Sean Patrick Hazlett

Received a copy as part of an honest review. The writing in this is really good but I couldn't connect to the protagonist. Couldn't tell if it is because the story is so short so you don't get time to get to know her or she is generally unlikeable. The story concept is interesting but not overly so. And at times it seems if parts of the book are just to move the plot along but wouldn't happen in real life for example (spoiler) would you take your 4 year old to daycare within 24 hours of a traumatic event happening?! I doubt it. And I doubt the child would do well if you did. It doesn't have to be realistic but I do need some semblance of the characters acting like real people.… (mehr)

"Ok" is about the best I can do for this short book about California cyptids (think NJ Devil) that make an appearance again and start threatening the populace. Mack Galvin, cyptid hunter, is on the case and looking for evidence of the beings he can use on his popular TV show. When Mack disappears without any word, his estranged daughter and university professor, Kate, and his granddaughter go searching for him. What Kate finds will shake her scientific foundation and sets in motion a wild chase through the remainder of the book.
I was initially intrigued by the subject matter, but my interest level never deepened because of shallow characterization and limited plot setting. In addition, the main protagonist, Kate, is not a very likable character. I would have liked to have found out more about her father's passion, but the author did not delve into that either. Maybe the author was working on a page count because there was so much more he could have done with this story if he would have fleshed it out more.
The book is passable, at best, because it's a short read and fans of this genre may find some redeeming value in it.… (mehr)

The plotline of this novel is good but the way it is written is not doing it any favors. It really comes off as the author is showing off what they know about academia, too many info dumps about tiny segments of science. It did not add anything to the story and just came off wrongly. Some parts just get passed by quickly and others get dragged on, like when running away from a cryptid. Some words are repeated 5 or 6 times with other descriptors used.
Kid is taken, and the mother never really questions what the kid really saw or blows her off as 'kid' stuff.
… (mehr)