Unbearably Deadly (Roger and Suzanne South American Mystery Book 9) by Jerold Last

Title: Unbearably Deadly (Roger and Suzanne South American Mystery Book 9)
Author: Jerold Last
Published: December 2014
Format Read: PDF, Kindle Edition, eBook
Genre: Mystery
Date Read: May 9, 2016
Rating: 2/5

I was sent a copy of Unbearably Deadly by Jerold Last from the author in exchange for an honest review.

When a former CIA couple is killed in an alleged bear attack while on vacation in Alaska, detective duo Roger and Suzanne take up the case. Set in Denali National Park, Unbearably Deadly is a closed room type of scenario due to the remote location and limited access to outsiders without permit. Aside from the mystery, readers follow along as Roger and Suzanne take in the sights around the crime scene and in Anchorage.

When the author first approached me with the chance to read and review his book, I was initially interested in the Alaskan setting, as it is one of my top bucket list destinations to visit. As a fan of mysteries I was interested in that side of the story as well.

Last went into great detail when describing the Alaskan setting. The reader is given a very clear image of the surroundings especially in the National Park. Not only did he describe the climate, wild life and landscape, but he gave a detailed history of the park as well. This was definitely the strongest part of Unbearably Deadly and what kept my interest to continue reading.

Unfortunately these descriptions of the setting greatly overshadowed the mystery. It left little space to expand on any background information that might have been pertinent to solving the crime of what really happened to the deceased tourists.

I tried not to dwell on grammatical errors, but there were times where inconsistencies in the plotline and repetitive unnecessary dialogue became difficult to ignore. Although I kept reading I felt less invested in the story.

Unbearably Deadly is a mystery that had the potential to be a decent read, however the execution has hindered it to be so. 

Becoming Phoebe by J. Michael Neal

Title: Becoming Phoebe
Author: J. Michael Neal
Published: February, 2016
Published By: Melancholy Donkey Press
Format Read: PDF, Kobo, eBook, Overdrive
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult
Date Read: May 4, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5

I was sent a copy of Becoming Phoebe by J. Michael Neal from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Phoebe Rose became a ward of the state of Ohio as a small child and her only dream aside from getting adopted was to play hockey for the University of Minneapolis. After a very traumatic upbringing in foster care and playing for a talent-less boys high school team she finally gets her chance to prove her talent. 

First Impressions

What initially excited me about this book was the fact that it was about hockey. A topic I am somewhat familiar with being Canadian. The added bonus was that it focused on women’s hockey. So naturally I began Becoming Phoebe anticipating to be empowered.

Inspiring

My initial anticipation wasn’t in vein as this book was full of strong hardworking young women, none more so than the main character Phoebe. Her determination and never ending effort was inspiring even despite her past trauma.

About Phoebe 

I admire the author for creating a character who although made a university hockey team, wasn’t the best player on the roster. This story could have been interesting had Phoebe been a phenomenal player, but by chronicling her struggles both on and off the ice brought great depth to the book.

Phoebe is a very intense and intimidating character and for good reason. Reading this book gave me a real understanding of what a team is supposed to be; a family. The women banded together and supported her, creating lifelong friendships. Becoming Phoebe is a fairly lengthy novel that I surprisingly flew through. While I had trouble connecting to the main character, I was engrossed throughout.

About the book

Aside from my lack of connection with Phoebe, I did find organization of the chapters to be confusing at times. Divided into two parts, the timeline jumps around. In the first part the story follows her first couple of years at university and the path she took to get there. Meanwhile the second part chronicles her last years in Minnesota and the years that follow.

Caution and recommendations 

Becoming Phoebe was an emotional reading experience as it touches on so many difficult and heartbreaking topics. Due to this subject matter I would suggest caution to those who may be triggered by traumatic experiences. Otherwise I would recommend it to anyone looking for a diverse new adult fiction with strong female characters.