Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - The Boy Who Cried Bear

I have been a big fan of Kelley Armstrong for years. I fell in love with Casey Butler and Eric Dalton with her Rockton series and have been just as engaged with the Havens Rock spin-off.

The Boy Who Cried Bear is a fast paced mystery thriller in the deep Canadian wilderness written with care, knowledge of the region and a good sense of humor.

Haven's Rock was supposed to be a new lease on life for the residents of Rockton who weren't ready to return down south. Eric and Casey have been working hard to build a safe town for those who need safety and for the first time there are children in their secret remote refuge.

When one of those children sees a bear, a man? A bear-man? The town gets together to start looking. When that child goes missing a few days later, things get even more tense. With the suspicious miners a few miles away, a relatively unknown terrain and a few residents creating more trouble than they're worth Eric and Casey have their work cut out for them

An excellent addition to Armstrong's repertoire and I can't wait for the next installment. Therese Plummer is the perfect narrator for the series (outside her incorrect pronunciation of Newfoundland — it's not New-fin-land) and Armstrong knows how to balance high tension with great character dialogue.

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fictionaladventures's review against another edition

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fast-paced

4.5

This series never has a dud!!! And there was a development in this one that made my heart so full and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here 😭😭😭

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jocelyn62013's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.0

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kelsenator's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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tcameron85's review

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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blueskyvibes1point0's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

**This is book 2 in the Haven’s Rock series. It is a standalone story but there is a connecting story arc so I recommend that you start with book 1, Murder at Haven’s Rock.**

In the wilderness town of Haven’s Rock, Detective Casey Duncan and Sheriff Eric Dalton find solace in its familiar surroundings, reminiscent of their past in Rockton. As they settle into their roles, they recognize the importance of safety in the wilderness, especially for residents unfamiliar with its dangers. When Max, the town’s youngest member, alerts them to a possible bear threat with human-like eyes, Casey and Eric delve into investigating, wary of the peculiar events unfolding around them, including the discovery of a dead body.

Rating:

1. Plot and Storytelling: 3/5. The plot was well developed and written, but it didn't quite resonate with me as much as other books in the Rockton/Havens rock series.

2. Characterization: 5/5 I adore Casey, Will, and Sheriff Dalton, and witnessing their growth throughout the series has been captivating. This book particularly marks significant changes for Casey and Dalton, and I'm eager to see how their journeys unfold together.

3. Writing Style: 5/5 Kelley Armstrong's writing style is a delight for me. It's wonderfully paced, engaging, descriptive, and encompasses everything I look for in a book.

4. Originality: 4/5 The mystery in this book brings a unique twist, and the setting presents intriguing challenges for both the reader and the author. Overall, I found it refreshingly original.

5. Emotional Impact and Resolution: 3/5 While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it didn't evoke strong emotions in me one way or another. However, I appreciated the well-wrapped-up resolution and look forward to seeing how the interpersonal relationships and character journeys unfold in the future.

Overall score: 4/5

If you enjoyed this book, I do recommend that you check out the beginning of the series in Stockton Kelley Armstrong also has a supernatural series, the otherworld, that exhibits her strong writing and storytelling style.

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srivalli's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

3.75

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Nice mystery

Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town for anyone who wants to disappear. Detective Casey and her husband, Sheriff Eric, are happy with their new town. They set strict rules to prevent accidents in the forest. No one should wander off alone into the woods.

One day, Max, the town’s youngest resident, fears that a bear with human eyes is stalking their hiking party. Naturally, Casey and Eric are taking it seriously. However, too many odd occurrences cause confusion, and soon there’s a dead body. The couple has to sort out the issue and keep the residents safe.

The story comes in Casey’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:

Haven’s Rock is fully functional and has residents. Unlike Rockton, they decide to take in kids too, so Dana is here with her sons Carson (teenager) and Max (ten yo). It is an interesting place and has small-town vibes (which it is). I like how the idealistic thought behind the town clashes with the judgmental attitude of its citizens. It creates a nice contrast to show that ‘victims’ aren’t always empathetic to other victims’ pain.

Max gets a few chapters in the third-person POV, and I liked his voice much more than Cassie’s. His character arc comes out so well in his chapters. (Rounded the rating to 4 stars only for Max)

Unfortunately, I’m still struggling to connect with Casey and Eric. They are good people – smart, competent, capable, determined, and kind-hearted. Yet, I don’t feel the pull. Moreover, there’s a development I’m not ready for.

That aside, I think my issue is with the repetition. We are told many times that April is not rude and loves her sister. Makes sense to say it once or twice per book since readers need to know the backstory. We don’t need a reminder each time Casey and April interact. Who is Casey assuring? Us or herself?

The mystery is twisted and good. There’s repetition here, too, and a lot of back-and-forth dialogue (some of which can be edited). Still, the suspense sustains well. I’m not too happy with the reveal, but since there’s a huge lead for book #3, I’ll wait and see where it goes.

Lilith and Nero make an appearance again, which makes me happy. I wouldn’t mind if they got extra page space. They are more interesting than some other characters. The mining neighbors have a bigger role, though.

The forest setting is yet again my favorite. Storm is a darling dog, and his near-constant presence makes the story more interesting. I sure wouldn’t mind if we got his POV. Heck, I’d love that!

To summarize, The Boy Who Cried Bear gives me the same vibes as the book one in the series, which means it is a decent read but nothing great. I might read book #3 as it could have answers to some questions in this one.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin (Minotaur Books), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley

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book_reader_lover's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious relaxing fast-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? Yes

4.75

'The Boy Who Cried Bear' is the.second book in the Haven's Rock Series by Kelley Armstrong. Casey and Eric are one of my favorite detective and sheriff duo. They have left Rockton and started a new hidden town in the Yukon called Haven's Rock.

There are a lot of things different between Haven's Rock and Rockton. One being that, in Haven's Rock, they allow children. We meet two of the children, Carson and Max, in this installment. They are brothers that moved with their mom when their dad was murdered. One day on a hike, Max notices a bear. This starts the next case for Casey and Eric. While they have the town locked down, Max goes missing.

Armstrong continues to develop all the main characters in this series. Casey, Eric and the others have grown so much from the start of the Rockton series. She finds a way to keep this series interesting. Armstrong always leaves me wanting this next book, but alas I must wait. She combined suspense, mystery and everyday life into a satisfying read.

If you haven't read the Haven's Rock Series yet, you need to, especially if you read the Rockton series and enjoyed it.

Published February 20, 2024

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Prees, Minotaur Books, and Armstrong for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

😊 Happy Reading 😊

#netgalley #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks #kelleyarmstrong #theboywhocriedbear #readaway2024 #serieslove2024 #alphabetchallenge2024 (B)

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