Review of Heart-Shaped Stone by Arby Corry

Look at that book cover. Just look at it and nothing else. Now read the title. Good? Now, does it seem like a suspense book filled with lies and deceit to you? No. Well, that is exactly what I thought too! I have a confession to make; lately, I have been swamped with books I need to read and review. Why am I saying this? I guess I just needed to justify why I was taken aback by how things turned out in Heart-Shaped Stone. I didn't bother to read the blurb again before diving into the book, so hurray me! I got smacked over the head and fell in a freaking rabbit hole.

Title: Heart-Shaped Stone

Author: Arby Corry

Publication Date: July 31, 2015

Published by: Createspace

Source: Copy Given by Author and Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22969420-heart-shaped-stone

SYNOPSIS:

Caila, like most dreamers, just wants to be wanted. Unlike most dreamers, she's wanted by the CIA.

When the last decade of thirty-two year old Caila Domenici’s life disappears, destroyed in a car accident, she is forced to begin again. Defying doctor’s orders to slow-go-it, she sets out to navigate the world on her own. It's not going well. Coddled from birth, everything from a bus schedule to how to boil water confounds her. Worse yet, she's about to accept her meddling mother's offer to pay for food and rent. With just a hunch her talents extend beyond that of daughter of privilege, Caila searches for her past. Before she can find it, it finds her. And the handsome azure-eyed stranger who’s saying he knows her is somehow part of it.

Caila always believed there had to be more, but now, on the verge of discovering the truth, she must decide which is worse – never knowing who she really is, or knowing too much.

EXCERPT:

Reese was being too nice. Something was up - their deep conversation the night before, the bubble bath, the tea, turning down her bed and now breakfast? Caila wasn’t suspicious by nature, and in most cases trusted more than she should, but where Reese was concerned she dropped all pretenses and questioned his every move. He was much too calculating to not see opportunity in everything he did. Caila recognized that in him right away. Her mind was now churning with theories. Why, if he was up to something, would he be so blatant with this sudden kindness? Did he think she would not notice?

Then she imagined the most unexpected thing.

Maybe he wasn’t up to anything at all. Maybe this was another side to the man she detested right from the start. The invader, the man who came to make her life a living hell and push aside her father may not, after all, be the man she believed him to be. But even that theory was short lived. No, she thought, he has a motive.

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Caila Domenici is confused. She doesn't remember most of her life due to an accident, yet she doesn't feel like the life she's living now is truly hers. When people from her past start popping up, she finds it hard to believe what they are telling her. She wants to remember, but at the same time, she's terrified to know the truth. If only there's someone she can truly trust.

REVIEW:

Okay! I will be making this review short and spoiler-free. Why? Because there are books that you just can't give glimpses off because you'll ruin it for others. And I don't want to do that to you guys. First things first, kudos to you Ms. Corry for surprising the heck out of me. I was not expecting the turn of events, and the constant "Whaaaaat??" that comes out of my mouth is a great indication of how much I liked Heart-Shaped Stone. The story was fast-paced, it was so fast in fact that things started to unravel in a couple dozen pages in. (I got the book in PDF format so it might be a bit different than others.) The twists in the plots were ridonculous! Some people might think some things are cliche in the story, but in my own opinion, this is the kind of novel you don't want to make assumptions of because the suspense is part of the book's charm.

All of the characters had multiple layers, and they were all given justice. I loved how the story is a mixture of different elements. We have the action, a little bit of humour, a lot of thrill, then throw in the romance, a dash of sadness, and we have ourselves an awesome book.

SUMMARY:

I will be reading this again because it was that good. Heart-Shaped Stone is beyond engaging; it was well-written and carefully planned. It will make your heart pound, your temper rise, your stomach drop, and your head ache.

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Arby Corry is an award-winning writer, wife, mother, grandmother. Although writing is her passion, she has spent most of her career in the broadcast industry as a radio announcer. Heard on stations coast to coast, and the occasional audiobook, Arby now spends most of her days writing, enjoying the great outdoors with her husband and spending time with her grandson.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArbyCorry 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/ref=nav_wishlist_btn 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Arby-Corry/e/B00MS6BC4W/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 

Book images provided by Goddess Fish Promotions. 

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