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rah's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
Kara Thomas has written some terrifically atmospheric YA thrillers set in white working class towns full of secrets and with this novel she successfully transitions to an adult mystery set in the same milieu.
When Samantha Newsom was 11, her parents, uncle, and baby sister were killed and then their house burned down. Now, more than two decades later, Sam has returned to Carney as another uncle had died of lung cancer. A state investigator has re-opened the unsolved case of her family’s murders and Sam gets drawn into doing some investigating of her own. As she digs deeper, her long-held assumption that it was a corrupt cop behind it all is challenged and she unearths the long-ignored disappearances of young women that may be linked.
The author masterfully draws Sam’s slippery reality as she returns to the dead-end small town peopled by those who grew up there and have stayed because there wasn’t an alternative and because that’s just what you do. These are grown-up versions of the author’s teen characters, particularly the young women, who have aimlessly gone with the prevailing winds, scraping by financially and emotionally, drifting into drugs, alcohol, or some other form of numbness.
The plot switches back and forth and as Sam peels back more layers, she lets light and air into the festering secrets that have lain hidden and she is able to get to the truth and return, changed, to her normal life.
Kara Thomas has long been one of my favorite YA authors and I’m pumped that she has accomplished the move to adult thrillers so triumphantly.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
When Samantha Newsom was 11, her parents, uncle, and baby sister were killed and then their house burned down. Now, more than two decades later, Sam has returned to Carney as another uncle had died of lung cancer. A state investigator has re-opened the unsolved case of her family’s murders and Sam gets drawn into doing some investigating of her own. As she digs deeper, her long-held assumption that it was a corrupt cop behind it all is challenged and she unearths the long-ignored disappearances of young women that may be linked.
The author masterfully draws Sam’s slippery reality as she returns to the dead-end small town peopled by those who grew up there and have stayed because there wasn’t an alternative and because that’s just what you do. These are grown-up versions of the author’s teen characters, particularly the young women, who have aimlessly gone with the prevailing winds, scraping by financially and emotionally, drifting into drugs, alcohol, or some other form of numbness.
The plot switches back and forth and as Sam peels back more layers, she lets light and air into the festering secrets that have lain hidden and she is able to get to the truth and return, changed, to her normal life.
Kara Thomas has long been one of my favorite YA authors and I’m pumped that she has accomplished the move to adult thrillers so triumphantly.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
naliyah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
gggina13's review against another edition
3.0
WHYYYY do YA authors think that "going adult" means being the most gritty and trashy they can be?? Especially considering that typically their YA books end up being the ones with the more clear themes anyway?
Out of the Ashes follows our MC as she begins to learn more about a family tragedy that befell her at about 13. She was having a sleepover and turns out her entire home had burned to the ground the night she was away, including her parents, her uncle, and her 2 year old sister. She grew up with a bitchy aunt and cousin and like, yeah just grew up and got out of her town.
But now a new detective has picked up her family's cold case and is looking into some new evidence. Someone alleges that they saw something that night, but it's someone in prison who only wants to give up information in exchange for like, time off his sentence or something. But either way, the seed is planted in the MC's mind to go back to her hometown and sniff around.
Of course there's sex work and drugs and bars and stuff like that because it's a YA author's debut. It's reminiscent of Ruta Sepetys and Kiersten White's adult debuts in that way. And all 3 of these ladies had far more character depth and tbh interesting plot in their YA stuff. SOOOO yeah idk
I think Kate Alice Marshall's adult debut is a pretty good one to pick up if you're trying to follow YA authors into their adult writing. And I haven't read Adrienne Young's adult book yet but I've also heard good things.
I will say I thought the way this story ended was surprising enough and was your typical Kara Thomas unexpected twisty ending, so it wasn't all bad by any means, it just was so... expected which actually is UNexpected from Kara Thomas so maybe there's levels....
anyway waiting for her next YA lol
Out of the Ashes follows our MC as she begins to learn more about a family tragedy that befell her at about 13. She was having a sleepover and turns out her entire home had burned to the ground the night she was away, including her parents, her uncle, and her 2 year old sister. She grew up with a bitchy aunt and cousin and like, yeah just grew up and got out of her town.
