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A review by litwithleigh
Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas
2.0
Writing: 3.5/5 | Plot: 3/5 | Ending: ummm???
SYNOPSIS
Samantha returns to Carney to clean out her uncle's house after he dies and finds her sucked back into the case of her family's murder.
MY OPINION
This was an Amazon First Reads that I never got around to until now. Tbh I think this is the only First Reads I've actually read, despite downloading one every month. This is why I refuse to get book subscriptions. Plus it helps that they never deliver to Quebec LOL.
ANYWAYS, this was... ight. I think 3 stars is a bit generous but you know me... I'm a generous spirit (CLEARLY SARCASM). update: changed it to a 2 because let's be real lol This definitely had potential, but the storytelling was a bit strange. When I finished, I double checked that the author doesn't usually write TV/movie scripts. Why? Because the dramatic scenes were so bitesized and ended so abruptly, it felt like I was watching a movie. Every time Sam drove 80 miles to confront a suspect, she'd literally have a 30-second exchange with them and then storm off. Huh??? Homegirl never asked any pertinent follow up questions. She was like: did you kill my family? Suspect: no. Sam: Ok then I hate u bye. Waste of gas if you ask me.
Also, idk if this was because I read the book over the span of a week, but there were too many damn characters. I usually don't complain about this (shocking — ya'll know I love to lodge a complaint) but there were too many Ealy's and not enough time was spent on flushing them out. It's kinda like when you take your contacts out and everything is blurry but you can still make out the shape of things. It didn't help that the author was using two diff names for one character throughout the book (Mitch and Michelle).
Not only were there too many characters, but too much was going on and too many strings were left untied at the end. I can't get into it without spoilies so you know what time it is...
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
1) The missing persons' cases needed to go. It was so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Also, fuck ya'll for literally helping your step?half?-brother commit murder without a single qualm but then be mad af at the town's crooked cop for his alleged crimes. What in the world????
2) This citizens gone rogue tale went a lil TOO rogue for my liking. I'm begging Meacham and Sam to communicate. If this was a romcom, the trope would be miscommunication. Also, why did Sam try to bang him on the anniversary of his daughter's death? Bold move.
3) Can you really just exhume bodies without the consent from the next of kin? My quick google search says no. Also... why were the identities of the burned bodies not confirmed originally? I know the town was notorious for shoddy policework but the author never gave us a reason for them NOT wanting to run a lil DNA test to make sure they had the right people.
4) Why did Gil go to New York and pretend he was in Afghanistan? Idk maybe she explained this but it got lost amongst the other 10259025 things going on in this book.
5) The fact she used her coochie to sneak drugs into prison sent me into orbit. You're telling me no one noticed homegirl reaching up her shorts, popping out an entire Diva cup, shaking out and baggy of pills, and passing them over to Boggs in the visitor's lounge at prison? And what did she do with the cup? I don't remember her popping that bad boy back in? Also that's serious talent for pulling it out whilst sitting... IYKYK!!!!!!
6) Why wasn't Sam the least bit torn up about assisting Gil with his su!cide. She had more emotions about CJ Ealy's banging body than this whole event. Twas odd.
7) What in the fresh fuck was that ending? So after spinning your tires having unproductive convos all over Carney, you solve the case with the help of a PI? Why not start with the PI? Or wait... COMMUNICATE WITH MEACHAM???? And then once you FINALLY figure out what happened to your family and that your lil sister is actually alive and well, you just go to the diner where she works and... that's it? Then you're like, oh well, Meacham will eventually find her and break the news. I can't believe it but I was actually disappointed there wasn't an epilogue because unless this is gonna be a series, talk about unsatisfactory.
SPOILERS DONE
PROS AND CONS
Pros: sometimes funny, fast paced, case itself was intriguing
Cons: characterizations were lacklustre, too many subplots, ending was BLEH, many side eye moments
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
SYNOPSIS
Samantha returns to Carney to clean out her uncle's house after he dies and finds her sucked back into the case of her family's murder.
MY OPINION
This was an Amazon First Reads that I never got around to until now. Tbh I think this is the only First Reads I've actually read, despite downloading one every month. This is why I refuse to get book subscriptions. Plus it helps that they never deliver to Quebec LOL.
ANYWAYS, this was... ight. I think 3 stars is a bit generous but you know me... I'm a generous spirit (CLEARLY SARCASM). update: changed it to a 2 because let's be real lol This definitely had potential, but the storytelling was a bit strange. When I finished, I double checked that the author doesn't usually write TV/movie scripts. Why? Because the dramatic scenes were so bitesized and ended so abruptly, it felt like I was watching a movie. Every time Sam drove 80 miles to confront a suspect, she'd literally have a 30-second exchange with them and then storm off. Huh??? Homegirl never asked any pertinent follow up questions. She was like: did you kill my family? Suspect: no. Sam: Ok then I hate u bye. Waste of gas if you ask me.
Also, idk if this was because I read the book over the span of a week, but there were too many damn characters. I usually don't complain about this (shocking — ya'll know I love to lodge a complaint) but there were too many Ealy's and not enough time was spent on flushing them out. It's kinda like when you take your contacts out and everything is blurry but you can still make out the shape of things. It didn't help that the author was using two diff names for one character throughout the book (Mitch and Michelle).
Not only were there too many characters, but too much was going on and too many strings were left untied at the end. I can't get into it without spoilies so you know what time it is...
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
1) The missing persons' cases needed to go. It was so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Also, fuck ya'll for literally helping your step?half?-brother commit murder without a single qualm but then be mad af at the town's crooked cop for his alleged crimes. What in the world????
2) This citizens gone rogue tale went a lil TOO rogue for my liking. I'm begging Meacham and Sam to communicate. If this was a romcom, the trope would be miscommunication. Also, why did Sam try to bang him on the anniversary of his daughter's death? Bold move.
3) Can you really just exhume bodies without the consent from the next of kin? My quick google search says no. Also... why were the identities of the burned bodies not confirmed originally? I know the town was notorious for shoddy policework but the author never gave us a reason for them NOT wanting to run a lil DNA test to make sure they had the right people.
4) Why did Gil go to New York and pretend he was in Afghanistan? Idk maybe she explained this but it got lost amongst the other 10259025 things going on in this book.
5) The fact she used her coochie to sneak drugs into prison sent me into orbit. You're telling me no one noticed homegirl reaching up her shorts, popping out an entire Diva cup, shaking out and baggy of pills, and passing them over to Boggs in the visitor's lounge at prison? And what did she do with the cup? I don't remember her popping that bad boy back in? Also that's serious talent for pulling it out whilst sitting... IYKYK!!!!!!
6) Why wasn't Sam the least bit torn up about assisting Gil with his su!cide. She had more emotions about CJ Ealy's banging body than this whole event. Twas odd.
7) What in the fresh fuck was that ending? So after spinning your tires having unproductive convos all over Carney, you solve the case with the help of a PI? Why not start with the PI? Or wait... COMMUNICATE WITH MEACHAM???? And then once you FINALLY figure out what happened to your family and that your lil sister is actually alive and well, you just go to the diner where she works and... that's it? Then you're like, oh well, Meacham will eventually find her and break the news. I can't believe it but I was actually disappointed there wasn't an epilogue because unless this is gonna be a series, talk about unsatisfactory.
SPOILERS DONE
PROS AND CONS
Pros: sometimes funny, fast paced, case itself was intriguing
Cons: characterizations were lacklustre, too many subplots, ending was BLEH, many side eye moments
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok