In my opinion, there are few things better than literary vendettas. Take a group of vengeful people, plop them down into what was (once upon a time) a serene atmosphere, and let the may-lay begin. Action is what fuels us, Action is what makes our insides come alive, Action is what makes us do ridicules things like daydream about being Russian Spies! So… that being said, is it any surprise I enjoyed “Sanctuary”?
A few days ago I felt like I was kicked in the back (see Days of Grace review) so diving into a fast paced suspense was (to put it mildly) refreshing.
If your older brother’s parting words were “If something bad should happen to me contact…” what would you do? Well, for Emily (a children’s book illustrator with no clue as to who her brother actually is) the answer would be “hop a plane to Brazil and get him back.” Armed with nothing more that a name (Christovao Santos) and cluelessness as to where to go next, Emily does the only thing she can think of… scrounge up a gun, and starts asking questions. Bad plan? Yes. Dropping like a fly due to fever, and exhaustion, Emily suddenly finds herself on the opposite side of the gun. Unsure of her surroundings, but clear of her intentions, she uses the only thing left in her arsenal… her power of persuasion. Is her brother really who these mysterious men say he is? What really went on Africa, and… is that a gun toting nun?
A few years ago I would have been afraid to touch this book. Not because of the synopsis (which was a little wordy for my taste) or even the meshing of genres (Romance and Suspense,) the killer for me would have been the author. (Don’t freak Sharon… I’m not specifically talking about you) In the past I have noticed a trend with female suspense writers, they find it hard to turn off the mush. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is necessary to have intimate interaction between characters to help build suspense, and rooting for specific outcomes on multiple levels is engaging, but in order to successfully pull off a suspense novel the author must maintain a certain level of mystery through-out their plot. Thankfully… Sharon Garner did exactly that. Great concept… better execution.
The only significant hiccup I found was the ending (yes.. I know I’m spouting cliché’s) Where the writing was solid, and fluid through the first 85% of the novel, it seemed sloppy, and a little forced in the last few pages, (as if Garner was scrambling to get the book done) There were a few scenes that seemed rushed, and others that seemed slow, but all in all, the emotional “baggage” created by Garner for her characters (grief/apprehension/duty/desire) only added fuel to an already blazing fire, and in the end kept me from wanting to put it down. In my eyes that equals success.
There were hidden files, sexy Lambadas, people jumping from ceiling tiles, angry African men with swords, and one very sleazy man with blonde hair and a dirty mouth.
Conclusion: This one is a keeper kiddies… get it, live it, love it… pass it on.
Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: when in doubt… shout it out.
For a complete book description click image
[Rating:3.5/5]