But now a new detective has picked up her family's cold case and is looking into some new evidence. Someone alleges that they saw something that night, but it's someone in prison who only wants to give up information in exchange for like, time off his sentence or something. But either way, the seed is planted in the MC's mind to go back to her hometown and sniff around.
Of course there's sex work and drugs and bars and stuff like that because it's a YA author's debut. It's reminiscent of Ruta Sepetys and Kiersten White's adult debuts in that way. And all 3 of these ladies had far more character depth and tbh interesting plot in their YA stuff. SOOOO yeah idk
I think Kate Alice Marshall's adult debut is a pretty good one to pick up if you're trying to follow YA authors into their adult writing. And I haven't read Adrienne Young's adult book yet but I've also heard good things.
I will say I thought the way this story ended was surprising enough and was your typical Kara Thomas unexpected twisty ending, so it wasn't all bad by any means, it just was so... expected which actually is UNexpected from Kara Thomas so maybe there's levels....
anyway waiting for her next YA lol
angiesmitheduc8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
YA author Kara Thomas's first foray into adult fiction, OUT OF THE ASHES — is an emotional and heart-wrenching suspense thriller of a woman's investigation into her family's murders.
When Samantha Newsom was thirteen years old, her family was murdered—someone set their Catskills farmhouse on fire. An unsolved crime, leaving nothing but ashes. A tragedy she has never forgotten. The case went cold and was mishandled.
Sam's entire family: her uncle, dad, mom, and baby sister, Lyndsay—gone.
Twenty-two years later, Sam returns to her hometown of Carney, NY, to care for her uncle's affairs. While there, Investigator Travis Meacham tells her a prison snitch has offered new info about the night of the murder. There may be a chance Lyndsay is alive. Someone carried her out.
Sam is drawn back into her past trauma regarding her family's horrific and unsolved murder.
The past resurfaces, and Sam is determined to find out what really happened to her family and to find her sister if she is alive. If she were alive, she would be a grown woman.
Was it a coverup, corruption, or motive, and what happened?
How far will they go to protect their secrets?
Told from Sam's POV, A small rural town with many secrets, drugs, and crime. Sam uncovers dangerous lies and truths in this twisty novel with family, memory, and justice themes.
A gritty, slow-burning suspense with lots of tension, mystery, and SECRETS. For fans of the show "Mare of Easttown" and true crime mysteries.
Thanks to #ThomasandMercer for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 1, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 2023 Must-Read Books
When Samantha Newsom was thirteen years old, her family was murdered—someone set their Catskills farmhouse on fire. An unsolved crime, leaving nothing but ashes. A tragedy she has never forgotten. The case went cold and was mishandled.
Sam's entire family: her uncle, dad, mom, and baby sister, Lyndsay—gone.
Twenty-two years later, Sam returns to her hometown of Carney, NY, to care for her uncle's affairs. While there, Investigator Travis Meacham tells her a prison snitch has offered new info about the night of the murder. There may be a chance Lyndsay is alive. Someone carried her out.
Sam is drawn back into her past trauma regarding her family's horrific and unsolved murder.
The past resurfaces, and Sam is determined to find out what really happened to her family and to find her sister if she is alive. If she were alive, she would be a grown woman.
Was it a coverup, corruption, or motive, and what happened?
How far will they go to protect their secrets?
Told from Sam's POV, A small rural town with many secrets, drugs, and crime. Sam uncovers dangerous lies and truths in this twisty novel with family, memory, and justice themes.
A gritty, slow-burning suspense with lots of tension, mystery, and SECRETS. For fans of the show "Mare of Easttown" and true crime mysteries.
Thanks to #ThomasandMercer for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 1, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 2023 Must-Read Books
tchkdz65's review against another edition
5.0
good read
Chose this one based on the synopsis. Kept me guessing; would have liked the ending to have more closure, it overall it was good.
Chose this one based on the synopsis. Kept me guessing; would have liked the ending to have more closure, it overall it was good.
margaux22l's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5