The Odd Life of Bethany Sutterfield | Book Review

★★★

The oddities bothered me

First off, it wasn't poorly written, but it was the writing style that annoyed me somewhat.

​It was told in a manner that made me feel as if the author were telling a story around a campfire, but without drawing the listener in, so that when that jolt to startle or scare arrived...it simply didn't happen. For example, a character has left a disappointing appointment, is headed home and they are rounding a bend. The author then writes, clinically and detached, without giving too much away: 'I...halted with a jerk. Thunderhead clouds swept across the sky, and my surroundings turned dark. The space around me became lifeless as if someone had sucked all the hope and happiness from the world. Dread filled me....His sharp, tanned face was marked with wounds from which blood oozed. His glare contradicted the smirk on his face..."Nothing can save you!... "I will kill you, just like I killed...!" I shut my eyes tight while counting to ten...' Had the author taken the time to build up the scene with more storytelling, then a shiver at her encounter would have raced along my spine.

Then there was the dialogue. Occasionally, it seemed realistic, and at other times it was stilted. So while the author is a decent writer, she needs to work on her storytelling skills. Also, the book cover needs a professional one done. It's not at all appealing.