I don't even have any idea where to start with this. The premise made me think of the movie Point Break- crazed surfers living life by their own compass. Kenna goes to Sydney to see her friend who has fallen in with a guy and a group of badass surfers- but why is Mikki different from how she used to be? She doesn't seem super enthused to have her friend there, and the vibes are off from the start.
Kenna accompanies her friend to this secret beach they hang out at, and there she meets the rest of the group. They're all pretty free spirited, and I loved how this book felt so Australian- the wildlife, the setting, the language. Eventually Kenna decides to try and infiltrate the group- fit in, so she can see what the heck is going on with Mikki.
The POV chapters are mostly from Kenna but every once in a while you get someone else's POV, and I really liked that. That other perspective really adds to this narrative, and provides some pretty wild clues throughout. It only happens rarely, so you mostly get Kenna's POV. One thing I didn't really buy was how she tried to take the group by pushing buttons, and as volatile as this group is, I think they would have shut her down. Otherwise this was such a good read- the chapters go quick and I had to keep reading. Some of the twists I did NOT see coming.
This book is a love letter to surfing as well, and sometimes with books like that you get a sense of info dumping or pushing the subject so much it can turn off a casual reader, but here I felt like the expertise of the author made the story work withour feeling heavy handed. I felt like Kenna mostly made good calls, considering the info she had- I mean, clearly she did NOT know what was happening at particular points, but with thrillers I'm often disgusted at the decisions they make. Here I felt that way maybe a few times but not excessively.
So... is this like a book version of Point Break? Sort of, but deeper too. The blurb on the rear cover says to embrace the paranoia and take the ride- I couldn't agree more.
Gotta love that surfing vibe! This sounds like one I would like. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, the horror of surfing..would draw me in. It's got a world of it's own. Wow, such a cool premise ❤️☕❤️
ReplyDeleteCaitlin&Megan
Ivy&Ellie
Carefully Listening
Ellie
The Book Group
Holly&Stevie
Cherry Blossoms
Better Off Unsaid
A REVIEW!! lol I just watched a series that took place in Australia with surfing (it was horrible lol) and it would be cool to add a thriller into that mix.
ReplyDeleteKaren @For What It's Worth
As long as there aren't too many scenes with water rushing over someone's head, I might be able to read this. LOL I don't like water and even just that cover was enough to make my heart beat faster. I grew up in California. I almost drowned a few times. lol
ReplyDeleteNice review. The book sounds interesting. I like that it gave you a nice Australian feel and didn't info dump. Thanks for sharing your review.
ReplyDeleteOh you have me intrigued! Thanks for sharing about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that the surfing information was introduced in a palatable way. I hate when a subject in a fictional story is described to the tiniest detail and only serious hobbists and professonals can enjoy it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteGracias por la reseña. Lo tendré en cuenta. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteI"m going to recommend this book to my nephew, he's a surfer.
ReplyDeleteI am going to read this novel next. I like point break as a movie lol. But this seems to be based in Australia.
ReplyDeleteI love when books really feel like the place they're set. Also cool when authors can weave info or passion for a specific thing into a book, sometimes I learn new things. And this sounds intriguing, a surfing thriller combo!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever come across a book about surfing - how fun!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. It definitely sounds like Point Break. I loved both movies. Although, the original with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze was better. I'm curious about this book now. I might have to pick it up sometime.
ReplyDeleteDunno if I have ever actually watched Point B
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great! I love surfing/water narratives, especially thrillers too. Have you read Reckless Girls? It's not surfing related but definitely a thriller that deals with water a lot lol.
ReplyDeleteWell this one sounds interesting and different. I'm curious as to what's really going on with the group.
ReplyDelete"This book is a love letter to surfing as well, and sometimes with books like that you get a sense of info dumping or pushing the subject so much it can turn off a casual reader, but here I felt like the expertise of the author made the story work withour feeling heavy handed."
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that the author pulled it off...I read a Christopher Pike book where scuba diving is central, and there was a lot of infodump about it (though in the guise of an instructor teaching it to the protagonist and her friends...).
Also, you're scaring me. All these reviews 😲🤣.
DeleteI really enjoyed this one, even though it probably wasn't as suspenseful as her first book - still, it had its own charms. A love letter to surfing is exactly how I would describe it too! Wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteI really want to read this, even though I have no interest in surfing myself. It sounds really well done!
ReplyDeleteI got sucked into a documentary of surfing awhile ago (Momentum Generation) which is weird because surfing has never had any interest for me whatsoever and every since I've been fascinating by surfing related stories. This sounds like a fascinating read.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of this book!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun premise, Greg! I do enjoy a good thriller where I'm surprised by some of the twists. It's also nice when an author can add details about something without bogging the plot down. I'll have to check it out. Love that cover, too.
ReplyDeleteI love books about surfing too (thank you Malibu Beach) so this one is very intriguing to me. I’ll see if the library has it.
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