I was happy to review The Snow Girl by Javier Castillo before watching any adaptations. If you are looking for a missing persons case thriller, you’ll want to grab the Snow Girl.

The Snow Girl
by Javier Castillo
Narrator: Rachel Jacobs, Rene Ruiz
Length: 11 hours and 12 minutes
Genres: Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.5x

The book that inspired the Netflix series.

With over a million copies sold, this is the perfect thriller that changes the rules of the genre.

The most famous parade on the planet. A missing three-year-old girl. Where is Kiera Templeton?

“Javier Castillo is undoubtedly the new phenomenon of European literature.”
Joël Dicker

New York, 1998, Thanksgiving parade. Kiera Templeton vanishes among the crowd. After a frantic search all over town, someone finds a few tufts of hair next to the little girl’s clothing. In 2003, the day Kiera would have turned eight, her parents, Aaron and Grace Templeton, receive a strange package at home, a VHS tape showing one minute of Keira playing in an unfamiliar room.

Bestseller author Javier Castillo of El día que se perdió la cordura, El día que se perdió el amor, Todo lo que sucedió con Miranda Huff, and The Soul Game puts our sanity in check once again with The Snow Girl, a dark voyage to the depths of Miren Triggs, a journalism student who begins a parallel investigation and learns her life, as much as Keira’s, is full of uncertainties.

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The fear of a child getting lost in the sizeable crowd at the Macy’s Parade was very real because of my east coast upbringing. I’ve witnessed firsthand the crowds at this parade. In The Snow Child, this is exactly what happens to the Templetons. Aaron and Grace Templeton took their 3-year-old daughter Kiera to the parade for the first time when every parent’s worst nightmare happened. Little Kiera disappeared without a trace. The tale that unfolds follows the parents, detective assigned to the case and an eager young reporter who suffers from her own nightmares.

The story was told mainly from Miren Triggs’s perspective. We also get insight from Aaron, the detective, and Kiera’s acquaintances. We are witness to how Kiera’s disappears affects their lives and their relentless search for answers.

The story also focuses on Miren, whom we meet as a student journalist and witness how one horrible evening affected her. When she gets a hold of the Kiera story, she is determined to find out what happened. The case goes cold until five years later when a VHS tape is delivered to the Templeton’s showing a video of Kiera, now eight years old.

Some felt the story dragged, but based on the years involved and character development, particularly that of Miren, I was pulled in. This is the first novel in the Miren Triggs series which makes sense and I think it will do well on Netflix.

René Ruiz and Rachel Jacobs did a fantastic job of giving voice to these characters and capturing the emotions and tone of the story.

*triggers- rape, kidnapping, violence.

Amazon | Audible

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2023 Audiobook Challenge
• COYER 2023 Upside Down
• COYER Upside Down Chapter 1: It's a Cold Summer

Source

Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/06/the-snow-girl-by-javier-castillo.html

Dylan Dover: Into the Vortex marks the enthralling debut of the Dylan Dover series, a magical odyssey replete with dimensional portals, vampires, warlocks, and beyond. At the tender age of twelve, our protagonist, Dylan Dover, encounters extraordinary circumstances under the guise of adoption, leading a relatively commonplace life until a confrontation with bullies catapults him into an enchanting realm accessed through a fallen log. This unusual predicament prompts a revelation—his adoptive parents aren’t his biological ones, introducing him to his magical lineage.

This revelation precipitates the unfolding of Dylan’s inherent warlock powers and an ancient prophecy intimately linked to him. As he sets foot on this exceptional journey, a multitude of concealed truths and enigmas lay bare, prompting him to question the motivations behind his separation from his biological parents.

Lynne Howard’s consistent creative flair is vividly evident in this beguiling fantasy narrative. The spirited journey adeptly harmonizes elements of thrill and danger with a sprinkle of adolescent romance. The protagonist’s character, with its relatable nature, particularly appeals to boys of his age. Further, the book is imbued with delightful humor that provides a pleasant undercurrent throughout.

