Monday, April 6, 2015

Dead Spots by Rhiannon Frater

 400 p.
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2/24/15
Source: From publisher for review
In the dead spots, dreams become reality, terror knows your name, and nightmares can kill you. 
The stillbirth of Mackenzie's son destroyed her marriage. Grieving, Mac reluctantly heads for her childhood home to seek refuge with her mother, who constantly reminds her of life's dangers. 
Driving across Texas, Mac swerves to avoid hitting a deer...and winds up in a dead spot, a frightening place that lies between the worlds of the living and the dead. If they can control their imaginations, people can literally bring their dreams to life—but most are beseiged by fears and nightmares which pursue them relentlessly.

Mackenzie's mother and husband haunt her, driving her to the brink of madness. Then she hears a child call for help and her maternal instincts kick into overdrive. Grant, Mac's ally in the dead spots, insists Johnny is a phantom, but the boy seems so real, so alive.... 
As the true horrors of the dead spots are slowly revealed, Mackenzie realizes that time is running out. But exits from the dead spots are nearly impossible to find, and defended by things almost beyond imagination.In the dead spots, dreams become reality, terror knows your name, and nightmares can kill you.
My thoughts:
This book felt like a twilight zone movie. You are thrust into an unknown realm full of rules you don't know and don't understand. It is dangerous to not know these rules and most things out there want to drain you and make you their prisoner. It isn't a jaunty tour of the backroad country.

We start with Mackenzie who is overwhelmed with several losses at once. Her life is in a total upheaval and her grief is threatening to consume her. She does what she can to move forward, but it seems like she is going in slow motion. She stumbles into a "dead spot" and that is where her adventure starts all at once twisting our sense of what is real and what is fantasy.

Although I did enjoy the twists in this story (one of them I was almost yelling at Mackenzie to "get it") what I really loved was her transformation. The grief and emotional and physical attacks could either tear a person down or build to a stronger person. She chose the latter and I really enjoyed the person she became at the end of the story.

My biggest complaint is a small one. I need an epilogue. I need to know that there is truly an HEA. What occurred to me is that there was no escape or that they stumbled onto another world. Actually there are too many possibilities to think about and I blame this book! :) It had so many twists I started inventing possibilities with the ending. Do note that despite my want of an epilogue the ending was complete.

I give this book 4 stars and I recommend it to those that enjoy a twisty tale with a strong contemporary woman.

28 comments:

  1. I need to read this. I love Rhiannon's writing, so I'm sure I'd love this.

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  2. I do like strong and I do like twists

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  3. Oh I'm curious now about this one and you're making me want to try as well. It sounds really good and different. Thanks for the review!

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  4. Great review. Reading the synopsis I felt so-so about this book and yet having read your review I will definitely seek out a copy.

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  5. I have a feeling I'm going to want a more definitive HEA as well Melissa, but everything else about this one sounds twisty and strange and I can't help but want to know all about these dead spots!

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    1. I would love to know what endings you would come up with as well. I bet we could have one great discussion of the ending. :)

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  6. It's very frustrating when you figure things out much, much sooner than the MC, but at the same time, I've read many books by Frater and liked them all so I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy this one as well.
    Wonderful review, my friend.

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    1. Yes, I do think you'll really like this one. It is just dark enough and Mackenzie is a good character.

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  7. I've heard a lot of good things about this author so I'm determined to try her work, especially now that you also recommend her, Melissa. Thanks for putting this one by her on my radar--I'll be bumping it up my TBR ASAP! :)

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    1. I need to read her zombie books. I just haven't found the time. I will though!

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  8. I agree about really wanting to know about a HEA (in any book). I'm thinking this might be too scary for me. That's what I think of this author usually anyway.

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    1. I'm an HEA girl! It isn't too scary. I'm an admitted wimp. :D

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  9. This is not my usual read but I do like the "twilight zone" feel to the story. I've heard great things about this author, but haven't read any of her books. I might start with this one. Glad this was a solid read for you even if it didn't have an epilogue.

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    1. I think you'll really like the characters. You'll like her journey the most.

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  10. Haven't read this author, but I love the "Twilight Zone" sound of this story! Dead Zones sound terrifying, but good for Mackenzie for not letting it destroy her! Thanks for the heads up!

    Terri @ Alexia's Books and Such...

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  11. Aw sounds pretty good read but sad you didn't feel you got the full HEA

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  12. This sounds good! I'd love to read this soon. Thank you for introducing it to us. <3

    Yani @ www.paperboulevard.com

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  13. Oh this one sounds so good (even if you did have a few issues with the ending) makes me really want to read it!
    Lily @ Lilysbookblog

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  14. Oh it's been a long time since I watched Twilight Zone. lol. Sounds neat. :) Thank you.

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  15. Oh spooky!

    Will there be another book? It sounds like I would want more of an HEA too lol

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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  16. This sounds kind of creepy and cool! I love the idea of stumbling into a dead spot. I'm so curious to know what happens, and it's a shame you didn't get more closure at the end, but I'm glad it didn't deter your enjoyment too much. Lovely review!

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  17. Never heard of this book but it sounds really cool! Great review.

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  18. Love when characters really grow and get stronger despite all the crap that the world has thrown at them.

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