Book Spotlight: The Survivors by Daniel Harvell

Happy Day Beardies,

I’m in season! What? No seasonal, weather joke fans out there? When I look out my window I can see the leaves are changing colors. The air is noticeably cooler and feels crisp. Everything is smelling pumpkin spiced. I am one happy camper. All joking aside, autumn is my favorite season ('tis a mystery why, right?); I’m giddy to spend every waking moment outside before the dreaded snow begins to take over the landscape. While I am a weather lover, I am a bigger book enthusiast so let’s get down to the real reason I’m here chatting it up today, another Book Spotlight.

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Premise:
Seven strangers survive a terrible plane crash and find themselves endowed with new powers. After going their separate ways and trying to live life with these new found abilities a string of murders brings them all back together. They must learn to trust themselves and work together if they're going to stay alive and figure out who the murderer is.

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Gems for Writers:
Narrative Voice. One of my favorite parts of this book was the strong voice each of the seven survivors had. There was a firefighter, a grandma, a psychiatric patient, a college basketball star, a bitter man bound to a wheelchair, a little girl, and an heiress. As each new survivor was introduced and spoke, they had a clear voice that was true to their backstory and where they were from. While sometimes almost too stereotypical (i.e., the poor grammar/slang of the black, college basketball star), it did help propel the story forward for me because I could always tell who was talking without having to constantly go back to re-read.

Pacing. From the opening paragraph, I was hooked. This book moves quickly and never lacks a driving force. Mr. Harvell doesn't leave us lingering too long in the dark, which is something—as a slightly impatient reader—I appreciate. Everything is spelled out for us as we move from chapter to chapter. Just when I thought I had the whole story figured out, there would be a new, fun twist that left me scratching my head and plowing on with the book to get to the end.

Rating:

Conclusion:
I really waffled between 3.5 and 4 stars. I settled on 3.5 because this book included everything AND the kitchen sink. I kind of wish the author hadn't wrapped up every little thing in a neat package. Overall this book is action-packed, fun, clever, and a great read. If you're a TV fan, like me, this book would be sort of like if Lost and Heroes had a baby. Pick it up. Give it a try. Let me know what you think.


Until Next Time...


***The Survivors (2013), by Daniel Harvell, is published by and copyright Daniel Harvell. It is available in stores, online (see above), and from your local public library.