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truebookaddict's review against another edition
5.0
Kristin Dearborn is a talented author. I read her Woman in White earlier this year and was impressed. Now Stolen Away...I'm floored!
Stolen Away is not just a horror novel about demons. No. It's much more than that. There are many more horrors present in this book that every day people deal with. Drug addiction, crushing feelings of worthlessness, family judgment, heartache and loss. It's all here. And Dearborn doesn't hold back. She tells it all viscerally and honestly...all the dirt and grime and shame right out there in the open. It's honest and real. It lets you know that, yes, demons are scary, but sometimes real life can be even scarier.
The demons and demon world were incredible. The concept of them and their existence was very plausible. I know I say this often because of my love for horror films, but I really think this one would make a great movie.
This book is so well-written, I couldn't stop reading. If you're looking for a page turner with a great story and characters, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
(I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
Stolen Away is not just a horror novel about demons. No. It's much more than that. There are many more horrors present in this book that every day people deal with. Drug addiction, crushing feelings of worthlessness, family judgment, heartache and loss. It's all here. And Dearborn doesn't hold back. She tells it all viscerally and honestly...all the dirt and grime and shame right out there in the open. It's honest and real. It lets you know that, yes, demons are scary, but sometimes real life can be even scarier.
The demons and demon world were incredible. The concept of them and their existence was very plausible. I know I say this often because of my love for horror films, but I really think this one would make a great movie.
This book is so well-written, I couldn't stop reading. If you're looking for a page turner with a great story and characters, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
(I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
0hfortheloveofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
First, I want to thank Raw Dog Screaming Press for a copy of Stolen Away by Kristin Dearborn in exchange for an honest review.
It is every parent's worst nightmare to wake up and find your child gone, vanished without a trace, but the nightmare didn't end there for Trisha. She finds herself descending lower and lower into hell - the seedy, grimy underbelly of Miami and further into the fire and brimstone of the underworld. But no matter how low and dirty Trisha had to get, she was fierce and unrelenting in her search for her son and her quest to protect her family.
Trisha was one amazing, albeit flawed, protagonist; a past riddled with drug use and bad decisions. I loved her attitude and the love she had for her children. She would do anything, sacrifice anything and everything for her children. And Joel was a great compliment to her. He was logical where she was emotional, he was the calming voice where she was pure fire. They were such real, well-rounded characters. I was rooting for them from the beginning. Even the unlikeable characters were three dimensional and well thought out. And it was refreshing to see such a strong cast of female characters.
There were some very graphic scenes that made my skin absolutely crawl. There was quite a bit of sex and drugs but also a lot of heart. The sex and gore was never gratuitous. Every scene, as graphic and as crazy as some were, were essential to the story. And those crazy scenes were so well crafted! They could have easily come across cheesy by a less articulate writer. Kristin Dearborn should be commended for her writing ability; amidst the grit and grime she reveals little snippets of pure beauty.
If you decide to write a story like this, you need to go all in. Dearborn embraced the raw grittiness. If you decide to read a story like this, you need to let it consume you.
It is every parent's worst nightmare to wake up and find your child gone, vanished without a trace, but the nightmare didn't end there for Trisha. She finds herself descending lower and lower into hell - the seedy, grimy underbelly of Miami and further into the fire and brimstone of the underworld. But no matter how low and dirty Trisha had to get, she was fierce and unrelenting in her search for her son and her quest to protect her family.
Trisha was one amazing, albeit flawed, protagonist; a past riddled with drug use and bad decisions. I loved her attitude and the love she had for her children. She would do anything, sacrifice anything and everything for her children. And Joel was a great compliment to her. He was logical where she was emotional, he was the calming voice where she was pure fire. They were such real, well-rounded characters. I was rooting for them from the beginning. Even the unlikeable characters were three dimensional and well thought out. And it was refreshing to see such a strong cast of female characters.
There were some very graphic scenes that made my skin absolutely crawl. There was quite a bit of sex and drugs but also a lot of heart. The sex and gore was never gratuitous. Every scene, as graphic and as crazy as some were, were essential to the story. And those crazy scenes were so well crafted! They could have easily come across cheesy by a less articulate writer. Kristin Dearborn should be commended for her writing ability; amidst the grit and grime she reveals little snippets of pure beauty.
If you decide to write a story like this, you need to go all in. Dearborn embraced the raw grittiness. If you decide to read a story like this, you need to let it consume you.
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