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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
A good read
I enjoyed this third installment, told from Mercedes point of view.
While it focuses more on the team dynamics than the actual case, I felt that was a healthy way to balance the very dark subject matter.
I wish that Bliss' name hadn't been changed to Victoria-Bliss, it feels clunky.
I'll definitely be reading the final one, I'll be sad to see these characters go.
I enjoyed this third installment, told from Mercedes point of view.
While it focuses more on the team dynamics than the actual case, I felt that was a healthy way to balance the very dark subject matter.
I wish that Bliss' name hadn't been changed to Victoria-Bliss, it feels clunky.
I'll definitely be reading the final one, I'll be sad to see these characters go.
Finished reading: April 14th 2018
"Scars mean we survived something, even when the wounds still hurt."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
I have been following this series ever since I read the first book back in 2016. The Butterfly Garden blew me away with one of the most disturbing and twisted serial killer cases I've encountered to this date. And somehow, I think The Summer Children is my new favorite of the series. Because while I remember having some doubts about the pace in the middle of the first book, it was literally hook, line and sinker with The Summer Children. I practically devoured this third book of The Collector series and couldn't let go until the final page. Dot Hutchison has created another intense, disturbing and painful case, and this time things are getting really personal for Mercedes Ramirez. The Summer Children is intense until the very last page and despite the heavy subject I loved every single minute of the ride. Why? First of all, the writing style is just as strong as ever, engaging, gritty and with a perfect mix of suspense, shocking moments and a healthy dose of bantering and a dash of humor. I also loved the mix of normal chapters with the thoughts in cursive! The characters are both well developed and very easy to like and I just love the dynamics between Mercedes and the rest of her team. And no, I'm not just biased by the fact she consistantly uses Spanish phrases and words in her dialogue (don't worry, non-Spanish speakers will still be able to understand the dialogue perfectly!) The characters in general feel very realistic and all have their flaws and history, making them that much more human and very easy to warm up to. The serial killer in this case has an underlying message that will make you think... A trigger warning is in place for graphic scenes and child abuse for those who can't stomach these elements in stories. But not without a note that these elements are very well incorporated into the story and not abused in any way. There are also lots of twists and turns included as they try to figure out who is behind it all. The Summer Children was strong from start to finish and this is the main reason this third book is now my new favorite of the series. And I just can't wait to find out what the next book has in store for us next year.
I thought it was going to be hard to outshine The Butterfly Garden, since it's one of the best/most disturbed serial killer characterizations I've come across. But somehow, I think The Summer Children is the best book yet. From a consistant and superfast pace to likeable and realistic characters, a well developed plot and another intriguing and disturbing case... This third book just ticked all the boxed for me. Add the joy of revisiting old favorite characters and their bantering, and you have a new favorite The Collector book. Can you guess already I can recommend this one if you can stomach the graphic scenes and child abuse triggers?
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Generally, while I adore crime TV, it hasn't been a prime topic for my book reading. I've really liked this series through. Gripping and intriguing. Keeps my interest and grabs me emotionally. While we got a peek at the detectives in book 1, and got to know them a bit more in book 2, here, the detectives (Ramirez mostly) are the stars of the show.
Like book 2, there are italicized (I had the audio, but both it and the kindle copy were available on Kindle Unlimited, so I did peek at the text too) sections that take the reader into the mind of the killer. Here, it wasn't quite as obvious, at first, I thought maybe it was just background on this child or that, but soon realized they were all the same... and that they were "the angel" killer (I must admit, early on I thought maybe Pryia, alone or in combination with Inaraya and Bliss, was the avenging angel ...)
On the audio ... it was the same narrator as book 2. Which was fine, I really liked the narrator's voice ...but, she was Pyria (1st person perspective) then, so it was a little odd to have the exact same "voice" for Ramirez. But Siiri Scott doesn't have THAT distinctive of a voice (which is actually a good thing when it comes to narrating multiple audiobooks), so it didn't throw me as much as it might have.
I'm glad to see the story continues (if this was indeed intended just to be a trilogy to start). I'll be grabbing it (happy to see it included on KindleUnlimited w/audio!)
