About Me

The story behind A Book A Week, and the reader behind the reviews.

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

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Hi, I'm Ethan

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

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Review Disclaimer

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

Contact

Have a question about the blog, a book you think I should read, or just want to say hello? I'd love to hear from you.

Drop me a note using the form below.

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I'm always happy to hear from readers, publishers, authors, and fellow book lovers.

Review Copies

I'm always open to considering books for review. I read across a pretty wide range of genres, though mysteries and thrillers tend to be particular favorites. If you'd like me to consider a book, send along a little information about it and why you think it might be a good fit for A Book A Week.

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Review requests, interviews, features, or something else you have in mind? Send me a note. I'm always happy to hear about new books and opportunities that might be a good fit for the blog.

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Book Review

The Day of the Dead by Nicci French

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

A Book A Week
Review / archive

Earlier this year, I read Sunday Silence by Nicci French as part of a TLC Book Tour. Although I was jumping into the series with the penultimate book, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and was looking forward to seeing how the series ended. The promise of a showdown between heroine Frieda Klein and notorious serial killer Dean Reeve was almost too much to pass up. When I was offered to review the final novel and kick of TLC's latest tour, I jumped at the opportunity.

Lola is in a panic. Her dissertation is due soon, and she hasn't even begun to come up with a topic for it. She isn't the most academically motivated student, but she never imagined she would be at this point. Desperately, she seeks the guidance of her professor. The professor has seen this type of unengaged student before. He offers the half-hearted suggestion that Lola find someone to shadow who works in her field of interest. He suggests the budding criminologist find infamous psychologist Frieda Klein. There's only one problem. No one knows where Frieda Klein is.

This moment has been a long time coming. What started as a perfectly normal consulting relationship between a psychologist and the police has turned into something horrible. Dr. Frieda Klein has watched as her world has been turned upside down. Her life has become intertwined with the obsessive delusions of murderer Dean Reeve. He's latched onto her for some reason, leaving a path of bodies and heartache in his wake. Now Frieda has cut herself off from the rest of the world. She's moved from her home, changed her appearance, and broken communication with her friends and family. Now she waits. Dean Reeve is out there, and she's the only one who can stop him.

In The Day of the Dead, the authorial duo Nicci French bring their long-running series to a satisfying conclusion. Eight novels in, they have built an extremely engaging cast of characters and an ever-intriguing cat and mouse scenario between Klein and Reeve. As the final novel in the series, The Day of the Dead works just fine as a standalone read, but I definitely think the ending will be more satisfying for those who have experienced the other books. More than the previous book, this novel sees the author delve deeper into Klein's mental state, an experience that is made even more poignant by the fact that Klein is a psychologist. The Day of the Dead has everything readers will want from a final novel and ends with a near perfect scenario that succeeds on multiple levels.

For more information, visit the author's website, publisher's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
This review kicks off a tour from TLC Book Tours. Check out the full tour schedule here.

(2018, 29)


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5 Comments

Comments

  1. This sounds well done. and I like the depth you've highlighted. Of course, now I want to grab book one!

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    Replies
    1. The best part is that we know there’s a clear beginning and end. 8 books isn’t so bad when you know you’re working toward a conclusion!

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  2. I'm happy to see that this book is a fitting ending to the series! Thanks for being on the tour.

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  3. It sounds like the characters and plot have depth. I'm interested in picking up this series!

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    Replies
    1. I picked up the series toward the end, and I definitely intend to read the first books.

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