well-crafted thriller. There are two story lines running parallel – it's obvious they are going to come together at some point, but you are kept riveted and guessing until the point at which they do. Even after the merge of the threads, you are still kept on the edge of your seat – there are no clues how the final scene might end – it could go either way.

Decker Jones (Decker?? Even one of the book characters thought this an odd name!!) is a struggling author whose bad day, when her boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her, is made quite considerably better when she finds out her novel has been finally accepted by a publisher. Success at last. She can begin to realise her dreams.

Albert Crawford is an unbelievably ugly, violent bank robber whose last job is going to be the finale in his 'lucrative' career before winging his way to Mexico for the good life. He can begin to realise his dreams.

However….things go horribly wrong. His final destination is prison, not Mexico. He arrogantly believes this is but a minor obstacle and his Mexican dream is simply delayed not erased.

Decker is reaping the success of her two-book deal and continues to fulfil the dreams she had as a struggling writer. All the while, the paths of these two completely different people from completely different walks of life are getting closer and closer to crossing……do dreams turn into nightmares?

This was a superbly-written book and the characters brilliantly portrayed: Albert is intensely repulsive in looks, character and speech, his associates no less, all of them products of damaged childhoods and the consequences thereof. There is very little danger that you ever grow to like him or his friends – they are somewhat captivating, however; something about their strangeness, their vileness and depravity makes them compelling. Decker is the complete antithesis: it's very easy to admire and feel happy for the success of this gentle, hardworking young woman and with little flamboyance or showiness she quietly goes about building her dreams. I thought it was a nice touch to portray her as a dedicated and hopeful writer, many of whose characters and book plots resemble very much those with which she ultimately finds herself involved.

An excellent and enthralling thriller.
… (plus d'informations)

This book was epic! I was quickly drawn in. It is a love story and a ghost tale. Absolutely storytelling at its finest! This was my first book by this author. I was intrigued by it when I saw it here on Goodreads. I thought it would be a good book. I was totally not expecting how much I would fall in love with it. From its opening sentence, "They call me the Witch Woman.", I was hooked. I knew from it I was in for a haunting treat. I did not realize how much I would be swept away. I was left wowed at the end of it all. I needed to breathe. The love story was so amazingly beautiful. I was touched by it. I could relate to all the characters, even the two I disliked.The characters were written very realistically, actually, for me, the entire story was realistic. I have loved someone for 40 years. I am not with him though I hope. May be this had something to do with my loving this story so much. Truthfully though, I believe this story will sweep you away. If you like paranormal romance that is excellently written. If you desire a real story with real emotions. If you want to escape into a love story that contains real, solid romance. If ghost and haunts intrigue you. Read this book. The book has many places I highlighted but my favorite was the final paragraph.

"But the next time you think you see a flash of color, remember that feelings have a way of emanating from us, both the good and the bad . Or if you think you hear a voice whispering in your ear, or feel a phantom touch, remember we are never totally alone and we never really die. We merely exchange realities."

Werner, Ann (2013-12-29). Cooper's Grove (p. 248). ARK Stories. Kindle Edition.

I get the shivers every time I read that. Absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend it.… (plus d'informations)