Like book 2, there are italicized (I had the audio, but both it and the kindle copy were available on Kindle Unlimited, so I did peek at the text too) sections that take the reader into the mind of the killer. Here, it wasn't quite as obvious, at first, I thought maybe it was just background on this child or that, but soon realized they were all the same... and that they were "the angel" killer (I must admit, early on I thought maybe Pryia, alone or in combination with Inaraya and Bliss, was the avenging angel ...)
On the audio ... it was the same narrator as book 2. Which was fine, I really liked the narrator's voice ...but, she was Pyria (1st person perspective) then, so it was a little odd to have the exact same "voice" for Ramirez. But Siiri Scott doesn't have THAT distinctive of a voice (which is actually a good thing when it comes to narrating multiple audiobooks), so it didn't throw me as much as it might have.
I'm glad to see the story continues (if this was indeed intended just to be a trilogy to start). I'll be grabbing it (happy to see it included on KindleUnlimited w/audio!)
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Another interesting premise and follow-up. Not sure if the characterisation was consistent, if it wasn't, or if it was the author including how the characters had aged since the last book. I enjoyed seeing characters rom past books in the series however - it felt well done and well earned, for lack of a better way to phrase it.
The killer in this book was an interesting background, though I will say some of the backgrounds (particularly the killer POV background and another we see later on) felt a little repetitive at times.
The killer in this book was an interesting background, though I will say some of the backgrounds (particularly the killer POV background and another we see later on) felt a little repetitive at times.
I love the survivor in Mercedes, her courage, and her strong support system- her team, her friends family. I'm mostly invested with the characters and that includes Priya, Inara, and Victoria-Bliss who became a big part of the Agents' life.
This book is pretty disturbing and all kinds of heartbreaking, but these agents will show you what it means to be a hero by simply being in the government without necessarily having superpowers. This book makes me want to be extra protective with my nephews and nieces, to be hyper-aware of their needs. I know, I sound paranoid but this actually opened my eyes to the possibilities and it scared the hell out of me. I wish all those who are in uniform are like Vic, Edisson, Mercedes, and Eliza, those who swore to serve and protect and really did. I wish all victims became survivors like Priya, Inara, and Victoria-Bliss. I wish that those who have suffered a lot learned to fight back the right way like Mercedes did. It's a lot of wishful thinking really, but this book had me hoping, and it gives me more faith to the system than I usually have.
Then there's the humor which really balances the pain with what I'm reading, it actually helped a lot to smile and laugh and feel the warmth creeping on my chest just by reading how thick these agents are. Have I said how I love Victor Hanoverian so much? There, I've said it. I love him and his big heart, I love his mother, his wife and his children who welcomed each character into their family. Then there's Edisson who I was secretly pining for Inara but ended up with someone else, which still made me happy. But nothing makes me happier knowing there's gonna be a fourth book coming next year. TBRed it already!
This book is pretty disturbing and all kinds of heartbreaking, but these agents will show you what it means to be a hero by simply being in the government without necessarily having superpowers. This book makes me want to be extra protective with my nephews and nieces, to be hyper-aware of their needs. I know, I sound paranoid but this actually opened my eyes to the possibilities and it scared the hell out of me. I wish all those who are in uniform are like Vic, Edisson, Mercedes, and Eliza, those who swore to serve and protect and really did. I wish all victims became survivors like Priya, Inara, and Victoria-Bliss. I wish that those who have suffered a lot learned to fight back the right way like Mercedes did. It's a lot of wishful thinking really, but this book had me hoping, and it gives me more faith to the system than I usually have.
Then there's the humor which really balances the pain with what I'm reading, it actually helped a lot to smile and laugh and feel the warmth creeping on my chest just by reading how thick these agents are. Have I said how I love Victor Hanoverian so much? There, I've said it. I love him and his big heart, I love his mother, his wife and his children who welcomed each character into their family. Then there's Edisson who I was secretly pining for Inara but ended up with someone else, which still made me happy. But nothing makes me happier knowing there's gonna be a fourth book coming next year. TBRed it already!