Howard succeeds in rendering a complex narrative into an engaging middle-grade novel. It’s a tale brimming with intriguing mysteries, alluring magic, unexpected plot twists, and a sense of wonder that leaves readers spellbound. The book culminates with several tantalizing cliffhangers that effectively whet the reader’s appetite for a sequel, offering an irresistible invitation to delve deeper into Howard’s meticulously crafted magical world.

Dylan Dover: Into the Vortex effuses an irresistible whimsy and fascination. It stands as a compelling and imaginative middle-grade fantasy novel and is a testament to the creative prowess of its author, Lynne Howard.

Pages: 285 | ASIN : B0B5PY73GV

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/05/dylan-dover-into-the-vortex/

Secrets of the Moon by R.J. Schwartz and Sebastian J. Schwartz is an extraordinary story set in the near future, 2033, where there is a high demand for minerals due to scarcity on Earth, driving billionaires to invest heavily in space exploration and mining. The book opens ambitiously, moving through the earlier stages of this shift in intergalactic mineral exploration. As it becomes clear that big businesses are acutely focused on expansion, at such an extreme that they propel their plans quickly, launching into space without question.

Once Orbit Mining launches the Comet spacecraft, the plot abruptly shifts into a chaotic, unpredictable journey that leads to suspense, action, and secrecy. As technology becomes more advanced and corporations grow overconfident, this quickly escalates to a new height of disaster in a world that is already vulnerable and on the brink of apocalyptic collapse.

R.J. Schwartz and Sebastian J. Schwartz do an incredible job of painting the background of the story, panning across all the developments that lead up to 2033, including the launching station, the key players, and corporate decision-making that ultimately sets up the initial mission. It’s a fast-paced but well-narrated story that pulls the reader in from the very beginning, with just enough description and atmosphere to highlight the dreariness of a futuristic world, combined with excitement and anticipation for the unknown.

Secrets of the Moon by R.J. Schwartz and Sebastian J. Schwartz is a gripping story that sheds light on the possibilities of our own world and how we must deal with the challenges that lie ahead. It’s a great novel with solid, well-developed characters and a robust storyline that will keep you turning one page after the other. The authors have given readers a creative, original take on the current state of our planet’s resources and the potential for disaster in the future. I look forward to reading more from these authors!

Pages: 337 | ASIN : B0BWBK6F96

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/05/the-secrets-of-the-moon/

In her spellbinding narrative, The Buried King, Kilayla Pilon takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the complex themes of familial betrayal and alienation. The central plot revolves around Princess Elika and her brother, Silas, both entrapped in a dangerous game of survival against their ostensible father, Icear.

The saga unfolds with Elika, and Silas ensconced within the sanctuary of a forest camp, escaping the onslaught of their father. Icear, in his pursuit of absolute power, aims to extinguish any threat to his reign, mainly stemming from Elika’s intriguing magick. This world is imbued with a palpable division between those possessing magick, identifiable by their eyes, and ordinary citizens, thereby augmenting the stakes for our protagonists. Icear’s fear of Elika’s magick is not without reason, given its veneration since childhood, fueling rumors of her possibly being another’s progeny.

Throughout their ordeal, Pilon introduces elements of loyalty and friendship, embodied in characters like Ash, who plays an instrumental role in safeguarding Silas and Elika. The plot further thickens as Ash and Silas are abducted and transported to Eris, a bustling city under Icear’s rule. As Elika embarks on her daring quest to rescue her brother and friend, she encounters allies who aid her in infiltrating the fortified city.

Meanwhile, Ash and Silas endure harsh penalties, with Silas publicly chastised and ultimately succumbing to his inflicted wounds. This propels Elika into a wrathful confrontation with Icear. Armed with her magick and guided by the enigmatic Queen Velissa, who appears as a fox, Elika challenges her father. Velissa’s cryptic mantra, ‘find the truth,’ resonates deeply with Elika, driving her to seize the throne and embark on a journey to uncover her obscured past.

