A suspenseful account of an adopted child seeking answers to her own personal history. A brilliant plot although I found the ending a bit odd which spoiled my enjoyment of it ( )

Emily was adopted when she was young enough that she doesn’t remember her biological family. She is happy and isn’t interested in learning about them. All she knows is that they died in a car crash. As she grows up, though, she overhears discussions that make her wonder, though she never questions it. However, things get dangerous for her as an adult once she is married and has a family of her own.

I really liked the first ¾ of the book, but it took an odd turn and I wasn’t crazy about the ending. This was book 2 in a series; I “won” the book in a giveaway without realizing there was a book 1, so I hadn’t read it. Up until the end, I don’t think I needed to, but the main character (based on the title of book 1) does make an appearance at the end. Since I found the ending, not just odd, but somewhat confusing, I wonder if it would have been better to have read the first one first? Either way, up until the end, I thought I was going to (go back and read book 1), but the odd turn the ending took just didn’t… I just didn’t like it, so I don’t think I’ll plan to read the first one (nor will I plan to read the 3rd). I still gave it an “ok” rating, though, as I did really liked most of the book. ( )

Although adopted, Emily possesses a striking resemblance to her foster father. To make matters more complex, some old family photographs found in the attic of a long-forgotten relative show a girl who reflects her bright blue eyes and blond curls. Fearful of the dark mysteries surrounding her past, she never tries to discover her true identity or that of her biological family. Yet, just when she has everything in her life, the past comes back to haunt her. With her present life crumbling all around her, how will she survive the ordeal?

When I first started reading Emily by Elle Klass, I perceived it as a crime thriller. Afterward, shocking revelations and plot twists made this book belong to a completely different genre. The ghosts of the past cloud the present so much that at times one timeline seems to merge to the other. The resultant concoction is both mysterious and horrific, adding to the satisfaction of the readers.

However, the only thing I found lacking is clarity. There are incidents from Emily's life that ultimately do not relate to the main plot. Also, when the end reveals the harsh truths, instead of providing explanations, they seem to make the storyline rather confusing. I believe this novel had enormous potential that, properly executed, could have made this more exciting. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot of suspense and the ending is not something I would have predicted.
I think the author could have definitely added more to the plot and extended the conclusion of the story.
Dawn Lewis did a great job of drawing the reading in, there was a lot of detail, but I think there were details that could have been added to help the reader have a better grasp on Emily's life. Overall, I would recommend to anyone who likes suspense and wants a quick read.

This is a very dark and creepy book. The characters are well written. The story held my interest, but I did not like the ending, that is why I can give it only 3 stars. ( )