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Erica Robyn Reads

a horror book review blog

Recent Posts

A Bleak Remedy by D.S. LaLonde | Book Review

Book cover of Ushers by Joe Hill - featuring a brightly colored winged beings silhouette

Ushers by Joe Hill | Short Story Review

Interview with Stephen Kozeniewski

[Book Review] Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry

March 22, 2018      Erica Robyn      16 Comments

Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry book photo by Erica Robyn Reads

Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry is a refreshingly original thriller that kept me totally captivated (but also incredibly nervous!) throughout. I just couldn’t wait to see how this story played out!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. 

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry 

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this one, but holy cow! What a crazy ride! It was exciting and thrilling, but it was also a bit heartbreaking. All of the various elements that were included in the storyline were woven together so nicely. The plot was quite different from anything else I have read, which was very refreshing. Besides having a great idea behind it, it was also so wonderfully written! Examples can be seen in my favorite passages section below.

I also really enjoyed the characters. Each of the them were so perfectly developed for their roles. Of course we mainly focused in on Rain, as she was the main character. But for all of the supporting characters, I thought that the author gave us just enough information about each. I really loved that we saw a few chapters sprinkled in here and there that were from the other characters perspectives here and there, all of which were tales of Doctor Nine coming to them in dreams and then later being haunted by him.

Be warned, this book is very difficult to put down, especially when you get closer to the end!

Beware, the negatives

Only two very brief negatives for me personally.

First, there were a couple of sexual scenes that seemed very unnecessary to me. I do understand why they were included, but eh. I think the story would have been better without them. Luckily they were very brief and the other sexual scenes were much better!

Second, the crack in the glasses on the cover doesn’t align with any situation the glasses found themselves in in the story. It drives me crazy when these things don’t line up, though I know it’s not the author’s fault. But this one was especially bad because I found myself imagining the glasses as they appeared on the cover and it kept throwing me off! I had to highlight this passages so I could keep going back to it when I had starting imagining the glasses as they appeared on the cover: They were old-fashioned, with horn-rims and a tiny hairline crack along the side of the left lens…

My Favorite Passages from Glimpse

Her alarm clock always sounded like an outraged cricket. It yelled her awake and then seemed to dodge her flailing hand until she finally caught it and slapped it silent.

Every single one of them had walked away from a train wreck of their own making.

The usual neighborhood suspects loitered in doorways, hoods pulled up, hands in pockets, heads tracking to follow everything that moved. Some of them nodded to Rain; one guy called out a crude comment to Yo-Yo, but she fired back a suggestion that he go do something that was improbable, obscene, painful, and which involved close relatives and livestock.

The car vanished into the pale gloom, whipping curtains of heavy mist around it like something out of a horror movie.

The darkness is bigger now, thicker. It smells of old sweat and oily rags. She doesn’t turn on the bedside light, because she knows it offers no protection, even against the darkness. When you turn on the lights, the dark things just hide behind chairs and under the bed frame. They don’t really go away.

It was like watching smoke – always changing and yet always smoke. Waves were like that, she thought, and fire. Always moving, never the same, and yet constant in important ways.

It’s no more real than feeling powerful by wearing a Batman costume at Halloween. You may look the part, but you’re a long way from saving Gotham City.

Life is what you dream it is.

Ny Final Thoughts on Glimpse

I really enjoyed this book! I was so happy that it had a refreshing plot that kept me totally captivated throughout. I can’t wait to read it again to pick up on foreshadowing that I may have missed during this first read. 

I highly recommend this book to thriller fans who love character driven stories with very dark and interesting elements of the paranormal. 


Snag a copy through Bookshop to help support local indie bookshops:

Thanks for reading! 
I will definitely be checking out more of Jonathan Maberry’s work soon! Have you read any of his work yet?

Here are a few more recent posts you might like:

  • A Bleak Remedy by D.S. LaLonde | Book Review
  • Ushers by Joe Hill | Short Story Review
  • Interview with Stephen Kozeniewski

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy Reel says

    March 22, 2018 at 1:18 am

    Although I don't usually read the paranormal type book, you've made this one sound like a great read, Erica. I don't know if I'll be able to fit it in my reading schedule, but it's nice to have a book of this type to recommend to friends who like their thrillers with a paranormal twist. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 22, 2018 at 10:29 am

      I hope you enjoy it if you get the chance to pick it up!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lindsi says

    March 22, 2018 at 5:58 am

    I love it when the cover is an adequate representation of the story inside! It's always a bummer when the two don't seem to be related. I'm glad you still liked it overall!

    Do You Dog-ear?

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 22, 2018 at 10:28 am

      Yeah!! It drives me crazy when they don't match up!

      Reply
  3. Lauren says

    March 22, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    Oh, that would annoy me too – the glasses on the cover not matching the actual description. I'm glad to hear you really enjoyed this one. It sounds like a really unique premise!

    -Lauren
    http://www.shootingstarsmag.net

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 22, 2018 at 11:44 pm

      Right?! It's such a small detail but it really drives me nuts! And it certainly was! I cannot wait to re-read it!!

      Reply
  4. Michelle says

    March 23, 2018 at 7:47 am

    This sounds so good!! Although I usually don't read Adult books too often, when I do they're usually thrillers, so this one is totally getting my interest. I clicked on it because I saw the name Jonathan Maberry– and this seems really different from his usual books.

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 23, 2018 at 10:42 am

      It was so good! I can't wait to check out more of his work!

      Reply
  5. Barb says

    March 23, 2018 at 12:50 pm

    I think I'm gonna try to pick this up next week. Your review made me super excited to read it!

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 23, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      I can't wait to see what you think!!

      Reply
  6. Lupe says

    March 24, 2018 at 12:35 am

    Oh man that sucks when the cover doesn't add up with the actual story! Thrillers always keep on edge even after finishing it! Thank you for the awesome review Erica!
    -Lupe @ Bookwyrming Thoughts

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 24, 2018 at 1:56 am

      😀

      Reply
  7. Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight says

    March 24, 2018 at 8:20 am

    I get what you mean about the cover, that kind of thing bothers me too! Love the quote about the alarm clock lol.

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 24, 2018 at 12:04 pm

      Right?! It's such a bummer… But yeah! The writing was awesome!

      Reply
  8. Lauren Stoolfire says

    March 24, 2018 at 5:46 pm

    Great review! I've just starting seeing this one all over the place and I definitely am looking forward to it. I really liked Patient Zero and Rot & Ruin – really should continue both of those series. 🙂

    Reply
    • Erica Hatch says

      March 24, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      I need to START those series!! 🙂

      Reply

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Welcome to Erica Robyn Reads!

Erica Robyn of Erica Robyn Reads
Hello! I’m Erica, a Mainer living in New Hampshire who runs on hot tea, good books, and loud music. Join me as I seek out amazing horror tales and help support the indie horror community!
 

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