Pilon employs a unique narrative technique, shifting perspectives primarily between Elika and Ash. While providing depth, this method might pose a challenge to less vigilant readers. The narrative also flits between different timelines, and the mysterious visions from Queen Velissa can be disorienting. Despite these potential impediments, Pilon’s impressive imagination lends an extraordinary richness to the story.

Teasingly, Pilon leaves Elika’s true origin unresolved, hinting at a possible sequel, where readers might finally uncover the hidden truth. This suspenseful choice stirs up anticipation for Pilon’s future work, proving that The Buried King is a highly engaging tale worthy of any avid reader’s bookshelf.

Pages: 167 | ASIN : B0BK2DBP71

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/05/the-buried-king/

Redemptive Trauma: Confession of a Defrocked Priest shares your story about living with addiction and mental health issues and how you now advocate for the de-stigmatization of them. Why was this an important book for you to write?

The book is a memoir; a eulogy to both the first half of my life and my life as an ordained Anglican priest. It is a book about male vulnerability and learning the deep value of empathy, while tackling mental health and the associated stigma, which often buries those who suffer. I tell stories about sex, drugs, alcohol and abuse, through the lens of grace, mercy and love. This book is about generational trauma and rediscovering family. Ultimately, Redemptive Trauma is about reconciling hope, and calling home prodigals of all kinds.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?

The hardest thing to write about was my Mum. In many ways, we grew up together. There is no one who sacrificed more so I could tell my story.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Idea 1: Love is the most bullshit word in the English language. Understanding the lack of English vocabulary for love, and discovering new ways to break open the word at its core, provides new lenses to see the heart of one of the most important words across all languages.

Idea 2: We are all worthy of love. No matter what you have done; no matter what you are going to do… you are worthy of some form of love.

Idea 3: Secrets keep people sick. Secrets are what cause families to stay quiet about abuse, and trauma, and neglect. Secrets are how addicts force their loved ones to enable their behaviour. Secrets are how gossip poisons communities and relationships and toxifies the brain with deceit. Failure we all have. Darkness we all face. Brokenness we cannot escape. But secrets, we can defeat.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?

No matter how bad things are: There is hope.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/05/we-are-all-worthy-of-love/

Day Zero: A Novel on Water Crisis follows a woman trying to save people who are in need of water due to climate change, only to be in the middle of a murder case. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I was interested in commercial fiction to draw people into a climate fiction / eco-thriller that might not ordinarily read the genre. Integrating the assassin and murder plot was fun to write and is hopefully fun to read. The underlying premise was purpose-driven around awareness of water issues. The notion was to blend climate fiction closely with reality, but in a western context. It seems that water issues are viewed as far in the future and in faraway places. By setting the plot in North America, the hope was to tell a tale that could bring the reader into the world of water crisis, while still riding a fictional wave of comfort. Coupling an environmental tale with the complexities of a murder investigation lent the ability to drive the plot forward in different ways.

Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?

Qualities of the two main characters, Carlo Cole and Mira Senna, are largely a mix of qualities from several strong woman I’ve been blessed to have in my life. It made writing their characters easier, particularly for a male author. Otherwise, there are several real-life experiences transplanted into the novel. For example, the anecdote of the homeless man on the subway who is then found teaching in a university classroom is a true story.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The various approaches and mindsets to viewing water management was something I wanted to showcase to get people thinking about water and their role with it in their own lives. Beyond that was the interpersonal relationships, the dynamics between friends and family. Moreover though, I wanted to go deep on the dynamics of ideals and consequent interplay with tight relationships.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?

There is space for more entries in the Day Zero universe given the characters that have been introduced. I’m considering a short prequel with one of the minor characters, possibly set in Seville. One of the challenges is that this first novel was over ten years in the making. We all undoubtedly change over time, and that ten-year period brought about significant change. Perhaps some new themes and life experiences can be lent to follow-up writing.

Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Pinnacle Book Achievement

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/05/i-want-to-bring-attention-to-water-issues/

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